To Cali or not to Cali...

...that IS the question.

The idea of moving to California has been plaguing me for quite a long time now. In between my California-bound interest, I have also gone through other interests of relocation such as Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii; but I have always come back to the idea of California. The desire to live in lower elevation, a steady climate, and near the ocean (oh dear god, THE OCEAN), is at this point undeniable and basically inescapable.

Up until now, my venture to move further towards the West Coast has been a venture all on my own. I was the one who had to make the decision. I was the one who had to find the place. I was the one who had to find a new job. I was the one who had to find the money. [$$$$$]
But alas, this year the universe provided me with help; a partner named Vic. A partner who not only suits me in all the ways I've always wanted a partner too, but also one who has the same deeply devoted desire to move towards the ocean as I have. (& he comes with ambition no less!)

SO in the midst of this newly developing relationship, me and Vic have been heavily toying with the idea of moving to California. We even took a trip out there for my birthday so he could show me the area's he's interested in living in. I've always been more of a North Cali lover, but since I hadn't actually been further south then LA, I couldn't efficiently judge. Vic has always been a South Cali lover, but since he hasn't ever been further north then San Fran, he can't efficiently judge either.
However, the trip we took for my birthday was southbound. As soon as we drove into the Huntington Beach area, I was in love. The moist salty air was tangible with waves of relaxation. It was as if I could FEEL how everyone around me was feeling. Happy. Laid back. Warm. Relaxed. Excited. Completely content beyond all measures of the word. This place was just screaming, "Why don't you pull up some sand and take a load off?"
So we did. We stayed in a hotel in Sunset Beach. We lounged on the beach, tripped to the ocean, grooved to the sun, cruised on the boardwalk, indulged in lots of deliciously fresh fish entrees, and smiled till our faces hurt.


When the week was over, we begrudgingly came back to Utah. Still riding the high from the majestic ocean waves. It took less than one day to miss California crave to go back. So this is when the debate of moving out there got heavier.
We started looking for places to rent. To which we discovered what everyone has been saying is ultimately true... California is EXPENSIVE!! The cheapest places that we could find (that we would actually live in), were in apartment complex's. Two bedroom, one bathroom starting around $1700/mo NOT including utilities. Distraught by the harsh reality of the costs we would be indebted in, (not just by the price of living there, but also with moving expenses included....) we started questioning whether moving to California is really the wisest decision for us.

Here's the brief breakdown of our conclusion:

-For the price we would spend to move to and live in California, we can stay here and use that money to travel all over the world, including visiting California SEVERAL times!
-If we're going to have such high living expenses, we would probably both need to be working as full time as possible. Which means 2+ jobs for each of us. With that kind of schedule, would we even be able to enjoy California?? Would we even find enough time off to go to the beach?
-For the price we are going to be spending in Cali, we could stay here and treat ourselves to a whole private house! With a nice backyard, a garage, and --fingers crossed--a hot tub!!
-We already have good jobs here with an already expanded network for upgrading in our fields. Why not stay here until we are more successful (a.k.a making the big bucks!), THEN relocate to somewhere cooler.

and last but CERTAINLY not least:
-Is it really a wise decision to move to CALIFORNIA before 2012?!?!? Now hear me out: Even IF nothing happens in a planet-based/universal/end-of-the-world sense, people are going to go nuckin futs!!!! It is a perfect time for all the crazies to get even crazier! And where do you suppose the craziest shit is gonna go down? =California, New York, and Florida, without question.

Ultimately, we decided that as long as we are together, it doesn't matter where we live.

Therefore, for the time being, Vic and I are going to stay in Utah. [At least until 2013]
That is our final decision. Doesn't mean that it won't change... Just that it's the plan for now.

So you still have Crystal. . . . .
You ALLLLLL still have Crystal!!!!

(You'll laugh at that statement if you are a Futurama fan, and replace 'crystal' w/ 'zoidberg')