[Hobo Renee]

Yes, California is awesome, but you have to be careful because there are some very unawesome parts. Generally speaking, Southern California is not awesome except for very specific parts of LA and San Diego. Unless you're a complete Bible thumping Republican I would recommend staying out of Orange County or Northern San Diego County. I guess one of the worst things about a lot of California is the cost of living, but if you have a good job then I guess that doesn't really matter. The weather is usually amazing, but depending on where you live, you'll be stuck in traffic too much to enjoy it. But what do I know, I live (when I get back to CA) an hour south of the Oregon border. I'll probably have to move to LA or San Diego for grad school though.