Living the Good Life

I've been thinking a lot about what makes a place a great place to live, especially since I've never been compelled to own a home and really settle down anywhere.  Now in my third week in Santa Cruz, I'm finding this to be a most excellent place to live so far.  And why is that I keep wondering?  

Well, for one, the weather is outstanding.  Warm days, cool nights, and foggy mornings.  All in one day I get to experience a variety of views and climates, but it isn't so chaotic that I can't figure out to dress myself appropriately.  The beauty of this place cannot really be exaggerated.  Seriously, within five minutes in one direction of my house there is the ocean, rocky cliffs, and sandy beaches and within five minutes in another direction of my house there is the enormous redwood forest.  This place inspires me to enjoy its beauty and forces me to take pause and notice it all and take it all in.

The attitude here is also very laid back.  Everywhere I go from the university to the grocery to the frozen yogurt place to the DMV, people are cordial.  Not in your face over-the-top nice and not annoyed with you for your mere presence.  I am starting to remember to greet people everywhere I go and have a human interaction.  One way of putting this is that I've noticed that people look me in the eye when I am interacting with them and not multitasking through our interaction.  It is refreshing.  And on that point, I never, and I mean NEVER, see people huddled over their phones in public while trying to order things, eat food, shop, etc.  You see people on their phones, but sitting down or walking their dogs, not like just walking down the street on an errand.  It has made me not do the same thing because now it feels like if I am on my phone in those places it is intrusive to other people in that space.

It is easy to be healthy here.  There are paths for enjoying the outdoors, trails, and opportunities to be active everywhere around you.  There is also fresh produce and whole foods directly from farms at daily farmer's markets at really affordable prices.  The good life from food to leisure is pretty easy for find here so far as I can tell.

Finally, it doesn't hurt that you don't need to go to a zoo to be delightfully intrigued and entertained with wildlife.  A trip to the beach presents opportunities to see sea lions, seals, pelicans, various types of birds, and SEA OTTERS!  I mean, I was on cute overkill today as we listened to the sea lions barking in the distance while watching a cute little sea otter play in the water.    Here is a picture of the sea otter that I caught between flips (his head is the lighter colored circle in the water).