We really enjoyed our visit with Kev’s parents. One thing that we did a lot of was engage in conversation – sometimes about important things; other times about nothing in particular.
In this entertainment-charged world we live in, I often think that many people have lost their ability to enjoy simple things … like plain, down-to-earth conversation. (And with the advent of the internet, e.g., things like blogs – though we love them dearly, it’s becoming less necessary to engage in face-to-face communication).
One thing Kevin has commented on is how certain people we know from southern California (where I grew up) always appear to need “something to do.” They have to be on-the-go; they have to be entertained; they have to be amused. They can’t simply sit down on the couch and kill five hours talking about nothing … and actually have fun doing it.
But it’s hard to blame them when they are simply a byproduct of their culture. That’s the norm for them. In fact, until I moved to Virginia and, later, married a guy from the Midwest, I also was oblivious to anything different.
And it truly is amazing how different the culture is in California compared to many other places in this country. California is much more amusement-focused (and image-driven) … and it’s not hard to understand why. There’s a lot to do here, especially in the big cities. California natives are used to living fast-paced lives and so, when the opportunity presents itself, it’s counter-intuitive to just relax and enjoy simple times. The California culture encourages an entertainment mindset.
Once upon a time, this all seemed to be fine and good. But now that I've experienced "another way," I’m not so sure I like it.
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2 comments:
Even though I was raised in So. California, and have lived in Sacto County for 24 years, I enjoy just sitting and visiting. I don't feel the need to run around entertaining visitors with ACTIVITY (unless, of course, it's requested). When staying with friends, we've actually had our hostess apologize for not having any daytrips planned. I had to explain that we LIKE just being a part of their household during a visit, and don't expect anything more than just enjoying each others' company (which we do). Apparently, the "something-to-do" bug has not bitten me OR my family.
I don't think the need to be entertained and the inability to enjoy the simple things in life is stricktly a cultural California thing. Growing up in the coastal towns of Central California is a totally different place and I thought moving to NOVA was a way more fast paced even though P'ville only had one stoplight "back in the day."
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