Argh - is there anyone sane in LA?

I really am amazed at the lack of sanity in LA.

Sure, LA has a bad rep for the "crazies" but it seems to be getting progressively worse each year that I'm here.

Maybe it started with the housing boom and as rent prices and real estate prices went up, so left more and more of my friends with kids (or friends with a kid) as of course it makes sense to live somewhere cleaner, safer, and cheaper than LA if you have little ones.

So now I fear that LA is just the way it is and it will never get better.

It's declined the past 3-5 years I'd say and while I keep sticking it out here hoping things will recover, will they?

I'd like to think so.

The optimistic in me says, "yeah, stick it out".

But somewhere in my heart I fear the truth is LA will never go back to the way it was. The great days of the late 90's when everyone here was happy, making good money and the energy was good.

Is it time to plan my escape?

Maybe.

You may see my next post from somewhere unexpected...

Is there "normal" in LA?

Some days I'm really amazed that I've survived in LA this long.

Why?

Because so many people here are crazy.

Not straight jacket crazy.

More like "just not quite right" crazy.

Sure, people are all unique. Different. Everyone has their quirks.

And perhaps "normal" is boring.

I have "normal" relatives. They are all married, with regular jobs, kids or no kids but just normal, everyday folks.

Not in LA.

Almost everyone I know is weird, quirky, odd, "a bit off" or something like that.

Why is it is so hard to find a nice group of "normal" friends?

I don't mean I need a group of friends that are doctors, lawyers, dentists and accountants. On the contrary, I love that I have a diverse group of friends that work in every field from entertainment to accounting.

However, since I seem to meet the most people through the entertainment business, finding a group of normal friends can be challenging.

What I would give to make friends that aren't white trash, angry, have a horribly negative attitude about life, or what not.

You are the company you keep - isn't that what they say?

So is it me?

Or are there just slim pickings in LA these days?

After all, in a city where you need to plunk down a half a million dollars to buy a house way out in the valley, who can afford to live here? Only the super wealthy or the super insane. I guess I know more of the later than the former....