Alright friends and family, I have lived in Utah for over 5 years now and I am still happy.
I have found myself becoming increasingly annoyed when people say, "Your staying in Utah?" with a look of disappointment on their face. Or even take a further saying things like, "How could you betray your home of California," "Your getting stuck in the Utah bubble," "But how can you be happy so far away from the beach," and on-and-on the list could go.
I am staying Utah and I don't see anything bad about it. Although other people feel like California is Heaven on Earth, to me, it is not. So I thought I would create a list of why Tyler and I have decided to stay in Utah, so the next time I get some snotty-California-zionist remark I can simply refer them to this post and not let my feathers get all in a ruffle over it.
1.) Tyler and I are both employed in Utah AND have job security, neither have jobs in California.
2.) Tyler and I have family on opposite sides of the country. Utah is an excellent meeting place to see both sides of our family as often as we can.
3.) I have an excellent job at BYU, an opportunity that would be difficult to come by at a CA University.
4.) Tyler and I both plan on buying a house SOON with a 2-3 car garage and a yard we can actually have a medium sized dog in. No matter what happens to the real estate market, Utah will always be cheaper than Southern California.
5.) Tyler loves golf. In Utah he is able to golf for free almost all the time.
6.) Tyler and I DO NOT SURF. We love all the outdoor sports Utah offers such as mountain bike rides and boating in the summer and snowboarding and hunting in the colder months. (I don't hunt).
7.) We have really great friends and family here in Utah that we love being around.
8.) We love being close as our siblings and other family members come to BYU. We like to think of ourselves as the new little freshman's home away from home.
9.) The mountain ranges and lakes are equally as beautiful to us as the scenery in California. Nature regardless of where it is brings peace and happiness.
10.) My hair dries about 10 times faster in Utah than California.
11.) California's political and economic situation is an absolute disaster. I don't even want to get started on this, but it's no wonder Californian's are taxed for everything under the sun!
12.) I don't trust the CA Supreme Court. Enough Said.
Finally, we really just feel that we have the best of both worlds. We love our jobs, friends, family and situation here in Utah, but can go visit California just about any time we want. When we do go to California we can enjoy our family, the beach, the superior shopping (Utah will never compare), and mild weather without having to deal with the expense and political, social and economic turmoil.
Our priorities may be different from others, but it is okay, we are happy. I am not going to start wearing bekanstocks with socks, poofing my hair 3 feet high or assuming the "Mormon" way is the only way. Tyler sure as Hades will not turn into an overbearing patriachal maniac or start drawing out his vowels. Although I live in a different place I am still me and I still appreciate being accepted and respected!
WE ARE BOTH HAPPY IN UTAH. ALTHOUGH YOU MAY NOT BE, PLEASE JUST LET US BE!!!
