Everything has changed. The shit-show of 2020 has given us time to think about what’s really important. Perhaps within all the uncertainty, was a blessing in disguise for our family. New horizons have entered the landscape of our lives, and we’re ready for big change. It wasn’t a part of our plan, but after almost a decade, we’ve decided to leave California. Why, you ask? Why would we leave the ‘golden state’? Why would we leave our beautiful mountain home? Well, the decision wasn’t made lightly, it was incredibly difficult. But here’s a list of reasons why it makes more sense for us to leave than it does for us to stay…
1. Wildfires. The fact that California was made to burn, means we shouldn’t be surprised every year as fires ravage the state. Are they bigger now than ever? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it’s just mother nature doing her thing, as she has since the beginning of time. Whether climate change has anything to do with more extreme fires, God only knows. Perhaps the increasing environmental regulations and the lack of forest management could have something to do with these record breaking fires, too.
People want to protect trees and nature, but the truth is, that if you are populating an area, you have to control the environment, or it will control you. Any one who lives in the country understands this. Mother nature is powerful, and will always rebuild herself. So, if the forests in California need to burn, so the earth can be reborn again – then she’ll do it. She doesn’t care if people are living there. Perhaps it’s less dangerous for humans if we manage the forests before the wildfires do it for us. And sorry guys, ideas like building more wind farms, banning plastic straws, banning plastic bags, regulating gas cans, and banning gas powered vehicles is not going to save California from wildfires.
Where we live in the Tehachapi mountains, we’ve been breathing smoky air for over two months. Fires burning all around us. It’s too much. It’s a huge threat to our health and safety. And quite frankly, I don’t want to live year after year wondering if this is the year we’ll have to evacuate, or God forbid lose our home, like so many have over the years. There’s that, and the earthquakes. I’m just done.
2. High Taxes. The more you make, the more California takes. We’ve always known this, but the harder we work and more money we make, it becomes more glaringly obvious that we would save a whole lot more of the money we’ve EARNED if we lived elsewhere. Taxes matter, and high taxes means less money we can give to causes we actually believe in, or put back into the economy. If California had more to show for all the tax money it takes from people, maybe things would be different. But cities in this state are being over-run with homeless, poverty, and crime. They are dirty. They just are not the dream they once were. And there are more regulations every day, making it increasingly more difficult and more expensive to operate a business here, which for us as entrepreneurs is pretty damn important.
3. High Cost of Living. Housing prices, gas prices, food prices, etc. Along with that, basically everything is more expensive than in other states. Car registration, speeding tickets – you name it. Gas is around $3-$4 a gallon on average here, where it is half the price in other states. And just to give you an idea, during the last election, the people of California voted to ADD a substantial gas tax increase!? I just don’t get it! Leading me to #4…
4. Bad Politics. The main thing that really brought this to my attention this year was the insane authoritarian coronavirus restrictions put on people and businesses in the state. The way democrat leaders in this state so quickly took control of every facet of our lives in the name of ‘public health’. Lockdowns, mandates and a seemingly never-ending power grab by government officials was enough for us to take a serious look at what we want for our future and our child’s future.
It’s ok for the government to make recommendations, but it’s quite another to order small businesses to shutter their doors (while Walmart stays open), dictate where we can go, when, who we can go with, how long we can spend there and that we are not allowed to talk or sing. Oh, and that we need to put a mask over our face every time we take a bite of food, and if we don’t believe this is necessary, then we are selfish people who are shamed and told we don’t care about others. Let’s not forget to ticket the ONLY surfer on the beach, and say it’s because he could get coronavirus from the ocean and spread it to others… This kind of tyrannical behavior and brainwashing by government officials is outrageous!
Meanwhile, California is also choosing to release thousands of violent offenders from prison to protect their ‘health’. How does public health override public safety? A person’s health is their own personal responsibility. Their safety from violent criminals, however, might be one of the only responsibilities of government! Another thing I just don’t get. None of this is based on science.
And for those who think people who want things to be wide open care more about the economy than people’s lives. Wrong! The economy IS people’s lives! People’s businesses and lives have been shattered by the mandates and restrictions, and it’s so wrong. Coronavirus isn’t the only way people suffer and die. So many have needlessly suffered not as a result of the virus itself, but as a result of the response to it.
Don’t get me wrong. I care deeply about people. But, I also understand that life is suffering. No where was it written that we, as human beings, are entitled to a perfect life, free of suffering. We can, however, build our lives in a way that minimizes our own suffering, by the choices we make and the willingness to make things better. If we don’t like something, we have to change it, even if it’s hard (and seemingly impossible) to do so. Thinking someone else (a person, government, etc.) is responsible for giving us a better life, is not going to reap the same rewards as we get when we accomplish tough things for ourselves…
I could go on and on. The bottom line is that the current leaders in California are over-stepping big time. When we moved here from the Midwest, we chose to let go of some of our freedom in exchange for the opportunities that awaited us, but this state has officially gone over the deep end, and we don’t see the benefits of living here any longer.
5. Water. Plain and simple. Southern California is part of the desert. While the sunny, dry weather has it’s benefits, it also leaves something deeply lacking in our lives. Being from Minnesota and Wisconsin, where lakes and rivers are plentiful, our hearts naturally crave that very essential element. Water is essential for life, and it’s definitely essential for our spirits, too. Let’s face it, if we desire the ‘lake life’, with a boat and lakes and rivers to go enjoy, we’re just not going to get that here. Not for any reasonable price.
6. Family. When we left our family to go on this journey to California, it was exciting! We were young, adventurous and following our passions. We went into the unknown of Hollywood, and it was an incredible time, to say the least. We were usually able to travel back to the Midwest easily, and took the trip whenever we could. Fast forward to the birth of our son, things changed dramatically.
My heart yearned for family. Our parents and some other family members came to visit when they could, but for me, it was very difficult to imagine traveling with a baby, so it didn’t happen. We managed to move out of the city, and into the mountains which gave us space to breathe. We started to plant roots and raise our son. It was super exciting and full of adventure, but somewhere deep down, I think I knew it wasn’t going to be forever. Something was always missing.
At this point, I want Tristan to know his family better. His grandparents, his aunts and uncles, and his cousins. It’s too expensive and time consuming to travel to California, so many in our family weren’t ever able to take the trip. So, it’s just time for us to move closer to them. Though, we aren’t moving back to Wisconsin or Minnesota, mostly because of the brutal winters, cringey politics and high taxes – we’re going be living closer at least! It’ll be easier and cheaper for everyone to travel to get together, and that’s a good thing!
2020 gave us time to think, and we’ve asked ourselves, if we don’t NEED to be in California, should we stay? We decided that the costs and sacrifices are just not worth it anymore. We can work remotely from anywhere, so, the Rapsys family is leaving California, and we’re off to the beautiful state of Tennessee!!!
We are trading the Tehachapi Mountains for the Great Smoky Mountains, where there’s woods, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, mountains and lush green everywhere. A lot more rain and thunderstorms I imagine, too. It’ll be a difficult, but necessary change. I’ll forever be grateful for the experiences California offered us over the past 10 years, all the memories we made, and the people that we met along the way. So many people have come into our lives, and made such an impact on who we are today.
It’s a bittersweet time. I’ve shed many tears. The last 10 years have been rich and meaningful. We spent time living the dream in Hollywood, we found our footing in sobriety, we made a beautiful baby, we left the city, and made a ‘wild’ little life for ourselves in the mountains. It’s been a grand adventure! But, now it’s time to turn the page and start a new chapter.
That’s a wrap! Peace out, California!
