Missoula VS. Big Bear.

So, in typical Shannen and I style, we can't make up our minds. Do we want to live in Big Bear, California, or do we want to stick to the original plan of Missoula, Montana? Kind of a big decision, as either way, one of us is moving across the country. But which one of us? Last night, I was doing a lot of thinking, and I was weighing out the Pro's and Con's of each place.

Big Bear Pros; 

- After 8 years of mostly separation, I'd finally be really close to Levi. We'd be able to spend a lot more time together. The catch to this? Levi and I are very distant lately, and he's super busy with his work and internship, so I don't know that we really would be able to hang out a whole lot anyway.

- Closer to my family/Rachel/Katie; As much as I love the fuck out of all of the above, it's not like I'd never be able to see them again.  I mean there's planes and trains and cars and busses and shit. I mean for fucks sake, my aunt and uncle live one street over and I hardly ever seem them now.

- If I don't wanna be in the snow, all I would have to do is drive down the mountain and I'd be out of it. This is a big one for me, because I'm a pansy ass bitch. But, if I know I have that option, I'll be less likely to suck it up and deal with it, and I'd waste all my gas going up and down the fucking mountain.

Big Bear Cons;

- There's no college on the mountain. Meaning, I would have to go down 20-30 miles down the mountain and into San Bernadino to go to school. Do-able, but a hassle. Plus, San Bernadino is sketch. I hatehatehate being in Highland (the town at the base of the mountain). It's scary and ghetto. And that's for me, I grew up in this shit. Imagine how bad it would be for a small town Washington/Montanan girl! Shannen didn't like how ghetto Fallbrook was, she wouldn't like San Bernadino. We wouldn't be safe going to school there.

- I don't know that her car will pass smog. Fuck, let's be honest here. I don't even know that MY car will pass smog when it's up for registration again.

- There aren't very many jobs up there. This one's kinda self explanitory. . .

- Tourists. I'm not a fan of them, and Big Bear being a Ski Resort, there's nothing but tourists there.

- California drivers. Californians can't drive in the sunshine and especially not the rain, so what the fuck are they like in the snow. . .

Missoula Pros; 

- When I visited there, I fell in love with the city.

- It has a college, which I'm also in love with.

- Rent is about the same there as it is in Big Bear, but the houses are nicer. 

- Strangely enough, I miss having a basement. Missoula has basements.

-There's nothing more beautiful than a Montana sunrise. Seriously, that shit could turn me into a morning person. I love love love them.

- Friends. I have friends there that I made in Lewistown that I miss ever so fucking much, and I'd love to live around them again. Because the friends I made in Lewistown are quality people. Every one of them. Even people who didn't like me back then are better to me now than most of the people who claim they're my "friends" here in Fallbrook. (Katie and Rachel not included. Everyone else, yes.) Look at everything that happened between Kelsey Landers, Nikol Fulbright and I.  I had people tell me they actually thought we were gonna kill each other. When I went up to visit, I was anticipating some kind of drama, but they treated me like an old friend and seemed genuinely glad I was there. I went floating with Kelsey, and Nikol and I hung out and talked like we'd been friends forever on two different occasions. Now yes, there's still drama in Montana, and people still will argue. I'm not saying everything's perfect there. But Montanans are different. They get mad, let you know they're mad and why, and then they're over it pretty quickly. Out here, with just about everyone I've met, people get mad then stab you in the back and hold grudges forever over stupid shit. People are fake here. Flaky. They pretend. I'm sick of it. Montanans are great in the sense that they don't give a fuck about what people think. If they don't like you, you sure as hell know. The people I call my friends in Lewistown are true friends, people who I know are in my life cause they want to be. They're in my life because they like me, and because they care 'bout me. That is the kind of people I need to surround myself with.

- No Sales Tax.  You know how much money you waste on sales tax?!

- Hedgehogs are legal. I CAN FINALLY HAVE ONE.

- I feel close to my dad there. And yes, I'm aware how absolutely absurd that sounds, feeling close to a man I never knew who's been dead for 13 years. But, I'm not angry with him anymore. I want to know him for who he was. I'm finally ready to ask the questions I've wanted the answers for but been too afraid to ask.  I could visit where his ashes are spread, and I could actually learn things about him from my grandparents who live 50 miles away.

-My grandparents. Speaking of them, they live 50 miles away from Missoula. It'd be nice to be able to spend more time with them and be closer to them as well. (Plus, they've already met and adore Shannen.)

- Four seasons. This could go as both a pro or a con, actually. It just depends on my mood. xD

Missoula Cons; 

- I'll be far away from my mom and my moms side of my family. (See loophole to that in Big Bear Pros.)

- I can't escape the snow. This is bad because I'm a pansy ass bitch. However, it could teach me to NOT be a pansy ass bitch . . . we'll see.

- Out of state residence tuition. That shit's ridiculous, but there are ways around this.

- I'd be a Griz, and Kenzie and Kayla might love me a little less. Assholes. <3




So, it looks like in terms of practicality (is that a word?) Missoula wins.