not all who wander (in california) are lost (but most probably are)

michigan, new york, illinois, michigan, tennessee (is that 2 n's, 4 e's?), ohio, connecticut, michigan (must be the weather), georgia, and colorado. these are all the "point of origin" for some of the people i have crossed paths with in california. most are imports and there are two camps, very black and white; "love it, & belittle your midwest home", "hate the artificial mentality, traffic, and high cost of living, & miss your midwest home".

i read "teen" magazine as a myopic, pronounced overbitten adolescent while listening to the beach boys tease me with the sounds of surfing, cute boys and chocolate malts. the music, movies and magazines appear to have a pied piper of hamlin effect on those of us who have projected our unfulfilled and happy endings in the sunsets onto the mythical, but very expensive $ per square metre golden state.

i think most that have made the epic road trip west are lost; perhaps the statue of liberty, or st. anthony (patron saint of lost children) would be more appropo on the state flag. whether you choose to assimilate by adopting the accent (ohio girl), or the "boobs/peroxide/tan value meal" (another ohio girl), or let your highlights grow out into a veritable skunk stripe until you can go back to your punk/dj/hairdresser/mother of 2 adoptive children in louisville, ky (transplanted alien/kentucky girl), "lost" and "wandering" are still probably on the radar.