I Was Born Here

I was born in Sunny Southern California, in the hottest month of the year! cries out my mother. California is known for its drought season; one we just came out of, it lasted four years. Imagine no rain, or very little rain. California is the 31st state of the union on September 9, 1850, and by the early 1960s it was the most populous U.S. state. Pacific Ocean in the west, in summer, we’d pack the cooler up with sodas, sandwiches and chips, take the 5 to the beach. At night you could see the car lights making an S shape coming down the “hill” going N back to the valley. California's wonderlands' spans from Eureka "The Magic City” “Little Switzerland of the Ozarks" to San Diego oceanography, marine biology research and military presence. A mishmash of cultures and banging restaurants from every nationality. Earthquakes are common, a big one hit in 1994, the earthquake's epicenter was in Northridge, 6.7 a city in the San Fernando Valley, I was out of town, my mother was amid its devastating thrust fault. It rocked her right out of bed, and she had to evacuate her village apartment on campus of CSUN. She worked for admissions and records, the building destroyed, a dome was built to replace it. The Hollywood film industry and its dark and scandalous history and iconic celebrities is still a phenomenon. Latinos remain woefully underrepresented both in front of and behind the camera. The Golden Gate Bridge, on one of my travels the marine layer so thick, I couldn’t see in front of me as I drove. We get the same marine layers from the beaches at the end of Topanga Canyon. Throughout its length, it has left its mark on the L.A. rock and roll scene. Musicians such as Crosby Stills, Nash & Young, Peter Tork and many more stayed there. Disneyland, and Silicon Valley and Rodeo Dr. are here. It’s also famous for its Giant Redwoods. Up in Northern California are the wine countries. The first vineyards were planted as early as the 1700s, by Spanish missionaries creating wine for religious use. Further on up, San Francisco’s Wharf and my favorite, Fish ‘n Chips. The theme song for the T.V. series The Beverly Hillbillies by Paul Henning. This ballad grew on me over years of listening to the series, I pictured hillbillies coming to California from Texas. Something most evil did come here in the 60’s that would change the course of the Jesus Freaks, the Hippie Movement and its innocence forever. Charles Manson from Ohio, who stood 5’2, single-handedly recruited, cajoled and demonized members of his cult The Manson Family. I wished he’d never come to California.