Having lived in both states, I tell it how I see it. Feel free to voice your difference of opinion should you have one (or add to my list)
1. In California it is either black or white: either you are LDS or you are not; In Utah there are all different shades of gray.
2. If it is 50 degrees in Utah, people are wearing shorts and flip flops. If it is 50 degrees in California people are wearing coats and cute little matching hat/scarves/mittens sets (and they probably own more of them than the Utahans).
3. In Utah they will tell you on the news if it is a "red burn day" so that you know the air quality is too poor to exercise or spend much time outside. In California almost every day is a "red burn day" so they don't bother to say anything about it.
4. In Utah, Wal-mart is a nice place to shop. In California, it is infested with white-trash or strange looking people. I wouldn't recommend going there after dark.
5. In Utah, the LDS folk are busy packing their basements full of food storage. Californian LDS: what basement? And food storage doesn't seem as emphasized, it seems
6. In California it is unheard of to see a homeowner doing any sort of yard work or gardening (especially a female-- people freak out that I mow my own lawn). Many have hired latinos that do everyone's gardening. In Utah, almost everyone does there own gardening practically with the exception of hiring the neighbor boy to mow the grass. I have to say that those Latinos do a much better job at it than the Utahans.
7. Girls Camp in Utah consists of sleeping in a tent and cooking over a fire. Girls Camp in California from several stories I've heard, consists of sleeping in cabins or dorms or something and having catered food with an hour or two of "camp certification".
23 comments:
*In Utah you go to Lagoon. In California you go to Disneyland. *In Utah, you know all your neighbors quite well and have exchanged food. In California you've heard that your neighbor is a doctor. *In Utah you enjoy 4 unique seasons. In California spring is when the sun peeks out from the smog. *In Utah driving 50 miles on the freeway takes 38 minutes. In California it takes 2 hours. *In Utah the grass is soft under your bare feet. In California?... *In Utah people are generally politically conservative. California has Nancy Pelosi
Totally agree on the Wal-mart observation. Coming from small-town Utah especially, everybody goes there, even the rich people, because the expensive stores are so far away.
I, too, have lived in both states. I'd have to disagree with the Wal-mart deal. I only go to Wal-mart if I absolutely have to and that is a rare occurence. I suppose since I live so close to Salt Lake it might negate my example. And you should see the food storage my dad has. He proves you don't need a basement.
Once a Utard always a Utard.
Should there be a gray area with the only true church?
California has earthquakes all the time, basements are like open graves, plus they reek and are dark and depressing, even finished ones. Probably not the best place for food storage. I'm pretty proud of mine and I'll step up to my Utah relatives' storage anyday. Name one person who LIKES to drive in snow and freezing weather.
May 1-Day Without A Mexican! Work is better than begging for a handout on the corners! 99% of the yards in Utah are yellow, not green.
I went to girls camp from age 13-17and we NEVER had catered food. Ask Steve's mother, she was there too.
Wal-Mart is the same in both states, avoid it like the plague.
Utah R.I.P. in my heart.
I think Utah has met its match with California in the area of "gray" LDS people. In BYU Student World, half the kids that cause problems are from California. 48% are from Utah / Idaho. The remaining 2% are from Florida.
Walmart... When was the last time you went into the Orem Walmart?
Utah has its prissy girls camp too. Look up "Heber Valley Camp". Our stake goes there every year, and brings along a gourmet chef to cook for the girls. He takes their orders about a month beforehand.
I totally agree with the traffic comment someone else made.
I have lived in both states as well (although being a missionary in California--not sure that counts), and I grew up in Oklahoma. Not sure why people (including Californians) hate Utah so much. Yes, there are some definite quirks, but you will find those anywhere.
I'm with Team Anderson on this one! We both grew up in the same ward, went to the same HS and went to the same girls camp (with Steve's Mom). Girls camp was never in a cabin or a dorm! That would be boring. Our girls camp rocked! AL II ward rocked on camp certification! How fun! I love those days!
When I went to Ricks...it was so different for me because EVERYONE and their dog was LDS. Totally not like that in CA. I am thankful for that! I would not trade growing up in CA for anything.
As for the food storage issue....All my extended family lives in CA and they ALL have food storage. And, like Kim said, a basement in CA is like an open grave during an earthquake! YIKES! My family had a ton of food storage growing up!
And for wal-mart...I'm pretty sure where ever you go, wal-mart is full of white trash!!! At least here in Idaho and all the ones I've been to in UT. I guess that just goes with Wal-mart.
Interesting observations you have made..it looks to me that the UT LDS coming from what you have said are so muchn more judgemetal and prideful then the CA LDS..I think this post is rude and unkind to those that grew up in CA and actually had to stand up for who they were and make it in such hard areas sometimes. Where everyone wasnt mormon and doing what was right. I appreciate where I grew up which is in the same ward as your husbands family and I hope hope that he would take offfense to this too that you would be so judgemetal about others lives, that of which I am proud that I grew up there and learned adversity and difference it has made me a more excepting person of others no matter who they are or where they come from. You might want to re evluate things before you post things that are going to bag on people you don't know.
Whoa! slow down Melissa! Time to re-read what I wrote. #1 says that californians are either black or white when it comes to the church. I consider that to be a GOOD thing. Either you have a testimony or you don't. My observation was that UTAH mormons go through with the sunday motions, but don't seem to actually have a testimony and live it (but of course this too is just a generalization-- there are MANY good solid LDS people both places).
As for the food storage comment (#5) I've just noticed whenever I visit my parents ward in Utah there is ALWAYS some sort of food storage sign up or food storage fair going on. In California in all 3 of the wards I've been in a food storage sign up goes around about once every 6 months.
My comment about basements wasn't referring to californians being bad because they didn't have them-- it was just that they don't exist in california.
Didn't know I'd cause such a stir! Sorry to all those who choose to be offended.
That was hilarious Cambrie! I have lived both places and tend to agree! Derek and I had a good chuckle over your post!
That was a good one Cambrie! I too have lived both places, and I have served in Young Women and attended Girls Camp in CA and I have to say, it was NOTHING like Girls camp in Utah. Nothing rough about it, they went to a cabin and their hike was to the beach. My parents ward in Utah has as part of their newsletter each month a thing about food storage. I loved Gramps comments too, they were quite true and hilarious as yours. Oh and I dont think your post was bieng mean to anyone, its all true.
I didn't choose to be offended you choose to write a post that would offend others about certain things. And I was not the only one that said things about how you posted this post...find something better to do with your time then bag on others :) "Though shalt not judge :)"
OKay, I have no idea who you are...your blog came up as I was searching for Church owned camps to reserve for my family reunion and when I saw the title of your post I had to read it! Okay, seriously comparing Utah and California is like comparing well I don't know what but really there is no comparison! Utah has the benefit of access to all the church headquarters, canning facilities, welfare square etc. vs. CA where we maybe have a cannery within 50 miles and are scheduled to work their once every 6 months due to stake rotation. I really don't think that you can chalk that up to lack of preparation or interest on food storage. That said I notice that you are living in So Cal right now-talk about a tainted opinion of California UGH! Of course those girls have caterers are you kidding me! I attended gc every year and the first 4 years you were required to sleep outside, only big sisters got the crappy spider infested tent cabins! Don't get me wrong I so I am not trying to be confrontational by any means, I just think it is hilarious the "competition" between Utah and Cali. We have so sat around and made the same comments about Utah and the big hair, the girls who go to college to get married, the fact that Lake powell is your best vacation spot...Ouch, at least we have the ocean! And really, does every school dance in Utah need to look like a beauty pageant, I mean really, what is with the dresses? And one more one up for Cali, we have In and Out, Utah has Sonic I mean come on! Anyways, too funny, loved the post and especially your first comment from 'Gramps'!
As a Ca girl, I LOVE your observations and totally agree. Okay so I've never lived in Utah and even though I'm LDS I have spent no more than a handful of days even vacationing there. (Don't ask me where Nephi is because I have no idea, I do on the other hand know where Newport is and I'd rather be there!) Everything you said was totally true and funny.
In my expierence, I'd say Girls Camp here is much less camping and much more of a spiritual retreat- which I prefer.
I think it's hilarious that anyone in Ca would be offended by this, I read this and thought how luck I am to be from Ca and NOT Utah! Go figure!
For Melissa (in case you come back to read again):
these statements were generalizations only. There are good and bad things about both states and tons of people and situations who don't fit into these generalizations.
FYI-- I would rather raise my family in California if I had the choice. I'm not anti-california. I still can't figure out what you are even upset about.... it was a harmless posting that was meant more to point out some of the funny differences between the 2 states.
Thanks to all those who commented and had expressed a differnce of opinion (or enlightened me with their experiences) without getting offended about it.
I googled "difference between California and Utah" and got the answer right there in the first line of the search results:
"Utah is 1 hour ahead of California."
Ha! Utahns are from the FUTURE! How 'bout that?
Gr!!! i've tried leaving my comments twice and it hasn't posted!
To sum it up, I can't imagine why ANYONE would choose to be offended at this post and anyone who is, is just looking for something to be offended at. These are all just opinions and observations in which anyone is entitled to. I saw no judging. every generalization has an exception which I'm 99.99% sure that cambrie is aware of.
I'd like to add some generalizations of my own:
SINGLES WARDS: in utah SW, especially in provo, there is always something going on where most of the people in the ward go and have a blast everytime. In cali, there are activities planned, but only 10 or so people go unless it's a large activity like going to the movies, etc.
Also, Visiting teaching in utah SW is easy; you walk outside your apt and walk around the quad to do your VT. In cali, you have to drive 20 min. to do it.
I enjoyed your post. I didn't see anything in it that should have offended either side...I think Utahns in general need to become more "black and white" on their religion...make a stand and be White! There are too many that just sort of float along, because you can here in Utah. People shouldn't look for reasons to be offended over others mere observations, correct or not. Life is too short to be carrying a grudge that makes you miserable!
Hi~
My name is Ken Ricks... I feel bad about commenting on your blog when I dont even know your family. I am about ready to go to Loma Linda School of Dentistry and I would really Like to discuss what the experience is like as a LDS member at a Adventist School. If you have a second... do you mind e-mailing me at kricks@runner.csub.edu.
Thanks
Your observations about California are completely stereotypical and biased. I mean really....you're talking about Wal-Mart and white trash? Who are you to decide who is white trash or not. Hmmm. Maybe someone is looking at you thinking the same thing. Most people shop at Stater Bros, Ralph's or something like Trader Joe's. I can't believe that you would actually claim your Wal Mart is better than ours. That's like comparing refrigerator boxes if I am sleeping under a freeway. Packing your basements full of food storage? When is the last time you saw a basement in California? I tell you what...you can have your basement full of food storage and when your house caves in you can dig it out. Maybe food storage isn't as emphasized because we already have it? Have you thought of that? You said it yourself that Cali is black and white. Could it be that we are actually obedient and don't need to be held by the hand for every task? Novel idea. We Hire Latinos? What the stink does that mean? If people are freaking out about you doing your lawn maybe you need to reevaluate where you live. Everyone I know does their own lawn. Latinos...pffff! Oh and girls camp. Give me a break. I happen to know for a fact that the girls in Cali don't have it that nice at all. In our stake they slept in tents on an Indian reservation and didn't even have running water. I guess it was catered if you count hot dogs in a cooler provided by the Church. In closing, maybe you should be a little more considerate when you just start spouting off random comments that seek to downgrade where a person is from and how they live. I could make a looooooooooong list of retarded things about Utah. We can save that one for another day though.
Peace out.
Hey anonymous, where in Utah and California have you lived and for how long?
Actually, I went to AstroCamp. I know all of my neighbors, and their mothers names. Oh, and yes, one is a doctor. I’ve never seen smog in person. I can drive 100 miles in an hour every direction on my local freeways. I’ve even got St. Augustine grass! So soft. My county is a red county, by the way. California is so vast and beautiful; mountains, valleys, seas, and desert. Bonus, we don’t have to pay for recycling bins, our local minimum wage is $15/hour, and you can buy a nice house for 200k.
-proud Californian
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