Quote:
Originally Posted by Shuffle
I like quiet, low crime, suburban / small town living with no traffic, but those kinds of places are only good if you're married, not so good if you're single in your 30s. I left the Midwest and don't ever intend to go back. Even Chicago didn't work out for me, although I never lived in the city because I was playing poker and saving money.
Quick background:
When I was 25 I dropped out of college my senior year and decided to be a screenwriter. Unfortunately, you don't learn anything overnight, and after a year or two I was broke. Worked some temp jobs to pay the bills and then got into poker ever since. Too stubborn to finish my degree and now that I'm older, I wouldn't be happy in that career anyways. Didn't date anyone for a long time mid-20s until early 30s, then after a few years, my ex-girlfriend and I broke up beginning of last year. Went on some dates, had a sugar baby for a few months, then nothing. No love life, no social scene for a year, just cards and loneliness and, eventually, drinking.
So finally I started to panic about winding up alone and also not doing anything with my life. Sold everything and came out here to Vegas to play the series this summer, ran the worst I have ever run, then no plan after that. Literally no idea where I'm going. Thought about moving to L.A., thought about moving to S.F. or Santa Clara County, thought about just traveling around the world. I have a few hundred thousand saved up, but the more I thought about it, the more that last option seemed awfully indulgent.
I guess Bay Area is a sausage fest, impossibly high male:female population ratio, and once upon a time I decided to be a screenwriter after all, so L.A. it is. Time to make a last stand.
I'm not broke, but I don't have any job or career or dependable income, so buying a house is out of the question. I started looking around for apartments in the $2k-3k / mo. range. That seems to be average for anything decent in the city. I asked some woman where she might recommend, and she said "what scene are you looking for?" I thought for a moment and said, I don't know, young professionals? I probably don't fit in with that crowd anymore, but who exactly does a 37 year old single man fit in with anyway? I'm drawing to an inside straight, Hoping to succeed in a career, and maybe meet an attractive mid-late 20s woman who is solid wife potential if I'm lucky. Doesn't seem likely, but tired of poker and few other options at this point.
Whatever area you move to you will be prone to hanging out in that general area most of the time due to traffic etc. If u live DWTN yr not dating a girl who lives on westside, etc. Don't live in the suburbs, try something different for a year and at worst be uncomfortable. Yr not buying a house.For 2.5-3k rent a airbnb for a month on westside, in south bay, dwtn, near Grove etc.
I'd go Culver City over Brentwood if you go Westside. Had several acquaintances move out to LA in mid to late 30s in past 2 years and they couldn't afford Santa Monica so ended up going Culver area. One is now married to girl he met and having a kid in 3 months.
South Bay is more chill area with different vibe if you like the beach.