Someone said to me last week;
“Everyone who is born in LA moves and everyone who comes here comes for one reason only, to be in the entertainment industry and so all they want to know from you is, how can you help me”
So far I have found it, not in keeping with the obesity epidemic sweeping the world and apparently stemming from America, healthy, diet conscious and friendly very friendly.
A question I have been forced to ask myself is are people fake here or are they friendly?
When you walk into Starbucks you will always be greeted with a smile and ‘Hi how are you?’ and once you have ordered the conversation will end with ‘Have a nice/great day.’ What happens in the middle depends on you. When I first arrived I found it slightly awkward I wasn’t sure how to respond to this, it was a far cry from what I was used to. In England you are lucky if you are greeted with a smile and a genuine interest in how you are is unheard of. However, as it became apparent to me that this was the norm and I was in fact being rude. I have learnt not only how to respond but also to apply it to my job and daily life so that I treat people with this same manner, its contagious and I have to ask myself; is that a bad thing? Does it matter if its fake when it puts everyone in a better mood? And, can you be fake with a complete stranger?
Yesterday after getting lost and ending up in down town L.A I had driven for 2 hours and had no idea where I was but had miraculously ended up in the right place, a photocopying shop. I parked my car in the parking lot next door and had a nice chat with the guy in charge, I didn’t matter if I was in a bad mood, his friendly smile and general demeanor perked me up immediately when I walked into the shop I was going to I held the door open for the girl walking out. Now, after two weeks this comes naturally to me and I am discussed that it hasn't always. But as I have thought about this as I drive round in my little green beetle I think how someone would respond if I said “Thank you so much” when they gave me my change “Enjoy your day.” No matter if it was a man or a woman I was speaking to I think this would be seen as flirting and this makes me worry. What if I lose these manners when I go home? Do I have to live in Los Angeles to get this kind of treatment and not to forget how to treat others? Do I need to bring my children up half way across the world if I want them to behave like this?
Maybe it’s the weather here, today is the 19th of November and it was sunny today. The type of sunny England experiences mid August for a week or two if we are lucky. Perhaps on the few days we are blessed with that weather we are as polite as the people of Los Angeles I mean why beep if someone doesn’t move immediately when the traffic lights change when its sunny and your rich?
Perhaps it is also caused by the excessive amount of endorphins everybody must have from the overly excessive amount of exercise taken here. You don’t have to ever look more than 5 feet to see someone carrying a yoga mat, wearing gym clothes or running. On a Saturday or Sunday morning when you go for breakfast 90% of the people in there have come from doing exercise and if you haven’t, maybe you shouldn’t be having breakfast is the mentality!
Anyway whatever the reason all I can say is in England I am always up for a good argument and I am proud that I will stick up from myself and the people I love. Here not only would I hate to have to do that but I would also never tell people let along brag about it they way I would at home. It would not be something to be proud of or that people would think any better of you because, if anything they would think worse of you.
Most people are diet conscious and work out. I sat last night for almost 2 hours discussing diets and exercise régimes with two lovely, beautiful women both very slim. The conclusion was;
No heavy carbs, no cheese, no alcohol eat every few hours, lots and lots of protein and exercise 4 times a week plus.
There is no doubt you feel a lot healthier, happier and confident when you are slimmer, eating well and in good shape. Since coming to America 2 months ago I have gained 14 pounds. I am now on a diet and exercising but you don’t realize how easy it is to gain weight here. Snacks, not going to the gym as I did in London and more preservatives in the food where not a good combination.
I will let you know how my weight loss goes and I’m sure I will find plenty of inspiration for my blogs from the classes here, 6.30 core bare tomorrow morning, flat stomach in 1 month here I come!
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