By Robert Mullen

Reporter
I was born in Bakersfield. I was raised here for most of my life and even after I moved up to Frazier Park, Bakersfield was still home, and I still visited just about every other week. I was incredibly excited moving back here for college and still feel right in this city, as opposed to a small mountain town that never really charmed me.

Some people find it strange that I actually enjoy living in Bakersfield, especially when it seems that so many people can’t wait to leave. But if you stop to think about it, this is actually quite a great city to live in, in my opinion at least.
I’ve travelled quite a bit, I’d say.

I’ve been to Waikiki, Florida, Washington D.C., and just about every city or town in California. Heck, I’ve been through L.A.’s soul sucking traffic so many times that I couldn’t even make a deal with the Devil.Through all that time, in all those places, I never once felt like they offered a real home.

I love it here. Most of my fondest memories are about this town. I’ve seen the lights at night coming down the Grapevine, I’ve driven from one end of town to the other while enjoying the warm summer air and some classic rock, and I’ve spent lazy Saturdays catching a movie at the marketplace with my family. I’ve spent Sunday evenings at the bookstore and countless evenings hoping with all my heart that a fight would erupt at a Condors game.

I even love our weather, no matter how much I curse when I work in the summer. Eight months of the year, we’re just about the best place to be.

And while I’ve long since grown sick of snow and ice and any temperature below fifty degrees, I fondly remember waking up to hear that school was cancelled and enjoying the four hours that the snow was actually snow.

Hell, I even love the people; I’ve always found we have the perfect mix of down to earth work ethic, friendliness and California lazitude. You can’t beat the fact that we’ve got everything, be it food, movie theaters or more classy live venues, bowling alleys, golf courses (both mini and standard), aquatic centers, museums, book stores, a Hockey team and of course the best Basque, Italian and Mexican food in the world.

Sure it may not be the greatest place when you’re a twenty-something rearing to travel the world, but as a little kid, or an adult trying to settle down and start a family or make a living, it’s all right.

And to those eager beavers itching to go out and experience the world I must say this. At least we’re not Fresno.