The California I grew up in is gone, except in my consciousness. What a life it was. Living and playing outside all year around; you could drive anywhere in the city and feel safe (and it was not just white); surfing at dusk with no one around; enjoying the incredible diversity of the people.. The first time I returned to LA, I saw that it was leaving. It had become congestion, greed, aggression, and graffiti. For me now, there is no California except for the ocean. But there was a spirit about California which I will always carry in my body.