That's OK Keef, if it doesn't work out in LA you can always move back to Medford.

Your strip about moving to L.A.--especially the conversation with Jeff at the end--reminded me of the telegram supposedly sent from Hollywood by Ben Hecht to fellow New York writer Herman J. Mankiewicz (or possibly sent by Mankiewicz to Hecht): "Millions are to be grabbed out here and your only competition is idiots. Don't let this get around." I think you'll do all right too...as long as you don't become one of the idiots!

If LA doesn't work out, we'd love to have you in Brooklyn (seeing as how we lost Dan Perkins to the suburbs and all...).

The Bay Area has magic but SoCal has it's own brand of magical realism that makes it my second home.

The LA vapid cheeriness is mixed in with some really weird random shit that you just don't get up here--by comparison, San Francisco is way too pure and self-serious. I'm sure you will have a wonderful experience and you will always be welcome back(if you can afford a place to live after moving away from rent control and all affordable housing is subsequently condo converted).

It's always good to get a change of environment. I left the Bay Area for Vegas in the mid-90's, best off-the-wall decision I ever made...Not b/c I stayed in Vegas of course, but it gave me a mental change I needed. 3 years later I moved with my now-husband to a town in an even different state that I won't tell you b/c it's become an overhyped secret that's getting too many fsckin' Californians (myself included). *laughs*

But happy adventures - Remember, just b/c you leave the Bay Area it doesn't mean you fall off the edge of the world. When I go back to Berkeley I am amazed at how filthy it is and how rude the people are. Sad, but true. Course in your case it doesn't apply cuz you're going to Smell-A, but Good Luck! :D Relocating teaches you options, and lets you realize what you do and do not like to put up with. Every place is different.

And if it doens't pan out there's always Oregon, or Washington or other places too.

Speaking as one of the vast cesspool of leaches and rodents...Welcome! I'm pretty certain Keith has a fanbase here to build on. Keith if you are ever up in the Thousand Oaks area....

Go forth with yon sharpie, and skewer the vast silicon whale!

True

...I'm a big fan of the "silent second-to-last frame." Well played, sir.

I'll start walking around outside more, and If I see a skinny African American with a beret, earings and bemused look on his face, I'll be sure to do or say something incredibly stupid to supply you with material. Actually, I pretty much do that regardless of who I see. but it will be nice to have an excuse.

I moved to LA from SF last year; one of my friends asked me why I was moving South to Mordor.

A year later, I'm still second-guessing the move myself; but yes, I'm involved in a few different projects for shows and movies now.

You may already be aware of this - but be prepared for the worst traffic and the ABSOLUTELY worst public transit system you have ever seen in your life. A seriously surreal new low.

And lots of artists who make their own networks. After a while, hopefully as short as possible, it all does start to knit together.

That said, I'm giving LA another year, and then I'm going to figure out whether I'd rather be here, or back in the good ol' Bay Area. Which, I have to say, has to be one of the most all-aronud pleasant places to live in the entire US.

It seriously holds LA together, just like Craigslist does for the Bay Area.

Craiglist works for LA too, mind; it just doesn't have near the level of ubiquitous use as it does in the Bay Area.

It's a small cafe down in San Francisco's Richmond District. I've gone there about twice a week for the past year and noticed some guy working on a comic strip. Only a month ago did I realize that it was the strip was the "K" Chronicles. Oh well, SF loses yet another talented artist to LA. Good luck!

As someone who has lived in the Bay Area for a while (UC Berkeley grad) and has lived in the LA area a lot longer, I can't fathom your choice, but.. welcome! I think you're nuts leaving San Francisco (would but that I had the income to live up there), but if you're down here maybe I'll get to one of your book signings sometime.

Welcome to LA-LA Land, and I hope your stay is a pleasant one. Yes, there are traffic nightmares and a terrible public transportation system (though the new Orange Line is nice, as it runs right by my place here in the Valley), but there are also good things aplenty to be found.

I lived in LA for several years, moved to SF for a few years, and then fled with great relief BACK to Los Angeles about six months ago. I love this whacked out town, and I'm happy beyond words to be back.

Having spent considerable time in both places, I will NEVER understand the reflexive hatred of all things LA that one finds in SF. Note to those in SF, without going into embarrassing (for you Friscans) detail: Get over yourselves. Seriously.

Keith, you'll find an extremely active and vibrant arts community (from the written to the performing to the visual), people who love what they do and actually make things happen. The ethnic neighborhoods are great, it's a better (yes, I'm saying it) foodie town than SF, and the weather, of course, is consistently perfect.

And one last note about the transit system: Having lived, worked and traveled on the transit systems of DC, NYC, SF and LA, here's my assessment: NYC's is over-the-top insane, but works beautifully. DC's is clean, efficient and just a whole lotta underground joy (and my fave subway system). SF's is...adequate. LA--keeping in mind that this IS Los Angeles, and everything is spread way the hell out--actually has an extremely good bus system, and the subway system is outstanding, though limited. If they go through with expansion to the west side, it may finally get the recognition it already deserves. If you live anywhere in LA proper (not so much for the valley), it should work just fine for you.