Exactly The Same But Completely Different

New York and L.A. are exactly the same but completely different.  That is what I always say.  After spending almost a decade living, working, exploring, sweating, freezing, walking, driving, biking and subwaying NYC and three years doing the same in L.A. (yes I have taken the subway several times here in L.A. and it has always taken me from exactly where I was to exactly where I needed to go) I have grown to love both cities for similar reasons.  They are both extremely large cities packed with diverse communities, creative people, art, music, architecture and history.  I describe L.A. as New York spread thin with a butter knife, same content, different surface area.  In New York, inspiration is never more then several footsteps away while in L.A. one must have the blood of an enthusiastic and  feverishly curious urban explorer coursing through their veins in order to really experience the depth and beauty that is everywhere yet generally ignore and unacknowledged by most.  I believe that it is in ones own existential self-interest to be inspired by the environments that they live in.  So to those who bitch and moan about L.A. or New York for that matter I have a suggestion.  First and foremost take responsibility for the unfulfilled world that you live in, realize that you are creating that world and then dedicate yourself to opening your eyes, looking around and allowing the sharp yet satisfying sting of curiosity to infiltrate your system.