Which is better, New York City or Los Angeles?

Ask a New Yorker and they'll say New York, ask an Angeleno and they'll say, "tubular waves bro". All kidding aside, why does one have to be better? Although we New Yorkers are known for assuming the world revolves around us, I don't understand why anyone planning a move would limit themselves to just two cities. But I digress...People are strange.

It's not exactly a mind-numbing dilemma. Just ask yourself... Do I like warm weather or change of seasons? Am I laid back or aggressive in nature? Do I like to drive or walk? Am I thick skinned or overly sensitive? Do I prefer a laid back atmosphere or a fast paced environment?

Look, New York City is not a place for the thin skinned. If you cower from confrontation and have a wait and see attitude, you're probably not gonna last very long in the concrete jungle. If you want to survive in this city, you need be aggressive and unleash your competitive side. 

Like most New Yorkers, I'm not a fan of the golden coast. However, unlike most New Yorkers, I've actually spent some time there and became familiar with the people and their surroundings. No, I wasn't burning through my bonus miles, I was actually employed by a company based in Southern California, and found myself spending an abundance of time there... weeks at a clip. I'll admit, the first few trips were pleasant, and it was a nice change of pace. I was nearing a burnout of supernova proportions at my previous job and I really needed the break. But, once I shook off the tinted blinders I was wearing, I began to see things as a citizen and folks, that lifestyle just ain't for me. Without going into details, I could never be surrounded by that phoney, "sky is falling" mentality (over the most trivial things) day after day. I can also do without the army of gangs and drive by shootings. 

That's not to say that LA isn't for you. If you're from middle America, you probably have a higher tolerance for phonies than I do. I'm not a laid back person, perhaps you are. I prefer to earn my way, not get there because of who I know. I'm not into fads, I'm not religious and I tell it like it is.

But hey, even if you can hack the grind, New York City may not be for you. I've met a lot of wannabes who were the big fish in their hometown that show up here and realize the pond is a lot bigger and a lot deeper. Much like my own experiences out in LA, once you stop looking at things from a tourist's perspective and the honeymoon ends, those little things you shook off before, get amplified to Hendrixian levels!

Bottom line... choose the one that offers you the best opportunities in your chosen field. If you want to be the next Lois Lane, come to New York. If you want to be the next Kelly Bundy, move to LA.