Mister RC?s Neighborhood

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roundcorners_IHB

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Our son is turning out to be quite the socialite. My wife and I look at each other at social gatherings with amazement at the early developments of his extroverted nature. I know I?m biased for saying this; but he totally plays being so cute to his advantage. And yes, he gets complements wherever we go! The wife is completely blaming me, since I have plenty of people to see and places to go to all day. I tell her that she isn?t shy herself either. Although my wife simply adores her lone times; I would classify her as an ?E? (Extrovert) on the Myers-Briggs personality test. I think that is why we get along so well. There is always something to talk about; we often fight to talk at home. Why do you guys think I have to vent so much here on the blog??



We both love meeting new people and getting to know acquaintances better. Before the baby, we tend to be the last ones to leave a social gathering. The running joke is that we close down the place. Yes, if you drive pass Jamboree on a Sunday afternoon; and you see a small group of people standing outside an empty church parking lot; that could be us!



We also love meeting and getting to know our neighbors. Just the other day, we meet another couple down the hall who just had their baby a month ago. I bump into the husband down by the garage. We struck up a conversation and he mentioned his unit number. I told the wife about our new neighbor and the following day; while she was home fussing with the baby, my wife spontaneously just popped on over. She ended up hanging out for an hour. I love how my wife can easily get strangers to open up their life stories to her. I keep telling her, she would make a great sales lady!



Living in Long Beach, Tustin Ranch, Watermarke and now Woodbury just wouldn?t have been the same if we didn?t know at least 3-4 neighbors. Woodbury has been the easiest if not the friendliest (next to Belmont Shores). We definitely have gotten to know the most neighbors here. In a ? mile radius (within Woodbury); we now know at least 6 households; where we can just call or pop on by, randomly. That has made living in Woodbury just so much homier compared to Watermarke or Tustin Ranch. I would love to buy here when the time comes because we feel so grounded here. Now that we know three kids right around the same age as our son, that would make moving away so much harder.



We have all heard of this common statement before; you can live next door to a neighbor for ten plus years and never know their names. I?ve said this before, I really find this a sad fact; as many who can confirm this; Irvine can be crushingly lonely. I know not everyone is an extrovert; and I know that your home is your castle. You might talk to hundreds of people at work, and just want to be left alone at home. You might not agree, but can I just say, that there is no relationship quite like your neighbor. It doesn?t have to be complicated; a simple hello; a minute of chit chat; a personal inquiry here or there; a cup of sugar; a bowl of beef stew or some freshly baked cookies can all, bring a smile. You just might be, your neighbor?s only friend.
 
Something bothered me the other day. We had a nice neighbor... an older single lady... who lives next door and we met her when we moved in. She was very friendly. We would always say hello to each other and make small talk. At Christmas, I left a small gift and card on her doorstep. Last week I noticed she was doing a lot of packing. We said hello to each other briefly. Yesterday, I saw her place is empty. She moved out and she did not even say goodbye. It may sound stupid, but it sort of hurt my feelings.
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1246572234]Something bothered me the other day. We had a nice neighbor... an older single lady... who lives next door and we met her when we moved in. She was very friendly. We would always say hello to each other and make small talk. At Christmas, I left a small gift and card on her doorstep. Last week I noticed she was doing a lot of packing. We said hello to each other briefly. Yesterday, I saw her place is empty. She moved out and she did not even say goodbye. It may sound stupid, but it sort of hurt my feelings.</blockquote>


Maybe she didn't want to discuss the circumstances regarding her moving? There may have been another reason why she didn't say goodbye before leaving, other than for being just non-courteous? If she'd always been pleasant and nice, I'd give her the benefit of the doubt and remember her as a nice friendly neighbor.



edit - I see that RC and I were on a similar mindset.
 
Yeah, I had thought of that (being forced to move.) But in the last few months, she's gotten a new boyfriend who has been staying over a lot. They're always very lovey-dovey and happy when I would see them. I suspect she moved in with him. (I saw them load some of her boxes into his car.) But you're right - maybe she didn't want to discuss it.
 
In my neighborhood my next door neighbor "Jug"in his 90 lived in his house for over 50 years and across the street Sterling is 82 an orthopedic Surgeon and board of director for St. Joseph and CHOC lived in his home for 45 years. I have many more old timer neighbors that I know would not just mysteriously move. I experienced in newer neighborhood residents are reluctant to invest the emotional tie to their neighbors because on the average residents out grow their home every 4-5 years and having to move. The 20 years in live in Irvine I made no friends but the 3 years I lived in Floral Park I was asked to participate in various community organizations and volunteered my home for charity tour. Many neighbors address each other by names. My family arrival to the neighborhood was announced to the local clubs and we were greeted by neighborazzi as we stepped off the moving truck.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1246577700]In my neighborhood my next door neighbor "Jug"in his 90 lived in his house for over 50 years and across the street Sterling is 82 an orthopedic Surgeon and board of director for St. Joseph and CHOC lived in his home for 45 years. I have many more old timer neighbors that I know would not just mysteriously move. I experienced in newer neighborhood residents are reluctant to invest the emotional tie to their neighbors because on the average residents out grow their home every 4-5 years and having to move. The 20 years in live in Irvine I made no friends but the 3 years I lived in Floral Park I was asked to participate in various community organizations and volunteered my home for charity tour. Many neighbors address each other by names. My family arrival to the neighborhood was announced to the local clubs and we were greeted by neighborazzi as we stepped off the moving truck.</blockquote>


Hmm, I think I have met your 82 yr old neighbor.
 
[quote author="reason" date=1246578017][quote author="bkshopr" date=1246577700]In my neighborhood my next door neighbor "Jug"in his 90 lived in his house for over 50 years and across the street Sterling is 82 an orthopedic Surgeon and board of director for St. Joseph and CHOC lived in his home for 45 years. I have many more old timer neighbors that I know would not just mysteriously move. I experienced in newer neighborhood residents are reluctant to invest the emotional tie to their neighbors because on the average residents out grow their home every 4-5 years and having to move. The 20 years in live in Irvine I made no friends but the 3 years I lived in Floral Park I was asked to participate in various community organizations and volunteered my home for charity tour. Many neighbors address each other by names. My family arrival to the neighborhood was announced to the local clubs and we were greeted by neighborazzi as we stepped off the moving truck.</blockquote>


Hmm, I think I have met your 82 yr old neighbor.</blockquote>


Were you in the hospital under his care. He is retired and for fun he educates newbie interns at UCI Medical Center by Santa Ana.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1246578263][quote author="reason" date=1246578017][quote author="bkshopr" date=1246577700]In my neighborhood my next door neighbor "Jug"in his 90 lived in his house for over 50 years and across the street Sterling is 82 an orthopedic Surgeon and board of director for St. Joseph and CHOC lived in his home for 45 years. I have many more old timer neighbors that I know would not just mysteriously move. I experienced in newer neighborhood residents are reluctant to invest the emotional tie to their neighbors because on the average residents out grow their home every 4-5 years and having to move. The 20 years in live in Irvine I made no friends but the 3 years I lived in Floral Park I was asked to participate in various community organizations and volunteered my home for charity tour. Many neighbors address each other by names. My family arrival to the neighborhood was announced to the local clubs and we were greeted by neighborazzi as we stepped off the moving truck.</blockquote>


Hmm, I think I have met your 82 yr old neighbor.</blockquote>


Were you in the hospital under his care. He is retired and for fun he educates newbie interns at UCI Medical Center by Santa Ana.</blockquote>


=X
 
bk, I know that a pedestrian neighborhood does makes a huge difference; even more so than density... Like I said Belmont Shores, almost everyone walks there, parking was so bad; and here Woodbury, a lot of residents walk to the town center. No so much in Tustin Ranch and Watermarke
 
That is the one drawback to West Irvine; everyone there drives to the Marketplace more than walk, Jamboree is a huge intercession; and most families don't want to walk on a busy street.
 
Make that 7 households we now know; we just meet another great couple with a two month old in Woodbury. If you were at any swimming pool yesterday in Irvine; I?m sure you seen your fair share of families and young kids. Lots of families staying very close to home this year for summer. One more great thing about Woodbury, unlike Watermarke where there just a lot of young singles, drinking beer by the pool. We didn?t even see one bottle of alcohol, how cool is that!
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1246746584]Make that 7 households we now know; we just meet another great couple with a two month old in Woodbury. If you were at any swimming pool yesterday in Irvine; I?m sure you seen your fair share of families and young kids. Lots of families staying very close to home this year for summer. One more great thing about Woodbury, unlike Watermarke where there just a lot of young singles, drinking beer by the pool. <strong>We didn?t even see one bottle of alcohol, how cool is that!</blockquote></strong>





Once again, you are making assumptions about things you think others consider cool ;-P .
 
Don?t get me wrong, I?m all up for a good beer with a nice steak sometimes... But yesterday by our pool would just been out of context. When the majority of the people there were families with young children and kids; you would just have stood out if you were drinking. It?s kind of like whipping out a beer at Disneyland; or ordering a cocktail at a first birthday for a friend?s child.
 
When I had an annual pass, I drank at Disneyland all the time.



<img src="http://www.germes-online.com/direct/dbimage/50310541/Hip_Flask.jpg" alt="" />



Nobody ever said shit.
 
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