Okay, per your request: Shut up, Steve.

How long have you been it the desert, Steve?

Wife and I grew up mostly in Bakersfield, CA. When I finally retired for good in 1997 (aged 44) we decided we wanted to move back to where are families are. HOWEVER, as many of you know, Bakersfield's air quality is worse than L.A.'s and the town had grown so much, we looked elsewhere for a place where we could just drive a couple of hours to be at family functions. We looked at Tehatchapi, but I didn't like it at all after I looked around. We tried finding a place near Pismo Beach or Morro Bay, on the Pacific coast, but I did the math and found we could afford a 1960 model mobile home located 25 from the ocean.

Finally, we tried looking in the desert, and found that Ridgecrest, CA was in a serious depression from the Naval Base (China Lake) being put into caretaker status.

There were literally one or two homes on every block either empty or just abandoned. There was still enough commercial centers to make it OK, so we paid a pittance for a gorgeous house that was on the verge of being repossessed, We were back in Nebraska getting our household goods packed when we got the news that the Navy was moving several operations to China Lake, and the base was being opened again.

Before we even made our first truckload, the value on our hose had doubled, and it's still climbing, If you want to live here, plan to rent an apartment or have a house built.

We've had several major chain stores move here, so the town is growing like a weed.

The 'real estate bubble' never really got here, so it had no effect on home values.

All in all, we've been here since 1999, and we have only 5 years left on our mortgage (15 years at 4.33%)

If you've ever been to Palm Springs, our valley has the same weather, but not the rich people. A well kept secret.

Shut up Steve, but I admire your self-analysis.

Seriously, it depends what you mean by "action".

Check out the groups and see if any of them contain the action you are looking for.

You needn't be a member of a group to make a general comment - you only need to be a member of a group if you want to respond to a previous contribution in that group.

If it's banter you are after, just follow the regular banters, such as Ms Farquar, and Bull for instance. Just jump in, but I do advise you that in the banter threads people who ramble on swiftly get short shrift!

Maybe you need to get away...someplace cooler? : )

Also, the heat must be hell on electronics. And, DUDE...Circuit City? We don't even HAVE them up this way and I know you need to stay away from them.

You could always get a Mac...*ducks*

WOW! You do ramble on. But always happy to meet another Steve.

Boy Steve, you sure do go on and on about things. Anyway, I am new to the site and thought I would just jump in.