Sinatra called it Frisco before LL was more than a gleam in his fathers eye

I don't abbreviate Mississippi or Connecticut, although in writing I might use the postal abbreviations of MS or CT. I would never abbreviate either state (or any state) in speech, and as far as I know California is the only state to have suffered this misfortune. Would you call Georgia "George", or Washington "Wah"?

"what would YOU come up with as an abbreviation from California if you were from somewhere else and just wanted to shorten it"

Postal codes when writing, no abreviations when speaking - except "PA" - and I learned that from PA natives.

"California is the only state".

People say "Boston Mass" all the time. To the horror of everyone in Massachusetts I'm sure.

OK. Let's shorten all the state's names.

Vermon. (Sad that it sounds just like vermin.)
Flo. (A girl's least favorite state.)
Alas. (Sorry about that.)
Wis. (Could easily become wiz, as in the frat boy slang usage.)
Oh! (Always with an exclamation point!)
U? (Always with a question mark.)

I'm sure residents in these states won't mind.

BTW, what do people in New York City think about "The Big Apple"?

I have lived in CALIFORNIA since 1942 and I hate Cali and Frisco and San Fran. Grates on the ears. I don't abbreviate names of other places when writing, except for postal abbreviations. I don't say Chi or Illi or Bost or Mass.

Chic it ain't, I say.

I like Jean's ideas.

I live in Massachusetts and people actually do say "Mass" fairly often and no one seems to think there is anything wrong with it. Although recently people have been referring to the eastern part of the state versus the western part (huge difference) as "E-ma" and We-ma" Now that's annoying.

I still have a memory of a trip to Florida as a kid where some tour guide told us that the abbreviation for California - "Calif" spelled out 'come and live in Florida'.

What about me, I'm an Okie. and live about 30 minutes from Muskogee.

I wonder if there are many that don't like Los Angeles referred to as LA.

Otis: >>"the city" is now San Jose. Look it up.>>

Really? I lived in San Jose briefly and never once did anyone ever refer to San Jose as The City.

"I wonder if there are many that don't like Los Angeles referred to as LA."

Actually, I think that's probably the preference. I don't know anyone that doesn't like it. (I live in LA suburbia).

Jean, I love it!!!

I don't mind L.A.

I love L.A.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBOQiMxwk1o

Tinseltown!

Like Kailani, grew up in SoCal and now live in NorCal. My twin grandbabies are 5th generation Californians (just wanted to change up the claim) Cali is only slightly grating but just because it sounds like someone is trying to be cool but it ends up sounding dorky and forced.

I do like "my bad" and "no worries" but wouldn't use those terms at work.

LA -- good.
Cali -- pretty bad (but my native-born SoCal son uses the word).
Frisco -- really bad
The City = San Francisco.

People who live in and near LA use that term more than they do the full name. It's as accepted as
"the city" is for San Francisco.

LA is fine. So is SaMO, the 'Bu and Peedro.

"People say "Boston Mass" all the time. To the horror of everyone in Massachusetts I'm sure."

As Isabel points out above, people who live in Massachusetts say that all the time. To get from my house to Isabel's, you drive on the Mass Pike.