[TN Gal now]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Yes, TN, I agree with you. It is always entertaining. You are not one of the complainers though. I think people who move away from a home state should be content with the change while those who relocate should be content with the change otherwise, they should change it back.

Not only is FL not the state you remember, the world has changed along the way also. NYC is not the NYC I remember in the 1960's and early 70's either. For that matter this is not the U.S.A. I was brought up in. Not much stays the same. Ya know, progress and all that jazz.

And to add to what saddened me about Florida was exactly what has been mentioned here. So many moving into the area and trying to either make it the way it was "back home" and/or seeing the opportunity to exploit the land to make a dollar. In both situations, money rules and as we all can probably agree, unless you brought money from the north or were a developer, you were left behind financially. The politicians, well I guess nearly everyone, got in line to make a dollar by catering to everyone moving here and changed the way Florida was, in the name of progress. And Florida wages were, and my understanding is are, typically very low - even factoring the lower COL.

And backing up on prior comments on the thread, I think the ultimate reason people from other areas move there and leave is, in a nutshell, simply unmet expectations. And it's just easy to forget that expectations play such an important part in all of our endeavors. Unmet expections leads to disappointment, disappointment leads to resentment. When you look at this path, it's easy to see how the path can lead in and out of Florida...

And I REALLY agree, to the greatest extent possible for those who don't like it there - leave. I fully acknowledge that for many the economy or other personal situations won't allow it to happen soon enough. But griping doesn't change things and just makes it worse except for an occasional vent It's absolutely fair to advise people about the logistics of what you know and help keep expectations in line, but blanket generalizations about Florida - or anywhere - are simply unfair and, well...ignorant.

[Spring Hillian]

I don't see the point in making it like it was back home. After all, why relocate if you want the same thing? I admit it is nice that I can get all of the "back home" comfort foods here now. Wasn't so when we came, but times have changed and now we can!

We didn't bring $ from up north and I don't think many younger people do.
Retirees, of course, but not the working world people. We came with enough to get started again. New furniture, new apartment, etc. We went to work within a few weeks of arriving. Once we arrived and started working, the choices were ours.

Everybody has the same opportunity SO LONG AS THEY DON'T LET EXPECTATIONS get in the way. Basically, don't bring any expectations and you will do fine. We, personally, had no expectations except that we would work, starting at the bottom and working our way up and try to enjoy our new life style. Same story, different geography, different climate. We never had anything to complain about here as everything was better than we had it.

Politicians are just what they are. I believe their goal at the start is to improve everything for their constituents, but they loose sight of the goals once the facts of life in office set in. Then moving to the next step up the political ladder is what is in sight and that then becomes the goal.

I learned a long time ago that money isn't everything. Enjoying life is much more important. So long as you have a roof over your head and food on the table, life is good. Of course succeeding and moving ahead is important and necessary and that is exactly what anybody would do anywhere. But I see quite a few people with no skills, no experience in anything wondering why they earn $8 or $9 an hour. Its called climbing the ladder, getting good at what you do and moving up that ladder.

Some posters do make some very ignorant comments here. We all know who they are and what the commentary revolves around so no purpose relisting that.

For instance: Take a person who just got out of school, has piercings, tatoos and a kid with no work experience. That person is going to have a hard time getting along ANYWHERE unless they have support from someone or somewhere else. So it is a lot easier to run home, get a job in the family business, live at home, have that day-care for the kiddies and live the easy life. Eventually that catches up with them and they will become unhappy with the situation. Then what? Yet that same person would come back to this forum to tell the world how great it is "back home" and how much FLORIDA sucks. Florida's fault? No. Simply their own for living a non-standard life style and EXPECTING to have it all with little or no effort.

I feel that people who continue to come back to a forum to bash their former residence of choice over silly things like a restaurant, the weather, the job market, insurance costs, etc. simply didn't take into account these simple facts before they decided to make a major relocation and had to go back home to find the comfort they were missing.

There is one poster on this forum who continually bashes FL every chance they get but never thinks of taking their reason for being here away from all the imagined chaos that they live in. Must be something keeping them here.

I don't want to hear its a financial problem either. Beg, borrow, get another job, a 2nd job, do something to better your situation so you can afford to move on. It may take a year or more, but it can be done if you want it bad enough. Yet they will be on CD writing trash instead of using that time and effort to change their situation. Sad. Very sad.

I just don't understand how a person can make a relocation decision without knowing the facts of where they are relocating to, especially a simple one, like the weather. It would be like me moving to Alaska and complaining that its so cold, or to Maine and complain that it snows from September until April.

Florida has a lot to offer to a lot of people. It is certainly not for everbody. No place is. But the complainers will go on in their efforts to satisfy the inner hurt of failure instead of realizing they made a mistake and chalk it up to experience and along the way try to dispel the dreams and desires of others in the process. Some of us will always be here to dispute their nonsense and the beat goes on.

Originally Posted by TN Gal now

And to add to what saddened me about Florida was exactly what has been mentioned here. So many moving into the area and trying to either make it the way it was "back home" and/or seeing the opportunity to exploit the land to make a dollar. In both situations, money rules and as we all can probably agree, unless you brought money from the north or were a developer, you were left behind financially. The politicians, well I guess nearly everyone, got in line to make a dollar by catering to everyone moving here and changed the way Florida was, in the name of progress. And Florida wages were, and my understanding is are, typically very low - even factoring the lower COL.

And backing up on prior comments on the thread, I think the ultimate reason people from other areas move there and leave is, in a nutshell, simply unmet expectations. And it's just easy to forget that expectations play such an important part in all of our endeavors. Unmet expections leads to disappointment, disappointment leads to resentment. When you look at this path, it's easy to see how the path can lead in and out of Florida...

And I REALLY agree, to the greatest extent possible for those who don't like it there - leave. I fully acknowledge that for many the economy or other personal situations won't allow it to happen soon enough. But griping doesn't change things and just makes it worse except for an occasional vent It's absolutely fair to advise people about the logistics of what you know and help keep expectations in line, but blanket generalizations about Florida - or anywhere - are simply unfair and, well...ignorant.

[FloridaKash]

One thing that you cannot deny. If you love boating and kayaking, Florida is fantastic. If you enjoy seeing all different kinds of birds, year round, you cannot beat Florida.

If you want to be able to drive to the best beach rated in the entire country Florida is for you.

If you can deal with month and months of constant sunshine, Florida is for you.

If you go on cruises a couple times of year, Florida is for you.

If you love to do coastal fishing, Florida is for you.

If you have always wanted a pool in your backyard you can pretty much use year round, Florida is for you.

If your idea of a fun weekend, frequently, is going to an amusement park, certain parts of Florida si for you (season passes required).

If you can enjoy mother nature's pure beauty, Florida is for you. Visit the many state and county parks.

If you cannot stand urban sprawl, leave, go somewhere else.

If you cannot get past the thought that you will likely make less here than where you come from for doing the same job, Florida is not for you.

If you expect Florida to be like it is when you visit on vacation, wake up. I doubt you will live in a hotel, eat out all the time and take a cab to tourist destinations.

If you think the same chores you currently do won;t follow you... think again. (running errands, grocery shopping, renewing registrations, drug store runs, auto maintenance, banks, etc).

If you are looking for the best education for your children in the entire country... go elsewhere. There are good school's here but I am sure they are better in other places.

Last but not least. If you think moving to Florida is somehow going to make you a positive, fun loving enjoyable person, who will enjoy the outdoors but are currently unhappy in many areas of your life, constantly complain and stay in all the time... Florida is not for you.

[boston904]

Originally Posted by ipoetry

Let me rephrase this... Florida has plenty of fresh seafood, grouper and mahi glazed in suntan oil. I prefer northern seafood, right out of the sea, baked with little accoutrements. And yes, Florida restaurants suck. We've got vivid memories of a celebratory evening in Vero Beach at a well known hotel restaurant where the fish (can't remember what it was now but it was $32/entree) was cut in a perfect rectangle, just like a fish stick. It was the exact moment that we decided we'd save our dining experiences for our trips north.

Gesundheit

[DoctorRain]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Is this a joke? Some of the ridiculous comments here just never cease to amaze me......

Um no its not. I see this reality myself. You just cant take an opposing opinion.

[Spring Hillian]

What reality is it that you see?

Originally Posted by DoctorRain

Um no its not. I see this reality myself. You just cant take an opposing opinion.

[seeriously]

Originally Posted by boston904

Gesundheit

God bless you.

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

I'll tell you what it lacks.........about 3 or 4 more interstates (Northbound only) to get the whiners out of here quicker. Also set up toll booths every 5 miles....$10 bucks a pop and when they get to the GA or Bama State line, a mandatory forfeiture of their FL tag...$500 fee. This will help to make sure they don't come back......a reverse carpetbagging of sorts.

[DaniellaG]

I'm not a fan of FL in general but can see where some people do like it.

I will say there are too many posts of people moving to FL with no job lined up and little savings. They choose FL for the ocean or climate. In my eyes unless you are retired you should be picking a state that gives you the best opportunity for the future. In life we can't always have what we want and have to do what we need to. It is even worse when a whole family does this. No place is going to be positive if you can't make ends meet.

[41mag]

while I miss my White Castles ,a real chicago hot dog a great steak from Morton's or Gibsons, I am not going back to the land of high taxes,both property and state,more corrupt politicians than we have here, roads loaded with potholes,towel heads that think they own the country and want everything for free, the lack of conceal carry and every other stupid Illinois law that they make up on a whim.

I will stay here and suffer through all the horrible weather ,learn how to get rid of cinch bugs , mind my own business choose my friends and aquaintences,pay a lot lower property taxes Excersise and enjoy my Scotch.

I think that sums it all up, Ya All have nice day Hear