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Coming from Portland, where the "liberalism" is that bed-wetting, business blaming, pro-failure, free-Tibet sort of Liberalism, I can say that you are going to hate Northeast Florida, since one of your "bad" things listed was "conservative".
But you don't have to take my word for it. Come on down and live here for three years- just make sure you have your return ticket already booked.
I don't think that was called for - it was kind of nasty. I am a person, not the city of portland and its "reputation" - which in some ways is true, and in others is not. Just like i'm sure Floridas "reputation" has some truth to it, and some not. And I certainly don't believe everyone in Florida possess the qualities of that "reputation". I apologize if my "conservative" comment was taken the wrong way -
I am no way as liberal as some of the people out here, and I did not grow up here. In fact, I've only lived here for about a year. I grew up in upstate NY.
Yes I agree with some liberals; yes I agree with some conservative. I am def in the middle - but I def don't want the "
"rebel flag" and church shoved down my throat - I realize this is a very "simplified" view of conservative - and I apologize for that.
I also don't want "get five-hundred piercings, its so anti-establishment " protest against everything, "everyone should smoke pot shoved" down my throat either...
Wait, why I am explaining myself to you?
Please, everyone else, thank you for your posts and keep em coming!!!!! I don't think I would be able to live there for six months before I leap.....I'm quite far away . But I def plan on visiting for at least a week and 1/2 and checking out the areas I think I might be interested in.
Yes I agree with some liberals; yes I agree with some conservative. I am def in the middle - but I def don't want the "
"rebel flag" and church shoved down my throat - .
That's pretty much me, and I am quite happy here.
Love the beach, love the community (you have to just jump right in, but that's what I'm doing) love the weather, and love the nature.
Location: Chesterfield in Beautiful Massachusetts, New England
76 posts, read 173,987 times
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12 years was enough for me in Florida, I'll deal with snow, cold, low crime, beautuful scenery, fresh air, and polite people where I moved back to in Massachusetts. And I lived in many areas of Florida, only 3 are decent... Bradenton, Vero Beach, and Cape Coral. But not enough to stay.
You're probably explaining yourself to me because you made an unqualified statement that required qualifiers in order to accurately portray your own beliefs. Now that you've laid out your position a little more clearly, I can give you better information.
You will probably fit in fine here. Yes, there is a church influence. If that is just so intollerable to you- guess what? There are 49 other states to choose from!
Yes, people might hunt or own firearms for recreational purposes- far more than they would in New York or Portland (but not Oregon in general). Does this just make you shudder with terror? I have good news. There are still 49 other states with available space!
You will see rebel flags from time to time- something you aren't going to see in Oregon. IS this going to cause you anguish? Well, do not despair! The remaining 98% of all US states are still at your disposal!
Seriously- as long as you aren't a horrendously obnoxious transplant who feels it's your duty to enlighten the poor Philistine southerners, you probably won't have any troubles with the people in NEFL (which is probably the last remaining part of FL, save for maybe the upper peninsular Gulf Coast, that still has a large native Floridian population)
Remember- everyone in Florida is from someplace else, and the people here know that. This tends to draw a sort of person who might be a bit stand-offish, less community oriented, more personally insular. Florida is tract-home hell and as such, draws the sort of soulless, self-centered people who are comfortable in that environment (who, for some unknown reason, seem to be strikingly common in the North East)
You're probably explaining yourself to me because you made an unqualified statement that required qualifiers in order to accurately portray your own beliefs. Now that you've laid out your position a little more clearly, I can give you better information.
You will probably fit in fine here. Yes, there is a church influence. If that is just so intollerable to you- guess what? There are 49 other states to choose from!
Yes, people might hunt or own firearms for recreational purposes- far more than they would in New York or Portland (but not Oregon in general). Does this just make you shudder with terror? I have good news. There are still 49 other states with available space!
You will see rebel flags from time to time- something you aren't going to see in Oregon. IS this going to cause you anguish? Well, do not despair! The remaining 98% of all US states are still at your disposal!
Seriously- as long as you aren't a horrendously obnoxious transplant who feels it's your duty to enlighten the poor Philistine southerners, you probably won't have any troubles with the people in NEFL (which is probably the last remaining part of FL, save for maybe the upper peninsular Gulf Coast, that still has a large native Floridian population)
Remember- everyone in Florida is from someplace else, and the people here know that. This tends to draw a sort of person who might be a bit stand-offish, less community oriented, more personally insular. Florida is tract-home hell and as such, draws the sort of soulless, self-centered people who are comfortable in that environment (who, for some unknown reason, seem to be strikingly common in the North East)
Total nonsense. So every other state but Florida would be a choice for someone who doesn't not want conservative influence? Hello...how many states have voted conservative forever? A heck of a lot more than 1. Rebel flag? hello, ever been to SC, AL, MS, LA, GA???
And your last paragraph is pure hatred. We have lived all over the US. To call the NE any less community orientated is pure rubbish. The red states have higher divorce rates, higher domestic assault rates, higher teen pregnancy rates. Great communities.
In our experience, the red states are far more insular and soulless...they just pull the old trick of saying "No we aren't" to anyone who will listen. Self centered?...ummm, the red states take in a lot more money from the government than they send. The blue states the opposite.
You have things so backwards it is pathetic. Total ignorance from top to bottom. Turn off Limbaugh and Hannity and try thinking for once, it is fun!
I know the beaches can be beautiful, and the sunshine & sunsets are fantastic. I know the bad things - high cost of living, low pay, humidity, conservative, etc. etc.
I would like to hear from anyone, especially transplants who have been there for at least a year. Tell me you have a good job (and did not transfer with it, but landed it after moving) you make a decent living, and its not as horrible, overcrowded, rude, crime-ridden as people say.
If you can't, well then, I know......
Especially the Jax and Tampa areas. Or the upper east coast - I'm not really interested in living in S. Fla or Central Fla
I love living in Florida despite its flaws. Sunshine, semi-tropical vegetation, warm winters, bright blue skies with puffy clouds, beaches are always pretty close by no matter where you live, Florida springs, the wildlife. And much, much more.
The heat and humidity don't really bother me--it beats freezing and shoveling snow or slipping on ice any day. Plus the summer humidity really isn't that much worse than most any place on the East Coast or lower Midwest during the summer.
Crime? You're bound to come across that most anywhere.
Cost of living really isn't that bad in Northern Florida. It's only in South Florida where it gets to be a pain, and even that is far lower than places such as New York.
The Tampa and Jacksonville areas are both great. I find them to be nice, up and coming cities. And not too expensive to live in, either.
I'm originally from Maryland, but came down to Florida for college and law school. And now I'm practicing as a lawyer in a small firm and living in a nice house with a swimming pool. My wife is a teacher, and we are both 28. If I were living in another state, even if I had a similar job or one that pays more, I don't think I'd be nearly as happy. Something about waking up every morning and seeing the palm trees and the blue skies always gives me something to look forward to.
Don't let the negative talk discourage you--living in Florida can be great as long as you take it for what it is, and don't come here expecting you'll be on vacation 24-7.
You're probably explaining yourself to me because you made an unqualified statement that required qualifiers in order to accurately portray your own beliefs. Now that you've laid out your position a little more clearly, I can give you better information.
You will probably fit in fine here. Yes, there is a church influence. If that is just so intollerable to you- guess what? There are 49 other states to choose from!
Yes, people might hunt or own firearms for recreational purposes- far more than they would in New York or Portland (but not Oregon in general). Does this just make you shudder with terror? I have good news. There are still 49 other states with available space!
You will see rebel flags from time to time- something you aren't going to see in Oregon. IS this going to cause you anguish? Well, do not despair! The remaining 98% of all US states are still at your disposal!
Seriously- as long as you aren't a horrendously obnoxious transplant who feels it's your duty to enlighten the poor Philistine southerners, you probably won't have any troubles with the people in NEFL (which is probably the last remaining part of FL, save for maybe the upper peninsular Gulf Coast, that still has a large native Floridian population)
Remember- everyone in Florida is from someplace else, and the people here know that. This tends to draw a sort of person who might be a bit stand-offish, less community oriented, more personally insular. Florida is tract-home hell and as such, draws the sort of soulless, self-centered people who are comfortable in that environment (who, for some unknown reason, seem to be strikingly common in the North East)
Nah, firearms don't make me shudder with terror.
What does make me shudder is lack of wide open spaces, tract home hell, and soul-less, self-centered people. I do like the native "southern" hospitality, pride, and all that goes with it.
What I don't like is the ignorance of ANYONE, regardless of whether they are from the south, north, east, west, or antarctica.....
Thank you LM1 - by the way, do you still live in FL or have you moved on? It sounds to me that you have grown to despise FL and what has happened to it.....
What does make me shudder is lack of wide open spaces, tract home hell, and soul-less, self-centered people. I do like the native "southern" hospitality, pride, and all that goes with it.
What I don't like is the ignorance of ANYONE, regardless of whether they are from the south, north, east, west, or antarctica.....
Thank you LM1 - by the way, do you still live in FL or have you moved on? It sounds to me that you have grown to despise FL and what has happened to it.....
There isn't much "Southern" left in Florida- to wit, the person telling you to ignore the native Floridian because they really know better, then saying "but I'm a transplant too..."
Sadly, that has become Florida.
Southern hospitality used to be a huge part of Florida's charm. That's completely gone. 100%. I was raised in St. Augustine, so if you want better advice about that area, I could probably give it (including a few fulminations about how great it used to be)
It's happened everywhere, though. Coastal South Carolina got it really bad... At least Southern Florida was developed from the ground up as a playground for squawking Northeasterners. Poor SC just got invaded and ruined.
There is a lack of open spaces here. I lived in Portland for 7 years and I can say without hesitation that the flora and geography of that place (Oregon) isn't comparable to anyplace else. If you love what you have in Oregon, you aren't going to find anything shy of maybe Nor Cal or a few places in Washington that's a reasonable surrogate. Compared to Florida? May as well be an entirely different planet.
Total nonsense. So every other state but Florida would be a choice for someone who doesn't not want conservative influence? Hello...how many states have voted conservative forever? A heck of a lot more than 1. Rebel flag? hello, ever been to SC, AL, MS, LA, GA???
And your last paragraph is pure hatred. We have lived all over the US. To call the NE any less community orientated is pure rubbish. The red states have higher divorce rates, higher domestic assault rates, higher teen pregnancy rates. Great communities.
In our experience, the red states are far more insular and soulless...they just pull the old trick of saying "No we aren't" to anyone who will listen. Self centered?...ummm, the red states take in a lot more money from the government than they send. The blue states the opposite.
You have things so backwards it is pathetic. Total ignorance from top to bottom. Turn off Limbaugh and Hannity and try thinking for once, it is fun!
A few things here
1) Observe how this became a "red state blue state" thing to this person. I make a comment about a few textural aspects of the Northeasterners, without even addressing political proclivities- things that don't exist in other "blue states" like Minnesota- and here you have someone who very well may LIVE IN FLORIDA spewing about how terrible "the south" is and how much better it is in the Northeast and redstatebluestate blah blah blah. Ever wonder why people from the NE make Floridians want to puke? Behold.
2) On the red state/blue state thing, there is an unfortunate reason why the South leads in things like Murder rate, child illegitimacy, etc. It's also the same reason my adopted home city of Chicago leads the rest of the state in those same categories, in spite of being as solidly "blue" as any place in the country. When you examine exactly "who" is responsible for those sort of things at a gross disproportion to their representation of their overall population, and then examine what part of the country has the largest share of said population, it becomes tragically clear why those things occur in greater numbers in the South. It's a painful reality that the "blue staters" really can't refute and probably wouldn't even mention if they realized what they were saying whenever they blathered their "Red State" talking points.
3) I'm about as strident a libertarian as you will ever meet. I want conservatives out of my bedroom and I want liberals out of my wallet. I want conservatives out of my faith, and I want liberals out of my gun cabinet.
Neither the lock-step hegemony of the right nor the delusional idealism of the left has ever appealed to me.
For you to viscerally blather the whole "YOU NEED TO STOP LISTENING TO RUSH LIMBAUGH" when I didn't say or even remotely intimate anything that might suggest I was a "Rush Limbaugh" sort of guy, you expose yourself as a typical brain-dead, northeastern liberal, either too stupid or too unwilling to asses situations based on merit, so instead, you use labels as a surrogate for your own lack of critical thinking skills.
Last edited by LM1; 09-14-2007 at 01:19 PM..
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. But I def plan on visiting for at least a week and 1/2 and checking out the areas I think I might be interested in.
