[Spring Hillian]

Still here, eh?

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

Reality vs. TV

TV- people are at the beach every day and drinking a margarita at sunset

Reality- Housing is expensive and the closer you get to the beach the more it is. Odds are you won't find anything even remotely close to the beach. Odds are if its "affordable" you don't want to live there. Its affordable for a reason

Tv- everyone is driving nice convertibles in the summer wearing their gucci glasses.

Reality- Florida pay is extremely low. Many people work in the service industry and are on unemployment on the weekends. Even hospitals pay next to nothing for many of the workers unless you're pretty high up there. At one point (in my town) housing got so expensive they talked of building apartments over school parking lots just to keep teachers at the schools because they were leaving at such a high rate. Same with hospital/police.

TV- people living in cute beach bungalow type places swimming all weekend

Reality- In a lot of places expect to pay over $350,000 for a fixer up starter home.

TV- people partying on the beach all day every day

reality-summers are BRUTAL. Think of the hottest day you've experienced in MI and now add 20+ degrees. We hit 117 degree heat index this summer with 100% humidity. We've been triple digits since March. This week is the first week we did not crack 103 heat index since Spring. You think winters are long up north? You aint got nothing on how long Florida summers are. Some years you will never turn off you A/C. 90+ degrees on Christmas some years.

also we contend with Red Tide yearly which is an allergy bloom in the ocean. It not only kills everything in the ocean that gets close enough but causes you to have itchy irritated eyes, coughing, sore throat etc. Can last weeks or months. Don't forget how prone East coast is to hurricanes. You'll get warning but know you are always at risk to lose everything.

Please don't be another "i love warm weather and the beach" people. We have enough of those who come and vacation ends 3 months in and they figure out how expensive it is and how odds are you won't be making enough to be spending much of any time at the beach or on a boat or whatever else you see on tv. Florida is drained swamp land for those who can't afford the beach lifestyle.

[Bruins_Fan]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Still here, eh?

Lol