[Nancy Lynne]

Whew! Went through even more interviews. Ended up staying down there for a week to meet more people, etc. Then came home, thought it was sewed up...and then was askied to interview by phone with 2 more folks.

BUT...I haven't accepted yet. Don't laugh --- well actually, DO LAUGH...I am still waiting to find out what the salary is when I receive my offer letter. They want me to start March 15 (not possible) or April 1, but I haven't seen the offer letter yet. Monday I received via FED EXP the drug test form, so yesterday I did my thing. This week I guess they are doing the intensive background/credit/criminal check...looking under my toenails, inside my ears and calling my references. So....I got it (they said they are offering me the job) and the manager keeps welcoming me on board when we talk...but...it ain't done until it's done, so I remain unemotional about.

So....you all know I was less than thrilled about going down there again, and I almost didn't go. I had a bit of an attitude myself going in...not a bad attitude, but a very nonchalant attitude. I HAD down my homework, though, big time. I had prepared a power point presentation that I walked them thru during the interview. Guess I surprised them with what I knew.

Anyhow, because I had to stay over the week-end, I DID GO kayaking thru the 'glades. ..saw the gators (even at night with my headlamp), and some wildlife, although not nearly as much as I thought. Again, there were NO rooms anywhere. I kept driving back and forth to Ft. Myers, staying here and there, different places on different nights, paying a fortune...but whatever! Found a realtor to take me around.

Once again, the traffic was out of this world! And I guess you really have to get used to looking at much older people (I don't know, but for me, it just keeps reminding me of "my future".

Am I excited? Don't know. Kinda. Kinda-not. If it were just me, no problem. I could live anywhere and I would go anywhere to get back into the working world again. But my son...ughhhh! Not sure how I am going to swing everything -- just he and I. Anyone know of a good school in the area?

Starting to look for a place to rent. Hoping to find an off-season deal.

So......whattaya think? I'm looking at it this way, it is A job! I have been unemployed going on 3 years. I need A job, I need to get back into the corporate world and this is a stepping stone to doing just that. It doesn't have to be forever, well, maybe it does . Wow, the thought of no longer having to pay my own $1000 medical benefits! Remember, I just turned 50 and finding a job at my age is tough stuff, especially since I've been out for so long.

People are different down there, though. People are REALLY different. That's not necessarily a bad thing...just a new experience.

[nomoresnow]

Oh, Nancy Lynne, let me be the first to say congrats. I'm so happy for you! Even if you decide against it, at least it's a boost to the old ego. Now go find out what they're paying you!

You'll be in my thoughts for whatever decision you make.

all the best,
Pattie

[Nancy Lynne]

1. Tailgators! Actually, I think I will call them Bumpergators as I swear they are about to ram into my bumper . Do you know what we do up here when we are tailgated? It's not good. We slam on our brakes! I know what you are going to say...don't do that here...you'll get shot! But boy, does it drive me crazy! I usually just pull to the side of the road and let them pass me, but in FL I usually could not find a place or space or even dirt area to pull over. My solution: when I can afford it, I am buying the biggest, strongest used SUV I can find... a tanker! You need as much protection as you can get yourself on those wild roads!

2. Rude, inconsiderate drivers. Nobody will let you change a lane, let you into traffic, or even look at you to acknowledge they are going to try and help you out. My solution: Plan another 3 hours onto my commute time to wherever I am going -- even if it is just down the street. Just be patient and wait a half hour for a break in traffic . Oh and again, my tanker will help here. Let me in or I'll roll you over!! We get that here too, but it is usually (sorry NYers) the NYers who are in the area. We say, "well of course, it is a NY license."

3. Learn to speak Spanish, brush up on my Pantomime skills, learn basic sign language ...so that I can communicate with society.

4. Learn to use the pump at the gas station correctly so that I can pump my own gas without walking back and forth to the office multiple times because I messed it up.

5. Find a new, high powered, intensive deoderant! LOL! Man did I sweat!!

6. Forget having "mangeable" hair. Frizz is in!

7. Oh those "older people". oh, oh, oh. WHY are they (in general -- not all --but I gotta say --- it seemed like ALL!) so darn nasty, arrogant, rude, and self-righteous? Geez...... I will keep praying "please don't let me get that way when I get older"....and I will make funny, mimicking faces back to them when they stare or just "do what they do". I was in the airport leaving from FM to Atlantic City standing in the line to check in my luggage. This "older lady" physically pushed me aside and said in a very snotty and loud voice "LET ME BY". You know what I am gonna do.....I'm going to be funny (once I stop the immediate, natural reaction to naturally accomodate their demands), I'm gonna do........say........No, I want to get by, I want to get by.. ..me! me! me! Whaaaaaa!!!! (I won't ever touch them though, cuz I can just imagine........POLICE POLICE!. Ah, gotta love it. (Not really) GRRRRR.

OH, and I will learn to STARE…. Stare really hard and long….so that I can OUTSTARE the “older” people who just stand there at stare at me.

8. Wear sunglasses so nobody can see that I am making eye
contact. Can’t do that there, besides, no one is looking back. HA!

9. Lose weight. Alot of "beautiful people" there. We Nooks of
the North hibernate all winter and we definitely store up food in our bellies for the season! HA!

10. Learn what time the Early Bird Specials are over!!!!!

11. Load up on SPF 100 sunscreen! Get a necklace for mysunglasses.
Oh, and did I say deodorant?????

12. Get myself a pet monkey so I have someone to talk to.

14. Buy earplugs and an airmask so I can't hear all the construction everywhere I go, and I can still breath while driving my car thru all the dustsy, dirty roads ( which are ALL under construction).

15. Make up a bumper sticker "Don't bother hiting on me, I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY".

[Nancy Lynne]

Originally Posted by nomoresnow

Oh, Nancy Lynne, let me be the first to say congrats. I'm so happy for you! Even if you decide against it, at least it's a boost to the old ego. Now go find out what they're paying you!

You'll be in my thoughts for whatever decision you make.

all the best,
Pattie

Thank you NOMORESNOW!

No more snow for me either! (We are expecting another snow storm here tomorrow night!)

How is your "moving forward" progress going?

[BlueWillowPlate]

Nancy
You totally crack me up! I do remember the early bird dinner with my in-laws.
Well, whatever you decide,congratulations and best of luck to you.
You sure you don't want to try northern Florida on?

[Nancy Lynne]

I had soooooo much fun writing this! It reminded me of all the "priceless gifts" I will feel so blessed to experience and receive as I become a (tranplanted) floridian.

Plant flowers in early April! Put flower/garden arrangements in flower pots outside that can stay there and become more beautiful every day! Wow, I won't have to rush to HomeDepot with the rest of NJ and fight for my selection of perrenials and annuals on the first nice day of spring......sit around with them all in my garage until the last chance of frost passes, sometimes not until Memorial Day....only to pull them all up and mulch them away to flower heaven, at the first hint of frost (Halloween). Put my ficus trees outside!!! Hey, I can put ALL of my plants outside!!!!Gotta luv that! No more ruining the rugs with dirt/water running over! No more putting in a little extra soil without carrying it throughout the house! No more leaves and tree drippings all over my furniture! Catch a breeze under a palm tree. Plant a couple citrus trees! Oh, that will be so wonderful. Make fresh orange juice and lemonade from my own trees!!! Open the windows in WINTER! Fresh air! DONATE ALL MY HEAVY DUTY UGLY BULKY OLD WORN NASTY WINTER CLOTHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whopppppeeeeee!!! That includes gloves, mittens, face masks, wool hats, scarfs, thermal underwear, heavy duty socks, boots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get home from work and put on my shorts, Tshirt and flip flops! Good-bye sweats on top and bottom with winter boots, and my heavy flannel PJ'S!!!!! Light up my BBQ without freezing my butt off! Take a dip in a pool whenever the mood strikes! Walk a beach whenever the need is there. Gaze at a beautiful sky filled with stars (they were GORGEOUS in the everglades!) One cannot see the same stars here because of the lightnoise from NYC. Walk on clean beaches without stepping on....who knows what! SWIM in the ocean almost all year. Here, we can swim in the Atlantic, MAYBE mid July to mid August. Before mid July...too cold. After mid-August, filled with jellyfish. Hey, and I might even be able to SEE MY KNEES WHEN I AM STANDING IN THE BAY! Sitting on a dock by my beloved pelicans. Sighting dolphins in the bay. Manatees....where's the food? Love them. Will have to join a "Save the manatees/save the turtles/save the environment/wildlife org down there" ---- where there is something left to save! Taking a long walk during the evening. Waking up to a beautiful day in January! Staying in touch and continuing to share my Florida experience with my friends on the FL forum.

Good-bye Gov. Corzine and the rest of the corrupt politicians in this state! Good-bye highest property taxes in the country. Good-bye to the state with some of the nation's dirtiest water, dirtiest air, highest cancer rate. Good-bye state with the most dense population in the country. Good-bye nasty winter. Good-bye disgusting NYC (sorry, I do not like NYC). Good-bye visible 9/11 memories and reminders. Good-bye ridiculous heating bills. Good-bye ridiculous health insurance costs. Good-bye to my ex's family who don't say hello....GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE, GOOD BYE!

[nomoresnow]

Oh, my, Nancy. Where do I start? We're just under 6 months away from "the big move", altho we don't have a date set yet. It's all going to depend on when we can close on the house in NY. We're having an indoor moving sale Saturday (c'mon up - lotsa good "stuff" for sale!). Next weekend, we'll clean the carpets and floors and on Monday, 3/19, the realtor is coming to put the house on the market. We hope to have the last few odds and ends finished by then. Believe me, we've done a lot of work since we bought our house in FL last May, including a new roof, new garage door (this past week - the old one died on us!), painting rooms, and cleaning my fingers to the bone. Oh, two garage sales prior to the one this Sat.

DH is in his seasonal depression, plus his dr. changed his meds on him, so all he wants to do is sleep. I've been pushing him to work on this stuff, which is a chore in itself. All the paperwork, etc. is on my shoulders, adn I'm having my own issues. I'm going to my dr. next week and maybe she can give me something to help me thru the next 6 months. I hate taking meds (family history of addictions), but I'm not sleeping and that doesn't help.

Our renters in FL have quieted down - no more weird requests, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that's going well. I don't want to stir the pot, so I'm not calling the agent to check. We're halfway thru that - just March and April, then they're out of there.

The first full week in May, I'll be in NFM, checking on the house and getting it closed up for the summer. My oldest friend (since 4 years old!) is going to spend most of the week with me, since DH won't fly.

I'll be glad to get it in the realtor's hands. Keep your fingers crossed that it sells quickly enough that we don't worry about it but that the people don't want to move in till September. Otherwise, we may have to move in with MIL, which is another post....probably in the mental health forum!

Thanks for lsitening..I'm feeling much better now.

[faithfulFrank]

Congrats Nancy!!

If finding a place is a problem, I do have a friend of mine who owns 3 houses in Ft. Myers, (if that is where you are looking)...if you want his info, feel free to PM me.

It is great to read another person excited about moving to Florida....

Frank D.

[Magnolia Bloom]

Nancy- I am THRILLED for you! Thanks so much for the wonderful update!

How old is your son again? I'm 52 and have a 10 and 13 YO- maybe we can canoe with the kids some weekend- lots of good rivers inbetween the two of us.

A word about the tailgaters...don't tap the breaks- road rage being what it is and all. Just take your foot off the gas and your speed will slowly be reduced and that will wake them up. They don't realize that you are doing it and will usually keep their distance.

And a lot of the old folks can't see well so it seems like they are staring and they just have grumpy expressions due to ailments. I have found that a big smile and hello will usually cause them to smile. And if it doesn't, well, it makes ME feel better anyway.

WOOHOO! Can't wait to hear the sequel!

[vpcats]

Nancy Lynne. I hope you do come down. You have a heck of a great sense of humor and outlook!