Considering a move to Ft. Myers

[nhkev]

since when is the beach and fishing and ferris wheels not about family. When I go to the beach it's certainly not to get checked out by the girls in bikinis, it is about building sand castles and collecting shells. I vacationed on cape cod as a kid (grandparents lived there) and they were some of my fondest memories. I can appreciate 121084 and hiknapsters views on not liking the schools in there district and making a move... that what parents do. and also like them I have given up a career to stay home with my kids, I tried it the other way with day cares etc and it just didn't work. I had to make my priorities , priorities. This forum is at it's best when we are helping each other and sharing ideas and info. I think when we get astray is when we start thinking that we know better than each other. I have never lived in Florida for more than 3mos at a time. I was a district manager for a retailer from miami to west palm and spent most of my time in Boca Raton. My parents live in Cape coral (most of the year) My wife grandparents retired full time in Naples, my uncle has second home in Bonita springs. I spend about 6 weeks a year now in cape coral. Do I know more than someone that has lived there 15 years ? absolutely not. Maybe the school your kid attended was not to your liking but My nextdoor neighbor loves christa mcauliff charter school, the guy that I chartered a boat from loves cape coral christian school, the person who owns the piece of land next to mine has kids at Trafalgar school and loves it... they all score high in florida's scoring and on websites like great schools . So when you say all the schools in lee county are awful how is it any different than your argument "you've never lived here" You never went to any of those schools. For the record the school in my hometown where I live scores an embarrassing 2 out of 10 on great schools, it is 20 mins to walmart 45 mins to home depot and 50 mins to any other retailer you can think of. I drive 2 hrs for a commute to where I work and 2hrs back. and to boot unless you've lived in Northern alaska, buffalo new york or Montana chances are you have no concept of what the winters are like here but they start Nov 1 and go til april. today was 92 degrees and probably 85% humidity and it was wonderful. I chose to live here when I was single I would ski , snow shoe, cross country ski, hike and loved wild life , and this was the perfect place for me to live. My wife doesn't care for it she feels isolated has always been a city girl. When I had kids I didn't do any of those thing any more, mostly cuz it was too cold for them to be out and they were too young to do the things I liked. My interests now tend to be whatever my children are into. I wouldn't say I get upset but I would say I get perturbed by people that put out false info...I don't argue the employment issue, I know it's high. I don't argue that houses that sold for $260k previous are now being sold for $85k, I don't argue that chinese drywall is a serious issue, the uep is concerning to some. But to just throw out statements about in area with nothing to back it up is careless and not helpful in the least. If you thought the school was bad.. why was it . If you think the council are crooked ... then why.

[mrcoolmrcool28]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

There's a bit more culture in Chicago then there is in southwest Florida. Just a tad.

Let's face it. There's a group of people that will always think that a Ferris Wheel in a parking lot across the street from a Walmart is the height of class. If that is what floats your boat then by all means have at it.

Hey, I love Ferris wheels and Walmart

Ever been to south Chicago? Ya, Tons of "Culture" in the projects!!

[TannerBoyle]

Originally Posted by mrcoolmrcool28

Hey, I love Ferris wheels and Walmart

Ever been to south Chicago? Ya, Tons of "Culture" in the projects!!

Yeah, well....if the Midwest ever needed an enema, they'd do it in Wisconsin.

So there.....

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by mrcoolmrcool28

Hey, I love Ferris wheels and Walmart

Ever been to south Chicago? Ya, Tons of "Culture" in the projects!!

Ever been to the Magnificent Mile? The Field Museum? The Art Institute of Chicago? The Museum of Science and Industry? Adler Planetarium? Shedd Aquarium? The downton Theater District? Visit some of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes?

And Navy Pier is not some sad ferris wheel next to a flea market.

My husband is from Chicago.

[mrcoolmrcool28]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Ever been to the Magnificent Mile? The Field Museum? The Art Institute of Chicago? The Museum of Science and Industry? Adler Planetarium? Shedd Aquarium? The downton Theater District? Visit some of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes?

And Navy Pier is not some sad ferris wheel next to a flea market.

My husband is from Chicago.

Yep, been to everyone of those places and more, The Mrs. and I love to go down to Ohio St. and spend the weekend, Over to Harry Carry's and the House of Blues, and end up down on Clark St. at Blue Chicago for some real live blues bands.

We like to eat at the Redfish cafe' more blues bands at night, then to Wacker Dr. When there are tons of great bars and eatin joints! The double decker buses and Chicago river boat tours!!Downtown Chicago is a blast We can drop up to $1000 into the local Chicago econony for every 3 day weekend we take there.

And that's what people like my wife and I also do for the local Florida economy as well You want folks like us there!!! What I don't get is the scare tactics and negitive posts that kept trying to drive us and people like us, away I boarders on psychotic

[hiknapster]

For about the sixth time. No one is trying to scare you away.

For about the fifth time, we think you will fit in.

For at least the fourth time, we are not addressing you when we talk about unemployment rates, obviously, because you will be a retiree.

What part of this are you not getting?

And don't call me psychotic. Even bordering psychotic.

What part do you not get?

Retire there, spend your money and be happy.

Got it?

Originally Posted by mrcoolmrcool28

Yep, been to everyone of those places and more, The Mrs. and I love to go down to Ohio St. and spend the weekend, Over to Harry Carry's and the House of Blues, and end up down on Clark St. at Blue Chicago for some real live blues bands.

We like to eat at the Redfish cafe' more blues bands at night, then to Wacker Dr. When there are tons of great bars and eatin joints! The double decker buses and Chicago river boat tours!!Downtown Chicago is a blast We can drop up to $1000 into the local Chicago econony for every 3 day weekend we take there.

And that's what people like my wife and I also do for the local Florida economy as well You want folks like us there!!! What I don't get is the scare tactics and negitive posts that kept trying to drive us and people like us, away I boarders on psychotic

[mrcoolmrcool28]

Originally Posted by nhkev

since when is the beach and fishing and ferris wheels not about family. When I go to the beach it's certainly not to get checked out by the girls in bikinis, it is about building sand castles and collecting shells. I vacationed on cape cod as a kid (grandparents lived there) and they were some of my fondest memories. I can appreciate 121084 and hiknapsters views on not liking the schools in there district and making a move... that what parents do. and also like them I have given up a career to stay home with my kids, I tried it the other way with day cares etc and it just didn't work. I had to make my priorities , priorities. This forum is at it's best when we are helping each other and sharing ideas and info. I think when we get astray is when we start thinking that we know better than each other. I have never lived in Florida for more than 3mos at a time. I was a district manager for a retailer from miami to west palm and spent most of my time in Boca Raton. My parents live in Cape coral (most of the year) My wife grandparents retired full time in Naples, my uncle has second home in Bonita springs. I spend about 6 weeks a year now in cape coral. Do I know more than someone that has lived there 15 years ? absolutely not. Maybe the school your kid attended was not to your liking but My nextdoor neighbor loves christa mcauliff charter school, the guy that I chartered a boat from loves cape coral christian school, the person who owns the piece of land next to mine has kids at Trafalgar school and loves it... they all score high in florida's scoring and on websites like great schools . So when you say all the schools in lee county are awful how is it any different than your argument "you've never lived here" You never went to any of those schools. For the record the school in my hometown where I live scores an embarrassing 2 out of 10 on great schools, it is 20 mins to walmart 45 mins to home depot and 50 mins to any other retailer you can think of. I drive 2 hrs for a commute to where I work and 2hrs back. and to boot unless you've lived in Northern alaska, buffalo new york or Montana chances are you have no concept of what the winters are like here but they start Nov 1 and go til april. today was 92 degrees and probably 85% humidity and it was wonderful. I chose to live here when I was single I would ski , snow shoe, cross country ski, hike and loved wild life , and this was the perfect place for me to live. My wife doesn't care for it she feels isolated has always been a city girl. When I had kids I didn't do any of those thing any more, mostly cuz it was too cold for them to be out and they were too young to do the things I liked. My interests now tend to be whatever my children are into. I wouldn't say I get upset but I would say I get perturbed by people that put out false info...I don't argue the employment issue, I know it's high. I don't argue that houses that sold for $260k previous are now being sold for $85k, I don't argue that chinese drywall is a serious issue, the uep is concerning to some. But to just throw out statements about in area with nothing to back it up is careless and not helpful in the least. If you thought the school was bad.. why was it . If you think the council are crooked ... then why.

If you reread this most exellent post, you will understand, It's not so much the unemployment, I've agreed it's there, no question about it.

It's just the constent negitivity on this forum, if anything bad happens, it go's up on the board as fast as it can be put there, then the small anti-SWFL group bashs it around for a while giggling at the SWFL's mis-fortune, meanwhile disenchanting new posters coming here for real info about the area (you don't hold the monoply on crimes at fast food joints or taxes going up or police corruption) only a couple of examples.

Things are bad all over, it's been said before, But SWFL is only one of the many many places that have been hurt by the economic downturn, as posted before, If someone wants to move to Ft. Myers from Flint Michigan, I call that a HUGH upgrade and would give them the ole Bob Barker "Come on down" How about some positive feedback for them?

And why bash the realtors??? They are just doing their job? Give um a break!!

These are just a few of the things I don't get? Mr.Cool

[yachtcare]

Originally Posted by mrcoolmrcool28

It's just the constent negitivity on this forum, if anything bad happens, it go's up on the board as fast as it can be put there, then the small anti-SWFL group bashs it around for a while giggling at the SWFL's mis-fortune, (you don't hold the monoply on crimes at fast food joints or taxes going up or police corruption) only a couple of examples.

And why bash the realtors??? They are just doing their job? Give um a break!!

These are just a few of the things I don't get? Mr.Cool

Maybe you need to work on your sense of humor, to "get it".

I dont recall bashing any Realtors, here. I use to be a Realtor, in a past lifetime.

Getting smacked around in McDonald's by a 21 year old and her mother is, in a way, worth a chuckle at least. No body was permanently injured right?

And(as long as you arent the recipient) how can you not think a punch in the face from this guy in the mall wouldnt be worth writing home about?

Lighten up......

Oh, and by the way...it's all real info. People that are thinking of moving here should have "full disclosure" dont you agree?

[hiknapster]

Exactly.

Mr. Cool, you claim you are not upset. Maybe you are not. Things don't translate very well on the internet. You sure as heck seem upset.

And I can't figure out why unless you have buyer's remorse.

You say we are discouraging people from coming on and asking questions. Why? We are more than happy to answer questions.

Let's see.

Guy wants to start up an appliance business. We tell them about the foreclosures and the unemployment issue. We tell him people are moving out.

What would you have us do?

Lie?

You've implied that a couple of times. You said we are cutting off our noses to spite our faces.

Amazing.

Sorry, but we are an honest bunch.

Now why would you want us to tell people what they want to hear and not the truth?

What's in it for you?

Originally Posted by yachtcare

Maybe you need to work on your sense of humor, to "get it".

I dont recall bashing any Realtors, here. I use to be a Realtor, in a past lifetime.

Getting smacked around in McDonald's by a 21 year old and her mother is, in a way, worth a chuckle at least. No body was permanently injured right?

And(as long as you arent the recipient) how can you not think a punch in the face from this guy in the mall wouldnt be worth writing home about?

Lighten up......

Oh, and by the way...it's all real info. People that are thinking of moving here should have "full disclosure" dont you agree?

[faithfulFrank]

I think this thread has run it's course. Closed.

Frank