Moving to Fort Myers !!!

['noer]

These post are always so amazing to me.

Let's see - how do I do this without sounding sarcastic? Hmmmm. Naaa - I'll just apologize in advance.............

Gosh, I am sure glad to know I have picked such a horrible place to live. I appreciate all of the insight from those of you who do not even live here anymore because you didn't like the weather or seasonal environment here.

Yup - it is absolutely horrible right now - 68 degrees as I sit on my lanai typing this. Can you believe it? I am bearing through it though........miserable as I may be in my shorts and no shirt (obligatory November SWFL redneck attire when sitting on your lanai - flip flops are optional)

I just can't figure it out - going by what I read, my family and I must be really miserable.
Maybe we just don't realize it yet.....

I guess I'll walk down to the dock, drop the boat down off the lift, take a cruise down to Ding Darling Reservoir, and watch the eagles I occasionally stumble across while out on the water, and think about it some more.

Wait!!!!
Maybe we'll go up to the power plant and see if the Manatees are coming in yet.
As you know, hundreds of manatees move into the Orange river by the plant when the horrible 65 degree cold weather hits because they like the warm water outflow from the power plant.....

No.....My kids must be ACTING like they enjoy seeing the manatees............. they have been nice and ACTING as if they are happy - I am sooo confused now.....



I mean, my son really does look miserable, doesn't he?
I guess I never looked close enough to see the frown underneath all the grins when he is out on the water fishing.

My daughter is also a master of disguise - she just did it yesterday.
Her school field trip was going to the shell museum and the reservoir and learning about mangos, mangroves, ecosystems, and the native plants and wildlife here.

Silly child!!! She came home and told me all about the fact that there are different types of eco systems. And she must have actually disliked the touch tank where she got to touch the fish. She puts on a pretty good show - she is still talking about it.... what a little actress!

She went so far as to act like she was interested in seeing the worlds largest conch shell that was on display!

As far as you rude snowbirds everyone talks about - I LOVE you and thank you!!

Thank you for letting me take care of your properties while you finish working up north to eventually come down and retire.

Same goes for all of you wonderful people from other countries who I get to meet every day. You have been smart enough to save and buy these properties at a great price when your money is worth something down here.

I will gladly take care of your properties until you come down permanently.

You know what? I just convinced myself that I AM rich.

My family is happy and healthy. I have a business that I feel will survive this economy.
We have great friends, and we enjoy the activities and lifestyle here.

Yup - it is blazing hot in the summer. Yup - dry season is tough - fires are a bummer, just like tornadoes were in Kansas, snow was in Michigan, and and crime was in New Orleans....every place has it's positives and negatives. By all means, pick the area that suits you best.

I think everyones' opinion and situation is different.

I am not a redneck, and I am well traveled in the U.S. We have lived in a dozen states, and we like it here - hence our decision to stay put no matter what the economy brought.

My wife is finishing her masters in accounting, and she helps me run our lawn care and property maintenance biz because there truly are no jobs here in our trained fields.

If you are considering living down here, do it the smart way.

Either come down with enough money to begin with, or have a really good job lined up, or have a good business plan if you are going to run your own biz.

Make sure to examine what is currently happening - there are not many jobs (or should I say none).

There is work, but it is the roll up your sleeves kind of work. Or if you are smart enough/secure enough to capitalize on current market conditions, then there are other opportunities.

I had to go from a white collar desk job to providing services.

Look at the economy and what is happening in the area - things are still happening, it's just different things than what was happening during the boom. There is still work/opportunity here, it is just different work/opportunity than it was during the boom.

If you have to work for someone else to survive, living here might be a challenge.
If you are not willing or not able to roll up your sleevs, this might not be the best place.

As many posters suggest, service industry is what is left here.
I have found there is a lot of work available, it just is not the work most are willing to do.

Two years ago, I would have never even dreamed I would be running power washers and lawn mowers every day.

Not exactly what my life plan was, but I adjusted and am surprisingly happy.

[Rainbow girl]

Originally Posted by 'noer

These post are always so amazing to me.

Let's see - how do I do this without sounding sarcastic? Hmmmm. Naaa - I'll just apologize in advance.............

Gosh, I am sure glad to know I have picked such a horrible place to live. I appreciate all of the insight from those of you who do not even live here anymore because you didn't like the weather or seasonal environment here.

Yup - it is absolutely horrible right now - 68 degrees as I sit on my lanai typing this. Can you believe it? I am bearing through it though........miserable as I may be in my shorts and no shirt (obligatory November SWFL redneck attire when sitting on your lanai - flip flops are optional)

I just can't figure it out - going by what I read, my family and I must be really miserable.
Maybe we just don't realize it yet.....

I guess I'll walk down to the dock, drop the boat down off the lift, take a cruise down to Ding Darling Reservoir, and watch the eagles I occasionally stumble across while out on the water, and think about it some more.

Wait!!!!
Maybe we'll go up to the power plant and see if the Manatees are coming in yet.
As you know, hundreds of manatees move into the Orange river by the plant when the horrible 65 degree cold weather hits because they like the warm water outflow from the power plant.....

No.....My kids must be ACTING like they enjoy seeing the manatees............. they have been nice and ACTING as if they are happy - I am sooo confused now.....



I mean, my son really does look miserable, doesn't he?
I guess I never looked close enough to see the frown underneath all the grins when he is out on the water fishing.

My daughter is also a master of disguise - she just did it yesterday.
Her school field trip was going to the shell museum and the reservoir and learning about mangos, mangroves, ecosystems, and the native plants and wildlife here.

Silly child!!! She came home and told me all about the fact that there are different types of eco systems. And she must have actually disliked the touch tank where she got to touch the fish. She puts on a pretty good show - she is still talking about it.... what a little actress!

She went so far as to act like she was interested in seeing the worlds largest conch shell that was on display!

As far as you rude snowbirds everyone talks about - I LOVE you and thank you!!

Thank you for letting me take care of your properties while you finish working up north to eventually come down and retire.

Same goes for all of you wonderful people from other countries who I get to meet every day. You have been smart enough to save and buy these properties at a great price when your money is worth something down here.

I will gladly take care of your properties until you come down permanently.

You know what? I just convinced myself that I AM rich.

My family is happy and healthy. I have a business that I feel will survive this economy.
We have great friends, and we enjoy the activities and lifestyle here.

Yup - it is blazing hot in the summer. Yup - dry season is tough - fires are a bummer, just like tornadoes were in Kansas, snow was in Michigan, and and crime was in New Orleans....every place has it's positives and negatives. By all means, pick the area that suits you best.

I think everyones' opinion and situation is different.

I am not a redneck, and I am well traveled in the U.S. We have lived in a dozen states, and we like it here - hence our decision to stay put no matter what the economy brought.

My wife is finishing her masters in accounting, and she helps me run our lawn care and property maintenance biz because there truly are no jobs here in our trained fields.

If you are considering living down here, do it the smart way.

Either come down with enough money to begin with, or have a really good job lined up, or have a good business plan if you are going to run your own biz.

Make sure to examine what is currently happening - there are not many jobs (or should I say none).

There is work, but it is the roll up your sleeves kind of work. Or if you are smart enough/secure enough to capitalize on current market conditions, then there are other opportunities.

I had to go from a white collar desk job to providing services.

Look at the economy and what is happening in the area - things are still happening, it's just different things than what was happening during the boom. There is still work/opportunity here, it is just different work/opportunity than it was during the boom.

If you have to work for someone else to survive, living here might be a challenge.
If you are not willing or not able to roll up your sleevs, this might not be the best place.

As many posters suggest, service industry is what is left here.
I have found there is a lot of work available, it just is not the work most are willing to do.

Two years ago, I would have never even dreamed I would be running power washers and lawn mowers every day.

Not exactly what my life plan was, but I adjusted and am surprisingly happy.

Just wanted to say I loved your thread. I just got here 4 weeks ago and I heard alot of negative on this forum about coming to Florida and how terrible it is. Well I came anyway and I love it and so do my kids. If people are that unhappy with their life they need to do something about it and not try to discourage other people from doing what they want. Yes you do need to be smart about jobs before you come down because if you get down here and can't get a job then you're in trouble. Welcome snow birds. I am a nurse and hopefully I won't be in a position to meet you that way but maybe I'll see you at the beach or in a restaurant.

It all boils down to everyone should be able to do what they want as long as they are not hurting anyone else or breaking the law.

Live a little and take that step and go for what you want!!!

I'm glad you and your family like it here as we do.

[mrcoolmrcool28]

aaaaahhhhhhhh, noer and Rainbow girl, your great! SWF is what you make of it, and if your doing your best to be a nasty negitive person then you will hate ANY area you live!!! Mr. Cool

[NJ~LuLu]

Whoo Hoo Some happy responses! TY. Life is what you make it, Ship Happens.
Hope is alive. God, some of these past posts make is sound like the Tundra. I have always found good will and friendship in the Cape, I am sure it is everywhere in SW florida, It is a hard thing to meet new people at first, but, I always found a happy smile since I am willing to extend the same. Then again, my position is not relying on employment, my Husband and I worked hard anticipating retirement, built our home. So I can understand those who have lived there during the booming years of constrution may have seen the bottom fall out and certainly affected adversely, my thoughts and prayers go with them.
We all wish for our days gone bye, But my Home is in Cape Coral, and I love it.

[Rainbow girl]

It's funny because we came from Indiana and folks are relatively friendly there but people have went out of their way to be nice to us here, so much so that my 19 year old daughter even commented on it! People wave when you're sitting at stop lights and speak in the stores, it's really nice. I work PRN on the other coast and it's not as friendly there. Someone told me yesterday that lives on that coast that the gulf side is more like up north and it does seem to be friendlier. Like you say it is what you make of it and if you associate with bad you will get bad in your life.

[Surf137]

noer' I loved the sarcasm in your post. Unfortunatly message boards like these seem to bring out more unhappy people trying to vent rather than people that are happy wanting to boast. Just the way it is. But I was glad to read your post and loved the picture, I'll keep dreaming, hopefully I can get there someday and enjoy the pain and suffering you describe. Sounds good to me.
Jim