Mass FL exodus? (Niota: 2010, schools, tornadoes)

[LilCabinGirl]

Originally Posted by gailli

its bumper to bumper, you would think you were on I4 at 5:00

I still shudder to think of the many, many, and I mean many mornings and evenings I sat in traffic on I-4.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by orlandoyankee

Well, I guess my car was also one of the ones spotted with a FL tag on it in TN. We just got back from spending several days driving and exploring the Chattanooga area, Oak Ridge and Bristol/JC/Kingsport. I gotta say that I have really fallen in love with TN (especially JC area). I, for one, do intend to retire in TN in the not too distant future. And, I like things in TN just the way they are. If it was overrun with gated communities and deed restrictions, I would probably look elsewhere.

What a wonderful post! With that kind of attitude you, and your Florida tags, will always be welcome here! Come back soon!

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by JMT

The thing that bugs me about that is that it seems to be the big developments that are being marketed to people in Florida. And so those Floridians (or those Half Backs) are heading up here looking for gated communities and developments with all kinds of silly covenants and restrictions just like they had in Florida.

The last thing I want is for The Villages, or Sun City Center, or Port Saint Lucie, or Sugarmill Woods, in other words those gigantic developments that cater to cranky old retirees to come invade Tennessee. Fairfield Glade and Tellico Village are bad enough, but I shudder to think what Tennessee will become if more of our beautiful countryside is taken over by such developments.

Not all Half Backs or Floridians are like that, of course. I'm a native Floridian myself (5th generation). I have a cousin in his 50s who retired with his wife and high-tailed it out of Tampa and now live very happily in a used trailer in the NC mountains far from any neighbors or civilization. I can respect that.

But I sit down and sob when I go back and see what those retirement developments have done to my beloved Florida, and I absolutely do not want to see the same landscape plundering take place in beautiful Tennessee.

Eh, just keep saying, "It's 37 degrees here and cloudy for the sixth day in a row." I think the marketers emphasize the lack of snow but forget to mention it does get cold here and we have fewer sunny days. Since "weather" is probably one of the reasons they went to Florida, I'm thinking weather is an important factor in their decision-making. Based on the posts here, it seems like more families are coming from Florida.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Eh, just keep saying, "It's 37 degrees here and cloudy for the sixth day in a row." I think the marketers emphasize the lack of snow but forget to mention it does get cold here and we have fewer sunny days. Since "weather" is probably one of the reasons they went to Florida, I'm thinking weather is an important factor in their decision-making. Based on the posts here, it seems like more families are coming from Florida.

I hear a lot of people say that E. TN has many cloudy days and not too many sunny days in the winter. I find this very appealing. When it is sunny in Florida, I get into a bad mood really easy. When it is rainy and cloudy and there is a storm, it just puts me in a great mood. I was talking to one of my coworkers the other day and she is the same way. It might be that we have a distaste for the heat and sunny days remind us of this or it could be that we work at night (by choice) and our waking hours are naturally at night. Any thoughts to this phenomenon?

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by MrsMtnsOnTheMind

I hear a lot of people say that E. TN has many cloudy days and not too many sunny days in the winter. I find this very appealing. When it is sunny in Florida, I get into a bad mood really easy. When it is rainy and cloudy and there is a storm, it just puts me in a great mood. I was talking to one of my coworkers the other day and she is the same way. It might be that we have a distaste for the heat and sunny days remind us of this or it could be that we work at night (by choice) and our waking hours are naturally at night. Any thoughts to this phenomenon?

I feel exactly the same way! When I lived in Florida, well, after 10 years of it I was sick of that darned sun. Wasn't there any kind of weather other than the sun beating down on you? Oh, yes! There were the hurricanes for a nice change of pace.

When I woke up and saw the sun I knew I could look forward to a day of brutal sun where wearing makeup was impossible, the only hair style was "up," and the only clothing option was "not much." It was so darn humid that I felt like I was walking through water.

Yes, the weather gets better in the winter. But here's the thing about that. After a few years of it you think, "Wait a minute. It's October. Up north the leaves are changing. I sure miss that." After awhile, shoveling snow seems appealing. I know, crazy, but it's true.

The first time it rained up here, I almost cried. Lightning bugs, robins, worms, maple trees made me not want to go back to southwest Florida.

My retired dad is in Melbourne and he complains about the heat, crime and the rude people all the time. They would move if the real estate situation wasn't so bad. So no, not all retirees will stay in Florida.

[FLORIDA TO NIOTA 2010]

It's not the retiree's that is the problem in So FL. It's the immigrants that's is the BIG problem. They hang out all day on the streets, throw their trash on the ground, live several families in a single family house. They use the bathroom and do other things in the bushes around the city buildings. The state looks the other way, you know they have rights. It doesn't matter that most of them don't pay taxes, because they work under the table. I'm sure there must have been a population boom in Lake Worth. They all have 3-4+ little ones as fast as they can.
I'm off the soap box now. I feel better now.

[Kim918]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I feel exactly the same way! When I lived in Florida, well, after 10 years of it I was sick of that darned sun. Wasn't there any kind of weather other than the sun beating down on you? Oh, yes! There were the hurricanes for a nice change of pace.

When I woke up and saw the sun I knew I could look forward to a day of brutal sun where wearing makeup was impossible, the only hair style was "up," and the only clothing option was "not much." It was so darn humid that I felt like I was walking through water.

Yes, the weather gets better in the winter. But here's the thing about that. After a few years of it you think, "Wait a minute. It's October. Up north the leaves are changing. I sure miss that." After awhile, shoveling snow seems appealing. I know, crazy, but it's true.

The first time it rained up here, I almost cried. Lightning bugs, robins, worms, maple trees made me not want to go back to southwest Florida.

My retired dad is in Melbourne and he complains about the heat, crime and the rude people all the time. They would move if the real estate situation wasn't so bad. So no, not all retirees will stay in Florida.

I thought I was the only one who loved dismal days. It's nice to know I'm not alone! My mood is always better on dismal days. I just feel calm. The sun makes my eyes hurt and feel cranky. Especially the FL sun! Here is doesn't feel as strong at all. My clothes don't stick to me after being outside for 5 minutes. I remember driving home from work every day in FL, even with the a/c on in the car I swear I could feel that sun burning into my skin. I hated it!

[orlandoyankee]

Originally Posted by Kim918

I thought I was the only one who loved dismal days. It's nice to know I'm not alone! My mood is always better on dismal days. I just feel calm. The sun makes my eyes hurt and feel cranky. Especially the FL sun! Here is doesn't feel as strong at all. My clothes don't stick to me after being outside for 5 minutes. I remember driving home from work every day in FL, even with the a/c on in the car I swear I could feel that sun burning into my skin. I hated it!

After 30 years in Florida and about 4 months of visiting my dermatologist for various skin cancers and pre-cancers, I can assure you I am sick and tired of the relentless sun and heat down here. The sun is brutal down here at least 9 months of the year. I enjoy a cold, cloudy day in the winter. And if it snows, that's even better.

[Kim918]

Originally Posted by orlandoyankee

After 30 years in Florida and about 4 months of visiting my dermatologist for various skin cancers and pre-cancers, I can assure you I am sick and tired of the relentless sun and heat down here. The sun is brutal down here at least 9 months of the year. I enjoy a cold, cloudy day in the winter. And if it snows, that's even better.

I also lived there 30 years and I feel the same as you do. I never had skin problems, but I can see how many ppl do there. The sun is so damaging. When I see the kids worshipping it, I can only imagine the problems they will have later. The constant exposure ages you. I can do the summer here standing on my head! Even the hotest of days here didn't bother me at all.

[FLORIDA TO NIOTA 2010]

Sorry everyone, about my earlier post, it was a little harsh.