I Love Miami (Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach: mortgage, insurance, vacation)

[LHBR702]

Oh, that's good. I'm going to start smiling and "thanking" folks for their rude behavior. If nothing else, at least I'll amuse myself instead of letting it get to me! Hey, a girlfriend of mine got into the habit of grinning and giving this super-happy and exaggerated hello wave when people beep at her for not going fast enough or not peeling wheels the minute the light turns green. It's a blast riding with her and seeing people's reactions. They seem even more angry that she misunderstood their horn-honking for a greeting! LOL!

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by LHBR702

Oh, that's good. I'm going to start smiling and "thanking" folks for their rude behavior. If nothing else, at least I'll amuse myself instead of letting it get to me! Hey, a girlfriend of mine got into the habit of grinning and giving this super-happy and exaggerated hello wave when people beep at her for not going fast enough or not peeling wheels the minute the light turns green. It's a blast riding with her and seeing people's reactions. They seem even more angry that she misunderstood their horn-honking for a greeting! LOL!

Hey, I like that one too!!! Going to try it.

[vpcats]

Cixel, you're funny. Must admit you have a way with words.
If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn't call you gay if you highlight your hair. Or a pony tail, or earrings. And whoever does, SO WHAT. Do they pay your rent? Do they buy your groceries? Do they take care of you when you're sick? Forget those people!

[LHBR702]

Originally Posted by CiXeL

i like the humidity. its a novelty for me coming from a desert state. but i hate the racism. theres nowhere you can go here without seeing at least some of it. its so ugly.
and yes i hate rude people too. its gotten to the point where i can peg a person just by looking at them whats going to come out of their mouth. its getting to the point where the only americans that live down here are oddballs or outcasts in some way.
last night we went up to fort lauderdale to meet up with my girlfriend's best friend who was down here for a cruise with a bunch of her friends.
i guess we're THAT out of it but there was a mini-party and i guess we're so used to living in isolation in south florida that we felt overwhelmed.
living in south florida is like living on another planet. reality is so vastly different from the rest of the country that you feel overwhelmed when you experience it again.
there were a ton of people at their cruise party from other parts of the US. alot of white peoples faces looked strange to us because we're not used to seeing them. my gf's friend was talking a mile a minute and with all the conversation going on and the band in the background we felt very confused and disorientated. at the same time we missed the culture.
latins are so laid back theyre practically dead. all around us people were talking excitedly. you actually saw EMOTION!
people looked different. different clothes, different hairstyles, etc. latin culture is one of conformity and anyone who looks different gets **** for it. in LA i used to have highlights in my hair, here in miami id be labeled as a gay guy for it. half the people going on the cruise down in miami would be looked at like aliens.
the level of luxury and wealth that americans are exposed to is so incredibly concentrated that its hard for many latin people to imagine and indeed in the past i have talked about stuff with coworkers and they have given me a confused look that i have come to recognize as "that is beyond my ability to imagine"
i dont know how miami got this way, the only thing my gf and i can guess is sheer number of immigrants way too quickly.
i cease to believe that with all the variety and emotion that american culture offers that it can be driven out by an influx of latin immigrants but thats exactly whats happening.
i miss the US. last night we saw a bunch of people who take it for granted. i wish i could be among them.

Is this for real? I do not by any means intend to ridicule Cixel for what I'm assuming are his genuine feelings and views, but this sounds so extreme to me. I've never lived in Miami, but have been there many, many times for weeks at a time and I find it hard to believe that living there even with all its problems would make you feel as though you're on another planet or make you unable to interact with "normal" people. I feel terrible for you, Cixel, if this is how bad it's gotten for you - sincerely with no sarcasm intended. Are there others who feel that life in Miami is like this?

[CiXeL]

vpcats, nah im more worried about being hireable

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by CiXeL

vpcats, nah im more worried about being hireable

I sent you one of those PMs. Hope I did it right.

[PNW2007]

702, that is the problem. You have only visited, no matter the length of time, no one really understands how bad the problem is until you have lived the life here. I do not go out anymore b/c of the same reasons CiXel has.

And for those who honk at me, I put it in reverse. I have been pulled over for this 3 years ago. This also reminds me when I was driving on Broward Blvd., I was at a red light and suddenly turned green. The guy behind me was too impatient and started honking and flaring his arms around, flipping the bird, so I did a burnout and took off, he wanted to take his pride back and chase me, I stayed in the middle lane, as he sped towards him on the right lane. I stayed steady with a car that was in front of him to block him, but he decided to have some balls to merge behind me, and as he was a tahoe from the left lane decided to change into the center as well....WABAMMM! The guy and tahoe ran right into each other and the tahoe crushed his Tercel. I laughed in my rear view and sped away. God is always watching.

[LHBR702]

702, that is the problem. You have only visited, no matter the length of time, no one really understands how bad the problem is until you have lived the life here. I do not go out anymore b/c of the same reasons CiXel has.

I should clarify that statement. I did not mention my 3-week visits to Miami to illustrate that I spent 3 weeks there and therefore know all there is to know AND exactly how it is to live/work there permanently. I was simply stating that it sounds remarkable to me that living there invokes feelings of being on a different planet, a different country-maybe, but different planet?! Or that once I've lived there for some time I will find myself disoriented when visiting with friends who are not from there. I am just wondering if others are experiencing these same feelings specifically.

[doggiebus]

I don't feel like I live on another planet. But I do feel like I live in another country. Even its to just driving to Palm Beach, we always say wow, its like we are in a totally different country.

[elfyum]

Um, ok, now I KNOW cixel is from LaLa land!!!
Latins LAID BACK?????!!!!!! Dude! You just floored me!!!!!!!!!!!
I have NEVER NEVER heard ANYONE say that, nor have I ever thought that!!!!!!!!!! You GOTTA be kidding!!!!!!!!
I don't know who talks faster, louder or more animated - a Cuban, a Puerto Rican or a NYer!!!!!!!! Dear LORD!!!!!!!!!!
Oh- and lest I forget Dominicans!!!
Dude - you're thinking of MEXICANS!!! They are on the WEST coast...
That's LaLa, not Miami!!!!!!!!!!!
You ARE in another world, but it ain't from living in Miami!
Unless the shock of reality/being away from LaLa freaked the senses outta ya!!!!!!!!! Sheesh!