[tappanlakegrl86]

I would love to move down south. But I keep hearing people talk about the humidity..and I'm not sure how true it is about any place down in Florida. The hot temps 90's on up I can do just fine...just let me hide for the worst part of the day. I have family down there and I hear varying opinions of how the weather is. Some mention tornadoes..which where I'm at we've had maybe 3?? since I've been born, because of the hills. Thunderstorms are said to be more rock em sock em down there than they are up here. The part I love is no stinking winter blizzards. This past winter and the one before that I thought I was going to freeze my body solid. I understand that it does get cold down there, but from looking at almanacs for "general" winter temps, I could definitely live with those temps.
Hopefully there are some people that could give me a better idea of how the weather is...sometimes my family likes to exaggerate and it's best to ask someone else lol. But If it turns out they are right, well that'll be fine too,considering the pros that I'm running with at the moment.

On to the "other things" in my title. I know there are gators down there. My step daughter who lives down there loves to go on the Itchetucknee and ride the tubes down....has there ever been sightings or encounters of gators? I've looked up stuff on the internet and the place looks absolutely beautiful but I'm just really curious bout the gator thing.
I know enough to stay far away as I can can from them, especially if I come across eggs or babies.
Besides those what are the other lethal animals to stay away from that are specifically down there but not up here?
Jobs and the locals...how far would you have to travel to find work? My S.O. would be the one looking for work...he once lived down there but its been years so finding something might be different now than it was back then. He can do almost anything really as long as he can make enough to pay half on the bills with me.
And the locals, sometimes I find up here that the locals are down right mean...em effing this or in a rush bumping in to you and then glaring at you like it was your fault.... I hope that people down there are more friendly than that as I would eventually like to make new friends down there.
What kind of clubs activities or events could someone my age,25, get into and make friends at??

Hopefully this wasn't a big bore to read, I'm sure someone else has posted something similar but I don't know how to work the forums well enough because I forget this site exists

[yamahastar]

The humidity is terrible. I moved here from Missouri. A woman I know moved here from Washington state and described the humidity here as "a wet wool blanket". There really are no varying opinions about the humidity - its here and its higher than most other places. Think about it - we are surrounded on 3 sides by water.

Lighting is a major cause of death in Florida. Don't under estimate it. I've heard we have more tornados than many other areas of the country, but they are generally smaller than those in the midwest. Still, nothing to be taken lightly. And you did not mention huricanes. If you live near the coast when a big storm blows up, you may be told to evacuate.

As for alligators, the place is not swarming with them. If you go into areas where there is water you will likely see one. Mostly, we stay on dry land and the gators keep to themselves. The people who have trouble with them get too close to them, feed them, etc. They are like any other wild animal - stay out of their way. Generally, you really have to look to see them. In the wild they are pretty skittish unless people have fed them. Some subdivisions with canals and ponds/lakes and golf courses do have them. I work at the Gainesville VA, and there are alligators in the ponds there and on the campus of the University of Florida. I doubt you will run into an alligator eggs or babies. You are more likely to encounter one of our thousands of varieties of bugs or snakes.

You can find mean people anywhere you go.

[ten years after]

humidity is brutal,two tornadoes have touched down in lake city since 2006.your s.o. will have a tough time finding any real jobs especially if it has to do with construction and if he is lucky, the wages are a bit of a 20 year throwback. people are pretty friendly but dont really expect to make any real friends. but at your age you might luck out and make some friends. expect to hear have a blessed day almost everywhere you go. if your into being a church person a lot of so-called doors may open for you but if not than you might be sol. all i can say is you may love it here or be totally miserable. personally,if you really dont have to come to this area,than look elsewhere or just stay put .the grass is not always greener.thats just my three cents worth

[tappanlakegrl86]

I forgot to mention hurricanes, I guess since this area only gets the rain when one comes close enough up the east coast it slipped my mind. The whole humidity thing may not be a total issue if I would just get enough self control about myself and quit smoking and shed that extra 30 pounds that I decided to regain.

Tornado touch downs and sightings would be a really big new thing for me, I'm fascinated by what I see,read and hear...but I'm assuming that it just isn't the same as actually witnessing one and being left in the after math of one. Which leads me to another question, if there is a bigger occurance of touch downs down there-why are the so many mobile homes? Or does it just seem like there are. In the event of one if you lived in a mobile home, wouldn't you have to evacuate your home since they'd most likely be shredded up?
My s.o. could probably find work easily...Even if its temporary for the time being. I think it may be a good idea for him to ask his buddy thats down there if he needs to hire any one new we're still looking for possible leads. But above anything else I still want to visit to see if I would really like it down there, both my Aunt and a friend of mine who lived down there loved it.
Are there stable rent/rent to own homes at a decent price? I looked on a website but I can't remember which one and I seen I think a double wide for 450..it's a mobile home I know but are there homes that are up for rent in that price range?
I don't mind hearing things like have a blessed day,I was just never raised up going to church or anything like that and I guess the mind set just stuck with me as I became an adult.
We don't necessarily _have_ to be in Lake City, my s.o. is also familiar with High Springs Live Oak Fort White Jasper and a few other places. Being that LC seems fairly big and it has _way_ more opportunities than the area I'm in now, it just seemed like it would fit to try and get a feel for LC and see what I can find out.

[yamahastar]

In this market NO ONE, except a doctor or a nurse, finds a job easily in Florida.
It sounds like you have a dream and that's a good thing to have, but its not realistic.
Also, its not witnessing or being in the aftermath of a tornado that's tough, its living through the tornado that's the challenge.

[Scottsongs]

Sent you a PM

[tappanlakegrl86]

Originally Posted by yamahastar

In this market NO ONE, except a doctor or a nurse, finds a job easily in Florida.
It sounds like you have a dream and that's a good thing to have, but its not realistic.
Also, its not witnessing or being in the aftermath of a tornado that's tough, its living through the tornado that's the challenge.

Dream yes, but if we do make a go for it, it is really going to take a lot of planning and a lot of saving. It would be silly to assume that things would automatically work as I think they would.

[lelephantblonde]

Lots of humidty in the summer, along with hordes of mosquitoes & bugs. Yes alligators everywhere. Some waterways (lakes, canals, rivers) are full of them and it's dangerous to go into the water or walk your dog along the shore. It's best to ask the locals what places are safe. Mostly spring fed areas like where people go tubing is fine, even if you see one they won't bother you there. We've been without a hurricane hit for a little while, so we are due. They can be nasty, but you get a lot of warnng to evacuate when necessary. No lightening with hurricanes, but tornadoes. Lightening is serious here, especially in the summer, you just don't chance it by going outside when a storm is even approaching. Sometimes in Spring we can get some nasty fronts that spawn tornadoes and our big summer storms can produce them too.When it cools off in the winter though, it's perfect weather. Jobs are very, very hard to come by these days in most of FL. Medical related jobs would be your best bet. In the bigger cities, you'll find more rude people, compared to going up into the smaller cities, just like other places in the U.S. There are trade-offs in every place, & you'll adjust to everything, but the job market will be your biggest hurdle, I think.

[AnnieA]

I always liked Lake City but I am from the south so, that may be the answer. I have tubed most of the springs and Itchneetucknee (?) several times and have never had a problem. Probably all the noise and splashing. The worst was getting caught out on the river, 4th of July, in an afternoon thunder storm.....that won't happen again with me....LOL> Good luck.

[tappanlakegrl86]

Originally Posted by AnnieA

I always liked Lake City but I am from the south so, that may be the answer. I have tubed most of the springs and Itchneetucknee (?) several times and have never had a problem. Probably all the noise and splashing. The worst was getting caught out on the river, 4th of July, in an afternoon thunder storm.....that won't happen again with me....LOL> Good luck.

I keep hearing his daughter and his family talk about the itchetucknee, and if nothing happens other than a visit I am sooo tubing down it. I absolutely love the water