I was part of the Orlando Exodus (Miami, Sarasota: fit in, house)

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

The "Florida Lifestyle" is not just a way of living it's way of thinking. It's a live and let live type of mentality, 5 O Clock somewhere attitude. If it's been a long day, there's nothing a trip to the links or lake or a good game of football and cold beer can't cure. It's also an understanding that things are what they are, make the best of them. That's the real "Florida Lifestyle" coming from a real Florida boy. I will admit that the influx of opportunists and haters has really deterred from it lately. It bothers me sometimes too that people who come down here just aren't willing to buy into our way of thinking than go on to complain about how moving here was the worst mistake of their lives and this is the worst place ever. Ohh, to those people, I raise my beer to you and hope better for you. If you see me at the bar, I'll gladly buy you a beer if agree to enjoy it and not drown it with your tears. Happy Friday All!

Great post, Rooster, I believe you nailed it! Happy Friday to you, too! And I too, will raise a glass of wine and hope better for the complainers. This Florida native-born "gypsy" is certainly happy and grateful to be living in paradise!

[Mugatu]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

The "Florida Lifestyle" is not just a way of living it's way of thinking. It's a live and let live type of mentality, 5 O Clock somewhere attitude. If it's been a long day, there's nothing a trip to the links or lake or a good game of football and cold beer can't cure. It's also an understanding that things are what they are, make the best of them. That's the real "Florida Lifestyle" coming from a real Florida boy. I will admit that the influx of opportunists and haters has really deterred from it lately. It bothers me sometimes too that people who come down here just aren't willing to buy into our way of thinking than go on to complain about how moving here was the worst mistake of their lives and this is the worst place ever. Ohh, to those people, I raise my beer to you and hope better for you. If you see me at the bar, I'll gladly buy you a beer if agree to enjoy it and not drown it with your tears. Happy Friday All!

I don't agree with this post at all. I grew up in FL and moved out in 2006 after 35 years. Florida is no longer a laid-back, relaxed place. It is a high-crime, high-traffic, high-anger, high-stress place. The "Florida Lifestyle" may remain in things like wearing shorts in December, decorating palm trees with Christmas lights, and playing golf in January, but the state of mind part is DEAD. I feel like a new person since I left, much less stress, worry and frustration.

[cmj_fla]

I think there is the availability of living the "Florida Lifestyle" the way that Crane's Rooster has described it but not everyone is fortunate enough to do so. Economics and wages make a big difference in quality of life and a lot of people can not afford to enjoy all that Florida has to offer.

[ConfusedInDFW]

Again, thank you to everyone who commented. After reading other forums and seeing rankings by Forbes, I think I will just stay put in Dallas and make some $$$. Maybe I'll head back to Florida some day when I retire.

Yes, I have been guilty of bashing Orlando after being in Central Florida for 10 years. I have been known to complain about I-4 traffic, not being able to get help in English at the Bank of America (how ironic) and other stuff. Really though, in the end, it's about being able to put food on the table. I think I have a far better chance of doing that in Dallas than O-Town. So I guess I'll say goodbye to palm trees and sun and hello to cowboys and Shiner Bock beer for now!

[pianogal]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

The "Florida Lifestyle" is not just a way of living it's way of thinking. It's a live and let live type of mentality, 5 O Clock somewhere attitude. If it's been a long day, there's nothing a trip to the links or lake or a good game of football and cold beer can't cure. It's also an understanding that things are what they are, make the best of them. That's the real "Florida Lifestyle" coming from a real Florida boy. I will admit that the influx of opportunists and haters has really deterred from it lately. It bothers me sometimes too that people who come down here just aren't willing to buy into our way of thinking than go on to complain about how moving here was the worst mistake of their lives and this is the worst place ever. Ohh, to those people, I raise my beer to you and hope better for you. If you see me at the bar, I'll gladly buy you a beer if agree to enjoy it and not drown it with your tears. Happy Friday All!

Great Post.....think I'll take you up on that. One more hour and DH and I are OFF and partying! LOL

[pianogal]

Originally Posted by ConfusedInDFW

Again, thank you to everyone who commented. After reading other forums and seeing rankings by Forbes, I think I will just stay put in Dallas and make some $$$. Maybe I'll head back to Florida some day when I retire.

Yes, I have been guilty of bashing Orlando after being in Central Florida for 10 years. I have been known to complain about I-4 traffic, not being able to get help in English at the Bank of America (how ironic) and other stuff. Really though, in the end, it's about being able to put food on the table. I think I have a far better chance of doing that in Dallas than O-Town. So I guess I'll say goodbye to palm trees and sun and hello to cowboys and Shiner Bock beer for now!

Good for you, confused. I think you've used this quote before....but it fits...."Bloom where you're planted." No matter where I've lived - even in California, I've been much happier when I've tried to follow that motto. You can be miserable anywhere - most of what gives us joy in life isn't tied to a location.

[Crane's Rooster]

Originally Posted by cmj_fla

I think there is the availability of living the "Florida Lifestyle" the way that Crane's Rooster has described it but not everyone is furtunate enough to do so. Economics and wages make a big difference in quality of life and a lot of people can not afford to enjoy all that Florida has to offer.

Well that's the whole point of the "Florida Lifestyle". It's not about rich people who can take off at 9:30 a.m. to hit a round at the links on Tuesday. It's about busting your hump all week to barely pay the bills but with the $10 you have left say "ohh well Happy Hour is 3 for 1." It's not just about being able to hit the lake on your luxury ski boat but also getting out there in your flip flops with a fishing pole and six pack. What I was getting at is that alot of people complain about the low wages and lack of "culture" and things to do. My point is I grew up here where wages have always been low but people find a way to look on the bright side. I was in Ft. Myers when it was nothing more than some old folks and palm trees but people really didn't complain about the lack of "cultural" events as long the fish were biting. I am by no means a good old boy but I grew up enjoying these things. I am happy to see that we are making advances in bringing more culture and the arts here but that's not what we're known for here. To constantly complain about there being lack of this or that is like me going to Boston and say there's a lack of good clean fishing lakes or that college football sucks in the Northeast. Well maybe I shouldn't have went there, or maybe I could just learn to love the sox and appreciate arts. There's always an option and always a bright side. Just like you know that it's going to rain cats and dogs every afternoon during the summer you know the sun will shine again right after that. Just like you know a hurricane is going to hit, it's inevitable, you also keep in the mind that there have been hurricanes here longer than there have been people but the hurricanes keep coming and so do the people. That's the Florida Lifestyle.

[Alatex]

That's so true. I probably miss the Florida mindset more than anything else. Here in Dallas it's "Hi. What's your name? Where do you work, how much do you make, is your car as cool as mine? Do you have a lake house? How big is your trust fund? My dad can whip your dad". I hear it's a Dallas thing - not a Texas thing. And I hear that from native Texans.

Although I've always lived in Alabama, the two other states where I've spent the next most time visiting are TX and FL. If Florida doesn't work for you professionally, yet Dallas is too antiseptic and Stepford, then you might like the San Antonio-Austin area ? The economy's solid, there are lots of laid-back and friendly people, and a solid range of fun things to do.

[gypsystar]

Originally Posted by Wilshire81182

I like them both a lot. It is not so much that I like California more, they are about equal in my mind. I have made my life here so I am pretty content and settled but the only place that would even tempt me to move away to would be to Cali should the right opportunity take place. I love Orlando though don't get me wrong.

If you get the opportunity to live in Los Angeles ever, you should definitely take it. I do love Florida, but I have to say that Orlando will never be able to compare to L.A. I hated a lot of things while living in L.A., but once you have been there a while, you get spoiled and everything else seems "blah." I came back to FL thinking it was going to be the same place that I left behind in 2004, but I have to say that after being in California, FL seems to have lost a lot of its "magic" for me. Other cities I have visited since living in L.A. have felt the same way. I can't speak for Northern California, but L.A. really does have it all. I am thinking that a lot of the California naysayers haven't spent much time, if any, in L.A.! My husband and I are on our way back to L.A. next week after only 3 months in Central FL- I'll miss some things, but we are definitely looking forward to having it all again.

[gypsystar]

Originally Posted by pianogal

It's funny to hear people talk about how they would like to live in California. I did live there and while I loved the proximity to all the natural wonders - i.e. Yosemite, Giant Sequoia, Mt. Shasta, etc....I hated everything else about living in California. I've lived in two Florida cities, two Georgia cities, Tennessee and South Carolina. I would prefer any of them to California. I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder. There is nothing about California that would make me want to live there again...unless my husband was offered a job making $$$$$$ - then I would suck it up and move! LOL

If you lived that close to those things, it sounds like you were living in Northern CA. You really shouldn't bash an entire HUGE state until you are more familiar with all of it. L.A. is NOT Northern CA, and vice versa. That's like living in Miami and saying that you hate the entire state of FL - not cool.