[td1026]

Originally Posted by ipoetry

Oh let's see here... the beautiful season of spring, first with showy yellow daffys and forsythia, followed by the wondrous purple lilacs and rhodies, iris and hostas, soft green grass that you can walk barefoot on instead of the razor blade crabgrass that grows sideways. Real neighborhoods, not gated enclaves that are usually flanked with shantys on the other wide of the wall, fresh lobster rolls, cod, and giant scallops from Georges Bank, wearing jeans and a hoodie instead of the pinky-greeny Lily Pulitzer look, restaurants that cater to people's needs, as in grassfed beef and free range chickens, craft beer on draft, not wondering who's packing a concealed weapon, real newspapers that report real news instead of the local Florida papers that are obsessed with city workers' salaries, and no native Floridians who spout jesus at you while they're cutting your hair... Just off the top of my head.

While spring does sound nice, I prefer gardenias, jasmines, hibiscus, orchids, crinums, banana trees, coconut palms etc. Many of the plants you mentioned have a short blooming season, meaning less time to enjoy them. I love the tropical plants re-blooming plants I can enjoy almost all year. Florida has awesome seafood and awesome beer, on draft I might add! And I guess there are no criminals in Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, Trenton ETC. Thanks for making me realize that! Anywhere in the south people are apt to spout off about Jesus. Some of the most religious people I've met are from the NE. It's not just native Floridians.

[ferret111]

Originally Posted by td1026

While spring does sound nice, I prefer gardenias, jasmines, hibiscus, orchids, crinums, banana trees, coconut palms etc. Many of the plants you mentioned have a short blooming season, meaning less time to enjoy them.

The only flower that I pay much attention to anyway is the orange blossom.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by allenk893

i think it's several factors that florida has that people generally don't want to deal with that are pretty rational if you think about it. Awful humidity,

, rude people

, high cost of living

, child molesters/pedophiles on every block, crime

, hurricanes

, & too many senior citizens. If i wasn't from florida, florida would never attract me as a state to settle down in. Especially if i had a family. But because i was born and raised there, i know that even those factors alone, aren't representative of what florida is. At all. Florida is a great state with alot of great people (despite the rudeness) and has loads of fun things to do. I happen to like hurricanes and senior citizens. And i love beaches. They are highly therapeutic to me and i love being near them. It takes away the stresses of life. And that alone is enough to keep me around. And florida has the best beaches in the country. Not only that but florida has the some of the best food in the country. You got high populations of caribbean, european, & latin-american people that bring their food with them and you got some of the best food in the world. Factor that in with the asian and middle-eastern people that we also have (but in smaller numbers) and you've got a diverse state with countless food choices. And let's not mention our various theme parks to enjoy! What more do you need? Personally, i wouldn't raise my child there but it's a great place to vacation and retire!

filla

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by ipoetry

Yeah, well... maybe you should be a PI since you're so intuitive about reading between the lines. The point is you can get anything you want, 'uppity' or not, in the Northeast. In Florida it's Budweiser and glazed fish, humidity, and Publixes on every corner. I almost cried when I got back to MA and walked into a real produce department.

I bet they grew all that produce in MA didn't they?
And there is no way we would have fresh seafood in a state surrounded by water down here, now would we?
Florida also has 39 Craft Breweries to Massachusetts 38.

[vaughanwilliams]

Florida, or anywhere, isn't for everyone and having personal preferences doesn't make make one right or wrong.
For those who love the weather in Florida (I don't), who thinks the political landscape is just hunky dory (I don't), for those who think Florida is moving in the right direction (I don't), who feel this is the place they want to go old in (I don't), God Bless and enjoy yourself. I hope the sun and sand and palm trees that brought you here becomes a paradise for you and you take the time to discover some of the lesser know treasures that Florida has.

God willing, I'll be returning to an area of grey skies, cool mist and mountains but I'll always have a little sand in my shoes.

[Spring Hillian]

How long did it take you to realize the weather, politics, sun, sand and pam treats weren't for you?

Originally Posted by vaughanwilliams

Florida, or anywhere, isn't for everyone and having personal preferences doesn't make make one right or wrong.
For those who love the weather in Florida (I don't), who thinks the political landscape is just hunky dory (I don't), for those who think Florida is moving in the right direction (I don't), who feel this is the place they want to go old in (I don't), God Bless and enjoy yourself. I hope the sun and sand and palm trees that brought you here becomes a paradise for you and you take the time to discover some of the lesser know treasures that Florida has.

God willing, I'll be returning to an area of grey skies, cool mist and mountains but I'll always have a little sand in my shoes.

[Irishiis49]

I think people come to Florida on vacation and think hmmm...what a great place to live!! Then they move here and real life starts, with all it's stress! Then those same people start wishing for their old life and forget what they hated in their old state!!My point is if your life sucked in your old state it's probably going to suck here too!!

[seeriously]

Originally Posted by Irishiis49

I think people come to Florida on vacation and think hmmm...what a great place to live!! Then they move here and real life starts, with all it's stress! Then those same people start wishing for their old life and forget what they hated in their old state!!My point is if your life sucked in your old state it's probably going to suck here too!!

Good analogy but it doesn't work for everyone who posts negatively about Florida. We lived in four states (work and then retirement) and they all had their good points and not so good points. Florida, however, insulted our senses on every level. This post asks, "What does Florida lack that makes everyone want to go home?" If you don't want to hear the answers then don't ask the question.

[td1026]

Originally Posted by ferret111

The only flower that I pay much attention to anyway is the orange blossom.

And why is that?

[td1026]

Originally Posted by Irishiis49

I think people come to Florida on vacation and think hmmm...what a great place to live!! Then they move here and real life starts, with all it's stress! Then those same people start wishing for their old life and forget what they hated in their old state!!My point is if your life sucked in your old state it's probably going to suck here too!!

I agree. Many people just do not have realistic expectations. They set themselves up for disappointment without even knowing it!