I complain a lot of about living in Florida and The South (and am planning my escape daily), however I thought I’d change gears and focus on the positives in living here:

• Wildlife a part of your every day. Sure, I realize that most cities have some sort of wildlife but, for the most part, it is contained and you don’t see much of it besides pigeons and rats. Every day, walking around or driving home from work I tend to see big birds that could mess your shit up if they so chose. Mack and I have also, on three separate occasions, saved turtles who are wandering in the road. And what else? One word: alligators.
• Spring. The weather is perfect right now. Not so humid and hot that you want to rip your skin off just to cool down your organs. It’s been in the high 70s, low 80s with manageable humidity. This is trapping Jon into a false sense of “I can handle this” right now. Wait until summer. But everything is in bloom here and I’m thoroughly enjoying the wild flowers everywhere. So much so that I started drifting into a random lane in looking at the flowers while driving. Mack will, of course, never let me live it down.
• Sunsets. I don’t remember too many sunsets growing up in Seattle. Before you get in a huff, northwest (and thus dislodging the moss that covers your body) I said “too many”. The ones I remember were of course beautiful. Phoenix, as well, had some stunning ones since nothing was really there to block it. The sunset touching the desert? Breathtaking. Florida sunsets, however, leave me stunned every night at the color palette that fills the sky and the unique view I have that day. I don’t think in our time here I have seen a single sunset that is the same. I do have an entire flickr set devoted to Florida skies after-all.
• People who over-share. I like to over-share. This, sometimes, drives Mack, friends, and family up the wall. In some regards, I feel no shame when I do open my mouth to give you input. Southern people, from what I have experienced, feel the same way. Last night, for example, we went to the grocery store and happened to walk by a man who was in a deep (and loud) conversation on his cell phone. Once his conversation was done, he turned to us and started giving us a blow-by-blow as to the background and the circumstances of the call and his opinion on the matters. He and I happened to go down the same aisle and he informed me that the other grocery store you could gets deals on all these items! Afterwards I informed Mack that I could be social when the need arises. Mack pointed out it wasn’t so much I was being social but being bludgeoned by that dude’s conversation.
• Warm beaches. Sure, I want to harpoon or strangle the beach bums and those who spend hours on the beach (GET A JOB). This is due primarily to the fact that these people have a major sense of entitlement. This extends, of course, to my work’s parking lot which the beach crowd feels they may use despite the signs saying “PRIVATE LOT” and “CARS WILL BE TOWED.” But if you take away the idiots that travel in mass to the beaches, I enjoy having warm beaches with sunshine, sand, and beautiful sun-kissed waves. Beaches in the northwest are typically cold, grey, with rocks instead of sand. While this did not hinder the childhood efforts of jumping in the frigid Strait of Juan de Fuca, it’s kind of nice to know if I jumped in these waters it’d be warm enough to really have to worry about sharks.
• Lower cost of living. I don’t know what it is about the west coast/areas that aren’t the south, but the cost of living there is kind of ridiculous. For a smaller two-bedroom apartment, Mack and I were paying about $300 more a month when we were living in Phoenix. At first, the lower cost of living made me suspicious like “What is wrong with this place?” and while I could draw some conclusions I’ll keep it on a positive note: lower-cost of living is nice. Especially in this economy.
• Space Launches. Do I honestly need to say more?
• History everywhere. Not saying Phoenix and Seattle doesn’t have history behind it but, at least where we are, they embrace it more fully and it is a part of your every day. We are about thirty minutes from St. Augustine, which is the oldest European occupied city in the United States. Plus: it has a giant cross! And fountain of youth! I also love being semi-close to Civil War battle grounds since I’m a history buff (and also weird).

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