Florida Life

Southwest Florida has proven to be a bazaar place. In Fort Myers during Spring Break season, you never know who is here to stay or who is just passing through. Even if I happened upon a couple of local boys, they may have been looking for Spring Breakers to get some quick action. The people here are different and I will do my best to explain why I think climate and weather make people act the way they do.

I have now lived in three very different climates. Northern California gets into the 100’s and dry in the summer, but can get cold in the winter—occasionally snowing. People there are very relaxed and balanced. I think that since there is such a good dose of the seasons they are able to find the balance in life they are looking for. In Pennsylvania it is cold. The summers can be warm and humid, but the heat does not compare to California or Florida. People there are very reserved, cold, and generally unsmiling. Once the weather warms up, however, everybody plays. The beauty of Pennsylvanians is that they find pleasure in the small, beautiful things like rhododendron blooms in June and the silence that comes with snow. The change of seasons in Pennsylvania is so dramatic that you are whirled into a cycle dictated by nature.

Florida I have not quite figured out yet. It seems that Floridians are all about playing. People work to get by, but their life is not their work. I like this trait. So far, I have not met many vacationers. They are pretty easy to spot… but the locals I have met seem troubled. I have met two people so far that share my mentality, but I cannot get hold of either of them. I met my neighbor, she is outgoing and smart, but recently betrayed me in our latest outing. So now I am back to me, myself, and I.

Though I am alone here, it is my curiosity that keeps me tied to this place. I am not ready to pick up and leave, I just got here. My job with Bayer will end; I will not sell pesticides. I am tired of moving, tired of not knowing where home is, tired of worrying where I will be next month, and I am tired of not knowing where I fit. This is where my responsible self meets my hippie self. (Originally posted March 2010)