The Land of Sunshine

Ah, Florida....the land of sunshine!

....where bathing beauties frolic on the sandy beaches.

While everyone else is catching colds and shoveling snow, we are down here in sunny Florida playing golf, fishing, or lounging around on the beach swigging that famously sweet and delicious orange juice without a care in the world!

These vintage postcards depicting the tropical paradise Florida has to offer makes me want to crank up Jimmy Buffet and drink a fruity cocktail in my beach chair while I listen to the soothing sounds of the waves rolling in and watch the amazing sun set over the palm trees. Isn't life just grand in Florida!?!

To be honest, living in Florida is more like watching a revolving door spin around all day long than feeling like I am sitting right smack dab in the middle of a tropical paradise! Florida has become a gathering place full of tourists, snowbirds, retirees and transplants migrating here every day to find their American dream. When the economy is good and the hurricane season is quiet, apparently, Florida is the place to be! You can always tell when the perfect balance is happening by watching our real estate market, and, the sound of sales and construction can be heard in every direction.

In the year 2000, after supporting myself with retail and trying to clear my head with art classes, I accepted a job offer with a custom home builder. It was not a national chain but a local company that had a certain prestige and reputation for building extraordinary homes. It was an exciting place to work and it was in the midst of tripling its building expectations when I jumped aboard.

Florida real estate was booming then and I jumped in and caught the right wave just in time! Over the next couple of years, I worked at a feverish pace to keep up with the demand of new homes we were constructing for everyone trying to capture a piece of Florida and the profitable boom going on. I was not happy to see our quaint little circus town turning into a busy city with new construction as far as the eyes could see but it was happening regardless if I was a part of it or not. Our company, like many others, grew from 85 homes to over 400 homes a year. My salary steadily grew and I hungered for every bonus check I earned. It meant I was funding my foundation for my own American dream even more.

With my earnings, I was able to transform my cute little fixer upper into a comfortable space and my boyfriend and I decided it was time to spread our wings and see some more of the world beyond our backyard. Travel became our favorite past time, and, the busier we got, the more I wanted to be anywhere else than in Florida. The whirlwind of paperwork and long days at the office started taking its toll on me and my attitude towards my home town. So, every couple of months, we hopped on a plane and went to so many wonderful places that I couldn't quite understand why everybody was flocking our way, but, I thanked God that they were because, most importantly, they were giving me plenty of job security.

I guess that goes back to the old saying that "you don't know what you got until it's gone" and I am sure my attitude about Florida for the past several years has been spoiled by, what I see, as a crowded place with too many mosquitoes, unbearable humidity and no change of seasons. I do appreciate the beaches and sunshine but would gladly welcome a cool breeze and view of the mountains sometimes. However, in the year 2000 in Florida, I could see beyond my developing dislikes and really appreciate where I was in this place. That year brought me love, financial security, home owner ship, and a renewed confidence in myself. Not a bad way to start a new millennium!

Do you like where you live or where is your ideal place to escape to?

Image Credit: Reproduction of a vintage postcards found on http://www.bing.com/