Florida Chick Forever

Well folks, this is it.  In about 2 hours my flight will take off and I'll no longer be a Florida Chick.  I've thought long and hard about this, because as little as I update, I still like to think that my blog keeps me in touch with friends around the country...but it's hard to find a new name.  I've gone through "Confessions of a Great Lakes Girl," and "Confessions of a Midwest Mama," but despite all of my trash talking about Florida, I just can't get past being the original Florida Chick. 

It's late, and my bags are packed, but I thought I'd take just a moment to share with you a few last things that I actually like South Florida, so here they are;

1.  Honking drivers.  True, it's always annoying when someone honks the horn at you when the light has only been green for .01 seconds; however, it is nice when you can lay on the horn when someone else is the one causing the traffic back-up and no one thinks twice about it.  It's the one time in life when you can be mean to someone and get away with it.

2. Ridiculously long red lights.  This is probably why people honk their horns when the light turns green in the first place, but to be honest, as a non-texting driver, it is kind of nice to be able to carry on a 5 minute text conversation while waiting for the light to change.

3. Rude customer service.  Yes, it might take 15 minutes to order coffee at the McDonald's drive through, but really, there is no where else you can tell someone off about their bad service and have them turn a blind eye because they are so used to it...and when it's the drive through, you know they can't spit in your food because you're already holding the bag.

4. Terrible health care.  By the time you've sent all of your insurance documentation to the doctor's office, been cleared by the INS, the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security, it still takes about an hour and a half in the waiting room to see a doctor that you've made an appointment with the week before.  The upside is that by the time all of this has happened, your flu symptoms have passed and you can skip the appointment altogether, saving a $25.00 copay to spend on something more fun.

5. Cockroaches.  Actually, there is no upside.

And that my friends is what Florida is all about.  Well, that and friends, family, flip flops and tank tops.  Beaches, pool parties, and really expensive real estate.  Great football, mediocre baseball, Presidente beer, and great seafood.  The truth is, I'm really a Florida Chick at heart.  Don't get me wrong, I love the Mid-west.  I love knowing my neighbors, low crime rates, and lazy traffic.  I love barbeques, and small-town parades.  But a part of me will always be a flip flop kind of girl.  I haven't yet bought a pair of close-toed shoes...and I'm going to put that off as long as possible.  I'll wear sundresses and tank tops all summer, and enjoy the fall when the leaves start to turn...I know that home is definitely where the heart is...and yes, that is up north...but a heart carries with it all of the love that it has been given, and so much of that has come from Florida - land of Gators, Hurricanes, and yes, even cockroaches.  Florida, you've been wonderful, and therefore, despite my travels or my destinations, I will always remain a Florida Chick.

With lots of love, from, well...me.