In another thread, I asked for opinons on places to live in North or South Carolina. S.o. wants to move to Florida (probably Jacksonville area). I had thought he was not inflexible on the subject, since he has talked of other cities (even here in Maryland); but just yesterday, he was talking to his brother on the phone and told him we were getting married and moving to Florida; I interjected: “no, Charleston, South Carolina.” (I’m not convinced on Charleston, but it’s the first city that came to mind.) He said, “wha-a-a? Charleston? No, Florida!” and continued on with his telecon. I thought, oh-oh, moving to S. C. may be a hard sell after all. The subject didn’t come up later, but now I’m asking: how can I discourage s.o. from Florida? Maybe Fla. has more to offer than I’ve seen, but to me Florida = gators, hot humid weather, beaches, huge mosquitoes, and…and…well, that’s about it. Okay, beaches is a plus, especially the keys, but even beaches get boring after awhile. There is also the advantage of no state tax, but I don’t think that’s a convincing factor for him. He got into going to Fla. a couple times a year over 20 years ago and I think it has come to represent a sort of hedonistic kind of lifestyle – beaches, half-naked babes, and partying. Any ideas for getting this guy to at least consider South Carolina (or can you convince me that Florida really wouldn’t be so bad)?
Tell him the votin is easier up north a ways.
South Carolina isn’t worth your time. I just moved to Tally from there, and it’s the best thing I’ve done in a Looooonnnnggg time. This place is great! Warm weather, culture, friendly people (unlike the SC friendly people who smile while they’re planting a knofe in your back, these are friendly people who smile while they’re handing you a plate of fresh-baked muffins to welcome you to the neighbourhood)
Trust me, Having lived almost all my life in NC, SC and then Fla., I’m planning on settling here.
(and the no state tax thing is pretty kickass, too)
Withholding sex?
HaHa Cranky- good one; but I’ve never believed in that one as good tactic (besides, I’d suffer too!) Anyways, maybe I’m worrying too much about it and haven’t seen enough of the real towns and cities (been mostly in the beach towns). However, driving thru Jacksonville, I kinda got the idea it’s a huge metro area like D.C. - only not as pretty as D.C. I sure do want to get away from the traffic congestion, aggressive drivers, and the crime in this area.
Sounds as though, regardless of any previous discussion to the contrary, FL was the unilateral choice. There might be a major communication problem here.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Florida, but there are a few annoying things.
It’s Not Always Tropical
- You expect cold in North Carolina, not in Florida (I had ICE on my freaking windshield for the last three morning fercryin’outloud, ICE!!!)
Native Wildlife
- There are gators and snakes in nearly every body of water. (People move from up north and still let their dogs and toddlers pick flowers by the retention pond, and wonder why their beloved is now an appetizer “We just fed the gator once! We didn’t think it was illegal!” And then have the gall to sue the county for not posting signs that 'THERE ARE FREAKING ALLIGATORS IN THE WATER, DAMMIT! AND FEEDING THE FREAKING ALLIGATORS IS ILLEGAL!" :mad:
(sorry, just going over reports this morning on gator/human ‘interactions’ and most of these people were defintitely Darwinized.)
It’s Not "Baywatch"
- Tell him the ‘half-naked’ babes are ones who look like me (and I do not look good in a bathing suit).
Hurricane Over-Reporting
- “We interrupt this program to bring you the latest updates on “Tropical Depression 9”, centered at 15N Latitude, 13W Longitude (better mark that on your Free WFTV-Channel 9 Special Hurricane Tracking Map, available at all Eckerds and Wal*Mart), 1500 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, moving at 3 miles an hour to the west, which will likely become “Tropical Depression Clothilde” sometime within the next two weeks, and may affect the coast of Florida. We now go live to Ktume MacDonald on the scene at the Home Depot for this update”
“Well, MarlaandBob, I’m here with Joe Noseman, the general manager, and as you can see, the shelves are empty of all sheet of plywood and particleboard, and you can’t find a generator or nail gun for love nor money.”
“Well, Ktume, I want to thank you and the media for getting everyone aware of the potential of these storms. Even though it’s two weeks away and will likely fizzle out in the middle of the Atlantic, it’s best to panic now and stock up on 3 years worth of AA batteries and avoid the rush later.”
“Thank you, Joe. And back to you, MarlaandBob.”
“And now we go live to Jack Oversall, live in Cocoa Beach.”
“Thanks, BobandMarla. As you can see, it’s sunny and clear right now, but within two weeks, I am probably going to be standing in this same spot in a yellow raincoat, narrowly avoiding a treelimb hitting me while the rain is blowing in sideways and the cameraperson films a trafficlight swinging back and forth in the 130 mph wind. Back to you BobandMarla.”
"Thanks, Jack, and now we take you back to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress, until we interrupt you again in 20 minutes with another “WFTV-Channel 9 Live Tropical Storm Tracking Latest Update!”
(Except for the making up the reporter’s names (although the anchors are Marla and Bob, usually pronounced MarlaBob or BobMarla), I am not kidding about the reporting style.)
Hurricane Evacuation Routes
- Hurricane Evacuation Routes. ('nuff said).
Insects
- Mosquitos, Lovebugs [nasty permanently copulating insects who hover over the warmth of the roadway, that smear your windshield upon impact and the bodies are so acidic, they will etch the paint on your car (not covered by insurance)].
Water
- All of Central Florida is under severe drought warnings (likely to result in severe water restrictions), and the dry season has just started. Houses are built on land meant for natural water drainage, and people wonder why they’re living rooms are flooding.
Add to this brush fires - there was a 2700 acre blaze two towns south of me, and the wood and smoke smell is not pleasant to wake up to. The smoke from the fires in Flagler County (1998?) covered most of my region, resulting in health warnings for the young, the elderly and asthmatics.
Not all the fires are caused by people (burning brush, arsonists, careless smokers, teenage pranksters and catylitic converters) - lightning is still a big cause, even when it is not raining (Hey, Florida is the lightning capital of the world!). And even when it is raining, the rain is often not enough to offset the fires caused by lightning.
Insurance
- Car insurance (about 25% of drivers in Florida are un- or under-insured, plus the foreign tourists on the road in the rental cars ususally don’t have the right insurance, and the rental car companies have limits on liabilities), homeowner insurance (which usually doesn’t cover floods - seperate insurance for that) costs are pretty steep, and add to that higher premiums for those who live near hurricane-, flood-, or fire- prone areas).
Theme Parks
- Theme Park Prices are going up again - SeaWorld is now $50 plus tax (normally Disney rasies the prices first, but SW beat them to it).
“Oh I’m not going to the theme parks!” Pffffffft, yeah, right. Tell that to all your friends and relatives who come down to visit - “You go to the parks and have fun, I’ll stay here.” “Oh, but you have to show us around Florida.” ::twists arms:: “Okay, I’ll go.”
$6 parking + $1.63 gas (I am not kidding - Texaco outside Disney sells REGULAR at that price) + I-4 traffic + entry admission + 90 minute wait in line (5 minutes for a FastPass, but you can get only one at a tim, and not every ride has them) + 45 minute wait in line for a $8 hamburger (no Fast Pass here!) + screamy kids + tired parents + “Where The H*ll Did We Park The Car!” = A Yummy Day Of Fun At The Theme Parks!!!
Schools
- School overcrowding is among the worst I have ever seen anywhere. Developments are put up without a thought to where the children are going to go to school. (Orange County finally got smart and turned down a couple of communities because there was no school plans involved - I believe that is now a requirement for new subdivision proposals in the county.)
My boss is part of the state’s Growth Management Committee. Quite interesting and quite scary, some of the ideas and proposals out there.
Driving
- Jacksonville is a metro area, and the driving there is pretty scary - apart from the Symphony, I have not found much in the way of entertainment, except for a few ‘guest stars’ (Anne Murray and such) and Broadway style shows - FairyChatMom can give you a better idea, since she lives there - I just didn’t find much. Sorry, FCM! (And yes, Orlando does have several good professional, community and college theatres/ballet/opera - the locals know about them, but the just aren’t getting the support from the local government (the town is quite conservative, and experimental plays and ballet (except the yearly production of “The Nutcracker” (urk!) are not very encouraged).
Aggressive Drivers
- The whole state is full of aggressive drivers! I am normally a very relaxed individual, but driving in Florida does scare me, even on the back country roads (and we do not have light rail, or even a reliable bus service).
I am not dissing Florida. I am telling you from my point of view.
There are some very nice areas, but most of the cities and towns have built to such a point where the subdivisions are crowding in (quarter-acre to third-acre lots are the norm around here) with severe deed restrictions and home owner associations. I rent, and trying to find an affordable house in the area is getting me depressed (termite inspections are not always guaranteed). There are some great natural areas, but fighting the developers and the city councils gets pretty nasty, especially when the entire town doesn’t want a new shopping center/new development with no plans for a new school/new road going in, and the council okays the re-zoning anyway. No state income tax, but we pay for it in other ways.
Take this into account. It’s beautiful, but it’s far from paradise.
blessedwolf - you’re in the Panhandle, eh? That explains it. That’s a whole 'nuther state of mind up there.
I’ve got to second this. In a marriage, one partner doesn’t make major decisions like this unilaterally, with or without informing the spouse. I’m gonna do a Dear Abby and recommend counseling - before you take any vows.
Tell him there are better strip clubs in North Carolina.
Not that I have any data to back this up, but it sounds good, doesn’t it?
South Carolina is closer to me and that should be the deciding vote in any decision–which place is closer to evilbeth. I think I’ve settled this for you. You’re welcome.
screech-owl said it like it is, so you should take his warning seriously.
North Carolina is much nicer than South Carolina which is muggier, hotter, and snotty. Charleston, particularily. I haven’t been to Raleigh, but Charlotte is a beautiful city. And if you want mountains, ocean, and country, NC has it all. Nice folks, great food.
Nope, nope, and nope.
Having lived in NC all my life, you have the best of both worlds, 3 hours to the beaches and 4 hours to the mountains. The people are friendly. The only really bad traffic is in Charlotte or Raleigh, and that’s not really too bad.
We have changes in season, but not drastic changes. Spring is warm, summer is hot and muggy (only bad point), fall is crisp and winter is cold but not unbearable.
Job market is good. Economy is good. Gas is about $1.34 a gallon.
Come on down and we’ll have a glass of good ole southern ice tea…the sweet kind.
‘her’ 
One more thing - IMHO, the roads are better maintained in the Carolinas - I didn’t have a gigunda pothole try to eat my tire there, as almost happened here on my way to work this morning!
Checking in from Jacksonville - where I’ve lived all but 3 years since 1983. This area is growing WAY TOO FAST - I think it’s over development, myself! Traffic can be obscene, especially coming from Clay county (where I live) into Jacksonville. We don’t have state income tax, but sales tax is 7% around here, property taxes are on the high side, and gas, as mentioned, is high. We also get the occasional very cold snap - just finished 7 nights in a row below freezing - and the dry with the accompanying water restrictions can be a pain.
This is also a VERY conservative area, both politically and socially. The schools are overcrowded, and even tho we’re spared the Duval County school system, Clay isn’t a whole lot better in terms of challenging the brighter students.
Culturally, there are a lot of things going on here - including the Jazz Festival in the fall, and some good theater and concerts thru the year. The St Johns River and the beaches are not too bad - fishing is VERY popular here. The Museum of Science and History is kinda sad, but the zoo is wonderful.
Gee, why am I living here, then?? Oh yeah - the job thing.
Thanks for checking in, FCM. It’s good to get the pespective from someone who lives there, and not just from someone who travels through. Good symphony, haven’t been to the zoo, but I bet your science center is better than ours (opened 2 years and a couple million in debt already!). Need your opinion - can you recommend some consistantly good theatre companies? (Sorry to take up the boards, but my e-mail is not receiving right now.)
[I was amazed to see the number of “Deed Restricted” Communities (or whatever the wording is) - is that a local requirement? 'Cuz Orange County could certainly use something like that. We are always getting calls at work about “promised mitigation areas” and “we can’t put up a birdhouse” and stuff like that. Sigh. If only people would read their homeowner association agreements ahead of time.]
Concerning the relationship issues - unilateral decisions and communications – I quite agree. In fact, I’ve been stalling on the marriage because of this issue of where we live. As I said earlier, I had felt that he was flexible, since he would often mention other places that appealed to me also. I certainly intended to have a sit-down, serious discussion with him, but wanted some input from folks who are familiar with these places. As a matter of fact, he brought it up this past weekend; I told him I had reservations about Florida. He said no, he wasn’t convinced that’s the place to settle down. He wants to see more of the U.S. before we make any permanent move. As he said, we may discover some other town in our travels and decide we want to settle there. So, for now, there’s no decision (unilateral or otherwise), and another discussion on the subject is definitely in order before I make that big commitment. Thanks everyone for your help.
Ahhhh. North Carolina. What a state.
Okay, good points. Umm. Okay.
~Beautiful mountains and pleasant beaches. Wrightsville beach is neat, and the outer banks are very beautiful.
~The cooking can be delicious. (Side note: It’ll put you in the grave in a heartbeat, or from a lack thereof.)
~The countryside
~The people are, in general, very friendly.
~There are some very, very nice towns. Cary (which stands for Containment Area for Relocated Yankees – IBM transfers) rivals the neatness of appearance of any “average person” town in the United States (excluding Martha’s Vineyard etc); it is like Stepford. Do not tell any native that you live in Cary, for he will instantly despise you. It is like Stepford. Chapel Hill is the pleasant university town.
~The Raleigh and Charlotte areas are experiencing tremendous growth; Raleigh has recently had the development of tremendous research parks. I live in a backwater.
~We do have good roads.
Shall we say… “Unpleasant” points
~We are halfway from Flordia to New York. Drug dealers stop here for a rest. Lumberton has like 999 murders per 1000 people. Wilson had one of the highest syphilis rate in the nation a few years ago.
~We are deep, deep, deep in the Bible belt, and this ain’t no Albert Schweitzer brand of Christianity. NC was the home of Jim and Tammy Faye. People whip chairs and handle snakes.
~During my lifetime (I’m under twenty) my town had a sign at the town limits claiming to be the “Home of the KKK” (it’s not). Klan marches, though rare, still happen.
~We don’t speak with the attractive fake-Georgian accent you hear on television (well, my grandmother does; she is from Virginia and says Petuhsburg, etc.) Most in NC have an accent that is like Forrest Gump, drunk, choking on molasses.
~It is a law that you smoke Marlboro Lights. Even babies smoke.
I have lived in Charleston SC for 11 years. I was born and lived in NC for 18 years. So here are some points on both.
It is too hot in the summer EVERYWHERE.
The only good place in SC IS Charleston. The rest is awful!
The schools in SC stink. Have children or ever going to have children? Much better schools in NC.
SC is still fighting the Civil War! NC seems to have gotten over it.
You don’t say what you or your love do for a living, but NC is much better off economically.
Yes I like NC much better. Why am I in SC, you ask. Because my love is here.
The traveling exhibits are great, if you catch them before they bring all the school groups thru. I swear, the kids treat this place like a challenge - how much can we break during our 2 hour stay… I’m guessing the staff lacks the volunteers to maintain control of the Destructo Force.
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Most of what I’ve seen here are traveling companies of Broadway shows on the road. I’m hoping to get tickets for “Fosse” next month. It’s been years, but I’ve been to 2 community-type theaters. Both were barely more professional than your average high school production. The Alhambra Dinner Theater can be good, but the owner fancies himself and his wife to be master thespians… They really fouled “Best Little Whorehouse” and “1776” I haven’t been there in maybe 7 years…
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We’ve learned this thru the experiences of our friends. I have no problem when associations say you can’t keep “project” cars or your boat in your driveway and impose leash laws, but when they declare that you can’t plant or remove plants without their permission, that a board has to approve your choice of house paint, that you can’t leave your own car in your own driveway overnight… sorry, that’s TOO intrusive. The most restrictive part of our neighborhood association is that we can only erect wooden fences - no chain link allowed.
The absolute worst was where my in-laws lived in the Arlington section of Jax - all homeowners were REQUIRED to purchase and light luminaria on Christmas Eve. The association had the power to put a lien on your house if you didn’t buy their damn paper bags and candles. Guess it was tough luck if you didn’t observe Christmas. Anyway, their last year there, they experienced an unfortunate ignition of several bags in the street…
sorry for the hijack - neighborhood associations make me crazy for the most part…