I very much prefer BIG city life. While I don’t think I’d like to live in the city, I would like to live in an area near it, and be able to get to it quickly. I prefer an area that has an actual change of seasons. I prefer an area that is geographically interesting, mountains, forests, things like that. I’d like to see museums and such that you can’t finish seeing in 15 minutes. I want more cultural diversity than Ybor City. I used to have several family members living in NY, and I visited there all the time. I loved it. The only drawback would be that I am not used to dealing with snow, but I can learn.
IMHO, Tampa can’t hold a candle to a city like NY.
I was directed here from another thread. Anyway, I have to second Little Nemo’s suggestion of Houston. If it is the same as when I lived in Texas (which is doubtful it has changed) then you would still get the diversity that DC has with a significantly cheaper cost of living. Houston is also one of the most gay friendly cities in Texas after Austin but it is on the coastline. One of my HIV+ friends moved to Houston from Austin for the simple reason that Houston has the best HIV support network in the very conservative state. And with that type of good support network you know the gay community actually has a decent voice. I am not implying that Opus is HIV + I am just stating some things about the gay community in Houston. Please no one misinterpret that.
Houston also is just a short jump away from Galveston which houses a nice opera house (which my friend Alex installs/updates/maintains their computer systems) and Roundtop which hosts a wonderful music festival in the summertime in addition to being a regular stop on the DCI tour (usually held at Rice University).
I have to check back in. I used to live in Fort Myers and I was married on Sanibel. I have relatives in Cape Coral and in Naples. If circumstances did not dictate moving to the St. Petersburg area, I would move to Naples in a heart beat. It is everything other posters here have claimed for it.
Cyndar, lottsa luck in NYC–personally I believe you need a new prescription but what the hell–
Houston is also one of the most gay friendly cities in Texas after Austin but it is on the coastline. One of my HIV+ friends moved to Houston from Austin for the simple reason that Houston has the best HIV support network in the very conservative state. And with that type of good support network you know the gay community actually has a decent voice. I am not implying that Opus is HIV + I am just stating some things about the gay community in Houston. Please no one misinterpret that.