Winter blues

[BunMVO]

Does anyone else struggle with winter blues?

And no, I'm not talking about seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Anyways, that's not what I struggle with because I don't have depression, but I just generally get down in the fall/winter months. I live in southeastern Minnesota near Minneapolis/St. Paul and the winters get brutally cold, snowy and dry. Partially because I don't get to wear the style (which makes me feel good and happy) but mostly because of the unpleasant weather. It's so drab and bleak. You can't really go outside to do anything unless you want to wear multiple layers and even then you're pretty much restricted to ice skating, snowboarding/skiing, icefishing, seeing Christmas lights etc. which can be fun, but nowhere near as fun as enjoying yourself on a hot sunny day in the summer. You can't drive with the windows down and listen to music loud, you've got to blast the heat unless you want your nose to freeze up and fall off. 

I miss summer. Minnesota winters are infuriatingly long (last winter lasted until late April, with the worst winter storm of the season in mid-April) and summers are so short. My tan is gone by October and I can't feel the whole vibe of Miami Vice which I so enjoy by getting a suntan and my hair sun-bleached. We have almost no sun in these dark, dreary months. After Christmas, everyone puts their lights away and it's just super depressing. The trees and the grass are all dead and sometimes it makes me feel dead. Not to be dramatic.

I do have a Verilux Happy Light, which I got from my mom for Christmas, which is a wonderful gift to help fight winter blues and I've been enjoying it thoroughly. I also try to eat well and exercise, and I also drink water and take my vitamins. What do you guys all do during these cold, awful months?

[Mvice8489]

YES!!

I live in Milwaukee, WI (I used to live in Minneapolis so I can relate to you).   Dec 1 thru April 1st sucks!   I also like to dress "summer like" and miss driving my '72 black Corvette convertible and my Viper Green Porsche 911.  Getting dark at 4:30 sucks too.  

Having said that, I use those months to work hard.  What else is there to do?  Then, when summer does arrive I don't feel guilty leaving the office as soon as the market closes. 

You are doing the right things.   Exercise daily (I go to the gym 6 days a week), eat right and watch 'Miami Vice' !!

The upside is, that we Midwesterners appreciate the summer months more than anybody else in the USA

[BunMVO]

30 minutes ago, Mvice8489 said:

YES!!

I live in Milwaukee, WI (I used to live in Minneapolis so I can relate to you).   Dec 1 thru April 1st sucks!   I also like to dress "summer like" and miss driving my '72 black Corvette convertible and my Viper Green Porsche 911.  Getting dark at 4:30 sucks too.  

Having said that, I use those months to work hard.  What else is there to do?  Then, when summer does arrive I don't feel guilty leaving the office as soon as the market closes. 

You are doing the right things.   Exercise daily (I go to the gym 6 days a week), eat right and watch 'Miami Vice' !!

The upside is, that we Midwesterners appreciate the summer months more than anybody else in the USA

Yeah, I've been taking advantage of not being able to do anything by working hard too. I've been grinding out 40 hours a week plus however many hours I spend on my online college courses. That's all a guy can do. You also get the reap the rewards of your hard work and enjoy the hell out of the summer like you said!

[Vicefan7777]

7 hours ago, Mvice8489 said:

YES!!

I live in Milwaukee, WI (I used to live in Minneapolis so I can relate to you).   Dec 1 thru April 1st sucks!   I also like to dress "summer like" and miss driving my '72 black Corvette convertible and my Viper Green Porsche 911.  Getting dark at 4:30 sucks too.  

Having said that, I use those months to work hard.  What else is there to do?  Then, when summer does arrive I don't feel guilty leaving the office as soon as the market closes. 

You are doing the right things.   Exercise daily (I go to the gym 6 days a week), eat right and watch 'Miami Vice' !!

The upside is, that we Midwesterners appreciate the summer months more than anybody else in the USA

Now this is fascinating.  My wife and I moved from Milwaukee in 2005 to southern Nevada.  The winters were the main reason for the move.  We got fed up with the blizzards, cold and getting the flu every winter.  I agree with your way of getting thru winter.  Just keep busy and look forward to another fantastic summer of fun. 

[squeezem3]

I totally understand how you feel. Living in the center of Europe, it's basically the same, and if you're a summer type of person who loves sun and beach days, roughly six months each year are kind of wasted.

 

Of course we can work and accumulate money, go to the gym etc to enjoy the following summer even more, but actually life is too short for just getting through half of each year somehow without being able to enjoy it. So, on the long run moving elsewhere is the only option I see.

 

Right now in this moment I'm returning from vacations in Thailand, still on the way between airport and home, but already depressed from grey sky and cold wind. At least it's christmas. Merry Viceness, pals! 

Edited December 24, 2018 by squeezem3

[pahonu]

19 hours ago, pmconroy said:

Does anyone else struggle with winter blues?

And no, I'm not talking about seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Anyways, that's not what I struggle with because I don't have depression, but I just generally get down in the fall/winter months. I live in southeastern Minnesota near Minneapolis/St. Paul and the winters get brutally cold, snowy and dry. Partially because I don't get to wear the style (which makes me feel good and happy) but mostly because of the unpleasant weather. It's so drab and bleak. You can't really go outside to do anything unless you want to wear multiple layers and even then you're pretty much restricted to ice skating, snowboarding/skiing, icefishing, seeing Christmas lights etc. which can be fun, but nowhere near as fun as enjoying yourself on a hot sunny day in the summer. You can't drive with the windows down and listen to music loud, you've got to blast the heat unless you want your nose to freeze up and fall off. 

I miss summer. Minnesota winters are infuriatingly long (last winter lasted until late April, with the worst winter storm of the season in mid-April) and summers are so short. My tan is gone by October and I can't feel the whole vibe of Miami Vice which I so enjoy by getting a suntan and my hair sun-bleached. We have almost no sun in these dark, dreary months. After Christmas, everyone puts their lights away and it's just super depressing. The trees and the grass are all dead and sometimes it makes me feel dead. Not to be dramatic.

I do have a Verilux Happy Light, which I got from my mom for Christmas, which is a wonderful gift to help fight winter blues and I've been enjoying it thoroughly. I also try to eat well and exercise, and I also drink water and take my vitamins. What do you guys all do during these cold, awful months?

Sorry to hear of your blues. My parents were Canadian and, quite frankly, that's why they left.  My father described the winter blues to me more than once.  He often referred to it as cabin fever, but I've never experienced it.  Like Vicefan, they moved, and as Sqeezem said, there's really not any other solution.  In their case it was, here to Southern California in 1965 from the Eastern Townships of Quebec Canada.  I've visited family in these climates many times, but a week or two with snow around is just a nice change of scenery, not the chore of slogging through winter for several months.  There are a huge number of people here who came from these colder climates.  A friend of mine from the gym came from Buffalo in the 80's.  Eventually his other three brothers did the same.  Two of my dad's three sisters and eventually his parents also moved here.  Maybe you could start something with your family eventually!  Good luck.   

[BunMVO]

19 hours ago, squeezem3 said:

I totally understand how you feel. Living in the center of Europe, it's basically the same, and if you're a summer type of person who loves sun and beach days, roughly six months each year are kind of wasted.

 

Of course we can work and accumulate money, go to the gym etc to enjoy the following summer even more, but actually life is too short for just getting through half of each year somehow without being able to enjoy it. So, on the long run moving elsewhere is the only option I see.

 

Right now in this moment I'm returning from vacations in Thailand, still on the way between airport and home, but already depressed from grey sky and cold wind. At least it's christmas. Merry Viceness, pals! 

Yeah, I agree. I plan on moving to Florida for real once I'm in a better position with my finances and career.

[BunMVO]

7 hours ago, pahonu said:

Sorry to hear of your blues. My parents were Canadian and, quite frankly, that's why they left.  My father described the winter blues to me more than once.  He often referred to it as cabin fever, but I've never experienced it.  Like Vicefan, they moved, and as Sqeezem said, there's really not any other solution.  In their case it was, here to Southern California in 1965 from the Eastern Townships of Quebec Canada.  I've visited family in these climates many times, but a week or two with snow around is just a nice change of scenery, not the chore of slogging through winter for several months.  There are a huge number of people here who came from these colder climates.  A friend of mine from the gym came from Buffalo in the 80's.  Eventually his other three brothers did the same.  Two of my dad's three sisters and eventually his parents also moved here.  Maybe you could start something with your family eventually!  Good luck.   

Thanks! I'll need it. I'm only 21 and I don't have a family yet or even a girlfriend right now (got out of an extremely toxic relationship this year and I'm in no hurry to rejoin the dating scene, working on myself) but a warmer climate really makes me feel alive. Sooner or later, I'll spread my wings and make the move.

[Tom]

Am 24.12.2018 um 09:19 schrieb squeezem3:

I totally understand how you feel. Living in the center of Europe, it's basically the same, and if you're a summer type of person who loves sun and beach days, roughly six months each year are kind of wasted.

 

Of course we can work and accumulate money, go to the gym etc to enjoy the following summer even more, but actually life is too short for just getting through half of each year somehow without being able to enjoy it. So, on the long run moving elsewhere is the only option I see.

 

Right now in this moment I'm returning from vacations in Thailand, still on the way between airport and home, but already depressed from grey sky and cold wind. At least it's christmas. Merry Viceness, pals! 

Mutuality here is freaky! I live in Central/Eastern Europe and just came back from Thailand this week (although not from vacation but a business trip). 31 degrees and sun contrasted with +5 degrees and damp weather when I got home. I have been looking crazy with my strong tan here now! 

Luckily, where I live climate change has positive effect on weather. Snowy cold winters have become very rare and lowest temperatures are around zero now with daily 3-10 degrees C. Summers get longer and warmer with 60days+ with night lows of 20c+ and I can grow now bananas, kiwis and palm trees in my garden. But I fully understand the guys from the Midwest. They have at least the advantage of living in a huge country with all climate zones to move to warmer areas. When I was a student I lived in southern Pennsylvania and Florida. Living in Miami was my personal jackpot but I agree that on some days in hot Monsoon summers with 95F and 90% humidity there I barely could stand it. You could just not leave the house and your AC but for opposite reasons as mentioned above for Minnesota! 

So, I hope that all of you find a Place to live that is supporting your weather type and a merry Christmas to all of you!

[pahonu]

On ‎12‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 7:54 PM, pmconroy said:

Thanks! I'll need it. I'm only 21 and I don't have a family yet or even a girlfriend right now (got out of an extremely toxic relationship this year and I'm in no hurry to rejoin the dating scene, working on myself) but a warmer climate really makes me feel alive. Sooner or later, I'll spread my wings and make the move.

Well, I can't say this from personal experience, but in my understanding, it is easier to make a big move like that before you have a family.  When I said maybe you could start something with your family, I was referring to the idea of you making the first move, and possibly inspiring others in your family to join you later.  It definitely happens, as I explained in the previous post.  My friend from Buffalo was single and my father was newly married when he moved.  Other family eventually followed.  No guarantees, of course.  The reverse is true with my two brothers-in-law.  They live in New Jersey and have both talked about moving out here when they come stay with us, but they are both married and have children now.  One has too much invested in his career to leave now, and the other's wife doesn't want to leave her family, which is understandable.  Almost 20 years ago, I was offered a position as a basketball coach in Hawaii as a high school teacher.  I was at a nation-wide basketball coaches clinic in Las Vegas, and recruiters from Hawaii were there to make offers to coaches to get them to the islands.  My wife and I discussed it, and she wasn't excited about leaving her family here in SoCal, and I wasn't sure about living on an island so we passed on the offer.  However, that was less of a dramatic climate shift as you seem to desire.  I completely understand your comment about feeling alive in the warmer climate.  My wife and I both love the warmer days of our climate, of which there are obviously many more, and we love getting in and on the water.  I hesitated to mention it in the previous post, for fear of gloating, but last week I drove home from work three times with the top down in my wife's old convertible.  (My old VW campervan is in the shop.)  I haven't even mentioned the fantastic camping out west!  Lots of things to consider, for sure, but I wish you the best of luck!  At 21, you have time to think about it.  

[Matt5]

On 12/24/2018 at 8:08 AM, Vicefan7777 said:

Now this is fascinating.  My wife and I moved from Milwaukee in 2005 to southern Nevada.  The winters were the main reason for the move.  We got fed up with the blizzards, cold and getting the flu every winter.  I agree with your way of getting thru winter.  Just keep busy and look forward to another fantastic summer of fun. 

Great positive post and attitude Vicefan77

[timm525]

Yep gotta agree. Winter here is the pits. It's 80* here in Florida, I had to turn the AC back on already! 

[BunMVO]

On 12/26/2018 at 5:42 PM, pahonu said:

Well, I can't say this from personal experience, but in my understanding, it is easier to make a big move like that before you have a family.  When I said maybe you could start something with your family, I was referring to the idea of you making the first move, and possibly inspiring others in your family to join you later.  It definitely happens, as I explained in the previous post.  My friend from Buffalo was single and my father was newly married when he moved.  Other family eventually followed.  No guarantees, of course.  The reverse is true with my two brothers-in-law.  They live in New Jersey and have both talked about moving out here when they come stay with us, but they are both married and have children now.  One has too much invested in his career to leave now, and the other's wife doesn't want to leave her family, which is understandable.  Almost 20 years ago, I was offered a position as a basketball coach in Hawaii as a high school teacher.  I was at a nation-wide basketball coaches clinic in Las Vegas, and recruiters from Hawaii were there to make offers to coaches to get them to the islands.  My wife and I discussed it, and she wasn't excited about leaving her family here in SoCal, and I wasn't sure about living on an island so we passed on the offer.  However, that was less of a dramatic climate shift as you seem to desire.  I completely understand your comment about feeling alive in the warmer climate.  My wife and I both love the warmer days of our climate, of which there are obviously many more, and we love getting in and on the water.  I hesitated to mention it in the previous post, for fear of gloating, but last week I drove home from work three times with the top down in my wife's old convertible.  (My old VW campervan is in the shop.)  I haven't even mentioned the fantastic camping out west!  Lots of things to consider, for sure, but I wish you the best of luck!  At 21, you have time to think about it.  

You have a lot of wisdom to share, it seems. And I need all the wisdom I can get at my age :P

I do feel like I'd be the only one to make a big move, my family seems to just stay put here in Minnesota. Save for a few, for example my mom moved down to St. Petersburg, Florida at my age. But she didn't last more than a year there. That was in the mid-'80s too. Only she had someone to live with. I don't have anyone to support me or to live with in Florida, so it's going to be a major financial burden but I will be good and ready once I do. I have to answer the call of destiny.

I'm from the Midwest but I'm a total coastie, nothing makes me feel better than looking out to the ocean and hanging out there. It would be amazing to live where you can do ocean stuff. It's odd because my sister is totally opposite, she lives in Montana now (but she moved in with her well-to-do boyfriend so not supporting herself) and she's all about the mountains and winter and stuff. 

I have to move down to Florida, very few dating prospects I've come into contact with have been hip on the idea of relocating to the humid heat of South Florida.

[Tom]

vor 8 Stunden schrieb pmconroy:

I'm from the Midwest but I'm a total coastie, nothing makes me feel better than looking out to the ocean and hanging out there. 

I have to move down to Florida, very few dating prospects I've come into contact with have been hip on the idea of relocating to the humid heat of South Florida.

Midwest coastie LOL!  Wrong birthplace! Lucky you that the US offers all climate zones. If South FL is too hot and humid, you have at least other alternatives. Also your potential circle of dating prospects gets bigger automatically! 

[Scot from S.C.]

Have you thought of making your way there gradually? I can't imagine living anywhere where you have weeks of snow or days below freezing. My next door neighbors are from up North. They moved down here to South Carolina to retire. According to them, the winters are not missed at all. That is the major reason they moved.

My wife is from South Florida, so we have some family down there that we visit on a regular basis, and I love it. The good thing about my state is we typically have mild winters where I am (not too far from Columbia), you can drive three hours and be in the mountains or the coast, and you can be in Orlando via driving in a tad over seven hours, or Jacksonville in five.

You can also grow many types of palm trees here. My yard has several different varieties of palms in it, giving me a bit of the Vice vibe each day.

The cost of living is generally lower than many other states, so there is that factor too if money is a concern. 

One last fun fact: both Florida's and South Carolina's state trees are a palm tree, the Sabal Palmetto. 

Edited December 28, 2018 by Scot from S.C.

[pahonu]

15 hours ago, pmconroy said:

 I have to answer the call of destiny.

I'm from the Midwest but I'm a total coastie, nothing makes me feel better than looking out to the ocean and hanging out there. It would be amazing to live where you can do ocean stuff. 

I have to move down to Florida, very few dating prospects I've come into contact with have been hip on the idea of relocating to the humid heat of South Florida.

I understand completely what you mean about the ocean and the coast.  My wife is the same way.  We were both drawn to it intensely.  Even though we both grew up in Southern California, neither of us grew up living at the coast.  Granted, we weren't several states away as you are, but we both grew up in inland suburbs of Los Angeles.  The beach was an hour or so car-ride away.  I clearly remember camping at the coast and day-trips to the beach from my young childhood years.  My wife had similar experiences growing up, and when we were married and told our families we were moving to the beach, no one was surprised.  We've made quite a few sacrifices to be right by the water.  Many of our friends over the years have commented that they probably wouldn't have done the same, but we enjoy our life and the decisions that got us here.  For example, we scaled back our honeymoon dramatically to save money when we found a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Long Beach with a bit of an ocean view.  When we bought our home almost 20 years ago, people were shocked at how small it was for it's price.  It's all we could afford right by the water.  We still live in it, and it is tiny, made more so by two children now.  Our place is a two-bedroom two-bath townhouse on a marina of less than 1300 sq. ft.  Our son and daughter share a room.  We have no yard or garage.  We have parking spaces and two balconies to be outside on.  One of those balconies is where I'm writing this now, and I'm enjoying the morning sun.  The thermometer says 62 and I'm watching the sea gulls, and brown pelicans, and great blue herons hunt for fish.  Later, the activity in the marina will ramp up.  If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen.  It takes some sacrifices for sure.  I was helped along by finding someone who shared the goal.  You have lots of time.  I was 25 when I made the move with my then-girlfriend.  Again, good luck!

P.S.  I think wisdom is just learning from experiences, whether your own, or others, but you have to take the time to consider and truly understand those experiences and what they can teach you. 

 

Edit:  I thought of something else.  There are many different ways of getting to the coast.  A very good friend of mine from work got a divorce years ago, in the mid 90's. He had no children and his wife was a high school teacher like he (and my wife and I).  There was no child support and no alimony, so he took the money his ex paid to buy out his half of their home in the suburbs (community property in California), and bought a sailboat.  Many people at the time said it was some form of mid-life crisis and a dumb idea.  He just wanted to be at the water, so he lived aboard his sailboat for quite a few years.  I know it seems glamorous like Sonny Crockett, but they never depict how tight it really is, things like walking up the gangway in your robe on a cold morning to the showers, or cooking in a tiny galley, or using a marine head routinely.  Again, there are sacrifices.  Eventually he met a woman who also enjoyed the water and they lived aboard for a few more years until they could buy a place.  They got a small one-bedroom place in a historic high-rise in downtown Long Beach (the Villa Riviera, look it up, it's cool) and they kept the boat.  Over the years, he and I and our wives have had many great times aboard his sailboat and also the sailboat I eventually bought.  We've been up and down the Southern California coast and out to the Channel Islands many times.  We're still close today.  We just had lunch with them at a marina restaurant on Wednesday.  He and I and my 16-year old son have also sailed quite a bit in the last few years.  Getting to the water can lead to all kinds of friendships based on water activities.  

Edited December 28, 2018 by pahonu

[BunMVO]

18 hours ago, Scot from S.C. said:

Have you thought of making your way there gradually? I can't imagine living anywhere where you have weeks of snow or days below freezing. My next door neighbors are from up North. They moved down here to South Carolina to retire. According to them, the winters are not missed at all. That is the major reason they moved.

My wife is from South Florida, so we have some family down there that we visit on a regular basis, and I love it. The good thing about my state is we typically have mild winters where I am (not too far from Columbia), you can drive three hours and be in the mountains or the coast, and you can be in Orlando via driving in a tad over seven hours, or Jacksonville in five.

You can also grow many types of palm trees here. My yard has several different varieties of palms in it, giving me a bit of the Vice vibe each day.

The cost of living is generally lower than many other states, so there is that factor too if money is a concern. 

One last fun fact: both Florida's and South Carolina's state trees are a palm tree, the Sabal Palmetto. 

Yeah, I have considered places like coastal areas of the Southeast like South Carolina. Although that is in the South and that would be a massive culture shock for me. I rarely escape where I live, in the North, and when I do it seems almost alien. I am a complete Yankee at heart. I went to Fort Benning for infantry training in summer 2016 and I couldn't even believe how different it was. Even being basically locked up inside a military base, you can feel the difference. The sweltering, humid summer, the accents, even the food - I didn't know what grits or biscuits and gravy were until then, nor Wafflehouse.

That being said, I am still considering that as a place to move in a couple years. It doesn't really have to be Florida, I just want to live by the ocean. 

[BunMVO]

13 hours ago, pahonu said:

I understand completely what you mean about the ocean and the coast.  My wife is the same way.  We were both drawn to it intensely.  Even though we both grew up in Southern California, neither of us grew up living at the coast.  Granted, we weren't several states away as you are, but we both grew up in inland suburbs of Los Angeles.  The beach was an hour or so car-ride away.  I clearly remember camping at the coast and day-trips to the beach from my young childhood years.  My wife had similar experiences growing up, and when we were married and told our families we were moving to the beach, no one was surprised.  We've made quite a few sacrifices to be right by the water.  Many of our friends over the years have commented that they probably wouldn't have done the same, but we enjoy our life and the decisions that got us here.  For example, we scaled back our honeymoon dramatically to save money when we found a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Long Beach with a bit of an ocean view.  When we bought our home almost 20 years ago, people were shocked at how small it was for it's price.  It's all we could afford right by the water.  We still live in it, and it is tiny, made more so by two children now.  Our place is a two-bedroom two-bath townhouse on a marina of less than 1300 sq. ft.  Our son and daughter share a room.  We have no yard or garage.  We have parking spaces and two balconies to be outside on.  One of those balconies is where I'm writing this now, and I'm enjoying the morning sun.  The thermometer says 62 and I'm watching the sea gulls, and brown pelicans, and great blue herons hunt for fish.  Later, the activity in the marina will ramp up.  If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen.  It takes some sacrifices for sure.  I was helped along by finding someone who shared the goal.  You have lots of time.  I was 25 when I made the move with my then-girlfriend.  Again, good luck!

P.S.  I think wisdom is just learning from experiences, whether your own, or others, but you have to take the time to consider and truly understand those experiences and what they can teach you. 

 

Edit:  I thought of something else.  There are many different ways of getting to the coast.  A very good friend of mine from work got a divorce years ago, in the mid 90's. He had no children and his wife was a high school teacher like he (and my wife and I).  There was no child support and no alimony, so he took the money his ex paid to buy out his half of their home in the suburbs (community property in California), and bought a sailboat.  Many people at the time said it was some form of mid-life crisis and a dumb idea.  He just wanted to be at the water, so he lived aboard his sailboat for quite a few years.  I know it seems glamorous like Sonny Crockett, but they never depict how tight it really is, things like walking up the gangway in your robe on a cold morning to the showers, or cooking in a tiny galley, or using a marine head routinely.  Again, there are sacrifices.  Eventually he met a woman who also enjoyed the water and they lived aboard for a few more years until they could buy a place.  They got a small one-bedroom place in a historic high-rise in downtown Long Beach (the Villa Riviera, look it up, it's cool) and they kept the boat.  Over the years, he and I and our wives have had many great times aboard his sailboat and also the sailboat I eventually bought.  We've been up and down the Southern California coast and out to the Channel Islands many times.  We're still close today.  We just had lunch with them at a marina restaurant on Wednesday.  He and I and my 16-year old son have also sailed quite a bit in the last few years.  Getting to the water can lead to all kinds of friendships based on water activities.  

It sounds like it's even more of a struggle than I initially anticipated. Oh well, you've got to face up to reality sometimes. I really want to branch out and be one of the only Minnesotans that ever leaves the state. Don't get me wrong, I love Minnesota, it's home. I talk crap about the place all the time but the reality is that I will miss it once I leave. All things considered, moving to where "the water's warm and the drinks are cold" is still an idea that really excites me and I want to make it happen. Especially when I buy a home, I want to decorate it in all pastels, ocean-themed. That wouldn't make sense in this state.

I'm 21 now but I am hoping to move out within a few years. I sure as hell wouldn't want to get planted and start a family before I get out of this place. This is a state that can be well below zero in the winter and in the 100s with insane humidity in the summer. We see all the extremes. I feel like this place has run its course in my life and it's time for me to move where I feel I belong. It's not financially viable right now. But it's my objective.

Also, I am so jealous of you right now. You live in Southern California which has some of the most beautiful weather. The Mediterranean climate gives it that dry heat and it never gets too cold. It's no wonder why it's so expensive and so many celebrities choose to live there.

[BunMVO]

18 hours ago, Tom said:

Midwest coastie LOL!  Wrong birthplace! Lucky you that the US offers all climate zones. If South FL is too hot and humid, you have at least other alternatives. Also your potential circle of dating prospects gets bigger automatically! 

Yeah, it's weird to feel that way as a Minnesotan. Everyone thinks of midwesterners as corn-fed farmers. But I love the city and the hustle and bustle, I find it so exciting. A coastal city is where it's at. Maybe I'll meet someone when I move as you said. It's not my number-one priority but it would be nice. I'm kind of commitment-phobic to be honest. Anyway, yeah I was born in the wrong place at the wrong time for sure. Or was I?

[Scot from S.C.]

7 hours ago, pmconroy said:

Yeah, I have considered places like coastal areas of the Southeast like South Carolina. Although that is in the South and that would be a massive culture shock for me. I rarely escape where I live, in the North, and when I do it seems almost alien. I am a complete Yankee at heart. I went to Fort Benning for infantry training in summer 2016 and I couldn't even believe how different it was. Even being basically locked up inside a military base, you can feel the difference. The sweltering, humid summer, the accents, even the food - I didn't know what grits or biscuits and gravy were until then, nor Wafflehouse.

That being said, I am still considering that as a place to move in a couple years. It doesn't really have to be Florida, I just want to live by the ocean. 

I understand it probably was a culture shock in some ways, but each area in any state has its own individual vibe as you know. North Florida, for example, is a lot more akin to other southern states like SC, GA, AL, etc. than south Florida.

I have traveled a lot, and I remember years ago the first time I realized there was an invisible line where my beloved iced, sweet tea was no longer available on menus, and hot tea was. 

You ought to take some vacations to areas that interest you. North Florida might be a good destination, as well as coastal areas of other southern states. The advantage of starting off in Florida would be making things easier (since you would establish residency) when you do move to Miami. There are a lot of really beautiful places in north Florida, and usually it is cheaper to live there too than south Florida. 

Regardless of your game plan, keep us informed pal. South Florida is a beautiful, fun place. 

[BunMVO]

2 hours ago, Scot from S.C. said:

I understand it probably was a culture shock in some ways, but each area in any state has its own individual vibe as you know. North Florida, for example, is a lot more akin to other southern states like SC, GA, AL, etc. than south Florida.

I have traveled a lot, and I remember years ago the first time I realized there was an invisible line where my beloved iced, sweet tea was no longer available on menus, and hot tea was. 

You ought to take some vacations to areas that interest you. North Florida might be a good destination, as well as coastal areas of other southern states. The advantage of starting off in Florida would be making things easier (since you would establish residency) when you do move to Miami. There are a lot of really beautiful places in north Florida, and usually it is cheaper to live there too than south Florida. 

Regardless of your game plan, keep us informed pal. South Florida is a beautiful, fun place. 

I agree, the South Florida area is more of a metropolitan region with people from everywhere, like LA or New York. Actually, I don't plan on moving to Miami. I can't stand the population. But I do want to live in a place like Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach. My dad works at United Airlines and I can get flying passes and that's how I've done my solo traveling, and I want to check out the various locations in Florida like Tampa, West Palm Beach, etc. Not the panhandle though. I don't even need to explain why. Lol.

[Vicefan7777]

11 hours ago, pmconroy said:

Yeah, it's weird to feel that way as a Minnesotan. Everyone thinks of midwesterners as corn-fed farmers. But I love the city and the hustle and bustle, I find it so exciting. A coastal city is where it's at. Maybe I'll meet someone when I move as you said. It's not my number-one priority but it would be nice. I'm kind of commitment-phobic to be honest. Anyway, yeah I was born in the wrong place at the wrong time for sure. Or was I?

I grew in a farming town in Michigan.  Population 10,000.  My grandparents were life time farmers and I had lots of fun playing hide and seek in the corn fields.  When I went to college the student population was 45,000.  Talk about a change!! As a young man I too found excitement in the hustle and bustle of the big city. I understand not wanting to make a commitment in a relationship.  I dated numerous girls at the same time.  My advice is to just enjoy yourself.  Do what makes you happy. And when you least expect it the right gal will come along and make your heart go wild.  You're just starting out in the adult life.  Go for your dreams even if it means moving thousands of miles away from your blood relatives.  

[pahonu]

58 minutes ago, pmconroy said:

I agree, the South Florida area is more of a metropolitan region with people from everywhere, like LA or New York. Actually, I don't plan on moving to Miami. I can't stand the population. But I do want to live in a place like Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach. My dad works at United Airlines and I can get flying passes and that's how I've done my solo traveling, and I want to check out the various locations in Florida like Tampa, West Palm Beach, etc. Not the panhandle though. I don't even need to explain why. Lol.

Hey PM,

I'm going to be (brutally) honest with you here, if you think Miami is too populated, you probably should stay clear of Southern California.  LA county is the most populous county in the country at over 10 million, and neighboring Orange, Ventura, San Diego, and Santa Barbara counties, which are the coastal counties in the region, add almost 7 million more.  Including inland counties, that number swells to over 22 million.  Basically the entire coast between Santa Barbara and the San Diego border with Mexico is entirely built out.  You are absolutely right though, about Miami's diversity being very much like LA's, just a little different climate.    I just can't handle the humidity as I get older!

You are also absolutely right about the climate being a wonderful Mediterranean type.  Others joke about the left coast, etc... but the climate really does draw an enormous amount of people.  It did my parents, and many other people I've met in my lifetime.  It's at least one reason California's population is so large.  The Mediterranean climate is actually quite rare in the world.  Check out this climate zone information:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Köppen_climate_classification  It's considered the most desirable climate to live in around the world, so it's not just you that appreciates it.    Unfortunately these desirable climates lead to more expensive costs of living, as you mentioned.  

The Central Coast of California, between SoCal and the Bay Area/Silicon Valley is far less populated, less expensive, and full of natural beauty, the only problem is finding work.  My wife and I have traveled all over the country over the years, including a 23-day, 25-state, 8-city train trip across the country and back two winters ago.  I have been to 44 of the 50 states, including your Minnesota.  (I very much enjoyed the twin cities cuisine, including cheese curds, the juicy lucy, and that stew who's name escapes me.   We even had Ethiopian and Hmong food!  I actually have my first ever Ethiopian student this year and he's also from Minnesota.  He informed me about LA's Little Ethiopia district last fall and my wife and I are planning a day trip this winter break.)  My wife has been to only a few less states than myself.  There are so many wonderful places we have visited, but we always end up discussing if we would ever want to retire there.  This obviously removes the work aspect that you must consider.  The Central Coast of California is the only place we've agreed on for retirement besides staying put, which we also both agree on.  These considerations seem based largely on climate and food.  LOL!  

The only other thing to maybe consider is how cost of living is more than an immediate expense.  An economics professor friend of mine pointed out something to me years ago that I still consider quite wise.  Basically he said, if you can make things work in a high cost of living area, like SoCal and other places, your options for moving or retirement are wide open.  If you live in a lower cost of living area, you can't realistically retire to a high cost of living area or easily move mid-career.    Your economic situation is still developing, and I'm sure retirement sounds a million years away for you, but he told me this when I was about 27 and considering buying our home.  Today we have enough equity in our home to retire to just about anywhere in the country we might desire, and that day is somehow less than 15 years away now!   Time flies.

I don't mean to overwhelm you with things to think about, but they are worthy things to consider.  In the end, I do hope you find your dream place and can make it work! 

 

[damrod]

We made it past the shortest day of the year and now the days will get longer little by little.

[BunMVO]

6 hours ago, pahonu said:

Hey PM,

I'm going to be (brutally) honest with you here, if you think Miami is too populated, you probably should stay clear of Southern California.  LA county is the most populous county in the country at over 10 million, and neighboring Orange, Ventura, San Diego, and Santa Barbara counties, which are the coastal counties in the region, add almost 7 million more.  Including inland counties, that number swells to over 22 million.  Basically the entire coast between Santa Barbara and the San Diego border with Mexico is entirely built out.  You are absolutely right though, about Miami's diversity being very much like LA's, just a little different climate.    I just can't handle the humidity as I get older!

You are also absolutely right about the climate being a wonderful Mediterranean type.  Others joke about the left coast, etc... but the climate really does draw an enormous amount of people.  It did my parents, and many other people I've met in my lifetime.  It's at least one reason California's population is so large.  The Mediterranean climate is actually quite rare in the world.  Check out this climate zone information:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Köppen_climate_classification  It's considered the most desirable climate to live in around the world, so it's not just you that appreciates it.    Unfortunately these desirable climates lead to more expensive costs of living, as you mentioned.  

The Central Coast of California, between SoCal and the Bay Area/Silicon Valley is far less populated, less expensive, and full of natural beauty, the only problem is finding work.  My wife and I have traveled all over the country over the years, including a 23-day, 25-state, 8-city train trip across the country and back two winters ago.  I have been to 44 of the 50 states, including your Minnesota.  (I very much enjoyed the twin cities cuisine, including cheese curds, the juicy lucy, and that stew who's name escapes me.   We even had Ethiopian and Hmong food!  I actually have my first ever Ethiopian student this year and he's also from Minnesota.  He informed me about LA's Little Ethiopia district last fall and my wife and I are planning a day trip this winter break.)  My wife has been to only a few less states than myself.  There are so many wonderful places we have visited, but we always end up discussing if we would ever want to retire there.  This obviously removes the work aspect that you must consider.  The Central Coast of California is the only place we've agreed on for retirement besides staying put, which we also both agree on.  These considerations seem based largely on climate and food.  LOL!  

The only other thing to maybe consider is how cost of living is more than an immediate expense.  An economics professor friend of mine pointed out something to me years ago that I still consider quite wise.  Basically he said, if you can make things work in a high cost of living area, like SoCal and other places, your options for moving or retirement are wide open.  If you live in a lower cost of living area, you can't realistically retire to a high cost of living area or easily move mid-career.    Your economic situation is still developing, and I'm sure retirement sounds a million years away for you, but he told me this when I was about 27 and considering buying our home.  Today we have enough equity in our home to retire to just about anywhere in the country we might desire, and that day is somehow less than 15 years away now!   Time flies.

I don't mean to overwhelm you with things to think about, but they are worthy things to consider.  In the end, I do hope you find your dream place and can make it work! 

 

I do find the climate very appealing, but I actually couldn't see myself in Los Angeles or California for that matter. The water's cold. I won't get political because I hate that, but the state is as far "west" as you can get, literally and figuratively. I wouldn't fit in at all.

And actually it's not the population that would bother me, it's the people that live in South Florida. I actually like the humid heat, it feels so exotic being surrounded by the turquoise waters. I'm a pasty white Irish guy and Miami is very Latin, it wouldn't feel right to me to live there. I have plenty of time to find a new home in sunny Florida, but I will do plenty of looking around to see what area would suit me best. 

Thanks for your wishes. I hope that you retire to your dream home!