13 Things You Will Only Hear In Florida

After living in the Sunshine State for about 15 years, I often reflect back on my former home, my friends left behind, and my children who still reside there. And then I thank my lucky stars I was able to escape. People who live in places other than Florida may have difficulty understanding why anyone would ever move. Others that live (or have lived) there, will completely understand.

The quotes below are things I’ve actually heard Floridians say out loud, and no one around them thought it the least bit strange, including me. In retrospect, it might have been more than a little strange...

73 degrees? Why is it so cold? – It always amazed me how people would bundle up in jackets and gloves when the temperature dropped below 70 degrees. That’s why it’s easy to pick out the tourist from Michigan; they’re wearing shorts and it’s 65%.

There’s an alligator in our swimming pool! – Alligators can appear anywhere in Florida; pools, hot tubs, back yards, in the middle of the street. No reason to be scared unless you are a small dog.

I’m going up north to visit the Deep South – The more north in Florida you go, the more Southern it gets. Miami is practically New York City’s sixth borough and Jacksonville is a really Georgia. 

It’s okay, I have the $27 needed for tolls – No state tax means toll roads galore. The only way to benefit from this is not to drive a car. But of course, no one ever walks in Florida either.

Disney? Not again! – Kids get tired of Disney, but adults never tire of “Drinking around the world” at Epcot. Good times.

What’s a basement? – Seriously, no one has a basement, but everyone has a pool. I can’t figure it out.

Of course it’s going to rain, it rains every day – Every day around 5 pm, it rains. They don’t even count it as “rain.” You can walk in the door at 5:30 pm soaking wet, and the news will be saying we are in a drought. 

Can you count the landfill as a “hill?” – Flat and straight. Makes for great gas mileage if you could afford the tolls.

Our school bus driver is ninety years old today! – And that’s considered young. Not a problem when everyone else is driving 10 miles under the speed limit too. Big problem if you are trying to get to work.

I want to go someplace cold for vacation – It almost seems like a bad joke, but after 60 consecutive days of 90 degree at 90% humidity, you would be booking a ticket to Alaska too.

Did you get the cruise tickets yet? We leave tomorrow – Cruise ship terminals within 2 hours of you anywhere in the state. You could actually buy tickets on Thursday, leave on Friday and be back at work on Monday (although I wouldn’t recommend it.) 

He’s really mad at me because I don’t speak Spanish – Spanish is the numero uno language in Florida, English is a close 4^th.

Of course we get paid less here, it’s Florida! – Unofficially called the “Sunshine Tax,” employers pay 20-25% less in Florida. Thanks “Right-to-work!”

 

Even though I make fun of it, I’ll probably move back to Florida (Heaven’s Waiting Room) someday. There are good people there and a more relaxed way of viewing the world. And besides, it’s the only place you can get a genuine Cuban Sandwich!

10 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time

During difficult times we all need a little inspiration. And what better place to find it than on the couch, in front of the TV!

Film not only offers us entertainment and escapism, but it can also influence us on a deeper level. It can inspire us to be strong enough to overcome (seemingly) unbeatable odds and reach (previously) unattainable goals...

To be a better person..

To seek out a silver lining in a sky of dark clouds...

And sometimes… it just makes us thankful for what we have.

Here are my Top Ten Inspirational movies; some are true stories, some are amazing pieces of fiction.

1. Rudy – True story of Daniel Ruettiger, a small kid with a big heart. His only dream is to play football at the University of Notre Dame. All he has to do is get a job, get accepted into the school and then get on the team. Sounds easy, right? Wrong.

2. October Sky – True story of Homer Hickam, a teenager from 1950’s West Virginia and the son of a coal miner, who wants to build rockets. He hasn’t the money, the knowledge or the approval of his father. But he has the will and the friends. And sometimes that’s enough.

3. Slumdog Millionaire – Fictional story of an extremely poor young man from India who has the opportunity to win a game show for a million dollars. He draws his answers from the experiences of his life’s struggles and accomplishments, almost as if it were preordained. 

4. Forrest Gump – Fictional story of a simple minded man with a pure heart. Over multiple decades, he finds himself witnessing - and sometimes influencing - history as it unfolds around him.

5. Pursuit of Happyness – The story of Chris Gardner, a man who finds himself homeless and jobless while trying to raise a son. It’s a story of grit and determination that would be unbelievable, if it weren’t true.

6. Erin Brockovich – A desperate single mother of three, Erin scams her way into a job with a lawyer, then stumbles upon an environmental crime committed by the biggest utility company in the state. Her perseverance, courage and unwillingness to change makes this true story amazing.

7. Breaking Away – Fictional story of a young man called a “cutter,” a local resident of a college town. He is caught between holding on to childhood friendships, a stern father and moving on with his life, all while racing bicycles and pretending to be Italian. 

8. It’s a Wonderful Life – The story of George Bailey, a desperate man who gets to see what life would be like if he had never been born, and the way it changes all the lives around him. It’s the ultimate in Christmas movies.

9. Apollo 13 – True story of three astronauts, stuck in space after a horrible accident, and the effort of the hundreds of people trying to get them safely home. 

10. Field of Dreams – Fictional story of Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer who hears a voice that tells him to build a baseball field in the middle of his corn fields, so that long dead players can play again.

There are certainly more out there, but these are my “go to” movies when I feel like I’m up against the ropes. They inspire hope and the promise of success if you don’t quit.

What moves inspire you? Please leave a comment below.