Where There's Smoke

Diane and I are going through something of a waiting period. It seems to be one of those waits in the hallway between one door closing and the next one opening. We are both confident the second door will open. It’s just that neither of us are really that into hallways. Or waiting. While she was visiting Florida in July, the lemons on the tree in my back yard were growing larger, seemingly by the day. We chose one of the more mature lemons and determined that when it ripened, it would be the sign that the next phase of our life would be ready to start. It would signal that the second door through which we were intended to walk would open. But a funny thing happened on the way to the lemonade... Hurricane Irma rolled through Florida on September 10-11, wreaking havoc on virtually the entire state. ( Note: See the link at the end if you would like to donate to Hurricane Irma or Harvey relief .) Families evacuated, vacations were cut short, homes and businesses were destroyed,...

Given my somewhat scathing critique of Houston , it only seems fair that I turn the Light of Truth on my current home state, Florida. You really need to know these Seven 7hings   before you come visit. 1.   The News :   Residents of Florida know all too well how many notorious weirdos from Florida have made the news.   We’ve made national front pages with Ted Bundy, Aileen Wuornos, Casey Anthony, George Zimmerman, and Rudy Eugene (the dude who ate another dude’s face off), among other notables. 2.   Thanks a lot, Rest of America :   Since nearly two-thirds (65%) of Florida’s residents were born in another state, we’re not taking full blame for the knuckleheads in 7hing number 1.   In fact, the names and birthplaces of some of the principles of Florida’s more infamous news stories: Aileen Wuornos: Rochester, MI Ted Bundy:   Burlington, VT Casey Anthony:   Warren, OH George Zimmerman:   Manassas, VA Rud...