Inaugural Blog

Well I suppose a blog isn't a blog unless you have something to talk about or write about. It appears it's high time for me to start typing.

I'm not sure why I created this blog, other than my friend, Surrenderedwarrior, has one. And dog-gone it, if everybody else is jumping off of buildings, then why shouldn't I?

Hopefully in posts to come there will be lots of interesting stories, facts and information that will fill your internet experience with wonderment and glee. You also might be surprised (or not) at the lack of forethought or seriousness in some of my posts, but well, I'm just that way sometimes.

One of the questions I'm asked often is "How do you like living in Florida?" Well, Flori-DUH is an interesting place and not necessarily because of the intelligencia that inhabit (or is that inhibit) our wonderful state. I've noticed the ever increasing desire for developers to "improve" our fair land. One development in particular is situated on the Manatee River in a previously beautiful boggy area. I remember when the signs went up announcing the stately housing that would soon fill these shores. They proceeded to strip the land bare, pave over half of it and build houses on the other half. What do you suppose they named this suburban sanctuary? "The Preserve". Are you kidding me? The "Preserve"?!!???!!

However, Sarasota is a city of quiet, relaxing folks. And I do mean relaxing. You've heard that when people retire they want to move to Florida. Well those retiree's parents live here in Sarasota. Why just the other day a lady was driving along Hwy 41 during rather heavy traffic when she realized she was in a dilemma. She needed to turn left across 3 lanes of traffic to get to the store (to pick up stool softeners, or no doubt some other life-saving medicine). However, with the heavy traffic, would she be able to get back out again? So she decided to park IN the turning lane and meander over to the store. I'm not making this stuff up.

You would think after the 2000 Presidential election that Florida would have figured out how to have an electoral process without some voting snafu. Not in this great state, no sir. In November, Sarasota held elections for many offices including congressional races. Vern Buchanan (R) defeated Christine Jennings (D) for District 13 by a mere 369 votes. Close race with a clear winner, right? Wrong! The demons of democracy reared their ugly heads again, this time not in hanging chads but in the voting machines software. The Democrats claim a machine "malfunction" (read, conspiracy) in that there were several thousand (18,000) registered Sarasota voters who skipped the District 13 vote. Or did they? Jennings' camp has taken their pleas through many courts with still no concrete resolution on the matter. And the irony of all ironies: the congressional seat up for grabs was the seat of Katherine Harris, who was at the center of the 2000 Florida Presidential election scandals.

Do I like living in Florida? You betcha I do. It's the only state in the union where I feel smarter than most people (not really, but sometimes). You couldn't ask for a better state to live in if you work in the news media (which I do sometimes). There's always some sick wacko who is trying to extort, rob, kill or plunder and that's just in politics. That doesn't count the rest of the "regular" criminals.

But the beaches are nice (when there's no red tide) and the value of my home has increased nearly 3 fold since I moved in (however so has my homeowner's insurance - thank you Florida hurricanes). So why should I complain about living in Florida? I love it. It's full of crazies just like me!

It's my paradoxical paradise.