Florida :: From Rear-View Mirror Melancholy to Unexpectedly Comfortable

Florida is a land of surprising contrasts. There’s the beaches that draw tourists from around the world, swamps and alligators, of course, but there’s also desert-like sections, cattle ranches and a diverse offering of flora and fauna. There’s people pushing against the norms with the passion of youth, and a whole lot of folks working on their end game. There’s the flash and glamour of Miami and the laid-back, slower lifestyles of the Gulf Coast. Everywhere there is polarity.

Look at that sky!

I spent my teen years here, or at least the ones that mattered. Arriving on my 16th birthday for my third attempt at living here, we set up home in Cape Coral, which at the time was the fastest growing city in America. It was growing, largely due to retirees like my parents, so quickly that it was rapidly out growing the infrastructure. There wasn’t a lot to do as a teenager in “God’s Waiting Room”, as we called it then. Mostly, I planted the seeds of the beach bum and pagan aspects of my personality. Of course, I played hard at the “Rebel Without a Clue” game, as well. I also explored technology, counterfeiting, sex, and in the end, learned a lot about business and life — most of it the hard way. I did a lot of things that would become the foundation of a 30 year career in infosec and as an entrepreneur.