Being the Florida native that I am, I am prone to the syndrome most common to this area known as Naivete, or Antiempiricitis.  Basically, that means I've never been anywhere in the United States profound or experiential enough other than Florida to gain a sufficient appreciation for my native land.  But, since I have experienced fall, winter, and spring elsewhere for the first time and lived in a land where 0 degrees was the median of the thermometer, I have been cured and sufficiently so from this unfortunate ailment.  What does all that mean?  It's like a color-blind farmer who owned a peacock.  Now, he could only see in shades of black and white.  When other people would ask him to describe his peacock, he would tell them it was a bird-like creature that ate stuff and had too many feathers.  However, when a doctor was able to cure the farmer of his eye disorder, the farmer was downright amazed at the beauty and wonder of his bird.  Not only could he tell an outsider the in's and the out's of the animal species Polyplectron emphanum, but with pride he described its color and grandeur as well as the origin of such an amazing display of exquisiteness.  So you see, my account of Florida comes from knowledge, experience, and appreciation.  Now you want to know what is Florida like?  There are two official seasons, three if you are facetious: Wet and Dry and Snowbird.  Eight to Ten months out of the year, the average temperature for the coastal region, where I'm from, is in the upper 80's.  For two months, if you're lucky, you can turn the air conditioning off for what the snowbirds call beautiful weather.  And let me tell you, a Florida native calls that beautiful weather COLD and unfriendly.  But I assure you, it's more beautiful and pleasant than you can imagine.  The other season is mixed with heat, humidity, and hurricanes; none of which are too extreme of an inconvenience.  Now I mentioned snowbirds, which is what I grew up calling them.  They are the older folk who fly south for the winter, hence "snow" and "bird."  What is a snowbird really?  They crowd restaurants, create HUGE traffic jams, and cause hotel prices, hospital insurance, and road taxes to go up.  This "season" lasts from December and sometimes ends terminally for some in March.  The beach is definitely approachable 12 months a year.  The water can be cold, 65 degrees being the coldest and the upper 80's the warmest in the heat of summer.  The best part of Florida is what you could call "spring," or what I would call Tropical.  This is the season where I put the sunglasses on, roll my car windows down, wave at people walking the streets, walk around in the rain showers with sandals on, and sit and enjoy Florida .  Now, what is the difference you ask?  Florida is hot and sunny year round.  It rains every afternoon during the summer and is home to the most frequent lightning strikes in the entire United States .  Florida possesses a unique culture--to best describe this, picture a Confederate Rebel, a tobacco-chewing redneck, a seasoned postal truck driver, a plumber or an electrician (depends on which you decide is more useful), and a Spanish speaking immigrant all combined into one and surrounded by a version of one or more of these and you have a mental picture of some REALLY native Floridian.  I'm first generation, so that isn't me, I assure you.  Florida is huge when it comes to agriculture and tourism, but what makes it different, than let me say, Michigan , is what is agricultured.  We grow oranges, and plenty of them, grapefruits, lemons, kiwi, sugar cane, watermelon, palm trees, bananas, and lots more that I really have no clue about.  Our second biggest minority, besides white, elderly people is Spanish speaking immigrants.  Hablas Espanol? This isn't a drawback, except that at times, it can be.  It's just another reason to learn to speak Spanish.  Finally, what makes Florida exciting?  You, if you were here.  Nature.  The wildlife. The people.  The sun.  The storms.  The story. The water.  If you are a tourist, you will go to Orlando .  But if you are a seeker of vacation, relaxation, and restoration, you will enjoy each one of these things as you run far away from the "norm" and jump into a wet or a dry climate (you pick) and absorb the richness of a tropical habitat I call home.  Care to try it out?

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