Miami Versus Manhattan

You guys (my NY friends) are making this decision to stay or go all the more difficult. I may actually have to do an old-school pro/con list. Spoke to the family members whose business I could potentially go into tonight, and the opportunities inherent in doing that would be almost limitless, compared to what I could accomplish on my own up here, business-wise. I'm a big believer in keeping family businesses alive, and I've always said that if I had a family biz that was located in a good place, I'd go into it. So it may be put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is time. And, God, the ocean, and the real estate down there, there is just no comparison. It's almost half the price.




(Look at the view from BFF's balcony, above, jeez.) And, I kind of dig the idea of kicking ass in the corporate world, think I could really be down with that.

My grandpa's family had a rocking real estate company in Florida that all but went down the tubes when he died, and I've always regretted the fact that we didn't keep it going. I would have gone into the biz, but it's in Sarasota, Fla. where the average age is probably about 80 and there is more parking for wheelchairs than cars. OK, so maybe there was that tiny, insignificant legal scrape with the EPA, but before that, all was swell. (Brother, have you ever read up on this case? Are you trying to atone for the sins of our family??????? I just made this connection. Better change your name or conceal your genealogy if you want to become a serious environmentalist.) Totally think the fam was innocent, BTW, it was kind of a witch-hunt type situation, wherein the government decided to make an example of someone, and that someone was my great-uncle and my fam's company; grandpa was already deceased. Otherwise, it may have been a different story. He didn't take shit from anyone, even the EPA. Hey, I guess I'm following in the family's footsteps by creating a legal hullabaloo.

Tampa Bay Business Journal

Paver Development vs. EPA

EPA

Anyway, after speaking with the fam and my BFF, who lives in Miami with her husband, the Miami move looks more appealing than staying here and spinning my wheels. Whenever I go down to South Florida and spend time with friends, family and family friends, they always ask me if I'd ever move down there and leave NYC. And my answer is always, "Well, in an ideal world, I'd live part of the year in Florida and part of the year in NYC." And, that's the truth. I suppose I am an 80-year-old snowbird trapped in a 30-year-old's body. But dual residency certainly isn't going to happen without a J.O.B. And, let's face it, there are absolutely no guarantees in the editorial field. I could say, "I'm going to get a job in my field in Manhattan," but, in reality, I have no control whatsoever over whether I'd actually accomplish that.

So it's a total catch 22: Go to Florida, where I would have this awesome opportunity, or stay here, where I may, may one day have the possibility of having an opportunity to write or edit professionally. I really don't see how I can rationally choose to stay. Mr. Devil, can you teach me how to do one of those handy polls? Should I stay or should I go?
I'll be going on a fact-finding mission down there fairly soon, so until then I guess my fate remains unsealed, though at this point, I'd say I'm 90% there.