Is anyone else getting the same sentiments?

[beachbum_al]

No. I love the Coast and would not choose any other place to live.

[CharleySurvivor]

I thought I was one of the very few Floridians who was thinking of leaving. I'm happy to see there are more.

After Charley last year and life getting back to normal, I was going to stay in FL. I bought land in Tampa last winter and was going to build later this year.

Since Katrina, I have changed my mind. I am moving west, far away from water. There is no way I can live season after seasons always on guard and be ready for a cane.

Katrina scared the heck out of me. In all honesty, I am scared of the rest of the season.

[gratefulnole]

I grew up in Pensacola but have lived in Tallahassee for 20 years now. I am on high ground for Florida and 50 miles from the coast. I love the beach and have been considering moving to the coast and commuting or getting a job down there. Not anymore, now I just want a better paying job so I can get a beachhouse to go to on the weekends.

[Noah]

I admit i get excited about some storms, but not when they get real big and devastating, i believe i have lsot my interest in the excitement of the hurricanes anymore, my fear is to high, and can't handle thoughts of the suffering, human sacrafice and being so helpless here.

I fear the summers in florida now.. have some thinking to do i guess.

No excitement coming from this storm2k supporter from any hurricane anymore, only watching to protect my loved ones and my animals.

We will fly out of the state of any inpending hit.

[Stephanie]

I live 50 miles to the north of Atlantic City, NJ where I work. My house would be safe but HEAVEN HELP the casinos and all of the shore communities if by some strange chance a "Big One" comes a calling!

[baygirl_1]

This is a tough one as I sit in our Katrina-damaged home with the patched up roof. I've lived here my entire life, but nearly panicked when I saw the sticky: T.S. Lee advisories! I've been so out of touch with what's going on outside of the Gulf Coast area. Thank God Lee's headed out to sea!
Our home in west Mobile is well inland, yet we still had very high winds for like 8 hours straight. Our neighbor told us he's never see anything like it that lasted so long -- and he's almost 70 years old! However, our little house made it through pretty well considering-- the only problem was that the chimney was blown off. Fortunately, all damage is pretty minor. When we do repairs, we will not have another chimney--- gas logs that do not require a chimney for us next time! Also, we've decided we are going to get storm shutters. I know I'll need that so I don't go bonkers each time a hurricane enters the Gulf. Hello Home Equity Loan!
But, as this is home, we cannot leave here. Too many memories, too much family, and too many people and things I love here. Hurricanes are just part of our lives as earthquakes are in CA, tornadoes are in OK, and snowstorms are in New England.

[birdwomn]

Florida is home, good and bad. I live about 4 miles from the GOM..would love to have a palce closer to the beach adn a mountain home, but we downsized our lifestyle, so that is unlikely to happen.

I agree with the...if is storm is coming, I get my tailfeathers out of here!

[inotherwords]

The Sarasota area of FL has been my home and my family's home for almost 60 years. I love it here, I live in a wonderful old house and am just a mile from the beach, 1/2 mile from the gulf as the crow flies.

I was not afraid until last year, and that's when I considered living somewhere else. I was going to put a nice addition on my house, but what I think I'm going to do instead is become a snowbird and use this money to buy another place up in NC or WV or VA for the summer. I don't want to leave here for good but I'm happy to spend the height of hurricane season elswhere. Before I do this I might buy myself a little 19' pull trailer for evacuation purposes.

What really hit home for me about Katrina is that these people had the incredible luxury of a couple days notice. It is not always that way. I'm always preferring to be safe than sorry so I do evacuate usually before the orders come out. However, I know firsthand from being in Hurricane Alicia in Houston and Gabrielle here in this area (a very strong TS that made landfall literally in my back yard at 74 mph sustained) that hurricanes can form in the Gulf virtually overnight and hit the next day. I didn't realize the magnitude of destruction that could occur so far inland until Charley and now Katrina. It really makes me think hard about living here and what that's going to mean for the next 20 years during this "active" cycle. I'm not sure I really want to deal with this every year.

[HurriCat]

We just moved from Florida to north of Atlanta. After last year I had enough. Told my hubby "we are outta of here" By the way I love it here plus the homes are not overpriced like in Florida!!

Argh! She married someone else! Yep, I love my own dear wife, but so far she still wants to stay.

PERSONALLY, I think that Florida is rapidly going to heck with the overdevelopment. Combined with the heat, humidity, and the six-month HURRI-FREAKIN-CANE season, I just absolutely hate it. Still, I stay for love, and I honestly don't whine or moan to the missus. I just shake my head like a big, dumb, tired old donkey. Hee-hawww.

I think that what is going to happen to a LOT of like-minded but "trapped" Floridians is that their "anchor" will hang on until a really big direct hit. A few more, and property values will go in the toilet as far as owning a house. Plus the sky-high insurance. THEN, when all really is in the dumper, we'll hear "Mmmm, maaaaybe we should think about moving away".

I'm just sayin'. Oh - speaking of north of Atlanta, I have relatives in Canton. It's blowing up, too, but is like Orlando about twenty years or so ago. Maybe thirty. You see it coming, though.

ME? Put me in the ice and snow... good to go! MINN-ES-O-TA, ey!