2019 is the year that I plan to relocate to Lakeland from Sarasota and I am asking for some help. The purpose of this page is to map out my vision for where/how I want to live and to ask some advice from others who live there.
So first, why Lakeland?
In the 17 plus years that I have been in Florida I have finally come to feel like it's home, but sadly even though I have great friends in Sarasota it has never felt like home to me. Everytime that I venture over to Lakeland I feel that it is a VERY good fit for me, it feels like home, with it's rolling landscape, beautiful lakes and parks (I'll take a lake and big shade trees any day over a beach!), a wonderful, smaller town downtown with Munn Park, the promenade and botanical gardens on Lake Mirror, Southern Florida University, etc. There are many places in Lakeland where I simply enjoy being, I have not found that in Sarasota. Plus I love it's location midway between Tampa and Orlando.
I have met a few wonderful people in Lakeland and I am looking forward to meeting and building friendships with many more.
I have met a few wonderful people in Lakeland and I am looking forward to meeting and building friendships with many more.
What I am looking for...
- To initially rent a studio apartment or a room in a house in an in town/walkable neighborhood with nice, clean folks who are non-smokers and don't do drugs. I am single, quiet, no kids, no drugs. Ideal would be a small apartment above a garage, I have seen some of those in Lakeland. But as of right now, this is one of my biggest concerns in moving. Finding the right place for me, a nice small studio in the downtown area.
- For the last eight years I have worked in light manufacturing, before that I was two years in central supply for a hospital, I have worked full time and on the side in marketing and customer service for over forty years and I served in the US Air Force. I am also working to promote Kindness and appreciation. I would prefer a job with a small/local business, but realize this is best obtained through getting to know people well, which is difficult when you don't live in the area.
My longer term goals and plans
- Longer term I would love to find a lot near downtown and perhaps help create a small cohousing community. As I believe with all our electronic connection (which I love) we often miss the more personal connections, largely due to how suburban living isolates us.
- To be active in civic involvement, the arts, and groups like Lakeland Loves, to cultivate friendships and make truly make Lakeland my home.
- Regardless of what job I find my side hustle and passion is as a Kindness Activist, with Kindness Rocket to help promote people being the kindness that they want to see in the world and to show local small business owners how kindness can accelerate their business and enrich their lives.
- Connected with that and even though Lakeland already has some excellent websites I did one a few years ago on Venice when I lived there which I really enjoyed doing and would love to do something like it for Lakeland as well.