Eight years ago this week I moved to Orlando to start a new chapter of my life. Eight years seems like an eternity, and yet I feel like I just moved here last year.

I recently starting organizing my printed photographs according to year, and that’s when it really set in that I’ve lived a significant chunk of my life – and nearly all my adult life, here in this balmy band of beach-bordered land.

November has a lot of anniversaries for me. It’s my anniversary of moving down here (with all my possessions in my car), my work anniversary with Relevant (although I don’t work there anymore), my wedding anniversary (6 years!), and the anniversary of discovering I was expecting a baby (3 years ago).

So it’s natural that I get a little nostalgic this time of year. With that in mind, here’s a countdown of general observations I’ve made during my time here so far.

8 Things I Learned Living in Florida

8. Driving anywhere out of state takes forever.
7. Florida’s beautiful clouds and moody skies make up for what it lacks in landscape.
6. Having only one interstate going through your city makes for some terrible traffic.
5. …. Must remember to bring a coat when flying to nearly anywhere else in the U.S. during the winter months.
4. Wearing flip-flops year-round rocks.
3. Family and friends you would never otherwise visit suddenly decide to visit you every year … thanks, Mickey …
2. Just because it’s not a traditionally thought of southern state don’t mean it ain’t redneck.
1. When you hear a sonic boom, it’s more likely a shuttle entering the atmosphere than Gabriel blowing his trumpet.