Surviving outside The City

I moved to Florida with an optimistic mindset - that I could little jewels of culture and the good things in life to make myself feel at home.

It hasn't always been easy, but when I discover a good place, it's a great find.

At the moment, I am sitting at this awesome little cafe, working on an out-of-town story assignment. I am deep in the heart of rural Florida, in a small town where Southern drawls and greasy, fatty fried foods and cell phone dead zones dominate. The business next door to the cafe is an indoor gun range.

Yet this cafe thrives, offering its lattes, and gorgonzola-stuffed paninis, and free Wi-Fi. And I can work, and be comfortable, eat good food and drink some good coffee. And while I wait for the editor to finish, I can surf the web and update the blog and enjoy a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie.

And at the moment, this is good enough for me.