The only remaining useful thing about Facebook, for the most part, is the memory functionality, and it reminds me that I arrived in Orlando 12 years ago yesterday. Crazy. It felt familiar very quickly, I imagine because I was already coming down here two or three times a year for a long time. This is an enormous state, with no shortage of political problems, but because of its size, it also feels regional in nature. I like our region.
My first job was a contract gig at SeaWorld corporate, which lasted a year, and in that time we started to quickly get a feel for our surroundings. The Horizon West area, in the western part of Orange County, is where we settled, across a rental, a house we built, and then another house we built, and we've been in that one for about seven and a half years. Diana's first endeavor was to figure out preschool and support for Simon, and he had his initial ASD and ADHD diagnosis here. Two years in, she started working at the Dr. Phillips Center For The Performing Arts, and that spot has become central to our social and philanthropic identities. We've continued to volunteer at Give Kids The World, though more Simon and Diana than me. I got involved in a local user group, and I've done tech talks every year outside of Covid. With the proximity of Port Canaveral, we got hooked on Disney cruises.
We discovered a vibrant downtown area, a diverse population and so many good people. We've seen the community come together in difficult times, with the Pulse massacre and the George Floyd protests. We've seen it celebrate with the legalization of same-sex marriage. It's a positive place to live. The theme parks don't hurt, but despite them being something to do for a few hours now and then, they do not dominate our time or interests.
When we were in the process of leaving Seattle, I often said that I suspected we were "pool and palm tree people." We never did get the pool, and I'm not planning on it, but we do own a few palm trees. We don't have to endure winter either. I think it was a good decision.
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