Postcards From Jacksonville

*Sigh* I owe you lovely readers an apology for being MIA for so long. It’s been a combination of many things - primarily a lack of time, motivation, and creative energy. But, with that said, I’m carving out more time in my schedule now to sit down and write for me, and for you, too! So, here’s to new beginnings and starting fresh! Thanks for your support and patience - hopefully this will be the last apology I make for a while. If I have it my way, I’m back for good, and I usually get my way. 😉

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Let’s throw it back to a few weeks ago and catch up on some of the things you’ve missed, shall we?

I have the coolest job in the world - truly. And one of the biggest reasons for that is the incredible people I get to work with - both inside my company and around the country. For those who don’t know, I manage websites for Jaguar Land Rover dealerships - sounds fancy right? I have wonderful relationships with my dealers - they’re so kind and fun to work with! One, in particular, was having a Grand Opening party - I’d soon find out it was the dealership party to top all parties - to celebrate their new facility. They extended an invitation to me and, of course, I couldn’t pass this incredible opportunity up. That event was, without question, one of the most enjoyable nights of my life. A HUGE THANK YOU to JLR Jacksonville for the fun!

Ethan was busy that weekend, so I packed a bag, booked a flight, and took my first adventure all by myself since he and I became us. I’ve always been a very independent person, and while I wish more than anything Ethan could have come, it was so great getting to go on this little jaunt and only have myself to worry about. So, I popped in my headphones - which I lost in security and had to pay an airport premium to replace, by the way - and took a short flight down to the souther-most point in the U.S. that I’ve ever been to! My first thought after deplaning was “ughhh it’s so freaking hot and humid.” A recurring theme that came to mind all throughout the weekend, for me. Even total strangers made comments to me about how uncomfortable warm I looked. I don’t know how the southern folks do it, truly.

Now, it’s important to note that I’ve never given Florida a passing place. I’ve never been anywhere in the state apart from this trip and I’ve never really been interested to go. Many people LOVE Florida and visit frequently, but I just have never been the beach drinks and bath suits type, I suppose. So, for this visit, I had no idea what to expect, but my expectations were low either way.

And let me just say, I could not have been more wrong.

I do obviously understand that I was only there for a couple of days and Jacksonville cannot adequately represent the entire state. But if I’m basing my opinions off that visit alone, I not only LOVE Jacksonville and am dying to visit again, but Florida just got added to my must-see list for the near future. Sound crazy that one visit can change my mind so drastically? Here’s a look at my postcards from Jacksonville. See if you can see why. 😁

What do you think? If you’ve never been, is Jacksonville or Florida on your travel to-do list? If not, where have you been that completely blew your expectations out of the water? I’d love to know in the comments below.

Write on, friends! Speak soon!