I've been thinking about the other side of this question... what happens when we don't stay in NEO. Over most of the 1,000s of years of human existence most humans lived pretty near where they were born for all their lives and for many generations, for 1,000s of years. It would seem this historical physical foundation is a spiritual foundation, as well... if one believes in spirits. I do. And I believe there is a connection between spirits and places, and over most of time the spirit and physical worlds would share places over generations, and that is important for spirits and living generations. Over the past 1,000 and especially 100 years, and always in America, all that has been disrupted. So, I believe I stay in NEO because it is where my grandmother's spirit is most comfortable, and where I'm sure my parents' spirits will stay, and where they and other family live today. And that seems the only real reason to live anywhere, including NEO, even if NEO in so many ways totally sucks.

Disrupt IT

As we are currently enjoying a 45 degree day in early February, in the middle of this very typical North Carolina winter, I ask why move to the tropics.... the tropics are coming here, and the heating problems in NEO will then be a thing of the past.

The "traditionally" mid January to mid Febuary was the coldest part of the NEO winter. We generally wouldn't be above freezing for the whole time, and we usually spent at least a week during that month playing tag with sub-zero lows during the night.

I don't know if we have hit below zero in the last decade here. I remember 19 below back in the 60's, and one morning at 30 below back in the late 70's.