The first time I visited Louisiana, it was for my sister's wedding in Saint Martinville. I got weird looks for bringing my dog into the church, but whatever.
At the wedding reception, I was asked how I liked Louisiana. I replied that it was a place that was fun to visit, but I would never want to live there. Ironically, if you can call it that, I ended up there not long after in my quest to support my children.
I waited tables at Landry's, got a job at AT&T, bought a house, had the longest relationship of my life...only to nearly lose everything but the house and the kids who I now have full custody of.
I'm going back to Florida now. Make all the jokes you want, but Florida is so much better than Louisiana. I have my first love waiting for me, and we want to spend the rest of our lives together. This isn't a defeat, by any stretch of the imagination. I know some people are rejoicing at my departure. They think they won, but I'm the one getting out of here. Living in Louisiana for 10 years was never in the plans, and now it is time to move back to beaches that are clean and aren't polluted as hell.
I fought a lot of battles, often on the behalf of people who didn't have my back. I've learned that I'll be much better off in a place that doesn't have shitty roads and people who complain about infrastructure, but don't want to pay for it. I'll miss the food, but I've learned how to cook the best stuff.
I'll divulge a lot more about myself once I am safely out of the state where my congressman, Clay Higgins, doesn't hate my guts.