Welcome to our first post! Normally, the long form posts will be in newsletter form. This newsletter will hit inboxes every Thursday morning. They will encompass a long form story on a person, place, event, or anything that I think is important and touches our community in an impactful way.
First and foremost, I want to introduce myself to you all and share with you why I’m doing this and what I hope to accomplish. With that, onward!
For those who don’t know me, my name is Brandon Miller. I first moved to Southwest Florida in August 2012 to attend Ave Maria University (Go Gyrenes). I was a freshly minted college student who had a stubborn attitude combined with an unhealthy habit of fast food and staying in my comfort zone. I left for the first time in 2016 after the best four years of college that left me with lifelong friends and a new appreciation for fresh experiences. During COVID, I returned in December 2020, and moved to Bonita Springs, after a miserable year of watching paint dry and giving side eye to anyone who sneezed in the same zip code as me. Within the first month of moving back, I knew I was home. Not a month later during NYE, I distinctly remember going to downtown Fort Myers, Seed to Table, and kicking off the New Year at a Ben Allen concert.
Getting to live life with the best people God ever put in my life in 2020? That for sure was not on my bingo card. Do you remember me saying how I had a new appreciation for new experiences after four years of school? I knew I was going to feel at home every day I woke up in Southwest Florida. Since then, it has been almost four years and I have no intentions of leaving. I love this place and I want to share with the world why Southwest Florida is the best place to live and raise a family.
Also: Breaking News. I love to read and write. I think it was my lack of mathematical skills that put me in a precarious spot in high school… If I need my fingers to count to ten, maybe I should explore a life where reading and writing are part of the gig. Recognizing my love for reading and writing combined with my obsession with Southwest Florida, I knew I had to find a way to combine these shared loves. With that, I am so excited to bring to you LifeStyle239.
Lifestyle 239 is my way of showcasing all the wonderful people, places, and things that make this area the best place to live and raise a family. Here you will find me talking about anything and everything about the place we call home. That said, I would love to write about everything from Bokeelia to Leigh down to Marco. Unfortunately, that isn’t doable. While I will explore those areas and share big updates from around SWFL (think Red, White, and Boom in Cape Coral), there will be an emphasis on Bonita Springs and Estero. I call Bonita Springs home and its easy for me to travel to my immediate area. I don’t have to tell you how bad traffic can get during season.
This is my fun, on the side, project. I still have my amazing day job. If you would love to support this effort, thank you so much. The three best ways you can support is to sign up for my newsletter, share to your social media, and consider donating a few bucks a month to support the maintenance of this endeavor. My weekly newsletter will have all the latest and greatest before it goes up on the site. There will be community events, so you never miss a farmer’s market or festival ever again. There will be exclusive behind the scenes updates on what’s coming to the area. Finally, there will also guest posts from the people who make Southwest Florida home. So, thank you for reading, stay a while, and let’s explore Southwest Florida together. You never know what’s around the corner.
What a nice read! Best of luck to you!