The Firefly is your Next Destination for Escaping the Rat Race and Finding Inner Peace. We have talked to several people very recently who have said “I’d love to move out of (insert name of chaotic city) but I don’t know anybody, I don’t know where to go, and don’t know where to start.
Well, we can be your guide to this process. You can get to know us and take the first step.
Here is the plan. We will put you up in the Firefly for a couple of weeks. We will show you around the little towns in the area, and acclimate you to living in the rural South. There is a study guide “Little Southern Towns: The Nickel Tour” which is the book we’ve written on the topic, and if you are really curious, we’ll hook you up with a realtor who can tour you around a few places.
Think of us as your crazy Aunt, and a few crazy Cousins, out in the country. We’ll treat you like long lost family. We like Human-Scale Living.
Escaping the Rat Race and Finding Inner Peace: Urban Escape
At this moment in history, some of the urban areas in our fair country have gotten out of hand. We will take nominations on where the most screwed up one is, but if you do a search on the famous search engine, you get the following: This was as of January 2021.
| Search | Hits |
| I want to move out of New York | 3,170,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Los Angeles | 1,300,000,000 |
| I want to move out of San Francisco | 1,160,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Chicago | 757,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Boston | 447,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Las Vegas | 373,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Seattle | 241,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Detroit | 208,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Miami | 206,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Philadelphia | 202,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Atlanta | 189,000,000 |
| I want to move out of Portland | 93,900,000 |
I guess you have to feel sorry for people that have made a big investment in any of these places. The real estate was overpriced, the commuting was terrible, and the crime was bad anyway. But now, some of these places have reached the point at which reasonable people are starting to evacuate.
Side issue: On the other hand, in many of these places you can unload your overpriced house, move out here to an equivalent or better place, and pocket the difference. Does that seem like a plan to you? It does to us.
That’s where we come in.
We will show you around the little towns in the area, and acclimate you to living in the rural South. There is a study guide “Little Southern Towns: The Nickel Tour” which is the book we’ve written on the topic, and if you are really curious, we’ll hook you up with a realtor who can tour you around a few places.Escaping the Rat Race and Finding Inner Peace can be about small town living.
If you do decide to move into the area, we will be of further help in navigating your new reality.
We will introduce you to Weezy the Chicken, author of the upcoming “Chicken’s Guide to Short Term Rentals” in case you have it in your business plan to start a Bed and Breakfast. We already have done the economics on opening up a little store on the town square, and can share that with you.
We’re in a golden age here if you need to work. There are several major corporations located nearby, and since Rural Broadband finally reached us a year or two ago, telecommuting is a definite option. If you have any sort of building or handyman skills, and are the slightest bit reliable, you will have too much work. Part of what makes this a great destination for escaping the rat race and finding inner peace is that you can stay connected.
We’re exactly an hour from the Atlanta airport, which could put you literally around the world, in the event you need to go for some reason. Escaping the Rat Race and Finding Inner Peace can be about having many escape plans.
We’ve Zillow stalked a lot of nice places, and some not so nice, and can land you someplace that suits your needs.
The downsides are controllable.
About the Area
Morgan County is one of the more prosperous rural counties in Georgia. Here’s a statistical comparison between Morgan County and another famous county. I’ve put the links down below so you can check the source:
| Morgan County GA | Los Angeles County CA | |
| Family Income | $66,178 | $72,797 |
| Home Price | $229,000 | $644,100 |
| Foreign Born | 1.98% | 34.20% |
| Poverty Rate | 9.23% | 14.90% |
| SAT Score | 1120 | 1070 |
| Violent Crime (Per 100K) | 221 | 559 |
| Population | 20,000 | 9,969,000 |
| Poor People | 1846 | 1,485,381 |
You can see what kind of a place this is. The average person is able to afford a home, and you could walk the streets at night, as if you wanted to. They sort of roll up the streets at about 9 here but that is not all bad. Question: Why are you living in a place with 1.5 million poor people? Isn’t it nicer and better to live around prosperity?
Escaping the Rat Race and Finding Inner Peace is sometimes about being around prosperous people.
There are some downsides, and we’ll fill you in on those. Most of us aren’t brainiacs, as you can see from the SAT scores. That’s part of the charm. Our kids are still smarter than LA’s.
Weirdness and Movie Sets
Of course we can’t match some of these places for weirdness, but within a few miles, there have been hauntings, sex cults, mysterious creatures, UFO sightings and other unexplained events, if that sort of thing suits you. Several film production companies and many independents are here, in case you still think you’re going to be “discovered” or want to be an extra. The Firefly Urban Escape Guide Service will include a list of these and some other attractions.
We are close to a fault line, the Brevard Fault Line, and the last major earthquake that shook this area was never. Escaping the Rat Race and Finding Inner Peace is sometimes about avoiding disaster.
It does get a bit hot in the summer, but never gets that cold. We’re far enough inland that there are no real hurricane effects, the last tornado was about 10 years ago, and the guy at the plumbing supply lost his sign and hasn’t gotten around to putting it back up. They’re a bit serious about fires here, you have to get a permit to burn, and there are burn bans in place if it is too dry. Oh, by the way, open burning is still fairly legal and common here.
Speaking of smog, this place has no required vehicle emissions inspections either. There isn’t any smog. The city water that comes out of the pipes is perfectly drinkable. If you want us to put some in a bottle and charge $3 for it so you feel at home, we can do so. Escaping the Rat Race and Finding Inner Peace is often about fresh air.
It’s Not for Everybody
Morgan County has its advantages and disadvantages, and we would be incorrect to tell you that everyone would love it here. If you are allergic to nature, highly sensitive, and insist that people call you by the proper pronoun, you’re probably going to be better off staying. We love you but you won’t fit in here. There are a few bugs. By this, I don’t mean “system bugs” I mean insects. The Firefly is named after one.
The locals here have a nuanced opinion on the topic of “work”. It’s okay to not work if you are an old person. These are called “retirees” and there are a few of these around. If you have a revenue stream that you get without working, that is okay, there are a few of those people here too.
But, if you don’t have a revenue stream, and aren’t retired, and have some sort of capability to do work, there’s an expectation that you do so. We looked all around for “money for nothin'” and have yet to find it. Better stay where you are.
Drugs: Like all of rural America, there is probably an underlying drug issue here. But at the same time, law and order is also valued. No one is allowed to lay around in the park wasted. If you like to do this, we love you, but we recommend you stay where you are as well.
The Firefly Urban Escape Guide Service will be honest with you and if needed, advise you to stay put. People survive best in the place they know.
The Firefly Urban Escape Guide Service
So here is what you get, with the Firefly Urban Escape Guide Service
We’re thinking one flat fee, all inclusive except for the food. It’s not for everybody, but as a real estate shopping expense, the whole thing is deductible.
| Ride from/to the Atlanta Airport |
| Two weeks at the Firefly, pretty bed and breakfast near Madison GA (includes breakfast, you’re on your own for Lunch and Dinner |
| Local guide service (when available) to show you where the locals go and don’t go. |
| University of Georgia bling (Baseball Cap or equivalent) so you fit in better. You may substitute Clemson, Georgia Tech, Auburn or U of South Carolina if you feel the need. |
| Guide Book: “Little Southern Towns: The Nickel Tour” for reference purposes |
| Guide Book: “The Ultimate Southern Music Road Trip Guide” for reference purposes |
| Coupons to local restaurants |
| Seminar: How to catch, cook, and eat catfish |
| Seminar: How to raise chickens and love them. |
| Seminar: Growing more food than you can imagine in a raised bed garden |
| Seminar: Relocation to a Small Town in Georgia/What to Expect |
| Free use of bicycles (this place is fine for biking, and is 20 minutes to town) |
| Seminar: Wildlife of Georgia: What to avoid, and what to eat. |
| Seminar: Fundamentals of concrete laying, tree cutting and lawn mowing |
| Nice Coffee (custom roasted for us) |
| Antique Tour: Monroe GA the Antique Capital |
| Winery Tour: The Georgia Wine Highway (Tastings and goodness) |
| Brewery Tour (local breweries near us) |
| Movie Set Tour (Famous movies and TV locations near us) |
| Tour of Weirdness (Cults, hauntings, odd events, paranormal animals) |
| Tour of Civil War Sites |
How to Sign Up
Click the “Book Now” page, and use the contact form above to get in touch with someone who is authoritative on the topics above. Do you have a friend or two? We’ll get a truck with a crew cab, and be your long lost crazy cousins for the week, treat you like family, and show you this place.
The value is priceless. Be there in the square.
PS: We realize that all news sources are “filtered” nowadays, and if the content of the above video doesn’t reflect reality, please tell us and we’ll take it all back.
Also: We do not offer mental medical or psychological treatment or tax advice in any way, although we can hook you up with a local licensed practitioner if you need one. Last time we were in the emergency room, it was empty, and we were greeted warmly and immediately.
Links and References
Statista Crime Rate Statistics
Los Angeles School system Academics
Data USA Statistics on Anywhere
