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How is life for non-party people in TV
I would like to ask a question of a pretty narrow group of people.
If you are someone who doesn't, or cannot play golf, and you don't enjoy drinking and partying, how have you found life in TV. What kind of things do you enjoy most, day to day there? What are your disappointments? I'd appreciate hearing from a variety of people. If you're one of those that doesn't like to post publicly, feel free to send a PM. Thanks, Dave |
Lets see...Tennis, Pickle Ball, swimming, Water Volley Ball, Water Aerobics, Bowling, Bike riding, Racquet Ball, In line Skating, Softball, Walking,Jogging, Model Boat Sailing, Dragon Boat Racing, Line Dancing, Ballroom Dancing, Cheerleading, Twirling. etc etc. PLUS hundreds of clubs so we do more than Drink and Play Golf. Where did you get your impression?
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Disappointments......NONE
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I don't play golf or party and find I LOVE it here in The Villages! What are your hobbies and interests where you live now (leave out anything connected with snow) and I'm sure you can do those here.
OR....take up some new hobbies and interests that you've always put on a list that "someday...I want to try that!" One thing we definately so NOT miss are the winters up north!!! |
Almost 3 years here....HAPPY. I mentor youth. Woodworking at home. Cook...better than most restraunts. Read TOTV, and the list could go on.
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I don't golf, party, swim or do any of the activities in TV. I have a full time job and on my days off, I ride my horse or head to Flagler Beach with my dog. It's worked out ok for me.
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Not such a narrow group of people ....
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Have no regrets about moving here, absolutely love our life and highly recommend it to anyone thinking of moving here. |
No disappointment here, love going swimming,doing shopping,going to some club meetings and just knowing we won't get snow is fine with me. If you want to do things you can or if you just want to relax in great weather you can. No pressure to do anything. Just enjoying retirement.
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With over 1800 active clubs, I'd have to think that you can find something for everyone, and probably multiple things.
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Amee, thank you for actually answering the questions I asked.
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well, we don't drink but we enjoy going to the square to watch folks dance, some are like "dancing with the stars" and others are just so free spirited, they make it fun. The bands are good too. We like to goto the pool, walk the boardwalk, play pool every once in a while. We also like to read and play cards, do puzzles and visit with friends. We are happy just to be here. A golf cart ride is just a bit of paradise....I hope you find this "do as much or as little as you please" place to your liking too.
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Oh yea, I forgot....walk our dog!
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I should add that I was very skeptical about moving to a "retirement community" with a lot of old people, but so glad we did. |
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I am in the same position as you. I enjoy volunteering.
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Can't wait till I am there. EB |
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2] pretty much enjoy the same thing I enjoy up north - only here I do it without snow and with a whole lot more sunshine. 3] disappointments - only that we are snowbirds and stay for between 3 and 4 months. |
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Do you fall under this scenario? What else can you not do? Can you play pickleball, ride a bike, play cards, or water volleyball? Some posting say if you are board in The Villages it's usually your own fault. Personally I have to keep a calander and iPhone to keep track of each week. Impossible to do it without these tools. Still have not been into Katie Bells and City Fire only one time. |
We are pretty much low key people. We certainly are not anti social we just don't go go go and that is our choice. We have not joined any clubs, we just for the most part do our own thing. Our days are filled, never are we bored. We enjoy our home, the sunshine, the beautiful weather, we enjoy eating at home and on average eat out maybe twice a week. I enjoy working in my yard, my husband enjoys reading. We do play golf 1 -2 times a week. We are not big drinkers...myself very little. We choose not to check the calendar daily or clock watch having to be here & there...we are retired & love our life here in The Villages.
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Be yourself
Old Dave,
Please don't feel you have to drink or party to have a good life in the villages. Too many other things to do to fill up your days and nights. Just be yourself and indulge in things you like to do. Enjoy the villages, Janet |
We are not big party people, and we don't golf. We also don't enjoy large groups but prefer to have a few close friends to do things with occasionally, as opposed to partying with "80 of our closest friends." We have found common enjoyment in pickleball and enjoy the people we've played with, and I like to walk the dog (after dark because he's big and gets hot in the sun) and do some exercise classes. My husband likes model trains and enjoys that club and also volunteers for SCORE, a part of the SBA. And we go to a few Three Rivers Club functions. That's not a whole lot, but it's our comfort level. We enjoy our home and especially the lanai and front porch in the mornings and evenings, and we spend a lot of time reading and surfing the net.
We've gotten to know and love our next-door neighbors, but not too many others; it's a quiet street. We're fine with all of that. We like to make friends coincidentally and not determinedly. (Is that a word?) We just went to our first TOTV meet-up at Crispers after a year of being on this forum, and we met some very ice people. When we feel like doing something different, it's time to do it. No pressure. |
We just went to our first TOTV meet-up at Crispers after a year of being on this forum, and we met some very ice people.
Of course I meant NICE people, not ice people... |
In our four months here we have not golfed, have not had any alcohol nor gone to a restaurant. And we love it here.
We have done little neighborhood socializing because we have been too busy. One thing I do not see mentioned is the artists here. You can paint in multiple mediums, quilt, draw, sculpt on every level. There are opportunities to spend very little money and explore your creative side from beginner to advanced artist. And the woodshop is available with classes and projects galore, and they make thousands of toys for charity each year. Operation Shoebox, Race for the Cure, Habitat for Humanity are only a few of the many philanthropic organization who do great work for the greater good. If you like to volunteer you can probably find somewhere where you will fit in. the library system is very good. Feel like spending an hour playing bocce, pool, going for a swim or shuffleboard? There is a center close by where you can go with all equipment provided alone or with your spouse for free. Or maybe your neighborhood meets there at specific times if you so choose. a few things stand out as to why we love it so much. One is you can go to any activity alone. the second is if you love competition or want to push yourself to the max in sports, cards, gambling or even art you will find it here. But if you only want to play for fun, that is also here. Lastly, that you can be involved or not involved as you wish. You can have a schedule full from 8 am to 9pm with clubs, games, learning opportunity, art, exercise, swimming, volunteering etc. Or you may enjoy relaxing, watching TV,walking up to get the mail, taking a bike ride, watching the birds and reading. And anything in between. There is no one telling you what to do. Since we have moved here I feel like we are doing so many physically and mentally healthy things for ourselves. |
Also if you like beaches you are within an hour and a half to two hours of some of the nices beaches in the country either on the gulf or ocean. The month of March there are multiple spring training games you can take the AAA bus or drive a few hours and see many different teams. An hour away from amusement parks and of course all of the clubs and activities TV offers. You can do as little or as much as you want.
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We don't go out to the clubs at night, we frequently have small groups to our house to eat. I love to cook and I can hear conversation better in the quiet of my home and I love to hear what people have to say and to laugh until my sides ache. We used to drink more than we do now but I find that as we get a little older that many of us are finding we are cutting back for a variety of reasons. I can't think of anyone in our very small (53 home) ONE year old village who go to the square much at all. Many were second time home owners here and many moved from other areas of Florida. We love to play golf, cards, I love my art classes. Sitting on our front porch sometimes gathers a little party of walkers and we will share cookies and coffee with them on a nice evening. We have dine arounds and potlucks in our little village and because we are so isolated we have a "Mail Kiosk" party once a month, just us residents of our Village. We will bring snacks and desserts to share and folding chairs and some even come and sit in their golf carts. We have a knitting group, mahjong, bunco, poker, all in our neighborhood. I am blessed to play Golf with a very special group of ladies who have become my very close friends out of the neighborhood on Friday. This is the most amazing place. I get up, read the paper and read TOTV and then do a bunch of other stuff and it is time to think about supper. Sweetie says the same thing, four o clock comes so much quicker here than any other place we have lived. I just love it. |
I really appreciate all the people that took time to post, especially those of you who took the time to tell me what YOU enjoy. Sure, I know there is a long list of things to do, but looking at that list isn't nearly as helpful as hearing what you do personally, like Gracie, Cfrance, Quilts, and several others. Those kind of descriptions of your life help me picture what our lives might be there. It also helps me focus on what we want to try and experience in our week visit in March.
Last summer we spent a month looking around (although as I've mentioned I couldn't really see then) Now we want to try to live the experience, even if it's just a week. And my wife wants to experience just how busy it really is in the winter. Thanks again, and I'd love to hear from others. I do like to see people post who don't normally do so. |
I was thinking further about this as I was driving the golf car (brrrrrrrr) to an art group this morning.
There is a book called "the blue zones" about longevity and they talk about one of the things that helps longevity is finding your right tribe. (great read, I recommend it.) I think that is probably why most people are so happy here. There are always going to be some unhappy or critical people, but I rarely run into them in person around the villages. I believe most people can find their tribe. You can find lots of people with your interests and have so much personal growth at a time when others are sitting around waiting to die. another thing, you might try something you think would be the greatest and you find it is not to your liking. I have gone to several activities and thought not for me. You have spent little to nothing on the experience and can move on and try something else. |
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We all had more house parties in our 40's and 50's than we do now as we are pushing 70. It was when our children had gone off to university, got married, etc. and moved away to begin lives of their own. Up until then, we were actively involved in raising children and making a stable family environment for them, their friends and their extracurricular activities. Family vacations, etc. We never ever went out dancing and drinking. Dave.........you can be our neighbor in a nice quiet neighborhood. ANYTIME. Most couples in a marriage of almost 50 years, do find that they are each other's best friend..........not to mention "slowing down" with each year. I think the super active ones might be the much younger Villagers. I know we could never stay awake till midnight and beyond "partying". We both like to read, watch movies........have our own hobbies and just spend a lot of time "together". When we get to see the grandchildren, it's a real treat. They are an added pleasure in our lives. I still cook , believe it or not......although the Villages "marketing division" does promote the "kitchen is closed now" advantage of having so many eateries available.........many of which we did enjoy. We also enjoy our road trips and seeing new places. But no golf, no tennis, etc. and no drinking and dancing till the wee hours. Personally, I think we are normal , for up here at least. |
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Enjoy things as they fit into daily schedule and at your comfort level. Many will just be "adjusting" to full retirement.....and that alone takes getting used to........without filling the calendar each day with being busy, unless it is something that does come along that one is attracted to and wishes to do. Again, obviously the younger Villagers and perhaps the singles will definitely want to be more active than those couples who find that they are content being each other's best friend.....and just taking each day as it comes. Vive le difference. As others said, just enjoying the sunshine, the lanai, the pool if they have one off the lanai, etc.........would be pleasant..........not to mention, all homes need tending. If folks were "super active" before they moved to TV, they will continue to find exciting new things to join..........if they never were that active outside the home and raising the family, it might change and then again, it might not. No pressure one way or the other, would be our motto. |
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I also just remembered when my own 62 year old mom and 63 year old stepdad decided to retire up to Vermont to be near us. We were young and had two little children. They had enjoyed Vermont on their previous visits from New Jersey.........so sold their home and relocated. I tried to encourage them to join the "Senior Citizens Club" down in town but at first they wanted no part of it. They did join the church and also took long walks getting acquainted with their new surroundings. Finally, they took my advice and joined the Senior Citizen Center. They became avid volunteers. They also began 25 years of senior bus trips. No cruises back then. Just bus trips with the senior club to all parts of the northeast and even to Florida and the upper peninsula of Michigan......Maine seacoast, Atlantic City, N.J., Washington D.C., Octoberfest in PA.........etc. They went on every single bus trip. So, never say never. Once they felt comfortable in their new surroundings, they went on to make many new friends at their senior club. They also had their main meal of the day at the center......every week day. My mom collected the money and my stepdad later volunteered to help in the kitchen with the cleanup. It became their "life". My mom had worked her entire life, without time for clubs and such, but I'm glad she did eventually take my advice..........as it did enrich their later years. It was also nice having them close, to be able to attend their grandchildren's various events and activities.........plus always spend all of the holidays in our home. |
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I/we do not play golf or participate in any other sport, we do not drink or "party" but pre our current situation, we were very busy with: Clubs - classical music, Mac computers, knitting, art appreciation, jazz, travel, book clubs, etc - 1400 or more such clubs available - all filled with wonderful friendly people The Squares - music and dancing every evening - just listening and watching is fun - plus the vendor nights - I have some beautiful things in my home that were purchased from vendors in the squares Lessons/Classes at the LifeLong Learning College - decorating, field trips to thrift shops, cooking, art lessons - the classes that are available are endless Small neighborhood groups - cards (Hand and Foot, a game I never heard of before moving here and now I play often with friends), Mahjongg (lessons available at rec centers and now I play with my friends - even went on a cruise with them just to play Mahjongg), also just small social gatherings in the neighborhood (every neighborhood seems to have an informal network of activities) There are many people here who do not party, drink or play sports and who simply enjoy the beauty of this place every day. Disappointments here? - absolutely none!! |
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I moed here last May. The thing I enjoy doing most is day trips with AAA. I also enjoy volunteering. These are two great ways to meet people. |
I meant to say I moved here last May
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Hi Dave
I can't seem to get into buddy list. If you would like to contact me my e-mail is franr01@comcast.net. Fran (happylady) |
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