[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

It is always difficult for me the first time I attend a singles function where I literally know no one. When I went to meetings of two of the singles groups we all sat at long tables in groups of six or eight. I actually talked to only a handful of people and I was OK with that. I was totally new and wanted to look around and get a feel for what was happening - and I did.

Wherever one goes it takes time to meet and get to know people, but in The Villages it is much, much easier because so many people are in or have been in the same boat.

By the way, these meeting did not feel like any meat market to me and I have been to plenty of those!

I way totally agree about a roomful of strangers. Even if I know a couple of people, it makes me crazy trying to distill the noise and the crowd into something fun. It really gets on my nerves! Let me know when you get here and we'll have a small bunch for lunch.
Kitty

[thomas47]

Originally Posted by katerogers

Tom,

It's been awhile since anyone posted to this thread and I just wondered if you ever got to one of the singles club meetings? How did it turn out?

Katie

Hi Katie, I have not gotten to a meeting as yet ( only 1 a month) I am closing on house tomorrow and have guests this week. But when the dust settles I'll be at the June mtg

[katerogers]

Hi, Tom,
It would be great to get a first hand report of your first impression of a singles club in TV. Like many in these forums, I won't be moving to TV for a few months, so I'm sure any single making this move would like a little advanced intelligence. Don't forget to post us with the details. Katie

[TVMayor]

Originally Posted by katerogers

Hi, Tom,
It would be great to get a first hand report of your first impression of a singles club in TV. Like many in these forums, I won't be moving to TV for a few months, so I'm sure any single making this move would like a little advanced intelligence. Don't forget to post us with the details. Katie

I went to a singles group a couple years back when I rented in the TV for 4 months shortly after the meeting started the speaker asked for a show of hands of the first time visiters. A half dozen people responded and she asked that the new people be made welcome. After the formal meeting ended I expected to have some nice to meet you conversation. Wrong!!! All the wonderful singles grabbed cookies and pop and headed for the door.

Day light in the swamp, tonight in the square I am going to put cookies around my chair.

[katerogers]

Originally Posted by TVMayor

I went to a singles group a couple years back when I rented in the TV for 4 months shortly after the meeting started the speaker asked for a show of hands of the first time visiters. A half dozen people responded and she asked that the new people be made welcome. After the formal meeting ended I expected to have some nice to meet you conversation. Wrong!!! All the wonderful singles grabbed cookies and pop and headed for the door.

Day light in the swamp, tonight in the square I am going to put cookies around my chair.

It seems like these clubs don't have interactive activities at these meetings. Ones that would automatically foster conversation between the participants. Unless I'm misunderstanding the messages I've read to date, as a stranger - assuming you haven't been able to connect with other singles before walking in the door - when you go to these meetings cold, you grab a seat and hope someone will talk to you or you take a chance and start a conversation with a group, and hope they acknowledge you. There really must be a better way to run these meetings? So far, I haven't read any posts from singles that sing the praises of any of these clubs. Does anyone have a song to sing?

Katie

[TVMayor]

Originally Posted by katerogers

It seems like these clubs don't have interactive activities at these meetings. Ones that would automatically foster conversation between the participants. Unless I'm misunderstanding the messages I've read to date, as a stranger - assuming you haven't been able to connect with other singles before walking in the door - when you go to these meetings cold, you grab a seat and hope someone will talk to you or you take a chance and start a conversation with a group, and hope they acknowledge you. There really must be a better way to run these meetings? So far, I haven't read any posts from singles that sing the praises of any of these clubs. Does anyone have a song to sing?

Katie

During the 4 month stay in TV I joined another singles group that had a bowling league figuring fun, opportunity for conversation and for the length of the match no one could run. As a result I was super pleased with my first luck of the draw partner. The interaction was outstanding, I had a new friend. After the match a guy from 6 lanes down comes over and it turns out the nice lady is coupled-up. We then all went to lunch. Most of the group was coupled-up.

[katerogers]

It would seem these clubs are for more than dating. It' s good to have a group of friends to hang around with, but if they are still coupled up, it hardly seems any different from joining the couples groups.

Have you seen the posts for Kitty Gilchrists's party this weekend? Everyone is single - uncoupled - actually everyone going are pretty much strangers. Her invitation is on the singles site, so you might want to go. i think you'd meet a lot of great people.

Katie

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Rjhensel

At the one mixer I attended, it will stay one, I was left to fend for myself, introduced to no one, felt more alone than if I would have stayed at home

If you would like to meet a few friends at a house party, pm me.
Kitty

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by katerogers

It would seem these clubs are for more than dating. It' s good to have a group of friends to hang around with, but if they are still coupled up, it hardly seems any different from joining the couples groups.

Have you seen the posts for Kitty Gilchrists's party this weekend? Everyone is single - uncoupled - actually everyone going are pretty much strangers. Her invitation is on the singles site, so you might want to go. i think you'd meet a lot of great people.

Katie

During the years I have been 'single again' I have belonged to several singles groups. In my experience just about everyone who joins is single-single when they arrive. Over time they gradually make friends within the group and become part of the group or they stop attending. Also over time many of the folks date within the group, frequently just for a date or two, even several. Some end up as couples but remain within the group. A few eventually enter more permanent relationships such as living together and/or getting married.

A quick story. I had a widowed aunt in her late 40's of average appearance. A girlfriend invited her to join her singles group. When my aunt showed up with her girlfriend she noticed and met a man there to whom she was quite attracted. Her girlfriend told my aunt to forget about dating him, that he had been with his girlfriend (who was also at the function) for 3 or 4 years. Well, the next day my aunt got a call from the fellow. They ended up getting married. Their marriage lasted until he died in his nineties. So, one never knows...

[katerogers]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

During the years I have been 'single again' I have belonged to several singles groups. In my experience just about everyone who joins is single-single when they arrive. Over time they gradually make friends within the group and become part of the group or they stop attending. Also over time many of the folks date within the group, frequently just for a date or two, even several. Some end up as couples but remain within the group. A few eventually enter more permanent relationships such as living together and/or getting married.

A quick story. I had a widowed aunt in her late 40's of average appearance. A girlfriend invited her to join her singles group. When my aunt showed up with her girlfriend she noticed and met a man there to whom she was quite attracted. Her girlfriend told my aunt to forget about dating him, that he had been with his girlfriend (who was also at the function) for 3 or 4 years. Well, the next day my aunt got a call from the fellow. They ended up getting married. Their marriage lasted until he died in his nineties. So, one never knows...

That is a wonderful story. It kind of puts all of the ups and downs, that I've seen in the various posts, of being single in TV into perspective. Life - no matter where you live - is what you make of it. Thanks

Katie