[cynkr67]

We haven't lived in TV long at all...bought preowned in late spring and have been here since mid-September. I've been reading these boards and getting a wealth of information from everyone, for which I am grateful. One thing that puzzles me, though, is the anger(?) I read in some posts towards the developers. Maybe we just haven't encountered any problems yet, but we feel TV is a unique and very special community. It is clean & beautiful, chockful of recreational activities to enable a healthy lifestyle, and has access to tons of shopping and restaurants. Is it perfect? Probably not...nothing is...but I see much more good in the community than anywhere else we've lived. In many cities, additions to lifestyle were pretty much financed by those in community through bonds & fund drives. This includes entertainment or performance complexes, libraries, YMCAs, etc. We were happy to give to these projects as they made our life better and more fulfilled. Some of the posters I've read seem to be angry at being asked to contribute and angry at the fees we pay? I have no problem with the developers making money as long as our lifestyle remains so satisfying...I surely don't expect them to do things out of the goodness of their hearts. Anyway...am I missing something? Is this a community-wide anger or just a few malcontents? Not trying to start a firestorm, just looking for clarification. Thanks, Cynthia

[chuckster]

Good post and welcome........I agree, I like the site for it's wealth of information.

As in all of our past lives/residences there were those that were never happy with life, job, community, etc. We have the same small percentage here and the difference is that with this site they have a platform for their distrust, unhappiness, etc. that was lacking in their past. Just ignore the negatives and enjoy the positives. I prefer the glass half full.....jmho.
Once again welcome..

[Ajack]

Originally Posted by chuckster

Good post and welcome........I agree, I like the site for it's wealth of information.

As in all of our past lives/residences there were those that were never happy with life, job, community, etc. We have the same small percentage here and the difference is that with this site they have a platform for their distrust, unhappiness, etc. that was lacking in their past. Just ignore the negatives and enjoy the positives. I prefer the glass half full.....jmho.
Once again welcome..

I agree. If people were miserable SOB's where they came from, I doubt that they would change character after arriving here.

[LuvItHere]

It is class envy, which produces nothing but bitterness--the poison pill wekeep taking, with the hope that the rich guy dies and we get all his money. (Fat chance.)

It's a type of slow suicide, which certainly doesn't fit with the happiness most people find here in TV. A lot of the happiness comes from knowing how long we worked hard and scrimped and saved, living within our means . . so we could get here by earning it and properly managing our money.

[JenAjd]

I totally agree with you! Thank you for this post, btw. I continue to scratch my head at some of the comments here. People who question the laws and the rules made to make our lives better. I wonder then why they all wanted to come here in the first place. I count it a HUGE blessing that someone once had a dream and fulfilled it by building such a wonderful place.
It kind of goes along with the dicotomy of people who purchase a home on a golf-course then get mad when balls come by their houses. Some people just want to have their cake and eat it too.

[2BNTV]

People are as happy as they make of their minds to be. Abraham Lincoln

Nothing or no-one is perfect but TV is close in my opinion.

I would enjoy living in paradise and would tend to ignore the minor irritations.

TOTV is a fountain of information. I for one, enjoy being on this web site as it is a great source of enetrtainment.

Wannabe to a frog, hopefully soon.

[Taj44]

I think most people love it here, but there is a certain element that think everything is "perfect", drink the "koolaid", act like the Developers are some kind of benevolent rulers, etc. have this sort of Pollyanna mentality while other people point out areas that need improvement, and offer suggestions. The Pollyanna group gets insulted by this, for some reason, and conflict ensues. Obviously the main goal of the Developer here is to make money. That is a given. And the residents have certain needs that they would like to be met with their amenity fees. The residents filed a lawsuit against the Developer which was settled in 2008 (the residents won to the tune of $40 million) so that kind of gives you an idea of why some people are dissatisfied with the actions of the Developer and don't trust them.

[K9-Lovers]

The complainers are a few malcontents who have found an audience here on TOTV. Everyone I meet in this wonderful community is ecstatic to be here, friendly, smart and full of joy.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by cynkr67

Is this a community-wide anger or just a few malcontents? Not trying to start a firestorm, just looking for clarification. Thanks, Cynthia

There is no community-wide anger against the Developer. Most of us believe that the by-laws and covenants make TV a better place to live. Of course life in The Villages isn't perfect and has minor irritations, which most of us cheerfully ignore.

IMHO,the Developers deserve to be billionaires for their vision, their risk-taking, and their tenancity and hard work in bringing their dream to be a reality.

(Or maybe I'm on the payroll with Graciegirl, only the Shadow knows).

[memason]

I really like TOTV. I have asked for and received good advice on a number of issues, related to living in TV.

However, I'm very glad I found TV BEFORE I found TOTV! Posters here are a small minority of the overall TV population, but if I'm just trying to learn about TV and whether I'd like to retire there, some of the threads might have had me steering clear of TV. Luckily, I had 2 preview visits before I happened across TOTV.

As for the developer, I hope they continue to reep huge rewards from TV. As long as they are making money, it's better for all of us, I think.

[eweissenbach]

Love for the community and love for the developers may be mutually exclusive for many. You don't have to love the developers to love the community and vice versa. Not to make a comparison by any means, but Adolph Hitler improved the roads, the economy, and the infrastructure in Pre-War Germany, improving the lives of most German residents greatly. (Please don't respond that I compared the Morses to Hitler - I am only pointing out that good works aren't always accomplished by good people, nor am I saying that good works can't be accomplished by good people.)

[eweissenbach]

I would also say that TOTV probably reflects a relatively positive overall view of the Villages. I found TOTV before I ever visited and was encouraged by most of what I saw. The truly unhappy campers that live in TV, and I am sure there are some, are very unlikely to spend time on a board devoted to the subject they seem to dislike. Boards like this are generally populated quite heavily with boosters of the subject, just like a chat board about a college football team attracts very vocal fans of the team by and large. I found TV to be a great place and plan to buy within the next year if all goes well, and nothing on this board has, or is likely to, dissuade me. After a while you begin to sense the attitude of regular posters and you can take their comments in that context. Thanks again to the Admins for a GREAT FORUM!!!!

[Barboza]

We found the Villages over 20 years ago and were enchanted by all the happy folk and relaxed lifestyle but could not believe that there was not a "catch".

So we continued to visit annually, watched the place grow and although, as time went on we no longer "knew" everyone when we visited the Square, there were many more shops and facilities available. Things were different but in general the people remained friendly and we continued to be amazed by the lifestlye.

After 10 years, still not having found the "catch" but having decided there were no "Stepford Wives", in 1999 we invested in a patio villa and still wake every morning grateful to Mr Schwartz and his family for providing this wonderful place for us to play for 6 months of the year.(We are British and although we would happily stay and invest in your beautiful country have to go back across the "pond".

We look forward to our next visit to "wrinkly heaven" (my grandsons words). He also says no one dies of old age in Florida they die of exhaustion!!!!!!!!! always on the go, he has a hard time keeping up.

There will always be people who are dissatisfied but they are not imprisoned here. If they really don't like it they can always leave.

The "Developer" is after all a business man, in the business of selling houses and astutely builds all the amenities to encourage people to buy houses here.
How many other developers around here do that.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! & GOD BLESS THE MORSE FAMILY

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Fortunately or unfortunately, a forum such as TOTV provides a platform for all of us to express ourselves if we so choose - ask questions, offer input for others...........and state opinions. And some folks tend to be more opinionated than others and willing to express it. That's all fine. But you'll always find some people - anywhere - who will "cry if they get hanged with a new rope" - there's always something wrong with everything. At the end of the day, we see a lot of what I attribute to just 'human nature' here on TOTV.

Frankly, I've found this forum to be less 'heated', for lack of a better descriptor, than other forums I've visited, regardless of the general subject matter involved. The fact that some people have some level of distaste for the developers is o.k., at least in my mind. If we were all the same, it would be a pretty boring world! They've got their reasons for their perspective on the developers, be they right or wrong. And it's tough in a format such as this forum to effectively try to sway someone's opinion without things getting touchy at times.

It's all information - we take it in, process it as we see fit, create a mindset about it, and then go from there. I just take the "hatin' " with a grain of salt, chuckle, and move on. But that's just me.......

Bill

[redwitch]

Okay, I'm one of those who isn't a big fan of the developers. I truly admire what has been accomplished in TV. From everything I've heard about Harold Schwartz, he is a man I would love to have met and have gotten to know. I do not have that desire when it comes to Gary or Mark Morse.

It has nothing to do with class envy. It has nothing to do with jealousy -- I've known, admired and loved people who had at least as much money as they did and at least one who had a heck of a lot of more. To say that someone criticizes or does not admire the Morses because of envy or jealousy is inaccurate, at best. Nor are those who see their clay feet necessarily malcontents. They and I do have reasons and they are valid reasons. I have stated my dislikes and reasons therefor in the past. I see no reason to go over them again. Not liking their present business practices takes nothing away from what they have done in the past nor from some of their plans for the future.

To me, TV and the developers do not go hand-in-hand. The Morses built and are building this development. It is the people who live here that make this such a wonderful place. There really is an incredible generosity of spirit here, one that I've never seen anywhere else. People are genuinely happy and willing to help each other. That, to me, is the most beautiful part of TV.

I give the Morses credit for doing things to keep TVers happy, to making sure everything is well-maintained, etc. I do hope this will continue to be the case once there is a final buildout, but we'll have to wait and see on this one (but I do think TV will continue to have music in the squares, be clean and well-maintained, etc.). Even so, some of the practices of the Morses are not to be admired -- think the IRS mess, the bond issues, the "donation" of the Church on the Square (which was recently rejected) and myriad small business decisions. They are out to make a profit regardless of the cost to others and that's just not right. So, hurrah to the development that is called The Villages, the wonderful people who live here and the people who envisioned this and ultimately created it. And boo to the family that puts profits above all else, regardless if it is the right thing to do or not, and totally forces their opinion (with no opposing arguments basically allowed) on others.