[Talk Host]

Hi and Welcome. We would love to have you as a registered member. There is no fee and you will have found a place with hundreds of great people and a ton of new friends. Please take a moment to select a forum name and password, then register.

Additionally, with hundreds and hundreds of members and guests each day, our base would grow considerably if each person could send one or more emails to friends suggesting that they check out Talk of The Villages.

It's a wonderful organization with great members and guests. Lots of information and fun.

Your administrators,
Darrel, Tony and Jan

[Boomer]

I'm landing here to do one of those testimonials or whatever they are called. Here goes:

Dear Guests,

We have not yet bought in TV, but when we do, I know that I will know more about what to do than I ever would have known without knowing about TOTV.

When I found this site, it was after a long time looking. I knew that with something as big as TV, there had to be something out there in cyberspace where people were talking about it. Not just advertising. Or the official TV site. I had been googling for quite awhile, when one day TOTV showed up. And I have been here since.

When I first arrived at this wonderful theater for our demographic, I hung out in the lobby for awhile, like you are doing.

Then I registered and took a seat. In the back row.

But then I kept moving up a few rows at a time so I could shout questions from my seat. I knew that I would get great answers to add into the information gathering mission I had been on.

Then winter arrived. Winter was particularly snarly here in Ohio. Cold. Bitter. Too much snow. I was spending way too much time on my kitchen computer.

And one day, in this theater that is TOTV, I took a leap onto the stage and started to write stuff. That leap surprised the heck out of me. There I was, "strutting and fretting" like that poor actor Shakespeare talks about in Macbeth. (Yeah, I know. "A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.") But I did not care.

I pretended that when winter came to an end, I would get over myself. But I have not. It is fun here. And even though my yard and my golf lessons call to me, and I answer them, I'm still here. I am here because I want to be, not because I am snowed in.

And just in case you are like I was in the beginning, let me share a little more story with you. I have never been part of a board before. I knew nothing about them. I watched from a distance for awhile, to be careful, until this place felt OK. I do not know how our administrators do what they do. But the internet underbelly does not get past the gate here on TOTV, not that I have seen.

And when you register, you have access to additional ways to search. And there is a feature that lets you send private messages to other members. I have also asked questions in that way of people who live in TV. They have all come through with those great answers I have learned to expect here. TOTV people really do try to help each other. It is truly "the kindness of strangers."

I have great respect for the administrators and for the posters here. And as it turned out, TOTV is more than just information about TV. There are so many other discussions here that are informative or just plain fun. OK, sometimes people argue. But that's OK, too. I just duck.

This is my invitation to all you guests still out there in the lobby. Come on in. Take a seat. Maybe shout a question or two. You may even find yourself answering some questions. You may come in for the information. You may look around for the fun. But please join us. This is an exceptional site. Lots of good people here. Even though I have never seen any of them, I know this.

btw, I don't know who thought up the name "Talk of the Villages" but it sure is a good one.

Boomer

(Psssst, Hey Jan, you can drop the check in the mail now.)

[nhsnowbird]

Boomer said it much better than I could ... This is a great place to learn all you can about TV. Enjoy the journey.

Great post Boomer BeBack. ;D 040 024 wav

[njgranny]

Yes, Boomer - good post. This is such a wonderful resource.

[Sidney Lanier]

I find a tremendous amount of useful info on the TOTV site, though I do think, as I've mentioned before, that we need to approach our neighbors and friends who presently live or own in TV personally and directly to suggest that the check out the site, register, and then decide if it's of interest/use to them. Since The Daily Sun will not allow TOTV to advertise, this may be the next best way to reach fellow Villagers!

[ouma1938]

Excellent post Boomer. Said exactly what I was thinking only better. I will add my own feeling, that in addition to all the wonderful information we learn about on the site, it also serves to cheer you up while you are waiting to be able to move to TV. I spend hours reading the posts and it really helps me get through the period of trying to sell our home we can move to TV. The friends I have made on TOTV are wonderful and I can't wait to meet them all in person one day but until then, being a TOTV member makes we feel like a "real" TV'er and its is a great feeling. So to everyone out there, jump in, the water is fine! Sign up!

[pili]

I agree with Boomer and the rest of you wonderful people. I joined TOTV last fall when my husband and I decided it was time too think about retiring. We are making our first trip to TV the last week in May. I have learned so much about TV through this forum. Everyone is wonderful and so helpful. I feel we are coming with a lot of questions answered and questions we can ask. This is a great forum and of tremendous help to anyone considering TV (or other areas for that matter). We are looking forward to our visit and meeting some of the nice folks at TV. We hope to be settled in warm weather come next December. Thank you and please join as a guest if you haven't done so. I've been treated as if I already live in TV by everyone.

Pili