Originally Posted by dddave (Post 1229140)

To those who commented on my thread with sympathy, advice, and, yes, even finger pointing (sincere critiques speaks well of the critiquer), I say thank you. Your words have warmed my heart and that of my wife. I know that I am the prime (but not only) cause of my problem. I do tend to be too trusting, but it does get my knickers in a knot when someone takes advantage of that trust. When I was growing up, words and handshakes were far more binding than ink on paper.

As for where I will take it from here, your words have solidified a question that had been vaguely rummaging around in the back of my mind – am I Villager material? My view has always been that too much freedom leads to chaos, and too many rules and too much order leads to a boring similarity. Through reason and compromise I have tried to live in the road between chaos and boredom. I fear that “The Village Experience” is based on the latter, and that it will never accept my appeals to reason and compromise.

This is not a criticism of “The Villages Lifestyle”. I have observed many people (but not all) at the town centers, at the club restaurants, on bocce courts who are truly enjoying their life and life style. I truly enjoy watching their enjoyment. However, I also don’t criticize nor condemn those who live a non-conformist lifestyle (and I cite LGBT’s). I have observed them (not all of them) enjoy their lives just as much. To me the bottom line is - If you find your happiness, embrace it and revel in it.

Returning to my “boring similarity” quote, I will suggest two experiments for you to prove my point.

First, drive down any Village road at speed for a quarter of a mile. I would challenge you to cite with certainty which house is an “Iris”, which is a “Lily”, which is a “Gardenia”.

Second, find a fairly straight street in The Villages; in the evening stand behind one of the lighted house identification poles (you know the ones that say you are a golfer or a fisherman or a politician (okay, no politicians). I will bet that you will see a straight line, any pole of which does not deviate more than an inch from that line.

As always I take full responsibility for not observing, while house hunting, the sociological and architectural realities of The Villages.

I would seem that I should be putting a "For Sale" sign on my lawn (sorry, in the window), and a sticker on my car "Moving to Arizona." Yet, surprisingly, in my mind, the question is still sitting on my table – Am I a Villager? It is still there because of a second reading of all your words and sentiments. I saw how replete they were with your individuality! That revelation has left me grappling with the following - apparently you have learned to “compromise” (a little) your individualism, and with that been able to ignore the peevish and capricious rules piled up around you and embrace the personal and higher personality aspects of The Villages. So, I am thinking, if you could, maybe I could, and, if I can, maybe I am a Villager.

The jury is in deliberation.

Thank you all again.

Originally Posted by RickeyD (Post 1229173)

Is the need for a larger lanai really responsible for such introspective thought ? If the lanai were allowed to be built would conformity and individualism be on trial here? Would the lanai conform to architectural standards if it were to be built or would it stand like no other all within the confines of easement ? Would its occupants then be happy or remain sullen knowing yet still all the neighborhood light posts appear as one...

Originally Posted by RickeyD (Post 1229173)

Is the need for a larger lanai really responsible for such introspective thought ? If the lanai were allowed to be built would conformity and individualism be on trial here? Would the lanai conform to architectural standards if it were to be built or would it stand like no other all within the confines of easement ? Would its occupants then be happy or remain sullen knowing yet still all the neighborhood light posts appear as one...

Originally Posted by l2ridehd (Post 1229196)

Maybe you have already done this. What I did when I bought my home, as we wanted a pool, we had T&D come before we completed the P&S and actually draw out where we could put the pool, how far each direction we could go, what options as a variance, (and they can happen up to 2.5 feet on our corner lot), and allowed that to be our final purchase decision. We were fortunate in that we could build a pool and birdcage the size and placement we wanted with a very small (less then 10 square feet) variance on one corner. T&D committed that they could get that variance and they did. And some of it came from that 20 feet from the corner lot side curb and most from the 10 foot rear line. So it can be done. Now it probably helped my application that T&D is owned by the developer, but they also build lanai's so might want to check. And I also highly recommend them as they did an outstanding job with all aspects of the pool and birdcage build. And I have no facts to back this up, but the person who did the measuring and made the commitment told me they get that 2.5 extra feet almost every time they make the request. And T&D was more expensive then other bids I got, but I also believe worth every $$.

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter (Post 1229207)

This is not true. Actually belongs to Terry and Glen Yoder.
About T&D Pool and Spa Construction

Originally Posted by outlaw (Post 1229211)

Some of these posts remind me of the current issue of immigrants flooding into the US and not wanting to assimilate, but wanting the culture and way of life from their former country. Many who come here for the better weather, do so in spite of the rural lifestyle they have invaded. Some come here and want to change the local politics. I recall discussions with locals (friends and relatives), who, at the time, were less than enthusiastic about the huge growth in their county. At the time, I didn't really understand why. I just thought that they were overwhelmed with the changing landscape. After living here for some time, I now see how the massive influx of different thinking people, many from large population centers can intentionally or unintentionally adversely affect the previously quaint, rural, polite community. People from large population centers, who actually grew accustomed to those areas, see TV as nothing but an improvement to this rural area. As some posters implied, they are here in spite of the local flavor. And many have no intention of assimilating into the local community, but seem to almost talk defiantly about overrunning the locals. Many wish the stores they loved in their former locations, would open a store here. Or many talk about how we need more high end restaurants, like they had in their former location. I witness frequent acts of rudeness, and unfriendliness, much of which is probably innocent and just the hardening of personalities though surviving and functioning in crowded urban areas. I see the difference when I go to a local family business, the young people are unusually polite. Not for rural Central Florida standards, but from where I and many of us spent most of our lives. I hear a lot of "yes sir's" and a genuine respectful attitude. This isn't meant to offend, but it just struck me as I read some of these comments, and remembered a string of comments from other posts over time. I do feel sorry for the locals and many of the original TVers who bought into a true rural village atmosphere, only to watch over time the urbanization of this area.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1229176)

Hope to meet you at Crispers today. Very thought provoking post.

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter (Post 1229207)

This is not true. Actually belongs to Terry and Glen Yoder.
About T&D Pool and Spa Construction

Originally Posted by l2ridehd (Post 1229196)

And I have no facts to back this up, but the person who did the measuring and made the commitment told me they get that 2.5 extra feet almost every time they make the request. And T&D was more expensive then other bids I got, but I also believe worth every $$.

Originally Posted by dddave (Post 1229342)

I am truly sorry my words have insulted you, and I appreciate the honesty of your reply. You are correct in saying I have my own way of evaluating a community. I have lived in several architecturally controlled communities and the one one that I visually enjoyed the most was one where "the Rules" required a builder (who could buy as many lots as he/she wanted, but could not construct more than three houses with the same floor plan and each had to have a different exterior finish. Architecture plays an important role for me, because it reflects the values of those who occupy its structures. America's propensity for wooden homes, which would have to be replaced every century or so (today its every generation or so) designed to exist for at most a couple of centuries expresses our restless need for change, and a desire to weigh the future more importantly than the pas.need hold onto the future not the past. The 2 foot thick stone houses of Europe reflects their desire for stability on a continent wracked by wars for almost a millennium. I don't demand that others use such a criteria, but to me architectural meaning is an element of my decision making. And, and I have said, itIt was an element that I failed to use during my house search.I also hope you and others accept that I have the right to use this criteria in my decision making.



As for my insulting remarks, I would like to say that I nowhere stated or implied that my opinion might be shared by "most" Villagers. But my presumption that my opinion might be shared by others in the community is a pretty good one. There are over 100,000 people in The Villages. I bet at least two people believe the world is flat.