[John_W]

Originally Posted by swimdawg

I remember going to Buffalo Bills/Sabres games in the past....and some of the conduct was not....the best. BUT....most people...yes, MOST people, are nice and well-behaved.

So John....tell me, is TV all you thought it would be?

Same thing would happen at a Ravens game if you were to wear a Steelers jersey. However, at Lake Sumter Landing listening to the Dynamic Duo (who weren't very dynamic) I would expect better manners.

Golf is costing me a little more here. I use to play at about ten courses in Maryland and pay between $32 and $37, sometimes it even included lunch. Here from Oct to April to get those rates you need to pay about $700 to become a priority member or the green fees would be about $48. I have some softball mates who go off campus to play and I think next winter that is what I'll be doing. Come May 1st I can play any course but Palmer for $19 after 11am without being a member.

Actually a few other things here were more expensive. I'm paying Centurying Link about double what I paid Verizon for a phone and internet. I could go on, but for example our last electric bill here was $92, in Maryland it would of been $350, so I guess it kind of evens out.

I love it here, but I do miss the convenience I had living near Baltimore. Within a 10 minute drive I could be at about 30 different eating establishents. Here, it takes 20 minutes to just get to 466 from Tamarind Grove. Eventually when 466A get more developed it will probably be better since that is only 5 minutes away.

I did play golf all winter, where in Maryland I would of not have played from mid Dec to early March. Also I play softball every week with people my age, where in Maryland I hadn't played softball since 1981.

To watch every Ravens game I have to pay Directv $300 for NFL Sunday ticket. You get things and you lose things, it's all a trade off. I guess it a bad way to judge a place by what things cost. However, when you're on a fixed income that becomes very important.

[George Bieniaszek]

I am truly happy being here in The Villages. We are part-timers here spending 6-7 months here, all winter, then again 2 times for a month in June/July and October/November. This is a vacation for us. We have a CYV so there is minimal maintenance here so that we can enjoy other activities.

Love the golf cart rides and explorations. This year my wife and I took golf lessons and we are enjoying the game. So far so good!! No smashed windows or torn lanai screens

We are physically active more here than back in Connecticut! We walk more for exercise and to get healthier, interact with our neighbors more, meet new friends, joined a couple of clubs and basically smile almost 100% of the time we are awake!! People in general are frendlier than any other place we have visited.

Yes, we have to put up with some of the typical irritations that previous posters stated, with lines at restaurants, increased traffic, etc. etc. etc. This is no different than in any resort community that has seasonal people come in for a period of time, Cape Cod, Block Island during the summer months to name 2 that I am familiar with.

This year, more than last year, my wife and I have noticed an increase in aggressive and rude behavior, in driving cars and golf carts, (what's the rush?? This is a retirement community!!!), people barking like dogs at others they deemed were doing something wrong. This group of people in my opinion, is a very small percent of the population. I am not suggesting that it is caused by snobirds or frogs because there are no visible or distinguishing marks or tatoos to tell them apart.

We are in the process of getting our CT home ready for sale and hope to be fulltimers here as soon as possible. Till then, we are enjoying the best of both worlds, enjoying the absolutely beautiful weather that Florida and The Villages have and also enjoying the New England summers as well.

[angiefox10]

We moved in the end of February... Spent the first few weeks getting unpacked and making the house a home, all the while wondering how we were going to meet people and get involved in the community. After leaving all our friends behind we honestly had our doubts.

Well..... That seems like a long time ago. We are so busy with friends and activities we don't have time for them all. We live with our calendar so we don't double schedule!

The Villages has been everything and MORE then what we expected! Swimdawg, it just gets better EVERY DAY!

We've also met some really GREAT flakes and can't wait for them to get back into town so we can see them again!!!!

Lovinthelife!

[Oren L Miller]

I'm still waiting for the swimdawg recipe thread if you know what I mean.

[swimdawg]

Originally Posted by Oren L Miller

I'm still waiting for the swimdawg recipe thread if you know what I mean.

Don't hold your breath.....trust me! I am not familiar with that word, "recipe". Is it related to that word, "cookbook....or stove....or something like that? I do know that the one use for my oven is to store popcorn for the next time Bill'nBrillo stop over.

Now back to my question.........

[raynan]

We love it and it is definitely more than we expected. More friends than we ever thought possible and so many laughs and good times. I've never used a callendar so much in my life to keep activities and appointments straight.

We tend to skip lunch and eat dinner much earlier or after 7 when the birds are here. I truly think this winter was much worse than last year (our first) because of all the new building south of Pennecamp and no new amenities except Bonifay. No new executive courses built created a nightmare trying to get tee-times. Restaurants more crowded but should subside as 466A and 44 develop. Crowds create tension and bad manners and it was more evident this year especially on the roads. It's probably because the birds and renters are trying to cram in as much fun as they can in a shorter time which is understandable but not necessary. Crowds here and waits for amenities are still less than what we had to deal with back in Massachusetts and we're retired, so what's the rush.

[pooh]

I've been thinking about this question most of the morning. TV is all that I expected and I do love it here. There are many things that contribute to that love....first and foremost, all the wonderful friends I have made over the 6 years I've lived here. Over that time some have taken different social paths, but we still are there for each other. The beauty of the community is amazing. It always looks shiny and bright, even in the midst of our current drought. TV is massive...not what many expected or what some might be uncomfortable with, but coming from southern CA, believe me, this isn't bad at all. It's all a matter of perspective. Even with the large size of the community, as we headed down towards Brownwood today...WOW, so much being built, there is a homey feeling about the place. TV isn't where we came from, where we left, it's a place entirely different and unique with many positives...and of course a few negatives, but what place is absolutely perfect. Some complain that people are unfriendly...maybe they have come from an area where friendly interaction with strangers wasn't the norm. Smile...it does wonders ... it makes others feel more comfortable and could just be what they need to brighten their day. It will make you feel better no matter what the response received. We don't always know what burdens others are dealing with.
It is more crowded than when we moved here, but it's like that in many, many parts of the country and frankly, it's not crowded all year long and during the peak season, just make a few adjustments to your schedule and all will work out.
There's much more to do here than where I came from. Lots more golf courses, even with higher cost for championship courses during the season. I know for some, costs were less, but not where we lived. There's activities, movie theaters are closer, grocery stores are convenient, more and more shops are being attracted to the area because of TV and that helps us and those who now have jobs.

It's a thriving, bustling and beautiful community, it's TV, not any place else....it's my new home and home for many. Remember we all made the decision to move here from where we lived previously....no one forced us to make that move, we did so willingly. If it's not what one likes, one can move,....I know that's not always easy, but one needs to live where they're happy so if TV isn't what you expected or like, it's decision time.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by John_W

This is how things get started. Last night at LSL my wife, brother, who was visiting, and I were in the white plastic chairs watching the band. Two chairs in the row in front of us became vacant, before I knew it some guy comes in between my chair and the next chair cutting through our aisle rather than going down to the end. I guess he was afraid someone would get to those chairs before he would. He hits me in the shoulder as he steps through and then steps on my foot. His wife followed but somehow missed me. He never said a word or even looked at me. After he sat down he never turned around, if he had I don't know what I might have done, I know he ruined my time there because I all I thought about is whether I should get in this guys face.

To top it off, I hurt the foot he stepped on playing softball last Saturday and I was trying to rest it all week so I could play today. Since I play shortstop you need to have your feet in good shape. I believe if I had one more beer this situation would of turned out differently.

No, more beers or not you did the right thing. Nothing would change if you "got in his face". His future behavior will not be any different and you would have become even more upset.
Besides in this great state of Florida, going after somebody can be dangerous. They can shoot you and walk away because of the "stand your ground" law passed by the folks up in Tallahasse.

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by John_W

I know he ruined my time there because I all I thought about is whether I should get in this guys face..

I think anytime you re-live a situation as to what you should have done you can bet you were wrong holding back.

Not saying get in his face that i bit much, but you could have said something like hey do you know you stepped on my foot what's up with that?

[duffysmom]

We've been in TV for almost 4 years and like Villages07 we are amazed and grateful for the opportunity to live in paradise. In the past we've been privileged to live directly on the ocean and when up north we overlooked the Hudson River so we were hesitant to make the change. We thank God on a daily basis that we followed our hearts and moved here.

The reasons for loving TV have been mentioned by others over and over but I feel that the essence of our happiness here is intangible. People mention how crowded and rude people are but having lived in Florida for many years I can tell you that the Winters all over Florida are crowded with people from northern climates and you get all kinds of attitudes. When we lived in a beach community we would have to plan our afternoons out because of the traffic and frequently we refused to have dinner out because of the crowds. Everyone wants a piece of our perfect climate in the Winter.

For me the most important thing you can bring to TV is gratitude for having the opportunity to live another day in near perfect weather with some of the finest people we've ever met. Take what you want and leave the rest.

[rubicon]

Is TV all you thought it would be? I suspect that every person who visited, rented or bought whether as seasonal residents or fulltime has had the same opinion of TV (i want some of that and this and that). And therein is the answer. After six years of full time living here my perception is that there has been a consistent correlation between increasing population and quality.

Another aspect that factors into this is the design of traffic flow which two years ago was well antiquated failing to respond to the increasing population. Perhaps the build out will solve this problem? Perhaps not? However TV is a big attraction and outliers are utilizing TV without any skin in the game and TV can't do a darn thing about it because this is not a gated community.

This overcrowding predictably raises tensions on the roads, cartpaths, in restaurants and on the squares. So does the continual turnover of people owing to renters, vistors and locals.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

I think anytime you re-live a situation as to what you should have done you can bet you were wrong holding back.

Not saying get in his face that i bit much, but you could have said something like hey do you know you stepped on my foot what's up with that?

In Ohio THAT is called getting in one's face.

Least said, soonest mended. If he doesn't have manners by now, He ain't gonna learn 'em from you.

Having the last word can lead to escalation...just like Bogie says.



OOOOPS I JUST had the last word, Gracie. Gracie. Shame on you.

[Mudder]

We should have moved here years ago. We love everyday here even in the winter. I like the energy the newcomers and winter people bring, but yes, we do have to adjust our schedules just a bit and take a more tolerable approach to things. We have to go back up to Massachusetts for a graduation next month....we love seeing everyone but are always anxious to get back here to our bubble. We're full time residents who have lived in Florida for almost 20 years, no other place compares to TV !
Oh, also wanted to mention that I do see new things, changes, etc...that little park near the Haciendas at Mission Hills is a wonderful addition and closing SS square for repairs, etc... is actually a good thing.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Is TV all we thought it would be? Yup, without question, especially given our snowflake status. Sandy and I only make it down there for a few weeks at a time off and on during the year and yet we've managed to meet and connect with many great people............and hope to continue to do so. We always cram a lot into our schedule when we're there - seems like we always run out of time for all the things we want to do!

I'm sure it's definitely different being a frog - a broader set of experiences being in TV full-time. But we're happy with our lifestyle at this point and for us, TV is a perfect fit.

Bill

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

In Ohio THAT is called getting in one's face.

Least said, soonest mended. If he doesn't have manners by now, He ain't gonna learn 'em from you.

Gracie Gracie It's a mans thing

In NY that's called don't step on my foot