For most of us living here, it becomes easy to take things for granted. When we first stumble upon Sun City, we are enamored with how incredible it is. We gleefully partake in the amazing number of things to do and wake mornings pinching ourselves trying to figure out how we found so special a place to live. Like in most aspects of our lives, we slip into routines and life becomes mundane, more of the same. It's why every so often i need to look closely at what is going on and reflect on just how good it all is. Take for example this past couple of days; on Wednesday night we went to the Eagles Tribute Show at Sun Dial (close enough to walk to). Tickets were $17 each and the show was nothing short of spectacular. 2 hours of non-stop memories, great vocals and guitar playing extraordinaire. On Friday i was asked to judge the Dancing With the Sun City Stars show, again at Sun Dial (this time i took my golf car). This was our 5th consecutive year and the place was packed (both events in the 1500 range). The crowd had a blast and the 6 Sun City residents who were brave enough to get on stage were a joy to watch. That show was free. Today one of our lawn bowlers is getting married at the Pavilion on Meeker mountain, and we'll stop by to offer congrats. Before that we'll roll some bowls at Lakeview, another gorgeous day with 70 degree temps. On Monday evening, one of our own, Mark Baker is putting on a concert back at the Sun Dial auditorium with some friends, tickets are still available for $10. Mark is a professional performer who has toured the country and is a musician/story teller you do not want to miss. It just keeps getting better with a Bee Gees Tribute show on Weds night (sorry sold out) and on Sunday March 12 we start the outdoor concert series with a Bob Seeger Tribute show that is free to all Sun City card holders and their escorted guests. That should be one rocking show and look for 7500 plus to be hanging from the lamp posts at the Sun Bowl amphitheater (if you haven't been there, you need to see it, unbelievable). If it sounds like i'm fixated on music, i'm not. I do enjoy watching good entertainment and over the past 5 years, this is one aspect of Sun City living that has increased 25 fold. Theresa Cerino and her staff has turned up the volume and those of us going are loving it. Maybe the good news is more people don't attend because i don't know where we would put them. The real topper on this diatribe is i've mentioned only one or two aspects of what makes Sun City so special. There are literally hundreds more options of things to do daily that the 40,000 of us living here do. So the next time you start to take our Sun City way of life for granted, pause and think about just why you love Sun City and how how very special it is for you and why. As we used to say in the program...gratitude is an attitude...so be grateful and you'll be amazed how much more you will enjoy life.
AMEN. On May 5 I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the day I arrived in Arizona from Washington State. Then on July 4 I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the day moved into my condo in Sun City. I didn't have any furniture which was quickly fixed with trips to Ashley's. Also I purchased some furniture from seller. I couldn't ask for a better 10 years and look forward to many more.
Congrats Peg. So here's where this gets more interesting: I start each morning visiting several sites on the net. One of them is 55Places. It is the most comprehensive website for those looking for their place in the sun. As good as their data is, their blog is woeful. Even with that said, i always look to see what people are saying. I used to post on their regularly, but have gotten away from it. One of the sites features is to showcase new age restricted communities and along with just how nice it is there's a cursory look at the related costs. Home prices always are stunners, 300k and up. Monthly ballpark association fees can run as high as $300 per month. Those numbers almost always trigger responses from readers complaining about how far out of reach those figures are for the masses of boomers looking to retire. It's at that point i want to reach into the monitor and scream at posters to look at Sun City. We have the most amenities at the least cost. Buyers can still buy into Sun City for less than $100k. Property taxes are low and the monthly cost for the lot assessment about is $41 per month. Factor in golf cars as your vehicle and all of the incredible things to do and there is no better value for your retirement dollar. Maybe we should be thankful more people don't know just how good we are eh?
What is "BOD"? I think every organization/club in SC uses/needs/welcomes volunteers. I do Visitor Center, Posse, Church, and Handi-Capables saving just enough time for medical/dental/social.
BOD=Board of Directors The RCSC has a "Welcome Bag" of information about clubs, organizations and services in Sun City which is handed to every new purchaser when they get their first rec card. The information is great but a personal greeting is always appreciated. I believe there is still a social club at Marinette that is for new Sun City residents and SCHOA also has regular gatherings for new buyers.
I went to the social club one time. It was a pot luck and they played cards afterwords. I never went back. No particular reason. However, I don't like to play cards.
Went out with some good friends to dinner at Dillion's (not as good as it usually is) before the Mark Baker and Friends show the other nite. The performance was way better than the food, but what the heck Mark? No Country Roads by John Denver? That's one of your signature songs brother. The guys on stage with him were a great addition, true musical talent. Next up is the opening of Spring Sun Bowl series. Starting at 6 am this Sunday evening there's no question it will be packed. And as a friendly reminder, make sure to bring your picture ID rec card as this free concert is for RCSC card holders and their escorted guests. This Bob Seeger Tribute show featuring the Bob Morrison Band will be a great way to kick off the season and without question, it will be an overflow crowd. Here's a youtube link to Morrison doing Old Time Rock and Roll, one of my favorites.
The lyrics in that songs remind me about the disco vs hard rock fights of the 70s. Now when I listen to disco it sounds much better, lots of guitar licks I must have missed back then.
Interesting you say that because i seldom pay any attention to the musicians on stage, always more focused on the vocals. But of late i am noticing the remarkable skills of those behind the voices and how much they add to any performance. The guitar riffs from the Eagles Tribute Band One of These Nights was something else. Maybe as we age we start to realize there's more to the song than what meets the ear eh?
I've played piano and electric guitar from a very young age and sang too so I notice both. But in the 70s it was a different issue. Musicians snubbed disco because of it's canned sounds. We often didn't realize they also had good musicians playing too. The Eagles are an entirely different story. They were disliked as being too soft. Then one of our guitar heroes, Joe Walsh, joined the Eagles. Guitarists were upset because he joined such a soft rock band. But he improved the Eagles because of it and people got over it. Walsh is a great guitarist. Originally with the James Gang if you knew that band.
It's funny because people almost always poo-poo tribute bands, but i find them to be interesting. Especially when you consider they often times go out of their way to acknowledge the history of the bands they emulate. Obviously Eagle's fans know about Glenn Frey and Don Henley, but the other night the guys paid a special salute to Joe Walsh and just how important he was to the Eagles success. Of course it didn't hurt they had one hell of a guitar player who was nothing short of spectacular. I said to my wife at one point, no-one on that stage is having more fun than their guitar player who they featured often. Last night was the Bee Gees Tribute show...anyone go?
Hey CM, hope all is well with you. Oops on the 6 am...even that would be early for Sun City event goers. A word to the wise though; we are notorious for getting to venues well in advance. Someone told me the morning the Sun Dial concert series sales started, folks were standing in line 4 hours before the gates opened at Lakeview. Go figure. I would encourage Sun City rec card holders to get to the Sun Bowl no later than 5:30 PM and the food trucks will be there is you are so inclined.
Usually two food trucks and the kettle corn stand. It will be interesting to see how many come back. They usually set up an hour before and break down and gone shortly after the show starts.
Damn gang; waited for others to share their thoughts on the Sunday night concert, but alas, it falls on me. It was one special evening and a part of our history. We shattered the attendance records set by Lawrence Welk back in the early 70's and matched by the Eagle tribute show a couple of years back. One couldn't help but note, as the band sang about being out under a very gorgeous moon, the big yellow orb that exploded in the sky behind them. Song after song brought us back to those days of our youth where we were filled with hopes and dreams of living a rich and fulfilling life. I don't know about anyone else, but as we sat there, it sure felt like we made it eh? The band closed the show with the comment; "for us, this is like performing in heaven." For those of us living here, we know exactly what you mean.
What a great closing line from the band. I saw a short clip of it on FB. The band sounded right on and everyone was having a rockin time.
