Pizza, Presents, Poitier, Pasta with Prom, my People, and Proverbs (..not in that order.)

Poitier
I got to spend a little time by myself -- in my own house -- Saturday afternoon.. It was reminiscent of my days at home with Mom and Dad.. They'd leave for a little while and I would TOTALY pamper myself by indulging in a pint of Haagen Daz (I was an ice cream snob in those days..) Perrier (whatever..) and a movie rental.  No kidding.. those three things.. I did it as often as I could.. I was waaay young.. had nothing better going on.

So, yesterday when my husband and daughters went out to do some "secret shopping" I jumped in the bed, flipped on the tv, and came across...

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner!

YES!  I've never seen this movie in it's entirety.. 

And I still haven't.. I'm to the point where both fathers have decided they are not in favor of this marriage but the mothers are about to encourage the kids to go for it anyway  ??? (Maybe..) Don't ever tell me what happens!  ...There WILL be another opportunity for me to catch this... one-of-these-days.

Pasta with Prom
I left the movie to join my family for dinner.  We were once again treated to the fashion show that is "Dinner before Prom in Terre Haute."  ..we have fun with that. 

Proverbs
It's Mother's Day.  Breakfast in Bed, fru-fru outfit (on me.)  Kids in sweet dresses.  Husband lookin' handsome.  Sermon is from Proverbs 31.

At one point I lean over to my husband and admit... "This sermon is a little uncomfortable on Mother's Day."

It's alot to live up to, a checklist of the perfect woman.

Then I got it.. and I was thankful for it. 

The pastor didn't say this but I realized afterwards.. When the kids don't live-up-to-what-I-want-them-to I don't walk away and start humming Cee Lo Green songs.

I will continue to be a better Momma, a better wife, daughter, woman-at-large.. and I will continue to receive great big helpings of mercy when I miss the mark.


Presents
G can NOT hardly keep a secret... she tries.. but it usually goes this way:

"I got you something for Mother's Day.  I won't tell you what it is.. but you PUT IT IN THE GROUND AND IT GROWS!"

How sweet!! (Now where do I have the space to grow WATERMELONS in the backyard??)

My People

Pizza
Final thought:

We usually get the thin crust pizza at Monicals.. but Dad wanted to try the thick crust.. YUM!!!

Pepperoni and sausage pan pizza from Monicals ROCKS!

Loans that have typically taken 30 days to close are now taking a little longer.. I have talked to lenders who say there are so many loans in the pipeline right now -- it is slowing things down.

With that being said, grass stops for no man does it?... Nor do weeds.

Buyers have asked me if they can PLEASE cut the grass at the house they are about to buy.. or pull some weeds.

Sometimes it's hard to tell them...

No. 

Don't touch the house until you close on it. 

Don't cut anything...

pull anything...

scrape anything...

paint anything...

or -- for that matter -- wash anything on-or-in the house until you close on it.

Of course you know you don't own it -- BUT, you are about to own it... None-the-less, until we close, the complete responsibilty for maintenance, risk, loss, utlitilies, anything related to the property and it's ownership belongs solely to the seller.

Besides that -- what if something happens and we don't close?

Sometimes it's hard to watch when a seller isn't taking care of things the way you want them to.

My advice is -- don't look, don't drive by it, don't think about it... (easy for me to say, I know.) 

You know, there is a PENALTY for making any kind of change to a piece of property you don't own without permission.. it falls under tresspassing.

I'll tell you how I know that..

A past client of mine had an accepted offer on a house here in Terre Haute.  Cash.  11k.  The house had a covered (not enclosed) patio on the back. 

Shortly after the offer was accepted, I get a call from the listing agent. 

He was a little "freaked out" when he told me that my client was building an addition on the back of his listing.

What?  I couldn't believe my ears.. My client had just asked me if I thought it would be ok to purchase lumber for an addition they wanted to make.  I had said "Sure.. but keep your receipt incase -- for some reason -- we don't close."

I was at home.. I piled the kids in the car and headed over to see for myself.

I took the alley so as to get a good view of the back of the house

Sure enough.. there sat about 8 ladies in a semi circle in the back yard facing the house.. watching their men hammer away on an enclosed patio.

With a lead foot I drove straight home and called my broker.  That's how I learned this type of behavior ..allthough seemingly harmless to this buyer of mine  ...was/is considered tresspassing to a seller.

So don't temp yourself.  Wait till you close!! You will enjoy working on your new home SO MUCH MORE after you officially own it!

(BTW I called my buyer immediately and asked them to stop working on the house.. I spoke to the wife... Her response was "You told me I could buy the wood!"  My response was "I did NOT tell you you could nail it to the house!!")

Catchin' up as it's been a few days...

Hey!  Did you run in the Indy Mini today?  So many of us Hautians do.. I was thinking we should have a Pre-Mini in Terre Haute on the weekend before the Main Event.... Fun idea? 

Aww I didn't do the mini.. but I did just get in from my 3mi in the 'hood.

Did you happen to hear the news...??  I didn't get a chance to post it on FB but several of my fellow agents did. 

Our office pended 100 (ONE HUNDRED) sales in the month of April. 

Wow! 

That's HUGE!! 

Pended sales are contracts that were accepted and signed by both the buyer and the seller. 

So now ...guess what us peeps at Coldwell Banker are gonna do...?

C'mon ONE guess is all ya get...

(...Like we need a reason! Ha!  We celebrate the fall bdays, the spring bdays, ..we celebrate the start of our sales meetings!!) 

But what a GREAT reason this one is!!!

(*Another good sign the market is on the up and up... I'm hearing there are a few new agents being hired.  I just got an offer from a "newbie" this past week.  A very well written offer I must add...)

So, if you were at the Indy Mini .. Cheers to you!  ...And I'll repost my earlier FB status update as you probably would have missed it...

Going to an Open House this weekend?

3 words of advice:

1.) Go in to as many as you can.  I know you've looked at alot online but a house can appear completely different in person.

2.) Play your cards close to your chest with the agent at the open house.. They are the listing agent and it's a good idea not to spill the beans about which features your in love with.  (But it's ok to leave your phone number... I promise they will NOT sell it!!)

3.) First thing this coming week.. go get pre-approved.  If you decide to make an offer you will have more power behind you and will look more attractive -- right off the bat -- to the seller.

Have a great weekend!!

(Final Note:)  KY Derby is about to start.. I am cheering for Bodemeister  ...There I've got it in writing incase he wins!!

I am not COMPLETELY anti - Dave Ramsey

You know Dave Ramsey?


Assumedly nice guy, formerly bancrupt, financial guru.. making millions.


I listen to his radio show..  Churches teach his financial theories during the work week.  I really do like him ..I just disagree with him about ONE thing...


Listen to me when I tell/write you.. "DO NOT FOLLOW HIS ADVICE IN REGARDS TO YOUR CREDIT SCORE."


Ultimately your credit score will improve if you pay your bills on time and get that balance down -- as he advises.


BUT!  Lack of attention to a credit score WILL make it hard for you to do other things (unless, of course, you're Dave Ramsey and you have millions in cash to do whatever you want.)

You will pay higher insurance rates on auto and home policies.

You may not get a job you want when your potential employer runs a credit check.

Not to mention you will not get a mortgage with a good interest rate if you have a low credit score.  Dave's not worried about that -- because he wants you to pay cash for your house. 

Grrrrr!!!!!!! 

Don't feel guilty about putting a mortgage on your home! 


Of course don't bite off more than you can chew...

YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE ALL THE MONEY THE BANK IS WILLING TO LOAN YOU.

Use your head.. follow Dave's advice.. it's good stuff.. but (I beg you) guard your credit score.. It's too valuable not to!

Taking my kids to the office.. The DANGERS and the DELIGHTS

You know why kids are so quick to learn techno stuff?  B/c they aren't afraid they'll hurt anything.  They'll press whatever buttons they want.. they don't know it might destroy a small village.

Meanwhile.. 'Know why I'm afraid to take my kids to the office?  I'm afraid they'll destroy something!

The kids playing "Weather Girl" in the back conference room.

They're cute and they're fearless.. 

My co-workers are the best group of people --bar none-- anywhere! 

AND MY KIDS LOOOOOVVVVEEEE THEM!

And that brings me to danger #1.. The kids can't decipher between "nice people" and "hard working professionals."

Example.. My broker has an open door policy.  My youngest finds that very inviting... and she's a talker!

Let's see... Danger #2.. The kids get too comfortable with the office stuff. 

Example.. One of my co-workers has a "junk food drawer" or as my kids call it..."the second drawer on the right!"

Is it possible I could think of one more?.. Danger #3.. The kids make NOISE!

Example.. "Mom!! She said I couldn't have that!"  "Mom!!  She hit me!"  "Mom!! She won't give me that!"  "Mom!! Can I have a drink?"

I get very nervous...  (but can't look nervous.. b/c that makes the kids sound louder..)

HOWEVER...  Thru all the "sushing" and the "stay here while I go to the copier" and the "stop doing that or you won't be able to watch TV tonight!" ...I'm doing something that I absolutely will NOT be able to do in only a few months.  I'm (actually) enjoying something that I will -- in only a few months -- think about in the middle of the day ...and wish I was still doing.  The kids are getting out of the house and finding out what grown ups do.. what Mommy does, and on some days what Daddy does.  I get to have my arm around their little waists while I talk to a client on the phone.  I get to watch them create highlighter art and post it booklets.  (Danger #4.. they go thru A LOT of my office supplies!) 

It may be b/c I'm the Momma and I'm blind to what others think about them.. b/c I find them sooo irresistible.. but gosh darn it.. I really do think the delights out weigh the dangers.. but the dangers drive me cccrrraazzzzyyyy!!

As long as I can keep them from monopolizing the receptionist or bugging my broker.. I've got a few more months/weeks of sweetness ...and then (oh shoot!) ....I'm on my own. 

How to be an amatuer runner

And when I say "amatuer" -- I almost mean PRETEND.

I never in a million wild dreams would have pictured myself as a runner -- not even in my youth.. as a little girl who only played outside from sun-up to sun-down, I STILL was never one to "wear myself out"  ..running made my side hurt ...so I avoided it.

BUT one day ('bout 10 years ago) an idea so novel entered my (by this time) sedentary brain.. I just came out and asked myself "Why CAN'T I do it??"

I lived in Farrington Grove and I went for a walk.  Got to the start of one block and challenged myself to run to the end of it.. NO stopping until I got there.  I would WILL myself to the end of the block.. arms flailing.. breathing extremely loud.  (I still don't concern myself with "form" :)

One block led to two, led to three, ...and now (no kidding!) 3 MILES.

I run through my neighborhood, mapped the route with my car.  I've been doing this on a fairly regular basis (most of the time taking the winters off) for 8 years.

No doubt about it -- the best weight loss aid there is.

PLUS a great way to meet my neighbors!  There's a lot of waiving going on, smiles, hello's. 

I think it's a great way for people to come to know me.  Every-once-in-a-while I stop for a conversation.. get a chance to tell people what I do..

Tonight, through the music in my ears, I thought I could hear my name.. I turned around and it was a little group of kids that know me from Erin's school.  It's a great pick-me-up to get these waves and hear my name called out.

It's also a great fount for funny stories.. of late these stories are mostly about the neighborhood dogs.  There's a pitbull that sees me coming everytime.  No matter where she is in her yard, she runs toward the fence as if her hairs on fire!  Barking and growling at me.. she never jumps over the fence (but, I REALLY think she could and just doesn't know it.) 

Well, one day I was headed towards her yard.. so I am thinking about her, with my music in my ears, wandering if this might be the day she realizes she can jump over the fence..  I hear the barking/growling out of the corner of my eye I see the dog ..SHE'S OUT OF THE FENCE!  I -- screamed -- bloody -- murder ...then I realized it was not her ..it was a dachsund I look up and the owner is standing in front of me.  She's yelling at me "She won't bite!!"

I have said that I run as if I'm running on the moon... I'm REALLY VERY slow...

Last week I was running by this REALLY VERY elderly looking gentleman standing there with a dog on a leash (a dachsund btw.) He says something to me but I can't hear over my music.  I take the bud out of my ear..

"What's that?" I ask. 

"You need to run a little faster!"

You know, no matter what you do.. you will have a critic!

One last thing.. Running gives me a great opportunity to THINK.  I suggest everybody give it a try.  Start with one block.  I like to listen to music.  I change it up -- but right now it's Need to Breathe, a couple of Adelle songs, Nelly, an obscure song that Matt found for me a couple of years ago called "Gasoline" unfortunately it's not on Youtube or I would add it here.. I love that one. 

Here's a Need to Breathe song that I like to run to.. The songs don't have to be fast.. they just have to be enjoyable.  The time your running doesn't have to be hard.. make it what you want it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XXW2I68IXE

I hardly remember how today started.  I know I pulled into the parking lot at my office and thought.. I've done well.. both kids are dropped off and now I've got a few moments to get things done.  From there.. it gets foggy.

LUCKY NUMBERS

Yesterday I wrote an offer for a client.  She wanted to incorporate her lucky numbers into the offer...

"I would like the offer to be 85,034.22"  She said.

"I've never written an offer with cents," I said, "and I'm not real comfortable with that."

Well, it turns out that the Bears won the SuperBowl in '85.  Walter Payton's number was 34.  And there's another important guy that wears the number 22.

"Ok,"  I say, "What if we offer a whole number and ask to close on May 22nd?"

She said that would work b/c apparently the Bears are red tagging/shirting this 22 guy.

So, I give the offer to the seller's agent.  We are aware there is another offer on this house and they are in a counter situation.. but the seller's agent say he likes our offer and will present it to his client along with the other counter.

Today was a long day.. but the last client I spoke to -- only a few minutes ago -- by phone  -- was this girl with the LUCKY NUMBERS.

I said I was sorry to have to tell her that her offer was not accepted.  The counter offer was $1000 more and even though the seller's agent thought our offer had other things in it that were better for his client.... the seller chose to accept the other counter.

Without missing a beat my client responds:

"The Bears won the Super Bowl in the 85 season ..but the year was 86."

Imagine that! 

I'm learnin' as I go!

See these eggs?  I found them today while scrounging up old plastic eggs to hide for the kids. 

Amazingly, I managed to find 35 that were given to us by different grandparents.  (Thank you...they REALLY came in handy today!)

However, these 8 eggs... I remember buying them 4 years ago for my little preschooler.  She was going to have an Easter Egg Hunt at school.. her first year of preschool.. first Easter Egg Hunt at any school.. maybe even first hunt ever.. we DO shelter these kids!

She was to bring 8 eggs with her name on them for the teachers to hide and then hunt, hunt, fun, fun... Yay!  (See how I put the heart on the "I"?  I thought it made them EXTRA special...)

Would you have known to put candy in the eggs?

I really don't remember that being anywhere on the paper...

But, ALL the other kid's eggs had candy in them. 

The little kids went outside, hunted for their eggs, brought them back into the classroom, opened them up, ate their innards (candy), and had an Easter Party.

Woops..

This year I knew to put candy in Gina's school eggs.

(These are not them.. these are from today... we put change and candy canes in their eggs for the "Home Hunt."  It was either that or steal from their baskets..)

We learn as we go! 

We learn to put the candy in the eggs..

We learn what the kids will and won't eat..

We learn what pushes our husbands buttons..

We learn the best way to negotiate with other realtors..

We learn how to be successful..

We learn what habits are harmful..

We learn how to be a better believer..

AS WE GO!
(Or were you born knowing all this stuff?? ...That would just not be fair!)

The best laid plans...

I am sitting across from this little group.. It's 12:05am.. Matt's Birthday. 

The girls and I have an entire day planned starting at 8:00am.. We've been giggling about it and susshing each other and clapping our hands when we think about it ...for the last 24 hours.  They were certain that they would be going to bed early tonight so they'll be able to get up when we need to ..to start Daddy's birthday. 

Well, it took longer than I thought to go to the grocery store, put things away, get things out, make some of those dishes we wanted to give him..

In the meantime they were watching a movie and fell asleep.. Now here they lay.. after midnight..

Happy Birthday Matt! 

Not saying I've been known to exaggerate ..or blow a little smoke ...but "cute kitchen" can be a relative term. 

Housekeeping issues can be sticky ...I sometimes feel like I have to sugar coat things.. or walk softly.  I can empathize people -- believe me!

But two things that cause me trouble if I exaggerate or sugar coat them:

(1) The price I think you will get for your house --

 (2) What I think about the market we are selling in --

It's tempting when I'm looking into my seller's sweet, puppy dog eyes.. to say "Wow, this is nice!  Start packing this will sell fast!  Where do you want to price it?  Oh definately, I agree!"  But...

My broker puts it this way "I'd rather tell you now what I really think you will get for your home than put the wrong price on it and try to explain to you later why it hasn't sold."

With that in mind... Lately I have been talking about our local housing market in a very good light.   We are improving and the future is looking good -- infact, RIGHT NOW is looking good!

Not everyone believes me... (Wha??)

The following is a conversation I had on Linkedin the other day with someone who (it appears) has not spoken with a local Realtor about our market. 

I am not "blowing smoke" with this guy.  I quote him what's actually going on at our office. I really am expecting some great sales this year!  I hope I got thru to "SF"  but he sounds pretty indoctrinated with the negative stuff we are constantly being fed from other places....

Linkedin Convo from the Linking Terre Haute Group:

Debbie Hill • I'm experiencing GOOD THINGS connected to our local housing market. What's your experience? 'Just came out of a sales meeting where Brian Conley gave us great info about our LOCAL Real Estate market. If you have a house that could be priced between 100k and 250k NOW is the time to put it on the market. Our iventory is LOW in this price range!

SF • So long as the banks keep refusing to lend, you'll have very few buyers in that price range. The rise of rent/lease to own is the only good thing happening in the Terre Haute real estate market.

Debbie Hill • Hi S! So great to get a comment on my topic! Although, I really must respectfully disagree with you and here's a couple reasons why.. Our inventory in the Terre Haute MLS is the lowest it has been in 10 years.. GREAT time for buyers to buy. I just met with lenders from Terre Haute First Fiancial and they confirmed a USDA loan that can be had by a borrower with as low as 600 credit score. I have not experienced the banks refusing to lend. It has taken a little longer to get a few loans closed but we're ok with that. Rates are LOW.. really LOW. Thankfully Terre Haute is a "Market All It's Own" and buyers can take advantage of our stability.

SF • I don't disagree that it's a buyer's market and rates are really low. But 600 is still higher than the 520 it was a few years ago for FHA, and most of Vigo County is ineligible for USDA loans at 600, making 620 the de facto score for a buyer in Terre Haute. Generation Y (aka the Millennials) are screwed and will continue to be for 20+ years unless some reform happens at the Federal level. See: http://www.mainstreet.com/article/moneyinvesting/education-planning/studen-loan-debt-bomb-threatens-us-housing-market

Debbie Hill • The mortgage business definately needed some correcting and although it does make some buyers with scores as low as you say ineligible for a mortgage, sales are not suffering. As of this moment 2:25pm on March 28th there are 68 pending sales on the board -- that's JUST AT COLDWELL BANKER! I can vouch that a good number of those are Generation Y'ers!

(This isn't me.. just a HAPPY Realtor!!!)

Check out this site: http://www.conleyappraisals.com/VigoCountyResidentialMarketStudy
This is great information about our MLS compiled by Brian Conley.. Call me and I'll go thru it with you!

If you could make your house look prettier...

I run through my neighborhood.  Got a 3 mile route mapped out and I can really enjoy myself with a some Need to Breathe and a little Daylight Savings Time.

I've been doing this for 8 years, running by the same houses. 

A week ago I noticed one house that I have looked at hundreds of times.. looked ...really pretty. 

Hmm!  What's different?

Then I figured it out!

It's something I often suggest my sellers do.

Infact NOW is a GREAT time for anybody to do it.

Matt always does it at our house.. but I may have give it a try.  Feel the power, slam some dirt.   Maybe it's a stress reliever at the same time it's a good tool for sprucing up your place!

Now you know!

They POWER WASHED their house!

This is the best way to get that GREEN MILDEW off your siding and make everything look NEW again.  If your siding is painted wood ..you might want to use soap and water with a scrub brush (not as user friendly as a power washer.)  But with brick or vinyl siding a power washer is a no brainer. 

And.. you can usually find these to rent from a local equipment rental company such as Complete Outdoor here in Terre Haute.  (They have no idea I just mentioned them here.)

The steps:

1. Grab a free afternoon (that may be the hardest part.)

2.  Plug some good tunes in your ears.

3.  Close your windows.

4.  Make sure your Christmas lights are put away.  All electrical items secured.

5.  POWER WASH!

6.  Take yourself out for a nice evening... :)

I'm reading a really good marketing book by my friend Jim Cockrum. 

Irrational Habit 2 ..from Chapter 6 reminded me of a time when I should have considered taking a referral and moving on.  If I stretch what Jim is saying just a little bit I can make it fit into this story...

(Que dream sequence sound...)

I was a new agent at Williams and Associates.  I hadn't sold a lot (maybe any?) homes in the 200k price range. 

I was intimidated by clients shopping in that price range.

And I was on the hook to help a new family about to transfer to Terre Haute and looking for a home priced around 200k. 


We met at the office, got in my car, (my 99 Buick Century) and started looking around town.  They were lovely people, I started to feel better about this...  We ate lunch together, we stopped for cokes, at the end of the day we headed back to the office to call it a night.

I was going south on 3rd Street towards the William's office and I reached for my coke, I lifted it out of the cup holder and I ...DROPPED IT ...into her purse.  The only noise you could hear above my gasp was the chug-chug-chug sound of my Diet Rootbeer pouring into her leather bag.


I barely slept that night.

We were supposed to meet again the next day to look at more houses.. Would they still want to see me?  How expensive was that bag?

Let me tell ya, it was expensive... but she was forgiving... so we were ok to continue.. I pushed thru with nervous laughter and swore off drinking in the car.

Skip ahead.. they found a house! It was a For Sale By Owner..  (Criminy!)  But I was able to get a purchase agreement together for them and we ordered our inspections.  They headed back out of state to start packing while the loan progressed and we waited on the inspection results.

Oh my goodness.. The inspector emailed the report to them.  It was Father's Day.. my sweet husband went shopping with me and the kids on that day -- can you believe that??  I was in the dressing room at JCPenneys when the buyer calls me. 

"Did you get the inspection?"  she asked.

"Yes! I did!" I answered.

"Did yours have porn on it?"  She asked.

"What?"

"Did your report have porn attached to it?"  She repeated.

"I don't think so..."  I said.

At this point the reception in the dressing room is waning.  I tried to confirm that she was actually talking about porn and in a loud voice (b/c you are supposed to talk louder when you have a bad cell phone connection) I over annunciated "PORN--A--GRAPH--EE?" ..and walked out of the dressing room (forgetting my surroundings) right into a group of women standing in the loungerie section at Penneys.

Okay... I called my broker.. he told me I was going to have to call the Inspector.. In my mind I just knew that he was better suited for the job.. but he did not agree.

So this do-what-you-have-to-do-to-avoid-confrontation girl ...called the inspector.  We worked it out.  (This really just has to be another blog about what to do when porn gets attached to your clients docs...)

Skip ahead.. we are at the appraisal.  IT DID NOT APPRAISE.   At first the seller did not want to lower her price  ..and when she finally came to her senses.. guess what the buyer said...  You probably guessed right!

And I have never heard from these people again. 

(Again -- que dream sequence sound....)

Sure you applaud my sticktuitiveness..  But in reality they were Debbie-Hill-Weary by the time that appraisal came back and I should have suggested a new strategy.  Too many things had gone wrong and I was still trying to talk them into spending more time with me! 

Thankfully, I have improved my troubleshooting abilities since then.  I am no longer intimidated by large price tags, I am more careful when drinks and clients are both in the front seats, and porn hasn't been an issue for me of late. 

I have also developed my sense for knowing when enough is enough.. or when there is no more I can do to help my client and it's time to take the referral.  In this case I wish I would have referred them for their next attempt at home buying .. rather than lost them forever.

Best day ever....

I see a lot of  "lovin' life" and "best day ever" posts on fb this weekend.  :)  Yay for us!!  Great days to be outdoors.. shed some winter fuzz.

Myself, I had a nice weekend.. nothing that would stop the presses.. but when my daughters kissed me good night and wispered "This was the best day ever..."  I knew they meant it.

Kids are like that. 

A man wrote about going fishing with his son.."Didn't catch anything.. waste of time".. His son wrote.. "Went fishing with Dad.. best day ever!"



(Insert exasperated sigh here)  ...It's not easy raising kids.. I just got mine to sleep after a very long time of trying to figure out why their covers were "not comfy".. (still don't know--  but they are sleeping now so...  ssshhhh!)

The thing is ..they're happier than I think they are in my cluttered, grown-up(?), jaded(only somewhat), trying to get stuff done, wanting-to-be-practical-but-desperate-to-be-fun ....mind. 


They are going thru these fabulous pre-summer days for the first time in their recent memories.. and THANKFULLY they aren't looking for them to be perfect in order for them to be "the best!" 

Social Media is helping me grow some CONFIDENCE!

This is my current Facebook profile pic.  (I joke that I was trying to warm up the crowd but they weren't being real receptive....)

This morning I asked a question during a sales meeting ..'wasn't quite understood.. 'could've kicked myself all day for asking a stupid question....

There was a time when I would have done that....

But!  I'M NOT KIDDING!!  Today I just thought.. Oh well, I throw things at my cyber wall on facebook.. I can throw things at the perverbial wall IRL  -- so what if it doesn't stick! 

WOW!  It was a great - move along - nothing to look at hear - don't cry over spilt milk - moment for me. 

I think social media might be helping to improve my self confidence... my ability to try something and not beat myself up if it doesn't work. 

I try to use Facebook/Twitter/Linkedin to market my Real Estate Expertise. (You have to say "my Real Estate Expertise"  with the hoytey-toytey accent I intended ;) 

But seriously, it's been trial and error...and along the way.... a great confidence booster?

Well, I just gotta say.. Thank you Facebook!

Alright! Alright!

I am going to admit what some of you already know...

There's no shame in it... look at Jennifer Hudson.. She belts it out on national tv...  and looks great doing it!

For crying out loud... I'm a Weight Watcher.

I've been married for 13 years and been weight watchin' for 12, lifetimer for (maybe) 3/4s of that time.

TODAY was a meeting just for LIFETIMERS at our "secret location" ...kidding!  (...At the Meadows.)


Upon finding my seat and hunkerin' down to listen to another immensly insightful discussion...

I, myself, am suddenly tapped to speak for 3-4 minutes. 

"About what?"

"What would you say to inactive members?"

Well... I love my leader.... but ....sometimes I can miss her ques and not know exactly which direction she's going in.... even in an ordinary meeting when I just pop-up with my two cents worth and all of a sudden realize "oops... that's not what you were talking about...sorry!"

She gave me no other idea of what we would talk about other than .."answer that question."

What do I do ..my brother is a pastor ... 3 point sermon.. do that... think of 3 points... and your on!

You may or may not believe this ...but it went over pretty well...

If you're struggling with something you know you need to get back to.. WW, exercise, devotions, continuing ed, MARKETING even... (I am going to connect it to marketing in my mind anyway.. gotta ALWAYS stay up on that)  here's my two cents on the subject:

Point 1:

I completely empathize... my journey has been up an down...  I know that when one area of my life is out of whack.. other areas tend to be as well.  And there are always excuses as to why things are topsy turvy or why I can't make a WW meeting.  But when I find that "groove" -- look out!



Point 2:

Funnily enough the successful Weight Watcher is referred to as a LIFETIMER..  There is no "6 Month Timer" that walks away with a success award.  Don't beat yourself up if over your lifetime you have ups and downs -- and don't give up what you want.. Use your lifetime to grab it if you have to!



Point 3:

Find something comforting in what you should be doing.  For instance, I find HUGE comfort in food... I can sometimes replace that [bad place to find comfort] by going to a WW meeting, listening to other people, know that they have the same problelms I have and they are finding success.  I recall their faces during the week when I am struggling and get encouragement from them. 

Lucky Gina

:) Good luck to you peeps!  ...I need a lot of it most of the time!!