alan may: Bo Derrick, where are you? - 01/13/12 10:09 AM
After a week full of Active Rain Guidelines, and What not to Wear... I mean What not to Do...
A week with warm weather that turned into eight inches of the white stuff that needed shoveling this morning...I needed something a little more uplifting to post this morning.
Fortunately, Mrs. Elvis to the rescue.  A colleague of hers sent her this youtube video of a Copenhagen Flash Mob that just showed up at the Copenhagen Central Train Station.  It's not your typical flash mob, with the synchronized dancing and all... (well, it is synchronized)... enjoy, and have a wonderful uplifting … (12 comments)

alan may: I Voted! - 11/27/11 06:40 PM
Okay, this morning, I performed the most sacred of our civic duties.  I voted. And now I'm on my way to Starbucks, who's offered a free cup of Joe (no, not Joe the Plumber)  for all those who've voted.
My daughter called me early this morning to remind me of the importance of voting... (and since I live in the Chicago area, the sound byte that resonates in my ear is "Vote Early, Vote Often"!).
I could hear, in her voice, her excitement, her fervor for the process.  She was excited, she was invigorated.  My wife is off work, this afternoon, … (51 comments)

alan may: Alan May arrested in San Francisco - 06/22/10 02:06 PM
In one of the many times, each day, when I google my own name, I ran across this article.
In it it indicates that Alan May is a suspected Ponzi scheme fugitive, and was arrested recently in San Francisco for bilking almost $7,000,000 from many entitites.
Among his aliases were Mark Magnum (I kinda like that one), Mark Hanson (meh!), Brian Peirce (I love the spelling, gives it a very british flavour), Justin Gore...(meh!).
Now, you would expect that I would vehemently renounce this fiend, and state that he and I are not one and the same (even though he spells … (11 comments)

alan may: let's talk about Ambient Awareness - 04/20/10 04:11 PM
at Active Rain Camp, Ben Kinney talked a little about "Ambient Awareness"...
"now what the heck does that mean?",
you might ask.  Well, it's really about absorbing all of the things around us, and what awareness we have of all the world around us, without actually realizing it.
"Give me a f'rinstance".
Allrighty... I used to have an ad running at the local movie theatre.  It was a 15 second ad that filled the screen.  Okay, that doesn't really sound like it's "ambient" does it?  That sounds kinda direct.   But consider that the ad ran a full 20 minutes before … (14 comments)

alan may: tube steak instructions for memorial day and Chicago - 05/25/09 03:19 PM
This is a public service announcement:
For those of you who need instructions, here is how to build a property Chicago-Style hot dog.  And just in time for memorial Day.
The bun must be fresh, and must be poppy-seeded. (Plain is acceptable, too... but you will be made fun of) Rosen's is a good choice... but we'll settle for Jewel or Dominicks'.
The hot dog can be grilled or boiled, but it must include Tomatoes (wedged)... pickle slice (also wedged... may be kosher, garlic or dill)... a MUST have... Celery Salt... (for those who have not had celery salt on a … (20 comments)

alan may: I've got your gun! - 05/24/09 06:10 PM
Just came back from reviewing the latest (earliest??) in the Star Trek series at the Evanston Century Theatre.  (I didn't really see it for myself... I saw it so that I could review it for my readers... oh, how I suffer for my art).
It did not disappoint.  Nonstop action... James Tiberias Kirk was played with panache.  Young spock was excellently acted, and casted.
Additionally the introduction to each of the time-honoured cast (Ohura, McCoy, Mr. Scott, Checkov) not only fit the personalities that we've learned to love, but the additional nuances they've revealed in this movie only enhanced that love … (5 comments)

alan may: the Memorial Day Order of 1868 - 05/24/09 10:29 AM
I. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but Posts and comrades will, in their own way, arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.
We are organized, Comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind … (2 comments)

alan may: on this day in history... - 05/23/09 12:29 PM
On this day in history... in 1934 Bonnie & Clyde, notorious criminals and Robin Hood-esque bank robbers were gunned down on a Louisiana roadside while driving a stolen car.  They were gunned down in a hail of 130 bullets, by Lousiana and Texas lawmen hiding in the bushes.
Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow met in Texas when she was 19. Shortly after, Barrow was put in jail for robbery. Parker visited every day, and smuggled a gun into prison to help him escape, but he was soon caught in Ohio and sent back to jail. When Barrow got out of jail … (20 comments)

alan may: Do you have a pool? - 05/22/09 08:44 AM
"Do you have a pool?", the other agent asked me, knowing full-well that I don't, because we've discussed it before.
"No", I answered grudgingly.
"Well, I do" she said snottily "and it doesn't take 30 days to determine if a pool is leaking... if you have a leak, you'll know about it right away...[ insert 5 minute diatribe including how cheaply we've purchased the home, and how her poor, poor client will have to bring money to the table to close... here ] "
This was the other agent's attempt to "negotiate" with me.  This was her method of getting us … (23 comments)

alan may: I want a credit for the ugly wallpaper... and is that a scratch on the floor?? - 05/21/09 10:47 AM
W. Paul Blakley wondered: "what I consider a legitimate inspection issue (#40)".
It caused me to wonder that myself.  What DO I consider a legitimate inspection issue?  I work in the northern suburbs of Chicago, and here our inspection clause in our contracts reads as follows:
<< The home inspection shall cover only major components of the Real Estate, including but not limited to, central heating system(s), central cooling system(s), plumbing and well system, roof, walls, windows, ceilings, floors, appliances and foundation.  A major component shall be deemed to be in operating condition if it performs the function for which it … (18 comments)

alan may: Whoooooaaaahh! - 05/20/09 08:12 PM
Okay, I was just sittin', watching television... minding my own business.
My wife was in the kitchen, and the telephone rang.  Suddenly... there on my television screen appeared... THIS:
Do you see at the bottom?... the telephone call showed up... with the name of the caller, and their phone number (I know..the phone number isn't in the photo...but it WAS on my screen!).
Of course, there wasn't anybody in the room to witness this new development.  wow.
We had recently switched to Comcast bundle, and bundled our telephone, broadband and cable together.  We got a great price... but this was NOT … (23 comments)

alan may: Quality agents... yeah, that's the ticket! - 05/20/09 11:04 AM
I accompanied my buyers in a recent inspection.  It was a small, modest ranch-style home, with a full unfinished basement.
This was an estate sale, and the house was empty, not a stick of furniture, which was nice... so we could fully inspect every inch.  The home was modest... 3 bedrooms, and a bath and a half.  A "used to be nice" kitchen, Living Room/Dining Room "L"... a small yard, and a dilapidated 2-car garage.  The home needs lots of work, but it's in a desirable neighborhood, so my clients are prepared to put the work into it. 
The structure is … (48 comments)

alan may: Suez, we have a problem. - 05/20/09 09:24 AM
This photo was taken (and downloaded) by the crew of the shuttle Atlantis on their way to repair the Hubble telescope this week.
You can see the Sinai peninsula in the center... the Suez Canal, Nile river and delta are visible a little further left... and the large landmass to the east is much of Saudi Arabia.
 
 
 
ALAN MAY, Realtor® Specializing in Evanston Real Estate and North Shore Real Estate ------------------------------- Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, 2929 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201 847.425.3779      Cell: 847.924.3313      Email: Almay@aol.com
… (10 comments)

alan may: Ain't the world a bit strange? - 05/19/09 04:29 PM
I just had a drive-by sign call, from someone inquiring about one of my co-ops.  The woman at the end of the line, needed to know if DOGS were allowed.  It didn't. She sounded very confused, very tentative and very young.
As our conversation progressed, I discovered that her family home had been sold out from under her, and she was required to move out in less than 10 days, and was truly searching for a rental.  She was being bequeathed, however by the estate, enough money to use as a down payment... and we began speaking about potential purchases.
I … (17 comments)

alan may: Some days, you just have to indulge - 05/13/09 01:17 PM
My wife reads this blog... so I have to apologize in advance.  Some days, you just have to break down and have a hamburger and fries for lunch.
No salad... no turkey sandwich... just a greasy-ass burger, and some deep-fried, sizzling hot fries glistening with salt crystals.
If I was still 18, this would be my daily meal of choice.  As I'm not... er.... no longer 18, it is seriously less frequent a choice.
Red meat is not a daily event at our house, and sometimes not even a weekly event.  We try to have fresh fish, salads, pasta and other … (22 comments)

alan may: to Rent, or not to Rent, that is the question. - 05/12/09 02:16 PM
In many condominium buildings they don't allow rentals... or they only allow a very limited number of rentals.
I understand the logic behind having 100% owner occupied buildings.  It brings "pride of ownership", and helps assure that you won't be surrounded by college kids, playing loud music at all hours of the night.
But I've recently run into a couple of situations where the buyer for a condo that I've had on the market, has balked, because they want to know... somewhere down the line... that if they decide to... they'd be allowed to rent out their unit.  Inadvertently, are owners … (14 comments)

alan may: 5 things I don't like about myself. - 05/11/09 09:11 AM
Liz Moras posted an excellent article about the 5 things we "like" about ourselves.  In that post many people chimed in to talk about all the good things they like about themselves.
Liz talked about her natural curiosity, her reflective nature, her Madonna-esque-ness in reinventing herself (wow, did i just coin a word?), the fact that she and Bert Lahr have much in common, and her passion... well, we all knew that she is passionate... about many subjects.
Rarely being a "joiner"... I had to take the flipside of the coin.  C'mon... you knew someone was going to do it... it … (19 comments)

alan may: Your dog doesn't love you! - 05/08/09 08:40 AM
There.  Is that a cold-enough nose on your naked heinie in the morning.  Enough to get a rise out of you?
In yesterday's Chicago Tribune, columnist Eric Zorn posits that "your dog doesn't love you".  Yes, you dove into the frigid lake to save her... yes, you saved him from a shelter as he was about to be put to sleep... yes you paid for that $1,800.00 surgery and they stayed up with him all night, while he threw up all the expensive medication.  But he doesn't love you.
He claims that author Jon Katz (funny last name for writing about … (12 comments)

alan may: Sentrilock Beta-mac - 05/07/09 01:12 PM
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Mac fanatic.  I own several of them, and so do my children... (okay, okay... I purchased the Macs for them).
So when our area switched to Sentrilock from Supra... I was incredibly disappointed that Sentrilock was not compatible with Macintosh.
Supra only required seating it overnight in a cradle, which then communicated with "home" via an overnight telecommunication call.  Sentrilock, however, requires a "card reader" that attaches to your computer to update... and since it was unable to update through a Mac, that became a problem for me, and meant that my two Sentrilock boxes were left lingering … (14 comments)

alan may: Let's hang on, to what we've got... - 05/07/09 09:18 AM
Okay... I don't know where parade this was, nor when ... nor who the blonde is supposed to be... I recognize, of course) the guy with the wings and the halo... but the lady behind him??  It's obviously quite a crowd, and I image it could be from anywhere on the campaign trail. The question that I have is... where are her hands???   what is she holding on to??
Oh, wait... I think I know the answer... she's holding onto...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
... his … (25 comments)

 
Moviealan Ambassador_large

Alan May, Coldwell Banker Realtor® Evanston, Illinois & Northern Suburbs

Evanston, IL

More about me…

847.425.3779 almay@aol.com

Address: Attn: Alan May, Realtor®, 2929 Central Street, Evanston, IL, 60201

Office Phone: (847) 425-3779

Cell Phone: (847) 924-3313

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