Claire's Blog

What? Gone? No...

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:44:48 -0600

Hello, happy ARians! Someone asked the other day if I'd been let go, because they hadn't seen me post lately, but ...no... I've just been OMG super busy.

Luckily for me, the boys gave me something to share with you today... Click play to see these yahoos dancing on a Fun Friday morning to the Chipmunks! :)

Enjoy!

Never Forget: Remember, but Do Not Hate.

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:58:37 -0500

Suddenly, it scrolled across my screen: Omg, did you see that? Do you have the news on? Quick! Turn on ABC! We're being attacked!

I had visions of the cliche scene from an old WWII movie, of states being blown sky-high, men in trenches, and gunshots fired on both sides. But no, when I turned on the news, there was nothing more than the cowardice of a left hook to America's jaw on the screen as a plane carcass burned high, pushed through the first tower at the World Trade Center.

These are a couple paragraphs from my rememberance post from last year on 9/11. They're still true today, as people around the country remember the Towers and the Pentagon and the people lost within; my heart still sinks a little when I remember how violated I felt that morning while watching the broadcast. My adreniline still kicks in and makes me want to fight back, to seek revenge, to destroy their home as they destroyed ours.

However, this is the wrong reaction to have, eight years after some jerk got it into his head that killing 2,998 innocents was an excellent way to take a giant, ragged chunk out of America. It's hard to wrap one's head around the motives for causing such pandemonium in the streets of New York and DC, but what it comes down to is Hate and infamy.

We can't really fight infamy; without remembering, we wouldn't be able to subvert future attempts to crush our strength. Without remembering, we wouldn't understand the pain and horror that watching another person's life being snuffed out brings. Without remembering, we wouldn't have the foundation or the building blocks to rebuild our Towers and our communities. Without remembering, we would forget the real enemy.

We can't fight infamy, but we can fight Hate.

We will fight Hate. People all over the country today have chosen to do just this by doing one simple thing today: instead of wallowing in the guilt and despair of the Attacks, today, they are building a better home. Today, they have taken up arms to rebuild in their own communities, to volunteer their time and energy to put their backs and give a cause a push. Whether it's helping the animals or building houses or sharing their garden's bounty with a less fortunate family, today is a day where we should remember and fight by strengthening ourselves, by strengthening our neighborhoods, our towns, our states, and our country.

The best and only weapon against Hate is Love; unfortunately, we can't pack Love into a missile and shoot it across the world. We can't stuff it into grenade shells and expect to get in a Guerrilla attack. No. Love starts at home. Although I am not religious, most of the religious texts that I've read -- and I've read many -- come back to one very important lesson: Love thy neighbor.

Take this tenant to heart and realize that although we may not always agree and we may not always get along, our neighbors are the best tools we have to create an America that is not touchable by the long arms of Hate and destruction. Today, find a need, fill that need, and love your neighbor. Pull together, strengthen your communities, and let those who sought to destroy us know that they have failed in their mission.

The war is not over.

Life Isn't Like a Box of Chocolates

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:56:30 -0500

No, in fact, life is a lot like driving.

This morning, while crossing the 520, a Land Rover decided to see just how close they could possibly get to my bumper without hitting me while going 60mph. This isn't unusual in Seattle, because for all of the "After you", "No, after you!" drivers we have here, there are one or two of us transplants who know how the rest of the world drives, and every now and again, our impatience rears its ugly head. Regardless, eyeing the guy in my rearview for a good half mile as we crossed a the two-lane bridge, I made a bad judgment call:

I stomped on my brakes.

The highway patrol warns against moves like this because there's always the chance that the idiot behind you won't be able to stop or slow down before hitting you. They especially warn against quick-stopping on a rainy day after a long dry spell, and rainy, indeed, it as this morning after a multi-month drought.

Lucky for me, the guy also stomped on his brakes, shifted the car, and zipped into the other lane before promptly getting stuck behind a commuter van for the duration of the trip to the junction of 405. He didn't get where he was going any faster by being a jerk, and even though I made a bad judgment call, the vengeful side of me hopes that the shot of adrenaline I gave him this morning opened his eyes a bit.

Aside... This caused some introspection for me, because it illustrates well the tendency for people to get pushy when life is frustrating or claustrophobic. Humans tend toward becoming more aggressive when the chips are down in such a way that actually binds their hands from accomplishing what they want most.

This was a good lesson this morning to think about for me, especially, because I have a handful of large projects weighing down in my inbox that I haven't really had a lot of time to pay true service to, and because my first instinct in dealing with them is to turn on my redheaded "charm" and push them through with the various other people that I have to work with to accomplish this. But, as evidenced by my friend, the Land Rover, this morning... Being pushy gets you nowhere fast.

My Mimi used to tell me, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, Red", and it's something that I, myself, try to live by. My grandmother was full of great advice as you can tell from this and previous posts, and were she with us now and I was telling her about how my stress is manifesting itself this week -- heartburn, dizziness, short temper, even a few tears -- she'd do three things:

First, she'd ask if I was pregnant. No.

Then, she'd ask if I was REALLY pregnant. Also no.

Finally, she'd tell me to take a breath and bring my G-D patience to work (I love my Mimi). Well, and then she'd tell me to stop being such a jerk while driving. Okay, so four things.

But I digress...

The lesson today, Gentle Readers, is even when the world is weighing you down, even when it seems like you're unable to get anywhere fast, for heaven's sake, don't be pushy -- you'll only succeed in frustrating yourself and nearly causing an accident when someone puts the brakes on.

Having Courage is More Than Being Brave.

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:48:40 -0500

Growing up, I was the eight-week child at my father's house, since he lived on the other side of the state. Although my total time there during my childhood amounted to little over two years of my life, there are a few things that stick out to me to this day: the smell of fresh popped popcorn (my stepmom and I used to have movie nights, just the two of us), the bare patch in the yard where I lost a lot of skin sliding into home base, and a prayer plaque that hung on the wall of the downstairs bathroom for years.

Although I am not a religious person, I can still recite the Serenity Prayer verbatim, after having read it so many times:

Lord, please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Now, before you all start thinking that this is a post about religion, let me explain why this prayer is the subject of my post today...

I'm a control freak. There, I said it! Whew, I feel better now. (*Fans self with hand.*) I'm sure this is nothing that you don't already know about me, but I'm not very good at accepting the things I can't change; like a lot of people I know and love, I batter against the brick wall, thinking that if I give it just one more shove, it'll topple over.

Unfortunately, one of the facts of life is that you can't control everything, as many of us already know. The industry's swinging (and I don't mean hopping), many of us are worried about our livelihoods, and we feel as though our alternatives are few and our stores are depleted.

Grant yourself some serenity:

Although I know, firsthand, the upside to having backups to my backups, the worry that things will constantly fail and the consistent planning of contingencies is exhausting. Understand that we cannot plan for everything, that surprises are going to happen, and the best you can do is take the punch, roll with it, and stand back up. Life, in many ways, is like the economy: it has its ups and downs, and it will correct itself if you work hard and push to recover. Take a breath and realize that although it may not be in your immediate control, there are some things that yet still are; do not spend energy on worrying about those things that will only weigh you down.

Rely on your courage:

I often forget to do this, hiding behind stability and the promise of a sure bet. Courage is, truly at its base, trust. Do you trust yourself? Do you trust that you can square your shoulders and push for it? Do you trust your advantages, your knowledge, and your gut? That's courage, folks; even when the situation looks dire, if you can swallow the terror that's swimming in your throat and reach for that goal, for that better life, for that next sale, you'll make it. You can change your own world if you focus and trust yourself to make good decisions.

Use a little wisdom:

I'm pretty intelligent, but that does not mean that I'm wise. Let's face it: there's some things we cannot do without a little help, advice, or a push from our support network. Talk to people, reach out, look for alternative solutions. Knowing the difference between what you can handle yourself and when you need to ask for help can mean survival in dire situations. Knowing yourself and your limitations is the best, most solid way to overcome what ails you while under your stresses and burdens. Put out the SOS when the water level is too high and, as my gramma would say, help will appear.

It's interesting to think that trips to the ladies' room at my dad's house while growing up would stir such an emotional response in me twenty years later as I'm staring at this screen and drinking a double short. I came across it in a random internet search for quotes about Courage, and immediately, I considered how much of a control freak I was, how much I worry about needless things, and how little I trust my gut in the day-to-day. Perhaps with a little reflection now and again, we'll all be granted the serenity, courage, and wisdom needed to know how and when to make the decisions that impact our lives.

Burn, Baby, Burn

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:00:57 -0500

I woke up this morning groggy, with many fewer clothes on than what I went to bed wearing, and the face of my tuxedo cat inches from my own.

"Meow," she told me, her pitch whiney and pathetic. She blinked at me while I stood, used the little girls' room, and wobbled into the kitchen, rubbing the bruise I got on my shoulder from running into the doorhandle at the gas station after a mad dash to FedEx and then to the bank last night. Since there was food in her bowl, I can only imagine that she was reporting on what I already knew:

It's hot in Seattle.

Wait, no, let me rephrase: It's FREAKIN' hot in Seattle.

Sigh. For a city that's used to muggy days and rain falling on our heads in droves, this summer's heatwave has been murderous to our way of life, our work, and naturally, our moods. Most of the houses and apartments here are built without air conditioning, mostly because our "summer" usually lasts all of two weeks at some point at the end of July or early August.

The ActiveRain offices have been affected, too. Today will be our hottest day ever in the history of Seattle, and yesterday's build-up to that point was evidenced by the hollow, shadowed eyes that our workers came in with, indicating that the heat had made their sleep restless and unfulfilling. Joel stated that he was just going to sleep in his pool from now on, while Kerrie railed against the heat -- admitting that she'd left the windows open all day the day before.

It's interesting to be detached from the bulk of the office, as shut up as I am in my own little square of space in the corner. They laugh about me having bionic ears because I can hear every detail of every conversation out there, but as the heat ratchets higher and people get less sleep, their moods are changing, tempers are flaring faster, some are more ADD than usual.

I guess it's fair to say that the AR Staff is just as human as the rest of the world. Most of us are aware that we're tired or feeling stressed or just unfocused, but it's so hard to keep on the straight and pleasant narrow when you just can't seem to get enough shut-eye or when you walk outside and Washington's turned into Texas for some ungodly reason.

We've been under an excessive heat watch and a non-precipitation warning for the better part of the week (I have a plug-in on my firefox that shows me these lovely things), and fires are cropping up around the state caused by lightning storms and other threats to the environment. People are toting two or three bottles of water at once to stave off heat exhaustion.

My vet even recommended that I shave my short- and medium-hair cats.

I'm fully convinced that my hometown has gone more and more insane as the mercury rises; honestly, for the sake of the office and my coworkers, I can only hope that it cools down soon so that we can all get some rest and stay hydrated. I think I speak for everyone when I say, "Give us some rain, already!"

When Life Hands You Lemons, Throw 'Em Out.

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:23:12 -0500

Think about it. The lemons that Life hands you are disappointments - a big bushel of dispair - especially when you were expecting a bushel of some real beauties like apples or oranges. Expectations sometimes get us in trouble, but unlike many psychiatrists that I know (it's weird, but three or four of my childhood friends became shrinks), I don't advocate lowering those expectations.

Take the realm of dating or marriage, for instance: My auntie says, "Claire... your expectations are too high for these men. Lower them a little, give a little, and you'll be happy." Then, she pours me a cup of tea, and, without adding any sugar, hands it over to me.

How can I possibly be expected to drink unsweetened tea?! I've told my auntie that, time and time again, that I'm very picky about my men and that I like sugar in my tea -- honey, at very least! Still, my auntie's one for making lemonade out of lemons, instead of simply pitching the entire bushel and moving on as I am. And so, as she drinks her unsweetened tea and prattles on about my lack of a husband at my overripe age of 25, I eventually come to the same point during each of these conversations: "Auntie," I say, "I love you, and I would never change you, even though you're wrong."

As she sputters into her teacup, I smile pleasantly and tell her, "I'm picky about my men because I want what's right for me, not what you or anyone else think should be right for me."

That note is especially important: Disappointments are often the expectations of others foisted on your shoulders that you can't, in your heart, live up to and carry on under the weight. Often, we take others' expectations into ourselves and depression lays in when they simply don't fit what is right for us.

Jon is a big fan of pushing people, of grasping higher, of reaching out into the ether to pull amazing things from the sky. His expectations aren't too low, and even though sometimes we, as his employees, don't quite make the grade, we've never asked him to lower them. You see, Gentle Readers, having high expectations is giving yourself a personal push of motivation, wanting -- nigh, NEEDING -- more than what you have.

Here in the Real Estate Industry, you probably all know well how hard it is to hope for more, especially since this industry was so deeply plunged into the recession. I'm sure many of you are still carrying around that bushel of lemons, trying to figure out where you can find the sugar my Auntie stole from me in order to make some lemonade.

Let me ask you this: Are your disappointments and expectations by others truly worth the weight you're carrying? The answer is quite simple and very, very succinct: Are you nuts? Of course not.

That weight will be lifted the moment that you recognize that having higher expectations and hoping for more is okay, even valued, over living under the depressive and soul-collapsing crush of what other people think is best for you.

Learning to be good at what you do is not a matter of how many facts you know or where you place a chair (under the window? In the corner?), but how adaptive, agile, and attentive you are. By setting your expectations high and working in favor of highering them every step of the way, by pitching those lemons to the roadside and demanding sugar in your tea, by always feeding that craving for more, not only will you evolve and adapt as a professional, but you will come to realize that it's those who make lemonade who probably need people like you the most.

Loving Your Job: The Victory Dance

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:47:03 -0500

I did the Snoopy dance in the middle of the office today. In fact, I did the rubber chicken, then the Snoopy dance, and then I sprinted the all of ten feet between my office and the conference room where Jon sat and practically blew out his eardrums as I skidded to a stop in the doorway and announced that I had, in fact, accepted a final document that I've been working to obtain for darn well near forever.

There's something momentus about accomplishing every goal set in front of you at your initial hiring on a job. Whether it's to sell eighteen houses by your third month or stuff four hundred and fifty pillows for a major manufacturer or landing a huge legal contract with the government, that laundry list that we all get at the outset of our new position is something that niggles in the back of the brain, whispering, "You still have to get me done... I'm still here... Your performance eval is going to be awful if I'm still on it..."

It's easy to lose steam on that corporate to-do list, especially when you don't know why or how those goals were set for you. If you don't care, they're not going to get done, and that's really the bottom line.

Let's face it: We all deal with these awful personal deadlines that weigh so heavily on our souls, and when they finally come through, we smile serenely, nod if acknowledged, and go about our day without making so much as a ripple in the pond of our occupations. But inside... Inside, we're having a grand ol' hoe down in the middle of the cube farm, standing on the desk and kicking our heels up! Inside, we're doing the rubber chicken dance in the touchdown zone. Inside, as each of these items are pecked from the list, we're so happy we can hardly breathe.

Am I right?

You know I'm right.

And when that laundry list is completed, ready to be crumpled up and three-pointed into the circular filing cabinet, suddenly, the future seems so much easier to face, the stresses of running around and trying to get that LAST phonecall in are gone, the boss is happy, and you can enjoy your weekend.

I finally hit that point here at AR. I took this job because I KNEW that I was going to love working here (as said in yesterday's post about staying positive); I knew this job was mine. A little over a year later, that stupid list is all crumpled up and binned, and I feel about twenty pounds lighter. However much as I'm in a celebratory mood, I have to say that this isn't a pat-on-the-back sort of article, so I'll get to the point:

Just as being happy is a mindset, setting personal accomplishments is the perfect way to gauge yourself in your position, to measure your growth and development, to motivate and focus you toward that light at the end of your laundry list tunnel. We're often faced with huge tasks when taking on any job, whether it's being hired somewhere or taking on the burden of extra work, and sometimes, they may seem insurmountable as we bang up against brick walls time and time again.

Tireless doggedness and absolute resilience against accepting the word "no" is the best and only way to push through; though a hoe-down on the desktop may not be the best way to express yourself at work, celebration is just as much a part of the process as determination. Allow yourself to have that celebration inwardly and more importantly, outwardly. I suppose I'm lucky that I work for somewhere awesome like ActiveRain, that allows me to run and skip and laugh and jump (and yes, even do a few Hammer-esque side to side shuffles), but I have to tell you.... Celebration is the sweetest bite of that Last-Item pie.

The world would be a better place if we could all moonwalk when we "done good", so take the time to reward yourself with a little celebration now and again, regardless of what wide-eyed stares you may receive for your Betty Davis eyes.

Why So Serious?

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:09:12 -0500

"You look like you need an ice cream cone, little girl," I told my sister as the corners of her lips drooped toward the floor after eating out last night.

"I shouldn't feel guilty about spending money," she told me, obviously unhappy. "I'm okay." Like many people, myself included, the Recession we live in today has impacted my sister's way of thinking about money. She's just switched jobs, just finished her college education, and lives in a gorgeous apartment in the heart of Ballard right across from the park. And yet, still, she worries about every penny she spends because she doesn't know when she might need that penny to survive the economy.

Like many of us, my sister works hard to support herself. I'm very grateful that she inherited the 'motivated' gene in our family and fights now for everything she has. That gene has served me well in the past, and like me, my sister has learned the value of the respect and experience that busting your butt to get the job done gives you. She's started displaying Claire-like symptoms of putting your heart and soul into the job at hand without asking for anything more than a simple 'thank you' or 'job well done'. Sometimes unfortunately, the seriousness of the situation gets to us both.

My sister is very serious; she didn't used to be. She used to be this vibrant social butterfly who simply enjoyed everything she came across, but now, after finding herself so unhappy after earning her BA, after discovering some of the trials and tribulations that we muddle through as adults, she's lost that little spark she once had. To bring it back, she's decided that she's going to be happy.

I've made that same decision countless times. Growing up, I had a rough childhood; we never had enough - enough food, enough clothing, enough heat in the winter. My mom sacrificed everything she could to make sure that we never went to bed hungry and that our shoes didn't have holes in them. Our family situation was undesirable, especially on top of our money issues. My father had dependency issues and my stepfather was abusive. At the age of 16, I was a very, very angry child. I faced my problems with determination and temper, where my sister faced them by keeping her head down and looking for social support of others outside of the family.

One morning somewhere around my 17th birthday, I woke up, and I decided to be happy. I decided not to let my situation impact my mood.

Years later, I worked in Maryland for a woman who had morality issues; I can't speak in particular length about her as she's involved in litigation, but I feel that she mismanaged her business, that she misappropriated funds from that business, and she treated her employees like dirt. I worked there because I needed to pay my bills, and I felt that I was doing a service to the clients. Irregardless, toward the end, I started feeling like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, like I had to slog through the day just so I could go home, tuck myself under the blankets, and sleep away the miserable feeling I had in my gut.

One afternoon, I called and cried while on the phone with my mother. It was then that I decided to be happy: I was moving home. My mother was having spinal surgery, and so the circumstances lined up well for me. I could be home while she was recovering, and I could be happy once again. I found a job across the country, packed my car and my kitties, and followed my happiness home.

I lost my job twice the following year to a pair of layoffs. It was at the beginning of the Recession, and having moved across the country and exhausted my savings account, I was in a bad spot financially to lose my job...twice. I worried about bills everyday; I made myself sick over them. How would unemployment cover my medical costs, my housing costs? I set my head on the edge of my kitchen counter and breathed out until I was calm some days, worried I'd give myself a panic attack. While doing the job search that led me to ActiveRain, I had given myself a panic attack just before that particular interview, and so as I drove into Bellevue, I was still shaky.

Jon and Bob (the two who interviewed me here) don't know this, but I sat in my car for a full ten minutes pulling myself together, updating my mascara, and deciding that this was going to go well, that I was the happiest person on earth, and that this job was mine. A year and some months later, I'm still here, I'm still kicking, and I consider having landed the position one of my best personal triumphs.

I give you these examples because these were all very serious situations, all based on hardship, all centered around the bad and miserable in life. They're very personal examples - trust me, I try not to speak out of my rear for things of which I know nothing - but the point I am trying to make is that even when times are hard and everything going on around you seems too dire, you have to make the concious decision that you are going to pull through, that you are going to be happy, and that, like my sister, you'll be okay.

Your mood affects so much of your daily life, your interactions with the world at large, and the quality of the work you do. It affects the people around you, and in turn, when their moods go south, their moods impact your mood, and soon, you have this whirling vortex of depression that's being fed in a turnstile manner by those closest to you.

So... why so serious? Make the concious decision to be happy, and no matter what happens, to keep your chin up. Even when things look bleak, understand that there is more to this life than money and a job, that the economy will bounce back eventually, and that you are in control of your life, your situation, and your own happiness.

(The movie embedded here is something that I found utterly charming - usually, weddings are so serious, but this particular one is fun and memorable. They'll have lasting memories of more than just the cake and garter because they made the decision to insert happiness.)

Profit From Technology with A Little Help from YOUR Friends

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:51:18 -0500

Congrats, ladies and gents!

Via Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor):

Just Released

Profit From Technolgy, A Guide For Today's Real Estate Agent. Profit From Technology is a collaborative book written and co-authored by many of us here on Activerain.

The following authors each took a chapter and compiled it for Realtors and Mortgage Brokers with the intent to help you bring your real estate business into the 21st century: Kathi Frank, Carol Smith, Brian Block, Natalie Langford, Sally Cheeseman, Sarah Reiter, Colleen Fischesser, Joeann Fossland and your's truly, Missy Caulk

In this book, Profit From Technology you will find a wealth of information on how to take your real estate business to the next level.

Technology: Nemesis or Redeemer?

100% Online Lead Generation

Using Internet Tools to Serve the Seller

Speak the Language of Today's Internet-Enabled Client

Through the Eyes of a Real Estate Industry Social Media Blogger

Virtual Assistants- The Future of Real Estate Support

Organic Searchs vs.Pay Per Click

Building a Profitable Custom Website

How to Avoid Burn Out or Addiction

Back in November of 2007, I wrote a post on Time vs Money-Organic or PPC? Although I have grown a lot since that first post, it is one of the things I am most passionate about yet most understood.

Never one to mind spending money, when it comes to marketing it is always important that we evaluate our marketing results.

In my chapter, (Time vs Money, or Organic Search or Pay Per Click) of Profit From Technology, I delve into the subject even more.

Being found my the Search engines for the terms we want buyers and sellers to find us on, is a huge part of our internet strategy.

My goal in contributing to Profit From Technology was to help and increase the awareness of Realtor's not just on Activerain, but locally and nationally that with a few simple strategies you can grow your business and online presence.

Now that is ALL I'm going to tell you, except I ordered a pre-published copy and I am estatic about the content of each of my colleagues.

I am sure you will be too.

For a limited time, you can download your copy and also receive a hard copy of Profit From Technology if you order before June 30th, 2009, for the low price of $19.95.

Special Offer Til June 30th.

*******************************************************************************************

Missy Caulk & Team can be reached at 734-216-2822 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com

Our TEAM of 6 buyer associates are available to help you relocate to Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti Township, Clinton, Manchester, Whitmore Lake, or throughout Washtenaw County, MI.

Thinking of selling your home?

Free Home Evaluation

Search the Ann Arbor Area MLS.

Google Profile

Special Offer Til June 30th.

Innovation and Necessities: What Need Do You Fill?

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:42:54 -0500

I was braving the 520 bridge yesterday, thanks to the I-90 construction where they shut down the ENTIRE WESTBOUND BRIDGE (sigh - I'm still a little bitter), and just as I got past the cop sitting at the last exit onto the highway, my phone beeped. Naturally. Yey for cops and the no-handheld-phones law; luckily, my trusty Bluetooth earpiece was right there and I popped it on, flipped open my phone and answered a call from...

...my sister. "I really want to go see a movie tonight," she said, but had no preference on which movie she wanted to see. Long story short, I picked her up downtown and we shot back into Ballard to check movie times. Believe it or not, Harry Potter was sold out (darn). Everywhere. But a movie I wanted to see several weeks ago was still playing...for only two more days.

Food, Inc. is one of those movies that makes you want to stop eating. No, seriously, if you need to go on a diet, go watch that movie, because I walked out of the theater with my stomach turning and a new awareness of where the food I do eat comes from. Luckily for me, I don't eat a lot of processed or snack foods - I mostly choose local fruits and veggies. I think my downfall comes in my meat selection.

But I digress... this isn't an article about the movie, but what happened after. On our way back to Ballard, Paige (that's my sister) and I got into a debate about illegal immigration. It was a large theme in the movie and so it was an easy jump from that to the debate. Slowly, our discussion grew from illegal immigration to collapsing multi-national corporations to, finally, how innovation is the product of necessity.

So, with my mind too on the run after that conversation to really lay down and sleep, I laid and stared at the ceiling and pondered... What need do we fill? We're in real estate, so the automatic knee-jerk reaction is to say "I get people into homes". Which is great! Don't get me wrong: I'm not bashing that mentality at all. But...

...that's not a necessity. What I'm offering up as a question is a much wider look at the industry and what we do in it. Are you a pioneer? Using Jon as an example, he's created this magnificent engine that, even for it's faults, has helped push real estate marketing to a whole new level - a personal level. Another example: My job here is part assistant/part office manager. Is that the need I'm filling? No. I'm the fixer, the coordinator, and the organizer - the need I fill is keeping everyone together so that the business functions. Am I a pioneer? Perhaps, on some level, due to my association with AR, the tools I try to get people to use in the office, and so on.

My sister's point was simply that "no one" would want to work certain jobs for what these large, multi-national corporations were paying illegal immigrants, in example: clean toilets, gut pigs, shovel manure, and so on. With the jobless rate in the country being nearly 10%, I was of the opinion that were those jobs available, necessity would dictate what those "no ones" would do to provide for their families, and innovation would be born from that necessity - new, better ways to do the job, better wages, better living standards... perhaps, even, a better product.

Now, before I get on my high politics horse (which, as you all know, I try to avoid whenever possible - my blog's not a battleground, and even -I- need to respect that), I circle back to the thought of filling needs. In this society, in these economic times, it's interesting to see how many people seem born with a natural tunnel-vision that inhibits them from thinking of anyone other than their own household bottom line. This, unfortunately, leads to holes in the community that need to be filled but are ignored until those holes cannot go on anymore: businesses move out of the neighborhood, certain products are shipped out of state to be assembled, workers who are no longer "necessary" get cut, families have to raise their budget to pay for commodities, utility bills go up, etc., etc.

But we are not powerless. I know it seems a dim, dire situation when you're watching your personal or community's bottom line, seeing things changing, but understand me clearly: those changes are opening up opportunities and NEEDS that must be filled to stabilize the community. You all know the term "Build it and they will come"...

I think, in essence, that's the need that real estate agents must fill - you are community builders. Not like AR's Community Builders, of course ;) but more of finding the right fit for the right people, bettering neighborhoods, building up, and rounding out the rough edges. So now, my wonderful and lovely real estate agents, I must ask: What need do you think you fill? What gap have you closed? What wider-world hole have you patched up? What innovation are you working to see progress?

A Lesson in Productivity: How Much is Your Time REALLY Worth?

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:01:03 -0500

It's been a tumultuous week in Claire-land, and as it's finally July, I've sat down to review my yearly budget, my tax withholdings, my goals (both personal and professional), and my savings accounts. I also took the time to consider what obligations that I give my time to when I'm not at work and whether I could still sincerely uphold those obligations without killing myself or diminishing my standard of living.

So, to start, I pulled my last six months of bank records and uploaded them into a spreadsheet, sorted by category, and made a graph. It made me wince -- we'll just say that -- in how much I had spent on gas and car maintenance in the first half of the year. I also pulled up the IRS's calculator for withholding taxes and plugged in the withholding to date off my paystub. The good news is that I need to make no adjustments to my withholding and I probably won't have a huge return in April. I closed a couple of my sub-savings accounts, now that the goals had long passed and I was no longer putting money into them, then considered what I wanted to do over the course of the next year. I opened three new sub accounts to drop cash into: one for a vacation in December sometime, one for my credit card payoff, and one for a new, pretty, comfy convertible couch for my uber-small living room.

Sure, all sensible things - I'm sure you all are nodding your heads in agreement. Well, except, perhaps, the couch - I want a red couch, which is not sensible at all, and it mustn't have any of those stupid bars that bite into your back when you fold the mattress out.

But the true experiment of this last weekend was figuring out what I'm really worth per hour; it helps put my goals and motivations into perspective to be able to say, "I work X amount of hours to pay my rent" or "My couch means I have to work X number of days."

Here's how to figure out YOUR hourly worth (using an example of my bestest friend Jamie, who earns salary of $100,000/yr. I think it would be slightly unethical for me to post my actual salary on any blog, let alone my professional one):

Jamie earns $100,000/yr gross on a commission basis doing photography for weddings.
Jamie's tax bracket is 25%, meaning her net salary is actually $75,000/yr.
Considering that Jamie works eight hours a day with a one hour lunch and a 45-min commute and an hour of prep for work each morning, Jamie spends 11.5 hours everyday in relation to work. Thankfully, she doesn't take work home, or this number would be higher!
There are, on average, 260 working days a year. Multiplying 260 by Jamie's 11.5 hours/day, Jamie works 2990 hours a year.
Taking into account that Jamie spends about $100/month on clothing for work, $150/mo on gas for her car, $100/mo on maintenance for her car, $100/mo on various expenses for work to include supplies, and rents a studio for $300/mo for portrait taking, Jamie spends, on average, $760/mo or $9120/yr on expenses relating to work.
Finally, taking Jamie's net salary ($75000/yr), subtracting her expenses ($9120/yr), then dividing by hours worked (2990/yr), Jamie's actual hourly wage is $22.03/hr.

This is a pretty big change, considering that her job was advertised at approximately $48/hr when she took it; Jamie's actually working for less than half what the sticker price said.

This particular exercise is something I do every six months or so to determine whether my time is well-spent at work, at home, volunteering or otherwise, because considering how much you make an hour helps put into perspective what you spend time and money on, especially when you start comparing it to bills:

Jamie pays $1400 in rent ($1400/$22.03/24hrs) and must work eight standard eight-hour days to pay for it.
Jamie's car payment is about $400/mo. She must work two and a half eight-hour days to pay for it.
Jamie's commute is worth $250 worth of gas and maintenance on that car. She has to work at least a day and a half to pay for that.

A day, you say, well that's nothing! But if you compare it to how happy you are, it's actually quite a bit of something. As Jamie's 45-minute commute is spent seething in frustration at the other idiots in East Coast traffic, she's really spending $250/mo to learn new cusswords and flip radio stations in an effort to stay calm. How is that for perspective? How about this: Jamie is wasting eighteen days every year and spending $3000 to learn new cusswords and flip radio stations. Eighteen 24-hour days! $3000!

Tell me, folks...what could you do with eighteen more 24-hour days every year? How about $3000? What would you do with an extra hour and a half every day? Those are the questions I ask myself when I have these personal budgeting sessions - not just 'what would I do with', but 'why do I spend money on that'?

Currently, I have three volunteer obligations outside of work and two other extremely low-paying semi-volunteer gigs, taking up a solid five of seven nights a week. When I consider what my time is worth, it really makes me pause to reflect on whether I'm spending my time well, and whether I'm truly happy running around the city.

This time, I've decided to decrease one of my obligations by a half hour and one of my obligations by a full hour, giving myself a few extra hours each month to write. Since my passion really is writing, an hour and a half could mean 10000 words on a novel I want to get published. I think about it as paying myself - I'm worth my time.

So I have to ask, Gentle Readers, when you consider how much your time is worth - however you quantify it - are you spending your time on things that make you happy? Are you spending your money wisely? When looking over your goals, are you working toward them, or just placing them on a shiney pedestal to look at?

It is Bob's Birthday Today. Go by his Blog & Wish Him an Awesome One!

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:42:54 -0500

Go to Bob's blog and wish him happy bday!

Via Jeremy Blanton (ActiveRain Corp.):

Happy Birthday Mr. Stewart! Hope you have an awesome day today!

Please, go by his blog & wish him a Happy Birthday!

What We Take for Granted: The Real Cost of Freedom

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:16:03 -0500

Today is July 4th, 2009, and today, Americans celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, barbecues and friends. We pass bottles of wine and cheer as fire comes to life in firepits on the beach. We get incessantly drunk (at least, the very young and legal of us do), clanging beer bottles together and singing drunken melodies. Some of us follow our base urges into the night, while others fall into a sleeping stupor and will wake up tomorrow with a terrible headache and a serious need for hydration.

Yes, I realize that this is a very brusque look at our celebrations, but to bring clarity to how few people actually consider what freedom costs, I decided to give this example before hashing out the facts. Onwards.

The Declaration of Independence, one of our most sacred documents as Americans, was signed by 56 men. Of those 56, 24 were lawyers and jurors. 11 were merchants. 9 were farmers and plantation owners. These were all considered the smartest of the smart, but truly, they were the bravest of the brave, knowing full well that they were signing their death warrants and those of their families to fight behind a principle that they so believed in.

Here is the true cost of our freedom:

Five were captured and tortured by the British before they died behind bars.
Twelve lost their homes when the British soldiers burnt them and everything they owned.
Two had sons that were captured and never heard from again. Two others sacrificed them to the mire of war.
Nine physically fought in the Revolutionary War and lost their lives.
One saw all of his boats sunk by the British and had to sell everything to pay what he lost in those fateful hours, including his home and possessions. Once a rich merchant sailor, he died penniless.
One was so constantly harassed by the British that he put his family in hiding; his property was ransacked and stolen, leaving him, also, penniless.
Eight had their homes broken into, vandalized, and stolen from.
One lost his home to General Cornwalis and Cornwalis used it as an HQ for the British Military. His home was destroyed when he urged Washington to open fire and take out the occupants within. This signor died bankrupt at his own hand when his home was lost.
One lost his properties to the British when they were seized on the England side of the pond. His wife was also lost when she was captured and tortured, dying only a few months later.
One had to flee his dying wife's beside; his thirteen children also fled, never to be heard from again. He lived in the forest for years, returning to find himself without any family at all.

Even in a simpler time, our freedom was never free. These men, the ones who put their name on the document that began the war to give us this glorious country, knew precisely what they were getting into. Their families knew the risk they were taking alongside these men and accepted it. They were the epitome of brave, and yet...

yet...

We sit in our backyards and grill instead of taking a moment to remember the fallen, the ones who lost everything, every penny, their homes, even their families, to give us our freedom from the oppression the British empire forced on us so many years ago.

So please, everyone, as you're pulling out the BBQ and laying down the kabobs, take the time to consider what it really is to be free, to not worry about things like conscription and tariffs. Remember, even for a second, the real cost of freedom, and enjoy your Fourth in such a way that you celebrate those freedoms and the lives lost that afford us those freedoms.

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

~Francis Scott Key, "Defense of Fort McHenry"

Do You have Faith in your Scooby Gang?

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:11:25 -0500

If it weren't for those meddling kids....no, just kidding ;)

I say it constantly to many of my friends: If you surround yourself with intelligent people, you will be filled with intelligent thoughts to ponder as you move through your days. We've had a lot of big changes here at AR HQ, and it's been some time since I've written about the office itself -- I guess I epic fail at keeping you guys updated ;)

After speaking this morning to a certain AR CEO (cough*Jon*cough) and briefly discussing what growing pains a company has while expanding, he said, "If we're not f*ing up, we are not pushing ourselves." With that single sentence, I realized that a large part of pushing ourselves requires a combined team effort of all the individuals in our office, and since we have a few more backs to help push the load uphill, it was probably time to introduce our newcomers en masse.

In member support, we have a few new faces: Drew, Rodney, Kerrie, Sean, Steven, Aaron, and Joel. The first four are working with our new business builders, while the rest are those calling up our new members and helping them learn how to use the Rain to their advantage. They come with heavy dollops of sarcasm and a little playful banter, but they're ours!

Heading that team is Doug. Although you don't hear him on the phone very often, he's constantly riding herd on our new member support agents and has an easy demeanor that makes him a huge asset to our team. You may have seen him in my video post from last week.

Our new Director of Advertising is Chris. His input and energy in getting the word out about AR has been vital to the operation of the business since he arrived.

One of our newest community builders is no stranger to the Rain: Jeremy. Jeremy has been a long-time member and displays an eagerness to help our members that is unmatched. He has a serious enthusiasm for the Rain and an often contagious optimism.

Last, but not least, we managed to snag a new designer, too! Craig came to visit us from his home state of Connecticut this last week, and it was nice to meet the man behind the idle message. He's a gearhead and manages to mesh with the team very well.

Like our favorite R-Spouting cartoon dog, I can't help but think how much lesser of a company we would be if our Scooby gang wasn't together; every single one of them has their eye on the prize and want to make ActiveRain better for the members. It's refreshing and an absolute privilege to work for a company where every single person comes to work every day to work their tail off.

Sure, we don't unmask criminals or eat sandwiches eighteen times the size of our respective heads, but the shenanigans ensue on a daily basis. I'll be bringing my video recorder to work next week to get you guys the inside scoop, so stay tuned!

Why are You Grateful?

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:48:38 -0500

In the past week, I have heard the sentence "At least I have a job", especially as the major companies in our area continue to lay people off of their respective workforces. Seattle's unemployment numbers were nearly at 10% as of last night's radio report, and Seattlites are feeling the pinch. Regardless, I hate that sentence (Well, at least I have a job.) mostly because everytime I hear it, the tone in the person's voice is both exasperation, despair, and discontent.

So I have to ask, friends, in these bleak hours, why are you grateful?

The Job:

Yeah, okay, so a steady income is seriously useful. But is it just the job? It shouldn't be. For me, I could choose to cut ties with AR and move on to another opportunity, but would it make me happy? Probably not. Your job should be engaging, thrilling, and yes, sometimes stressful. You should be making relationships and bonds that will last in your future networking. You should have goals, whether you're like me with five long-term projects on your plate, or like Jon, who is working to make AR a great place for real estate professionals.

Your Home:

Many times in down economies, people lose their homes, are forced to move, or have to take on roommates to survive. As you all know, being in real estate, the best house a person can have is one that they've made their home. Regardless of the bodies that live under your roof, make sure your home inspires you in some manner. If you like to cook, make sure your kitchen is up to snuff. If you're a reader, put your bookshelves near your favorite chair. if you like to take long, soaking baths, get yourself some bath salts and a candle for those lazy evening hours.

Your Family:

The stress you feel has a weird way of affecting those around you, even if you don't yell, scream, or throw things. If the economy is stressing you out, make a pact with yourself to leave your money issues at your desk for when you have to go through bills, and spend some quality time doing something fun (and inexpensive) with your family, like playing cards or board games. Have a 'lights off' night and light a bajillion candles, roast marshmallows in the fireplace, and just enjoy the company of the people you may be forgetting with other things on your mind.

Your Pets:

If you're an animal lover like I am, you know that your animals can sense when you're upset. I have two cats, and they immediately flock to me the moment I burst into tears (not that I EVER do that...*ahem*), purring and rolling over so I can scratch their tummies. Stupid cats. (*sniffle*) In any case, pets are among the many that get neglected or ignored when your mind gets overloaded with things.

Finally, Yourself:

Are you healthy? It's important to take care of yourself, even when times are tough. Make sure you're not under-eating or over-eating to compensate for financial issues or to destress, respectively. I'm a stress-eater, so on the days that Jon gives me eight projects to finish by 5pm, ... yeah... those oreos? MINE. It's an awful habit, and I don't recommend it. To help keep you at your very best, make sure you put yourself first.

Why are You Grateful?

I'll give you my list: I have my health and my youth, I live in a nice neighorhood with a relatively low crime rate, my car is whole and working, I have a job that I love and bust my hiney for everyday because of that, I have great friends and awesome coworkers, I have...the Rain (winkwink) -- which is possibly the most useful network I've ever used (shameless plug, I know), I have two kitties who make me feel better when I'm sad, family close by who would drop everything for me, and best of all...most of all, I'm grateful to be independent and able to provide for myself even in tough times.

And so, gentle readers, I pass the torch to you - sit back a moment and reflect about the things that make you happy, the things for which you are so thankful, and the goals and future that lay ahead so long as you just stay on course.

Story of My Life: Ah, Technology. (+Video!)

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:50:08 -0500

So, I've been dealing with technical difficulties for the last three weeks...I caught someone else dealing with them today: mainly, our VP of Sales, Doug. Naturally, I pulled out my camera and recorded ;) Sometimes, it helps to laugh, and the best way to get a giggle around here is to catch someone by surprise. Join me :)

Poor Doug - the latest victim in my AR Ninja Videoing Project.

Moving: A Do-It-Yourself Guide (Pt 2 - Trying Not to Get Overwhelmed)

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:31:40 -0500

Last week, I did a segment of my Moving series about The Leadup - the two-to-three months before your move, with a list of helpful tips to do to help prep for the month before the big move. The idea is that those little things you can do in less than five minutes will go a long way when it's crunch time.

Today, I'd like to discuss the month prior to your move. This is a stressful time for many because it's hard to determine what to pack and when, without needing it in the ginormous amount of time that you have before the Big Day.

Trying Not to Get Overwhelmed (1 Month Prior to the BIG DAY): You're looking down the road and have figured out that you're moving. The problem now is getting everything in order so that it all falls together by moving day. This month, I want you to start your FIRST NIGHT list. It's a list of things you'll need immediately when you get to your new home. We'll discuss it in more detail in my next installment (Panic Time: One week to go!). For now, just get out a piece of paper and jot things down as we go.

Here's what needs to happen in this month:

1. In the Kitchen:
     a. Go through your fridge and freezer and do a COMPLETE inventory, by category (fruits, meats, dry goods), of what you have. You're going to want to spend this month eating down your stockpile of goods, and since you culled everything during the last installment, it should be no issue to do a quick inventory.
     b. Consider planning a few meals to use up the heaviest or messy items in your pantry - ie. Canned goods, frozen meats and veggies, bottles of juice, etc. If you eat the heavy items first, you'll have less of a backache during the Big Day.
     c. Decide whether you really want to move your linens or dinnerware. Do you love it still? Do you have the budget to replace it once you move? If not, make a note on your calendar for the week before your move to make a donation run with your dinnerware (to the soup kitchens if it's incomplete, to the thrift store if it's complete) and linens (to the shelter for the doggies).
     d. In the dining room, think really hard about your needs. Is your family a kitchenette family or a board game family? Do your dining table and chairs suit your needs? This is mostly a mental note for you; you get to decide whether your kitchen table and chairs are really something you want to move or not. If you USE IT and LOVE IT, KEEP IT.
     e. Let's not forget our furry friends. The next time you go shopping, pick up enough food for this month and then TWO WEEKS after your move. Yes, it's going to be heavy - sorry. But no one likes to go hungry. If you have a kitty, get a bucket of cat litter instead of a bag. Put your pet supplies on your FIRST NIGHT list.
     f. Wipe down the insides and outsides of your fridge, freezer, and cabinets. Don't bother taking anything out at this point; don't waste your time. Just wipe around it. Wipe the fingerprints off the doors and windows.

2. In the Laundry Room:
     a. This month, you really, really want to keep up on your laundry. Do it regularly.
     b. Start packing away warm weather clothes (if it's winter) or cool weather clothes (if it's summer).
     c. At this time, you should start a box for each member of your family, marked "Daisy - Winter Clothes" or "Bobby - Summer Clothes". A useful thing to do at this point is also note the current sizes on the clothing. Don't waste a lot of time on this; if Bobby's clothing are mostly sevens, then mark "7" on the box after Bobby's name. (Bobby 7 - Summer Clothes)
     d. Start collecting hangers. If you have wire hangers, do yourself a favor and THROW THEM AWAY. Wire hangers ruin your clothes. Make a mental note to invest in better hangers after the move. If you already have nice hangers, start stowing them away as you find them empty in closets, in the laundry room, or in the basement.
     e. This may sound stupid, but familiarize yourself with the hot/cold water shut-offs. When it's time to move, you'll want to shut them down, and you want it to be a no-brainer so that you don't waste two hours trying to figure out how to do it.

3. In the Bathroom:
     a. USE IT UP. That's the rule this month. We are NOT moving eighth-inch-full shampoo bottles. We are NOT taking that mostly-gone eyeshadow compact with us. We are NOT DEFINITELY NOT going to take a quarter-full TP roll with us. Use it up!
     b. Add the following items to your FIRST NIGHT list: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, TP, makeup, shampoo, soap, hairdryer, prescriptions.
     c. Do a FULL scrub down of your bathroom. Get it as clean as you can possibly get it, somewhere around T-minus Two Weeks until the Big Day. Wipe the drips off the wall, clean up the fingerprints on the doorjamb, and definitely scrub out the bath and shower until it sparkles. Why? Because it's easier to do a quick clean than a deep clean when you're that close to moving and stressed out.

4. In the Bedroom:
     a. Commit to one set of sheets and put them on your bed. You'll wash these and put them right back on again as many times as you like before the Big Day. Pack up all the rest of your sheets. If it's summer, consider also packing up your heavy blankets. Bundle your throw pillows up and set them with your packed linens.
     b. Walk around the room and pick up all the dust-collectors. If you LOVE them, wrap them up as though they were the most precious piece of china you own and pack them safely in a sturdy box.
     c. Pair up your socks. It's silly, yes, I know, but make sure everyone's got a mate. If you have any stragglers, take them to the laundry room and set them on the dryer. From now on, only paired socks go in your drawers. At the end of the month, you'll use any extras to take care of stains in the carpet.
     d. Pull EVERYTHING out of your closet (except hanging clothes). Closets are often a black hole of things you never knew you had. Make sure everything in there is something you LOVE and USE. Pile these items along ONE wall, preferably furthest from the door. Be safe! Don't put them against a baseboard heater.
     e. Go through your hanging clothes and decide if they're all something you wear semi-regularly. I realize that a bunch of people love keeping their wedding dresses or their First Communion outfit, but I'm here to tell you that a picture of those gorgeous dresses will give you the same memories you get by seeing them in the closet. Plus, that extra $600 you get from selling them will help bring new memories to your household after you move.

4. In the Living Room:
    a. Just like you did in the bedroom, bundle up your throw pillows and pack up the extras that you LOVE.
    b. This is not just for the living room, but at this point, you should walk around the house and collect any pictures that were on the walls. Decide which pieces of art you want to keep; it's okay to let something go that's no longer your style. If you dislike a frame or matting of a certain picture, make a note, and pack them up. The safest way to store pictures is upright (as they would hang), putting two pictures back to back and two more front to front, being sure to put cardboard between the face to face parts to keep the frames from scratching and leaning the whole pile against a solid, sturdy wall. If you're moving a long distance, you may want to look into getting some framing boxes from your local frame supply store.
    c. Go through your book collection again. I can't stress this enough: Books are heavy! Are you SURE you need all of the ones you decided to keep? Do you still have books you put on Swaptree three months ago? Take any extra to your local book exchange.
    d. Do you have any furniture that didn't sell on Craigslist? Invite Goodwill in to take it for you; often, they'll send a truck. This is a good time to send your dishes from above or any art you decided not to keep.
    e. As to that office in your living room, you've tackled the paper monster. This time, I want you to take a good, hard look at your cords. Does every peripheral have its proper cord? Do you have extras? For now, put the extras in a separate bin and set it on the top shelf. If they aren't used in the next month, it's probably okay to toss them.
    f. Also in the office, decide whether your desk serves your needs. If not, get rid of it! You can get a new one on the other end or work on the dining room table for a while until you find the RIGHT one. You might find that you don't need a desk at all.
   g. Finally, get a file box for the files you have to transfer. Before loading up the whole thing with all those files, take each file out individually, open it, and decide if it's still a necessary file. ONLY pack the ones that are necessary! Often, we forget that we have certain files or re-purpose others to include an additional item that already had its own folder. Don't be afraid to purge!

Again, this may look like a huge list of things to do, but I promise, none of these things take longer than fifteen minutes. If you do a little every day, you'll be okay! Overall, follow these rules:

Rule #4: Does it serve your needs? If not, then out it goes!
Rule #5: If it has no other purpose than to remind you of something, take a picture! Out the item goes!
Rule #6: Make a 1st Night Box for your family, so that you don't have to go scrambling for toothpaste or TP on your first night at your new home.

Try not to get overwhelmed! You have plenty of time between now and the Big Day. Take your time and do things at your own pace. Enlist help if you need to. Don't be afraid to edit your collection of household goods and furniture. If you don't use it or love it, let it go!

Moving: A Do-It-Yourself Guide (Pt 1 - The Lead-Up)

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Tue, 12 May 2009 11:58:34 -0500

We're in real estate. We're in the business of selling homes to people who 99.99999% of the time are already living in a home they've made for a year or more, meaning that at some point, they're going to have to pack their lives into boxes, load a truck, and move to their new nest. Many Realtors believe that the real estate process ends when the Escrow company closes the books, pays out the taxes and commissions, and gets the deed on title. There are a few quite awesome realtors, however, who pitch in with their buyers and sellers and help them when it's time to go.

Take it from me - I've moved nine times in the last ten years - moving is no picnic, and every hand helping is a hand that you are sincerely greatful for, whether you're putting cash into that hand at the end of the night or a Hefe. As I'm in the middle of my tenth (yes, tenth) move right now, and since we're ramping up to moving season here in the great Northwest as schools let out and summer chases the spring showers away, I thought I might give some well-practiced advice on the art of DIY Moving.

Please feel free to add your own tips below!

The lead-up (2-3 Months Before the BIG DAY): Although not everyone has the luxury of having two to three months before they know they're moving to get prepped, if one DOES have this blessing, he or she has a leg up that is priceless. During the lead-up, and separate from the real estate process (I can't go on about all of that - that's your jobs!), here are some items that need to happen:

1. In the Kitchen:

     a. Go through the pantry, fridge and freezer and cull anything that's expired, freezer-burned items, sour or spoiled items, duplicate condiments, dressings or jars that you have NO IDEA when you opened them and can't remember using them last, and any definitely dead spices.
     b. Donate any foods that are not expired yet but that you will not have time to finish before they expire.
     c. Go through your dishtowels and toss the tattered ones into a bag marked "towels". More about this later.
     d. Pack away your "good" china, any servingware that you will not use before the Big Day, and any linens that really won't see use til' the holiday season. This is a good habit to get into any time of the year.
     e. If you find you have too many dishes, too many utensils, too many glasses, or too many mugs, put them in a separate donation box for now. These items, however mismatched or dwindling, can be used and very much appreciated at any soup kitchen in the city.

2. In the Laundry Room:

     a. Cull any tattered or worn blankets and towels. Stuff them into the same bag above with your dishtowels. Take this whole bag down to your nearest animal shelter.
     b. If you have multiples of bleach, detergent, softener or etc., that won't be used before the Big Day, pack 'em up. The idea is to have one open box in each room as you work so that as things get freed up to pack, you can simply tuck them into your box.
     c. As you take things out of the dryer to fold, consider the wear on the garment that you're folding. If it's tattered, consider tearing it up for car rags or patches. If it's in need of repair or tailoring, put it on a hanger and hang it somewhere where you'll see it (to remind you to take it to the tailor). If it's just plain out of style or does not fit anymore, donate it.

3. In the Bathroom:

     a. Go through the medicine cabinet and cull anything that's empty, unusuable, or expired. On the note of prescription pills: the old method of disposal (ie, flushing them) has proven to hurt the environment in many parts of the country. Instead of dumping them down the drain, take them back to the pharmacy on your next shopping trip for proper disposal.
     b. Pack up multiples that won't be used until after the move, including feminine hygiene products, cotton balls, shampoo, soap, etc.
     c. Be sure to look under the sink for these items, too! We often forget the items that are out of sight, and take it from a girl who has left some very important things behind: You never want to be caught without toilet paper in the new house.

4. In the Bedroom:

     a. Go through your wardrobe and shoes and cull anything that falls within the lines of the laundry above - anything tattered, in need of repair, or just plain ugly on you.
     b. Go through the linen closet and pull any mismatched sheet sets, random pillow cases, and lost throw pillows. Donate them all. Just...do it.
     c. In the linen closet, take ONE pillow case from a matched set and tuck the rest of the set inside it for easy transport. This is a good habit to get into year round, and it makes sure nothing gets lost.
     d. Consider the shape of your sleeping pillows. If your feathers are flat or your cotton isn't up to snuff any longer, make a note to replace them as you move from one house to the other. There's nothing worse than flat pillows when you're getting used to a new house's night sounds.

5. In the Living Room:

     a. Otherwise known as the Abyss, this is where we spend the most time. Pick it up. As you're finding homes for the items that have wandered there from other rooms, consider EACH object and ask yourself, "Do I use this regularly? Do I love it?" If the answer is no and no, you need to get rid of that item.
     b. Look around at your furniture and decide which pieces you REALLY want to take with you. This is a good time to make a shopping list for new furniture, too. If Gramma's rocker no longer suits your lifestyle and no one sits in it anymore, Craigslist is your friend. You need all of the items you don't want to take with you out a month prior to the Big Day.
     c. Consider culling your media and electronics. Do you need three DVD players? Have you watched ALL of those movies recently? Do you love them all? Try looking at services like Swaptree.com and Half Price Books to get rid of the ones you don't love. Remember: Books are heavy! Part with what you'll never read again.
     d. Many of us have our offices in the living room. Shred whatever paper you don't need and that isn't important. If you have scanning abilities, digitize some of that paper! Purge, purge, purge!

This may look like a lot of things to do, but remember, you have two to three months to get it done, and most of these little things only take a few minutes as you do them. In the long run, you'll make your move a much more happy process if you follow three simple rules:

Rule #1: If you don't use it regularly or love it, it needs to go.
Rule #2: If it gives you bad memories, it needs to go.
Rule #3: If it's in disrepair or it's begging you to let it go, it needs to go.

Other than that, you have plenty of time, so don't stress out! Moving is actually quite easy if you don't box yourself into it by procrastinating.

(Tune in for Part 2: Getting it Together (and Enlisting Help!) )

All Call SOS to Seattle-Area Agents: Help the Animal Shelter!

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:39:44 -0500

If you all know me by now, you know that I care a great deal about the community I live in, and that I love my kitties, who were both rescued from shelters.

The Seattle Animal Shelter recently had a huge dryer fire at their facilities on 15th Avenue, causing them to lose a lot of their stock of textiles to help comfort and pad the temporary homes of the cats and dogs there. I realize no one may be able to donate a new commercial dryer to them, but they are asking (nigh, begging, pleading, with scores of big, sad puppies with big, sad puppy-dog eyes) for donations of towels and blankets to the shelter to restock.

Luckily, they didn't lose any actual animals during the fire, but some had to be relocated to foster homes for the time being, due to lost space and cleanup.

If you are in the Seattle Area and you can send (by post) or drop off donations, please do! Here's the info:

Address: 2061 15th Ave West, Seattle, WA 98119
Shelter Hours: Monday-Sunday, 12:00-6:00pm, Closed for Holidays
Telephone: (206) 386-PETS (7387) main / (206) 386-4285 fax

I'll be taking a load over there myself - my towels have seen better days, but I'm sure there's a puppy out there who would rather lay on it instead of a bare kennel.

Epic File Cleanout - Are You Running Lean and Mean?

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:25:24 -0500

I like to take the opportunity when some of the guys are out of town to go through and clean up my files, do some paper stack filing, and shred some backlog; it's amazing how much builds up over time! On top of it, every April, I not only clean my home top to bottom but I clean my office up as well.

On top of it all, I'm about to celebrate my one-year anniversary here at the Rain - and you all know what that means! Yep, you got it: Epic File Cleanout.

Generally, after a year of employment at any place I've worked, I go back after a year and do a wellness checkup on my filing system. Since I'm a "Clean-Up Girl" (meaning that I take on jobs that are particularly messy upon arrival), I tend to go through every bit of paper in the office and file it away in well-named files, even if I don't know precisely why the piece of paper exists or what purpose it serves for the office. I've been known to label files with "No Idea" and "Potential Business Contacts" in preparedness for my CEO to say, "Hey, did you see that business card that was laying RIGHT HERE (*points to corner of desk*) when you got here?"

But, after a year, as you can imagine, some of those files haven't even been touched in that much time and are basically useless, never to be called on again. And thus! My goal is to have my files cleaned out and shined up by May 5, 2009... I hereby challenge you all to go through your files and see if you have anything superfluous among them. Shred, shred, shred, peeps!

It Ain't Easy...Being Green: Earth Day 2009

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:54:24 -0500

Today is Earth Day, and where most of the world chooses to focus on recycling and global warming today, I am focusing on something much, much more important.

My great-grandmother used to say to me, "Red, use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. That's the way we did it during the Depression, and that's the way you should do it now. Any other way is wasteful and does a disservice to your family and neighbors."

Growing up, that's exactly what we did. My great-grandmother was big on finding deals and discounts, using something until it was dead, and extending the life and quality of the things we already have. This, of course, was from back before being "Green" was in style, before global warming was even on our social radar, and before people thought frugality was just a fad.

It was sometimes amazing to hear her stories about a time that was simpler, a time where community was so much stronger, and a time that money wasn't everything. She lived simply even in her old age when money was more plentiful and she could do more than play Bridge with her friends or go down to the Bingo Hall.

Sadly, my great-grandmother is no longer with us today, but every Earth Day, instead of rolling my eyes at the harping on recycling or buying into the "Green" products that stores are touting, I think about what I could do to live more simply. What could I use up? What could I wear out? How can I make do? Can I do without that XYZ item at the store?

Many don't know this about me here on the Rain, but in my off-time, I'm also a Frugality Blogger. I teach classes to those who want to live a simpler life, to those who either want or need to make do for a while. I run articles at least three times a week about how to simplify. What's my point? My point is that I'm not trying to talk out of my *** here, but to pass on a very valuable lesson from my dear ol' great-granny and those days so long ago where they didn't have the choice to follow this advice.

Here's some simple things you can do to simplify today, and every day:

1. Instead of running to the store (wasting time, gas, and money) for one ingredient, find something to substitute in your meal. Use AllRecipes.com's ingredient search to try a new recipe, or if you're brave enough, swap your asparagus for the broccoli that will die a horrid death in three days.

2. If you have barely used clothing that is still in style or that you love, but it's a size too big or too small, learn how to sew. For those of you who aren't handy, invest in a tailor; generally, alterations are much less costly than new clothes, and you're not tossing perfectly good clothing into the black hole that is Goodwill.

3. If you're out of shaving cream, use conditioner (this is one of my favorites!). Use lemon and baking soda to clean wooden cutting boards. Vinegar and water cuts grease in the kitchen (especially that awful black stuff that comes from cooking there for a year)!

4. Use used dryer sheets to dust off electronics. They're soft enough for the screen (after use) and they eliminate that awful static cling that attracts dust!

5. Use those single lost-mate socks to help clean up spills on the rug. You're not going to wear them anyway, so spray your spot cleaner on the spot, pull the sock over your fist, and use twisting motions to sop the stain right out!

The main lesson here is to really think about what you're throwing out, donating, giving away, or leaving behind: Can you repurpose it? Can you substitute something else in its place? Can you use it up before you have to throw it away?

Happy Earth Day 2009, everyone! Here's looking forward to a simpler life.

Why I Love Mondays

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:36:44 -0500

I have expounded on the brilliance of mornings in the past, and now, I'm afraid I must write an ode to Mondays. There are people in this world who, when Monday rolls around, they hit the snooze button eighteen times before finally rolling out of bed, their hair mussed and going every direction, dark circles under their eyes, and pajamas rumpled from their tossing, turning escapades of the night past.

Perhaps I need not say it, but I'm not one of those people. I rolled out of bed bright and early this morning at 7am, brushed my teeth, pulled on the clothes I'd laid out last night, grabbed the bag I'd packed, grabbed my pop tarts and headed to work. I flew across the 520 bridge and soared up 405, parking in my favorite spot upon arrival and taking a quick jaunt to Starbucks for an iced mocha.

Yes, it was a good morning.

Setting down with my mocha and my Todoodlist, I added a few items that had popped up over the weekend, sent out prepatory emails to some of the guys so that I had what I needed by the end of the day, and got down to work. Lunch flew by without a fuss - everyone's lunch order was correct this time! Woot!

Now, I'm sitting here, and it's 2:34pm. My Todoodlist is now down to three items for follow-up -- down from eighteen this morning. Now, orange juice in hand, I'm considering the rest of my day. I have just an hour and a half before it's over, and that is PLENTY of time to get some of the more tasteless frogs swallowed.

Mondays are wonderful work days for me because I have SO much energy. I'm a yes-girl on Mondays - "Yes, I can do that!" "Sure, I'll get right on it!" "Absolutely, I have time for that today." I think this energy is the product of keeping my weekends low-key; if you're always running around, when do you have time to breathe? Story of my life!

So an ode to Mondays... They are definitely my high-energy, high-production day. I know Jon thinks I'm super-organized and uber-productive, but everyone has those days where they don't feel like they got anything done (I've posted about a few myself!). All I have to say is: Thank the Rain for Mondays.... we have to start somewhere, and why not start on the best foot possible?

Some tips for happy Mondays:

On FRIDAY, make your Monday to-do list, so you don't think about it at all over the weekend. Neaten your desk.
Sunday evening, eat before 8pm and get to sleep at a reasonable hour. If you have time, read before bed.
Monday morning, get out of bed the first time your alarm goes off. Studies show that people actually feel MORE tired after hitting the snooze.
Upon arrival to work, add the new items that came through your inbox to your to-do list.
Get some coffee or orange juice, make sure you've eaten SOMETHING (even if it's just a banana).
Start at #1 on your to-do list and race yourself to see how much you can get done before the next person arrives at work.

Finally:

7. Make sure you always have ONE THING on your desk that makes you happy. Right now, I have daffodils!

The Importance of Reading the Instructions

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:46:50 -0500

Few things in life come with instructions. For instance:

Walking wrongways through a crowd on the street - no instructions. Lots of shoulder bruises.
Folding T-shirts - no instructions. Cotton wrinkles easily.
French Braids - no instructions, although many have tried. It's too hard to click "next" while your fingers are bound up in your hair.

Some things are made easier with instructions. For instance:

Microwave popcorn - instructions. If you follow them, you have a hot, healthy snack.
Automatic Car Washes - instructions. Without them, we'd have far fewer side mirrors.
Express Line - instructions. That guy with 13 items has to go somewhere else, thank GOODNESS.

Why am I writing about instructions today? Well, it's occured to me through a series of tests that some people just never will follow instructions. You see, I've had to post a few job ads recently, and as I described to one of the guys here in the office, I always sneak a test into the ad to see if the potential candidate is actually paying attention, or if they're just sending their resume to everyone in the want ads.

My test this time? "Do not attach a cover letter. Instead, explain why you are the best candidate for this job in 140 characters or less." It was listed as the veerrrrrrry bottom of the ad, right after the word IMPORTANT: in bolded, capitalized letters. Strangely enough, the percentage of people who actually read that and comprehend the test is about 10%. The percentage who get the reference to Twitter is about 2%.

Why are instructions important? Because they tell more about you than you realize. Are you an instructions-follower? Can you make a paper crane in thirty seconds thanks to that YouTube vid posted not too long ago? Are you methodical? Do you complete every step? Are you observant? Did you even notice that the instructions were there?

Yes, my friends, sometimes the fine print does matter. It's strange how few people are paying attention!

(That's my rant for the day - it's 10:19PM and I've had a tough day. It was either bore you with a lecture about paying attention or complaining about my constantly interrupted workflow today ;) )

I Stole my BF's Sweatshirt Today... The Upside to (Workplace) Obsession is that You Get Things Done!

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:18:55 -0500

Well, borrowed, more like. I knew it was going to be cold down by the water in Seattle at 6:30a-7:00a this morning and so when I saw it just hanging out near the cracked door, I nabbed it and threw it on. And it came in handy, too (although, it's not really my style); standing in the dark, the wind rushing past, staring down a seedy hobo who looked like he wanted to hit me up for the three quarters and a penny that were in my pocket, just waiting....waiting at the ferry dock to pick up some electronics equipment the company loaned out.

You see, the downside of being super-productive and organized (that's not a pat on the back - those are the two compliments I got in the last two days) is that I am always, always early for everything. I set the alarm this morning for six AM, drove from Bellevue to Seattle, parked, and waited half an hour for the exchange with no coffee, no makeup, and my cellphone on its last pip.

It's going to be a long day. Lately, I've been obsessed with productivity and efficiency, whether in my apartment (I'm redecorating), in my relationship, or here at work. The upside to being organized is that you always know what's outstanding. (The downside to being organized is that...you always know what's outstanding. Urg.) I've got a lot on my plate today; so much so that i rewrote my to-do list three times yesterday as I finished tasks and moved on.

Based on my previous post about spinning your wheels, I did take some of your advices to heart, Readers. I really liked the idea of ripping your to-do list in half, but for the sake of my Moleskine notebook, I just made two lists instead ;) I finished all of one and most of the second yesterday (woohoo!).

So my question to you all is... what have you been super-obsessed with lately? As Jeremy so kindly pointed out, I am pretty AROC myself; it's easy for me to obsess over the list and put the pedal to the metal, so to speak. I guess that's why I fit in with the AR staff - we're all obsessed about something, it seems!

Have a lovely day, everyone :) Friday is ALMOST here.

Are You Wearing Green?

Claire C. (ActiveRain Corporation) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:17:34 -0500

Morning, everyone! Today is St. Pat's day, and heck yes, I'm Irish. You know what that means! Green beer, green clothes, green hats, and lots and lots of corned beef.

There once was a lady, Ilene,
Who lived on distilled kerosene,
But she started absorbin'
A new hydrocarbon
and since then she'd never benzene.

Okay, so my Irish is up today (hehehe, I made a funny). In any case, happy St. Pat's everyone, and please, please enjoy the evening SAFELY.