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    <title>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson)'s Blog</title>
    <link>http://activerain.com/blogs/csheehy</link>
    <description></description>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1374995/what-happened-to-everyone-s-picture-</guid>
      <title>What Happened to Everyone's Picture?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;My picture is gone from AR and it looks like everyone else's is, also.&amp;nbsp; This is a tough week for me and technology.&amp;nbsp; My email disappeared and my backup restored 4500 emails I did not want.&amp;nbsp; Do full moons effect computers and software?&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:00:32 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1374995/what-happened-to-everyone-s-picture-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1374907/christmas-packages-and-anti-terrorists-postal-rules</guid>
      <title>Christmas Packages and Anti-Terrorists Postal Rules</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I tend to get overextended this time of year and do try to get some help from my husband from time to time.&amp;nbsp; I purchased some candy for his father and asked my husband to wrap it and mail it. He sort of agreed to do this, but the candy just sat there.&amp;nbsp; I finally wrapped/addressed the package and asked that he post it.&amp;nbsp; He did go to the post office but the lines were too long for him.&amp;nbsp; His solution was to take a whole package of stamps out and glue them all over the box.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The next day, our&amp;nbsp;condominim complex office called and said the postal worker would not take the item and it had to be metered.&amp;nbsp; My husband put up a fuss and so yours truly took the package to a Pack and Ship.&amp;nbsp; The clerk looked at the package and I explained that the multitudes of stamps was the work of my husband.&amp;nbsp; It was his way of completing a distainful task.&amp;nbsp; In examining the package, she started to laugh.&amp;nbsp; She said, "This is in violation of Federal law because it looks like the work of a unibomber."&amp;nbsp; The stamps plastered all over the box did look like the work of a crazed person.&amp;nbsp; I managed to have the present metered and sent on its way.&amp;nbsp; I hope his parents enjoy the effort!&amp;nbsp; This has a been a week of complicated tasks gone wild.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-11365593-skull.php" id="img_11365593"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/11365593/1/istockphoto_11365593-skull.jpg" id="imageThumb_11365593" height="56" alt="" width="110"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=11366495"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:06:25 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1374907/christmas-packages-and-anti-terrorists-postal-rules</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1364109/customers-from-a-very-hot-place-federal-violation-and-cutting-commissions-yikes-</guid>
      <title>Customers From a Very Hot Place, Federal Violation, and Cutting Commissions - Yikes!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;We have an office in a very upscale shopping center in Naples, Florida.&amp;nbsp; Some of the shops in the complex include Tiffany's, St. John's, Apple, Ralph Lauren, etc.&amp;nbsp; The center's location is in the heart of a wealthy community.&amp;nbsp; Leads from this office tend to be very productive.&amp;nbsp; Agents enjoy working at this office.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This week I had a couple come in and they said they were looking for a condominium under $100000.&amp;nbsp; That is not a typical dollar figure for this setting, but I was happy to give them some general information. If they were serious, my plan was to refer them to another agent.&amp;nbsp; (I have spent too much time with a few low end deals that take way too much energy to get involved with this project.) They had already scoped the area and they had some opinions about what they were looking for.&amp;nbsp; The woman stated that, "I do not want to be in a development that has Blacks or Mexicans living in it."&amp;nbsp; I almost fell down on the floor.&amp;nbsp; I thought she might be a federal agent and I looked at her accordingly. She went on to say," We are only here for 6 months of the year so we want to be with other people who are like us."&amp;nbsp; I restated that for her, "So you are interested in a community that has snowbirds - right?"&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I was still shocked that she had made such racial comments.&amp;nbsp; I knew this was not a long term relationship but I was trying to find a way to show them the door, when she said, "How do commissions work on the sale of a house?" I told her she did not have to worry about that because the seller paid those costs.&amp;nbsp; She went on to ask if they did not have enough money for the home could they have some of the real estate commission.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;I told her in the price range that she was looking at the commission is minimal and the work very extensive.&amp;nbsp; It made no business sense to cut the commission&amp;nbsp;for such an effort.&amp;nbsp; Between the first statement and last, I helped them to the door.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Did I handle that&amp;nbsp;OK?&amp;nbsp; Should I have booted them out the door after the first rude remark?&amp;nbsp;I am beginning to think instead of ignoring their initial comment I should have challenged it or told them I could not participate in such a ridulous search.&amp;nbsp; What do you think?&lt;/p&gt;
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      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:30:26 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1364109/customers-from-a-very-hot-place-federal-violation-and-cutting-commissions-yikes-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1337062/contributing-toys-for-worthy-organizations-looking-for-fun-ideas-</guid>
      <title>Contributing Toys for Worthy Organizations - Looking for Fun  Ideas!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I do not think people understand how much realtors do for the community, and with Christmas just around the corner, the pressure is on to help as much as is possible.&amp;nbsp; We do this because we want to, but from food drives to toy collecting, I have to pace myself and give to organizations that mean a lot to me.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Locally, there is a home for challenged children that is on my donor list.&amp;nbsp; They ask for unwrapped toys for infants to teens. I do not have children of my own so going to the toy&amp;nbsp;department is a bit overwhelming.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Yesterday, I decided to recycle my youth and focus on Barbie dolls.&amp;nbsp; I found a Barbie doll that is sold with a dog and his toys.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;The package&amp;nbsp;looked&amp;nbsp;very cute, until I noticed the dog came with his own droppings.&amp;nbsp; In addition, Barbie had a pooper scooper to clean up after her pet.&amp;nbsp; I am sure that is a teaching tool, but it was too much information for me.&amp;nbsp; I picked up the next Barbie and dog ensemble and found in that setting you could&amp;nbsp;give the dog water and he would relieve himself on cue.&amp;nbsp; On that note, I picked up a basic Barbie with some clothes and moved on to the game area, where I found Gassy Gus.&amp;nbsp; A few more minutes in the toy area and I was on overload.&amp;nbsp; I left knowing I need to go back and complete this mission.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;OK, I admit I need help with toys that are reasonably priced and appropriate for a variety of ages.&amp;nbsp; I am calling on the AR network to suggest playthings for this holiday season.&amp;nbsp; I will look forward to your ideas, so I am better prepared for my next outing!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;img src="http://classroomclipart.com/ImageFolio4_files/gallery/Clipart/Toys/TN_PMY0109C.jpg" border="0" alt="Click to view"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:05:03 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1337062/contributing-toys-for-worthy-organizations-looking-for-fun-ideas-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1326295/a-baby-s-name-and-a-casino-love-story</guid>
      <title>A Baby's Name and a Casino Love Story</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;This is a true story and I think it is simply fun!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A woman from our golf club said that her daughter and son-in-law were married at Wynn's Casino in Vegas.&amp;nbsp; It was a place that both of them really enjoyed and the wedding was a blast.&amp;nbsp; (If you have ever been there, the setting is very special.) The casino did everything to make the day unforgettable.&amp;nbsp;The event&amp;nbsp;cost a small fortune, but it was&amp;nbsp;outstanding!&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Within a year after the ceremony, the newlywed gave birth to a beautiful little girl.&amp;nbsp; The couple struggled with what to name the child. They wanted a name that was rather unconventional but totally positive.&amp;nbsp; The father finally set upon the notion that "Wynn," after his favorite casino, would be absolutely perfect.&amp;nbsp; (He is very conservative, but he likes to gamble and play the golf course. I do not want to make him sound too far out there.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The parents&amp;nbsp;took a picture of the baby and sent it to Ms. Wynn with an explanation&amp;nbsp;about the origin of the baby's name.&amp;nbsp;Ms.&amp;nbsp;Wynn&amp;nbsp;mailed back a cashmere baby sweater and hat with a charming letter.&amp;nbsp; She had&amp;nbsp; baby Wynn's picture blown up and placed on the hallway of&amp;nbsp; the employee's lounge and every time the couple goes to the Wynn with Wynn they are treated like "rock stars."&amp;nbsp; (Plus, there is always a special present for Wynn at the counter.)&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: left;"&gt;Moral of the Story: Do take that extra time to name your child or grandchild.&amp;nbsp; It could pay off on many levels!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www1.free-clipart.net/cgi-bin/clipart/directory.cgi?action=view&amp;amp;link=clipart/Kids_Stuff/Images&amp;amp;image=Baby_15.jpg&amp;amp;img=12"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www1.free-clipart.net/gallery2/clipart/Kids_Stuff/Images/Baby_15.jpg" border="0" alt="Large View"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:12:49 -0800</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1326295/a-baby-s-name-and-a-casino-love-story</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1305496/could-we-be-nice-to-some-of-our-foreign-national-buddies-</guid>
      <title>Could We Be Nice to Some of Our Foreign National Buddies?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Not all foreign nationals are out to get us.&amp;nbsp; I wish the government could figure out that there are people from other countries who want to live here peacefully, spend a lot of money and pay our taxes.&amp;nbsp; We make it so darn difficult, from mortgage constraints to visa restrictions to a lack of extended health plans.&amp;nbsp; I know many super talented English citizens who would love to own real estate here and spend vacations on our soil.&amp;nbsp; Many of them do find a way to settle here, but we do not exactly make it an easy process.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;One of our golf members lived in the United States for 35 years.&amp;nbsp; He was a top executive in an oil company.&amp;nbsp; He was British and no one in the states could fill his job. The day he retired, our government notified him that he was to return to England to live.&amp;nbsp; He would only be welcomed back into the country for 6 months a year.&amp;nbsp; He had to go back to a&amp;nbsp;land he did not know and start a new life.&amp;nbsp; He struggled to get a US Visa. He would have much preferred to settle here and have one luxury home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am working with an English&amp;nbsp;couple who are&amp;nbsp;trying to obtain&amp;nbsp;a mortgage for a vacation home.&amp;nbsp; This too is a burdensome process.&amp;nbsp; I have found lenders willing to work with them, but it was no easy task.&amp;nbsp; Another couple decided not to buy here because to cover their English health insurance, the costs were prohibitive.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am not naive.&amp;nbsp; I do understand that there are&amp;nbsp;some very nasty&amp;nbsp;people out there who do not like us.&amp;nbsp; But last I checked, we do have some allies and I think we should start treating those citizens&amp;nbsp;like we are buddies, not as if they are part of the evil axis.&amp;nbsp; We need to look at our policies and find ways to let talented foreigners enjoy our part of the world.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Antigua.gif" height="32" alt="Antigua" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Bahamas.gif" height="32" alt="Bahamas" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Barbados.gif" height="32" alt="Barbados" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Belize.gif" height="32" alt="Belize" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Canada.gif" height="32" alt="Canada" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/CostaRica.gif" height="32" alt="CostaRica" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Cuba.gif" height="32" alt="Cuba" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Dominica.gif" height="32" alt="Dominica" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/DominicanRep.gif" height="32" alt="DominicanRep" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/ElSalvador.gif" height="32" alt="ElSalvador" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Grenada.gif" height="32" alt="Grenada" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Groenland.gif" height="32" alt="Groenland" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Guatemala.gif" height="32" alt="Guatemala" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Haiti.gif" height="32" alt="Haiti" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Honduras.gif" height="32" alt="Honduras" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Jamaica.gif" height="32" alt="Jamaica" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Mexico.gif" height="32" alt="Mexico" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Nicaragua.gif" height="32" alt="Nicaragua" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/Panama.gif" height="32" alt="Panama" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/PuertoRico.gif" height="32" alt="PuertoRico" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/SaintVincent.gif" height="32" alt="SaintVincent" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/SolomonIslands.gif" height="32" alt="SolomonIslands" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/StChristopherNevis.gif" height="32" alt="StChristopherNevis" width="32"&gt; &lt;img src="http://www.kidsdomain.com/icon/Namerica/StLucia.gif" height="32" alt="StLucia" width="32"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:51:59 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1305496/could-we-be-nice-to-some-of-our-foreign-national-buddies-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1293698/cut-kid-realtor-story-or-english-teenager-s-observations-on-american-life-</guid>
      <title>Cut Kid Realtor Story or English Teenager's Observations on American Life...</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I have English customers in town looking for property.&amp;nbsp; The husband had to stay home, but the mother and two teenage daughters are here looking at real estate and enjoying the Florida sunshine. We have narrowed down the search to one development.&amp;nbsp; Yesterday, we had 7 homes to look at and my customer wanted to walk to all of them since she was staying in that area.&amp;nbsp; It was a gorgeous day and it was fun to see the neighborhood by foot.&amp;nbsp; (I am sorry to say, I would have driven the group to the homes without thinking.&amp;nbsp; So many of my customers are not walkers, I forget about this outstanding option.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In walking through the neighborhood, the youngest girl observed all of the homes with American flags out in front proudly presented to the world.&amp;nbsp; She was surprised because she said you never see English flags in front of British homes.&amp;nbsp; She seemed to like the idea.&amp;nbsp; Her older sister commented, "The flag waving in front of the property means that they are &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;prejudiced&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, right?" I was taken aback because she was so mature and sincere but obviously confused about the word she selected.&amp;nbsp; Her mother quickly corrected her and said the word she was looking for was "patrotic."&amp;nbsp; Her daughter than asked what "prejudice" meant.&amp;nbsp; Her mother explained that&amp;nbsp;being prejudice&amp;nbsp;is when you do not like someone without knowing them because of their sexual preference, skin color, etc.&amp;nbsp; A good discussion followed.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It is nice to see the flags out in front of the homes.&amp;nbsp; The British should consider adding&amp;nbsp;their flag to their homesites.&amp;nbsp; It is a good reminder of where we are and where we came from.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
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      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:20:40 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1293698/cut-kid-realtor-story-or-english-teenager-s-observations-on-american-life-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1291900/when-you-list-a-home-in-a-managed-community-verify-the-rental-policy-please-</guid>
      <title>When you list a home in a managed community verify the rental policy, PLEASE!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I have European buyers looking for a home in a gated community here in Naples, Florida.&amp;nbsp; They have school-aged children, so they will only use the house during summer/winter breaks. They want to rent the house out during high season to offset their expenses.&amp;nbsp; They will purchase a home with at least 3 bedrooms and a pool, which makes it an ideal rental property.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;They have pretty much decided on the community they want.&amp;nbsp; One of the big draws to this area is that the Home Owner's Association allows 7 day minimum rentals 52 times a year in one neighborhood and 12 times a year with a 30 day minimum in most of the other areas, so the properties are easy to lease.&amp;nbsp; This rental information&amp;nbsp;came from our MLS.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, agents have not been verifying the rental information.&amp;nbsp; All of the 12 times a year with a 30 day minimum have been changed to 4 times a year or 3 times, per the developer.&amp;nbsp; I went through the communities with&amp;nbsp;the builder's&amp;nbsp;rental agent and he gave me the correct information.&amp;nbsp; That is a very different picture and greatly limits our viewing, which will not please my customer.&amp;nbsp; REMINDER:&amp;nbsp; DO NOT TRUST THAT THE LAST AGENT POSTED THE INFORMATION FOR RENTAL POLICIES CORRECTLY.&amp;nbsp; VERIFY THE RENTAL INFORMATION AND OTHER POLICIES BEFORE YOU POST.&amp;nbsp; THIS MAKES ALL OF OUR JOBS A LOT EASIER.&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.free-graphics.com/clipart/Symbols/clipart-symbols106.shtml"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:25:52 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1291900/when-you-list-a-home-in-a-managed-community-verify-the-rental-policy-please-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1285650/2009-stock-market-contingency-that-saved-the-deal-</guid>
      <title>2009 Stock Market Contingency That Saved the Deal...</title>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-1374799-stock-market-up.php" id="img_1374799"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
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&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-1374799-stock-market-up.php" id="img_1374799"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1374799/1/istockphoto_1374799-stock-market-up.jpg" id="imageThumb_1374799" height="85" alt="" width="110"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Last October, I had a customer who was in the process of buying a single family home, when the stock market crashed.&amp;nbsp; I had written in a three day rescission period for him to review the home owner's association's financial postition.&amp;nbsp; (He was concerned about the health of the community.) During this review period,&amp;nbsp;all heck took&amp;nbsp;place in the world and the stock market fell to a record low. &amp;nbsp;It was really touch and go&amp;nbsp;as to&amp;nbsp;whether&amp;nbsp;the buyer&amp;nbsp;wanted to proceed or not on the contract.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;My customer said,"What if the stock market does not come back?&amp;nbsp; I have already lost so much money.&amp;nbsp; I cannot afford to have the whole system fall apart."&amp;nbsp; I would like to take credit for the solution, but my customer found the answer to the problem.&amp;nbsp; He had me draft an amendment that said, "He would pay X amount more for the home if the stock market were over 9000 points on October 31,2009 and he would owe nothing more if the stock market&amp;nbsp;were&amp;nbsp;under 9000 points on Halloween.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The world looks better today.&amp;nbsp; The stock market and our economy&amp;nbsp;seems to be&amp;nbsp;going the right direction.&amp;nbsp; My customer will most likely have to pay more for the home at the end of the month but he is in a better financial position and he protected himself from a catastrophic situation.&amp;nbsp;It was a very cool amendment!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-8108554-bear-bull-market.php" id="img_8108554"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/8108554/1/istockphoto_8108554-bear-bull-market.jpg" id="imageThumb_8108554" height="110" alt="" width="109"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:09:50 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1285650/2009-stock-market-contingency-that-saved-the-deal-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1268924/my-stepson-s-rock-hit-based-on-one-of-his-research-papers-quantum-decoupling-transition-in-a-one-dimensional-feshbach-resonant-superfluid</guid>
      <title>My stepson's Rock Hit based on One of His Research Papers: Quantum Decoupling Transition in a One-Dimensional Feshbach-Resonant Superfluid</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;There is a band called, "They Might be Giants," which are pretty popular and they like to write songs about science.&amp;nbsp; During an interview &amp;nbsp;the DJ asked the band if they could write a ditty about anything and they said they could so the DJ gave them the title of one of my stepson's (Dan Sheehy) physics research paper to play with and they did a number of silly variations on a theme of "Quantum Decoupling Transition in a One-Dimensional Feshbach-Resonant Superfluid."&amp;nbsp;Heaven and Dan's group of scientists only know what this means.&amp;nbsp; His stepmother has no clue on the inner meanings of this paper.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In one of the sonnets, they decided "decoupling" was about a man and woman breaking up and the song reflected that sadness using this quantum phrase.&amp;nbsp; The paper is rather obscure and it sounds like it was picked because the DJ felt it was "dense" and very non-lyrical.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;(Dan is a professor at LSU. He specializes in theoretical high temperature superconductors.&amp;nbsp; He thinks in a dimension I cannot imagine.) &amp;nbsp; &lt;strong&gt;Another person heard this clip and wrote a song using many paragraphs from this same paper.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Do give it a listen to because it is pretty funny!&amp;nbsp; This is about as far as one can be from real estate, but it is a fun diversion. Physics is another world and his papers are off the charts!&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIXRXMMlZBM"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIXRXMMlZBM&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:36:31 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1268924/my-stepson-s-rock-hit-based-on-one-of-his-research-papers-quantum-decoupling-transition-in-a-one-dimensional-feshbach-resonant-superfluid</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1267941/naples-bonita-springs-and-marco-island-fun-october-activities-</guid>
      <title>Naples, Bonita Springs and Marco Island Fun October Activities!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Our real estate sales are picking up.&amp;nbsp; We have two years of inventory throughout the area, which means there are still a lot of good deals out there. We expect season to be a record.&amp;nbsp; Here is an update for our area:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there are fund raisers for this cause all over town.&amp;nbsp; Saks 5th Avenue will be selling thie year's edition of the Key to the Cure T-shirt and important information.&amp;nbsp; More than 80% of the proceeds from the sales of the top will be donated to local charities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Arts&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Naples Museum of Art reopens after summer vacation this week.&amp;nbsp; (239) 597-1900.&amp;nbsp; Do support this wonderful venue.&amp;nbsp; The guided tours are outstanding!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Art League of Bonita Springs puts on their fall exhibition through 10/29&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Naples is holding their Interenatinal Film Festival on 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29.&amp;nbsp; Call (239) 331-2678 for details.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Marco Island Executive Airport will display batiks throughout October. (239) 263-8242.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Food, Wine and Fashion&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Yabba has $10 for 10 samples of wine October 5-9 to benefit The Children's Museum, which will open next year!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Robb &amp;amp; Stucky will reopen classes and events throught out the month.&amp;nbsp; (866) 206-3840&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Thrid Street Farmer's Market is open every Saturday behind Tommy Bahahma's (239) 649-6707.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Some of the best fish and veggies are offered at the Collier's Fairgrounds every Saturday.&amp;nbsp; The prices are so reasonable that it makes it worth the trip.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;You can also order fresh handpicked organically grown veggies from &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.TheFreshGarden.com"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;www.TheFreshGarden.com&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;. Residents in Bonita Springs and Naples can have it delivered.&lt;/strong&gt;
&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;October 31 is the Halloween Party at Fifth Avenue and many other shopping centers in the area.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Special Events&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Oct. 23- Nov 1 is the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival with speakers and races in Bonita Springs. (239) 433-3855.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Evening on Fifth is October 8 and Third Thursday on Third Avenue is 10/15 with bands, shopping, and dining.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Insider Tips:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;If you are a resident and have problems with green hair or itchy scalps, think about adding a shower water conditioner to your bathroom, if you cannot setup the usual water system.&amp;nbsp; The water in Florida is full of chlorine. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Mercado's first Friday of the month continues to be a blast.&amp;nbsp; Whole Food's wine tasting and food sampling for $5.00 that goes to charity is an incredible deal.&amp;nbsp; Do try it next month!&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:41:34 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1267941/naples-bonita-springs-and-marco-island-fun-october-activities-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1267709/just-recycling-my-stupid-youth-</guid>
      <title>Just Recycling My Stupid Youth....</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;My friend's son was just arrested for selling drugs to an undercover policeperson.&amp;nbsp; He got in with the totally wrong crowd and thought he was smarter than everyone else. He could serve 2-9 years in prison.&amp;nbsp; He is from a loving family.&amp;nbsp; I do not know what caused his brain's wiring to become dismantled.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;What he did was wrong, however, it has caused me to recycle my misspent youth.&amp;nbsp; I made so many mistakes in my '20's and even my '30's that my life could have been very different.&amp;nbsp; I have always been a&amp;nbsp;rather conservative person.&amp;nbsp; My life compared to many of my contemporaries was pretty normal, but I did a lot of foolish things. For example:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;I hitchhiked around England by myself for part of the summer, thinking I was saving money.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;On many occasions I drank too much and drove myself or my friends home without a second thought.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Years ago, I&amp;nbsp;ran a&amp;nbsp;red light and&amp;nbsp;dodged a police car one Saturday morning for no logical reason. I got away with it, which is so out of character for me. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;I dated a man who became very violent.&amp;nbsp; When I broke up with him, he threatened to kill me. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These are just a few selections from my challenged youth.&amp;nbsp; I have dodged death a number of times. The bottom line is that if you live long enough&amp;nbsp;you have to be aware that you are lucky to still be on this earth.&amp;nbsp; Some days it is appropriate to thank the heavens that you survived and have gained wisdom with age.&amp;nbsp; I really believe, that, "There but for the grace of God, go I."&amp;nbsp; I hope my friend's son turns his life around and figures out a better path before it is too late.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:08:09 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1267709/just-recycling-my-stupid-youth-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1267380/senior-housing-and-aging-with-grace-style</guid>
      <title>Senior Housing and Aging With Grace/Style</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I just got back from a trip to my in-laws.&amp;nbsp; At 80, my father-in-law built a 6000 square foot house in place of his 1950's homestead. They placed an elevator shaft in a strategic area, in case they became disabled.&amp;nbsp; Their plan was to hire live-in care, if additional help was required.&amp;nbsp; Today, at 90 you can see both in-laws are challenged with health issues, but still pretty functional in their home.&amp;nbsp; The problem I see is the lack of social opportunities.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;My visit was a reminder that housing is more than just a structure to protect individuals from the elements.&amp;nbsp; The right setting provides a support group to help you through the last stage of your life.&amp;nbsp; Without a growing social circle, life gets pretty isolated.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I know people fight to stay in their homes and&amp;nbsp;shy away from senior housing.&amp;nbsp; However, senior housing has changed.&amp;nbsp; There are so many options and I feel strongly that everyone needs to find&amp;nbsp;the right&amp;nbsp;setting for their last years on this earth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I have made a decision that I will embrace the opportunity to build a solid network for my final years.&amp;nbsp; I want to walk down the hall and have a drink with a neighbor, play bridge without facing the elements, and take advantage of all the activities my world has to offer.&amp;nbsp; If that means senior housing, assisted living, or just a condominium that has a relationship for future care, I am on-board.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The good news is that I have time to prepare for the final chapter.&amp;nbsp; It was interesting a Hospice nurse I know said, "Asians honor death.&amp;nbsp; Europeans know it is inevitable.&amp;nbsp; Americans think it is an option."&amp;nbsp; Unfortunately, we Americans need to get with the program and adapt accordingly.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.realestateclipart.com/Free/businessbuilding.jpg" border="0" height="104" alt="" width="260"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:53:39 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1267380/senior-housing-and-aging-with-grace-style</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1226732/outside-blogging-pointers-please-</guid>
      <title>Outside Blogging Pointers Please!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I am inspired to start an outside blog but I am clueless on where to begin.&amp;nbsp; I have read a number of success stories about how the blog is driving traffic to your Website. I am concerned about how much time you set aside to keep the blog up and if it is a daily committment.&amp;nbsp; Can I see some examples of blogs that work? Any suggestions for getting started?&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:40:58 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1226732/outside-blogging-pointers-please-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1225706/the-lanai-remodeling-saga-continues-</guid>
      <title>The Lanai Remodeling Saga Continues...</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;img src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/2/4/9/0/1/ar125215319910942.jpg" height="297" alt="" width="396"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;This is our view.&amp;nbsp; It is actually beautiful without the screens/shutters, but the remodleing process is totally crazy.&amp;nbsp; Our building has 82 units.&amp;nbsp; Most of the lanai's on the one side had water issues so this was the summer to rip them apart.&amp;nbsp; The drilling noise can make one quite crazy.&amp;nbsp; Yesterday they put chemicals on the surface that is very close to airplane glue.&amp;nbsp; Our furniture from outside and the family room is packed into a limited space.&amp;nbsp; There is dust everywhere, even though we have had cleaners in several times.&amp;nbsp; We have moved down to a neighbors unit when it gets unbearable.&amp;nbsp; We think they will be done in the next month.&amp;nbsp; It We cannot wait.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:28:00 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1225706/the-lanai-remodeling-saga-continues-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1225079/how-do-you-get-linking-points-and-bonus-points-</guid>
      <title>How do you get linking points and bonus points?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I am still new at this.&amp;nbsp; How do you earn points for links and bonus points?&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:53:53 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1225079/how-do-you-get-linking-points-and-bonus-points-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1225055/just-got-back-from-england-and-france-</guid>
      <title>Just got back from England and France!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;It was a blast!&amp;nbsp; Our friends in Oxford treated us to golf, food, and drink.&amp;nbsp; We saw Normandy Beach, Monet's garden, a tapestry completed in 1066 on how William the Bastard was renamed to William the Conqueror, plus Paris!&amp;nbsp; My husband did not really trust my French&amp;nbsp;and he did not like&amp;nbsp;the Euro exchange rate so he was more relaxed in England.&amp;nbsp; Unfortunately, now I have to get back into my normal eating and exercise routine. There is something about a vacation that brings out my worst habits.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;P.S. I used sleeping aids on the flight and for a few days either way, which made for a pretty easy time zone transition.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oxsky.jpg" title="Some of the college and university buildings in central Oxford."&gt;&lt;img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Oxsky.jpg/280px-Oxsky.jpg" height="210" alt="" width="280"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:39:11 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1225055/just-got-back-from-england-and-france-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1223254/question-do-you-have-good-techniques-for-removing-smoke-smells-</guid>
      <title>Question:  Do you have good techniques for removing smoke smells?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I had the walls painted with neutralizers and the carpet cleaned with a special product.&amp;nbsp; All surfaces have been cleaned.&amp;nbsp; The air ducts were addressed.&amp;nbsp; I have used a air cleaner and products that claim to make a difference.&amp;nbsp; The condo has been aired out and the outside screen cleaned with vodka, which worked great.&amp;nbsp; However, after closing the place down for a few months, there still is an odor.&amp;nbsp; I have seen much improvement but it still is not quite right.&amp;nbsp; Any more ideas?&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:50:12 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1223254/question-do-you-have-good-techniques-for-removing-smoke-smells-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1206447/we-are-going-on-holiday-to-oxford-england-and-normandy-beach-</guid>
      <title>We are going on holiday to Oxford, England and Normandy Beach!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I need to get out of town for 8 days!&amp;nbsp; Florida is rather warm this time of year. We are going to Oxford, England&amp;nbsp;to see our friends and play some golf.&amp;nbsp; Then we are on to Normandy Beach to see the D-Day Exhibits!&amp;nbsp; I have to say when America is totally focused and running on all&amp;nbsp;cylinders we really can and have saved the world!&amp;nbsp; That D-Day invasion was brilliant!&amp;nbsp; Great leaders who take great risks and succeed give me goose bumps!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1944_NormandyLST.jpg" title="1944 NormandyLST.jpg"&gt;&lt;img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/1944_NormandyLST.jpg/300px-1944_NormandyLST.jpg" height="227" alt="" width="300"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:38:22 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1206447/we-are-going-on-holiday-to-oxford-england-and-normandy-beach-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1199362/have-you-noticed-that-service-organizations-are-not-what-they-used-to-be-</guid>
      <title>Have you noticed that service organizations are not what they used to be?</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I have been very discouraged by many companies' service models as of late.&amp;nbsp; I have found:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Refunds are getting harder to process and some companies will not provide refunds at all. (Check before you buy.) I stopped shopping at Walmart.&amp;nbsp; They have the dumbest refund process in the area.&amp;nbsp; They go out of their way to make it painful.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The&amp;nbsp; lack of training and attitude of some store employees is not pretty.&amp;nbsp; I find I prefer to use an automated cash register at&amp;nbsp;many of the&amp;nbsp;stores I visit.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Promised telephone calls or appointments are ignored.&amp;nbsp; I had a tile person show up at 10:00 am, go out for lunch, never to return.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;One hour photo processing has turned into 1/2 day photo process with no apologies. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am surprised when I have a good customer service experience and always tell the manager about it.&amp;nbsp; I am building a network of reliable companies and vendors to prevent me from losing my positive attitude. I hope southern Florida is the exception to the rule.&amp;nbsp; It just seems with the hard times, cutbacks have hit everywhere.&amp;nbsp; This is a time to build loyalty not destroy it.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:15:24 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1199362/have-you-noticed-that-service-organizations-are-not-what-they-used-to-be-</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1196623/from-sunworshiper-to-semi-vampire</guid>
      <title>From Sunworshiper to Semi-Vampire</title>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=vampire#focal=0a75e3da813d4754fa6f713669856621&amp;amp;furl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.freewebs.com%2fhimsk8er%2fvampire.jpg&amp;amp;FORM=IGRE4"&gt;&lt;img src="http://ts1.images.live.com/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=843433379820&amp;amp;id=70059e528cf534f15e549f3503740038" height="85" alt="Come On Rock to H.I.M. | The Site For The Vampires" width="115"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=vampire#focal=f421c083dafc9ea2a9f649248ae5aecd&amp;amp;furl=http%3a%2f%2fi39.photobucket.com%2falbums%2fe194%2flamlledaae%2fVAMPIRE-5.jpg&amp;amp;FORM=IGRE2"&gt;&lt;img src="http://ts3.images.live.com/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=964222856654&amp;amp;id=e00047004466b3649c5434c95ee5d1bb" height="85" alt="MySpace.com - ynfernus - 28 - Male - IT - www.myspace.com/ynfernus " width="57"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;I am from Minnesota.&amp;nbsp; I spent my winters vacationing in warm places.&amp;nbsp; I loved my time in Mexico, the Carribean, Florida, and California.&amp;nbsp; I tried to get out of the cold every possible month.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; I loved to tan.&amp;nbsp; I wore a 15 level sunscreen because I was advised to have some protection.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;Now I live year round in Florida.&amp;nbsp; I avoid the sun, if at all possible.&amp;nbsp; I have a mild tan because I play tennis and my 70 level sunscreen runs off over time. I am up before sunrise and inside as much as possible.&amp;nbsp; I feel uncomfortable when I feel the daylight.&amp;nbsp; I seem to be moving towards vampire characteristics, I avoid mirrors more because of my age than fear of reflection.&amp;nbsp; OK, I do not partake in blood, but there are some odd patterns that develop when you live in nice weather year round.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:09:56 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1196623/from-sunworshiper-to-semi-vampire</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1196619/nordic-walking-poles-you-look-weird-but-they-are-a-great-workout-and-attention-getter</guid>
      <title>Nordic Walking Poles: You Look Weird but They Are a Great Workout and Attention Getter</title>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.boomyah.com/NordicWalking/using-nordicpoles.jpg" height="200" alt="Using Nordic Poles" width="201"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;I bought my poles last year. I felt very strange gliding through my Florida neighborhood like a crosscountry skier, until I felt and saw the results.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;Per my readings, you burn about 40% more calories with the poles vs. walking. It works the upper body, core muscles, and legs.&amp;nbsp; I'v lost 5 pounds and kept them off, which was my goal. Plus, my muscle tone has improved.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;I get a lot of attention when I venture through the area.&amp;nbsp; The obvious jokes come out about snow and my misplaced efforts, but I find I really enjoy the attention.&amp;nbsp; For a realtor, it is another easy way to meet people.&amp;nbsp; Give it a try!&amp;nbsp; It is a blast!&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:59:43 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1196619/nordic-walking-poles-you-look-weird-but-they-are-a-great-workout-and-attention-getter</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1190108/wilma-s-claim-paid-4-years-after-the-fact</guid>
      <title>Wilma' s Claim Paid 4 Years After the Fact</title>
      <description>&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.weathercenter.usf.edu/photos/browse/picture/128.jpg" height="209" alt="" width="410"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;This is our condominium after Wilma.&amp;nbsp; You can see the side of the building was totally blown off by the tornadoes that followed the storm. We put in an insurance claim that was promptly denied by&amp;nbsp;the &amp;nbsp;company that we had done business with for 2 decades.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;The building had to be addressed, so&amp;nbsp;each owner contributed $25000 and we took out a small business loan.&amp;nbsp; Management and the owners promptly repaired the complex with no negative environmental impact. We also hired an attorney and eventualy worked through a mediator for a settlement.&amp;nbsp; Four years&amp;nbsp;after the incident&amp;nbsp;the insurance company paid the claim with no interest.&amp;nbsp; It is a reminder that insurance companies do not make money addressing their customers' needs.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:44:53 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1190108/wilma-s-claim-paid-4-years-after-the-fact</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1189193/reflection-on-being-a-year-round-resident-in-an-older-florida-condominium</guid>
      <title>Reflection on Being a Year-Round Resident in an Older Florida Condominium</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;We bought our 1980's condominium 5 years ago.&amp;nbsp; We overlook the Gulf of Mexico and love our location.&amp;nbsp; We can walk to the theatre, restaurants, and world class shopping. Our unit is almost 3000 square feet and the cost per square foot&amp;nbsp;cannot not be beat.&amp;nbsp;Our neighbors are friendly and very&amp;nbsp;respectful of our privacy. &amp;nbsp;However, we have learned that there are challenges in living in these older dwellings as follows:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;All repair work is done from May to September. There is always drilling going on either by the association or individuals. Some days it feels like we are living in a dentist's office.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;The monthy fees are high because there is a constant list of projects to be completed.&amp;nbsp; Assessments are common to compliment the building efforts.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Most high rise residents are used to concierge services and expect staffing levels to be high, which adds to the maintenance fees. &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Elevators and are slow because that is where people socialize.&amp;nbsp; Most of our neighbors are not in a hurry, so we have to add about 6-7 minutes leadtime to get out of the complex.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Older buildings attract older people.&amp;nbsp; To date we have averaged 1-2 resident deaths a year.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Having lived here for many years, we are contemplating a change.&amp;nbsp; We would like our summers to be quiet and only hear our own remodeling efforts as required.&amp;nbsp; We are seriously considering giving up the view and moving to a townhome where we will have more control over our budget and lifestyle.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;P.S. I was going to add some pictures, but they are drilling on my lanai and I have to go.&amp;nbsp; I think some days I am living chaos theory.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:50:25 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1189193/reflection-on-being-a-year-round-resident-in-an-older-florida-condominium</link>
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      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1188159/sex-and-politics-humor</guid>
      <title>Sex and Politics Humor</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;We were in Times Square last week and there were really cute college kids all dressed up in red, white, and blue outfits with Lincoln hats on peddling their products.&amp;nbsp; The item that caught my eye was the, "&amp;nbsp;Obama condoms for hard times."&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Carol Sheehy (Maiden Name: Hanson) (Prudential Florida Realty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 09 Aug 2009 07:55:20 -0700</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1188159/sex-and-politics-humor</link>
    </item>
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