Lisa Marie's Blog

BEER-BUTT CHICKEN

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:36:25 -0500

Yes, it is what it sounds like. And it is yummy.

This is a barbecue thing so heat up your grill..

You will need:

1 whole fryer chicken,

1 can beer, any kind,

1 cube or square of butter,

1 or 2 cloves of garlic,

salt and pepper

Empty out 1/2 of the can of beer. Melt the butter and add the garlic and salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the butter mixture into the can of beer and place the can ahhh... up the chickens butt. Place a cookie sheet or shallow pan on the grill, and balance the chicken on it. (It is really easy. There are also beer holders you can buy to make this dish.) Just barbecue it till it is done. You can baste the outside of the chicken with the leftover beer, or did you already drink it?

Roller-Coaster

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:37:16 -0500

Who sang that song back in the 70'S??? I loved it, and I love the actual ride. I don't know which part is best the going up and the anticipation or the down slope and the rush of adrenalin. Or how about the small hills, they are fun, the corkscrew is great too.

It seems like my business is mostly up and downs. I am on the upward slope now, business is building. I have more listings now than I have have in well...lets just say a little while. Of course I am working harder to make things happen and spring is definitely a contributing factor. I can't complain.

I don't mind the down slopes when my listings are sold and I realize that I need to work on getting more. I can handle that 'cause that means there is money in the bank, and hopefully new leads on the horizon.

I think the only part of the ride I don't like is when it is over. And all I can say is I hope that I get to stay on this Real Estate Roller Coaster Ride for a long time!!!!

Crazy Buzzy

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:56:28 -0500

Is it just me or are things getting buzzy. It seems like in the past 3 weeks that Real Estate here in Utah has really picked up. Yeah!!!! I have picked up three listings, one sale and two new buyers. I also have two listing appointments. I know that for some of you this is not that buzzy buy for me in three weeks, lets just say "I'll take it".

I know that some of the buzzyness can be contributed to spring, and whatever the other causes well I don't care I am just glad to have it.

Sorry about the play with bees but it is one of the States symbols and I couldn't resist.

Deal or No Deal

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:53:30 -0500

Hey, this is just a shout out to all my friends on active rain. I am going to try out for Deal or No Deal tomorrow and I was hoping that you would all say "pick Lisa Marie , pick Lisa Marie, pick Lisa Marie , a few times tomorrow. I am hoping that it will bring me luck. Add that to my sparkling personality and who knows?

I definitely think that it would be good for my business as well. keep in mind any outgoing referrals that I get will be sure to share with those of you who wished me luck.

I will let you know how it went.

P.S. I am keeping my fingers crossed

How to Associate with Associations

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:40:38 -0500

This is my new stumbling block. I thought i had it figured out but i don't. So once again i am asking the ever so helpful, and knowledgeable, and wise, and beautiful, and funny..... members of active rain for help. I tried rubbing my lamp but no genie appeared, oh wait!, that is just a desk lamp.

I think that i need to figure out if one is the same as the other. Also, how do we add an associate to the list and do the become part of our association. I am ready to do whatever I need to in order to gain this knowledge--as long as it is legal and within reason--. So if you know of any good posts that will steer me in the right or left direction, or if you can help shed some light on this please let me know.

Yes Santa, there is a Virginia....

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:36:05 -0500

Getting comments from the members of active rain on the posts I make is almost as good as opening a present on Christmas.....

So you can imagine my JOY when I received a phone call from Virginia Hepp, http://mesquitehomesandcondoscom in response to an offer she made to help me learn how to put photos on my posts. She literally talked me through the process, which to a techno-challenged person like me could drive someone crazy. Check out my picture. Pretty coooool huh?

I am a newbie of about 9-10ish days and counting and in my opinion she went above and beyond the call of duty and deserves some extra-credit BONUS POINTS!!

Thanks again Virginia, you made my day!! When and if I can I will try to help out another active rain member too.

when i grow up

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:19:02 -0500

when i grow up i want to be just like the agents on active rain who do all the wonderful things that i can only dream of. pictures would be nice. i am working on that. referring to other members by using their names, and being familiar with what they have posted in the past. and i think it would be wonderful to have a featured post some day. and it might be fun to be hi-jacked---maybe not. and how about being able to do all the tricky things that some members know how to do-- like getting people stuck on your post, that happened to me just a little while ago. whatever, i am having a great time here!!

moving up in the ranks

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:20:54 -0500

i have watched my rankings slowly improve as i catch on to this blogging thing.

i have read some posts and comments that say we aren't supposed to care about points and rankings, but i can't help it is kinda exciting to watch when you move up in the ranks. i guess it is the thrill of competing and maybe even the fact that all this time i am spending on active rain is paying off. i still need to figure out so much. and whether i am supposed to or not i will keep on checking out the stats.

tag you're it

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:17:56 -0500

i hope that everyone out there in active rain subscribes to the thought process that there is no such thing as a DUMB question. i can't figure out how to add a tag on to my home. i think that that is the right way to explain my dilemma. i think i get what they are for but i wouldn't mind if some out there who knew could "splain it to me in 50 words or less, or actually in terms that i can understand. i am still working on a web-site so would it even matter if i didn't have any tags yet? i do read as many help posts as i can and if i have already seen the answer i just don't remember it.

Is real (estate) or is it an orange shipping crate?

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:31:31 -0500

That's right you know those big steel orange shipping crates that are used to ship whatever to wherever. They are going to be building a seven story condo tower right here in Salt Lake City, that consists primarily of orange steel shipping containers. The containers initially cost from $1000 - $3000 each and supposedly they are indestructible. Apparently this isn't the first one of its kind here in the U.S. and we are way behind compared to Europe's container living housing market. Needless to say it will be interesting to 1- see how it goes and 2- (dare i say it) how much it costs.

Buy the way if any of you have any interested out of state buyers let me know, I would love to help them buy one and I wouldn't be surprised if there is a waiting list.

for more information go to www.saltlaketrib.com, title "tower made from steel..."

OK, Here It Is!!

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:02:24 -0500

This really is the most incredible cereal mix. Once you taste it you will be hooked and if you share it with others you may be come well known and remembered for it. My bowling league calls me "the cereal lady". WARNING: Don't let the ingredients scare you.

STERLING CEREAL MIX

2 cubes, (or sticks) of margarine or butter, i prefer margarine for this one
1 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C light karo corn syrup
7 0z bag of slivered or sliced almonds
large box of Crispix cereal
large box of Golden Grahms

Make sure you have a Large bowl for this. Pour the cereals and almonds into a Large bowl and mix a little with your hands Then in a good size sauce pan melt margarine. Add sugar and corn syrup. Stir occasionally until mixture comes to a boil. continue stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Pour this mixture over the cereals and almonds. Mix while you pour. Voila! that is all three is to it, EXCEPT, THE ENJOY PART.

Bloggetty, Blog, Blog, Blog!!

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:18:38 -0500

I just sent out an invitation to everyone in my office to join ACTIVE RAIN. Hopefully, they will all see this blog. There are 70 agents all of whom i know and it would be great if they respond, and join. The message I sent them was "Bloggety, blog blog blog", repeat this to the litany of "all the way home home, you know from the 3 little piggy's. I mentioned it in sales meeting too and I let them know that my experience so far ( i have been blogging for 8 days) has been wonderful . Almost every comment has been helpful in response to my questions in the newbie group. And everyone here is so welcoming. I am beginning to recognize a few names and faces. Although I am still not sure about the Hi-Jack deal (any explanations)?? I know that with the help I get here I will figure it out as i go. I am having too much fun and maybe there will be 70 more people enjoying it here at Active Rain.

**sorry about the first draft of this blog in all caps**

i have a pen

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 23:02:56 -0500

when i started selling real estate i was sitting around with some of my new associates and we were talking about how we were going to set outselves apart from the others. i said that i was always going to be prepared...i know it sounds a little; ok exactly like the boy scout motto, oh well. i decided the way that i would show my preparedness to potential clients was to always have a pen behind my ear. well believe it or not i did and i do. i have even had remarks from clients when they wanted to jot something down quickly that they think it is great that i am so prepared. it is a joke around the office or with my friends and family. everyone will always say hey lisa, let me borrow your pen. one of my great nieces insisted at the age of 3 that she have a pen behind her ear to just like great lee sa saw.

so when i finally do get my picture on line if you are wondering what that little thing sticking out of the side of my head is, now you know it will be my pen. let me know if you ever need to borrow it.

"rolled under the bus"

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:50:19 -0500

Have you ever been "rolled under the bus". that is the term that I use when a family member or friend buys or sells their home using another agent. They know that you are a real estate agent and you know that they know. so what do you do?? Unfortunately that happens in this business, for what ever reason (even to the top agents). I have found that the best the way to deal with it is maybe to vent to someone who will understand, like right here here on active rain. Then move on. when you see them be your polite friendly self and act like nothing ever happened. Even when they come to you because their agent isn't doing a good job, they wonder if they are getting the right price etc. Be as helpful as you can and be happy for them. They will probably realize the error of their ways and even thought it to late now in the future, if you stay on good terms and remain the professional that you are they will probably call when they need an agent in the future.

BLOGGING FOR DUMMIES

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:40:46 -0500

i am attending a class tomorrow that will hopefully answer some if not all of my questions.

i do realize that active rain is a great forum for real estate. however, there should be a class with a title-like those big yellow books- beginning blogging for dummies. hmmmm, there is another idea. let me tell you that while i am at my class i will promote active rain and encourage everyone to join. i appreciate all the help thate everyone here on active rain has given me and i know this class will be useful too. before you know it maybe i will be writing posts that are interesting, funny, thought provoking.... what??? it can happen!!!

this is what i keep telling myself ""i think i can, i think i can, said the little red (search) engine

helpppppp!!!!!!!

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:04:15 -0500

WHEN SOMEONE RESPONDS TO MY POST, HOW DO I RESPOND BACK TO THEM, AND LET THEM KNOW I APPRECIATE THEM???? PLEASE GIVE ME SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS SOON SO THAT I DON'T GET ANY FARTHER BEHIND. I KNOW THAT THIS IS IMPORTASNT AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE MISTAKE OF NOT RETURNING THE FAVOR. SENDING ME TO ANOTHER ARTICLE WILL HELP, I DO FOLLOW UP ON THEM.

ALSO, I AM GETTING THE RESPONSES ON MY E-MAIL lmthoms@pureutah.com AND I WONDER HOW THAT HAPPENS. IS THAT THE POINT I RESPOND BACK ON?

P.S. I REALLY AM HAVING FUN HERE WITH ACTIVE RAIN

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANKYOU

Lisa Marie Thomas (Prudential) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:21:24 -0500

DID I SAY THANKYOU??? I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE WHO RESPONDED TO MY FIRST BLOG "THIS IS MY STARTING POINT". (AND THOSE WHO MAY YET RESPOND!!!) THAT WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL. I WANTED TO RESPOND TO EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY, FOR THE POINTS THAT THEY CAN GET AND JUST BECAUSE I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM ALL, HOWEVER---I AM AFRAID THAT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW. IF SOMEONE WILL TELL ME I WILL GO BACK AND DO IT. I AM GOING TO TRY TO RESPOND TO EVERY NEW FIRST BLOG BECAUSE IT DOES FEEL GREAT. THANKS AGAIN AND I HOPE THAT I CAN CATCH YOU LATER ON ACTIVE RAIN.