It feels good to be missed . . . . . . .

I have gotten several emails inquiring . . . "Tami where have you been?" I still find it unbelievable that people you have never really met in person actually notice your missing on line presence. Well the answer to why I haven't been on Active Rain is pretty simple. Life totally went crazy--everything that could happen, happened; everything that could break broke.

First my, daughter graduated from high school.  That, in and of itself sounds, so simple.  Let me tell you that it isn't!!  It takes a ton of time to put together initiations, especially when you don't have your family addresses and such together. Then you add in the whole graduation party thing--planning, preparing, cleaning up the yard, buying food, making food, etc, etc--you don't realize how much time it takes!  We went with an e-invitation and it was huge hit. Everyone said it was 10 times better than getting the card in the mail! 

Check out the e-card we sent out.  The first page pictures load really slow-if you let it sit they will come up.  If you mouse over the pics, you can make them bigger.  At the end is video, wait until the music is done playing to click it.  That's my girl singing!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Second, my new assistant quite.  That was a killer.  She didn't like how real estate is really slow and then bam . . you work like crazy for days.  She had actually wanted to be a Realtor . . .not so much anymore.  I decided to go back to just paying for a listing to go up but then I had to go through trying to find a virtual assistant.  I avoided that for a long time.  Because I had so many other things going on.  We solved that, my 18 year old daughter is working for me.  I don't know if it is going to work out but she needs a job and she definitely knows her way around the computer (see number 5 below).  I figured if it doesn't work out, I seriously don't want to take the time to train someone again so I took the time to do video training tutorials--at least if it doesn't work out I don't have to take the time to train again.

Third, one side of our duplex opened up.  Man I hate it when that happens!!  We needed to put in a new floor in the kitchen because the worst renter I had ever had put in linoleum squares (without asking) and caulked around the outside.  All the squares were pealing up and he caulked, yes I said caulk and it was white to boot and against wood, around the outside and it looked like crap.  Then there is all the painting and ads to get up to get it rented,  dealing with the tenant that moved that didn't feel she she should have to pay for the holes bunched in the door or the cleaning that didn't get done.  That was a real time sucker!!

Fourth, my little laptop died, my phone died and my printer/scanner/fax died.  Serious time suckers because I really hate learning curves.  I had to get used to Vista--by the way, I still hate Vista.  The phone thing was a serious time sucker because it really dominoed a chain of events.  I had to change from a Palm platform for a calendar to Outlook so I had to learn Outlook calendar.  Nothing transferred right and I had to renter all my appointments.  And of course when I got the new laptop, I knew I had to finally update to Office 2007.  So I now have the Blackberry pretty much down pat and have to admit that I have finally joined the ranks of Crackberry fans all over the world.  I absolutely love that I can answer emails in a traffic jam instead of just sitting there.  I realized that Outlook is really powerful with tasks and managing my contacts.  I am still learning that and still haven't put 2007 on my desk top computer.  2007 is really different so I am working on the new laptop to try and learn that before I put it on my desktop and have to know it.

Fifth, I took a SEO Above and Beyond with Katarina Gassett!  I loved it!!  Loved it loved it!! So much so that I built a whole new web site!!   I also manage the forums for her with each class--wich I also love!  I am so looking forward to her next class that starts September 2.  I loved her class when I took it the first time.  When I helped her with the second class, I loved it again and it was the same exact class--I still learned more.  I am looking forward to helping her with the third round of students and managing the forums because I learn something every single time!!  I am telling you all . . . . . if you haven't taken it . . . . do it!!!  Her boot camp is also coming up and I am totally geeked about that also!!  If you are interested shoot me an email or give me a call.  Katerina has her hands a little full right now but I would love to tell you why I loved it so much!

Sixth, and this is a big one.  My daughter took FIRST in Web Design in Dallas, Texas three weeks ago.  My daughter, if you can believe, is the top student web designer in the nation!!  This one requires it's own post!!

I have not been on my horse once since the beginning of June which is sad because here in Michigan, we don't ride much in the winter-- it is just to darn cold.  I have missed several camping trips because I had to stay home and work.  But I count myself as lucky because at least I am working!!  A lot of agents aren't.

The good thing is that the learning curve is almost over and not so severe and frustrating, the daughter is graduated, the college is picked out, the duplex is rented, the Blackberry is learned, the scanner is scanning, the new lap top is set up and life is coming under control.  It is still busy but that is ok with me!!  Winter will come soon enough and it will slow down.  But I am excited for any extra time so that I can put into action all the things I am learning with Katerina!!