Bluetooth.  For years and years, in fact maybe centuries, men have had a far more chance of developing hearing loss than women.  And for every single one of those years, men have been trying to hide that it has happened to them.  The only hearing aid that will ever be fully acceptable is one that can be stuffed so far down in the ear canal that only the guy and his doc know he has one.

Isn't it a paradox that it is fashionable to have one of those enormous Bluetooth phone contraptions hanging off of the same guy's ear who needs a hearing aid? 

From the Internet.   "Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths at the Washington National Cemetary -- some 5,000 - are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992.  Groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out.

"Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state."

Holiday Dinner Tables.  I learned this tradition from my mom and dad.  They always set their holiday dinner table using a mixture of the china, silver and crystal that had been passed down to them from their parents and grandparents.  Of course some of their own patterns were included, too.  It was eclectic, but it looked wonderful.

Now that both sets of our parents are in heaven, Patty and I continue this tradition at our house.  As my mom and dad figured out many years before, it is a wonderful way for our families to be together in spirit.

The Winter Infection.  Attacking North Texas men, women and children by the thousands is the latest rendition of a bad cold-like infection.  Impervious to many of the prescribed and over-the-counter remedies of the past, doctors have found themselves trying new ideas.  One that seems to have a high percentage of results is prescribing for the patient a combination of an antibiotic for bacterial infections and a coticosteriod for severe allergies.

Emelia Cordie Norman.  Our fourth grandchild was born on December 6^th.  Named for Susan and Randy's respective grandmothers, she's a very special addition to our family.

AIDS.  About fifteen years ago, Rotary Clubs International decided to devote the influence of its world-wide membership with its ability to raise money to fund the immediate eradication of polio.  For all practical purposes, it worked.  It took just ten years.

UNICEF.Long the world's children's most prolific advocate, UNICEF is trying an even more ambitious program than Rotary's. Theirs is for the treatment and eradication of AIDS.  Hopefully some of the service clubs, churches and foundations will pump resources into this cause.  It is a very, very serious epidemic.

Doo Wop.  There is a radio station here in Dallas that has a six hour program of doo wop every Saturday night beginning at 6 PM.  It's hosted by a very knowledgeable fellow who has a remarkable collection of these gems.  He calls himself Crusin' Al.  The station is KAAM-AM and it streams its programs via its web site, http://www.kaamradio.com/.  If you like this music, you'll be an instant fan.

Flipping.  Buying a run down house, doing primarily cosmetic remodeling and then selling it for a grand profit is not a mark of investment talent but an aberration driven by a buyers' market and funded by overly anxious lenders with too much available money.

What concocts this into a dynamic irony is that a huge portion of these houses were flipped and financed by sub-prime loans. 

I remember one of my clients years ago had a friend who bought a lot of real estate, and my client sold him most of it.  The friend died.  My client called me frantically and said, "I bought the Mensing building from you to sell to J.R.  I wasn't expecting him to die.  How quick can you get me out of this investment?"

Now that this market has died, lots of people are stuck with "Mensing buildings" and many will end up in foreclosure.  That's because so few prepared or considered or had in place a viable strategy to initiate if the property couldn't be flipped.

Real estate has never been a proper gambling vehicle, and it never will be.

It's times like these that Realtors with a long history of successfully bringing their clients through good markets and bad markets should be consulted before you make any real estate decision.  In my case, I've been serving clients for forty-three years, and I'm here to serve you.

Enjoy the blessings of the season.  I hope you'll be back with me next Sunday morning for a visit in the park. In the meantime, please remember...

GOD Blesses!

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