Back then, we had maybe 5,000 members, so the reading of all those posts was far easier than now, when we have 62,615 members. Having done these reviews several times before, I knew to start early, and I began my reading for this review this past Sunday, and bookmarked those that caught my eye.
This Week-in-Review is a combination of Active Rain picks and Localism picks. And then I added some special selections at the end.
Active Rain Picks of the Week:
Kathy's post, "Christmas Gifts for Everyone...even the poor" reminds us just what really is important at Christmas, and always. Beautifully written, and a post I hope everyone makes a point to go read.
I could so relate to Margaret's post, "Is Active Rain Your Significant Other?". And knowing many of you here, I would imagine there are plenty of us who can relate to this post. Go read it and see for yourself!
If you're having a little difficulty dealing with sellers expecting you to adjust your commissions in a direction you don't it to go in, check out Jason's post, "Get Your Hand Out of My Pocket - Handling Commission Beggars". There's some great help in the post, as well as in the comments here.
Kate's post was eye-opening for me in that I learned that stagers grapple with many of the same kinds of issues we deal with - good and bad. The more we learn, the better equipped we are, and I certainly learned some things about staging in, "What Are Your Resolutions for Your Business for 2008?"
Our eco-friend here in the Rain, janeAnne "Green-o-Lina", announced the winners of a really great contest, "Ring the Bells - and the Winners ARE..". I learned a lot about 'green' in real estate. Each of those posts are really worth taking some time to read - I hope you'll check out not only this post, but those listed there as well.
This post of Sarah's is a MUST-READ for those of us who not only post here on AR, but on our outside blogs as well. Protect your material, and here are ways to do just that in, "Who Owns What You Write?" This is a question that gets asked here over and over.
As we all get more experienced writing posts here, and on our outside blogs, we begin to want more and more flexibility with what we have here on AR. Neal has a few suggestions in this post, "AR Double Dashboard for Everyone", that I think many of us would enjoy having.
My top picks for Localism this week:
We all find ourselves, from time to time, dealing with sellers who are going through divorce. Laurie's post, "Divorce and Long Beach Real Estate" gives us some language to help us convey to sellers how important our neutrality is as their agents. I'm loving "Switzerland"!
If you've never been to the coast of New Hampshire, you can take a beautiful virtual trip there in Monika's post, "New Hampshire's Seacoast, A Magical Winter Wonderland". Since I live right where Monika wrote about, I can tell you it is gorgeous all year long!
In my opinion, no review of this week would be complete without the inclusion of two very special, very personal posts that were written by two wonderful ladies here on AR.
Maggie shared a very personal poem with us about a dream she had, and I believe that dream was a special Christmas gift just for her...... "Just Once More"
I wish you all a wonderful Christmas - full of love, family, friends, and all kinds of good things!! And I wish for all of us a TERRIFIC 2008!!
This video is for all to enjoy, and is dedicated to the Lovely Ladies of the Rain...... ;-)
To read additional Weeks-in-Review, check out the past posts in the Week-in-Review Group. You'll find lots of great reading there, and you'll get to know some awesome members as well!
For those who do these reviews in the future, the best advice I can give you is to start right away doing your reading - it will be far easier and much more enjoyable that way instead of trying to do it all at once, which is impossible.
There will be no recreations of any type regarding the titles or content of this group or Review without the permission and expressed written consent of me and/or the Groups founder-Copyright 2007
75 Comments
on Active Rain and Localism Week-in-Review ~ 12/16/07 - 12/23/07
DEC
23
2007
Great picks for the week...and thank you for all your hard work and effort to help keep our week in review alive!
Hey, I had never seen the week in review before, quite nice I must say.
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Ann - being away from the rain is tough - but at least I'll get to read some of the posts from your review. Thanks! (Maggie's was a tear jerker.....you could have warned me)
Ann, Thanks for the great picks, I don't know when you found the time to do a WIR, it amazes me. Have not been around AR much lately, been very busy. Thank you for the mentions. Between Maggie and Monika I needed a full box of tissues, large size.
Ann- I was surprised that you did this the same week you did it last year. Thank you for your comments on my Post, and for including me in your review :) I have read a few of your choices, but after Ines' comment I think I will start my reading with Maggie's Post :) Merry Christmas Ann and thank you for giving all of us on AR your time, and dedication..........
Ann, I can't thank you enough for including my question about "Is ActiveRain Your Signficant Other?" I'll bet there were times it felt that way for you this week, as you developed your WIR... Well, great job - I had read many of these, but must check out the ones I missed. Thanks again!
Ann, you cannot imagine how I feel right now. I will email you with details. Thank you for including my post in your week in review. It was my first time writing that type of post and I felt it really didn't belong here. I loved Moni's post but I missed most of the others. Thank you for taking the time to do this. Keeping up with this many members has got to be darn near impossible. I have some catch-up reading to do.
I remember when you did your review last yr. and I know how hard it is to do. I have a little catching up to do as I missed a few of the ones you chose. Too much snow to shovel.
I am awake early today trying to burn some photos to DVD's from Monika's laptop. I need to free up space on her hard drive.
As always a great job Ann and we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thanks for mentioning Monika's post about trying to find my birth mother. She had a dream about it and then she wrote about it, I have been reading a lot of the comments and they are quite amazing. Time will tell.
Hi Laurie - Yeah, Monika's and Maggie's posts hit me that same way, too, and each time I read them my eyes water up. I started early on this Week in Review, instead of waiting till towards the end - much easier that way!
Hi Kathy - I thought it was interesting that the timing turned out to be the exact same week, just a year later. What a difference a year makes, too! Your post beautifully conveys what Christmas really is, and when I read it, I knew right away it was going to be included in my Week in Review.
Hi Margaret - your post probably resonates with a good many of us here, so it's only fitting tha it be included. I'm on Christmas vacation visiting my dad and sisters, and I know they felt at times just like what you wrote......but they knew what I was doing as they read my posts from time to time.
Hi Suzanne - a year here on AR has made a HUGE difference, that's for sure!
Thank you all for your comments, for your posts that I had the privilege of reading, and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! Ann
Maggie - ah Miss Maggie........whatever I've written will never fully convey what I felt when I read your poem, and I've read it multiple times. I wrote you about an experience I've had here in my parents' house within the last couple of days, and I truly believe we each received wonderful gifts.
Your post is so lovely, and yes it belongs here. It belongs wherever you want to put it, and I'm so glad you chose to publish it here.
I hope you feel good, that's how I hope this makes you feel. And I hope you and your daughters have a very warm and wonderful Christmas. Hold tight to that feeling.......
Jay - doesn't that seem like such a long time ago? It was a lot of fun then, a little more of an intimate group. Now, it's still fun (most of the time!) and far bigger - much more reading to get through.
I hope you get those photos squared away! I bet Monika does have a lot on her computer. I do, too, and I know I should do something with all of mine. Bear keeps reminding me of that.
You're so welcome, and I just couldn't not include Monika's post here. I hope you do get some good leads that will provide you with some solid information on your birth mother. I can't imagine what that will feel like, should you find her, but I hope you get to find out what it will feel like for you.....
Merry Christmas my friend, and I wish us both a really great 2008! Ann
Hi Neal - thanks and I wish the same for you for 2008!
Hi Bill - I read that you actually got to meet Jay and his brother - how cool, huh? Jay and I have been good friends for many years now, and he is a super guy. And of course, Monika is a heck of a lady, too.
Merry Christmas to you both, and all the best for all of us in 2008! Ann
Ann - thanks for including my rent or buy blog - I'm glad it caught your attention! I hope some others might be able to do something similar for their market. When you really look at the numbers, it's interesting to see the cost of waiting to buy.
Thanks for taking time on Christmas weekend to put this together!
Ann, great job. It is hard with so many bloggers now, but this is such a great re-cap and I look forward to it every week. I always find things I missed, that didn't make the feature board. I see several on yours including Neals' and I thought I never missed those. Thanks from Ann Arbor.
Ann...Thank you so much for the special mentions. Funny how we dream things and they are so real. Maggie's dream was incredible, I had a dream that I had to write a letter to Jay's birth mother and post it even though I was very nervous about it. It sounds like you had a special dream as well. Your mom I'm thinking reached out and touched you. How wonderful Ann.
Great job on your review Ann...we do live in a pretty area no matter what season it is. Snow on the beach on a sunny day oh so special. Thank you for doing the review and Merry Christmas.
You are a gift to all of us at AR. I loved reading your Week-in-Review,...Thank youSO much for the time and energy you gave to make this special week in review possible...and for mentioning my post celebrating the work of Brad Pitt and eco-friendly "gifts" we can incorporate into lifestyles and homes....and now I am off to visit each of the posts you recommended... Merry Christmas!
Hi Ann, Great to see you doing this. Awesome job. We got to read a lot of these but missed some of course. Gotta go back in and read what we've missed in this busy season. Hope you got all your Christmas shopping done. And thank you for the wonderful card. Best of luck in the New Year and Merry Christmas. Now you can relax. ha ha...
Ann -- how did you ever find the time to get through all these posts! I liked your suggestions. I read most of these, but missed a few. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Ann - what a terrific job you did. I did one recently and I know how much work it is. Thanks for all the wonderful posts, many of which I did not see. And thanks for the mention.
Hope you are having a great time in Florida - must be nice to be away from cold and blustery NH! Have a great holiday.
Ann.... great job with this. I missed most of these, so I guess I have a lot of reading to do. But in all honesty, I don't think I will get to most of them this week, since I am working on 2 projects this week for AR.
In any case, Happy Holidays to you and your family.
There has to be a time management secret hidden somewhere within this post. How do you keep up with your business, get ready for the holidays, travel to Florida, AND put together an awesome combined AR and Localism week in review at the same time? Merry Christmas, Ann!
Thanks for the list of great articles. I don't have time to see everything that is posted, so you are providing a great service to the community by picking out some good ones.
Ann, Great Review! Looks like a lot of work went into this too. Thanks for all the great information that I would have missed had I not come upon your blog!
Hi Everyone! Many thanks for the great comments, and I hope you made it to at least some of these terrific posts - they're all great reads.
My family does our gifts, etc. on Christmas Eve, so i've been off the computer for most of today. I will respond to your comments tomorrow, or should I say later today since it already is Christmas Day here on the east coast - 12:42am. We have a special Christmas Day breakfast, and then dinner later in the afternoon. So I'll have more time to play in the Rain then.
Merry Christmas to all of you, and I hope you each have the kind of Christmas Day you'd love to have! Ann
Ann, thanks again for the good wishes! The girls have unwrapped their presents and are busy using them. The nephews are spending Christmas with us so there's more excitement to go around.
Great week in review Ann. I have lots of reading to do! May the miracle of Christmas fill your heart with warmth and love. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Becky - you're very welcome! I really enjoyed reading your post and looking at all the pictures your included to help tell your story. Merry Christmas to you!
Penny - I thought you did a great job helping potential buyers see both sides of buying now versus waiting and buying next year. I was glad to include it - you did a great job.
Missy - thanks! I enjoy this weeks in review as well - it's impossible to catch all the posts with so many members now.
Many thanks for the comments, and I hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas full of all the things you were hoping for!! Ann
Hi Monika - you are so welcome! Knowing I was doing the Week in Review, as soon as I read each of those 2 posts, I knew I was going to include them. Your post on the Seacoast really painted a beautiful picture of that area, and the comments showed that.
Your post about trying to find Jay's birth mother struck a chord with so many - I couldn't not include that as well. I really hope some how some way, you and Jay get some kind of tip or lead that will help you find what you're seeking.
Hi janeAnne - thank you for that very nice comment! You do such an awesome job with your eco-minded group and with your post - so much to learn from all of you!
Bonnie - you're welcome, and I'm glad you enjoyed the posts I chose to highlight this week!
Hey Miss Sue! Thanks! Hope you're enjoying the milder weather I hear is happening up there!
Terry - who knew, huh? I made it a little easier on myself by starting early keeping track of posts that caught my eye! After having done these weeks in review a few times at this point, I decided to make it easier on myself than I did in the past.
Many thanks for the comments, and I'm glad you all have been enjoying the posts I chose to feature in with Week-in-Review! Ann
Hey Mariana - you're most welcome, and your posts deserved being featured!
Hi Lenn - localism is our window to our consumers! Happy New Year to you!
Jason - thanks! And a wonderful Christmas to you as well! MWA - still.....
Lisa - thanks much! When I read other Weeks in Review, I usually find I've missed several - easy to do wtih as many members as we have now. You're very welcome for the card - Merry Christmas to you and Bob!
Jason C - you're very welcome. I thought your post was a great read to help on commission discussions - we can never have too many tips and ideas in our arsenal.
Thanks so much everyone, and I hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas holiday! Ann
Joan - ah, a little planning on my part and some experience from having done these in the past - otherwise it would have been just a bit overwhelming! Merry Christmas to you Joan!
Hi Linda - thank you so much! I'm really enjoying being down here in central Florida! Even if it was rainy and cold, I'd love it because I'm with my dad and sisters. But not being cold and snowy does add to that enjoyment for sure! Hope you're having a really nice Christmas!!
Teri - enjoy your reading - I thought all of these were really good! Merry Christmas to you!
Jeff - your post was an absolute gem for localism - beautiful pictures, lots of really good information for consumers, good links, and beautifully formatted. Your post really deserved to be highlighted this week - keep doing posts like that. They're a gem to read and look at! Yep, it is nice to be down here where it's just a tad bit warmer than at home in NH - thanks!
Merry Christmas to each of you, and I really appreciate your comments! Ann
Hi Sandra - thanks! Hope you and Dan are having a really nice Christmas with your family!
Jeff - thanks, and a very Merry Christmas to you as well! Good luck on your projects. What are they, can you say?
Hi John - ah, a secret for sure! You know that old saying, 'if you want something donw, give it to a busy person"? Well, I learned a long time ago that I really do function better when I have multiple things going on. If I have a lot of time to get a project done, Glad you enjoyed this review! Merry Christmas to you as well!!
Karl - you're welcome! I hope you get to read all of them as they're all really great to read. Enjoy!
Many thanks for reading and sharing your comments - much appreciated! I do hope you're all having a very nice Christmas Day! Ann
Angela - thanks, and I hope you get a chance to read each of these wonderful posts. Happy New Year to you!
Hey Maggie - you're really welcome! It sounds like you're having a really enjoyable Christmas - fun, family, and love - what more could anyone ask for today? Merry Christmas!
Hi Midori - thanks so much, and I hope you and your family are having a really wonderful day today!
Thank you all so much for these comments, and I wish you beautiful Christmas day! Ann
Hi Natalie - it did take some time, that's for sure, but it was fun and I found people whose posts I'd never read before. And that's always a good thing! We're digesting our Christmas dinner and dessert about now, too. Hope you had a very nice day today!
Andrew - I'm one of those that starts shopping the day after Christmas, and am usually done shortly thereafter, except for small little gifts here and there. But thanks for asking! ;-)
Kathy - you're very welcome! Thanks for sharing that post with us - nicely done.
Hey Dez - thanks, and the very same to you as well!
Many thanks for the comments, and I wish you all a terrific 2008! Ann
Ann - I don't know where you find the time to do this, especially with the holidays and all the members we have now. You chose some wonderful ones for the season, which I'd missed for that very reason, so sit here with tears running down. Thank you for sharing the spirit of Christmas.
Hi Sharon - you're very welcome! And clearly you felt about those posts just as I did, tears ran down my face as well.
I hope you had a very enjoyable Christmas - love that Kindle you got! I'm heading back from today from being down here in central Florida for Christmas.
Hi Andrew - you're very welcome! You wrote a really nice post with some great pictures - great localism post for consumers in your area or thinking about moving to your area.
Ann- What a wonderful job you did on this week in review. That is a lot of work and a lot of reading! Thanks for doing this for everyone. I love Margaret Woda's post. Katerina
Hi William - I have done these reviews in the past, so I knew to start marking those posts I was considering for this review on the first day of the week I was reviewing. That made it much easier for me. Plus I was down at my family's for the Christmas holiday, so I was squeezing this in amongst that as well. Thanks for reading!
Ann - you are the queen of Localism - wish I had known you were here would have loved to have tried to meet in person - maybe next year. It's amazing how much things have changed in the 9 months since I joined and it's funny how it feels with their being so many new faces I don't know - like Ines I miss it but the ROI is exponential so I guess I've flown the coup to be the visitor rather than the "addict" I was in spring and summer - lol - Wishing you all the best in 2008
Hi Cyndee - thanks for your comments. I come down to Florida several times a year, so we'll have a few chances to try to get together. You're right about all the changes that have taken place, and about all the learning there is to take part in here. I really think I've learned more here on AR than I ever could have in a year's worth of classes and conventions. I'm sure of that! I sometimes feel like a visitor as well....
Hi Georgina - you're very welcome, and that was a great post you wrote to get here! Keep up the great job you're doing on your area posts - I love reading about all the different areas we all service.
Hi TLW - yep, Jay's story surely takes the cake for the year, and probably for all time, I'd think. Not too often a story like that comes along and plays out right before your eyes - the eyes of AR!
Funny how that kind of stuff manages to cut into computer time - does that to me at times, too. Never mind Christmas being in there! Hope you had a great one with your family and your new home!
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Sarah's post, "
If you're having a little difficulty dealing with sellers expecting you to adjust your commissions in a direction you don't it to go in, check out Jason's post, "
Kate's post was eye-opening for me in that I learned that stagers grapple with many of the same kinds of issues we deal with - good and bad. The more we learn, the better equipped we are, and I certainly learned some things about staging in, "
Our eco-friend here in the Rain, janeAnne "Green-o-Lina", announced the winners of a really great contest, "
This post of Sarah's is a MUST-READ for those of us who not only post here on AR, but on our outside blogs as well. Protect your material, and here are ways to do just that in, "
I chose two posts that Mariana wrote this week. The first, "
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