Okay, I have to admit.  I had went to bed knowing that I had to post this blog this morning and so I was quite tickled when I read on the dashboard this morning that AR had decided there was no longer any point to the points and the powers that be were going to remove them immediately. 

     When I first came to AR nearly 5 months ago, I hadn't paid any attention to the point system.  I saw I had some, but I didn't know what they were for and honestly didn't care.  I had stumbled upon AR strictly by accident and thought it would be a good place for me to spread word about the radio/podcast show devoted to Professional Home Staging.  This was the target audience that I was needing to reach.

     It wasn't until a conversation that I had with Bob Stewart that I even understood the point system and why it was first established.  Again...nice thought and I could see the value, but still, by that point ( pardon the pun) I was already hooked and it didn't matter to me one way or the other.  WHY??? 

• FRIENDSHIP:  New friends made and old friends rediscovered. 
• RESOURCES:   From tools I didn't know existed to furniture finds and bargains galore ( Thanks Nora)  
• MARKETING TIPS:  The wealth of information shared is unbelievable!
• MEME'S:  I now know what a meme is and have truly enjoyed discovering interesting glimpses into the lives of others. ( Thanks Juliana)
• TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE:  I literally feel as though I've learned more techie stuff from this forum then anything I would have learned from a traditional education in a classroom.  Until just recently, I thought a blog was a medical condition...now I'm blogging with the best of them and in numerous locations.
• SHOW TOPICS AND GUESTS:  Much of what I have learned has inspired many of the topics I research for the show and thanks to the RAIN, I have had some wonderful guests...Karen Dembsky, Craig Schiller, Nora Marek, Kathy Neilson, Bob Stewart...and the list grows....
• UNEXPECTED SURPRISES:  In posting about a product, I actually got the warmest greeting from the product's inventors who had some how been told about my blog and actually got to meet one of the partners for lunch.  We have since formed a friendship.
• STAGE IT FORWARD ROUND TABLE:  The ability to lunch and learn with fellow professional stagers in my area whom I would not have had the pleasure of meeting.
• LAUGHTER:  On any given day I can turn to the Rain and find myself chuckling over stories of misfortunes, good fortunes, Roosters ( Elaine ), Loo's ( Mary Lou), Staging Antics (Audrey ).etc.
• EDUCATION:  I truly believe that time spent on active rain is no different then time spent at conferences and seminars ( minus the open bar of course ).  This is no different then any other continuing education course out there.  I have learned so much from so many that I could spend the rest of the day naming those people who have taught me something new or further increased my knowledge on a subject.  From the Real Estate Professionals, to the Marketing Guru's to my fellow Professional Stagers and Designers. 
•  PAY IT FORWARD: I have learned so much and reaped so many rewards, that I in turn have passed along the benefits to others and have witnessed first hand how the Rain has benefited these people as well.  I now enjoy seeing their posts and feeling excited for them when I see that they have been so warmly welcomed.  I speak so much about the Rain that I must appear to be a paid spokesperson.  Which I'm not...but hey...if the job opens...I'm available.  ( ;

                        Months On Active Rain........................5

                        Numbers of Points Earned....................20,000+

                        EXPERIENCE......................................PRICELESS!

THANK YOU!

Cheers!