Hi, my name is Mary and I am a newbie.  I feel like I have discovered gold in them there hills!!!  I am again overwhelmed... not from starting a new career after 25 years in the hospitality industry.....not from starting a career in real estate with so much to learn in so many different areas.....but with finding a community of people who reach out and share all they have to give, with such enthusiasm.  I've struck gold!!!  Thanks to all of you.

Writing is very hard for me, so I am making myself enter this blog just to get started.   Sort of like when I jumped into the local college pool for the first time to learn to swim for a triathlon.  Oh sure, I knew how to swim, been swimming all my life.  But swim a distance of 1.2 miles?  In open water?  With 1200 other swimmers kicking all around me?  I had my new Speedo sleek one piece racing suit, athletic looking swim cap and goggles! It is all about the outfit. Yep, I'll warm up with just a few laps to test myself.  The minute I pushed off the wall, the 25 yard distance to the other end of the pool seemed to double.  The harder I worked towards the wall,  the further it moved away.  After just a few awkward strokes, it became evident to me that I wasn't going to make it to the other side.   I was already gasping for breath and realized my strokes were not fluid and my feet were sinking.  I couldn't keep them up.  The harder I tried the harder it was to breath.  Oh my gosh, how embarrassing, I think I'm dog paddling now, ok whatever it takes just get my hand on that wonderful piece of concrete and tile on the other side, one more kick, there, (gasp for breathe), I made it.   It may not be pretty, but it IS a start.