thoughts: Give Your Audience More Than One Way to Know Who You Are - 02/28/19 05:05 PM
Give Your Audience More Than One Way to Know Who You Are
 
Yesterday I was working around the house and listening to whatever was on the television. I had headphones on and was not in the room where the television was.
 
I heard a commercial about some huge furniture sale (we are in the market for a few pieces). From what I heard, it was a sale that warranted my checking it out.
 
Only one thing...I heard when the sale was and how much I could save BUT I never heard the name of the store or where it was located.
 
Had … (34 comments)

thoughts: Goal Setting, Shelf Paper, and Seeing the End - 02/24/19 05:53 PM
Goal Setting, Shelf Paper, and Seeing the End

One of my least favorite things to do when I move into a home is to lay shelf paper. While it’s easier than it used to be, you still have to measure and cut the paper to fit each shelf or cabinet.
 
I usually measure the length, mark the endpoint then cut.
 That’s ok when you’re only going 12 inches but some of my shelves are 45” long.
 
I noted my starting point and my endpoint, but it seemed a long way from 1 inch to 45 inches. Just eyeballing it was probably not … (29 comments)

thoughts: Back in the Saddle Again... - 02/07/19 04:26 PM
Back in the Saddle Again…
 
If you’re picturing me on a horse because I’m back in Houston, you can delete that from your mind. Even though my father used to take me to ride horses when I was a wee one, I haven’t been on a horse in many years.

 
No, that saddle is actually in a car sitting in Houston traffic. If you are familiar at all with this city, then you know that there are two things that visitors complain about...the humidity and the traffic.
 
Yesterday we were errand running and all I have to say is thank goodness … (43 comments)

thoughts: And So It Begins 2019... - 02/03/19 02:40 PM
And So It Begins 2019...
 
If you were not aware, I am a huge football fan. And now that we are back in Texas I know that we’ll have our fill of it soon.
 
But the day after the SuperBowl has always been a bit of a letdown for me. However this year, it is more for college football and less for the NFL. (Did I just say that??)
 
The new rules that are meant to protect players are slowly ruining the game.
 
Call me old-fashioned but I’d prefer to watch players who truly enjoy the game and aren’t just in it for … (33 comments)

thoughts: Borrowing From Michael Jacobs - 01/30/19 02:29 PM
Borrowing from Michael Jacobs…
 
Anytime you’re sitting in a car for several hours you have time to ponder. My friend Michael Jacobs is famous for his very interesting pondering.
 
We left Delray Beach at 5 this morning for no other reason than we happened to wake up then. The trip has been smooth and Larry and I have taken turns driving. The rules of the road allow the driver to choose the channel. We have Sirius Satellite radio (I would never be without it) so we have an abundance of music, talk, entertainment, and sports to listen to. (I tend to flip all … (38 comments)

thoughts: Motivational Monday...I’m Not Good At This - 01/27/19 04:29 PM
Motivational Monday...I’m Not Good At This
 
This is crunch week...the movers come today, tomorrow the cleaners come, and with any luck, we’ll be on the road to Houston on Wednesday.
 
 
 
One of the things that I’m not good at is saying good-bye. When I’m at a big party, for example, when I’m ready to leave, all I want to do once I’ve said good-bye to the hosts is to walk out the door...slink away quietly in the night.
 
We’ve already had our “goodbye” breakfast with our friend who has become a major part of the way we love to start our day. … (31 comments)

thoughts: Sometimes It Helps to Step Away! - 01/23/19 04:16 PM
Sometimes It Helps to Step Away.

One of the hardest things to do when you’re blogging is blog.  Well not exactly, but what becomes hard is trying to figure out what to write about.
 
Some find it so easy to whip out a post daily, and even though I do post every day, I would not be honest if I said that it was easy.
 
There are some days when the topics seem to just pop up out of thin air. But there are also days when I think that the well has gone dry.
 
One tip that always works for … (43 comments)

thoughts: So, Who Does Pay for the Staging? - 01/17/19 04:59 PM
So Who Does Pay for the Staging?
 
Will Hamm asked in the Q&A section “If a client asks you to stage their home, who pays for it?”
 
Of course, I have my own opinion on the subject, as did the agents who responded to the question.
 
When I started staging in 2007, the market was already turning towards a buyer’s market. I was in Northern VA and one of the agents I met was offering to pay $150 towards a staging consultation for his listings. He viewed it as a marketing expense, which when you look at it, it was.
 
However, I always … (34 comments)

thoughts: The Decision... - 01/13/19 12:11 PM
The Decision…
 
A few months ago, Larry and I had an epiphany or awakening. Perhaps it is more accurately described as a realization.

We are not getting any younger.
Or from a different
perspective, we are getting older!
 
 
We first moved to Delray Beach in 1987 and have lived here off and on since that time. We moved back to Houston for a short time in the mid-90s, then back to Delray, then to Leesburg, VA, and finally back down to Delray Beach.
 
We were lucky enough to move next door to people who would become our extended family. When we returned … (32 comments)

thoughts: Thankful Thursday...People - 01/09/19 05:04 PM
Thankful Thursday...People
 
Right now I’m channeling Barbra Streisand singing People from Funny Girl.
 
Often I talk of The Season here in Florida and while the snowbirds begin to trickle in during the months of October and November, it is during Christmas holiday that the season kicks into high gear.
 
 
Yes, I complain about the traffic, and yes I dread the long waits for a table for dinner, and for sure I am leary of the heads I can’t see above the steering wheel, but I do love seeing people we’ve not seen since last April or May.
 
It’s not just the friend … (30 comments)

thoughts: Monday Motivational...It Begins With One Step. - 01/06/19 04:30 PM
Monday Motivational...It Begins With One Step
 
With everyone already headed out of the starting gate for 2019, I was reminded of a story I shared years ago.
 
If you’re like me, when there is a goal I have in mind or something new I want to try, I want to get there NOW.
My tendency is to want to go from Point A to Point Z in one giant step.
 
But that’s not always possible or a good thing, is it?
 
A friend that we met several years ago told of us his struggle to get his health back after experiencing a heart … (37 comments)

thoughts: People Really ARE Nice... - 01/03/19 04:40 PM
People Really ARE Nice…
 
I’ve been trying to share positive stories to highlight the “Positive” that exists around us and because frankly, I’m sick of reading about stories that put me in a foul mood for the day.
 
The other day, Larry and I were traveling home from our holiday visit to Houston.  It was on New Year’s Eve, late in the day, and we were both ready to settle in and chill out during the trip.
 
We were buckled in, our iPhones and iPads out, seats up and ready to go.
 
But a late passenger came in and was seated just … (41 comments)

thoughts: New Year's Eve Thoughts... - 12/30/18 12:11 PM
New Year’s Eve Thoughts…
 
Now that my favorite ponderer ( Michael Jacobs) has proceeded with his pondering posts, I thought about the impending New Year.  2019 in case you’re counting.
 
Most people I know don’t make New Year’s resolutions and neither do I. It’s not that I can’t be bothered, but more like...why bother???
 
Exactly, why bother to make a resolution that I may or may not keep? It’s way too much pressure.  You have this one time of year that has been imposed on us by the holiday gods to create resolutions that we’re supposed to keep for the new year.
 
Forget about … (25 comments)

thoughts: Fixit Friday or Internet-less Days. - 12/27/18 01:41 PM
Fixit Friday or Internet-less Days
 
Oh, how we get out of sorts when we don’t have our connection to Cyberville!  
 
Wednesday while visiting my brother in Houston, we discovered that there was a large internet outage (the large carrier that is not Verizon).  My poor brother held for hours on the phone and tried to download the carrier’s app to see if the problem was n his end or theirs.
 
We considered going out for a new modem but it wouldn’t do any good if it was a larger problem.
 
Thankfully I have unlimited data so did my best with my iPad … (26 comments)

thoughts: Thankful Thursday...It Just Keeps Growing - 12/26/18 02:02 PM
Thankful Thursday...It Just Keeps Growing
 
It has been years since Larry and I spent Christmas with my family in Houston. It’s not that we don’t see them during the year, but neither of us enjoys traveling during the Christmas holiday.
 
There are so many activities going on that it’s hard to visit with anyone.
 

 
However, this year we did spend Christmas with my family. Before you say “ How sweet!” let me point out that each major Christmas dinner(3) had 25 -35 family members ranging in age from 6months to 85 years young.
 
And it wouldn’t be my family if everyone wasn’t talking … (29 comments)

thoughts: Christmas...The Day After Hangover or Hanging On - 12/24/18 06:06 PM
Christmas...The Day After Hangover or Hanging On

Tis the day after Christmas so now what to do you do???
Some of you may be traveling home from a family visit or island vacation (sounds good!)

Some of you may be stretching out the holiday with more dinners and parties and family gatherings.
And some, I suspect many, may be ready for the holidays to be over and are ready to get back into their routine.
 
Even the big guy is taking a much-needed break!
 


And unfortunately, there are some for whom the holidays bring painful or sad memories. If you haven’t checked on … (27 comments)

thoughts: Sharing a Few Christmas Memories (and a Secret) - 12/20/18 05:40 PM
Sharing a Few Christmas Memories  (and a Secret)
 
Growing up in Houston, I was blessed to have a loving family that included grandparents, my immediate family, and more aunts and uncles and cousins that anyone could hope for.  Christmas meant getting a real tree and having my grandmother “supervise” getting it decorated.
 
Every family has different traditions and there is no right or wrong in how things are done. What I’ve discovered is that as children grow up and have families of their own, traditions change. That’s what life is about...growing and learning each day. It’s about change and the acceptance of … (27 comments)

thoughts: Come On...You Know You Want to Say It! - 12/19/18 04:22 PM
Come On...You Know You Want to Say It!

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about this but it happens every year during the holidays.

 
Go on...wish me Merry Christmas!  Because...I’m sure going to wish the same to you!

Being politically correct is highly overrated, in my opinion.
No...I’m not rude or mean-spirited but I think we’ve carried not offending someone a little too far.
 
Wish me Merry Christmas and I will gladly receive it in the spirit in which it was given.

Because, when I wish it to you, I’m wishing you all of the joy that I feel. I am hoping … (45 comments)

thoughts: Apps Away with Santa and his Elves.. - 12/17/18 04:52 PM
Apps Away With Santa and His Elves
 
Being the Apps Hoarder (I would use the other word but that wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?) that I am, I’ve been using this fun app for a few Christmas seasons.
It’s called Santa Spy Cam 3 and you can create scenes with Santa or his elves with any backdrop you want.
 
There are free scenes that you can use or if you wish to try more, there is a charge for them.
 
The other day, I sent this to my Mini-me (great-niece) JK…
 


JK had been having a little melt-down in the car when her … (44 comments)

thoughts: Monday Motivational...Keep Going, Don’t Give Up - 12/16/18 04:22 PM
Monday Motivational...Keep Going, Don’t Give Up
 
One of the many attractions of Delray Beach is our year-round beautiful weather. Snowbirds are attracted to it as are many others.
 
Some of our residents are those seeking to heal from their addictions. Every Saturday and Sunday morning, as well as any holiday, a group meets at the beach at 7 for one hour.
 
 
This weekend, while we were walking along the sidewalk, the meeting was ending and the attendees were heading back to their cars.
 
I overheard one of the members giving encouragement to someone who was frustrated at how slow his progress was … (39 comments)

 


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