michael thornton: The Big "O"...
- 05/17/11 10:41 AM
The Big "O"...Ya ever have one of those days, you roll out of the sack feeling like your feng has shui'ed and ying has yang'ed? Well my dear readers, today was one of THOSE days. Now I'm one of those who is not real buddy-buddy with the Big "O". No, I'm not talking about the queen of daytime drama, I'm talking about the other "O". Quite frankly, my skills in the dot your "i's" and cross your "t's" department on a scale of 1 - 10 are a minus 5. Gawd knows when I saw my desk top that didn't have … (15 comments)
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michael thornton: Monday Morning Motivator & Some Points to Ponder...
- 05/15/11 11:00 PM
Monday Morning Motivator & Some Points to Ponder...
Life is Just like A Merry Go Round ~ Enjoy the Ride & Get Off… I can't remember when or where I first heard this, but it is one of these sayings, mantras, if you will, that has stuck in the back of my mind. I must have heard this at an early age, as I have lived the saying. When I was a kid, I can remember the roundabouts at the school yard. What fun! I would love it when the bigger, stronger kids got into the act as they could … (29 comments)
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michael thornton: (not so) Speechless Sundae...
- 05/15/11 12:16 AM
(not so) Speechless Sundae...
There are those days when we've all have gotten out of the wrong side of the bed and our whole world seems to come crashing down around our ears. We hit the ground with that proverbial "thud" and life in general goes downhill quickly thereafter. Needless to say, we are not "happy campers" and the looks of displeasure we wear makes friend and foe alike give us an extremely wide berth. If you are reading this, it means that you have been given another wonderful day of opportunities. So put on that "Happy Face". It's Sundae, … (37 comments)
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michael thornton: Americana ~ Guardians of the Sea...
- 05/13/11 11:27 PM
Americana ~ Guardians of the Sea...
As I thumb through images of the past, I have come upon the silly notion to start a series on what I will call Americana. Those images of bygone days that evoke memories of simpler times in our Nation. I may be talking through my my hat, but I think we all have items or images we collect. An example of what I am talking about is Super Blogging Star Rob Thomas and his images of barns in the Bristol TN/VA area. Me? I have collected, and still do, images of lighthouses - those silent … (31 comments)
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michael thornton: Friday's Fotos...
- 05/12/11 11:24 PM
Friday's Fotos...
There is something about a wind mill that stirs thoughts, feelings and emotions of early life in the Prairies. Silently standing as the lone sentinel; sill, ever faithfully guarding his post today just as he did eons ago, he scans the horizon, watching, ever watching. To me, these lone, forgotten, sentry's are as much a part of Americana as Grandma, base ball and apple pie. Once dotting the landscape by the thousands; now, they are few and far between. If only they could talk, what stories they could tell of the life, love and the hardships the early pioneers … (27 comments)
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michael thornton: Putting it All Together...
- 05/11/11 11:06 PM
Putting it All Together...
Whether we like it or not, we are in the digital age. Smart phones are going to continue to get smarter and folks are going to want information on your listing - like now. As professionals, we, like the market, are in constant flux, ebbing and flowing with the changes in the digital tides. Boomer's, as an entity are slowly being replaced by the Millennial's as the next major block of home purchasers. Marketing strategies are changing, so too will we. Boomers were "Turned On and Tuned In" - Millenial's are "Tuned Out and Plugged In".Today, we … (32 comments)
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michael thornton: (not so) Wordless Wednesday...
- 05/10/11 11:36 PM
(not so) Wordless Wednesday...
As I stated in yesterday's post, "Those Were the Good Old Days..." I miss film, especially slide film. Slowly, I am sorting through thousands of slide images that I have taken trough the years and will be posting them here in "The Rain" and on my website/blog - radnorlakephotography.com.Having packed the gear in the Conestoga, I hooked up the horse and left the Salem area in the wee hours of the morning and headed for New Hampshire. Meandering up the coastline, I cruised by estuaries, soaking in the scenes silhouetted by the early morning light. The grey … (28 comments)
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michael thornton: The ActiveRain Photoblogger Contest ~ Those Were the Good Old Days...
- 05/10/11 11:55 AM
The ActiveRain Photoblogger Contest ~ Those Were the Good Old Days...
I miss the good old days of film, especially slide film. Depending upon the scene or the setting, the photographer knew whether to either pop in a can of Velvia or Ektachrome. Gosh, there were so many things that a photographer, wading through swirls of emulsifiers in their mind could do. The possibilities were endless. I could add filters to saturate, add another to polarize unwanted light, soften or sharpen through minute exposure adjustments. Ah, the pallet was unlimited. In the good old days, photography was a unique blend of … (23 comments)
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michael thornton: Our Most Precious Asset...
- 05/09/11 11:07 PM
Our Most Precious Asset...Trust. The most precious asset that we in the real estate profession have. Trust, can be likened to a strong cord that binds the working relationship together, however; once the bonds are broken they cannot be easily mended. In real estate transactions, Lay people innately trust the folks they are dealing with - seller, builder, agent and inspector. So why do folks lie? Certainly, all iniquities will be brought to light by the inspectors all seeing eye, flashlight and knowledge. Most folks are reasonable. If the facts are laid upon the table before consummating the contract with an … (57 comments)
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michael thornton: Monday Morning Motivator & Some Points to Ponder...
- 05/08/11 10:58 PM
Monday Morning Motivator & Some Points to Ponder..."If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it." ~ Jonathan Winters Far too many times, I wait for something to inspire me to take action. I am guilty of procrastinating, biding my time as I watch and scour the horizon for my ship to come sailing in. But then, I know all too well that "waits" break down wagons. To me, time is too precious a commodity to waste. While some things are worth waiting for, too many aren't. When I don't see my ship making headway, I jump in and … (31 comments)
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michael thornton: Good Night ActiveRain...
- 05/08/11 02:30 PM
Good Night ActiveRain...Perspective. It seems as if everyone has a point of view or perspective on almost every issue there is. Some will agree and lean toward the right, some to the left, and some, for the sake of argument, will agree to disagree just because they can. But when it comes to photography, I think that there is no arguing the point that what you see all depends upon your point of view. I rest my case. Anybody for a little ZZ-Top?Good night ActiveRain ~ Manana...
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michael thornton: (not so) Speechless Sundae...
- 05/08/11 12:05 AM
(not so) Speechless Sundae...
Okay, so this is not your typical Mom's Day post. But what the heck. It is Sundae and we're all entitled to chill and do what ever. Right? Well, okay, as long as we have Mom's permission.As we all know, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was a Koi pond. Yesterday, I managed to put a huge dent in the project tho. Finished the garden path, built the raised flower beds, hooked up the recirculating pump, even managed to get some plants put in by the skimmer - all by dusk. I had to … (35 comments)
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michael thornton: Good Morning ActiveRain...
- 05/07/11 12:00 AM
Good Morning ActiveRain...
Time to rise and shine. We've been given a new day!!! As I gulp down copious amounts of my morning elixir of life and browse through the blogroll, I am slowly putting together a list of priorities. Things that I want to get accomplished today.Naturally, the first thing is to finish writing reports. But after that, it's relaxing work in the gardens. I got some help from Ma Nature earlier in the week, and she was so gracious to fill my new pond for me. So guess what's on my play list? You got it. Today, we … (22 comments)
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michael thornton: Friday's Fotos ~ They're BA-AAK...
- 05/05/11 11:22 PM
Friday's Fotos ~ They're BA-AAK...
Of all the birds that frequent my back yard, my favorite are the hummers. Returning from their temporary hiatus in the warmer regions of the continent, the hummers once again, display their remarkable agility as they hover motionless and sip the "nectar of the gods" from the colorful long stemmed goblets held in outstretched arms before them. As if held in place by some invisible thread, they dangle motionless. I stop and watch in amazement as they work their magic, flitting from flower to flower. As quickly as they come, they dart away. Maybe, like the … (57 comments)
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michael thornton: You Don't Get the 2nd Chance...
- 05/04/11 10:55 PM
You Don't Get the 2nd Chance...
We've all heard it; the overworked and underpaid adage of making that great first impression. Working with sellers can be demanding. They all expect you to present their property in the best possible light. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to do a listing shoot in a fashionable area of Nashville. I know that a lot of folks do their own photo shoots. While this may be okay for some properties, when dealing with high end properties, hire a pro or know what you are doing. Shooting with wide angle lenses causes distortion. Let's face it, … (31 comments)
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michael thornton: (not so) Wordless Wednesday...
- 05/03/11 10:24 PM
(not so) Wordless Wednesday...
Every year, I tend to the many water plants in my koi and bog ponds. I carefully prune back dead growth, fertilize and divide/re-pot overcrowded containers. Of all the plants in my ponds, my favorites are the crown jewels of the pond - water lilies. Not only are these crown shaped flowers beautiful to look at, but the broad green leaves also serve in aiding and maintaining the ponds ecosystem. Last year, the larger koi devastated my lilies. Feeding on the tender new leaves and roots, the lilies almost died. I like my fish, as I have … (34 comments)
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michael thornton: Unofficial Blogging Report ~ April 2011...
- 05/02/11 10:13 PM
Unofficial Blogging Report ~ April 2011...
Wow, Can you believe it? Another month has zipped by in the Hallowed Halls of Blogdom. Where does the time go when you are having fun splashing around in "The Rain"? Not to be confused with the silvery droplets that are currently pelting my window pane. ~ That's blog fodder for another post. Needless to say, April had it's challenges ~ More like an ActiveRain wedgie that irritated the bejabers (sp) out of most of us. But, after the 3rd meltdown, the geeks behind the scenes finally seemed to stabilize the system. Thanks Guys!!! … (47 comments)
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michael thornton: How Much Do You Trust Our Government...
- 05/02/11 12:24 PM
How Much Do You Trust Our Government...
Unless you are living under a rock somewhere, by now you have heard that Bin Laden has met his maker. Really? The only thing we have to go on is "supposedly" DNA evidence and the troops that says, it was him. I thought that the DNA tests came back very quickly, but then, what does this skeptic know? Now that the body is buried at sea, all concrete evidence confirming or denying is gone forever. So the $64,000 question is, "Do you trust our Government when they say that Bin Laden is dead?" I … (23 comments)
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michael thornton: Harnessing the Power of ActiveRain...
- 05/01/11 01:52 AM
Harnessing the Power of ActiveRain...
I rarely write "Technical Posts" because they can be lengthy and time consuming. Most of the time, technical stuff goes over most people's heads, but because I like my subscribers and was asked "to share the wealth" here goes...
Those of us who patron ActiveRain are all too familiar with its ability to generate Google juice and provide "OOMPH" to our businesses. There are many that post here as well on our outside blogs in order to get a leg-up on competition and vie for one of those 10 coveted spots on the first … (17 comments)
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michael thornton: (not so) Speechless Sundae...
- 04/30/11 10:51 PM
(not so) Speechless Sundae...Nestled under the out-stretched arms of the dogwood in my back yard, two clumps of blue iris turn their soft, billowy heads toward the cobalt blue sky. Reminiscent of the Dickens-era fashions worn in the Victorian era of by gone days, these ladies sway to and fro on the early morning breeze.
In true southern fashion, they gently swish by my sore eyes decked in colors and fabric fit for royalty. Add layers of trims, laces and pearls there you have it, a true Southern Belle if ever I saw one...
This is, in part, a reblog of … (25 comments)
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The Big "O"...Ya ever have one of those days, you roll out of the sack feeling like your feng has shui'ed and ying has yang'ed? Well my dear readers, today was one of THOSE days. Now I'm one of those who is not real buddy-buddy with the Big "O". No, I'm not talking about the queen of daytime drama, I'm talking about the other "O". Quite frankly, my skills in the dot your "i's" and cross your "t's" department on a scale of 1 - 10 are a minus 5. Gawd knows when I saw my desk top that didn't have … (15 comments)
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