What Does Active Rain Mean to me?
April 2022 Challenge
My First Active Rain Meetup
I joined Active Rain October 8, 2008, and I had no idea what blogging was, why people did it and even more baffling to me; why would I care what you wrote unless you were a famous author?!
I was introduced to Active Rain almost 14 years ago by Russel Ray, who is Jim Frimmer's husband (#37 in CA) and used to be my property inspector. Russel at that time was the #1 blogger on Active Rain in CA and I believe in the top 10 of the US AR stats. So, I was friends with him, trusted him and joined AR.
I used to tussle a lot with Active Rain members, I think because my first featured post was a controversial one and I spoke my mind in the Q&A because I didn't know anyone so I didn't care if I pissed them off for being honest. I also noticed few read my posts, they were only responding to the title, not the content. I tend to use ironic and eye catching titles to lure readers in.
I'm most proud of my #2 Ranked Blog of my over 1,200 blog posts to date.
Over the last 13+ years I have met in person with, Zoom'd with, lunched with, exchanged referrals with and closed deals with many, many wonderful Active Rain members. There are many more I've never met in person, but feel a kinship with. Jeff Dowler, CRS was my first friend I made and my first in person lunch meeting. John DL Arendsen is another north county coastal friend I've done manufactured home and referred ADU work with (and his son too).
I went on to become friends and work with many great people here;
receiving and giving many, many referrals in The Rain - I've made money in the Rain, thank you! A special thanks 🙏 to Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA for one of my best referrals in The Rain. 👍
I've experienced loss in the Rain, when my wise friend Lou Ludwig passed away a few years back. I used to enjoy late evening banter with Lou, which always impressed me because he was in Florida and I'm in Cali. Lou inspired me to create my almost daily post: Get After It with my Quote-actions! His legacy lives on. 😊
Wayne Martin and Michael Jacobs are my two most loyal regular commenters there and I appreciate them and all of you that take the time to do so.
Kathy Streib and Carol Williams you two are amazing with your weekly recaps! As are Myrl Jeffcoat, Debe Maxwell, CRS and Anna Banana Kruchten CRS, Phoenix Broker. And I appreciate the calls I've received from Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 and Joan Cox and the advice Mimi Foster has shared with me on the art of being a true author.
Halloween Meetup
There's much Gain in the Rain because of so many of you my friends and you whom I'm friendly with. I follow 400 of you because I like what you post - I learn from it and I'm impressed by it - and I have about 676 following me currently.
(I have a couple folks out there that I didn't take $#!* from, so I know I'm not their cup of tea, but that's life and that's OK - there's mild pains in The Rain too LOL).
You can learn a lot from the givers in The Active Rain, and you'll never convert the takers; so spend your time with the givers (and being one) and ignore the takers - maybe pray for them.
There have been many owners of Active Rain over the years, including Zillow aka Trulia for a time; I think Ben Kinney has been the most proactive owner the last 3 years with all the improvements and Zoom updates he's offered us.
We can long for the good old days, when The Rain really drew some serious Google-juice, but we need to remain present and work with and improve what we have today.
I miss the Active Rain Podcast with Bob Stewart and Rain Camps and our Meetups. I'm hosting my first meetup with Brian England and a few others this September. I'm showing off my vacation house that.
I have Active Rain to thank for getting me a co-host position on a Podcast for about 4 years and many, many magazine interviews because of my blogging here. Although we knew each other long before Active Rain, I have to give a shout out to a great friend and the best lender in North America: Jason E. Gordon!!!
I have learned so much about
- real estate
- networking
- tech
- building a brand
- investing
- marketing
- negotiating
- being an author
- being open minded
- and so much more!
Active Rain is a an almost daily part of my morning routine; my Coffee in the Rain, I rarely do not log in. I enjoy seeing what people are posting, asking, commenting, sharing, teaching and of course my favorite; being funny.
There's too many of you to name;
please do not feel left out if I didn't single you out,
no need to pout, have no doubt... you all have clout - I declare and shout!
Thank you for being you, thank you for making it an Active Rain
-have no doubt- you are what The Rain is all about!
What Does Active Rain Mean to me?
April 2022 Challenge
Comments(66)