What Does Activerain Mean To Me? More Than I Can Say.

By
Home Stager with Sharon Tara Transformations

ACTIVERAIN

It is so much more than just a blogging platform. It is so much more than a real estate platform.

Personally, this forum was never just a place for me to share information on Home Staging and/or my home staging business. Activerain started out for me as a place to learn more about the real estate business in general. When I joined in December, 2007 I had just started my business and I had a lot to learn.

I had a lot to learn about real estate, about home staging, about networking and socializing and about blogging.

Activerain did not disappoint.

It is a wonderful resource for any and all topics.  When I need advice or information on any subject, I start my search right here. I turn to ActiveRain for answers before checking Google!

I have learned, and continue to learn, something new each and every day from my friends in the Rain. When I say "friends" I mean it literally.

Activerain is a place where lifelong friendships develop. We support each other, we encourage each other and we share in the ups and downs of business and of life. For those of us who have been here awhile, it is like a second family. You certainly don't anticipate or expect it, but before you know it you have trusted connections all over the country and beyond!

I've been lucky to have met a few Rainers in person over the years....

( Judy Jennings , Steve Loynd , John McCarthy , Julia MaherMarianne Cherico , Kathy Streib )

 

 I have also had lots of fun with my Rain friends virtually via my love of photo editing.

Just one example would be the yearly (2012 - 2015)  Be The Star Of Your Own Movie Challenge celebrating The Academy Awards

I really enjoyed not only being a judge for the challenge, but also "dressing" my fellow Rainers for the red carpet.

The creativity, humor, and genuine affection shared amongst so many wonderful people here is really something special.

Now that I am retired, and no longer blog regularly for my business, I still pop in daily to connect with my friends. 

So...what does ActiveRain mean to me? It means more than I can say.

I Am ActiveRain  November 2011 Challenge

 

Written for:

What Does Activerain Mean To You? April 2022 Challenge

Comments (41)

Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Kat Palmiotti  Thank you! So many other people I would have liked to include, including you, on that bottom row! 

Michael Jacobs  Thank you! Her Royal Highness approves of your lovely comment. Consider yourself knighted.

Apr 25, 2022 09:14 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Brian England I look forward to the day we finally get to meet in person!

Joan Cox  Thank you! Yes, more time for photoshop now! LOL

Apr 25, 2022 09:16 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Your collage is so YOU Sharon and awesome! ActiveRain -IS- so much more than just a real estate platform, it is a place to gather (like CHEERS), where serious and fun situations can be discussed, from triumphs to tragedies, to share, to educate, to learn with/from one another. Glad to have met you here!

Apr 26, 2022 05:27 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!  Thank you! I am so glad to have met you here too!

Apr 27, 2022 08:56 AM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Sharon Tara You made my day with this one!

So much fun, so many great people, so much talent! I love your entry and how much time you took putting all the photos together. Thanks for taking my call today. It was fun catching up!

Apr 29, 2022 02:18 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400  I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the post and all the memories. I really enjoyed our phone chat today. Thank you so much for taking the time to call me...

you made my day!

Apr 29, 2022 03:58 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Apr 30, 2022 06:56 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Sharon:

Such fun to read your post which captures, so well, what AR means to so many of us.

I have always enjoyed your creativity with photo. It was fun to see a number of faces I recognized...and all dressed up, too!

Hope all is well.

Jeff

Apr 30, 2022 09:45 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The right Charlotte REALTOR!

OH my gosh, I LOVE this entry, Sharon! Your photoshop skills are simply amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us over the years and many thanks for participating in this month's challenge!

May 01, 2022 07:36 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Kathy Streib  Thank you so much for the feature!

Jeff Dowler, CRS  Thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed the post. Dressing my friends in the Rain has always been fun for me.

Debe Maxwell, CRS  Thank you! This is one challenge I just had to enter. I'm enjoying reading the other entries too.

 

May 01, 2022 08:16 AM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The right Charlotte REALTOR!

Well, this one was right up your alley! LOVE the pics of Barbara and Margaret - both class acts!

May 01, 2022 08:21 AM
Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

I enjoyed your post and all your fun handy work within the collages and within ActiveRain!  

May 01, 2022 11:12 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

What can I say except I’m addicted to ActiveRain also Sharon Tara. Thank you for including my picture 😎

May 01, 2022 02:52 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Debe Maxwell, CRS  Margaret and Barbara were a joy to "dress".  Yes, class acts!

Raymond Henson, eXp Realty  Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the memories!

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS  Addiction to the Rain is not a bad thing. We are in good company!

May 01, 2022 03:25 PM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

It's always so fun reading posts from long time rainers!  Loved seeing your old photos and mentions!  

May 03, 2022 11:30 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Jan Green  I'm so glad you enjoyed the post and photos! 

May 03, 2022 12:58 PM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Sharon Tara - you are so much more than a photo editor who always pulled through for us to make ActiveRain more enjoyable and fun. Whether it was for the many challenges or special favors upon request, you never disappointed anyone. You are the face of ActiveRain I always enjoy seeing and you embody the spirit of what this Platform was meant to be. Thank you for being so gracious and always kind. 

May 15, 2022 05:07 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP  Well you brought tears to my eyes. I got very emotional reading that comment. You are an artist with your words. You have such a way of making us all feel better about ourselves and better about the world! Thank you!

May 15, 2022 02:23 PM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Sharon Tara - I am hoping those were happy tears because I think the world of you. What you shared about me also nearly brought me to my knees with tears because I rarely feel good enough for ActiveRain. But I do care very much about the words I choose. Everything I write is from the heart and when I comment on other people's blogs like yours you can always expect honesty. I never was and never will be a copycat or insincere about how I feel. I don't use ghost writers to steal the show and be featured. I am very much an active Realtor and not retired. I love to read about people and you are a keeper. Always kind and very much appreciated. 

May 17, 2022 03:08 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP  100% happy! I've been especially emotional lately though...even more than normal.

"Rarely feel good enough for activerain"... I know I speak for many other members of this group, who love you as much as I do, when I say that you are very much good enough. You are very much appreciated!

May 18, 2022 04:31 PM