Margaret Rome and Ray Henson are hosting a challenge for August called "Truth or Dare, Fish Stories." We are being asked to answer questions and/or share a fish story, or possibly do both (like answer some questions honestly and some not so honestly). For my first entry, I'm going to answer the questions....
Questions
1. We all go on vacation to get away from it all and have a great time, but I want to know, what vacation day was your worst?
I've had a few mishaps on vacations, like traveling with two young energetic kids and winding up having to stay overnight in Atlanta when our flight was canceled and the hotel the airport paid for was in a really yucky area and we had to stay in the hotel (motel?) the entire time. Or the time my husband and I were in Belize and the air conditioner starting spitting ice cubes at us. Or the time I was going away for a three day much needed vacation and I was stuck in the airport for hours and hours and we missed one day of the vacation of the three day vacation. Or the time we went to a hotel in Maine when it was hot and humid and and the pool we were looking forward to on our entire drive was under construction with a backhoe in it and unusable. But even with all of these, those were just blips in the vacation and they didn't mar my overall experience(s).
2. What would be your bucket list vacation or, if you have already taken it, tell us about it? Pictures encouraged.
I've had some wonderful vacations and experiences, so don't HAVE to do anything specific. But if I get the chance I'd like to visit Italy, drive down the Oregon/California coast, see Macchu PIchu, go to BANFF in Canada, take a small cruise in Alaska, take a river cruise in Europe. Those would all be great.
3. If your ActiveRain friends were to visit you, would you prepare dinner for them or would you take them to the best pizza joint in town? What would you make or where would you go?
I would cook, and what I'd make would depend on what my ActiveRain friends would like. Fig/goat cheese/caramelized onion panini? Homemade pizza? Artichoke/tomato spaghetti with homemade ciabatta bread? Smoked chicken? Yummy steaks with a ghee/scallion/garlic topping? etc etc. I'm fairly flexible and love to take care of my guests.
4. We all know that Canadian bacon and pineapple are the best toppings for any pizza. If you can’t have those toppings on your pizza, what would you choose?
"We" don't agree about Canadian bacon and pineapple! My typical pizza includes kalamata olives, sweet onions and perhaps some sort of meat. I'm open to trying new things but I won't eat pizza with chicken. That just does not sound right.
5. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
I don't eat ice cream anymore but when I think of my past favorite, it would have to be a rich and smooth chocolate with tiny pieces of chocolate in it, or the ice cream we made at home while growing up. I remember strawberry. Yum.
6. What is your beverage of choice with dinner; beer, wine, iced tea, a cocktail, or …..?
Red wine, typically cabernet, zinfandel or a malbec. Yum
7. Do you prefer going to a concert, the theater, or a big sporting event? Who or what would you be watching?
I've done all of the above. I lived in NY state only an hour or so from Broadway, so have seen many Broadway and off-Broadway shows. I don't know what my favorite is, but the ones that stick in my head are The Lion King, The Man of LaMancha, Phantom of the Opera. I took my children to see both NY Mets and NY Yankee games since they both were fans of opposing teams. As for concerts, I have an eclectic taste and have seen many bands including ZZ Top, Peter Frampton, Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, Andrea Boccelli, Heart, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Paul McCartney, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, BB King and more. They were all great.
8. There are so many great festivals across the country. Is there a special one in your area? Pictures are encouraged.
We have a bunch of festivals. The dragon boat festival in BigFork, rodeos, the NW Montana State Fair (coming this week), the Cabin Fever days in the winter and more.
9. What is your greatest sporting accomplishment, hitting a hole in one, bowling a perfect game, hitting the game winning shot, etc.? If you do not enjoy athletics, what is your greatest accomplishment?
I won a bowling bag at Midnight Bowling many years ago for having the lowest score. I've tried my hand at Mixed Martial Arts (only because my kids were in it and I got a few free lessons), skiing, hiking, biking, bowling, raquetball, tennis, volleyball (I hit the people in the front row with the volleyball when I served) and more. I'm not excellent at any sports but have fun trying.
10. Are you a pet person? If so, names and pictures are a must!
Well, so here it is. I love animals - cats and dogs and others. My family had cats growing up, I had a cat about a decade ago, and my husband and I have had two wonderful rescue dogs - one was our Siberian Husky Halo and one is our current "Montana Mountain Dog" Hercules.
l love/d them to pieces and they are/were very spoiled and well cared for. But. I would prefer not to have a pet because I like to do more exploring and be freer with my schedule than I can be when I am a pet-mom. So there it is. I love pets, but would rather visit them in someone else's home or help at a shelter so I can be free to drop everything and go on a trip, or spend a full day hiking in Glacier, or be able to show houses any time I need to without worrying about how the dog will get fed or walked. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
11. What is your favorite thing to collect, or do you prefer to keep things simple and clutter free? Or what is your decorating style?
I'm not a collector, and I'd really prefer simpler and clutter free. Of course, I'm not the only one in my house, so the clutter/simple part isn't always doable.
12. What job did you have just prior to making the switch to real estate and has it helped you in your real estate career? (Courtesy of Jeff Dowler, CRS)
I spent a career in corporate America, working my way up from a clerk/typist to a director leading teams and projects. And yes, it definitely helped me - with organization, computer skills, business planning, priority setting, speaking skills, etc.
13. When you are writing on ActiveRain, who is your audience and why did you choose them for your audience? (Courtesy of Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400)
It depends on what I'm writing. A combination of potential clients, clients and AR members/friends.
14. What makes you the real estate agent of choice in your area?
My focus on helping my clients move on to the next stage of their life, whatever that may be.
15. What is the most outrageous action that a client has ever asked you to perform?
I can't think of anything crazy my clients have asked me to do. My experience has been kind of boring that way.
16. We show a lot of homes in our profession. What is the most interesting home or, item in a home, that you have encountered?
Hmmm... Perhaps the most interesting home I saw was one where I got a last minute invitation to attend a broker open. The house in particular was a $14M "castle" on a lake that Derek Jeter of the NY Yankees owned. It was an amazing property with multiple kitchens, guest houses, a pool, a turret and more. We were not told whose house it was and there was no Yankee memorabilia in sight, but eventually everyone knew (check out the link above). I would have loved to have sold that. :-)
17. What are your three favorite neighborhoods in your area and what makes them special? Are you lucky enough to live in one of those neighborhoods?
I love the entire area so can't pick my three favorite; it all depends on where you want to live. And I am lucky enough to be living exactly where I want to be.
18. We all love client testimonials, but is there one that really made you feel special? We would love to see it.
I love them all and cannot pick a favorite.
19. What is your favorite volunteer work or charity?
Right now I'm very busy with volunteer/charity work. First, every other Friday I spend the day building homes with Habitat for Humanity. I have met some amazing people doing so, and have learned a lot about building a home that I didn't know before. Rebar? What the heck is that? Now I know!
I am also the president elect for the Flathead Valley Exchange Club. We are a service organization that does volunteering and fund raising for non-profits in the area in the "pillars" of military/Americanism, youth, and community. We have weekly meetings, volunteer efforts, planning for events, etc. That's a lot of fun and again, I've learned so much about my community and met some great people.
And while I don't do this myself, my husband is in Flathead County Search & Rescue. He's the VP of training and that is another great local group. All volunteers and they actually save people's lives. Now that's worth doing.
20. What does the flag represent to you?
For some reason, whenever I hear the national anthem or recite the Pledge of Allegiance, I feel emotional. The flag represents all those who have fought so we can be free. It represents my country. It represents bravery.
21. When we discuss life, my dad always says he is not sure what he would like to be when he grows up. He is 77! What do you want to be when you grow up or are you already in your perfect profession?
I am not predicting anything. I've had a lot of professions and am having a blast now with my real estate business. But will this be the last career? I cannot say. I'm just going to see where life takes me.
PS - and 77 is young.
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