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This Week…No Discussion of Weather!

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Home Stager

This Week…No Discussion of Weather!

 

Suffice it to say, it’s been unusually cold. That’s it. 



The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
George Bernard Shaw



This week I thought about communication and communicating. We humans are lucky in that we have the ability to use words…mix them up…put them together and if we’re lucky…out pops a coherent thought or two.

 

Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.
Robert Frost

 

There are two friends in my life who are in various stages of Alzheimers and communication for them has become increasingly difficult. This week, Larry patiently stood in the cold while our neighbor labored to get his words out. 

 

My friend of over 40 years was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 2 years ago. Her health and spirits are up but at times she struggles to find the words.

Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.
Jim Rohn 

We rely on our ability to communicate in all aspects of our life…whether it’s at work showing a property, in our personal lives communicating with loved ones, and out running errands. 

 Much is being done in the study of Alzheimers and other cognitive impairments. Studies continue to stress the importance of our lifestyle… exercise, diet, maintaining an active social life and the use it or lose it mindset. 


Wise men talk because they have something to say;
fools, because they have to say something

Plato

This is one of the reasons why I continue to blog. Besides the friendships I’ve made here and the knowledge I gain, THIS keeps the dendrites firing.  

Have a wonderful weekend and don’t forget to USE IT!

Posted by

Kathy Streib
Retired Home Stager
and Interior Redesign

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Comments(23)

Show All Comments Sort:
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Kathy. Not sure about the ratios used by Robert Frost and Jim Rohn, but can't disagree with their thoughts. Enjoy your day.

Feb 22, 2025 05:12 AM
Kathy Streib

Wayne Martin I also have some friends who rarely say more than a few words however when they do speak, you listen!

Feb 22, 2025 11:29 AM
Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Kathy, Losing the ability to communicate is incredibly heartbreaking and difficult to witness which I have had to do losing very close relatives to this disease!

Feb 22, 2025 05:18 AM
Kathy Streib

Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400 it's sad (and scary) but many of us have friends or relatives are experiencing this. 

Feb 22, 2025 11:42 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Excellent quotes and message. I'm sorry to hear about your friends with Alzheimer's. That's one of the scariest diseases because it seems to rob people of their very selves, so anything we can do to hopefully stave off that kind of problem is a must!

Feb 22, 2025 05:33 AM
Kathy Streib

Kat Palmiotti Thank you. Our neighbor spends the summer in CO. When he returned in late August his abilities had changed dramatically. 

Feb 22, 2025 11:43 AM
Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint-Idaho
Sandpoint Realty LLC - Sandpoint, ID
North Idaho Real Estate - 208-255.6227

Communication.  Brought up so often along with it's importance yet an elusive commodity.  m

Feb 22, 2025 06:42 AM
Kathy Streib

Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint-Idaho and with texting and emojis, people are losing the ability to communicate as we know it. 

Feb 22, 2025 12:01 PM
Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty
Waves Realty - Melbourne, FL
Florida Space Coast Homes

My mom was complaining today. She said not only cold, but very rainy. It is all up from here.

Feb 22, 2025 06:49 AM
Kathy Streib

Hi Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty your mom is right! We went out to walk this morning but it was overcast, damp, cold and windy!!! Houston winters. 

Feb 22, 2025 12:02 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Kathy - that GBS quote is a longtime favorite.  Communication is good and even better when both parties come away from the discussion with a clear and mutual understanding.  

Feb 22, 2025 07:55 AM
Kathy Streib

I agree Michael Jacobs Name-calling and pointing fingers isn't communicating (unless you're a child). When we can exchange thoughts and consider what was said...we're better for it. 

Feb 22, 2025 12:04 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

We have a sunny but cold Saturday in Maryland and I am thankful that much of the snow has melted.

Feb 22, 2025 08:38 AM
Kathy Streib

Roy Kelley I'll trade you some of our weather for your sunshine!

Feb 22, 2025 12:05 PM
GilbertRealtor BillSalvatore
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

We are experienced Chamber of Commerce weather out here right now, for all the Spring Training Fans. Thanks for sharing, make it a great Saturday and enjoy your

weekend!

Bill Salvatore, Realtor- Arizona Elite Properties

Feb 22, 2025 09:14 AM
Kathy Streib

Bill Salvatore - East Valley that sounds wonderful. Send some sunshine here. 

Feb 22, 2025 12:07 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Retired Broker/Owner - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

I am so happy to say that we're going to be in the 70's and 80's this week Kathy!  YES!  As for communication......I know what it's like to see a person go downhill living with Alzheimer Disease. My Dad lived with that and is was a very slow long process and he slowly drifted away after 17 years.  He had no idea who any of us were.  And it was sad,  very sad, seeing this once brilliant man, stumble with every thought and word.  I will never take it for granted that I have the ability to communicate and share my thoughts and ideas with with friends and families.  I also think it's wise to stay 'interested' in many subjects as we grow older.  Keep Learning.  My Mom used to say - When You're Through Learning.....you're through!

 

Feb 22, 2025 09:46 AM
Kathy Streib

Anna "Banana" Kruchten Loved what your mother said!!!  I ask a lot of questions and want to know more!!! I"m glad that the research they're doing now on Alzheimers is branching out into other causes as well as early detection and prevention. 

Feb 22, 2025 12:10 PM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Always enjoy your thoughts, and I love Jim Rohn, his quotes are great.

Feb 22, 2025 09:54 AM
Kathy Streib

Hi Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 and thank you!! Appreciate it. Hope your Saturday is going well. 

Feb 22, 2025 12:19 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Kathy both my father in-law and an aunt of mine both had alzheimers in their final year.  It is tough to see, and even tougher to deal with.

Feb 22, 2025 12:36 PM
Lew Corcoran
Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA
Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

Thanks for your thoughtful post, Kathy Streib! It's a powerful reminder of how essential communication is in our lives—especially when we sometimes take it for granted.

Feb 22, 2025 12:50 PM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Kathy, we had frigid temps this past week also, but finally today it is 54 degrees, and all this coming week should be in the 50's and 60's.   Cannot complain, it is still winter here.

Feb 22, 2025 01:19 PM
Jeff Masich-Scottsdale AZ Associate Broker,MBA,GRI
HomeSmart Real Estate - Scottsdale, AZ
Arizona Homes and Land Group/ Buy or Sell

Stay warm Kathy. 80 degrees here in Sunny Scottsdale with Spring Training games in full swing. Jeff

Spring Training

Feb 22, 2025 08:58 PM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

MAHA should be making things better for us and our health while living in the USA!

Feb 23, 2025 05:27 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Losing a loved one to Alzheimer's is so painful. Watching my dad struggle to get a thought out and sometimes just giving up was horrible. It is such a cruel disease.

Feb 23, 2025 10:53 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Kathy:

I'm so sorry to hear about your friends! The changes must be so difficult to watch.

It's still pretty chilly (for us) at night but we have had several days in the low 70s which is wonderful.

My Mom has been in a memory care unit with pretty significant dementia for almost 4 years - communication is very limited at this point, and further complicated by very poor hearing. It's been hard to watch the decline.

Jeff

Feb 23, 2025 10:57 AM
Aura Alex
Seattle, WA
Retired Real Estate Pro

Hi Kathy,

Discovering the stories of others who have dealt with Alzheimer's in a caregiving role reminds me that I am not alone. My thoughts are with those impacted by this disease, whether they are living with it or caring for someone who is.

Feb 23, 2025 11:17 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

I love the quotes Kathy Streib - I am so sorry to learn about your friends. I watched my mom over the years with dementia a similar "disease" and it is so painful. We just love them through it. Patience is essential.  

Feb 23, 2025 05:23 PM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
Southern Utah's Preferred Real Estate Agent.

Alzheimer's seems to rob people a little bit each day, especially the ability to effectively communicate, which is a necessary to connect with people. So sorry to hear about your friends, Kathy.

Feb 23, 2025 06:27 PM