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What's On Your Desktop?

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Services for Real Estate Pros with Ward County Notary Services 607851

If you have an office that is open to the public it's important to give a good first impression of being professional. So what about your computers screen. In general I keep the Windows desktop screen up when I am not working at the computer.

If I am working on the computer I usually am on Active Rain and I leave that screen up so I can tell others about Active Rain.

We often talk about professionalism here and first impressions. If people coming into your office can see your computer's screen what are they going to see? I will never forget walking into a professionals office and seeing porn on the screen. I actually turned around and left. He texted me immediately and asked what happened and I told him why as well as I prefered to work with someone else with stronger moral character.

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Do you enjoy the cartoons written by my son (Timmothy N. Timm) which I use as a springboard to write my daily posts? His strip, Titus & Philemon, has run in two newspapers for years as well as being printed in my blog every day. Titus & Philemon (pronounced Phi - Lee -Man) are guinea pigs. Their owner is Joe. Timmothy has never repeated a joke/comic strip in the 12 years he has been writing it. He has never copied another strip, such as Peanuts or Garfield. You can follow Timmothy on FB as Titus & Philemon and you can also check him out on Instagram as Instagram.com/titus and philemon/ .For Timmothy's website type timmtimmothy.com into your browser. I tried to put it in a link here but it refuses to work. Do NOT put anything in front of timmtimmothy.com or it will not work. 

Comments(9)

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Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Hi Bob... better not to ask what is on my desk top (computer or desk). Then again, I work from home so no one sees them but me.

May 12, 2025 06:53 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

You certainly have my curiosity up Nina Hollander, Broker .

May 12, 2025 08:36 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Bob - initial impressions can be conversation-starters.  I have been using a laptop for over twenty years.  When I am away from it, it's closed.  

May 12, 2025 06:54 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

You can not be any safer than that Michael Jacobs .

May 12, 2025 08:37 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I do not need to worry about the public image while working at my desk in our home office. However, I do tend to have too much stuff on my desktop.

May 12, 2025 08:03 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

You and me both Roy Kelley . Somewhere along the line, about a month ago, some program I installed puts every picture on my computers (yes plural) and clutters it more.

May 12, 2025 10:25 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Bob. I use a laptop and have gotten away from using a desk. I am a man with a laptop on my laptop and mobile. That said my screen is still professional even in retirement. Some habits are good ones. Enjoy your day.

May 12, 2025 08:38 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

Same here Wayne Martin but that being said I once had a Toshiba that came with a pretty racy desktop (Standard) on it. I changed it but I did wonder "What were they thinking"?

May 12, 2025 10:23 AM
GilbertRealtor BillSalvatore
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

As a professional, we need to be discrete where we advertise our por. LOL  Great information. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your week!

Bill Salvatore, Realtor- Arizona Elite Properties

May 12, 2025 10:02 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

You are welcome GilbertRealtor BillSalvatore . I hope you have a great week as well.

May 12, 2025 10:20 AM
Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint-Idaho
Sandpoint Realty LLC - Sandpoint, ID
North Idaho Real Estate - 208-255.6227

I either have a picture of our office front door or one of my 'Friday Flag' shots showing on the computer.  I can not imagine someone not having common sense enough to keep porn off their computer screen in an office.  Amazing.  m

May 12, 2025 11:22 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

This happened years ago Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint-Idaho and it was a computer repair person. It wasn't right out in the business lobby but still I found it appalling. 

May 12, 2025 12:46 PM
Lew Corcoran
Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA
Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

Thanks for sharing this important reminder, Bob "RealMan" Timm. It's amazing how a simple thing like your desktop can leave a lasting impression—sometimes more than we realize. I appreciate your honesty and the importance you place on professionalism in all aspects of our work! 👍😊

May 12, 2025 12:34 PM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

You are welcome Lew Corcoran . I've only been offended the one time in all these years but if there is one person out there that doesn't "get it" I'm sure there are more.

May 12, 2025 01:10 PM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

Hmm, that makes me wonder if anyone has ever used a photo with me in it for their desktop background, haha.  I doubt it.

May 13, 2025 07:46 AM
Brian England

Haha, that sounds like dreaming Bob "RealMan" Timm, I highly doubt that is true.

May 13, 2025 01:02 PM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

I would imagine hundreds of women have you on their desktop Brian England (you handsome devil you) 🙂. 

May 13, 2025 10:43 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

 

Hello Bob "RealMan" Timm - my laptop has a photo of my favorite place - taken from a cliff, the photo is of the ocean with the sun setting ... and the Ritz Carlton Hotel on the right. 

the sun setting 

May 13, 2025 08:07 AM
Bob "RealMan" Timm

Sounds beautiful Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist . Share it with us please.

May 13, 2025 10:42 AM