When we aren’t proactive we tend to look like we are lazy, don’t care or not very organized. Sometimes we can’t help it that we are reactive, especiallywhen we are so busy it is hard to keep up.  Our intentions are good but our life might be a little chaotic at the time.  That is when I would suggest we stop, look at our life and decide what we can do to make it a little bit more easier.  We are the ones that cause the chaos or serenity.

When we aren’t proactive, people tend to judge.  It’s hard not to judge, it’s our human nature but remember that the measure by which we judge is what we will be putting on our self.  We aren’t here to judge but to love.  Sometimes we think that the way we do things is the right way, the easy way and why in the world would someone do it that way?  Our ways aren’t always best for others.  Our ways aren’t always “right”.  The circumstances that lead us to behave and do things a certain way, then learn huge lessons from the wrong decision, might not be the same for the person next to you.

Everything I write on this blog is my opinion and what has been right for me, my family and my business. Or what was wrong and I learned from it.  What is right for me, might not be the right answer for you.  Everyone has to find their own path.  They can learn from others mistakes and that is why it is so easy to write L-O-N-G posts because the lessons learned are sometimes long to explain.  Hopefully my style of writing keeps you reading and not thinking, “Come on, get to the point.”

So, how can we apply being Proactive instead of being Reactive?

Many ways.  Think about how much easier it would be for you to take the first step instead of waiting for someone to ask you to make it.  The one thing I have a hard time with is someone asking me to do something when I knew I should have done it before they called.  For instance, today I showed 3 properties to a client.  I took down the notes of the feedback and when I got back to my office I decided to go ahead and email the agent to let her know the feedback from my clients.  Doing this has taken a weight off my shoulders knowing that she might have called a couple of days later asking how it went and I would not have my notes with me, so I would have to call her back or not remember which homes were her’s and giving a false feedback on a house because I got two confused!  So instead of being reactive to the problems that would arise, I was proactive and made the first step to let this agent know how my showings went.

I just started this and I find that I feel more organized and in control.  Not only that, but it feels gratifying to know that I am helping someone without them having to ask for it!  How I would love for agents to call or email me and let me know how the showing went instead of me calling them and they are still with their client, or waiting a day and then they are so busy with other homes they need help remembering, “Which one was yours again?”

So, are you Proactive or Reactive? I am making a conscience effort to try and be proactive!

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If you have some experiences you would like to share, please comment below!

Blessings to you and your business.

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Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

“One is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, ego and fears .

“The other is Good – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

 I thought this would be something that could be applied to any area of your life.  Mine would be during this time of healing.

Have a great week!

I was one of the contestants that tried out on Wednesday, number 11, and was chosen to move forward in the Operation Rising Star competition.  What is this competition?  Well it is like a Military American Idol.  All Military (Active, Retired, Dependents, Reserves, National Guard over 18 are encouraged to come out and audition.) They had a room set aside and when your number was called,  you walked in, were handed a microphone and told to say your name and what you were singing to 3 judges sitting at a table and a video camera behind them. It could be very intimidating to some and yes, I was nervous.  I always am when I stand before anyone and sing.

The song I auditioned with was Strawberry Wine by Deanna Carter and half way through the second verse I messed up my words but they said it was good, that I sang more than I should, then asked if that was the song I was practicing or was I on the fence with another song.  I told them I was thinking of another one also.  They asked for me to sing it.  So, I sang I Just Call You Mine by Martina McBride.  When I got to the chorus and hit that high note, they all threw up their hands and said “Yes, that is what we are looking for!”. 

With this competition, it is 8 weeks long with themes for each week.  At the end of the 8 weeks they will have their winner who will move on to the Army-wide finals.  There will be 12 there and from what I have seen watching last year, they break it down to 6 the next day, then the next will be the winner.  The winner will receive an all expensive paid trip for 2 to Los Angeles, CA to record a 3 song demo in a professional recording studio valued at approximately $18,000. The judges will be different for the Army-wide and I believe you will be able to call in to vote, not sure yet.

BUT first I need to get support from all of you to help move me to the finals.  The way this competition works is 50% of the votes from the audience and 50% of the vote from the judges is what moves you forward to the next week.  So, if I am performing and only 3 people show up to vote, I will more than likely not move on.  There will be other competitors that will have family and friends and their unit there to support them.  Last year there was a Soldier from our Unit, 160th SOAR, out of Washington that made it to the finals.  He had support and talent.  It cost $0.00 to get in and if you order anything to drink and eat, you get more voting cards to write the singer you think should move on.

This year our themes and dates will be as followed: 

• August 7 – Billboard Top 100 (Current)
• August 12 – Birth Year
• August 21 – Michael Jackson
• August 28 – Song from a movie soundtrack
• Sept. 4 – Country
• Sept. 11 – Rhythm & Blues (R&B)
• Sept. 18- Musicals
• Sept. 25 – Patriotic

The competition starts at 6 pm this Friday.  The following week at 6 pm they will tell us who is not moving on and those who do will sing the song they prepared. It will continue like this until the end.

The Prizes:

• 1st Place: $500 and a chance to advance to the Army-wide finals
• 2nd Place: $250
• 3rd Place: $100

The unit that supports the most votes during the whole competition will win a cash prize that will go to their FRG.

Hope to see you out there!

Directions to Sportsman Lodge

My Singing

What are some ideas for Father’s Day?  I know this year, my children are teenagers now and no longer do they need Mommy and Daddy to go buy the gifts for the other.  We have opened an account for each of our kids with our  bank.  With these accounts they get the debit/credit card which we can manage and put money on or if they have a job: babysitting, mowing lawns, etc… they can bring their check to us and with our bank we can deposit at home.  So, we deposit their money into their account.  It is teaching them responsibility on spending and having the freedom to go and buy something without us being around.  For Mother’s Day, my husband was TDY and he went ahead and put some of their allowance on their cards.  They went to the store on their own, one of them is driving now, and bought my gift and decorations.  It was awesome to see them get so into the “holiday” and I didn’t have to do anything.  For Father’s Day, I will be doing the same thing.  It is their Father, so they will be going to the store or staying home and making something that express’ what their Daddy means to them.

Some sites for children to get ideas for their Daddy, in case they aren’t driving yet, and for those who are, can be found at:

• Kaboose
• Father’s Day
• The Holiday Spot

For the Father of my children, I would like to share a few photo’s that have meaning to me.

These pictures are when Art became a Father for the first time.  This is our, not so little anymore, Erikka on the day of her birth, December 26, 1991:

This is one of my favorite pictures of Art and our son Nick when Art took him to see his first Nascar race in Indianapolis, IN for the Brickyard 400:

This is one of my favorites with our youngest, Debbie, sleeping on her Daddy.

As a daughter whose Father lives, soon to be right across the street, I would like to share a few photos of when we were younger.  Much younger!  My Dad was stationed at Ft. Rucker, AL when I was born.  He then went through flight school and became a Pilot.  Flying in Vietnam and all over.  A founding Night Stalker with the 160th SOAR, I am now a Lady Night Stalker, singing at the events that my Dad was once part of and now my husband is part of.  I was always a Daddy’s girl growing up and when my parents divorced, I was 10, it was pretty rough for me to not be around him anymore.  We were at Ft. Campbell, KY and moved back to Ozark, AL where my Mother is from.  Through the years, the tough teenage growing years, there were a lot of growing pains.  Especially when divorce is involved.  Trying to find out why and who was at fault for separating the family.  As an adult and a Mother of my own children, I know that marriage is rough and it isn’t always greener on the other side.  We all make our choices and my parents made theirs.  Now so many years later, picking up where I once was at age 10, living in Werner Park on Hawaii St. in Ft. Campbell, I am now living in Clarksville, TN with my family, where my Dad never moved from. Living so close to my Dad, I have had the opportunity to heal hurts and get to know the man he is.  He is now around his grandchildren and enjoying the time we all have together. Not taking one day for granted.

Here are some pictures way back when:

So, to my Dad, I want you to know that I love you and thank the Lord that He blessed me with you. All the trials, tears, joys and laughter have made me what I am today. And from what you are always telling me, you are very proud of the woman I have become. So, thank you, even thougth it was hard.  I hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day and thank you for being my Daddy.

It’s right around the corner! May 10th. That is 8 days from today! So, you have to get something in the mail by wednesday to be sure that she will receive it by saturday or better yet, mail it monday or tuesday!
Do you need ideas? Well, I have found a site dedicated to Mother’s Day. It is located at:

www.MothersDayCentral.com

With this being said, I know that it might seem that it isn’t that hard for the women to get something for their Mothers but what about the son? This might be a touchy subject for you men out there but you have to understand how important it is to the Mother, even if she doesn’t show it, to receive something from her child. A lot of times men will leave it up to their wife to get something for their Mom and sign the card but us Mom’s know. We raised you and saw the cards you made us in school. We know the verbiage you use to express your feelings, whether it be much or less. Sometime’s a call is all it takes but I want you to picture something….

There is a woman who is older in years and lives in the same house she always has. She isn’t much for the internet or technology and wonders what happened to the old fashion hand written letters. Her son is now married and has a family of his own. She looks at their picture on the table next to her chair, next to her bed, in the hallway, every where you turn, his familiar face is there for her to see. They live in different states and where once she had a home bursting with excitement, music, yelling, noise, she is now in a home that is quiet. Where once all the lights were on and she would get onto him because the electric bill was high, she is sitting in her reclyner with only 1 light on.

She keeps photos nearby and has her memories but those are soon fading as time ticks by, faster and faster every year. She has kept your notes, hand made cards, anything that has your signature and pulls out that box every week to have a piece of you there with her. To her, she is proud of the man, the woman you have become. You have spread your wings and soared!

We are all so very busy in our life. Our Mother’s raised us to be independent and to make it on our own. Now that we are, we might find that our time is very rarely available to pick up the phone and call the one’s who nutured our bodies, encouraged us to be all that we could be, healed our wounds, let us drive the car even though her gut was saying NO, rushed home from work so you wouldn’t be alone at the house, dropped you off at the movie theatre so you could be with friends, held you as you cried because your heart was broken, spanked your butt because you were disrespectful, told you she loved you everyday.

She might think that her job as a Mother is done because you have a family of your own now and you are doing what she did but better and she might wonder what can she do now? Our position as a child will live on until the day that we say, “See you soon.” comes. Honor her with flowers, even when it isn’t a special occassion. Don’t save them for the funeral that she won’t be able to enjoy their beauty and fragrance. Send her a hand written letter because that is what she will keep in her Bible and read every day, just to see how you are doing because she might not hear from you in a week.

Maybe you didn’t have a Mother that expressed her feelings very well and you could say that in today’s society she would have been put away for child abuse but look at you now. Are you a better person because of her? Did you learn how you weren’t going to be or how you were going to be? Our Mothers were a product of their environment. They did the best that they knew how. Have you sat down and tried to ask her about her Mother? You would find out a lot about her from the Mother she had.

So, maybe soon, the tables will be turned. We will be nuturing their bodies, encouraging them to live another day and not give up, heal their wounds because they are tired and they think their doctors are quacks, letting them drive our car even though our gut is saying NO, rush home because they have fallen and broke a fragile bone, dropping them off at a friends house to play cards, hold them as they cry because they know time is so short, thanking them for spanking your butt because you didn’t show them the respect they deserved and being able to tell them you love them everyday for the rest of their life.

It’s a day that I will honor my Momma. Do something special for yours. Something that she won’t expect from you! In your world of schedules, this sunday put the time aside for your week to get this done for her!

Blessings to all Mothers!

Many of you have seen my writings on our ”Angel Girl“ and the new addition, Gabbie, coming this weekend…5 days to be exact! I believe it is wonderful to be able to be in a line of work, such as Real Estate, and have a blog that will allow the future clients to see who they are dealing with.  What type of morals and ethics they have…you will see through their writing.  Do they get personal? If not, why?  Some blogs I have read say it isn’t good to have a page about this and then a page about your field of work and then a page about something personal, etc…  Some don’t want to read about your personal life and the lessons learned, some just want information and move on.  I respect that BUT this is how I write. This is who I am, who my family is and we are people just like you. 

In writing and sharing our happiness, growth spurts and hard times, we find that it gives others the ability to reach out into the world wide web and offer comfort or advise where we wouldn’t be able to otherwise.  We aren’t face to face, just letter to letter.  I have appreciated all the comments, letters and gifts from those who saw through our rough times in the past 7 weeks.

With our “Angel Girl” story, I received an email from a buyer who is moving to Ft. Campbell, KY.  They have no children in human form, only in 4 legged form.   She felt it was a sign that she saw my blog on our animals and decided to email and call me.  We clicked right away and just this past weekend they became buyers and are now in a contract to own their very own home that is perfect for them!

I worried at first about what style of blogging I would eventually be writing.  I didn’t want to open up and possibly offend someone, let alone get those hate emails disagreeing (which haven’t happened yet, don’t be the first either).  I realized that not only do I want to have a Real Estate blog sharing the marketing trends and what is going on in Clarksville, I wanted to share who I was and help others if I could by my way of thinking and writing. It has been wonderful to have others help me!

So in closing…is it ok to blog personal?  I think it is a great thing! What are your views on it?

A home is a sanctuary, a place to rest and rejuvenate. It is a place where you put on your comfy old sweats and be yourself. It is a place where love lives.
In my past job I did a lot of traveling. I went to a lot of exotic places and seen many things some people only dream about. And as great as it all was nothing felt as good as coming home.
Home is where we keep all our treasures, the things that are dearest to us. It is where our favorite books, food, and music can be found. We invite our family and friends to join us there to share good times.
At home we feel safe and secure; a warm fuzzy feeling surrounds us. It is our center, where we retreat and regenerate.
Maybe this is why we refer to Heaven as home. We know that it is where love lives, a place where we will be welcomed with opened arm and find the finest of thing there. Heaven is the Home of homes. The finest of fine.
Church is referred to as Gods’ house, but I say it’s Gods’ Home, because it’s where Love lives.

Carl A. Gooch ~ 21 February 2009

This weekend a lot of us are off for a 4 day weekend. We are celebrating the birthday’s of two Presidents past.  Washington and Lincoln.  Washington’s birthday is the federal holiday that will be observed, while Lincoln’s birthday was on February 12 and is a state holiday.

What is Presidents Day?

Washington’s federal holiday, which is originally called Washington’s birthday became Presidents Day in the mid 1980’s to celebrate another President, Lincoln, by advertisers, believe it or not.  Lincoln’s birthday was never made into a federal holiday but a state holiday.  Where ever any a President is from, that state honors him on Presidents Day. For example, Massachusetts celebrates “Washington’s Birthday”, while the state law prescribes that the governor issue an annual Presidents Day proclamation to honor the Presidents who came from Massachusetts:

• John Adams
• John Quincy Adams
• Calvin Coolidge
• John F. Kennedy
• George H. W. Bush
  

Since 1862 there has been a tradition in the United State Senate that on George Washington’s birthday, his Farewell Address be read. This federal holiday celebrates and honors the accomplishments of the man we all refer to, for over two centuries,  as the “The Father of his Country” .  He was also the general who gave out the first military badge of merit  for the common soldier.  Revived on Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932, the Purple Heart recognizes injuries received in battle.  Like on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, this federal holiday offers the opportunity to honor our Countries Veterans, also.

We hope you enjoy the video honoring all of our Presidents.  In closing I would like to remember the following scripture found in Hebrew 13:25, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.  They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.  Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”  No matter who we vote for, the President in place was meant to be there for a reason.  Our prayers and support for our leaders will only help this country.  Some might disagree, some might not.  Which ever way you view it, have a wonderful weekend.

If you like this article and would like to see more when they come out, please let us know.

In watching the video, see who is the first President to smile showing their teeth.  How many followed suit after that?

So you had a bad day! As you drive home you notice that your taken deep breaths a lot and sighing.  You decide when you get home you are going to have a big glass of red wine or maybe you’re a beer person and want a couple of beers. You can understand how people become alcoholics, no pun intended!

Maybe you just want to close yourself off to the world and have a long bubble bath.  No matter what it is that you decide to do to calm your nerves, the one thing that remains a fact is that you are stressing out because of your boss!

I decided to write about this subject because it is something that doesn’t seem to be addressed that often.  I never knew that sites existed to help those who have the big bad boss syndrome.  Not until my friend called me and told me to check out a site that shows we aren’t alone!

It all started when my friend flew into Nashville to visit. More like a sabbatical from a stressful job! As soon as she saw me, it was as if the flood gates opened and all the stress she had been feeling came pouring out like a waterfall.  Her hair is falling out from the stress!  It’s amazing what stress can do to your body.

What do you do when you have a boss that is overbearing, that yells in your face, maybe doesn’t have tact and uses you as an example to everyone in hearing shot? Do you bite your tongue, keeping your thoughts to yourself?  Are you worried that if you stand up for yourself you will be fired? I mean, there are a lot of people out there currently looking for a job.  These bosses know that and some use it to get what they want, to manipulate their employees.  I mean, what are you going to do, quit?  They would probably laugh and say, “Quit. I have 50 applicants ready to fill your position.”

Still it doesn’t give anyone, any right to treat you like you are an animal.  Some questions you might ask yourself is:

• How much longer will you take it?

• Do you open your mouth and say something?

• How far will you allow them to go with their treatment?

• What rights do you have as an employee?

• If you are independent and working under an umbrella company, what options do you have?

First, let’s define the different types of bosses you might have worked with or are working with.

The Passive-Aggressive Boss

For the Passive-Aggressive, days are lived under a negative cloud.

• They seem friendly, mild, and easygoing at first, then annoying and the negativity comes out! Watch out for this one.  Some signs of passive-aggressiveness is:

Jealousy -

• Do you ever catch your boss looking at you under her/his eyes? Do you catch them looking at another co-worker a certain way? What they do to others, they will do towards you eventually.

Reserved, pessimistic, and ill-tempered -

• You just can’t seem to get close to your boss to have a normal conversation.  They keep their distance.

Sulky, resentful, and sour (this may be hidden) -

• They walk around looking down and won’t laugh with you.  If you tell the funniest joke, they will look at you like you are crazy.

Expects the worst -

• Always saying what you should have done once you have already done what you felt was the right move.  Even before you get the results.

Behaves in indirect ways -

• Instead of coming up and telling you what needs to be done, they will come around and sit, waiting to see if you do it or not. Then they will tell you why you should have done it this way.  It is very confusing to the employee.  You walk away thinking, “She is crazy!” or, “Is she on drugs?”

Dislikes anyone having power of him/her -

• Watch out! If your boss thinks that you are getting one ahead of them, she will bring you down and bring you down fast!

They are attracted to tough, controlling partners because that satisfies the passivity, but their aggression eventually emerges against partners or anyone else who has thwarted them. So, be careful with this boss!

The Manipulator Boss

This person seeks control through domination of others and usually uses charm to achieve her ends.  Hhmmm, why did I say “her”?  Well, the woman tends to be a little bit better at manipulation.  Women, you know it is true!  We manipulate to get what we want whether it be getting the outfit, buying the jewelry, etc…  The first manipulator was Eve!  Come on; take a bite of the fruit. We will see everything!

Some signs of the boss who is a manipulator are:

Do you have a gut feeling about something? This boss can make you doubt your gut instinct that you are being taken advantage of. -

• Oh, they are smart.  They watch your facial looks when you are told it needs to be a certain way.  They are on top of it.  Seek you out and talk to you in indirect ways, almost to the point of manipulation too. Anyone who can change your mind and cause you ignore your gut or doubt yourself is dangerous.

They take advantage of vulnerabilities of others -

• Your boss overheard you say that your husband would be out of town this weekend. So, who will get the call when someone, just so happens, can’t come in? You have nothing going on this weekend, your spouse is gone!

They look for people to deceive and manipulate -

• They listen to everything and if they can’t hear it, believe me they have people who hear it for them and report back.

Is terrified of failure -

• Odd but someone who seems to be in so much control, no matter how they get the control, wants others to think they got it together!  Failure would cause them to lose the pedestal height they have put themselves on.

Denies responsibility for actions, blames others -

• Have you heard this before: “Where is the schedule?” “Ummm, don’t you remember you said you would do it from now on?”  Well, you reminded her and guess what? You are now on her poop list!  She will ignore you, making you feel confused and wondering if this person is in the right frame of mind or not.  More than likely, not!

Expects others to be selfish and manipulative -

• Have you been called to the office and asked why you didn’t do something that went against your morals and ethics?  Well, you are being expected to do these things and watch out because this boss will try to manipulate you to do it, causing you to ignore that gut feeling!

I personally have been around this type of boss.  Being around this person would make me say things that weren’t me. I started becoming someone I said I never wanted to be.  So, as soon as I recognized this, I stepped back and got a grip on what I was doing and saying.  This person wants to control people and situations, whether it is done under the way of charm, sweetness, dependency, or more aggressive deceptions.  They see you as a pawn, an object to be used. Be careful because it happens so subtle and whammm, your friends don’t call you or recognize you anymore.

The Bossy Boss

They want to be in the limelight, whether at home, work, or play.  They want their own way. Having an aggressive energy they tend to gravitate toward careers that allow dominance but can become abusive.

Some signs of this bossy boss are:

Good at coercion -

• Very sneaky and will steal from you.

Tunes in to the weaknesses of others, then uses that knowledge -

• How bad is that?  They find what you are weak at and then use that to get what they want. So always be careful what you share at work!

Can humiliate others; sarcastic -

• I am sure everyone has seen this type of boss! I have been yelled at in front of my peers and treated with a sarcastic attitude.  I have taken so much and decided that I would become a mirror and reflect back to them what they did to me.  What did it do?  It caused them to shut up for a second, thank God, and calm their tone down.  Me, on the other end, am fuming and shaking! No one, I mean NO ONE, deserve to be treated with disrespect, humiliation and talked to in a sarcastic and condescending tone!  What does it do?  It makes the employee lose their self esteem and not be an effective worker.  Why is it so hard to be nice and build people up instead of tearing them down?

Justifies aggression: “You’ve got to take care of yourself” -

• So that is why you treat others with your aggression? You are looking out for you? This person is unstable and you must use caution!

Is boastful, brusque, belligerent -

• the 3 B’s make a very bossy boss!

Wants to be the leader in any group -

• It’s all about control people.

Avoids warmth-

• So do you ever try to get a smile out of your boss?  You might say something in a way of chit chat and instead of a human response of warmth; you are given the ice cold shoulder. Whoa there.  Maybe you should think twice about making your boss smile.  Maybe you’re the type of person that will continue to try and break the ice. If so, more power to you! Just be careful.

Does not recognize the impact of her acts -

• Talk about dual personality.  You really wonder if this person is in the right frame of mind.  Can they not remember how they just talked to you and now they want to sit with you to have lunch and talk about the kids? I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time skipping gears like that.

Sees others as puppets to be manipulated; is domineering -

• Let’s see what I can get them to do.  Do you have a boss that has you do work that isn’t part of your job description. What do you do?

They tend to have a chronic rudeness, sometimes a heckler.  They desire to force ideas on others and very aggressive if threatened.

This is just some of the bosses that I have decided to create but there is a site that has many more boss types and ways to get you on the right track.  The Big Bad Boss! I mean, you always have a choice.  Do you want to stay where you are at and cope or do you want to find another place of employment because your stress is getting in the way of your family life, your social life, your health?  You don’t have to be unhappy in your job.  I am a firm believer in this. The proof of my belief is in the job experiences that I can’t seem to fit on my resume.

I have had people ask me when I would just stick to one job.  Well, it took me finding Real Estate before I settled.  I have worked as a Bank Teller for 3 different Banks.  I was treated unfairly at one and decided to give my 2 week notice in hopes that they would give me the raise they said they would.  Nope, didn’t happen.  There were others who were willing to work for the lower price than what they were paying me.  The almighty dollar was what guided them in the employee they hired.  Whoever took the lowest amount wins!  Do you want to settle?  Some people feel they don’t have a choice to fight for the amount they feel their time and effort and experience is worth.

In this day and time with our national news letting the public know millions are being laid off and looking for jobs. Some news channels here in Nashville interviewing couples who can’t seem to find a job, it is easy for some bosses to take advantage of that fact!  Just like the gasoline prices, our fight for being treated fairly is happening all over again in the employment world.  We need to stand together and stand up for what is right. If we don’t we will be taken advantage of and be working our fingers to the bone for what? A low pay that you couldn’t negotiate higher because the next one to be interviewed would have taken it for that low price?

Do you have a big bad boss?  Which one do you have or have you had?

If not, you can count yourself among the small 3% that I call fortunate!

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Well, shame on me!  I look at my little calendar in the right hand sidebar and see that I haven’t posted anything since the 8th of January!  I cannot let that happen again.  I’m sorry for the void you must have felt not seeing something new coming to you from LTTC (Last Train To Clarksville).

I have been so busy helping my two friends who are part of my Team, Team Agnew, that I have neglected to post some blogs.  So, I have finished brainstorming and getting their marketing where they want it and realize it is time to put something out to all of you.

So, to give myself a little breather, let’s talk about the WEATHER! haha. This morning I woke up around 4:30 am hearing my heater vent in our bedroom making some noises like ice cracking.  I got my iPhone and looked at the weather and saw it was 11 degrees and it felt like 0!  Talk about arctic weather.  I went to make sure that our auxiliary light wasn’t green, on the thermostat and it was.  So after 20 minutes of having the fire place on, everything went back to normal.

It has turned out to be a beautiful morning here in Clarksville, TN.  Got a lot on my agenda.  Plan on supporting some fellow Realtors with their agent open houses on Clearwater Drive in Clarksville in this 16 degree weather.

I will also be hearing the lastest news on the market here in Clarksville, so I will blog about my findings in the next post.

So, y’all have a wonderful day and I will be posting again soon.

If you would like to view any home in Clarksville, you can view them all in “real time” in the upper left sidebar or you can just click here.

Blessings~

To contintue where I left off with my first post, Are You Using Twitter, I have found some more information that you just might find interesting and fun! You know, at first when I started on Twitter I had the hardest time figuring it out. It was like a program already in play and you join but can’t play without reading the instructions! I am the kind of person that likes to figure things out instead of building or playing anything. (I must get that from my Dad).

I am following alot of people and they in turn are following me.  What is following? Well, anytime I type in something I want everyone to know, if you are following me, you will find out about it too.  It can be a great tool for finding subjects to blog about or learning things now instead of reading it in the paper or hearing about it on the news. Depending on who you are following, what you like.

For instance, I like the site Woot.  It releases a new product at midnight, every day, that is on sale for a good price!  We have bought a lot of merchandise from Woot.

There are so much more things like Nasa, Starbucks, NCO (Military tweets), etc… You can check out who I am following by clicking on their icon in the right hand column.

I also follow the company that helped me with my site you are on, Real Estate Tomato.

So, here are the two new applications that I have found to be cool in my venture to learn more about making my twitter tweet a better tune!

• CNET did an article on this tool and said that it is a long user list of twitter accounts. Broken down into categories, it will be easier to find people you want to follow.  You can also add yourself to a pack or edit. They suggest that this is the way signing up to follow twitter users should be: Find a flock and sign up to follow all the cool people in it. Otherwise, you will be following a piece of a general conversation. The directory is still being modified. So check it out and add your category!

• Mr. Tweet will review your network, the people you are following, and suggest others that you would like.  Alot of people find others that they didn’t know was on Twitter.  Mr. Tweet is more like a personal twitter assistant: Suggestioning which influencers and followers you should check out.  Once you click to follow Mr. Tweet, they will send you a DM (Don’t know what it stands for) with your report.

As always, I try to bring new and creative ideas that I have found or come up with.  I am sure more will come from the different apps I find that help make Twitter a little more tweet friendly!

If you liked this article, you can have more emailed to your home without having to search!

I always welcome comments….if you know of any new apps for Twitter, please comment to let our readers know!

Blessings~

October of 2007, a little over a year ago, my family and I went to Hawaii for a 10 day vacation.  I was overweight and knew that this would be my turning point to lose the weight. I wasn’t happy with myself and I was getting bigger every month that went by.

I decided with this trip that I wouldn’t hide behind the camera lens, that I would wear the bathing suit on the beach and I would get out in the water with my children and not worry about what anyone else thought.  That this would be the best vacation and nothing would spoil it, not even my weight.  Well, the vacation was

the best thing that ever happened to my family.  We had a wonderful time and there was nothing holding us back.  Except for me being out of shape and not being able to stay by my family’s side as we went up Diamond Head or running on the sand to the water.  I realized that I was really out of shape. It really was a sad moment for me, to admit to myself that I really couldn’t keep up with my family because of my weight!

When you look at yourself everyday, it’s hard to see the subtle changes.  Your clothes might be fitting tighter or the scales are going up. You just know it’s happening but you will look in the mirror everyday and think, I still look good, because it’s hard to see.  “I am not that bad,” you might say. You go out and buy a new outfit because the others are tighter and you think you look great in that new outfit and the cycle goes on and on until it is out of control!

So, what did I do? I came back from vacation and went to the doctor!  I had my bloodwork done and my blood pressure taken.  I waited for the verdict and was not surprised that my cholestoral was 201!

I bought the book , “You On A Diet” by Dr. Oz.  You know, the doctor off of Oprah’s show?  I read that book in a day and it put me in the right frame of mind of what I needed to do. I realized I needed to eat less and try some different foods.  I needed to start exercising and building my tolerance.  I was faithful! My doctor told me I needed to take certain vitamins and I bought them to help me with my exercise.

This was me a year later when I went to my 20 year High School Reunion.

I worked out every day to Leslie Sansone’s dvd walking system, Walk Away The Pounds. You can walk 1 to 5 miles in the comfort of your own home in place, not on a treadmill or outside.  I would walk outside if the weather was nice.  I enjoyed putting on the headphones and having a change in pace.

My eating habits changed. Whenever I would go out to eat I would have them bring a to-go box with my meal and half it right there and eat whatever was left on my plate.  I would start my morning off with 1/2 a cup of oatmeal with 6 walnuts and 1/2 c. of yogurt.  2 hours later I would eat 12 almonds and a piece of 72% chocolate.  Lunch I would eat half of a meal, whether it be subway, a sandwich or my favorite, cornbread and buttermilk.  2 hours later I would have 12 almonds and a piece of that chocolate and then at dinner I would eat whatever I fixed my family but would half it.  Before 7:30 I would eat a double scoop of Edy’s Ice Cream, Slow Churned Chocolate Fudge Brownie.  I did this every night.  Sometimes I would have grapefruit in the day or evening and I would also eat salads.

I went from a size 16 to a size 4/5 in a year. My cholesterol went from 201 to 181 in a month. Now, like I said before in the post about your Resolutions, I have been doing something new. It’s called BLOGGING!  Now with this blogging, it has put me all out of whack.  I have been sitting on my butt typing away and building my site to where I want it.  I have totally forgotten about me and my year long habit.  Thanksgiving I stopped exercising like I was and went to maybe 1 time a week! I stopped eating half of everything and started eating a meal!  I stopped eating my almonds and chocolate and just eating chocolate! I have gone up a size to 6/7 and I know that I have got to get my life in order.  I have let other things take over.

So, I will do the following:

• Admit I have a problem! I forgot about my health!
• I am going to read “You On A Diet” and get the basics back in front of me again
• I will get all the bad junk out of my home from the holidays so nothing will tempt me
• Starting tomorrow, I will get up at 6 am and do my daily walk and the Wii Fit (That’s another blog!)
• Make sure that I get at least 9 glasses of water in by 4 pm everyday
• Take my calcium pyruvate every morning
• Get back on my fatsecret.com to keep track of what I am doing and to get the support of others going through the same thing.
• Remember that I am doing this for my health, not for anything else.

So are you with me? Are you ready to get started in getting healthy and taking care of yourself? It’s tough and it is a long life change.  You can’t just lose your weight and think you can go back to how you ate before. You have to change BUT the change is worth it and you will feel so much better about yourself.

If you have some ideas that have helped you, please let me know.  I need all the advice I can get and someone else reading this might be able to identify with you!

Blessings~

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Well, Real Estate has had a tough year through out the Nation but in certain areas the damage has been minimal – if nonexistent according to Kiplinger.com! They found 6 six cities with slow, steady growth, using data from Fiserv Lending Solutions, a home-priced research company.  These cities’ local economies have kept unemployment and foreclosure rates below average!  Plus, their affordability index – a measure of home prices versus family income – is low!  Here is what they had to say about Clarksville, TN and how we ranked 2nd on their list!

Clarksville, Tennessee

Population: 265,062

Median home price: $130,000

12-month change in home index: +1.4%

Affordability index: 3/10

Homes sold this year: 2,081

Home value vs. national average: -37%

Top employer: Trane Corporation

Clarksville offers an affordable alternative to nearby Nashville but is close enough that residents can enjoy the larger city’s attractions.

The housing market is kept active by Clarksville’s approximity to Ft. Campbell.  Traditionally a manufactuing town, the city also offers a robust retail economy, driven in part by Austin Peay State University.

I have been saying all along that we cannot compare our market with what the Nations overall rankings are.  We are ahead and it shows!

If you like this post, please subscribe by clicking on the monkey to your right.  We welcome all comments! You can contact us via email, text or cell phone for more information about Clarksville’s Housing market!

that the Internet and Real Estate Professionals were their most popular resources. 87% used the Internet, while 85% used a Real Estate Agent.  When it comes to where buyers found the home that they purchased, more than one-third found it through a Realtor. Why only one-third?  Alot of buyers are afraid, due to misconceptions, to “hire” an Agent to represent them.  I believe that the public is not aware what our job as a Real Estate Professional entails.

To become a Realtor, we have to go to a Real Estate School that is approved by NAR. We become educated on the law, ethics and much more that is required to being a Real Estate Agent.  The test we take to prove we understand what we have learned and receive our license is 3 hours long, at least that is what they give you to take the test. The school can be anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 weeks long.  It’s the pace you decide to make.  Alot of Realtors do not pass the test the first time. Either because of their fear of tests, maybe a language barrier or they just didn’t understand what they were taught.  To become a Realtor we have to have 90 hours of education.  We have to continue our education every year.  So, the time, the money, the education and the pride we put on our title as a Real Estate Professional is real.  We aren’t someone that a company just interviews off the street and hires on the spot.  We are our own business. Hence why you see marketing at different levels. Our marketing is with Last Train To Clarksville and the Monkeys. Realtors work under the umbrella of the Real Estate Company because that is the law. We can only be paid by the Brokerage, not directly.  So, we find the company that we are comfortable working with and helps our business with training, advertising, guidance and much more. To be the best morally and ethically for all customers who in turn become our clients.

Why are Buyers afraid to call on a Realtor when the search begins?  Could it be that they are afraid the Realtor will bring pressure?  Each Realtor is different and have their own uniqueness.  Some are very busy and come across that if your aren’t ready, don’t waste my time.

With Team Agnew, we are working with customers that are still a year out to moving to Clarksville.  We keep in touch and anything they want to view on their computer, we can get it to them in less time it takes for them to search through all the sites that aren’t always up to date.  I have had customers say they want to see a home they found on realtracs.com and I check the MLS number to find out it closed 4 months ago.  So, working with us, we have the market conditions in real time.  Some Realtors don’t want to work with someone that far out, they want to work with them when they are within 3 months.  Team Agnew wants to build the trust and loyalty of our customers who will in turn become our clients and have a smooth transition with their relocation.

Another reason why a Buyer might not call a Realtor to begin their search is because they might like to be in control.  Some want to say; we found the home ourselves, we didn’t need anyone.  That is how I was when we started out search over 10 years ago with our first home.  Our Realtor was very busy. We knew what we were looking for but the agent didn’t really ask us what our criteria was.  She just knew our price range and sent us homes to look at on the internet. When we would ask about a certain subdivision our answer was that is out of your price range.  I took it upon myself to get out and go look at the homes to see if they are what we might want and if there were any in this subdivision in our price range. I found the home we bought in that subdivision that was out of our price range but it was because our Realtor didn’t communicate with us. She was busy. I am the type of person that I want to be your top priority. Buying a home is an important step and it’s not something to take lightly. Our Realtor might have been relaxed and not seen that we were nervous and wanted this to be right.

From our experiences as Buyers, we know how we would want to be serviced.  Each one on of us on Team Agnew has had the experience of working with a Realtor when purchasing our home.  Each one of us knows that the Realtor YOU choose will either make the deal pleasurable or stressful.  The key to working with anyone is the communication.  Team Agnew communicates and is upfront.  We give you the black and white, no gray! So, if you have decided to start your search for a new or existing home and you have a criteria that needs to be met or you really don’t have any stipulations, then we are the Team for you.  We can be your last stop, the Last Train To Clarksville.

How much are our services as Licensed Professionals dealing with legal issues?

Our services are not free but they are to YOU.  We get paid from our Brokerage, who gets the commission for the seller of the home.  So our Buyers don’t have to pay us any money up front or later.  Our goal is to get you the home you are wanting, with the terms you are wanting and getting it closed.  We work for our commission that will come within 48 hours after the home is closed.  So our time that we spend with you, sometimes a year out, will all be paid for at closing when you are moving into your dream home!

So, my next question is:

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                 THEA’S VISION/MISSION STATEMENT

 My Life Scripture: Matthew 5:43,44 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

We live in a world that is an instant gratification and ME generation.  Loving others is being replaced with loving me, first. The hardest thing I have been asked to do is love my enemies and those who persecute me. It shouldn’t be hard but it sometimes is. My life will be to overcome and endure the persecution by loving through it. I will in turn love my enemies and my enemies will no longer be viewed as such.

 My Vision Statement: (Vision is the art of seeing the invisible )

To love through the eyes of God and pray to see what God sees in others.

In doing so, people will be at peace around me; they will trust me; they will pay it forward; they will eventually ask me why I am different; God will be glorified through my life and my actions. Most of all they will find the love of God. They will be reconciled. If they have the love of God, they will be encouraged and rejuvenated.

 My Mission Statement: (the how and who of what I see God calling me to)

Return to Love and reconcile others to Love.  Through my daily walk and where the Lord leads me, I will love. To always remember that Love is the only thing real. Anything else is just a perception of my mind.

I am being called to help others; to counsel them in their financial decisions and help them with their purchases. I am here to help them, not me. I will be taken care of. I do not see a dollar amount, I see a head count! I will not be led by the mighty dollar but by the Mighty Lord.

 What God has said to and about me:

This world is full of people who aren’t full of love but themselves. These people think they are looking out for themselves by hurting others but really they are hurting themselves. In knowing this:

I will be successful at being a helper to those in need. I will listen more than I talk. I will speak with wisdom and research all avenues to help those in need.  I will serve in love. When I am spoken to outside of love, I will remember that they need to be reconciled to love and pray for them; show them God’s love through my actions. I am a counselor of the heart. I am a truth seeker.

God will send those who need God’s love through me, to me. I have no fear of not being taken care of financially. If I am financially not producing, there is a lesson. Either I am out of God’s will and need to make things right or He is fixing to bless my socks off and he is teaching me patience or someone in direct contact with me.

I am a woman who loves challenges.  I love to research and find the best for others. I want my customers, my clients, to be given the right information and to not be taken advantage of. I will be the best I can be in protecting others.

 Vision to accomplish my life’s mission: (Practical strategy to ensure I maintain focused)

Daily walk with the Lord.

Love others through the eyes of God, not the eyes of Thea.

Be sensitive to the Spirit and obey.

Never turn anyone away. Always find time to help others, to listen to others.

Research my field and be the most knowledgeable in it.

Pray for wisdom and always seek improvements.

Pray God sends a Mentor to help develop the skills He wants me to have to be complete. I pray for the best to rise up and offer their training. I will constantly improve.

Do you have a THING in your Clarksville home?? Sounds like a strange question, one I have never heard of in my 4 year career but believe it or not home buyers, I’m sure, have thought about it or wondered if we knew of any houses we were viewing either had a death, suicide or paranormal occurrence! I often ask myself that question

Tennessee  Statute 66-5-207 defines the responsibility of the Realtor and Seller regarding disclosure of homicide, suicide, deaths and HIV or AIDS infection in any occupant of the property. It appears that this statute protects the owner and Realtor from causes of action for failure to disclose psychological impacts.

Psychological impacts under the statute encompass the fact that a prior occupant was afflicted with HIV or other disease highly unlikely to be transmitted through common occupancy, or that the property was the site of:

1.  An act or occurrence which had no effect on the physical structure of the real property, its physical environment or the improvements located thereon; or
2. A homicide, felony or suicide.

I would appreciate the warning of a house I was considering buying being permeated by unspeakable evil!! Wouldn’t you??? You know that if there is something out of the normal realm in a home you have bought, well, you will probably know about it the first night, if you believe in it. But if the paranormal moved out with the seller, you will hear about it from your neighbors sooner or later. Then your view of the Agent would be soured and you might even wonder if your Agent knew. Still, no matter what, the fact remains, the Seller and Realtor do not have to disclose according to Tennessee Statute 66-5-207.

My take – Some people believe in paranormal occurrences and some don’t. I wouldn’t take the first step to disclose it but if I was asked, I wouldn’t lie about it.

Looking for a Clarksville home??

As a Christian music artist, Michael English sold a tremendous amount of records, had an array of number one hits on the radio charts and won nearly every Dove Award known to man, including “Artist of the Year” and “Best Male Vocalist” during the course of his career.

But 12 years ago, Michael English fell from

the pinnacle of the Christian music world.  Public shame, divorce, broken relationships, drug addiciton, an affair and homelessness took his career to a screeching halt.  Soon enough, his addiction to painkillers led to the demise of all things Christian in his life.

When the lowest thing that could possibly happen happens; don’t give up, because you might be missing a blessing down the road, says English.  When I started driving my own life, as though God were like some kind of global positioning system that I could choose to follow or ignore, I turned down dead ends and dark alleys, thinging they were going to lead me somewhere.

At concerts Michael shares his compelling story.  His personal journey is one that encourages people in their Christian walk and inspires many as they find their way home.  Come join the Champions as we rejoice with Michael English!

Are you a fast driver? Always in a hurry, possibly running late and need to get out of your subdivision? Do you go over the speed limit to make it out in record time?  This hit home for me last night as

I was talking to my brother.  A cousin of his wife, named Dee, was struck by a car while she was running with her buddy on the street.  There were sidewalks right next to the street but they thought the pavement was softer on their knees and joints than the sidewalk.  The driver was blinded by the sun and hit Dee. She is being taken off life support this morning and has 3 girls she is leaving behind. 

I went walking in my subdivision this morning with a friend and we walk on the pavement instead of the sidewalk, like so many walkers and runners do.  I realized how unsafe it was even though we think in our neighborhood the speed limit is 25 mph, what could 25 mph do?  It could do alot.  After doing some research if you were standing up and fell over hitting your head, that is equivilant to 13 mph. That fall could kill you. You could survive being hit at 25 mph or you could die.  It all depends on where you’re hit and how you land.  As I was walking, I noticed that everyone leaving my subdivision was speeding over 25 mph.  I walk on the side where you see the on coming traffic but if your back is to the sun, the driver won’t see you.  So is the case with Dee.  The driver was blinded and hit her. She struck her head and landed the same way. Her body didn’t have any broken bones but her skull was crushed.

Next time you’re in a hurry to leave for work or an appointment and you gotta make it to the stop sign ahead because it’s one step closer to getting out of the subdivision, please be aware of your surroundings. When you see a pedestrian running or walking, go a little slower than the speed limit. You never know, the runner or walker might have earphones in and not be aware of their surroundings and decide to cross without looking.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Dee, her girls and her family.

UPDATE 4:39pm:  Dee passed away this morning a little after 10 am after being removed from the life support system. Her whole family was around her when she passed away.