Real Estate Information

Hello! 

Today's MMC message reminds me of something I heard a few years ago and it stuck with me; 'Character is who you are when no one is looking'.  I hope you find something useful in these Monday Morning Coffee Messages.  Here is today's message for your referrence.

Make it a  great week!

-Bob

HOW'S YOUR CREDIT?

Ever hear someone say, "I have good credit"?  They are probably referring to their credit "rating" - a score bestowed upon them by creditors, banks or rating agencies.  Simply stating, "I have good credit" changes nothing, nor does the statement merit the attention of creditors.  Credit can only be given by others for service to them, i.e. paying them on time.

So, credit is the result of serving others - in many ways.  You cannot claim education, victory, experience, success, reputation, or a suave demeanor.  Each of these is a gift from others, as a result of your service to them.  Friends recognize your courage as a result of your being cool under pressure.  Your success is recognized by others only once you have served them well.  Knowledge of your career field is recognized by others only after it's been applied to situations in the form of more service.

In the accounting world of income and expense, a debit is something paid out, while a credit is something received.  Thus all credits are received from others - not by our own making.  The debits - what we pay out - are our efforts, persistence, and service.  How they are rated is not under our control, but is determined by those served.

Without service, there are few rewards.  Yet, you've seen those who insist on getting more attention than they deserve.  They feel they're being short-changed, that they are not appreciated, that they are always the victim.  If you look more closely at their contributions, you are also likely to see the dearth of service they are offering.

With service, credit follows.  It may be subtle or quite visible - but it always follows.  Concentrate on what you have to offer and forget the rewards.  Those who are served will pick up the tab!

Happy Halloween!  It is the perfect day to remember when things were simpler - taking the kids out to Trick-or-Treat is a very low-tech activity to enoy each other and your neighborhood.  I hope you have a fun a safe time tonight!

Here is a copy of today's Morning Coffee for your referrence.

-Bob

GO RETRO - SIMPLIFY!

You've heard that it's good to "take time to smell the roses." You may have also read how Steven Covey encourages you in "Seven Habits" to take time to "sharpen the saw." You no doubt have also experienced the frustration of trying to find even a spare moment for yourself.

Why do so many sources advise taking time off for yourself for thoughtful introspection? Don't they know it's impossible in today's fast-paced world of money, soccer games, career challenges, family responsibilities, church & school activities, and so much more?

In fact, our society is totally preoccupied with all of the above. For those living in a big city, or even the suburbs, the pressure is even greater. Those who live in the country at least enjoy a little peace and serenity at the end of the day.

How did this happen? It's simple - or at least it was in the 1950's. Back then there were two kinds of soap - Lifebouy and Ivory. There were four automakers - GM, Ford, Chrysler, and American Motors. There were no computers or Internet, and long-distance was used only to inform relatives of illness or death. A schoolteacher's most serious behavior challenge was passing notes in class. Families watched "I Love Lucy!" together. There was no MTV. Divorces were rare.

Today the choices that face us each day are awesome. Which of many Internet providers or long-distance services should you use? Which cell phone or notebook computer should you have? Where will you find the money for the special dress, chauffeur, and professional photograph required for your daughter's fifth-grade "Prom"?

The world is spinning so fast, and isn't likely to slow down soon. As usual, relief must come from within. While you can't change the world's pace, you are free to change and simplify your own life. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Most importantly, take time to create those special moments that "take your breath away."

Here is the Monday Morning coffee, available for your reference.

READY TO BEGIN AGAIN?

Have a child or grandchild who graduated this last year?  Whether it's high school or college, commencement exercises mark the end of a full curriculum of education - or do they?  In fact, why not ask the graduate?

After four or more years of study, homework, reports, science projects, and exams, many graduates would quickly answer that commencement marks the end of their education.  In fact, you can often hear students reinforce that line of thinking in their lament, "I'll never pick up another book as long as I live!"

The definition of "commencement" leads, however, in another direction.  It is the beginning, not the end, of a bright future.  It is the beginning of a life-long quest for knowledge, not the slamming shut of the books that opened so many new doors.

If it's been a few years since you graduated, perhaps you might also benefit from a renewed commencement - by opening some new doors to your own life-long learning curve.  When's the last time you attended a workshop, bought a recorded educational series, or thought about taking college courses or embarking on a new degree track?

Here is your Monday Morning Coffee, for your referrence.

Enjoy!

THESE SHOES ARE MADE FOR WALKING!!

Remember one of the ancient sayings from your first-grade teacher?  It went something like this: "We learn to do by doing."  So . . . from "Chicken Soup" comes this story by John Holt:

"Not many years ago I began playing the cello.  Most people would say that what I am doing is 'learning to play' the cello.  But these words carry into our minds the strange idea that there exist two very different processes: 1) learning to play the cello; and 2) playing the cello.  They imply that I will do the first until I have completed it, at which point I will stop the first process and begin the second.  In short, I will go on 'learning to play' until I have 'learned to play' and then I will begin to play.  Of course, this is nonsense.  There are not two processes, but one.  We learn to do something by doing it.  There is no other way."

How do we learn to swim?  Do we get the basics in a classroom, taught to us on a chalkboard, and then hit the pool like Mark Spitz or Esther Williams?  How about riding a bike?  Do we study the laws of physics, the effects of gravitational pull, or other Einstein-like theories, and then launch ourselves into the top spot in the "Tour de France?"  No - we just fall down and scrape our knees a lot.

Want to add new direction to your life?  Begin walking in that direction.  Put one foot in front of the other.  In other words, "Just do it!"  It all begins with your imagination harnessing the power of your mind and the energy of your body.  Once you choose a new role for your life, don't learn the part - act the part.  One other thing - don't let that "single thorn of experience" deter you!

Here is this week's Monday Morning Coffee for your referrence.  This one presents a very interesting idea. 

LEAVE A LEGACY!

In one of William Bennett's books, he tells a story about Ben Franklin's death. It seems that old Ben made a special gift in his will. In it, he left 1,000 pounds to the cities of Philadelphia and Boston with specific instructions. They were to set up a program of loans to young men under the age of 25, married, and who had successfully completed an apprenticeship, needing startup money for a trade or business. The money was to be loaned at 5% interest. The loan program was to continue for 200 years.

At the end of 100 years, the two cities were to withdraw $100,000 each for public projects, and continue lending the balance as stated above. At the end of 200 years, the fund was to be split between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boston, and Massachusetts. In the year 1990 there was $6,500,000 in the fund. For 200 years, Ben Franklin helped young men get started in business by making those funds available, and had $6.5 million left over.

Just think of the many ways you and I could benefit our families, the community, or the lives of total strangers if we just took the initiative exhibited by Ben Franklin. By setting up a similar fund that earns just 5%, it would contain $17,292,581 at the end of 200 years. The purpose could be educational loans for family members.

Set aside $1,000 now and add just $100 per month to it for ten years, earning 5% on loans made from the account, and the fund would have $17,157. After the ten-year period of adding $100 per month, no more money is added and it continues to be loaned at 5% for the next 190 years. At the end of 200 years, the fund would contain $181,141,192. At that point, it could be converted to an outright "grant" program to which family members could apply for education funds.

Instead of focusing on just your immediate family, think about the legacy you could leave by planning much further into the future. Thanks to the "future value of money" concept, you could provide valuable support to many future generations. It's just a thought, but why couldn't we give it a try?

Here is today's MMC for your records.

Make it a great week!

-Bob

YOU CAN'T HIDE!

In an old "Peanuts" comic strip, Snoopy sits listening to Linus and Charlie Brown having a conversation. Linus asks Charlie, "Do you ever feel like running away?" Charlie answers, "Of course . . . sometimes I feel like I want to run away from everything." In the next panel, Snoopy is seen considering their conversation as he thinks to himself, "I remember having that feeling once when I was at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm. I climbed over the fence, but I was still in the world."

If you've ever tried climbing "over the fence," a.k.a. getting away from it all, you undoubtedly also realized that you were "still in the world." It's actually quite difficult to get away from yourself, isn't it? The good news is - there's no need to.

The phrase "You have no problems, you only think you do," carries the solution. No matter what you consider a problem, it's really the way it affects you that is your concern. If someone has been short with you and you feel hurt, you might try running away from the hurt. If you do, you'll find that the feeling of hurt goes with you. Only when you stop, plant your feet, and say, "I'm not going to feel hurt," will the problem go away. In other words, it's not you that needs to go away, but the concern itself, and you are the one to send it packing.

Remember when Dorothy ran away to the Land of Oz? Her problems only multiplied. She was chased by a witch and strange flying monkeys. Her mind conjured up a Tin Man, a Scarecrow, and a Cowardly Lion to help her. Her imagination led her down a Yellow Brick Road in search of a Wizard who wasn't a wizard at all. Consider what great lengths she went to in order to solve her problems. Yet, only when she confronted the Wizard face-to-face did she realize there "was no place like home."

The next time you have the urge to run away, leave your "ruby slippers" behind. Just sit down face to face with your "Auntie Em." You'll be amazed at the outcome.

Here is a record of this week's Monday Morning Coffee.  This MMC reminds me of what I tell my kids; Learning never stops, even after you have left formal schooling you need to continue to challenge yourself to grow through learning new skills and ideas.

Make it a great week!

KEEP A YOUNG MIND!

Don't believe the phrase "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." Creativity isn't only for artists, writers, or musicians. Creativity isn't just what is represented by a canvas or a novel or a song. We can all be creative in our own way, and the most common way that we can all do this is through learning.

As long as we continue to learn and to try new things, we keep our minds fresh and young, and we engage in the act of "creating ourselves" continually. Today's world presents plenty of opportunities for learning, especially about the environment, other cultures, and technology. Technology itself provides ever-easier ways of accessing knowledge through computers and the Internet. And no one is too young or too old to start!

Look around you at the most vital and energetic seniors you know. What do they have in common? A continuing interest in learning and sharing their knowledge and experience with others - so they are engaged constantly in the process. They keep their minds challenged and young, and in so doing, feel younger in body and spirit. They are certainly different than in their youth, but they continue the learning that began there.

Each new phase of our lives brings us new challenges and opportunities for growth. Growing older necessarily means learning new things. We are constantly creating ourselves in this way, and we can adapt ourselves to any situation by that continuing act of creativity that keeps us young.

Here is the MMC for today.  I like to copy it to my Blog for your referrence. I hope you are enjoying these.

Make is a great week!

-Bob

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

JUST ASK DOROTHY!

You've probably seen it a dozen times - "The Wizard of Oz." It's a delightful tale of fantasy, complete with munchkins, a scarecrow in need of a brain, a yellow brick road, a wicked witch and a mythical wizard with the imagined power to send Dorothy back to Kansas.

Regardless of the fantasy, the beautiful color, the unusual characters, and the whimsical plot, there is a powerful message that comes as one of Dorothy's last lines as she prepares to leave Oz. She says, "If ever again I go looking for my heart's desire, I won't look any further than my own backyard." It's such a simple statement, yet it carries a lesson for all of us.

How often do we look outside our own world of home and family for "our heart's desire?" There are so many distractions that lure us out of our own backyard: careers, shopping, powerful people, sports, clubs, TV, committees, the Internet, and the list goes on. There's so much to do and so little time. Then one day we look and our own backyard no longer seems to exist.

We should take time to smell the roses in our own garden, rather than looking over the fence and down the yellow brick road to see the roses of others. We need to let go of the imagined - the tin man, lion, and scarecrow of our own making - and appreciate the real Auntie Em's in our lives. If we don't, we may wake up one day to realize we're "not in Kansas anymore."

Hello!

Here is the Monday Morning Coffee from September 12.

Make it a great week!

Bob

BE IMPULSIVE! 

There seems to be a lot of anger in the world today.  Forget the national and global squabbles, and just take a look closer to home - on your TV, in the schools, among fellow employees - right in your own backyard.  

There's another attitude issue that could stand some help - disrespect.  It seems like the days are gone when youngsters (even 20-somethings) value their elders, social customs, even the laws of the land.  Common courtesy and politeness, even among adults, seems non-existent at times.

Want to be a changing force in your personal world?  It's easy, costs nothing, and goes a long way towards making a meaningful contribution for the better.  It's accomplished with an electrical impulse.  Really.  Consider your brain.  Everything you think of, each idea you have, each action you take begins with an electrical impulse - a single thought.  The thought required to cause change is called an "expectation."

Teachers use this thought daily in their classrooms.  They EXPECT students to listen, to observe silence, to walk single-file, to not cut in line, and to learn.  They EXPECT not to be challenged, disrespected, or ignored when they speak.  The best among them EXPECT nothing less than excellence.  Know what?  Their students respond positively to those expectations.

The electrical impulse called "expectation" is simple to enact, yet more difficult to enforce.  You have to really mean it.  As a country, a people, even families, we've grown soft on expectations - and it shows.  Fear of offending someone seems the rule.   Why not be "impulsive" for the next 30 days with those you love by setting a new, higher standard of expectations.  The results will both amaze and delight!

GIVE IT AWAY!

Here's a "feel good" idea that pays big dividends to both giver and receiver: "Give something away every day!"

We all get caught up in our day-to-day routines and responsibilities. Between family and home, work and leisure, our daily schedules are usually packed with the things we do for ourselves. Managing to squeeze in a little time for others is often out of the question.

In the big picture, however, it is not what we do for ourselves but for others that really matters in life. We're not just talking about those who are "less fortunate" in this context. The world of "others" includes family members, associates, the elderly, those experiencing illness, those in our geographical, social, or church community, or the less fortunate.

So . . . what do you give away? Are we talking big money to charities or an endowment to the local university? Nope! What you give away is up to you. It might just be your time - something as simple as taking your grandchild for a walk, offering to take an aging neighbor grocery shopping, or donating a Saturday to Habitat for Humanity. On days when you lack ideas, just give away a smile, a compliment, or some encouragement.

Maybe you give away some of your material possessions. That might include a piece of furniture, an antique, a piece of family heirloom jewelry, or the like-new clothing in your closet that never fit right. Why not donate some of the kids' toys to a day-care center?

Whatever you decide to give away, do it quietly - and anonymously when possible. Make it a habit. It will bring you the special joy of knowing you've made a difference.