A Valentine for You

 “Eighty percent of everything that is true and beautiful can be experienced on a 10-minute walk.”—Anne Lamott

I need to take a walk.

 

Lamott said she got that quote from her husband.

I read her Substack post this morning and found that it’s Valentine’s Day.

Happy Valentine's Day!*

She spoke of love, the magnificence and sloppiness of it, and she said she almost sent her husband a card that said, “I love you to the bottom of my butt.”

That girl is a joy!

And I was reminded once again that Lamott called God GUS, “Great Universal Spirit.”

I think I will title a book “Dear GUS,”

Lamott’s book Bird by Bird, Some Instructions on Writing and Life, was the first book I read on writing (and life). Published in 1995!!!! Thirty years ago!

In Bird by Bird, she was a single mom struggling with a newborn. Now she is a grandmother, and so am I.

I still have the book with its original cover, but I see it has been reissued with other covers, and it is a bestseller.

Way to go, girl!

And oh my God, GUS, my Real Estate re-licensing goes on and on! I thought it was over. And I don’t sell houses.

What is this, my ego—wanting to keep my license? I worked hard for it a year ago, and I didn’t want to lose it, so last month I took their required 30-hour continuing education course, dreaded it, but actually enjoyed it. (It was the best RE course to date.) I had to wait until my birthday month to file it with the state, so two days ago I attempted to do that, and found this: “You must take the State and Federal Fair Housing Course.” (Another 2 hours)

Ok, I did it, reluctantly paid their $300 to get my license, and then, this morning, I got an email: “Your license isn’t complete until your Principal Broker files it with the State. You must pay $150.”

Augggggh!

The end of the month is coming up, and if I miss it, they will charge me again.

At least I get 2 years before another renewal, and being a licensed Broker may give me some clout, for I have a few things to say about Housing history and how it is instrumental in advancing Civil Liberties.

Would you believe, according to that continuing ed class, Real Estate Agents rank in repetition behind Politicians and Used Car Salespeople?  I’m sorry, used car people. And consider this: when we sold our house in California, our Real Estate Agent told us he was giving $10,000 from his commission to a former girlfriend because she was the one who got him into Real Estate.

You will find good people everywhere.

I’m of the ilk that if people behaved themselves, we wouldn’t have to pass so many laws, also, I realize that when people are working on commission only, it is ripe for skullduggery.

Life consists of contrasts. While you are out walking and noticing little flowers that are poking their heads out of what were bare sticks all winter, (Winter? It’s February) your heart also aches because shootings, bombings, and general unrest or malaise still exists in our country.  I need to go back to my idea of, “It depends upon which window you look out of.” Rather like the photographer’s lens, it depends on what they focus on. Prettiness can be framed right in the middle of a disaster.

This week, after walking in spirit with the Buddhist Monk’s Peace Walk, I felt an after-Christmas drop when it ended, and found on my computer that Political business as usual still abounds.

Dear GUS, don’t let the people who were moved by the peace movement forget how thrilled they were with it.

And dear ones, “Do not be sad it’s over. Be glad it happened.”

I believe an awakening is happening. The propaganda machine will try to persuade you that it isn’t, but don’t believe them. Look over here: There is peace in people. There is joy in people. We are awakening after a long sleep.

And you know about awakening a sleeping giant.

They are formidable.

 

A Valentine card for you: click on picture:

 

https://jlcards.com/rq6vW3/

I'm all Over the Place

 

How about a Newsletter today?

Keep reading or scrolling to the bottom of the page where there is Happy Talk. 

 

I'm all over the place.

 Isn't that what a newsletter is about, many subjects? So, where shall we start?

Rants get more readers —mainly Political rants —so let's begin there and get it out of my system, although that is unlikely.

I see our administration turning back the clock. Yeah, and we're going to eliminate Autism.

One observation is that proponents of the Present Administration go blithely through their days as if the world isn't falling apart around them. Is it because they are on the winning team, or that they don't give a flying rat's ass about things like military action in cities that they clearly do not need, tariffs that are affecting Americans, and goodwill abroad, and, for crying out loud, making an enemy of Canada? I love Canada.

You know, I could go on and on, and then if you try to have a conversation with those on the other side, they say, "You've been lied to." "It's heresy." Yeah, like, are you getting the truth?

Promises of wars ending—didn't happen. Promises of lower prices, yeah —Walmart is selling a boxed turkey dinner cheaper this year than last. BECAUSE THERE IS LESS FOOD IN IT. The previous year it had 25 items. This year 15. Last year, they used name brands. This year, cheaper generic brands.

It hasn't been a happy time.

(I'm reading a book by Joseph McClendon III, Get Happy Now. I will tell you about it later.

In 1978, Comedian George Carlin predicted that these times would come. Well, they can't fire him now, he has joined the Political Commentators and Comedians in Heaven.

Carlin:

"They keep us fighting each other so 'they' can keep going to the bank."

Carlin predicted that we would elect the "dumbest guy in America and use him as a sales tool." Commentators have suggested that for Carlin, T would be less of a villain and more of a symptom of a larger disease—one that involves the manipulation of the public, the consolidation of power among the elite, and a political system that gives people the illusion of choice while keeping real change out of reach."

 

(How much is enough? Is the mentality of "The one with the most toys wins?" Yeah, but they are going to pass on to the next reality just like the rest of us; however, I don't think our present administration knows that.)

 

  

TODAY

"Nature is to be found in her entirety nowhere more than in her smallest creatures."

—Pliny the Elder

I came across this quote online this morning, and I thought back to college days when I first heard of Pliny the Elder. Born in 23 AD—when Jesus was 23 years old?

Isn't it amazing how we categorize time and humans, and yet, no matter how primitive we think they are, a brilliant individual will arise from barbarism and advance the human race? Pliny the Elder was a Roman author, naturalist, scientist, naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire. He wrote the book, "Natural History."

And then came Jesus, and we began to think of Romans as barbaric savages, gladiators, with a blood thirsty populace. Yet, Pliny sent his ship into the toxic fumes of an exploding volcano on a rescue mission with the cry: "Fortune favors the bold."

He died from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD after a friend summoned him about being trapped in a stable during the eruption of the volcano. Pliny was not a healthy man, and he succumbed to the toxic fumes.

Pliny the Elder was instrumental in educating his nephew Pliny the Younger, and it is rumored that he adopted him after his father died. We know the Elder left his estate to the Younger.  Pliny the Younger observed the eruption of Mount Vesuvius from afar and described it in great detail, so much so that modern-day volcanologists have studied his account to gain a greater understanding of volcanic eruptions. They call it "Plinian Eruptions."

Pliny the Younger became a lawyer, author, and magistrate, and helped promote the twice-voting method for Prisoners. One vote decides the accuser's guilt or innocence. The SECOND, what the punishment should be.

Pliny the Younger favored exile.

 

A Little White 'Whine' on the days to come:

Before my birthday in February, I need to squeeze in 30 hours of Real Estate continuing education to keep my license. Although I am not a practicing Real Estate Agent, it was work and expense to get that license, so I ought to keep it. There must be some place for me somewhere there. (Hey, I like people and houses. I came upon some surprises for loans at one time, maybe I should write about them, like how to bridge that time between finding your dream house and selling your present home, or when relocating.) However, my daughter's Brokerage, where I am associated, is not advertised, so people don't know we are here. I became disgruntled with the prices of homes and how hard it is for the middle class to purchase one. I do not belong to the MLS at present, so if you want to buy a house from me, you need to be really serious, as I would need to join all the required agencies to write up an offer. 

 

AI

AI keeps wanting to write for me, but I refuse their offer. Why in the world have writers worked so hard, trying to perfect their skills, trying to get the nuances, the descriptions, the dialogue, the voice, the sound of the rain, the wind in the firs, the sunshine glistening off that one water droplet that is hanging from the Maple tree, to have AI write for us!!!!!

Would you be more apt to read the illustrious writing of AI or the crummy human-driven effort of a human being who is scribbling on a pad of paper?  There is evidence of a beneficial connection between the hand and the brain when writing by hand. 

What can I say?! Are they trying to Make People Stupid Again?

Happy times are below:

 

From Peaches the Pink Party Poodle for Peace.

dogblogbypeaches.blogspot.com/

"My momma says that everybody and their dog blogs. I wasn't writing a single solitary thing, but I'm correcting that right now. When momma got me, she named me The Pink Party Poodle for Peace, now I guess I'm The Pink Party Poodle for Peace Pontificating. My point of view of the day is to tell you that the purpose of life is to have fun, hee, hee, and chase lizards. I love to chase lizards—never catch them though, they taste like rotten toes."

Last post

Dear Momma,

Readers are coming to my page. I am happy, happy. (Still chase lizards.) Time means nothing here. I haven't  posted for four years--your time. Four seconds in my time.

Bear runs like a pup, swims like one too. oh wait, some puppies don't like water, but Bear is a Newfoundland--he looovvveees water.

I see Zeke. Up here we are looking out for him.  Zeke is gift from heaven. RV company paid for his surgery so sister would find him and adopt him. 

I did good huh?

 Zeke at Shelter shortly after surgery to remove right front leg. 

 

Magnificent Zeke at forever home in back yard.

 

 

 Zeke running with toy in mouth, one leg on the ground, two in the air. Zeke, happy dog. 

 

 Bear on the "Green Trail of Bliss, Hawaii.

 

Instagram: Ezekiel's Blessings

Zeke, our three-legged dog, daughter Dear's Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/ezekielsblessings/

 

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Yep, We're a Small Company

"What is it with business people trying to sound big? The stiff language… the artificial friendliness…the legalese. You read this stuff, and it sounds like a robot wrote it." 

"This mask of professionalism is a joke. We all know this. Yet small businesses try to emulate it."

Quotes from Rework by Jason Fried and Davis Heinemeier Hanson. CrownBusiness@RandomHousse.com

 

I wondered about this, too, when my daughter and I decided to start a Real Estate Brokerage. (My daughter has kept her Real Estate Agent license long enough to qualify as a Principal Broker; thus, she can create her own agency. I'm an agent. She's the boss.) I wondered if people go for the big guys and ignore us.

 

Yet how did Avis, the car rental company, take on Budget? With their slogan, "We try harder."

 

Years ago, looking for a Realtor, I thought I ought to find the top seller and go with them. They know more, I thought. They have more experience. Now, I think, "How hard is it to write up an offer?"

 

When we were planning to move from California to Oregon. I looked up a Real Estate Agency that was a top seller. We bought a plot of land found by an agent who presented it to us. Not the big guy. The second Realtor found the property, showed it to us, wrote up the offer, and that was it. It was a simple transaction. It was raw land at a reasonable price, just what we wanted. (We built a house on it.) I felt guilty for not going with the agent who showed us a half-dozen houses—however, she was showing us top-dollar homes for what we could afford.

 

Years later, I again enlisted a top seller. (I'm a slow learner.) They simply took pictures of the house, placed it on MLS, and waited for someone to find and buy it. They didn't have a bevy of buyers looking for what we had to offer. However, this was in 2009, the worse time to sell a house. 

 

We rented it. And moved to Hawaii--and back. (See The Frog's Song by Joyce Davis) The renter knew about a Land Sale where the renter takes over the payments. The mortgage company kept quiet for they were getting paid at a time people were defaulting on their loans. The renter was delighted, for he had a house without a down payment. We were overjoyed that we weren't making house payments on a place that was too expensive for the market, plus we owed too much on it to pay a Realtor.

 

The renter paid the mortgage until he could obtain a loan and bought the house.

 

All's well that ends well.

 

Now I'm a new Realtor--passed my test, got my license, and have been working on a website. I keep shaking my head if I go into the Home Search engine we placed on our site. That process took a learning curve. They say our search engine, firmly attached to MLS, is better than Zillow, for it keeps homes for sale up to date. Zillow, being a national company, takes a while longer. Sometimes when going to Zillow, you find the home of your dreams pending or sold. I'm shaking my head, though in wonder. How can people afford a house these days.

 

The market will level out. It's inevitable.

 

If interested, here's a peek at our site:

 

Something to whet your appetite:

 

Something to whet your appetite:

 

 

 https://vibrancerealestate.com  --Home of Pink, the Pink Flamingo. If people have a For- Sale-Sign in their yard, shouldn't it have a Pink Flamingo on it--not my big fat face?

Our business card: