Lynne's Lines

Is Your Confidant Your Protagonist?

2012-02-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

I sent an email today to a very loving kind sweetheart of a person. Thankfully my email contained a image of "can you keep a secret". I was sending a subliminal message. Everything I email this guy he shares it with his friend who shares it with his grapevine.

How do I know this? One of the grapes on the grapevine can't keep nothing. Home girl be boasting with enthusiasm to let me know indirectly someone has scooped her.

Now don't go think I have anything hot and juicy going on in my life. I just feel some things you share with others, especially involving business transactions should be kept secret. One of my best mentors used to tell me never let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

It sort of reminds me of when I was married and my ex used to tell everyone everything about us. The most real estate he got from it was that it made people despise and hate me and see me as the woman who gets what she wants. He told me on more than one occasion that a wife is a high priced prostitute. Considering the fact that he wasn't too creative I'm sure one of his friends told him that. Trust and believe it was not that I got everything that I wanted it was more like I my basic necessities were met. However, as the old game goes when you tell something to someone and the message is shared with everyone in the game by the time it gets to the last person and they communicate it to the person who started off the message it can and usually is completely distorted from the original context.

Of course I am not encouraging anyone to live their life in paranoia. I'm just saying take time to reflect to see how your messages bounce back to you. Look for feedback and interaction and see if it appears the person has been communicating your messages in the wrong light to others.

Too often I have seen where someone who has a confidant the confidant is actually their protagonist. Does everyone need to know everything about you? You may not make your life an open book but is your confidant making your life an open book.

I can honestly say I have one confidant who I know is like a broken down refrigerator. She doesn't keep nothing and I tell her that all the time. My good old mom. She is one of the most attentive listeners I know. Fortunately most of the time she gets the details right when she relays all your personal goings on. She normally even has something to add because shes the type of person people flock to and tell stuff. I'll be the first to tell you she can't wait to get on the phone to update everyone else. I just listen astonished at times as to how she tells me some stuff just in a matter of fact type way.

You just gotta know and accept what you have and deal with it accordingly. Do you have a confidant who you can truly confide in when you want to keep something private or do you have a confidant who is really a protagonist and tells everything you tell them? Food for thought.

Stay blessed!

Lynne

You'll Always Be Loved Whitney!

2012-02-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

What a shock: Whitney Houston has died at 48. Thank goodness for FACEBOOK because I was watching The Voice (no pun intended during such a serious matter) and I didn't even know about Whitney until I saw some posts on FACEBOOK.

Unfortunately, there are people who are trying to overshadow all the tremendous things she has done with the negative which they feel led to her demise. This is one of those classic scenarios where you can list all the good things a person has done against all the negative and the positive things will definitely win out.

All the right she did impacted a whole lot of lives in a positive way. I saw her movie "Bodyguard" several times and not once did I go to an empty theater even if I went alone. My watching the same movie more than once doesn't happen too often. I don't recall a movie I watched her perform in I missed seeing again to make sure I didn't miss anything because it was so totally awesome.

Whitney to me will always be a legend worth celebrating no matter what the cause or accusations of surrounding her death. She made major contributions to the world with giving the ultimate sacrifice of her herself to so many for so long that nothing could overshadow that.

One of my favorite movies was "The Bodyguard" which she starred in with Kevin Costner. The vocals she blew for the song "I Will Always Love You" brought me to uncontrollable tears at the movie theater. The movie and the vocals were very touching. Whitney had that kind of voice where you could fall in love with the song based on the vocals before grasping the meaning of the lyrics.

Whitney was an outstanding vocalist. She even as great as an actress. Her music and movies were so moving they will always be awe inspiring for me.

The legacy she leaves to America is her music, her work, and her love which illuminated in everything she did. I'm sure no one will ever forget the love she showed for her family outside of her artistic endeavors. When so many stood against her marriage to Bobbie Brown she stood by him. One day people in America are going to wake up and realize the issues with drugs in America is bigger than Whitney and any vices she suffered through during her lifetime. She had it right. When she stood by Bobbie even if he led her further astray she didn't abandon her issues she dealt with them. America needs to stop abandoning the issue with drugs and deal with them more heavily. Drug use is a victimless crime until someone dies. Even more unfortunate when they die way too soon.

My condolences to Whitney Houston's family, loved ones, friends, and fans. She is a Diva who will truly be missed. Kudos for a job well done to Whitney!

Whitney let your voice resound higher than the roaring sea as you enter those pearly gates to eternal rest and peace.

Do You Know the Equation for Love?

2012-02-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Are you fond of math? Then you may be happy to know there is an equation you can Google and get an image of a heart displayed graphically. See below:

sqrt(cos(x))*cos(300x)+sqrt(abs(x))-0.7)*(4-x*x)^0.01, sqrt(6-x^2), -sqrt(6-x^2) from -4.5 to 4.5

I saw this post at http://mashable.com/2012/02/09/google-valentine-surprise/. Check out the link to get all the details. I tested it out using Google search box and it worked for me!

So on Valentine's Day send your sweetie an email and let your sweetie know you have an equation for love.

Enjoy your Valentine's Day!

Promote Yourself if Nothing Else!

2012-01-18T11:27:00.000-08:00

One of the things I like to do is network. Getting out and meetingother professionals and seeing what is happening in and around the real estatebusiness I feel offers a great opportunity to escalate all the success I'mtrying to attain in this local market. Since I love technology I attendas many technology related seminars as I can as well.

Attendingevents has made me witness how different crowds with different niches interactwith one another. Additionally, since I have so many years experience inthe work a day world in general it lends to the fact that I attended manyconferences, seminars, business events, and networking events in my lifetime.

Recently I had the experience of attending a real estate event. Since it was an event catering to real estate investors I felt it would be anideal opportunity to pass out 1/2 page size postcards with two listings I havewhich would be great for investors. I kept the postcards short and to thepoint, price, 3 of the best photos for the properties, my contact information,and of course required disclosures.

One huge thing I noticed at the event is I saw no one else doing thesame. Did I feel out of place? No. I felt like everyone elsein the room should have been promoting their efforts or quests in a similarfashion since after all I saw it was a business networking opportunity. Ieven had a couple of people ask me “Can Ihave one?” as I was handing my postcards out to others.

It made me feel good that I didn't just show up to be a wall flower. Whichleads me to the thought in order to get seeds to grow it sometimes requireswalking around the yard to water them.

I know a few times I've slipped and showed up to events empty handed. I was totally disappointed I did not capitalize on the opportunity at handafterwards. My challenge to everyone if you aren't doing it already is tomake every networking opportunity work to your advantage. As the sayinggoes nothing beats a failure but a try. Promote!Promote! Promote! Don’t learn the hard way like I have in the past, emptyhands can lead to empty pockets.

God's Grace is Sufficient

2011-12-30T19:31:00.000-08:00

This is one of those days when I don't want to appear overly excited but I feel like there is a lot of dancing going on internally with praises and shouts of hallelujah. I'm not even mad that I feel violated someone took it upon themselves to browse through my zip up portfolio and have one of my accounts locked out which I found out to my dismay today. Lord I just ask that you bless the perpetrators with what they need to get on their own grind. I know you will abundantly provide if we put our trust and faith in you.

Today is one of those days I want to have posted in the history book. A day when God brought his believers together for his greater good. What God has brought together let no man put asunder. Let the Lord's will be done.

On today I saw first hand how God is continually at work. When we fall short or can't do anything to make a situation better for ourselves or someone else God can touch it and make things happen greater than we can receive. God is good. When things are going on in and around you he is right their in the midst of it all. He doesn't drop the ball. He's the one who recovers fumbles and takes the ball and makes a touchdown and he runs towards the field goal of the team that needs it the most. My oh my how he can turn things around. His goodness and kindness can open doors we never imagined would be opened. It is not in no man's time it is in God's time. His perfect will can and will be done.

Lord I thank you for the blessings you know you bestowed upon this world today and every day. Thank you for your greatness and tender mercies. You are the Great I Am. The light and the resurrection to lead each and every one of us to a better today and and even better tomorrows. Thank you!

Everything may not be going right. There can be storms to the east, storms to the west, turbulence to the north, and drowning to to the south but it is comfort in knowing God is in the midst of it all. It doesn't have to be physically going on it can be spiritually happening. Life can send us some weather we have no control over but rest assured God is always in control. As long as God is piloting my path I am redeemed. The reprieve comes in knowing you, God, you are constantly in the midst of it everything.

Prayers go up and blessings pour down. It doesn't happen once or twice it seems it happens every day which is ever so nice. Lord praise for you will continually be in my mouth. Thank you for letting warriors come together for a battle to serve your divine purpose. Good plus good is better than great. Thank you for letting your children come together on this day according to your will. Amen!

There are those FACEBOOK posts I really love!

2011-12-01T11:25:00.001-08:00

Okay gone are the days where someone needs to text message or email you with funny videos and text messages. They can just post to FACEBOOK and share with the masses. The messages go on and on and on. No need to tie up someone business cell phone or business email account with a lot of ramblings they just don't have time for.

My preferred medium is to read messages via FACEBOOK. I wonder how many people who use email for personal purposes one day may even decide to shut down their email accounts and read all their messages via FACEBOOK? Most often when I read FACEBOOK messages I look forward to receiving something of a personal nature. When I read my email or look at my phone I am more often looking to see something of a business nature.

One FACEBOOK post I read today on a friends wall I am posting here. A blog is a great medium for lengthy posts. I see FACEBOOK is now allowing posts up to 63K. So I imagine I will find some really great posts longer in length for those FBers who like to write.

Here goes a post I find worthy of sharing. Being a single mother for so many years I know how important it is to try and raise your sons to be men. Seeing things from a male perspective is what a young man needs. I posted a woman version a while back when I first started my blog. The funny thing is I got the woman post off a website for a male who felt like there were some things all women needed to know. I sure a woman probably originally drafted the post.

Here goes:

‎10 THINGS THAT SEPARATE A BOY FROM A MAN:

1. A BOY keeps a password on his cell phone while a MAN is confident enough to say "baby can u answer that for me"!!...

2. A BOY runs the streets to chill with his friends while a MAN is enjoying time with his woman planning ahead for their future!

...

3. A BOY complains about spending too much time with his woman, a MAN plans

vacations & getaways because he is wise enough to know tomorrow isn't promised!

4 A BOY has pride after arguments, a MAN has heart & emotions (and can apologize)

5 A BOY beats on his woman, a MAN holds his woman!

6 A BOY screams gold-digger for the simple things a woman wants, a MAN screams, " I could give you no less!"

7 A BOY tells his woman all the things she does wrong, a MAN acknowledges his woman's hard work and supports and lifts her up!

8 A BOY tells his woman she is sexy, & a MAN tells his woman she is beautiful!

9. A BOY will sit back and let his woman take care of him, a MAN will work 4 jobs and sacrifice his wants to take care of his woman.

10. A BOY will read this & think this is about him & a MAN will read this & thoroughly acknowledge what he needs to fix in his relationship.

Yes. Ten years ago friends would have blown up email inboxes with such a post. Thank goodness for FACEBOOK!

Have a great day!

Lynne

Happy Thanksgivings Everyone!

2011-11-23T23:09:00.001-08:00

I am especially thankful I have a high speed internet connection again. Over the past few days I have been using a dial-up connection exclusively. I can just say I can get stuff done in a matter of minutes that it was taking hours to do on a dial-up. Dial-up didn't seem so bad when it was the only option available in my home years ago. After using a high speed internet connection of any type going back to dial up is painstaking.

I am thankful for the experience because it made me realize how much things in our every day lives can be taken for granted. Things sometimes progress so rapidly and so well and we get to a certain plateau in life and forget to give thanks for everything. We forget about the obstacles we have been able to overcome often times too quickly. It is not a matter of dwelling in the past but appreciating the past and like the old adage says "not forgetting where we come from." Not forgetting where we come from can apply to our personal lives, our professional lives, are family life, our educational pursuits, or our financial positions. There is so much which impacts each and every life.

Thanksgiving is always a special day which serves as an annual reminder to stop and give thanks for friends, family, and fellowship. Moreover, a reminder to stop and give thanks to the Lord for all he has done and continues to do. He puts angels amongst us to help us through our most troubling times. I don't know about you but I know my God has never failed me. I've been mainly self-employed since January 2006 and it has not been easy. It is a challenge I wanted to take on when I was married years ago and to take it on as a single person with no financial backup was very daring to say the least. The market has changed from the boom it was when I ventured out on my own and it has been only by God's grace, goodness, and tender mercies that I have been able to survive at all. Especially when I got sick in June of 2008, the market started heading south overall in real estate. It has been tough but it has been God's grace and goodness that I have been able to preserver.

When others have strayed away because of my hard times God has stayed faithful. A friend in need is a friend in deed. I am thankful that I will always have a friend in Jesus. If I am broken in spirit, down-trodden or need fixing I lean not to my own understanding but let go and let God have the helm. Like one of favorite all time spirituals says it best "The Battle is Not Yours It's the Lords". This year is the first year in my 48 year existence that I have filed a formal complaint against anyone. Normally I do something the devil won't do and just let a bad situation go. I'm praying for peace still for the party not to be aggrieved and get the reprieve he deserves because everything was done in good faith.

It is only by the Grace of God that so many of the modern amenities we enjoy today have come to fruition. I am sure most will agree no one man has orchestrated connecting people, places, and things together to make this world what it is today. No one man caused this nation to be in its present state of affairs in one day. All the worlds problems will probably not be resolved in one day or one term. We miss the mark when we put all our faith in one man. All our faith, hope, and trust should be placed in our Almighty God to bless man to do accomplish the impossible.

If it was not for early engineers and pioneers we wouldn't have the telephone. Without the telephone I would never have had dial-up internet service, without dial-up internet service there would never have been someone's desire to have faster internet connection speeds which brought about high speed internet service. In all things I'm thankful for the journey.

I'm especially thankful on today that in my 48 years the way my family prepares candied yams has never changed. A skillet, a stick of butter, a pack of brown sugar blended on top of the stove to desired consistency (not juicy and not thick) to make the syrup to pour over the already peeled and baked sweet potatoes cut in half and laying in the baking dish waiting for the juicy goodness. Then baked in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Scrumptious! One of my all time Thanksgiving favorites. Enjoy your day.

Dumb Rocks Break Windows of Opportunity

2011-11-13T08:21:00.001-08:00

I'm keep this one short. I could probably vent for days on this topic. I remember when I used to play the clarinet. I had played ever since I was in elementary school.

During my later years playing the clarinet some time in middle school or high school I was participating in a regional event. I'll never forget when I was at rehearsal and I was playing on one of what I considered my golden reeds the Mitchell Lurie 4-1/2 Reed. I used my allowance to purchase them from the music store. The conductor stopped the band and looked right at me and I asked me to play my part and I did. Then he asked the young lady sitting next to me to play her part and she did. Then he asked me what type of reed was I playing on and I told him very proudly. Then he asked if I had a RICO 2-1/2 reed. And I was like yes I have a box of those in my case. He said play with the 2-1/2 because your intonation is way too much better than hers.

It took me a while, years, to be able to be proficient enough to play on my golden reeds. All my practice efforts I felt like where knocked down in a brief statement.

Lately I'm beginning to feel like that when it comes to technology related issues. There are people setting policy and procedures everywhere on a daily basis which impacts technology. I don't know a person or place which is not impacted this day and time by some form of technology or technological device. I could just scream at some of the legislation, policy, or procedures put into place recently in regards to the use of data from some portals. Furthermore, the policy and procedure in regards to the display of data you have paid to access on some sites.

I don't know a website designer or developer who sets up a site to not have it optimized to do everything they have had time to think up and implement. Most often there is a lot of stuff they want to implement but don't have the time or resources to do it all.

Well, then there comes a big wave of help from folks setting rules and regulations as to what you can and cannot do. I don't know whether to thank them or be upset that some of the pages it took me years to refine to a point where I am proud of I can no longer utilize.

Technology is a big ticket item. Look at how much some web portals have made and are making with the use of technology. People are using it. One portal brags over 350 million registered users.

I remember years ago businesses, organizations, clubs, any structured group would do a feasibility study prior to implementing new policies and procedures that would impact a major percentage of its member population. I'm just offering those who are looking to make technology decisions do a feasibility study to solicit feedback from your members as to how they feel the change will impact them.

The changes I have seen implemented lately in some mediums as far as technology makes me want to sit on my hands. What good is it to have the ability to create and implement dynamic, interactive content on a website if regulation, policy, and procedures over regulate what, when, where, how, and who you can and cannot utilize data.

Well I said this was going to be short and in actuality it is a lot shorter than the three drafts prior to this one. It only took less than an hour but I could vent for days on how not to hinder the efforts of others who use technology very well to pacify those who don't have a clue what a dynamic web page even is.

Our Family Veterans

2011-11-11T15:18:00.001-08:00

I can recall the Veteran's in my family back to my Great Grandfather Walter Clayton Cowan, Sr. who lived in our home when I was a child. I have his Social Security card which was issued back in 1938. It was the first year Social Security Cards were issued.

Back then I did not understand his plight. He wore a green jacket all the time. In his last years he was a recluse and stayed in his room a lot. The only time he really came out was when me and my brother would knock on the wall closest enough for him to hear and take off running to try and get him to come out the upstairs bedroom. We would knock and then run. Most of the time he would just ignore us. One time he was waiting for us to perform our antics and scared the living heck out of us. He was in an adjacent room and waited on us to do our mischief then leaped out at us. Fortunately the doors in the upstairs were Jack and Jill style where my brother took off in one direction and I took off in the other direction screaming. It was one of the only times I ever saw him standing. I think he died of a broken heart because his wife preceded him in death. From all accounts I've ever heard she was a loving and warm person and they were very close.

My grandfather served in World War I. He was with our family until his final days which were spent in a VA Hospital with throat cancer. It was the saddest day of my life when he passed. I never met anyone as loving and as genuine as my grandfather. He had lots of friends and family who surrounded him most of his years. He was a warm and genuine person as well. He would always look out for his grandchildren. The only time he got riled up about anything is if you messed with one of his grands. And then he let his no-nonsense wife handle things while he stood back.

My father was a Navy Veteran. All the military men on my maternal side are Army Veterans.

It's the great men and women who served this country and fought to protect it and its citizens because of their love for family, home, and country. Their efforts span for generations and leave long and lasting loving memory of their honor.

I came across a website today and if you're looking to give back to those who served you may want to check it out it is Serve.gov. Thank you to all who serve and all the family members, friends, and others who support their service to our great country.

My Inexpensive Treat

2011-10-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I like to treat myself to something special. During these economically trying times for me it has been few and too far in between the little treats I've been able to buy myself. I'm hoping for great success with my real estate endeavors. It seems my website is getting some hits but I want the conversions.

The last time my website enjoyed a great amount of hits on a consistent basis I enjoyed more real estate closings. I'm tired of being frugal. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to spend money again. Maybe not like its water as before but at least like it is a slow leak.

I'm really missing getting my hair, nails, eye lashes, pedicures and all the other pampering I love to get on a more than regular basis done on a regularly scheduled basis. I've learned to skimp on spending. I've learned to buy products I never ever otherwise would have ever even tried. The big reason is price. Over the past week I have been seeking gainful employment once more. I'm looking to at least get a well paying part-time position doing something to help me during the lean times. Especially to assist with covering the world of fees involved with being self-employed. My future goals are to invest more in real estate anyways. I want my computer related services company to be a growth venture. I'm hoping one day several of the domains I've purchased will be worth their rank in gold.

I signed up for the VirginiaGetOnline.com initiative and got a new domain via that for free "WebStylesVA.com" for my computer related services company. I put a link on my website to the initiative. If it's free it's for me and I hope others can get online and reap the rewards as well.

Any successful marketer knows you have to at least keep up your promotions and advertising campaigns during the lean times. It is important to keep your image out in public as much as possible so as they get better it will not require starting from scratch again.

I figured out the ePropertySites.com website where I post all my listings to offers a free website as well. The direct domain is lruffin.remarkableagent.com but I have a domain entitled BuyHomeAuctions.com pointing to it. This was a calculated decision in that most buyers (which I need a lot of) normally start their search off with "Buy Home..." to the tune of millions per looking at keyword popularity. So I pointed it to BuyHomeAuctions.com to capture buyer interest.

Over the past couple of days (see chart above) I've been real pleased with my website metrics. Additionally, I've been pleased with the performance of my blog activity. Two of the blogs I have written most recently on here and ActiveRain have gotten some attention. Now out of all the blogs I've written I was sort of surprised those two seem to be the chosen ones sort of speak. However, in this online world you never know. A lot of times it is the words which are trending which seem to get the most Google Juice. Whatever it is I'm thankful. I have been trending links to "Trunk or Treat" activities, ideas, and local information which I'm sure is the reason for the increased web traffic as well. Even though it required a lot of time revising ads and online advertising campaigns it is definitely a treat to my efforts are having some success.

We know some treats costs and others are free. It always seems those free ones often times have the most value intrinsically. I am truly thankful and grateful my LynneRuffin.com website has escalated to seeing one of its best months ever in site activity. I see I really need to take the time and design a good lead capture campaign. I need to incorporate a lead capture form where the leads come directly to me.

A special treat of the week is the pair of earrings I purchased today for a dollar. They are very trendy. I went to get them as a pick me up. Shopping is always a pick me up. New things always offer a treat for hope. Additionally, even though it was cold today I used one of my coupons for a free ice cream cone as a treat today.

It being so close to Halloween I'm just thinking treats, treats, treats.

Have a Happy Halloween, I hope its all treats!!!

Lynne

Putting the Movers and Shakers on Pause

2011-10-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, from all that I have observed in the news, on the radio, in real life interaction there is a strong disconnect between the corporate office employees and the field employees. For instance, when you meet and greet people from the corporate side of an organization it is completely different from meeting someone in operations out in the trenches.

It is such a huge disconnect. Show me any very successful company where prospective employees are knocking down the doors to get in and I'll show you a company that is getting it right. Too often in my days I have heard someone say they will do anything to keep a good person down. Tell the other employees not to speak to them, don't carry on any conversations with them, not give them any promotions and other derogatory stuff. My concern is why can't they use that energy for good. Why not uplift people in the areas they are strong? Put personal differences and perceptions aside and concentrate on the positive things which help to move the business forward.

I would be truly amazed to hear someone be labeled as always getting it right, great customer service skills, takes time to listen to our customers and our customers concerns, shows up on time, goes to lunch and returns on time, leaves timely. Never complaining about having too much work to do. It seems to at times be the norm with society conditioning us to be bottom dwellers rather than looking to be grateful, appreciative, praise, and offer our assistance to those on the way to the top. Again, get over the drama of wanting to keep a good person down. Learn to deal with your own inadequacies and shortcomings without spreading the misery to others.

One thing companies fail to realize is employees need to feel some type of empowerment, worthiness, and positive morale to succeed. Let an employee feel they can help to make a difference.

The common thread which normally links an employee to a corporate 9 to 5 giant is usually a manager. The chain is no stronger than the weakest link. If you have a weak link between the field staff and the corporate staff it shows.

I feel sorry for employees who have to endure the misery of working under a miserable boss. This goes industry wide no matter what type of business concern it is. The corporate people normally only know and recognize the people at the management level and above. Seldom do they take the time to get to know the contributions and abilities of the people who are making it happen day to day in the business operations. In most cases it's beneath them. Most organizations don't practice 360 degree evaluations so the dilemma continues like a bad cycle with an infinite loop. The manager is empowered to keep treating the employees under her control like crap and continually gets away with it no matter how many complaints are filed none are actually addressed to the point where it makes a difference. The manager is like "oh well."

Oh well it is a shame and a travesty. As a manager and a leader they need to realize it is their job to keep things under control. To provide a stress free environment which is conducive to working in lieu of an environment promoting hate, discord, and discontentment. The bottom line is a good place to look to determine when things work and when they don't.

We see regional managers, general managers, regional coaches, and area coaches all designed to promote and encourage other management employees. Seldom do we see titles set up to empower the employees working at non-management levels of an organization. How often do we see employee coaches, employee care coaches, or anything to train, inspire, and motivate every day employees to go from ordinary to be extraordinary?

Why don't large corporations get the big picture? The companies with the highest retention rate are those who encourage and motivate their employees to succeed. When you see a high turnover rate at a particular location that is clue #1 that something is not right. Why don't employees at some locations ever excel? Why do employees at some locations always meet promotion standards and others don't? When is the last time you took a hard look at your organization and the key players to see whether or not a change is forthcoming in order for your business to be more successful?

My challenge for all people in authority is to casually ask their subordinates some key questions: "What are you doing to motivate and empower others?" "If you were not around tomorrow for some unexpected reason who have you trained under your supervision to carry the load?" "When was the last time an employee told you they appreciate you for being a great leader?" "When was the last time you even stopped to ask sincerely "how are you doing today"? ""How are you resolving issues with retention?" "What is the number one gripe other than salary your employees have about working here?" "Do some employees feel you show favor?" "In what positive ways are you making a difference?"

Taking stuff for granted costs time, money, and other human resources. Just allocating five minutes a day to inspire, encourage, and motivate your employees and team to be successful will save time with having to advertise, promote, and recruit for new employees. If you're wondering why no one is applying it is probably because those old employees taken for granted have already told their sphere of influence with probably related industry experience "you don't want to work there and all the reasons why."

Local Real Estate Trends for Top 146 Most Searched Cities on REALTOR.com

2011-10-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

Local Real Estate Trends for Top 146 Most Searched Cities on REALTOR.com

Just Drawing Closer to God

2011-10-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ever have those weeks when it seems the devil has gone into overtime? Well I can definitely say this past week has been one of those weeks. However, I am so thankful that before, during, and after it all, today starts a new week my God stepped up to the challenge.

I am the type of person who I don't want for much. I take my blessings as they come. I am a very skillful person when it comes to computers, I use my computer expertise to promote my businesses and myself. The one thing I don't do is use my knowledge, computer access, or privileges to deter the efforts of others.

The sad thing is some end users for some reason don't realize when they are updating a database online the database can log when the change was made, what user made the change, and the IP address of the computer the change was made from. My background includes creating, maintaining, and troubleshooting databases, mainframe systems, and other applications. Heck I received outstanding job evaluations from all the years I taught beginning, intermediate, and advanced database systems. Step up against one of my students and you about to get served. I have trained employees I have supervised and students on how things are done. Most applications keep a log file. You can even set up something as basic as an Excel Spreadsheet to keep a log file.

If you ever receive a Word Document from a consultant you best believe they can track all changes which get made to the document and who all you send it to. The number one reason why I don't forward chain letters no matter how adorable is because there are sometimes scripts behind those pictures which infect computers, track information, and it just leaves you open to malicious computer attacks. I definitely don't open the ones where all I see is the text part forwarded and then you have to click on an eml folder to see the actual message. It is just not going to happen.

This past week when someone became ingenious and started deleting some of the marketing materials out for some projects I was working on I felt the devil was doing the two step. The devil was getting his dance on.

All it took was making a phone call to verify it right in front of them. Oh the look on their face was priceless. Yes all it took was a call to an IT support person on the phone. I wanted the villain to hear how simple it was for the IT person to look up in their system and speak the truth about when the change was made, by whom, the date and time. Need I say more?

My thoughts are why do companies keep people with so much hate in their heart that they would stoop to the lowest lows to try and hamper all the hard work of others? My prayer is that they will shake loose from the devil and let God prevail in their lives. Yes it is nice having money, control, or any other thing you may feel unscrupulous and unethical actions get you. Can you really take pride in stuff like that? I know some haters do.

All I can say to her is I am thankful I serve a true and just God. As long as I have the favor of God to wake up each morning and begin in serving his divine purpose I'm healed from past hurts and indiscretions. Divine Intervention is the best kind of prevention. It will take hold of you when the devil won't let you loose. When it is placed on my heart to check this or check that all I can do is say thank you Lord. Some of the biggest problems I have ever been able to solve was from your divine intervention entering my thoughts that seem to come out of nowhere. It is truly amazing what divine intervention will do for you.

To all the workers of iniquity the only thing I can say is the end is at hand. When it comes time to meet my maker I can say Lord I haven't been a worker of iniquity but a true servant in wanting to help versus hinder. Now I will admit I have let go of the practices of being a foot soldier for others. I am trying to walk on my own two feet without the heavy burden of carrying others who don't want to carry their own load or contribute in a meaningful way to mine.

I'm thankful and more importantly I've been blessed. It doesn't cost a dime to call on him. No one can interfere with the line of communication between you and your higher power. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord and I'm glad I don't have that ball to carry. He'll place the wisdom on someone's heart to call you out and make your wicked ways known. His people may suffer but they won't suffer long. All it takes is the faith of a mustard seed.

He promised never to leave me or forsake me and I'm holding on to that promise. I may be hungry but God as my witness I've never taken food off your table. So why do it to me? Some places my spirit just won't let me eat from. I don't eat wickedness, I don't eat fornication, I don't eat disfavor, I don't eat hatred, I don't eat jealousy, I don't eat vices which are bound to destroy like drugs, I don't eat corruption, I don't eat a lot of things which I know are unhealthy for my spirit. I have too much on my plate already to add unwanted stuff I know I don't want to eat.

Again I pray for you and rebuke all your negative attacks in the Name of Jesus. I'm hungry to be a Christian. My purpose is to do unto others as I would have them to do unto me. If my purpose was to do unto others as they did unto me you would be out back. You are no match for me. I have never had any respect for a bully. I am able to let go and let God. Yes I can fight but the battle is not my battle to fight it's the Lord's. I know some things happen to see how I react. My reaction is that of forgiveness because apparently you just don't know no better. And I hope this incident has taught you that you are not smarter than me just more wicked and conniving.

I pray peace come over you. I hope you gain the strength to deal with your demons that are perplexing you to act in such deceptive manners. Hatred is unbecoming our God is Love!

Amen!

It All Boils Down to Common Sense is Just Too Common

2011-10-13T04:28:00.000-07:00

I remember each year my mother would start a Christmas Fund account for me so I would have money to buy gifts with for the holidays when I was very young. I remember the hard copy glue bound coupon savings books. I would tear off a tab for each monthly deposit and have space to write in the date and amount deposited on the tab. It would allow me just enough to allocate how much I was going to spend on each person on my gift shopping list. It was at a local bank which is now known nationally by a different name after several name changes and corporate mergers.

It is amazing how we get all into titles. I think the reason why I could relate to the fund the most was because it had a name. It was not like dropping money into a regular savings account. This account was special. A special savings account which to me had a lot of meaning. After having done it the first time I was looking forward to starting it on time the next year and following years. I can even remember having a Christmas Club account after my children were born.

One thing perplexes me. With home ownership playing such a vital role in the economy haven't the banks ever started and promoted an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) or Down Payment Fund account? Don't most all their members aspire to be home owners one day.

There are so may types of funds which exist in society. W have college funds, we have retirement funds, bond funds, mutual funds, 401Ks, IRAs all with a underlying purpose to help people save.

As a real estate agent, one of the things which I see is sometimes difficult for buyers is to come with the funds needed for their contributions to begin the process of committing to purchase a home. Let's face it this economy hasn't made it any easier. There are lots of households who have someone unemployed or underemployed in this economy which has made saving for home ownership even more difficult.

All the hype from some legislatures that if buyers can't afford the down payment then they basically don't deserve to buy a home anyways. Home ownership programs always seems to be one of those items of fresh meat for the chopping block.

Why not look at things from a whole different perspective. Housing is going to be around for a long time because people have to have somewhere to live. People get paid most often via direct deposits to some type of account because not too many paper checks are issued any more.

My thoughts are why can't banks start housing funds which allows their members to contribute a small portion of their pay amount each payday until the consumer has enough saved for their earnest money deposit and down payment for a home.

I'm really surprised banks don't offer a housing fund savings account of some type. Who do consumers go to when they are looking to finance their home? A lot of times a bank.

One of the number one excuses I hear is "we don't have the money" when it comes to earnest money deposits and down payments. Banks have money but can't lend it if the buyers don't come up with their earnest money deposit, and down payment. Sellers are looking to get paid and deposit their proceeds into the bank or roll them over to their next house to offset the loan for their next house. purchase Do you see the bank losing in this picture?

The bank has the opportunity to communicate with the buyer before, during, and after the home ownership process. Why aren't they taking advantage of it? Well it seems the bank cannot get beyond praccticing the way they always have.

To conquer new markets they need to stay active an competitive.

What I propose is banks start a housing fund savings account. Use proactive solutions to retain current members and attract new members.

We know titles work. When funds are set up and designed for specific purposes masses are drawn to them for their name or purpose alone.

It seems banks would benefit greatly having funds set up to help prospective buyers (who I will refer to as consumer) save for home ownership. The consumers earn interest on their investments. As the consumers home ownership fund investment grows and they earn interest it seems as if it would peek the banks interest in wanting to get the ball started with the consumer getting qualified for a home ownership loan.

After the buyer purchases a home the bank can then begin offering more creative products like a home repair fund, energy efficiency account fund, disaster recovery fund, rainy day fund and other creative products to keep consumers interested and loyal to their bank.

Banks need to come current with the times and offer creative products to help sustain this economy. Doing business as usual is sending the housing market into the toilet. I feel if the banks took hold of their part of the housing market and optimized their role and the effectiveness of their role it would help to stabilize the market.

Consumers who are hard-working, want to own their own home, not getting any type of government assistance need options made available to them to not only encourage home ownership but need to have the tools and resources in place to help them get to home ownership.

I think I could right a post everyday using one of the phrases my Grandmother would say. Mess up and she would have a phrase for you. The post today would always remind me of when she would say "common sense is just too common, some people ain't got the sense God gave them."

Grandma's Admonition: "Stand On Your Own Two Feet!"

2011-10-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

"Lady, are you crazy? This is my life we are talking about and you have been counting days?" I remember my son looking back at me and saying in disdain. He was taken back by my having counted the 585 days from his arrest until his sentencing trial date was established.

Little did he know I started counting the day he was born. I counted on him being successful. I counted on him being educated. I counted on him being a good strong man. I counted on him being a man of character. I counted on him being a man of promise. I could go on at least 585 ways I was not only counting but counting on him.

Later in life I realized the count ultimately was going to be based on his choices. It wasn't easy but my imaginary scorecard seemed to be coming more and more useless everyday. As I felt the pain I gradually began to withdraw. I was hurt by his decision not to complete high school. I literally had to curse him out to go and get his GED one morning. He got up and went and took it and passed. He had the aptitude but there were so many excuses. I brought him five cars. I didn't want him to end up a statistic. There is nothing I wouldn't have done for him to see him become successful. He had a totally different vision of success in mind. He was bound and determined in obtaining his success the way he felt he should go. I must say he had some encouragement from the peanut gallery (low life bums and scums who didn't mean him any good). I'm not seeking vengeance so I won't mention their names here. They know who they are. I've never held my tongue with them.

Well in retrospect the day my son asked me if I'm crazy is the same day I think it hit him like a thousand midnight he was finally going to have to stand on his own two feet. He must have realized it because that day he had shared with me he had to fire his lawyer in court and represent himself or he would gotten more time. I wasn't there. The whole criminal justice process was just too much for me to bare. I went to his initial court date and I lasted through that. I couldn't take no more.

This is the child whom at the age he was at the time I had spent his whole life looking forward to the day when he would be graduating from somewhere, anywhere with highest honors. I read to him from the womb. I was there at his beck and call. Every field trip he went on in primary school I was there right by his side. I was there when he got up to get ready for school each morning. I was there when he would kneel down on his knees and pray each night. I was the one who brought him his first pair of Stride-Rite shoes. I was the one who brought him his first book. I was the one who brought him the first set of cards for his baseball card collection and basketball card collection. I was the one who brought him his first Sunday suit to wear to Church. I was the one who threw him party after party every year on his birthday. I was the one who brought him his first video gaming system. I was the one who brought him his first video game. I was the one who brought him his first television. I was the one who brought him his first computer. I was the one who brought him his first, second, third, fourth, and fifth vehicle. I was the one who fed him, I was the one who clothed him, I was the one who kept a roof over his head. He was the one everyone deemed as my favorite child.

Whenever someone wanted me to do something to which I may say no they would always send him to ask me. I will admit there was always something special in the way he said "Ma" which made my heart melt. It just always seemed the words came with a whole lot more love and affection. He very rarely said or asked for anything. He definitely wasn't a whiner. Thank goodness none of my children were whiners.

Well when it got to the point of his seeming lack of ambition I put him out my house (with a thirty day notice of course). I was frustrated about the people he chose to be a part of his life. I wanted his friends to be Rhodes Scholars and not road scholars. Street bums who think they had all the answers to life and their doom and gloom should be the plight of everyone else.

I always considered my son to be an intelligent individual. He was an excellent musician. I had always wanted him to pursue his music and do positive things with his life. It seemed the forces working against me won out. They were there for him when he got home from school. They were there in his ear telling him he didn't want to work as hard as his mother always did to have nothing. When I would ask him what was wrong with his eyes he would tell me it was his allergies. Now when I look back at some of the photos of him over the years, I can see where his addiction began. At first I always thought it was the camera taking a bad pose.

Lord knows my son being another statistic in the war on drugs hurt me to my heart. A heart pain of massive proportions not capable of being measured because my heart hurt to bad for me to raise my hand to indicate the level of pain. I was sickened to a point of unbelief. It caused nausea, it caused headaches, it caused body aches, it caused back pains, it caused mood swings, it caused withdrawal, it caused me to be bed ridden, it caused helplessness, it caused hopelessness, it caused fatigue, it caused loss of speech (my throat hurt too bad from crying to talk), it caused blurred vision from the tears, it caused skin rashes from the stress, it caused hair loss from the worrying. When I did get sick for real several people realized I didn't seek help because I was wanting the towel to be thrown in. Then that same month my father died and my son was at the funeral and later that same month my son began his incarceration. As far as business successes I was riding high. I had worked so hard I got top listing, top sales, top closed, top agent overall for the quarter based on production. My personal failures were riding an all time low. I had a man in my life for the season and wasn't looking for a long term relationship just someone to console me as my world was falling apart.

My children were my world. I had dedicated critical time, energy, and resources into them not becoming statistics but being more successful than I could ever had imagined. I was their mentor (so I thought), I was their motivator, I was the one guiding them. I was the one who loved them. I was the one who cared. I was the one they could come to. I was the one who spent hours upon hours teaching them to read, teaching them test taking skills, teaching them to write, teaching them to be articulate, taking them to Church, teaching them life skill in hopes they would be well rounded upstanding citizens.

The sand just got too hot for me and I took my feet out of the sand. I can surely say the Lord has been carrying me all this time. I am truly thankful he didn't give up on me. I have been self-employed since 2006. I just needed more solitude in my life to deal with all that was going on personally. Even when working I was fortunate to have gone from a temporary to a very challenging management position in the midst of all my personal turmoil.

He carried me through my sickness, he carried me through my pain. Hitting rock bottom is an eye opener to the fact that the sand is definitely too hot to lay around in. I'm walking in the sand again now. The season of my life has changed and the walk is a lot cooler.

I am thankful for the eye opening experiences I have encountered over the last month. And most importantly over the last week. I'm reaching out more to learn more about what it means to be incarcerated. What happens after incarceration. I could choose to wallow in self-pity. But I rather choose to stand on my own two feet. Be accounted for and make a difference.

When I got home from being hospitalized in June 2008 when everything else was happening, I didn't know why God chose to let me keep living, The only thing I could remember prior to being put under sedation was my son standing at the hospital bed with tears in his eyes and I could see the pain on his face. Even though it was pain ridden I felt the aura of his prayer over me.

When I got home from the hospital and laying in my bed I prayed God would let me see his purpose for letting me survive. Now I see from recent enlightening experiences life is not just about survival it is about thriving to make a difference in the lives of others. Don't limit myself to my children being my world but to expand my horizons to reach out to others. Our God is a selfless God and to be more Christ like there is a need to be more selfless.

The admonition of my grandmother any time she saw any sign of weakness in me was to iterate "stand on your own two feet, put all your faith in no man" is hitting real close to home.

Open House: Celebrate Fall | Century 21 Blog

2011-10-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

Oh at times how I wish I was more domestic. They have some great ideas for Open Houses in October on the Century 21 Blog for Sellers. Too bad they include something I don't do: cook. Hey I'm single and my baby is 25 years of age. I've retired from cooking. Seeing an article like this is greatly enticing me to bring my cooking skills out of retirement.

Now tell me this doesn't look scrumptious!

Open House: Celebrate Fall Century 21 Blog

If you plan to incorporate any of these ideas into one of your open houses in the Hampton Roads area this October be sure to send me an invite. It just seems so festive. I know the aroma would just be delightful.

Internal Havoc Over Internal Controls, Is It a Policy Issue?

2011-10-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

One of the things which has always perplexed me is the vast amount of dollars expended on technology each year by local, city, district, state, political subdivisions of the state, public service agencies, government agencies, public service agencies, and etc.. The issue which perplexes me the most is with all this money expended why can't all these systems talk to each other? It is not an argument it is a recommendation.

It would greatly improve the level and quality of services they provide to their citizens. Imagine how frustrated someone is who when they start a new job an agency like Child Support Enforcement is alerted within three days they now have a new job. In turn Child Support Enforcement can immediately begin collection actions.

Can you imagine their same frustration when this same technology can't send an alert nor makes any type of adjustment when they get fired or laid off? Then what is even more discouraging is when they get a job at a lower wage because in this economy it is all they can get and their payments are not adjusted accordingly. After thousands upon thousands in arrears can you understand their frustration in not wanting to work anywhere?

Now this person owes a certain dollar amount in arrears and their driver's license is no longer valid. Now they can't get to the lower paying job which is not conveniently located to where they live. Okay they can pay a few dollars to get to work one way and probably walk back home because making minimum wage and having two-thirds of their check going to child support they now cannot afford to use public transportation both ways.

Do the people who are sitting making these policies in an air-conditioned office making a decent salary with retirement benefits care? If they cared would there be so many cases escalating to this magnitude?

Some agencies act like it will almost take an act from a higher power to get these systems to communicate to do good for the people they label as the deadbeats in society. Why should they look out for the underdog when they are the big dog?

They can communicate via human interaction but to communicate via technology would require legislative approval. It's too bad communication with the citizens they are put in place to serve doesn't require a Memorandum Of Understanding or a Memorandum of Agreement for citizens to be treated with basic respect of persons. The deadbeat person normally has to kiss butt to try and get anything resolved.

A valid system, as a basic part of its integrity, should be designed to work fair and equitably for all involved parties. Not to wreak havoc on the ones with the less resources to defend themselves. All it does is increase the caseload for the applicable agencies which gets out of control and then they complain about not having enough funds. Systems designed to work for the common good of everyone with the least amount of human intervention required work best. It frees the case workers time up to do other things.

It is great some agencies are doing 360 degree evaluations on employees. I think it would be even better if they included doing 360 degree evaluations on their technology and its processes. You can cover the human factor to the bone but how is your technology working if you take it out of the context of people it should work full circle. As the leader of any organization have you checked to see if you are spending crazy money on troubleshooting and maintaining old legacy systems? Can all that money be used to provide new systems which are a whole lot less costly? There are newer and less costly systems which not only house data but provide more meaningful measurement tools, planning tools, operational effectiveness, citizen input, increased collaboration, and less headaches for everyone. You're causing your citizens a grave disservice. If you're providing statistics off raw data with no integration into modern systems. Your citizens deserve your technology working for them in a full circle (360 degrees) as well.

There should be internal controls in place to ensure everyone is being treated fair and equitably. Systems of today should be designed to address everyone and automatically generate exception reports which get handled by a chain of command and documented in the system. There should not be a breakdown in opportunities available to everyone because their is a unnecessary breakdown due to human control. Too many citizens are still complaining they are not being treated fair. Are you listening?

One case in point is one person who doesn't have the resources to write a blog was incarcerated for non-payment of child support. The arrears were for approximately $4,000. The person had to remain in jail and was placed on a work release program until the arrears were paid. A friend paid the balance of the arrears so the person could be released. The work release job was insufficient to cover the mandated monthly child support payments and it would have taken about eighteen months to cover the arrears. The cost of being incarcerated was deducted off the top. Any court costs, fines, and fees were being extracted first as well. The interest accumulating on the unpaid support balance and the additional support being added on during the period of incarceration at the same rate. Cumulatively the person was in deep water without an oxygen mask.

Thankfully there are angels among us and the arrears were caught up. A receipt is issued and has to be presented as a condition of the release. Now the arrears are paid an adjustment can be granted. The adjustment is granted and agreed to by all parties. The person is laid off the minimum wage job and has no income. A hold is placed on the child support account.

Later the person finds out not only were the child support payments not adjusted but they also do not have record of the $4,000 in arrears which had to be paid as a condition of release from the jail time they spent.

Some of these systems just leave way too much room for corruption at the level of commingling. It is a travesty. Now the person gets dragged back into court for non-payment of support owing five times as much as they originally owed and who cares? Who is going to listen? The case is continued by the agency until the "right" judge hears it.

Then we as a society wonder why people have substance abuse problems. I think if I was caught up in a situation like that it would drive me to drink.

Now I'm wondering why in a technology age like today the local newspapers don't have a technology section addressing critical issues like this which are affecting people. There is enough going on to have a news article of this nature at least weekly. They go after the cases individually in the hundreds of millions of dollars but don't address the cases which collectively add up to this type of money makes no sense to me.

It always makes me wonder who is doing who. You never know so you have to sort of be careful as to what you say and in what arena you say it in.

One thing an old friend told me is I should get into politics. He had a female friend in politics and his words to me were she didn't have anything on me. He says I'm a strong black woman and she is where she is because of reasons unrelated to a political agenda. He only knows because he drove her and the guy she was having an affair with around. Of course according to his account he was never involved with her intimately. No. I'm not standing on my head in belief of that right now. They apparently didn't realize he received an award as "most talkative" in high school. A whole other matter.

If I were to hold a legislative position I wouldn't be waiting on my constituents to present issues I know need correction. In fact if I worked for an agency and we had crazy problems I would be trying to implement policies and procedures to live in the solution versus living in the problems. I would be just asking for the support of the people I serve to help me make a difference for positive change. Not only during election or budget times but all the time.

Too often politicians rely on the reports presented by the different organizations. They don't get out in the trenches and ask the citizens, especially those who are undergoing the same problems a lot of the people in the system are having how is the system failing you and what improvements would you like to see?

They go to the people who are "pleasant" to hear the traditional "oh nothing." Their round table discussions, panel discussions, and audiences are full of the yes people. The typical "A" students who are well-educated, versed, and poised. Most people with a stance know they are unwanted and so they don't attend town hall meetings, civic meetings, conferences designed with the appearance to help a group of people. They know beforehand it is all a front to keep funding going and not a medium for change. When an audience is severely under represented by the population of society affected by their issue it sends a loud message in and of it itself.

I serve a risen savior and I pray for change one day. The sooner the better then once people are uplifted and feel the system works for them everybody can celebrate.

When You Don't Know You Don't Know

2011-10-07T23:54:00.000-07:00

I was having a discussion earlier with a family friend in regards to the challenges of substance abuse. I was mentioning I have a hard time conceptualizing why people choose to use uncontrolled substances when those who are required to take controlled substances regret having to take them.

When you see people at two different ends of the spectrum it makes you wonder why? Then I also wonder why this country has spent so much money fighting a cause which is only getting worse?

It makes me further wonder why all the money spent towards drug enforcement, drug addictions, drug rehabilitation centers, cost of jails to house people for drug related offenders, drug users, drug everything are not spent towards providing cures for those people wanting to be cured. Why can't the money be spent on people who are looking to be cured so they can do something more functional with their life? People who are suffering with a sickness, disability, disease or condition for which there is no cure and who desire and often pray for the strength to just be better medically.

Divert drug industry dollars towards medicines, medical research, and cures for those individuals who have a disease for which they want to be cured. Spend money providing wheel chairs, medical devices, and medical beds, and medical support to those who need rehabilitation not because they are engaging in practices they chose to engage in but to those who are victims of medical circumstance.

Yes I'm sure a lot of people may disagree with me but I don't think locking addicts up is the key to resolving anything. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the more money which has been spent on drug enforcement the worst the problem has gotten. All it requires is a few dollars worth of gas to ride around and see the side affects on the community as a whole the impact the use of uncontrolled substances have made. The towering jail facility, how many people are housed there for drug related offenses? The outreach centers, the clinics, the homeless shelters, the rehabilitation centers, the community service boards, the parole offices, the sheriffs serving arrest warrants, the addicts asking for change all over, the smoke houses, the gathering holes, people sitting on the street curb handcuffed, business establishments where you see the employees outside getting high on their break. The drug problems in today's society have escalated out of control.

The most disheartening thing of all is when the drug users and drug pushers are incarcerated together it is just providing a networking opportunity for them to meet and greet more contacts. How is this helping? Case scenario someone goes to jail over a minor drug offense. They don't even have to luck up to meet more people who do more of the same they were incarcerated for. Is it any wonder why the problem has gotten worse instead of better. Am I missing something? Can my ignorance be cured?

I'm taking baby steps to learn more about substance abuse. Years ago I lost a close friend to substance abuse. Not that the person literally died but to me it seemed like their soul died. I just said point blank until you become saved and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and I see the change in you step on. Nowadays it seems the number of friends a person has with that archaic style mentality is slim to none.

It took me years to realize I didn't get invites to parties because there are a lot of professional people who have addictions too. They are not going to invite you to a party where everyone is using if you don't use. Thankfully by the grace of God I don't care. I would rather not get in where I fit in among a crowd of sorts. My friend base is very limited. It is not because I don't like people. Most often it is because don't like the fact I am not a user. I've seen some good people die way too young with massive heart attacks because they were heavy drug users. Drugs don't discriminate. They show no respect of person.

I say scrap all the drug enforcement initiatives as they exist today and make a difference. Spend the money towards things which will lead to growth, job opportunities, technological advancements, academic achievements, and medical advancements. Why throw good money out to bad? Drug addiction is not something you can throw money at and think it is going to go away. Locking folks up with addictions is not going to bring about a cure for them or society. It contributes greatly to the ills of society.

Most often it is not even going to cause the person to lose their taste for whatever substance they have acquired a taste for. It seems to be similar to a smoking addiction. No matter how high the cost of cigarettes they find a way to buy them and continue to use them.

Tell a smoking addict to stop smoking because their second hand smoke is harming others more than it is harming them. After mentioning it, to me it would make better sense to incarcerate someone who smokes cigarettes damaging other peoples lungs moreover than incarcerating a drug addict who is just destroying themselves.

How can you deal with a person's addiction by locking them up in a cage? What does that solve or resolve?

The money would be better spent on sending them a check to live life. Often times you can't meet a person more sociable and friendly than a person who has a substance abuse issue. I remember growing up as a child when I grew a great disdain for the smell of alcohol. I couldn't stand it when an alcoholic would get in my face with a drunkard smell all over them. I especially detested the ones who got so drunk they spit as they talk. On the flip side I would rather see more of those types of people than the escalating number of people addicted to uncontrolled substances today.

The bottom line is an addict is not going to be cured until they decide within themselves they want to be cured. Just like the old saying goes "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink". You can do things to entice them to do different until you are blue in the face. Until they are ready to make that change it is just not going to happen. Point blank and simple.

Why not help those who are looking for change. Why not help those who are suffering a lot of pain and cannot afford the controlled substances they need to take. Why not help those who helped build this country and make it what it is, namely our elderly citizens, who don't have adequate health insurance, food, or resources to live a decent and respectable life they worked hard for all their lives for.

I just don't see continually throwing good money out to bad. Drugs have become and industry and an enterprise and most importantly it has become a travesty which has escalated out of control which will be written as part of future historical accounts.

I felt like venting today because when issues hit close to home they hit close to the heart.

Bad News Prelude

2011-10-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

Well believe it or not this morning started off with my reading a great news story about Trump's purchase of a vineyard here in Virginia. I think it is great news.

For some reason my thoughts drifted downwards. I guess it may be because I really like Donald Trump and hearing of yet another accomplishment he has attained only sounds that "Yay" off internally. I like success stories.

Unfortunately, one thing comes to mind each time I hear about The Donald nowadays and it is around all the claims of non-support by him of Our President Barack Obama.

It is so hard to swallow that two of the men I admire most for their accomplishments and achievements do not have a warm fuzzy friendship. It is truly disappointing that two of the most well known figures in our great country cannot form an amicable friendship to better the state of the present economy.

If I could ever have the pleasure of saying anything to The Donald it would be to set aside his differences and concentrate and get together with our president and work on their common goals which will benefit the country as a whole. Show the public you not only have business power you have people power. The Donald is in a position where he can definitely make a difference universally.

Operating a vineyard here and bringing more jobs to Virginia is wonderful! Hail to The Chief of the Business World. By being in Virginia "where it really all began" for our United States of America he is closer in proximity to the White House. The phrase "where it really all began" keeps resonating in my mind since I read the article because I've heard The Donald use that phrase a time or two I think on his show "The Apprentice" when presenting a challenge to the Apprentice Candidates. Hands down it is one of my absolute favorite shows of all time. My challenge to The Donald is to let it all begin in Virginia with you forming a truce with Our President and helping America to continue to recover from its economic woes in a way so positive most people would find hard to absorb.

It is undeniable you are making great strides towards actually continuing and increasing employment opportunities in American with your latest venture. One venture I would like to see is President Obama, The Donald, and Bill Gates at a meeting for a power agenda for the Americas. It can happen.

Last Quarter of the Calendar Year!

2011-10-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Well we are coming into the home stretch. This is the last quarter of the 2011 calendar year.

If you are in sales you probably are focusing heavily on what your total sales volume for the year is going to be. I hope everyone ends their year on a bang.

Me personally, I am hoping a lot of buyers will finally decide it is a great time to buy a home before the year is out. To go ahead and take that plunge into home ownership.

If you are looking buy a home, give me a call today. I can sell any house with any sign on it in Virginia. You can reach me direct at (757) 717-9929. I want to finish this year on a high note.

I normally work from home. When I am not at home I am normally out in the field trying to prospect for business. It is best to reach me via text or cell phone at (757) 717-9929. Later in the evenings and at night you can catch me direct at my residence at (757) 855-2514. My lifestyle is mostly all work. Since I've been mostly self-employed since 2006 it has been my routine. I work day and night so I take calls at all times of the day and night.

I can really use the business. If you are looking to buy a home give me a call. I have about 23 years experience in the housing industry. I have worked in both the private and non-profit sector of housing. I enjoy working with clients from all walks of life.

Now is one of the most affordable times ever to buy a home. Interest rates are low and home prices are as affordable as they have ever been. Give me a call today.

You can search all the properties available via the Multiple Listing Service in Hampton Roads directly on my website. Remember! I can sell any house with any sign on it in Virginia. Even if you see a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) home you are interested I can assist with negotiating offers on FSBOs as well.

If you like technology like I do you can send me a text message to 7577179929 or an email to lynneruffin@gmail.com.

Make it a great day!

Lynne

Lynne Ruffin
REALTOR
Century 21 Nachman Realty
1512 E. Little Creek Road
Norfolk, Virginia 23518
Phone: (757) 717-9929
Email: Lynne@LynneRuffin.com
Website: www.LynneRuffin.com

God's Covenant in Full Color Effect

2011-09-30T07:03:00.001-07:00

Did anyone see the double rainbow in the sky tonight? Well I did thanks to being at the office and it being pointed out to me. I was inside on the computer. I was happy to go outside and capture the sight.

It reminded me of the word "promise". The story of Noah. After reading the passage it made me aware of something I never recall reading before or never read with understanding.

Anyways, I'm thankful for the Double Rainbow. It is a double reminder of God's promise never to destroy the world by flood again. How fitting after a day like yesterday when men lives where taken at the hand of other men. It is almost seems like wearing a wedding band, or some other symbolic gesture to remind you of the promises you have made no matter how crazy things get. A very touching reminder.

I recorded a video of the part of the rainbow my camera captured. It did not pick up the double rainbow as well as it shown. It barely picked up the double rainbow at all. I saw where other people have tweeted, posted, and shared their experience witnessing the double rainbow as well.

Genesis 9 (King James Version)
Genesis 9
King James Version (KJV)

Genesis 9
¹And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
²And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
³Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
⁴But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
⁵And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
⁶Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
⁷And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
⁸And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
⁹And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
¹⁰And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
¹¹And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
¹²And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
¹³I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
¹⁴And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
¹⁵And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
¹⁶And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
¹⁷And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
¹⁸And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
¹⁹These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
²⁰And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
²¹And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
²²And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
²³And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.
²⁴And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
²⁵And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
²⁶And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
²⁷God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
²⁸And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
²⁹And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

Now I know there is probably a scientific explanation for the appearance of the rainbow as well. But it is outside the scope of my scientific readership.

Thank you Lord, Amen!

A 13 Year Old with a Whole Lot of History!

2011-09-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

When I logged into Google today, September 27, 2011, I saw the Doodle for today was a theme indicating it is their 13th Birthday. My goodness how time really does fly. I see they are ranked #1. How many years? I don't know. I know they are one of the #1 sites I go to every day. Do you remember how they used to look? Well I used the WayBack Button on Alexa's site to help me reminisce. Does the screen shot below bring back memories?

Just recollecting over how many ways Google has helped me in my real estate profession.
Google Maps - I remember using MapQuest, Yahoo Maps, and then for some reason Google won out hands down and I can't tell you the last time I went to the other sites for maps. As Google maps came on the scene and went through some iterations I began using Google Maps almost exclusively at some point.
Gmail - I use Gmail to receive my email on my phone because I can never get the settings or it could be because of the 24,000 emails on my domain name email acccount. I can get the all the new messages forwarded right to my Gmail account and read them on my phone. They sometimes hit my phone before they hit my own email server. It is a big time saver and helps me to reply back very quickly to my clients and business associates from wherever I am. Gmail all keeps a conversation thread. How sweet!

Google Apps - I love all the Google apps on my Android phone and desktop. I can sync my Google calendar and that's one of the apps I like the most.

Google AdSense - I hope to get a check one day! It's been five years and I'm getting close. It helps to bring more visitors to my website I'm sure.

Google Analytics - I can see what part of the world people view my website from. It details how many views they get and other data to assist with improving my online marketing. One day I plan to use this feature to its full potential. I am still getting use to the new interface
.
Google Alerts - notifies of my information I want to receive alerts about like my name, my company name, some of my competitors, etc. It is like having my own in-house damage control and PR staff. One day I hope to be exciting enough or successful enough where I can get some good juicy stuff to read about me.
Google Search - the main reason why I ever started really using Google in the first place.

Google It - it's a term I use when people ask me a question it has saved me countless hours of time. Especially when assisting my granddaughters with history projects, science projects, and homework in general.

It's Google's 13th Birthday today and I sure do appreciate them!

Contests and Sweepstakes | This Old House

2011-09-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

I was online today, September 25th, 2011 and saw a link to this Sweepstakes entry. If you like sweepstakes like I do you may want to enter this one.

Contests and Sweepstakes | This Old House

I bookmarked their page because it appears they have some articles which I definitely can find interesting enough to read. The first time I ever recall visiting this site and with having an older home I can definitely see this site coming in handy.

Thanks to the Twitter who Tweeted this post on Twitter today. I would say I hope you win but I want to win!

By the way, when I was looking for the url to post in this blog I found another sweepstakes via an ad on the site, a link to www.Havertys.com for a sweepstakes they are having.

I love the idea of entering on line and not having to go through the snail mail process.

Good luck!

Lynne

Green-Eyed Monster Epidemic

2011-09-23T04:25:00.000-07:00

As a child I remember asking for more and more ice cream all thetime. I loved butter almond ice cream. The local ice cream parlorhad my favorite and it tasted homemade.

I remember we had a ice cream churning machine where we wouldsometimes have homemade ice cream at home. Now wishing I would have paidattention. That was some really good ice cream too.

Well if I ever my grandmother felt I was over indulging she wouldsay "greed is a green-eyed monster". You know grandmas wouldalways preach as long as you have your basic necessities you are fine. However, I was normally an extremist, competitive, and had to have what Ifelt was everything. My mother's favorite term for me was always the"B" word. And did I care? No. As long as I got whatI wanted I didn't care what anyone thought about it. Hey I was notoriousfor telling anyone to kiss my derriere. She often referred to me asselfish, inconsiderate, and ungrateful "B" to boot. I say “referred” because she would be rantingit to my grandmother as if I were not present in the room. The thing was as my grandmother used toalways tell my mother “if you create a monster you have to live with it, you’rethe reason she’s the way she is”. I used to just ask for stuff to see howfar my mother would go. She would get furious at me but she would get it. She didn't want her children to want for anything.

Well fast forward numerous years and along comes three people whowould change my perspective on life forever. I am a true believer thereis a reason for every season. Nurturing my children taught me life wasnot always about me and the things I wanted. If I had not had my childrenI admittedly would have been ruthless. My eye was on the prize of successas I had defined it. My agenda after having my first child was tograduate from college, go to graduate school for information systems and thenlaw school. Do a CPA and a law degree and become a monster of a corporatelawyer specializing in cases involving business mergers and acquisitions. I was always taught to take no prisoners. Don't get me wrong I wasalways generous at spirit. Most often I shy away from people because whenI get too close I want to help, and help, and help. I am one of those whowill give and help beyond fault if I don't brace myself.

The topic I chose to write about today if you haven't alreadyfigured it out is "greed". Greed is definitely a green-eyed monster. Green may be attractive, however when you throw greed in the equation itbecomes a whole product.

One thing I've been witnessing over the last several months and atother times in my life time is how greed consumes folks. How folksapparently unbeknownst become green-eyed monsters. They want touse other folks as their foot solider. They wear out a person using uptheir skills and abilities for their own self gain never giving anything back. Once they use you up then you are of no value to them anymore. Ihate to see people fall victim to this syndrome but it happens.

I've seen what appears to be the monstergreen all over so many folks lately it is pathetic. I am not saying it ina judgmental type fashion but as a matter of practicality. I don'tknow if it is the state of the economy or what it is. You have folks whotalk about and demean others for the mean green. Folks will try and throwin stuff totally unrelated to the business at hand for the mean green. Folks will divert other people leads they’ve worked and earned to otherpeople for the mean green. Folks will overlook everyone available withineyesight and call in someone from a distance for the mean green. Folkswill tell people you don't work there anymore or they have not seen yourecently when you're sitting right in the room with them for the mean green. Folks will show favor upon others and disregard those who have workedhard and earned their prospects for the mean green. Folks will tellothers not to talk to you you're too smart for the mean green. Folks willget envious and jealous and form clicks for the mean green. Folks willsell you out for the mean green. Folks will try and tarnish your imagefor the mean green. Folks will work behind your back against you and smile inyour face for the mean green. Folks will disregard how snaking yourbusiness, snaking your clients, snaking your opportunities will affect you forthe mean green. I wonder what my ancestors who used to use the phrase itis a dog eat dog world would say about the antics to acquire the mean greentoday?

Well I'm glad lessons of greed where instilled upon me when I wasyounger. I am thankful for all the Sundays my grandmother would drag me offto church by my ear if she had to just to instill upon me the basic values oftreating folks with dignity and respect regardless of the mean green. I'mthankful for the Christian-based mentors along the way who were successful and alwayschallenging me to make money and don't let money make me.

Now green is good to have. I won't eat anybodies cookiesbecause I am not a green-eyed cookie monster. Are you?

When I get my green I want the mean to stand for meaning. I want it to mean something special to me thatI keep my head lifted up high and be thankful for.

Stay prayed up, stay blessed, there is no testimony without atest.

God grant me theserenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at atime;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

In loving memory of

A Shot in the Rear and You're On Your Way

2011-09-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

At first it starts off real subtle. A slight indication things are about to change. As the years progress things get worse. You try and figure out what is wrong and no one can figure it out. After ten years aha someone finally pinpoints what the issue is.

Okay the issues are identified and solutions are put in place for a remedy. If not a complete remedy something that will cause the issues not to escalate further. Like a bandage on a wound so it won't get further infected.

Okay years past and there is nothing really you can do but deal with it. The sleepless nights, the long days. All you can do is deal with it.

There's a fix here and there's a fix there but there's not a permanent fix anywhere. You begin to pray feverishly for a solution. The more you pray the worse the situation gets. Do you lose faith? No you pull faith out of the bag you need more it. You call on your friends, you call on your co-workers, you call on your fellow parishioners, you call on everyone and they all lend their moral support. Never relenting after over years upon years. You keep up a good smile. You keep up a good spirit. Things are going to get better they just have to.

It is truly amazing how one person can endure so much pain and others don't know what pain is. I spent the night in the emergency room with my mother. I'm now recanting her unending faith. No matter how many trials and tribulations she has gone through with her MS. It started out with MS and has progressed into about 18 other things she still has faith.

Her primary doctor won't prescribe her any more medicine and won't return the calls from her or her nurse. The emergency room won't keep her overnight. They realize all the conditions, medications, and etc. some are working with each other and some are working against each other. The physician she had last night I think was one of the best ones yet. The situation remains it is nothing they can do to remedy her situation. All they can do is give her a shot for pain in the rear and send her on her way.

Regrettably it reminds me a lot of the current state of the economy. It has given a lot of people a shot in the rear and sent them packing. I hate to be so doom and gloom but on today I wish I had the power to control pain.

I know my mother is a true trooper. I look at her and wonder sometimes why she is not mad with the world. Smile, greet, love and embrace the world every opportunity she gets. She can keep things stirred up at times too. All years of being in the work a day world was her practice run. It had its benefits. The quest to the top is not easy you have to stand steadfast and most importantly always keep the faith.

Just Turned 48 and I feel great!

2011-09-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

My birthday was Friday, September 16th.

Social media websites really have a girl at heart when they set up shop. Thank goodness for FACEBOOK. It feels great to get so many Happy Birthday wishes.
All those good blessings certainly brought a smile to my face.

I really have to say I was really impressed with the Google Doodle on my birthday actually having a birthday theme with the text tip "Happy Birthday" pop up. It was really cool. Okay if you read my blog you already know FACEBOOK, Google, Email, my website are four items I check everyday. I posted Happy Birthday wishes to myself on my website. All bases covered. lol!

My eight year old granddaughter snapped this photo of me today . I don't know who wasn't keeping still me or her. But you can see by the motion in the photo it was one of us. Too funny! She is so sweet and adorable I wish I could spread a little of her sweetness all around the world.

I feel great. I feel so blessed to have turned 48. I remember a little over two years ago I was just about counted out for celebrating any more birthdays. I will never forget that down time in my life. I was working feverishly (literally) to make it my best year ever. The market is not as conducive as it was then. If I hadn't gotten sick I think I would have been close enough to taste the sweetness of my best the goals I set. I probably would have hit no where near that mark but I was about to die trying. Now I feel like bouncing back in step again. I have high hopes of making great strides from this point forward. I lost weight and put it back on and now have gradually lost weight again and it seems to be staying off. The number one reason why I feel great. I didn't realize how much heavier carrying weight feels until I lost it. I have more energy and look forward to losing a few more pounds. Keep up limiting the amount of fried food I eat, cut back on eating burgers everyday, I have even as of late cut back on the number of hot fudge sundaes with nuts I eat.

Now I finally feel revived like it is coming to me. Heck in this market I'll settle for 10%. But I'm not a 10% type person. I'm a 110% type person. I give my all and then some.

Back in June 2008 I remember being in so much pain I was praying Lord just take me and let me out of this misery. My parents were praying for my healing and recovery. Their grace prevailed over mine. Even my father who never was a praying person let my mother know he was praying for me. She told me she had never said anything about praying to her before in all the years she had known him.

I didn't enjoy my birthday with the apple of my eye but I did talk to him the day before. Of course, he didn't even realize it was my birthday. Maybe this year I'll make enough money to fly a Goodyear blimp over his house or job in big letters "have you wished Lynne Ruffin a happy birthday today?". I don't think I could be any more obvious than that. I just hope he realizes the Lynne Ruffin in the message will be me. Of course I won't do that. I love a challenge. I think that's why I am so intrigued with him. I seem to be the furthest thing from his mind.

Let me go show off my 48 and still look great shape. I have on the victory dress I wrote about in a much earlier blog and it zipped just fine!

Have a great day!

All I Want For My Birthday Is...

2011-09-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

Too old to believe in fairy tales? Well not me. I think it keeps you young at heart. Or maybe it is because I have been reading a lot more fairy tales since my grandchildren are back in school as part of their nightly homework for their reading log. If fairy tales really do come true, and I've read a lot of them in my lifetime, I sure hope one comes to reality on my birthday, Friday, September 16th, 2011.

And speaking of things which stand the test of time it brings to mind the famous poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning which has also withstood time. I can't recall the number of times I've heard it in different mediums over my life time or at least the words to it, here goes:

Number 43

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

--- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Not to completely embarrass myself I won't blast him on the Internet. But all I want for my birthday is him and not just a hug and kiss on the forehead. When I blow out my birthday candles I want my eyes to open up and see his big beautiful smile looking at me in the center of the table from a candlelit dinner for two to the tune of our favorite Anthony Hamilton song with a mix of some Luther Vandross, Teddy P, and all the other soul smoothness we can appreciate for us to come into unison as our age comes into unison on that day.

Some things like stories of fairy tales stand the test of time. I want the person who pulls at my heartstrings to not only become my prince but my king. How do I get him to even notice me? How many fairy tales have a happy part where the woman is the aggressor. I just can't do that. They say a closed mouth doesn't get fed but I think it is a little too much as a woman to tell a man who I don't even think has any interest in me that I want him to be holding the fork which feeds me my birthday cake. I'm going to need to stop reading so many fairy tales. Back to work the kids are long gone to bed.

Doesn't the Title Say It All?

2011-09-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, it dawned on me maybe some people really don't realize how much actually goes into being a "real estate sales associate". The time, resources, marketing, administrative functions, networking, negotiating, working with buyers, working with sellers, working with investors, photography, image control, text messages, phone calls, cold calling, walk-ins, walk-ups, open houses, classified advertising, print advertising, mailings, etc. for the ultimate challenge of being paid on a performance based commission scale as a self-employed individual. When I put on my resume that I am a licensed real estate to me it speaks volumes.

I have had very challenging administrative, professional, technical, teaching, and training positions in my lifetime and I can honestly say being a real estate agent has been one of the most challenging of all. Why? Things don't happen until I actually get out and make some effort towards making it happen.

One day I wrote a blog post on ActiveRain which is a real estate portal where I have seen custom profiles for real estate agents, mortgage professionals, brokers, home inspectors, home stagers, real estate consultants, real estate appraisers, title companies, and the list goes on. I normally read a little of what everyone has going on via their blog on ActiveRain because there is a lot which impacts the real estate industry. I read posts from all over. There is so much to learn, absorb, and benchmark from.

Well, getting back to the point at hand, being a real estate professional encompasses a whole lot. I know it may not be the case with everyone and I don't think I am the norm. I am single so I get to be up early and stay up late and work all day at what I do. I probably couldn't have a husband to put up with my schedule. Oh did I mention sacrifice. At times there are a lot of sacrifices. We will sacrifice our planned events to show a house. It is like the world of a starving musician, at times when the market is slow, you take a gig anytime you can get it.

Below is an excerpt from a blog post I posted preivously on ActiveRain:

Oh the Professional Title Requires More Than You Think! (Members Only)

Today a very important thought came to mind: "As a real estate agent there's a lot in my job description."

•Marketing Skills - advertise and promote properties for sale, promote my expertise

•Written Communication Skills - write contracts, write blog posts, write profiles highlighting me

•Verbal Commnication Skills - talk with buyers, sellers, asset managers, brokers, telemarketers

•MS Word Skills - mail merge for letters, postcards, special promotional events

•MS Excel Skills - seller net sheet calculations, marketing campaign lists, import data for asp pages

•MS Access Skills - active server pages which display on my website

•MS Publisher Skills - just listed flyers, marketing brochures, event flyers

•MS Paint Skills - add banners to photos like reduced, just listed, create custom banners

•NotePad Skills - strip html and get raw data from electronic data interchange attempts

•Video Creation - home made, portal created videos to post on YouTube to embed on websites

•Analytical Skills - figure out which markets are best to target, to use best practices for success

•Negotiator -keep contracts live, negotiate with vendors to get best prices for work to be done for closing

•Advanced Administrative Skills - dotting the i's and crossing the t's, being the front office person, back office person, and field person in day-to-day transactions, keeping a schedule for a very business professional (me)

•Networking - it is a must to try and stay top-of-mind with our sphere of influence, colleeagues, other real estate related professions, local contacts, long distance contacts (relocation clients), other business professionals

Out of all I wrote I forgot one of the biggest things I do which I spend a lot of time doing. Well now I can think of two: websites and blogging. My FrontPage skills helps me try and get additional exposure for my listings by creating, designing, and maintaining my own websites. The two I spend the most time on are my LynneRuffin.com and my House1st.com website. I have a company branded site which I have taken the time to customize my version and have it pointing to my domain LynneRuffin.net. At one point I was up to over 25 domains I purchased to promote my real estate business efforts. I quickly learned it was taking me more time to manage all those domains and taking away from time I could be spending do real stuff like real estate. It also requires the ability to refine processes to increase efficiency and promote sales. My ultimate goal is to have a system in process like a growth venture, I don't have to be hands on all the time for it to reap the success I am striving for.

Key: doing it all with a smile!

It's Time to Hit the Books!

2011-09-05T11:12:00.001-07:00

Let's get it started: School Year 2011-2012 we have weathered the storm (hurricane Irene) and now we are ready, willing, and able to get going doing with taking this school year by storm. The calendars have been set, the bus schedules have been let, I found the links and posted them to my website today for the Hampton Roads Virginia area for you to get.

The children are excited! Hopefully the excitement will turn in to the momentum for them to do extremely well all year long. I thought those who are searching the web for school bus schedules and school calendars for the Hampton Roads area may appreciate the links below:

Bus Schedules for Hampton Roads Schools:

Chesapeake Public Schools Bus Schedule
Hampton Public Schools Bus Schedule
Newport News Public Schools Bus Schedule
Norfolk Public Schools Bus Schedule
Portsmouth Public Schools Bus Schedule
Suffolk - sorry I wasn't able to find a working link
Virginia Beach Public Schools Bus Schedule

School Calendars for Hampton Roads Schools.

Chesapeake Public School Calendar
Hampton Public School Calendar
Newport News Public School Calendar
Norfolk Public Schools School Calendar
Portsmouth Public School Calendar
Suffolk Public School Calendar
Virginia Beach Public School Calendar
Wishing all the school children a fantastic year! Be safe, be courteous, and most of all be very, very, studious. A new school year is the greatest opportunity for a new start! Make it count!

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that is why we call it present. Be are ready to show up and show out in a positive way on the first day and every day of this school year!

Think About the Little Guy!

2011-09-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

Are you about to go into foreclosure? Losing a home isn't easy. As a homeowner you're probably mad as heck at the bank for foreclosing on a home you have put your heart, money, soul, and time into making it into what it is today. It is not just a house to you it is a home.

I feel your pain. I feel your aggression. As a real estate agent the pass few years definitely have not been easy for me. But I'm glad I'm in the profession because I realize all acts of retaliation don't impact the big guys. It is the little guys who suffer before, during, and after the process. Yes the banks will take some losses and probably some heavy hits as well. Let's face it no one is really "winning" during the foreclosure process. It is one of those lose-lose situations. You're losing your home which you may only have one of and the bank is losing money which they have lots of.

Okay so you begin to think of ways to retaliate against the bank. Wouldn't it be awesome to rip out the carpets, pour concrete down the plumbing, make the HVAC system inoperable, bust a couple of windows, punch holes all over the walls, light a fire in a gas fireplace, pull the cabinets off the walls, paint the walls a dark hideous color, dig up the garden, write scriptures all over the walls, pour tar on the floors, downgrade your upgrades, take out all the appliances, take down the light fixtures, spread dead bugs all around, leave the place trashed, leave food in the refrigerator to spoil and smell gross, leave trash throughout the house, puncture the exterior siding, take down the porch railings, rip off some fascia, rip a blade off all the ceiling fans, leave a pet behind to suffer, or whatever else deplorable comes to mind? It's all about venting your frustration in a physical way right? Wrong! All wrong!

STOP!!!

Were you ever a first time home buyer? Did you hope for an affordable home which was clean, ready to move right into?

My plea is for the little guy. You're not hurting the bank they have money. The ones who truly feel hurt are the first time home buyers who are trying to get the banks money for a distressed property sale which is within their budget. Optimistically hoping one of the distressed property sales will be their first dream home. They are excited about going out to take a look and when they get there the property is in poor condition or vandalized. They can't believe someone lived in those horrible house conditions you left behind.

If the repairs are too extensive they have to seek alternate financing which will allow for repairs and to finance the home and the repairs normally takes them over their budget. Their dream home has been deemed unfit for habitation in some cases.

Here comes Mr. Investor because he is the only one who can afford to pay cash or maybe meet the requirements for a loan it would take to acquire the property. Thus, you're not hurting the bank in the long run you are hurting the consumer who now cannot afford to buy the home. Mr. Homeowner did your dreams turn to tunnel vision during the foreclosure process? It's hard but don't let it. As I encourage my buyers to do stay optimistic. If it is meant to be it will be.

I know it is hard and it is depressing to lose what was once probably your dream home. If you leave the property in good shape the next buyer will probably appreciate the same features about the home which motivated you to buy it. But please make a little effort to leave the home in the condition where a first time home buyer can move right in. You were a first time home buyer once so you can probably relate to my plea.

The bank you're mad at is probably not going to ever physically come on the property after your hardship. They will be send contractors, vendors, real estate agents to handle their non-performing assets. If things are too wacky they may be even sending the cops to look at possible vandalism charges against you.

Give the little guy a break! Show them the pride in home ownership.

Get Mad - Your Prices Are Just Way Too High!

2011-09-01T05:08:00.000-07:00

I received a call from a telemarketer on yesterday. For some reason it caused me a lot of unrest during the night. I would rather go to sleep and wake up with the same person on my mind who has been on my mind for the past couple of years. And the one day he was no longer on my mind he called and was back on my mind again all over again. It's so bad I asked him to pray for me. He's a good guy so I don't mind him being on my mind.

Moving on. Back to the telemarketer call which is apparently all over me for some reason. It actually seemed like the dude who called me got an attitude at the end because I told him I was not going to pay for the services he was offering on any level. I already pay out enough money each month on different portals. What he was offering wasn't even a nip in the bud for what I'm already receiving at about 10 times less the cost.

Thankfully I received a good call and a bad call yesterday from telemarketers. Another portal calling asking me to sign up for their expanded services for half off and the guy was very pleasant when I told him I just couldn't afford to commit at this time my bank account was drained from all the other services I am paying for. He was very polite and let me know they could work with me on pricing in the future and the special they had emailed me in regards to three days ago was only good for three days and it was the last day I could take advantage of it. Have a nice day type ending.

Well getting back to rude dude. He had different tiers of services. Little did he know his stats were not impressive. My personal websites get more activity than his portal in this region based on the net meeting we had where he controlled the presentation and screens from his end as he pointed out stats which are typically of interest to real estate professionals.

At the end of the presentation he offered the higher service first and went down. He ended up asking me something in the neighborhood of would I want any of the services. My reply was "no, the prices are way to high." I was looking at the prices on the different packages right on the screen he was displaying. He seemed to take offense to my response. I was just being truthful.

I am really thinking now it would be nice if the different real estate portals could do a price comparison chart. Similar to the price comparison chart when you are comparing prices to buy domain names and it has a button to click on to compare prices just like when ordering books online or products from other portals like Amazon.

At bare minimum you would expect a telemarketer calling from the West Coast to have done their research as to what agents are generating in this area, what would be a fair and reasonable amount to pay in this area. Especially when your offices are headquartered right here. Least do your own little comparative research before offering a service that can be obtained from other sources. It is a new day. I can set up my own dashboard with my own Google gadgets. I don't need to be out any good money every month to do that. I know about enterprise log ins. Log in once and it automatically logs you into all your social media accounts, email, etc. I also know how to click the "Stay Signed in Button" and the "Save Password" button offered for a lot of portals which costs me about one or two seconds of my time to click on the check box. I'm not new to computers I am one of those who are true to computers and actually try and use them to the full potential of my aptitude to serve my purposes.

The website presented was nice. I would love to be making the kind of money where I could just say sign me up. I am single and I am self-employed. Unfortunately I am not rolling in dough. Anyways, it just was not worth the price he was asking. I didn't set the fee schedule I just declined it.

Based on his reaction I doubt if I ever will use anything more than the free service the portal provides. The reason why I am using the free service is because my information is cached from when I paid for their services before. Rather than have my information cached with old data I use the free version to keep my profile information updated. Often their portal comes up on the first or second page of Google when I search my name.

As I told him on the phone I was paying for their service monthly before and they showed one thing on the interface as my receiving all the leads from my efforts. However, they were not even savvy enough to realize it showed on one of their own screens who was actually receiving my leads on the back end. The local MLS had my leads redirected to someone else from the feed information they were displaying. I emailed them about it and nothing changed. My leads were going to another agent at another company.

He says their new system doesn't allow things to be done the old way anymore. Great! My biggest concern has been resolved. But the other concern now is your prices are at least four times higher than they were before. It seems the only massive change was an update to the version of the dashboard utilized to make it interface with Google gadgets and other newer technology apps. The new dashboard features is impressive, however, the price is oppressive.

I don't know too many agents who could afford to chunk out a big chunk of money each month in this market. Yes only 23 agents signed on in this market for the number of agents in this area speaks volumes. We have an area of very intellectual folks here. The statistics on the number of agents who signed up says it best.

My challenge to rude dude is to come off your west coast high horse and take what I said to action to devise a viable solution on increasing the number of participants to your system in this area. Key component "pricing".

The portals with effective pricing for the value they offer are booked up. I can't even buy zip codes, featured home listings, etc. because they are sold out of the areas I want at prices I am willing to pay.

I would rather take my money and pay for the more expensive zip codes and cities on their portal if I had a couple extra hundred dollars to spend each month and buy up some stuff I declined for the higher priced tiers on theirs. Apparently based on my stats from their portal my own personal stats are higher for number of views on one of my listings than your portal receives for the region here amongst all agents on rude dude's site. Maybe I should have shared my stat reports with him, they are more impressive for me as a single agent than all of the views combined for the agents in the area receive on his portal.

The component on his site which I would really love to have if the leads were going to actually come to me is the lead generation tools. (at a reasonable price only though).

It is nothing personal it is just business. Being self-employed is running your own business and I have to stay mindful of that. Part of running any business is making decisions. The decisions of the heart I wish I had more control over. However, the decisions where the stats, facts, and figures I try and base on logic. It is just not logical for me to opt to pay for something where I will not be receiving more bang for my buck. I could eat at the seafood restaurant I like in this area several times in a month for the cost of your service. Hey, I could even take all my grandchildren once a month if I was just looking for intrinsic value for my money. When I pay out money for business purposes I want business value.

If you were to take time and shop the prices of what others have to offer you would be dropping your prices about 75% dude is what I should have told him. I figure I probably would have gotten cursed out that point. Good thing I had to bring the call to a close because I was waiting on a customer to get in contact with me on his lunch break. But I don't regret not having told him that because it probably would have ensued into a heated debate over nothing. And I say over nothing because I still wouldn't have signed on at his prices.

Time to get up and get going to see what today has in store. Have a blessed one everybody! Please but please handle your telemarketing calls a lot better than me and don't let the stuff linger on your mind. As my grandma use to tell me "It just don't worth it!" No matter how broken the English.

Lynne

Grown kids say the darndest things too!

2011-08-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

I encourage my daughters often to enjoy their youthful years. When I look back I remember I had six other guys calling when the 7th guy was staring me in the face. Guys aren't something new to me.

I asked my daughter one simple question. Why can't she even make a sandwich for her husband. I chided her that I was going to post his profile and photo online and the women would be beating down the door to meet him.

Well later when she got me by myself she asked me a question and now days later I do have a response for her. I have been thinking about this day and night since she asked.

It took me a few days but I finally have an answer to her question: "Out of all the men in the world why don't you have one?" My answer: Out of all the millions and billions in the world I don't have one of those either. "I guess I keep letting the important stuff slip through my hands." ROFL! Wait until I tell her my response. She'll probably just say "you're crazy lady" which is her normal comeback when she doesn't have an immediate reply.

I love my daughter to death but I just about stopped loving her that day. I categorize that under the topic of: mean, cruel, and unusual questioning.

I wish there was a service I could rent a horrible looking, talking, and speaking man from just to get even with her and say you didn't specify which one.

This could be attributed to one of those cry to keep from laughing type of situations. My focus right now is and will be getting my grandson through Kindergarten and my older granddaughters through the 4th grade successfully. If a man of my suitability happens to find me then I will have a man.

Wouldn't it be nice if millions and billions could find me? I would be elated.

OMG! We're On Pins and Needles

2011-08-28T22:42:00.000-07:00

My first grandson will be off to Kindergarten this year. My number one concern is "How is he going to do?" Well we all hope he does very well. I have my fingers, my legs, my toes, everything crossed in hopes he soars high above all expectations (especially those of the te

acher so he can be promoted to 1st grade).

My daughter is ready to give up life as she knows to deal with his ensuing new phase in life. And since I am not gainfully employed I plan to be available to him morning, afternoon, and evening as well. I can work from home. Making it 5 minutes up the street should be a breeze. Most of my clients work during the day so evening and weekend appointments are going to be my forte for probably at least the first month he starts school. I figure after about a month he should be fine. Thankfully he will be close enough for me to have all types of backup resources if something unplanned crops up.

He is very outgoing, playful, friendly, team player type person who is very loveable. He has the luxury of having two very supportive parents, and two very supportive grandparents. He is very articulate. He gets his point across very well. He doesn't start any trouble but people seem to be drawn to him to start trouble. He is tall for his age. Very attractive and I guess other children see a challenge in him.

I am on pins and needles. Why did I have to be privy to recent articles concerning the number ratio of the number of black males incarcerated based on whether them having failed Kindergarten? I'm just going to try and focus really hard not to think about all the statistics in relation to black males in Kindergarten and the number of prisons they build in correlation to the number of black males retained in Kindergarten. I want his first year and every year thereafter to be full of successes for him. We just have to wait and see where the ball bounces. His parents don't know who his teacher is going to be as of yet. Now we do know he can only be retained if his parents agree to it for his Kindergarten year. I can't foresee his feisty mother letting her son suffer any unwarranted atrocities.

I know how much of an impact the person standing in front of him day after day during his first year in school is going to leave an impression on him for years to come. Not to mention the family as a whole. I just hope he gets a fair and equitable shake.

I don't want him to be counted in one of the numbers to statistically determine how many black males failed Kindergarten to translate into the number they use to project how many prisons America will need to build in the future.

I want him to be one of the ones whose foundation is built solidly enough where he can make straight A's throughout his primary school years through the sixth grade and receive a certificate signed by the president of the United States for his academic accolades.

Say a prayer not for him but for me. He's cool, calm, and collective. He can't read the negative hype. His report is "he knows everything."

Nostalgia - I Love It

2011-08-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

I was looking at my FACEBOOK screen and I noticed something new. They now have nostalgia. It showed a post I made a year ago: "If we continued to love others as we continue to love our children no matter what they do this world would be a better place."

How quaint of them. I like it. It gives a perspective of what your thoughts were a year ago today.

It is a welcome addition. They keep coming with surprises. Awesome!

I could never imagine them having servers big enough to keep up with all the stuff people say in a year with all the millions of users they have.

Wow! Those guys deserve a pat on the face.

A Good Question!

2011-08-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

Why would someone my age have any interest in my daughter? I really wish I knew. I even wish more he would just walk away and leave her alone for life. However, I am beginning to sound like an old broken down record. It seems a lot of older men are attracted to her. I think she is a very lovely attractive woman. I always hope she will find someone closer in age to herself to spend her quality time with.

Guys my age I don't care for their interest in my daughter and I think she only tolerates them because they ride her around and treat her out to eat. One particular guy looks her up every time he comes to town. He went to high school the same time I was in high school. What does he see in her?

How do I say "stay away from a grown woman." The only thing I've told him is I was going to ball him up if he got her into any trouble.

He is an okay person I guess. I just don't like him for my daughter. I wonder where is his self respect. Why does he have to be seen with someone my daughter's age. I could see if he was a life long mentor.

Every time he comes around things get worse. She has a long time boyfriend who unfortunately is about the same age. I personally think both of them are the lowest scum of the earth. They have approachable personalities. They are just not for her. I heavily dislike both of them for the fact they

Properties Under 100K Seem to Be Going Like Hotcakes

2011-08-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks it seems as I'm out with buyers there seems to be the same trend. The properties my buyers want to make an offer on which are priced under 100K seem to be going like hotcakes.

It's like we call and schedule the appointment, go see the property and then next it there is an approved offer or contract on the property once they are interested in making an offer.

What gives? I don't know but I am sure hoping it is a sign the market is on the rebound.

How Can I Smile? Because the Lord Is My Keeper

2011-08-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

At times life seems to be so full of lemons. I wonder why? Why certain things happen?

I know as Jackie Gouche Farris sings in "My Help" "the Lord will not slumber or sleep." No matter how bad things get and seem to be at times when everything seems to be at an all time low help came out of no where to my amazement. That is one thing I love so much about the saviour I serve he can come to you in your darkest hour and make it your brightest moment.

Right now here tonight as I write this I am asking the Lord because he knows the storms which are raging and I know and have the faith he can calm the storms. He can keep and bring about the joy to dance in the rain with a smile.

Lord I ask you touch the heart of each and every one of my children. Lord I ask you to touch their lives. Lord I ask you to give them some sign of reassurance their help cometh from you. When there seems to be no way you you are the way. All things are possible through you with a mustard seed of faith.

You have carried us through many trials and tribulations and you have strengthened us along the way. There's a reason for every season and we normally don't see it until the next season how our work in the previous season helps us to enjoy the fruit of our labours in the next season. Place a strong message on the hearts of my loved ones who need it. A comforting thought you make no mistakes.

Touch the hearts, souls, and minds of those who are not at ease. Bring peace and understanding over those whose hearts are heavy laden by recent happenings. Especially those who I cannot wrap my arms around and say I love you and everything is going to be alright. Remind them in some way you never have and never will leave or forsake them. There is no testimony without a test. They are loved by me and you.

This too shall pass. Lift up their eyes, do as the eagles do, fly above the turbulence. As long as they hold onto you as their anchor they shall not be moved.

Bless them, keep them, let them be covered with the whole armour of your goodness and mercy. Let them suffer nothing. Amen!

Networking to Next Level

2011-08-16T02:20:00.000-07:00

It is truly amazing the kinds of business relationships that can be formed as a result of networking. I attended a business mixer a while back entitled "First Thursdays Business Mixer". I found out about it via another mixer I attended both events were held in Norfolk.

The business mixer I gained the most networking connections from was "First Thursdays Business Mixer". I actually connected with some of the attendees after the mixer and learned where they went to college. A couple became my FACEBOOK friends. Even others dropped off packets with more information about their business after the first mixer I attended.

I like the Networking Events which turn into Network Connections. I always enjoy being around positive upbeat people. Some of the perks include getting treated out to lunch or dinner.

Well the organizer of the event I have gotten to talk to on several occasions. I was the sponsor for the event in August. There will be a different sponsor in September. I want everyone to enjoy the success I had with the event last month. I have connected with a few more business people.

Today I got a special treat. I met with Lawrence and we did something I have not done before. To make a long story short, we set together and put together a flyer with both our business information and we went door to door distributing prospecting material in a neighborhood I had farmed once before years ago. It has been a while since I did any prospecting on foot and I never prospected with someone who sells insurance before. The last time I farmed a neighborhood it was with a lender. The times before that it was always with real estate agents for a co-listing.

The flyer contained information on my newest listing at 7408 Adele Drive in Norfolk, Virginia . It also included a section on the insurance products/services Lawrence has to offer. It was a joint effort and putting together and distributing the flyers. It was even raining at one point but it did not deter either of us from distributing the flyers.

I had my hair pulled back so I wasn't concerned about it getting my hair wet. He didn't seem to care about his hair getting wet as well.

With the business mixer last month we had more people show up by his word-of-mouth advertising with flyers than with marketing online. We set up a MeetUp group on MeetUp.com in an effort to connect with other business professionals in the Hampton Roads area.

I really enjoy networking and going to different networking events. It provides the opportunity to meet with new people. Friends of your network contacts. And to take our networking efforts outside the regular meetups and work together to generate more business.

Since I have been attending networking events I can surely say my list of business contacts has significantly increased. I really enjoy networking and meeting with other business professionals and making our connections a win-win relationship.

If you're not doing anything the First Thursday of September you may want to consider coming out to Dreams Southern Cuisine at 3376 S. Military Highway in Chesapeake, Virginia and partaking in the Business Mixer. You can sign up on http://www.meetup.com/First-Thursday-Business-Mixer. RSVP is not required.

Most of the attendees come from Lawrence passing out flyers and inviting people face-to-face to the event. I tell him he is the works the hardest I've seen to generate leads. He really gets out and recruits for new business and new business contacts. His energy is contagious. I've been trying to encourage him to bring some of his offline promotional efforts online with the vision being combining the best of both worlds.

It's a rare find to see someone put so much heart into what they do nowadays. It seems like it's a circle of folks who do just that. I am a hard worker too. I like staying on top of what is happening and being out in the forefront of new and upcoming things. It just amazes how people can work so hard but have a whole different perspective on delivery and approach. The ultimate goal being to seal the deal. It definitely takes all types to make the world go round.

During my first years in real estate....

2011-08-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

When I first start selling real estate my concentration was Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Owned and Veterans Affairs (VA) Owned properties. They were vacant and easy to show. I could submit an offer for a client and it seemed like the whole process for me was a lot less cumbersome than dealing with a private owner and all the other parties involved in the transaction.

I remember I used to look forward to the new lists being published in the newspapers. I remember we had two newspapers back then. A morning edition and an evening edition. The HUD listings used to print in the Saturday papers on the back of the page or the inside back cover. I remember flipping to the back of the page for the HUD listings and if they were not on the back I would flip to the inside back cover.

I would look to see which ones were for Owner/Occupancy only and which were now available for investors to purchase. The prices were normally affordable either way. Sometimes my clients would call me on the new list before I could get a chance to call them.

The VA listings I remember being in the Wednesday evening paper once every three weeks. The list used to be sometimes and grew to at one time three pages in length. Virginia Beach normally had the most VA listings. They normally took up about a page by themselves.

Fast forward to 2011 and now the updates can be seen online. They are no longer available in a printed version of the newspaper. I really wonder how much an agent would make if they were to publish a HUD list in the paper every Saturday morning? May be a future marketing idea for myself.

Currently I publish an updated list of HUD Owned properties on my website. My website hits have increased dramatically. However, I don't know whether it is due to the feature zip codes I have on other major real estate portals.

At one time I was able to feature a table of listings which could be sorted by any column by clicking on the column header. Now for some reason the server I am hosting my website is not cooperating. It was a feature I had very active a year ago which seemed to be very popular. I will just eventually move to another platform.

Well just the thought of how the lists used to be in print makes me appreciate how convenient it is to just be able to look up online and not have to wait a week or weeks to see properties in your watch. You can basically Google any address and find out the current status of the listing.

I try an update my site at least once a day. I don't like looking at old stale information.

I imagine if the listings were just in the paper once a week or every three weeks now it would take several pages. Good thing the onset of technology helped make it basically a paperless gesture to get an update on a HUD Owned property. I think it would be very overwhelming to try and handle the lists in print nowadays.

Even though I think it would again be a great marketing tool to have a list in print to generate buyer leads.

A Special Prayer for Some Special People

2011-08-12T01:22:00.000-07:00

It has been several days now since the announcement of the aircraft being attacked in Afghanistan. On my home page this week I wrote a special prayer.

My Prayer:

My heart goes out over the tragic loss of over twenty Navy Seals, the Army Pilot, and all other Americans working in Afghanistan who lost their lives. My prayer of condolence to their friends, families, and acquaintances. They have undoubtedly touched the lives of the masses. They completed the perfect mission so wondrously and wonderfully and now I pray God keep their loved ones at perfect peace during their time of mourning and loss. As their eternal mission begins, may these humans who made the ultimate sacrifice be with Our Lord and Savior and hear that welcome voice say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matthew 25:20-22 For all their sky high efforts and many contributions which have resonated around the world, may they continually soar higher in our hearts for ever more. Amen!

Before Letting the World Know Your New Business Name Buy the Domain!

2011-08-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well probably anyone reading this post will realize how important technology has become to the success of a lot of businesses. Is it especially important for start-ups and new ventures that get some press? Well yes.

I can't imagine a business plan today not including what the website address will be. Just as soon as or as part of the process in deciding upon a business or brand name the name of the website is not immediately coined. What led me to this post?

Well I was doing some online reading seeing what is going on in the business world as a do daily. I read about some companies business plans which include expansion or branching off into new ventures. Some even announce what the name of the new business is going to be when they are pitching the services and/or products the business will provide.

All well and dandy. They got a lot of promotion around what they propose to do. It seems they would take a cue from all the movie names who have to add the word "movie" to the end of their title. Probably for the same reason they will end up with a more creative website name. Before you go public with a brand or business name which is new to the market. Save yourself some headaches and probably a lot of money. Go ahead and coin the business name. Check to see if the website name is available. Okay with me being into domain names the way I am. The first thing I go to check for is to see if they have a lready set up a website. Especially when the article is really pumping them up to make them sound like the next best greatest idea since sliced bread.

If the website is not yet active, I would at least like to see a coming soon page. Well, in a lot of cases I see where there is no website which exists at all. Or even more incredible, someone else already owns the domain for the business they are looking to set up. It makes you wonder how many names they scratched during their brainstorming efforts that were available for the brand and the web.

It is 2011 for heaven's sake. Kudos to your new business venture. Business is happening online nowadays which is just as important as offline. In my business, the majority of people go online first. Online is where people are looking things up before they venture out. Gas prices are a bit too high to be joy riding around for most folks you know! I sure am hoping they already have a variation of the name coined that I just couldn't come up with nor find in a generic Google search.

The funny thing about it is, some businesses are purporting they are expending hundreds of thousands of dollars on technology to support their newest and future business endeavors and didn't even spend about $10 to capture the website name before it becomes a premium name or someone else buys it up.

If you are looking to purchase a domain name you can do it on my website at http://www.websites4sell.com/ any time 24 hours 7 days a week. Just like you own the business my guess with the number of online consumers in today's market, you may want to own the domain as well. It is best to own your domain yourself. You don't want a web developer cutting you loose and your domain goes with them if any creative differences arise later on.

Congratulations to all the latest and greatest business ventures! Don't forget the website name to go on the sign. You haven't made a sign without it have you?

It is all about combining your offline with your online and especially your marketing efforts which go to print.

Lynne Ruffin

Owner/Operator

Web-Styles

3007 Tait Terrace

Norfolk, Virginia

Phone: (757) 717-9929

Personalized web services: http://www.web-styles.com/

Do-it yourself web services: http://www.websites4sell.com/

"Let's show the web wide world your style!"

Lynne Ruffin is also a full-time, full-service real estate professional licensed in Virginia with Century 21 Nachman Realty.

Social Media - Can We All Enjoy It Together, Amicably?

2011-08-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

A challenge to the ones who blow off steam online: "Be Mindful of Your Social Media Etiquette." Okay I've been using social media for a while now and I must say I enjoy it. The people who comment are normally very respectful of what others have to say.

However, over the past couple of days I've seen some comments from boasters which are very flagrant and just plain mean. I am all for freedom of speech, but your freedom of speech doesn't necessarily have to lend itself to being rude or obnoxious.

Granted there are some issues which are going to cause some people more pain than others. We all have different experiences in life. We bring those different perspectives at times, to the social media forums we contribute to.

Telling people what they can do for you which would require you getting up out of your seat and making your backside available can I say safely can considered as being inappropriate. We get a little a heated sometimes if we think people are saying something to offend our ethnicity. Our ethnicity: we were born with it, we wear it around everywhere we go, and apparently there is nothing that can be done about it. However, the name calling, bickering, arguing back and forth for the over 10,000 other people in the group to see is taking it a little bit too far when things escalate to a level where it becomes unsocialable behavior. Most social network mediums have a feature where you can send a private message if things appear to be getting a little too hot. Let it boil over between you guys in your Inbox.

Next, being called a traitor of your ethnicity because at times even those of the same ethnicity will no doubt not see eye-to-eye on the same point. We all see the world differently. Our ideas, thoughts, and intellect do not co-exist collectively with one another in a cloned state. It could be a different in opinion, a diference in the facts presented to support your point. Maybe someone has more knowledge because they have seen transpire first hand via a special project or assignment. Or some people you feel should stand up and take a stand because you feel it is having a direct impact on their ethnicity may feel there has not been enough information presented to take a stance. Just because you blurt out a post doesnt' mean the world will completely change course the next second. Especially her it is after the fact and the whole incident and it particulars have played out in the media. I'm wondering where were you and all your concern when things were bubbling over before practically everywhere on the same topic.

If you throw out an argument which is old news most of the sparkle of the best limelight is gone, conclusions have previously been drawn. And since everyone is not happily agreeing with you or revisiting the issue you call everyone basically a traitor to their own ethnicity but in more colorful language is a little bit too much.

Most of the people, especially after 11 p.m. at night are adults online. Being adults you would hope adults would act accordingly. All these things you are saying are definitely being recorded. It is so sad when things escalate to the point as I have mentioned in a previous post where it catches the attention of law enforcement. And especially when it is directed directly at them and their services.

Chances are when you are getting all overheated and discombobulated over a topic that someone else is calm and mature about, especially if they are on your immediate or level one friend list at that point in time you can bet a reason exists not an excuse. The point of fngerpointing, the blame game, etc. have long passed. You may just want to stop and take a deep breath and see the forest for the trees. If they are at a ice cold level and you're blowing off steam and your steam doesn't seem to be melting the ice something is definitely wrong.

I said all this to say "Learn to Disagree without Being Disagreeable!"

My Website Works: It is serves a dual purpose as my resource tool.

2011-07-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

Well the thought occurred to me recently, my website really serves a dual purpose. It allows me to focus on providing the resources and links I feel prospective buyers and sellers may be interested in when they visit my website. It also allows me to concentrate on including tools and resources of interest to me as well. Tools and resources which help me to be more productive throughout the day.

I started in real estate when there was no websites to utilize to assist in our day-to-day activities. Now I'm looking at my website in the light it can very well serve as my online virtual assistant.

On my sellers page I can get a Z-Estimate on the value of the property a lot quicker than I can if I go through the detail of preparing a Comparative Market Analysis using the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). One thing I like about the Z-Estimates that they are quick and they include some transactions that are not in the MLS.

Additionally, I can monitor any time what the rolling 12-month home value trend is for the different localities. I can see which areas are on the incline (lucky folks up in some parts of Northern Virginia) and which areas are losing value overall on the average. Being a real estate professional it just feels right keeping up with statitstics of that nature. I can do it all from my sellers page.

The directions to all my listings are just a click away on my website. I sure cannot really remember the last time someone asked for directions to a listing after looking at my site. The interactive maps help. Nowadays it is important to have information one click away before those prospects click off to find a website which is less work. I've watched some of my buyers in action. With having taught computer classes for over eight years I know browsing habits are not the same. If we get too caught up in doing things day in and day out we become creatures of habit instead of creatures of what is happening now.

One of my most requested pages is my Open House page. This page helps me keep up with my schedule, especially if I've scheduled 3 or 4 Open Houses for the same week. This page works itself. Whenever, I run an ad for an Open House in the newspaper which also shows up online, the hits to this page sky rocket for a day or two.

I remember when I had a large inventory of REO and distressed owned properties I would get a lot of inquiries from this radio spot bargain company was running. Prospects would hear the ad on the radio, go to the website they promoted and get a list of out-dated distressed homes. Well, it took just a couple of people getting irate that they had just heard it on the radio and went right to the website. What did I mean the property was not still available. To make a long story a little shorter I use my computer skills to have an active server page where I update the data few times a week to display the active, pending, and sold HUD listings. When I implemented this feature a few years back it cut down on some calls. At the time I didn't realize trying to implement a solution for one purpose would help me out too.

Well I've only been back in the business for about five months now and Rome wasn't built in a day and at the rate I'm getting somethings migrated to my website it wasn't either. But I'm still diligently working towards my websites providing a user-friendly experience where someone will pick up the phone and say "hey I called you to be my real estate agent because I could navigate your website the easiest."

Now I do have some items I really do want to get implemented again or put up for the first time. A lead capture form to write to a database with a secure active server page that I can manage my prospects from. Join my newsletter form. The auto-notification form with property specifics for buyers to choose from. An interactive calendar to sync with my phone so if I'm out on an appointment and not answering the phone people will have a general idea as to when they will be able to get ahold of me.

Now since I realize from reviewing my stats this week I would like to have chat available during peak times on my website. Between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. and between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

It's going to happen, my website working as a better resource tool for me and other end-users, I feel it in my fingertips.

Good Morning to All the Early Risers!

2011-07-27T02:14:00.000-07:00

Okay! I see I am definitely not alone when I get up early in the morning and start my journey on the world wide web for the day. I was checking my website stats this morning and one thing I noticed is the most requests for pages to my website come between the hours of 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Wow! What an interesting statistic. The most views come early in the morning. The even more incredible finding was that the other highest peak for my website visitors happens between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Gee whiz! I guess if I'm looking to capture some people via an online chat session I need to be up pretty early in the morning. Now it peaks my curiosity and I'm going to need for me to Google to see if there are any statistics around what are the peak hours for web browsing.

My guess would be for people to be on the web that time of morning they are probably browsing prior to going to work. Second most highest peak time is they are browsing probably once they get home or right before leaving work for the day.

It would be nice to see some meaningful statistics which track browsing to see what category of websites get the most browsing activity during these times. I could definitely see looking at pay per click advertising geared around that type of information. People getting up this early are probably definitely prospective clients to target.

Well I've seen something which has really got me awe inspired this morning. The early birds are on the job with getting their worms.

Top of the morning to all the early risers!

Locating My Cell Phone

2011-07-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

Cell phones have become such a big part of life. I'm posting this location badge to my profile. If my phone is successfully returned I will be ever so grateful. I feel like I have lost something major without it.

Lynne's Lines

Is Your Confidant Your Protagonist?

You'll Always Be Loved Whitney!

Do You Know the Equation for Love?

Promote Yourself if Nothing Else!

God's Grace is Sufficient

There are those FACEBOOK posts I really love!

Happy Thanksgivings Everyone!

Dumb Rocks Break Windows of Opportunity

Our Family Veterans

My Inexpensive Treat

Putting the Movers and Shakers on Pause

Local Real Estate Trends for Top 146 Most Searched Cities on REALTOR.com

Just Drawing Closer to God

It All Boils Down to Common Sense is Just Too Common

Grandma's Admonition: "Stand On Your Own Two Feet!"

Open House: Celebrate Fall | Century 21 Blog

Internal Havoc Over Internal Controls, Is It a Policy Issue?

When You Don't Know You Don't Know

Bad News Prelude

Last Quarter of the Calendar Year!

God's Covenant in Full Color Effect

Genesis 9 (King James Version)

Genesis 9

Genesis 9

A 13 Year Old with a Whole Lot of History!

Contests and Sweepstakes | This Old House

Green-Eyed Monster Epidemic

A Shot in the Rear and You're On Your Way

Just Turned 48 and I feel great!

All I Want For My Birthday Is...

Number 43

Doesn't the Title Say It All?

It's Time to Hit the Books!

Bus Schedules for Hampton Roads Schools:

Suffolk - sorry I wasn't able to find a working link

School Calendars for Hampton Roads Schools.

Wishing all the school children a fantastic year! Be safe, be courteous, and most of all be very, very, studious. A new school year is the greatest opportunity for a new start! Make it count!

Think About the Little Guy!

Get Mad - Your Prices Are Just Way Too High!

Grown kids say the darndest things too!

OMG! We're On Pins and Needles

Nostalgia - I Love It

A Good Question!

Properties Under 100K Seem to Be Going Like Hotcakes

How Can I Smile? Because the Lord Is My Keeper

Networking to Next Level

During my first years in real estate....

A Special Prayer for Some Special People

Before Letting the World Know Your New Business Name Buy the Domain!

Social Media - Can We All Enjoy It Together, Amicably?

My Website Works: It is serves a dual purpose as my resource tool.

Good Morning to All the Early Risers!

Locating My Cell Phone