Thanksgiving . . .

As I sit here contemplating this American holiday and what it truly means to me I am being serenaded by piano from the most wonderful person I know.

What this day is really about for me is being whole-heartedly grateful for being blessed by the Almighty:

I live in a country where I am free and I am sincerely grateful to those men and women who serve this country to protect that freedom. To you I say thank you for your courage to do so when so many of us talk-the-talk but do not walk-the-walk - THANK YOU!!

In a time when economic conditions do not allow many to have the necessities and comforts so many of us take for granted I am thankful I have a job to pay my bills, put food on the table, provide for my shelter and heat in my home and have a little extra for a rainy day - THANK YOU FATHER IN HEAVEN!!

Even for my former wife I am grateful and wish her much happiness . . . for without her I would not have become the father of my four awesome children that God has allowed us to bring into this world - I love each and every one of you and wish you happiness and blessings always.

For the many family and real friends in my life who accept and love me without judging . . . you are my treasure.

In a time when some people have no one special to share their lives I am blessed with a truly amazing companion who loves me unconditionally - you are indeed the love of my life and I can't imagine living without you!

So instead of being cynical and pessimistic look around the be thankful even if it's difficult . . . things could be much worse.

And, remember . . . Life is a lesson, it's all about love!

Hump day . . . another weak day.

I know it’s the middle of the week, halfway to the weekend, but what a name to give the day. I rustles up other connotations . . . some not so bad.

Today was like other days. Get up, go to work and make it through the day; go home hopefully to relax a bit before going off to bed. Then do it all over again tomorrow.

I need to chill a bit. By this I mean I need to let go of the negative and bring in the positive. I have had my ups and downs when it comes to attitude but in the past year I’ve let myself be dragged down to an unpleasant state of mind. I don’t like it at all. I do know what’s causing it, however.

Have you ever felt like a piece of rope in a tug-of-war? I do. It’s rather unfair to be put in that position but that’s what’s happened to me. The sad part is I’ve let it. When you have two people with strong personalities on the job and you’ve either reported to or currently report to them it’s very hard. Now I get along with both of them but they don’t get along very well with each other. Both are descent people. Both can be good leaders. Both can be dictatorish. Only one of them has much, much better people skills . . . or at least that’s my opinion.

So what have I learned?

I can only control myself. I’m in charge of how I react to my surroundings. If other people get to me, yes it’s a bitch or is it they’re a bitch (kind of the same thing, don’t you think?), but how I choose to think or feel about it is up to me.

I need to be positive to attract the positive . . . something I’ve let slide in the past year.

Life’s a bitch and then you . . . well you know how it goes.

So remember--- life’s a lesson, it’s all about love!

Saturday a weak end . . .

Today I’ve learned . . .

A wishfully lazy, early Saturday morning - 6:39 a.m. on the alarm clock. Do I just get up or wait another 15 minutes before I must? I wait maybe 5 minutes and rise. After working the whole week at my full-time job it’s my turn to work at my one-weekend a month job at the real estate office.

I go through my regular morning routine with a few added chores that I normally do on the weekends. I get to the real estate office, check the phones for messages and showing requests and prepare for the day’s work. I look over the files left unfinished. I wonder why I am still doing this job. Over the past year I have not been trained on the new procedures and have forgotten some as well. Real estate has not been very busy which means one looses the know-how when all you do is work one weekend a month in this business.

I do what I can remember and realize that if I don’t finish the files at least it will give the regular staff something to do on Monday. Of course, I wouldn’t want them to be overworked. What’s left should only take a couple hours, tops.

One agent comes in, turns on the vestibule lights and makes a comment on how she, “knows whose working because the lights aren’t on again, good morning, Kev”. It’s the vestibule for goodness sake. It faces the East and is full of natural day-light but heaven forbid the lights aren’t on . . . let it go already. But, I laugh it off and say, “Good morning”.

You see, this business is full of some people with HUGE egos. When I say huge I mean more inflated than a hot air balloon. Many of them need to be stroked ever so gently and often and believe they are the most generous and caring people in the world. They’re “not in the business for the money” but would just a soon throw you under a bus to get to a perspective client before anyone else.

Now please don’t take this the wrong way, I also know some very wonderful, generous and humble people in the business that would give you the clothes off their backs and are honest as the day is long. Those are the ones I admire. They really do care how you are doing and hate titles that go along with how much sales they did for the year. Unfortunately, they are far and few between.

So what did I learn today . . . I’m glad you asked. 1. Don’t judge a book by its cover – (yes, I know it’s a cliché) . . . 2. My memory isn’t what it used to be . . . 3. I am not fond of people with HUGE ego’s . . . 4. If you want a real and honest real estate agent ask me for a referral . . . 5. Treat people the way you want them to treat you . . .

Boy this learning stuff really takes a lot out of you.

So just remember . . . Life is a lesson, it’s all about love!