Thinking Out Loud

Run Forrest, RUN!

2012-01-30T15:40:00.000-08:00

Back in 2005, for reasons still unknown to me, I decided I would sign up for the CIBC Run for the Cure 5K Run in Toronto. Of course, I wanted to raise some money for a very worthwhile cause, but I believe there was also another reason. For as long as I can remember, I have admired people that run (Voluntarily - without being chased by a dog or a bear). Whether you run 5k, 10k, the half marathon or the full, you are one of my heroes.

S0 I enlisted the support of my long time BFF (who has running in her blood) and decided to sign up for the race. I had no idea how to train or prepare for the run and wasn't really interested in learning how to run properly. I had a goal and I was just going to jump in and do it! That's kind of the running equivalent of setting out on a cross country journey without a road map. Not overly bright. Sure, I worked out and exercised leading up to the big day, but prior to the run, I had never actually run 5K in my life.

I did complete the 5k run (I ran about 3.5 of the 5K) and had a slow but semi-respectable run time of 37 minutes, 10 seconds. While I was running I thought "Who in their right mind does this on a regular basis"? But I was determined to keep going. When I crossed the finish line that morning, I will never forget the way I felt. While I was running, I thought it was my first and last race. After I crossed the finish line, I knew I had to do it again.

In January 2011 I made a New Year's resolution to lose weight and get back onto the exercise bandwagon - a wagon I had fallen off about 4 years earlier. For quite possibly the first time ever, I actually stuck to it and here I am 13 months later - 24 pounds lighter and a regular "yogi" at my yoga studio. This year I needed a new resolution. Why not give that running thing another shot????

I had heard good things about a running program that you can follow on-line called "Couch to 5K" (C25k). Supposedly, by following their program you can go from a total couch potato to a 5K runner in 9 short weeks. All you "runners" out there would likely read it and think it sounds incredibly easy. I read it and thought "This might be a program I can stick to". What have I got to lose?? (other than HOPEFULLY the extra jiggle in my thighs and butt!)

So I decided, Monday, January 30th would be RUN DAY! (W1D1 in C25K lingo). The program consists of 3 runs per week over a 9 week period, each week becoming more difficult than the last. Today's run was a 5min brisk warm-up walk, transitioning into alternating intervals of 1 min of running and 90 seconds of brisk walking for 20 minutes, followed by a 5 minute cool down walk. Sounds easy enough, right??

Cue obstacle # 1 - semi-blizzard-like weather that began about an hour before I had scheduled my run. Thankfully I had purchased some winter running gear which I hoped would be enough to keep me warm in the snow. I planned to run during the 4 (!!!) hours that I spend at the cheer gym each Monday, but since the gym is in a deserted, poorly lit industrial area, I heard my mother's voice in my head and decided to drive to a nearby residential area with plenty of people around and lots of light.

I parked the car and began the 5 minute walk to a local park area that I knew had a running track. I'd like to tell you that the gently falling snow was beautiful and that I admired the way the trees glistened in the streetlights, but that would be a crock. To be quite honest, it sucked. I was, however, impressed with how my running gear kept me warm. With the exception of my hands, after my warm-up walk, I was pretty toasty warm.

Cue obstacle # 2 - my left knee. Within the first 45 seconds of actual running, my knee reminded me of why I don't run in the first place. It remains to be seen whether my knee will allow me to continue, but I did complete the full 30 minute Week 1 Day 1 program. In the beginning I thought "there's no way in HELL I will be able to keep this up for 20 minutes", but by the end, I was surprised at how fast the time passed. I DID IT!!

I've scheduled a hot yoga session for tomorrow morning in anticipation of needing to stretch some sore muscles and ease some aches and pains. I'm planning my next run for Wednesday morning after I drop the kids at school. I'm hoping for better weather, a happier knee and another successful 30 minute program. I have a feeling it may take longer than the 9 weeks for me to be able to run 5K without stopping, but with any luck (and a little hard work) I hope to run the 5K at the Mississauga Marathon in May. Wish me luck!

"I just felt like RUNNING"

J :)

The Naked Truth (or, Why I Love Working in Real Estate)

2011-05-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure there's not a person out there that is 100% happy with their job every minute of every day. Even the "Professional Video Game Tester" or the "Chief Chocolate Taster" or sometimes even the "Male Underwear Model Photographer" must have moments where they say "MAN, my job SUCKS!" Probably not often, but hey, it's gotta happen!

I had one of those days yesterday. First of all, let me clarify: 99% of the time I really do love my job. Real Estate is one of those rare careers where you can make a fairly decent living without needing to be a Corporate Slave, chained to a desk for 8, 10 or 12 hours a day. You can often (but not always) pick and choose when you want to work, who you would like to work with and how often you would like to take a vacation. You can also pretty much control how much money you'd like to make each year. I'll admit, it's a decent gig.

It is not, however, easy. In reality, helping someone to buy or sell a home is actually a very small part of what we do. We are frequently called upon to be marriage counsellors, appliance sales people, financial advisors, interior designers, tour guides, taxi drivers, couriers, photographers and mind readers. Clients have read my bio on my website and asked: "You have a degree in Psychology and you ended up selling Real Estate?" I reply: "You'd be surprised how much it helps".

I have been working in the Real Estate industry since I was 12 years old - June 1987, to be exact. Real Estate is in my blood - it's pretty much the only thing I have ever done. I was there when the market exploded in the late 80s, worked through the awful recession in the early 90s (a Real Estate office was a mighty depressing place to work in 1991, let me tell you) and enjoyed the strength and stability of the market in the "new millennium". I have worked in reception, accounting, marketing, training and finally sales. I became licenced on May 1st, 1997. In fact, as I am typing this, I realize that today is the 14 year anniversary of the day I sold my very first house. (H-section, Brampton, $130K, multiple offer situation. They say you never forget your first.....) Every day since has truly been an adventure.

The wonderful thing about Real Estate is that no two "days at the office" are quite the same. When you wake up each morning, you often have no idea what you are going to walk into through the course of your day. I was driving to an appointment this afternoon thinking about the less-than-stellar work day I had yesterday and took a walk-down memory lane thinking about some of the more fun and interesting days this career has brought me. The following story popped into my head and I felt it needed to be shared. Enough time has passed now that I can actually laugh at a situation which, at the time, I was convinced was going to land me in therapy.

I received a call from a gentleman one day who wanted to sell his house. Let's call him "Richard". He wanted to sell his townhouse because he was buying a condo-type property at the Four Seasons Nudist Resort near Guelph. He asked me if it bothered me that he was going to be a practicing Nudist. "Of course not", I replied, "whatever floats your....ummm....boat"

I gathered the information I needed for the listing appointment and planned to meet him the following day. When I arrived at his home the next afternoon, I was surprised to discover that he wasn't "planning to become a nudist", he was already a full-fledged practicing NAKED PERSON! That's right folks, Richard greeted me at the front door wearing nothing but a SMILE. Nothing they taught me in Phase 3 quite prepared me for this moment.

What did I do then, you ask??? Well I went in and gave a kick-ass listing presentation, of course! But first, I followed him around as he gave me a tour of his home. There was not a window in the place had blinds or any sort of curtain so it was a little awkward standing in the living room looking out the HUGE picture window with a naked man at my side. I also had to try REALLY hard not to laugh when we stood at the back door and I remarked about the size of his deck. Following him up the stairs for a tour of the bedrooms was equally fun (whatever you do Jennifer...do NOT LOOK UP!!!)

It's truly amazing that no matter how hard you try not to look at IT, your eyes seem to have a mind of their own! Looking back, I am actually pretty impressed that I kept my composure long enough to survive the X-rated house tour. All I kept thinking was "Let's just get to the table so we can sit down and I won't have to see IT staring back at me any longer". We made our way to the kitchen and, wouldn't you know it, it was a FREAKIN' GLASS TABLE!!! Looked like I was going to be giving this listing presentation to Richard....and Richard Jr. At this point I began looking around the room for the film crew because this felt like a "Surprise!! You're on candid camera!!!" moment.

Of course, my husband, friends and a few colleagues enjoyed some hearty laughter at my expense over this one. Most everyone that I told the story to was quite shocked that I actually stuck around. He never did sell his house (maybe he decided he didn't have what it takes to be a nudist? I can imagine it would get awfully cold......), but he's still on my mailing list and every once in a while I'll get an email from him. If nothing else, it's a funny story that I can reflect on when I have a day like I had yesterday. Laughter is definitely the best cure for a rotten day at the office.

All in all, I love what I do for a living. It hasn't always been smooth sailing, but the good experiences definitely outweigh the bad. Real Estate may be unpredictable, stressful, draining and emotional but it is certainly not BORING! I am thankful to have had the chance to spend the last 24 years of my life in one of the most dynamic industries in the world.

But let's be honest, "Chief Chocolate Taster" would be pretty cool too!

J :)

Day 2: Count Your Blessings

2011-01-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are - day 2 of my New Year challenge. I behaved myself all day yesterday - with the only questionable food item consumed being popcorn at the movies last night. I wish I could say that I awoke this morning feeling like a million bucks, but sadly the cold/flu season seems to have caught up with me and I sort of feel like I had a run in with a very snotty, sneezy, achy Mac Truck last night. I am quite certain that has nothing to do with my "healthy whole foods" choices yesterday - 'tis the season to be coughy.

Thankfully, my task for day 2 does not involve any physical activity or contact with others. I'm kind of hoping to stay in my jammies all day watching football and eating soup.

"Say Thank You. Make a conscious effort to be grateful. In the morning think of three things that you appreciate in your life. Starting the day from this place changes your mood and energy. In the evening, think of three things, people or moments that you experienced during the day that were positive or made you feel good" *

This exercise ties in with something that I learned during a motivational/ training seminar that I attended earlier in December. The event was called "Achieve 2010" and was hosted by a Real Estate motivational speaker that I have mentioned before in my blogs - Richard Robbins. The event was 2 1/2 days of fabulous speakers, sales training with a little dancing thrown in. There were a few AHA moments for me during this event, but one thing that I learned and planned to put into practice for the new year was "R&R" time (Reflect and Review). Richard suggests taking 15-30 minutes of time - preferably before the rest of your household awakes, if possible - and reflect on what you accomplished, review what needs to be done in the day ahead and be thankful for what you have in your life. He likened this practice to: getting up in the morning and reviewing the map before you head out on a road trip. You wouldn't just get up and start driving, you should always make sure where you're going before you get behind the wheel.

So, it is very fitting that my "to-do" list is incorporating this task right off the bat. Here goes.

Three things I appreciate in my life:

1) My healthy, smart, beautiful children. Granted, I can't wait to get them out of the house and back to school tomorrow, but I appreciate them nonetheless.

2) My husband/partner in crime. Even though he still hasn't learned how to change the toilet paper roll.

3) It was hard to pick just one thing for this spot. I am blessed to live in a beautiful country (cold weather and all), have a wonderful circle of friends, extended family and supportive colleagues and a job that I love.

***

As for the second part of the exercise, I ended up drugging myself up on cold medicine and falling asleep last night, so I couldn't finish it until this morning.

Three Things/People/Moments that Made me Smile yesterday:

1) Erin's home made "get well soon" card - signed "Erin, Peace, Love and Happyniss"
2) A yummy piece of birthday cake sent home to me from my nephew's birthday party (that I had to miss!)
3) A signature on an accepted offer (come on, not everything has to be mushy)

I am going to start incorporating Richard's method of "R&R" into my daily routine (or maybe even a little "R,R&R" - Reviewing, Reflecting and 'riting) It really helps to put things in perspective. I find that we really can get overwhelmed with rushing through the day-to-day busy-ness of our lives that we tend to not stop and appreciate all that we have. Often we complain about how much we have to do and how little money we have to do it with instead of saying "thank goodness I have such a full life!" I guarantee that no matter how rough you think you have it, there is someone, somewhere that would change places with you in a heartbeat.

Thank You.

J :)

* Source: Chatelaine Magazine, January 2011 issue.

New Year, New Blog, New Me?

2011-01-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I think this is the first New Year's Day in recent memory that I awoke with a clear head and not even the faintest hint of a hangover. On one hand, that means we didn't have a wild and crazy party last night, but on the other, I believe it is a fitting start to a year where my primary objective is to be a healthier, happier, fitter and more productive version of myself. I made some changes in 2010 that started me on the right path, but this year is the time to "kick things up a notch" so to speak.

In my Christmas stocking this year, I found a copy of Chatelaine Magazine. One of the cover stories immediately caught my eye - "Change Your Life in 30 Days - A Step by Step Guide to Finding Real Balance and Boosting Your Health" Well, Santa must be a lot smarter than I give him credit for - this is exactly what I need! (Although, Santa was sending some mixed messages, as the cover of the magazine features a positively scrumptious looking chocolate cupcake - the very thing I am trying to AVOID in 2011, but his heart was in the right place).

I flipped to the article and noticed that it was a "to-do" list, of sorts. There were 30 items, all small and relatively easy to accomplish, and the goal was to do one item each day for a month. Hmmmmmmm......I think I can do that! I didn't finish reading the list (better to keep most items as a surprise!), but I thought it would make for a good experiment for the month of January. Every day, I will complete one of the items on the list and blog about it. At the end of the month we will see if my life has "changed" as the magazine promises it will.

Most experts say it takes 30 days to form a habit (some say 21, but let's not be nit-picky). My secondary goal with this little experiment is that it will force me to write something every day. As many of you know, 2011 is "The Year of the Book" for me. By starting the year building a "writing habit", I should be on the right path to making some real headway with my future novel.

Now, for my first "to-do" item:

"Aim for 80% of today's food intake to be fresh, real and unprocessed. Avoid any canned, frozen, pre-cooked or pre-packaged fare." *

Sounds easy enough, right? In our house, we very rarely eat anything that is pre-packaged or frozen (thanks to my Executive Chef and Partner in Crime). However, when I am out and about and working, I have a horrible habit of grabbing whatever is easy, fast and can be eaten in the car. If you actually sit down and take a look at the nutritional value of what I eat when I am away from home, it is truly appalling. This is one issue that definitely needs to be addressed - not only on Day 1 of my experiment, but every day going forward.

I'm off to a good start so far - just oatmeal for breakfast! I'm heading out to Square One shortly for a little new year shopping (thankfully item #1 on my list wasn't "cut up your credit cards". That would have stung a bit). The real test will be passing by all that food-court fast food crap in the mall. Good thing they say willpower is always strongest on day one of any new challenge!

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives, not looking for flaws, but for potential" - Ellen Goodman

Wishing all of you the very best for 2011! Make it count.

J :)

* Source: Chatelaine Magazine, January 2011 Issue.

Remember the Fallen

2010-11-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

My husband is what you would call a "war buff". The Military and History channels get more airtime in our house than all the sports networks combined. As a result, I know more about war than I ever really wanted to. Learning by osmosis, I guess. I mock him for his morbid fascination with the most tragic and depressing chapters of our history books, but in reality, I don't hate watching those documentaries as much as I let on.

Of course, with today being Remembrance Day, it's right up there with Super Bowl Sunday for good quality TV programming. I was just watching a documentary on the Military Channel about the last days of World War I and I learned something that I didn't know about the war. To me, war has always seemed a completely senseless and tragic method of "conflict resolution", but this particular show really hammered that point home.

For some reason, I was not aware that the Armistice that was to mark the end of WWI was signed at 5am on November 11, 1918. The cease fire did not come into effect until 6 long hours later - the battle continued and some 2700 soldiers needlessly lost their lives. Private George Lawrence Price, a 25 year old farm labourer, was the last Canadian Soldier (and likely the last of the Allied forces) to fall - at 10:58, a mere two minutes before the declaration of peace in the "war to end all wars". Private Price, along with more than 2700 other soldiers, gave the ultimate sacrifice that day in a war that was, for all intents and purposes, already over. The tragedy of this story is overwhelming.

It is widely believed that the number of soldiers that died during those final 6 hours is actually significantly higher than recorded. The French government is reported to have altered the death records of their soldiers that fell on that day to avoid the inevitable backlash and public outcry that was to come when it was learned their loved ones had died needlessly after the Armistice had been signed. The dates of death were engraved "November 10th" on those military headstones, lest they have to answer any questions about the inexplicable 6 hour "peace delay".

Today I attended a Remembrance Day ceremony at my kids' school. The entire service - the readings, songs, poems and pictures - was put together by the Grade 6 students. It was a beautiful and moving ceremony which left many of the attendees, myself included, reaching for the kleenex. Thinking back to my own school days, I don't recall any special Remembrance Day celebrations, other than the obligatory minute of silence at 11am. I am happy to see that the school board is trying to instill in our children an appreciation for the sacrifices that many have made to ensure their freedom (in spite of the inexplicable fact that our provincial government does not deem today important enough to warrant a Statutory Holiday......but that's another blog post all together).

So, today we remember the fallen, those who came home and those still fighting today. Thank you for all you have done and all you continue to do. Thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice so that my children can proudly live in a country that is strong and free. Simply, humbly, thank you.

J

MH + JM = 2gether 4ever!

2010-10-26T06:04:00.001-07:00

On October 26, 2002, in a gorgeous Milton Country Club, Marc Halter married Jennifer Meaney in a beautiful ceremony surrounded by 88 of their closest family and friends. The groom wore a rented tux and the bride was lovely in an ivory gown, sans designer label, off the 50% discount rack. They danced to a song written and performed by their best man and drank a martini the size of a small country. A good time was had by all.

I may be a little biased, but I still think that our wedding was one of the best I have ever been to. Happy 8th Anniversary, Babe!

Eight years may not seem like a long time to many, but in today's age of the "disposable marriage", 8 years is practically a lifetime. I heard a story on the radio the other day about yet another celebrity marriage that has fallen apart. The couple had been married for nearly 5 years and have a 2 year old son. The reason they cited for their divorce?? "We are more like best friends than a married couple". Ummmmm....hello..... if you have been married for 5 years, have a toddler monopolizing your every waking minute and you are still "best friends", I'd call that a pretty good marriage. Wouldn't you? All of the great married couples that I know, Marc and I included, really are friends first. You kind of have to be. You can have all the passion and spark in the world, but if at the end of the day you don't really LIKE each other, what on earth is the point?

I think Marc and I are in the minority when I say that our parents (both sets) are still married - and happy! My in-laws have been married 42 years, my parents 37. I'm sure their secret to a long and happy relationship isn't endless passion, romantic strolls on the beach and arguing over which one loves the other more. I'm thinking their "secret" is a mutual love, respect and, above all, friendship first. If genetics has anything to do with it, I'd say we have a pretty good shot at making it!

I do believe Marc and I will go the distance, not just because it is our anniversary and I am supposed to say that. Are we that perfect couple that never argues and just can't get enough of each other? Of course not. We scrap it out just like everyone else. Above it all, however, we have a friendship and mutual respect for each other that has only gotten stronger through life's ups and downs. We are each other's biggest fans. We support each other's wacky ideas (mostly mine), tolerate each other's crazy moods (again, mostly mine) and ignore each other's annoying habits (Mostly his. All of my habits are adorable.) We give each other a good swift kick in the ass when necessary. Plus, he cooks AND cleans. Let's face it, I'd be nuts to walk away from that!

I guess the bottom line is this: these days, it seems that a lot of couples head for the hills at the first sign of trouble or, in many cases, boredom. I'm not saying that there aren't valid reasons that many marriages fail - of course there are. Sometimes you just marry the wrong person. It happens. However, I do think a lot of people forget what marriage really is all about. I think if after juggling a mortgage, bills, jobs, several children, the crazy schedules of said children and family (yours AND the in-laws) the WORST thing you can say about your marriage is "we're more like best friends", then you're doing ok. In fact, you're doing better than ok. When all is said and done, it is the friendship that will take you the distance. After all, when you're both 85 (well, I'll only be 81....) and the passion of your youth is all but gone, it is that same friendship that will ensure that you've still got something to talk about.

Thanks for being my best friend, Sparky. Happy Anniversary!!!! I Love you !!!!

Puddles xoxox

If you write it, will they read?

2010-10-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

It's official. I have developed an obsession. Surprisingly, it's not an obsession that I could have seen coming - like chocolate, shoes or that cute werewolf kid from the twilight movies (sadly, I'm a little old for that one!) For the past several months something has been consuming me - filling my mind during quiet daytime moments and keeping me from falling asleep at night. I often find my thoughts wandering back to my obsession during conversations with family, friends and colleagues, hoping they don't notice the vacant expression on my face as they talk. I have been filling journals with notes and scribbles about how to make this obsession of mine a reality. Now I think the time has come to face this obsession head on. The first step to dealing with it, is admitting it, right? Here goes. My name is Jennifer and I am obsessed with wanting to write a book.

Whew! That wasn't so hard, was it? Actually, it kind of was. I am not sure why I have been struggling with this so much. It's something that has been on my "bucket list" for years so why is it NOW so difficult for me to say out loud? Furthermore, why is it so hard for me to actually DO IT?

I wrote a lot when I was younger. I was a shy kid that could barely look people in the eye when I spoke. Writing was cathartic for me, a way for me to get my thoughts and feelings out that didn't involve having to actually talk to someone. In school, if given the choice of writing a ten thousand word essay or giving a 5 minute oral presentation, I would choose the essay every time. I have a box in my basement filled with old journals, diaries, letters and short stories written during elementary and high school. Even now, I would prefer to take the time to send an email or text message to someone rather than pick up the phone and call. I am somehow better at getting my point across with the written (rather than spoken) word.

Why, then, is the concept of writing on a bigger scale so terrifying? I am guessing confidence has a lot to do with it. "Jennifer Halter" and "self confidence" are two things that you will never hear in the same sentence. Unless, of course, that sentence is "Jennifer Halter has no self confidence". It is scary to think about putting your heart and soul into something that no one might ever want to read. I confided to a friend the other day that I had finally "written" the opening chapter of my future novel in my head, but was unable to actually write it down. I told her that the thought of finally putting proverbial pen to paper was intimidating. What if no one cared what I had to say? Her reply was "Write your story for YOU, and no one else. Even if you are the only one who ever reads it, you will still have written your novel." I realized, she was right.

There has been a story inside me for quite some time now. Until recently, it had been pretty well behaved, quietly rolling around in my head and not ruffling any feathers. Poking its head out every now and then, just to let me know it was still there. For the past several months the story has felt like a caged animal - loud and impossible to ignore, viciously pounding on the cage and demanding to be let out. There is rarely a waking hour that goes by where I don't hear a character "speaking" to me in my head. I had to resort to carrying a journal around with me everywhere to make sure these voices don't get lost in my increasingly feeble memory bank. I know that taking the first step will be the hardest - actually writing that first chapter.

I did, however, finally take an important step in the writing process yesterday. I ordered some books from the library to begin the research process. I have also been following an author online for many years now. He writes a daily blog and a monthly e-newsletter that are entirely devoted to "Novel Writing for Dummies". Recently, I have been devouring his blog and newsletter archives, where I had previously only regarded them as something to file away for that far off day in the future when I would begin to take this novel seriously.

Believe it or not, this blog post is actually a significant preliminary step in the process as well - actually admitting, out loud in a public forum, that this is something I want to do. Not worrying about whether or not people will mock, doubt or discourage me. I have no idea how long this process will take, or even whether or not anything print worthy will come out of it in the end, but I do know this: When my days in this life are drawing to a close, it is unlikely that I will regret having written a novel that wasn't a best seller (maybe didn't even get published). I would be more likely to regret having never written my story at all.

Play ball!

J :)

Social Butterfly

2010-10-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Well, all the buzz for this weekend seems to be about the movie "The Social Network" which opens in theatres today. I have to admit, I have been wanting to see this movie since I saw the first trailers a few months ago, and not because I am a Facebook junkie (which, of course, I am). I think it will be interesting to see the story behind the creation of, undoubtedly, one of the greatest phenomena of this millennium. Now that I am reading some reviews of the movie I am even more intrigued....Oscar Buzz!!!! I wasn't actually expecting the movie to be great, just an interesting story. I will definitely have to check it out.

It got me to thinking about what Facebook has actually done for me since I joined in early 2007. At first, of course, the novelty of Facebook was the opportunity to find old friends/neighbours/ex-boyfriends that you haven't seen in ages and check in on what they were doing. Did that guy who broke my heart in 10th grade end up bald and fat? Did the most popular girl in school really end up living happily ever after with the captain of the football team? How about that best friend that I lost touch with when she moved away the summer before high school? Answers to all of this, and more, could be found on Facebook. The first few months were ADDICTIVE - searching for all your long lost buddies. I can imagine office productivity was at an all time low during the early days of FBs popularity, before IT departments had sense enough to block the use of the site at work.

Now, however, I think FB has morphed into something beyond what anyone ever thought possible. Now, one of the greatest things for me about Facebook is being able to keep in touch with my family all over the world. I have over 60 FIRST cousins - most of whom I have either never met, or have not seen since I was quite young. Since FB came on the scene, more than half of those first cousins are on my friends list - as are their children and grandchildren (in some cases), giving me the opportunity to actually KNOW them. On my recent trip to Newfoundland, it was amazing to meet these relatives who were no longer strangers, even though distance had kept me from seeing them for many, many years.

Since my parents moved to Newfoundland back in February and my only brother has been living in Vancouver for several years, it is wonderful to be able to check on what they are up to and for them to be able to see pics of my kids' lost teeth, new hairstyles and redecorated bedrooms. Since I now have a new niece or nephew due to arrive in February, I won't feel so isolated from his/her little west coast life because mommy and daddy can keep us up-to-date on Facebook.

The other benefit (admittedly, an unexpected one) is what a great tool FB has become for my business. I can think of 3 or 4 real estate deals this year alone that would not have happened were it not for Facebook. I realized that there were a lot of people in my immediate circle that had no idea that I was a real estate agent. Now they do, thanks to FB, and they have an easy way to get in touch with me if they have any real estate questions. I have no problem adding past clients to my friends list, if they request it, as I never post anything on FB that I wouldn't want everyone to know. It is a great way to keep in touch with them and give them a chance to really get to know you as a person, instead of just the person that sold their house.

My friends list, relatively small compared to most, currently sits at around 400 - most of whom are old friends from the past, family members, co-workers and people that are in my current social circle. There are also a handful of real estate agents (mostly from the GTA, but several from other provinces and the USA)that are there for networking purposes. There is also at least one person on that list who I actually met BECAUSE of Facebook, and we have since become good friends. I trim my friends list regularly to get rid of folks that annoy me, post things that are offensive, or routinely get into fights with others via their status updates. The friends that remain on my list - I look forward to hearing what they have to say, sharing ideas, hearing about their awesome/crazy/stressful/funny/crappy day. I love to hear about engagements, new babies, vacations and birthdays. Sometimes life can get in the way of friendships and relationships, and Facebook gives you an easy way to just stay connected.

To be quite honest, I am not sure how we ever stayed in touch BEFORE Facebook came along. How did we plan a party, organize a fundraiser or remember everyone's birthday? I realize that Facebook is now a multi-billion dollar commodity, but I think most of the 500 million users (with the exception of, possibly, my husband) would agree that Facebook has changed the way they socialize, stay in touch and even run their businesses. Oh sure, it can be a huge time waster (some of those stupid games are ADDICTIVE!) but I think that if we woke up tomorrow and discovered that Facebook was gone, it would be sorely missed - as would all 400 of my FB friends.

J :)

Hachiko: A Dog's Story

2010-09-11T20:55:00.000-07:00

Recently, a friend loaned me a copy of a movie that I had never heard of. "It's about a Dog. Just watch it", I was told. Tonight, the girls and I snuggled in and did exactly that. It was, indeed, a movie about a dog. As it turned out, the movie was about so much more.

In addition to "the dog", the movie stars Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Jason Alexander. All pretty big-name stars, yet I had never heard a word about this movie...not a trailer, not a review - nothing. Surely, it couldn't be much of a movie then, could it?

How wrong I was - what an absolutely wonderful family movie it turned out to be! Based on a true story, the movie opens with an Akita Puppy being shipped on a plane from Japan, presumably to be united with his adoptive family. As often happens with airplane luggage, the poor pup is misrouted and ends up at a train station at the feet of Richard Gere. (LUCKY PUPPY!) After several attempts to locate the pup's intended owner, Gere realizes that perhaps he and the pooch were meant to be together and decides to keep him. He discovers a collar around the dog's neck with a Japanese symbol for the number 8 - Hachiko, or "good fortune" - and this becomes the dog's name (Hachi, for short).

The movie then goes on to follow the story of the dog and his beloved master as Hachi becomes a part of his family. I won't spoil the movie for those of you that have not seen it, let me just say that this was one of the best family movies I have seen in a long time. The performances were understated, yet powerful, and allowed the viewer to become lost in the story as it unfolded. This is not a movie with a big budget, a huge special effects team or endless plot twists. It is, quite simply, a really nice little movie. Should you decide to watch, you will not be disappointed.

What I cannot begin to understand is this: why is it that I had not heard of this movie until now? After a little research on the net, I discovered that the movie premiered at the Seattle Film Festival in 2009 to high critical praise, yet the studio decided not to give the film a theatrical release - shipping it, instead, straight to DVD and relative obscurity among the movie watching public. With the utter crap that is continually rammed down our throats in the mulitplexes (seriously people, Pirhana 3D???), how is it that a little gem like this was swept under the rug and forgotten? It is a shame, really.

It is a story of true love, loyalty and devotion that you will not soon forget. More than an hour after the end credits rolled, I am still thinking about it, hoping to get a chance to watch it again before I have to return the borrowed DVD. It just goes to show that it takes more than a big budget, flashy trailers and A-list stars with huge paycheques to make a good film. All it takes is a little heart, something that is sadly lacking in most of the mindless drivel that Hollywood churns out year after year.

The next rainy afternoon, snuggle up with the kiddies or your honey and give it a chance - you'll be glad you did!

J :)

Life is a Highway....

2010-08-26T15:51:00.001-07:00

Yesterday at around 2:30pm I was driving westbound along Highway 401 - radio blaring and my 2 kids in the back seat (possible reason for radio blaring could have been to drown out the sounds of the 2 kids FIGHTING in the backseat, but I'm not sure) I was in the left lane, doing a respectable 110km/hr . Suddenly, I felt like the car was losing power. I couldn't maintain my speed any longer. I quickly decided to pull to the right lane to make sure everything was ok. Sure enough, my speed kept decreasing no matter how hard I jammed on the accelerator. I immediately pulled the car onto the shoulder and that's when I smelled the burning.

I am pretty certain my heart stopped at that moment. First thought: Get the kids as far away from the car and the speeding 401 traffic as possible. Second thought: Rescue my purse, my Nikon and my Blackberry from the front seat (stupid, perhaps, but let's be serious. I wasn't going to let my 2 other "babies" burn if the car was, in fact, on fire). Third thought: Now what?

While I was pulling kids and electronic gadgets from my 15 year old relic, a kind stranger had already pulled off the road and called for help. Thankfully, the car was not on fire, even though the smoke billowing out from under the hood would have you believe otherwise. To make a long story short, the mechanic called this morning with the sad, $2600+ news. My car had finally given up the ghost.

Last night, after the excitement had died down, Marc and I were talking about the "Ghosts of Cars Past". It got me thinking about how cars really are more than just a way to get from Point A to Point B. A car can represent your first taste of true freedom, your first brush with responsibility (and, usually, debt), they can be a status symbol or a reflection of your personality.

To date, I have owned seven different cars. I bought my first car at the ripe old age of 16. The ink was barely dry on my newly printed drivers licence. I purchased a 1984 Silver Chevrolet Chevette for the bargain price of $500 using some of the money I had earned working in a real estate office for the past 3 1/2 years. As you can imagine, I was on top of the world. I no longer had to rely on my parents to get me where I needed to go - freedom at last!

I was one of the first of my friends to have their very own wheels, and, boy, did those wheels get a workout. That poor little car never stopped. One day, one of my friends called the car "The Silver Bullet", and the nickname stuck. The car didn't have air conditioning, power steering or power brakes, but I loved it. For 15 bucks you could fill the tank and drive for 2 weeks. On any given day, the Silver Bullet could have as many as 8 passengers - in spite of the fact that the car only had 4 seat belts. (Luckily a few of my friends were small, and not at all opposed to riding in the hatchback). The Silver Bullet was witness to several first kisses and a few painful breakups. A few of my friends even learned how to drive (and passed their road tests) in that car. Best of all, the Bullet never left me stranded on the side of the road. In the time that I owned it, I never spent a penny on it, other than gas and oil changes. When the Silver Bullet finally gave up its ghost (after at least 250,000 Kms), the junk yard actually gave me $250 for it. It was, without a doubt, the best $500 I have ever spent.

My next car had big shoes to fill. The Silver Bullet was a hard act to follow. I bought a cherry red Dodge Colt for exactly 5 times what I paid for my Chevette. The car was a 5-speed manual transmission. My boyfriend at the time had taught me how to drive a stick (exactly once) on his honda civic, so of course I figured I was qualified to purchase a standard car. I was a second year student at U of T. I survived first year calculus - I could conquer this car!!!! I stalled the car at least 10 times on the way home, but I evenutally got the hang of it. It was a fun little car to zip around in, but it never pulled at my heart the way my first car did. I did, however, eventually give it a nickname - Little Red.

Little Red was a money pit - there always seemed to be something going wrong with it. Within months of buying it, I had to replace the clutch. At one point, Red's starter went. One of my friends told me that all I needed to do was have someone give the car a push while I sat inside and popped the clutch - and PRESTO, no starter needed. This was great fun and saved me a bundle in repair bills, but was a real bitch when I went somewhere by myself. I had my first accident in this car - my fault. I was driving Eastbound on the Lakeshore admiring a white Lamborghini heading West when I suddenly found myself parked underneath a Nissan Pathfinder. That was the end of Little Red. I can't say I was sorry to see her go.

Several other cars have followed. My blue Eagle Vision was the car I bought after I sold my first few houses as a brand new Realtor. My fondest memory of this car involves a camping trip at Kilbear with 3 of my guy friends from university - the car packed so full of gear that I couldn't see anyone in the backseat.

Next came a Chrysler Cirrus, which was the most incredible shade of purple. This car took me on my first date with Marc, brought Makenna safely home from the hospital, and fought a stop-sign-running mini van, emerging with barely a scratch.

After I (sadly) returned my leased Cirrus, I ended up with a 2001 Silver Chevy Cavalier. This car was a lemon from the get go. I'm hard pressed to even think of a good memory with this one - most of the memories involve me stranded on the side of the highway (always a highway, never a quiet side street) making a panicked phone call to Roadside Assisstance. It was cute, and the 5-speed manual transmission made it fun to drive, but I couldn't wait to get rid of it. In fact, I had already signed all the paperwork to lease a new Chevy Venture Van, when I parked the car under yet another SUV. (This time I blame a snow storm instead of a flashy white lamborghini) A $7,500 insurance claim seemed to be a fitting farewell to this lemon of a car.

The Venture van had a pretty unremarkable 4 year term as my mode of transportation. The girls were quite young, and most trips in the van involved watching the same movie over and over (and over) on the very handy entertainment system. Two that stick out in my memory are The Pacifier-starring Vin Diesel (sadly I couldn't see him, only listen as I drove) and Scooby Doo. There were no accidents, no highway breakdowns - just endless trips to brownie meetings, dance recitals, preschool classes and T-ball games. The quintessential "Mom Mobile", my mini van did its job of carrying my family safely wherever it needed to go.

In 2009, my four year lease was once again drawing to a close. I started shopping around for new cars. I really wasn't sure what I wanted and I wasn't keen on signing up for another 4 years of car payments. It would be really nice just to have a break! My dad had retired at the beginning of the year. He and my mom had decided that they didn't really have a need to have 2 cars on the road any longer, so his 1996 Grand Am was sitting in his driveway, undriven. He offered it to me and I jumped at the chance - happy to have a car that was paid for, even if it wasn't as pretty as some of the cars I had in the past. (Aren't I a little too old for my daddy to be giving me a car?) This car had its quirks (drivers window didn't open, glove box didn't close and the gear shift often popped off in my hand when I was trying to shift into park) but I quickly grew attached to this little junker (and the extra $500 in my bank account every month. Hellooooo, SHOPPING MONEY!!!!)

I took this little baby on my first big-girl, man-free road trips - first to Montreal, then to Buffalo (to spend the aforementioned shopping money) and, most recently, my first hubby-less camping trip with the kids. What it lacked in looks, it made up for with heart. The Pop-mobile ran like a champion until its untimely demise on the 401 yesterday. Now, you would think I would be happy to have an excuse to run out and buy a new car. You know me...I love spending money! Yet today, as I signed up for another 4 years of car payments, I was sad. Why am I so sad to see this car go? (In fact, as I was writing this blog I only got emotional about two of my former rides - the original Silver Bullet, and the Pop-mobile). Maybe it is because the car belonged to my father. With him so far away now, maybe I am more emotionally attached to this old car than I ever thought possible just simply because it was his. I'm not sure. In any case, that car lived a good life. RIP Pop-mobile!

As of Monday morning I will be the proud new owner of a 2010 Kia Forte in Titanium silver. A sporty little sedan that is good on gas and light on the wallet. I've never really been one to care about the kind of car that I drove (although some of the preceeding paragraphs might have you believing otherwise). I have always thought of a car simply as a mode of transportation. Period. The time I have spent writing this blog have made me realize that is not necessarily true. A car takes you on vacations and brings you to work. It watches your first date kiss you good night and takes you home to visit your family at Christmas. It brings your babies home from the hospital and is ready with kleenex in the glove box after you drop your "baby" at University. A car becomes a part of your life adventure, whether you realize it at the time or not.

Drive slowly...and enjoy the ride.

J :)

No Regrets

2010-05-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

This blog was inspired by a video that a friend of mine posted on Facebook today. The video was a clip from the show "Britain's Got Talent" and featured an 80 (!!!) year old woman named Janey who was taking a crack at auditioning for the show. Of course, she came out and wowed both the audience and the judges (grumpy Mr. Cowell included) with an incredible singing voice that was even bigger than she was. The title of the song she sang so beautifully was "No Regrets". Appropriate, don't you think????

Miss Janey probably waited her entire life to have a moment like that. I am sure that before she ventured bravely out onto the stage she had to listen to those voices in her head telling her that she was out of her mind to think she could compete against the other contestants, most of whom were probably only a fraction of her age. Kudos to Janey for not listening to those voices, and, no matter the outcome of the show, an internet superstar has been born. More importantly, Janey can live out her remaining years knowing that she had her chance....and took it! No Regrets.

(To see a clip of her performance, click here)

Watching this video really struck a chord with me. Seeing Janey, I realized that when we are all in our "Twilight" years, we are not likely to look back on our lives and regret the things we DID. More often than not, our life regrets are the things we DIDN'T do. Sure, we will all have those little regrets - a bad haircut, a lousy prom date or an unfortunate neon green outfit (in my defence, it was the 80s!!), but if we had it all to do over again, would we change those things? Not likely. Those little "errors in judgement" helped to shape us into the people we are today! No, if we were given a chance to do it over, chances are that the things we would do differently would be the things that we were too afraid to try the first time around.

A few years ago, I decided that I was going to make a point of trying something new every year. Something I had always wanted to do, but was too afraid to try. One year, it was to run a race. I didn't have the fastest time, but I will never forget the feeling of crossing the finish line after those 5K. For that moment, I was a RUNNER! Another year, I wanted to play baseball with my hubby. I struck out more times than anyone in the league, but I wore the jersey and was part of the team (and even made a few dazzling catches at home plate).

From bungee jumping and public speaking, to raising over $2500 and walking 60 (long!) kilometres in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, I have tried to step out of my comfort zone a little at a time. For someone like me, who was always the shiest kid in the class (and was likely to burst into tears if someone new tried to talk to me), all of these things were a pretty major accomplishment! Until recently, I had pretty much gotten through my life trying to blend into the background.

Take tonight for example. Those of you that have been reading my posts on Facebook know that I was in a dance recital at the Living Arts Centre. This, too, was born out of my desire to try to live my life with "No Regrets". I had been watching my daughter dance in the show each year, and each year I watched the adult classes saying "I would LOVE to try that one day!". But I never did. How could I, I had never danced a day in my life (other than at parties, bars and dance clubs...usually spurred on by a few cocktails). One day I decided....WHY NOT? What have I got to lose?

This was my third show and it was a blast! Maybe I wasn't the most co-ordinated person on the stage (OK, there's no "maybe" about it. I was DEFINITELY not the STAR), but I can say that I was one of only 8 ladies that were brave enough to give it a shot!

So, I think we can all learn a lot from someone like Janey. We shouldn't live our lives playing it safe. Where's the fun in that???? I know that everyone has a "Bucket List" of things that they want to do before their time is up. What better time than right NOW to try to cross things off that list, one at a time?? I know when my days on earth are numbered, I don't want to spend them wistfully thinking about all those things I wished I had done. Instead, I'd rather be looking back through a scrapbook of memories saying "I can't believe I actually did all that!!! What a ride!!!"

What's next for me?? I don't know if my knees are up to training for that Half Marathon quite yet. Maybe Sky Diving? That's something that has been on my list for YEARS and keeps getting postponed for various reasons (cost...having babies...disapproving hubby). Perhaps starting that novel (even if it is just one poorly structured chapter)?? I'm not sure. I am sure of one thing though. Stepping out of your comfort zone may feel strange at first, but there is no better feeling than doing something you thought you could never do. You just have to take the chance and DO IT! As the old saying goes "You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take!"

So, what's on your list???

No Regrets.

J :)

Me: Under Construction

2010-04-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

This year, I decided not to make any New Year's Resolutions. For me, in the past, a New Year's resolution has typically gone in one "year" and out the other. I always have the best of intentions on December 31st (sometimes, but not always, spurred along by several cocktails), but, without fail, a few days into the new year my resolve to eat better/exercise more/be more organized/work harder has disappeared quicker than the New Year's Day hangover.

New Year's resolutions are basically about goal setting. What is so special about January 1st and our ability to set goals for ourselves? What did we do with the other 364 days in the previous year that kept us from reaching our goals? January 1st is just an arbitrary day, no more special than today. A recent study of New Year's resolutions showed that only 12% of people that set a new year's goal for themselves actually achieved that goal. Why is that? I am sure that the other 88% of people didn't simply decide that their goal wasn't worth reaching for, so why is it that so many New Year's Resolutions fail?

(NOTE: Yes, I am aware that it is now the end of April and a very odd time to be talking about New Year's goal setting...I promise, I have a point.)

I think this is the first year that I didn't make any resolutions. At the beginning of the year, rather than make lofty aspirations and try to do a complete self-overhaul, I decided to spend the entire year just working on myself, one day at a time. (There is actually a half finished blog to that effect dated January 1st that never made it to "press") I think the biggest reason that most resolutions fail is that we try to change too many things all at once. I can remember years where I have said to myself "Come January 1st, I am going to give up junk food, exercise 4 times a week, be more organized, more patient with the kids, stop procrastinating with work and become better at managing my money". With a resolution as drastic as that, it is no wonder that I failed miserably at reaching my goals for that year!

Instead, I began the year with a list of areas that I felt needed work, including, but not limited to: improving my work habits, my fitness level, my diet and my spending habits as well as becoming more organized and stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new. I also began the year painfully aware of the fact that I couldn't make all of these things happen at once.

There is a reason why Addiction Recovery programs involve 12 steps and their motto is "One Day at a Time". They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Why is it that we think we can, in just one day, break a habit that we have likely spent years "perfecting"? I think the key to self-improvement is "baby steps". Setting small goals for yourself will not only seem less daunting, but will give you many more opportunities to reward yourself for a job well done. Someone that walks into their first Weight Watchers meeting thinking only about the 100+ pounds they have to lose is less likely to be successful than one who walks into that same meeting, needing to lose the same amount of weight, but is only thinking about the first 10 pounds.

I wanted to spend the first few months of the year focused solely on getting my business back to where it needed to be. I have been making several small changes over the past 4 months to improve my work habits and I believe I am now headed firmly in the right direction. I may have started the year with many areas of my life that I felt needed an overhaul, but I chose the one that I felt was the most important and ran with it. Now, it's time for step #2.

As a result of my increased work load, I feel like I haven't been taking the time to take care of ME. I have been eating poorly, keeping erratic hours and exercise has been non-existent. As a result, my energy levels resemble those of a hibernating polar bear. The old me would have said "Starting Monday I am cutting out all junk food and beginning a drastic diet and exercise program". Invariably, by Tuesday evening I'd be sitting on the couch with a diet Pepsi in one hand and something chocolate covered in the other.

Baby Steps.

Staring tomorrow, and for the next 21 days, I'm going to focus solely on eating better. Not a certain number of calories or points, just better. Each day I will write down what I ate, the good, the bad and the ugly. The next day, I will try to do "better"....and so on, and so on for 21 days, with the goal being to form a "habit" of making better choices when it comes to food. Once I have that under control, it will be easier for me to move on to Step # 3 ...

In addition to "baby steps", another key to self-improvement is to be happy with each positive change you make, no matter how small, and to remember not to let little setbacks throw you off your path entirely. Even the strongest among us stumble occasionally! Take it "one day at a time" and treat each day as single step. Just because you had a terrible Thursday, doesn't mean you can't have a fantastic Friday!

Now.....off to pillage the kitchen for that "Last Chance" chocolate chip cookie...

Baby Steps.

Jenn :)

Winds of Change

2010-03-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

"Your worst day can be your best day....if it changes you" - Richard Robbins

Richard Robbins is very well known in my industry. He is a renowned motivational speaker, a sales expert and an achievement coach. Even though he doesn't realize it (as we have never actually met), he is also partly responsible for my new, re-energized career path and goals. This was Richard's Facebook status one day last week. (I really hope he doesn't mind me borrowing it).

As often happens with Richard's quotes, this one really stuck with me. It brought to mind that so many of us often let the negative events in our lives form excuses for our failures , both personal and professional, instead of our motivation for success. I, myself, have been guilty of this very thing in the past.

How many times have we allowed a failed relationship to confirm, in our minds, that there is no true soul mate out there for us? How often have we failed to win a race, only to give up the sport entirely? Why does a less than successful business negotiation or project often convince us that we have made the wrong career choice? It seems that it is our nature to allow negative events to govern our life choices, and not in a positive way.

Truly successful people are able to take these negative experiences, find the life lesson and to allow that lesson to change them in a positive way. That negative experience is used, not as an excuse for self-pity and despair, but as a motivator for success. How many times have we seen an Olympic athlete, smiling on the podium with a medal around their neck, only to hear the story of their disappointing attempt, or even injury, at the previous games? If they had allowed that negative event to defeat them, surely they would not be standing proudly on the world stage today.

Of course, in my own life there have been several failures, both personal and professional. My tendency has always been to allow less than ideal outcomes to defeat me. Perhaps not for long, but I can easily say that I have not always been able to find the "lesson" and allow it to change me.

This past summer, our family experienced what I would consider to be its worst day. My husband was laid off from his job of 17 years. While this was particularly devastating for him, it really turned our entire family upside down. For the past 6 years or so, Marc was our primary breadwinner. I worked a little here and there, but I was really relying on him to keep the family going. Whatever money I made was basically "fun money".

I remember the teary-eyed conversation that I had with my Broker about how I was going to need to get a "real job" with a steady paycheck. Surely, I couldn't be the one to support my family in a career as unpredictable as real estate? Without pulling any punches, Nelson told me that Marc losing his job could very well be the best thing that has ever happened to me. He told me that I could allow this experience to knock me down for the count, or I could discover the very valuable lesson within and allow it to change me for the better. He told me "The world is telling you that you should no longer be a passenger in your own life! Now get out there and do something about it!"

Very wise words from a very wonderful leader. He knew that I was capable of so much more than I was achieving, but it took a real kick in the teeth for me to realize it. More than 6 months later, things are going better than I could have dreamed possible. Sure, it hasn't been smooth sailing, but with my new found perspective on things, I am always looking for the lesson in each of life's "road bumps".

I am sure that almost everyone can relate. Just think of how much better our lives would be if we allowed our worst day to become our best day, simply by learning something and allowing it to change us for the better.

J :)

Innocence Lost

2010-03-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well. A new blog entry two days in a ROW! Who knows, maybe someday I will write that novel.

This post was inspired by the Facebook status update of a friend with two teenage daughters. My friend was simply wondering what has happened to the young ladies of today. When did it become acceptable for them to dress, talk and act like women? When did the skirts get so short, the necklines get so low and the heels get so high? How does a parent of today try to guide their daughter in the direction of dressing and acting more appropriately for their age without becoming public enemy number one?

Although I, myself, do not yet have teen aged children, I can easily admit that this same thought has crossed my mind on many occasions. When I drive by the Catholic High School that is located just a couple of blocks from our house and I see the uniform skirts the girls are wearing that barely cover their behinds, I can't help but hope that baggy track suits and bulky sweaters are all the rage when my girls enter high school. And sadly, as much as everyone would like to point the finger at mom and dad, there is often not a lot that parents can do once their daughter is out of the house and on her way to school. When we were in high school there were rules about how short your skirts could be, and girls that didn't follow the rule were sent home to change.

I am quite certain that somewhere in the handbook of all schools, both public and separate, there is a dress code. What happened to the school boards of old that actually enforced these dress codes? Parents can't follow their kids to school every day, but if the school administration could pick up where parents left off, there might be a lot less pressure for young girls to dress in such a way. Let's face it, the reason they are dressing this way in the first place is because "everyone else is doing it". If no one was allowed to do it, at least not at school, then that would be a small step in the right direction towards helping these girls regain their lost innocence.

The truly scary thing is, that I am noticing this style of dressing is appealing to younger and younger girls. Thankfully, my 10 year old is still blissfully unaware of this sort of thing, but I am noticing that some of her other classmates are already looking, dressing and acting a little "old" for their age. Even the stores that cater to pre-teen and teen girls often carry clothing that belongs in a dance club, not a classroom.

Of course, we're also dealing with the media, TV, movies, Internet and music. These days, you are pretty hard pressed to find photos of celebrity ladies with all of their assets covered. Even the younger starlets who were often the picture of innocence, can now be seen in music videos dancing on the hood of their car in daisy duke shorts and heels. Heck, even the dolls that young girls play with are dressed in outfits that you wouldn't let your child wear on Halloween.

Of course, as kids get older, they want to assert their independence and develop their own style. As parents, we want to try to encourage this growth in a healthy and appropriate way. Simply barking out orders like a Drill Sargent may be what we would like to do, but will often have the end result of the child rebelling and heading full speed down the very path you wanted them to avoid. What to do, what to do?

At the end of the day, I guess that all we, as parents, can do is to try to lead by example. Showing our young girls that dressing and looking beautiful does not equal showing as much skin as possible. Praising celebrities and public figures that dress in an appropriate fashion. Steering kids towards wholesome activities, groups and clubs that stress positive body image and modesty. All of these things will hopefully have the desired effect of increasing our daughters' self-confidence, leading them to make choices that make them feel comfortable, rather than those that are made to simply keep up with the crowd.

I know that within a few short years, I will likely be dealing with these issues myself. It will make me long for the days when the biggest problem my girls had was a boy at school telling them they had the cooties! SIGH.

J :)

March Break - My @$$!

2010-03-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

They may call the middle week of March a "break", but for most of us that are juggling work and a family, this week is usually the furthest thing from a break. Unless you forked out the big March Break dollars to head south for a family holiday, of course.

Actually, this might be the first year ever that I am very thankful we didn't do exactly that. What a week it was! The kids, playing outside without coats. Me, heading to the mall for a shopping trip in flip flops and capri pants. Driving around all week with the windows rolled down. When was the last time THAT happened in March?

All in all, it was a pretty good week. A little on the crazy side, but good nonetheless. On Monday we kicked the week off with a trip to the Reptile Show at Erin Mills Town Centre. My kids are big animal lovers, but Erin in particular is a fan of all things cold blooded. I don't think there is a reptile or amphibian on the planet that she can't identify at first sight. Marc is a big fan of the BBC "Earth" DVDs. We own every single boxed set and he and Erin watch them over and over. All that viewing has paid off because she really is a walking, talking nature encyclopedia. The kids got to hold a ball python, a giant tortoise, a Cayman (crocodile cousin, with its jaws safely taped shut) and various other little critters. Of course, I forgot my camera for this little adventure, but thankfully a friend snapped some shots with her trusty iPhone. We also got to visit with some friends in the afternoon that we hadn't seen in a while.

Tuesday we had booked tickets to see "The Stars of Pop" at the Stage West theatre along with 2 friends and their kids. Oddly, after not going to Stage West during the entire 25 years I have lived in Mississauga, this marked my second visit in 4 days. This show was definitely better than the "adult" show I had seen on Saturday evening, in spite of a few laughable moments throughout. The show featured tributes to Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift (my personal fave) and The Jonas Brothers (the source of the above mentioned laughable moments). The performers really tried hard and the kids enjoyed it, so I guess that is all that matters.

Wednesday, Erin had a friend over for the day and we headed to Jack Darling Park to enjoy the phenomenal weather. (Yes, it hit 20 degrees today!) Then a little shopping trip to pick up some leggings for my impossibly high maintenance child that is now refusing to wear pants. Yes, Erin, I am talking about you! What child has a total emotional breakdown at the thought of wearing jeans???? Sigh. I shudder to think about what I will have to deal with when she hits her teenage years.

Thursday was a total "work" day for me, much to the kids dismay. "What do you MEAN we aren't doing ANYTHING today Mom?????". That's right, kiddos, mom has to work! Amazingly, they tagged along with me for most of the day without too much complaint. A March Break Miracle! Makenna and I did make cookies in the evening, and I think they might be the best cookies I (we) have ever made. Makenna says it is because of her perfect cookie rolling (amazingly, each cookie was perfectly round and exactly the same size!), but really, it is just a great recipe. Milk Chocolate, skor bits and oats. How can you go wrong?

Friday was my personal favourite. After a working morning, we picked up a friend of Makenna's and headed to Roller Palace for some good old fashioned roller skating. Man does THAT bring back memories! The place hasn't changed in 25 years - I think the DJ is even the same guy from when I was a kid. It's a bit of a costly outing, in my opinion, but it's 4 hours of roller heaven. Makenna, while not the most co-ordinated child on the planet, did pretty well with her skating this time. I think with a little more practice she may be able to relax and have more fun. Erin, on the other hand, is a natural born skater. I was quite shocked to discover this the first time we had her on ice skates, and roller skating was no different. By the time we left, she was zooming around the rink passing kids twice her size. She fell quite a bit, but she's pretty close to the ground to start out with, so it didn't seem to faze her much. She said that she would like to be on the Canadian Roller Skating Team in the Olympics, and I didn't have the heart to tell her that there wasn't such a thing. Who knows, maybe it will be introduced at the 2020 summer games, just in time for her to win the first gold medal in the sport! haha

Saturday morning, we hit the theatres bright and early for the 10:30 am showing of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid". Did you know that all movies that start at AMC Theatre before noon are only $6? SCORE! (Sadly, it cost us more for popcorn and drinks than for admission...). The movie, while not as funny as I had expected, was actually pretty good. Some really good messages in there for adults and kids alike. I wouldn't say you should rush out and see it, but if you do find yourself accompanying your kids to the theatre, I think you will find it enjoyable.

After a hectic working afternoon, we had some friends over for dinner. A really great couple that we met while on vacation in Cuba last year. They have 2 kids around our kids' age and it doesn't matter how much time passes in between visits, these kids pick up exactly where they left off, as if they just saw each other yesterday. I think we adults can learn a lot from kids. Marc made the most fabulous chicken parm, completely from scratch, even pleasing the 4 toughest critics in the house. When was the last time you made dinner for 4 kids and all FOUR of them licked their plates clean? (Kraft dinner and hot dogs doesn't count!) It has never happened in our house before last night, that's for sure.

All in all, between the kids activities, work appointments and deadlines, the week didn't feel like much of a break. A break on the BANK ACCOUNT or my NERVES, maybe, but not overly relaxing. Sure, it was great not to have to get up with the kids every morning and rush them out the door, but there was definitely a lot of rushing around going on. I am really thankful that we had some great weather this week so the kids got a chance to remember what sunshine actually felt like. It is truly amazing what a little sun can do for your mood and energy levels. I think I might have gotten more accomplished this week than any other week in history. I also think that if the weather had been gloomy and cold, I might have been more inclined to sit around the house all week with rented movies and video games as our only source of entertainment.

So, while the week may have been a little hectic, it was probably the best March Break that I can remember. I'm glad that I got to spend some time having fun with the kids, but I'm equally glad that as of tomorrow at 9AM, my job as "Entertainment Co-ordinator" is over. At least until Summer Vacation, but let's not even THINK about that yet!

J :)

T- minus 6 days, and counting!

2009-12-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted anything on this blog. I would like to think that is because I have been leading an extremely productive life for the last 4 weeks. I guess that depends entirely on your definition of the word "productive".

Of course, the majority of the past 4 or 5 weeks has been spent furiously preparing for Christmas - the "most wonderful time of the year" which can quickly become the most stressful, most expensive and most exhausting time of the year as well. So much is done in the weeks and days leading up to December the 25th, that when the day actually arrives, it is over before we know it and we are often so drained (both financially and physically) when it does arrive, that we barely get a chance to relax and enjoy the true meaning of the day.

Of course, I am a real sucker for Christmas. I love it - everything about it. I don't mind the shopping, the baking, the decorating and the endless visiting with family and friends. It is the one time of the year where everything just seems a little more magical. Of course, having kids definitely cranks the "magic" factor up a notch. I can still remember just how exciting Christmas was when I was a kid - my brother and I could barely sleep the night before because we couldn't wait for the morning. Usually one of us would wake up way too early, and lying in bed waiting for the clock to say 7:00 am (acceptable time to wake up mom and dad) was absolute torture!

It is hard to say whether my kids experience that same level of excitement and anticipation that we did when we were kids. For us, Christmas was the ONE time of the year when you actually got presents. Sure, you got a little something on your birthday, but for us, Christmas was the time that you got that one big thing that you had been wishing for. I don't think the same can be said for today's generation of kids, but is is still exciting to see their reactions on Christmas morning when they realize that Santa didn't forget about them.

So, as for my Christmas preparations, I think I am pretty much set. I would still like to do a little more baking since I seem to have given away pretty much everything I have baked so far. My husband has been rumaging around in the kitchen for the past couple of days looking for a sweet fix saying "didn't you keep ANYTHING????" So, I suppose I should bake the poor man a cookie or two.

Other than that, I am looking forward to spending some time with the family - just relaxing. This is going to be my parents last Christmas in Ontario, so it will be a little bittersweet to think that Christmases from now on will be a little bit different than I am used to.

Oddly enough, this is the first year in quite some time that work has been very busy for me in December. I am working with a great newlywed couple, shopping for their first house. Normally, this wouldn't be an exceptionally difficult process, but with the low inventory levels, we are struggling to find something that they truly love without having to fight off an angry horde of fellow homebuyers all bidding on the same home. I am feeling optimistic that we are closing in on their dream home, but if I could ask Santa for just one thing, it would be to find these folks the perfect home just in time for Christmas. I know it would make their holidays that much more joyful to know that their dream home has been found!

With only 6 sleeps left till the big day, I hope that all of you are finished with your Christmas preparations and that you can relax and enjoy all that is truly wonderful about the season - family, friends and a hint of magic.

Merry Christmas!

Jenn :)

Market Watch - October 2009

2009-11-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

For the past several months, we have been reading many different things in the media about the state of our economy. By all accounts, it seems that the "recession" that many experts were predicting, never really came to fruition. While there is still a great deal of uncertainty with regards to interest rates, unemployment and market stability, as far as the "Real Estate Market" is concerned, it seems to be "All Systems Go".

The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has published their Market Watch report for the month of October 2009. The numbers that have been reported are truly astonishing. Not only has the market rebounded nicely, but there seems to be a dramatic upswing in process.

According to the Toronto Real Estate Board, 8476 sales were reported for October. This represents an increase of 64% over October 2008 and an increase of 3.4% over the 8196 sales reported for September 2009. The average sale price reported was $423,559 for October which represents an increase of 20% over the same month in 2008.

The most astounding statistics, however, are related to inventory levels. We are being told in the media that our inventory of homes for sale is low. How low, you ask? The actual numbers reported by TREB indicate that inventory levels are critically low. In October, 11,532 new homes were listed, compared with 14,530 in October 2009 (-21%). The number of active listings in October was 14,771 compared with 27,277 (-46%) for the same month one year ago.

Even though the sales numbers are astonishingly high, the buyers have a severely diminished bank of listings from which to choose. We are truly in a seller's market! Good news for those of you that are thinking about selling your home in the near future! How long will this market last? We cannot be sure, but experience tells me that we have 4-6 weeks left in 2009 before things start the inevitable year end slow-down for the holidays. Traditionally the market is flooded with new listings towards the end of January/beginning of February every year. As such, if you are thinking of selling, there is no time like to present to capitalize on the frenzied market conditions.

Please feel free to visit my website to contact me if you are thinking about making a move. As the old saying goes, "He who hesitates, is lost". If history has shown us anything, those who react to change first, reap the greatest rewards. I'd love to share my experience with you to help you make the most of this dynamic sellers market.

Jenn :)

Welcome to the Future!

2009-11-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

There's a song that is currently playing on country radio called "Welcome to the Future" by Brad Paisley. The basic premise of the song is just how far the world has come in the last 25-30 years. The clever songwriting mentions various things that, these days, we probably take for granted. If someone had mentioned them back in the 70s or 80s, we would have thought they were crazy.

Brad talks about having to get a ride to the local arcade to play his favourite video game as a kid, to now having that very same game on his cell phone. He talks about a long car trip to Florida when he would have given anything to be able to watch TV. He talks about his grandfather in WWII mailing hundreds of letters home to his grandmother, to now being able to live video chat with soldiers overseas. He mentions going from "burning crosses" to having an African American President. How very far we have come, indeed!

I had one of these moments in the past week. I was finishing up a deal with another agent and I faxed him the final paperwork to complete the transaction. He called me and told me that the fax machine at his office was down and could I please deliver the paperwork to his office directly. GASP!!!! Deliver paperwork myself?? But that would take time and effort! I don't think so....

I ended up scanning and emailing the document to him (whew!) and all was good, but this sparked a discussion with my husband on just how much easier our lives are now, compared to 25 or 30 years ago.

I got my first job when I was 12 years old. I was working in the real estate office where my mother worked, stuffing envelopes for our monthly mailouts, which eventually graduated into the night receptionist job a few months later. It was 1987 and the real estate industry was a very different animal back then. One of my most time consuming jobs was taking the large boxes of "dailies" that came in and filing them into binders in order of price. We didn't have a computerized MLS system, we had boxes of printed listings (dailies) that arrived at our office every morning (except Sunday - some things were still sacred then) and the receptionist had to separate them by district, by home type (condo, detached, semi) and file them in order of price. If an agent was working with a buyer, they had to come into the office (!!!), grab these books, and flip through them to find some suitable homes to show them. The really "with it" agents ordered their own sets of dailies and carried these binders around with them.

Can you IMAGINE how long that took?????? Not to mention how many trees had to die to print out all of those dailies! If I am working with a buyer these days, with about 3 clicks of my mouse, I can generate a list of every possible home in his desired area and price range and email it to the buyer, without having to print a single page.

Back then, we didn't have a fax machine. Paperwork DID have to be delivered by the agent themselves. There were no pagers. We receptionists wrote down messages and waited for the agent to call into the office to get them. (But that could take HOURS you say? Yes! Especially since the agents didn't have cell phones then!!) Had to send a document? You either had to rely on good old Canada Post (they don't call it snail mail for nothing) or spend the big bucks and send a courier, both of which take a whole lot longer than the 5 seconds it takes to send an email.

I could go on and on, all to arrive at the same conclusion. The world as we know it is changing at a lightening fast pace. We have to change with it or be doomed to be left behind in the dust. This is not only true in our business world, but also in our personal lives as well. I'm sure everyone out there has at least one relative that doesn't have email. While the rest of the family is catching up on Facebook - seeing pictures of each others kids, family vacations and new puppies - that one little old auntie without email is relegated to receiving your Christmas card at the end of the year with one family photo in it.

Every year, one of the areas of my business that I focus on is technology. What is the "latest and greatest" and how can I use it to make my job easier and to make myself appear more "connected" to potential customers? Because of the rapidly changing nature of technology, this is an area that you can never be fully on-top-of. Just when you have bought into something, something even better is already making its way to the marketplace. I am fortunate to work for a company that always seems to be the Leader when it comes to technology, as opposed to the Follower. This helps me be as "on-top-of-it" as possible when it comes to being able to provide the absolute best service possible to my clients with all of the latest and greatest in technology.

Just think, without all of the wonders of technology, you wouldn't have been able to take a couple of minutes out of your busy day to read my thoughts. Yes, maybe the world was a simpler place 30 years ago, but imagine just how crazy your day would be if you had to sit down and hand write a letter to a relative, call all of your child's friends and invite them to a birthday party, go to the library to research statistics for that business presentation or help your child type out their book report on the good old fashioned typewriter! Life as we know it today may not be "simple", but we've definitely got it easier than the previous generations.

Hopefully, all this wonderful technology leaves us with more time at the end of the day to enjoy those "simple" things - relaxing and spending time with family and good friends. Because really, that IS the future.

Jenn :)

Forget Me Not

2009-10-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I have managed to escape the recent bout of illness that has wound its way through my family. Erin (youngest daughter) and Marc (darling hubby) got the worst of it. I had a few days of general "feeling crappy-ness" and Makenna (oldest daughter) ended up with nothing more than a sore throat. Now, I know the cold and flu season is only just beginning, but seeing just how many sick people there are around me, I was quite happy to escape 3 or 4 days of bed-ridden yuckiness.

For the first time in several weeks, I am sitting alone in the peace and quiet of my basement office, and I have NOTHING on my agenda for the entire day. NOTHING! I am quite excited about this prospect, but I know that even though I have nothing planned, laundry, house cleaning and cooking are sure to find their way onto my day planner. SIGH. I will enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts.

One of my favourite things to do on a "lazy day" is scrapbook. When I was pregnant with my second daughter, I started scrapbooking. I found it an incredibly relaxing (if a little expensive) hobby. My kids love nothing more than pulling one of their scrapbooks off the shelf and reading a story that is just about them.

My childhood memories are mostly jumbled in a box in my mothers basement. We rummage through a shoebox full of old pictures, half the time we can't remember where or when the picture was taken or the particular memory associated with it. The wonderful thing about scrapbooking is that it offers you the chance to journal those memories (as they happen!) right into your scrapbooks. When your child (or grandchild!) looks at those photos years later, they will know exactly what was happening at the exact moment that photo was taken. It is a wonderful gift for future generations.

Now, with the age of digital photos upon us, we are no longer faced with shoeboxes of memories, but rather file folders of pictures stored on a computer. They are trapped in a technology that, while reliable, can be somewhat unstable. What would happen if your computer crashed and you lost those files? What if your CD full of photos got stepped on and broken? Also, what good are those photos if you can't pull them out and share them with others?

I know that scrapbooking is not for everyone. Many people consider it to be "too crafty", "too time consuming" or "too expensive". While all of those things can be somewhat true for traditional scrapbooking, I have recently discovered "digital scrapbooking" and I have to say - I am HOOKED!

Creative Memories offers an absolutely amazing software package for creating and printing your own digital scrapbooks. You can download a free version of their "Storybook Creator" software right from their website. They do have another version that you can purchase that offers more options and design flexibility, but you can create a lovely, and inexpensive, memory book simply using the basic trial version. (I created my very first digital scrapbook using only the "free" version). For around $65 (including shipping!) I received a beautiful hardcover 8 x 8 bound book that looked like something I would buy at Chapters. It contained over 100 images (just to print the photos alone would have typically cost me around $25) as well as my own journalling and a personalized cover with a photo. The entire book took me around 2 hours to create and they had it shipped to me within 4 days of placing my order on the website. If I decided I wanted to have another copy of the book for my mother, it's as easy as re-ordering the same book online. How cool is that?

I have since created many other memory books (of couse, I upgraded to the "fancy" version of the software for $55 - totally worth it for a crafty nut like myself) but I still have so many more photos to go through (I really have to stop taking so many!). I have made it my goal to at least complete one family "yearbook" for each year. I really want to make sure that my kids are able to look back on their memories without having to search through old boxes of photos and ask "who is that?" or "where was this taken?"

Tomorrow is my 7 year wedding anniversary. It really is true what they say - once you have kids, it is almost like you wake up one morning and they are heading off to university. Time flies by so quickly. It seems like only yesterday I was planning my wedding, and now here we are, an "old married couple" with 2 kids. Even though you think you will remember every detail of yours or your child's life, as time moves on your memories fade. I have already forgotten so many things that I had thought were engraved in my mind forever. If it wasn't for the memory books that I had created, so many of these milestones would be lost.

If you have ever thought about giving scrapbooking a try - I encourage you to go for it! It is easier and cheaper now than ever to make scrapbooking a hobby, and it is a great way to pass a lazy Sunday. I guess I have now found something to do to fill the rest of my afternoon!

Jenn :)

It's Not Easy Being Green

2009-10-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was invited to attend the premiere of a new show in Toronto with a friend. The show was a musical called "Toxic Avenger", and I have to admit, had I not been invited to attend, this is not likely the type of show I would have chosen to buy tickets to. The basic premise revolves around the two main characters "Melvin and Sarah". Melvin is, well, your typical Melvin. He's a skinny, wimpy nerd that is constantly harassed by the town bullies. He has the hots for the town librarian, Sarah, who also happens to be blind. (A blind librarian you say?? Well that's part of the fun!)

Melvin is also a big advocate for a cleaner, greener environment. Unfortunately for Melvin, he lives in the filthiest, most polluted place on earth - New Jersey. One night, the town bullies harass him for the final time, and they end up dumping him in a vat of toxic slime. He emerges as a 7 foot tall, freakishly green superhero and proceeds to kick the butts of the aforementioned bullies and sets out on a quest to save New Jersey from becoming a toxic wasteland. Much hilarity ensues, and I have to say, this is probably one of the best shows I have seen in a long time. The score was phenomenal (a rocking good time, as they say) and the 5 person cast, 3 of whom play multiple characters, was fantastic (they re-define the meaning of a quick costume change!!!) Be forewarned, however, this is an adult musical. Not a place to bring the kiddies!

After all the fun, we are left with a very powerful "green" message. If we keep abusing our planet the way we do, the whole world is going to look like New Jersey someday. And we don't want that, now do we????

I know that within the past several years, we have all been making an effort to be more "green". Low energy light bulbs, more recycling efforts and those horribly annoying re-usable shopping bags (I can NEVER remember to bring them into the grocery store and I always have to leave my cart full of groceries and dash out to retrieve them from the trunk! But hey, at least I am trying!) As they say, every little bit helps, but is there more we could be doing?

There are many ways that we, as individuals, could step a little lighter on the earth. Of course, this goes back to the old "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" motto that has been drilled into our heads for many years now. Our new "green" efforts must go further than putting our newspapers in the blue bins at the curb, and there is no better place to start than at home.

Consider purchasing newer "Energy Star" rated appliances to replace those old power suckers in your kitchen or laundry room. Improve your insulation and replace or repair older windows and doors to reduce your heating costs. Bring your lunch to work in reusable containers. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products or make your own using readily available household products (Click here for some ideas!)

If you are interested, I have composed a 12 part "green living" e-campaign that is full of tips on how you and your family can reduce your "footprint" on our planet. If you are interested in subscribing, please click here to fill out the comment form on my website (with your email address, please!) and let me know that you would like to receive my "Go Green" e-newsletter.

It may not be easy being green, but it's not easy living in a toxic slime ridden planet that resembles New Jersey either. I guess the bottom line is, that if each of us made one change to reduce our "footprint", that is one more step towards preserving our planet for future generations.

Jenn :)

No Use Crying Over Sold Signs

2009-10-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it has certainly been an eventful week! There is no better feeling than looking back at the week behind you and being able to say "maybe I wasn't perfect, but I did good". It was definitely a roller coaster of emotions - some good, some bad and some, a little over the top.

I was able to sell a house for some very important clients this week - my parents. They have now entered the "retirement" phase of life (and I am more than just a little jealous), and the time has come for them to move from the home which I helped them buy almost 12 years ago. As we moved through the process, everything was exactly as it had been with other clients in the past. We focus on what needs doing, we do it, and we move forward. After so many years selling real estate, it can be almost a robotic process.

They worked very hard at getting the home ready for the market, and once all of the major work was done, I helped them "stage" the home for showings. By the time I was finished, the house looked so fantastic, they almost didn't want to move. Almost.

To make a long story short, within a couple of days of being on the market, I found a buyer for the home myself. From the moment I introduced this family to my parents home, I wanted it to be theirs. I just knew that they would love the home the way my parents did. When it came time to put everything together, all went smoothly and both my parents and the new buyers were so thrilled with the way everything worked out.

My great surprise came when I realized that I was far more emotionally involved in the process than I thought. It was now time for me to accept that my parents were moving on to the next phase of their lives, and that they were no longer going to be 5 minutes away when I needed them. I actually cried in front of clients for the first time ever. It was definitely a new experience for me. But I digress....

During the relatively smooth offer process on my parents home, I was also knee deep in negotiations for another client of mine. This sale would not come so easily and smoothly, however.

The home in question was purchased by my client as an investment. It needed a great deal of work when he purchased it 2 years ago, however he had rented out the home during the time he owned it, and, as a result, the home showed very poorly. We eventually scratched out a deal after a somewhat painful negotiation process.

Where am I going with all of this??? Ah, yes. The point...and I do have one....is this:

What really hit home for me this weekend is just how important it is to put the extra time and effort into "staging" your home properly before putting it on the market. This is something I have obviously always known, but the stark contrast between the ease of the 2 sales was glaring. In the first case, the buyer fell in love with the home from the moment they walked through the front door. There were, quite simply, no objections. "It is beautiful. We love it. Where do we sign?"

In the second case, the love was not there. It was my job to make the seller fall in love with the offer, which is a far more difficult process. Because of the condition of the home, the buyer had objections left, right and center, and my seller had to come to terms with that. It all worked out in the end, but a little more time and effort before the listing process, would have made for a much smoother sale, and more money in the seller's pocket. Without a doubt.

For some staging ideas and tips, check out this article that I have posted on my website!

Well, it is 2:42 am, and sleep still eludes me, so I will leave you with one last tip for the night. Just say NO to coffee after 8pm!!!!! Caffeine is not your friend!

Jenn :)

Blogging, Working and Chicken Soup

2009-10-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like everyone and their GRANDMOTHER is blogging these days, so I figured I had better jump on the cyber-bandwagon. Hopefully everyone will think that I actually have something interesting to say.

My world has been so full of craziness lately, that it is nice to actually take some time to sit and organize the thoughts running around in my crazy head.

The last of my babies has gone to school full time, so the bulk of my activity has revolved around getting back to work. I have been a Realtor for almost 13 years, but have been taking it easy for the last 6 years or so, to allow me to stay home and focus on the kids.

Well, it is back to reality for me, and I have to say, there really couldn't be a better time to be going back into the Real Estate market full swing! The fall market is one of the hottest we have had in years, with projected sales expected to be at (or above) levels that we haven't seen since 2006. Average prices are up and inventory levels are down, making it an ideal time for folks who are "on the fence" to think about maybe getting that house ready for sale.

Check out this article, written by the President of the Toronto Real Estate Board:

Recently, I also had the pleasure of helping my parents prepare their house for sale. I really enjoyed the chance to be "hands on" and help them stage their home. A lot of people really underestimate the POWER of properly preparing and staging their home for buyers. After seeing the "before" and "after" pictures of my parents home, well, I can tell you the difference is like night and day. If you are thinking about putting your home on the market, it is well worth your money and time to put an effort into staging it properly.

Lastly, it seems that the whole world is "coming down with something" these days. As I write this, I am listening to the sounds of my youngest daughter coughing and hacking away while her father makes his home made chicken soup to help her feel better. For those of you that don't know, my husband is a phenomenal cook, and without him, we would starve (or eat a lot of frozen pizzas)

So, as a THANK YOU for reading my first blog (in an effort to make all you "sickies" out there feel better), I am going to share with you his recipe for home made chicken soup - sure to cure what ails you!! Just don't tell him I told you, OK???? :)

Marc's Home Made Chicken Soup Recipe

1 3-pound chicken, neck reserved
3 1/2 quarts water
4 carrots (2 coarsely chopped, 2 thinly sliced)
4 celery ribs (2 coarsely chopped, 2 thinly sliced)
1 unpeeled onion, quartered
1 large, unpeeled garlic clove, smashed
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 large fresh bay leaf
6 parsley sprigs
2 thyme sprigs
Kosher Salt
1/2 pound thin egg noodles
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, neck, water, coarsely chopped carrots and celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns and herb sprigs. Bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for about 30 mins. Transfer chicken to a plate. Discard skin. Pull meat off the bones. Cut into small pieces and refrigerate.
2. Return bones to the pot. Simmer for about an hour. Strain the broth into a bowl and rinse out the pot. Return the broth to the pot and boil until reduced to approx. 8 cups. (about 30 mins) Season with salt.
3. Add the sliced carrots and celery to the broth. Cover and simmer until just tender. (12 mins) In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and cool under running water. Add noodles, chicken and chopped parsley to the soup pot and bring to a simmer. Ladle into soup bowls and serve hot!

Note: You can add other veggies that you may have lying around. If you like your soup with a little kick, try adding some red chili flakes.

Makes approx 6 servings. Prep time, 45 mins. Total cooking time, 3 hours.

ENJOY!