Real Estate - Wading Through the Real Estate Waters

I can't believe I have made it to this point.  For the last 2 or so years I have been trying to get my real estate license.  I finally got it and I am now with a broker and trying to get started selling and helping buyers buy.  I still have a little ways to go.  I have paid my fees and joined all of the organizations that are required for doing business, now I have to educate myself through the online Coldwell Banker website.  I have to start making people aware of what I am doing, decide what my schedule is going to be (so I can arrange daycare)  and attend all of the meetings and training sessions.  I can't wait to do my first demonstration or my first presentation.  I can't wait to get my first listing or to sign a buyer.  It is really exciting, but a really slow pace getting to the point that I want to be.

Real Estate - My First Broker Interview

I had a meeting with a potential new broker today and it went well except for the fact that I am going to have to pay about 1000.00 up front and put my boy in daycare and update my wardrobe.  I just don't know how I am going to come up with all of that money when there is no clearcut income. I will have to have a discussion with my husband tonight, but he is probably going to tell me to forget about it.  I have already sold everything in my house that is worth anything and quit babysitting.  So there is no money coming in on my side.  I feel sick.  I just don't know what to do.  It seems like everytime I get a wonderful feeling, like when I passed the state board after failing twice or like today after talking with a broker, that money issues always come along and cut my legs out from under me.  It is really hard to stay positive and upbeat when there are always downers like lack of money waiting to bring you down.  I guess I could have prevented all of this by trying to save a little money back while I was working, but I truly did not realize that I was going to be forced to be a member of the MLS and the NEFAR and that that was going to cost me 855.00!  So now I am in the position of either having to throw away everything that I have already invested and quiting or putting my family into financial turmoil.  What would you choose?

Birthday Blog - My 43rd Birthday!

I turned 43 on the 15th and my 25th class reunion was on that day! I feel kind of old.  I got my real estate license though and I'm really proud of myself.  I am excited about getting out there and learning the business.  I don't really have too much to say about myself, but the world is pretty screwed up right about now.  I think people think that twittering is going to change it.  Maybe we should stop typing and get up and do something like vote!  I would like to try to influence people to live a christian or positive life by living one myself.  I have a long way to go for that but I am going to try hard to accomplish it.

Just A Note - First Day of School

We are new to the public school scene. Abby is now in Kindergarten. We are placing her in a public school this year so that next year we can homeschool her through the Duval County Virtual Academy.  I have wanted to homeschool my children since before they were born, but didn't want the hassle and expense of planning a whole cirriculum on my own.  I am not too upset that she has to go to public school because I think it will be a good experience for her.  Her teachers' names are Mrs. Tyler and Mrs. Jamison. They are coteachers and seem very nice. I think Abby will do well.  Of course there are 30 students and a supply list a whole page long! I have to keep reminding myself that it is only for one year.  I think we can get through it. 
It has been a typical first day of school, long lines to pick up,  paperwork, and homework.  It is all so new to her, she doesn't want to leave my side, the halls are noisy and there are so many people!  I walk her to her door and hang out with her until she can go inside her room.  I give her a hug and say goodbye, David wants to stay.  I tell the teacher that I can help out if needed and I leave the room.  She will be fine. 

parenting

Are my kids spoiled? They cry when they don't get their way. They throw things down on the floor. They kick and hit. They scream. They say "no" to everything. They are 5 and 2. I think I need Nanny 911. My husband says that when my 5 year old goes to school she will get better. I say she will get worse, but I am not sure if homeschooling will work because she doesn't listen. Oh yeah, they don't listen. Well, she is already registered at Sheffield so I guess we will see how she does in kindergarten. Then we will go from there.

I don't remember it being so hard to raise my 24 year old. It seemed like a breeze. And I was single! Now I have a husband and all the money I need to raise a child and it seems to be going in the opposite direction. Maybe it was easier because there was was noone to argue with me about what to do, I don't know.

I never dreamed that parenting would be so difficult. I don't see it getting any easier either. It seems to me that the older they get the bigger their problems will be. At least they have each other.

Birthday Blog - First Birthday Blog

This is my birthday blog. I will blog on my childrens' birthdays and on mine and my husband's birthdays. So five times a year. In April, June, July, August, and October. I will start with my birthday in August.

self esteem

I hate that I am not very in tune to other peoples' needs. I want to be a compassionate helpful person, but I think my life gets in the way. Anyway, I will continue to work on that forever I guess.
What do you say to a person who is getting a divorce? I have come across two friends who are in that process now and I have never really thought about how devestating it can be to a woman with children. Even though I have been through exactly that, I still am at a loss as to what to do for my friends. The best I could do is to let them know that I am available to them if they need anything and to say I hope that everything goes well for them. How korny is that? And what kind of lame excuse for a friend am I? Is there anybody out there going through this? I really would like to know if there are any people who are friends with people getting a divorce and what have you done as a friend to help them get through it. Please email me or comment on my blog.
Well, this is a heavy subject because some people are really in need of a divorce and some people are just getting out. I hope that people who are contemplating divoorce to do one thing, and this may seem simplistic, but it really does kind of put things into perspective, and that is keep a journal and write a list of the reasons you are staying and the reasond you want to leave. I hope that this helps someone.

healthcare reform

I have an idea that may work or it may not. Why can't the gov't just purchase all of those urgent care clinics and run them like the er at the hospital. That way all of the ers will be freed up for only emergencies. And the people don't have to worry about insurance when they go to these places. They can just bill like the er would if they had taken the patient. The govt could just build another er for the uninsured next to the er at the hospital. The people dont have to get insurance and the govt can just send them a bill just like the hospitals do. Why can't the govt just build a bunch of hospitals and staff them with vets or military people. Then there would be the uninsured hospitals and the insured hospitals. I am not sure how they do the billing at the hositals now but at least this would get the uninsured out of the mix and we could keep a better track of the losses and the people that actually do pay for insurance can get into the hospital because there would be less people at the er trying to get in. I am half asleep.

procrastination

I want to do things, but I am a procrastinator. I want to loose weight most of all, but I will find an excuse not to exercise. I want to paint my bathroom, but I will find an excuse to put it off and the next thing you know, a year has passed and the stupid thing is still not done! I want to study, but again, I find excuses not to. And that test is creeping closer and closer and nothing can stop it from coming. One thing I wanted to do and did do is take my kids to church today. I am trying to find a church and we tried one out today. It was really nice so we may keep going, I don't know. What I think I need to do about the procrastination is to practice following through with things. Even if I start putting things away properly instead of just setting it somewhere to be put away later. I think that may get me into the habit of completing tasks rather than putting them off. Maybe I can lead a more productive life and pass on a valuable skill to my kids by setting a good example. I really hate it that life is so complicated! I am glad I have a blog so that I can express all of this to someone. Even if no one ever reads this, at least I am getting it off my chest. Feels good! I think it is also a good exercise in not being a procrastinator.

It is probably not a high priority among the moms I know, but I think it is on their wish list. That is, an opportunity to get together with friends that is kid free. I don't think that anyone would say they want to get away from their kids, but they, like everyone else need a little break. A time to let down their hair and just be an adult, not a mother. This is virtually impossible.  Getting a babysitter is not the easiest thing to do. We don't all have someone we can trust and then our schedules don't coordinate, oh yeah and the cost.  And then there is the issue of husbands. Are they invited (to this hypothetical social gathering) or not? If we don't invite them then why not? So, as you can see it would be a coordination nightmare. I have considered renting out the my gym (and the workers)for an evening and renting a huge RV so that we can just hang out in the parking lot while the kids play! I think a pool party would be better (with husbands).