Fran's Blog

Think Spring...Not Snow...!!!

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:11:38 -0600

I was sitting at my office computer waiting for the room to warm up after 4 days of reduced heat over the New Year Holiday, trying to think of something positive and HEART WARMING as well as body warming...and trying to think of business producing thoughts...getting into the right frame of mind for the new year!!! You know, how to make the phone ring instead of just waiting for it to ring...!!!

Think Spring, Not Think Snow...

SIGNS like these paraded and scrolled across my mind...Pick your own Strawberries...Pick your own Apples...Pick your own Peaches...Pick your own friends...Pick your own Title Company...

Well OK, the last two were the results of a wild and wishful imagination...

What kind of thoughts are parading through your mind this morning...???

Back To School...Back To Work...!!!

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:45:43 -0600

Back to school always signals the official end of a holiday or holiday season...and so tomorrow, the twelfth day of Christmas, the kids are back to school...!!! Christmas is officially over...or is it...???

The Spirit of Christmas, which we have been celebrating for twelve days now, should remain with us each and every day...Remember, that historical Christmas occurred over 2000 years ago, but the celebration and recollection of it brings it present each year...

So, each year we have the chance to buy into the Spirit of Christmas and adopt its JOY into our lives each day...JOY is the signal gift of Christmas...is there anyone out there who wishes to return it...even regifting JOY doesn't lose it...only a firm resolve NOT to participate cancels it out for us!!!

The kids are back to school, we will be back to work...will the JOY of Christmas be evident in our lives...!!!

Lord, help me to reopen your gift of JOY each day...!!!

Not All Anniversaries Are Celebrations...Or Are They...!!!

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:08:37 -0600

I've heard many former alcoholics proclaim, "Today is my nth anniversary"...When pursued they proudly admit that's how long they have been 'on the wagon'...without a drink of alcohol...they're celebrating their victory over an addictive and destructive substance, while at the same time they're celebrating the change in their lives and the lives of their loved ones brought about by this victory...

I've experienced others celebrating an anniversary marking the number of years a particular form of cancer has been in remission...

Both of these situations have been celebrated in my family...

Today, however, we CELEBRATE the first anniversary of the passing of my mother...She happened to die on the birthday of one of her favorite grandchildren...all her grandchildren were her favorites, including, and maybe especially, those who were adopted...

While we commemorate, deliberate, meditate, contemplate, and yes, celebrate her passing, we are refreshed by many, many fond memories of both her and other family members who went before her...!!!

We must reject the urge or notion that her passing was an 'evil' thing...She lived almost 90 years, most of them happily, joyfully, and enthusiastically...

We are all on a JOURNEY...the journey of life...we take each step with care, thanksgiving, and joy, and leave the rest up to our FATHER in Heaven...!!!

On January 3, 2008 my mother was born into everlasting life!!!

Happy Birthday, MOM...!!!

Fran's First Friday Forum For Faithful Friends Fighting Feckless Faults...!!!

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:41:26 -0600

So it's the second day of the New Year, how many resolutions have you broken already...!!!

It's not that resolutions are made to be broken, and its not that resolutions should be avoided at all costs, and it's not that resolutions don't serve to bring constructive change into our lives...NO...

Unless we resolve to improve by recognizing the areas in our lives that need to be refined, sharpened, and tweaked, we deceive ourselves by tacitly believing we are perfect...plain & simple!!! Stop reading here if you fall into the category of being perfect...this blog is not for you...but if you're like the rest of us, knowing and admitting our imperfections and realizing that condition is not only normal, but healthy...welcome aboard...!

Catholics have a Sacrament called Confession or Reconciliation during which a brief review of our lives are recalled and reflected against the moral standards of the Ten Commandments...leading to the desire to amend our behavior and aim for perfection...not achieve perfection, but aim for it...if we aim for nothing, we'll hit nothing...

In our workplaces and homes we can adopt a similar practice whereby we make a mental list of qualities we admire or wish to emulate in the successful people around us, then resolve to actively pursue improving in those areas...

The only skill that is required to accomplish this is to carve out some time and place to allow this phenomenon to happen...

It doesn't need to become a hardship or burden...only 10 to 15 minutes are needed...and a car or home bathroom may serve as an ideal 'chapel'...!!!

Writing may help, but just THINKING is sufficient...!!! Give it a try...!

P.S. This post script has nothing at all to do with this post...I had been wondering why my right shoulder has been causing me pain lately...so I began to think quietly about this situation when it popped into my mind the fact that when I blog, and I do it intensely, I type only with my right index finger...as many of you already know...sooooo...could I possibly have 'carpal tunnel shoulder'...I will have to work on that...:)

Happy New Year's Day 1/1/9...!!!

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:18:12 -0600

It dawned on me yesterday that New Years Day 2009 would be those tragic numbers we so often remember...911...only backwards...119...!!!

Is that some kind of omen? Not really!

But, it is a subtle reminder that what is past is past and there's no way we can change anything in the past!

That's Good News, however...Let me explain...

My Grandmother would warn us every New Years Day to behave properly, lest we should misbehave the rest of the year..."However you behave on New Years Day", she would say, "is how you'll behave the rest of the year"...

I'm not sure whether that was to serve as a warning, admonition, encouragement, or all of the above! Gentle fear was a great motivator, however, few have mastered the art, as my grandmother did, of how to apply it in love!!!

At any rate, many will establish resolutions today, many will even go so far as trying to predict future events, and some will make a year of attempting to figure out the market or the economy...

Me? I take the easy way out! As a believer in Divine Providence, I trust everything to The Lord, including all of 2009...!

Is this a copout?

No way! I plan on working harder this year than ever, I want to be able to give more 'first fruits' of my labors than ever to the Lord's Work! I want to pray more intensely, blog more intensely, live more intensely, enjoy life more intensely...all without being intense or overbearing...!!!

There are no coincidences in life...the Great Spaceship Earth is being steered by a noble pilot...come with me and let us enjoy THE JOURNEY together...!!!

Happy New Year...!!!

Blogging In 2008...Looking Back At One Full Year...!!!

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:21:14 -0600

I have been blogging now for about a year and a half...2008 was my first full calendar year of blogging!

So.......while sitting in front of my Google Docs blank screen, I was trying to come up with an ingenious title that would announce an ingenious post!!!

As often happens when your ready to stir the ingredients before you decide on the recipe...nothing was coming forth...a total blank...UNTIL...

A wee light began to trickle in through the corner of my brain...how about a review of my favorite posts of 2008...not necessarily featured posts, but posts I myself was proud of and deserving of maybe more consideration than they may have received...

In any case, to commemorate one full calendar year of blogging, and to memorialize some of my own favorite posts, and to give readers another shot at a good post which may have fallen through the cracks of the Active Rain Clouds...I offer for further perusal...

21. Active Rain...Aquarium or Family...Which Is It? featured

20. Which Is The Best Real Estate Franchise??? not featured

19. French Creek State Park...A Resort For All Seasons! not featured

18. Active Rain: I'm Quitting While I'm Hot...And The Market's Not!!! featured

17. How To Reinvent The Wheel.....Of Fortune! not featured

16. Pennsylvania Title Insurance...Part I...A Consumer Value! not featured

15. Realtor Repair Kit...Duct Tape, WD-40, and "CONTACT ADHESIVE"!!! not featured

14. Truth In Title Insurance...A Transparency Pledge!!! featured

13. Why Active Rain...Get Serious??? featured

12. Rainers Of The Lost Art...Of Mentoring!!! featured

11. Fifteen Years Ago Today!!! not featured

10. One Stop Shop Update...Drop, Plop, Flop!!! featured

9. What Makes A Good Blog Post...??? featured

8. Internet...Boon Or Bane...!!! featured

7. Random Acts Of Kindness...A Rarity Or Reality??? not featured

6. The Slippery Slope In Real Estate Transactions...!!! featured

5. This Is The First Post...Of The Rest Of My Life...!!! not featured

4. Title Insurance People...Second Class Citizens On Active Rain...??? featured

3. Confessions Of A Blogging Junkie And SEO Dummy...!!! not featured

2. I'm Catholic, Confused, And Concerned...!!! not featured

1. In Search Of The Tearless Onion...Real Estate Unraveled...!!! featured

AND...A personal and sentimental favorite: Father Joe...A 'Country' Martian From Baltimore!!!

These are more or less in chronological order...from oldest to newest in descending order!!!

I hope you enjoy some, and please leave comments on your favorites in this comment thread!!! Thanks, and have a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year...!!!

Happy Penultimate Day Of The Year...!!!

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:01:38 -0600

Happy Penultimate Day Of The Year...!!!

Is that a goofy title or what???

I just happened to get a late start on my blog post today, and I have always enjoyed unusual words to express a particular point, so I thought I would just post a few words to illustrate my point!!!

Tomorrow is the last day of 2008!

Thursday, will be the first day of 2009!!

Today is the PENULTIMATE day of 2008!!! The next to the last day of the year!!!

According to Webster...pe-nul'ti-mate is an adjective meaning next to the last...!

There can be a penultimate sentence in a paragraph! There can be a penultimate paragraph in a post or letter!!!

Hope you had as much fun as I with an unusual but powerful English word!!! Use it!!!

The Perfect Family...Or The Holy Family...!!!

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:34:32 -0600

Yesterday, Catholics around the world celebrated the feast of The Holy Family...Holy Family Sunday...!

The Holy Family, of course, was Jesus, Mary, & Joseph...!!!

They, more or less, serve as a model for the rest of us, and so we have Holy Family Sunday...!

Does anyone reading this think there is such a thing as a perfect family??? If so, stop reading this now...it will be a waste of your time...!!!

Holy families aren't perfect families,,,there is no such thing as a perfect family, but all families are called to be Holy...!

The priest giving the homily yesterday brought out many aspects of that statement!!!

Recalling how even in the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph each had their challenges and crosses to bear...Jesus bearing the ultimate cross that saves all humanity...!

I discuss often on this blog how life itself seems like a great juggling act...a constant walk on a high wire struggling to maintain balance...always improving, but always slightly missing the mark...nevertheless, never giving up...tomorrow is always another day...!!!

So what should we as parents be busy about doing...the more we try to sharpen our parenting skills, the more those skills seem to need sharpening...!!!

Like a person addicted to a substance or bad habit or negative behavior, we need to take a long hard look at ourselves, always ready to admit our failings and shortcomings...that is where we find the victory over these matters...in admitting that the problem is far beyond the ability for us to solve alone...hence the term 'family' or 'team'...A family of 3 or 5 or 17 can be Holy, but they'll never be perfect...

Let's use the yardstick I am most familiar with...one is either a peacemaker or a troublemaker...a giver or a taker...a saint or a sinner...aha, that last one I put in to trick you...!!!

We are all sinners, capable of doing wrong things...those that repent and change become saints...and not by their own doing, but with the help of Him who created us...you see, he does not leave us orphaned...a good parent wouldn't...

It might be how we weave our shortcomings into common cloth that is the measure of our family's holiness...it certainly isn't about amassing a bunch of perfect people together, calling them a family, and attempting to acquire holiness on our own according to our combined intelligence or pooled abilities...

No, the Holy Family is the family that takes each step selflessly...subordinating each's need to those of the family...sometimes that brings happiness, and sometimes that brings pain...both are needed to grow into Holiness...

Aha, the grand experiment...take up your cross each day and follow HIM...cast your cares on HIM and HE will care for you...for our cross is easy and our burden is light...!!!

God Bless ALL Families...!!!

Christmas Season Memories Of Good Times Past...!!!

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:15:19 -0600

My father's oldest sister, my Aunt Molly, has been coming to mind lately...she has been gone for over 15 years now, but she is still sorely missed by many family members...

She was a special lady...!

Very petite in stature, but very suave in appearance, she tended to overdress for most family occasions...mink coat and all...but nevertheless she liked a good celebration and became an interesting part of every festive occasion...she was the traveler in our family...The only one of our family who attended the 1939 World's Fair in New York...

She made several trips to shrines in Canada as well...!

And if you ever wanted to get caught up on those daytime soaps, she didn't miss a trick...!!!

What made Aunt Molly special, however, was the fact that she was deaf...It was not so much her deafness that was special, but how she dealt with it and the example she gave to her whole family...!!!

You see, as a child...I'm not sure at what age, but certainly preteen, she developed a severe case of spinal meningitis and almost died...she recovered, but would never hear again...typical in many meningitis survivors, I'm told...!!!

Fortunately, she had already learned how to read, write, speak, and do simple math before stricken with this disability to hear, but it never deterred her from writing prolifically and reading intensely...!

What made Aunt Molly unique (her real name was Amelia), was her refusal to make aware her deafness...at least in public...She never used sign language, if it even existed then...she learned quickly how to lip read, and taught each one of us the art...for example, we always faced her directly, spoke simply and slowly, enunciated carefully, and closely observed her facial and non verbal expressions to assure clear communication, using many of these skills ourselves...

Reread that last sentence and you'll know what prompted me to write this post...

In some very strong, but subtle ways, she may have been the one family member who planted and nurtured the seeds of good communication needed to effectively compete in the business world...with a sprinkling of good manners added in...

Aunt Molly, we miss you, but we know you are still with us in spirit!!!

Merry Christmas...!!!

Christmas...DAY THREE...Shepherds and Wise Men...!!!

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 01:21:52 -0600

Now that we have had a couple of days to engage in, enjoy, and celebrate this Holiday we call Christmas, we can now make some valued reflections...

Christmas is for kids...and there had better be a kid in all of us...!

Christmas is for giving...yes, Christmas is FORGIVING...gotcha...!

Christmas is for SHEPHERDS and WISE MEN...only the humble or smart need apply...which are you...!!!

It is still the Christmas SEASON...still time to get rid of the grinch in us...JOY should be what we experience...perhaps there is one last gift that needs to be opened...check under the tree again...!!!

Christmas JOY be with all who read this...!!!

Merry ReReChristmas...!!!

Christmas...THE DAY AFTER...!!!

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:04:13 -0600

No, this is not a post about regifting!!! Regift at your own risk! Yesterday's title was Christmas PRESENT...so I wanted to carry the theme of TIME FORWARD...

Christmas Day was a full boat of emotions...

From the early excitement when the children were aroused from sleep at about 7:30 AM until presents were unwrapped at a hare's pace and gift wrapping paper was disposed of at a turtle's pace...until after lunch when we received the disturbing and upsetting news that my nephews 3 year old baby, Mia, was ambulanced to the hospital with breathing problems and a very high fever...until humbly giving thanks to God for our wonderful Christmas dinner meal, prefaced by prayers for Mia's recovery of health...until later in the evening when more presents were exchanged, intentionally delayed dessert was enjoyed, passing around our 6 month old baby granddaughter, Marin, and finally the long awaited cleanup and windup to a long and filling day...

A day filled with a full spectrum of emotions, feelings, and excitement...

Thank God for Christmas...thank God we only celebrate it once a year...I'm slightly kidding...Christmas is probably my favorite Holiday and Holy Day...The spirit of Christmas should be celebrated each day of our lives---with the emphasis on giving rather than receiving...but, the materialistic side of Christmas would wear us out, emotionally, financially, physically, spiritually, and practically...

Life wasn't meant to be lived every day atop the mountain...

There are times for valleys, time for mountaintops, but by and large, most of our time is spent ON THE JOURNEY...and those times are what we need to learn how to manage...

And so, today, the day after Christmas is one of those transitional times when recuperation, rejuvenation, rededication, remembering, rewinding, resolving and eating leftovers must be enjoyed...!!!

Merry ReChristmas!!!

Christmas PRESENT...!!!

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 01:13:48 -0600

Isn't it odd, that, on a day when we celebrate the birth of another, that 'OTHER' is the one distributing the gifts to us!!!

And that, my friends is what is at the heart of Christmas...

God looked down on mankind whom He Himself had created and thought of a way to show each person how much they are loved...for HE LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH...!!!

Christmas Eve 2008...Post Number 600...!!!

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:05:42 -0600

There are no visions of sugar plums dancing around in my head this Christmas! I, like many others, am feeling the effects of a more than sluggish economy!

And, coincidentally, I am pleased to write my 600th post on Active Rain...!

What are mulling around in this aging and confused mind of mine are thoughts of THANKSGIVING and PRAISE...!

THANKSGIVING...for the many blessings The Lord continues to shower on me and my family! Yes, it has been a hard year in more ways than one! Economically speaking, it has been trying and humbling! But we are still family, sharing love, hurts, successes, failures, wins, losses, gains, sacrifices, joys and sorrows...!!! I still haven't mastered juggling, but we're still standing! As I celebrate Christmas later today with family, I will bring to the Lord all my Joys and frustrations...and Thank Him for continuing to watch over us!!!

PRAISE...for continuing to be Lord of my life and my family...does this mean we have had a year of tremendous abundance...no way...! Do I Praise Him, then, only when rewards in abundance fall upon us...no way! What the Lord desires is consistency, obedience, and faithfulness! John Kennedy said, "Ask not what your Country can do for you, but what you can do for your Country"...I say, "Ask not what The Lord can do for you, but what you can do for the Lord"...My Country will not last forever, but The Lord endures through all generations..."To Whom Should I go, Lord"...therefore, I am honored to PRAISE Him in good times and in bad...because of WHO He is, not because of WHAT He does...!!! Would that we would be accepted for who we are, rather than what we do!

There is power in PRAISE...we don't PRAISE to obtain power, but power is the effect of PRAISE!!! And we can't even take credit for this attitude, for it is merely saying yes to the Holy Spirit within that motivates us in this endeavor...our YES, is cooperating with that Spirit!!!

So PRAISE, ultimately, is The Spirit's Work within us, not our work...and that's how we're able to 'become perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect', MATT 5:48...hence PRAISE fulfills our job description in creation, and is GIFT...!!!

These are the reflections I would like to share with you this Christmas...!!!

I pray that this blog, all its subscribers and readers, and all its future posts be blessed by The Lord, and continue to proclaim the mystery of 'God with us' to a world starving for HIS LOVE...!!!

May this post #600 honor Him on this Christmas 2008 as I proclaim JESUS on this Silent Night...LORD AT THY BIRTH...!!!

BLOGGERS...On Your Mark...GO...!!!

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:06:32 -0600

I have been blogging, observing blogging, commenting, learning about SEO, appreciating the ART of BLOGGING, and analyzing blogging for about a year and a half now!!! Do I consider myself an expert? Heck no!!!

Do I love blogging? What do you think???

Some would argue that, with a blog, CONTENT IS KING...true...however...

It's not all about content!

Others might say, it's the ability to attract comments...perhaps...but...

You can be a great blogger and not attract a lot of comments, particularly if your posts are simple to understand, have universal (but not necessarily politically correct) appeal, and are short and to the point...

So, if CONTENT IS KING, and attracting commenters is right next to king in the hierarchy of importance, then what makes a good blogger???

To me, the mark of a good blogger is exhibited by the blogger's ability to communicate with the subscribers and readers of the blog...especially those who take the time and comment on the post...!!! In days gone by, this would have been considered common courtesy, but in today's fast paced world common courtesy has gone the way of T-REX...and that's not the decking company...!!!

If you want an example of a GOOD BLOGGER...go to Lenn Harley's blog...Lenn answers every commenter...and what's even more special about Lenn is...her answers illuminate her LISTENING ABILITY...her responses to comments make the commenter feel as though they are sitting right across the breakfast table with Lenn...and when I feel that comfortable...I'm in the presence of a GOOD LISTENER...

And that, my friends, LISTENING ABILITY, in my opinion, is not only the key to becoming a successful blogger, but the key to becoming successful in any business!!!

Reflections On A Sunday Morning Before Christmas...!!!

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:09:59 -0600

At a recent weekend retreat attended by me and two of my sons, the retreat master suggested several ways to approach the reading of Holy Scripture...I shall share one of those methods with you today...!

The suggestion was to place ourselves into a particular event depicted in Scripture...become a part of the actual story being told...so as to meditate on the dynamics being played out before us...

I decided to enter into the whole mystery of the NATIVITY EVENT...THE BIRTH OF CHRIST...and so I would like to share some thoughts for us to reflect upon...

My faith tells me that Jesus was Fully God and Fully Man...this means that for around nine months the God who created the universe from nothing dwelt in the womb of a Virgin called Mary...As God, He, more than any other being, has experienced the ultimate act of humility...and for nine months...As Man, He, more than any other, knew the pain and darkness and growing pangs, yes, and the comfort of the womb...no longer the safest place on earth...

Let's fast forward to a couple of days before the actual birth of Jesus...

Most Scripture scholars agree that the event of Jesus' birth actually probably occurred in the Spring...In a couple of days, the Creator of the Universe would be born into the world, thus sanctifying by His mere appearance on Earth everything and everyone that then existed...just think...the daffodils then blooming or preparing to bloom---specially honored...Do you think the sheep on the hills around Bethlehem got a little tingly as their very Creator was being born nearby...Meanwhile the Wise Men having already begun their Journey from a distant land making their way ever closer to Bethlehem...As the humble shepherds sensed by observing the behavior of their flocks and the prompting of nature all around them, that something truly profound was to take place this night...Yes, for at least a moment, there would be Peace on Earth...as the Prince of Peace, Himself, became one of us...Even the very stones would cry out had all this been kept a secret or these very events remained hidden from civilizations to come...

Even the angels could not be contained as they expressed to the shepherds the 'glad tidings' of great joy which was to be for ALL PEOPLE...a message that would be repeated on many occasions by Jesus Himself, His Apostles and disciples, and faithful for two Millenia now...and all underscored by the greeting...BE NOT AFRAID...

And so all from greatest to least were impacted...Wisest Men all the way down to shepherds at night...probably the least educated at the time...SHEPHERDS...certainly less skilled than carpenters, tent makers, inn keepers, fishermen, tax collectors, physicians, scribes, Rabbis, seers, etc...ordinary shepherds heralding once and forever the birth of THE GOOD SHEPHERD...it matters not WHEN it took place...what matters is THAT it took place...

Mary's YES and her pondering all these things in her heart give us a clue into the greatest mystery on earth...And The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us!!! For God loved the world so much, that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him might not perish, but have ETERNAL LIFE...!!!

This is the promise of Christmas...!!!

Snow Job, Snow Fun, Snow What, Snow Buyers, Snow Where...!!!

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:44:39 -0600

Everywhere in our country SNOW has impacted our lives...I'm talking just in the last few days...!

This may be a good thing, inasmuch as it has taken our focus off the miserable economy we enjoy...

I'm tired of listening to all the EXPERTS and their ways to FIX what's wrong...They're all over the place...in the media, news papers, in our workplaces, on TV, in our legislatures, on Wall Street, Main Street, and even along the unpaved roads you'll find these experts...

Truth is, nobody can aptly explain how blessings work...so when it appears that blessings have left us, nobody can explain that either...

Yet Blessings are the SIMPLE WORK of a COMPLEX GOD...a stroke of HIS MERCY lasts a lifetime...

HIS WAY is PERFECT...2 Sam. 22:31

I say we use our energies to THANK HIM, PRAISE HIM, and TRUST HIM...

Then when we're able to see the results of HIS BLESSINGS, WALK WITH HIM...!!!

Invest in HIM...!!!

Where Is Bill Gates When You Need Him...???

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:19:58 -0600

I am constantly warning my younger children to be careful when they use the internet...viruses can affect our computers if we aren't careful to surf only on TRUSTED WEB SITES...

Well the snake has bitten the snake handler...

What more trusted site or entity would you expect than MICROSOFT itself...MICROSOFT...the very originators of the most widely used operating system in the PC world...MICROSOFT...the very pioneers of software for computer use...MICROSOFT...Bill Gates' own baby!!!

Well to make a long story short, I recently noticed a recurring charge from MICROSOFT on one of my credit cards of $19.95 per month...upon investigation, I discovered that this charge was begun in 1999, and has been charged to me monthly ever since for dial-up internet service...

Now, I haven't used a dial-up modem service since 2003...a conservative estimate by all standards...

When making several attempts to discuss this situation, The MICROSOFT employees on two occasions refused to provide any answers based on the fact that the charge card number I gave them did not correspond to information at their disposal...

They could not nor would not answer my query of how then, is it, that I have been getting charged by them since 1999...each and every month...???

I was able to put a stop on recurring charges from this merchant with my credit card company, but they could not assist me in recovering charges already paid to MICROSOFT...

They won't talk to me at MICROSOFT, yet they charged my account monthly for almost 10 years...go figure...

Where is Bill Gates when you need him...???

Economic Disaster...OR...Ground Floor Opportunity...???

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:00:36 -0600

Everywhere we look these days, we see signs of economic disaster...the stock market, the bailouts, the sub prime crisis, the foreclosure debacle, the job layoffs, the tremendous devaluation of property values...just to name a few...

Is there any hope for a turnaround, or even survival of our nation as we know it...???

Make no mistake about it, God's hand is still on our beloved nation...He truly cares for our well being and our families...

There are many crystal ball gazers offering myriads of explanations and solutions to our problems...here is one more...

If we take an honest look at our world, it is not too difficult to see the results of all the corruption, greed, selfishness, back room dealings, good old boys networking, dishonesty, cheating, bribery, illegal and unethical enterprising, sham and scam operations...abounding all around us for years...!

My take???...God, in His infinite MERCY and WISDOM is giving us yet another chance...An OPPORTUNITY to start over...to begin again...only this time to do it right...to become a nation of morals and ethics...to become a society who cares about people, not things or power or scheming or license or impropriety or any other untoward behavior...

We can look at the world around us and despair at how bad a shape it's in...or we can take this time, thankfully, as an opportunity, not only to turn things around, but to create a new society...a more simplistic society hallmarked by its concentration on values, not numbers...people, not things...

Each of us has particular talents...that's what makes each person unique...

We need to pledge those positive traits we possess to achieving a better world...for our children, our grandchildren, and all who follow us...

We hear about the RIPPLE EFFECT...drop even a small pebble into a body of water and see how many ripples are generated by this simple small effort, and how those ripples travel infinitely in all directions...

So it must be with us...each one of us must harness all that is good in us, and for others, and take the plunge to enable our ripples to touch as many as possible with life changing and life sustaining energy...positive energy...morally good energy...ethically clean energy...

It is no coincidence that all the negatives in our economy are converging at this time, this season of the year...Christmas 2008...

Jesus was born in history over 2000 years ago...now it is time for Him to be born again in our hearts...in our families...and in our world...!!!

Lord, give us the courage and the faith to take the plunge...!!!

Special Christmas Video For Real Estate Agents...!!!

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:40:53 -0600

I usually don't promote You Tube videos that poke fun at professionals in our business, but with the Christmas Season upon us and the climate of the real estate industry being what it is, and the state of the economy needing a push, I thought it would be a good idea to take the edge off and restoke our sense of humor...

It doesn't hurt to laugh once in a while...!!!

How Do You Shake That Winter Cold That Messes With Your Sinuses...!!!

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:29:12 -0600

How's that for a SMASH MOUTH and IN YOUR FACE title...???

Ever since around Thanksgiving I picked up this bug which just won't leave...not a full fledged cold, hardly any sneezing, just a little coughing, but violent at times...

Now, reflecting back on the wisdom of my Grandmother, who insisted that every illness of the body settles into your weakest area, mine must be sinuses...because this thing has lingered until now...MY TEETH HURT...!!!

Like most men, however, I avoid going to the doctors like a plague, so I've been extra brushing, brushing with ultra sensitive toothpaste, popping an occasional Tylenol here and there, sucking down cough drops, drinking green tea, trying to drink extra liquids to flush the bug out of my system...you know, all the old fashioned home remedies that my dear old Grandmother taught me...!!!

Now that it has settled in my sinuses, and is putting up a LAST STAND, how do I finally shake it...

I will ignore all advice that suggests going to the doctors to get an antibiotic...

The only Docs I like is GOOGLE DOCS...!!!

UPDATE: 12/18/2008...So to get through last night my lovely wife set me up with this gizmo:

Seemed to work well...!!! I'll keep you posted...!

Just The Right Gift...!!!

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:28:29 -0600

Just The Right Gift...!!!

Men have debated for millennia now the true meaning of Christmas...!!!

In our secular world we even see opposition to some public expressions of Christmas being offered by various non religious groups...public Nativity scenes, etc...

Nevertheless, wise men have been seeking Him for centuries now...

Seeking whom, you ask!

The Creator and Author of the universe...that's who Christians world wide proclaim Jesus to be...and ultimately, that is at the heart of all Christmas celebration...

It's not the Christmas cookies, the special Christmas foods, the Christmas gifts that are exchanged, the Christmas trees that are displayed, all the Christmas light displays that proliferate in our neighborhoods...all of which are GOOD and as symbols point to a greater reality...

No, it's all about the GIVER and GIFT being one and the same...

This Christmas, will there be room for HIM in our hearts...???

Gathering The Fragments...Sifting Through The Ashes...And Plugging Up Holes...!!!

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:37:38 -0600

We are sometimes a culture full of cliches...like the ones in the above title...! Add to that our use of the term 'slip through the cracks'...and you'll know where this post is going...!!!

The year is almost over, we're already making plans for 2009, and the only prudent thing left to do is to make the best out of the rest of this year, 2008...!

For those of us in the Title Business, there will be squeezing in the final closings that remain in our pipeline...of course we will work in the Holidays amongst our busy end of year settlement schedules!!!

You know the MO...squeeze into three days a normal 5 day work week...and of course the challenges will be finding people at their phones or desks whom we need to supply us with tax info, loan payoffs, mortgage documents, etc, before we can finish that HUD-1 and disburse funds accordingly...!!!

So that's where our emphases will be for the next two weeks...prioritizing which transactions will close this year and how to get them to the table, and deciding which files beg to hold off until 2009...!

We can often make a real estate agents day by keeping the ball rolling and the ball out of our court...

Not that we operate like an assembly line or factory conveyor, but we pride ourselves on keeping the files moving along and not getting bogged down...we get paid by the consumer, but we enable everyone connected with a transaction to experience a smooth and fruitful closing...

So to my title compadres here on Active Rain, I say gather the fragments, sift through the ashes, find those files before they slip through the cracks, plug up any holes in the armor...who knows, you just might be able to make someones Holiday more enjoyable!!!

S.M.A.R.T....Sunday Morning Active Rain Tea...!!!

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:18:01 -0600

Grab yourself a cup of your favorite tea, coffee, or relaxing beverage, and enjoy some Christmas thoughts I would like to share with my Active Rain friends...!!!

Eleven Days until Christmas...just enough time to get into the Christmas Spirit...remember, we celebrate Christ's birthday, but He has already come into the world and expects us to live according to the spirit of the Kingdom, which Jesus said is already in our midst...

John The Baptist heralded the coming of Jesus by preaching repentance and conversion...what better time to seek forgiveness for the wrongs we have done than this season of Advent...and what better time to CHANGE, or alter our course than Christmas time...

Christmas is a lot about gift giving, but the Lord Jesus is both Giver and Gift...When we receive Him, it is not to keep to ourselves or hoard as another possession, but to be given away...freely...it is only then that we experience true LOVE...

God loves a cheerful giver...we must learn to give without counting the cost, freely, and abundantly...JOY is the hallmark of the Christmas Season...happiness can elude us, but JOY is a gift from God that no one can take away...!

If all this sounds like pious prattle, you're not getting the message...the message is you still have eleven days to CHANGE...to become all that the Lord created us to be, and sharers of His JOY...

Remember, Wise Men...and Women...still seek Him...!!!

Saturday Sojourn...Simply Stated Snippets Sincerely Saying Something Special...!!!

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:10:10 -0600

It's coming to a fast end...2008...a couple more weeks, and it's history...!

As bleak as things seem right now economically and in our real estate market in particular, looking back on 2008 was a roller coaster of good and not so good news...

The first six months for our title business were good...not great mind you, but good enough to signal coming out of this stagnant market which began around October 2005...then, for some hard to explain reason...the markets tanked...I say the markets, because both the real estate market and the stock market became erratic as consumer spending ground to an abrupt halt...now 'blame gamers' can point to the media, the political campaigns, and various other phenomena as causes for our present financial mess, but I'd rather spend time considering what we ought to be doing now to remedy the situation, and rather than offer ideas which may or may not work, it is better to lay out some realities to think about to adopt our own survival plan...

FACT...While title claims will be rising, nationally they are still just below the 3% level...

FACT...As bad as the real estate market is, there are still properties being sold, mortgages being placed, people being relocated, either voluntarily or by necessity...

FACT...While many mortgages are being foreclosed, over 90% of home owners are still paying theirs...

FACT...Election years most always display erraticism for markets...

FACT...Debt reduction by Americans has finally increased for the first time since the fifties...

FACT...Interest rates are currently under 5% for a thirty year fixed rate mortgage...

FACT...While Congress is preoccupied with debating 'bailouts', at least they're not creating any new tax increases or consumer burdening legislation...

FACT...Although November was one of the worse months we've ever had, December is full of hope and promise with new title orders...

FACT...The Gaspari household has cut back drastically on its Holiday spending, but my kids seem to be having the best times of their lives...

FACT...We have seen our net worths plummet, our 401Ks tank, and our savings depleted, but we're still healthy, there's plenty of food on the table, a comfortable roof over our heads, freezing cold temperatures outside, and gas prices below $1.50...

Now, if we can just get these AR proxy errors squared away once and for all...we'll all have a Merry Christmas!!!

IMAGINE THAT...!!!

Fran's Friday Forum For Friendly Filial, Faith, and Faithful Friends...!!!

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:24:41 -0600

Today is my only sister's birthday! I won't say how old Laura is, but I wish her a very Happy Birthday! She's a democrat, but I love her dearly anyway! She's always asking her YOUNGER OLDER ONLY brother's advice, but rarely every heeds it!!! She recently moved about a block and a half away from us, and her nieces and nephews enjoy having her close-by...!!! Maybe she'll see how Conservatives live, and be positively impacted in her political views...!

Today is also the Feast of Our Lady Of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas...and one of my favorite depictions of our Blessed Mother! In Luke 1:28, we see her referred to by Gabriel the Archangel as 'Blessed among women'...! As patroness of the Americas, she represents the entire western hemisphere, and truly unites us in both North and South America...! For more interesting information, click on either Wikipedia or Sancta.org...!

In the last three weeks, I have had 3 or 4 of my long time subscribers 'unsubscribe' to my blog...apparently I have crossed the line they have drawn in the sand on their own shores regarding expressing my opinions...I had thought of actually naming them in my post, but thank God that thought left me quickly! I'm still hoping their unsubscribing was accidental, but in any event I still subscribe to their blogs and in point of fact still enjoy reading and commenting on their posts...and, I have continued to gain quality subscribers who support me in what I have to say...Ultimately, that's what I seek...not 'fair weather' friends, but loyal subscribers who stand by me, enjoy reading my blog, and aren't afraid to express their opinions in my posts!!! My goal is to maintain my blog as a safe place to visit, express supporting or opposing positions, and advance the cause of TRUTH...My Lord Jesus, himself...!!!

Thanks for honoring me by your visit here!!!