|
|
Friday, November 2nd, 2007
|
|
Friday, September 14th, 2007
|
|
|
|
Since I don't know how to post pics otherwise, I put a picture of Quentin, my 7-week-old son, as my avatar so everyone could see him. He's wonderful and perfect, and of course I'm not the least bit biased when I say that. He's a BIG boy. When he was born, he was 10 pounds 11.6 ounces. Now he's about 14 pounds and already grown 3 inches since birth, making him a 2-foot baby. He started sleeping through the night almost immediately and now is also taking long naps, like now. He was born able to hold his head up and now doesn't wobble it at all unless he's really tired. And ever since he was 4-weeks-old, if you hold him upright, he gets his feet under him and supports his weight like you would expect a 5-month-old to do. He's Super-Baby!
|
|
Comments: Read 6 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
I was just talking with Tim and discovered something that, for me, is pretty amazing. For the last five years I've gotten "birthday blues". Each year on my b-day, I've gotten depressed instead of celebratory. Mostly my reasoning - when I felt like being logical about it - was that I wasn't where I wanted to be in my life at that age.
Next week is the birthday I've been dreading: The Big 3-0. But for the first time since realizing that 25 was a quarter of a century, I'm not the least upset about turning it.
I guess all I can think is that finally I'm content with my life. After years of fertility treatments with my ex, I have a baby due in just a couple of months. After even more years of a marriage in which I didn't realize I was unhappy until I got out of it, I have a wonderful man who is truly my partner. After struggling with a failing career, I now have a new one that's just beginning to blossom and make me the kind of money I've been aiming for. And finally, I have some new luxuries that, though not a necessity to my happiness are a plus, such as a new house and new car.
I guess I'm feeling rather thankful right now. What's a new digit on the age-meter in comparison to all these blessings?
|
|
Comments: Read 10 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Thursday, February 22nd, 2007
|
| Time: | 10:54 pm. |
| Mood: |  excited. |
|
IT'S A BOY!!!!
We had the ultrasound today and it's a healthy baby boy. He has 4 strong limbs and the tech got a good shot of all 4 chambers of the heart. He currently weighs between 9 and 10 oz, which is a relief to me since I still haven't gained any weight. There was a good shot of the top of head where we could see all the portions of the brain in all the right places and sizes. The only thing we couldn't see was a full facial view to check for clefts. Since my brother had a cleft pallet, they want to schedule another ultrasound in about a month to check again. I'm not worried and actually glad to have an excuse to see my little boy again.
Tim was grinning from ear to ear when he heard the sex. He wanted a boy so bad. I was about 50/50, so I was thrilled that he was able to get what he wanted. Now we just have to name him. Any ideas?
|
|
Comments: Read 9 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Wednesday, January 24th, 2007
|
|
|
I haven’t posted here in a very long time, and I’m sorry. I’m also sorry that I’ve since forgotten how to use LJ cut, but would be glad to update this with it if someone sends me instructions.
The fact is, there’s been a lot of changes in my life since the last post. I can’t believe that the last time I wrote here, I was only just considering going out and meeting people. Truth is, I did go out. I did meet someone.
I began with some of the online dating sites like www.match.com and www.plentyoffish.com. Right away I got lots of responses. Much to my surprise, the number only increased when I put up my picture. Among them was someone on Match.com, who I later came to know as Tim Wright.
Now, don’t think this is a fairytale where I fell immediately into Tim’s arms and we ran off into the sunset. Oh no. In fact, I wasn’t too interested in him. For weeks we e-mailed, instant messaged, and text messaged, mostly on his prompting. I came to really enjoy talking to him, but was just too busy with some of the other guys I met who I for some reason believed were more promising.
Finally one night I was out by myself after a not-so-promising meeting with another online potential when Tim text messaged me. On a whim, I asked him to meet me at Ivar’s. My first thoughts, I hate to admit, were not flattering. I simply wasn’t attracted to him, but I couldn’t find a way out of spending the evening with him. After a while, I relaxed enough to have a good time. Near the end of the night, he even found the perfect way to ask me on another date: He asked me to Fiddler on the Roof, one of my favorite musical plays. I just couldn’t turn that down! Most confusing of all, when he walked me to my car that night, I let him kiss me and it was one of the best kisses I’d ever had! Seriously. Even despite all my other negative thoughts that evening, I couldn’t help but tell him what a wonderful kisser he was.
Soon after our first meeting, we went to the movies. Again, my first shallow thoughts were that I wasn’t attracted to him. But in the theater, Tim put his arm around me and pulled me close. Perhaps I needed the physical contact. Perhaps I’m just a touchy-feely person. Either way, I loved it. I felt like a teenager making out with her boyfriend in the back row of the dark theater. But that enjoyment only served to scare me more as the movie ended and reality intruded. I ran away so quickly that he must have suspected my confliction.
For weeks after this, I avoided him. I would answer his texts, but only in short responses so as not to encourage him. I just couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I enjoyed his friendship, but didn’t want more.
Finally, the day came that I had to confess. Over instant message, I told Tim that I just wanted to be friends with him. However, I invited him out that night. I told him I would buy him a beer in the spirit of friendship.
Maybe it was the lack of pressure of knowing that we were just friends. Maybe it was the too-much alcohol I drank that night or the idea that Tim actually knew how to dance and didn’t mind doing so in a bar without a dance floor. But that night, something changed. I realized suddenly that all the feelings I’d decided were just a desire to be friends could be a solid foundation for something more. By the end of the night (which wasn’t reached until after 4am), I’d retracted my earlier just-be-friends decree and made it known that I would like to explore the possibility of more.
A few days later, we went to that play he asked me to on our first meeting. Afterwards, we went to Port Royal, the bar he usually hung out at and I met all his friends, who I liked very much. By the time the bar closed, I asked him if we could go somewhere just to talk, so we parked by the LSU Lakes. We hashed out everything that had happened, including our brief foray into friendship and what each of us wanted at that time. We didn’t leave until 5am. On that evening, the only definitive conclusion was that we were both quite confused, but in retrospect, we count that day as the one we officially became an exclusive couple.
It just so happened that a week later, I was moving into an apartment. After all, I could only take living with my parents for so long. Tim helped me move and ended up staying the first night with me. As a matter of fact, he stayed the next night, and the next too. We joke now that there was no official time that he moved in with me, he just never really went home again.
At this time, Tim was in his last semester of nursing school to become an RN. Because it was his last semester, he had saved enough money to not have to work, therefore devoting all his energy to graduating. Since I make my own hours with my job, this allowed us to spend quite a bit of time together, which we both enjoyed. Very quickly, we settled into a routine that caused most people we met to think we were a long-married couple.
Three months into our relationship, we got a surprise - a BIG surprise.
If you’ve read my journal before, you know that I tried for 5 years with my ex-husband to have a child. It was decided by the doctors that the problem lay with me. Therefore, when Tim asked me if I was on birth control, I said “Nope,” then explained that after so long, I doubted I could get pregnant at all, but would welcome a happy little oops.
Oops.
I picked up a pregnancy test in the beginning of November despite being convinced that it would be negative just like all the ones I took while married. I waited until after Tim left to take a big test he’d been studying for, then took mine. I went to fix lunch, completely unconcerned about the outcome on the little stick. A couple of minutes later, I returned to the bathroom to find two lines. I walked out, then back in, sure that it was a mistake! I started shaking.
Waiting for Tim to get home that day was the longest hours of my life. During them, I took another test, only to find the same result. I rehearsed many ways to tell him. But when he walked in, all that would come out of my mouth was “I’m pregnant.”
Tim handled it very well considering the shock it must have been to him. At one point he held his head in his hands and mumbled “silver-freaking-bullets”. It took him about a week to get over the shock, although he was supportive from the very beginning.
I’m now 14 weeks, 4 days pregnant and Tim’s as in love with our baby as I am. He talks to my stomach often. In fact, last week while we were out playing darts, he was jokingly talking to it and our opponent said, “Quit making out with her stomach. You’re going to make me miss my shot!”
I’ve just started wearing maternity clothes and passed the second trimester mark a few days ago. I’ve gotten past the morning sickness and am starting to move past the extreme moodiness (PMS on crack) and tiredness.
Tim and I have bought a house together, although we won’t close on it until the end of February. It’s an amazing deal that’s easily giving us $20,000 in equity from the start in a neighborhood we never thought we could afford.
Tim graduated nursing school and now has a great job at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in the Cardiac unit.
Finally, he and I decided that we would compromise on the issue that was most brought up to us by older relatives: marriage. We are unofficially engaged (officially when he buys a ring), but are not planning a wedding until the baby is at least a year old. The logic to this, of course, is that he or she will be old enough to leave with Grandma so we can go on a real honeymoon. However, the deeper reasoning is that by having a long engagement, neither of us will ever have to wonder if we only got married for the baby. After all, we will have been together for two years and by then I would have told him to fish or cut bait anyway.
Well, hope you enjoyed catching up on my life. I’ll try to update here more often so that I don’t have to write three pages next time. Although I think you will agree that there’s been more than enough changes to justify the length.
|
|
Comments: Read 15 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
I'm starting to get the urge to go out and meet people. I mean, I'd like to meet a guy to flirt with and date, but even if I just met new friends of either gender it would meet the requirements of what I'm feeling. The problem is that I'm afraid of letting my parents know that I'm ready for that step. How silly is that? I mean, I'm 29-years-old!
Everyone's been amazed at how quickly I'm moving through the stages after my divorce. I've just never been the type of person to dwell on what's gone. I'm not into sulking and pining and being all broody. If it's ineveitable that the marriage is over, why not just move on?
I guess my concern is that taking the step to get back out into the social scene is the most public of the stages. Although those closest to me see that I'm not stuck in that depressed stage that so many people get into soon after divorce, will they or others accept that I can move into this stage? Or will everyone think I'm just looking for a rebound relationship or for someone to take care of me? Will everyone assume that I'm looking for happiness outside myself when my primary goal in this situation is to find happiness within?
On the other hand, if that is my primary goal, shouldn't I listen to my instincts? I honestly believe that part of my previous problem was that I had no friendships other than those I have online. I'd lost touch will all my local friends because of one reason or another in the marriage. Perhaps it's just a part of the process as I heal that I crave social companionship. Like I said, it's not even romance that I'm looking for. I'd gladly accept female companionship in a social atmosphere.
I wish there were a way to find a female friend to just hang out with. Someone who would invite me out to a bar, the casino, a movie, or just dinner for girl talk. In that scenerio, it wouldn't matter if I met a guy while I was out. I could have fun with or without meeting someone. The pressure is much more on when you go out by yourself.
Anyone live in Baton Rouge and want to be my social buddy?
Robin
|
|
Comments: Read 18 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
Things seem to be going pretty well since the sale of the trailer. I finally got the money for it and immediately paid off 2 bills and sent $1000 to my main credit card. I still have about $2500 put aside in case of emergency.
I've been at my parent's house for a little over a week now and that seems to be going better than we expected as well. I've been making an effort to help around the house, so my mom's suddenly thrilled to have me. Now if we could just get past the idea that if one drinks a white russian, the other does too. It makes us drink more nights than we normally would alone. Since I'm back strong on my diet, I can't afford the calories.
My grandfather was released from the hospital today after his stroke. We have full time sitters staying with him until he can get a little oriented again, then we hope to cut the sitters down to 12-16 hours a day, taking off when he's sleeping. I've also joined DeeDee, my aunt, on running his business, which will soon be incorporated into Wright Properties LLC. I'm still much in the learning stage, but the goal is for me to take over the business end of things since Grandpoo's no longer able and DeeDee doesn't have a head for it.
I've been dipping my toes very slowly into the dating pool. I let someone set me up with her nephew a few days ago and it went well, although I don't think much will come of it. He's cute, intellegent, and has a good job. But he's originally from Panama, so it's a little difficult to hold in depth conversations with him. Although his English is wonderful for a second language, I tend to use big words sometimes, so deep conversations are interrupted with "I don't understand."
Well, that's about all that's been happening lately. Nothing exciting, just rebuilding and starting over.
Robin
|
|
Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Saturday, June 10th, 2006
|
|
|
|
I sold the trailer today. The buyers are a young couple just starting out and they absolutely loved it. I only came off the price $400, so that will give each Mark and I about $6500 from the profit. Of course, when I called Mark to tell him, he said he'd actually decided to buy me out of it, but didn't think it would sell so quickly, so he didn't think he'd have to let me know right away. In a way, I'm glad that someone else bought it. I don't like the idea of Mark living here without me. Worse yet, he'd eventually bring some other girl into the house and she'd be using my tub and sleeping in my room, and hanging her clothes in my closet. Uh-uh, I don't like that at all. But I did promise him that if the deal falls through with the buyers, I would let him get it. I hope it doesn't fall through!
|
|
Comments: Read 8 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
Well, assuming there's anyone other than Heather and David reading this journal, I guess it's time to let y'all in on what's been happening. My husband and I are splitting up. About two weeks ago, we had this non-fight thing. It was very calm. I asked if he was happy, he said no. That was it. We both left that night, I to my mom's and he to... actually, I don't know where. But I came home the next day hoping to work it out and he didn't. I didn't see him again until a week later, and then only to decide things like selling the house.
Now, before you say it, I honestly don't suspect he has a girlfriend. Although I don't know where he stayed that night, he finally settled at his neice's house and no self-respecting 30-year-old would willingly subject himself to an 18-year-old's bachelorette pad if he had anywhere else to go. LOL.
We're actually getting along very amicably now that the decision's been made. He offered to give me anything I wanted in the house, including the kitchen supplies and towels. I gave him the TV and entertainment center even though he offered it because I knew he'd enjoy it more. I'm taking the master bedroom set and he the guest bedroom. He's agreed to pay the bills through June and July while I stay in the house to sell it. The ad hit the paper last Sunday and I've had some pretty serious lookers, but no one's committed to buying. It will still be running this weekend, so hopefully I'll get some fresh potentials. If I get what we're asking, we will each be able to pocket $7000 for start-over money.
Once the house sells, I'll go to my mom's for a few months. I was very wary of this at first, but after a good (tearful) talk with my mom, we agreed to help each other out while I'm there. My biggest concern is that my mother is pessimistic by nature. Right now, I need support and possitivity, so I had to make her agree to try to be those things or I would get an apartment instead.
In the long run, I think this will be for the best. I will miss Mark and, honestly, I still love him very much. But at some point over the last several years, we stopped communicating. The problem is that on paper, Mark seems perfect. So I subconsciously decided that the problems in our marriage must be my fault. I've been steadily growing into the type of person I hate. I was weak and tearful, no confidence or self-esteem. I was even put on anti-depressants because of it all. Before all this, I was the antithesis of those qualities. And now I want myself back.
I've come up with a list of resolutions that I want to work on with myself:
1. Lose weight!! - Lots of it. I'm the biggest I've ever been since I'm a comfort-eater. But I've been on a diet for a few weeks now and joined Curves. I've lost about 13 pounds so far, but honestly need to lose about 70-80 total to be a truly good size.
2. Get in shape - Part of #1, but it deserves its own resolution. Even if I blow my diet, I will continue to go to Curves because I need to get into better shape to be more flexible and have more endurance (and I don't just mean in the dirty way).
3. Re-gain financial independence - I have the potential in my real estate job, but it will take some dedication and hard work to achieve it. My ultimate goal is to save the money from the sale of the house, but make enough in my job to pay off my credit card ($7000) and finance company loan ($2000) before moving out of my mom's house.
4. Learn better homemaker skills - This includes cleaning, cooking, taking care of nicer clothes, etc. My mom has agreed to help with this part while I'm staying with her.
5. Quit smoking - Right now I couldn't imagine even trying this one due to current stress, but once the storm begins to pass, I would like to quit smoking for the simple reason that, if I'm to reenter the dating scene, being a smoker would rule out so many good possibilities.
For now, I'm just taking everything day-by-day. I've been packing up the house as I spring-clean it for showing. I've done all but the back room since it's nearly all Mark's stuff and therefore difficult to sort without him (he's out of town). I've gotten my old part-time job back at Domino's Pizza to have extra money in the short-term, and I've been working hard on my real estate stuff. In fact, I have two appointments today, one of which has a good potential of resulting in a sale. My diet's going really well, in part due to the fact that this situation has caused me to lose my appetite for the first time in my life.
Honestly, I don't want anyone's pity, which is why I didn't post anything here while things were going bad or just after the non-fight. I've heard enough of "I'm so sorry". However, I would like to chat with people about productive things, such as my plans and resolutions. It's the only thing on my mind right now, so I suspect my friends are tired of hearing about it. LOL.
Robin
|
|
Comments: Read 14 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
Let freedom ring.
Let the white dove sing.
Let the whole world know that today
Is the day of reckoning.
Let the weak be strong.
Let the right be wrong.
All that's gone away.
Let the guilty pay.
It's independence day!
|
|
Comments: Read 6 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Sunday, February 26th, 2006
|
| Time: | 6:17 pm. |
| Mood: |  happy. |
|
Things went well at the appointment I mentioned in the last entry (Thank you, David, for reminding me to put an update. I have a bad habit of leaving y'all hanging, huh?)
I met with Billy and Nell at the ungodly hour of 7am. We went over some options, he told me of other property he'd found for sale by owner, ect. When they were done eating (I couldn't eat due to a sore tooth. Whimper.) we set out on the great land hunt. Of course, I soon discovered the biggest downfall to meeting a customer at 7am on a Saturday: You can't get in touch with any of the listing agents. But that's ok. They all eventually called us back, so we were able to narrow the list down to two.
By 10am we were on our way to Clayton Homes in Hammond so I could hand-deliver them to a dealership/salesperson who knows what he's doing. It went swimmingly despite the downpouring rain (pun intended). They picked out a home that blew them away and was still at a lower price than they'd seen at Palm Harbor. (To those with a calculator, that's $500 referral fee to me.)
While Billy and Nell were in with Joe at Clayton, I called the listing agents for the remaining two pieces of land and discovered, to my dismay, that both were in a flood zone. Sigh. But after hours of searching, they realized that non-flood-zone land would be twice as expensive, so they discussed it and decided to still make an offer on a piece in Watson listed for $30,000. They plan to offer $25,000 ($750 for me). Too bad I couldn't get Michelle from Re/Max back on the phone to send me a plot map! She called back late Saturday and agreed to fax it to my office so I'd get it first thing Monday.
But here's the best part! After spending all of these hours with them, they told me that hands-down I had done more for them than any other agent they'd spoken to. They said that they would not list their house with anyone BUT me. I have an appointment with them on Tuesday to do the official paperwork, with Carrie in tow to make sure I don't screw anything up (expected to sell for $90,000: $2250 to me for listing, double if I also sell it).
Meanwhile, I got a call from Molly, the sweet elderly lady who I suspected was being lied to by David at Palm Harbor (different David than mentioned in the opening thank you). Now I know for absolute surety that he's lying to her. As stated in my earlier entry, it turned out he didn't have her approved for even close to the amount she needed to get land. So instead of confessing to her and giving her legitimate options, he called and told her, "Oh, I didn't realize it, but you're going to have to pay $9000 closing cost on the land you found". This was, of course, the difference she would need to put in downpayment to meet his approval. Molly called me and asked "Does this sound right for closing costs?" I said, "No, it sounds ridiculous!" and explained the reality to her. In that moment, I officially burned the bridge with David even though he is not yet aware of it. I will no longer take any referrals from him. Molly is calling my mortgage broker on Monday to get pre-approved on a regular home. Although she can't afford much, I'm sure I can find her something that will be better than her current situation. And at least she will no longer have to live in frustrated fear because of David's lies. I hope, in fact, to get her approved for enough to get into Billy and Nell's home since they've already told me that they would sell to her at rock bottom price without negotiations.
|
|
Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Saturday, February 25th, 2006
|
| Time: | 5:30 am. |
| Mood: |  sleepy. |
|
What I do for my job! I'm up at an hour that would make the butt crack of dawn look like sleeping in.
Today I'm meeting with Billy F., the guy who needs to buy land for a mobile home, then sell his house in Baker. He has an understandable viewpoint on the situation: He will list his home with whoever finds him the land. It's really a smart move since so many agents start yawning if you tell them that you want to purchase a piece of land under $30,000. He probably even realizes that we can all see the same pieces in MLS. He just wants to know that he has an agent looking out for ALL his interests rather than just the ones that will make them the most money.
So I'm meeting him at 7am at the McDonald's in Denham Springs to look for property. Afterwards, I will hand-deliver him to Clayton Homes to help him look for a mobile home to put on it. Of course, he will not have to buy from Clayton, but I would like it since he would then be working with a salesman I trust. Then I will follow him out to his house in Baker to take a general look at it.
My only fear is that I will stumble when I get to the part about looking at the home he will be listing. I tend to have a policy of not telling people how new I am to the business. I don't lie, of course! I simply try to be knowledgable enough that the subject never comes up. When dealing with land or mobile homes that's easy for me. I know that business front-to-back. But when it comes to a new listing I will need Carrie to come with me to insure that I cross all the t's and dot all the i's. Heck, I couldn't even figure out how to pull a sensible CMA on his property. I decided it would be better to arrive empty handed than to show up with a hodgepodge of materials that will only convince him I'm incapable of doing the job.
Wish me luck!
Robin
|
|
Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Friday, February 24th, 2006
|
| Time: | 6:55 am. |
| Mood: |  frustrated. |
|
I've discovered the only thing more difficult to deal with than the average mobile home buyer... the average mobile home salesman.
Yesterday started out great. I got myself all prepared to meet with Miss Molly, my first buying appointment. I left the house early and got the car cleaned. Got to her house and instantly had a report with her, her son, and her son's dog. When I took them to Magnolia Estates, they loved it just because her son (a 41-year-old mentally disabled but very sweet man) saw so many dogs running around the neighborhood. By 1:00pm I had a signed purchase agreement sent over to the other agency. By 1:30pm the other agent had called to say that they would accept the offer as long as I could provide an approval letter.
Now's where things go wrong. I headed over to Palm Harbor Homes, who sent Miss Molly to me in the first place. All along David has told me that she had a good bit of money available for land. At first he'd said $30,000, then changed it to $22,500. But at the $14,000 purchase price, either of those numbers would be fine even after including all the money for improvements. But no. He lied. His approval was at $7500. Completely impossible!
Worse yet, when I asked him about monthly payment, he told me that even at $7500 worth of land, she was at $660 a month. Molly thought she was at $515 with $33,000 in land (yep, another number)!! When I figured her debt-to-income ratio, I immediately recognized that Miss Molly's number was the max the banks would ALLOW her to pay. David's number was a complete pipe dream. Therefore even if I found her land that the owner would gratiously give to her out of the kindness of his heart, she still couldn't afford the home David has sold her.
Now, those who know me know that I am diplomatic to a fault. Even so, I came as close to blowing my top as I ever do. I began to threaten David that I would advise Molly to go to another company. He, of course, countered that he would never send me another customer. He, not being the diplomat that I am, told me how stupid I would be to burn him as a contact, blah, blah, blah. However, this gave me the delay I needed to realize that I needed to think more on the issue before speaking. To anyone who's read Stranger in a Strange Land: Waiting is. I needed the time to grok it. So I stuck a band-aid on the situation and soothed his ego, promising him that I had not meant my words to be a threat and that I realized the deal he'd offered her was a good one (In actually it, is. However, she still can't afford it.)
So I took the time to grok. And here's what I realized. David thinks he holds the cards and won't look up to realize that I'm the dealer. Should I burn the bridge with David, I lose nothing. There are no other real estate agents in the area who want to deal with land on a regular basis. And even if he finds a hungry new agent, I'd lay odds that they know NOTHING about mobile home sales and will throw more monkey wrenches into his deal than he can imagine. So what happens to a customer when he can't find them land? They go two blocks down the road to the next dealership, who promptly says, "Of course! I have a current list here of available land sent to me by Robin Evans, a real estate agent. Once you're preapproved, Robin will take you out to find the best peice within your price range. It's a program we have worked out." Which dealership do you think the customer will return to?
This situation did teach me a valuable lesson, though. When I set up the actual program (David found out by accident that I was in the business. I haven't approached the dealerships officially yet.), I will set the guidelines that I would be glad to advise the customers on generalities before they are preapproved. But before I get into my car and take them out to the potential pieces of land (or give them the addresses to do so themselves), I expect them to be preapproved with a solid number given to me for maximum price. I expect the salesman to communicate with me on debt-to-income, intrest rate, and payment. And should I discover that a salesman is directly lying either to me or the customer, I reserve the right to refuse to work for him.
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
|
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2006
|
| Time: | 7:48 am. |
| Mood: |  confused. |
|
|
Doesn't the kitty icon in the last post look like she's on crack?
|
|
Comments: Read 1 or Add Your Own.
|
| Time: | 7:26 am. |
| Mood: |  energetic. |
|
Long time no write! And I know I left y'all on a kind of downer of a post recently. I won't go back into that one, but I will say that I appreciate all the people who commented with supportive words for my family. Thank you!
Lots has changed! I'm now officially a real estate agent. I took the test nearly two weeks ago and let me tell you, I was scared to death. After all, I'd cheated on the school final since it was done online. But there was no way I could cheat on the real test, so I studied my butt off for two straight days. In that time, I reread every inch of material that constituted the 90-hour course (ok, I skipped the math section). But I did well and passed the first time. I didn't blow the testers away or anything. I'd say I got the equivelent of a C on both sections. But you know the old adage about "What do you call the guy who graduates last in medical school? ... Doctor."
Then I started my career in an upheaval. It took me about 4 days to realize two things about my intended plan of working for Aunt Lee's agency: 1) She had absolutely no idea how to train me. 2) I was too ambitious for what she wanted. If I aimed for the numbers I wanted, it would triple her workload instead of lightening it.
So I rethought matters and spoke to her. She agreed not only that I would be better off at a larger company, but that she would also recommend my first choice of agency, Keller Williams. My reasoning for choosing them was simple. First, they have the best training system in the area, offering classes every day on things like prospecting, lead-generation, purchase agreements, etc. Between them and the Greater Baton Rouge Real Estate Board (forevermore known here as GBR Board since that's a mouthful), I'll get all the training I could possibly need in as short a time as humanly possible. Secondly, Keller Williams has set up their commission split so that I'll only pay them 30% instead of 50%, and even that is capped at a pay-in of $21,000, including franchise fees. In return, I do all my own advertising and such. Now, admittedly advertising is expensive, but the agencies that supply it are very limited on what they provide anyway. If I stuck with just the amount of advertising they supplied, it would never equal that other 20%. And this way I have the freedom to chose my own routes and be creative.
So now I've been with Keller Williams just under a week. And let me tell you, I've hit the gate running. I don't even have my MLS code yet (getting it today) or access to the lockboxes (also getting it today, I think.) Yet I have two clients lined up. The first I'm meeting with tomorrow morning to look at land in Denham Springs. The second is looking for land in that area as well, but also has a home in Baker to list (anybody need a place off Groom Rd.?)
And both these customers were from the referral of a single salesperson at one mobile home lot, Palm Harbor. Just think what will happen when I actually approach all the mobile home dealerships in town! There's a ton! Especially if I include the ones in the Hammond area since I'm trying to get hooked up with the Hammond MLS as well as the Baton Rouge one. (I'm about as far east as you can get in the Baton Rouge MLS grid and still be within it, so most of the Hammond area would be closer to me anyway.)
Ok, enough excited typing. I promise to update more frequently so that I don't just throw up on y'all next time.
Robin
PS- Other news: Not pregnant yet, but on fertility pills. Still not doing any writing. Got a reject from Michelle. However, I heard Harlequin's starting a new paranormal line in 2007. If I could shorten Kivrin's book to 75K words I think it would fit well since they're comparing the line to Sihouette Shadows, which is where Maggie Shayne got her start.
|
|
Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Sunday, January 1st, 2006
|
| Time: | 8:08 pm. |
| Mood: |  enraged. |
|
It's a sick, sick, sick, sick world.
Remember the New Orleans relatives who stayed with us after the hurricane? The family actually in our house instead of at my mother-in-law's was Connie's family: Connie (Mark's 1st cousin), her long-term boyfriend Brad, her 13-year-old daughter Shelby, her 20-year-old daughter Jessica, and Jessica's baby Kailey. If you read my entries back then, you know how much I liked this whole family, especially Shelby.
This past Tuesday, Brad raped Shelby. After four years of living with them, acting as her step-father, he decided to force himself on her. And this isn't a maturely developed child! Although Shelby has a chest, she is built gangly and skinny, more like a 10-year-old than a teen. She was trusting and loving, treated him as a respected and loved father. And he took advantage of that.
My first instinct was "Are you sure?" But after hearing the details, I can't deny that it must be true. The police told Connie that they believe Shelby simply based on the fact that her story NEVER changed, no matter who questioned her or from what angle. Because Brad was working in the still-destroyed area of New Orleans, the dective told Connie to pass on a phone number to him when he called. "Don't mention rape," he said. "Just tell him to call me here." When Brad called and Connie said exactly what the dective told her, Brad never said "Why?", "What's going on?" or "What for?". He jumped immediately to the defensive, implicating himself based on the concept that he knew why he was being asked to call.
The sad thing is that none of us had any idea that this man was a sick, pediophile rapist. Mark thought he was the best of the bunch. I thought he was a sweet guy and that Connie was lucky to have found him. He did chores around our house and was the first to take a job back in the wreckage of New Orleans. To think that for 6 weeks, we had one of society's mosters living in our guest room and we never suspected ANYTHING!
My only consolation is that Brad is now in jail facing a potential sentence of 40-years. He deserves every single day of it. If he could do this to any child, much less one like Shelby, he should be tortured to death slowly.
|
|
Comments: Read 7 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Sunday, December 11th, 2005
|
| Time: | 11:26 am. |
| Mood: |  crushed. |
|
I don't know how much I can get into it without crying again. Not that again is the right term since I really haven't stopped for the last 4 hours or so.
I really thought I was pregnant this month. We've been trying for 5 years and I've never felt symptoms like these. Correction: I felt them once before, nine years ago when I got pregnant. I knew we'd hit the ovulation window on our anniversary because of the predictor tests. Within a few days afterward, I started to feel symptoms. I know all about psychosematic symptoms, but I've never had anything like this. Heck, if my mind could make my boobs grow it should have done it years ago. I had every symptom in spades! I hadn't felt anything like it since the last time I was pregnant.
This morning I got my period. I knew it would happen when I woke up this morning. For one thing, it was the first morning in a week that I haven't woken up in the middle of the night to pee, which was one of the symptoms I was talking about. I realized before I even got out of bed that all that "proof" I'd been feeling was weaker or gone. Short of the simple excuse of "I'm going insane," the only thing I can figure is that maybe I was pregnant and lost it. From what I've been reading, many pregnancies are lost within the first two weeks, leaving the mother ignorant that she was pregnant in the first place. Only I feel symptoms within days of conception. I did last time. I did this time. I can't guarantee I was pregnant this time, but yesterday I would have laid money on it.
I can't stop crying. I wanted this so much. I've always wanted children. I've been trying so long. It isn't fair. I should have been done having kids by the time I was 30, not running out of time to start by then. What if I'm never able? I'll die alone with no one to carry on my genes and memory. I've always thought that was the saddest thing in the entire world, to die without children. I know that people do it by choice all the time, but for me there was never even the consideration. I've been baby-obsessed since I was twelve.
Ok, I have to go now. I'm crying too much again.
|
|
Comments: Read 5 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Saturday, November 26th, 2005
|
| Time: | 9:25 pm. |
| Mood: |  pensive. |
|
It’s a proven fact that airplanes that crash have significantly more cancellations and “no show” passengers than those that don’t.
When I was a child, my father told my brother and me that he would take us to McDonald’s for lunch. This was a treat in my family, and I was excited. But when the time came to leave, I refused to go. I chose to stay at my grandmother’s. There was no reason for this and it was the first time I’d insisted on staying somewhere when one of my parents wanted me to go with them. My father was in an accident on the way to McDonald’s. Both he and my brother were fine, but I’ve often wondered if this was why I insisted on not going with them.
Every Saturday, I go to my mom’s house. We have a few drinks, watch a movie, and generally hang out. Every week, I take the same route home since this is the only time I ever drive after drinking. My theory has always been that the sheer practice of driving the same route every week will benefit my reflexes. Tonight, as I sat at the stop sign at the mouth of my mom’s neighborhood, I could not turn left. I knew, somewhere deep inside me, that I had to take the long way home. I turned right. All throughout the trip home, I knew something was different. At 8:59, my eyes darted to the clock, and without reason, I knew that it was important.
Tonight, had I taken my normal route, I know I would have been in an accident.
Perhaps I was meant to die tonight.
|
|
Comments: Read 10 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Friday, October 28th, 2005
|
|
|
After much thought and research, I’ve come to some decisions on the real estate stuff. There are still some small decisions to make, but I’ve taken care of the big ones.
I’ve talked to three different agents, my aunt and two Keller Williams employees. It’s unanimous that I definitely have a valid niche ready made for me if I specialize in land for mobile home packages. The plan as it stands is to create a weekly fax to send to any dealerships willing to work with me listing samples of land in each area, whether I represent the seller or not. Meanwhile, I will also be approaching people who have land for sale by owner since many of them are not against agent representation, but simply couldn’t find one willing to work with them.
I’ve also decided that I definitely want to go with my aunt’s agency. The two Keller Williams agents I talked to were a new one (been there since March) and a long-term employee. The new one didn’t come out and say “go with your aunt” because she was trying to recruit me. But it was fairly obvious that she would go with Aunt Lee in my place. The long-term employee didn’t bother to beat around the bush. His e-mail this morning said, “Your aunt is Lee Rome? She has a great reputation. I would recommend starting with her. You can always switch later if it doesn’t work out.”
I also found a potential loan if I need it. I called my credit card company this morning to see if they would lower my interest rate if I planned to put a fairly large amount on it in the next few months. They did me one better. They offered a cash loan up to the amount of my credit limit ($5000) at a 5.9% interest rate. The money would be transferred directly to the checking account.
Finally, although this is the most tentative of my decisions, I’ve decided to actually put in my notice at Sanders next week. I have 3 deals solidifying between today and Monday. One is a cash deal today, the next a home on the lot closing Saturday or Monday, and finally an ordered home that needs only our draw schedule to send a loan commitment letter (we already have the down payment). These loans will all count on different months due to their structure. The commission on the cash deal will be paid to me in November, the home on the lot will be delivered in November, so I will be paid on it in December, and finally the ordered house will arrive in late December or early January, which will put my paycheck in January or February. I’m too chicken to tell them I’m leaving right now since these deals aren’t 100% solid. It leaves them too much room to take away my commission. So as soon as they all close, I’ll offer Sanders a notice on Monday or Tuesday.
The final decision I have to make is about schooling. I’ve done more research since my last post and found that I can do the course online for only $84. The same school, however, offers a two-week day class starting on November 7th for $395. The biggest benefit of the live school is that I wouldn’t be able to procrastinate. It may be better for me to spend the extra money and be done in two weeks than to go cheap and end up taking 6 weeks or more to do it on my own. Of course, I would have to offer less than a two-week notice to Sanders if I opt for the day class.
Finally, there are details I need to work out about actually going into business. I plan to research current real estate agent’s web pages and have Sheri design one for me. I need to talk to my aunt about whether she wants it to be an “Acadian Realty” site or “Robin Evans with Acadian Realty” site. I also need to get with her on what I will need since I’ll be pretty much working from my house, only going to her house when I need something specific or to use her equipment. I do know I’ll need a fax machine so that I don’t have to continually go to her house to send and receive.
That’s it for now. If there are any real estate agents out there who would be willing to talk to me about the business and details, I would love you forever!
Robin
|
|
Comments: Read 4 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Thursday, October 20th, 2005
|
|
|
Last night I went to a Career Night at a real estate agency, Keller Williams. It was actually really interesting and I learned a lot about the business that I didn't previously realize. I'm considering getting into it, but there are some definite downfalls.
The biggest problem is the start up costs. I like Keller William's philosophy of encouraging salespeople to look at it as starting their own business. Unlike other real estate agencies, the salesperson's share of the commission is higher and the broker's share is capped at a total of $20,500 per year. That means that right from the beginning, I would make 65% of the commission rather than 50%, then after selling enough that the broker gets their capped amount, I begin getting 100%. Many of their salespeople reach the cap in only 3-4 months.
The downfall of this philosophy is that salespeople are responsible for pretty much all their own expenses, including advertising, business cards, signs for the yard, etc. The benefit is that the broker can make no demands on the agent. There are NO floor days or assigned times the agent has to be in the office. In fact, the agent need never walk into the office if they want. They can send everything by fax or e-mail and work from home. They do, however, offer daily workshops for continuing education and training, as well as any paperwork and access to needed machines like copiers, faxes, and computers. And there is an office opening in Denham Springs in the coming months, so it would be convinient to my house.
Now for the cost, though. A new agent must attend 90 hours of schooling. This can be done through an in-person school in 6 weeks at a cost of $595, or online at your own pace (often much less than 6 weeks, but up to 6 months are allowed) at a cost of $295. They must then sit for the licensing test, which costs about $99. After passing, they have 90 days to affiliate with a broker, therefore they are not allowed to just hang a shingle and start selling on their own. They must pay for their own membership to the Louisiana Real Estate Commission (I think that's the name), Ommissions and Errors insurence, and MLS (Multiple Listing System) membership. As a grand total including the initial schooling, it costs about $1500 to get the ball rolling.
I figure it will cost a minimum of $500, maximum of $1000 to buy all the initial things such as business cards, signs, and advertising. I would then have to set up an advertising budget each month to continue it. I need to do some checking into average costs for that, but I'm figuring $250-$500 would cover it if I'm going full force with it to build a clientele.
And not to be ignored is the fact that it would take a minimum of 2 months for money to start rolling in. It takes about 1 month to go from "I'll take it" to signing papers and I figure it would be naive to think someone would say "I'll take it" on my first day. Therefore I would need at least $1000 to live on for 2 months, and maybe some contribution to the bills during that time.
That brings me to an estimated total of $4000 just to get into the business.
So my tentative plan right now is to do some more research by buying a couple of real estate books. "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent" is written by one of the owners of Keller Williams, so I figured it would be a good start if I plan to go there. Also, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Real Estate Agent", since I've always been a fan of the Idiot's Guide books.
If all goes well with that step and I fully decide to move forward, I will sign up for the online class since it's cheaper and I can do it while at work (you know, like I update my LJ at work. Heehee.) Meanwhile, I will encourage (read harrass) Mark to take the test that will bump him into Med Tech instead of Lab Tech, which would mean a $4-$6 an hour raise and would put us in a better position to have me not contribute to the income for a couple of months (I would still need my own money to live on, though).
Finally, I would need to have the money available for licensing, advertising, and living expenses before I leave Sanders. The alternative to this is to take out a loan for approximately $3000. I wouldn't want to do that, but might be willing to consider it if the previous steps go well.
My estimated time frame is that if I decide to go for it, I'd like to be in a position to start in January or February since 1) the dues for the Louisiana agency go by calendar year, so starting earlier in the year just makes more sense. And 2) our income tax refund will help counteract lack of income.
|
|
Comments: Read 5 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
kivrinangel's journal
loved.
pleased.
contemplative.