Mom and dad came for Christmas this year. It was a surprise for several reasons.
First - sometimes they don't plan ahead much, and so travel this time of year is difficult.
Second - they're getting older and both had surgery in the past month so driving here in winter weather wouldn't have been a great idea. Lack of planning means flying would be too expensive.
This left the bus - yep. They got on the bus and rode more than 20 hours to spend Christmas with us. The kids loved having them and so did I.
When was the last time someone did that for you? That doesn't even mention the things they did for us while they were here, but simply getting to and from us for Christmas was more than I'd ever ask of them and they did it, and it was their idea.
Whatever you did for Christmas I hope it was meaningful to you. Family is something we're stuck with. Some are better than others and some are fantastic. Irreplaceable even. That's my parents - irreplaceable. I wouldn't trade them for any others if I could. Sure was nice having them here. Those times are too few and far between - and the kids loved every minute of them being here.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Rules for Living
So I've read several lists, by notorious and famous people, of rules for living. After some thought I decided there's some validity to creating such a list.
Indeed the value isn't in the list itself, but rather in the self-discipline of actually living by the list...and if it's a list of rules to live by I really need to be mindful of living by it right?
My list isn't those things I do automatically each day, and some of them I don't even do well on a regular basis.
Grandpa always said "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise". I know this wasn't grandpa's saying, but he's where I heard it. Not something I'm great at, but there's value to it for sure.
Exercise is good for your body of course, and your mind and even your emotional well being. Exercise gets your juices flowing and keeps your body healthy and feeling alive.
Eat well. Three meals a day isn't eating well. If you're overweight and cutting meals in your attempts to lose weight what you might not realize is that you're destroying your efforts. There's no good to come from skipping meals and not eating enough food during the day. Your body is an engine that needs fuel. Food is your fuel - don't cheat yourself of 6-8 meals per day.
Work hard. It doesn't matter what you do, work hard at doing it. I've always been told it doesn't matter what you do be the best at it. If you're a boxcar hobo be the best boxcar hobo there ever was...and if you're a doctor be the best doctor ever.
Play. What's life without some enjoyment? Don't get me wrong, I love working and I love working out. I might enjoy both of those things more than I like sleeping even.That said there's nothing like a break from normal, or reality, and taking some much needed time off.
There's an acronym - HALT - that fits for maintaining your emotional health and stability. Never allow yourself to get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. One of these things is easy to maintain a sense of sanity. Two of them is more difficult. If you're three of them all at the same time I'd say seek a friend and do it now. Do whatever you need to do in order to protect yourself from these things, and do your best to never even be 2 of them at any given time.
It's not an exhaustive list, but it's a start. Do these things faithfully and then add what you feel is important to you. Drink in moderation, don't smoke or do other drugs, play and work equally hard, dance like nobody will ever watch you and love like there is no tomorrow.
Indeed the value isn't in the list itself, but rather in the self-discipline of actually living by the list...and if it's a list of rules to live by I really need to be mindful of living by it right?
My list isn't those things I do automatically each day, and some of them I don't even do well on a regular basis.
Grandpa always said "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise". I know this wasn't grandpa's saying, but he's where I heard it. Not something I'm great at, but there's value to it for sure.
Exercise is good for your body of course, and your mind and even your emotional well being. Exercise gets your juices flowing and keeps your body healthy and feeling alive.
Eat well. Three meals a day isn't eating well. If you're overweight and cutting meals in your attempts to lose weight what you might not realize is that you're destroying your efforts. There's no good to come from skipping meals and not eating enough food during the day. Your body is an engine that needs fuel. Food is your fuel - don't cheat yourself of 6-8 meals per day.
Work hard. It doesn't matter what you do, work hard at doing it. I've always been told it doesn't matter what you do be the best at it. If you're a boxcar hobo be the best boxcar hobo there ever was...and if you're a doctor be the best doctor ever.
Play. What's life without some enjoyment? Don't get me wrong, I love working and I love working out. I might enjoy both of those things more than I like sleeping even.That said there's nothing like a break from normal, or reality, and taking some much needed time off.
There's an acronym - HALT - that fits for maintaining your emotional health and stability. Never allow yourself to get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. One of these things is easy to maintain a sense of sanity. Two of them is more difficult. If you're three of them all at the same time I'd say seek a friend and do it now. Do whatever you need to do in order to protect yourself from these things, and do your best to never even be 2 of them at any given time.
It's not an exhaustive list, but it's a start. Do these things faithfully and then add what you feel is important to you. Drink in moderation, don't smoke or do other drugs, play and work equally hard, dance like nobody will ever watch you and love like there is no tomorrow.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
I don't like funerals
As much as I don't like funerals I attended one Saturday that I really appreciated. It was for the wife of a guy I know. The guy is Frank Guliuza, and his wife Kathy had died in September.
I was shocked and surprised at the low attendance. It had been a while since I had seen Frank, and didn't even realize he had moved out of the state and it was indeed the third such service for Kathy. Just the same Frank was such an influential person inside the local Southern Baptist community as well as Weber State University and the Utah republican party I did expect a pretty packed house. Made it seem all the more important to have been there.
I've skipped a number of funerals I really should have attended. People who I knew better, and who meant more to me than either Frank or Kathy, and yet I didn't attend the funeral. Today I'm ashamed to say I skipped funerals when the family left behind was going to continue to be in my life, and that should never have happened. Won't happen again.
Here's what I learned from this latest.
First - the funeral isn't supposed to be fun or enjoyable.
Second - attending the funeral isn't always about the person who died. Sometimes your respects to the family remaining is much more important (maybe even change the sometimes to always)
Finally - The funeral is never a place to be seen for the sake of being seen
I won't be skipping any more funerals, at least local funerals where logistics of getting there don't prohibit me going. I'll be more mindful of paying my respects to the family left behind - I have been sincerely lacking in that in the past. If indeed we are all in this together then we always need to make sure people know what they mean to you, and being there in their time of grief is among the important times for that.
I was shocked and surprised at the low attendance. It had been a while since I had seen Frank, and didn't even realize he had moved out of the state and it was indeed the third such service for Kathy. Just the same Frank was such an influential person inside the local Southern Baptist community as well as Weber State University and the Utah republican party I did expect a pretty packed house. Made it seem all the more important to have been there.
I've skipped a number of funerals I really should have attended. People who I knew better, and who meant more to me than either Frank or Kathy, and yet I didn't attend the funeral. Today I'm ashamed to say I skipped funerals when the family left behind was going to continue to be in my life, and that should never have happened. Won't happen again.
Here's what I learned from this latest.
First - the funeral isn't supposed to be fun or enjoyable.
Second - attending the funeral isn't always about the person who died. Sometimes your respects to the family remaining is much more important (maybe even change the sometimes to always)
Finally - The funeral is never a place to be seen for the sake of being seen
I won't be skipping any more funerals, at least local funerals where logistics of getting there don't prohibit me going. I'll be more mindful of paying my respects to the family left behind - I have been sincerely lacking in that in the past. If indeed we are all in this together then we always need to make sure people know what they mean to you, and being there in their time of grief is among the important times for that.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Roy and Weber County Real Estate
My last blog was about the entirety of the real estate market in Weber and Davis Counties. If you know northern Utah these 2 counties make up a
good portion of the state's population so using the entire county it's hard to know how your specific city or neighborhood measures up.
Let's take a look the Roy Utah home market,
203 single family homes on the market - total. 203 homes for sale in Roy.
That's nothing when you see what's next:
The past 30 days
50 homes under contract and 38 SOLD. That's 88 homes leaving the market because of sales.
Contrast that against 48 homes new to the market and we're negative 40 for the past 30 days.
At that rate in 5 months there won't be a home for sale in Roy.
Now let's compare Roy to Weber County as a whole.
1588 homes on the market.
374 were new in the past 30 days.
During those 30 days 266 went under contract AND 266 SOLD - what a coincidence of numbers right? That said 532 homes left the market through sales and only 374 were added.
Again - at that rate in only 10 months there wouldn't be a home left to buy in all of Weber County.
Thinking of selling? Seems like a good time - there's almost no competition for you.
Let's take a look the Roy Utah home market,
203 single family homes on the market - total. 203 homes for sale in Roy.
That's nothing when you see what's next:
The past 30 days
50 homes under contract and 38 SOLD. That's 88 homes leaving the market because of sales.
Contrast that against 48 homes new to the market and we're negative 40 for the past 30 days.
At that rate in 5 months there won't be a home for sale in Roy.
Now let's compare Roy to Weber County as a whole.
1588 homes on the market.
374 were new in the past 30 days.
During those 30 days 266 went under contract AND 266 SOLD - what a coincidence of numbers right? That said 532 homes left the market through sales and only 374 were added.
Again - at that rate in only 10 months there wouldn't be a home left to buy in all of Weber County.
Thinking of selling? Seems like a good time - there's almost no competition for you.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Local Real Estate Market
I was curious today about the general movement of the market. I know what it seems to be - great houses priced well are getting multiple offers and selling for full asking price. I wanted to know more than just my current snapshot based on my own clients...so I ran the numbers.
I work and live on the border between 2 counties so I ran the numbers for both. The past three days the market for Weber/Davis Counties in northern Utah looks like this
112 new listings ( I didn't break these down to relisted expired listings so days on market may be more)
83 Under Contract
43 Sold
As you can see the number of homes that went OFF the market in the past three days was well more than the new homes on the market. Given that some of the new listings have already been on the market for 3 months or more it's even more, and these numbers don't count the listings that expired and are no longer on the market. The expired number 38, but I didn't sort those and either add or remove from the 112.
I backed up the numbers to 30 days
762 new listings
616 are under contract
551 sold
Keep in mind those that are market under contract are not yet marked sold...meaning in the past 30 days 1167 homes left the market and only 762 new homes were listed.
For your sellers wondering if it's a good time to sell the answer is yes, and now. I haven't, to this point, been tracking the total active listings. I will begin to track that - that number is 3,063 (Sept 26) today for all of Weber and Davis Counties. That means if that current trend continues we'll be out of homes to sell in less than 8 months. Now - I'm neither an economics major, nor a math major so if my numbers don't add up let me know. Either way, the numbers seems pretty clear that today we're selling more homes than we're listing. Seems like good news for sellers - not so much for buyers. I think I'm going to go make a few listing appointments today.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Fair Housing - Lost in Translation
I have what I continue to believe is a fair housing concern.
There is a HUD act called HOPA - it's for housing for older persons. This is NOT in reference to a community designated at 55 and over. Under HOPA there is an 80/20 residency requirement stating at least 80 percent of the residences in a community must have at least 1 family member over the age of 55. The other 20 percent of the community may be comprised of folks of any age. There seems to be a flaw in the act as one housing protected class is actually not protected by this act.
There is a community in Roy, Utah which deems itself as being an "adult" community. When you call and ask if they are a 55 and over community their answer is that no they are an adults only community. They claim to have 80% of their residences occupied by at least one resident over the age of 55, and openly market the other 20% of their community to people of any age, with one stipulation. The stipulation is they do not allow residents under the age of 18. This means while a person under 55 would be allowed to move into the community they would be prohibited if they had children under the age of 18.
The community is not marketed as a senior community, and 20% is openly marketed to persons of any age. Familial status is a protected class left unprotected by this act (verified by Utah's fair housing office).
Not only problems, but solutions.
I would suggest if a community were to market strictly to the 55 and over community and end up with some residents slightly younger than that it would be no problem. The purpose of the act as I understand it was to ensure a surviving spouse not meeting the age criteria was not forced to move out upon the death of an older spouse.
If the community chooses to market to other than seniors they must then be forbidden from discriminating based on familial status - if a 20 year old is allowed to live there then in the spirit of the fair housing laws it should also be suitable housing for a 30 year old single mother with a 10 year old child.
UtahHassleFree.com
Friday, July 20, 2012
Tragedy Strikes....again
What a terrible tragedy there was last night in Colorado. A gunman in a crowded movie theater - great!! Just what I need, metal dectors and the price of extra security just going to the movies. Not great that it happened, not great for anybody or anything.
What's this world coming to? Go ahead and blame the guns if you want. Guns kill people right? Guns are the enemy. They're deadly and should be banned!! Horse shit!!
Seriously people who want to do this sort of thing find something to use. Guns are plentiful no doubt, but they're not the enemy. If you blame the gun then you must blame the gas in the subway station in Japan, the bombs the IRA used in the Underground Stations in London, the fertilizer Timothy McVeigh used in Oklahoma City, etc...people will find a way...imagine Tim McVeigh attacking that theater - would a mixture of dead and wounded.
So why? Didn't someone see it coming? Was the kid picked on, bullied and feeling abandoned and hopeless? A seemingly normal guy on the road to being successful as the world defines successful. He was enrolled in a PhD program for crying out loud. He's not a loser sitting in his parent's basement playing video games all day smoking his week hoping his mom doesn't recognize the smell.
What causes this sort of thing? Is there any relationship between him and anti-authority type groups such as Occupy Wall Street? Is he crying out against a system that some would say no longer works in a modern world?
Here's my thougths on what's going wrong here.
It's not lack of government involvement for sure. There are entitlement programs supporting entitlement programs. Say what you like about the big government bailouts, but regular people are taking nearly as much. Question it? Check out HAFA - Making Housing Affordable Again - allowing folks who have quit making their house payments to live in a house until it's sold (short sale or foreclosure) and them giving them a cash payout to move. Like I said - there are entitlement programs supporting entitlement programs.
Go back to image from the Superdome followinghurricane Katrina. I was saddened to see the lack of American ingenuity and can-do attitude. I didn't realize there was such a lack of hopelessness in this country. So many people believe they can't do it, and therefore they never even try. They say whether you believe you can, or you believe you can't, you're right. This doesn't mean you'll be successful every time you set out - but at least you will have tried!!
American business imports from China, open offices "offshore" and does busines we all cry about as unethical, immoral and down right unAmerican all while we're so busy watching reality television and can't be bothered to be the one to go out and do it different.
Who does this country belong to anyway? If business buys politicians then by God start a business and buy a better politician. Don't believe it can be done? Our state has a Realtor's Political Action Committe - they fight local ordinances and work with state governments on issues beneficial to not only realtors, but to home owners. They also support candiates friendly to issues concerning home ownership. Oregon has a "view tax" - thanks to RPAC something like this would NEVER happen in Utah.
Things aren't hopeless. I understand a feeling of hopelessness and can relate. Just the same I get myself out of bed in the morning and work to create MY world. I don't work by myself. I haven't been very faithful lately in following God's lead, and I'm sure that reflects in what's happening in my world. Just the same I see a sunrise in the distance and not a sun setting forever - and this type of thing in Colorado smells of someone who sees only a sunset and darkness without any hope of a better tomorrow.
What's this world coming to? Go ahead and blame the guns if you want. Guns kill people right? Guns are the enemy. They're deadly and should be banned!! Horse shit!!
Seriously people who want to do this sort of thing find something to use. Guns are plentiful no doubt, but they're not the enemy. If you blame the gun then you must blame the gas in the subway station in Japan, the bombs the IRA used in the Underground Stations in London, the fertilizer Timothy McVeigh used in Oklahoma City, etc...people will find a way...imagine Tim McVeigh attacking that theater - would a mixture of dead and wounded.
So why? Didn't someone see it coming? Was the kid picked on, bullied and feeling abandoned and hopeless? A seemingly normal guy on the road to being successful as the world defines successful. He was enrolled in a PhD program for crying out loud. He's not a loser sitting in his parent's basement playing video games all day smoking his week hoping his mom doesn't recognize the smell.
What causes this sort of thing? Is there any relationship between him and anti-authority type groups such as Occupy Wall Street? Is he crying out against a system that some would say no longer works in a modern world?
Here's my thougths on what's going wrong here.
It's not lack of government involvement for sure. There are entitlement programs supporting entitlement programs. Say what you like about the big government bailouts, but regular people are taking nearly as much. Question it? Check out HAFA - Making Housing Affordable Again - allowing folks who have quit making their house payments to live in a house until it's sold (short sale or foreclosure) and them giving them a cash payout to move. Like I said - there are entitlement programs supporting entitlement programs.
Go back to image from the Superdome followinghurricane Katrina. I was saddened to see the lack of American ingenuity and can-do attitude. I didn't realize there was such a lack of hopelessness in this country. So many people believe they can't do it, and therefore they never even try. They say whether you believe you can, or you believe you can't, you're right. This doesn't mean you'll be successful every time you set out - but at least you will have tried!!
American business imports from China, open offices "offshore" and does busines we all cry about as unethical, immoral and down right unAmerican all while we're so busy watching reality television and can't be bothered to be the one to go out and do it different.
Who does this country belong to anyway? If business buys politicians then by God start a business and buy a better politician. Don't believe it can be done? Our state has a Realtor's Political Action Committe - they fight local ordinances and work with state governments on issues beneficial to not only realtors, but to home owners. They also support candiates friendly to issues concerning home ownership. Oregon has a "view tax" - thanks to RPAC something like this would NEVER happen in Utah.
Things aren't hopeless. I understand a feeling of hopelessness and can relate. Just the same I get myself out of bed in the morning and work to create MY world. I don't work by myself. I haven't been very faithful lately in following God's lead, and I'm sure that reflects in what's happening in my world. Just the same I see a sunrise in the distance and not a sun setting forever - and this type of thing in Colorado smells of someone who sees only a sunset and darkness without any hope of a better tomorrow.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Been a while
Wow I can't believe how long it's been since I read these old posts, let alone posted a new one.
For now I'm back. I'll write when I feel like it I guess. After all, it's my blog right?
So anyway there's not much point in writing once every 2 years. I have a lot to say and sometimes forget the sound of my own voice simply because I never say all those things. Maybe it's high time to get rolling on not only finding my voice again, but also saying all the things I have to say.
So much has happened. It's amazing it's been 2 years and with as much as has happened so many things have stayed the same. Victoria has graduated from high school, Sam is 16 and only 2 years away. I'm still single and while I'm as ok with it as ever I feel the time creeping up on me when I'll be more alone than ever before...I guess there's a plan for that right? There's a reason for everything and nothing happens by accident.
That single part. I've met women. I've dated women. I just for some reason don't seem to get along with too many of them for more than a few minutes. Ok that's probably not true. I just don't play the game very well - yeah still 2 years later. I'm 42 now and I still don't know the game. Is the game important? Seems like it really must be. Something about that games makes you more interesting, or at least makes you seem more interesting. Maybe that's not it at all and maybe I'm just too concerned about it no matter how often I say I'm not. Really I feel ok with being alone and on my own, and at the same time I do hope I don't spend the rest of my life waking up to an otherwise empty bed...never will I want it so bad that I'm willing to fill that other place in the bed with just anybody to make sure it's full. Gosh - I write a lot about being single....next post - NOTHING about it.
For now I'm back. I'll write when I feel like it I guess. After all, it's my blog right?
So anyway there's not much point in writing once every 2 years. I have a lot to say and sometimes forget the sound of my own voice simply because I never say all those things. Maybe it's high time to get rolling on not only finding my voice again, but also saying all the things I have to say.
So much has happened. It's amazing it's been 2 years and with as much as has happened so many things have stayed the same. Victoria has graduated from high school, Sam is 16 and only 2 years away. I'm still single and while I'm as ok with it as ever I feel the time creeping up on me when I'll be more alone than ever before...I guess there's a plan for that right? There's a reason for everything and nothing happens by accident.
That single part. I've met women. I've dated women. I just for some reason don't seem to get along with too many of them for more than a few minutes. Ok that's probably not true. I just don't play the game very well - yeah still 2 years later. I'm 42 now and I still don't know the game. Is the game important? Seems like it really must be. Something about that games makes you more interesting, or at least makes you seem more interesting. Maybe that's not it at all and maybe I'm just too concerned about it no matter how often I say I'm not. Really I feel ok with being alone and on my own, and at the same time I do hope I don't spend the rest of my life waking up to an otherwise empty bed...never will I want it so bad that I'm willing to fill that other place in the bed with just anybody to make sure it's full. Gosh - I write a lot about being single....next post - NOTHING about it.
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