Fort Worth Real Estate Online

Two days ago, on May 8th, the State of North Carolina voted on an amendment to their state constitution.  As those of you who are regular readers of my blog probably know, I am not pleased with the fact that North Carolina has now written into their State Constitution the refusal to recognize Marriage Equality.

Yesterday, a friend of mine from North Carolina sent me an email.  In it was a little graphic, which is pictured here.

I am thinking, or hoping that the sender of the graphic thought it was a cute way to present their opinion of the results of Tuesday's vote.  I don't think it is cute.  I think it is tragic.

How a state like the Great State of North Carolina can imbed into its Constitution what is simply and blatantly a "religious belief"... and make it law... and then require all of its citizens to follow its dictates... reeks of Theocracy.

What is a Theocracy ?  Well, one of the many parts of the definition explains that this form of "government" takes its religious beliefs... which are simply "beliefs..." and "codifies" them.  This means that it turns them into LAW... and then forces everyone in that Theocratic state to adhere and abide by that religious belief... which, as I said, is now considered a law.

Where else do they do that sort of thing ?  Well, Iran comes to mind.  So does Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.  They call it Shari'a Law.  [Now, you who do not agree with me, please don't take this mention of Shari'a Law and go crazy with it.  I am using the concept of Shari'a Law here in a very, very narrow sense... and ONLY applying it to Marriage Equality.  Nothing else.]

Religion can be a wonderful thing.  But it should be a personal thing.  And it should be a personal choice.

America... what the hell are we doing ?

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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act... commonly called "ObamaCare"... is a law that has held a lot of promise for women.  It has the potential of really helping many of us and many of our "sisters" get the care we have needed.

So why have the opponents of the law been fighting to take away these important benefits and common-sense protections?  There are many, many reasons why... much too many to recite in this post.

This is a video from the National Women's Law Center, and it's campaign to tell opponents of affordable women's health care that "I Will NOT Be Denied."

It may be too late for some, or even many of us.  The presentation of the case against Healthcare Equality for All just finished its third of three days before the Supreme Court a few days ago... on Wednesday, March 28, 2012.  I fear Healthcare Equality will be cut to shreds.

I look at the national news, and the local news here in Texas... and see so many state legislatures simply pick apart at its roots many of the protections we as women have had as far as our own personal health care is concerned.

I just found this video last night.  It says what I feel in so incredibly many ways better than I ever could.  If the Affordable Care Act "goes down"... please... in honor of all of our female friends and family, and all our sisters in need... please remember this on Election Day... November 6, 2012.

I work out of my "home office"... almost all the time.  I don't know if it's just me.. but when I get a "spam phone call" at home... I get a little resentful of having my privacy invaded.

Sooo... let me share with you how I have handled the last few home spam calls.  It's a method that seems to have worked... so you may want to borrow it... or not.

                    Spam Caller:  Ring Ring...

                    Me:  <in a very old, crotchety, gently mind-numbing voice... I answer and say>  Hello ?

                    Spam Caller:  Yes... Mrs Stone... I'm calling from Blah Blah Airlines.  You have just won a free trip to...

                    Me:  <using the same voice>  Barbara... Barbara... is that you ?

                    Spam Caller:  No, Ma'am... it's not Barbara... I'm calling from...

                    Me:  <Before she finishes, I say>  Barbara... is my prescription ready ?

                    Spam Caller:  Ma'am... I'm not calling about a prescription.  You've won a free trip to...

                    Me:  Is this the lady from the pharmacy ?  Is my prescription ready ?

                    Spam Caller:  Ma'am... you have a nice day, now... bye bye...

And that's it.  The Spam Caller disappears !

It is very rare that the same person ever calls me again.  And if they do... they get the same elderly craggily voice asking if it's Barbara with my prescription.

It appears to work on just about everybody.  Free trips, health club memberships, dating services, whatever...

I don't know if you are silly enough to do something like this... but if you are... you just might drastically cut down on the Spam Calls you receive.. and give you some silly fun while doing it.  <impish grin>

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This post is dedicated to all of you "Double Dipper" crabby-pies: 

There are a couple of posts currently on Active Rain that use the phrase "Leaving Money on the Table."  That part was pretty-much talked to death.

But also in those posts... the use of a another phrase came up that I absolutely HATE. 

"Double Dipping."

I am sorry... but I really, really do hate that phrase.  And how it sounds.  But also... what it MEANS.  Or is supposed to mean.

First of all... about "Double Dipping." 

What gets dipped ?  And second of all... into what... is whatever it is... being dipped ?

Double dipping... getting both "halves" of a commission... does NOT get you any more commission.

Why not ?  Because of the following:

Let's suppose you have a listing, and it sells.  Not by you.  So, you get one "side" of a transaction.  And one commission.

Let's also suppose you have a buyer.  You sell that buyer a home.  Some "other" home.  So again, you get one "side" of a transaction.  And one commission.  Two total "sides"... each of which brings a commission.

OR... you might take that buyer of yours... and sell them your own listing... (assuming in your state that you can do that) and you still get "2 sides."  A listing side, and a selling side.  Also two total "sides"... each of which brings a commission.  There IS no difference.

So this talk of "oh, she sold her own listing... so she gets the FULL commission..." just serves to make it sound like you are a selfish greedy Realtor. 

How silly.  You closed a seller, you closed a buyer.  There is NO windfall as far as commission in concerned.

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I thought it might hurt less by now.  Or actually, I had hoped it would.  I should have know better.

It doesn't.  Nothing's changed.  That's because everything's changed.

It's been thirteen days now since I bent over her little black and white furry face... bent down and kissed her forehead, and told her "Thank you for sharing your life with me."

Fifteen minutes later, Mollie T was gone.  At least... she was gone "physically."

At times I think she is still here.  I see something move out of the corner of my eye.  I know it's Mollie.  The fabric on my pants shifts... I know it's Mollie somehow brushing my leg.

The water that I left dripping in the sink for her... something breaks the dripping pattern, and I hear it.  It's her.

It has been over thirteen years since I lost the kitty who owned me before Mollie T took over.  Her name was Ally.  She died in 1999.  I thought I was a mess then.  Well... it ain't nuttin' honey like it is now.

Yeah... this may sound silly to you... although if you've come to be a fan and friend of my Mollie T over the years of reading my blog... you know her, too... and you know exactly what I am feeling.

The night before she "crossed..." Mollie and I spent snuggling on my recliner... with Mollie mostly either asleep on my chest, or groggily awake and purring like there was "no tomorrow."  Perhaps she really "knew" there would not BE a tomorrow.

Cats are like that.  They know.  Or at least Mollie T knew.  She knew a lot more than I do.  But, then again... I really don't "know" things.  I mostly just feel stuff.  Always have.  It's been my blessing most of the time.  But at other times... I didn't think "blessings" were supposed to hurt this much.

So... I'm still here.  Alone.  Without my Mollie T.

When I came home yesterday, it was automatic for me to look for her as I stepped inside the door.  Was she still comfortably asleep somewhere... or would she come walking up to greet me ?  Like she always did.  Until February 10th.

I wasn't ready to write this before now.  I don't know if I'm ready to, even now.  But all I do know... is that this little ball of black and white furry, purring unconditional love... was somehow not here with me.

Mollie T... thank you for sharing your life with me.

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Every once in awhile someone asks me... Karen Anne... how do you keep getting so many comments on your posts ?  What's the deal ?  What is your secret ?  What can I do to get that many comments on MY posts ?

OK.  I have shared this with those who have asked... by private email... but hey, why not just let the secret out ?  What is my "secret weapon ?"

Alright... Here's the deal... <she said, laughing to herself about how totally dumb she thinks that phrase sounds... >

I... care.  So... I not only reciprocate... I do more than that.  I comment on things others skip over.

I have written 919 posts so far.  [The 971 on the chart ---> includes 52 posts in draft mode.] About half of my posts are real-estate related.  Perhaps the other half are split between social commentary stuff... like "marriage equality stuff, and women's rights stuff"... or some political posts... or just some plain ol' personal stuff about my life, my daughter, my sweet kitty Mollie T Cat, my old teaching days, my family, or even just about me.

So... it's a mixture.  But... out of my 919 posts... I have only received 53 Featured Posts.  Only 53 Gold Stars.  Not bad, but not real good, either.  That averages out to just a smidge under 7 Gold Stars for every 100 posts written.  Still... nothing to write home about... so to speak.  But that's ok.

The reason I am sharing this is... I average almost 30 comments per post... and very, very few of those posts are the "Featured Post kind"... the ones that really pile up the comments.

So why such a high average of comments on my posts ?  My easy, Ultra-Sneaky, Top-Secret Secret is... because I care enough to not only write posts... but I go out of my way to make comments on the posts of others... especially Newbies.

 As of today, just from the points I got from commenting on the posts of other Active Rainers... I hit 400,000 points.  JUST from commenting.

Sure, I have received 26,918 comments, but I have made... 29,025 comments. 

Give to other Rainers, share with other Rainers, even jump in and defend other Rainers when some smart aleck is attacking them in a post or a comment.  Giving is the way to make it happen.

Do that enough, and people start subscribing to your blog.  They start looking for your posts.  They get to know you.  And they start commenting on your posts.

Also... who and what you comment on can make a difference.

When it's time for me to make my "daily comments..." while many, many Active Rainers run straight to the Featured Posts Blogroll to read and comment on "all the good stuff..." or all those "Gold Star posts" that everybody else runs to comment on... I go to the Newbie Posts. Remember how you felt when you were a Newbie, you finally wrote a post, and nobody commented ?  Well...

Or... I will pick out some of the Listings posts that almost NOBODY comments on... and very simply say something nice, something complimentary about that agent's listing. 

It's a "help them feel good" kinda thing.  Also, if a member of the public pulls up that post... it can really help that Listing Agent if the buyer who looks at it... instead of seeing a big BLANK for comments, they see something really complimentary about the Listed house.  You have to help others here on Active Rain.  You just gotta do it. 

I'm not looking to be Number One.  I just like to feel really good about what I am doing.

To quote the title of a really good recent book... You have to be a "Go-Giver."  What goes around... really does come around.

Sometimes in the course of bringing equality to all Americans, we end up with something called "Strange Bedfellows."

Although that is not to be taken, in this case, literally... Bill O'Reilly of Fox News has ended up... bless his 'lil heart... Bill O'Reilly has ended up defending Ellen DeGeneres.

The Department Store JC Penney, now sometimes calling themselves JCP... has chosen to hire Ellen DeGeneres... daytime host of The Ellen DeGeneres program, and one of the sweetest, most beloved GAY people in the country... as a "corporate spokesperson.

All has been just fine... until over the last few days... another one of those "PAC" groups... One Million Moms... has decided to try their darndest to get JC Penney to fire Ms DeGeneres.  Why ?  Because she is a "lesbian, and lesbians are an affront to traditional family values."

Here it is again, folks.  That "traditional family values" montra being emblazoned on a flag, waived for one and all to see, and then used in an attempt to cement so-called "traditional family values"... a silly euphemism in this case for blatant discrimination and hate.

Personally, for the most part, I view Mr O'Reilly as a stand-up comedian.  Actually... since he stands six-ft five inches tall, he is more of a "sit up" comedian.  He is actually one of the most "fair and balanced" of the troup "over there" at Fox News.

And last night... Bill O'Reilly had a far-right conservative on his show, and debated the "JCP needs to fire Ellen DeGeneres" issue with this bigotted woman.

O'Reilly compared the One Million Mom's attempt at denying Ellen her job as spokesperson for JCP... to the McCarthy hearings in the 1950's that sought to smear anyone who did not agree with Senator Joe McCarthy's ultra-conservative beliefs... as a "Communist..." and additionally sought to have them "blacklisted." 

For those of you too old to actually remember this happening in person (I do, I was a young teen-ager, and I remember the horror)... this was a horrible time in Our Nation's History.

So... believe it or not... I say... Bless Your Heart... Bill O'Reilly.

I don't know what you guys have in the water up there in Washington State... but it appears it works wonders for you.  Perhaps it is the great abundance of that water that also helps.  I am not sure.

But one thing I AM sure of... is how wonderfully CIVIL your Washington State Senate conducts the "People's Business."

Ok... so I don't have much of a life, here.  As many of you know, I pretty much live in a cave.  Don't come out much.  But at least I have internet access.  Whew !

But... for an hour and a half tonight... I watched the Final Debate and Roll Call of the Washington State Senate on the issue of Marriage Equality.

Above is a picture of the State Senate doing their Roll Call vote on the Issue.  There are forty-nine State Senators... and before their final vote... each of them was given three minutes to comment as they saw fit concerning the State Senate Bill Number 6239... the Marriage Equality Bill.

What happened during that parade of "three minute comments" was something that has been severely lacking in the United States Senate, and also in the United States House of Representatives.  Civility !  Professionalism !  Respect !  And not only respect for each other... but respect for the views of each of those "others."

Honestly and truly... I was very impressed.

Each State Senator spoke their views.  Occasionally each mentioned that other Senators in their Senate were their very good friends... but recognized that those same "very good friends" had very different viewpoints on the issue of Marriage Equality.

Civility.  No rocks being thrown.  No threats.  No invoking the promise of thunderbolts from Zeus, or excommunication by the Pope.  Just genuine, civil, well-mannered disagreement... when that was the case.

Finally... after all Senators had the opportunity to make their comments, thank their allies in the Senate, and compliment those who disagreed with their viewpoints... for doing so with great decorum... a final vote was taken.

The bill... Senate Bill 6239... was approved by a margin of 28 Yays to 21 Nays.  It was then approved by voice vote with none dissenting... to be sent straight to the other branch of the Washington State government... the House... for an immediate vote.  And all in the Senate knew that it would be immediately approved by the House.

The Governor of Washington State... Governor Gregoire... has said that she would sign it immediately.

My faithful partner Ms Mollie T Cat wanted all of you to know that she was equally interested in the drama that enfolded before us in the Washington State Senate.  She is shown here... concentrating on the wonders of the Democratic Process as it happened this evening in Washington.

What are my views on the subject of Marriage Equality ?  Although what I believe is not the subject of this post... I do believe that same sex couples should have the opportunity to be as miserable in their marriage... and equally so... as heterosexual couples do in their marriage.  And... if they end up happy... so much the better.

But again... that is not the point of this.

My point is... what in the world is wrong with all of those crazy people we see in the Congress in Washington, DC... mainly in the House of Representatives, but also in the Senate... who continue to be AT WAR ?

Obstructionists seem to rule.  Nothing even gets brought up for a vote.  The entire Congress is either set in quicksand or cement.  Nothing... moves.  We appear to be faced with another nine months of obstructionism... without the possibility of any sort of bipartisan compromise, or even civil communication. 

Why can't the Congress of the United States... the Senate and the House of Representatives... be as professional as those lawmakers in the Washington State Senate ?

Thank You Washington State Senate.  You should be held up as a model for all.

Update: Today is Wednesday, February 8, 2012. 

The Washington State House has also just voted on the Marriage Equality bill, and has also approved it, this time by a vote of 55-43. 

The bill now goes to the desk of Governor Christine Gregoire, who has promised to sign it.

It is an extreme rarity that I re-blog anything.  It is also a rarity that I make myself find the time to WATCH a video like THIS one.  But, I made myself do it, and YOU need to make yourself watch this video as well.

From the video, it appears that we, as women, get heart attacks quite unlike the male half of the species does.  (Those doofus guys still ARE a part of our species, arent they ???)

Anyway.  Please... watch this video.  It may either save YOUR life, or may help you save the life of a woman you know and love.

Bless Your Heart !

Karen Anne

I recently noticed that I am sneaking up on both my 1000th blog post... and should be hitting the 800,000 point mark here on Active Rain in about three weeks.

So... I just wanted to say "Thank You !" to all of you who... week after week... read my blog posts... comment on them... share your thoughts... and join in "our conversations" and our "dialogues.

Perhaps about half of my posts have been "real-estate-related."  I think I must be getting old... because I have been finding, though, that as time goes on... that I seem to be writing more and more about personal issues, family situations, and other things not very related to "real estate."  So... this "real estate blog" has also become more of a personal journal of sorts.

There are a few blogging "purists"... very few of them, luckily, who kind of jump over that personal stuff... but everyone's different, and so are their tastes in what appeals to them.  I think that applies to all of us.  So... an additional "thank you" to those of you who continue to share my "personal journaling."  You have no idea how much it means to me.

Also... quite often, my nine years of teaching experience grabs hold of my little typing fingers... and I end up writing some tutorial posts in response to questions that have been asked of me.  As time wears on... these tutorials have ended up being about a quarter of my posts.  Yeah... there really is no such thing as a "former" teacher.

Some others of my posts have been either mildly political or even pointedly political.  Sometimes I even get into the areas of religion, spirituality, and even an occasional stab at Psychology.  Yes... that "Nice Catholic Girl from Cleveland" occasionally DOES grab my nun's ruler.  Some "habits" are hard to break.  <impish grin>

There have been a few times that I have either written about, or shared pictures of my baby... Mollie T. Cat.  Mollie tells me that she feels she has quite a few "Aunties" and even some "Uncles" out there... from some of the comments she has read.  So, Mollie T says her "Thank You's" to you, as well.

I have always encouraged everyone to comment on my posts... long ones... even if they think that what they have to say has already been said. 

If it's a religious, spiritual or political post... most are in agreement with what I have to say.  Some are occasionally in mild disagreement, and some... luckily a very few... tend to, in a much less than subtle way, more than hint that some of my ideas are spawned by the devil... LOL.

I am so thankful for all of you !  I really AM !  I know the frequency of my posts has dropped... and I thank those of you who still look for, and welcome, my posts, and for your gracious understanding. 

By the way... besides all of your wonderful comments... the biggest and best compliment I can get from you... is when you subscribe to my blog. 

So please, if you like what you see but have not subscribed... I would just love it if you would.

Newbies, Oldbies, and In-Between-bies.  You add so much to my posts... and I am grateful.  Thank you all so very, very much.