Getting Involved At The Office

I have finally started "doing the stuff" in the real estate office here is Aiken and I find that I actually like what I am doing...initially. I say that guardedly. It may change over time but there are some obvious benefits that I am already enjoying.

• There is an actual FINISH to things. I am a fairly goal driven person. I like seeing things checked off of the To-Do list. Finding sellers and buyers for property and getting to the closing, sealing the deal, and getting compensated for that has finality. You close the folder and move on. Needless to say working at UPS is the exact opposite. You are only as good as that day's numbers. This morning we unloaded 13,000 packages in a little over 3.5 hours. I will find out how we did in the morning. Let's say that we blew off the doors and ran GREAT numbers. It means NOTHING for the next day. It's like chasing the carrot (or your own tail). I like real estate so far since there is a series of finalities.
• Self-discipline - I like being self motivated. I like the idea that I am the one who decides how hard I work and just how successful I can be - depending on how I define success. I haven't needed people to follow me around and check up on me and tell me what and how to do life for some time now. This career seems to fit my personality better than the big corporate mindset.
• Flexibility - While it is true that you have to be ready when your clients are, there is also a benefit in having a partner so that I can do things that I really enjoy - referee or coach soccer, backpack, workout, etc.

There are other benefits but right now I have to get to my FIRST closing. Later...

WH

The Mongoose In The Drain

I mentioned that I had to clear the bathtub drain last week. Symptom was SLOWWWW draining. I tried some drain cleaner to no avail so the only options were to call a plumber or attack the offending clog solo.

I chose solo as I can always call a plumber:)

Employing my usual handyman technique I "Googled" tub drains and found our style. Taking off the drain I reached down the drain and grabbed some obvious strands of hair which were hooked over the cross support in the drain. As I pulled a WHOLE clump ripped out. It was about 10 inches long and foul smelling.

Notice I said "ripped". That meant that there was more in there. I couldn't get a plier or even a screwdriver down there to hook the offending culprit so I retrieved the small snake from the garage. Proceeding to insert the end in the drain I twisted the snake a few times and started to pull.

I was met with great resistance. I pulled HARDER and made progress inch by inch. As the end of the snake started to come out of the drain I almost threw up. It was a matted mess of hair that was about 1/2 inch thick. I continued to pull and I saw a rubber band in the matted mess. It took some time but eventually the mass was out.

I thought about taking a picture AFTER it was in the trash and just couldn't bring myself to get it back out of the plastic shopping bag I had tied it in.

The whole thing was about 14 inches long, moldy, stinky, and putrid. It looked like a dead mongoose - albeit a small one.

I'm glad that I didn't call a plumber since I am cheap. But I am still fighting the images in my head of the fetid mass.

WH

Finally...

So, today I was up at 5:45 am (It's pretty sad when you think that 5:45 am is sleeping in) and started studying for my South Carolina Real Estate Sales Associate Exam in Columbia, SC.

I plodded along in the book and left at 10:45. Went in to the exam site, sat down, proved my identity with TWO forms of ID, and sat in front of a computer to take the test.

Forty five minutes, and 115 questions later, I hit the END key and received the news - PASSED on both sections of the exam (General and State).

Thank God. The past six weeks of my life have been engrossed in the class and the book. Now I can get to the business of actually DOING real estate. Tom Caniglia has agreed to make me his partner so we are off and running...well not quite yet.

I need to get the form signed by the Broker in Charge at Eulalie Salley and mail MORE MONEY off to the Real Estate Commission to get my license. I also have to get 30 more hours of instruction so I can get my full license (I will have a provisional until then).

Today will be spent relaxing and watching football. Tomorrow Dan, Tony, his son, and I are off to "Hotlanta" for the Braves game.

Maybe later I will post about my adventure in clearing the tub drain in Jessie's bathroom. get your barf bags ready for that one.

WH

In Country

Deployment. The words sounded so far away months ago. They are yesterday now. My Son has left again for the Mideast. This departure is different in many ways:

• Last time was a for few months - now it's 8 months
• Last time he was part of a team on an LAV - now he leads the vehicle team and is responsible for the lives of 8 other men
• Last time he was far away from any specific activity - this time his platoon enters an area that has been fairly unstable for months
• Last time he had not even finished his School of Infantry - this time he has been to Squad Leaders School, 29 Palms, and DM training
• Last time he was 19 - now he is 20
• Last time he was single - now he is married
• Last time he was a young man - now he is the type of man that all of you hope your sons become

Here are some pictures that his bride sent to us yesterday. She called last night. Her house is quieter without Jason there. Our lives are now focused on every word that comes out of Iraq. I think about my Son many, many times in an hour.


Jason and Candace


I left work today irritated that there are grown men working there who act like babies when they don't get exactly what they want. Thirty year old men. Forty year old men. Fifty year old men. I am angry that they act like this and my 20 year old son is putting his life on the line and taking responsibility for the lives of other men who will look to him for leadership, direction, and dependability.

Keep your head down Son. I love you.

WH

Visiting In Jacksonville, NC

Jen and I are with Jason and Candace for a few days in Jacksonville, NC. He is stationed at Camp Lejeune with the 2nd LAR. He deploys shortly and asked if we could come visit before he left. He'll probably be gone for 8 months or so. That sucks for his new bride. He also lost a friend in a car wreck yesterday as the two Marines drove home for vacation. One guy was killed, another injured. The injured Marine won't be deploying with the company. Rough times for guys who are planning on laying their lives on the line. You just don't expect to lose one of your own at home. These are moments when life blows.

Jason and Candace are settled in their new duplex. It's cute. Good place to start. I have spent the better part of the morning getting their house set up with an encrypted wireless network so they can surf the net and play Xbox live without having to plug and unplug the laptop and Xbox, while restarting the modem.

As usual, there were some problems, but it seems now that they are up and running. In fact I'm posting this blog via the wireless connection in the living room. Jason is sleeping on the couch, Jen and Candace are out shopping - scary!

I hope that your Labor Day weekend goes well. I have off Monday and am VERY excited about that. I study all week, and my final SC state real estate exam is Saturday the 9th.

WH

Praise The Lord And Pass The Pizza...Stage One Is Over

YEAH!! I just returned home from the FOURTH weekend in a row at Real Estate School.

I passed the class exam this afternoon so the next step is to apply with the state commission, get approved, and schedule the state exam. If all goes well I should be through in the next few weeks. Once that test is passed I need to take the final sales course (30 hours - two more weekends) and I will have my full license.

My brain is sort of mushy right now, and I am looking forward to getting my weekends back. We are going to visit Jason next weekend before he deploys.

WH

Broken link to bloggger

I just realized that my link to my blogger account has been broken for some time. The short is that I thought that I was posting to the blog and it wasn't.

Sorry.

WH

Days and Days and Days...

As you can see my last post was July 30th. That was when it all started. School that is.

I am a student again. In an official capacity that is, going to class and such.

The friend that I have been working for in the real estate office came over to the house at the end of July and offered to pay for my license if I went. You don't have to ask me stuff like that more than once. I accepted.

Mind you. Real estate wasn't my first choice of employment. Not even my second.

Life and situations have a way of getting you to take the hand dealt when such things happen. I need work. Jen and I are making it but unable to do some of the things (Hell, none of the things) that we had planned to do once the doctor's accepted the offer to build the office. That didn't turn out so well through a turn of events.

So through another turn of events I am in school. I know the name is pretty corny (Real Estate School For Success) but the instructors are great. I am in the "do 60 hours in four weekends" class, so that means that I work during the week and drive to Columbia, SC (50 miles) on Saturday and Sunday for class from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.

Needless to say that I don't have a lot of free time. Well, I must admit that I am a bit compulsive about the reading and have set out to read the 400 page book ONCE PER WEEK. There are two weeks down and two weeks to go and I am on schedule for the reading.

The class basically has two purposes: 1) To enable you to pass the State Real Estate Exam, and, 2) To keep you from doing stupid shit and going to jail.

That's nice:)

Anyway, the reason that I have some free time is that I am doing a reinstall of software on a Windoze machine in the office where I did the deployment three months ago. Funny thing, PC's having problems. Hummm.

Anyway, gotta go the machine is rebooting and I need to get done and get to bed!

WH

UPDATE - As usual, the machine has some sort of issue and I cannot log in under the designated user. I'll be up for a while:)

It's A Good Time To Be A Mac Geek...

I work in a two platform world - PC and Mac. I love my Macs and my Apple "stuff". I tolerate the PC's. Don't you just LOVE the new commercials that Apple has? They capture the reality of the difference between the two worlds.

I am patiently waiting for the day in the future when I can afford to get my new MacBook and run the two platforms on the same computer, at the same time - God it feels SO GOOD to say that and know that it's true!!

eWeek had an article this week on Apple possibly having "The Perfect Storm". Great reading, and possibly true. The World Wide Developers Conference is in a few weeks, and the announcements will be AWESOME - Leopard, new chips, new computers, new applications.

It's a good time to be a Mac geek. The patience and near evangelistic fervor has paid off - Apple is ON THE MAP. Everyone else is playing catch up.

WH

Sunday Morning Solace...

I lOVE Sunday mornings. One of the only things that was consistent (other than chaos) growing up were Sunday's. We would either pick up doughnuts or make those "in the box" coffee cakes (does anyone remember making those? you would put the egg, milk, and oil in a plastic baggie with the mix, squish it around, and squeeze it out into an aluminum 9x5 pan, put the cinnamon chunks on there and bake it).

I would spread the funnies out on the floor and read them, chortling under my breath - good memories - I can smell the coffee cake as I write. I need those memories of those days. So much other stuff was out of order and fucked up.

Today is good. The present moment is the best time of my life. My family sleeps in. My son and his wife are here. My daughter is back from D.C.. My wife is in the other room.

I read the Sunday paper, listen to music, drink coffee, the dogs at my feet. Our contentment is shared. This moment has no worries. The worries can wait.

It's Sunday. There really is something to a Sabbath - a rest from the "other stuff." Take a Sabbath. Not a religious one but a REAL one. Rest. Separation. Recharge. Chortle at the comics. Whatever it takes to take a break.

You deserve it. Life takes effort.

WH

The Upcoming Weekend...

Well, Jessie is finishing her week at Girls Nation in Washington D.C. She called last night (of course I was asleep since it was after 8 p.m.) and said that she was having a good time, but was tired and misses being home. I get her at the airport Saturday. Her travel isn't over yet as she fly's to Indiana to visit her cousins, Aunt's, Uncles, and Grandparents. She is really looking forward to the trip.

It seems that she has decided on a college - UGA - now she wants to retake her ACT since she hopes to get a better score on her math and science section (she got a freakin' 32 on the test). Once that is done she will then begin the process of application, etc. It will be a great process to experience with her. She is such a great young lady and has so much to look forward to in life. This will be a good year.

Other news...

JASON AND CANDACE are coming to visit. They have been in Alabama for the past few days and are actually on the way as I write. Of course, I will be IN BED when they get here (since I go to bed at 8 p.m.[I'm not bitter]). They will be here for a number of days and then they will head back to Jacksonville, NC. He then deploys "in country" for 7 months with the 2nd LAR. Please say a prayer for him and his squad as they place themselves in harms way. Here is a letter from his CO covering some of his activity.

As always, I look forward to hanging out and RELAXING this weekend - with family and friends. As usual I can think of a million things to blog about until I get in front of the computer. I have to get better about jotting down thoughts and topics so you don't always have to read family stuff...

I hope that your weekend goes well.

WH

Oops, I Forgot...

We have a game here in the Eisenmann home. It's called, "what did I forget."

You know, when you get into the car to go somewhere, put the transmission in reverse, and then it comes, "wait! I forgot...." You fill in the blank.

Yesterday morning was the culmination of a LONG week of travel and running around. We got up at 6 a.m. to leave for Athens, GA so that we could attend the Explore Georgia event at UGA. This was our second visit and it would hopefully serve to solidify Jessie's choice of where she wanted to go to college. We packed some snacks and drinks and were off.

We were about an hour into the trip and Jen wanted a drink. She leaned over the back seat to get a drink from the cooler and said, "did you get the coke that I put in the freezer?" I remembered. There were not enough cold drinks and Jen put one in the freezer for a "quick cool." What I didn't remember was that it was my job to REMEMBER to get the coke out of the freezer. Missed that one. In fact, I wasn't asked. Woopsie...

We would not be back to Aiken until about 5 p.m. that evening. More than enough time for the Coke to EXPLODE all over the inside of the freezer (ever had that happen?). I was really looking forward to cleaning up that mess after a long day.

So, Jen leapt into action and called her friend to see if she could stop by the house on the way to work and rescue us from disaster. She could and would. Thanks Suz!!

The rest of the day went as planned and we returned exhausted but glad we went. It seems like Jessie has made her choice. Her first selection will be UGA. It does seem like a better fit for her than Emory. I'm glad for her. Now, we just have to pay for school.

Anybody want to buy a watch?

Oh, and I didn't need to clean the freezer:)

WH

Tired...

The past week has been full of travel and stuff and more is yet to come. Additionally, my work schedule changed - my boss went nuts last week.

First he says, on Monday, "You are going to be off the unload FOREVER next Monday."
That means that I go in a 6 am each day and work on the new system that is going in.

THEN, on Thursday he says, "You're back on the unload until after Christmas."
That means I go in at 4 am each day and do the unload and DO NOT get to work on the new system.

So, the bottom line I am TIRED. Bone tired.

My schedule has been all franked up since the beginning of the week - I have to eat at 4 pm so I can digest before bedtime - 9 pm.

The good news is that tomorrow is my last day this week. Friday we go to Athens, GA again for the second visit to UGA. This one is an invite from them to Jessie my daughter. We leave at 6:30 am. I get to SLEEP IN and everyone else has to get up early.

I am going to relax the rest of the evening and watch my favorite old TV show - Homicide Life on The Street. IMHO, one the the best dramas that TV has ever spawned. Check it out if you want. Start with season one.

WH

End Time Idiots Couldn't Be Happier

The latest news from the Middle East will only serve to fuel the "prophetic panic" that certain folks seem to LOVE. How can people killing each other be used to "prove" that we are in the End Times, and that Jesus is coming back soon.

My greatest beef is that these "ministries" play on the fear and fascination people have and VERY FEW if any actually do ANYTHING to alleviate poverty, prejudice, greed, etc. The REAL issues of what God seems to be involved in are the lives of people who need love and the alleviation of suffering.

Thing I'm kidding, take a look:

Jack Van Impe - check the news links

End Time Ministries

Hal Lindsey - The original

That's about enough of that.

WH

More On Loneliness...

"Yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness, but it's better than drinking alone."
Piano Man - Billy Joel

Yesterday evening I was planning on meeting Jen and Suz at a local micro-brewery, Aiken Brewing Company. They were performing some building renovations and the kitchen was closed. The bar however was open and since I was already there and didn't need to meet on the other side of town for another hour, I decided to get a cold, fresh, home brewed beer.

I sat at the bar, asked for a Thoroughbred Red, and relaxed.

Then it hit me. It had been YEARS since I have been at a bar, by myself, sitting with others who were at a bar.

After a few minutes I started a conversation with the bartender about the Mug Club and that initiated a conversation with the fellow on my right. He left after a few minutes and I then had some conversation with the two guys to my left.

We talked about Northerners (all of us were transplants), pizza, hoagies (subs), sports, heat, beer, and whatever. After about 45 minutes I needed to leave. I said my thanks, goodbyes and drove off to the other side of town.

On the drive a few things occurred to me:

1. The guys were regulars. They had spent many hours and evenings at the bar. They were familiar with all that was going on and knew others who were also regulars.
2. I realized that in all of the conversation which we had just participated in, not one of the guys whom I spoke with looked me in the eye. All of the eye contact was "out there" somewhere. There was a distance. There was a separation. There was a detachment. I get that as it related to me since I was the new guy on the block. BUT they didn't even look EACH OTHER in the eye.

That disturbed and saddened me. We all need that connection with someone. "The eyes are the window to the soul." There is something very satisfying to engage with another person and have a eye-to-eye conversation.

How about today you and I look someone in the eyes. Affirm them with a look and a smile. Let the life and love that is in you touch another and let it lift their hearts and spirits.

I think that's what had to make such a difference in the life and experience of Jesus. When he looked into your eyes you were affirmed and accepted. He did not come to condemn people but to love and rescue them...from loneliness, among other things.

WH

Need I Say More?

So we pulled UP to the wedding and dude here is standing at the front of the church, with a CORSAGE on.

Meaning what? He is actually PART of the service. Polo shirt, not tucked in, and blue. I am so styling.



Well not really. It turns out that he is a former student of the bride from Oregon, and is only 17. BUT, never fear, after the wedding was over, I snapped the picture below:



There he was. Middle aged, respectable, no suit. AH-HA! Did you think I was going up to him and ask if the baby had thrown up on his suit? NO WAY! I was relishing in the fact that there was nat least ONE OTHER PERSON who had dared to swim against the prevailing tide of fashion and "dressed down" for the wedding.

We had a great time, and Jen ALWAYS loves to get together with her Furman friends and reminisce. The wedding was off of the hook - probably $60,000 - 70,000 to put on....Ackkkkkkkk. Are you reading this Jessie? (My daughter)

I'll save some of the anecdotes from the wedding for some subsequent blogs.

WH

Quick Trip To Amelia Island

Hello! Writing from Amelia Island, FL. Jen, Jessie, and I loaded the car and flew down after I got off of work yesterday. The trip was right at 4.5 hours.

One amazing thing is that we seem to bring the rain. The Sunshine State becomes Liquid Love when we arrive. True to form, as we approached the state we hit one GREAT BIG storm. We got through that one. However, as we pulled into Amelia Island the rain was heavy and persistent. As we parked in the driveway, Jody, peeking out from the garage (opening the garage door provides a quick entrance to those not wanting to get wet), declared, "I can't believe it. It's been raining all day."

So, if you want rain in your area, invite us to visit and we can do more than an entire tribe of Hopi indian rain dancers.

But, alas, Saturday morning I woke to a typical, disgusting, beautiful Amelia Island day. The picture below is from another visit, but you can get the idea.



We are here in Amelia to attend the wedding of a friend of Jen's from Furman University. Well, not really. The truth is that we are here because the wedding is where Jen's parents live and it makes it easy to attend at LOW COST, and see family and friends. In fact, she hopes to see friends whom she knew in school, especially ones who were not at the 2002 10 year reunion.

It should be a blast. The reception is at The Ritz, which is right down the street from Jen's parents, so if we get snockered we can just walk [stagger]a mile or so down the beach back to the house (hi, Jody, just kidding).

I'll take pictures and fill in some of the details sometime over the weekend. (While doing so may seem to have motives that are primarily fun, I have ulterior motives in that there has been a "fashion discussion" regarding my NOT wearing a suit to the wedding - my contention is that the wedding is at the beach, in the summer, and a dress shirt, pants, and a tie [OK I wavered on the tie too] should be suitable dress for me - others in the immediate vicinity do not feel this way. This created a "lively" discussion at the dinner table last night, which will be the reason for the pictures that are forthcoming. All I need to find is ONE SCHLEP at the wedding who is ANY WAY UNDERDRESSED compared to me and, BINGO, he is in my photo album. I KNOW that everyone has a slob in the family, you know, the one whom you must invite because he is married to cousin "Debby", or something like that. Now that you are on pins and needles, you MUST check back in the next few days to see how this turned out)

Oh, a sidelight. All of the discussion about my attire may be in vain since Jen has developed a condition in her eye - a small broken blood vessel, which has created a BIG RED area just above her right pupil. She may be so obsessed with the eye, and seeing how others see her that my clothing has the potential to be a non-issue (I offered to get a patch at the local CVS but she declined). On the other hand, maybe I'll just wear jeans and a wife-beater t-shirt to the wedding and let the talk take over the event:)

WH

Disclaimer: By using the term "wife-beater" I am in no way minimizing, glorifying, or downplaying the issue of Domestic Violence. It is a very real and destructive problem. For more information concerning what you can do click here - Domestic Violence or here Boys Into Men.

Those Lost Will Not Be Forgotten

Jen and I went out this afternoon to make a visit to a special memorial that will be in Aiken for the next four days.

What is normally a place where soccer, softball, and various recreational league games take place, has become the temporary home of the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It is called The Wall That Heals and is a half size replica of the Memorial in Washington D.C.. Over 58,000 names reach from one end of the wall to the other...58,000 lives...58,000 sons, dads, loved ones... (there were 8 women who died). Volunteers will be reading these names 12 hours a day, for 6 days.

The day today has been rainy, and the atmosphere was somber as we walked down the almost 250 ft. wall reading names and mementos that have been left at the wall as it travels the country.

Below are some pictures:


The Wall


Reflection


Names


Flowers and Names

For me, the truth of the matter was that in 1975 I was 17 and convinced that I was going to Canada or find some way to dodge the draft. Anything or anywhere but to fight in Vietnam. I was weaned on the protests against and news of this war - "Hell no we won't go"

As opposed as I was to this war in Vietnam I was even less concerned with the people who had given their lives. I was only concerned with my own skin. For that I am ashamed and embarassed.

I NOW appreciate the sacrifice. I NOW have a greater sense of patriotism and pride in my country. NOT because of the things that I disagree with that our country has participated in BUT in spite of those things. I NOW support those who fight EVEN if I don't support the fight that they are sent to be involved with.

To those who are serving and have served in the Armed Forces, "Thank you." A special "thank you" to the Vietnam Vets out there. Something at The Wall That Heals really hit me. It said that EVERYONE in that war was wounded. That is probably true of all wars and fighting.

A special thanks to my son, Jason, who serves in the 2/2 LAR in the United States Marine Corps. I appreciate what you do and pray for you and all of those who are in harms way.

WH

This is only a test

I have been having some problems with my blog editor. At least I think that I have been having some problems.

It seems that over the past few days, when I post a blog entry it takes FOREVER to update at Blogger. I see the new post when I log into Blogger, I can read and edit it in Blogger, but it takes some time before it refreshes and is available online.

It didn't used to take any time at all. In fact, I could post a blog entry via Ecto and refresh my blog page and the new post would be there instantly.

So, I am testing this with this post. Hopefully, it was a Blogger problem.

Update: Immediately after I posted this entry I checked and it was available. I'll keep my eye on this issue.

WH

Slip Sliding Away...or Another Bad Movie

I have suffered through enough bad movies to know when one is coming out, just based on the title alone. Let me clarify. I am NOT saying that I can tell if a movie is going to be bad or good depending on the title. For instance, who knew that Ishtar would be one of the biggest busts in movie history? Dustin, Warren, what were you thinking?

However, I do think that I can tell when a BAD title reveals a BAD MOVIE.

Case in point - remember "8 Legged Freaks"? You don't need a degree in cinematography to figure out that this was going to be a stinky movie. The title alone will tell you. The previews just confirmed the fact.

Well, there is a new ad on the TV that has all of the earmarks of a BAD movie -

Snakes on a Plane

Have you seen the ads? This movie will blow. The title isn't very inspiring is it? Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I should explain the plot to those of you who haven't seen the trailer. You see, it's about, well...snakes on a plane. Surprised? Oooooooo, I'm already scared.

One question that I have is, "How does someone like Samuel L. Jackson read a script like this and decide, "Wow, sign me up. Sounds like a great flick."? Maybe he just HAS to make a certain amount of movies to honor a contract.

I could be wrong. If it turns out to be a blockbuster, I will formally apologize here on this site. Don't hold your breath.

WH