You could be in Nashville for Country Music’s Biggest Night™ Nov. 12 LIVE on ABC!

One grand-prize winner will rock the star-studded event with:
- A trip for two to the 2008 CMA Awards in Nashville on Nov. 12.
- Round-trip coach airfare for two.
- Three nights’ hotel accommodations.
- Invitation to a CMA Inside Event.
- One spa treatment for each guest.
- A makeover by a professional makeup artist before the show.
- The Mary Kay® Compact filled with gorgeous mineral color.

Sometimes, life has a way of working out. For every setback has a reason to it and an intended path to follow. Lately it seems that I've been hit with setback after setback and as frustrating as it can be, I keep reminding myself that something better is on the way.

Setback #1:
Earlier this past summer, I broke my left wrist while playing hockey in the first game of the season after being tripped. I didn't realize it was broken until more than a month later. In my right arm, I developed a pinched nerve which severely reduced my right hand's strength and ability to function. I can't write, hold simple things, etc. Now I wait for the call from the neurosurgeon since I need surgery to repair this problem...

Setback #2:
For over a year, I've been planning to take a nice trip overseas. It would start in London, United Kingdom, continue on to Dubai, United Arab Emirates and then end in Karachi, Pakistan. The idea was to visit family along the way and get to see three world-class cities that I haven't had the opportunity to see in the last 15 years. I felt it was much-needed but due to political strife in Pakistan which has made it unsafe for visitors and ridiculous airline costs, I can't justify the trip any longer.

Setback #3:
For the past year, I've been working towards earning my Certified Management Accountants (CMA) and was previously flying through the program. Not anymore. After getting half-way through the program, I failed the Case Exam (an exam I know I can and should have passed). The next writing of the exam isn't until May 2009 so I basically have to wait a year before I can continue with the program. If all goes well, I'll finish in June 2010 now instead of initially finishing in June 2009. This doesn't sit well with me but my opinions on the matter are irrelevant.

I've faced a lot of adversity so I suppose it's only fair that I face some more just when I thought things were going well. Maybe they were going too well... and that I just needed a good hard knock down back to reality. For a person approaching the age of 27, I was hoping for some things to go my way... but it is what it is. My desire is to sulk and be "destructive", as my dad says, but I suppose all I can do is shut up instead and step things up. As the saying goes, "shape up or ship out".

"I don't want to die out here in the valley Waiting for my luck to change..."
- Sixx A.M. (Van Nuys)

First of all, I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be coming back to my hometown of Laurinburg NC for a visit in a couple of weeks. I have already spoken to some old friends I hope to run into. It is also my Grandma's birthday that weekend, and we are going to suprise her by showing up. She doesn't have a clue that we are coming. That's gonna be awesome. Plus, there is a HS football game that Friday. I haven't seen a Scotland High School football game in years. If you are from a small town like myself, you understand the social significance of this. I am really looking forward to it.

I am now hosting the station's tailgating parties for all of the Titan's home games. We are right by LP Field in the Shoney's parking lot. We have games with tons of prizes as well as appearances by the Titan's cheerleaders (It's a rough job, but SOMEBODY has to step up to the plate). Anyway, if you are heading ot a Titan's game, swing by and say howdy.

Finally, I am in the process of possibly starting a Podcast.
I wanted to run this by you to get an idea of what you may want in a podcast from me. Due to copyright reasons, I can't really play a lot of music, but that doesn't mean I can't talk about it. More entertainment stuff, sports, lifestyle, what do you think? Let me know so I can start planning it. I don't want to waste your or my time doing something nobody wants to listen to.. so I need to know.

Finally, the responses to my CMA Prediction blogs were incredible. I hope to have gained some new readers by posting those, and I also hope many of them stick around to read more upcoming post. Thanks for checking in, and I hope to keep ya around!!

Love Ya'll
d

9/27/2008  - 10/2/2008 
NCDVD - National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors
NCDVD 2009 Convention - From East to West: A Perfect Sacrifice
Denver, CO 
 
9/28/2008  - 10/1/2008 
NCDC - National Catholic Development Conference
2008 NCDC Conference and Exposition
Orlando, FL 
 
9/28/2008  - 10/1/2008 
DFMC - Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference
DFMC Conference 2008 - Strengthening the Church through Collaboration
Miami, FL 
 
10/5/2008  - 10/26/2008 
The Vatican
World Synod of Bishops - The Word of God in the Life & Mission of the Church
Vatican City, Europe
 
10/9/2008  - 10/13/2008 
NRVC - National Religious Vocation Conference
2008 NRVC Biennial Convocation - Called by One, Invited by Many
Louisville, KY 
 
10/9/2008  - 10/11/2008 
CMA - Catholic Medical Association
77th Annual CMA Educational Conference - Theology of the Body: Modern Challenges to Health, Conscience, and Human Dignity
Baltimore, MD 
 
10/12/2008  - 10/15/2008 
ICSC - International Catholic Stewardship Council
2008 ICSC Annual Conference - Evangelization and Stewardship in the Spirit of St. Paul
Chicago, IL 
 
10/13/2008  - 10/17/2008 
ANSH - Asociación Nacional de Sacerdotes Hispanos en Estados Unidos
ANSH 2008 Convention
Colorado Springs, CO 
 
10/13/2008  - 10/16/2008 
CLSA - Canon Law Society of America
2008 CLSA Convention
Kansas City, MO 
 
10/14/2008  - 10/17/2008 
FDLC - Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions
2008 FDLC National Meeting - To Worship in Spirit and Truth: Liturgy in the Shaping of Catholic Identity
Milwaukee, WI 
 
10/16/2008  - 10/19/2008 
CNVS - Catholic Network of Volunteer Service
CNVS National Conference - Sustained by the Spirit
Portland, OR 
 
10/24/2008  - 10/25/2008 
SCSS - Society of Catholic Social Scientists
16th Annual SCSS National Meeting-Conference
Center Valley, PA 
 
10/24/2008  - 10/26/2008 
Marcus Grodi & The Coming Home Network International
The Battle for the Faith: North America 1700 - 1900
Columbus, OH 
 
10/26/2008  - 10/29/2008 
CACE - Chief Administrators of Catholic Education
2008 CACE Annual Meeting - The Vocation of Leadership: Nurturing the Call 
Oklahoma City, OK 
 
10/30/2008  - 11/2/2008 
La Red - National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana
La Red 2008 Annual Membership Reunion
San Antonio, TX 
 
11/18/2008  - 11/21/2008 
NATRI - National Association for Treasurers of Religious Institutes
2008 NATRI National Conference
Denver, CO

Visit ActiveParishioner.com for more details and future events.

Chrsitian and Missionary Alliance still in the church snatching business

September 23rd, 2008 LAIGLESFORUM Posted in Christian |

The real life marketing aspect was obvious.  Miley would let the Hannah Montana show and concerts fund her career and when she was ready to break free of the teen overtones, she would migrate into the Miley Cyrus persona to continue her music career.  Billy Ray Cyrus (of Achy Breaky Heart fame) has managed his daughters fame and has done so brilliantly.  However, according to sources, Miley and Billy are ready to jump ship already and begin the second half of the marketing plan even before the Hannah Montana cog of the machine has crested.  Sources at Disney say that Billy Ray is telling staffers that they only plan to do about 6 more episodes (to finish out the 3rd season) and then they are finished with Hannah Montana.   Disney indicates that while there is not anymore contractual obligations to the Cyrus's beyond season 3, that they have anticipated and banked on at least one more season beyond that.

Disney officials indicate that the Cyrus's are ungrateful for their success and are acting irresponsibly for abandoning the show and is being disrespectful to Disney that has sponsored their success from the beginning.  And while there may be truth to that statement, let's look at the other side.  I couldn't help but be shocked by an article I read on the "richest teen celebrities" that has Miley making a paltry $25 million.  Obviously $25 million is far from paltry, but as I dropped my daughter off at school and watch as 9 out of 10 girls are adorning something Hannah Montana whether it be a shirt, backpack, shoes, hair extensions, whatever, how can she be making any less than triple that amount?  The hysteria that is Hannah Montana is outrageous.  Top it off that Miley has actually found a way onto Top 40 mainstream radio which now sends adults to the record stores (or iTunes to do so secretly).

With AOL and Fox reporting that the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus machine is worth 1 BILLION dollars a year, where exactly is the rest of that money going?  That's a HUGE discrepancy between the artist and Disney's take (hereby referred to as "the man").  Obviously there is marketing expense, staff, etc.  But for those doing the math, $25 million is 4% of a billion.   So Miley and Pops decided that enough is enough and it's time to move on to chase the musical part of the plan.  And while this may seem like the right thing to do from a monetary aspect, do they really have the momentum she'll need when you take Disney out of the equation?  Billy Ray believes they do and has already begun acting as if it's a done deal.  Sources on the Hannah Montana set say that Miley and her father show up to the set hours late with an "attitude" and have begun making their own schedules which is upsetting staff and alienating friends.   Emily Osment that plays Lilly on the hit TV show has begun growing in popularity and some sources from Chicago Sun Times say that most of the tension on the set is a result of Miley's jealousy of Emily's rise to fame.  Anyone from the outside can obviously see that there's no way that Emily can come even remotely close to Miley's level of fame, so this rift that currently exists between the friends is actually very silly.  Not to mention that Miley should be happy for the success of her friends especially when her own is so solidly set.  Even if Miley's run of good fortune were to end today, she's sitting on millions and millions of dollars that will carry her family and many generations to come into a comfortable existence.

While Miley's reps are claiming that the desire to quit the show is not true, it flies directly in the face of Billy Ray's actions and statements which seem to insinuate that it's indeed over.  He's also been heard "dissing" Disney management and being very animate about his distaste for the situation.  Add to the controversy the volatile mix of outright total lack of consideration for their cast mates by showing up late to tapings along with the friction and tension so thick that it could be cut with a butter knife.  But Billy Ray, being a musician, may be trying to live through Miley and pushing her into the music business before she's actually ready.  Her success is stellar, but some things shouldn't be rushed if there's no definitive line as to whose desire it is to move on.  Billy Ray has been able to salvage his own musical career as a result of his daughter, so it's inevitable that he would want to feed that side of the animal, but the saying goes that the tail doesn't wag the dog.  And in this case, the tail needs the dog and that dog is Disney and Hannah Montana.  For now.

Needless to say, according to solid sources, they are confident that this third season of Hannah Montana will be the last for the show unless Disney reaches deeper into its pockets to entice Miley and Billy to stay for a fourth.  The fourth season is a critical season if Hannah Montana is to score residuals for reruns.  The wisest decision for Miley is to stay put to secure her residual income, but her and daddy will need to have a pow wow with the staff to discuss their concerns because the problem is not with the staff itself.  Because if the tensions that exist are truly a result of Miley's jealousy, she desperately needs to lay that aside since her fame and fortune is secure.  Jealousy makes you weak.  But if they stay, they desperately need to put the tensions to ease with staff and communicate with them or the fourth season will never happen.  Miley should also focus on getting herself more solidly situated as a music artist and she could certainly use the time to do so while taping an incredible 401K stockpile and take advantage of the opportunities afforded to her on the back of the powerhouse that is Disney.

In closing, it's understandable why Billy Ray is wanting to strike while the iron is hot, but when you're in the middle of the hurricane it's easy to lose sight of the big picture.  Ultimately it will be the Cyrus's decision, but Miley should put her foot down and be clear as to what her desires are.  The Hannah Montana machine has a LOT of steam left and is still the biggest show anywhere on TV including the major networks and one more season would be a perfect decision financially and professionally for her.  Hopefully Billy can put his angst aside with Disney management, but Disney (I mean, "the man") should listen to what Billy's qualms are directly instead of hearing about everything second hand.  They have a lot riding on their willingness to stay and they should do whatever is necessary to hold onto their golden goose.  But the golden goose also deserves a comfy nest.

What are your thoughts?

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In my opinion, here is the beginning of what sets our agents and other great agents apart from the crowd!  As we have previously discovered a CMA studies what has happened in the past 6 months to a year in the real estate market relative to the your home (the Subject Property).  Now we are going to discover what buyers are doing in a given area and price range right now with an Absorption Rate Analysis.  An Absorption Rate Analysis tells you how fast the Subject Property should be on the market based on the CMA determined Fair Market Value or FMV. 

Yes there are a lot of acronyms used in Real Estate, as I guess there are in any profession.  If you ever run in to one that you don’t know, just Google it.  Back to the issue at hand. 

To do a proper Absorption Rate Analysis you take a look at activity only over the last 2 months in a given price range and given area.  Take the total Pending and Sold divided by 2 months to get a number of homes sold per month.  Then divide that number by the total number of Active properties available to a buyer in that price range and area.  This tells you that if no more properties come on the market and buyer continue to buy the same number of houses per month all properties will be sold in this given number of months.

I know this may sound a little confusing but it is much simpler once explained in addition to the Century 21 Hecht Realty Absorption Rate Form.  Also, this is something that you should have updated monthly to determine which way your market is moving.  For example, if the Absorption Rate number is getting larger it is trending toward a buyer’s market.  If the Absorption Rate number is getting small we are moving toward a seller’s market. 

Stay tuned for a look at the Pricing Triangle to pull all of this pricing information together for a clear picture of where your home should be positioned for your given objective.

"Now, let the weeping cease; let no one mourn again.  For the love of God will bring you peace.  There is no end."   -- Sophocles

When I look back on my life, I sometimes feel again the pain of how things used to be; the pain of a life once led.  But I know that my life doesn't ever have to be as difficult and "dramastic" (my word for "fantastically dramatic") as it once was.  My life never has to be as out of control, as unmanageable or as terrifying.  It simply isn't necessary for my addictions to haunt me at every turn.  Time has in fact moved on, as it must.  The past is over, I accept my relationships as they are and I've begun to know real safety.

Maybe I'd have to completely bale altogether from my recovery plan and path toward personal growth for quite some time before I'd go back completely to the way I acted and lived before.  I may slip today, or some future date; I make no promises of perfection.  I can never let myself forget however, that as an addict; I am one decision - one bad choice, away from using or acting out.  But that is very different from going back to the beginning, before my new life.  Each day I choose not to stray from the path I am now on, my heart is strengthened so that I no longer want to go back.

Through this blog, I wish to share with my readers to live life "one day at a time" whether you're in a 12 step program of recovery or not.  If you read my earlier blogs, you'll come to know that I'm not, though I am part of a recovery group (SMART Recovery).  Finally, trust, as I do, that you have all the time you need.

Chocolate leaves a bitter taste
September 18, 2008

It is enjoyed by millions of connoisseurs around the world, but in recent years chocolate has started to leave an unpleasant aftertaste.

Canadian author Carol Off, whose book alerted readers to the ethical quagmire of chocolate consumption when it was released two years ago, is currently in Australia to talk up the topic.

Her book, Bitter Chocolate, lifted the lid on the use of child slavery in the cocoa plantations of West Africa.

The link between slavery and chocolate is as old as history, Off said.

"There has always been a case where cocoa has been produced by people who didn't have a lot for people who do," she said.

"The Aztecs and the Mayans produced cocoa for the King of Montezuma and in Europe they produced slaves to harvest cocoa beans for the chocolate fanatics of Europe."

Things haven't changed, she says.

"We have chocolate bars today that seem to be cheap and affordable even to a child ... but the truth of the matter is we can only afford this chocolate because people who are picking the beans and cultivating it are children in West Africa," she said.

"A lot of children voluntarily go (to the plantations) because there's nothing for them in countries like Mali.

"Their crops are failing and nothing is growing in that part of the world, So a lot of the kids are sent off by their parents to get some money.

"But child traffickers see the vulnerability of these kids, there's nobody watching over them and they round them up and take them over the border into the Ivory Coast and make money from them."

It is difficult to help these children, Off says, because much of the Ivory Coast, which produces most of the world's cocoa supply, is torn by civil war.

The government uses profits from the cocoa trade to fund the war, Off says.

"The complicity here is with them and the big chocolate companies."

"There are only a handful of multinationals that control the industry and basically they are able to operate with impunity in Africa and Ivory Coast because everybody that has power over the situation is getting what they want."

Fair trade systems were having a small impact, Off said, but would never provide a full solution.

"They pay a premium to the farmer, the chocolates are more expensive and the profits go back to the farmers.

"Where I went in those situations, the kids are going to school, there was health care, clean water and all these things were paid for by fair trade premiums - but there's so few of them.

"It represents not even one per cent of all the cocoa being produced, so the vast majority is under this other system."

The CEO of The Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia (CMA), Trish Hyde, said the CMA was a part of a global initiative to eliminate child slavery and forced labour in the industry.

She said the CMA and other chocolate companies from around the world were working with the governments of the Ivory Coast and Ghana to help eliminate child slavery and forced labour.

"The important thing is from our perspective is the collaboration with government and NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) on the ground, with industry programs ... that are actually making changes in the communities."

The CMA says that in July this year it also helped implement a reporting system that would certify all labour on West African cocoa farms.
AAP

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/09/17/1221330918327.html

I want to remind everyone that I am in NO WAY affiliated with the Country Music Association.

I am just a part time radio guy, and full time country music fan.

Here is part two of my predictions....

Vocal Duo of the Year

• Big & Rich
• Brooks & Dunn
• Montgomery Gentry
• Sugarland
• The Wreckers

I fully expect Sugarland to walk away with this one again this year. Last year, it was seen as somewhat of a shock. However this year, with quite a few more chart toppers under their belt, a killer headlining tour, not to mention an ever growing fan base, I would be surprised if the DID NOT win duo of the year. Jennifer Nettles has one of the most authentic female voices in the business today, and her chemistry with duo partner Kristian Bush is infectious and undeniable. Brooks and Dunn were mainstays in the category for years, so a repeat is not out of the question for Kix and Ronnie, but Sugarland is one of the fastest rising act in this genre and I don't see that changing anytime soon

Vocal Group of the Year

• Eagles
• Emerson Drive
• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Rascal Flatts

With all the hubbub surrounding the Eagles performing at the awards show last year, there is a tiny part of me that wonders if they might pull of an upset... but I don't think that will happen. I don't see how you cannot give this to Rascal Flatts. Like them or not, you can't deny their album or ticket sales. They perform sold out through out the country night after night and are still multi-platinum selling artist (makes you wonder why they didn't get a repeat Entertainer of the Year nod this year? More on that later). No other group can make that claim. They have been a country radio mainstay, as well as on of CMT and GAC's biggest artist in regards to video airplay. I don't see anybody else challenging for that award just yet.

New Artist of the Year

• Jason Aldean
• Rodney Atkins
• Lady Antebellum
• James Otto
• Kellie Pickler

This one is a tough one for me to call. Call me crazy, but my gut is telling me this may be Lady Antebellum's night. If Aldean, Pickler, or Atkins were going to win this award, they would have won it already. Notice how it's not called the Horizon Award anymore? I think it's because three of the nominees aren't on the "Horizon" anymore themselves. I think all three are great and established artist, but they aren't necessarily new artist anymore either. That leaves it to Otto and Lady A to battle it out, and I think the Horizon.. um... New Artist of the Year will be Lady Antebellum. It's been a few years since a group has won this award, and this could be the year that it happens again. In case you were wondering, the last group to win the Horizon Award were Rascal Flatts in 2002.

That's the part two of my CMA predictions. I'll post Part Three tomorrow.

I am curious to hear what you think.

Who do you think will win in the categories mentioned above?

Do you think I am on point or completely off track?

Send me a comment and let me know.

Part Three (the Big Ones-including Entertainer of the Year) is coming tomorrow.

Love Ya'll

d

Yes, my own, wonderful, super fabulous, awesome Hubby is now a CMA NOMINEE!!!

I am so very proud of him...how cool is that.

It is awesome to be recognized for hard work and OH does he work hard...ask any of the other Team Writer clan...but we love him...and his tortured self! 

So yes dear ones...that means DATE NIGHT FOR MOMMY!!! Whoo hoo!!! 

Congratulations baby..

The awards are always a big night here in Music City, and I am excited about the upcoming show.

I have made a a tradition to post my predictions for the Awards every year, and I am continuing that tradition with this blog. Keep in mind, that I am in NO WAY associated with the Country Music Association.
I'm just a part time radio guy, and a full time Country music fan.

So here goes...

Album of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)

• Carnival Ride
  Carrie Underwood
  Produced by Mark Bright
  19 Records Limited/Arista Nashville
• Cowboy Town
  Brooks & Dunn
  Produced by Kix Brooks, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Bob DiPiero
  Arista Nashville
• Good Time
  Alan Jackson
  Produced by Keith Stegall
  Arista Nashville
• Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
  Kenny Chesney
  Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
  BNA Records

I expect Alan Jackson to walk away with this one. Every song he has released off of the album has been both a commercial and critical success. This is the record in which it sounds like Alan is going back to his roots. After recording an album with Alison Krauss that, to some, didn't sound like an Alan Jackson record, AJ teamed back up with long time producer Keith Stegall to make the Good Time album. I think it's some of the best work they have done in recent years. Traditional country with catchy hooks and sing along melodies are what he does best, and this album features him at his finest.

Single of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer)

• "Don’t Blink"
  Kenny Chesney
  Produced by Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney
  BNA Records
• "Gunpowder & Lead"
  Miranda Lambert
  Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke
  Columbia Records
• "I Saw God Today"
  George Strait
  Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
  MCA Nashville
• "Stay"
  Sugarland
  Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles
  Mercury Nashville
• "You’re Gonna Miss This"
  Trace Adkins
  Produced by Frank Rogers
  Capitol Records Nashville

This one is a tough one for me, my first instinct is to give this one to Sugarland. Jennifer Nettles sang her face of on this record, and is deserving of recognition. However, Trace Adkins has been long overdue for a CMA award. This will be his first win, and rightfully so. It's the best song of his career. The exposure that Trace had on The Apprentice didn't get overlooked by the CMA either. Mainstream publicity in a positive light is always good, and Trace did an exceptional job on the show.That being said, I do not think that is the reason he will walk away with single of the year. He will win because he is at the turning point as an artist. Trace Adkins is going to take his career to the next level with this much deserved win.

Song of the Year
(Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)

• “Good Time”
  Alan Jackson
  EMI-April Music/Tri-Angels Music
• “I Saw God Today”
  Rodney Clawson/Monty Criswell/Wade Kirby
  Big Red Toe/Extremely Loud Music/Steel Wheels Music/Blind Mule Music
• “Letter To Me”
  Brad Paisley
  EMI-April Music/New Sea Gayle Music
• “Stay”
  Jennifer Nettles
  Jennifer Nettles Publishing
• “You’re Gonna Miss This”
  Ashley Gorley/Lee Thomas Miller
  EMI Blackwood Music/New Songs of Sea Gayle/Noah’s Little Boat Music/Songs of Combustion Music

I think Brad Paisley will win with Letter To Me. Every song nominated this year is strong, and it is hard to pinpoint why I feel like Brad has the upper hand, but I just have a feeling he may walk away a winner in this category.

Musical Event of the Year
(Award to each Artist)

• Josh Turner featuring Trisha Yearwood
  “Another Try”
  MCA Nashville
• Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
  “Every Other Weekend”
  MCA Nashville
• Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
  “Gone, Gone, Gone”
  Rounder Records
• Sugarland featuring Little Big Town and Jake Owen
  “Life In A Northern Town”
  Mercury Nashville
• Kenny Chesney (duet with George Strait)
  “Shiftwork”
  BNA Records

It sounds crazy, but I think it's gonna be Plant and Krauss. I realize it got hardly any radio airplay at all. I also realize that CMA Award winner Robert Plant just doesn't roll off the tongue. But the CMA's are known to shock us from time to time... and here is the shocker of the night. The same man that brought us Black Dog and Stairway to Heaven will be a CMA award winner.

That's the part one of my CMA predictions. I'll post Part Two tomorrow.

I am curious to hear what you think.

Who do you think will win in the categories mentioned above?

Do you think I am on point or completely off track?

Send me a comment and let me know.

Part Two is coming tomorrow!

Love Ya'll

d

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Even though we may deny it, there are those of us that may secretly want to be hurt by others; since, in some strange abhorrent way, we think that is what we deserve.  Before I became clean and sober, I lost my good opinion of myself; I indulged in actions that placed me in situations of humiliation and debasement.  It's a sad truth, but I found comfort there, finding a sort of release from tension through degrading acts.

For those readers who may relate even remotely to such degradement, resolve with me to reject humiliation.  I find that through talking to others, that life is rich and varied and open - I want to join in!  There was a woman sitting across from me on the bus the other day, and I noticed that from her purse hung a long chain of Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA) sobriety chips; the one most prominent boasting 30 months sobriety. This woman was riding the bus with two others, who I eventually came to know as her husband and daughter.

As I watched this woman interacting with her family, seeing their big smiling faces, listening to their jests and laughter, I thought how alive they looked.  Not ghostly images of addicts going unnoticed as life moves about them, but rather, they were engaged in life.  I wanted to join in!

We do not have to continue to find false comfort and release in acts that come back to haunt us and humiliate us.  There is no more room in my life for feelings of inferiority or worthlessness.  There are ways for us all to gain self-esteem and a sense of true value of our lives.

The Competitive Market Analysis or CMA is a report that will help you learn more about your marketplace. Many real estate professionals offer this free service or as part of their service package. A CMA offers you a snapshot of the real estate conditions in your area and can be a very useful tool when setting your own asking price.

Here are some of the elements contained in most reports:

1. Homes for sale. This is an inventory of the current active listings in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). It will give you an idea of how many other homes will be competing for buyer attention. Consider the asking prices for homes similar to yours, but remember the asking price is just that. It does not reflect what buyers are willing to pay.

2. Pending sales. These are active listings that are now under contract. Additional data on the sale will likely not be available until after the closing.

3. Comparable sales. This is perhaps the most revealing and interesting component. It details all the sold listings in the last six months and their sale prices. Look carefully at the numbers. Here you can discover how much buyer's are willing to pay. This data can help you and your agent craft a realistic list price.

 As discussed in Part I, it is very important to price your home correctly at the onset of your home coming on the market.  Remember the school bus?  As one home seller, priced at or below market value, gets off the bus two more home sellers get on the bus, which leaves the homes priced high for the market on the bus for a potentially very long and cramped ride.

There are three basic steps to properly pricing your home.  You need a properly prepared Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), an Absorption Rate Analysis, and Pricing Triangle. 

Today I’ll cover the CMA.  Most all real estate agents do a CMA of some sort for a listing presentation.  A proper CMA compares your property (the subject) to the comparable (sold, expired and active) properties.  We are attempting to look at the property in a similar fashion as an appraiser would, primarily because 95% of homes are purchased with a loan from a bank that requires the home to appraise for the purchase price on the contract.  An appraiser only looks at the sold properties for his/her market analysis, but we must also look at Active properties when initially pricing the home.  In order to get a contract with a buyer we must beat the currently active competition.  We also look at expired listings (listing that went the full term of the listing agreement and did not close) to see which properties did not sell.

A proper CMA also comes with adjustments for square footage, parking (garage, street, carport), age, and condition, just to name a few.  These adjustments should not have a single line item adjustment of over 10% of the sales price and should not exceed 20% for all adjustments. 

From the CMA a Price Range for listing the home is established.  An appraiser is charged with the duty to nail down an absolute number which is fine; they are dealing with absolutes such as sold inventory and a contracted sales price between a given buyer and a given seller.  When you and your agent are placing the property in the current market of Active inventory it stands to reason that there may be a 5% plus or minus variance.  For example if you are a buyer looking for a home around $200,000 it stands to reason that you would buy that perfect home at $210,000 and would buy a similar home that fits your needs at $190,000.

Another small annoyance to consider is that most homes sell for about 95%-97% of list price in this area depending on the price range.  So a price adjustment with that in mind must be considered.

Once your CMA Price Range has been established, next we move to the Absorption Rate Analysis which tells us what is happening right now in the market and how long we can expect the subject property to be on the market.  Stay tuned for my Absorption Rate Analysis post.

Todd Long

Broker-in-Charge

Mooresville

http://toddlongcentury21.wordpress.com

Taylor Swift leaves the Good Morning America studio with a grin on her face. She was on the show announcing the nominees for the Country Music Association Awards and found out that she is one of them! Wouldn't you be smiling too?

1. 든든한 미래를 보장해 주는 연금상품

   요약해서 정리해 보자면 평균수명이 길어지고 여성이 남성보다 평균적으로 11년을 더 산다는 통계에 따라 연  금상품은 여성에게는 필수적인 상품이라고 소개하고 있다. 국민연금의 경우 명의자가 사망했을 시 유족연금 비율이 1/3로 줄기 때문에 대부분 큰 도움은 되지 않는다. 그러므로 연금보험과 같은 경우는 꼭 하나씩 구비해 두고 있어야 한다고 소개하고 있다.

  개인적으로 연금은 나도 꼭 몇 개 장만하고 싶다. 23인 지금 내가 연금을 시작해서 43정도까지 보험료를 납입하고 거치해 두었다가 연금개시 시점에 신이 내린 선물처럼 매달 받는 그 기쁨은 얼마나 클까? 노년은 조금 더 편안하고 안정적으로 보내고 싶은 소망과 함께 이번 달 월급을 타면 차근차근 부어봐야지 하는 생각이 들었다.

2. MMF 또는 CMA와 마이너스 통장 또는 적립식 상품과의 조화

  솔직히 2번은 읽으면서 이런식으로 상품을 조화시킬 수도 있구나...라는 생각에 굉장히 유용한 정보를 얻었다는 느낌이 들었다. 요지는 신용카드비며 공과금 그리고 교육비 등을 위해 은행 예금통장에 꽤 많은 돈을 넣어두는 경우가 많은데, 이렇게 하지 말고 MMF나 CMA를 개설해서 돈을 적립해 두었다가 각종 공과금과 비용이 나가는 날에 인터넷 뱅킹을 활용해서 예금통장으로 이체 시키면 수수료도 면제되고 예금통장만을 사용할 때보다 더 많은 이율을 취할 수도 있다는 내용이다. 또, MMF나 CMA 계좌를 유지하게 되면 실적이나 고객등급이 올라가서 일정 금액의 마이너스 통장도 개설이 가능한데 이것을 활용하면 이자비용은 어느정도 지불하겠지만 정말 비상시에 목돈이나 적금을 깨서 지출하는 일은 없을 것이다. 적금은 그대로 장기 운용할 수 있는 것이다. 다만 일정에 맞추어 세세하게 신경써야 하는 부분이 있지만, 조금만 더 부지런 떨면 안 내도 될 비용을 지출하지 않을 수 있을 것이다.

3. 의료비를 보장 받을 수 있는 의료보장 상품

  본문을 그대로 옮겨 본다. "얼마 전 국민건강보험에서 발표한 자료에 의하면 평균 수명 80세로 보았을 때 우리나라 사람들의 평생 쓰는 의료비 총액이 약 7,700만원에 달한다고 하는데, 이를 나이 대 별로 나누어 보면 50세 이후에 지출되는 의료비가 전체의 70%나 차지하고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이는 사망 시점이 가까워 질수록 의료비 지출이 급증한다는 뜻인데, 남성 보다 오래 사는 여성들에게는 상당히 심각한 내용이라고 할 수 있다.
왜냐하면 언젠가는 있을 배우자와의 사별 이후에 줄어든 연금에다 의료비까지 부담해야 한다고 상상해 보면 상당한 부담이 될 수 밖에 없기 때문이다."

요새 보험의 가장 좋은 기능은 의료 실손보장인 것 같다. 입원비와 통원비 그리고 조제비까지 일정 한도 내에서 다 나오는데, 병원을 자주 찾을 일이 있는 사람들에게는 정말 유용한 상품일 것 같다. 솔직히 지금은 어리고 아픈적이 없어서 이런 질병보험 보장에는 소홀하게 되는 부분이 있다. 나는 실제로 2년 전에 갑자기 수술을 해야하는 경우가 있었다. 당시 21살이었고 나는 살다가 갑자기 아플 일은 전혀 없을거라고 생각했는데, 전신마취를 하고 개복을 해야하는 대수술이었다. 다행히 그때에는 지혜로운 우리 어머니께서 실손을 가입해 두셔서 그때 보험의 혜택을 톡톡히 보았다. 마치 비가 올때 미리 준비해간 우산이 엄청난 도움이 된 것처럼 말이다.

 어서어서 더 잘 알아보고 내게 꼭 필요한 세 가지 필수 금융상품을 준비해야지 :D

Más información: www.congres-mondial-amazigh.org