I just spent the better part of a two hours reading every post I've ever written on this forum. I clicked on every link I provided and read the majority of comments contributed. It's a no-brainer, I have too much time on my hands. But it got me to thinking about the nature of my particular contribution to this forum. Hey man, some of those posts were inspirational, some were educational, some were emotional, some were pseudo-intellectual, and some were down right lousy and/or boring. I have learned to write for me, not an audience, it's the truest way to get yourself across via written word. And if I don't like or am not impressed by me, well, that's not good. So what does this have to do with Real Estate as I and We know it?
"Everything" is my answer. We have a forum that is ever-growing in popularity and exposure to The World. Let me say that again, "To The World!" What we write, when we write, why we write, and how we write, is a large dollop of what is going to be digested as how others see our industry and those of us who work inside of it. There are many great writers here. There are many lousy writers here. There are many who are great writers and lousy at their chosen profession. There are many who are lousy writers who are fantastic at their chosen profession. And I'll bet there are a precious few who have the best of both worlds going on!?! In any case, it is very important that we never forget who reads us, who counts on us, who scrutinizes us every step of the way. Rightfully so, I may add. We are the ones the community has no choice but to count on to provide their dream. That dream is home ownership. That dream is to be as confident in us as they would be the surgeon operating on their brain. Are you a professional at what you do? Maybe, but there is never that 'too late' point to become a better one.
I have made mistakes in my life and my profession. As I *sigh*, I will eventually do so down the road all over again. I strive for perfection, yet know I'm human so I error. At least that is the excuse I call my own. My parents are visiting me and my humble abode for the first time for the next two days, and I have to and want to look them in their very eyes and know I'm the best of the best at what I do...realizing there is always going to be somebody or something better. Yet, I prefer to look at Papa & Momma's little boy as one who never said quit, who always gave more than he was given. I looked at Papa & Momma tonight and inherently knew that I could give a whole hell of a lot more. I have the answers, I just need to find the questions.
And as far as this Real Estate Community, quality is king. Quality will always be King...Keep on posting!
Jason, you make quite a few really good points. I think when your folks looked back at you they must have been aware of what a fine job they did. Keep going for the quality. In this forum, it beats quantity hands down.
Oh! Congrats on the featured post!!
Yay, Jason posted! And Yay, Jason got a star!! :oD!!
You are too hard on yourself. I love your writing! And your parents aren't looking to you for perfection. (At least, I really doubt they are.) I'm a Mom, my kids smile and are happy, are doing well at the things they choose to do and have good friends -- it's ALL GOOD. I know you have all those things, plus you're making a good living and just bought a house. They've got to be THRILLED with you!
I just told someone else my thoughts on "who to write for" last night, I'll tell you later. ;o)
Jason, Your parents are very fortuntate to have a son like you. Please show them this post and watch them beam.
Now if I ever get bored, I am going to read all my old posts.
Congratulations on a well deserved featured post!
Congratulations on your featured post. I agree quality is king.
Maggie - Thank you for the comments, times two:-) I wrote this kind of late, so I didn't know how many would even get to read it. No matter though, you did, and I appreciate your kind words.
Chris - It was a strange little trip. At times I said, "Wow, that is pretty good!" Others, ewwwww, not so good. Here's to evolving or trying too.....:-)
Donna - You said it best, "Let's have a truly open forum." Good call! Getting your thoughts out there, no matter your acumen for the written word, is of true benefit to this community and any of its readers.
Margaret Woda - I deleted one of my posts a long time ago. It was citing a bunch of information on my area and it was soooooooooooooo long and drawn out. I've wanted to delete others but have nipped that thought in the bud.
Sarah - In my mind, I can never be too hard on myself but you're probably right there. Would love to hear your thoughts on who you write for...
Margaret Rome - Thank you for your kind comment. By the way, reading old posts of yours can be a humbling and at times, a very rewarding experience.
Gita - Thanks! Quality is king, always has been...
Tim - That means much coming from you. You write quality stuff and are probably just as good in your particular field. You are one of the better ones I've read...
There you go getting Zen again...lighten up and enjoy your parents company. This business has a way of taking you away from family too often for too long, so take a long weekend, hang out and catch up with mom and dad.
The business will always be there for you to go after, but unfortunately our parents have a finite amount of time.
Have a great weekend.
Jason,
I have noticed that even when your down, you write posts that are very good! I think your writing in general is great, Please continue to share, it helps. I think you should be very proud of yourself regardless of what anyone thinks, you have done alot...
Good day.,
Tom Weiss
To err is human, forgiveness is divine.
Hopefully, we all learn from our mistakes so that our future is a better one, not in the same old rut. You have given me good food for thought.
Thank you Tom, I wasn't even down when I wrote this one. And I'm still waiting for that Paxil that somebody once promised me:-) Rob Robinson still owes me a brewski....
Nicely put June! I can only add that practice doesn't make perfect, yet perfect practice makes for almost perfect.
Well done Jason. It really must be exciting having your parents with you for a visit. I went through all of my posts a few weeks ago and it was quite the trip through memory lane. ALL of them were EXELLENT!! OK, maybe not.
It is important that folks just write. Don't worry about all the "rules" and blah blah blah. Just put your thoughts out there and do your best. That's all anyone expects, the consumer included. They want to see who we are and how we interact with our peers. It gives them confidence in our abilities and also lets them know we are human. We make mistakes and have issues just like they do. We can relate. And that's very very important.
Jason,
Are you human? Good. Quality may be King, and we all need to keep trying to improve, but admitting mistakes and learning from them is the ONLY way to move through this world. There are no perfect people. I agree that writing for yourself is a good way to go.
Hey Bryant, I'm very glad to see my parents. I'm very lucky to have two individuals who have so much unconditional love for yours truly.
"Just write", I like the way that sounds.
Hello Karen, I am human to my knowledge. That is a good thing, it is the flaws that make this gig interesting in the first place, it is the way we handle and overcome them that makes us special. Thank you for very insightful feedback.
Jason,
Congrats on the star! Funny how we learn as we grow, you seem to be doing a fine job at that. Keep up the good work! :)
Dear Jason,
Hate to break the news, but they really don't like you - they just needed a place to stay.
:^)
You'll get your brewski. Welcome back and have a great weekend if I don't see ya. In fact have one if I DO see ya.
Thanks for sharing this, Jason. You've learned a valuable lesson, and this a great reminder for all of us. Congratulations on the feature - well deserved.
Jeff
Teresa - LOL, that is a tad extreme.
Margaret Rome - I will let them read it and if they want to comment....they can have at it.
Are they interested in a Re-Fi or Purchase by chance? HA!
(leave no stone unturned).
Good Morning Jason, Well done. isn't odd how things work out. When we make it, we strive for perfection, while those struggling, would settle for mediocrity if it would just provide some temp $$ relief. Parents take us any way we are. They always encourage us, even though sometimes I wonder how they could actually care so much. But they do.
Reviewing all of your old posts should give your another years worth of new material. Re-writing and updating and the woulda shoulda couulda. I reviewed mine and realized I hadn't scratched the surface yet. I am getting there and understand better how to AR and how to my other site better. But it is requiring me to write more about Who I am and not so much about who I wish i was. parents would give that advise wouldn't they. Maybe they will.
it will be fun having them there. They will likley be impressed with the way you live.
Sincerely,
William
Rob - I already asked....:-)
William - I'm not sure they are impressed, but quite sure they are interested. Thanks for your take, always much appreciated.
Jason's mother and I are very proud of our eldest son. He has always been the pride and joy of the family being the first born, the first nephew, the first grandchild and the first great-grandchild. We have enjoyed watching him grow into a fine young man. Jason has had his fair share of trials and tribulations that have helped to shape the man he is today. I wish I had the time and energy to share them with you. Maybe some future date. Just a hint .... I was totally grey by the time Jason was 21!
Jason is one of my heroes; another one being his younger brother Justin. I experienced so much joy from them when they were young and now I am learning from them as they are growing older. I can hardly believe that Jason will be 31 next month. Where has the time gone? I look in the mirror and can tell that the time is real. I am so glad that I spent quality time with them growing up because I don;t get to spend as much time with them as I would like,
Back to Jason. He is a quality person and a son to be proud of. He has been to the bottom and with perseverance, patience and stubbornness has risen to the top. His mother and I love him very much and I am so glad that we picked him out of the orphanage (just kidding).
Thank you Jason for being a son to be proud of. Your mother and I are very fortunate to be your parents and I feel lucky to be able to call you my son!
Jason's Dad.
Jason.... as so many have said, very well done. As Tim M. mentioned, striving for that perfection is a great way to lead your life, especially in business. As long as we know and let others know that we are human. I tell people that sometimes I have to take my Superman capes into the dry cleaners. People make mistakes. It's those that are accountable for their actions, that should be well respected. Great reminder and a very good post.
Mr. Sardi - you do indeed have an outstanding son. You and your wife helped shape this fine young man.
Thank you so much for commenting. And welcome to PA.
(31 eh? ... geeze Jason, gettin' up there).
Hi Mike,aka Jason's proud father,
What a wonderful tribute to your family. We thank you and Jason for sharing this wonderful post. You make us all proud! What a gift you have given the world. Hoping that more families emulate yours.
Hi, Mr. Sardi! I can see where Jason gets his wit!! LOL!
Your son is also a great writer and friend. He is one of the people that makes this network such a wonderful place for me. I hope you all have a great visit together!
(And maybe sometime you could come back and tell us some of those stories that turned your hair grey!) ;oD
Jason,
I enjoyed reading what you had to say. Your parents are proud that you were listening to the lessons that they were trying to teach you. I know your parents were great parents because you sound like a person with integrity. I loved the comment you made about helping the client get into their home (the ultimate goal) just like a surgeon wants to perform a successful surgery on their patient(s). Also, you were able to get me a newbie to post a comment for the first time. Consider that a success!
Jason - I'm sure Papa and Momma are very proud of you. I'll bet there's someone out there who will be sending you a referrral soon just because they know you're the kind of guy they can trust to work with their parents. When that happens, drop me a line. I'd love to hear about your successes. And kudos to you for doing this self evaluation. It's great to see that after all, you still like you! I know I do.
Good post. You deserve recognition.
I want to know how do you go back and delete or correct a post?
Jason...
We can not reach perfection in this lifetime. All we can is strive for it. Learning and trying to do better is all we can do. When we leave this planet we will made perfect. But you know that :)
Great post. I strolled down memory lane yesterday and I loved it, mistakes and all :)
TLW...ROAR!
Jason-I can't believe I am putting this in writing, but I missed you today. I know your parents are very proud of you, no matter how much you may have worried them. No one can be perfect, not even me. But you live and learn. Just be yourself, because we love you the way you are.
Yikes! Enough if that @*(^.
P.S. Did your parents opt for the right hotel?
Jason
Welcome back - great post. I hope you are taking sometime off to enjoy your visit with your parents.
Sandra
Hi Jason - what a from-the-heart post this is, and how wonderful to find the comment from your dad here as well. See, they are so very proud of you just as you are - just as it should be. And I'm sure you're thrilled to have this very special comment from your dad. I've had family read and comment on some of mine and I cherish those comments, as I'm sure you do with this one from your dad.
Enjoy your visit, and I hope your parents find their way to your posts again for us to read.
Ann
As far as pops, you're right Michele! When he wants to, he is very good writer...
Jason,
The word quality is the key to AR's success. So far so good. If we manage to keep the real estate and mortgage and other related information fresh and appealing, AR will thrive far into the future. Let's put a healthy emphasis on that word, quality. That's how we attract the public to come and visit and stay with us.
Esko - Well said my friend, that should be the goal and I see plenty of posts living up that cause.
I really like reading your posts, Jason---and I agree, you are being tough on yourself.
BUT...I do think it's a good thing to reflect. When we reflect, we grow.
Looing forward to many more great posts from you!
Julia
Ryan - You said something very interesting..."It sounds like you're inspired, and that's one of the best places one can hope to be." Damn man, that is a fantastic sentence and way to live!
Julia - Tough on myself, heck, ....maybe. It is good to reflect and rewarding. Thanks for reading!
Jason,
You are rockin and rollin...Keep up the good blogging.
Ryan - Have a good 4th amigo.
Tracy - Thanks and have a great holiday as well!
What the heck...To My Dad,
You know, I sometimes refer back to this post...when I'm feeling all Simon & Garfunkle like:-0 My fatal error in life will be that I could express in words what I didn't have the gull to display in person. I refer back to this because you wrote about me, grey hairs and all. Yours, not mine, I have plenty myself at this point but you've witnessed the rigors of my very existence. I've tried to do right by everybody and sometimes that makes me wrong. Sometimes I didn't do right by everybody and I was wrong once again. I'm not astutely sure of why we are here or where we came from in essence, but I do know while we are here, let's take our heart & soul and display it for the world to see. Let's take our brain and figure out how we can use it better. I love you Sir, Dad, Mike. You are the second best writer in the family, Mom is the first. No matter what, you both aren't good souls....you are great souls! I'm lucky to have been touched.
Jason
Jason,
Congratulations for winnng the contest you entered! I am not surprised, just proud. These next comments are for Jason, but maybe they will benefit all that read them. I want to share some of my words of wisdom that aren't new , but worth repeating:
> Live well, Love much, Laugh often
> Give 3 compliments each day
> Smile when you talk on the phone
> Follow your heart, not your head, when making big decisions
> Happiness is success
> Count your blessings each day
> Live by the golden rule and you can't go wrong
That was so nice Mr. Sardi. Seriously. Your son is so well respectedin the Real Estate community. I would trust him with my life, and we REALLY don't know each other other than on AR and biz visits. "Ya done good Mr. Sardi"..... and "Jason done good".... I can see it.
May I ask on the side though.... do you want to Refi, or buy a home? I know some GREAT Realtors and Mortgage Consultants...
Dad (My Real One, I think:-) Very well said! By the way, because I can never tell you enough, I love you! There, I said it!
Rob - First off, very much appreciated. That's some mighty fine kudos amigo.
On the side though, soliciting my father, LMAO. Priceless!
"Happiness is Success." I could soooo blog that. (Thank you, Mr. Sardi!) Jason, follow your heart, he's right. I call that my "what the hell moments" (sorry, Mr. Sardi), when I ignore my brain and listen to my heart, and it hasn't been wrong yet.
I like your Dad. :o) (Wouldn't hurt you to give the edgy side a day off and listen to him!!)
Dear Sarah - Yesterday I gave Jason a big kiss from WV. Geeze, he wanted a second one ... ewwwwwwww
Jason - You are probably reading this..... listen to your father, you didn't smile while on the phone.
"Smile when you talk on the phone"
Thanks, Rob! I knew he'd like it. :o)