I did it!!!

Well, I did it! I passed my final assignment for my Real Estate Broker's course. For those of you who don't know all the "ins and outs" of real estate, a broker is usually the office manager or owner of a real estate company. Every real estate office in BC must have a broker. A broker is basically responsible for the conduct of all the Realtors in the office and is responsible for the day to day operations of the office including the trust accounts and all usual "office stuff".
So now I have to register for the exam. The next date available is February 14. So now I study!!! The exam is 3 hours long and is in essay form. So a short paragraph or 2 for each questions. From what I understand the exam really does take the whole 3 hours!
So now I have to study, study, study!

Other Stuff!

So, it's beginning to slow down, a wee bit around the office. People are switching into holiday mode. It seems like most people don't buy real estate between the middle of December and January. So us Realtors, start doing mail outs etc. So you might hear from your Realtor shortly! Dean and I are planning stuff for January.

Now for something completely different...
Since I've posted a couple of pictures of "The Bear" I thought it was time for everyone to see the 18 pounds of pure muscle that dominates her! Introducing....Belle the amazing 7 year old Lhasa/Pom/Maltese.

"The Bear"

My "little" Bear is growing up. She's 7 months old now, and pretty much fully grown. So this is what my son does to her! He puts Belle's sweater on her! Belle is out little "all muscle" Lhasa/Pom/Maltese. She weighs 18 pounds (pure muscle), she can take down the Bear! So anyway this picture is "poor little" Bear in Belle's sweater!

Something I won't be doing!

I found this on another blog that I read (www.thedeets.com). It's kind of geeky, but I know the guy that writes it and yes, he is kind of geeky, but in a nice, non-geeky way!

This is something I won't be doing, unless it's on my Harley!!! (Oh yeah, I've done that!! And sold the place too!)
Pedal Powered Real Estate

I bet there’s a market for this in South Minneapolis:

House hunting for the health conscious

A real estate brokerage company in Colorado has branded itself around the idea of using bicycles to tour homes for sale. Pedal To Properties, based in Boulder, was founded in an effort to “combine health and home,” according to the company’s Web site.

Biking is a much better way to get a feel for a neighborhood than driving. A biking agent could surely build a business around hooking up the Minneapolis biking community with homes in bike-friendly neighborhoods.

It must be winter!

It's that time of year again, when I get feeling, BLAH!!! It's seem's like I don't get enough sleep (although I sleep 9 - 10 hrs per night), morning's are tough. I'll be so glad when winter's over. I think I've said that before!

But anyway, I trudge on! I've joined the local gym in town, I've been faithfully working out in the morning Monday to Friday. I'm there for about an hour. I use the treadmill for 25 min, then onto the ladies weight circuit. So, maybe this will help me fight the winter blahs.

Real Estate is still very busy for this time of year. That's a great thing. Dean & I are still doing at least one to two new deals per week. So, it's interesting, and I'm still learning. I've got one more assignment to do for my Broker's licence, then the test!! It always seems like the last one is the toughest to do, but, I'll trudge through that too. It will be worth it in the long run!

Hope I didn't depress you too much with this posting, but, it's how I feel at the moment. I am very fortunate though, I have a fantastic job, a great husband and family, and a great person to work with (The Dean). So that is why I carry on through my most "blah" time of the year!

Snow

I really dislike snow! Yes, it's looks pretty, but.....I hate shoveling, I'm really scared of the ice.

A few years ago, I slipped on the ice and broke my wrist. Since then, ice scares me! At the moment, we have freezing rain and my driveway is a sheet of ice. I threw down some salt and I'm waiting for it to work, so I can shovel the ice.

Just remember, each day we are one day closer to spring!

What's up????

I know I've been really bad at keeping up to date on here, I am well intentioned though. I'll really try to keep up to date.
I've finally done it....I joined the gym (again). Today, I really didn't want to go, but I did. Now I'm paying for it, my body is complaining.....but I feel better for going.

I'm still coughing...I picked up something at our CENTURY 21 convention in Winnipeg or on the plane. Apparently, my lungs are just "irritated" according to my dr, I just want to stop coughing!!!

Real estate wise, things are supposed to be slowing down. But they aren't! Dean & I are still busy as ever. That's a good thing I think!

It's now winter in Princeton, we got our first snowfall. Have I mentioned lately that I dislike snow! Only 3 1/2 months to go before I insurance my bike!! Also, apparently, each day is one day closer to spring! I'll end on a happy note!

I went to Bike Fest in Las Vegas

So, I was in Vegas a little while back. BikeFest was awesome! I bought a beautiful painting and thought I would share. The title is "Millie in the Mirror". It's even more gorgeous in person. I now have this hanging up in my living room. I guess paintings say alot about a person. My favorite art work in my house is now this painting, my poster of the "Rat Pack",all my Vancouver Canuck jersey's and various hockey stuff! So I guess you now know "my favorite things!"

The Biker's creed!

So, I stole this from another website, but, time to put something in here that says, "me" and I don't mean Real Estate. But this article is very well written, and is worth "stealing". Hope you enjoy.

The Bikers Creed

Author: Unknown

I ride because it is fun. I ride because I enjoy the freedom I feel from being exposed to the elements, and the vulnerability to the danger that is intrinsic to riding.

I do not ride because it is fashionable to do so.

I ride my machine, not wear it. My machine is not a symbol of status. It exists simply for me, and me alone.

My machine is not a toy. It is an extension of my being, and I will treat it accordingly, with the same respect as I have for myself.

I strive to understand the inner-workings of my machine, from the most basic to the most complex. I learn everything I can about my machine, so that I am reliant upon no one but myself for its health and well-being.

I strive to constantly better my skill of control over my machine. I will learn it's limits, and use my skill to become one with my machine so that we may keep each other alive. I am the master, it is the servant. Working together in harmony, we will become an invincible team.

I do not fear death. I will, however, do all possible to avoid death prematurely. Fear is the enemy, not death. Fear on the highway leads to death, therefore I will not let fear be my master. I will master it.

My machines will outlive me. Therefore, they are my legacy. I will care for them for future bikers to cherish as I have cherished them, whoever they may be.

I do not ride to gain attention, respect, or fear from those that do NOT ride, nor do I wish to intimidate or annoy them. For those that do not know me, all I wish from them is to ignore me. For those that desire to know me, I will share with them the truth of myself, so that they might understand me and not fear others like me.

I will never be the aggressor on the highway. However, should others fuck with me, their aggression will be dealt with in as severe manner as I can cast upon them.

I will show respect to other bikers more experienced or knowledgeable than I am. I will learn from them all I can. However, if my respect is not acknowledged or appreciated, it will end.

I will not show disrespect to other bikers less experienced or knowledgeable than I am. I will teach them what I can. However, if they show me disrespect, they will be bitch-slapped.

It will be my task to mentor new riders, that so desire, into the lifestyle of the biker, so that the breed shall continue. I shall instruct them, as I have been instructed by those before me. I shall preserve and honor traditions of bikers before me, and I will pass them on unaltered.

I will not judge other bikers on their choice of machine, their appearance, or their profession. I will judge them only on their conduct as bikers. I am proud of my accomplishments as a biker, though I will not flaunt them to others. If they ask, I will share them.

I will stand ready to help any other bikers that truly needs my help. I will never ask another biker to do for me what I can do for myself. I am not a part-time biker. I am a biker when, and where-ever I go. I am proud to be a biker, and hide my chosen lifestyle from no one. I ride because I love freedom, independence, and the movement of the ground beneath me. But most of all, I ride to better understand myself, my machine, the lands in which I ride, and to seek out and know other bikers like myself.

I'm sick!

OK, so I went to Winnipeg had a great time at the CENTURY 21 Canada convention, and guess what! I got sick when I got home. I think I may have picked up something on the plane.
At the moment, I've sneezing, coughing and I have a sore throat. This may gross you out, so if your a little tender, look away! I've got pus coming out of my eyes, so I have an eye infection now too.
So I'm sitting under the laptop and the dogs! That's what I am doing today, I'm letting Dean do all the work!

Century 21 Canada Convention

So I'm at the Century 21 Convention in Winnipeg! It's been an awesome weekend. I've learned so much and met so many great Realtors. It's been a very valuable weekend to me. Right now, though, I'm really tired, I promised to blog some more about this great convention, I think it made me a better Realtor.

I know one thing that I learned that's really important, I HAVE TO KEEP MY BLOG UP TO DATE! I promise to try and do better! (that's for you Bear!)

Some of our many lakes

I thought I would share with you some of the many lakes in our area. Princeton has so many wonderful areas and this is just a few of them. Click on the video below and enjoy!

What a weekend!

I had a fantastic weekend! I was "the hostess" for a get together of riders and friends this weekend, also known as "The Princeton Poultry Party". It was a great time to sit around the campfire and tell stories and "lies". I saw some friends that I hadn't seen for a while, so it was almost like a reunion. I also met some new friends. There was a bit of a kafuffle about a month ago and I thought that this weekend would almost be cancelled, but, it just made it better. All the 'quality' people showed up, and it was the best PPP ever. This one was also the last one that I am hosting, so it was kind of special for me. I am so glad that it turned out as well as it did, and I hope I get to see those that came here again real soon. I guess I'll have to make another trip to that island soon.

This one's for Bear!

I belong to a riding club (no, not that one!). I'm the first officer (soon to be retired) for our area. We are planning a "get together" this weekend for friends and family (riding family that is). Well it was suggested to me that I put out a notice that this be "members only", oh no did that like a fire!!! I basically was being used as a pawn in someone's political game. I hate that!! But, through all this I learned who my friends are and aren't. So in the long run and looking back (with 20/20 vision) I've gained experience that I didn't know I needed. But I'm still a bit mad at a certain person whom shall remain nameless!

Princeton Castle Resort

If you are looking for a weekend getaway, look no further! This resort is a great place to stay in Princeton. I've stayed here a few times, and can highly recommend it. Dean & I took a video of the resort, click below to view it. Enjoy!

Downtown Princeton!

I thought I would let you see a little bit of my town! This video is a very quick drive through downtown Princeton. I'll be adding various other neighborhoods during the next while. Please enjoy this quick trip through town!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piDZNa4pzms

Spa Day!

So our office (CENTURY 21 Princeton Realty) had to go to Kelowna yesterday for a seminar about some changes that CENTURY 21 is doing for our website. So of course that meant us girls (Heather, Carol & I) had to go a day early for SPA DAY! We went on Wednesday and spent 4 hours at the Spa at the Grand Okanagan Hotel. It was wonderful, now really I'm not one of those "girly girls" but this was fun! We each had a masssage, facial, and of course a pedicure! The 3 of us have the best looking toes of any Realtor! We made sure everyone knew about it at our seminar too! We girls had a great day, we also went out for dinner that evening! We just had TOO MUCH FUN! If you go to Kelowna you might want to check out the spa at the Grand! The link is: http://www.grandokanagan.com/spa/index.html

Yesterday, we also had a great seminar, Don Lawby (president of CENTURY 21) spoke for a bit, then Roald Marth (geeky techno guy!) told us about the upcoming changes! It's going to be very exciting. If you look up Roald Marth on the internet, you'll find he's very interesting as well, and extremely knowledgeable on internet stuff. I really enjoyed listing to him speak. Although, everyone found out what a "geek" I really am! Apparently, in the large group of Realtors, I was the only one who actually used ALL THE PROGRAMS he talked about, so now our office says, I'm the "uber-geeek". Although, they did always refer to me as their "digital goddess", so really nothing new there!

Introducing "Bear"

We now have a new member of the family! Her name is Bear. She is an australian shepperd crossed with well, I just don't know. But she is a cutey!

Busy long weekend!

Well, I think summer's here! Our little town is rocking! There are lots of people coming through town day! We have a new cold beer and wine store that opens today.
Should be a great long weekend! I hope everyone has fun and drives safely!

Penticton Beach Cruise

Yesterday, Randy (my husband) and I rode over to Penticton. Penticton is about 1 hour 15 minutes east of Princeton. We went to the Penticton Beach Cruise. Their website is: http://www.peachcitybeachcruise.com/ If you enjoy classic cars this is the place to go! There were more cars this year compared to last year. The one thing I saw and really liked was the "T-Rex", http://www.go-t-rex.com/ . This is a unique vehicle!

At the suggestion of "The Dean", we went for dinner at the "Hooded Merganser" located at the Penticton Lakeside Resort. (website: http://www.hoodedmerganser.ca/ ) We had a great but messy appy called spicy chicken tacos and a fantastic burger! If you go to Penticton I suggest you have a meal here.

So far, a great weekend! This is one of the many reasons I love Princeton. If you want to have a "day vacation" you don't have to go very far!

The Biker's Code

Hi everyone! Judy here, AKA the "Associate Dean". I found this online today and thought it was good enough to share (meaning I 'stole' it from another website!).

Bikers Code

Author: Unknown

What Every Biker Should Know
The two-wheeled code of the west
It used to be that all bikers shared a common bond, an unspoken code of ethics and behavior that transcended words and was built on actions. There was never a bible written on this Biker's Code of the West and there was no need for such to me. But the times are a-changin' and there seems to be a lot of new riders out there. These days the riders you see blastin' down the tarmac are just as likely to be clad in shorts and sneakers as jeans and engineer boots. And the roughest, toughest-looking biker you pull up next to could be your doctor,lawyer, or your Realtor and may be wearin' a Rolex watch under his leathers. There's nothing wrong with that, so long as these new riders learn the Code of the West just as we old-timers did.

Being a biker used to be about using your creativity to take a basket case old hawg and using only grit and ingenuity, turning it into a one of a kind eye dazzler, then risking your life on the asphalt on a bike you made yourself out of pride. Bikers wore leather and grease because they knew cagers would just as soon run them down as look at them, so they had to be intimidating. We were a breed unto ourselves with no union, no support group, and in many cases, no family (they threw us out). We had to make it in the world of our own, against all rules, against mainstream society, and against all odds. You know, we survived and prospered because of the Biker Code of the West and we never took shit from anybody. As an old scooter tramp named Jug once said, "It's every tramp's job to school the young. How else are they gonna know a Panhead from a bed pan?" With that in mind, we bring you a primer on the basic two-wheeled Code of the West. Take heed, brothers and sisters, for our Code is a hallowed one filled with honor and loyalty, the likes of which have not been since the days of knighthood.

The Biker Commandments
Don't take any shit. Be kind to woman, children and animals, but don't take any bullshit. This is an essential part of being a biker. It has to do with respect and honor. Anyone can be a brash, quick- tempered lout. Be cool, stand tall and backup what you say with action.

Never lie, cheat or steal. Another way of saying this is to always tell the truth. Bikers are always the greasy bad guys in the movies, but every real biker knows that his word is his bond. Your word is all you have in life that is truly yours. Guard it carefully and be about something noble, for you are a true knight of the road.

Don't snitch. If you see a wrong, fight it yourself. If you are about anything, you'll take care of problems yourself and never feel the need to snitch someone off. Snitches are the lowest life forms on earth, right up there with biker thieves. This rule goes hand in hand with the next one.

Don't Snivel. Absolutely no one likes or respects a sniveler. Another way to say this is hold your mud. Still another way to think of it is, "Don't sweat the small stuff." Most of life's little inconveniences work themselves out whether you snivel or not. Keep your chin up, dammit! You're a biker, not some lowly mollusk.

Never say die and never give up. Whether it's in a fight, a debate, or a business deal, no matter how bad it gets, a biker never gives up. That's why you see a lot of wealthy bikers these days, 'cause they don't know how to quit in any element of their lives. In the biker world of rugged individualists, only the strong survive.

Help others. When a brother or sister is broken down by the side of the road, stop and help them. Even moral support, it that is all you can give, is better than riding on by. Remember life is about the journey, the ride, not getting there. You already are there. And don't just help bikers, show the world that we are better than our image portrays us. Courtesy costs you nothing and gives you everything.

Stick to your guns. Do what you say you'll do, be there when you say you will. This is called integrity. This also goes back to standing for something. Like the song says, "You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything."

Life is not a drill. Yeah, this ain't no dress rehearsal. This is life-go out and take big bites of it. You've got no time to lose and bikers don't stand around waiting for the party to come to them. You only go around once. Tomorrow you could be road kill, thanks to a chain smoker asleep at the wheel of his Caddy. Live life now, make the most of each moment. This is not a drill.

Summary
All right, now let's review. You are a biker, a modern-day knight of the road. Protect the weak, walk tall and stand proud. Your word is your bond. Stick to your guns. Don't take any shit. Life is not a drill. Now go forth and ride. When in doubt, ride. That's what we do...ride. If you want to ride around in a Day-Glo Hawaiian shirt and sandals, go for it, but if you intend to look like a goof, at least don't act like a goof. These commandments are just a few of the broad strokes, there is a lot more to being a biker than buying a bike. If you just buy a bike, you are a motorcyclist. Being a biker is a way of life, a proud way of life we hold in high regard and with a burning passion for the open highway and for life.

Now ride, dammit!

My new blog!

So I decided it's time for my own blog, instead of hogging "The Dean's" blog! So now I might share a few things I've learned while working with "The Dean" and other bits of information that I've learned and thought might be worth sharing. So I hope that you find this interesting and check back regularly.