Sheila Moran ~Broker Bits~: September 2009

TWITTER:  Why? How? and is it worth it?  Workshop, Tuesday, October 13th, come and get your answers!

This class is in a series of classes that RE/MAX ACCESS has been hosting on Social Media.  It's an open invitation to any business owner, manager, supervisor or media (or anyone else for that matter) that wants to see what all the fuss is about.  Come hear Matt Stigliano talk about his success.  This will be a well rounded class not strickly based on real estate so easy to implement into any business.

Vintage Oaks, New Braunfels, Texas ~ Get your Grape Stomp on ~    

This year I participated in the 2nd annual Vintage Oaks Grape Stomp! 

Vintage Oaks  is a great community located in New Braunfels, Texas right off of Hwy 46 between Hwy 337 in New Braunfels and 281North in Bulverde.  

It's a big shabang!  There are all kinds of vendors out there, Builders showing their models, Dry Comal Creek is one of the main sponsors (and runs the actual stomp itself) as well as wine tasting, dancing, food and more food (tons of local restaurants showing off their favorites!)   So, when it comes around next year make sure that you join in on the fun at the Vintage Oaks, New Braunfels, Texas ~ Get your Grape Stomp on ~    

My friend Kathy and I decided to be in the competition (10 other stomper teams) even though neither one of us either had any stomping experience!  I will tell you that in these photos the stomping looks fun (but according to her was lots of work), but I can tell you that the gathering of the juice (um, much harder job).   You can tell by my expression that it was so work getting the "juice" into this jug through a hose! 

All photos courtesy of:  Jim Flynn

Our efforts paid off, we won 1st place for our flight!  So, kudos to the 2 gals that went to just have some fun!    

Help me HELP MATT!

I would love to see him be able to attend!  Imagine all of the great blogs that would come from his attendance!

Oh, also, it's in Vegas.  The man needs a vacation!  haha

If you missed part 1, here it is.

I thought I would share with you two pieces that will be auctioned off at the  Women's Council of REALTORS- San Antonio ~ Art Expo to benefit the Gordon Hartman Foundation

These pieces were submitted and accepted by the committee:

They are the property of Sandra Moran McGann (yes, another Moran sister)

Women's Council of REALTORS- San Antonio ~ Art Expo to benefit the Gordon Hartman Foundation

I'm so excited about this event that is coming up this Thursday, September 24, 2009 at the "Campanas" area located in Cibolo Canyon Subdivision hosted by Sitterle Homes.

All of the art was submitted by family members of the Women's Council of REALTORS (also knows as WCR).

My sister, Sandra Moran McGann has submitted 2 pieces (see next post) of her photography.  There are going to be so many different pieces that you will just have to join us to enjoy!

Don't forget that this event:

Women's Council of REALTORS- San Antonio ~ Art Expo to benefits the Gordon Hartman Foundation

Remembering ~ The lives, my family and the Twin Towers

Back in October of 2001 I wrote some of the following in a Newsletter to my sphere.  Yes, back in the day (before Active Rain) we REALTORS wrote Newsletters!  This is some part of the Newsletter that as I look back on it I just thought I would share.

THE LIVES

I won't share the disbelief as all of that was unfolding on national television as I know so many of us have our own story.  I just wanted to make mention that I know those that were taken that day will not be forgotten.

MY FAMILY

First off, I have 3 New York City Fire Fighter's (well, they were back in 2001) Cousins that were on duty that atrocious day.  I would like to Thank them again for their work that day (as well as every other day) protecting our citizens and property.  They are:

Brian Donovan, Engine 275, S. Jamaica, Queens, NY

Michael Donovan, Station 290, Brooklyn, NY (promoted to Captain and moved to the Commissioners office that same week)

John Wolfe, Staten Island, NY, Jewett Avenue Fire Station

Not just them, but all Fire Fighters as well as Military, Police and other public servants of our great Nation.

One cousin has a particular story of being in charge and sending his entire crew up into the building and none of them returning.  It's so hard to hear someone talk about such a thing.  I can't even image being in his shoes.

THE TWIN TOWERS

I have fond memories as a child of the Twin Towers in New York City.  As a child I used to spend my summers visiting my grandparents in Staten Island.  My Grandfather's office was located in the Towers and I remember how excited I was to walk into that building.  As a short kid it sure was something like I had never seen growing up in San Antonio, Texas.

Before my grandfather passed away in 2002 I sat down with him and interviewed him on a few things in life.  See my Grandfather, Richard Decker was a Chief Engineer for Moran Transportation & Towing which back in the day was located in NY, NY.  He worked there from 1943 until his retirement (which I guess to be around the 1980's or so).  He would tell me stories about working on the tug boat out in the Hudson River carefully navigating larger ships in and out of the waters. 

The following is a remembrance that he had about the Towers being built (interview conducted roughly October 2001).

"I would drive my car from Staten Island to Journal Square and take the Hudson Tube to Moran Transportation and Towing Company.  The office was located in Tower 2 until about 10 years ago when they relocated to Connecticut.

I would "tie-up" at the old piers in New York City about the time that the excavation on Tower 1 was beginning.  You could look down in the enormous hole (about 5 stories deep) and see the subway trains exposed under the ground.  When the construction was first stared, wreckage of ancient sailing ships were discovered under water.  The elevators in the Twin Towers could go about 60 miles per hour.  My nephew, Tommy Donovan worked for Otis Elevator who installed the elevators.  My son-in-law, Harold Christiansen also helped in the building of the towers.  The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world until the Towers were built around 1972 or so.

One particular time I took my granddaughter, Sheila Moran (about 4-5 years old) to the "city" and I took her to the Twin Towers to show her where I worked.  I can remember that they had a dancer in the foyer of the towers and Sheila watched the entertainment and sat on the edge of the steps dangling her little legs.  That was about 30 years ago. "

I don't have any video to share.  Just some words from an 82 year old man before he passed about certain memories that he had.

I hope you don't mind me sharing.

God bless America and the people that fight every day for our freedom!

We are so excited to be hosting the next blogging workshop next Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 4:30p.m. at the Fairfield Inn located at 35North and 3009 in Schertz, Texas.

The workshop will be conducted by Kristin Moran.  Also on hand will be Matt Stigliano, Jeanna Martinez, Pat O'Brien and myself.

It's all about the presentation    

I was on my way to a listing appointment when I saw this sign.            

Now I don't know about you but to me there was a certain "tone" behind it.  See it?  I thought so.  I realize the word PLEASE is in there, but really? 

Now I'm not saying that it's not okay to voice your opinion, go off on someone (that deserves it) or even jolt some people back into reality, but honestly does anyone else agree with me that there is a certain amount of decorum necessary?  

I think about all of the times that I have had to stand up for what I believed in or had to persuade others to see a solution that I had in mind was in their best interest.  How many times have I had to handle a sticky situation with my children, husband, team mate, office employee, Seller or Buyer for that matter.  Did I just barrel down their hallway and start screaming like a lunatic?  Throw the stapler at them? Pegged them with spit balls?  Turn their offers or contracts into paper airplanes and dart them in their direction?  Heavens no.  (did I secretly what to do all of those things?  well, maybe sometimes) 

Did I remind myself that I could achieve more with a better presentation?  Gosh, darn, yes.   We all know that it's necessary once in a while.  Definitely, when a deal is going south and the other party can't see or won't see that there is a positive outcome if we just work through these details.  Yes, some of these "details" may not be fun, nor popular or down right unpleasant.  But to achieve our ultimate outcome and goal, was it necessary?  Absolutely. 

Do you think that I handled the truth in a polite, delicate way to make sure that they didn't get upset and start tuning me out or storm out of the room or heaven forbid ask me to leave their home?  It was vital that I keep those lines of communication open, to be able to explain the circumstances, the path that we needed to take in order to achieve our goal and have it be successful. 

So, Mr. Car Wash owner is conveying to HIS CLIENTS (and obviously some that aren't) that he is NOT happy that people are dumping trash in his dumpster, eh?  That's fine and dandy, everyone has to vent once and while, right?   Well.....   What about the clients that aren't doing the offensive dumping on the property?  How do you think they perceived Mr. Car Wash?  Was it okay to BLAST everyone over the billboard?  What about the people that WERE NOT yet his clients (like I could have possibly been driving by in a dirty car)?  Think that they would have stopped in after seeing that sign?  I know when I drove into the parking lot that I was half expecting to see some crazed guy running after my car like I was violating some privacy laws.  I figured it he was willing to post the sign on his property that he was willing for many, many people to see what his message was, right?  

Could the message have been said differently?  How about "We are happy to have you dump your trash here when your a customer"  or "dumpster available to customers only".  I've got another one: "Trash dumping for car wash friends"  I mean how many illegal dumpster dumpers would think if they were a friend or not?  What about a sign ON the dumpster itself for the intended?

I know that his intended message was to the illegal people trespassing and illegally dumping, but what about the rest of us?  Think he was making friends and influencing other people?  

I was caught off guard by the message and was just wondering about the presentation.  

You be the judge and tell me if I'm off base here.

Disclaimer:  My intent is to not blast Mr. Carwash but to use his intended message as a good learning experience.