we pushed the photo-shoot from monday to thursday, figured we'd have some more time to let the roofer finish his job, the pressure washing company to come clean the deck; at the end of the day everyone missed their appointment on monday then could not catch up on tuesday, today is wednesday and I have all these companies coming to my last minute rush, what a plan!
It definitely won't be nice if there is loose roof tile hanging while doing an aeriel view of the house, if the roofer could not finish the job and close up the roof today, I would have to push the photo-shoot appointment again and it is not good.
I have spent some time to pack some of my books and non-useful boxes accumulating the desk in the den and my kitchen area, it all looks good now. It is funny that you don't give a sh*t while you are living in the house, suddenly you are showing the house and everything has to look so tidy. I keep finding cabinet space to hide all these things usually hanging out on the counter top, everything looks good when you just look, but if you open one of the cabinet door, a bra may drop by at the second when the door was opened.....
2 days ago I happened to dropped by at Home Goods on U.S.1, everything was half off because that store is going to move near us to Northlake Blvd and Military Trail. I bought some fancy towels with crystal dangling on them. In real life, no one would like to use a towel like this, the last thing you want is to rub your face and get those little beads into your eyeball; but it looks so pretty being displayed, they are now in the master bathroom for photo-shoot tomorrow, and will be props whenever viewers come by. A bottle of bubbly with ice bucket would served as props also next to the jacuzzi. I would just to get some roses later today to make the bathing with pedal scene, victor thinks I am crazy, I said: "hey! what the hell! if we are going to do it, might as well do the best we can."
Too bad the weather does not seem to co-operate, it has been raining like crazy from yesterday, it is still continue to rain non-stop from last night til now 8am in the morning. We'll see how it goes, whatever plan God has for us, we'd take it.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Ultimatum
I never understand this word until I heard it from my girlfriends, knowing when you ask something and do not get a decent response, you use the ultimatum strategy.
Lately Victor has not been feeling well, he has this sinus thing lingering for a few months already, his ear, nose and throat doctor gave him tons of antibiotic. By taking antibiotic for such a long time, it kills the good bacteria in your GI system therefore created another problem for Victor, his sleepy colitis has gone to a big flare up recently.
I spoke to him about rescuing a dog for over a year, however, he comes up with excuses such as allergy to the hair, take so much time and energy to groom the dog or take it to the vet, you must walk it a few times a day, it may have accident inside the house then you wish the poop is not located on the oriental rug.
All of the above are true, but we can not omit that a dog in the house make it more fun! He has been so down lately I feel to add another family member in the household would cheer things up.
I understand I should not rescue one right now even I have been looking at them on the internet. It would create problems when we are showing the house, at the beginning of the training process we need to crate the dog and train it, I don't think it is a nice thing to see when you go into a home you intend to purchase. So I said to Victor I am going to rescue a dog after we finish selling the house, this is what I am going to do.
He said: "Why don't we hold on and see where we are going? We may be flying somewhere or staying somewhere for an extended period of time"
I replied, "I would get a dog that is less than 14 lbs so we could travel with it, I am not 12 years old and I do not need your permission, this is what I am going to do and informing you right now."
He did not say a word, he knows when I am persisting, no one can change my mind.
But I would have to do it after we sell this house and move to a temporary rental place, so that I would have time to make sure everything looks good in and around the house for showing. I guess I was in the industry, so I am not just going to let the photographer comes in and take picture whatever it is.
I would prepare the photo-shoot like I used to do it in the office, everything has to be in its place and avoid too much personal item. All the photos and perhaps trophies would be packed, the books and magazine would be hidden, I would make sure the dining room table is set for 6 with fresh flowers at the center, outdoor table would be set in a picnic / cookout theme, bath tub jacuzzi will be filled with water running along with the jets, rose pedals and perhaps a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket next to it, cookies would be baked out from the oven and lay it on the counter top. Everything has to look very inviting, it has to give a feeling to someone see it on the internet or brochure to imagine themselves being in the scene.
ok there is a lot of work to do before the photo-shoot on coming thursday, will post some picture later if I have the copies.
Lately Victor has not been feeling well, he has this sinus thing lingering for a few months already, his ear, nose and throat doctor gave him tons of antibiotic. By taking antibiotic for such a long time, it kills the good bacteria in your GI system therefore created another problem for Victor, his sleepy colitis has gone to a big flare up recently.
I spoke to him about rescuing a dog for over a year, however, he comes up with excuses such as allergy to the hair, take so much time and energy to groom the dog or take it to the vet, you must walk it a few times a day, it may have accident inside the house then you wish the poop is not located on the oriental rug.
All of the above are true, but we can not omit that a dog in the house make it more fun! He has been so down lately I feel to add another family member in the household would cheer things up.
I understand I should not rescue one right now even I have been looking at them on the internet. It would create problems when we are showing the house, at the beginning of the training process we need to crate the dog and train it, I don't think it is a nice thing to see when you go into a home you intend to purchase. So I said to Victor I am going to rescue a dog after we finish selling the house, this is what I am going to do.
He said: "Why don't we hold on and see where we are going? We may be flying somewhere or staying somewhere for an extended period of time"
I replied, "I would get a dog that is less than 14 lbs so we could travel with it, I am not 12 years old and I do not need your permission, this is what I am going to do and informing you right now."
He did not say a word, he knows when I am persisting, no one can change my mind.
But I would have to do it after we sell this house and move to a temporary rental place, so that I would have time to make sure everything looks good in and around the house for showing. I guess I was in the industry, so I am not just going to let the photographer comes in and take picture whatever it is.
I would prepare the photo-shoot like I used to do it in the office, everything has to be in its place and avoid too much personal item. All the photos and perhaps trophies would be packed, the books and magazine would be hidden, I would make sure the dining room table is set for 6 with fresh flowers at the center, outdoor table would be set in a picnic / cookout theme, bath tub jacuzzi will be filled with water running along with the jets, rose pedals and perhaps a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket next to it, cookies would be baked out from the oven and lay it on the counter top. Everything has to look very inviting, it has to give a feeling to someone see it on the internet or brochure to imagine themselves being in the scene.
ok there is a lot of work to do before the photo-shoot on coming thursday, will post some picture later if I have the copies.
Friday, September 24, 2010
hole-in-one witness
Today is the second time I witness a hole-in-one and it belongs to Victor. We left the ear, nose & throat specialist's office in the morning then go play golf. At that time Victor was kind of worry because his doctor stated that anti-biotic hasn't really improve his blockage in the sinus, suggested that he needs an invasive surgery to drain the fluid. He will be put to sleep and it is a 1 hour to 2 hours surgery, takes a month to heal, of course there won't be any sports or heavy duty work after the surgery.
Perhaps the Golf God has mercy on him, decided to give him what he has been longing for, after hearing the bad news from the doctor's office. It was the 4th hole par 3 175 yard and he hit a 5-iron beautifully landed just short of the flag, I saw it disappeared. I said to him "It just roll up the hill and disappeared, it is in the hole!"
He was in dis-belief, said "maybe it just roll around the hole, the white flag is blocking our view to it."
"I think it is in the hole." I replied, "this is your first hole-in-one ever! I am happy for you and feel lucky that I can witness it. Well, you would have to claim your hole-in-one status legally by finishing 18 holes, now you don't want to put a lousy score on this score card because it will be framed along with your lucky ball."
All of a sudden he gets to play with much more focus, the next hole is a water hole and I told him make sure your worst score is a bogey, it just does not look good to have an 8 followed a 1 on the score card. This strategy worked really well and he shot 87 to finish 18 holes, we told everybody at the dining room while we stopped for lunch afterward. It is a special day for him, I am sure.
I wish my hole-in-one would come sooner than Victor's!
Perhaps the Golf God has mercy on him, decided to give him what he has been longing for, after hearing the bad news from the doctor's office. It was the 4th hole par 3 175 yard and he hit a 5-iron beautifully landed just short of the flag, I saw it disappeared. I said to him "It just roll up the hill and disappeared, it is in the hole!"
He was in dis-belief, said "maybe it just roll around the hole, the white flag is blocking our view to it."
"I think it is in the hole." I replied, "this is your first hole-in-one ever! I am happy for you and feel lucky that I can witness it. Well, you would have to claim your hole-in-one status legally by finishing 18 holes, now you don't want to put a lousy score on this score card because it will be framed along with your lucky ball."
All of a sudden he gets to play with much more focus, the next hole is a water hole and I told him make sure your worst score is a bogey, it just does not look good to have an 8 followed a 1 on the score card. This strategy worked really well and he shot 87 to finish 18 holes, we told everybody at the dining room while we stopped for lunch afterward. It is a special day for him, I am sure.
I wish my hole-in-one would come sooner than Victor's!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Genetic Alternation
I am not old-fashioned to a point that does not encourage science to develop, as a human-being we should know better of what is best for us, best for our body and best for our next generation.
From CNN last night or The Palm Beach Post, mentioned a genetic improved Salmon which grow twice as fast. Regular farm raised Salmon takes 36 months to mature because their growth hormone only active 6 months out of a year. Scientist took another deep-ocean fish ( forgot its name ) which growth hormone runs 12 months a year and take that gene then put into the farm raised Salmon offer to mass retail market, doing so dramatically shorten the time of raising the Salmon in another word it shorten the selling cycle means make more $ in a shorter period of time for the fish-farmer.
I personally do not eat any farm fish anymore, however it is very difficult to avoid farm raised Shrimp so I am still eating it.
We now wonder why there is so much breast cancer in women who is not even 40 years old? Cancer sounds so scary and it just seem so popular every where, I personally feel it is largely related to what we consumed.
We are consuming a lot of growth hormone we are not aware of, the chicken you ate at the restaurant seems so good but it could be shot with growth hormone to make it bigger to weight more in order to gain more $/lb.
The corn we are consuming along with its by-product is genetically altered, so does soy bean in this country; unless you are like me would go buy at health food store for organically grown product which costs more but at least I know what I am getting, I am not getting more SCIENCE into the food I am eating.
In Hong Kong, it is the law to label your food's ingredient if it was genetically altered, not the same here in USA's FDA. In Hong Kong, you'd see a label clearly marked on the product's front panel if it contains any raw materials that was genetically improved, such as soy milk used genetically altered soybean, or nestle instant coffee used genetically altered coffee bean, sometime you'd see that label on a cantaloupe if that is the case. It helped me to identify what I should buy and what I should not. Some people are not crazy over it, they'll eat anything, call me skeptical but I don't like the idea of playing God over nature.
Recently there is an Egg-scared in USA, with eggs that contaminated with germs. Do we really know what we are eating? Can we really trust what it said on the label? The answer is "NO". I was once involved in bringing in frozen food products from Asia, all it takes is to send sample to one of the lab in the country to identify all the ingredients and nutritional value, then when you really making the product, it has a margin of error for a random check by FDA, which is around 15% of difference was considered acceptable if FDA happens to take one sample out of 1000 pieces of package food product. Also if you decided to put some chemical into the food to make it taste better, you do not have to list it on the label if it is less than 2%, under FDA's rules and regulations.
I have a good friend who loves her dog so much and only trust the dog-food package label which she feeds her dog for, I asked her once do you really know what people put into the food they package in the mass market?! Do you know dog should eat REAL food if you can afford the time and expenses to prepare it for your dog? Ask any regular dog owners would tell you eating package dog food is the best for the dog's health. This is totally brain-wash by advertisement and commercial. What did a dog eat 200 years ago before there was package dog food in the supermarket?! A dog would eat whatever the household left over, or throw at the dog, as long as the sauce was omitted.
Try to think if you were your dog, eating the same brown-color looking crunchy boring food every night, won't you want to do something nice, throw her / him a piece of beef that you left over from dinner?
From CNN last night or The Palm Beach Post, mentioned a genetic improved Salmon which grow twice as fast. Regular farm raised Salmon takes 36 months to mature because their growth hormone only active 6 months out of a year. Scientist took another deep-ocean fish ( forgot its name ) which growth hormone runs 12 months a year and take that gene then put into the farm raised Salmon offer to mass retail market, doing so dramatically shorten the time of raising the Salmon in another word it shorten the selling cycle means make more $ in a shorter period of time for the fish-farmer.
I personally do not eat any farm fish anymore, however it is very difficult to avoid farm raised Shrimp so I am still eating it.
We now wonder why there is so much breast cancer in women who is not even 40 years old? Cancer sounds so scary and it just seem so popular every where, I personally feel it is largely related to what we consumed.
We are consuming a lot of growth hormone we are not aware of, the chicken you ate at the restaurant seems so good but it could be shot with growth hormone to make it bigger to weight more in order to gain more $/lb.
The corn we are consuming along with its by-product is genetically altered, so does soy bean in this country; unless you are like me would go buy at health food store for organically grown product which costs more but at least I know what I am getting, I am not getting more SCIENCE into the food I am eating.
In Hong Kong, it is the law to label your food's ingredient if it was genetically altered, not the same here in USA's FDA. In Hong Kong, you'd see a label clearly marked on the product's front panel if it contains any raw materials that was genetically improved, such as soy milk used genetically altered soybean, or nestle instant coffee used genetically altered coffee bean, sometime you'd see that label on a cantaloupe if that is the case. It helped me to identify what I should buy and what I should not. Some people are not crazy over it, they'll eat anything, call me skeptical but I don't like the idea of playing God over nature.
Recently there is an Egg-scared in USA, with eggs that contaminated with germs. Do we really know what we are eating? Can we really trust what it said on the label? The answer is "NO". I was once involved in bringing in frozen food products from Asia, all it takes is to send sample to one of the lab in the country to identify all the ingredients and nutritional value, then when you really making the product, it has a margin of error for a random check by FDA, which is around 15% of difference was considered acceptable if FDA happens to take one sample out of 1000 pieces of package food product. Also if you decided to put some chemical into the food to make it taste better, you do not have to list it on the label if it is less than 2%, under FDA's rules and regulations.
I have a good friend who loves her dog so much and only trust the dog-food package label which she feeds her dog for, I asked her once do you really know what people put into the food they package in the mass market?! Do you know dog should eat REAL food if you can afford the time and expenses to prepare it for your dog? Ask any regular dog owners would tell you eating package dog food is the best for the dog's health. This is totally brain-wash by advertisement and commercial. What did a dog eat 200 years ago before there was package dog food in the supermarket?! A dog would eat whatever the household left over, or throw at the dog, as long as the sauce was omitted.
Try to think if you were your dog, eating the same brown-color looking crunchy boring food every night, won't you want to do something nice, throw her / him a piece of beef that you left over from dinner?
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Yom Kippur
Today is the holiest day on Judaism's Calender, Victor and I would just cut golf out, stay home to reflect ourselves. He would fast without even drinking water, I would just do a liquid diet. I am not obligated to join his fast, but I would like to do so thinking in the old days, Jesus did the same thing, perhaps I should follow what he did in Jewish tradition. The truth is I am indeed need to eat a little less......
We both lost weight after coming back from Thailand, 2 months back to USA and we are getting it all back. We did not intend to lose weight while traveling, just the fact that the portion size was so much smaller in Thailand, it forced us to eat less and could eat more often or taking in smaller meal throughout the day. It was also extremely hot there, you just sweat like crazy by doing nothing. Thailand is located directly on the equator, however the heat is not like Africa's dry heat, it mixed with the moisture from the Gulf and it got very humid and hot in the summer. That is what the draw back Victor's facing, it is too hot for him. Nevertheless, he doesn't like to see snow in the winter, perhaps Costa Rica would be better.
I am getting excited to receive my American Passport, after 4 years of filling up forms, interviewing and sending in $3,500 dollars; I would receive my passport within a month. Very likely we would plan to go to Costa Rica in November once I get my passport on hand. We are going to sign with the listing agent whom we read about on The Palm Beach Post, he is going to list it at 1 million, after 1 month and we would do a price-reduction for a lower figure. There is a strategy involves to put a mark there at 1 million level. Nowadays people is using internet to research no matters what they are buying, 1 million is generally a search preference for those who is looking under "1 million" or over "1 million", by putting the number right at it allows us to be exposed to researchers who hit the internet with this big watermark. Well, a buyer could always throw us a figure 20% less and that is out of my control, but being exposed to the maximum amount of viewer is my goal, domestically or internationally.
I think the house is like a baby, it is always your own baby is the most gorgeous baby in the world. No one dares to tell a mommy that her baby is an ugly baby, just like no one in the world would say to you --- your house doesn't look good. It's just so universal. In the selling part, I would only assist my agent and let the professional does his job. I treat him as my nanny, whom is going to take care of my baby when I am away.
As I discussed it with one of my girlfriend earlier about selling handbags on ebay, it is very easy to get attached to an object and do not want to lose it. The house is the same, it is an object just the same as a favourite handbag. You get very attach to it; Victor is like that, very sensitive and very emotional. I just tell him wherever we go, there is where our home is; it is not limit to which house we are staying at, it is where we choose to be.
Don't get me wrong that I don't like this house, I love this house we live in the last 6 years. But it is time to move on and it costs too much money to upkeep it, we would plan our next place with the least amount of maintenance work as possible, Victor should not be climbing up and down the attic anymore, and I should devote my time into Golf totally instead of pruning trees.
We both lost weight after coming back from Thailand, 2 months back to USA and we are getting it all back. We did not intend to lose weight while traveling, just the fact that the portion size was so much smaller in Thailand, it forced us to eat less and could eat more often or taking in smaller meal throughout the day. It was also extremely hot there, you just sweat like crazy by doing nothing. Thailand is located directly on the equator, however the heat is not like Africa's dry heat, it mixed with the moisture from the Gulf and it got very humid and hot in the summer. That is what the draw back Victor's facing, it is too hot for him. Nevertheless, he doesn't like to see snow in the winter, perhaps Costa Rica would be better.
I am getting excited to receive my American Passport, after 4 years of filling up forms, interviewing and sending in $3,500 dollars; I would receive my passport within a month. Very likely we would plan to go to Costa Rica in November once I get my passport on hand. We are going to sign with the listing agent whom we read about on The Palm Beach Post, he is going to list it at 1 million, after 1 month and we would do a price-reduction for a lower figure. There is a strategy involves to put a mark there at 1 million level. Nowadays people is using internet to research no matters what they are buying, 1 million is generally a search preference for those who is looking under "1 million" or over "1 million", by putting the number right at it allows us to be exposed to researchers who hit the internet with this big watermark. Well, a buyer could always throw us a figure 20% less and that is out of my control, but being exposed to the maximum amount of viewer is my goal, domestically or internationally.
I think the house is like a baby, it is always your own baby is the most gorgeous baby in the world. No one dares to tell a mommy that her baby is an ugly baby, just like no one in the world would say to you --- your house doesn't look good. It's just so universal. In the selling part, I would only assist my agent and let the professional does his job. I treat him as my nanny, whom is going to take care of my baby when I am away.
As I discussed it with one of my girlfriend earlier about selling handbags on ebay, it is very easy to get attached to an object and do not want to lose it. The house is the same, it is an object just the same as a favourite handbag. You get very attach to it; Victor is like that, very sensitive and very emotional. I just tell him wherever we go, there is where our home is; it is not limit to which house we are staying at, it is where we choose to be.
Don't get me wrong that I don't like this house, I love this house we live in the last 6 years. But it is time to move on and it costs too much money to upkeep it, we would plan our next place with the least amount of maintenance work as possible, Victor should not be climbing up and down the attic anymore, and I should devote my time into Golf totally instead of pruning trees.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Do men really behave like dolphins?
I received an email from a friend, it's one of those chain email got some content in it and being circulate on the internet, too bad the speaker (Marriage Counselor) is Chinese and he spoke in Cantonese during the video, otherwise I would attach the video clip here.
During Chinese 5000 years of history, has developed a very knowledgeable system about the constellation, the movement of the stars, how does the tilt of the earth affect our individual lives...etc. We simply call these people the "Fortune Teller", but "fortune-telling" has many types and levels, today we are only talking about seeing the movement of certain stars to predict or avoid certain things happen in your life.
There was a term called, "Against your husband" in ancient Chinese fortune-telling history. It means certain type of women always bring conflicts into the household, in old history, it could be told by the time this woman was born or face-reading. This speaker mentioned there is no such thing in a pre-justice scenario, there is such woman in real life base on the way she behaves or she responses to her husband.
Over a survey in Asia, Chinese woman has the highest divorce rate in Asian Regions. The speaker mentioned it was because Chinese women love to control. Japanese women, Thai women or Korean women do not have this mind-set. 70% divorce rate and 30% successful marriage in Chinese Regions. The survey also shows problems arise on the women side more than on the men side in Chinese regions. It is not blaming women for all the divorce issues, just an observation that men like to be praised; like to have "Face"; like to be "needed". On the other hand, stronger chinese women always tend to knock their husbands down with negative feedback, compliant, ignorance. As time goes by, these attitudes create a hole so big that could not be mended, both parties have to be separated.
Sometime women are also too concern of who is right or who is wrong. The speaker said there is no right or wrong in a marriage; there is only willing or not-willing. Oh one lady complaints: "What he did was wrong, I should divorce him. What is your opinion?"
The speaker says: "Do you think it is easier to divorce him? or it is easier to forgive him?"
She replied: " It is easier to forgive him. You are right."
He quoted from the old testament in the bible:
"A successful marriage is for a man to treat his wife like his own flesh and blood; for a woman to submit herself to her man." Genesis.
"Why is there so many problems in people's marriage nowadays?" The speaker said: "It's because the man does not treat his wife like his own flesh and blood but more like clothes and furniture; the woman does not submit herself to her husband but create conflicts in the household through all sorts of argument. How could you not have a 70% divorce rate in Asia?"
The speakers also mentioned:
Men are like dolphins in the Ocean Park, you throw them a fish, they pick it up and do a flip-over, then you jump up and down and clap your hands to praise them, they are happy and willing to do it again, as easy as that.
I have to share a slogan with you, I always say it to Victor and it works like a charm. Whatever he does ok, I said: "You are the man! I don't know what to do without you." He then always smile and feel really happy and walk back to his office.
Today he sanded the wall after the electrician replaced the thermostats, he also painted it nicely.
I said,"You are the man! I don't know what to do without you in my life"
He smiled and walk away......
Quoted from Ancient Chinese Proverb: "It takes a 100 years of good deeds to share a room with a person on a boat ride; it takes a 1000 years of good deeds to share a bed with your spouse."
Ancient Chinese believed in many lives within a person, you are you in this life, you could be a monk in your previous life and there was a previous life before your monk's life and so forth. In short, for you to meet someone to share a room on a boat ride, you must have done 100 years of good deeds in order to meet this person. On the other hand, you must have done 1000 years of good deeds to share a bed with your spouse in this life, so Ancient Chinese simply said "don't fuck it up but treasure the relationship."
During Chinese 5000 years of history, has developed a very knowledgeable system about the constellation, the movement of the stars, how does the tilt of the earth affect our individual lives...etc. We simply call these people the "Fortune Teller", but "fortune-telling" has many types and levels, today we are only talking about seeing the movement of certain stars to predict or avoid certain things happen in your life.
There was a term called, "Against your husband" in ancient Chinese fortune-telling history. It means certain type of women always bring conflicts into the household, in old history, it could be told by the time this woman was born or face-reading. This speaker mentioned there is no such thing in a pre-justice scenario, there is such woman in real life base on the way she behaves or she responses to her husband.
Over a survey in Asia, Chinese woman has the highest divorce rate in Asian Regions. The speaker mentioned it was because Chinese women love to control. Japanese women, Thai women or Korean women do not have this mind-set. 70% divorce rate and 30% successful marriage in Chinese Regions. The survey also shows problems arise on the women side more than on the men side in Chinese regions. It is not blaming women for all the divorce issues, just an observation that men like to be praised; like to have "Face"; like to be "needed". On the other hand, stronger chinese women always tend to knock their husbands down with negative feedback, compliant, ignorance. As time goes by, these attitudes create a hole so big that could not be mended, both parties have to be separated.
Sometime women are also too concern of who is right or who is wrong. The speaker said there is no right or wrong in a marriage; there is only willing or not-willing. Oh one lady complaints: "What he did was wrong, I should divorce him. What is your opinion?"
The speaker says: "Do you think it is easier to divorce him? or it is easier to forgive him?"
She replied: " It is easier to forgive him. You are right."
He quoted from the old testament in the bible:
"A successful marriage is for a man to treat his wife like his own flesh and blood; for a woman to submit herself to her man." Genesis.
"Why is there so many problems in people's marriage nowadays?" The speaker said: "It's because the man does not treat his wife like his own flesh and blood but more like clothes and furniture; the woman does not submit herself to her husband but create conflicts in the household through all sorts of argument. How could you not have a 70% divorce rate in Asia?"
The speakers also mentioned:
Men are like dolphins in the Ocean Park, you throw them a fish, they pick it up and do a flip-over, then you jump up and down and clap your hands to praise them, they are happy and willing to do it again, as easy as that.
I have to share a slogan with you, I always say it to Victor and it works like a charm. Whatever he does ok, I said: "You are the man! I don't know what to do without you." He then always smile and feel really happy and walk back to his office.
Today he sanded the wall after the electrician replaced the thermostats, he also painted it nicely.
I said,"You are the man! I don't know what to do without you in my life"
He smiled and walk away......
Quoted from Ancient Chinese Proverb: "It takes a 100 years of good deeds to share a room with a person on a boat ride; it takes a 1000 years of good deeds to share a bed with your spouse."
Ancient Chinese believed in many lives within a person, you are you in this life, you could be a monk in your previous life and there was a previous life before your monk's life and so forth. In short, for you to meet someone to share a room on a boat ride, you must have done 100 years of good deeds in order to meet this person. On the other hand, you must have done 1000 years of good deeds to share a bed with your spouse in this life, so Ancient Chinese simply said "don't fuck it up but treasure the relationship."
Monday, September 13, 2010
Let's talk about handbag
I was never crazy about handbags, I had some good stuffs because of working years ago, that I needed something nice to walk around with. I could not picture myself in a beautiful tailor-made suit but a lousy handbag in a launch event meeting. Everything just had to be top-notch at that time, I am very happy now with flip-flop and golfing outfit everyday. I don't even comb my hair some day if I decided a cap would go on top of it, who cares now?!
Someones left-over would be other's treasure; you'd never know until you list it on ebay. I was talking to my friends about this Gucci tote bag I had for over 12 years, it has been sitting in the garage since I moved to Florida, never once I used it for something, dust and co-web was occupying the surface of it. Until now, I am cleaning up the garage and prepare for moving, that I made up my mind to sell any non-useful items on ebay.
I listed this bag for $49.99
I thought I would get $100+ possibly, I said to myself. Well, let's clean it up and give it a go! At the end of the day, it is still a genuine Gucci.
Out from the blue, once I listed it, I had email asking me for further photos and detail description of this bag. I said to myself: "It's gonna cost about $500+ to get a Gucci Tote these days."
I spent $350 on this bag 12 years ago, I used it a few days a week for work if I wasn't using a Jean Paul Crocodile skin suitcase at that time. It served me for over 2 years. Guess how much it was sold for nowadays?!
A whopping $ 227 plus someone has to pay $16 for me to ship this item!
It is very difficult to believe an exclusive handbag held its 70% value after 12 years!
From this day on, I would encourage all my girlfriends --- Let's go shopping! to buy some expensive handbags for future investment! Viola!
Someones left-over would be other's treasure; you'd never know until you list it on ebay. I was talking to my friends about this Gucci tote bag I had for over 12 years, it has been sitting in the garage since I moved to Florida, never once I used it for something, dust and co-web was occupying the surface of it. Until now, I am cleaning up the garage and prepare for moving, that I made up my mind to sell any non-useful items on ebay.
I listed this bag for $49.99
I thought I would get $100+ possibly, I said to myself. Well, let's clean it up and give it a go! At the end of the day, it is still a genuine Gucci.
Out from the blue, once I listed it, I had email asking me for further photos and detail description of this bag. I said to myself: "It's gonna cost about $500+ to get a Gucci Tote these days."
I spent $350 on this bag 12 years ago, I used it a few days a week for work if I wasn't using a Jean Paul Crocodile skin suitcase at that time. It served me for over 2 years. Guess how much it was sold for nowadays?!
A whopping $ 227 plus someone has to pay $16 for me to ship this item!
It is very difficult to believe an exclusive handbag held its 70% value after 12 years!
From this day on, I would encourage all my girlfriends --- Let's go shopping! to buy some expensive handbags for future investment! Viola!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Dress code
Basically I do not care how other people dress, I just could not help myself but write about dress code today. Yesterday was the date to pledge allegiance at the West Palm Beach Court Room, where it hosted more than 120 people. On the letter I received about this appointment, clearly marked "Proper Attire Required".
What is "Proper Attire" when you have to appear in a court room?! Well, the answer was entertaining.
I wore a pink blouse with a black skirt to knee length, there is a slit on the side goes up to the mid-thigh for easy walking, a pair of black high-heel. I think this is very appropriate, not-showing too much meat + not revealing too much curve yet it is elegant without the formality. ( I didn't want to wear my suit with jacket and matching pants or skirt, it was too hot )
I saw a guy walks in with jeans got holes on them and his plaid shirt missing buttons; a very slim lady wearing a tight black dress just bearly cover her as* as the length goes and there are ropes fringe along side of her breast line and hip line, I personally think that was appropriate if she is pole-dancing for the day;
A 250 lb lady was wearing a tank-top, listen carefully --- a tank top! on a 250lb body, Gosh.... On the other hand, this African American young man is among the best of all, at least he cares, at least he cares enough to go get a brand new suit ( perhaps just the jacket ) even the tag of the brand is still sew on the left sleeve facing out. He might plan to return that jacket after yesterday.
I couldn't help myself but ask: What is appropriate attire nowadays?!
Appropriate Attire:
Going to church, temple, court room --- nothing shorter than 4" above knee length, shoulder and chest should be covered. No one is interest in looking at your toes unless they are really pretty, otherwise one should always wear close-toe shoes. Absolutely no flip-flop. Men should wear a suit or a shirt and long pants, no shorts at these places. Jeans is acceptable if they are nice, not those I saw with holes on them.
What is "Proper Attire" when you have to appear in a court room?! Well, the answer was entertaining.
I wore a pink blouse with a black skirt to knee length, there is a slit on the side goes up to the mid-thigh for easy walking, a pair of black high-heel. I think this is very appropriate, not-showing too much meat + not revealing too much curve yet it is elegant without the formality. ( I didn't want to wear my suit with jacket and matching pants or skirt, it was too hot )
I saw a guy walks in with jeans got holes on them and his plaid shirt missing buttons; a very slim lady wearing a tight black dress just bearly cover her as* as the length goes and there are ropes fringe along side of her breast line and hip line, I personally think that was appropriate if she is pole-dancing for the day;
A 250 lb lady was wearing a tank-top, listen carefully --- a tank top! on a 250lb body, Gosh.... On the other hand, this African American young man is among the best of all, at least he cares, at least he cares enough to go get a brand new suit ( perhaps just the jacket ) even the tag of the brand is still sew on the left sleeve facing out. He might plan to return that jacket after yesterday.
I couldn't help myself but ask: What is appropriate attire nowadays?!
Appropriate Attire:
Going to church, temple, court room --- nothing shorter than 4" above knee length, shoulder and chest should be covered. No one is interest in looking at your toes unless they are really pretty, otherwise one should always wear close-toe shoes. Absolutely no flip-flop. Men should wear a suit or a shirt and long pants, no shorts at these places. Jeans is acceptable if they are nice, not those I saw with holes on them.
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Pledge of Allegiance
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Wow, it sounds so serious. Yes it is a serious business, marks an end to the quest of American citizenship, the funny thing is I shall leave this country shortly after becoming a citizen. Well, it has been over 3 years and Victor asked me do I have special feeling that I have become a United States citizen this afternoon, I told him the truth I don't feel anything different, I have been living here for so long already, it just make it easy for me to travel, don't have to deal with different names and different passports, the last but not least, I have the RIGHT to vote and I am going to vote Pelosi out of the office in coming November.
" The Oath of Allegiance
I hereby declare on oath that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty of whom or which I have hereto been a subject or citizen;
That I will support and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
That I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law;
That I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law;
That I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law;
And that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;
So help me God. "
So help me God. I like the sentence mention --- One nation, under God, indivisible...etc. I see this country has been divided, has been divided by left or right; Democrats or republican; Muslim or christian; Is it under my God or under Your God?! This is also the beauty about this country, lies in the Bills of Rights, it's the freedom of religions. Even the founding fathers and framers were Christians, there is a Jewish star on your paper money, there was no one religion being impose on any citizens of this country. You get to choose what you want to believe in, as long as you don't hurt other people.
I felt a sense of responsibility, or I shall say obligation to fight for the country; yes that is how I felt after I pledge my allegiance. Let's hope there is peace so they won't call me to bear arms.
Ah~~also, President Obama from The White House wrote me a letter, (attached) makes it looks so good, he is really good at PR; perhaps he should open up a PR firm instead of talking on TV everyday or he could really use his valuable time to solves some of the toughest crisis this country is facing.
So help us God.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Rosh Hashanah
Today is a high holiday of Judaism, the Jewish New Year. Similar to the Chinese New Year which follows a lunar calender, so the date is always different every single year. I made a honey cake, matzo ball soup and steak for dinner. Originally was going to buy something already cooked, after asking the chefs about the sauce that brisket is swimming in, realized Victor just can not eat any prepared food because that brisket was fine but the sauce was thicken with tons of flour. At the end of the day, I would still have to cook dinner.
Anyway, we interviewed another real estate agent today at the house. He came with his father which I felt surprised. I asked Victor to call them because I read this article about international buyers are purchasing property here in palm beach county, a whooping 32% home sales from last spring to this spring was closed with foreigner buyers. On the newspaper, this agent stated 25% of his closing deals involved foreign buyers. Well, he is in the house.
He likes the house very much, told me don't touch a thing and don't move a thing, I am being too sensitive about it, everything is beautifully decorated. He stated that we are very exceptional, most of the clients have to be reminded to change the light bulbs, clean up the kitchen, put things away....etc. So did our friends told us the same things, he said the house is already staged for sale, he would be very happy to start selling it tomorrow.
I guess Victor and I are very much Type A positive personality people, we like other people have enthusiasm, enjoy what they do and be good at it. We may end up choose this broker because he is enthusiastic, he belongs to a bigger network and able to cover a larger exposure, he also has a very good Internet coverage. I think I do not want to limit myself to a certain group of buyers who live inside this community looking to move up to a bigger house; I want to be exposed to the market; I want overseas buyers be able to view the house before they fly in for the weekend; I want to see the ad about my house on the paper, not just The Palm Beach Post, also The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. It's all about exposure.
And this guy seems could do better, tell you the truth we are not so sure but I guess we are willing to list it outside the box, which are the top 2 listing agents here at this community. I like one of the lady very much, she is very sincere and would love to show the house. But the networking of her company just might not match the guy we met today. We figure our listing price would be around 980,000. We have not confirm it yet, if we don't take this number, we might bring it up higher to 1.1 million range. I personally like the 980 number because when people search homes on the internet, always put up a budget to search from, 1 million is a pretty big water mark right there, I might lose some target client's click by listing it over 1 million, that's how I thought.
Anyway, we interviewed another real estate agent today at the house. He came with his father which I felt surprised. I asked Victor to call them because I read this article about international buyers are purchasing property here in palm beach county, a whooping 32% home sales from last spring to this spring was closed with foreigner buyers. On the newspaper, this agent stated 25% of his closing deals involved foreign buyers. Well, he is in the house.
He likes the house very much, told me don't touch a thing and don't move a thing, I am being too sensitive about it, everything is beautifully decorated. He stated that we are very exceptional, most of the clients have to be reminded to change the light bulbs, clean up the kitchen, put things away....etc. So did our friends told us the same things, he said the house is already staged for sale, he would be very happy to start selling it tomorrow.
I guess Victor and I are very much Type A positive personality people, we like other people have enthusiasm, enjoy what they do and be good at it. We may end up choose this broker because he is enthusiastic, he belongs to a bigger network and able to cover a larger exposure, he also has a very good Internet coverage. I think I do not want to limit myself to a certain group of buyers who live inside this community looking to move up to a bigger house; I want to be exposed to the market; I want overseas buyers be able to view the house before they fly in for the weekend; I want to see the ad about my house on the paper, not just The Palm Beach Post, also The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. It's all about exposure.
And this guy seems could do better, tell you the truth we are not so sure but I guess we are willing to list it outside the box, which are the top 2 listing agents here at this community. I like one of the lady very much, she is very sincere and would love to show the house. But the networking of her company just might not match the guy we met today. We figure our listing price would be around 980,000. We have not confirm it yet, if we don't take this number, we might bring it up higher to 1.1 million range. I personally like the 980 number because when people search homes on the internet, always put up a budget to search from, 1 million is a pretty big water mark right there, I might lose some target client's click by listing it over 1 million, that's how I thought.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
agents interview
We interviewed two female agents from two different companies who specialize in selling homes in this golf community, I was surprised about the difference I felt about both of them.
Perhaps it was not fair to one of them because I have met one lady 3 years ago when Victor's college friend from Connecticut came down to bought a home inside our gate. So we have already met and know about each others, but I did not call her first, I called the one whom I do not know first, to gave her a tour of the house and show her what kind of renovation we put into the house 6 years ago, in order to update the house to current standard.
This first lady was enthusiastic about the things we put into the house, the faucets, the vessel sinks, the steam shower room, brand new kitchen, hurricane impact glass window and french doors....etc. She gave inputs of how to show the house better, what plants to eliminate and what mood should be set for showing....etc.
The one we have already known gave us a different approach, victor gave the same tour and the same explanation, she went through everything but it just does not interest her as much. I guess because she was in our house before, delivering contracts while Victor's friend was staying with us.
We further spent time sitting down at the dining room to discuss the market and strategy of selling homes nowadays in this tough market, she emphasized the buyers are very difficult to deal with, they would throw you a price you never dreamed of, she means the low-balling. I did not talk much but I was listening, she told us this is how many square footage of that house and how much it was sold for, you should not go higher than that figure. I then ask her about the lot size? about the view of the lot? about the inside decorating of the house and was it updated to a today's standard or staying at 16 years ago's standard when this community was first opened?
She said it was not updated but it was not important to the client.
I then gave her my speech: (victor knows immediately I am pushing the bell like that one in American Idol)
"Anybody can sell a dollar bill for 70 cents, and everyone would buy it." I said to her very politely with a very gentle tone.
"And anybody can list this house, what I need is a person who likes this house at the first date. You know what it's like?! It's like I am fixing up my friend with a boyfriend, if they meet for the first time and do not like each other, there is just not much I can do. I need a person who can represent me, my taste and my thought-process in order to sell this house. And all you care about is how low a figure I could give you to list the house. To you, this house is just another product you want to get onto the shelve; to me, I have to commit to someone I trust and knowing this person believe in what they are selling is the greatest. That's what makes a successful sale or a get-by-day-after-day sale.
Because the reality is no matters how low you list the house, buyers are going to throw you a lower price, that is just the way it goes. No one would pay a sticker price to buy a car nor a sticker price to buy a house. To persuade us to list it as low as possible is just showing that you want a quick sale, let me sell it at 70 cents so I could get my commission and get the hell out. Sorry it just won't work for us, we need someone who loves the house at first sight, who understands how special this lot is and how to show this house with passion.
At the end of the day, I can not control what kind of a figure a buyer would throw at me. But I control who is going to show this house successfully."
our meetings end with the speech I gave above, victor and I had a discussion over dinner at a Chinese restaurant, we both have the same feeling and like the first agent better so she is going to get the listing next week.
There are only 7 homes on my 3 streets are on the market, the lowest price being listing is 880k and the highest is 1.4 million, coming here to tell me I should list this house 20% lower than the lowest price on this block is just ridiculous, insulted my intelligence.
Perhaps it was not fair to one of them because I have met one lady 3 years ago when Victor's college friend from Connecticut came down to bought a home inside our gate. So we have already met and know about each others, but I did not call her first, I called the one whom I do not know first, to gave her a tour of the house and show her what kind of renovation we put into the house 6 years ago, in order to update the house to current standard.
This first lady was enthusiastic about the things we put into the house, the faucets, the vessel sinks, the steam shower room, brand new kitchen, hurricane impact glass window and french doors....etc. She gave inputs of how to show the house better, what plants to eliminate and what mood should be set for showing....etc.
The one we have already known gave us a different approach, victor gave the same tour and the same explanation, she went through everything but it just does not interest her as much. I guess because she was in our house before, delivering contracts while Victor's friend was staying with us.
We further spent time sitting down at the dining room to discuss the market and strategy of selling homes nowadays in this tough market, she emphasized the buyers are very difficult to deal with, they would throw you a price you never dreamed of, she means the low-balling. I did not talk much but I was listening, she told us this is how many square footage of that house and how much it was sold for, you should not go higher than that figure. I then ask her about the lot size? about the view of the lot? about the inside decorating of the house and was it updated to a today's standard or staying at 16 years ago's standard when this community was first opened?
She said it was not updated but it was not important to the client.
I then gave her my speech: (victor knows immediately I am pushing the bell like that one in American Idol)
"Anybody can sell a dollar bill for 70 cents, and everyone would buy it." I said to her very politely with a very gentle tone.
"And anybody can list this house, what I need is a person who likes this house at the first date. You know what it's like?! It's like I am fixing up my friend with a boyfriend, if they meet for the first time and do not like each other, there is just not much I can do. I need a person who can represent me, my taste and my thought-process in order to sell this house. And all you care about is how low a figure I could give you to list the house. To you, this house is just another product you want to get onto the shelve; to me, I have to commit to someone I trust and knowing this person believe in what they are selling is the greatest. That's what makes a successful sale or a get-by-day-after-day sale.
Because the reality is no matters how low you list the house, buyers are going to throw you a lower price, that is just the way it goes. No one would pay a sticker price to buy a car nor a sticker price to buy a house. To persuade us to list it as low as possible is just showing that you want a quick sale, let me sell it at 70 cents so I could get my commission and get the hell out. Sorry it just won't work for us, we need someone who loves the house at first sight, who understands how special this lot is and how to show this house with passion.
At the end of the day, I can not control what kind of a figure a buyer would throw at me. But I control who is going to show this house successfully."
our meetings end with the speech I gave above, victor and I had a discussion over dinner at a Chinese restaurant, we both have the same feeling and like the first agent better so she is going to get the listing next week.
There are only 7 homes on my 3 streets are on the market, the lowest price being listing is 880k and the highest is 1.4 million, coming here to tell me I should list this house 20% lower than the lowest price on this block is just ridiculous, insulted my intelligence.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
getting rid of things
It is very easy to obtain things that we don't need, through the years I just buy and buy and buy more without realizing I had the whole garage filled up with things that I don't need. it will be a challenge to sort things out down to 60 boxes, while we move out of this house.
today we had our first agent to come see the house, she likes it very much and it is a very special lot but again buyers are brutal in this tough market, we don't want to list a price that would be bargained lower and lower, so we came up a figure with a 10% margin with it, along with selling the house furnished or turnkey.
Living in the house while showing also post another challenge, victor can not throw his socks all over the place and I must put dirty dishes into the dish washer immediately instead of letting them hanging around the sinks. Everything has to look perfect and clean, almost feel like you are in the party mode expecting your guests to walk into the house in any minutes, funny feelings for later I am sure.
I would use next week to pack up personal items on all the shelving, donate clothing to Goodwills, have an electrician to come fix some landscape lights, then we are ready for the ride!
sounds like fun, we never knows what the future holds; I guess that is what makes it fun when it is not predictable.
today we had our first agent to come see the house, she likes it very much and it is a very special lot but again buyers are brutal in this tough market, we don't want to list a price that would be bargained lower and lower, so we came up a figure with a 10% margin with it, along with selling the house furnished or turnkey.
Living in the house while showing also post another challenge, victor can not throw his socks all over the place and I must put dirty dishes into the dish washer immediately instead of letting them hanging around the sinks. Everything has to look perfect and clean, almost feel like you are in the party mode expecting your guests to walk into the house in any minutes, funny feelings for later I am sure.
I would use next week to pack up personal items on all the shelving, donate clothing to Goodwills, have an electrician to come fix some landscape lights, then we are ready for the ride!
sounds like fun, we never knows what the future holds; I guess that is what makes it fun when it is not predictable.
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