Inspiring Excellence

Summertime Family Fun

First full week out of school and LeAnn and I are already having the discussions about how much time the kids should get in with electronics.  It's easy for me to suggest that be a low number because I am not at home during the day.

We have added something that I am having as much fun with as the kids.  We picked a classic, Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, to read this Summer as a family.  We have four copies so that all of us that read can read a chapter a night.  A couple of nights this week we have had the chance to read out loud together.

We might even throw in a book-on-cd for the trip to Florida in a couple of weeks.  I believe we are creating memories that a Playstation or TV station can't touch.

Beating the Heat

Not a bad way to spend an hour before bedtime with the kids....the cool kid behind the goggles is my 5-year old.  No, she doesn't own the pool, but don't tell her.

Mediocrity or Mastery?

A couple of things were on my mind today as I began a short week at the office:  There has been a little less focus than I would like in my career lately.  I also have a meeting tomorrow that specifically is related to excellence within my company.  Stewart Emery reminds us in part of his famous thoughts on mastery:

It’s remarkable how much mediocrity we live with, surrounding ourselves with daily reminders that the average is the acceptable. Our world suffers from terminal normality. Take a moment to assess all of the things around you that promote your being “average.” These are the things that keep you powerless to go beyond a “limit” you arbitrarily set for yourself. The first step to mastery is the removal of everything in your environment that represents mediocrity, removing those things that are limiting. One way is to surround yourself with friends who ask more of you than you do. Didn’t some of your best teachers, coaches, parents, etc.?

A friend suggested this morning that he was thinking of me over the holiday weekend.  He feared that I wouldn't continue to work towards something he was helping me with...tough thought to start the week.  But, that is exactly what I need in my life - people like some of the "teachers, coaches, and parents" that desire excellence for me.  Here's to continuing out of mediocrity!

Remembering....

The caption above the columns reads NATIONAL MILITARY CEMETERY, NASHVILLE A.D. 1867.  My dad is buried here.  He served our country in Vietnam.  My grandfather, Estle McCool, stormed the beaches of Normandy a couple of days after D-Day.

These are just two of the millions that have served our country so well.  Thanks to all of them, especially those that are serving our country today.

Recent Reading

My friend and Bob Parks Realty agent, Don Renne, handed me a book on Friday and said it great...you can probably read it in one sitting.  Don doesn't have kids at home, so it took me two sittings.  V Mitchell is an overcomer.  He's been through two horrific accidents.  Not only does he live to tell about it, but he shares his story with others.

"Before I was paralyzed there were 10,000 things I could do; now there are 9,000. I can either dwell on the 1,000 I've lost or focus on the 9,000 I have left."

My favorite thing that he reminded me of is the negative thought that we buy into so often that exist in our minds.  The power of replacing those lies can take us beyond our wildest dreams.

Another recent read is the June edition of Fast Company.  They featured several short reads about the social networking (such as blogging) related to the 2008 Presidential campaign.

Laura Crawford suggests: "My prediction for '08 is that user-generated content is going to force candidates to go positive with campaign advertising because the on-line airwaves will be flooded with negative stuff. That actually might be the biggest plus out of it all."

If social networking can help create something positive from our politicking, I'm all for it.  Just one of the wins for web 2.0.  A thought for the future of real estate: Negative or positive experiences with real estate agents will be posted for all to see on-line to help customers choose their agent.  It already exists and will be a large part of my business within the next 12 months.

Final Graduation Thoughts

My last two posts have been thoughts from Thursday's graduation in which my two oldest participated.  Tonight was the high school graduation.  The picture is of the library where their art projects were on display.

Cedar Hall graduated 3 this year (when you only have 15 or so in high school, you don't have many seniors).  I did get to spend some special time this year with the high school students talking about goal setting on a couple of different occasions, so I knew them a little better than normal.

They are a special group.  Congrats to Erica, Bart, and Becky!!  It was quite an evening with those of us in attendance got to hear great stories and the unique characteristics of what makes each one of these young people special.

Following a reception, the seniors wanted to dance the night away.  As you can see from Annalee's face(as she dances with one of the seniors-Becky, we didn't make it too late).

More Graduation Pics

One of the special parts of graduation is the recitations.  Each child shares.  Since most of us never were exposed to much great poetry in our schooling, let me share a couple here:

The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as quoted by Blake George:

Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his haul, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

The Swing

by Robert Louis Stevenson

as quoted by Logan George

How do you like to go up in a swing?
Up in the air so blue
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside-

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown,
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

Surprise Special Moment

Graduation day - that means that all 35 of the 3rd through 8th graders at Cedar Hall School participate on moving on to the next grade.  Included in the days festivities were recitations of poetry from each of the children.  So I began my day listening to Shakespeare, Whitman, Dickinson, and some original works by the students.

Following the poems, we heard of some great accomplishments from the year and then the most important part each year:  One by one, the students were called up.  Their teachers put their arms around them and shared about their year, their uniqueness, their character traits, and special memories.  We ended the day with a picnic under the shade trees.

A special moment for this parent came with the announcement of my oldest being announced as one of two recipients of the Rachel Farris Memorial Scholarship.  It is an award given each year to a student or two that is voted on by their peers and faculty.  It is given to students that exemplify excellence in the way they act toward their education and others.  Pictured are Mr. and Mrs. Gordon (the headmasters) with this year's winners: Blake George and Erin Griffin.

I can't think of much better way to spend a sunny Thursday morning.

Middle Tennessee Investments

Considering an investment in real estate?  One of the smartest business decisions that I made in running my real estate business was to begin to build a retirement plan through investing in residential real estate.  From tax advantages to appreciation, real estate remains a fantastic investment opportunity.  A couple of agents at Bob Parks Realty have created a fantastic new blog site devoted to investing in Middle Tennessee.  Visit them here.  Ask your favorite real estate agent about investing in real estate or give these guys a call.

Will NAR win the national MLS race?

According to the latest Inman News, a group that has been working together for a over a year is continuing to move this direction.

"A National Association of Realtors advisory group is moving ahead with plans for a national real estate data repository that would include comprehensive information for all categories of property, including residential and commercial properties and vacant land."

Check out the entire article here.

Some initial thoughts:

• NAR will have trouble convincing the 1.3 Million members of the need.  They are much more likely to listen to the locally owned MLS (which they own) and the local boards/associations.  Should be an interesting showdown.
• The eventual winner of the national MLS race will have free access to private property owners that choose not to use agents.

If you are an agent, you may not like the second thought.  The market will drive this race, not real estate agents.  That is why the winner will be the company that caters to the other 300,000,000 people in the world, not the agents.

Your thoughts?