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It is hard being on the road over 200 nights a year...away from your family, isolated in many ways. It definitely isn't for everyone. This blogs represents the thoughts of just one such person. Read along and find out if the road is for you.
This is my new blogchalk:
United States, Georgia, Gainesville, Unity of Gainesville, English, John, Male, reading, RE Investing. :)
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Monday, March 10, 2003
Do I look like the community whining post?
I am back on the blogging trail so to speak and have ended up in New Orleans. Nornally not a bad trip. But I haven’t looked forward to this one, because I knew there were going to be some issues. But I didn’t dream things could have gone as wrong as they have since my last visit.
These folks are upside down in every way imaginable. Their attitude needs refreshed, their work ethic sucks and the leadership could use some work as well. The thing they seem to do best on this trip is whine about everybody and everything. It is sad really.
I spoke with one of the senior consultants from my unit who told me she is moving on. Another case of Da Company mis-managing their best resources.
There is just so much going on in my life right now. It seems like I am always saying that, but my available time gets less and less with each passing day. Which is alright on the energy I am giving the new house and business. But Da Company’s work is getting short shrift! I guess I resent having to spend my off time doing work that I am not getting paid for and spending time on the business seems like an investment in the future….my future!
The weather here is nothing short of beautiful. Even at 7 PM, it is still in the 60’s and it is just the beginning of March. How awesome is that?
I bought a SQL book to help me get better in that area. And I am beginning to understand it a little better, but if someone wants to help or send me in the right direction, I would definitely appreciate it.
I don’t have time for the Monday Mission today. But I intend to do it before week’s end. In the interim, I have stuff to do.
Blog on!
posted by John Panico at 11:37 PM
Sunday, March 09, 2003
I am back at it!
It has come to my attention (more than once by multiple folks) that I haven’t been blogging as much as I should. I hear you loud and clear. Excuses as to why I haven’t are too numerous to mention. In the end however, I must own up to the fact that excuses are just that…excuses. Everybody has them and no one wants to hear them. That being said, let me just try to move forward on a more regular basis.
So what’s been going on? A lot! (Which while not an excuse does explain my absence from blogging.) To recap:
I was interested in purchasing this house that was a bank foreclosure. I thought I could get it for about $25,000 under market. Through my real estate agent, we had been burning up the fax lines with offers and counter offers and were to a point that my last offer was met with “I think we have a deal.” “Think” is the word here. About two hours after that, my agent gets a call and tells me the bank has come up with a “mysterious” last minute offer that is better than ours. Do we want to up the bid? I said no. I was upset, but not enough to get into a bidding war.
As luck would have it, their “mysterious” offer fell through. My agent called and asked me what I wanted to do and I said offer them $1,500 less than my last offer. He was a little reluctant, but I said if you are going to play poker (which they were), sometimes you lose and have to pay the price. Which, ultimately they have done and as of March 28th, I will be the new owner of this house.
Meanwhile, the pool business is getting going and I am in full swing. I have spend a few thousand to get a mailing list of pool owners, print 4 color brochures to mail to them, training and other things to get this business up and running. That looks to kick off the first week of April. And after spending some time during the past week talking to suppliers, prospects are very good to turn a profit this year!
A few weeks back, I was down in St. Augustine and two potential job opportunities came my way. One lead came to me from an un-named associate who was gracious enough to think about me when they were visiting and another came about as a result of someone seeing my work. Although neither company has formally offered me a position, I am feeling good just to be wanted and would probably take either position.
One way or another, this is likely to be my last year at Da Company. I could say it is the travel, but that is just part of my dis-satisfaction. Some of the things I am seeing are truly a dis-incentive for me to bust my hump and then see others benefit from doing nothing. Travel is a gripe of mine though. While certain “consultants” are free to fly in on Monday and out on Friday afternoon, other consultants (myself included) are doomed to a leave Sunday evening, come home late Friday night. And frankly, I am just tired of it.
Along my travels, I have loved seeing and been highly encouraged by the outpouring of signs on front lawns of homes I pass on my way to clients that indicate slogans such as “No War”, “Osama bin Forgotten”, “Make Love/Not War”. If I had just a little more time, I would jump into a protest myself. Whenever I see one, I honk my horn and give a hearty thumbs up. To me, this upcoming war is about ego, George W’s. We talk about other’s with weapons of mass destruction, what about us? I could go on, but as usual, I digress.
I also celebrated my birthday this week. And I have to say that it was one of the nicest birthdays I have had in a long, long time. Not because of the gifts I received. But for the cards and phone calls that came my way. That was truly special. And I thank everyone for it.
All right. So I am not totally caught up. I promise that I will start blogging more. More Monday Missions (and maybe even filling in a few past ones at that. Thanks to all who have emailed and otherwise goated me back to blogging. I will try to be better.
Blog on!
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