Why Are You Always Smiling?

Yesterday after a rather dry meeting around a conference room table at the Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, the chairman of the committee spoke to me.

He said, "Why are you always smiling? You must know something nobody else does, 'cause you are always smiling."

My reply was "I am just a happy person. Thank you for saying that." He said, "No really, every time I see you you have a smile on your face."

That made me think of many years ago when as I walked to the unit where I worked, people would stop and ask me why I was smiling. It happened almost everyday.

In truth, the circumstances of life at the time were not "smile inducing", however at the very core I was a "happy" person, and it just showed up on my face.

There was a point when I realized that no one was asking me "why are you smiling?" It was kind of like when no one asks you where you get your hair done anymore -you know it's time for a change!

That is what I did back then - I made a change. Out of a career that was not keeping a smile on my face, and into a way of making a living that is part and parcel of my life.

As Confucius first, and then later Harvey McKay said "Find something you love to do, and you'll never work a day in your life."

So yesterday, I was reminded of that time, and realized what a fortunate person I really am. Years ago as I left for work on Perdido Key - selling real estate along the beach on Florida's Gulf Coast - it occurred to me that I was humming, and almost skipping to get to work. That is when I thought " I love what I do and it shows!" Which became my business slogan.

No truer words have ever been spoken.

The photo above is of my daughter and our puppy Katie nine years ago right here on Perdido Key, Florida. It became the first advertisement for my real estate brokerage company with the slogan "We love what we do and it shows!"

"Substantial Growth" Predicted in Florida's Economy

Michael Norton The News Service of Florida
Posted in part November 13, 2010

The pace of the recovery in the nation is moderating and the lift spurred by nearly $800 billion in federal stimulus spending is fading, but there are several promising signs that growth will continue, including in Florida, a leading national fiscal analyst told reporters Friday morning.

Moody’s Analytics economist Chris Lafakis said the Federal Reserve will remain aggressive, with a quantitative easing plan that he equated to “basically flooding the global monetary system.” Lafakis predicted the strategy would lift asset prices, reduce corporate borrowing costs, and increase the willingness of consumers to spend.

Lafakis predicted substantial growth in Florida’s economy, mentioning that areas are expected to recover “quite significantly” due to a rebound in population growth and a willingness of more people to travel to Florida for vacations. “The story of pent-up demand is true in no place more so than Florida,” he said.

Nationally, corporate balance sheets are strong and business profits have “fully recovered from the recession,” he said, adding that businesses are in the position to hire more employees, but their level of willingness varies.

“It’s truly the case that profit growth leads job growth,” Lafakis told state government reporters gathered for the annual conference of the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors.

Household liabilities in the United States have fallen by $900 billion since peaking two years ago and a shift to spending and addressing pent-up demand for purchasing “creates a lot of economic juice,” Lafakis said.

Great Article from ProPublica

Homeowner Tips for Getting Loan Modifications

by Srinivas RaoProPublica, Sep. 15, 11:48 a.m.

ProPublica asked a simple question of more than 700 homeowners dealing with the administration's mortgage modification program: Knowing what you know now, what tips would you give someone who's struggling with a mortgage payment? Their advice: Get help, stay organized, and don't give up.

In total, 718 homeowners, all of whom applied for a loan modification through the Home Affordable Modification Program, volunteered tips and tricks for struggling homeowners. While more than a third of respondents were skeptical about the value of program, the majority of respondents suggested simple steps homeowners should take to survive the process of applying for a modification. Culling through the hundreds of responses, three pieces of advice stood out.

Have you worked for a servicer in a loan modification call center? We want to hear from you.

Are you a homeowner who's struggling to pay your mortgage? Are you seeking a loan modification through the government program? We want to hear from you.