NRVLiving - Real Estate. Simplified.

It's Golf Season

It's summer, I like golf, here's a repeat of a random post I did last year. The end is the best part, I think.

If you like to track your scores online, determine your USGA handicap and that sort of thing, then I'd encourage you to use a great FREE site called oobgolf.com.  It's an online site where you can find course information, enter your scores from recent rounds, connect with players both locally and around the world, and chart and analyze your own game in a way that's a little easier than the above video, I'd recommend checking it out.  I love their mobile scoring feature, which allows me to enter scores and round information right from my phone.  If you sign up, find me online at Volleyhart.

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Where Are The Fireworks This Year?

In case you were wondering where the fireworks are this year, here's a recap of what's happening around the New River Valley for the Fourth of July holiday.  If there's something you'd like to add, email me and I'll link it up.

Blacksburg - July 4th Celebration sponsored by Clean & Green Technologies, Hawthorn Suites and Oldies Radio 101.3 Z-FM

• 2pm - July 4th Parade down Main Street, then catch National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets at The Lyric, sponsored by the Mt. Tabor Ruritan Club
• 6pm - Blacksburg Community Band at Municipal Park
• 8:15pm - The LandSharks (a Jimmy Buffett tribute band) at Municipal Park
• 9:30pm - FIREWORKS
• Blacksburg Transit will run shuttles beginning at 5pm from Perry Street to Patrick Henry Drive.

Christiansburg - Christiansburg High School

• 5:30-8:30pm - children's game area by Dave's Moonwalks and More
• 6:30-7:15pm - music by Kerri Taylor
• 7:30-9:30pm - music by Don and the Deltones
• 9:45 - FIREWORKS

Radford - All kinds of activities going on in Radford, including:

• 7am - 5K Registration at Dudley's Landing
• 8am - 5K Race begins at Dudley's Landing
• 10am - Family Bike Rodeo
• 10:30-12pm - "Kids Time" Pony Rides / Airbrush Tattoos / Inflatables
• 12pm - Dog Show
• 12-7pm - Inflatables, Music, Food and Crafts and Mechanical Bull
• 1-2:45pm - Karaoke, with $250 going to the 1st place winner
• 3pm - Sam, Danny and Steve
• 3:30pm - Carilion Lifeguard Helicopter
• 4pm - ELVIS
• 5pm - The Java Brothers
• 6pm - National Anthem - Ms. Amanda Shepheard / Mayor Tom Starnes / Dr. Harshberger Patriotic Readings
• 6:15pm - "Greater Love"
• 7:15 - 8:45pm - Jimmy Fortune
• 9:00pm - Karaoke Finals
• 9:30pm - FIREWORKS
• Visit Radford Parks and Recreation for more information

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Congratulations to the Queen

Completely random post, but I thought the news was very cool and wanted to share it.

Virginia Tech hurdler Queen Harrison is headed to the Olympics. 

That's right, rising junior Queen Harrison will be representing the United States in Beijing, after taking second in the 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials.  She's the second Virginia Tech athlete to represent the US at the Olympics.

Congratulations, Queen!

Is Roanoke Regional Airport Saying Goodbye To Its Last Flight?

I read yesterday on Jim Duncan's blog that he had been contacted by the Business Travel Coalition, who's email stated that Charlottesville could be an endangered airport due to, among other things, rising fuel costs.

The email sent out said that Charlottesville was one of 100 regional airports that are being threatened.  "Well", I thought (and yes, I typically think with quotation marks) "Roanoke is a regional airport, could they be on that list?"

Turns out that they are, along with Alexandria, Charlottesville and Newport News.

I can't imagine that Roanoke Regional would shut down; I think it's much more likely that we're talking about reduced flight loads (which, if you've been to Roanoke Regional on a weekday afternoon it's hard to imagine even fewer flights!), but the Business Travel Coalition got my attention. 

It's all in how you spin it, I guess.

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Spidey Girl

It's officially summer now, and I'm back in my annual love affair with baseball again.  Thanks to Darla for sending this video in, although I can't believe she thinks it's actually real.  C'mon D!

Which Super Villian Are You?

I went to find out which Super Villian I was.  I don't know why - maybe there was nothing on TV and someone sent it to me?  Anyway, I'm Lex Luthor, a self-professed genius who makes his home in a flying city suspended by an airship. 

Hmm, on second thought - yea, that sounds about right.  Who are you?

You are Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor 58% Apocalypse 55% Dr. Doom 53% Juggernaut 49% Kingpin 46% Magneto 42% Venom 40% Green Goblin 37% Dark Phoenix 37% The Joker 36% Riddler 30% Mystique 25% Catwoman 25% Poison Ivy 24% Mr. Freeze 23% Two-Face 13%

A brilliant businessman on a quest for world domination and the self-proclaimed greatest criminal mind of our time!

Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...

You Can Find Anything On The Internet

Thanks, Al Gore, for the Internet ... 'cause I love bubble wrap.  I could sit there and pop that stuff for hours, and now, thanks to your Internet, I can do it online.  Try out the manic mode.

Meme - Pass It On ...

I've been Meme'd again.  Jamie Geiger of Real Estate Cactus.com tagged me in a recent meme, so I thought I'd follow the directions and pass it on.  First, though, I guess I need to answer the questions. 

1. Who is your favorite musical artist? (post a YouTube video)
   
   Like everyone else on the planet I'd say my tastes run all over the place, but if there's one band - not an artist, but a band - I constantly go back to it's The Dave Matthews Band.  Here's a current favorite ...
2. 
   
3. Who is your favorite artist?
   
   This one's tough; I don't think I have a favorite artist, per se.  My wife and I will usually pick up a piece of art - a painting, a sculpture, something - from the various places we've traveled and we've got some neat items from around the world, including a painting from Italy, handcrafted items from India and China, original prints from Alaska and Hawaii ... but two of my favorites might be two prints by an artist in Charleston SC.  We THINK his name is Gary Gorvans, although we can't read his signature and it's been so long since we were there we haven't looked any further.  I love that all of these items are a constant reminder of the places we've been - well, admittedly, some of the coolest trips have been my wife's but I'm working on that passport thing.
4. Who is your favorite blogger?
   
   How can I answer this - I've got dozens of them, I wouldn't even know where to begin!  I'm going to leave someone out, so I'll defer ... but if you love a good storyteller and are interested in Chicago Real Estate, I'd check out Geno Petro.  Just sayin'.  Apologies to the dozens of others I've left off.
5. If you could meet anyone (alive or dead), who would it be and what is the most interesting thing about them?
   
   Although I guess it could be said He's alive, I'd like to meet Jesus - just two guys, sitting around, talking.  Can you imagine, meeting someone who's entire life inspired not only Christianity but several other religions as well?  If the person were living, I'd like to meet Hank Aaron.  I think the thing that's most interesting about him is the way that he carried the burden of racism on his shoulders with such dignity and class, and has remained to this day an admirable example of character.
   
   
6. What did you want to be when you grew up?
   
   A baseball player.
7. What is the most interesting piece of trivia you know?
   
   When I need to recall trivia, I can't do it.  So I'm going to go with something I saw today on Twitter, courtesy of @triviabot - about 98% of the surface of Antarctica is covered by ice that, on average, is a mile thick.
   
   
8. If you could live in any point in history what would it be and why?
   
   I'm pretty happy with this point in history, honestly.  I don't know that I'd want to trade.
   
   
9. What is the most interesting job you have ever held?
   
   Being a REALTOR(R) is a pretty cool career, I must admit, but I probably had more fun on a daily basis working in minor league baseball after college.  I did everything - sales, marketing and promotions, grass cutting, website maintenance, even washed the uniforms after the games for extra cash - and loved it.  Other than work I had no life, but it was still so much fun.  I mean, who gets paid ridiculous cash during a game to get vodka shooters for a manager who won a World Series as a player??  They call that WORK?  Don't ask, the manager shall remain nameless since I think he's still in baseball.  It was a cool job.
   

So now I guess I need to pass it on.  In the spirit of all things Meme'd (spell check doesn't like that), I hereby tag:

• Ben Martin
• Jim Duncan
• Bob Carney
• Scott Rogers
• Ines Hegedus-Garcia
• Heather Elias
• Andy Kaufman
• Candy Lynn

Hope someone will play along.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming

The Newest Cat Workout

Ever wonder how cats stay so trim?  The secret's just been released, and it's all the rage!  C'mon, watch it - you've got two minutes before that conference call you're dreading, don't you?

I, Jeremy Hart, Am A Genius

Fame and fortune are sure to follow.

My thanks to the good folks at Agent Genius for asking me to join their group as a guest writer!  Agent Genius is an industry-focused blog that talks about all kinds of topics related to real estate and the impact the industry has on both agents and consumers alike.  Why they asked me I have no idea - they probably contacted the wrong Jeremy Hart, but don't tell 'em!

Agent Genius is a great site for anyone to check out - make sure to bookmark it and check out what's happening over there, or just subscribe to the feed!

Beauty's In The Eye of the Beholder

In all likelihood you've seen a house on television and you thought "That's a really weird home!".  Well, thanks to my Twitter bud @ResPres for pointing out some of these really unusual digs ...

From Nubricks.com:

The Airplane - Late 1994, JoAnne Ussery’s intention was to find a new mobile home. Luckily for us, her brother-in-law had a brainwave experienced by all of us at one point in our lives: Why not look for a decommissioned aircraft instead and convert it into a habitable space? JoAnne did exactly that and the next year had transported an old 727 and started the renovation herself, the end result being an extremely long home boasting over 80 windows and a jacuzzi in what used to be a cockpit.

The Ship - If you head for South Bass Island in Lake Erie, Ohio you may see the ‘Ship Residence’ photographed above. This extraordinary home sits perched on the shore and is actually the front-end of what used to be The Benson Ford, a boat that was in service for 50 years on the Great Lakes after being built by Henry Ford. It was subsequently snapped up by a married couple who then had the front detached, transported 60 miles and renovated to house a family on the island.

The Water Tower - The house at the top of the tower in the above photograph was designed to disguise the huge water tank contained beneath it over 80 years ago. The tank itself has since been removed and the premises converted into a gorgeous home boasting 5 bedrooms and a generous 3 bathrooms. What was once an eyesore in the area or Thorpness is now a majestic home with what must be the best views for miles.

The Cave -

Just over 20 years ago, Cathy Wertz and Randy Clark purchased 45 acres of land in Bisbee, Arizona after falling in love with its natural beauty. After much deliberating they then took the most difficult route possible and decided to convert one of their newly owned cliff-sides into a home by creating a 3′000sqft cave. A habitable cave in itself isn’t that rare but just glancing at the interior tells you this must surely be one of the most luxurious around. The cave home is currently on the market at $1.95m.

The cave has its own website here.

 

The Car Ferry - After seeing various converted tugboats being used as houses, architect Olle Lundberg decided to fry a bigger fish and purchased a ferry in need of some love. After stumping up $260k for the retired vehicle carrier and transporting it from Iceland to San Fransisco he duly renovated the interior to the standard you see above and moved in with his wife. The result is a stunning, floating and unassuming duplex home.

The Missile Silo - Ed Peden was the first person to convert a missile silo into a habitable living space (something that still only a few people on earth have done since his brainwave occured in the early 80s) and when he first viewed the silo he did so using a canoe due to major flooding of the entire structure. The complex itself is huge, highlights including a 47ton door, a few 18inch thick concrete walls and a 120ft long tunnel connecting the 2 halves of the home.

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Sit Your Hiney Down And Have A Royal Flush

I love the descriptions of each picture.  When times are tough, the tough get silly.

From Jay Thompson and Agent Genius ...

My Public Admission - I'm An Addict

Have I told you about Twitter?  No?  Well, allow me to introduce myself ... my name is Jeremy, and I'm a Twitteraholic.

Several months ago there was a buzz through the online real estate community about this new online communication tool.  "Have you heard about Twitter?"  "Are you on Twitter?"  I had no idea what Twitter was, but people kept saying things like "it's microblogging", it's "text messaging over the web".  When I looked it up, I saw no immediate use for it - post what you're doing online for people to see, ask questions that people can answer ... how is this any different than anything else out there?  A friend of mine - and new Twitter user - accurately described it as a group chat, and he's partially right.  I quickly found out that Twitter was so much more.

When I created an account, I was quickly "followed" by a user here in Blacksburg with the username @TMarkiewicz (I'm sure there's a reason why we have to have the @ symbol in our names, but I don't know what it is).  @TMarkiewicz saw that I was in the same area as he was, and he followed me ... so whenever I posted something to Twitter, he saw it and could respond.  As my community of people I followed - and those that followed me - grew, the conversations expanded - if @Tmarkiewicz wasn't following the same people I was, he wouldn't see the whole conversation, just a portion.  But it also introduced him to people in my social circles, and vice versa.  You can run applications on your computer, or your phone, that tell you when people you follow post something to Twitter, and you can choose various notification options as well.  It's all very ADD-ish, and while I don't pay attention to everything everyone posts, it fits my need to multi-task.

I still wasn't seeing a business-value to Twitter though.  I was learning a lot about people around the country that I followed, though - in particular, I started to learn about them through the posts they made online.  I learned about their real estate markets, I learned about their marketing strategies, I learned about them as professionals ... and suddenly I found that it was becoming a community.  I was becoming part of a community.  And it was affecting my business in a way that I hadn't expected - I was CONSTANTLY learning something new, that I could apply to my business here, and it was making me a better professional.  All of that education, for free!  The best kind ...

Then one day, it happened.  I got a message from @TMarkiewicz that said he and his wife were going to be leaving the area, and they wanted to talk with me about possibly listing their home.  WOW ... here was this guy I'd never met who was inviting me into his home to discuss being his representative, and solely because of the relationship I'd formed with him on Twitter.  I was floored.  We talked, we negotiated, and a few weeks later we listed his home.  Suddenly, it happened again.  Another message, this time from @stuboo (don't you just love some of these names?).  This message was a little different, it said "@NRVLiving, have you ever gotten a client from Twitter?".  When I responded yes, he wrote back "would you like another one?"

Amazing.  Two clients, a buyer and a seller, both acquired through relationships formed on Twitter.  I haven't even had the chance to meet @stuboo yet, but I know a lot about him, and he about me, and we're working on crafting a search that'll help him land a home here to serve his needs for the next few years.  Awesome.

So now I'm a Twitterholic.  I don't expect that everyone will receive business-related contacts from the service, but they certainly might.  The greater value may just be in connecting us with other individuals who share similar interests, or similar geographic locations, or maybe we just like talking with each other.  We may never meet in person, but I notice when they're not online anymore.  And when I close these pieces of business, I might just send Twitter a thank you card.  Who should I address that to?

A post on customer service is forthcoming, but here's an example of  how companies are using Twitter to actually SERVE their customers better.  If you join Twitter, look me up ...

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Matt Rathbun Wants A Mac

Matt Rathbun of the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS posted on his blog today that he wants a Mac.  Actually, he's taking a jab at us Mac users, but it's pretty funny nonetheless. 

Enjoy.  Maybe we should start a fund for him?

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Dust Off The Golf Clubs

It's for a good cause.  The 3rd Annual Bob K. Memorial golf tournament will be held Saturday, May 3rd, at Auburn Hills Golf Club - just register right there on their website!  Join NRVLiving and other area businesses in supporting the youth of the Blacksburg and Christiansburg area, while having a good time playing a round at one of the coolest courses around.  Your tournament ticket includes:

• 18 holes of golf
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Tournament Polo
• Arrival gifts
• Raffle prizes, including a Caribbean Cruise, a ONE MILLION DOLLAR shot, weekend trips to Wintergreen and the North Carolina coast, tickets and more!

While you're at the range getting ready, you also want to check out oobgolf.com.  This is one of the coolest golf web sites around, and costs you nothing to use!  Just register, then track your score, handicap, all kinds of statistics, and hook up with golfers from around the world!  They just passed 30000 scores entered, and at their current rate will hit 50000 scores entered by July.  Once you join, look me up and say hello.

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How To Tell You've Pissed Off A Rocket Scientist

This has been making it's way around the Web today - I don't know if it's true or not, but Aaron sent it to me this afternoon and I had to chuckle.  Given my rant from earlier this morning, I needed it.  Enjoy.

How To Tell You've Pissed Off A Rocket Scientist

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A Twist On Outdoor Living ...

A Virginia Tech fraternity takes outdoor living to another level ...

April Fools' Day Stories

It's the day before April 1, April Fools' Day.  I thought I'd share some April Fools' stories from across the web - because it's the Internet, and because it's April Fools' Day, there's no telling whether they're completely true or not.  Nevertheless, they're still funny:

• In 1998, Burger King published a full-page advertisement in USA Today announcing the introduction of the "Left-Handed Whopper," specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans.  According to the advertisement, the new burger included the same ingredients as the original, but the condiments were rotated 180 degrees.  The chain said it received thousands of requests for the new burger, as well as orders for the original "right-handed" version.
• On April 1, 1976, noted British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on the radio that at 9:47 am, a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event would occur.  He stated that Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, causing a gravitational alignment that would reduce the Earth's gravity.  Moore told listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment of the planetary alignment, they would experience a "strange floating sensation."  Hundreds of people called in to report feeling the sensation.
• In 1996, fast food chain Taco Bell announced that it had bought Philadelphia's Liberty Bell, our historic symbol of independence, from the federal government and was renaming it the "Taco Liberty Bell."  Outraged citizens called to express their anger before Taco Bell revealed the hoax.  The White House press secretary at the time, Mike McCurry, was asked about the sale, and he said the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., had also been sold and was to be renamed the "Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial" after the auto maker.
• In the movie National Lampoon's Vacation, there is a scene in which Chevy Chase ties a dog to the bumper of his car, then forgets it's there and drives away.  Inspired by this scene, Paul Goobie tied a dead chihuahua to the bumper of his co-worker's car.  The co-worker, Kevin Meloy, got in the car and drove off, unaware that the chihuahua was there.  Obviously, passing motorists were horrified.  But what made the situation even worse was that Meloy was deaf, so he couldn't hear the other motorists frantically honking at him.  Happily he drove on for miles until finally someone was able to get his attention.  The police were not amused by the prank, and charged Goobie with unlawful disposal of a dead animal.
• In 1992, National Public Radio announced that Richard Nixon was running for president again.  His new campaign slogan was, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again."  They even had clips of Nixon announcing his candidacy.  Listeners flooded the show with calls expressing their outrage.  Nixon's voice actually turned out to be that of impersonator Rich Little.
• Glenn Howlett's colleagues at London City Hall thought they had dreamed up a great gag.  They sent him a memo informing him that the really big report he was working on was going to be due early, in just two weeks.  The tip-off was that the memo was dated April 1.  Ha Ha.  Except Howlett didn't realize it was just a joke.  He received the memo while on vacation and immediately cut his vacation short and phoned the office to tell everyone to start getting busy.  But as he contemplated the new deadline, he worked himself up into an increasing state of panic, until soon he began to experience heart palpitations.  Finally he collapsed from the stress and had to take leave from work.  As he was recovering, he realized it just wasn't worth risking his health to finish the report, so he filed for early retirement.  At which point someone told him the early deadline was just a joke.  He responded by suing for damages.  As a consequence of his lawsuit, City Hall banned employees from pulling any more pranks.

• And then there was this, last year, from Google about their new Google TiSP "dark porcelain" project ...
• Randy Wood's marriage was over, but apparently he was still a little bitter about the divorce.  So he decided to play a prank on his ex-wife.  He called her up and asked her to come over, telling her he had something to show her.  She drove over, only to find him hanged by a noose from a tree in the front yard.  Terrified, she immediately called 911.  Police, firefighters, and paramedics arrived, but when they went to cut Wood down, he wasn't dead.  He wasn't even hurt.  He had strung himself up to scare his ex-wife, using a lineman's harness similar to those used by utility crews.  He faced a fine of $1,000 and up to a year in jail for his prank.
• Sitra Walker was an employee at a clothing store in Columbus, Ohio.  She had only been working there for two weeks, but already she felt that she knew the manager well enough to joke around with him.  On April 1, 2003, she called him at his home and told him that armed men were robbing the store.  The manager immediately called police, who promptly dispatched four cruisers.  Minutes later Walker phoned the manager again and yelled "April Fools!"  Too late.......when the police arrived moments later, they were not amused and charged her with inducing a panic.  Walker's manager fired her.

And finally, my personal favorite:

• In 1997 an email message spread throughout the world announcing that the internet would be shut down for cleaning for twenty-four hours from March 31 until April 2. This cleaning was said to be necessary to clear out the "electronic flotsam and jetsam" that had accumulated in the network. Dead email and inactive ftp, www, and gopher sites would be purged. The cleaning would be done by "five very powerful Japanese-built multi-lingual Internet-crawling robots (Toshiba ML-2274) situated around the world." During this period, users were warned to disconnect all devices from the internet. The message supposedly originated from the "Interconnected Network Maintenance Staff, Main Branch, Massachusetts Institute of Technology." This joke was an updated version of an old joke that used to be told about the phone system. For many years, gullible phone customers had been warned that the phone systems would be cleaned on April Fool's Day. They were cautioned to place plastic bags over the ends of the phone to catch the dust that might be blown out of the phone lines during this period.

Whatever you do today, enjoy April Fools' Day!  Thanks to Darla for her help compiling the stories.  You can find more stories, and the origins of April Fools' Day, here.  Again, no telling if they're true or not! ;)

So Funny I Had To Share

I was probably a step below this kid in terms of energy when I was this age, but I'm sure I wasn't too far behind him.  Thanks to @headmutha for sharing it!

March 10, 2000

8 years ago today, she said "I Do".  Happy anniversary, honey, I love you!

We now return to regularly scheduled programming ...