Real Estate Resources

Who's kidding whom with loan approval offers?

I just don't get it. Every day I get email messages with nonsensical subjects and when I bother to delve inside, find messages like this:... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 10:59:03 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/whos_kidding_whom_with_loan_approval_offers-953.html

Bad credit and applying for a home mortgage loan online?

So, you've found the perfect home. You've already decided where to place each piece of your furniture inside the home, and in your mind, all of your family photographs are hanging alongside the stairwell. But wait-do you know that even if you believe that your credit report is spotless, it could negatively affect your chances of getting that home mortgage approval? The credit bureaus handle hundreds of thousands of credit reports, and it's only logical that they will make mistakes.... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 10:47:03 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/bad_credit_and_applying_for_a_home_mortgage_loan_online-1391.html

Bank One Merges with Chase: How are you affected?

Dear Valued Bank One Customer: By now you've heard the exciting news. Bank One and Chase have joined forces. As a result of this merger, your credit card information will now be sent to you under the Chase name. The good news is all the card benefits you've come to rely on from Bank One are still there. In addition, your account number, recurring bill payments and scheduled account payments will all remain unchanged. But it gets better. At Chase,... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 10:33:03 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/bank_one_merges_with_chase_how_are_you_affected-1375.html

Free Credit Report? Not likely...

Many people may still not be aware of an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that Congress passed last year. This amendment allows U.S. citizens to receive a copy of their credit report, for free, once per year. The plan is being rolled out slowly in order to avoid swamping the system, but people living in the West and Midwest can receive their credit reports now, and everyone will be able to obtain a free credit report by... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 10:19:01 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/free_credit_report_not_likely-1360.html

Bad, Credit, Student, Loans - Disjointed They Don't Make Sense - Join Them and See the Possibilities

The day you stop learning is the day when you start decreasing your rewards. Learning is a constructive effort - who knows it better than student. A student is a 'learner' himself. There is no terminal point to the potential of a student. Abridgement of finances is the last thing that must cast a shadow on your plans. It will be like an opportunity wasted for no fault of yours. It is just the beginning of your life being a... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 10:13:01 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/bad_credit_student_loans_disjointed_they_dont_make_sense_join_them_and_see_the_possibilities-1319.html

Rebuild your credit history with a prepaid debit card

Consumers today are up to their eyeballs in debt. And many people don't realize it until their good credit has been devastated. As a result, many credit repair agencies are popping up all over the internet, on television and in the newspapers making sweeping guarantees that they can erase your bad credit and remove bankruptcies, judgments, liens, and bad loans from your credit history - forever! Consumers are flocking to these credit repair clinics in droves. However, estimates show that... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 10:06:01 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/rebuild_your_credit_history_with_a_prepaid_debit_card-1301.html

Lock In Low Student Loan Interest Rates Today

The Washington Post [sub required] has an excellent article on how students should be locking in low interest rates before they go up. Here's the start of the pieceStudents Can Lock In Low Loan RatesBy Albert B. Crenshaw The Federal Reserve Board has been ratcheting up short-term interest rates lately, but thanks to the federal regulations, government-guaranteed student loans remain in a low-rate time warp. The rates most student borrowers pay are still based on three-month Treasury bill rates from... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 9:53:01 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/lock_in_low_student_loan_interest_rates_today-1286.html

Figuring out those darn finance charges

Have you ever looked at your credit card statement? I'm not talking about just making sure that all the transactions are correct. I'm talking about looking at the finance charges. I daresay that sometimes that figure is almost as great as the minimum monthly payment you're making. After all, as long as you can keep the creditors at bay by paying the minimum, that's all you care about, right? If you agreed, I urge you to reconsider. I'm sure that... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 9:43:01 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/figuring_out_those_darn_finance_charges-1285.html

Got an idea how to reform the IRS or U.S. Tax Code?

This may come as a bit of a surprise, but the U.S. Government (if not the Internal Revenue Service) is listening and wants to receive proposals from people who have ideas about how to reform the tax code. Heck, there's even a press release and an entire Web site devoted to this topic, though I haven't seen any link from the IRS Web site. The President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform request for proposals is explained in the following:... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 9:33:01 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/got_an_idea_how_to_reform_the_irs_or_us_tax_code-1208.html

Save $30 at Amazon with an Amazon Visa!

Alright, it's yet another credit card, but if you like to compartmentalize your transactions as I do, reserving one card for all your online shopping to ensure the security of your other credit cards, the Amazon Visa is a good deal. No annual fee, approval within five minutes of your online application, and it's instantly added to your Amazon account too. Even better, sign up for an Amazon.com Visa and you'll get a $30 gift certificate that you can use... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 9:18:00 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/save_30_at_amazon_with_an_amazon_visa-1172.html

Eliminating Credit Card Debt

The overwhelming task of eliminating your debts can often seem like an uphill battle. Without the knowledge and expertise of a professional on your side, unfortunately, the odds are not in your favor. In order to reduce your debt, you have several options; however, if you want to maintain a "good credit rating", you have to pay you bills on time; anything else will cause your credit score will suffer. With that being said please consider the following:... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 9:12:00 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/eliminating_credit_card_debt-1159.html

ARMS (adjustable rate mortgages): How's Who's and Why's

If you're shopping for a mortgage, and a 6% 30-year fixed rate mortgage (FRM) isn't all that appealing (or maybe it makes your budget too tight), you should investigate adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) -- especially hybrid ARMs. You'll be in good company: some 30% of all mortgages now being made feature some form of adjustable rate feature. "But I don't like ARMs," you say. "They're confusing, and uncertain, and my payments will go up."... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 9:06:00 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/arms_adjustable_rate_mortgages_hows_whos_and_whys-1105.html

Senate Passes New Bankruptcy Legislation

from the Associated Press The Senate passed legislation Thursday making it easier for banks, retailers, credit card companies and other creditors to recoup some money they're owed by many of the 1.5 million people who file for bankruptcy every year. Eighteen Democrats and the Senate's lone independent joined Republicans in approving the bill on a 74-25 vote. It goes to the House next month and onto President Bush, who made it a priority after the GOP increased its majorities in... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 9:03:00 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/senate_passes_new_bankruptcy_legislation-1097.html

How an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) works

The borrowers interest rate is determined initially by the cost of money and the time the loan is made. Once the rate has been set, and it is tied to one of several widely recognized and published indexes , and future interest adjustments are based on the upward an downward movements of the index. An index is a statistical report that is generally reliable indicator of the approximate change in the cost of money. At the time a loan is... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:57:58 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/how_an_adjustable_rate_mortgage_arm_works-1094.html

Citibank Changes Visa/MasterCard Terms of Service

Not sure if you pay attention to the little slips of paper that credit card companies like to include in their bills (along with idiotic ads for junk that makes me think they assume I'm cheap and daft, but that's another story) but we just got a notice from Citibank that they're changing their Terms of Service, Right to Opt Out, and more... They say: "We are adding a transaction fee for purchases made in foreign currencies, and we are... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:46:58 PM
Content source: http://www.RealLifeDebt.com/blog/citibank_changes_visamastercard_terms_of_service-1066.html

Dormant

My apologies for the lack of an explanation re: the dormancy of this blog.I'm rethinking what to do with this idea, as well as Ego Orgasms and I'm not sure when I'll get back to it. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:39:57 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2005_03_01_archive.html#111167773157479712

A hospital visit

I'm heading to the Mayo Clinic's St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester later this afternoon. My motorcycle buddy Jim Douglas and I are paying a visit to Jon Harmsen who was severely injured in a cycle accident about a month ago.Jon is the son of another friend, Larry Harmsen whom I've known and gone biking with for many years. (Jim and Larry rode on the very first RJ Tour back in Nov. 200.) Jon joined us on our one-day Real Joe Motorcycle Tour that we held back in August. (No, I never wrote about it. I did take photos, but lost them in a hard drive crash.) A couple weeks later, he and his wife rear-ended a van and they've both been in the hospital since. Details and updates on CaringBridge.I may moblog some photos from the hospital. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:33:57 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_10_01_archive.html#109813155730274592

Grabbing some SOS

No, no that SOS.I mean "shot of solitude" SOS which I wrote an essay about 4 years ago (blog post is still us but not the essay.) One of my Wigley and Associates' weblog clients is Eden Prairie Police Chief Dan Carlson. Earlier this morning, he blogged a Week in Review post in which he gave a little glimpse of his activities from his personal life. It ended with a paragraph about the importance of quiet time.This week I was cramming to get our taxes done (yep, I'm a laggard) and catch up on client work. On Wed. morning, I noticed that the background tension/noise in my head was approaching apeshit levels so I took time for a 30 minute SOS walk in the Carleton College Arb just after sunrise. Ahhh. That simple break got me through two-days of tax prep and is still reverberating. I gotta remember to do it more often. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:25:56 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_10_01_archive.html#109785910987375812

Back to blogging

I started this weblog over four years ago, part of a plan to make Real Joe into a media property, on a par with other big web content sites. The dotcom collapse took care of that, as well as my own naivete about what was required to create a sustainable online content business.I can't say I'm any smarter about the latter. But after a four-month hiatus, I've discovered that I miss blogging for Real Joe. Something about the regular discipline of reflecting about what's going on in my life and the cultural sea I swim in... and getting some feedback from other guys who are doing likewise.I just ordered Real Live Preacher's new book that's based on his blog, supplemented with some essays. I'd like to do that someday. But in the meantime, I'll just blog for myself and a small audience of family, friends, colleagues, and a few strangers. How often? I don't know. My self-employed income is as tenuous as ever, so I can't devote much time here. I'm aiming for shorter, more frequent posts.I hope to have a meeting in another week or so with two guys I know who are bloggers. We plan to brainstorm on ways that we might collaborate on a blog. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:20:56 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_10_01_archive.html#109784442037693222

The self-employed life

I'm in Duluth for the US round of the World Trials Championship, taking photos and blogging for the organizers. I did this two years ago but this time it's a paid gig for my Wigley and Associates business -- the first time that a recreational hobby of mine has been a business revenue-producer and business expense-taker instead of a drain on the family budget. Which helps on the home front, minor though it is.I'm increasingly liking the self-employed life, and if I can get my book Small Business Blogging done by the end of the summer, I'm guessing I'll like it even more. My big challenge now is being organized and self-disciplined enough so that I get enough billable hours each month and enough book-writing time in each day. I can't really afford taking a vacation because of the hit in billable hours I'd take. So either I get way ahead of the game by accumulating more billable hours than normal (it's surprisingly hard to get more than 20 per week). Or I get a book published and generate recurring revenue from it. I like the latter option. And if I can pull it off in the business blogging world, then I'll be better equipped to try and pull it off in a Real Joe-related endeavor, like my stalled Ego Orgasms book. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:17:56 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_06_01_archive.html#108636266362892844

Revving up for a sperm count check

Ever had your sperm count checked? I did, waaaay back 29 years ago or so when we were trying to get pregnant the first time. We tried the Symptothermal Method to no avail and the next step was for me to get checked out. I don't exactly remember the instructions the doctor's office gave me but I recalled the scene when I read Stuart Green's Sex and the Married Man column in this month's issue of The Rake. His buddy's wife had a fit when she found out he used a 'dirty' magazine provided by the fertility clinic to help him do what needed to be done to make the required deposit. Lucky for me, my newly wedded wife had no such hang-ups. As I headed out the door with a, um, glossy magazine tucked into my coat, she sent me off with a with a "Hey, have fun!" smirk and a smooch. It never occurred to me to thank her for not going ballistic. Maybe I'll do that today. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:10:55 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_06_01_archive.html#108610211239144707

The problem of success

Real Live Preacher, anonymous for 18 months, announced his true identity this week: Gordon Atkinson, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas.But the bigger revelation to me was that last week he announced he was cutting way back on his blog. He's got a huge (by my standards) following: 1500 readers per day. And yet this has become a problem for him.Right now I find that I am a little too concerned with the comments and the whole "blog thing," whatever that is. Try to imagine that you are a regular guy who suddenly finds all these people having such strong reactions to your writing. Honestly, what would you make of it? I'm still trying to sort out how I feel about all this. Pride is always a danger, of course, but right now pride is not the problem. For some reason obsession, fear and depression are the wolves at my door. I have no idea why this is. It's one of the things I want to know about myself. Also - and I'll say this simply and leave it at that - my wife needs me right now. And I need her. Blogging can take over your life if you're not careful. I want to be careful and not let that happen.The past couple of weeks I've had my civic hat on quite a bit in my hometown of Northfield, moderating an online forum on local issues, taking photos of community events, blogging, etc. It's satisfying because I'm making a contribution to the civic health of the town and of course, I get occasional kudos. But it also connects me to townsfolk and as a bit of introvert, I like the way it happens.So while I have pangs about neglecting Real Joe, and would like to have Atkinson's traffic problem, I'm aware of what I could lose if "success" in its typical trappings came knocking on my door. My civic hat is one that would likely be tossed aside. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:06:55 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_05_01_archive.html#108610134072654026

Smile trigger redux

I competed in the first observed trials event of our club's season over the weekend... and I finished both days, the first time since last July when a small plague of miscellaneous aches and injuries descended upon my not-yet-geezerly-by-god body. I rode better than I expected, in part due to the gem of a motorcycle I was on. But I actually tried out my Malcom Smith/Phil Mickelson smiling strategy just about every time I got on the bike to ride a section or to ride between sections. I rode more relaxed than usual and I had waaaaay more fun than usual. My concentration still sucked at times. Radical thought: Maybe next time I'll even try it while I'm in section, like Malcolm.I think I'm onto something here. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 8:03:54 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_04_01_archive.html#108307678855410047

Random dreams and false prayers

Last Thursday morning, I woke up after having a very vivid dream that Dru Sjodin's body had been found. It was so startlingly real that I immediately wondered if I'd read about it online the night before... or if I was having one of those experiences where one's dream foretells an event that actually happens. My son Tyson had a dream that he was in a car accident only a few minutes before the van he was in was hit head-on by a drunk driver. Sjodin's body was found on Saturday. I told this to my mathematician buddy Bruce Morlan, wondering whether this might make me a minor league clairvoyant. He said I'd need to know a few more details and kindly blogged the details: - Those who dream of an event and the event happens - Those who do not dream of an event and the event happens - Those who dream of an event and the event does not happen - Those who do not dream of an event and the event does not happen He put it in terms of dreaming of tornadoes: "To scientifically determine if our dreams are predictive, we would have to deliberately collect all four of the numbers shown, particularly annoying would be finding out the true number of people who dreamt of tornadoes that did not happen, only slightly less annoying would be trying to collect the number of people who dreamt of things other than tornadoes when tornadoes did occur."It occurred to me that the same could be said of people who pray for future events, like the safe return of Sjodin. If she'd been found alive, there would have been a torrent of media quotes about how it was a miracle, that God answered the prayers of the millions who were praying for her safe return since the day of her dramatic abduction and the nationwide news coverage of it.As I read some of the stories of families receiving the bodies of troops killed in Iraq, no mention is ever made of prayers or God. Yet surely most of these people prayed diligently for the safe return of their loved ones. And just as surely, many of them are now having a crisis of faith because of their lack of understanding of the differences between false prayer and true prayer.What's also puzzling is how supposedly enlighened members of the clergy are generally silent on these kinds of intercessionary prayers. Jesus wasn't hesitant to criticize the way some people prayed, but it's apparently politically incorrect to tell people that prayers for future events are not only mistaken from a statistical point of view (as goofy as believing that dreams predict the future) but potentially harmful to their relationship with their God/higher power. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 7:48:54 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_04_01_archive.html#108306552485508428

Sweating a return

Yesterday I was standing at the return counter at Best Buy and the guy examining the digital camera I was bringing back on the exact 14th day since I bought it looks up and says to me, "You're a couple weeks past the return date. We have a 14 day return policy."I tell him that the first camera I bought was a month ago, but I brought that one back and got this one instead... 14 days ago. He patiently explains that their policy applies to when the first camera was purchased. Basically, I'm fucked.My dad had a tough time returning stuff for credit or exchange. I have a vivid memory of him trying to return a Skill saw to a hardware store -- I must have been around ten. He ended up screaming and swearing at the store manager. I thought he was going to punch him. So I've inherited the problem though I don't quite get what the mistaken thinking is. As I stand at the counter, I feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead. It's as if I've been asked to give an impromptu speech in front of a thousand people. My body's reading some goofy signal from my brain that this is a life or death, fight or flight situation. I don't quite have my dad's temper so my inclination is to walk away. Then it occurs to me that I'll have to face my wife when I get home. She's the queen of merchandise returns and seems to actually enjoy the negotiations when things get sticky. She'll be privately aghast at my weak-kneed behavior, and although she's sensitive enough to not berate me for it, she will be upset. So I pause and it then occurs to me to make an offer. "How about I get another camera and keep that one instead of returning this one for credit?" He goes off to check with his supervisor and comes back with an approval but they'll have to charge me a 15% restocking fee. A seasoned negotiator would have argued to have that fee waived since the repackaging I did was flawless. But not me. I'm just relieved. I'm now the proud owner of a Canon PowerShot A70.Looking back on it now, I'm still not sure what goes on in my head in situations like that. It must be a fear of being a wimp, being taken advantage of, bullied -- the legacy of my bullying father who had no reluctance in expressing his disdain anytime he saw a hint of Momma's boy behavior in me.I tell myself now that it's time to shelve that reaction. Next time, I'll take a deep breath and see it as a dance of sorts, a chance to get better at negotiating, a challenge not unlike climbing a wall. The idea is to not so much as to emerge victorious over someone but to create a win-win situation -- a business lingo phrase I hate but I don't know what else to call it. I'm sort of picturing it now in my mind's eye. We'll see if I can pull it off. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 7:40:54 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_04_01_archive.html#108307285719766502

A smile trigger

I watched the final round of the Masters last weekend and couldn't help but notice how Phil Mickelson kept smiling. It wasn't just after a good shot, either. He often kept a smile on his face the entire time while walking to his next shot.(Photo not from the Masters in Augusta.)It made me wonder whether this was a strategy suggested by his sports psychologist, one designed to help him stay relaxed in a high-choke situation. His smile in the midst of intense competition reminded me of legendary dirt biker Malcolm Smith, whose prowess in a variety of motorcycle events and ever-present grin were chronicled in the all-time classic motorcycle movie, On Any Sunday.There is research demonstrating that by deliberately smiling -- putting your facial muscles in a grin position -- you can often trigger feelings of happiness, assuming, of course, that your intent is sincere. Smiles, like tears, can be associated with a wide range of emotions. So while I've not yet tried it in any athletic competition, I've been trying to trigger a smile whenever I'm aware that my head chatter has drifted into fretting or worrying about something in the future. It's a step beyond Eckhart Tolle's observation: "One day you may catch yourself smiling at the voice in your head, as you would smile at the antics of a child. This means that you no longer take the content of your mind all that seriously, as your sense of self does not depend on it."Rather than waiting for my silent watcher to trigger this internal smile -- which typically doesn't happen but once in a while -- I'm skipping right to the smile. The result is a pleasant little rush, most often flavored with some gratitude. Example: Sonuvabitch, I forgot I have to do X for client Y. But I have to also get the fricking Z done and then... Oh, I'm fretting. [Forced Smile] I love my work. And I'm lucky to have a lot of interesting shit going on in my life right now instead of being bored or depressed. So I'll get to those to-dos when I get to them but for right now, I'm just going enjoy the taste and warmth of this cup of coffee. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 7:29:54 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_04_01_archive.html#108306980984031883

One Nation, Enriched by Biblical Wisdom

David Brooks is turning out to be one of my favorite columnists. His column on the Pledge of Allegiance One Nation, Enriched by Biblical Wisdom is but one example: The lesson I draw from all this is that prayer should not be permitted in public schools, but maybe theology should be mandatory. Students should be introduced to the prophets, to the Old and New Testaments, to the Koran, to a few of the commentators who argue about these texts. From this perspective, what gets recited in the pledge is the least important issue before us. Understanding what the phrase "one nation under God" might mean �?" that's the important thing. That's not proselytizing; it's citizenship. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 7:21:54 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_03_01_archive.html#108306742418489130

Soft-core spirituality vs. The Perennial Philosophy

I enjoyed Mitch Albom's first book, Tuesdays With Morrie. But a few months ago, halfway through his second, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, I gave up and returned it to the library. I couldn't quite put my finger on what bothered my about it or why it didn't grab me like his first.Now I know why, after reading this David Brook's opinion piece in last week's NYT: Hooked on Heaven LiteAll societies construct their own images of heaven. Most imagine a wondrous city or a verdant garden where human beings come face to face with God. But the heaven that is apparently popular with readers these days is nothing more than an excellent therapy session. In Albom's book, God, to the extent that he exists there, is sort of a genial Dr. Phil. When you go to his heaven, friends and helpers come and tell you how innately wonderful you are. They help you reach closure. In this heaven, God and his glory are not the center of attention. It's all about you. "Plagued by anxiety, depression, vague discontents, a sense of inner emptiness, the 'psychological man' of the 20th century seeks neither individual self-aggrandizement nor spiritual transcendence but peace of mind, under conditions that increasingly militate against it," Christopher Lasch wrote in "The Culture of Narcissism." Lasch went on to call the therapeutic mentality an anti-religion that tries to liberate people from the idea that they should submit to a higher authority, so they can focus more obsessively on their own emotional needs. I'm drawn to the Perennial Philosophy, popularized by Aldous Huxley in his book The Perennial Philosophy. I've not read the book but keep coming across references to it by authors who interest me, including one of my favorites, Timothy Miller, in his book How to Want What You Have. Huxley summarizes the fundamental doctrines common to the world religions in his introduction to the book Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of God: First: the phenomenal world of matter and of individualized consciousness -- the world of things and animals and men and even gods -- is the manifestation of a Divine Ground within which all partial realities have their being, and apart from which they would be non-existent. Second: human Beings are capable not merely of knowing about the Divine Ground by inference; they can also realize its existence by a direct intuition, superior to discursive reasoning. This immediate knowledge unites the knower with that which is known. Third: man possesses a double nature, a phenomenal ego and an eternal Self, which is the inner man, the spirit, the spark of divinity within the soul. It is possible foe a man, if he so desires, to identify himself with the spirit and therefore with the Divine ground, which is of the same or like nature with the spirit. Fourth: man's life on earth has only one end and purpose: to identify himself with his eternal Self and so to come to unitive knowledge of the Divine Ground. More to come, including a long quote that Miller uses in his book from This Is It: and Other Essays on Zen and Spiritual Experience by Alan W. Watts. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 7:10:53 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_03_01_archive.html#107928183221645856

Belated 30th

We finally got away for our 30th wedding anniversary last weekend -- a mere two months late. We went to our current nearby favorite bed and breakfast, the Thorwood Inn in Hastings and stayed in a room called the Annie Laurie, one of many with both a fireplace and whirpool a few feet from one another. As we luxuriate in a B&B like this one, one of us usually says something to the effect of, "Gee, wouldn't it be great to have a bedroom like this at home -- or at least a working fireplace and a hot tub in the backyard?" And it would be great, of course, but I can't help but think that, like every other luxury in life, we'd soon take it for granted and it would lose much of its special appeal. And getting away from the house, especially when the honeydolist is seriously lengthening and the dust bunnies madly procreating, is one of main advantages of a romantic getaway.So for now, I'll just consider us damn lucky to be able to afford a night away once in a while. And even more lucky that we're still having romantic fun at this advanced age. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 6:56:53 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_03_01_archive.html#107884982504725835

Confidence

I've started reading a self-hypnosis book. I suggested to Robbie a couple of weeks ago that she might try hypnosis as another tool for dealing with her severe tinnitus. It turns out that one of the authors, Kevin Hogan, lives in nearby Eagan where I grew up and has a whole book and a section of his website devoted to tinnitus, which he suffers from, too. She's trying to get into see him.The book, Through the Open Door: Secrets of Self Hypnosis, is a how-to for a number of problems typically treated by hypnosis, including weight problems, smoking, lack of exercise, and miscellaneous phobias. It's a little too filled with hype lingo for my taste, as evidenced by the number exclamation points!!! But they deal with a few more generic problems, and two caught my eye: procrastination and self-confidence. I've realized that my self-confidence often goes out the window whenever I'm competing in sports against someone who's at or above my ability level. There are other times, too - some public-speaking situations, some business meetings. Their description of a self-hypnotic technique has some appeal, ie, easy to learn and devoid of new-agey lingo. I started practicing it yesterday and as soon as my fucking back allows me to start playing racquetball again, I'll try it. I may take a whack at the procrastination technique, too, as soon as I get a Round Tuit. more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 6:42:50 PM
Content source: http://realjoe.com/2004_03_01_archive.html#107884888156064695

Weichert Realtors - Sponsored Link

Ad - http://www.weichert.com Jun 7 2005 11:01PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 6:38:50 PM
Content source: http://context4.kanoodle.com/cgi-bin/rss_query_image.cgi?a=click&bid_id=84822636&clickid=81119244&cgroup=Realestatenews&query=real%20estate&ts=ad20050607120000

JMB Realty selling Ritz-Carlton Chicago hotel

ChicagoBusiness.com Jun 7 2005 11:01PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 6:24:50 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332186150

2nd HSBC Amanah real estate fund launched

Gulf Times Jun 7 2005 10:58PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 6:21:50 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332184740

Norwegian real estate millions into restad

Copenhagen Capacity Jun 7 2005 10:18PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 6:18:50 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332168419

Another Buyout in REIT Sector

TheStreet.com Jun 7 2005 9:18PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 6:08:50 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332144921

BPB and Hammerson set to rejoin FTSE

Reuters UK Jun 7 2005 7:14PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 5:59:49 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332095191

Getting real estate

CBS MarketWatch Jun 7 2005 6:34PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 5:45:49 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332080022

China to improve real estate statistics

Peoples Daily Online Jun 7 2005 6:22PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 5:42:48 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332075402

Nest Seekers International Closes $450 Million in Transactions First Half 2005; New York City Real Estate Firm

Business Wire UK Jun 7 2005 6:14PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 5:28:48 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332072382

Land Securities finance director off to Rentokil

The Times Jun 7 2005 6:07PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 5:21:48 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332069776

Homeowners $20,000 a year richer - on paper

The New Zealand Herald Jun 7 2005 5:49PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 5:13:48 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332061985

Arden Realty, Inc. Announces Presentation and Live Audio-Webcast from NAREIT'S 2005 INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR FOR

Business Wire UK Jun 7 2005 5:42PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 5:06:48 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332059242

Dailey Joins Opus Northwest, L.L.C. as Manager of Real Estate Development

Business Wire UK Jun 7 2005 4:57PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:59:47 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332041487

Land Securities finance director off to Rentokil

The Times Jun 7 2005 4:36PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:48:46 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332033473

Toronto Real Estate Board's Realtor Quest Conference

Investors Business Daily Jun 7 2005 4:09PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:38:45 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332022565

Gables REIT sold to ING Clarion for $2.8 billion

CBS Marketwatch Jun 7 2005 3:38PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:29:43 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332009784

Expense Management Solutions Appoints Industry Veteran Marc Rosenthal as Director of Corporate Real Estate Ser

Business Wire UK Jun 7 2005 3:28PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:23:43 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r332005434

Sarofim Realty Advisors Buys Bristol Center

dBusinessNews.com Jun 7 2005 2:28PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:18:42 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331981954

Virginia Real Estate Team Builds Relationships with More Than 10,000 Prospective Buyers and Sellers

Business Wire UK Jun 7 2005 1:28PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:12:41 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331959253

New Homeowner Finds Long-Lost Wedding Ring

AP via Los Angeles Times Jun 7 2005 1:15PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:07:41 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331954089

New homeowner finds long-lost wedding ring

Miami Herald Jun 7 2005 12:16PM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 4:01:41 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331931691

China to improve real estate statistics

Xinhua News Agency Jun 7 2005 10:08AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 3:49:40 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331881294

Test finds racial bias in nearly half of Westchester real estate agencies

AP via Newsday Jun 7 2005 8:06AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 3:46:40 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331837341

Berkshire Income Realty is Winning Bidder for 210 Unit Multifamily Apartment Community in Charlotte, North Car

dBusinessNews.com Jun 7 2005 8:05AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 3:41:39 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331836615

Tests find racial bias at real estate agencies in NYC's northern suburbs

Houston Chronicle Jun 7 2005 7:47AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 3:38:39 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331829960

LIC invests Rs 100 cr in HDFC realty fund

Business Standard India Jun 7 2005 5:56AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 3:34:38 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331792339

Land Securities finance director off to Rentokil

The Times Jun 7 2005 5:50AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 3:21:38 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331790795

Target: Real estate fees

CBS Marketwatch Jun 7 2005 5:35AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 3:09:38 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331785274

Net Sense: Can the Net cut your real estate fees?

CBS Marketwatch Jun 7 2005 5:28AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 2:55:37 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331782846

Can the Net cut your real estate fees?

CBS Marketwatch Jun 7 2005 5:07AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 2:45:37 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331775201

Homeowners Shop 'Till They Drop -- as Long as Home Improvement Retailers Offer Product Availability, Economy a

dBusinessNews.com Jun 7 2005 4:13AM GMT more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 2:38:36 PM
Content source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r331756606

Post office move clears way for St. Paul redevelopment

Curt Brown Star Tribune Published June 7, 2005 The U.S. Postal Service submitted its own change-of-address form Monday, saying it will move more than 1,100 workers from its outdated downtown St. Paul headquarters to Eagan in 2009. St. Paul officials were elated, saying the move will open up 12 pivotal acres for riverfront redevelopment and more than offset the loss of jobs. Transportation planners predict the decision will help rekindle the once-bustling St. Paul train depot adjacent to the downtown... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 2:31:35 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000101.php

Wireless Stock Quotes

I developed a new website which delivers weather warnings and stock quotes to your cell phone. The service is free. You can also get the quotes and weather updates delivered to your email address. To get them sent to your cellphone you'll need to know the email address for your cell phone. For example, for tmobile users your email address would be: your_cell_phone_number@tmomail.net I don't think it costs you anything from your cell phone provider, but you might want to... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 2:19:34 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000100.php

East Lake launches new brand: Midtown

Nicole Garrison-Sprenger Staff writer During its 84 years in business, Julie Ingebretsen's family has watched sweeping changes along East Lake Street, where Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts & Foods operates. The Minneapolis retail strip, where immigrants have long planted roots with family businesses, still boasts entrepreneurial pride. But it's been through tough economic times and struggled with crime. That's left many Twin Citians with a bad perception of the area. East Lake has boasted good news lately, but businesses there have... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 2:04:33 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000099.php

Condos find a home out in suburbs

Long an icon of city life, condominiums are also coming to the suburbs, the stronghold of the oversize lot and the cul-de-sac. More than 4,100 condo units were planned in the Twin Cities area outside of the downtown cores as of late 2004, according to Tom O'Neil, director of market research at DSU Research Inc., equal to about 40 percent of the total. More suburban projects have been announced since then. The buildings aren't of the same scale as... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 1:58:32 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000098.php

Office Market in Recovery Mode?

Grubb & Ellis/Northco Real Estate Services has declared that the market for office space in the Twin Cities is in "full recovery mode." But with a vacancy rate of 18.3 percent, the recovery may prove to be slow and painful. Grubb & Ellis defines recovery in real estate markets in much the same way that the federal government defines recovery from a recession: two consecutive quarters of growth. But as is often the case in the rest of the economy,... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 1:53:31 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000097.php

Hot Property: Grand Central Lofts

Published May 2, 2005 Grand Central Lofts 4747 Central Av. NE. Columbia Heights Square feet: 523,000 (all phases) Units: 88 (Phase I) Type: Loft Condominiums (67 units), townhouses (21) Cost: $62 million Details: When the Kmart store in Columbia Heights closed in 2002 as part of that retailer's bankruptcy procedure, city officials decided that rather than try to find another "big box" to occupy the 12-acre parcel, they would join the trend of loft-condominium building in inner-ring Twin Cities... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 1:48:30 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000096.php

Seller beware

Twin Cities home buyers begin to gain more leverage as the housing market shows signs of cooling. BY GITA SITARAMIAH Pioneer Press Back in December, Jason Thorman put his family's spacious, 5-year-old Lakeville home on sale for $325,000. The multilevel home drew few prospective buyers as the winter months passed. Growing impatient, he dropped the listing price to $300,000, below its appraised value. But Thorman still hasn't gotten a bite. He advises other sellers not to count on a... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 1:41:30 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000095.php

Making the most of 'lifestyle housing'

Terry Fiedler Star Tribune Published April 18, 2005 Jayme Arezzo doesn't seem to have much in common with Paul Lerdal. Arezzo, 24, is at the beginning of his career, single and about to make his first real estate buy. Lerdal, 54, and his wife, Joan, are empty nesters making what they expect will be one of their last home purchases. Together, they represent what the National Association of Realtors calls "the bookends" of the resurgent demand for condominium living.... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 1:29:30 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000094.php

Hot Property: Steele Flats in Minneapolis

Published March 28, 2005 Steele Flats 4500 Chicago Av. S. Minneapolis Cost: $6 million Units: 32 Residential square footage: 55,000 Type: Condominium Owner and developer: Master Development Group Details: Master Development Group, already busy in and around Minneapolis with several condominium projects, said it has completed the land purchases for its next two efforts and will begin marketing the first of the pair in early April. The Steele Flats at 45th St. and Chicago Av. in the Field Regina... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 1:17:26 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000093.php

Joseph Errigo: Making housing tougher to afford

Joseph Errigo Published March 16, 2005 If someone told you their property taxes more than doubled in the past four years, you would think they had moved to an expensive new home in a fancy neighborhood. Most likely, though, you would be talking to one of the affordable-housing providers in Minnesota who have experienced this rate of increase on their apartment buildings. CommonBond Communities is the largest nonprofit provider of affordable housing in this state, operating almost 3,800 housing... more...

The Real Estate Resource
Originally Posted on 6/11/2005 1:09:25 PM
Content source: http://www.minnesotas-real-estate.com/blog/000092.php