Sometimes "sappy" can hit just the right note...

Got this from a friend of mine via email. Enjoy this glorious day, and I'll blog at you later this evening.

As an aside, Ryan had a great night last eve. Laura got to cradle him as the evening nurse, Christine, went through the ritual of changing and repositioning. He is handling outside stimuli so much better now. He's a good boy.

Anyway, here's the email.

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.

Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.

It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!" and, "I didn't know others liked me so much." were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Viet Nam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.

The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.

As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked She nodded: "yes." Then he said: "Mark talked about you a lot.

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

"We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it."

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had o! bviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him.

"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it."

All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home."

Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album."

"I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary."
Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: "I think we all saved our lists."

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be.

So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

If you've received this, it is because someone cares for you and it means there is probably at least someone for whom you care.

The more people that you send this to, the better ! you'll be at reaching out to those you care about

Remember, you reap what you sow. What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.

Posted by: Paul @ 11:33 AM

Touchy, touchy!! Geez, you hijack a couple of planes and butcher 3,000 innocent civilians and all of a sudden everyone loses their sense of humor. Methinks al-Qeada has seriously misjudged the finish line.

As if we needed another unscrupulous reporter saga. This comes as no surprise, as the USA Today (nicknamed the "McPaper" for its broad appeal and lack of substance) unearths another reporter who just decided to make the story up as he went. Hey, guys... try writing a novel! I've said it since the Lewinsky scandal, the best reporter in the game is Michael Isikoff, hands down. He should stop reporting and start retraining these immoral hacks who pass as journalists.

off to work....

Posted by: Paul @ 10:24 AM

The NICU is serene during the evening hours. Quite often activity is heavy during the day, and early evening before the shift change. Our schedules are a bit hectic (like the rest of the world is just sitting back and munching bon-bons!) so we have been going to the hospital after 8 PM. Lights are low, the hum of monitors and related machinery are comforting, and the nurses seem to glide about... their work never done, their spirits never down. It is, with deference to Joan Didion, as though we are "standing at the dead-still center of the universe." The neonates are hunkered down. Their beddings fresh, their numbers recorded, and another day of battling against the abyss is at hand. Ryan is in a far corner as we approach. Pulling back his fleece Isolette covering is always a breathless endeavor. Tonight he greeted us with eyes open and limbs flailing. His numbers were plenty acceptable, and they climbed higher as we caressed and whispered to him. Tammy was his caregiver this evening, and she was more than happy to incorporate our hands into the evening work-up.

I held this beautiful child through his evening feeding, and watched as he sucked his mom's pinkie finger and nodded off to sleep. Who cares about charts, numbers, beeps, read-outs or any of that "accumulated knowledge" stuff. His eyes fluttered open, and we stared at each other for what seemed like forever. As I cradled his delicate body, Tammy asked "How long would you like to hold him?" To which I replied "For the rest of my life, thank you." He looks different. He feels different. Please continue praying for him. He is already so much more than we'd ever hoped he'd be.

Rather than prattle on about real estate deals and such, I'd like to take a moment and thank a very good friend for being... well, a very good friend. We live on a quiet side street in Country Club Estates, and our yard (sort of) backs to the home of Agnes and David King. Agnes was the first voice Laura heard when arranging her interview with Volusia County Public Schools. She is the most ferociously genuine person I've met, and as close to a mother as Laura could hope for during this stressful time. Agnes has provided an emotional and administrative cover for Laura that we'll never be able to fully reciprocate. Her husband David is a man of intimidating and entirely self-motivated intellect. His duties with Amtrak as a engineer and union representative make him unfailingly detail-oriented and a pugnacious debater. I haven't been able to spend nearly enough time around him, despite our proximity. This has always bothered me, but time management has never been my strong suit. When we first purchased our home, I had many grand plans for the rehab. Without so much as a "let me check my schedule," David offered to assist in laying out a pattern for our tile floor in the foyer and kitchen. Before long, he decided that doing the job would save explaining the intricacies of flooring installation to a balloon-head like me. To this day I marvel at the beauty of our kitchen tile and lament the fact that David would accept nothing more than iced tea for his efforts. It is a genteel Southern manner, a comfort with themselves and others, that makes the Kings such cherished friends.

Recently, Agnes and Dave lost a beloved neighbor who passed suddenly at age 64. Gerry Slain and his wife Bonnie live across the street from the Kings. This week, Gerry succumbed to a massive heart attack. The neighborhood is in a state of shock. Agnes has a pallor which is slow to recede, and Laura is at a loss about what to do. I suppose the answer is to keep loving those who are so important to you, and to be there for them. We were introduced to the Slains on a couple of occasions, and feel horribly for Bonnie and the entire family. Events such as these, juxtaposed with the mixture of fear and joy we feel at every turn with Ryan, make us cleave that much more tightly to those who have given so freely of their time and affection.

We love you, Agnes and Dave. We love you, Ryan.

Posted by: Paul @ 2:45 AM

Just wanted to share an inspiring article published in the Washington Times, by our formidable Vice President. Controlled fury, that's going to be the motis operandi for the Bush Administration. It's about time.

Also, a quick update on a certain film that was thought to be "unmarketable."
Hollywood kinda misjudged the finish line on that one, eh? That's alright, we'll just wait for "Fast and the Furious XVI."

'til later

Posted by: Paul @ 9:48 AM

Laura called me as she left the hospital this evening. Her voice was tremulous with excitement while describing the priceless moments spent with our son. She inserted a pinkie finger as he fed. Ryan went to town on that digit, and plowed through his evening milk. Mother read a story to him, and got a bit weepy in the process. To be fair, I glanced at this short story and it's a tear-jerker.

His oxygen is being weaned, and he seems to be handling the load. Liver, kidneys, heart and lungs are developing quite superbly. He reached a portly 1049 grams before leveling off and giving back a smidge. That's alright, as slow, steady gains are what the docs are after. We really weren't dreaming about the call from the neurologist on Tuesday. His brain bleeds are indeed making strides toward resolving. It's all very clinical, but what we are seeing is our son. We are witnessing at close range the nascent stages of not only his physical being, but his character development. At times we are unable to fully focus on the brilliance of what we are witnessing; like staring at the sun for too long, there are consequences. We want him so badly, that we must come on bended knee to God and ask for the yearning to subside... if only for a moment. By God's grace, nothing more or less, will he be delivered to us. And that, my friends, will be one fine day.

It looks as though we may have found a purchaser for some of the land we're offering in DeLeon Springs. I will upload some photos in the AM, as this is a great place and an excellent investment. The good thing about this is that the buyer is a gentleman who felt the need to withhold a commission I'd earned for the conveyance of a very small parcel of land. Now he must come to me, hat in hand, so that I may facilitate this transaction. As Leslie Nelson said so eloquently in Naked Gun 33 1/3, "sometimes irony can be pretty ironic." After the purchase of 20 acres, we'll still have a nice ranch home with a pool on 12.25 ac to sell to someone with a bit of vision. Asking price is $449,000, and it's a deal considering the land has a rental home, and a 3000 square foot workshop. I'd like to get this done, as well as the land on Retta Street. Again, will upload some shots which will give you an idea of what is there. Almost 10 acres, favorable zoning, and strong location for a commute to just about anywhere.

I'm going to crash, as these hours are killing me. Labor of love, baby. Speaking of love... love you my baby boy!

Posted by: Paul @ 12:00 AM

Quick post to reinforce something I mentioned last night in the blog. The "economy is sputtering" nonsense being peddled right now... is bogus. We live in the land of plenty. I'm a believer.

Now let's hit the ground runnin'!

Posted by: Paul @ 8:45 AM

The difficulty one encounters when floating above the earth is what shoes to wear. Seriously, you can't just pull on a pair of loafers and hover. Sandals are no good either, and velcro just looks dorky. Ah, who cares... we're walkin' on air! Ryan had one of those days today. He is now taking 5 cc's of momma's elixir every 3 hours. His oxygen levels have taken a prodigious leap in a scant 24 hours. Yesterday his intake was around 40% (room air is 21%.) We did a double-take when first encountering his monitor this evening... 24%, and he was processing almost 100% of that number. We thanked God on the spot, and spent the remainder of our time marveling at his efforts and softly uttering words of boundless love for our newborn son. "You're such a good boy, Ryan." seemed to tumble incessantly from both our lips. His color is good, his eyes are pleading, and his fingers grasp with all their tiny might. He even went to town on his first pacifier, and Vicky (one of his lifesaving nurses, and a dear heart if ever there was one) snapped Polaroids of his performance. No words can describe our elation at this turn of events. He is without flaw. He is our son. Please continue to pray for him.

Laura is back to work full-time. Her adjustment to the rigors of work seems to be initially acceptable. It helps that the support from her schools and administration has been otherworldly. We are in exactly the right spot, experiencing life with exactly the right people. Which brings me to my next point... the right place.

DeLand is THE spot to live. So much is happening here, it's a heart-pounding pace. The land deal is completely ratified, and the clock is ticking on discovery and eventual settlement. The weight of this opportunity has yet to completely sink in, because quite frankly other things have interested me far more than real estate acquisitions.

This lake view home will be gone by the weekend. Winnemissett is a gorgeous ski lake at the northeastern end of DeLand. It's located a couple of minutes from I-4, and the water is to-die-for blue. Everyone wants the chance to live around this lake. There are also a couple of larger lots available in the vicinity for a reasonable price. I've heard 2.5 acres in the $120s. Not bad for that kind of lake access.

Talk about smokin'! There are now 25 properties under "pending" or contractual status in my market area. That's a market area of about 2 square miles, where the average home value is in excess of $175,000. The notion that the economy is somehow in the doldrums is nonsense. Looking at Greenspan's comments, worker productivity is through the roof, which eventually will top out and require new hires. Rates are low, and consumer confidence is up. Now, if we can just dispel the revisionist history that drilling for oil in the God-forsaken wilderness known to activists as ANWR, we can tell the Saudis to pound sand. Get it? Sand?!

There are still good values in Bent Oaks, Crystal Cove, and Long Leaf Plantation.

Some notes of interest. The owners of this newly listed home on McGregor Road have re-entered this place we call Earth, and adjusted the list price $30,000 after only a few days on the market. The first 30 was easy. It's that last $150k that will be a bit painful. Seriously, it's a great home in a great location. There's simply nothing to justify the asking price. The McGregor corridor will eventually be a $175+/sq ft corridor, but not yet. I've been wrong before, and there are a bunch of home owners in South DeLand that hope I'm wrong again. We'll see.

My radar has been pretty spot-on of late. Remember this one in Long Leaf? I gave it about 30 days. It's gone in 33. Predicted another Long Leaf peach wouldn't crack the 30 day barrier, and it's vapor in a paltry three weeks. Finally, I howled about this deal in Crystal Cove. Well, that took all of two weeks to be scooped up by a savvy buyer. The deals are out there, my friends. You just need to make the right phone call, score the right connection. Try this one for starters... (386) 848-PAUL.

Got to get some shut eye. To much to be thankful for, I shouldn't pray with tired eyes and tired hands. Love you, Ryan.

Posted by: Paul @ 12:04 AM

Rain always brings a fresh perspective. It is the Deity's version of "lather, rinse, repeat." Florida storms are so exuberant, they leave it all out on the field. Tonight we're having a rather subdued, but necessary soaking. The dry season is still upon us, and my yard has problems stemming from recent tree and shrub removal which has damaged the sprinkler system. I can repair it, if a SINGLE free day would present itself. In the interim, the plantings we have look like they belong in front of Dr. Klopek's home (sorry for the cross-reference to an old Tom Hanks movie "The 'Burbs.") Tomorrow we have some work being done on the exterior of our home, and it is none too soon. Laura is now back to work full-time, and my day is stem to stern with clients and prospecting. Being an independent contractor is hazardous work. There is no net, so one must keep one's wits about.......... one. One more sentence like that, and the blogosphere may ask for my resignation.

Amazing night with Ryan. Laura and I didn't connect until 6 PM, and after a heart-warming visit with our dearest friends Jim and Susie Timko (we dropped a belated birthday gift to their eight-year old pixie, Hannah... what a cutie pie!) it was off to the NICU. On the way I began having thoughts of how eight to twelve more weeks of this back-and-forth would take its toll. Such thoughts make me feel like a complete heel, because Ryan is the one doing all of the work. I've just got to drive down and reconfirm how much he has stolen my heart. Tonight felt blah on the way to Florida South. I feel like we're in the way, and that he needs as little excess stimuli as possible. His nurse this evening was Margaret, a take-no-crap pro who has forgotten more about premies than I will ever possibly know. She greeted us, and began going to work on our boy. A tweak here, an adjustment there, and good grief, do we need a new diaper! As the process unfolded, our precious child opened his eyes, and kept them open for the better part of ten minutes. What began as a mundane visit evolved into an emotional donnybrook. We laughed out loud, snapped about twenty photos, cooed uncontrollably, stroked the back of his neck, watched his numbers steadily climb, and felt as though we had enjoyed our first "moment" as a family. Laura was a champ, and we left in a state of sheer elation. A quick prayer was said in the chapel, and we wafted to our car. Eventually, it was all too much for her. Tears of joy, guilt and fear mixed freely. She is without doubt the single most wonderful person I've ever encountered. I can't wait for our boy to fall asleep in her arms.

A property expired without selling in the most upscale section of Victoria Hills. It's a great home, over 2500 square feet with three fireplaces and a pool. The owners just got a bit ambitious with their asking price. Here's a couple photos to whet your appetite. I'm going after this one full-bore, because it's my mission to be the king of the South DeLand hill.

Chris Howe, a valued friend and one of the most natural and supple business minds I've encountered, is making overtures about selling his home and acquiring the property to build a monstrous 5-6 bedroom home in the South DeLand area. His home is an excellent value, boasting 2.5 acres, with 4 beds, 3 baths, and 3000 heated and cooled square feet. It should be a welcome addition to the McGregor Road real estate scene, as there is a void in truly desirable and intelligently-priced housing. Look for this home to be presented to the market in the $325-330,000 range. It should sell within 45 days of first offering. We will be pursuing an investment opportunity adjacent to Victoria Park which will shake up the vacant land market on the east side of 17-92. Exciting stuff.

Hey, congrats to Al-Qaeda on engineering an election result. Kudos must also be given to the people of Spain for having no discernible spine as a nation. Enjoy your short stint as a socialist eutopia, hombres. Appeasement has and will always be the name of the game in Old Europe. And don't worry. When you and all the other defenseless, cowering fools cry out for help, the Great Satan will be there to bail you out, again! We'll get you back on even keel, so you can then have your pathetic marches which loudly question America's motives and methods. That's alright. Those who can, can. Those who can't, demonstrate.

I feel better.

This is the greatest nation the world has ever known. As the late, great Sam Snead uttered repeatedly "If you live anywhere but the U.S. of A., you're campin' out!"

Good night, and may God continue to bless America.

Posted by: Paul @ 12:02 AM

The pace of play has increased, and my formless body and untested resolve are being called into question. The road ahead will not be easy. Over the last day or two the sight of my boy, and for that matter my wife, has left me unsettled. These blessings have been bestowed upon me, and I've done absolutely nothing to deserve them. It's almost as though I am not experiencing this at all. I am on the outside, peering into the maelstrom of our lives together. This disconnect must be doused, but quick. The thought of being a father, a mentor, a friend, a disciplinarian, a guide to spirituality and inner fortitude is rapidly becoming too much for me to bear. The sad part is that I have yet to experience even one day as my child's charge. Here I am in a hyperventilating blather, and the whistle hasn't even blown.

Reading that last paragraph makes me think that my next move should involve either a vial with a skull 'n crossbones label or getting an extra hour of sleep this evening. I'll opt for the latter, as poison always gives me gas.

Laura went to see our son today. He was sleeping up a storm, and has finally begun gaining significant weight. He's over two pounds, and this time it isn't water weight. It's baby weight, and we couldn't be more excited. The vitals are good, but his head circumference has increased a touch. Nothing earth-shattering, and his head is still soft. So it's just another reason to fret and obsess and lament "what if." The course of penicillin is a couple of days from completion, and his breathing has improved. Here's a novel thought for our readership. Keeping praying. It is so simplistic, but truly it is all that we ask of anyone who offers to help. Pray to a most merciful God that our boy will be allowed to share his life with us. He continues to be such a good boy, such a "grinder." This is the highest compliment I can pay to anyone. For those unfamiliar with the term, a grinder is slang for one whose singleness of purpose is evident. There is a methodical nature they exhibit when attacking a problem. Ryan is grinding out day after precious day. His character is on display every minute of every day. The word is over used, but here goes. It's awesome.

I had an open house at 1140 Orangewood Avenue. Turnout was discouraging, and the sad fact is that Open Houses don't sell homes. Proper pricing and attractive presentation are the only two market factors which are under a seller's control. This home has enjoyed significant interest, advertising and has not received an offer to date. It shows fine, so the only thing left is price. Oy, this is not a conversation I relish, but tomorrow the sellers will curse my name as they consider my request for a price reduction.

A showing on this property has resulted in a potential buyer for the DeLand area. The prospect may be difficult, as four bedrooms are required for a three bedroom price. That animal doesn't exist, at least not on my radar. Perhaps something will reveal itself in the coming days. The "rubber meets the road" pricing for DeLand is almost $100 per square foot finished construction. It's remarkably consistent from neighborhood to neighborhood. The slicker spots get into the low 120s per square, but for the most part $100/sq ft is a good reference point.

Debary seems to be moving along nicely, and its location a few miles to the south of DeLand... and with good highway access, makes it a rather reasonable alternative choice. Adelaide is a kewl street in Glen Abbey, and Earl Morgan is a very nice and honorable REALTOR with which to conduct business. The key factor about this street is that one side backs to a rather busy thoroughfare, so there may be a bit of traffic noise. But this is a classic Florida pool home with all the great trimmings. Shoot me an email and I'll show it to you but quick!

Waterford Quality Homes is a strong presence in Central Florida, and by and large they build a nice, durable home. What they lack in floorplan versatility, they make up for in reliability. This is a quality which should be paramount when choosing a new home builder. Meeting dates, handling the permitting process, and keeping the homeowner informed are as important, if not more so, than a dynamic vision for construction. This offering on Ruth Jennings is not exciting, but it serves its purpose and has an expansive floorplan.

Debary Golf and Country Club boasts some excellent homesites and the highest quality builders. Cacioppo & Son, Klich Construction, there are lots of talented folks from which to choose. The golf course is always in immaculate condition, though the fairways are about as wide as the average driveway. Cory Hamblin is the head professional, and one of the most genuine characters on the Central Florida PGA scene.

Well, so much for a good night's sleep. I'll give it a shot. Maybe sleep will come soon, and scenarios won't rattle around my pointy head. To sleep, perchance... to dream.

Posted by: Paul @ 12:07 AM