For sure today’s weather was a welcome reprieve from our previous three days of blistering heat. Now that we’re getting some gentle breezes, we should be good to go for fire cracker day.
I do get it when considering it being the anniversary of the birth of our Nation, but some people just can’t get enough of a “bang” out of it. I’m surprised they’re not setting them off already like they’ve done in previous years. If only there’d be a drop-dead hour in the night when they have to stop lighting them because there’ve been times when I’d be hearing them in the wee hours of the morning.
We made it to July and hopefully we won’t be having a quiet month in real estate like we used to up until these past two years where our market continued to have activity. I did announce to a seller several days ago that in our area, the month of July and part of August has almost always been our slow time, just so he wouldn’t be thinking the rest of this year’s sales would be drying up for good.
Most of my morning was spent following up on phone calls and sending emails. With it being the 1st of the month, there were some extra duties I had to perform with my office accounting. Of course today’s mail delivery was nothing but those normal bills that’ll have to get paid.
I couldn’t help getting a little chuckle when reading some comments regarding the recent opening of a business. Oh Mercy! I counted far too many of the words “awesome” and “amazing” being used. I’m sure the person posting it, proofed it, and likely considered it good to go, but yours truly couldn’t help but wonder if that simple business is now greater than the invention of the wheel.
Speaking of the word awesome, there are several of my colleagues who use it far too much as a “fill” word when speaking about anything considered positive, and what’s even worse, is when I hear them using it as an acknowledgement. Ouch! I fully understand how languages are continually in a state of evolution, but to be so repetitive with one or two words is a bit much considering how many more there are in the English language that are begging to be used.
Since I’m on the subject of spoken English, I’ve also noticed how all the many are using superlative adjectives in normal conversation. Whenever someone tells me they had the absolute greatest meal at a restaurant, I can’t help but wonder if they rarely if ever eat out. And what about references being made about a given person being the greatest. It sort of makes you wonder if those making comments like that lived solitary lives in some far away monastery. Oh well, I guess pay too much attention to casual writing and conversation, and for sure I must start taking it with the grain in these times.
Later today I was back on my kick of substituting the word “grateful” for the more common “thankful”. Those two words may seem the same on the surface, but I personally believe “grateful” has more punch because it stems from gratitude which gives a more solemn and meaningful version of “thanks”. Aren’t we all grateful to have our health, a roof over our heads, and even a chicken in our pots?
As I was driving out on the west side of our City, I happened to notice a young man holding two signs while standing at the corner of South Crescent Drive and Hwy 122. One of the signs he was holding spoke about some medical error that was done to him, and the other saying something like, “The third highest number of deaths are caused by medical error. Google it!” Now if that’s true, there’ll be a few shivers sent up the spines within our medical community. Since the light was on green, I didn’t have time to give that other sign a full read which was speaking about his condition. If there ever were a corner to protest our medical community, I’d say he picked the right one.
Late this afternoon I had a delightful conversation with an elderly woman who seems to be on a path of appreciation for what I’ve recently done. I keep reminding her that I was just doing my job, but she seems to think I’ve gone above and beyond what the average Realtor is supposed to do. That conversation was yet another reminder of how much our elderly truly appreciate the little extras we do for them.
After I hung up from her, I was happy she gave be a good lifting up because I’ve been trying to chase down a young man who was supposed to bring a document to my office last week, but once again, he didn’t answer the phone call I place to him today. More sooner than later, they all learn, but sometimes it can be exceptionally annoying. Like the old saying goes, “Do what you say you’re going to do, or don’t even bother offering.”
Tonight’s one-liner is: As we express our gratitude, we must never forget the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.