Coalition to Unchain Dogs - Music for Fences Fundraiser this Saturday!

Come out and join me at Durham Central Park this Saturday for a fantastic music festival to benefit the Coalition to Unchain Dogs!

Where - 534 Foster Street (Durham Central Park)

Time - Doors open at 4pm

Cost - $12 advance; $15 @ door (cash only); under 12 free.  ( I will be working the ticket gate from 6:30 to 9:30pm)

All proceeds from the concert will go to building fences for chained dogs. In addition to the concert there will be booths, food, and raffles.

For more information or to buy your ticket online go to:  http://www.musicforfences.org/

What is the story behind the Coalition to Unchain Dogs?  
It is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to making the chaining of dogs a thing of the past. We work toward this goal by:

1. Building free fences for people who chain their dogs.
2. Informing the community about the detrimental effects of chaining on both the dog and the community.
3. Helping groups around the country to start free-fencing programs and to lobby for legislation to help chained dogs.
4. Lobbying for legislation which disallows or severely restricts tethering of dogs.

The Coalition has been building free fences for dogs in the Triangle area since March of 2007, providing free spay/neuter for every dog we build a fence for. In April, 2011, we freed our 1,000th dog from life on a chain, and we have inspired the formation of similar fence-building groups all over the country.
Building free fences is a very effective and gratifying way to help large numbers of chained dogs. We regularly witness dogs who are depressed and stressed on their chains become relaxed and playful when they are released into their newly fenced yards. Relationships between the dogs and their owners are enhanced once they have a space in which to enjoy each other’s company. Due in large part to the immense satisfaction that comes from such tangible results, we have grown from a handful of volunteers to well over 100 volunteers who regularly contribute time doing everything it takes to get the chained dogs sterilized and off of their chains.The Coalition continues to expand rapidly. In addition to building fences at an ever-increasing rate in North Carolina and Atlanta, we are assisting compassionate people all over the country to form similar groups to accomplish the passage of anti-tethering legislation and to start free-fencing programs in their areas.

Watch the joy this group brought to the 1000th dog released from its chain!

http://vimeo.com/23960023

Tax-Free Shopping Weekend!

Don't forget this weekend is a tax-free weekend in NC, save money on loads of items!  Beginning on Friday, August 5 at 12:01am through Sunday August 7 at 11:59pm. 

For a full list of what is going to be tax exempt this weekend visit the NC Dept of Revenue's website:

http://www.dor.state.nc.us/taxes/sales/salestax_holiday.html

Deal Breakers with Online Dating

1 - Do not post a picture of yourself of you looking in the mirror and taking a picture with your phone or a camera.  It just shows you don't have any friends to take your photo, and you look ridiculous.


2 - Do not use cutesy sayings like "I'm a big teddybear, will you be my honey?" - uh...NO!


3 - Do not post a picture of yourself on a hotel room bed.  - it's just gross on so many levels.


4 - Do not post a picture of yourself that was taken at Olan Mills in the 70's - then we know you are lying about your age.


5 - Do not send me a "line" that you got off a website - because I will google it and call you out.


Feel free to send me more, I know I must have missed some, but these were the ones that stood out.

Even More Outrageous and Exciting Things are Happening at GO Realty

On Wednesday we will be announcing our next BIG idea!!  It is going to be a lot of fun, interesting to see unfold and I would love your help!   I will be posting information to my facebook page on Wednesday, so stay tuned....

What's Happening in Durham This Weekend?

Two of my artistically gifted friends, Angela Bobal and Ricardo Granillo, 
will be participating in two of the events my girls and I will be attending this weekend!  

Angela will be displaying her awesome talents at the Etsy Craft Party hosted by Bull City Craft. The event is this Friday, June 10, from 4-8pm at 2501 University Drive. The craft party will feature handmade goods from local artists and crafters - musicians, painters and sculptors to photographers, farmers, gardeners and more.  Free food provided by local chef Reda Boustani and live music by Grammy-nominated singer Kate McGarry and Keith Ganz.

Ricardo and his fantastic band, Carnavilto, will get your hips moving and you will be salsa dancing before you know what hit you!  They will be playing at Brightleaf Square on Saturday, June 11, from 7-9pm.  So bring a lawn chair, or pull up a seat at one of the many restaurants at Brightleaf Square and enjoy the night with family and friends and some great music!

Ava Marie and Jaclyn dancing at Brightleaf Square

National Open House - June 4 & 5

This weekend is National Open House and over 300 Realtor Associations are participating in the event, including our local Triangle Associations.  According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 8 in 10 adults agree buying a home is the best long-term investment a person can make.   The thought of buying a home can be overwhelming for some, but with the right realtor to guide you through the process it can be made a lot less intimidating.  

If you are considering purchasing a home or would just like to see what is on the market, this is the perfect weekend to do it!   Check your local paper, realtor.com, trulia.com, craigslist.com or drive around and look for directional signs.   

I will be hosting an Open House at 25 Porters Glen in Woodcroft from 2-4pm, come by and let me give you a tour of this beautiful home!:

http://www.25portersglen.com

Origins of Happy Hour

In honor of our Happy Hour at my office, GO Realty,  tomorrow I thought I would do a little research on the origins of Happy Hour.   Happy Hour began in the 1920's in the US Navy as a stress reliever from the many days at sea, and typically involved wrestling and boxing matches.   During prohibition, daring citizens would host "cocktail hours" aka "happy hours" at local speakeasy's.   Happy Hour gained popularity among the general population in the states in 1960.  

The push against drunk driving and alcohol abuse has curtailed Happy Hour in some parts of the world.  Happy hour has been illegal in the Republic of Ireland since 2003, and Glasgow has banned happy hours to reduce binge drinking.  In 1984, the U.S. Military banned happy hours at military base clubs and Massachusetts implemented a state-wide ban on Happy Hours.  

As I'm sure many of you know, Happy Hour is usually held in the late afternoon, and drinks and appetizers are reduced to a "happier" price.  At GO Realty, we host Happy Hour at our Cary office the 1st Friday of every month from 3-5pm and we offer FREE beer, wine &  some munchies.  So please stop by and check out our super hip office, have a drink and meet some really fun and fabulous people!  

As always drink responsibly, and don't do this...

http://www.facebook.com/GOREALTY

GO HAPPY HOUR

123 Weston Parkway

Cary, NC  27513

Friday, May 6 from 3-5pm

Spring Cleaning

Ok, I know it's not Spring yet, but...we are close and it's time to rid your home of clutter.  Especially if you are getting ready to put your home on the market, now is the BEST time!  I moved to a much smaller house back in July and thought I got rid of a LOT of stuff, but I'm ready to get rid of more and more and more!  I keep threatening the girls that I'm gonna start throwing away their toys if they don't start picking them up, that threat is kinda working, but I know they see right through me.


So, where to start.  Well, when I clean my house I usually start in the kitchen, so I should start there.  I do have an excessive amount of bar glasses...but you never know, GO may decide to have Happy Hour at my house one day.  :)  


Purging your home and life of useless or rarely used items is so liberating.  
You can donate the items to your local goodwill, homeless shelter, church, or like in my neighborhood you can post t it on your local listserv as "free on curb" and it will be gone in minutes!!   You can also sell your items on craigslist - note: baby items go the quickest.  


Peter Walsh, a professional organizer, lists the Top Ten Tips to keep your home clutter free:
How to Keep Your House Clutter-Free:

• Tackle messes one room at a time.
• When you buy something new, practice the "in-out rule:" For every one new item, get rid of an old one.
• Create intimacy in the master bedroom. Remember that improvements in one room can spread to the rest of the house.
• Make cleaning up fun for your kids.
• Create a vision for the room you're cleaning.
• Teach your kids how to sort.
• Use a hanger system to determine which clothes you wear most.
• Ask yourself if you really need something. If you hesitate, you don't.
• Establish a "magic triangle" in your kitchen between the stove, refrigerator and the sink. Keep the items you use most in that area.
• Identify useful utensils with the cardboard box test. - 
  If you want to see what utensils you're really using, Peter recommends the cardboard box test. "Take all the utensils out of your drawers, put them in a cardboard box," he says. "For the next month, whenever you use one of these utensils, put it back in the drawer. If after four weeks it's still in the box, you don't need it."

So turn on some inspiring tunes and go to it!

Mood Shifters

Ava Marie & her Valentine candy bag!!

Whenever I am having a bad day, or feeling down all I have to do is spend time with my two precious girls and my mood is instantly shifted to a happy!

Jaclyn aka Hollywood and her new shades!

People I Admire - Part 1

The people I admire the most are my mom and dad.  They got married at a young age,  and have been married for over 40 years.   I know it wasn't always easy, and they had some rough patches, as most marriages do, but they stayed together for better or worse, richer or poorer...  


We moved away from our family, and all they had ever known when I was 8 to a much different place, where we knew no one, but made friends fast and grew to love our community.  When I was 13 we moved to a very small town in NC  and bought a farm!!  wt????   It was quite an adjustment from growing up in a big city, like St. Louis, but with time we grew to love it there.  We had Arabian horses for a while, Angus cows, and my dad was quite fond of using my brother and I, and our friends for "free" labor around the farm; stringing wire fences in the bitter cold, worming cows, saving the family dog from icy pond waters, etc.  If you are reading this blog, you know which friends I'm referring to.  :)  Their marriage even survived my terrible teenage years, and they tell me all the time how happy they are I have twin daughters, because payback is HELL! 


My dad lost his job when I was 16, just after we had built a new house, and they ended up starting their own business, the local ACE Hardware in our town.  When my brother and I moved out and went to college, there was the empty nest.  My dad started a new company and they began traveling quite often to the Caribbean.  I think that is where my dad developed his passion for adventure!  


My parents got a sailboat about 7 or 8 years ago and have been sailing ever since.  They went down to the Caribbean and just kept going.  They have traveled to many beautiful, exotic places and have met many, many wonderful people who inspire and motivate them.  I have had the pleasure of meeting some of their sailing friends and traveling to some wonderful places on their boat.  They are currently in New Zealand traveling by car and will set sail again in a few months headed for Australia.  I look forward to many more adventures with them, and can't wait to take my daughters to experience their nomadic lifestyle!


So...why do I admire my parents?  Because regardless of what life has thrown at them, they have stuck together, they have set goals, made plans to achieve their goals and are enjoying a life few people get to experience.  They are truly an inspiration to me, and I am forever grateful to have such incredible role models, who have always encouraged me and pushed me to achieve my goals and desires. 


Thank you mom and dad!

What Makes A City or Town a Happy Place to Live?

So, why do we live where we live?  Why did you choose where you currently live?  Happiest city in America is apparently "San Luis Obispo" - well, maybe in California, BUT... I definitely think the triangle has some pretty amazing cities!  


We have three major universities, Duke, UNC and State, each with their own personalities and die hard fans!  So, what makes a city a happy place to be?   According to a recent poll:  outdoor activities, bike paths, outdoor walking, outdoor cafes.  


Downtown Raleigh has several nightlife venues, outdoor cafes, Alive after Five, art galleries and even rickshaws, and in the winter the outdoor ice rink is a great place to try your triple axel jump, just kidding.  http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/


Downtown Durham's motto is "Find Your Cool" and speaking from firsthand experience, Durham is very cool!  They have the DBAP, the DAP, the new DPAC, american tobacco district & american tobacco bike trail, Brightleaf Square and many, many cool new places in the heart of downtown:  http://www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com/


Downtown Chapel Hill is best known for Franklin Street & its many shops, bars and restaurants. Did you also know that it hosts many walking tours of local art & gardens?  The many bike trails in Chapel Hill & Carrboro are a great way to spend the day.
http://www.downtownchapelhill.com/


There is so much to do in the Triangle, and Cary, Apex, Carrboro and Hillsborough host their own unique experiences.  We live in a fantastic area, with so many things to do and so many events to attend. Spring is coming, so check out your local community calendar and go enjoy where you chose to live!!

Pep Talks

Somedays you just need a "pep talk."  Whatever life throws at you, big or small, you know deep down you can handle it, but sometimes reaching out to a friend, peer, or family member is what you need to get back on track.

As a single parent of 3 year old twins and recently divorced, I have had MANY moments in the past 2 years where I have felt overwhelmed, inadequate, or just plain blah.  When this happens I do not hesitate to reach out to my GO TO's and I find these "pep talks" invaluable.  

I know I am not alone in needing these, because everyone needs a "pep talk" every now and again.  So, when you need one, don't hesitate to ask for one, because you know at some point you will be called upon to give your own "pep talk" to a friend in need. 

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." - Shel Silverstein

Are You Happy?

Is it as simple as yes or no?  Are people born happy?  What factors determine your happiness?  Well according to Oprah (yes, my child was home sick and we were watching Oprah) and some recent studies there are some key factors that can determine your happiness. So....


Are people born happy?  - According to a University of California, Berkeley study- 50% of your happiness is genetic, 40% is learned and 10% is circumstances.  So, if you weren't born happy then you are SOL, just kidding, you can obviously teach yourself to be happy by surrounding yourself with happy people, experiences and circumstances and not giving into the negative thoughts and feelings that get inside your head. 


Do you make time in your day for COMPLETE silence? - A Harvard study has shown that spending just 10 minutes a day sitting in silence and breathing can increase your level of happiness.  10 minutes may seem like an eternity when you have a "to do" list a mile long and life is happening all around, but start with just 1 minute and you may be well on your way to a happier you!


How often do you have...SEX?? - I know this may come as a shock, but the more you have the happier you will be! :)


Does having children make you happier? - well...that depends, is your child crying, fighting, laughing or behaving??  Studies have shown that having children is stressful, duh, but a parent's happiness increases when the child turns 18 and continues to rise as the child gets older.  
I can only speak for myself, but as a woman who went through 7 years of undiagnosed infertility and In-vitro Fertilization to have my beautiful twin daughters, I will say they make me happy EVERYDAY of my life, not EVERY moment, but overall they are my greatest joy in life!!


How well do you know your neighbors? -  According to a Harvard study, the more neighbors you know, the happier and safer you will feel, and if your neighbor is happy, it increases your happiness by 34%.  So, go bake some cookies or grab a bottle of wine and go say howdy to your neighbor!


Watch less TV - the less you watch the happier you will be!  That's why they make DVR's so you can watch the stuff you want, and not the stuff you don't want like commercials, Dora the Explorer, The Wonder Pets, CSI: Miami, New York, Lizard Lick, Kalamzoo, etc. ok, that is just my opinion, but you get what I'm saying. And for ULTIMATE happiness watch only btw 1/2 hour and 1 hour a day!!


How many close friends do you have? - this seems pretty self explanatory, the more close friends you have the happier you are. I'm guessing the Unibomber didn't have many close friends, just sayin'.


Happiest jobs in America? - factory worker, cow de-wormer, ditch digger, ok, ok, maybe not. According to a University of Chicago study the happiest jobs are:  clergy, special education teacher, firefighter and travel agent, and I'm going to add REALTOR, because in the 7 years I have been in this business I have had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with some of the most wonderful and diverse group of people.


If you had more money would you be happier? - According to a Princeton University study, happiness is earning $75,000 a year for a family of four. Following that up with the happiness you get from spending money on a life experience vs. a material item lasts considerably longer.  Speaking from personal experience, my fondest memories are trips spent with family and friends, and the memories from those moments bring me happiness on a daily basis. 



"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."   - Groucho Marx



To take the quiz yourself and learn more about becoming happier, go to http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Poll-Are-You-Happy