Brendan Cooke

As my faithful followers know, in addition to my career in real estate, I have long enjoyed a career in opera, both as a singer and a general director.  Recently, a friend of mine suggested that I submit a proposal to an organization called IGNITE BALTIMORE.  At the time, I knew nothing about them, but was very intrigued by their format.  Sixteen speakers each got FIVE minutes, and TWENTY powerpoint slides that auto-advance every 15 Seconds.  I was truly blown away by this event, and the fact that 450+ people showed up, just to hear people talk about their ideas and passions.  IGNITE BALTIMORE #5 was held last Thursday at the Walters Art Gallery in Mt. Vernon...if you get a chance to attend #6, order your tickets early, and prepare to be blown away.

 

So, two things have sparked me to blog about my experience here, rather than on my opera-blog:

 

First, a presentation by Peter Davis that immediately followed mine was called "Business is Theater" which made a compelling argument that we need to treat all business like theater.  I spend a good deal of time trying to keep those two worlds apart in my life, and here was someone making a compelling argument embrace the ideals of each, for the other.

 

Second, I realized that the way I prepared for this event could translate very easily into the way that I prepare for business endeavors.  I wrote a blog post on my opera-blog, regarding the preparation...what worked, what didn't, and what I would do next time.  That can be found here, if you ever find yourself needing to give a presentation, feel free to learn from my mistakes!  I need to remember that I KNOW how to rehearse and prepare a three hour long opera in a foreign language...I should know how to rehearse and prepare a ten minute listing presentation!

 

Finally, for those of you that can take five minutes, and hear about "Saving Opera, One Voice at a Time." Please watch the video below.  Feel free to share wherever you see fit...we need all the help we can get, or this beloved art-form could die on our watch.  As dire as the real estate market is in many areas, the arts are in even tougher shape, please do what you can to support your local arts scenes, as we all know...they in turn support your property value, and quality of life!

 

 

 

 

Many of my blog followers know that my first career was in the field of opera. Time on the road and away from the family, made switching my JOB (opera) and HOBBY (real estate) a couple of years ago, pretty easy! Now, I still do sing on occasion, and I also run a small opera company here in Baltimore. It never ceases to amaze me, how similar the two worlds are, but that is another story!

We hear all of the time in real estate about "overcoming objections." I thought that I would try my hand at overcoming some "operatic objections." People have preconceived notions of large ladies in horned helmets...and many people never give this great artform a fair shake.

Forward this video around to your friends that might be "on the fence." Give this great music a chance! Who knows, you might like it!

A little over a year ago, we ran this video on our website, showing how easy it is to commute from Baltimore's Mt. Vernon neighborhood to DC.

I was sifting through old files on the computer, and thought I'd run it again...as the weather is warm in this video, perhaps it will cheer everyone up!

In all seriousness, Mt. Vernon to DC is a very easy commute. Mount Vernon has an incredible housing stock, with plenty to look at right now, from studio condos to 5000+ sq/ft mansions. It's a great time to move into Baltimore's cultural district, which is home to:

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

The Lyric Opera House

Peabody Conservatory

The Walters Art Museum

and of course, tons of fine dining!

Come on up, DC folks...I'll buy the coffee.

Thanks to those of you who commented on my earlier post regarding my goals to have more time, and less waste in 2010.

I am hardly what I would call a "techie" but I am realizing that there is so much technology out there, that if harnessed properly, can really help me achieve my goals of :

1) Finding more hours in the day

and

2) Having less of an impact on the planet.

I have already discussed a FREE service through GOOGLE that has saved me countless hours in the car, and therefore saved countless gallons of gas (and a nice side effect, a good bit of $$$). Something tells me that GOOGLE's productivity tools are going to make regular appearances in my list of 25 things I can do to save time, and 25 things I can do to save the planet!

The second item on my list may seem like a bit of a stretch, but I want to encourage creative thinking amongst my readers. Remember, when I run out of ideas, I might need your help....so here it is:

Coffee has become part of my morning ritual. I never touched the stuff, until my wife and I honeymooned to Costa Rica...now I can't seem to get enough. I just (like many folks, I'm sure) do not function in the morning without my cup o' Joe. I'm amazed at how quickly I have become a snob about my coffee, and I really prefer freshly ground beans. In my normal bleary eyed state in the morning, this can be a chore.

This year for Christmas, my wife and I (for the second year in a row!) surprised each other with the same present...so I guess we both see the value in it!

Cuisinart makes several models of coffee makers that grind beans for each fresh pot!

Now, this may seem silly, and not worth my list that is going to make 2010 a better year, but follow my logic. If every morning, I spend 3-5 minutes grinding beans and cleaning out the grinder, that is 21-35 minutes a week that I am wasting on my habit and snobbery. That is up to 140 minutes a month...spent grinding coffee! That is 28 hours that I wasted in 2009, that I could have spent with my family, or at work. Get the picture? The little things add up, in a hurry. Make small changes, and you'll be floored at the consequences.

This is the second item that ends up on BOTH of my lists as well. How is this coffee maker helping me be green, you ask? When it brews into the Thermal carafe, the power to the unit shuts off. In 2009, I wasted over 700 hours of electricity, just to keep my coffee warm.

A recap of the list:

Twenty five things in 2010 to create more hours in the day:

1. 1. Google Maps and Verizon Droid to navigate showings
   2. Coffee Maker with built-in grind function and auto shut-off

Twenty five things in 2010 that can reduce impact on the environment:

1. 1. Goole Maps and Verizon Droid to navigate showings
   2. Coffee Maker with built-in grind function and auto shut-off
   
   

Now, I am not so much of a "resolution" person, because I'm usually no good at keeping them. I do, however relish the New Year, as it is a time to reflect on the previous year, assess your victories and failures and plan for what lies ahead in the new year.

I have realized that if I take a few days to really focus on how I do business and how I live my life, there are bound to be really simple changes that I can make that will accomplish two things that are becoming more and more important to me.

First, is to create more hours in the day. I waste so much time "reinventing the wheel" that I lose out on the really important things like quality time with my family. Lack of planning makes for a stressful day, which makes it even harder to unwind and focus on the important things.

Time has a real way of getting away from you when you don't have a clear plan.

Second, is to have less of an impact on the environment. As I am rushing about without a plan, I continue to make the quick and easy choice, often without thought of the consequences. Slowing down, thinking, and making responsible choices toward the environment is easier said than done...but I am going to give it a try.

Being a responsible resident on this planet can be difficult without a clear plan.

So starts a new year, and a new focus for this blog, or at least part of it. I will begin a new series of posts that are dedicated to things that I can do to simplify my life thus creating more time to plan, and more time to enjoy. Throughout 2010, I will make it a goal to post 25 things that you (and I) can do to maximize your time, and 25 things that you (and I) can do to have less of an impact on the environment.

I have an inkling that we are all going to be a little surprised at how much overlap there is going to be on both lists. I think that there are going to be many things that we can do to save time, that will also have a pretty profound impact on the world around us. In fact, this whole idea was inspired by a previous blog post regarding the use of Google Maps and my Verizon Droid, to save time and mileage while showing houses. If I can shave 20 minutes of drive time out of my day, that's more time with the family, and less time burning gas...oh, it saves me money too...but that's another list!

So....without further ado:

Twenty five things in 2010 to create more hours in the day:

1. 1. Google Maps and Verizon Droid to navigate showings

Twenty five things in 2010 that can reduce impact on the environment:

1. 1. Goole Maps and Verizon Droid to navigate showings