James Lupori, Associate Broker Keller Williams Realty - 206.713.2102

Yes, the picture above should give you an idea of how much snow it takes to TOTALLY PARALYZE a major metropolitan area: Seattle. You can’t imagine how many calls I’ve received from friends around the country who simply can’t believe what a bunch of weather wimps we are here in the Northwest. I won’t even dignify them by repeating the dispariging things they say. Heck, almost made me cry!

Seriously, the Seattle area is NOT set up to deal with snow. The topography is quite hilly and we are subject to a complex array of wind conditions and bodies of water. Not only do we receive cold wet winds off the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound, but we also get blasted by uber-freezing gusts from Canada. When the winds and moisture come together as snow, the locals head indoors and hibernate. What’s more, there are virtually no snow plows and the roads are rarely sanded (never salted). If you must drive in these conditions, you’re taking your life into your own hands. I don’t recommend it.

Today I had to brave the frozen roads and hills of Kenmore to mail Christmas Cards and pick up some gifts for my favorite person (the wife!!!). She owes me BIG TIME! But, before heading out I had to shovel snow from the driveway, something I haven’t done in many, many years (since 1990!). I didn’t do too badly:

I'm suffering from a bit of cabin fever. The snow and frigid temperatures here in Kenmore and the greater Seattle area have basically put a halt to normal life. I've had too much time to think about all the chaos and grim news out there. I'm going a little bonkers and my wife is about ready to strangle me. Well, things turned around yesterday morning in an interesting way. I read two obituaries of two icons of American culture, and listened to a radio program that re-calibrated my thinking. I'd like to share some thoughts (and the quote of the week) with you:

W. MARK FELT - aka DEEP THROAT

W. Mark Felt who died this week at the age of 95 may be one of the most influential figures of modern American history. His role as the anonymous informant to the Washington Post reporters, John Woodward and Carl Bernstein, led to the eventual disgrace and resignation of President Richard Nixon. This is heady stuff to me. I was in junior high school when the Watergate scandal occurred and, in many ways, it shaped my perspective of power and government. It's amazing that he remained anonymous for almost 30 years after his involvement.......................But then I read about the passing of yet another icon from my generation:

MAJEL BARRETT aka NURSE CHRISTINE CHAPEL in Star Trek

Majel Barret died this week at the age of 76. She was a constant fixture in the original Star Trek series (the best of all the series!) and appeared in many of the subsequent Star Trek spin offs. It's amazing how influential this science fiction program has been over the years. I was saddened to hear of Majel's passing and this made me reflect on growing up during the 1960's and how the world has changed.

Then, I listened to a powerful interview this morning which, you guessed it, provides the quote of the week:

WILLIARD WIRTZ - Former Secretary of Labor under Lindon Johnson & JFK

Willard Wirtz is 96 years old and was a very important person, yet, I'm sure very few of you know who he is. Here's a snippet from Wikipedia:

William Willard Wirtz (born March 14, 1912) is a former U.S. administrator, cabinet officer, attorney, and law professor. He served as the Secretary of Labor between 1962 and 1969 under the administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Recently, Mr. Wirtz wrote a short memoir entitled "In the Rearview Mirror," which is a reflection of his career in government and life with his wife of 66 years, Jane. Yesterday, on NPR's program, Saturday Morning Edition, Mr. Wirtz was materfully interviewed by Scott Simon. During the course of the interview Scott asked him an obvious question from whence our quote of the day comes:

Scott Simon: "Mr. Wirtz, what's it like to be 96?

Mr. Wirtz: "I don't recommend it. Jane died six years ago. That takes the fun out of it."

Talk about a powerfully honest answer! He goes on to describe how his friends have all died off, he can't walk anymore and he isn't quite as sharp as he used to be. It was sobering to listen to him. You see, our culture has a tendency to measure our lives by how long we live. We have this idea that there is something magical about living forever. I have included the whole interview (only 6 minutes) below. I highly recommend you listen to it.

This interview really made me think hard about the way the world works. Mr. Wirtz points out that Life will eventually take away everything it gives us. It's a simple fact of Life. From a larger perspective, as a nation, we are living at a time when some of our most cherished beliefs and possessions are being taken from us. The world has changed and we must make choices. The important thing is how we respond to this challenge individually and as a people. I sincerely hope you have the opportunity to fill your life with powerful experiences and deep love. Rock on!

Yesterday was a classic snow day! I hate the snow, but I love an excuse to relax and enjoy some of my favorite pass times: reading and watching movies. Earlier in the day I finished an excellent book entitled ”Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell (more about this in a future post). I also watched an interesting, yet dark movie entitled “Assassination Tango.”

Assassination Tango is a complex thriller, written by and starring Robert Duvall who plays John J. Anderson, a professional hit man from NYC who is hired to do a job in Argentina. There he discovers the world of Argentine Tango which consumes him even though he’s a cold hearted killer. It’s a story full of irony, violence and sublime dancing sequences. I highly recommend the movie (although Rotten Tomatoes only rated it a 48). Robert Duvall is brilliant. He can also dance the tango pretty well.

My wife and I have been dancing Argentine Tango (and Ballroom) for many years. If you ever have a chance to learn a little tango, just do it!!! By the way, one of the best scenes in the movie is during the closing credits. I’ve included this scene below. This dance features Pablo Varon one of the most accomplished Tango dancers today. Watch it and ponder the Tango………………………….stunning, passionate, life!

This is an amazing example of the Tango.

Over on Gigharborundressed.com my esteemed colleague, Matt Thompson, mentions that he LOVES snow. It's interesting that we both grew up in Utah: Matt in Park City and I in Layton/Salt Lake City. Funny thing is, I love snow as well...................BUT I ABSOLUTELY HATE WHEN IT SNOWS IN THE SEATTLE AREA!!!! Whew......glad I got that off my chest. Even so, it sure is pretty:

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

I took these pictures at the University of Washington this morning after first taking friends to SeaTac Airport and then dropping my wife off at work (at the UW). The traffic was literally insane! I'm surprised anyone survived out there!

MY NEIGHORHOOD IN KENMORE (BRIDLE PATH)

As you can see, my neighborhood is blanketed in a few inches of fluffy snow. Pretty but I hate it! I can't wait until the weather returns to "normal."

Oh, there is one creature that had the good sense to stay in today:

MY CAT

Take advantage of an excellent NAR service: The Realtor.org Virtual Library. I wasn't aware of the Virtual Library until I received the December 2008 Realtor.org Essentials newsletter. Frankly, I'm amazed at the number of titles and the diversity of the subjects included in the library.

In order to find the Library, go to the NAR website, sign-in and then click on the Education section. Then find the eBooks Collection which is listed on the right hand side of the page listed under "IN THE LIBRARY." You will then come to the following:

Then the fun begins. Choose from subjects such as Personal Growth, Management & Leadership, Foreign Languages, Technology and much, much more. Just pick a book or subject you'd like to check-out, select it and you will be given choices on how to receive the book and how long you may use it. For example: If you wanted to check out Brian Tracy's book "Goals," you would find it under the Personal Growth section.

You then add it to your book bag where you can then check the volume out. If the book is already checked out, you can reserve it, as with a regular library. You will receive notice via email when it is available. Books can be checked out for 7-21 days. What's really cool is that some volumes can be downloaded into your iPod, or burned to disc. You are required to remove the book from these media once your check out term has expired, so please be honest. After all, you are a Realtor (c).......

Sometimes, we wonder if the NAR actually provides us with valuable services. Well, if you checked out 1 book a month (value $25.00 retail), that's a $300 value. Not only that, but you will add value to yourself and your business by doing so.