Marian Goetzinger Crystal Coast Real Estate NC

What can you do to stop the bleeding? My family has really worked hard to find ways to cut spending, both at home and at the office. It's a little disgusting to discover all the ways we've been wasteful in the past and we're committed to never return to that way of life. We are still having a great time and doing many things we've always enjoyed, but we're cutting back on the frivolous spending.

Every week, we thrown away (even if it goes in the recyling bin) stacks of newspapers. No more. Children in my life will receive gifts wrapped in funny papers and adults will see the appropriate sections of the newspaper on their gifts. I'm saving the obituary section to wrap Michael's birthday gift. (He'll be turning 50. Ouch!)

This is just one tiny little thing I'm doing that will save a tree or two and a dollar or two and space in my storage room. Hurrah!

Tanner will be four. Don't you think he'll love his gift wrap!

Let me introduce you to my best friend, Paula Stadiem, past president of the Carteret County Association of REALTORS and past president of the Crystal Coast Chapter of Women's Council of REALTORS, AND 2008 REALTOR of the year for our association.

Paula won't be in the office today. She will be at the association office making sure everything is organized and managed well for the update class going on today because this year she's the chairperson for our educational program. As Paula's Broker in Charge, I could be irritated that she spends so much time and energy doing volunteer work. But I'm too proud of her to get irritated and besides, I'm well aware that people such as Paula are successful because they give back.

Paula is one of those people whom you know you can count on. She knows how to say no but when she says yes, you can be assured, the job will get done and done well. I work in the office next to hers and I know how hard she works. I know that the past two days, while most of the county was shut down because of a rare snow accumulation, Paula managed to get to the office to reschedule one class with all the phone calls and reorganization that entailed and then creep across the bridge to get all the things needed for today's class. I also know that she was at the association office at 7:30 am this morning to meet and greet and make us all look good.

We are so fortunate in our association and in our local WCR chapter to have Paula and others like her who are willing to work behind the scenes to make our jobs easier. Thank a volunteer today. I just did.

You have to remember that while you may see snow for weeks and even months every year, we see this much snow about once every four or five years. I was like a child with my nose pressed up against the window most of the day.

We live in the middle of a maritime forest. Notice the leaves are green on my trees. Most of them are live oaks. They stay green all year and when new green leaves come they simply push off the old ones. Don't they look lovely with the snow on them?

That pretty green stuff climbing up the post beneath my deck is Carolina Jazmine. The dead looking thing on the left is a crepe myrtle.

Seeing snow only once in four or five years, makes it even more special. My husband and I bundled up and took the dogs for a walk, slipping and sliding down the hill. We made hot cocoa and sat in front of the fire and played Scrabble and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Just another reminder to take each day as the gift it is. I hope you enjoy snow this year too.

You may be aware that my daughter, Amy, works with me. I hope she's learning some things from me because I learn something from her every day. Much of that is technology. I'm involved with Active Rain because of her and I LOVE Active Rain.

Now I'm interested in a social network experience seperate from real estate related things. Amy often comes in all excited because she just heard from an old high school friend or somebody she worked in the park service with. She gets these reconnections from blogging.

I'm in a different generation so my needs and experiences are different. I would really like to put myself out there in order to hear from old friends, but I'm really quite reticent about the entire thing. I don't want any more 'junk' coming in on my computer and I'm very happily married and employed so I don't need all those email telemarketers bugging me.

For the 50 something generation, where is the safest and most compatible network? I'm a grandmother and an Episcopalian and a REALTOR. I love to read and walk and play golf. Some of you must be there already. Please let me know where and how to go. I'm ready for my next internet experience.

Thank you in advance. I'm waiting to hear from you.

Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, there lived a Fairy Princess. She worked hard and forgot how to play, but she never forgot how to dream. No-one knew she was really a princess in disguise. She dreamed of living in a cottage by the sea, working hard but playing often. In her dreams she shared her fortunes and fun with a handsome Prince Charming who never forgot that she was his princess.

Prince Charmings were very rare in her kingdom and almost impossible to find while working very hard. But every now and then she met a frog and wondered if he might be a Prince in disguise, cursed to wander the kingdom looking for his fairy princess. So according to proper conduct, she kissed a few frogs in fruitless attempts to restore them to their princely stature. Unfortunately, they all remained frogs of the ugliest sort.

Eventually, the fairy princess decided that Prince Charmings were non-existent, but she was sure the sea was still there...right on the edge of the land where it belonged. She packed up her books and her dreams and moved to a cottage by the sea vowing to never kiss another frog.

Then just when she decided that she would live "almost" happily ever after...with her books, her dreams and her cottage by the sea, it happend! Prince Charming himself walked into her life, unexpected, unannounced and definitely not a FROG!

Prince Charming (Ted) and Princess (Marian)

Fifteen Years Later.

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