Fran 'The Title Man' Gaspari Title Insurance-PA & NJ

This weekend three of the Gaspari guys will attend, with over 300 other men, a spiritual retreat at Saint Joseph In The Hills Retreat House in beautiful Malvern, Pennsylvania...!

This event, an annual tradition whereby spirits are renewed, hopes are enkindled, and the Spirit of the Christmas season is encouraged will begin on Friday afternoon and end Sunday around noon!

Of course I will be accompanied by my 14 year old son, Joshua, and my 12 year old son, Justin...next year, my now 10 year old son, Jared will accompany us, and perhaps some other friends and family members...

The retreat itself is a chance to step back and out of the material world for a couple of days, renew old friendships with fellow retreatants, and draw closer to God and His kingdom...Meals are served, and each retreatant is given a separate room, the surroundings, facilities, and hospitality are excellent, and retreat leaders are available for talks and spiritual exercises, if desired...Nothing is mandatory...everything is geared toward the retreatant and his needs!!!

How can you go wrong at a quiet place where silence is respected, yet at mealtime and recreation times, good conversation is encouraged!!!

And no, RETREAT doesn't mean defeat...it provides one the opportunity to better focus on the things that really count, so that we're better able to face the world and its challenges...!!!

Our Mission

The Malvern Retreat House, owned and operated by Catholic laity since 1921, serves the spiritual needs of lay men and women of all ages, as well as clergy and religious of many denominations, through the retreat experience. Rooted in the Gospel Truths of Jesus Christ, we provide a place of hospitality in a unique and peaceful environment.

Great Mission Statement, don't you think!!!

Oh, and by the way...the cost for the weekend is approximately $175.00 per person...no one is ever turned away because of need...and the method of payment is such that no one is able to determine who gave what...unless you pay by credit card or check!!!

Can you tell, I'm already getting excited about going!!!

I've always been interested in ingenious acronyms...MADD..Mothers Against Drunk Drivers...JOY...Jesus first, Others second, You last...SEPTA...South East Pennsylvania Transit Authority...RESPA...Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act...get the idea...???

At first, I thought these mnemonic devices merely cluttered the mind with worthless trivial information, until my daughter Kelly convinced me that they are valuable tools with which to remember important facts...IN FACT...

I think I'll borrow one and see if I can't use it to develop and to build up and grow my title insurance business in south eastern pennsylvania...

I think I'll borrow SEPTA, but I'll intend it to mean South East Pennsylvania Title Agent...so from now on if you're trying to remember my company and the area we primarily serve, remember SEPTA...South East Pennsylvania Title Agent...short for Patriot Land Transfer, Inc...

And with a little 'Google Juice' and 'Google friendly' assistance, who knows...SEPTA...South East Pennsylvania Title Agent could become page one for all your title needs in southeastern Pennsylvania...!!!

This is an experiment...I'm Fran The TitleMan, and I approve this message...!!!

cc: Joe, The Plumber

Active Rain is a real estate social network...I am a career Title Person...most people reading this are career agents, loan officers, appraisers, etc...all of whom are members of families...large or small or somewhere in between...

I believe in a holistic approach to life...that is, I don't like dividing life into convenient little categories like the stores at the mall...compartmentalizing and categorizing and isolating are foreign to me when it comes to family...FAMILY FIRST...

I try to learn how to be a better father and person by watching sports, and I try to learn something about playing sports by being a good father...the synergy of the two is the important dynamic which promotes growth and disallows regression...it's a win win situation win or lose...!

So today, Joshua, my 14 year old son, will be starting his first football game on the offensive line of his middle school football team...with only two games left in the season, he has been patiently awaiting his shot...and because of injuries and school grades he will get it this afternoon...

Of course, we'll be there rooting him on...there is no doubt he will give his best...he may not exhibit the best skills, but it won't be for lack of trying...He's big enough, strong enough, smart enough, and anxious enough to do well...FRUSTRATION is to be avoided...FUN and HUSTLE is paramount...

Now let me tell you what I've seen this year from observing his team play that would help improve performance...

1) Football is a team sport...each member must help to foster this awareness among other team members...

2) Football requires discipline...not only listening to coaches, but self discipline...knowing when to be quiet and listen...

3) Good sportsmanship is essential...you give it your best, and leave nothing in the locker room...then walk away without pointing fingers at refs, other players, etc...

4) Every player on the team should have an ample opportunity to play in each game...coaches must prepare the team for this dynamic to work optimally...

5) Each player should ask, "Is football making me a better person, a better brother, a better student, a better citizen, a better son"...?

6) Going through this time in a boys life has its challenges...rally around each other, supporting each other, not forming cliques and elitist clans or groups...that polarize...

7) Have fun...don't tell me you can't have a winning attitude, play seriously and intensely, but still have fun...you only pass this way once...

There you have it, my contribution, my two cents, on how to improve the game of football...at least for middle school athletes...and at least for middle school coaches...and at least for middle school parents...HAVE FUN...!!!

***UPDATE*** Josh played a great game...Blazers won 14-0...!!!

Does government operate to benefit people and serve the needs of taxpayers, or do they get strangled by power and bureaucracy and fail the people miserably...

That may be perhaps what the upcoming election is all about...!

On July 1, 2008, my sister and her husband purchased a property from a bank who had foreclosed on the prior owner...the taxes on this property, which sold effectively for $204,000.00, were in excess of $11,000 dollars, and settlement was scheduled for early September...well after the August 15th deadline for appealing taxes for the next fiscal tax year!

Under the Berks County provisions for tax appeal, exists a right, that the 'equitable owner' may begin this appeal process as long as the appeal is filed by August 15th...

We filed such an appeal in a timely manner along with record evidence to support the appeal...

It has come to our attention that our appeal was denied since we didn't respond by appearing at a scheduled hearing...we were never notified of said hearing...the record owner's law office was notified, and of course that notice was never forwarded to my sister and brother in law...but...

It was the EQUITABLE OWNER, not the record owner, who filed the appeal request...shouldn't they be notified or contacted to establish a hearing date...FOUL BALL...

This is a great example...not an isolated incident, I might add, of how inefficient 'government' is at assisting the taxpayers they're sworn to serve!!!

I have a call into the Solicitors office for The Board Of Assessment Appeals to complain about the Board's failure to notify us of the hearing...keep in mind, we're only talking about a hearing here, not the results of our actual appeal to reduce taxes!!!

UNREASONABLE...Definitely! Is this how public servants are expected to carry out their duties and responsibilities...NOT ACCEPTABLE...

In the meantime...money is wasted, time is wasted, energies are wasted, taxpayer's dollars are wasted, and people are aggravated and put under undue stress...all because of the lack of common sense and courtesy on behalf of a government bureaucracy...sworn to serve the people...!!!

Not only is there noncompliance of the law by the government itself, but more importantly, non compliance with the SPIRIT OF THE LAW...!!!

How does your current cleaning service measure up???

That's what Ken Wise, owner of 'The Wise Choice Cleaning Service' asks!!!

Their slogan, "Cleaning up the world, one location at a time" is serious business...!

I've seen their work, and their prices are fantastic...and they do all kinds of cleaning...residential, commercial, and everything in between...

They've done our office in Limerick and their work is impeccable...I wouldn't hesitate recommending them to anyone who has had it with cleaning their own mess or those who would just like a professional job done occasionally...!!!

Give Ken a call or check out their website:

The Wise Choice Cleaning Service

Kenneth A. Wise, owner

304 Patrick Way, Royersford, PA 19468

(610) 792-HIRE (610) 792-4473 (610) 390-9612 Cell

www.wisechoicecleaning.com

Here's a thought for you Realtors in the area...give Ken a call between transactions...he'll do more than 'broomsweep' your listing...!!!