Dan Cummings - Connecticut's Running Realtor

With all the runners here on ActiveRain no one decided to take a winter escape for a Mingle in Miami so we opted for a week of quaint visits with selected agents. My wife wrote about our entry into the Frozen Tundra of Florida and the folks we met in the Orlando area so I'll finish off with the last half of our getaway.

On route to Miami we took a detour into Boca Raton to grab lunch with Real Deal Neal at J. Alexander's on Glades Road where I had an adventurous meal of Rattlesnake Pasta. Being a life long New Englander I rarely see a menu filled with southern delicacies. After a few hours I had to cut out meeting short to continue our journey.

Traffic was heavy but we made our way to Miami Beach, checked into our hotel and hustled out to meet Janie Coffey. She introduced us to the Lincoln Road area of Miami Beach. We had an advantage since the hotel was only a few blocks away we walked over to Lincoln Road and watched as Janie circled the block a few times looking for a parking space. We settled down at Van Dyke's Cafe for a light dinner and drinks. Through ActiveRain, Facebook & Twitter I have heard quite a bit about Mojito's so I decide to skip my usual Heinekin and have a local drink. Only had one Mojito since the Marathon was a little over a day away and they say drinking contributes to dehydration on the long run.

Saturday morning we were up early on South Beach for the sunrise then sat down to a $50 feast at the breakfast buffet. One thing I did learn for the future is to schedule my extra time after the Run! Initially my thought was to arrive in Florida a week early so I'd be accustom to the heat but a three day freeze ruined that plan and a week of over eating fattened me up for the 26.2 Mile Marathon Run.

We were lounging at the pool when Pat Murray called to say she was on her way. Pat and I were the only two Rainer's Running Miami and we were meeting Wendy from Mystic on Marathon morning.

Sunday was Marathon Morning! I was slighly behind schedule arriving at the Convention Center around 4:10 am to catch the shuttle to the starting line but fortunately Pat was on time and saved me a spot near the front of the line.

Things can get a bit hectic at large events but with 15,500 runners expected in Miami it was easy to spot Wendy when she arrived. We snapped a few 5:00am photos and chit-chatted before making our way to the starting corrals. Since everyone's pace is a little different we each ran our own race and planned to meet for food & drinks on Lincoln Road once we were refreshed after the long run.

I'm always running around the Connecticut Shoreline so if you need assistance Buying or Selling a home in my territory just remember to google Dan Cummings, The Running Realtor. My marathon running also allows me to mingle with agents throughout the country so if you are leaving Connecticut contact me and I'll put you in touch with a great agent that I know will serve you well.

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Well.... The snow flakes have been falling all day and the wind is beginning to howl so my first running event of the New Year is going to be a cold one!

In the past on New Year's Day I had the advantage of sitting in my office on the Guilford Green while waiting for the Frosty 5k to begin. Thought I'd be running the Frosty 5k again tomorrow but another event of more historical significance will be taking place so I opted for that race.

Event: Chilly Chili 5k

When: January 1, 2009 at 10:30 am

Where: High Plains Community Center - 525 Orange Center Road, 06477

This race will double as a birthday celebration and includes a new category for runners. Most of us know there will only be one entry in the new division. Doc Whitney, who started running when he was 80 years old and has been a fixture at most of the 5k's since will be running as a 90 year old. This may also be one of the last times Connecticut Runners will see Doc at our events, he is moving to Vermont where I'm sure he'll find some challenging hills to keep himself fit.

In honor of Doc's Brithday runners are encouraged to wear mis-matched socks... slip a dress sock over you normal running sock for Doc!

I'm always running around the Connecticut Shoreline so if you need assistance Buying or Selling a home in my territory just remember to google Dan Cummings, The Running Realtor or email Dan@CummingsTeam.com

Subscribe to Dan - The Running Man's Blog by Email

The sixth annual Chaz & AJ Holiday Party will kick off the weekend starting at 5:30am Friday December 12, 2008.  Admission to the event held at Sports Haven will be a new unwrapped toy valued at twenty dollars or more.  Food, Fun & Entertainment is always in abundance when Connecticut's #1 Morning Show puts on a function.  This year's musical guest will be John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band.

Live entertainment will also include the Hardcore Legend himself - Mick Foley.  Hopefully we'll get to see the Morning Show's Amazing Story Teller AJ in action taking on the big guy.  If you cannot make the outing there are other ways to contribute.  For just $10 each you can purchase a 2009 Calender featuring some of Connecticut's Hottest Ladies or a Limited Edition CD featuring some of the shows funny bits. 

Finishing off the weekend is another toy drive that I attend each year.  The Christopher Martins Christmas Run for Children.  The 5k race starts at 10:00 am and the bar should be lined with beer by 10:30.  This is a nice flat course and the last race of the year in the New Haven area. 

I'm always running around New Haven County so if you need assistance Buying or Selling a home in my territory just remember to google  CT's Running Realtor.

Email:  Dan@CummingsTeam.com      24 Hr. Access Line:  203-672-2455

Can You Survive On $60 Per Month? That title caught my eye a few weeks ago and has remained on my mind for a few reasons. First because it was a featured ReBlog that reinforces the fact that features are not about the written word but more about who posts those words. Secondly because I agree people should live within their means and had been planning to look at my numbers but kept putting it off, a blogging idea is often a motivator to get something done.

Sure, you can convince yourself you are living on only $2 a day if you excluded food, housing, transportation and all the rest of life’s necessities. But isn’t that the logic that created the Mortgage Meltdown Mentality? With today’s economic environment we are all looking for ways to stretch a buck but first we need to take a hard look at expenses.

Can You Survive on $60 Per Day? That was my initial thought while rehashing the idea of budgeting but I knew in most cases that figure would not be enough. I decided to break my expenses down into four budget categories.

$60 a Day for Housing
$60 a Day for All Necessities
$60 a Day for Little Extras
$60 a Day for Taxes

Being in a commissioned based business I don’t get paid by the day but still think in terms of hourly wages, weekly pay checks and monthly gross income. Calculating my expenses in each of the categories gave a clear message HALT. The numbers didn’t work. Maybe if I devote $60 a day, 365 days a year to each group it will balance.

What does it really cost you to live? Everyday, 365 days a year expenses continue. Don’t trick yourself into a false sense of security. The method used to dispense your money whether it is cash, check or charge doesn’t make any difference. Knowing what you have verses what you need will dictate daily spending habits so you will survive.

If reviewing your budget leads to the decision to make a change in housing contact me, Dan Cummings - Connecticut's Running Real Estate Agent for help buying or selling property in New Haven County.

In this economic climate where people are struggling to maintain their meager existence the elected officials still are not able to comprehend controlling cost. Today I received this flyer and although I have forgotten most of the Spanish I learned back in high school I can understand the message. Fill in the ellipse and slide it into the machine.

Unfortunately we the taxpayers of Connecticut must watch our money be wasted so Susan Bysiewicz can increase her facial recognition among foreigners.

I assume all these immigrants she is trying to entice into registering to vote are U.S. Citizens so why not require them to have a basic understanding of our language instead of wasting our money providing government forms in their native tongue.

This is the same woman that had a hissy fit because the VA hospital wouldn't allow her to go in and hound patients so she decided the best use of her taxpayer paid salary was to stand outside of the VA and bother outgoing veterans. She felt proud that 10 were willing to fill out her form. Back at the office she continued to waste time and money by getting her buddy Blumenthal to fight the feds.

Spend... Spend... Spend.... What difference does a few more pesos make when it's not your money!