Archive for September, 2009

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Shed What’s Not Working

By Tammy Parkinson | September 30th, 2009 0 Comments

Look outside!  Fall is approaching quickly!  Kids are back in school, schedules are revived and balance is cherished.  Doesn’t it feel as though all is right and “normal” once again?!  Nature is a lot like our personal schedules.  If you take a look at the trees, they are changing colors and some are losing their leaves.  If we compare this to our own lives, we too, at this time of year start to eliminate things which we no longer need; we “shed”. 

Consider the idea of getting “rid” of an old health or fitness habit (or lack of) which was of no value to you any longer.  Examples might be going to that kickboxing class which is no longer fun and you were simply doing it to go through the motions…you were barely even burning calories!  Or maybe you were eating a salad for lunch from the same restaurant, getting bored and possibly binging later because you felt you deserved it for putting up with the same old food every day during a break.  All these old habits do is cause frustration and excuses of why you can’t break through the barrier of your weight loss and fitness goals.  This month…get rid of the same ol’ same ol’ and try something new…invigorate your routine!  Try a yoga class you’ve heard about, create a new meal with low fat versions or try a new restaurant with a different spin on your healthy meal.  Whatever it is, emulate nature and shed what’s not working!  I bet you feel lighter already!!

Have a healthy week!

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Tags: , , ,      Categories: Wellness by Tammy Parkinson

Monday Morning Mojo: Be the Top Dog

By Tom Tognoli | September 28th, 2009 0 Comments

I can’t wait for the weekend!

Only two day’s left.

Thank God it’s Friday.

Why can’t weekends be more than just two days.

Finally it’s time to go home and have a cocktail.

Every week I see posts like this on my Facebook and Twitter streams. Sorry if you are one of them, but…

I wonder if Steve Jobs or Larry Ellison or Meg Whitman or the Top Dog at your organization thinks like that. NO WAY!!! They are so fired up and have so much passion for what they do that their weeks fly by. They absolutely LOVE it. It is literally oozing out of them. They think about it 24/7.  And that is why they are the Top Dog.  Look, they don’t have superpowers.  They sleep, they eat and they walk just like you and I.  They just have more PASSION for what they do. It’s not their job, it is their passion.  Now before you go rolling your eyes and say “yeah but they are the boss and they should be fired up, I would be fired up and passionate too if I where the boss,” remember they didn’t just wake up one day and become the Top Dog.  They started like everyone, at the bottom of the food chain.  They didn’t just graduate college and start out the Top Dog.  So how did they get to the top?  It is simple, they cared, they worked hard and they had more passion and love for what they did than everyone else around them. 

I know what some of you are saying, “there really is not anywhere for me to go up from here.”  I have a story to tell you – as I write this I am on a plane for a one day quick day trip back and forth to Denver.  When I showed up at the airport this morning at 5:15am there were a few baggage guys at the curb checking bags in, one of them stood out from the crowd.  He was laughing and joking with people (making them smile and feel good) while the other guys stood in the back with their arms crossed.  Who do you think makes the most in tips? The guy laughing and joking around with people and creating a good experience for people or the guys in the back with their arms crossed?  Yep – the guy with the passion and enthusiasm.  I will bet he makes ten times as much as the other guys in tips.  He is the Top Dog at the curbside baggage check.  Not only does he make more money, but he has more fun and I will bet he has a better life.  I also bet when there’s an opportunity for a promotion, he will be next in line to get it.

Bottom line is it does not matter what you do – flip burgers, check bags, sell widgets, assemble cars, or make computer chips. If you have passion for it and don’t just treat it like your job you can be a Top Dog.

Find the passion and become the TOP DOG!!!!

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Tags: , , , , ,      Categories: Monday Morning Mojo, Positive attitude

Cool Apps: Brizzly

By Tom Tognoli | September 25th, 2009 0 Comments

BrizzlySeems like the world can’t get enough of Twitter. The darling of social media, Twitter is monstrously useful for keeping up not only with friends, but developing and honing powerful business relationships and building your personal network. By now, you’re certainly using it. You are, right?

Assuming that you are, at the very least, using the micro-blogging site at least every so often, it’s likely that you have run into difficulties keeping the Twitter feeds of those you follow organized in any way that makes real sense. It’d be nice if there were an answer.

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Brizzly.

Unlike some of the desktop applications that are available, Brizzly keeps things very simple, while offering a ton of useful features. First off, Brizzly is web-based, so you have the ability to keep up with your Twitter minions, no matter your location.

But that’s just the start. Brizzly really sets itself apart from other Twitter clients with its simple, easy-to-use features.

Ever think twice about clicking those links in tweets? You know, the ones that’ve been shortened with services like bit.ly or is.gd and the like? Well, Brizzly takes care of that problem. When viewing tweets on the Brizzly homepage, shortened links are expanded to their original format, so you can see before you click just what you’re in store for. It does something similar with photos and video. If one of your followers includes a link to a photo on Twitpic or yFrog, Brizzly allows you to see the photo in-line. No need to click links at all. The same holds for videos from YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, or any other video service.

But there’s more!

If there’s someone whom you follow on Twitter who tends to over-share. Or maybe you have a friend who’s attending a conference and is sending updates to Twitter more often than you’d like. For situations like this, Brizzly offers a “mute” feature. With a simple click, you can silence someone’s feed without actually unfollowing them. Then, when you’re ready, simply unmute them and no one (but you) will ever be the wiser.

And the features keep on rolling in! Brizzly treats direct messages like IMs, and threads them together, so you can see a whole conversation. You can also organize those you follow into groups with a couple of simple clicks, so that you can stay on top of the things you care about most.

Brizzly. Streamlined, simple, super-cool! Check it out!

Tags: , , , , , ,      Categories: Intero Cool Apps

Hurry Up and Relax!

By Tammy Parkinson | September 24th, 2009 0 Comments

Last week I had made plans to take a 5 pm yoga class.  Yoga, you know, that workout which is supposed to be about mindfulness, Zen moments, body awareness, and relaxation of the mind, body and spirit.   I actually do take yoga for the physical aspects, but mostly to help keep my mind and spirit centered, to relax my soul. 

As I was driving to yoga, I got caught in some very bad traffic, after already taking off to class later than I had planned.  I was in a panic.  Have you ever walked into a yoga class late?  It’s not a good idea!  I started to get frustrated and anxious about the traffic and worried that I would disrupt the class, irritate the teacher and maybe not even get a spot to lay my mat; or worse yet have to move the whole back row over a foot so I could squeeze in. 

I had a little “self talk” and decided I had 2 choices:

1) skip yoga completely
2) go in to the class late, accept it and smile at the other students and teacher

I chose option #2.

Still, however, I was uptight and wound tight as I rolled in at 8+ minutes past the start time.    During the first 20 minutes of yoga I kept thinking about how hurried I felt and was trying to relax.   I realized my angst about being in a rush started from the moment I knew I was running a little late (before I even got into my car).  I was rushing, so I could go to a class to relax!!  Do we really need to put so much pressure on ourselves just so we can get to an environment in order to find our Zen moment? 

After the class was over, I went to the teacher and thanked him for being so gracious in letting me step into the class late (note, I had to wait outside the door until meditation was over!).  I told him I realized I was in a hurry to relax and that the mindfulness of yoga helped me consciously realize I don’t need yoga in a class ROOM to find my peace, it really should be in many moments throughout the day…especially at my most frustrating situations (like rush hour!).  

Since last week, I’ve tried to observe my behaviors centered around my harried schedule and how I can “relax” more.  This doesn’t mean I don’t take the situation (frustration) seriously; I am simply trying to take the situation more “gracefully”.

I hope in sharing this experience with you, you too can notice when and where you might be trying to be in a rush to relax and see if you can stop the rush and find the relaxation in that moment!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,      Categories: Wellness by Tammy Parkinson

Monday Morning Mojo: Realizing a Bigger Glass

By Tom Tognoli | September 20th, 2009 0 Comments

A PGA tour player just shoots the best round of his career and when the sports reporter asks him “what was going through your head” after he finishes scorching the golf course with a round of sixty, he says, “I was in the zone… it was effortless… I was relaxed… everything was just going in the hole.”

After winning what many will argue is the most violent non-contact sport in the world, the one hundred meter sprint, the Olympic sprinter when interviewed and asked, “what where you focused on during the race” says just one thing, “relaxing.”

I have a personal trainer who I work out with once a week.  Besides having been in the circus, he was a strength coach for the Stanford University track team and actually coached several Olympic sprinters.  He was the one who told me about the one hundred meter sprinters mindset.

He is not your typical trainer who has you pumping iron until the veins are popping out of your head.  He is about 5’ 7”, 140 pounds, has a limp from a bad hip and he is all about helping you create what he calls a “bigger glass,” opening you up so you can fit more in.

Weird isn’t it?

He tells me I can lift weights and run until I am blue in the face, but for me to continue to improve and get more of what I want, I need to open up my body and mind so I can fit more in.  Because my “glass is full” and if I continue to do what I’ve always done, all I’m going to do is over flow the glass and cease improving.

So, how do you make a “bigger glass?” You guessed it, relax.

Imagine me spending an hour with a guy whose whole goal is to get me to “relax” and not fight so hard to get more of what I want, but to just let it in.  Now, don’t get me wrong, when I am working out with him, it is very intense and I am sweating my ass off, but very rarely do I ever even pick up a weight. He has me stretching, balancing, and breathing so that my body can actually expand.  Because right now it is constricted by my thoughts and how I have tricked my muscles into what they actually can and cannot do.

The same thing applies to your mindset and getting more of what you want in all of the areas of your life. You need to make your “glass bigger.” This is why things like affirmations, meditation, and dream boards are so important.

Over the last few weeks we have discussed creating your passion so that it will pull you towards what you want to attract in your life.  We have talked about having focus and intensity, about speeding up, and about accountability and discipline.

This week I am going to recommend relaxing and letting your passion pull you. Don’t force it or all you are going to do is get pissed off and quit.  The key is not to try harder, but actually take your parking break off. You will find you run smoother and faster without it on.  It is all about creating flow and ease in what we do, being focused on what we want and letting go.  It is like running a one hundred meter sprint or shooting a great round of golf.  The more you “relax,” the faster you go, or the lower your score.  Now don’t get me wrong, you still need to be committed, disciplined, accountable and work your ass off. You need to do your best both personally and professionally to get what you want in life.  What I am saying is just don’t force it.

A big part of not forcing it and taking the parking brake off is changing the thoughts that are going on in your head every day about what you need to do to get what you want in life.  Remove words like – I can’t, I’m not, I won’t, from your self talk. You need to have positive thoughts and words – replace them with words like, I can, I am, and I will.

Have a great week, RELAX, make a “BIGGER GLASS” and don’t forget to take your parking brake off.

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Tags: , , , , , ,      Categories: Monday Morning Mojo, Success, The Dash, Uncategorized

Cool Apps: Going Ape For Gorillamobile!

By Tom Tognoli | September 18th, 2009 0 Comments

“What is that … thing?” you might ask when you first catch a glimpse of Gorillamobile, the infinitely-positional, arachnid-esque, cooler-than-cool mobile phone tripod from Joby.

Resembling something like a space-age spider, the Gorillamobile tripod is made specifically for your mobile device. It’ll work with mobile phones (like your iPhone, Palm Pre, or BlackBerry), PDAs, MP3 players, compact digital and mini video cameras (like the Flip Mino) and lots of other gadgets, too.

This clever tool has flexible, wrappable legs, which make it possible for you to position your camera just about anywhere, in just about any position.

“So, that’s great and all, but how does that help me and my business?”

Well, think about this: Why not use the Gorillamobile tool to set yourself up as a mobile movie studio? From your desk, from out and about, from wherever you like, you could record weekly videos (just a couple of minutes per piece) and develop a marketing campaign around them. 

Video gives you the ability to actually talk to your customers, to the people who read your blog, to anyone who’s watching. It puts a human face on your brand. And people will hear you, in your voice, speaking about the thing on which you’re an authority: Real estate.

Post video “blogs” about anything. Talk about the latest industry news, great restaurants in your community, recent sales – anything that will set you apart and make people sit up and take notice.

Get out there. Start the cameras rolling, and go ape!

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Categories: Intero Cool Apps

How to Win Friends and Influence People – on Facebook and Twitter

By Dawn Thomas | September 17th, 2009 0 Comments

Harry Potter aside – I’d guess that many people today would cite Dale Carnegie’s classic book  “How to Win Friends and Influence People” as one of the most influential books in their lives. But it was originally published way back in 1951 – when the average home cost $16,000, a gallon of gas cost 27 cents, and “high tech” meant CBS experimenting with color television broadcasts.

How does Dale Carnegie’s classic hold up to today’s Twitter generation? Really well!

The first part of the book focuses on personal relationships – and it is as relevant to Social Media in the 21st century as it is to our in-person relationships today.   It recommends-

  • Never criticize, condemn or complain. With the Internet-  you can rant, rave, and ignite flame-wars more publicly and permanently than ever before.  But really.  As a consumer – what do you want?   One really awesome Palo Alto restaurant recommendation from Yelp! or 15 rotten reviews?
  • Become genuinely interested in other people. Carnegie recommends that we remember people’s birthdays and other important details.  Today – this is easier than ever.   Reconnect with your best friend from third grade, send an instantaneous birthday message via Facebook, join a tribe of left-handed ukele players on Ning.   It’s never been easier to add a personal touch to the lives of our friends, family, and colleagues.  Carnegie would approve.
  • Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. Carnegie was ahead of his time.  Focusing on the other people’s interests is the golden rule of Twitter.   If he were around today, I doubt you’d find Carnegie only promoting his webinars and ads for acquiring 37,000 followers in 12 minutes on Twitter.
  • Be a good listener. So how do you listen on the Internet?  Subscribe to blogs & post useful comments and questions.    Follow people on Twitter & read their tweets for a bit before jumping in.   Respond to requests on Linked-in for recommendations and introductions to help a friend’s job search.
  • Make the other person feel important. One of the cool things about the Internet is that you can say “Thanks” in so many ways.  You can Retweet on Twitter, you can share someone’s event on Facebook or Linked-in to help them promote it,  You can Digg an awesome webpage, and of course –you can say “thanks” directly to the person.
  • Use Names whenever possible.   In the olden days, a business card only needed space for your name, physical address, and telephone number.  Now we squeeze in our fax, email address, Facebook vanity URL,  Twitter handle,  Linked-in profile, Website address, and  Blog address.    In bold 4 point font.   And still – one of the sweetest things is to have someone personally address something to you with a unique touch so that you know it genuinely comes from them.
  • Smile. Positive enthusiastic energy transmits as easily over the Internet as the telephone.    We would just need to give Carnegie a dictionary to interpret our sign language. LOL!  :0)

Win friends & influence people – in social media and in-person.

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Tags: , , , , , , , ,      Categories: Success, Uncategorized

Power

By Tammy Parkinson | September 16th, 2009 0 Comments

Tonight I took a Power Vinyasa yoga class.  I was going in to it thinking I just wanted to “stretch”, take it easy, maybe even leave a few minutes early as I had so much to do!

As I melted in to the class, the “theme” was about POWER and what power really means.  Is power about being first, always ahead of someone else?  Is power about strength, or possibly about winning?   Is power about pushing through situations which are uncomfortable?  Maybe it’s about holding the cards in a business situation to steer the decision in your direction. 

Or maybe it is (also or instead) about having the strength to be soft, kind and gentle.  Maybe it’s about letting go enough to trust your intuition; even if that’s different from what someone else thinks you should do or be.  Maybe power is about having something so strong inside of yourself it trumps the belief systems that you read about and talk about with others. 

Your power might tell you what feels right when you are taking care of yourself.  Your power might help you reach for the foods which assist you towards living healthy and your power that “deep down strength” might intuitively know when to rest and when to push.

Initially, I thought “ya, I have the power to go easy”…but then, I actually let go and worked hard!  I had fun, rested as needed, but stayed through the whole class and loved every second!  I trusted my strength inside vs. what my “busy mind” was telling me and learned a valuable lesson!

This week, dig deep and search out your power!  Connect with what is right for you and let go of your preconceived ideas which are more on the weak side than the powerful side!  As a mentor of mine has said many times “do you have the strength to be kind to yourself”?

Categories: Wellness by Tammy Parkinson

Cool Apps: Have You Gotten Your FWIX Today?

By Tom Tognoli | September 14th, 2009 0 Comments

WHAT IF…there was a way to instantly filter your news, so that you saw only what was pertinent to you? That would be great! Not only could you instantly find the information you’re looking for, you could find just the sorts of things your clients are looking for, too.

As luck would have it, I have some fantastic news. Because this service exists, and it’s ready and waiting, just for you. Let me introduce you to FWIX.

FWIX.com allows you to select one of 85 U.S. cities, then scans the Internet — all in the blink of an eye — to gather information from blogs, news & social media sites to present you information relevant only to the area in which you’re interested.

Think about how that could impact your business. Think about what information like that could mean to your clients. Think about how it would bolster the content on your own website or blog.

One of the biggest buzzwords in our industry right now is “hyperlocal”. This means getting down to grass roots; to get involved on a street level, in-the-thick-of-things, community-based kind of way. A site like FWIX, that can drill down and give you information that is totally community-centric, is an incredible asset.

FWIX can be streamed right onto your website, right where you want your customers and clients to see it.

You can even contribute stories right from your iPhone, when you’re out and about. It’d be pretty refreshing to see a Realtor’s point of view about the state of the real estate market, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it be nice to contribute to a sense of balance?

FWIX is easy. FWIX is free. FWIX currently streams news for 85 different cities, and has plans to go global late this year.

Get your FWIX. 

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Categories: Intero Cool Apps

Gino Blefari Speaks at RISMedia & the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®’s 2009 Leadership Conference

By Teressa Francis | September 9th, 2009 0 Comments

Today, Gino Blefari, Intero’s President and CEO will be a featured panelist at RISMedia & the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®’s 2009 Leadership Conference, September 9-10 in New York City.

Held at the historic Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, this year’s Leadership Conference will once again bring together real estate’s top executives, visionaries and practitioners for the industry’s premier educational and networking event.

Gino will be on two educational panels this afternoon. His first panel takes a national perspective on banks and lending. Gino will be discussing topics such as – What they’re doing now? State of the credit industry today? How the practitioners can get back in the game? And role of national re brand these days?

His second panel focuses on regional brokers and he’s discussing daily business. Each broker will be giving insight on ‘what really works’ in business. Gino will be speaking about Intero’s recruiting strategy as well as Intero’s new social media marketing strategy.

RISMedia, the leader in real estate information systems, has been providing the industry with news, trends and business development strategies for nearly 30 years through its flagship publication, Real Estate magazine, its leading website, RISMedia.com, and its renowned networking and educational events.

RISMedia’s Top 5 in Real Estate Network® is a membership network of leading real estate professionals providing leading real estate information to consumers. To qualify for membership in the Top 5 in Real Estate Network, agents must meet specific criteria in five key categories: experience; results; education; information technology; and commitment to community.

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