Alternative to the SandblasterThe Maryland Association of Realtors took its annual conference back to the beach last week.After a few less than desired yearly conferences at the MGM National Harbor Hotel and Casino, which is located right outside of Washington, DC, the decision was made to take the event back to the Roland E Powell Conference Center in Ocean City, MD.In spite of this event being planned well in advance of the scheduled date, the weather decided to book overcast skies and nonstop high winds for the entire 4 day period.Additionally, somebody thought that it would be a good idea to dump their trash into the ocean, trash which included hypodermic needles and feminine hygiene products.  Just in time for the conference, this debris washed ashore prompting officials responsibl... 09/24/2024

No ReplyI tried to contact a listing agent about a property that the agent had listed for rent.First I texted, then I emailed, and then I called and left a message.  No reply.  Similar to the instructions on a bottle of shampoo, I then repeated the process.  No reply.Later that day, I saw a little boy who told me that he sees dead people and that they don't know that they are dead.Suddenly, as if my life was passing before my eyes, I remembered:the time that a seller for a listing of mine did not show up to settlement;the time that I made an appointment to show a prospective buyer one of my listings, but they did not show up;the time that a lead service sent me a lead, with whom I could never make contact;the time that I left a decent tip on my credit card at a restaurant and noticed th... 02/25/2024

Credit Card Designed To Take You Over The LimitI recently obtained a credit card from Discover Card.When I applied for the card, I do not believe that they asked about my income.They promptly approved me and gave me a $500 credit limit.After two months, I asked to have the credit limit increased.  I was not looking to spend money that I did not have, but if I solely used this card for just groceries and gas, it was quite possible to go over the $500 limit.  My only concern was that I would not go over the credit limit, whereby I would end up paying some ridiculous interest rate like 25% or more.  I would pay the full balance at the end of the month.  They told me that I did not have a long enough history to increase the credit limit. I set it up so that I would have an automatic payment... 02/12/2024

A Matter of PerspectiveMany people have been locked up for carrying, distributing, or using illegal drugs, especially young black males.  Many of those drugs are now legal.  Should I have been locked up for working at a fast food joint that peddled greasy burgers, overly salted fries, and high fructose beverages, which have led to the deaths of many people because of obesity, clogged arteries, and ultimately heart attacks, diabetes, and other conditions?The Super Bowl is a very popular sporting event, however a new record may be set this year for the number of people world wide who do not watch it.  This number could easily exceed 7 billion people.  I will be among the 7 billion plus people.Is President Joe Biden hoping that the Supreme Court rules on the case about presidential immunit... 02/11/2024

Baseball's Spring Training is Just a Few Weeks AwayThe players will soon be preparing for the baseball season, America's Pastime.From the little leagues, high school, and  college and on to the big leagues, the players will be stretching out their arms and getting the timing down on their swings to get ready to take the field and Play Ball.The frigid weather of winter and the brutal football season are nearing an end as we all look forward to more pleasant times.While only a few players develop their athletic ability to the fullest and master the intricacies of the sport to go on to the major leagues, almost anyone, at the right level, whether it be fast pitch baseball or slow pitch softball, with proper training and preparation, can play the sport.Just like baseball has its training pe... 01/29/2024

How Much Does Your House Cost in Hours?When we consider the cost of something, we usually think of the cost in terms of money.In order to obtain money, we usually have to spend time working in a job, which pays us money.Since we have a limited amount of time in our lives, it might be worthwhile to consider how much time we need to spend working, in order to obtain the money to purchase any given item.If a person makes $100,000 per year in a full time job, which involves a 40 hour work week for 52 weeks of the year, then they must work 2,080 hours to make that $100,000.  This equates to about $48.08 per hour.  If the person is taxed at 25%, then that person's net pay is $36.06.For the sake of discussion, let's say that a person can be approved for a monthly mortgage payment of about 30% ... 12/19/2023

Baby Boomers, Do You Remember Why You Bought a Home? Perhaps these are some of the reasons:You wanted the stability that owning a place of your own would provide to you and to your family.  Your children would grow up in a community where they would make lifelong friends and attend the same schools throughout their school years.You wanted the financial benefits that owning a home would provide.  You would be able to lessen your tax liability with itemized deductions.  You would gain equity in the home which would be a major means of building your wealth.You wanted the freedom that owning a home would give you for pursuing your interests, which might have included having a pet or two, tending to a flower garden, or growing your own vegetables.You wanted the ability to make the home your ... 12/14/2023