attempting conversion

I love theater and go often. I had hoped that would also be true of my son. 

I begin taking Alexander to performances when he is young. Alexander has just turned two when I take him to the Big Apple Circus.  His disinterest is already obvious.

Still, I up our outings to more sophisticated fare.

When Alexander is five, M and her son Harrison come to town and we see The Lion King.  At one point in the play, some creatures are literally swinging from the rafters, professing their love for each other.  Harrison, who is four at the time, turns to M and says, “Is this what they mean when they say love is in the air?”  Alexander watches quietly, probably bored.

I take my son to some spectacular musicals.  Hairspray. Mama Mia. Phantom of the Opera. The Boy from Oz. Spring Awakening. Fiddler on the Roof. Jersey Boys.  Some he likes more than others, but none he loves, although Beauty and the Beast comes close.

We see elaborately staged Broadway productions and simple off-Broadway ones.  We see comedies and dramas.  I take him to solo performances (he likes Sarah Bridge and Tunnel but is less enthused by a one-man hip-hop musical called Clay). We even see a series of five one-acts. He asks, "How many more," after the first one.

Then somewhere in his teens Alexander, to my horror, proclaims, “I hate theater.  I am not going anymore.”  And I can't convince him otherwise.

That was years ago and I am still trying.

Tonight I get tickets to a one-man off-Broadway show called The Real Americans. It’s gotten only positive reviews and is described as an “accent-dependent solo show.”  I think Alexander will like it.

Before we go, my son asks his two favorite questions:

• How long is it?
• Did it get good reviews?

"One act, 90 minutes," I tell him in answer to his first question.

I show him this, from Ben Brantley’s site, Did He Like it, in answer to his second:

Within the first five minutes of the show, I know I’ve made a good decision. 

One reviewer sums it up this way:

(Dan) Hoyle is brilliant; the show is a revelation; and you shouldn’t even consider missing it.

Alexander and I both agree.  Finally.  I've found a play my son totally enjoys. We leave the theater and he can't stop talking about it.  

Hoyle’s working on another show.  I say to Alexander, “When it opens, we’ll have to go.”  He responds, “Maybe.  But first I’ll have to see what the reviewers say.”

I guess he’s still not quite a theater-convert.  But I will keep trying.  Tonight was a major step forward.

amazing when it happens

Quite out of the blue it finally happens.

All week I have been contemplating when where and how.

I don’t want to ruin Alexander’s spring break, but I do want to have that talk about his future.  Graduation is a little over a year away. 

I employ the talents of my two nephews whom he loves and respects.  They are having lunch with Alexander tomorrow.  He’ll maybe listen to them; he doesn’t listen to me.  I’m his mother and too much of an adult.

But today, quite by accident, we find ourselves in that talk.  Alexander gets testy and I start to walk away.  He then calms down and shocks me with the words, “No, stay.  I really want to talk to you.”

I stay and we talk.  Probably for an hour.  And remarkably, he listens. 

I reward us with a 5,000-calorie dinner (it feels at least that) at one of our favorite neighborhood places — Burger Bistro. 

I’ll know better in a year if our talk helped.  Alexander’s immediate actions suggest it did.  But in this case, time will be the better indicator of success.

adjusting

I spend a few hours today looking at open hours, in the $5 million and up range.  It is amazing how some people live. 

But I am equally amazed at the many brokers who have come to view these apartments.  All are women.  Aged 30 to 80.  And most are exquisitely dressed.

Wow. I’ve just uncovered the perfect reason to buy designer clothes.  If I’m going to sell to the rich, I’ll need to dress like them.

Then I come home. Alexander is meeting a friend from school and his friend whom Alexander doesn’t know. I ask,  “So did Daniel coordinate for you to all meet at a particular place?”  He looks at me blankly and replies, “Who talks like that?”  Not a 21 year old, I now know.

So I’ll have to learn to dress up and talk down (as in less formally, not disrespectfully) depending on my client. 

Hmmm.  I’m now learning all the stuff that wasn't covered in training.

day one

1981.  My first day at my first real job. I had just gotten my MBA.  I was starting work in Gillette’s Personal Care Division.  I flew from Boston to New York and met my boss on a yacht.  It was the launch of Mink Difference Hairspray and the event was a glamorous one, as was my boss, and still friend, Gail.

Most first days aren’t quite as memorable.  I’ve had many jobs, and therefore many first days.  If I have a staff, I spend time with each person individually to learn what they do, their perception of what’s working and what isn’t.  In jobs where I’ve had no staff, I’ve usually been hired to do a project, and there, too, the parameters of the assignment are pretty clear.

But today’s day one is less defined.

I go into the office (love saying those words) and am assigned a desk.  The three women around me are friendly and helpful.  My computer is a PC. It’s been a long time since I’ve used one.  I feel clumsy and slow. I wish all PC’s could be replaced with Mac’s.

I am an independent contractor.  I have to develop my own business.  It will initially come from friends, family and colleagues.  I hope to find a niche and market to that niche.  I have some ideas.  Just need to figure out how to implement them.

Here are three interesting facts I’ve recently learned:

• Everyone has access to exactly the same real estate inventory.
• The seller pays the commission; the buyer pays nothing.
• Because I am working for Coldwell Banker Bellmarc, even if you are looking for a home in another state, I can refer you to a broker there (who doesn’t have to be with Coldwell Banker) and receive a referral fee.

I guess what I’m saying is this:  Please consider me for any of your real estate needs.  Or refer me to your friends or family if they are looking to buy or sell.  I even do rentals but there, the renter pays the commission, so a renter should look on their own first.  At least that’s the advice I’d give my son.

Okay.  I’m done with my little sales pitch.  I promise, this blog is not going to turn into a description of properties I’m selling.  Though I do hope you remember me and what I do when you or your friends or your kids are looking to buy, sell or rent apartments. 

Enough said.  Gotta start preparing for day two.

sometimes it's worth asking

Every girl needs a great pair of jeans, and last year I found them.

I searched the city.  Tried on millions (or so it seemed). 

Some were too tight — I hate that jeggings look. 

Some were too loose — I like the concept of the boyfriend jean but some actually look too much like the name suggests.

I like distressed, but the ones that were mildly distressed looked contrived, and the ones that were too distressed looked like they were one washing away from falling apart. 

Eventually I found them.  They were by Paige and called Jimmy Jimmy Skinny in a Tigerlily wash.  Everything about them, including the fit, were perfect.  They fit one-size too big so that’s also nice; it makes me feel good to be in a jean that reads 26.

This year I want a second pair of jeans since I wear last year’s so often. Bloomingdales is having their Friends and Family sale this week, so jeans are 20% off.  I try on many and none are right.

Today I go to the Paige store on the Westside and find my summer dream jean.  They are   cropped and ever so slightly distressed.  The wash is called Whitney. I love them but they are not on sale.

I come home and call Bloomingdales.  Unfortunately they do not carry this wash.

Now what?  I can’t justify paying full price, and Bloomingdales had nothing else that both fit and looked good.

I call the Paige store and ask if they will honor the F&F discount that Bloomingdales is offering.   They say no, not unless it’s the exact same item.  I counter with, “But then you’ll loose the sale completely.”  I politely ask for the manager.  She calls me back within ten minutes.  She agrees to give me 20% off with the caveat, “Only this one time.”

I hope this is good practice for my real estate career.  I start tomorrow.