Something clever this way comes...

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

2009-07-05T16:22:09Z

Pretty soon (I HOPE), the url julieholden.com will point to my Realtor website, which is in the works. If you get here via Live Journal (http://jooley-ann.livejournal.com/) you won't see any changes. I'll keep that as a personal blog, but I need to use my name domain for professional reasons now. Which is good, eh! And hey, you can still check julieholden.com for blog entries! I'll be blogging about real estate. And by that I don't mean data, numbers, and hype. There's too much fun stuff to look at and talk about out there! :) So if you're a property and RE development junkie, like I am, consider keeping julieholden.com on your radar.

The last step...done!

2009-07-03T14:53:31Z

Like royalty.

2009-07-03T01:26:48Z

Let's say you twisted my arm and said I had to choose, from current listings, a multi-million dollar property in Austin. Let's say in the 8-figure range. You know, to live in. Here's what I'd pick. Nice, eh?

Exam passed. Huzzah!

2009-06-30T23:16:33Z

This afternoon, I passed both sections of the Real Estate Salesperson exam (state and national). All of my documents are filed, and all my fees are paid, so my next step is to haunt the TREC website to learn when I'm "Active," and wait for JB Goodwin to receive my license in the mail (your broker holds your license).

And now I can GET to WORK on all the fun stuff I want to do!! Yay!!!

Exam Looooms.

2009-06-26T01:32:08Z

I take the licensing exam on Tuesday, 6/30, at 1pm. Yipes! Provided I pass, I'm pretty much done! For now, it's study study, study. Will post again on Tuesday.

Julie Update for June 2009

2009-06-24T04:13:57Z

Let's make this quick! I've been a busy, BUSY bee. In class 8-5 M-F at JB Goodwin (the broker I selected as my sponsor), learning amazing stuff from talented, successful, well established Realtors. My status?

I am about TWO WEEKS (maybe fewer!) from getting my license!
I am very enthusiastic about the buyers I met at last weekend's open house.
I'm holding another house open this weekend, and I am working on ways to get some TRAFFIC.

Don't let the local news discourage you. This might not be the most happenin' time in RE, but a house one street over from me had a contract in 4 days. With multiple backups. And it's a well kept, beautiful house with a nice floorplan. And it was priced just right (IOW it wasn't on the low end, by any means). FOUR days.

Huzzah! I'm having too much fun for this to be called a job!

Snapshot of my beloved

2009-06-11T03:36:00Z

I'm having to do a lot of bio writing and talking these days. Came up with this to try to cram into a Facebook field:

Home: NW Austin (Oak Forest)

Spouse: John Watters
Toddler: Johanna (2.5)
Steps:   Ellen (17)
         Jay (15)

Pets: Morgan (female G.Shep)
      Josie (female tortycat)
      Cally (female calico)

Fish: Angelfish, bottomcats,
      pleicostamus, mollies,
      crawfish named Buddy

I think that sums it up. I live a rather rich life!

Two classes left!

2009-05-25T22:42:16Z

Every time I complete another Real Estate class, I get excited. I'm done with all but three classes, now. Then I take the exam to get my license. Then I start looking for a sponsoring broker. It's moving so much faster than I thought it would, which is a great thing!

Can't wait to be a real REALTOR. :)

15 Bean YUM!

2009-05-24T18:08:33Z

One reason I like my trainer so much is that her group, Grass Iron, is very social. They're always planning fun events for their clients, and I've met some of the nicest people via Amalia. When you train with Grass Iron, you get so much more support than just having a trainer walk you through your workout. They've created a community of like-minded people who are all trying to do the same thing -- stay in shape.

The other night at a party to cap-off Operation Get Lean, I overheard someone talking about soy bacon. I hadn't thought about soy products in a long time. I used to cook with TVP a lot because it's fat free, and often works well as a sub for meat. I guess I got away from using things like soy bacon and soy sausage because I don't cook with regular bacon or regular sausage very often, so when a recipe calls for it, I get the (organic, free range) meat product.

Last night, though, I picked up some Gimme Lean Sausage to substitute in my 15 Bean Soup. I use the recipe on the back of Hurst's HamBeens packet of dry 15 Bean Soup. It calls for 1 lb of ham, ham hocks, or smoked sausage. I decided to try it with (fake) breakfast sausage crumbles.

WOW. Excellent stuff! The Gimme Lean has a great flavor, and works extremely well in the soup. I'm not sure I'd ever eat it as a substitute for real breakfast sausage, but it was incredibly easy to cook with.

So, Operation Get Julie Lean is having some good success on day 2, with a huge pot of really delicious 15 Bean Soup to munch on for lunches all week. Huzzah!

Operation Get JULIE Lean!

2009-05-24T18:06:08Z

To make a long story short, and skip a bunch of whining, I've had a hip injury since January. I haven't posted about it anywhere because I just didn't feel like talking about it. To add insult to injury, being inactive (on Dr's orders) has resulted in a 10lb weight gain. Blah!

I decided last night to take several significant steps toward getting those annoying pounds, plus some, off my frame.
--No more fast food. EVAR! (Exception: breakfast tacos.)
--Watch them carbs. (Especially the mean, sneaky ones that're in alcohol.)
--Log food on Fit Day. (This has worked very well in the past.)

I'm not adding workouts (etc) until my hip pain is resolved.

I might edit this note as other guidelines hit me, but for now I'm keeping it simple.

Wish. Me. Luck.

No Handguns on Campus!

2009-05-20T01:15:26Z

Senate Bill 1164, allowing handguns on campuses in Texas, passed the Senate today. It has to make it through the House to be enacted. We can still stop it.

I emailed my representative, Mark Strama, and encouraged him to vote against this bill. If he's your Rep and you want to email him, you can do so here. If you don't know who your Rep is, you can look it up here.

The text I sent to Mark Strama is:

Representative Strama--

I have always voted for you. I appreciate your work in the areas of government accountability, renewable energy, and education.

Regarding the latter, please STOP SENATE BILL 1164. Our campuses are NO PLACE FOR HANDGUNS. This bill will hurt Texas by lowering out-of-state applications at our fine schools. It will endanger our students and educators. It will create an unsafe, stressful environment for the young men and women who attend our schools to pursue their education. It will make top-flight professors and instructors look elsewhere for faculty positions.

I look forward to your vote to stop this bill, and I hope you can encourage members of the house to vote likewise.

Sincerely,
Julie Holden

Feel free to use the same text. If you want to keep track of the bill (who in the Senate voted for it, where it is in this legislative session), you can do so here.

What the heck?

2009-05-19T01:28:58Z

Johanna has learned, from yours truly, to say, "WHAT the HECK?" John insists this will get her in trouble at school. I'm pretty sure we're on thinner ice using "butt" rather than "bottom" in our household (and thereby transferring it surreptitiously into her preschool class), but who knows. (It's not like she goes to some crazy-conservative school, incidentally.)

Anyway, yeah. WHAT the HECK? It's been, like, over a month since I posted to LJ. FACEBOOK ATE MY BLOG. And now, damn, they own all my words or something, right? Every fleeting thought that passed through my mental synapses and happened to be dumped into my Facebook status is the property of same. Oooooh. That's some valuable goodies of mine they've got there.

So. I'm going to try to resurrect my blog. Breathe life back into its sad, desiccated, limp body. Why? Well, why not? Seems like a good idea.

Incidentally, the main reason I stopped blogging about the lottery is that my Aunt Suzie's house burned down. I just couldn't stand asking the universe for all that stuff when I had a beloved family member who'd had almost everything she owned completely destroyed. Felt selfish. So, eh, I cut that out.

Back to deeper though. Bwah-hah. :)

~Your Friendly Blogger, Julie

Two amazing silent auction items

2009-03-29T17:53:05Z

They're having a combo online / live silent auction for baby Ike. The online auction starts on April 17 at Ikeasaurus.com. Then, on May 2, the whole thing culminates in a live fundraiser at Ruta Maya. Online bidders who can't attend will be able to set up voting by proxy at the live event.

Two really cool items:

--One week (May 23-30 / includes Memorial Day weekend) at this unbelievable condo in Telluride.

--One week in a two or three bedroom flat in Cambridge, England. The flat has an expansive terrace and manicured English gardens, and is situated on the grounds of a college of the University of Cambridge. The package includes a punting tour of Cambridge, guided by a university fellow, with lunch (with wine, of course) provided.

The second item is still firming up, but will definitely be offered once the auction goes live in two and a half weeks.

Start your bidding engines, and keep your eyes on Ikeasaurus!

Talented people.

2009-03-25T16:55:17Z

I just posted the first of eight mini-interviews with the winners of Austin Script Works' Out of Ink showcase: http://austinist.com/. Dang, these people are all so gracious, and interesting, and talented.

My friend Joni has entered a photography contest with a TERRIFIC idea: http://www.nameyourdreamassignment.com/the-ideas/jonikarol/looking-for-love-in-all-the-wrong-places/

I think that's all for now. Seems like the world is buzzing today! :)

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-15T00:47:56Z

When we win the lottery, we'll replace our fridge. (It's an amazing, workhorse of a fridge, but it was originally owned by my grandparents, God rest their souls.)

Spamalot Reviewed

2009-03-12T19:28:04Z

By yours truly.
http://austinist.com/2009/03/12/utterly_grailworthy_spamalot_review.php

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-12T19:25:57Z

When we win the lottery, we'll have the kitchen remodeled.

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-12T00:43:20Z

When we win the lottery, our refrigerator will always have a can of Cougar Gold Cheese in it.

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-10T22:05:40Z

When we win the lottery, we'll get some kind of artist / stager / interior designer to help us work over the entire house.

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-09T01:22:23Z

When we win the lottery, I will not give up my ratty tennis shoes. Nope.

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-07T17:24:43Z

When we win the lottery, we'll donate to Eels on Wheels.

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-07T03:41:42Z

When we win the lottery, we will NOT get a $200,000 pink Bentley with a $283,000 diamond-encrusted dashboard. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article2291022.ece

Johanna: two years, almost three months.

2009-03-06T01:33:16Z

She takes my breath away, she's such a wonderful girl!

Playing at the sink today. More here. What a fun day we've had! Picnic, park, and splashing in the lake with great friends. Then sink play, nap, a big healthy dinner. Now bath and bed. A good, solid, joyful day.

Some explanation of the boxing question.

2009-03-05T21:24:56Z

Noooo, I'm not considering taking it up as a sport! I'm just suddenly curious about it.

http://austinist.com/2009/03/05/lightweight_lightning_strikes_austi.php

When we win the lottery...

2009-03-05T21:23:14Z

When we win the lottery, two more words: Room Service.