Jane Page's Blog

Giving of Ourselves

As professionals in our communities we are looked upon to "give back" to the community that supports our business.  In that process over the years the concepts of Service, Charity, Volunteering and Personal Duty have been muddled together.

As professionals, we belong to networking groups like Rotary, Sertoma, our local Board of Realtors, etc. and we like to think that the often long hours and money committed to these organizations equates to our Volunteer commitment to community.  YES!  Service to these organizations can be considered, in IRS terms as hours donated and therefore has a value to us, as time donated not spent working and has come to mean Volunteering.  But to be a Volunteer, is to give of yourself without a financial reward.

By definition, Volunteering, charity work, benevolent actions are to be done without the motivation of finance.  So, with that said, our time spent in Service to professional organizations is just that- Service- not Volunteering.

Likewise, when we commit to chaperon our kids' field trips, or help with the school fundraiser- we believe that we are Volunteering to do Charity work in Service to the school- when in fact, we are just living upto our Personal Duties.  The idea of Personal Duty has been diminished in our society and has been pooled into the overall concept of Volunteering, in order for us to justify the time spent away from work.  Yet, Personal Duties are what make us human.  Parents have a Personal Duty to advance, enhance and support their children's education.  They should expect financial reward for this investment of time in their children by way of scholarships or giving them the tools to one day become independent.  Therefore, the hours and money given to school projects & events is not really Volunteering- it is fulfilling our Personal Duty.

When we see devastation from natural disasters and collect blankets or after 9/11 when people donated blood, acts of Charity happened.  To give to others on compulsion is Charity.  When we pick-up an abandoned dog on the side of the road and find it a home, that is Charity and Americans are good about Charity, because we like things fast and easy.  Our Country has formed WONDERFUL Charitable Organizations that depend not just on our Charity and Service, but the Volunteering of our valuable time.  The feeling of being compelled to action in the aid of others is the closest we come to the benevolence of God.  That is one of the reasons Americans are so involved in their communities on so many levels, we are givers by nature, society and culture.   

With all of the economic turmoil facing America, we will be compelled to act Charitably toward others; We will be called on to give Service to organizations; We will struggle to live-up to our Personal Duties and through it all we will find the true meaning of Volunteering.  Until we stop feeling the need to quantify every hour of our day, we will never come to understand the complexity of being a true volunteer.  The differences between Charity, Service, Personal Duty and Volunteering are simple and complex at the same time, and for those that are already committed to fulfilling hours within each category special praise to you and for those that have not grasped the idea of doing more, we need to try.  All we can try to do, is endeavor to do more, in this we teach future generations the complexity of giving and we begin to understand the greater good within ourselves.  I can think of no better way to get our Country back on track, morally and economically, than to start by doing more rather than expecting more.  I am making a personal commitment to this idea and encourage others to do the same!

My Personal Commitment Log:

Service: Work on the Local Board PR Committee and Help organize the SPCA Fundraiser that my company helps Sponsor

Charity: Answer the Red Cross Blood Drive Plea and Raise money to protect one of our local parks 

Personal Duty: Help with The School's Building Fund Campaign

Volunteer: Help a dyslexic student in my neighborhood with note taking skills

Aiken, South Carolinahas a rich history and one of her local legends claims that if you drink from Coker Spring you will return to Aiken again and again.  This was ccertainly true for me; I first visited Aiken as a wide eyed young girl, drank her waters and years later have returned.

Time changes all things, and so it had changed me and the city that I love.  As growth and development began to gobble-up the countryside and eat away at the town; I realized there were measures that needed to be taken, battles to be fought in court and changes to zoning to protect her character.  And so my legacy begins, I am, along with many others, quoted in newspaper articles and on television clips that will stay Online for years.  The points and changes required to protect our quaint Downtown are on Laserfiche public records forever.  Citizenship is a freedom that demands attention; it is not easy, nor should it be taken for granted.

• As the challenges arise that need attention, I ask how can I help to bring about the best possible conclusion.  I pray for wisdom.  Remembering to pray that:
• "God grant me the courage to change the things I can, the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference."  

So, as I live to enjoy and love Aiken more and more each day; I know that the legacy I leave behind Online is one that honors her past, embraces her present and protects her future.

[The Serenity Prayer quoted here is from memory and Photos of Aiken were taken from the City of Aiken Website]

Aiken, South Carolina is a small Southern Town with a lot of history.  One of my good friends, Louise, is in her early 90's and remembers a time when the streets were filled with big screen icons and tabloid headliners.  In the 1930's and 40's, The Aiken Post Office steps were the key to a fantasy world that gave way to an amazing reality.

Mr Fred Astaire's first wife Phyllis Potter was accustomed to Wintering in Aiken and continued that habit while married, for 21 years, to America's dancing feet.  Whom Louise recalls, spun her up and down the post office steps as if she was as light as a feather.  His affinity for the charm of Aiken kept him returning even with his friends from the Ziegfeld Follies.  Mr Gene Kelly and Mr. Astaire created quite a stir when they both went to the Post Office together. 

The local girls sat along the granite steps hoping that they would be the next ones whisked up to dance down the street with Americas' most entertaining gentlemen.  And so the gentlemen went about their daily routine, posting letters and enchanting Aiken's own sweethearts. 

With Mr. Astaire's sister married to a Duke, it did not come as quite such a surprise to some of Aiken's residents to see Prince Edward and Wallace Simpson take refuge in their quiet town.  With friends and family surrounding them, the media was thrown off of their trail for a while.  And one of Aiken's brick walls was closed in to hide the lovebirds.

Some of Aiken's local lore, accredit Fred Astaire's love of race horses to the premiere equestrian of that generation, Ambrose Clark.  With horses for every activity, Ambrose Clark is one of America's legends in his own right.  Astaire and Kelly even owned a racehorse together at one time and it was horses that led Astaire to his second wife, who had been a jockey.

At the core of it all is horses and the stage was Aiken.  We may not have the big screen icons and thank goodness, we do not have today's tabloid headliners; but Aiken is still that charming and enchanted place were little girls' dreams come true and love is in the air.

[This blog was inspired by the recollections of a friend and my own daily reminder- The Post Office, which is nextdoor to my real estate office.  The pictures are from the City's online photo gallery and Wikipedia, where some facts were gleaned, as well.] 

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

 God Bless America!

Aiken is a small charming Southern Town where the character of the City is defended like historic buildings and ancient trees.  With the building boom and rising popularity among newcomers to live "Downtown," the existing buildingscape and diverse charm were being threatened by gigantic new homogeneous multiuse buildings.  With a zero setback in the Zoning, even existing windows in the neighboring buildings were being walled up as the new construction attached to existing foundations.  As citizens protested these types of buildings, the City had no way to disallow the permits, unless a change in the Zoning or Building Ordinance occurred, simple solution, right?

It took over 2 years and thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours and too many meetings, but the change was adopted as follows:

Proposed Amendments:  City Council had asked the Board to consider possible amendments to the Old Aiken Design Guidelines for the Old Aiken Overlay District regarding building setbacks in the Downtown Business DB Zone.  See attached memorandum from the City Manager.  At the August work session, the Board reached consensus that the following wording was acceptable:

In the DB district, a new building or addition should be set back from an adjacent building when the proposed new construction is determined to need appropriate separation from such adjacent building.  This determination may take into account any public safety issues raised by the Building Official or City of Aiken Department of Public Safety.    AMENDMENT ACCEPTED

These simple words will protect building owners' rights to safety, light and air.  They will safeguard the buildingscape and preserve the character of our beloved town; so why did it take so long? 

Well, at first the approach was to assign actual numbers of feet to the setbacks. However, when looking at what other Cities in the State have assigned, Aiken did not seem to be a fit for a hard and fast 10 feet, for example.  This issue and others like it tested our planning commission to the point of the resignation of the chair.  This left the recommending body lost and without direction.  The only recourse was to go back to City Council and ask them to override the past recommendations and send the issue to a different public body for governance. 

The elastic nature of what was adopted will serve the City in a way that no firm number could have and will allow for positive development in keeping with the integrity of existing structures.

The photos and amendment text are from the City of Aiken website.  And the final lesson learned is that Citizenship is not easy, but it is rewarding.  I hope that the hours, dollars and brain cells exhausted over this issue, in Aiken, will help another City adopt a Right to Light and Air clause in their regulations. 

symbocabulary (n) sim-bo-cab-ulary: The language of symbols used in electronic communication.  Sometimes used to express emotion or action, while others, used as an abbreviation or acronym.

This form of communication is new to me and a bit confusing.  I even went to the bookstore to buy a dictionary, but was almost laughed out of the building.  So, I am trying to learn this new language and need help.  Please share your symbocabulary with me.  Also if you would like to include your etiquette for use, like To BOLD or not to BOLD.

 My Simple Symbocabulary:

:) Smile

! Really, I mean it!

<:> What, which way do I turn or what did you mean?

While you are helping me learn this new form of expression, can you clarify does LOL mean "laugh out loud" or "lots of love"?  Do XXX's & OOO's still mean Kisses & Hugs?  What do RSS, SEO, BPR and all of those other strings of letters mean when they do not come after a person's name?

As a dyslexic person, I have longed for a symbolic language, but do :) and =) mean the same thing?  Or, do we revert to the Einstein version %?  Is THIS SHOUTING or THIS?  Do you need a signature when the device says who sent the comment, anyway?  I am a Newbie, New-B or Newby to all of this, so thanks for your guidance.

 Your additions, suggestions and Symbocabularies are needed, appreciated and welcome here!!!! 

Aiken Steeplechase

Aiken, South Carolina is a very special place to live and one of the major reasons that I am here is the Aiken Steeplechase.  My family has been racing horses here since before I chose to move here and I owe a great deal of my devotion to the community to the Aiken Steeplechase Association. 

The Spring and Fall Races bring the community and visitors together because of the excitement of watching the ability of these magnificent horses and brave riders and the sheer enjoyment of Southern Hospitality.  I work for a company that sponsors the races and we work on the planning committees.  The proceeds from the events go to different charities that benefit the community.

Steeplechasing is the racing of horses over jumps, or on the turf; historically from church steeple to church steeple, hence the name.  The jumps can be brush or timbers with or without water.  The sport has an Anglophile connection, but history even puts such races in ancient Rome.  The sport can be addictive to watch (and wager on where legal) and when I was growing-up one horse used to count the days until he would race by pawing a strike on his door for each passing day until it was time for him to race.

Nationally, Steeplechasing is a wonderful tradition, a great way to enjoy a day and a vehicle for giving back to your community. The National Steeplechase Association oversees the member races and organizes the race calender, so check and see if there is a race near you.  Attending and volunteering at these events even if you are not a horse person is a great way to meet new people and get involved in your community in an exciting way.

[These photos are from the steeplechasing websites]

Aiken, South Carolina and her Live Oaks

Live Oaks line either side of South Boundary Avenue in Aiken, SC.  These trees are so magical with their evergreen nature, they lend a brightness to the Winter throughout the South. 

When other states are anticipating the fall and the change of color in the leaves, Live Oak trees are just filling out for the Winter.  They do not shed their leaves until the new growth pushes the old ones off in the Spring.

These trees, in Aiken were planted to give shade to a local banker as he rode to work, now they are an iconic image of our town.  Aiken has adopted tree protection ordinances to protect heritage plantings like these.  About 20 years ago, a widening of the street threatened these trees and people actually chained themselves in the tree so that DOT would not cut them down.

 Every City has its iconic image and for Aiken, if its not great golf or fast horses, it is South Boundary with the overhanging Live Oaks.  Come to Aiken and enjoy a trip down this quintessentially Southern Highway. 

Million Dollar Listing on BravoTV is giving Realtors a bad name.  Last season, the show had an agent painting her finger nails during an Open House while talking with potential buyers.  And now this season, Bravo has agents breaking and entering, making racial slurs and bad mouthing each other.  I am shocked at the lack of professionalism and poor education level of these agents and am surprised that Coldwell Banker and Christies Great Estatesaccepts this behavior from their agents.  Why has NAR not done something to combat the bad image these types of shows give the rest of us? 

I have long thought that more education and stronger fines were needed to improve the behavior of agents in our business and watched the show at another agent's urging as an example of how bad we as Realtors are pictured to the public.  These men each have done bad and good things as agents during the show that may get them local business and fame, but what their actions are doing to the other 1,000,000 agents in NAR is not positive for any of us in the business.

• Madaseson Hildebrand
• Josh Flagg
• Chad Rogers

These agents are working and doing well in a microcosm market.  They all had very good starts from their families and they are giving back through their community involvement, but what Bravo is using to make Good TV is making the rest of the industry look bad.  No disclaimers are given throughout the show about how the actions on the show are isolated to the show and that the tactics and "norms" quoted pertain to their market only.  As Realtors, don't we have a responsibility to paint an ethical, true and accurate picture to the public as a whole?

(The photos here are from the BravoTV website)

                                                   Medieval Times Dinner and a great show!

This theme show allows you to enjoy the merriment of a different time and eat with your fingers.  The show happens as the audience eats dinner and cheers for their knight in medieval horsemanship and fighting tests.  It is all a bit silly, but the drinks help get you in the mood and if you become a Lord or Lady, the humiliation level is so great feeling silly is minor, but it is a great way to celebrate a birthday. 

The dressageportions of the show are amazing and the horses are very well trained at every level.  Being married to a professional horseman, spending our vacation watching horses is not our usual choice, but in this case we made an exception and were pleasantly surprised at the high level of execution and the overall ability of these horses. 

If you enjoy a good chicken dinner and do not mind a bit of public humiliation in the name of fun, Medieval Times is a wonderfully entertaining way for family and friends to spend an evening!  

Visit their website: www.medievaltimes.com

These photos are from their site and are of the castle at Myrtle Beachand aires above the ground.

If you find yourself in Myrtle Beach, this show should be on your list if you like horses and country music.  We had a good time and wanted to let others know about this show, which may get overlooked by people who own horses.

Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede

Great horse tricks, good food and family fun all in grand southern style, like only the greatest living Country Music Legend could provide.  As people that have horses in their lives everyday, the last thing we want to do on vacation is to go watch them, but how wrong we were- The Dixie Stampede was wonderful horsemanship and a great ball of laughs!   

We left feeling proud to be Americans!

This is not an ad for the show, but a report on an evening of fun that we had in Myrtle Beach.  There are other locations and shows around the country, so don't miss the fun.

(PS: you eat with your fingers and they Do Not serve alcohol)