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    Saturday, October 31, 2009

    a day in the life of me...one crazy busy Friday afternoon

    so My Twitter Update from around 1pm (and imported to facebook) said:

    "seems like over half the office took the rest of the day off. ;) Not me, though...still working away..."


    and THEN I discovered a voice mail left from a broker for me, wanting to move forward with a deal that wasn't even put together on our side...and both our in-house leasing agent for that property (who's also the property manager) and the managing partner for that property were GONE for the afternoon. ACK!!!!

    Here's the situation: This broker and his client had toured 2 available units that were next to each other in one park, and he liked both of them, but wasn't quite sure which one to take. He finally told us Unit A, so we rushed to put paperwork together (this guy wanted/wants to move in this weekend, of course) for unit A. Wasn't able to finish it Thursday afternoon (cause paperwork turned into us Lease Admins so late in the day), so it was finished 1st thing Friday morning. Only when we told our guy that it was ready (been approved by the managing partner and everything), he said to hold on sending it/printing off the hardcopies for the client/potential tenant to sign as the guy is now waffling on which unit! Gah!! He may want unit B after all.

    Ok. Hold on that. Sure, I can do that. No problem. If it changes I'll just get new paperwork for the new address (suite B) with instructions for a different lease. (They were different square footages and different floorplans, so while the rental rate would be the same, I would have different $$ amounts to enter into the lease, different Lessee's Share % to calculate out for the new lease, new floorplan to draw up, etc...a trickle down effect where I would have a lot of changes to make and not just simple swap out one address for another on the already drawn up lease).

    I came back from my lunch break and discovered:
    1) The Managing Partner for this property (think ultimate boss that all deals go by since he signs off on them, literally) was out for the rest of the day, [Call him "T" for this narrative]
    2) the Listing Agent/Property Manager for this property was out for the rest of the day, [Call him "J" for this narrative] &
    3) I had a voice mail from the Potential Tenant's Broker saying they decided they wanted Unit B after all, and how quickly could that lease be gotten to him (& email him a copy) cause his client wanted to sign and get keys today?

    ACK!!!!

    I never even GOT a new lease request for unit B for this potential tenant from "J" (the Property Manager/Listing Agent) before he left for the day....so I had no numbers, etc.

    Twitter update around then (not imported to facebook):
    "Frantically scrambling to keep a deal from falling through. Ack!!!"


    On our Internal electronic In/Out Board (system's called Gatekeeper :), the "T" (Managing Partner) had at least said that he'd be available by cell, if needed. So I called him and updated him on everything that's happened.

    He had me check our listing to verify that both units were listed at the same rental rates (and that they were different square footages), and told me to go ahead with writing up the new lease (but I would obviously need to calculate out all the various differences, figure out what the percentage increase bumps in rent were for this guys Options to Renew cause I would have to duplicate that percentage with the new rental numbers, calculate out the new Lessee's Share % of the park - individual unit Square Feet divided by entire park's Square Feet - and use that % to re-calculate Base Year amounts,...etc. )

    So I begin pulling all the necessary documentation together, working on the new calculations, found an original floor plan for the unit in our Plan Room and re-drew it in Microsoft Visio so I could then use the drawn image in a Word Document Exhibit, and just in general being frantic busy all afternoon.

    Outside Broker, of course, called about and hour after I picked up his voice mail message in order to follow up on his previous message. I gave him an update (not exactly the one he wanted - he wanted it all done and ready right then & there, of course), and told him that both our broker ("J") he was dealing with was gone for the rest of the day and that the Managing Partner ("T") who signs off on things was also gone, so I had to scramble to get approval of the deal (cause I have no authority to sign off on deals - whew!! :) and was now working on it. And that it was more than a simple switch of the address cause this unit was a different square footage so I had to re-do a lot of the work from scratch (including various calculations) and that I was actually in the middle of re-calculating the rental schedule when he called. So, he left me to my work with my promise to keep him in the loop.
    (whew!)

    About an hour or so later (I'm still frantically working), I get a call from "J" checking in to see if we had ever heard back from the outside broker. Boy, had we ever! I filled him in. Not much that he could do for me, though, being unavailable to come back to work. He thanked me for stepping up, though. Oh, and I think it was that call from "J" saying he had just talked to the outside broker. And I'm like? What?!? Why is he calling you? I TOLD him you were off for the rest of the afternoon, and *I* just spoke with him/gave him an update like an hour ago.
    Sheesh!
    Needless to say, "J" said he didn't realize that the outside broker & I had already talked, and that we were working on fixing the deal...and basically apologized for not getting me the paperwork I needed before he left.

    I go back to working on the stuff.

    The one remaining Managing Partner (I have 4 in my office, and they cover different properties, so we always try to have 1 around at all times...just in case) - let's call him "F" - was in his office, so I went over to him and filled him in on the situation and asked if he would be around to sign the deal, assuming I got all this paperwork done in time. He said Yes, that he could make sure he was around, and then proceeded to leave the office to check out the unit himself (to verify its move-in condition) and retrieve the key in the lock box. (Yay! :)

    Around now I called the Insurance Broker for the potential tenant (we had spoken yesterday, cause the guy was trying to start the insurance process in advance so he could have it when he signed the lease - we require proof of Commercial Liability Insurance that covers the premises leased before we hand out keys) and left a message with the guy saying I know he was working on an insurance policy for his client covering unit A, but the client now wants Unit B, so while we're re-drawing up the lease documents, we need him to change the policy to cover the correct unit. About 5 minutes later, I get an email from someone in their office sending me a copy of the Insurance Certificate (for Unit A). Wow! So I email her back with my request, and she's like "no problem, here you go!". AWESOME!! One hurdle down. :)

    Back to frantically working....I get the other Lease Admin to double check my numbers on my calculations for the new unit. Yay, we match. :) "F" comes back from checking out the unit, I get him to verify that the floorplan I just drew up is correct and matches what he saw (yay!), and then I finish putting all the pages together of my new DRAFT of a Lease Agreement (with all its supporting paperwork too) . "F" then reviews the new lease and says its good to go. So I finalize it all, including printing to PDF files...and then compiling the various files down into 2 PDF files - one for the entire Lease Agreement with Addendum and Exhibit Pages and the other for the various lease supporting docs like the initial bill statement, a memo re: our late rent policy, Utilities and maintenance information, etc. - and then emailed off those PDF files to the broker. Then I called him to give him the good news.
    :)
    By now is was just after 4pm, so we were calling it close to get this deal signed, but he was very happy that the lease was ready for signature and said that he'd call his client and let me know if/when they were coming over to sign.

    So while I waited, I called both "T" & "J" to give them the updates. (And also let them know that "F" would be able to countersign the Lease and give keys to the new tenant).

    Outside broker called back and said his client (and himself) would be there in like 15 minutes. He wanted to know if his client needed to stop by the bank for a cashiers check first or not, but we ("T"s & "F"s decision) said it wasn't necessary as his client had such good credit. (We generally require that if you want to take possession immediately upon signature, you give us a cashiers check. You wouldn't believe the number of initial checks we've gotten that have bounced. Sad, but true).

    The client/potential tenant arrived first, and I put him into our small conference room to start going over the paperwork with him. His broker arrived a few minutes later and joined us. And then I got "F" so he could answer the questions that were starting. (Better that answers were coming from a more 'authoritative' source than myself)

    One last thing to figure out while they were going over the Lease - "F" asked me if Trash was included in the Common Area Operating Expenses or if the tenant was responsible for his own services (as he wasn't the managing partner so he didn't know). I wasn't 100% sure myself, I quickly scrambled to look through various past CAOE reconciliations and asked our Accounts Payable gal. I called "J", since he IS the property manager, but he was no help and couldn't recall off the top of his head if it was or was not. (Doh!) Fortunately, after talking with Accounts Payable gal, we verified that Trash was NOT included in Common Area stuff, the tenant was responsible for his own trash service. (And therefore my Tenant Utilities & Maintenance information sheet was still correct! Whew! :)

    My Twitter Message when they were signing:
    Woo-hoo! My scrambling paid off and the deal is being finalized (signed) right now. Yes!!! :)

    By 5:00pm, the lease docs were signed, keys handed over, and the new tenant was walking out with his executed copy of the lease, ready to start moving in this weekend.

    WHEW!!!
    What a rush! But a good one.
    :)
    Great way to start the weekend!

    Thursday, October 29, 2009

    Curse your Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal! (Firefly quote)


    wash dinos
    Originally uploaded by TiLT creations

    How Cute! :) Someone hand embroidered that quote and some dinos!

    I just have the ThinkGeek.com t-shirt :)

    For those of you not in the 'know' about this quote, the quote & dino images have to do with a scene in the pilot episode of Firefly (tv series - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/ ).

    Here's the clip on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buCuMVmvZPw

    Tuesday, October 27, 2009

    Golden Bough's Program (10/26)

    As promised, here's the program from Golden Bough's performance on Monday night (10/26) for the North Orange County Community Concerts Association.
    :)


    Golden Bough: Margie Butler, Paul Espinoza, & Kathy Ross Sierra.


    "America Bound"

    "Set sail for the land of freedom and opportunity. Tonight, the popular Celtic trio, Golden Bough, performs a new musical concert, America Bound, capturing in song the experience of millions of Irish and Scottish immigrants who crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of a better life in the New World. Margie Butler, Paul Espinoza and Kathy Sierra trace that journey in haunting ballads, humorous songs, sea chanteys and rousing jigs and reels and demonstrate how the songs these immigrants carried in their hearts to their new home became the foundation for some of American's best-loved folk music."



    PROGRAM

    Mursheen Durkin
    Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore
    P Stands for Paddy
    When the Boys Come Rolling HOme
    Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears
    Froggy Went A'Courtin'*
    Frog in the Well**
    When New York was Irish
    The Little Beggarman / The Red Haired Boy***
    The Bard of Armagh / The Streets of Laredo
    Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye
    Real Old Mountain Dew / The Arkansas Traveler



    *Popular American Folk version of an (originally) Irish song, according to the performers.
    **The Irish Version
    ***Went from Irish song to an American Appalachians/Bluegrass song. :)




    - - INTERMISSION - -




    The Water is Wide
    The Scottish Soldier
    Green Grow the Rashes-O
    Black is the Color
    Charlie is My Darling
    Banks of the SAcramento
    Irish Eyes Are Smiling / Too-Ral-Loo-Ra*
    My Irish Molly-O
    Bonnie Highland Laddie
    Cape Breton Tunes
    Donal, Where's Your Trousers?




    *According to the performers, though these 2 songs are usually known as Irish, they' actually written by Americans. :)


    Joy of Spontaneity (Celtic Concert)

    Yesterday, around noon, I got a text message from my friend @Candai which said something to the effect of "tell me your available tonight?!?"
    :)

    After being on the recipient end of many of her last-minute invites too cool things (mostly where she got free tix through work), I've learned to say "Yes". :)

    I asked her what was up, and she responded that it was a Celtic band performing in Fullerton (7:30p) and that FREE tickets had just fallen in her lap. Woo-hoo!

    We BOTH love our Celtic/Irish/Scottish music! So carpooling plans were made, and we met up after work to travel straight over to Fullerton, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy the concert.

    Though we missed one transition from 55N to 91 (too busy chatting, I know :), it turns out that it was all in the best as by taking our detour route to get back on the 91 fwy we COMPLETELY missed the car fire that shut down the other side of the fwy. (If we had made the transition, we would have been stuck in that horrible mess). Whew!

    Walking about Downtown Fullerton, we spotted an 'early bird' special (2 for 1 entree price, w/purchase of 2 beverages...any beverages, even soda/tea :) at an Italian place so decided to chance it. Food was yummy, and the service was good (except when it came time to pay - the server was a tad slow at noticing that we were ready to to pay :). And best of all, it was w/in walking distance of the concert location.

    The concert was part of a series put on by the North Orange County Community Concerts Association (NOCCC). http://www.northocconcerts.org/ Apparently, the NOCCC is celebrating its 64th season/year. WOW! Impressive. Though I've never heard of them before now...and its no wonder! @Candai & I were the *youngest* ones there! :) But it was all good. :) The evenings concert was by Golden Bough, a Celtic band (trio) who's been around for 30 yrs.

    From the North OC Concerts website:
    "Golden Bough, Celtic Trio Monday, October 26, 2009, 7:30 PM - A musical exploration of the Irish and Scottish folk heritage and its influence on some of the best loved folk music of America today. Golden Bough features spirited vocal harmonies and instrumental numbers performed on Celtic harp, guitar, pennywhistle, violin, recorder, octave-mandolin, accordion, and bodhran. Enjoy rousing instrumental music, ballads, humorous songs and sea chanteys, plus the stories behind the music"

    Group's website: http://www.goldenboughmusic.com/
    Besides concerts & special events (and educational programs), they also perform at some festivals (like Highland/Scottish festivals). Last night's concert was called "America Bound" (1st time they performed this particular concert) and featured a selection of Irish & Scottish tunes (ballads, humorous songs, sea chanteys, & of course jigs & reels).

    The Irish set was up first, and then after the Intermission, it was time for the Scottish set.
    All in all I really enjoyed the music. I personally would have loved to hear more reels & jigs (more traditional instrumental only songs) thrown in the evenings concert, but I did enjoy all their singing songs. They did occasionally ask for the audience to join in on some of the choruses, and of course, @candai and I acquiesced...enthusiastically. :) (Ok, me possibly more than her on a few songs...since I knew a few more of the sea chanteys, etc.).

    Their last song of the evening (not counting their encore) was "Donal, Where's your Trousers?"... was of course fun to join in on the chorus!

    (I apparently left the program at home today, so I'll type up the full list of songs covered in the concert later).

    Afterwards, most everyone moved to a smaller room off the side where some light refreshments (fizzy punch!! and cookies/brownies :) were served while the performers sold and signed their cds and just generally chatted with people. @Candai & I struck up a conversation first with their Violinist, Kathy, who came out and asked us how *we* ended up coming/heard about the concert, as we were obviously the youngest ones there. (That got a laugh :) We explained, and then started chatting about various things. @Candai asked how Kathy went from training/playing violin the Suzuki Method to playing Celtic...and she actually gave us more than a quick & simple answer. (It was great!) She performed on both the Viola and the Violin during the concert (and sang too). Both were wonderful (especially when they performed reels. Superb playing!).

    The other musicians were multi-talented as well.
    Margie, who's one of the co-founders of the group, played a wide variety of instruments throughout the evening (tin whistles, recorder, bodhrán , a Celtic style harp, spoons - 'the bones', guitar, etc.) as well as performed vocals on I believe every single song that evening. Her father apparently was an Irish Tenor, and she learned many a song from him. Paul, the other co-founder of the group, played guitar and sang most of the songs, but occasionally he'd break out another instrument. Occasionally he'd use the Mandolin, and for at least one song he used a banjo and for one or two others an accordion made an apperance. :)

    It was hard to choose which cd to purchase, since they had a bunch of them available (including a new one they just put together called Celtic Love Songs), but I eventually settled on their "Songs of Scotland" cd and got their autographs on it. :)

    The crowd had thinned out a bit by then, so we all chatted some more. (Though Kathy was drawn off by some people in attendance from the Ross clan, who apparently wanted to interview her since she had some ties to the clan :). Margie told me that she really appreciated my enthusiasm in the audience. (Hey, we were 2nd row, front & center - and the youngest people there - easy to spot :). When you're at a Celtic concert, you gotta clap (and sing) along whenever possible. (And smile at the performers....there's nothing worse than performing and staring out at a sea of deadpan faces. I know! :)

    Soon, though, @Candai & I called it a night as we had to drive back to my work (where I we left my car) before either of us could drive home. Great night of music, overall! YAY! :)

    Friday, October 23, 2009

    December's Dollhouse Schedule Confirmed

    Just passing on some info for the other Dollhouse fans out there :)

    Fox has apparently confirmed that the official schedule for the next Dollhouse episodes to air.
    (Yay! :)


    "Fox rep tells io9 that this is the airing schedule for Dollhouse between now and 2010:
    Friday, Oct. 23 (tonight) - Episode 204 (9PM-10PM et/pt)
    Friday, Dec. 4 - Episode 205 & 206 (Summer Glau episodes 8PM-10PM et/pt)
    Friday, Dec. 11 - Episodes 207 & 208 (8PM-10PM et/pt)
    Friday, Dec. 18 - Episodes 209 & 210 (8PM-10PM et/pt)"

    See http://io9.com/5388711/double-the-dollhouse-in-december
    (and http://whedonesque.com/comments/22131)

    And *Don't Forget* that tonight's episode was directed by Jonathan Frakes. (Yes, THAT Jonathan Frakes...the one of Star Trek fame :). And if I heard/read correctly, tonight's ep is focusing on Sierra.

    If you want to see a Clip from tonight's episode (&/or a Promo spot), go here:
    http://www.dollverse.com/2009/10/a-clip-and-promo-for-tonights-episode/

    Enjoy!

    Thursday, October 15, 2009

    Wednesday, October 07, 2009

    Soup's On!

    Since I tweeted about planning (and then making) soup and biscuits tonight, here are a couple of pics of tonight's dinner (made from scratch)...


    Chicken & Vegetable Soup with Dirty (Whole Wheat) Biscuits

    The Soup was really just something I threw together - I tend to do that most of the time. :)
    The Herbs & Seasonings were picked by what I felt like would taste good, and the amounts were completely by guess (dash of this, pinch of that...you get the idea :).

    Herbs & Seasonings that I used:
    Fresh Ground Pepper
    Kosher Salt
    Garlic - (about 6 cloves - 1/2 chopped & 1/2 crushed)
    Parsley (dried)
    Rosemary (dried)
    Thyme (dried)
    Tarragon (dried)
    Bay leaves (1 med & 1 small)
    Ground Mustard (dash)

    I also sautéed some finely chopped onions and celery stalks in butter before adding in the rest of the soup ingredients. (I used both chicken stock and vegetable stock for the broth)

    Other ingredients:
    Onion (1 medium sized one - finely chopped)
    Chicken Breast (1)
    Red Potatoes (sm-med, about 4-5, diced)
    Carrots, chopped (around 6)
    Celery (5 stalks, 2-1/12 chopped finely, 2-1/2 chopped in chunks)
    Mushrooms (about 6? - roughly chopped)



    The Biscuits are a simple Soda Biscuits recipe. For the flour I used a mix of whole-wheat flour and regular flour (1 cup of each - it wasn't a very large batch of biscuits).


    And Yes, it does taste as good as it looks (or sounds).
    :)


    Leftovers are first come, first served! ;-)