Life

I got home at 10pm today because there was a lot of work and I had a late appointment with a client.  Lately, I've been thinking a lot about real estate vs. escrow.  I started escrow in Januay and real estate in February and since, I've juggled both jobs pretty well, allocating my time between the two and of course, also trying my best in both.  But lately, I've been getting a push from my boss at escrow to think more about escrow and being an officer.  I can't seem to choose between the two and I don't really want to either.... Both have their pros and cons and I don't think I've had enough experience in either to really know which I like best. 

Real estate is definitely way more exciting--every day is different and every transaction is unique.  I also make much more money from real estate, but the pay is inconsistent and extremely unstable--one month's paycheck could be close to 5 digits while the next two months could be without paychecks.  I never know how much money I'm going to make... it could be a lot or it could be nothing, just no guaranteed salary.  I also love the time flexibility.  Thinking about it in the long run, I will have kids in the future and if I had a regular 8 to 5 job, I wouldn't be able to pick up my kids from school or take them out to lunch on their minimum days or drive them to music lessons, etc.  Although work is important, family is above everything else.  However, doing real estate will also mean I'll have no weekends and no life if I want to become a top producer.  Clients will call anytime and weekends are work days of having to show houses while everyone else is home relaxing.  I've been loving and enjoying my weekends the past few months because it's been  kinda slow....not sure if that's something I'd want to give up.  =/  Oh and one more thing, I love the entrepreneurship of real estate.  Every agent structures their business differently, but I love the freedom of being able to do that and I especially love being my own boss!  And ultimately, an agent is a salesperson.  I think I'm always challenging myself and pushing myself in real estate because I'm always selling whether it be myself, a house, or my services.  I'm really not used to it and that's the thing, even though I'm not too comfortable being a salesperson, I somehow am able to do it and my clients usually are very happy with my service.  I surprise myself sometimes because I somehow turn into a different person without really knowing it.  Being an agent really brings out the extroverted side of me and that's another thing I like about real estate-- it brings out a side of me I never know I had.... like being a salesperson.  Work doesn't always challenge and change people, but mine does!

Escrow is more of a weekday job.  I will have my weekends, but the weekdays will be longgggggg.... As an officer, I will be able to control my business and somewhat have that entrepreneurial freedom, but unlike real estate, I'll be chained to my desk.  I will be dealing with more people which is a pro for an extrovert like me, but escrow can be even more stressful than real estate.  Pay is also somewhat commission-based, but competition is much less fierce and income will be more stable.  Everyday is kind of the same thing, but I love having a lot of work--it makes my days pass by muchhh faster.  I'm also reallly good at organizing paperwork and I like it.... I just don't like how it takes more time to make it to the top.  People are assistants for years before becoming an officer and it sucks to be an assistant.  Making money in real estate is so much faster and this year definitely proved it for me. 

So because it's so difficult for me to choose, ultimately, it comes down to pay.  I honestly think I would excel as an officer and I don't need more time to prove that to myself, but I haven't had enough time in real estate.  I'm going to continue juggling two jobs for a few more months until I have a better idea of what I like and what I want.  Glad I got all that out.  Thank you!       

Calendar

Being the anal, uptight, perfecting Virgo that I am, I ALWAYS need to know what my schedule is ahead of time--whether it be the next hour or next year.  I've been trying to find the perfect 2010 calendar, but I still can't find one!! I don't want to buy one either because I usuallyyyy get one for free... maybe I will opt into buying one because it's October already and I hate not having a calendar to plan ahead with.

So the 2010 calendar I'm looking for would be to plan my daily and monthly appointments/meetings/whatevers, but I also need something for the next few years so I'm well aware of when my notary and RE license expire, etc. I spent sooooo much time online looking for one, but failed.... so I made my own on scratch paper and i LOVE it.  I don't love it because it's aesthetically appealing (but the opposite!) but I love it because I have my goals and reminders for the next few years all written out.  It makes me feel SO much better.... the last few days have not been fun trying to search for the perfect calendar and having all these intangible thoughts in my head that I could not write down. 

To conclude, I have one page for each year from 2010-2014; each September also has a small number next to it beginning with a 2 for me to (somewhat reluctantly) remind myself how old I am and will be.  So far, it has my goals of when I will finish 5 RE courses and when I plan to take my Broker's exam.  I also have a reminder of when to renew my notary.  Finally, it shows when Thien will start med school.... but there is no known date of when he will finish or be back in California.  Regardless, I think I want to be married when I'm 27 or 28 so in 2013 or 2014....... =]  Good night.   

Random Things

 I'm still subscribed to the akpsi yahoo group and I still get the emails everyday about everything--rush, workshops, fundraisers, parties.... DUES!  I delete most of them now without even reading them (except the ones about dues so I can maybe make myself feel better and think I was a better Treasurer).... But reading the emails once in a while help me reminisce about college and akpsi.  I think pledge quarters were just wayyyy tooo crazy.  There definitely was too much going on-- I'm sure most of the alums/actives feel the same.  In a way, I had a lot of time, but I also didnt!  I don't think I did everything I wanted to do... like be more active and go to every pledge meeting or every court or every social outting.  And now that I'm out of college and working, I wish I could have some of that social life now.  Bleh.

Because Thien still lives in LA and his roommates are still in akpsi and some of my pledge bros are still around, I still hang out with them so in a way, I guess I'm not totallyyyyy out of the college life.  It was fun this past weekend when some people came over and we played games... spoons! egyptian war.... 10 fingers -_______- .   We went to pho at 2am afterwards and the place was packed with people half-sober.  I like how I can still do that.  I guess life isn't bad, but would be better if I had more deals right now! 

Bday weekend

I had a really fun birthday weekend!

So on Friday, it was nice going to work and hearing "Happy Birthdays" and knowing that people remembered =].  I got off work early and Thien made me a realllllllllllllly good dinner.  We had fried soft-shell crab and sushi with this really good sauce.  It was delicious... delectable!  I don't know if it was because I was hungry, but it was once of the best homemade dinners I've had in a whileeeeee.  I'm still thinking about it =P...  Then at night, we went to Busby's which was pretty fun.  They had a live band and the amount of people was just right; it wasn't shoulder-to-shoulder packed and it wasn't awkwardly empty either.  I felt kinda sick after the 3rd drink so didn't get wasted.  We went to Pink's hot dogs afterwards and that was pretty good too, but we got regular fries instead of chili cheese so now I'm craving chili cheese fries.  Then on Sat, we went kayaking!  It wasn't as fun as I wanted it to be because I was super hungry .... kayaking takes a lot of energy and is definitely not fun when you're hungry =/.  But it was still nice hanging out with people and racing. Afterwards we went to the beach, but it was very windy on that day so I was covered in towels instead of tanning haha.  And then we had kbbq at Tahoe for dinner, but man....... I'm still recovering from diarrhea!  Probalby not going there again........... Then after that, a bunch of us went to Thien's apt to drink and play games.  It was really fun because this time we actually played games that involved everyone and it really made me feel like being in college again.  Oh, good times! 

It was probably one of the best birthdays I've had! Probably wouldn't be as fun if I didn't have Thien =]   

Emotionally...

I am too emotionally attached to work, but I can't help it!  It really takes experience and practice to be able to be emotionally DEtached.  I am slowly working on it.

Stop thinking about the money... stop thinking about the money........

Gosh real estate is stressful, but it should be okay if I can train my mind to be emotionally detached.  Imma go to vegas that weekend.