Tweeting or Blogging or Meeting Face-to-Face? Baltimore,Maryland

In the last week I've spent a lunch meeting learning about Twitter, I've been online for hours reading and communicating, and I've visited the annual publishing show in New York to find that most of the buzz was about the growth in ebooks and the influence of the Kindle on the world of books. Everywhere you go, people are texting and tweeting and blogging, often all sitting together and not actually talking to each other! Is this the future?

I don't believe so. Personal connections still make a difference whether you're talking about real estate or any other profession. During that Twitter class, everyone was focused on learning how to make the best use of this 140-character message tool. It was a lunch-and-learn session, but I got so into it that I forgot to eat my lunch.

Sponsored by our local NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) chapter, there was a good crowd. And because I was there in person, and could talk face-to-face with people, one of them also bought a copy of my book.

And again a couple of days ago I was in my broker's class and met Anna Privalova. She told me that she had been in one of Anne Hruby's GRI classes and heard me speak. One of my favorite things is talking with new agents.... Speaking, Networking, Making Connections!!

Anna said that she has been following me on Active Rain and knew about the book. When she asked how to get a copy, I mentioned all the usual options – Barnes & Noble, Amazon, my site, the publisher's site, and the Kindle version. Her eyes lit up, and she said that if it's about real estate she owns it, but not all books are available on Kindle.

Right there in class she pulled up the Kindle site and ordered the book. Would she have done that if we hadn't met and talked in person? I doubt it.

The world of communication is changing. We can reach many more people faster than ever before. But for true communication I still believe that we need the human element for our complete message to get through. I love the way technology makes my business work better and smarter, but I will NOT stop answering my phone , making my own appointments Yes, I DO! , showing my properties(when necessary) and meeting appraisers and inspectors.

Because that's where the best communication takes place.

Tweeting or Blogging or Meeting Face-to-Face? Baltimore,Maryland

The Big Apple - a Four Day Whirlwing

On Sunday evening we are sitting on the Acela train after a whirlwind four days in the Big Apple.

It all started on Thursday with a trip to our New York oncologist where we got the best news of all - no change - Lee can come back in one year!

Before the doctor's appointment we stopped at THE Carnegie Deli. (I noticed that Margaret Woda wrote about Rip's Reuben) but let me tell you I think the Carnegie's Reuben might be better.

And look at the size of the pie...no we didn't have any until later that day.

Thursday night we had tickets to "South Pacific" 3 rows from the stage...it doesn't get any better! No need for my opera glasses.

Friday started with a call from Carolyn Tann-Starr who met us at the Milford Plaza and drove us to the Meridien where we had the most decadent and delicious brunch celebrating Lee's birthday and our Anniversary the following day. As many of you know, we count the days we've been married....and May 30th was 14,975 days.

We had a wonderful time including a photo shoot, the two of us taking shots of the hotel, the food, everything. Take a look at her post which I re-blogged and I will try not to duplicate our photos. An Incredible Brunch At Norma's (The Wordy C Margaret Rome Interview.

After lunch, we taxied Lee back to the hotel and went on to the Javits Center for the Book Expo America (BEA), one of the main reasons for this trip.

Books, books everywhere, and we even found mine, Real Estate the Rome Way,and then lots of neat neat titles, and a book with ROME + on a black and white and ROME+ on a white and black.

And the entire time C Tann and I talked about ourselves, our careers, our dreams, our families, our books, our blogs and anything else that came up. There was no shortage of conversation, and the day flew by.

One of the highlights was taking a bike taxi. Imagine the two of us, free to talk to each other, free to photograph, free to speak to people on the street – cab drivers, doormen, tourists – it was like being in a parade. I even did the Miss America WAVE, you know with the palm going side to side.

I have decided that in New York City you can close your eyes, turn 360 degrees, and point the camera - there is not a bad shot to be had!

Before I knew it, it was 6:30 pm and Lee was calling. "Don't forget we have to pick up tickets for our 8:00 pm show." And then another wonderful show, this time we saw "Billy Elliott." My day continued with more walking and seeing the sights of Manhattan, but there was no time to blog about the wonderful day with C Tann.

Then it was Saturday...hey, wait ...it was afternoon...we forgot to get up. There is not much sleeping time in NYC. Lee and I did more walking, more sightseeing and just happened to stop at the "Lion King" box office. Yeah, right, just get tickets on the same day and a Saturday night to boot? They had "Lion King" tickets for us, row M on the aisle. It was our lucky weekend - how could we not take them? A fabulous production with all those characters coming down the isles - we were in the perfect seats.

(Did you know that Michelle and Barack were in the same block having dinner and a show just like us?) Afterward we had a snack at Juniors right next to the theater. There were hoards of people waiting in a line that went for blocks and blocks – we had to find out why - a concert "Black Star."

Sunday morning Josef Katz called to say he was going to be in Manhattan; I said, "Great! Meet us at the hotel." Together we walked a few blocks on 8th Avenue to 49th or 50th and had a beautiful brunch at Thalia's, recommended by our friend Sandie Nagel.

We took the Acela home and I could have been singing I've Been Workin' On the Railroad... where the train stopped somewhere near Baltimore. There was a disabled train on the tracks, they had to switch passengers, clear the tracks of the broken train. before we could move again. And I was blogging all the way.

Got a call from Carolyn and there was more chatting about the day and then.... my tablet turned off and for a moment... there was a bit of panic ( because I Don't Do Upset! ) thinking this entire post was lost.

Just a wonderful four day whirlwind in the Big Apple. Had to go to the gym this morning, just to slow my pace down..