Looking Out From the Garage

Today was a NASCAR kind of day.  My Friend Pat Johnson, of Rugged Ridge, had a spare ticket (provided by one of his customers, Jack Lancaster, owner of Tellico 4x4) for the race at Talladega Super Speedway.  We did a fairly fast road trip/race day...  On the way about 7:00 this morning and back home by 10:00 this evening. 

But all of that is only to set a stage... 

During the race, we were listening to the race communications between some drivers and crews.  It is really fun to hear what is going on behind the scenes.  It is also traditional for fans at NASCAR events to be able to listen to everything from the teams to race control... even the back channels of the TV and radio broadcasts are publically accessible. 

While we were listening to one of my favorite teams (Kurt Busch - #2 Miller Lite Dodge), Kurt let out a dirty word... in frustration.  It was kind of pointy...  And it isn't the first time that a driver has said something that they probably wish they hadn't said...  In fact, it isn't Kurt's first time at that dance.  Last week there was a heated exchange on the radio with his boss.  Some inside NASCAR thought that perhaps the communications should be made private. 

Fans didn't like it. 

The fans like to hear what the drivers have to say... even when it isn't family friendly...  Perhaps with a little more discretion.  But THEY want to make the decision as to whether or not the communications are suitable.  For them... for their children. 

Frankly, I think this comment was superfluous.  But there have been a few other times when comments using some of the same words were NOT superfluous.  They were hilarious.  They were insightful. 

They help to humanize the experience...

From drivers joking with their crews as the travel 190+mph around the track to broadcasters talking about where to go to dinner after the race, while on a commercial break.  From drivers apologizing to their crew for mistakes on the track to NASCAR officials joking about running out on the track during a caution to pick up debris. 

Aside from providing entertainment for the fans, the drivers, crews, broadcasters and officials have families and lives.  They make mistakes and they have little triumphs along the way. 

Isn't that kind of like us when we interact on social networks?  Just thinking... 

BTW, Thank you Pat and Jack.  I had a great time.

It's the sensation that is sweeping the nation... OK, it is just sweeping Atlanta's northern arc...

Social Media Breakfast - Atlanta. 

Each month, on the 3rd and 4th Thursday, we get together to talk about responsible and ethical ways to leverage social networking for business.  From FaceBook Fan pages to Twitter, Foursquare and Posterous, we are touching on all of the newest and best ways to connect with our clients and customers. 

Northwest...

Ken Cook leads the Northwest crowd on the 3rd Thursday in Cobb County.  For April, FourSquare was on the menu, and James Ball (Hello North GA) was the featured speaker.  For more information about the Northwest Events, check out Ken's link. 

Northeast/Central

I help put together events for the central and northeast suburbs.  We meet on the 4th Thursday.  Events are announced on the FaceBook Fan Page.  For April, we will be talking about measurement and analyzing traffic.  If you can't measure it and see where it is coming from, it doesn't exist.  The April event will be at the Atlanta Bread Company near Perimeter Mall. 

We'd love to have you join us on Thursday, April 22nd from 8:00 to 10:00am at the Atlanta Bread Company.  We socialize and pick up breakfast around 8:00 and the program begins at 8:30.  After 9:30, we socialize and network a little more.

Garrett had an ice skating lesson today.  So, while he was skating with Miss Jenny, I was cooling my heels.  One of the other coaches that Garrett has had in the last couple of months was wandering around, and said hi.  While we were chatting, she told me that she had just finished school and was looking for a job in a particular field. 

It just so happens that a good friend of mine is in a related field.  The other coach didn't know the best way to break into the new gig, so I told her I would give her an introduction.  It was that easy. 

I called my friend, and told him the situation.  He said he would be glad to talk with her, and if he didn't have anything where he was, that he would be able to check around. 

I left her with a card with my friend's number.  She is going to call him, and he knows she will be calling and who she is. 

That is a simple lesson on Social Networking, and is the basis for sites like LinkedIn. 

• Person A (the coach)
  

knows

• Person B (me)

who happens to know

• Person C (my friend)

Person A and Person C ought to know each other... and Person B can be the conduit. 

Be the Rolodex.  

It doesn't have to be a job... it can be a tradesman or anything else.  BTW, the friend is a client.  The coach could be a client.

It is that time of year again... FMLS Showcase at Galleria. 

Anyone planning on going?

I'm going to be there.  I think a few more of the Diamond Dwellings team will be in the house...  But, what about the other 44,982 real estate agents in Atlanta.  We have a few hundred listed here on Active|Rain...

Maybe we can do an impromptu A|R gathering...

Sure, we won't have Jon, Bob, Matt, Rich or even Brad... but we can still get together for lunch at Jocks & Jills or the Subway in the food court... hang out for a little bit... meet in the venue... maybe have an A|R take-over of one of the educational sessions. 

What do you think?

Let's make it happen...

Yesterday was pretty chewed up with travel and getting things ready for RE Bar Camp and The Inman Connect.  Both of these are real estate technology events this week in San Francisco.  Since I am with a brokerage that leverages Web 2.0 technologies, it is only fitting that I be here for these great events.

Honestly, I really don’t have much to add, so I’m going to just toss out my “Twitterstream” of events leading up to being here…

	LaneBailey at the hotel palomar… any other inman people here? about 2 hours ago from Ping.fm
	LaneBailey have I mentioned that I hate waiting for luggage. about 3 hours ago from Ping.fm
	LaneBailey on the ground at SFO. waiting to get off the plane. about 3 hours ago from Ping.fm
	LaneBailey sitting in the Sojourner’s café on concourse D at ATL about 10 hours ago from Ping.fm
	LaneBailey getting an earlier flight… woo hoo. about 10 hours ago from Ping.fm
	LaneBailey testing from my phone. leaving the ATL soon. about 14 hours ago from Ping.fm
	LaneBailey @susie104 Twitter can’t find you. about 14 hours ago from web in reply to susie104
	LaneBailey 2 hours until I leave for a broker meeting and the airport. I have 4 hours worth of work to do. about 15 hours ago from Ping.fm

As an update, I am posting this here on Tuesday morning. My son usually wakes me up around 8:00am... Eastern Time. So, by 5:30 local time I had to get up and find something to do... Blogging it is.

I've said it before... I'm in.  Matt, Nick and a few more of the crew from Diamond Dwellings are coming out to learn and be social.  I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this.

I'm bringing a camera (still and video...) and 5Gs of memory... and a laptop to download every night so that I don't run out of room for evidence pictures.  After all, I want to be able to blackmail share the fun with everyone. 

I will also be bringing my smartphone... and updating to Twitter as often as I can think about it.  I may also try posting a bunch of the updates as a blog post... but that is a completely different thing.  Feel free to follow the Twitter updates... live @LaneBailey.

If you are going, and Twittering or blogging about it, let me know.  Feel free to leave a link and/or your Twitter ID. 

Now, for my "pre-Inman battlecry..." 

BART shows the last train out of the airport at 11:53pm on Monday...  I arrive at 11:59pm.  I don't think I'm going to make the train.  So, if anyone else is looking at the same situation, shoot me a message.  Let's get the party started early... we'll split a cab.  If we get a half dozen or so, we can get a stretch limo... It'll be cheaper than a cab... and more fun. 

So, bottom line... 

• Follow me on Twitter for updates...  @LaneBailey
• If you are coming in late Monday night... let's split a cab
• If you are going to be Twittering or blogging, leave a track here so that people can find you and follow
• Look for me there.  I'll be doing everything social... and A|R gatherings, too
• RE Bar Camp and Connect

See you in San Francisco... If you aren't there, that doesn't mean you can't learn and join the fun, too.

In the Gwinnett edition of the AJC there was a story about the state of the real estate industry.  The reporter called me a few times to help him with the story.  I was happy to help.  I wrote a post about that not long ago.

There are a couple of reasons why I think this is important.  First, I love helping people in the media get a better handle on real estate and what is happening in the realm.  Second, I am amazed at the power of Google and long tail searches... and Active|Rain.  The reporter found me from my posts on the Gwinnett County Real Estate Market and Market Reports on A|R and my blog... especially A|R.  Apparently, for that long tail search, I was inescapable. 

The only other thing I could have hoped for was a contact box in the article...  but that is a bit much. 

If you are in the media and need a source for information and insights into real estate, feel free to give me a call.  I'm happy to help. 

If you are in the market, and want to talk to the source...  I'm also happy to help.