December is upon us. It’s the time of year when all men head to the mall to get an early start on Christmas shopping (usually around December 23rd). Ah, the joys of going to Sherway Mall or Yorkadale Plaza in Toronto. Looking for a parking space, fighting the crowds in the mall and not knowing what to buy just screams peace on earth to all. It’s the time of year when stress levels rise and you say to yourself, “$%@! %$”. But I’ve decided that this year is going to be a little different.

It’s been a hell of a year for all of us. Changes to the mortgage rules and the economy contributed to a stressful year. Every time we turned around our industry was taking it on the chin from the media. But ultimately we’re responsible for our own state of mind. I’ve decided to try to something different for the rest of the year and search high and low  for positive things to blog about. It may mean there will be very few blogs about the mortgage industry but so be it.

With the positive things in mind, the Paradigm/Merix Children’s Christmas party was held this past weekend. The staff who organized the party wondered if my “friend” would be willing to play the part of Santa. I said I would have to think…I mean…I would ask my “friend” if he would be interested in doing it. My “friend” has never done something like this before and I think he was a little concerned that some of the kids might have to go for therapy after the event. “Santa, why are you drinking Grey Goose vodka, and does Santa always wear Hugo Boss cologne, and Santa do you think you’re setting a bad example having an unlit cigar in your mouth”? Out of the mouth of babes.

My “friend” decided to do it and he sent me some photographs. Mrs. Clause has a striking resemblance to Kathy Gregory, and the elf looks eerily like her son Mackenzie. Sheer coincidence? My “friend’ said he had an amazing time, and the smiles on the children’s faces were worth sweating like a pig in that costume. This time of year is truly what we make of it.

Until next time,

Cheers.

I think we’re all guilty of making things out to be a lot worse than they really are. It’s easy to become overwhelmed just thinking about all the responsibilities we all have in our personal and professional lives. A good dose of perspective can always shake you back to reality and remind you of what’s truly a problem and what’s nothing more than melodrama. I received a good dose perspective over the last 10 days.

It was 10 days ago when I started not to feel very well, I started experiencing chest pains. I didn’t think it was heart attack, why would a 52 year old, slightly overweight man with high cholesterol think that? To be on the safe side I went to the doctor and he put me through a battery of tests. I was right, no heart attack. The doctor wanted me to be thorough so they sent me off to get x-rays done on my chest. The next day the doctor called me and said, “Your x-ray indicated that you have a small nebular density on your lung. We believe it’s benign but we cannot rule out cancer. We’re going to arrange a CT scan on chest to get a better look, and from there we can determine what the next steps will be.”

Funny how everything changed from the moment I heard those words. (more…)

 For many Olympic athletes it’s not about the money, it’s about chasing the dream, representing a country and standing on the podium.

Maybe it’s just me but I really could care less when the NHL lockout comes to an end.  I think both sides make a good case why their position is the right one but if the NHL was to cancel the entire season it would have zero impact on my life.  I used to be a sports junkie, and I do enjoy sporting events. But the love of  the game for it’s purity has long since passed for me.  The naivete that the owners and players should do what’s best for the game is best left for those who refuse to believe that professional sport is business, big business.

I can’t think of a bigger business than the business of the Olympics. Multiple billion of dollars in revenues, along with envelopes full cash being passed under tables.  That just screams sporting innocence doesn’t it? In spite of the Olympic machine you can’t help but marvel at the athletes who participate, setting aside NHL and NBA pros.  For many Olympic athletes it’s not about the money, it’s about chasing the dream, representing a country and standing on the podium.  Thanks to an industry colleague, Brian Nason, I was reminded that within the business of sports there can be purity for the love of the sport.  I would like to introduce you to Larisa Yurkiw.  Frankly, I never heard of Larisa until Brian reached out to me to assist in his efforts to support Larisa.  According to Brian,  Larisa is good people, who comes from a good family.  I don’t know Larisa, I’ve never met her but I can say this, she’s got guts and she has the heart of a champion. All she wants is another shot at the Olympics, and a chance to represent Canada.  You have an opportunity to give her a hand up to the podium.  Please have a look at the video,  if for no other reason than to remind yourself that the purity of sports still exists.

Until next time,

Cheers.

The Thanksgiving meal hasn’t been fully digested, when I decided to do a really dumb thing – I surfed the net to see what was happening in the world. In less than five minutes of reading I had a decision to make, curl up in the fetal position paralyzed with fear or stop reading? I went with door number two.

Dire predictions from the IMF about the global economy, specifically the slowdown in Asia, the debt situation in the U.S. and the European crisis, can wait. As can all the pundits in Canada who are suggesting that we’re on the precipitous of a housing crisis.
All this information can wait until Thanksgiving Day is clearly in the review mirror. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and remind ourselves how fortunate we are. I’m so thankful for the loving family I have, the great industry I work in, and the job that I do every day. And I’m also really thankful that I live in a country where I have the right to say to all those who are predicting global, and specifically Canadian economic doom, SHUT THE HELL UP.  At the very least give us Thanksgiving Day. No, give us the day after as well. Ah, but I don’t trust you so I’m going to put you on ignore until Wednesday. At that point I will invite back into my life so that I am apprised of what’s going on, and that will also force me to take the time to decipher fact from fiction.  I, along with everyone in our industry is used to doing that.  But understand this, you will never beat me (or our industry) into submission and force us to say uncle. The mortgage industry and people who contribute to it are part of any solution, our value and contribution to the Canadian economy is well established.

A personal belated Happy Thanksgiving to all those who take the time to read my blog, for that I am truly humbled and thankful.

Until next time,

Cheers.

Dateline- Sunday, September 16, 2012

As I write this blog I’m sitting on a plane waiting to go home. Of course the flight is delayed, which seems to be a given when traveling. The process of boarding and getting through security was extra special on Sunday. American Homeland Security is on high-alert due to American Embassies being under attack throughout the Middle East. Security lines were longer than normal which contributed to my overall crankiness. But what would have made even Mother Teresa cranky is flying to or departing from the world’s worst airport known to man, San Francisco International Airport.

If at all possible avoid the disaster of the San Francisco International Airport. One option is heading to LAX in Los Angeles and drive and extra two or three hours. It’s the same amount of time you need navigating this incoherent and most idiotically designed airport. This is not just my opinion; the people who work there feel the same way. Announcement after announcement is made abound flight delays. One customer service agent actually announced, “The delay is our fault because we don’t have enough runway’s, that’s the way it is folks at San Francisco International Airport“. Not enough runways? I don’t know anything about running airports but I would assume the number of runways is important.

I don’t expect much from airports. I get it, it’s not a fun place to be and we’re all cattle to be herded in a certain direction. We all put up with airport staff that have no idea about customer service, (by calling us passengers it means we can be treated like gum at the button of their shoes) and act as if they’re working there forcibly and under duress. We are all willing to put up with this for the simple pleasure of getting in and out of an airport in an orderly manner. Not much to ask, unless you’re at San Francisco International Airport. The car rental process at that airport is laughable. The location of the car rental lots might as well be in Oregon. Getting in and out of the building or to your terminal requires a Sherpa Guide and a donkey. That’s just the beginning of the Nightmare on PO Box 8097.

All will be well in a few hours when we touch down in Toronto. Can’t wait to walk through that sterile, humorless, devoid of any personality, cavernous, charmless airport which is better known as Toronto Pearson International.

Dateline – Thursday, September 20, 2012

Still cranky, maybe it has nothing to do with airports. Maybe as I get older I’m becoming a curmudgeon. For fun I will go home tonight and bitch about teenagers, politicians, the weather and my chronic back pain. Anyone want to join me for the early bird dinner special? Oh wait, that’s in Florida. Don’t get me started on those idiots down there. I can’t believe how slowly they drive in the passing lane on the Interstate, and the weather, my god it gets hot, and…

Until next time

Cheers