Austin is a wild place right now, caught up in South by Southwest fever. I wish I had the time to just hang out downtown all day and night, catching interesting seminars and random stars performing.

Maybe next year…

But I moved a little closer this year by attending a kickoff party downtown for Austin Realtors who are members of an exclusive Facebook group called "Brokers Underground". Mainly we just share information about listings and learn from each other's experiences, but it's a wonderful, supportive group, and it was so cool to meet some of the other members face to face on Thursday night at The Market, a downtown, multi-level bar.

Free food. Open bar. Music by Johnny Gray who performed on "The Voice". A gorgeous Austin night in a rooftop bar, surrounded by familiar faces and meeting new friends. 

Sweet!

Here are a few other sweet! moments from the past week…

 

Dominoes
 

Monday: watching your mom and her friends play dominoes

Tuesday: your Hollow sparkling in ice

 

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Wednesday: an email requesting a listing appointment; your son meeting you at your office 

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Thursday: catered lunches and new home tours; a rooftop Realtor party in downtown Austin kicking off SXSW, and featuring Johnny Gray from The Voice; free food and drinks and music; familiar faces and new friends; caviar for the first time

 

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Friday: a Keller Williams Annual Awards lunch; photobooths; inspiration from colleagues; friends sending your mom cards and letters, even if they don't know her

 

March 2014 awards-1911

 

Saturday: helping a client get the home she had her heart set on; your husband and sons arriving safe and sound in Florida; the rain ending just when you need to bring groceries into the house; dinner at a friend's house

March 2014-1912

Sunday: a morning walk with your puppies; homemade kolaches; Sunday sign inspiration; news that your client's lease application was accepted; your daughter getting a fire started when you're about to give up on it; eating Caramel Turtle Cheesecake ice cream and watching "Girl With a Pearl Earring" with your daughter; a call from your mom to tell you she loves and appreciates you

Monday: sleeping in until 7:30 am on a Monday; being able to work from home; a smile on your mom's face; ice cream and popcorn for dinner, while watching "Shawshank Redemption" with your daughter

 

I hope you had a fun week, although I hope it didn't zoom by as fast as mine. And I hope you're getting more sleep. 

No matter what's going on, don't forget to open your eyes to the blessings around you!

 

 

I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.

~ Agatha Christie

 

 

 

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16 responses to “Life in the Underground (and other sweet!s)”

  1. Ms. A Avatar

    You can keep that ice all to yourself, I don’t want any of it! We had sunshine and warmer weather today and it was a nice change.

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  2. Gail Avatar

    I remember Jonny Gray from The Voice! Great hair is what I recall. 🙂 SXSW is something I always wanted to attend when I lived in Texas and never did. Glad you had fun and are connecting with other brokers. 🙂

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  3. lisleman Avatar

    From caviar to ice cream and popcorn for dinner. Quite a spectrum of taste. I think I tasted caviar once. I don’t like any fishy smelling food so I might have only sniffed it. I’ll eat fish if it is baked/grilled with a good amount of seasoning.

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  4. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    I admit, I'm the same way about fish. The caviar wasn't bad, but that's because the ratio of it to the bread it was on was just right. Definitely not my favorite food!
     

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  5. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    So far that's as close to SXSW as I've gotten. I've been too busy to attend anything else. Next year (as I say every year) I'm going to plan ahead and really experience it! Come join me!
     

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  6. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Ah, today was beautiful!!! Blue skies and 80 degrees! Alas, a cold front is expected tonight. But I know spring is just around the corner.
     
    From:

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  7. Otto von Münchow Avatar

    It must have been great to participate in the kickoff party downtown. I hope your real estate business is starting to take off. Great pictures as always, Barbara.

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  8. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    It was fun, and I got a taste of the SXSW excitement. I wish I had time to just hang out down there with my camera! Terrible accident last night, though. I'm not sure if you heard about it. Prayers for all of those involved. Thanks for the good wishes for my business! I love helping people find a home or sell theirs when they need to. Let me know if you know anyone I can help!
     

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  9. Hilary Avatar

    Sounds like you had a fine week. I did hear about that horrible chase/hit and run. So tragic.

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  10. Jennifer Richardson Avatar

    oh how I love that quote
    and the way your life seems lit from within
    and your heart to see and share the sweets
    as they come:)
    -Jennifer

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  11. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    I know. What a shock to hear about it this morning!
     

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  12. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    Thank you, Jennifer! It has taken some practice, but I'm getting pretty good at looking for silver linings. 🙂
     

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  13. Catskillblogger Avatar

    One of my cousins went to Sxsw, she really enjoyed it. I think I would enjoy that sort of thing.

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  14. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    I think I'd enjoy it, too, but every year I end up getting sidetracked and too busy! Next year…
     

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  15. lisa Avatar

    What a great week you had, Barbara!
    I have been learning a lot about Austin lately.
    My son is looking into jobs there.
    He still has 2-3 semesters left in college, but right now he’s looking at the Austin area.
    It really does sound like a wonderful place.

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  16. Barbara Shallue Avatar

    It is! Tell him to feel free to contact me for information on jobs, etc. (and of course, leasing or buying!) Good luck to him! What's his major?
     

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