Myspace, facebook, twitter - Oh My!

Strange that I feel this way, since I am trying to get started blogging. But I just can not get into My Space, Facebook, Twitter and all of those social networking sites. I have accounts at those websites, but I don't do much with them. But some of my friends sure are into them, downloading the Facebook app to their blackberry, sending all of these strange requests out from drink requests to posting 25 things about themselves. I guess, having gone through some very public issues not too long ago, I just am a little too private to be very involved in these sites. But it makes me wonder, when my daughter (who is 8 now) starts to get into using the computer and socializing, what will the "normal" things on the internet be? Sharing so much information so publicly kind of scares me. I have seen my young cousins my space pages and the pictures on them.... WOW! I will have to insist that my daughter allow me to be her "friend" when she starts doing these things so I can at least monitor it.

And in this My Space and Facebook time, every news story involving a person gets checked on Facebook or My Space. Do they have a page? What do they have on their page? Or my favorite story so far, the pilot of the US Airways flight that landed in the Hudson River. Some very enterprising person made a Facebook page for him and he now has over half a million friends on his page that he had nothing to do with.

Or how about people updating their pages from work? My favorite example of this was during the Christmas season one of my best friends posted on her Facebook page "I am doing my Christmas shopping, shhhhhh don't tell my boss". How does she know her boss isn't going to see this post? This post impressed me because I thought she must be very confident that her boss a: would not see it and b: if her boss did see it the boss would not care. And since they frequently have beer Friday at her work, I imagine her boss wouldn't care! But I don't think all employers are like hers.

Either way, it is a very public and permanent way of socializing. Future employers, friends, and any other person that wants to look can find out all kinds of information about you that you would not normally share with strangers. Think twice before you put your information out there. Because it is there for anyone to see...

Yes - I am one of the Evil Twins

Yesterdays Seattle Times had an article about Julie Kempf, a candidate for King County Elections Director. This article was about allegations that she forged documents, impersonated a government employee and tried to run over a police officer, plus a few other issues. I am one of the people that her forgeries and impersonations were out to hurt. As she called us, The Evil Twins. Myself and my Evil Twin have always wondered how she did what she did and what ever happened to all of this. We were never told. However, her actions had a HUGE impact on our lives. We paid a price for her lies, ultimately creating a hostile work environment where we could not trust many people. That environment led to a "perfect storm" if you will and set me up to be in a position to blame for major issues later. I am not, and never will, saying that I did not make mistakes - I did. However, I did not make all of the mistakes that were blamed on me and had upper management in my office and the county not had to deal with these allegations against me earlier that year, perhaps they might have had more opened eyes when I was dog piled on for every mistake made in 2004. Either way, I have for 5 years wanted to know what happened and how she did what she did. I paid the price for her actions, even if she didn't. I had an employee who after this absolutely did not trust me. And I always have believed that my supervisor believed these allegations as well. I wish she had been charged, because she did cause us harm. But I do find some relief to know how she did it and that me and my Evil Twin where not the crazy people involved in this.

R.I.P. WASL

Randy Dorn, Superintendent of Public Instruction, is on KIRO radio today talking with Dave Ross about the new testing that will take the place of the WASL. If you missed it and want to hear what he has to say, go to KIRO here and download the 2nd hour of the Dave Ross show from today (Jan 22).

There will now be two different tests: grades 3 - 8 will take the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) test and High School students will take the High School Proficiency Exams (HSPE). The MSP test will be offered in the Fall and Spring, will take less time, and will be offered on the computer allowing for quicker results that the teachers will be able to use to assist them in preparing curriculum. Passing the HSPE will still be a requirement for graduation. The plan is that this test will require less time away from learning, currently during the WASL testing physical education, music, art and any other "elective" subject is stopped to allow for the WASL testing. According to what Superintendent Dorn was saying on the radio this will not be the case during these new tests, the testing will not require the time commitment and students will still be able to have all subjects during testing periods. I am pleased with this decision for two reasons, I think that these extra subjects are good for kids and it seems to me that it will be using resources better - if the gym teacher doesn't have kids to teach what do they do for the week?

Over all, it sounds like a good plan. But I need to find out more about it before I can say for absolute certain.

Inauguration Day

Carl Jeffers just announced on KIRO radio "this is like the world's inauguration day - He may be the first President of the world". Wow. This is the kind of thing that worries me, but that is for another day. Today is a day to celebrate a new President and hope for a new direction for our country. I am pleased to see so many people so excited about the inauguration. When I took my daughter to school every person in the school that I saw was watching the inauguration speech. The crossing guard told me that she had not seen very many kids today and thought that many of them may have stayed home to watch the inauguration. I think that is great, I love to see people involved in they way this country works and I hope that all of these people that are so involved now will stay involved. But the cynic in me thinks that may not happen. I hope I am wrong. I also hope that President Obama is successful and that this country gets back to work. I did not vote for President Obama, but I support him 100%. He is the President of the United States and that should always be respected. I am certain that I will not always agree with the decisions that are made, but I will always respect the office and person. I guess that is why I was so saddened when I was reading about parts of the Inauguration Ceremony that I missed. It sounds to me that the Obama's and Bush's treated each other with respect, and possibly even admiration? But the people there to watch booing the outgoing President? Shameful. I know that there are strong feelings against President Bush, I don't personally agree with everything that he has done. But I do believe that he sacrificed and made the best decisions that he could. Either way, to cheer "na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye!" as he is leaving Washington DC makes me sad for our Country. I don't think that people should act this way, and I hope that President Obama brings some solace and maturity to the people that have behaved like this. All I would say to those people is, you have gotten what you wanted - will it turn out how you want? To President Obama, I hope that you can make these people happy. If not, I am afraid that they will blame you for their own misfortune as well. Because obviously they can not be held accountable to their own actions. Otherwise they might not treat the highest office in our land, and the person most representing our country, with such disrespect.


I am hopeful for change, I believe that President Obama will do his best to deliver change. I hope that the country is also willing to change... Calling names and booing is hopefully behind us. Time to get to work and take responsibility for own actions.

Is the media making you nervous about the economy?

I listen to talk radio most days, and I cant remember when I heard a news break that didn't have some depressing thing to say about the economy. And everyday the paper has articles about how bad it is, example from today's Seattle Times, and how bad it will get. Does this depress you and make you concerned about the economy? It makes me worry! So I wonder, if they started reporting more about any little positive piece of information would it make people feel better about the economy? Or even make a bigger deal about how now is a great time to buy a house with rates so low, article here, and FHA is a great way to qualify for a loan. From what I understand, a major part of the problem is that people are not spending money. And people are not spending money because they are worried about the economy. People are worried about the economy because of what they are hearing and reading every day in the news. Maybe if we heard some positive things we would not be so worried and people would spend a little more? Then the economy would get moving a little more? I am sure this is a very naive idea and would not work, but it sure makes me wonder...

I can't believe it - it's a TUNNEL!

What a joke! Two years ago we voted down the tunnel option but now that Governor Gregoire has been re-elected it is OK to build a tunnel? And this new technology is going to make it cheaper? I will be very surprised if it actually comes in on budget - or even close to it. And they are going to pay for this in part with an increase in King County car tab tax of 1%. How can that happen - what happened to the $30 car tab initiative??? I can't wait to see what Tim Eyman has to say about that! Going with the most expensive option and the most difficult option during these economic times is surprising. The article and subsequent comments at the Seattle Times was interesting, but I must admit my favorite part (and the part I agree with most) is the last sentence - they do just want a pretty park!

If you are unhappy about this decision - make sure you remember when it is time to vote this Fall. I think that if more people paid attention to what was going on, and got involved in the process, we could change the way things are done around here. I hear enough people call into radio programs and say "How can we change this!" well the answer is - get involved! So that will be something else that I will have to add to my goals for this year. How can I get involved and help make a change to how things are done around here? I will have to find out... Stay tuned!

My First Post!!

I have always wanted to blog, and now I am finally starting!! One step closer to one of my goals for 2009 - but more on goals later.

For now I just want to introduce myself. My name is Nicole Way and I am a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in North Seattle, Washington. I have always been interested in Real Estate and after a difficult situation at my last job left me at a crossroads I decided to get my real estate license and start learning more about the real estate industry. I have always been interested in real estate and actually turned down a job offer as an Admin Assistant to a successful Realtor when I finished High School. Instead I took a different job that after 14 years ended rather unhappily. I am now at a point where I can recognize that I made the wrong choice years ago and it is time to make the right choice -so here I am! I know that now is not the best time to be getting into real estate, but I do believe that things will turn around and it is only a matter of time. So my goal is to be up and ready when that turn around occurs!

I want to use this blog to talk about real estate, but I will also be talking about lots of other subjects! Including kids, sports, politics, and goal setting (some of my current interests). Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog, and check back soon!