Extracurricular activities

Whew!
Just when I thought everything was going to be cool, calm and collected all heck broke loose.
I was finalizing a lease and feeling groovy.
An ex-policeman was helping his son get settled and he asked me why the Rogers police were here.
Uh, oh!
Then he went and talked to the police and came back to report two people had been arrested and it was alcohol related.
There goes my comfort zone for this weekend.
I should have known don't take anything for granted.
Just go with the flow.
Or flow with the go.
Whatever.
Now I have to be Sherlock Holmsian or Columbusesque or just David Lanier the apartment manager and find out what the heck is going on in our peaceful little community.
Why can't things be hunky dory?
Because domestic disputes lead to angry neighbors who call 911.
Oh, well, I've got to earn my money somehow besides just sitting behind a desk and taking people's rent and thinking this is a gravy train of a job.
The gravy sometimes spills out and you have to clean it up.
This will be a memorable Memorial Day weekend but not how I originally envisioned it.

Hoping

After 80 days without a day off I'm hoping someone relieves me soon.
It's not that I'm burned out, it's just the thought of not ever getting a real day off.
I thought I might have Memorial Day off but it's not a paid holiday.
They're expecting to rent out more apartments during this peak time of the year when people are moving.
I hope someone decides to look us up soon.
I have one moving in this weekend but too many others are moving out for a sundry of reasons.
Just another day in paradise.
Happy Memorial Day weekend.

Trauma drama

Just when you thought everything was hunky dory trauma drama boils over.
I envisioned a quiet weekend.
Wrong.
One of my tenants is moving because of water damage to his carpet and he needs a bigger apartment for his growing family.
His girl friend blessed him with a little girl and they desire a bigger abode.
So he goes out and finds a bigger apartment.
But he also calls our corporate office to complain about the water damage.
They call me and want to know what the heck is going on.
Then he comes in and says he wants to transfer.
Business wise we can't transfer deposits from one complex to another.
It's a complexity.
Because each complex is its own entity.
So he must pay the applicable application fee and deposit at the other complex plus settle up with us on liquidated damages, i.e. rent due on his existing lease here.
That's not all the trauma drama I'm dealing with.
I listened to my message machine and a tenant said the cops kicked in her door and it needs repairs which she will pay.
Oh, my gosh!
This is not the quiet weekend I had hoped for.
Normally at this point in the month it's peaceful and calm.
Just another day in paradise.

Lions Club

Today I was the guest speaker at the Bentonville Morning Lions Club.
I just let God do the speaking through my mouth.
I related how my life changed when I got this job.
I went from sleeping in a tent to being an apartment manager.
God has a divine plan for our lives.
We just need to heed the call.
Keep the faith and God will deliver us from our old self to our new lease on life.
I'm still marvelling at the blessings I receive every day.
Thanks for reading and thanks for leading me down the paths of righteousness.

Audit

A lady spooked me yesterday when she walked into my office and announced she was auditing our books.
I almost freaked.
But everything went okay. I guess. I won't really know until I get her report.
After last Friday I was paranoid.
But I'm finally going to take a day off tomorrow after a meeting in the corporate headquarters in Fayettenam.
The numbers look better than the last time.
I hope to turn the numbers even better in the future.
But it all depends on recruiting future tenants.
I responded to two e-mails today and hope to visit with these prospects in the near future.
We're kind in an isolated spot and we don't have any luxuries.
Hopefully we can offer a quiet setting.
The noisemaker is gone.
After 72 days without a day off I'm ready to have at least one afternoon off when we return from the financial meeting tomorrow morning.
I'm not going to worry about the audit until I see the results.

It ain't easy

A friend used to say, "It ain't easy being sleazy."
Well, I can reiterate that fact.
I feel like a sleazy guy for what I did to my friend Mike.
But I forewarned him on numerous occasions that I could get fired if an auditor came to our apartment complex and started prying into my affairs of state.
So, he's gone on to wherever.
It was ironic that I saw him twice Friday after the dirty deeds done dirt cheap.
I put a notice on his door telling him he wasn't welcome on the property or else he would be criminally trespassing.
I told him when I saw him walking that he had better obey my wishes, or else.
He came back and waved at me and said okay.
I guess he thought he could get away with it even longer, but I wasn't taking any chances, especially after I found out he'd already found another place to live.
So he was playing me like a fool.
It's history and life goes on.
I've received plaudits for my actions.
I will have to account for my actions with my superiors but I know I did the right thing.

Immigration

Who are these illegal immigrants?
Were our ancestors documented?
Did they all bring green card to get here.
We are all immigrants.
Except the Native Americans.
Where are they now?
They're drunk or on drugs because they got disposed to an outpost for the outcasts.
What a travesty!!
We don't even know our own history.
It's hysterical seeing what's going on in Arizona.
Go look at your heritage and find out how your grandparents came to America.
They didn't come here on a pleasure cruise.
They came here to escape tyranny.
Let it be.
You're the tyrants now.

Charlatan

The phrase a fox in sheep's clothing has new meaning for yours truly.
I'm a nice guy and whenever I meet someone who I can help I try and go the extra mile.
Once upon a time I met a man who was very sheepish.
He befriended me.
He let me stay in his room and went out and bought Papa John's pizza.
Everything was cool in jazz land to quote Ricky Lee Jones.
Then when I tried to repossess my stuff he wouldn't answer his door.
Then I saw him at the Union Station at the UofA and he had my bag and he was headed to do his laundry.
He said my stuff was in a garbage bag in his room.
I went to retrieve my stuff and found it in a dumpster.
I saw him again in a watering hole in Rogers and befriended him and told him this was reciprocal altruism.
That psychological term applies when you help someone out of the goodness of your heart and it will come back to you someday.
Alas, a fox in sheep's clothing does not qualify for reciprocal altruism.
That's a pejorative evaluation even Sigmund Freud would find complex.
A former friend hoodwinked me and now I'm filing a disposition on him.
I left a criminal trespassing notice on his former abode.
He skipped out on me and twice promised to pay rent.
Alas, he's absconded and living in another domicile in Rogers.
Luckily a friend of his came by to retrieve $60 owed him by the scalawag.
So, nice guys no more for me and this charlatan.
All's well that ends swell.
Live and grimace.
Do the right thing.
Don't burn bridges with landlords.

Maintaining

The key to success is maintaining and sustaining.
Maintenance has been a major cost factor in our apartment complex.
I'm clueless about maintenance.
But we just hired an angel to aid me.
His name is Angel and I see how and why.
As far as sustaining, that's a faith issue.
Trust in the Lord and he will sustain you.
I'm overwhelmed in the change in my lifestyle the past two months.
Yes, I've worked indefatigably. I have worked 57 straight days without a day off.
Next week I hope to change that scenario.

Facebook

While it's great to be residing in an apartment, there's some drawbacks, too.
Noisy tenants are wreaking havoc with their untoward lifestyle.
I've been putting notices on their door and I forewarned them yesterday that they could get evicted if it happened again.
I got a phone call last night from the girl's mother asking if we took credit cards.
She said she would pay the $20 fee for noise disturbance.
I told her that wasn't necessary but they were overdue on their rent.
Just another day in paradise.
I found a message from Brad Melton to Linda Hicks that I was restricted from using Facebook because all I have is access to the office computer which prohibits us from using Facebook.
So, Linda if you're reading this send me a message at my e-mail address: davidlanier1951@gmail.com.
I would like to communicate but feel like I've got handcuffs on when I can't send messages on Facebook.
Where are you now Linda?
I hope you'll join as a follower of this blog.
The genesis of my blogging occurred when Mark Horvath, a former producer of Wheel of Fortune toured the nation documenting homelessness. I met him at an awareness rally at the University of Arkansas last summer.
I also met some other very nice people who've aided me in my renaissance from homelessness.
I also had a friend who helped me get back on my feet with appliances and food.
Others contributed by helping me purchase clothes, food and a microwave.
You can't use a microwave in a tent unless you unlawfully stretch an extension cord a half a mile.
I haven't been able to go see my camping buddies because I haven't had a day off in 55 days.
Sometimes it becomes mind boggling how all of this transpired.
I praise God for the blessings he's bestowed.
I see everyone's pictures and messages on Facebook but can't respond.
Oh, well, just another day in paradise.

Do the right thing

We all aim to please.
We all want to go to heaven in peace.
But some people like to take advantage of the nice guys.
How do we deal with these connivers who use the nice guys?
I have a grifter who is using me.
I don't know how to deal with him but he must be evicted.
My conscience bothers me but in my position as a manager I must deal with reality.
If someone doesn't pay their rent then they must be evicted.
So, now I know why Jesus hung on a cross.
He tried to blend in and found solace in helping others.
But God wanted him to sacrifice his life so others could hopefully learn that no one is perfect.
We all bleed.
We all need a savior.
We all need to help others.
Why, God do people take advantage of me when I'm just trying to be a nice guy.
I'm not Jesus.
Yes, I can magnify myself as David Lanier, but I'm not Jesus.
Help me God to make the right decisions.

God Bless

All of us worship a God.
Some of us worship the God of money.
Some of us worship the God of earthly possessions, i.e. the Lexus we drive.
Some of us worship the television and DVD we own.
Some of us worship the cell phone we text message we use.
Some of us worship the computer we use.
But there is only one God in heaven who created all of these luxuries.
Worship the true God who is omniscient.
Blessings to anyone who read this.

Cinco de Mayo

We had a blast at our Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
I printed out the significance of the date in Espanol and it created quite an interesting scenario for the little tykes.
They all got sticks and were ready to go to war!!
On May 5, 1862, Mexico defeated an army of Napoleon Bonaparte's from France, even though they were outnumbered.
The feisty Mexicans were ready to combat any and all comers last night.
I needed a good laugh like that because I was under a lot of stress to send my books from April to corporate headquarters. I was told three different ways to do it and they all failed.
Finally I was about to stress out.
But, a former manager here gave the correct instructions and it went smoothly.
The fourth time was the charm.
My supervisor ran in here and I predict she had been chewed out because I told my boss Rob I was stressing from her stress and really didn't want to talk to her for awhile.
I wrote her an apology today and received a nice reply.
She said I'm doing a good job of recruiting tenants but need to do a better job as a bookkeeper.
I enforced a no drinking policy and that turned some Hispanics off.
We didn't have any WASPS there but me.
One of the senoritas wants to get to know me more intimately but there's a major language barrier which I've had to deal with once before.
A good time was had by all.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo.

economichardtimes

The economic blight is impacting tenants paying their rent.
I've had three people come in today and apologize for not being able to pay their rent on time.
I like their attitude about telling me before hand.
One came in and pointed to the calendar and told me Friday he pay $40 late fees.
Another one told me he would bring me food on Friday or Saturday to compensate for his being late.
Another guy who works for us brought me a bottle of tequila from Mexico because he said I was cool.
We're having a Cinco de Mayo cookout on Wednesday.
My maintenance man Isidro went to a Mexican grocery store to get a cost estimate.
We're going to go all out and have a fiesta.
This is a significant holiday for Mexicans as they celebrate their independence from Spain.
They kicked their butt in a big battle on May 5.
With 71 percent of our tenants with Hispanic heritage we're going to cook and eat and celebrate.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo!!!

Lucky 13

Superstition is the hobgoblin of little minds.
I've never been very superstitious except on one particular Friday the 13th when I trudged to Wal-Mart in a driving rainstorm. My umbrella got swooped inside out and my metal rods were snapped.
When I walked in drenched, the door greeter quipped: "David, your impression of Mary Poppins didn't work."
Well, 13 was my lucky number on Friday, April 30, when I rented out two apartment 13s.
That's 12 so far in 43 days.
Our occupancy rate is skyrocketing.
And I made some more people happy with the instantaneous decision making about their credit rating.
One young lady said at one of the apartment complexes it was going to take three days to get credit approval.
Whereas, here it takes 15-20 minutes.
Voila. I hope I achieve my 13th rental in the very near future.