Company tattoos, closing gifts, and new Benjamins this fall
The ultimate agent mark of loyalty—their company logo tattoo. Almost 40 agents from Rapid Realty in New York city have been tattooed with the company logo. The incentive? Their commissions are increased 15% when they get the company tattoos. I wonder what happens when they decide to change companies…?
Looking for a neat house-warming gift idea for your clients? Stamen allows you to enter a location and generate a watercolor map painting that you could then print out and frame (be sure to read the Creative Commons copyright information at the bottom of the page first).
The U.S. is getting a new version of the iconic $100 bill this October, the first update since 1996. The Wall Street Journal has a nice slideshow on the $100 bill though history.
Are your clients having trouble picking colors for rooms in their new home? Pinfographics offers a handy Psychology of Color guide for understanding the difference between a tone, hue, tint, and shade, and helps shed light on the emotion-forming power of color.
CareerCast.com has come out with its annual list of job rankings. Actuaries top the list, newspaper reporter comes in last. 20o jobs were ranked based on 5 criteria: physical demands, work environment, income, stress, and hiring outlook. Real estate agent comes in at #152, just above janitor (yikes!). Librarians rank #88, just behind sewage plant operator (double yikes!).
Dinner party etiquette tip #652: Stop talking about TV shows. Have you memorized all the snarky remarks from the Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey? Have you spent more than 5 minutes discussing the implications of Francis Underwood breaking the “fourth wall” in House of Cards? The Wall Street Journal says you run the risk of killing a conversation:
When Brendan Francis Newnam goes to dinner with friends in New York, he grows wary when the talk locks on television, a subject that can become “a kudzu vine that strangles out other conversations.” He’s no snob—he devours shows like “Mad Men” and “Enlightened,” and with Rico Gagliano hosts a public-radio show called “The Dinner Party Download,” an omnivorous guide to arts and culture that broadcasts nationally. But Mr. Newnam recalls several gatherings that bogged down when fans of a show he doesn’t watch, “Breaking Bad,” waxed on about Walter White, Jesse Pinkman and other complex characters. “It’s like they were talking about friends from high school, but I went to a different high school,” he says.”
Keeping that connection with your mate strong is important, but often overlooked especially when kids are in the picture. Remember to make time for yourselves. TLC’s Parentables gives 20 date ideas for you and your spouse.
