Dearest Family and Friends –

Has it been a year, already!? Oh, yeah…the Polar Plunge is taking place in Virginia Beach, Saturday, February 2, 2008! Once again, Pam and I will join forces (along with daughter Hannah working as personal photographer, towel-holder and dry-one-making-fun-of-idiot-parents) as “Team Good-Marten;” swimmin’ and shiverin’ to raise money for Special Olympics Virginia.

This year, we’re joining the ranks of costumed swimmers, I’ll pay tribute to Harpo Marx and Pam as Groucho (Hey, is this typecasting?!). Last year–thanks to you–$1,155 was raised for this worthy cause. This year, we’re shootin’ for $2,500! Thank you so very much for lending your moral and financial support. To donate, just click on the widget at the top of this blog, and leave some words of encouragement, advice or humor. If you’re feeling particularly giddy about the whole thing — pull off the amazing hat trick and do all three!

To see pictures from last year’s polar plunge, visit our my space page.

Hope your Holidays have been Happy.

E.

Go Ahead — Click My Portrait!

Hola Amigos! It is I, your good friend and amigo, El Presidente General, etc., etc. I have been seeking political asylum in many boxes hidden in various attics for twenty-plus years. My company all these many anos has been other sketch, stand-up and improv comedy by Comedic License. Thanks (or curses) to You Tube, you may see more from Jerry Hedrick, Allison Parker Hedrick, Ralph Garner, and their one-time street urchin, Ethan Marten.

That’s right, been makin’ videos since the 80’s, and some of ’em are coming back to haunt me. This one courtesy of longtime friend, Jennifer Murdoch. Thought since Jen was kind enough to plaster this is all over You Tube — and — since my shallow attempt at maintaining a dignified Executive Producer, Story Developer, Serious Actor, and Technology Booster status is just all shot to pieces…I might as well fess up to it here. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

Actually, back in those days, I was a bit more, hmmn, naturally caffeinated. And, the amount of powdered sugar ingested doing El Presidente was enough to make my Comedic License cohorts seek their own asylum (though, we got a lot of mileage from El Presidente General, especially live, on stage). El Presidente wants his still loyal subjects to know he had as much fun improvising with them as they had with him. Hope you get a chuckle or two. Now, run right out to you supermarkets for your people — for your country…Viva La Me!

Hello All.

Here in the States it’s the “Holiday Season.” This is a time when many religious and ethnic holidays beautifully collide in lights, candles, family traditions, ceremony, songs and festive decorations. A time when everyone believes in Peace, and loving their fellow man — unless they’re arguing on whether to wish each other a “Merry Christmas” or a “Happy Holiday Season” or “Hey, what about Chanukah,” “Chana-who-cares! What about Kwanzaa!” or “Hellllloooooo, over here — Ramadan…!” You get the drift.

Lenny Bruce once did a Riff on Lawrence Welk called The Sound. This was a bit on an erstwhile, night-tripping trumpet player who swings his axe and seeks to discover his sound. The sound I think of this time of year is two simple consonants crushed together into tiny atoms until they explode like their own Jewsih Big Bang. The the beloved throat clearing rattle that has so many of my friends of so many ethnicities come up to me imitating an old Billy Crystal character.

Even if you’re not Jewish, who doesn’t love that “ch” sound? That phlegm-inducing sound that is both smooth as cream and gravely as an Eastern European road? That one sound that can make one word engender three distinct utterances; “ch- e- va.” As in, “Da’link, ch-ev-a leetle moaw coogle. Hmnn, done yu’ vant szome?”

Simple question-statements such as dis resonate deeply in my brain this time of year. Ones that conjure up sense memories of second and third story walk-ups in the Bronx or Brooklyn. Wafting remembrances of Polish-Hungarian delights; and the sounds of a spoon rattling in a tall, thick, soda fountain glass of malted-milk.

This simple “ch” reaches deep into my DNA, drawing upon a thousand sorrows of grand and great grandparents fleeing their European Shtettles; the overwhelming joys of seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time from the New York harbour; and the stark reality of indoctrination at Ellis Island. I hear and feel all that in one leetle throat clearing rattle of “ch!” The sound that keeps the faces of our shrunken, Yiddesha Grandfolk alive in our hearts.

However, when I hear these sounds at a party in Chesapeake, Virginia, and it’s coming from one of my favorite non-Jewish friends at the Christmas (or “CH”rissss-missss) or Kwanzaa party…it probably means someone has had just a wee bit too much egg nog…emphasis on the nog.

So, if you think your friend, associate or even a perfect stranger at one of the many holiday parties you are attending is going to remotely be a danger to him or herself or to anyone else on the road who may have kinder at home — hold on to those keys. Find them a room or a cab. Enjoy the frivolity this joyous season without the tragedy of another “seemple” question; “Why didn’t I just…?” If you’re going to err — go ahead and err on the side of humanity and safety. You may just save the life of someone dear to you — in the office or on the road.

Peace Everyone,

E.

Play Real Estate Videos at Rex Net TV
Published by sellsius December 10th, 2007 in Real Estate Marketing and Video.

New Advancements in Internet Video From RexNet –
Smith’s Landing at Virginia Tech

December 6th, 2007 | Real Estate Video

New Advancements in Internet Video From RexNet – Smith’s Landing at Virginia Tech

Read Tom Royce’s Blog

Can you say VideoActive tm.? I knew you could. Linda De La Zerda, Husband Alex, and DeBord Custom Homes President David DeBord can, too. They hit the set — De Bord’s 9557 27th Bay Street in Norfolk’s new East Beach sidewalk community early this a.m., and never looked back. These guys came prepared, and naturally caffeinated. Man, just wind ’em up, and let ’em go! What a pleasure. The sun wasn’t cooperating — so we’ll do some exterior pickups this weekend. Yeah, this is a real production, folks. This isn’t hit and run with a shaky hand held. I’m paraphrasing Ms. De La Zerda, but I think it’s fair to say; Hey, you guys really work. This is much harder than I thought, but you make it fun, too. Yep, I hear that a lot. A lesson learned long ago from my baseball-playing brother, Seth. If it’s difficult — make it look easy. Thanks, bro’. The fun part, well, that’s me and Norvell! Okay, Video Property Video shot….

Then it was across Hampton Roads to the second location, Cahoon Plantation, a golf community in Chesapeake. We hit the grille for a late lunch, and strategy session. Linda and Alex know who they are, and brought it to the set for the afternoon. The sun broke through the snow clouds! Lunch is cut short, and we hit the links for some quick exteriors! They were joined by Golf Pro Brad Solis. Solis gave a rather rousing testimonial for Linda, Alex and their “Care Team.”

We wound it up at the Clubhouse. This was a long day, and the De La Zerda’s were troupers. They got it, though. It really is fantastic when you know the Realtors “get it” and know what they are going to do with it. When edited — these will yield five individual videos to exploit for their buyer’s, sellers’, and builders’ benefits.

Oh, and we squeezed in a cover shoot for the January issue of Hampton Roads Realtor Association’s Realtor Magazine. Great output. Great footage. Great day.

4,446,976! Woo Hoo! That’s right — this little babe in the Technorati woods has only been online for about eight hours, and is already ranked at 4,446,976! Won’t be long before I’m top ten — numero uno. Why looky there — a little change already. Let’s see… WHAT THE…?! 4,446,977! How is that humanly possible?! Sigh. I feel like the national deficit — only bigger. Oh my God, does this blog make my ass look fat? 4,446,978! I need some cheesecake.