Ken Brand - Kens411

Free Credit Reports...

Once a year you can order a FREE Credit report.  If you'd like to see yours, you can get it here: CLICK NOW FOR YOUR FREE CREDIT REPORT.

This heads up was provided by Sue Izard, our Super Human - Always Helpful - Ultra Experienced - Service Oriented Mortage Broker.  She runs the CompuFUND shop in our office.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Life is truly a ride. We're all strapped in and no one can stop it…. I think that the most you can hope for at the end of life is that your hair's messed, you're out of breath, and you didn't throw up." – Jerry Seinfeld

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ken Brand, Prudential Gary Greene Realtors

Plot, plan, execute and create or snooze, loose and bewildered?

While the slow and average slumber...the achievers, plot, plan, execute and create their own destiny.  When the sad circus of secret agents wake up...they'll wonder what happened.

Will you plot, plan and create or snooze and lose?

Download the whole packet HERE.

Fresh - Clean - Sincere - The New Year

I'm not are you?  I'm not a very serious New Year's Resolution guy.  Oh sure...I'm introspective, reflective and I seriously consider where I've been, what I've accomplished or not...opportunities grasped and opportunities squandered...deeds of fun, foolishness, folly and pride.  I strive to improve myself.  It's a full time job.

If you read this  blog semi regularly, you will know that I'm a very big fan of Roy H. Williams and the knowledge and insight shared at the Wizard Academy.  In addition to all the available courses, you can receive a weekly jewel from Roy...it's called the Monday Morning Memo and it's free.  All you have to do is click here to subscribe, enter you email address in the upper right hand and click the <subscribe> link. You will learn, laugh, prosper, scratch your head, nod, disagree and whisper to yourself - AH-HA, No Way. Huh or ????????????????????????

Here's a snippet from the latests.  Perfect for New Year's reflection.  Check it out....

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A Memory of Life

I still don't know his last name.

Gilles arrived from Michigan in a small jar with his photograph on the lid. His friend had sent an email to Chapel Dulcinea asking if we'd be willing to launch some of Gilles' ashes into the breeze that always blows there.

We replied we'd be happy to do it.

It seems that Gilles' parting wish was for his ashes to be scattered at beautiful and interesting places around the world and Chapel Dulcinea was selected as one of those places. So at sunset on December 13, 2006, Tom Grimes, Brett Feinstein and I became the awkward honor guard that entrusted Gilles to the winds from the western pinnacle of Dulcinea's diamond foundation.

Feinstein rang the big bronze bell as Gilles floated northward into forever.

How are things with you? Are you ready to begin a new year?

This is the time when millions of us pause to look back with regret and forward with hope. As you prepare for 2007, here are some thoughts I hope you'll ponder:

It's Always Okay To Begin Again
"The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul." – G.K. Chesterton

Pay Attention to the Little Things
"It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living." – Terry Pratchett

"No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently." – Agnes De Mille
CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Those of us who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life." – Patty Hansen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been tagged...one more post...

I've known Mike for years...very cool guy.  Don't ask me how he ended up focused on the Real Estate Industry...he could point his big brain anywhere and make a difference...we're glad he's pointed it at us. 

Mike creates the latest and greatest in web marketing for us and our clients.  If you're a real estate agent...check him out...he can help you help yourself.

Anyway, Mike tagged me and I'm asked to share 5 things you didn't know about me.

Hmmmm there's plenty I could share...I mean, I have lots of secrets.  How about you?  Sadly, if I told you, then I'd have to kill you.  To prevent murderlization, I will simply share 4 1/2 tame items....oops...probably lost you already.

Here goes...

1. Although my role as a Sales Manager requires me to be a semi-social person....really I am ginormous introvert.  When not in the work mode....I enjoy solitude.  I've never had a problem going anywhere or doing things alone.  According to a recent Meyers Briggs analysis, I'm an INTP.

2.  I graduated from Clairemont High School at the age of 17.  Joined the Army and was stationed in Europe, Bad Kreuznach Germany to be exact.  Served 3 years - 8th Infantry Division, HQ...was honorably discharged at 20.  I worked in S1 and S3 as a clerk. Dangerous work...never know when shrapnel from a blown typewriter key might scratch you...then you have the always random, yet painful....paper-cut. 

3.  I grew up in San Diego, California...never lived further that 5 miles from Pacific Beach.  I passed my first real estate exam in December of 1978.  Wow...that would be 28 years in this wacky business.  I LOVE this business. I've held a real estate license in California and Colorado and now in Texas.  I've lived in San Diego, CA., Austin, TX., Aspen CO and The Woodlands, TX.

4.  Everyone knows me as Ken Brand.  In school and by my team mates in adult sports leagues, I am called Kenny. Ken Brand is not my real name..it is now but it wasn't back then. I just received my Passport last year at 49 years of age.  Getting a passport was a major hassle.  Did you know that if the name on your Birth Certificate doesn't match the name you use for everything else in your life, the government wants you to provide them with a whole bunch of proof.  I had to submit tax returns from 10 years ago, my marriage certificate from 23 years ago, a report card from Bay Park Elementary School, 4th Grade and my military discharge papers from 1977.  A very big hassle.  The name on my birth certificate = Manual Frias, born at Sharps Hospital, October 26, 1956 (That would make me a  50 year old Scorpio).  My mom remarried when I was 3 years old.  They changed my name...but not legally, registered me for school as Kenneth Brand and the rest is history.  I often wonder how different my life would be if I my name had been Manual Frias instead of Ken Brand.  Hmmmmmmm.

5.  I love to go to the movies.  A few favorites of all time:  Forest Gump, The Wizard of OZ, Pulp Fiction, Bravehart, Schlinder's List, The Big Lebowski, Gladiator, True Romance, Crash and Platoon

I guess that's it.  I could share some other stuff, but I'll be merciful and let you go.

There you have it.  I would like to wish you and those you love a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a RICH New Year.  Love all, bless all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every door of opportunity begins as a window in the mind.

Look through that window of imagination and glimpse a world that could be, should be, ought to be someday. Keep looking… and watch it grow into a door of Opportunity through which you can pass into an entirely different future.

Opportunity never knocks. It hangs thick in the air all around you. You breathe it unthinking, and dissipate it with your sighs.

Opportunity never knocks. It appears, flickering, like faulty neon at a nondescript fork in the road.

Opportunity never knocks. It whispers, a tickle in your distracted mind.
- Roy H. Williams

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I'm out for a few days...

Yippee...getting the whole fam damily together.  This will be our second year skiing in Steam Boat Springs.  Lot's of laughs.

I wish you and your's the very best!

Ken
Last year...

Opportunity Knocks January 2007

Here's the Opportunity Schedule for January 2007 - CLICK HERE FOR THE .PDF.  Light the candle, let your spurs jingle-jangle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What are you known for?  ~ Scott Ginsberg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``
Ken Brand, The Woodlands, TX

Books You Read & People You Meet - All Make You Who You ARE.

I know we normally meet as a team every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the Month.  Since we are starting a New Year…I'd like to have the team get together and engage in group thermo-dynamics..right out of the New Year's Gate.  After the team meeting (Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007), say at 10:17am, if you are interested in participating in our next round of Conversation/Lunch/Idea Sharing/Book Discussion…welcome. 

We'll meet in my office.  The basic idea…we'll be reading one of two books or you can read both.  One is Scott Ginsberg's - How To Be That Guy and the other is Magical Worlds - Tools and Techniques for Profitable Persuasion ( a New York Times Bestseller).  Both are keenly interesting, practical and benefical for work and play.

Give it some serious thought.  If you're IN…shoot me an email or leave a comment below.
Rock ON!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sculpture is already in the stone. ~Michelangelo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ken Brand, The Woodlands, Prudential Gary Greene Realtors

The Pursuit of Happyness - Movie Tuesday

Don't you love movie season during the holidays.  I do.  If you do too, I would like to treat you to a movie.  This new Will Smith movie is sure to be fun, inspiring, funny and pure entertainment.  If you would like to join me, click on the comments button at the bottom of this post and let me know you're in.

Who:  Everyone on my Gary Greene Team is invited.

What:  The Movie: The Pursuit of Happyness

When:  Tuesday, December 19th, the movie starts at 1:30pm.  I will hand out the tickets at 1:12...then I'll head inside to grab some popcorn and a coke.

Where:  Tinsel Town @ 1600 Lake Robbins

Hope you can join me...leave me comment below.

Oh...as another thought....this kinda thing would be a excellent way to connect with some of your friends, past clients, current clients etc.  Treat them to a movie, touch base, have fun, connect, etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"And when the story was finished it made a mantle that covered them all and held them together for a time."  - Cecilia Dart-Thonton, The ill-made Mute, p.27

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ken Brand, The Woodlands, TX

Success Stories in The Woodlands

Historic Agreement on Partnership Between Houston & The Woodlands

Historic Agreement on Partnership Between Houston & The Woodlands

Mayor White & State Sen. Williams Reach Agreement

Texas State Senator Tommy Williams and Houston's Mayor Bill White recently announced a historic agreement allowing residents of The Woodlands to choose their form of self-government and to provide an ongoing financial partnership between The Woodlands and the City of Houston for projects. Projects would include funding for mobility, the development and maintenance of major regional parks, and certain improvements making it easier to get in and out of the institutions within the Texas Medical Center used by residents of the entire region, including The Woodlands.

The Woodlands was deliberately developed within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Houston. That has limited its self-governance options.

“The Woodlands has demonstrated the success of a planned community, has flourished and created a critical mass of residential development and employment, and has developed its own sense of identity and community,” said Mayor White. “Senator Williams and I have worked to make sure that the people of The Woodlands have an opportunity for self-governance in the future.”

THE REST OF THE STORY...CLICK HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ken Brand