It was all a dream.....
Sometimes you have to step outside of your current situation and evaluate/re-evaluate your dreams, aspirations and objectives. In this case I had no choice, I consider it a blessing in disguise.
OKAY. I went to jail twice in 14 days(for a total of 5 days) for 11 outstanding tickets. I was incarcerated in Dallas and went back to jail a week and a half after my first incarceration, this time in Kaufman County(an adjoining county to Dallas County) due to a database glitch/error. How and why I got pulled over is another post all together, see below.
While I was in jail the first time I did a lot of soul searching, for some reason I didn't think my life was on the right path. It seemed like every other day I was facing some sort of adversity, the paramount of my problems being my incarceration for outstanding warrants. I posted bonds, when I got out I was so happy to get back to my life....a sense of normalcy.
While in jail the second time I did some more soul searching, this time I prayed and made a promise to my Lord and Savior to step my game up when I got out. Without a doubt, I knew I was becoming comfortable and somewhat complacent with my life. I wasn't being challenged mentally and did enough work to satisfy my life's ambitions. On top of that the business relationships I had established were becoming a burden due to various reasons I would prefer not to mention. Anyway, I post bail and I am back on the streets....nothing will be the same.
That night and into the next week I updated my resume(sick credentials if I do say so myself) and blast er'ybody who's anybody in the real estate industry in Dallas, TX. I know I sent close to 200 emails/resume attached to partners, principals, regional managers, CEO, CIO and COO's. My emphasis was executives in commercial real estate and commercial real estate appraisal. Now peep this, a week after I sent all these emails I started getting responses. Some of the responses were surprisingly positive, but others were just rude. One exec said I was obnoxious and questioned my audacity to contact them in such a manner. My closest friends even told me that I would never get a gig by emailing company heads without going through a headhunter or HR. I didn't care what anyone thought, I had consulted with G O D on this issue.
Two weeks later I received an email from a managing partner with a highly reputable valuation firm. THE EMAIL FOLLOWS...
We do strictly commercial work; we're on track to do over 800 appraisals this year out of our Dallas office. Even though Drake has 8 other offices across the country, we travel nationwide to accommodate our clients, which typically request 2-3 week delivery. We've got appraisers currently working in CA, FA, GA, SC, MS, etc. I've even got an assignment in Honolulu. The typical appraiser in my office works 60+ hours per week, with some of us averaging 80 hours. There is typically someone hear at 7:00AM and some don't leave until midnight. The appraisers are on graduated splits, with incomes in the $100K to $250K range. If you've got the energy and desire to work under these circumstances, please forward me a couple of your commercial assignments so that I can take a look at the reports.
thanks,
Bart
FAST FORWARD 20 DAYS>>>>>>>>>>
To make a long story short, I am now a commercial real estate appraiser/consultant.
The dude ART is like Morpheus(cold) in the Matrix...you guessed it, I am Neal "THE ONE". ~kidding
It is safe to say that going to jail change my life for the better. I would have never thought a trip to jail could be so valuable.
WE MAJOR NOW!!
Personal soundtrack: You Can't See Me, Tupac Shakur "The blind stares of a million pairs of eyes, lookin' hard but won't realize that they will never see...I've seen money, but baby I got to gets mo'"
OKAY. I went to jail twice in 14 days(for a total of 5 days) for 11 outstanding tickets. I was incarcerated in Dallas and went back to jail a week and a half after my first incarceration, this time in Kaufman County(an adjoining county to Dallas County) due to a database glitch/error. How and why I got pulled over is another post all together, see below.
While I was in jail the first time I did a lot of soul searching, for some reason I didn't think my life was on the right path. It seemed like every other day I was facing some sort of adversity, the paramount of my problems being my incarceration for outstanding warrants. I posted bonds, when I got out I was so happy to get back to my life....a sense of normalcy.
While in jail the second time I did some more soul searching, this time I prayed and made a promise to my Lord and Savior to step my game up when I got out. Without a doubt, I knew I was becoming comfortable and somewhat complacent with my life. I wasn't being challenged mentally and did enough work to satisfy my life's ambitions. On top of that the business relationships I had established were becoming a burden due to various reasons I would prefer not to mention. Anyway, I post bail and I am back on the streets....nothing will be the same.
That night and into the next week I updated my resume(sick credentials if I do say so myself) and blast er'ybody who's anybody in the real estate industry in Dallas, TX. I know I sent close to 200 emails/resume attached to partners, principals, regional managers, CEO, CIO and COO's. My emphasis was executives in commercial real estate and commercial real estate appraisal. Now peep this, a week after I sent all these emails I started getting responses. Some of the responses were surprisingly positive, but others were just rude. One exec said I was obnoxious and questioned my audacity to contact them in such a manner. My closest friends even told me that I would never get a gig by emailing company heads without going through a headhunter or HR. I didn't care what anyone thought, I had consulted with G O D on this issue.
Two weeks later I received an email from a managing partner with a highly reputable valuation firm. THE EMAIL FOLLOWS...
We do strictly commercial work; we're on track to do over 800 appraisals this year out of our Dallas office. Even though Drake has 8 other offices across the country, we travel nationwide to accommodate our clients, which typically request 2-3 week delivery. We've got appraisers currently working in CA, FA, GA, SC, MS, etc. I've even got an assignment in Honolulu. The typical appraiser in my office works 60+ hours per week, with some of us averaging 80 hours. There is typically someone hear at 7:00AM and some don't leave until midnight. The appraisers are on graduated splits, with incomes in the $100K to $250K range. If you've got the energy and desire to work under these circumstances, please forward me a couple of your commercial assignments so that I can take a look at the reports.
thanks,
Bart
FAST FORWARD 20 DAYS>>>>>>>>>>
To make a long story short, I am now a commercial real estate appraiser/consultant.
The dude ART is like Morpheus(cold) in the Matrix...you guessed it, I am Neal "THE ONE". ~kidding
It is safe to say that going to jail change my life for the better. I would have never thought a trip to jail could be so valuable.
WE MAJOR NOW!!
Personal soundtrack: You Can't See Me, Tupac Shakur "The blind stares of a million pairs of eyes, lookin' hard but won't realize that they will never see...I've seen money, but baby I got to gets mo'"
posted by RE@CH at 4:37 PM
4 comments
