Wisconsin Winter: Frozen Beauty http://ping.fm/zTD59

Wisconsin: Dane County Community Blog Network-16 hyperlocal blogs w/RE listings, video tours, community & local biz info: http://bit.ly/eDlweO

Don't Schmidt me!: Google Shake Up - Larry Page new Chief Exec: http://ping.fm/MUTKr -via NYT

Wisconsin housing outlook "...fragile..." : http://bit.ly/h5Pj8B via WSJ

The Truth: The consumer is the highest form of life on the planet. http://bit.ly/gpOcob

Realtors-and everyone who works-should check their
Google "sucks" index: http://bit.ly/hLk0b0

Happy New Year to everyone! : http://bit.ly/9qFe8G

Top 10 Tech Trends For The Decade http://bit.ly/eUQeAx from Sramana Mitra

Ft. Atkinson WI wishes everyone the best holidays! Steven and Theresa Haffner-Stearns and Bear the Wunder-Dog! http://ping.fm/TAuxu

We could all use a laugh: http://tinyurl.com/28bg7hg

SHUT UP-face your market and listen-you will learn a thing or two: http://tinyurl.com/cq99lt

400+ Reasons to love Social Media!: http://bit.ly/9qFe8G

Weird. Wisconsin. w0w: http://ping.fm/OFtFj

Photo published, then hidden for over 15 years rides a long tail to a long tale!:#1 in Google: http://tinyurl.com/286muec

Dane Co. WI Community Blog Network: real estate listings, community info more!:http://ping.fm/2piHm

"F*** Tom Barrett!!"someone driving by yelled as I put the sign in my yard. We should use free speech to help each other-especially now.

Unplugging tonight & tomorrow to catch up around the house and yard!

Remembering All on 9-11: Facebook, Twitter blogs-all social networks-silent tomorrow from 8:42 am to 10:28 am EST. Let's all join together.

Goldman Sachs Shutting Principal Strategies Unit - http://tinyurl.com/26r2d5v via Bloomberg.com

DSL is out at the home-Digital refugee until Monday!-Call me at 920-691-6030-I have limited access to email.

Marketing 101: Unless you are a magician or a wizard or have a magic wand or secret potion, the only thing you have to offer is price.

Twitter is crazy, but you're not!: http://tinyurl.com/22lofk6

Real estate is crazy:The next 50 years....

(Art from clker.com)

What can you say about
27,000 temporarily abandoned oil wells and
radioactive rabbit poop?

Out of all the noise in the echo chamber: the twits tweeting on twitter,
the anime avatars on facebook
and the veritable slew of bloated blogs and bloggers,
these two items got my attention.

Made me shut up.

And pay attention.

The fact that the next 50 years of my life are ahead of me
kind of underlined things.

So, for the next two weeks that is how I am celebrating my 50th birthday, beginning at 12:00:01 tonight. ...it's not like I had much to say, anyway.

But I am grateful for what I have seen and heard in real life, and here.

TTyL,
Steve
shsworks@sbcglobal.net

Yikes! Most of my networking lately has been with mosquitoes and rabbits in the back yard-it must be summer, finally!

Now what?- 1 year later: http://tinyurl.com/nnr7e8

Wisconsin real estate: Recovery? 2,000 foreclosed homes in Madison area, squatters evicted: http://tinyurl.com/29tlrzu- I am on hiatus.

Happy Mothers Day to My Mom, Gretchen (aka the m0mSteR!) I love you! x0 stevenson

Yikes! Computer has to go into the shop-just for a day or two.Won't be totally unplugged-will still have email access, or call: 920-691-6030

Everyone have a great weekend-unplugging-see you Monday!

Sunday Brunch!: 31 Twitter Ideas: http://ping.fm/gunJn

Hey, LinkedIn profile browsers-give me a call! 920-691-6030

Fort Atkinson Farmers Market Sneak Peek: May 8, 15 & 22

Here is a sneak peek at

The Fort Atkinson Farmers Market

Come and get it!:

Fresh local produce, honey, baked bread, live music,

petting zoo, face painting and more fun for the kids!


(YouTube:FtAtkinsonChamber)


...a great way to spend any sunny Saturday morning-even for a gardener.

(...like my BFF Tess!)

...and click here for

the Fort Atkinson Farmers Market web page.

See you there,

Steve
shsworks@sbcglobal.net

Wisconsin supports its troops!: The Camo Quilt Project : http://ping.fm/PNss3

Consumer behavior should shape brands-brands can't shape consumer behavior anymore: http://ping.fm/lKdFg

Ning wants your ching: http://ping.fm/LugFF

You can learn a lot about marketing from a dog: http://ping.fm/DykEk

Consumer behavior should shape brands-brands can't shape consumer behavior anymore.

400+ Ideas to get you over Hump Day!: http://ping.fm/gl4CF

...and here are 25 reasons to love Tuesday!:http://ping.fm/EZ5rq

Since this is Tuesday, this is only a test...

Thanks, Dan Gacke: "Steve is a genius when it comes to social media. He is also a great friend." http://tinyurl.com/nwg8wz

The Kids Are Alright-Fort Atkinson, WI High School Students ROCK!

Youth is NOT wasted on the young!

The kids at Fort Atkinson High School are in it to win it-

seventeen's Ultimate Prom contest!

And here are their Top Ten reasons

why they should WIN!


(YouTube-stilealy)

...The prize? A major prom featuring
the band Boys Like Girls!

...and of course, memories to last a lifetime.

The prom is slated for May 8, 2010.

The theme-Treasure Island.

Head over here to check out the contest!

(...as far as real estate goes here-
glad to see tax dollars being used for FUN! ;) )

Steve
shsworks@sbcglobal.net
920-691-6030

Everyday is amazing and amusing. Pass it on!

Wisconsin real estate. Just plain weird: http://bit.ly/bowiUI

Weird, Crazy, Wisconsin Real Estate-get your laugh on!

There are those that say you can't beat weird for Wisconsin.
(and you can always say that real estate is crazy-everywhere.)

After living here ten years,-well, real estate is craziest in the Cheezehedd State.

You betcha.

Why ask why when it is so obvious?




(YouTube-WeirdUSTV)

And just when you think...
On second thought-No. Don't think about this guy who missed his ex-wife so much he was going to open houses and, um,
snooping in dresser drawers.

(...and even calling Realtors for private showings!)

Just remember while real estate and people are crazy-

You're (probably) not.

And don't forget to laugh!

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

Steve has helped turn my business around and face my market & keeps me focused on what is important! A great guy to boot! - Pat Laemmrich

I am a First Amendment absolutist. An open networker. I welcome new ideas and broad perspectives. shsworks@sbcglobal.net

US Real Estate: New home sales at 50-year low: http://tinyurl.com/ycyda9v

Some days, we need to laugh more than we need to work ... :)

Consumer, defined: The highest form of life on the planet.: http://tinyurl.com/yjcnz83

WHEDA is "Back in Business" - What's next for Wisconsin real estate?

(Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority)

...and it is a bright spot in the Wisconsin real estate market!

WHEDA exec director Antonio Riley was all over everywhere on Feb. 12, back in action with new 30-year mortgage plans after suspending mortgages to low and middle-income buyers in October of 2008.

Who helped set it up? The U.S. Treasury of course-they picked up 325 million bucks of WHEDAs' long-term bond obligations. (Frees up a little cash for WHEDA, of course.)

Add in the extension of the popular $8,000 tax credits for first time buyers, a credit score of 660, and a down payment possibly as low as 1,000 and you're off to the races.

But-get to the finish line before or by April 30th, when the tax credits are likely to stop.

WHEDA is working on other loan products, too. Maybe they can cook something up with the Treasury to help out the 104,000 people in Wisconsin set to lose their unemployment by the the end of April .

Unless those unemployment benefits are extended, another wave of distressed properties will start to overload an already saturated housing market, with foreclosures and jingle mail to follow if nothing is done to help the long-term unemployed homeowner.

The news from WHEDA is great for first timers, but no one seems to be paying much attention to the start-over crowd.

And that crowd might get a lot bigger. It would definitely be too big to fail.

Steve
shsworks@sbcglobal.net

WhirligigHD: Trouble viewing home tours in IE 7? Update to IE 8. Fixing it as you read this. It's Bill Gates' world, we all just work here!

Don't throw up on your client: http://tinyurl.com/cq99lt

Kenosha, WI: Bank faces FDIC sanctions: http://tinyurl.com/yg932hy via Kenosha News

WI Real Estate:Builders: 2010 will be hard http://ping.fm/75QSk

A tough start...

...a very tough start to the new year.

Haiti crumbles.

A 20 year old Marine from my town

dies.

Foreclosures mounting at a record pace.

and then there's

Unemployment.


It's all beyond words.

...isn't it?

Steve

FINALLY: Cell phone back up - VERY interesting to be without it for a day or two :)

Crappasaurus! My cell died - if you need me - email me : shsworks@sbcglobal.net Thanks!

Wisconsin M&I Bank extends foreclosure moratorium thru Q1 2010: http://ping.fm/IF7cj

A long December...

To everyone-

Merry Christmas.

Happy Holidays.

To everyone, and all your friends and family.

May you all be together-in love, spirit

and sharing life.

See you next year!

A long December,and there's reason to believe..

maybe this year will be better than the last.

-Counting Crows

We ALL wanna drive the Zamboni: http://tinyurl.com/yfn5xux

HO freekin' HO!: 12 Days of Christmas for Realtors: http://tinyurl.com/yczpv29

We could all use a laugh.....

Back for a bit-been busy and loving it!

Details later-in the meantime:

We could all use a laugh!



(YouTube - smaclenn)

Steven Stearns
Social Network Builder
shsworks@sbcglobal.net
920-691-6030

Busy and loving it! Some time off today and tomorrow and BTW on Monday-in the meantime: http://tinyurl.com/yz59jwo

Wisconsin: Racine bank fails along with others: total 106 for the year nationally: http://tinyurl.com/yllt9sb via CNNMoney

Thanks for stopping by,everyone-been busy & will be back SOON! Here's over 400 ideas to keep you smiling &busy!: http://tinyurl.com/nwg8wz

Wisconsin Real Estate: M&I Bank Largest WI bank adds to reserves, prepares for loss: http://tinyurl.com/yjjhuuk via Bloomberg

Wisconsin homebuilders are going GREEN!: http://tinyurl.com/yaytefa

THREE more reasons why real estate is crazy now: 1.) http://ping.fm/ce60J 2.) ARMS still to adjust 3.) Commercial RE is in the....

One more reason why real estate will remain crazy for a while...

Oooooookie dokie...

so, then-the FDIC wants to borrow money from banks:

(YouTube - Bloomberg )

I am not an economist, just another blogger-

but hey, I know the banks in my neck of the woods aren't doing so good.

More later.

Not borrowing, I mean-just blogging.

Steve

Dane County, WI: NEW blog network-14 blogs - community info, listings, news - http://ping.fm/kVKoN

Wisconsin Real Estate: 3 Million for 24,000 sq ft? In downtown Madison? Location,location,Location!
http://tinyurl.com/lexywb

Busy week, great ideas, changes everywhere and one more day to go!

...Connecting in Mlps-St. Paul-having some fun of course and talking about about blog networks: http://ping.fm/BGqZz

Out of Town Today!

Connecting with my Minneapois-St. Paul network today.

Call or email if you need me: 920-691-6030 / shsworks@sbcglobal.net

400 To Reasons Smile On Monday: Busy this last week-thanks for calling and the emails - http://tinyurl.com/nwg8wz - see you all then!

Madison WI, Smart City, USA!

Just a little video on Madison, WI.

Done very smartly by

CB Success.

I spent almost five years living in Madison, WI.

It is a great town and we still have friends there.

...and I am so glad it's close to Ft. Atkinson, WI

and all the gardens BFF Tess has now in our back yard

(...more on those later-anyone need tomatoes?)

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

Social Media Is Not A Pet Rock

Social Media is Not A Pet Rock

(from www.socialnomics.net)


...but it does rock!

Get over it.

Get into it.

Get on with it.

Steve
shsworks@sbcglobal.net
920-691-6030

Wisconsin sets new foreclosure record: July 09 single highest month:up 10.9% over June 09: http://tinyurl.com/mod4g4 - via jsonline.com

Happy Monday, Tweeps-Jump Start Your Week with 400 + Ideas: http://ping.fm/hY4aF

FREE Friday-10 links for free: mobile marketing, websites, photo editing, 200+blog ideas, internet ad trends: http://ping.fm/JrmM7

Madison, Wisconsin Women's Council of Realtors event today was the BEST!: http://ping.fm/AJrvV

Hello, WCRA! Welcome to the Blog!

Hello WCRA Madison, Wisconsin-

...and welcome to the blog!

It was great to see you all today-

Thanks to Kim Lambert, Chariti Gent and Bill Kessler.

And of course, Rebecca Levinson, my friend and Ace Blogger-(see link below.)

(..and thanks for putting up with a slightly cranky computer... :) )

The power of relationship brought this all together

so we could get together today and share ideas.

As promised, the links below will give you plenty of help, ideas and opportunities

to work on your social media and building your social network.

(...remember you can learn a lot about marketing from a dog:

...Bear doesn't let technology or paperwork get him down!)

Links: Click and GROW:

The Cluetrain is THE Train of Thought for Marketing and Social Media

25 Reasons: Social Media Can Help Your Business

400+ Ideas for Blogs, Photos and Social Media Updates

Free Website, Photo Editing and On Line Document Sharing

REALTORS ROCK: 30 Links to Social Media Just for YOU!

FREE Mobile Website

FREE 30 Days of Mobile Marketing-Wisconsin-Based Company!

Rebecca Levinson is a Blogging Goddess.

Get In The Know With Inman-Free Breaking RE News DAILY!

and

The Latest Word on Internet and Mobile Marketing Trends

Read this book by Seth Godin

Call me, wire me or connect-happy to help you out anytime!

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/c7f27d

Twitter: @stevenstearns

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenstearns

..Off to Madison for a presentation with @rebeccalev!

Unplugging for the weekend-Here are 300+ reasons to look forward to Monday: http://ping.fm/hY4aF
See you then!

Wisconsin:M&I Bank sells 800 non-performing residential mortgages, 2/3rds in AZ: http://ping.fm/HfHmI - PR Newswire

RT @DansMobile: Recommended @stevenstearns to @MrTweet 'he's a genius when it comes to social media. He is al...' http://ping.fm/lbDpi

CULTURE WAR?:The Scobleizer Speaks: Friendship key scarcity in digital age: http://ping.fm/bATUi - Via telegraph.co.uk

Mobile Marketing-FREE 30 DAY TRIAL: http://qittle.com/

NOW what? Opportunity called-it's hiding in the chaos: http://ping.fm/QZDZw

NOW What?

NOW what?.....

(SHS photo)

or maybe better still,

Now, what NOW?:

Housing seems to be getting better,

we can enjoy a few more Doritos for the same price,

...and depending on how you look at them...

the major stock markets

are either up-to no good or double-down for the money.

Then there's that whole health insurance thing,

-along with the increase in minimum wage,

coupled with several hundred thousand people

still going out of work each month.

There has to be opportunity in all the chaos;

I have found some for myself, and will be working on it this week.

So now what now may point at where to, sooner or later.

Just so it's forward.

See you out here!

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

80-yr-old Realtor in LaCrosse, WI NOT Retiring!: http://ping.fm/ElLKU - River Valley Biz Report

Wisconsin Realtors Assoc., others oppose new Do Not Call Bill:1k fine: http://ping.fm/o8IUF - MJS Blog

Off to Madison for a meeting and then this afternoon, gotta get to Inbox Zero....

Social Media is NOT for AUTOPILOTS: Twitter fail:
http://ping.fm/trbTi

Monday Madness!: 300+ FREE ideas for social media updates, blogs, photos: http://ping.fm/D0LB3

448 Free Ideas for Blogs, Photos and Social Media Updates

Here you go!

448 Free Ideas for Blogs, Photos and Updates.

Just for you.

So take them, use them, pass them around, share them!

And thanks for sharing yours with me every now and then.

We all need a little tickling of our muse

every now and then,

and of course,

...collaboration is the cornerstone of social media.

Just click here

scroll down a bit, and smile.

Thanks!

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

920-691-6030

Antiques Roadshow, here we come!

Antiques Roadshow, here we come!

(SHS Photo)

Maybe furniture is just as crazy as real estate.

BFF Theresa -(seen smiling in this photo)-

stands in our living room behind

an 1820s-30s Philadelphia Empire chair.

A few weeks ago, she sent in some pics and a description to

Antiques Roadshow on PBS

and well, they are coming to get the piece right now for the show

in Madison, WI this weekend.

How did we get this chair?

From my Mom, who found it in a second-hand store in Grand Marais, MN

(years ago)

for like, between 30-50 bucks.

It had been retired from being the throne

for the Queen of the annual Fisherman's Picnic,

as she rode around in the back of a pick-up truck.

The very comfy chair has been around since I was a kid

and it has visited all my siblings.

Since then, Theresa found out as she researched it for a paper at UW-Madison

it has, well, an interesting-

and possible rarefied history.

This is going to be a highlight of Theresa's professional life as

a master upholsterer, antique/restoration shop owner,

furniture design and operations manager

and manager of a a high-end retail furnishings store.

Me?

I hope the Keno Brothers don't catch me napping in it

while we wait for the appraisal.

More later as we head to the show,

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net

Freedom. Shared. Gratitude.

Freedom.

Shared.

Gratitude.

(Flag from www.freefoto.com/)

Happy Freedom!

To all of us living everywhere.

U.S. citizens may be living on the most liberated

piece of real estate in the world.

We might not have always had the timing or words right;

we have always tried to share the idea and principles

of freedom

with whoever would listen.

So, today we go to a parade, a festival, a ball game, cook on the grill,

have a few friends over.

Look up into a dark sky and watch the rocket's glare,

grateful for the light, the noise and the joy.

Remembering all our loved ones who gave so much

so we could have more.

To share.

Steve

Thank You! :An early salute all those who work for all kinds of freedom everywhere, and those who support them.