We have been writing about local real estate along the 680 corridor for a couple of years now. We concentrate on the communities of Danville, San Ramon, Alamo, Dublin, Pleasanton and Walnut Creek.

I, John, do most of the writing, but the other team members are contributing more and more. You may see me out and about at the local coffee shops and book stores. I’m easy to recognize because I carry my “billboard” with me.

I created this custom skin for my laptop at SkinIt. SkinIt allows you to choose a template for your computer or other electronic device and create a custom skin to brand you or your business.

For a business person that is in the public eye a great deal with their laptop, it’s an excellent way to encourage interaction from others.

Dear old mom is 81 years old and doesn’t blog. Can you believe it? Mom still uses AOL and mom continues to forward emails to everyone in the world on every subject imaginable in spite of all my warnings over the years about pest control.

Mom would shoot me if I put a recent photo of her up on the web, so here is one from years past. Mom taught me all the important social graces:

• Don’t put your elbows on the table ( I caught on to this one quick because mom would smack my elbow with the handle of her table knife).
• Don’t chew with your mouth open (she drove this home with something about catching flies)
• Don’t be obnoxious (one of her failures)
• Don’t slouch (growing up in the military helped with this one)
• Put the toilet seat down (apparently half the world sits to pee)
• If you don’t have something nice to say – keep your mouth shut (another excuse to remain flie-less)

That last one is hell for a blogger as illustrated by this: