Ready for New Year "at the beach"

     I am getting ready to send a "letter to the editor" to our local paper, The Sun News.  This will be my first time to do this, so I thought I might run it by all of you prior to mailing and maybe get some feed-back from y'all.
    
One Solution to out Economic Problems
     First, I want y'all to know I am not for more government intervention in our lives, but for once, Big Brother could make a difference.  My proposal is for the Feds to put a ceiling on the price of gasoline, at the pump, for 5 years.  That price would be $2.50 a gallon for regular.
     Big Oil made money at that price before and they will still make large profits now at that price. The worldwide speculation market and Wall Street traders set the price of oil, which then determines the price of gasoline.  Why should Wall Street traders and worldwide speculators decide what you and I have to pay at the pump?  What ever happened to Economics 101, supply and demand?  I am not saying to stop the price of crude oil from fluctuating, only the price of gasoline at the pump.  That way, the oil companies would take the hit instead of the consumer.  They can afford it, the consumer can't.  I would guess there would be less fluctuatation in the price of oil, don't you?
     I keep reading articles that before long we will be energy independent.  So, instead pf continuing to develop more exploration options, let's build more refineries to take care of the energy we are now producing and keep it here where it belongs. In addition, build the refineries where the oil and gas is, not thousands of miles away.  We stockpile oil and natural gas now. Why can't we stockpile and store gasoline?  Why do we want to get to the point where we are exporting oil, natural gas and gasoline?  Someday your grandchildren will wish we had not given it all away.
     If you and I, and the business world knew what our transportation costs were going to be for the next 5 years, we could all make plans.  Everyone could set budgets and our economy would prosper.  The price of everything we use, in one way or another, is based on the cost of transporting products and goods, as well as people. Therefore, the price of everything we purchase should go down, including airline tickets, and maybe even the price of cars and trucks. We will have more $$ in our pockets, so therefore we will purchase more goods.  More people will travel and spend $$.  It's a win, win, situation for everyone.
     I know, it makes too much sense.  Therefore, the powers that be, will not like the idea.  What do you think?

     Sea Trails Resort, just over the border in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, has an approved plan of reorganization to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  Now it just needs a buyer.  The 2,000 acre, 3-course resort includes two clubhouses, a 50,000-square foot convention center, an estimated 400-unit rental business, unsold vacant lots and approximately 240 acres of undevoloped land.
     There are still deals available in real estate down here and remember "cash" is king. So come on down, we're dealin!
     I had my first TV interview for my book Murder on the Front Nine.  It was on a live show at the local ABC channel in Conway. It wasn't nearly as scary as my first public speaking engagement.
     That's all for now.  See ya in the New Year, Steve & Bev  smcmillen@sc.rr.com  website www.stevenmcmillen.com

TV Show

TV Show

The beach

 

 

    
    

Public Speaking "at the beach"

     In November, after connecting with a woman on LinkedIn, she asked if I would like to speak and do a book signing for my book Murder on the Front Nine at one of her local Optimists Club meetings in December.  I said "sure" and we set a date.  Well, all of a sudden I began to panic. I had no problem signing books, but I had never done public speaking, in front of live people, in a confined area, where the audience would all be looking at me, and where the only sounds in the room would be coming from my mouth, if I could get it to open to form words. Panic city! What have I gotten myself into?  I remember taking a class, Public Speaking 101, in college many, many years ago, but I've slept since then so that experience was long gone.
     My connection asked me to do a 30-minute talk and then a book signing immediately after. So now, I had to decide what was my subject going to be.  I came up with a topic, "So you've been thinking about writing a book".  I would talk about my trials and tribulations while writing my first book.  I began to write my speech, and one day I would add content and then the next day I would take away content.  It was a continuous work in progress.  Should I tell a joke or just jump in with both feet?  Should I ask for questions?  What if I don't know the answer?  I rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed.  I went over my talk in my head every night when I went to bed and again when I woke up in the morning.  I was thinking, man this is hard work, do I really want to do this?
     As my day of reckoning quickly approached, I was still not sure I could pull this off without embarrassing myself.  The day arrived and I was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Was it too late to call in sick?  Yes, it was.  I arrived at the Pine Lakes Country Club meeting room an hour and a half before my scheduled time to speak.  We were to have lunch and a business meeting prior to my "coming out party". I went around the room and introduced myself to several people.  That way I would be looking at some familiar faces during my talk.  My next problem was, should I eat and maybe throw-up or just refrain from food and drink altogether.  That probably would be rude, on both counts, so I decided to eat but I only took small portions and drank only water.  Next problem, should I run off to the bathroom during the business meeting or was it too late.  Sorry, it was too late; I was being introduced by the president of the club.
     I stood up, took a deep breath, smiled, and waved at the audience.  I thought to myself, I am prepared and I'm going to have fun.  And by golly, that's exactly what I did.  The first few words seemed to come out of a mouth filled with "cotton", I should have taken a drink of water before I headed to the podium, but after that, I had no problems.  I made a few mistakes but I was probably the only one who noticed.
     I sold and signed several books afterward and quite a few people came up to me, shook my hand, and said they really enjoyed my talk.  If they only knew! 
     I'll just bet my next public speaking event will be a whole lot easier.

     In case any of you would like to bring your horse with you the next time you come to the beach, be sure and come from the 3rd Saturday in November through the end of February. That is the period when people can ride their horses on the beach. No permit is required, but there are a few rules:  No more than 6 horses and riders can ride in a single group at one time. You are not allowed to ride on or across any sand dunes. To get to the beach, you must go through the Myrtle Beach State Park. Horse trailers can not be parked in any public ROW and riders are required to clean-up after their horses.
     In real estate news, the median price for a single-family home fell 4% in October compared to the same period last year and the median price of a condo was down 6%.  The good news was that 438 SF homes sold in October, a 5% climb from October 2011, while 362 condos traded hands, up 36% from 2011. Locally there is still a 15-month supply of homes and condos on the market.  Real estate is considered a buyer's market anytime there's more than a 6-month supply on the books.  So what are you waiting for?  Come on down, buy something, we're dealin!
     See ya, Steve & Bev

Book signing at Pine Lakes

Yours truly receiving gift

My connection from LinkedIn

Book signing

 

 

 

    

    

Thanksgiving & Nice weather "at the beach"

     We had out-of-town guests for Thanksgiving this year.  David and Sharon Reynolds from our home town of Lancaster, Ohio were in town and this time they actually called us.  We had lunch one day at CrabCatchers with them and then we invited them over for Thanksgiving.  We had a delightfull time and later in the week we played golf together at Cypress Bay.  If either one of them tells you that Sharon beat me, it's a complete lie, she was keeping score.
     A new eatery is opening at Barefoot Landing.  If the Rat Pack reassambled and sought  the ultimate hipster hangout, they would need to look no further than Barefoot Landing's newest addition, Castano's. Owners Curtis and Darlene Brown describe the Italian-steakhouse as a "place to hang your hat, sip on a cocktail and slip back into time".  For more information go to castanosrestaurant.com  We have not been there as yet but it is on our list. I'll let you know what we think.
     Plans are in the works to expand Ripley's Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach, with construction to begin after Labor Day next year and the expanded aquarium opening in time for the busy summer season in 2014.
     In real estate news, the number of homes and condos sold along the Grand Strand jumped 24% in October compaed to the same period last year.  Investors, who make up over 65% of the market, are still the strongest buyers.  They are seeing really good prices and are taking cash out of other places and putting it in real estate.  While sales rose, prices dropped 6.2% in October, compared to the same period last year.  Prices continue to be driven down by foreclosures.  29% of single-family home sales and 35% of condo sales are either foreclosures or short sales. Sound interesting?  Give me a call, we're dealin! 
     As far as my book MURDER ON THE FRONT NINE is concerned, sales are picking up.  I just did a booksigning at Barefoot Resort and I'm speaking at the Grand Strand Optimist Club meeting on December 6th, followed by a booksigning. www.stevenmcmillen.com
     My lovely bride Beverly will be back in Lancaster this coming week, so if you see her running around with Liz and Fred, be sure and say hello.

Daved, Sharon & Bev at CrabCatchers

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