Barb Szabo's Blog: January 2011

The Assumption Music Ministry in Broadview Heights Ohio Wants You!!

assumption choir broadview heights ohio assumption choir broadview heights ohio assumption choir broadview heights ohio

My husband and I have been a part of the Assumption Music Ministry for 20 years. Our daughter Erin joined at about age 14. The members are some of the nicest you will ever meet and we consider them  our second family.

We have seen each other through marriages, births, deaths and so much more.
We are always looking for new members, age 14 and older. If you think you can carry a tune then please consider joining the Assumption Adult choir. We rehearse on Thursday evenings at 7:00p.m. and minister regularly at the 10:30a.m. Mass on Sundays, except in the summer. We often sing on Holy Days and special Masses such as anniversary Masses for the religious.

Below is a favorite of mine: A little long but hilarious is you are or ever were a singer in a choir.

SATB: The Whole Truth

In any chorus, there are four voice parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and
bass. Sometimes these are divided into first and second within each
part, prompting endless jokes about first and second basses. There are
also various other parts such as baritone, countertenor, contralto,
mezzo soprano, etc., but these are mostly used by people who are either
soloists, or belong to some excessively hotshot classical a cappella
group (this applies especially to countertenors), or are trying to make
excuses for not really fitting into any of the regular voice parts, so
we will ignore them for now. Each voice part sings in a different range,
and each one has a very different personality. You may ask, "Why should
singing different notes make people act differently?", and indeed this
is a mysterious question and has not been adequately studied, especially
since scientists who study musicians tend to be musicians themselves and
have all the peculiar complexes that go with being tenors, french horn
players, timpanists, or whatever. However, this is beside the point; the
fact remains that the four voice parts can be easily distinguished, and
I will now explain how.

THE SOPRANOS are the ones who sing the highest, and because of this they
think they rule the world. They have longer hair, fancier jewelery, and
swishier skirts than anyone else, and they consider themselves insulted
if they are not allowed to go at least to a high F in every movement of
any given piece. When they reach the high notes, they hold them for at
least half again as long as the composer and/or conductor requires, and
then complain that their throats are killing them and that the composer
and conductor are sadists. Sopranos have varied attitudes toward the
other sections of the chorus, though they consider all of them inferior.
Altos are to sopranos rather like second violins to first violins --
nice to harmonize with, but not really necessary. All sopranos have a
secret feeling that the altos could drop out and the piece would sound
essentially the same, and they don't understand why anybody would sing
in that range in the first place - it's so boring. Tenors, on the other
hand, can be very nice to have around; besides their flirtation
possibilities (it is a well-known fact that sopranos never flirt with
basses), sopranos like to sing duets with tenors because all the tenors
are doing is working very hard to sing in a low-to-medium soprano range,
while the sopranos are up there in the stratosphere showing off. To
sopranos, basses are the scum of he earth - they sing too loud, are
useless to tune to because they're down in that low, low range and there
has to be something wrong with anyone who sings in the F clef, anyway
(although while they swoon while the tenors sing, they still end up
going home with the basses).

THE ALTOS are the salt of the earth - in their opinion, at least. Altos
are unassuming people, who would wear jeans to concerts if they were
allowed to. Altos are in a unique position in the chorus in that they
are unable to complain about having to sing either very high or very
low, and they know that all the other sections think their parts are
pitifully easy. But the altos know otherwise. They know that while the
sopranos are screeching away on a high A, they are being forced to sing
elaborate passages full of sharps and flats and tricks of rhythm, and
nobody is noticing because the sopranos are singing too loud (and the
basses usually are, too). Altos get a deep, secret pleasure out of
conspiring together to tune the sopranos flat. Altos have an innate
distrust of tenors, because the tenors sing in almost the same range and
think they sound better. They like the basses, and enjoy singing duets
with them - the basses just sound like a rumble anyway, and it's the
only time the altos can really be heard. Altos' other complaint is that
there are always too many of them and so they never get to sing really
loud.

THE TENORS are spoiled. That's all there is to it. For one thing, there
are never enough of them, and choir directors would rather sell their
souls than let a halfway decent tenor quit, while they're always ready
to unload a few altos at half price. And then, for some reason, the few
tenors there are are always really good - it's one of those annoying
facts of life. So it's no wonder that tenors always get swollen heads
after all, who else can make sopranos swoon? The one thing that can make
tenors insecure is the accusation (usually by the basses) that anyone
singing that high couldn't possibly be a real man. In their usual
perverse fashion, the tenors never acknowledge this, but just complain
louder about the composer being a sadist and making them sing so damn
high. Tenors have a love-hate relationship with the conductor, too,
because the conductor is always telling them to sing louder because
there are so few of them. No conductor in recorded history has ever
asked for less tenor in a forte passage. Tenors feel threatened in some
way by all the other sections - the sopranos because they can hit those
incredibly high notes; the altos because they have no trouble singing
the notes the tenors kill themselves for; and the basses because,
although they can't sing anything above an E, they sing it loud enough
to drown the tenors out. Of course, the tenors would rather die than
admit any of this. It is a little-known fact that tenors move their
eyebrows more than anyone else while singing.

THE BASSES sing the lowest of anybody. This basically explains
everything. They are stolid, dependable people, and have more facial
hair than anybody else. The basses feel perpetually unappreciated, but
they have a deep conviction that they are actually the most important
part (a view endorsed by musicologists, but certainly not by sopranos or
tenors), despite the fact that they have the most boring part of anybody
and often sing the same note (or in endless fifths) for an entire page.
They compensate for this by singing as loudly as they can get away with
- most basses are tuba players at heart. Basses are the only section
that can regularly complain about how low their part is, and they make
horrible faces when trying to hit very low notes. Basses are charitable
people, but their charity does not extend so far as tenors, whom they
consider effete poseurs. Basses hate tuning the tenors more than almost
anything else. Basses like altos - except when they have duets and the
altos get the good part. As for the sopranos, they are simply in an
alternate universe, which the basses don't understand at all. They can't
imagine why anybody would ever want to sing that high and sound that bad when they make mistakes. When a bass makes a mistake, the other three parts will cover him, and he can continue on his merry way, knowingthat sometime, somehow, he will end up at the root of the chord.




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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Please Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!

invoiceI think agents everywhere like it when they see comments on a listing say something like this:

"New furnace and A/C '07, new roof (complete tear off) '05, new windows "09, new hot water tank '10".

I, personally, especially like to see this when I am showing to first time buyers. The majority of my first time buyers do not have a lot of money. Many are single Moms or Dads raising a child or two on their own. So I am happy when I can find them a home with recent updates to the more costly repair items.

I am not happy when I ask for a copy of the invoice BEFORE writing an offer and I get the run around.

"Barb, Are you writing an offer?"

"I may be, but not before I can confirm the dates for all the recent updates per your mls printout."

"Why don't you just make your offer contingent upon receipt of the invoices for all that stuff?"

"Because, one of the main reasons they chose this particular house is because of the updates. If the information is not accurate, they may not want to write an offer. Do you have the invoices available?"

"I don't have my file in front of me. Let me call you back."

"O.k. do that."

Most of the time a copy or copies are forwarded to me but often they are off by anywhere between 2 and 6 years. The "new furnace and a/c that was "07 is actually "04.  "Oh sorry."

Now I know that I can check the furnace, tank, etc...for an obvious date, and sometimes it is obvious, but sometimes it is not and I am not going out on that limb where I would say to the buyer that I think the furnace is xxx years old.

If my sellers tell me something is xxx number of years old, they better have the invoice or I won't be advertising it as an update.

 

 

 

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Does the Buyer Really Have to Attend The Home Inspection?

Do You Really Have to Attend The Home Inspection?

home inspectorI'm sure you probably know that my answer to this is yes! Of course, I know that it's not always possible for out of town clients but if you are local and buying locally, I think it's must to attend your home inspection.

I attend all home inspections when I represent the buyer so that I can better understand a problem if one is found and so that I can communicate that to the seller's agent.

I am convinced that had I not attended some inspections in the past, the problems found may have been blown out of proportion. Many inspectors take pictures today, but even that is sometimes not enough to adequately describe an issue.

As a buyer, when you attend your home inspection, you see with your own eyes what the inspector is talking about. This is critical when it comes to reviewing the problems and deciding which ones you want remedied.

 

Ultimately, you need to rely on the inspector, however, what you see with your own eyes can be very helpful.

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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If You Are A Brecksville Ohio Resident, Take Advantage of the State of the Art Community Center!

Brecksville ohio has a state of the art Community Center which includes an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, basketball court, game room and much more. Exercise is so important for so many reasons not the least of which is how you look and feel. It's also a great cure for the winter doldrums that tend to set in this time of year in Northeast Ohio.

Brecksville Ohio Community center training area  Brecksville Community center basketball court Brecksville Community center swimming pool

 

 

breckvillle ohio fitness schedule 2011

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Super Bowl Tailgate Party at St. Michael's Woodside!

What could be more fun than a SUPER BOWL TAILGATE PARTY? The only thing better than the party itself is the funds it will bring in for the BBH Bee Athletic Boosters. Check out what you get for a mere $30 per person!

 

Sat. Feb. 5th

7:00p.m. to Midnight

"SUPER BOWL TAILGATE PARTY" FUNDRAISER

(St. Michael's Woodside Gym & Shanty, 5025 Mill Rd.) -

Sponsored by BBH Bee Athletic Boosters.

$30 per person includes food, beer/wine, soft drinks, games, music, side boards, silent auction and team baskets.

******There will also be a drawing for a big-screen TV******

Information and tickets: egreenlee62@gmail.com

So get some friends together and plan to attend this fun filled fundraiser!!

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Baby Girls Sings "Summer in Ohio", A Very Funny Song!

Those of you who know me, know that my daughter is my pride and joy. She also happens to have a beautiful singing voice (which she got from me)!

Last night her show choir performed this year's show choir performance along with solo and group numbers by the students. Below is Erin singing "Summer in Ohio" from the show "The Last Five Years". Briefly, the play is about a couple whose marriage is on the rocks. He is a writer who has writer's block and she is stuck in Ohio waiting for him.

Enjoy!

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Country Lakes Broadview Heights Ohio 4th Quarter Market Report 2010

Country Lakes is a wonderful subdivision in Broadview Heights Ohio with an array of architectural designs and styles. Residents can enjoy a beautiful swimming pool with a pond and tennis courts nearby. Below are the averages per quarter. The figures below are not unexpected as homes in higher price changes can and often do take longer to sell, even in a good market.  It is important to note that there is a lot to be considered when pricing your home for sale, such as square feet, bedrooms, baths, finished basement, and updates. A Realtor® will take all these things into account when preparing a market analysis.

Currently, there are 4 homes for sale in Country Lakes Broadview Heights Ohio.

 

country lakes market report

Below is some of the internet marketing I provide when your home is listed with me:

internet marketing sites

 

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Kudos to Laura Graber, A Technical Support Person for Our MLS!

Do you woman throwing away a computerever come across someone on a phone help desk, who is always in a good mood? who is always helpful? who never makes you feel like you are taking up too much of their time? who can help you every time?

I think we can all agree that it's probably more rare than it is common, but I know of such a person.

Her name is Laura Graber and she is part of the technical support team for Neohrex, our Northeast Ohio Regional Multiple Listing Service.

I think it was about 2 year ago when there was a major overhaul of the mls which included expanding to include about 8 counties and so much changed...the searches...cma... choice of pdf or html code... so naturally Laura and all her co workers were flooded with calls. It took me several calls to understand the new CMA search. I called Laura OFTEN as I really wanted and needed to learn the new system as quickly as possible. She was and is wonderful every time!!!

It's so easy to complain and I do my fair share of it, but I also try to commend someone for a job well done.

So to Laura Graber...WELL DONE and THANK YOU.

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Word to The Wise for Home Sellers!

invoiceIt's no surprise how fierce the competition is right now in many communities across Northeast Ohio. I am always pleased when I show a home and the comments read "new furnace"08, new windows '06, etc...". Call it years of experience or skepticism based on years of experience, I don't believe it til I see the invoices.  I have found more than once that the MLS information provided by the agent does not match the invoice once we receive a copy.

This generally does not sit well with buyers, making them feel as though they have been misled. But I don't think that's the intention of most sellers. Time flies quickly and what may seem like 2 years is actually 4. The best thing sellers can do is to make copies of all the invoices and give them to your agent. He or she can scan them and keep an electronic folder which can be made available should the buyer's agent request it.

Be sure to black out all personal information on the invoice, in particular, a credit card number. In some cases the invoices can even be uploaded to the MLS, making it super easy for the selling agent to access the information.

It may seem like a small thing but, trust me, the sooner I can get my hands on the information that is pertinent to my client, the sooner I can write an offer on your home.

 

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

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Come Enjoy the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad!

A L L  A B O A R D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

railroad engineerWinter blues setting in?  Do you prefer watching winter from inside a nice warm room?  Then you will surely enjoy the Cuyahoga  Valley Scenic Railroad's winter excursions!

From January through March, the CVSR offers its Cabin Fever trips each weekend. Warm soups, sandwiches, and drinks are available to keep you warm and content. The ride is about 3 hours and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

A recent addition to the train is the Voices of the Valley audio tour, which is part of the $10 ticket price.  Headphones are provided. Using GPS technology, the audio provides different stories as the train travels both north and south through the scenic park.  Passengers may also choose to get off and shop in the historic Village of Peninsula.


Departing Stations Departing Time Return Time
Canal Visitor Center
7104 Canal Rd.
Valley View, OH 44125
10 am
1:30 pm

 
1 pm
4:30 pm


Brecksville Station
 
10:15 am
1:45 pm
12:45 pm
1:30 pm
Peninsula Depot
10:35 am
12:10 pm
2:05 pm
12:10 pm
2:05 pm
3:40 pm
Akron Northside Station
11:35 am
 
2:50 pm
 

Get Tickets Now!
For more information and to make reservations, see the official website of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

 

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If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real EstateParma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate.  Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.

Search MLS Listings My Search Portal - Save Searches - New Properties via Email and More! Home Market Values Online