Author: Andrew Mooers

Made In Maine, What Does That Really Mean?

If you are lucky enough to be a real Maine native, not a transplant, not a wannabe for only a week’s vacation a year, you keep life simple.

You are not simple minded, but your life style is. Moderated to take it slow, keep it real, free of drama. There is nothing gaudy, over the top or ostentatious about living full time in Maine whatsoever.

Maine has a Portland with around 60,000 people that sometimes consider themselves a little more sophisticated than the rest of the Pine tree state.

But the majority of Maine has deep roots, heritage that centers around the family, the home. Small town community living with either forested woods or agriculture related industries the two staples used to generate the smaller income needed to fuel, to pay the household bills.

The need for money to burn to live a lifestyle of Riley, to have a happy life without hard work, problems or worries is not what typical Mainers strive for, dream about day to day.

The ones that do leave the state in search of fame and fortune. The ones that don’t are not failures that stay home. Their choice to live, work and play in Maine is a simple one. Small town values to make sure their children, families grow up with their heads screwed on straight. Built to fear God, respect others and pass on the same simple basics of good Maine living to the next generation.

Less complicated, slower paced living days under cobalt blue sunny skies happen in Maine. Or unfold under a canopied black velvet firmament of brilliant stars over head. Instead of honking horns, heavy traffic, high crime and bright harsh neon big city lights.

We are independent, can do people in Maine.

And figure if it is to be, it is up to me. Money saved for rainy days can help you sleep nights because you don’t put yourself on the brink of financial disaster. Your life is not built on a deck of tittering cards just waiting for a gust of air, a strong wind to begin the chaos.

We don’t live recklessly but still enjoy a gentile form of poverty that is high, wide and handsome from the local perspective. You could have a BMW car parked in the garage… might be a well cared for, pre-owned 1987 model with a lot of highway miles. But the pride, joy and care for the ride and how it is built, not for any prestige or status is just as strong with the Mainer who could not afford it when it rolled off the assembly line from Germany. The Mainer who is content to wait his turn, to be the second, third, fourth driver to slide behind it’s steering wheel.

Made in Maine is not just a term to apply to products from LL Bean, or tourist items peddled by local craftsmen, artisans.

It makes a statement about the people, families that are forged in simple, real, honest down to earth natural surroundings. Living in a state almost forgotten because of it’s isolation. Some say insulation due to Maine’s far northeast location. Some argue we should be in Canada we are so far to the north and by ourselves. Off the beaten path in a special place.

Watch a video clip from Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations segment on Maine to get a taste, glimpse, feel of what the real Maine is about. I saved you the best seat in the grange, church, community hall at a small inland Maine bean supper.

When you are ready, finally at the point in your life to tap in to all Maine offers, in a simple way, call, click, come visit me. I know a sensitive Maine real estate broker who loves what he does, where he does it. That can find you a piece of Maine to call your own. To begin tapping in to the simple essence of what the word Maine really means. Providing those that make the time to be in Vacationland a rich sense of well being, contentment and peace. You can figure things out in Maine. Get here quick as you can.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

March 27, 2012
Maine, Working Hard, Family First, Keeping It Simple.

“Well la de da”…. is not the typical way people in Maine lead their lives.

Learning To Work Hard For What You Have, Earning It On Your Own.
Local wages are lower, the standard of living kept simple, plain, without excesses because of it. Out to impress, calling attention to yourself is not the norm in Maine. Family is. You provide for that family first and foremost. It should be the strongest purpose in life, the source of all your joy, contentment. Where you give and receive loving attention under the guidance of God’s daily instruction.

I grew up in a household in Maine without the ravages of alcoholism. I did not have one parent that dominated the other, I did not see maniuplation or live under a judgemental critical spirit. There was no holier than thou tutelage taught to the household. We were neither in steerage or first class.

What you saw was who we are. No better or worse than anyone else around us. All beginners in consideration for others, not our own selfish designs to impress or need to have anyone else envy us. We did not seek to call attention to ourselves. No one in our household was a carrier, would test positive for a character of unrepentive sin, idolatry of someone with a destructive Jezebel spirit.

Everyone in the family was unique. A special instrument contributing to the harmony for the common good of what happened inside, outside those four walls. No one put on airs, a show outside the Maine home and there was transparency.

There was not a sharp cutting tongue putting down anyone in our household growing up.

No one tip toed because heads would roll if you did not. There was pure strong love. Both parents thought they had gotten the better end of the trade in the marriage.

No one thinking he or she deserved more in a mate.

No one pregnant, forced to get married and dragged to the altar for the knot tying or resentful because they were sure they deserved better. And did not care who knew it, inside or outside the four walls. No parent trying to change the other but working on adjustment, tinkering within themselves to improve the performance of the marriage.

I saw a Dad that openly expressed love to my Mom. Affectionately calling her “Weeze” or “Mother” her special title as the ring leader for raising the four boys. Dad giving her a hug, kiss and saying I love you heard, seen, felt though out my childhood. Kids seeing that beam, both parents are working together. You felt the unending love. Conflicts, good and tough times came up, but there was a common connection. Family love was the glue that cemented it rock tight. They took turns, shared the reins guiding, shaping the family.

The marriage started from scratch, lasting over sixty years and everything they had they toiled to earn together. No second marriages where one mate was out to better their financial station in life. Leaving one mate with distaste in their mouth and blamed for everything wrong in the marriage. To upgrade to one with a more income zero places on their tax return. And the sole attraction to tap in to a money pit to live a more lavish lifestyle to impress others with their new found financial success. That is shallow, arrogant, selfish and your kids placed second to the need for money to get attention and artificial happiness.

A marriage is not supposed to always be happy, it is suppose to be holy.

Both my parents were spiritual, and during discourse would retreat, lick their wounds and consider where their thinking needed adjustment. And apologies presented. Forgiveness on both sides extended and received. It was not one way where there was an alpha male or female dominating the wrinkle smoothing when offenses happened. You saw ownership of who did what that rubbed the other the wrong way. I did not see manipulation to get one to do what the other wanted. They did not play mind games.

If one parent had always been the one beat down, to come up short, made to feel the blame and shame for not measuring up, resentment would have in time filled the family home.

The toxins tainting the way the kids in that family grew up to raise their brood. In a healthy family relationship you all build for the common good of the household. Rather than develop unhealthy coping skills to survive and take care of yourself to get what you think you need and deserve.

When you grow up on a Maine family farm, you see your parents, brothers, sisters more than the nine to five routine households.

You eat breakfast, lunch, supper together. No one runs out the door to catch a train, do the morning commute to work. You live where you work. The barn for chores with critters, the neighboring fields to labor in. To create, plant, cultivate, harvest crops working around the weather and market conditions. To feed your family, with left over to sell to maintain that farm house, out buildings. To provide the shelter, food, surroundings for your kids and a place attached to the rear of the home for a set of elderly parents.

At the center of a strong, down to earth Mainer’s life is the family. Bumps, bruises, warts and all. You’re in a family. Something to learn from, cling to during the ups and downs of life. Maine real estate buyers often comment that boy, these small town folks are friendly, helpful, hardworking but pretty much day to day life is centered around church, their families, outdoor recreation. It makes it harder for singles, couples without kids or extended families in the area because of it. Watch some Maine farm real estate videos. Not a bad place to raise a family, provide healthy education for your kids.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

March 26, 2012
May 5th Is Date For 2012 Meduxnekeag River Canoe Race.

Start your paddles, dig dig dig in your kayak, canoe for the spring Meduxnekeag River Canoe Race in Houlton Maine.

Houlton Maine is the County seat for Aroostook, the state’s largest. May 5th is the date for this years exciting annual Maine river race.

Watch a couple videos for the Meduxnekeag River Canoe race.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

March 25, 2012
Maine, A Good Place For Letting Go, Starting New.

Relationships, in life we have many with God, family, neighbors, friends and through work.

Teaching Others What We Have Learned.. Maine.
But sometimes our hopes and dreams are not shared by the ones we love around us. When you live in a busy, urban area, relationships become that much tougher. Because of the extra struggles, the added pressures of city living that take a lot out of you. Leaving not as much of you for the relationship.

Maine is a place where the setting, the natural four seasons unspoiled surroundings can help any relationship.

The beauty is spiritual, all around you in Maine. In my job as a Maine real estate broker, it is very common to be working with property buyers who are starting over. Looking for a Maine lake property to vacation at as they blend families, start a new relationship.

Pain and suffering happens in life.

It causes us to grow, stretch, accept. It is “not about me, but others” is a good reminder to stay tuned, there’s for more to come. You and I don’t know the ending, and if we did what would be the fun, the experience or wonderment of that? Day at a time, remembering life is not over and others around us care if we dare to share comes late for some. Maine is a second chance, always your best case scenario place to begin again for many of our real estate buyers.

Thinking It Though, Figure It Out At A Maine Lighthouse.

In my job when I have to handle a Maine real estate sale with a nasty divorce I try to stay objective. But when one or both spouses I work for are badgering the other, I have to worry about their kids. The kids who want to love both parents but who get caught in the crossfire. There is a fine line between love and hate is an expression my wise Dad often reminded us four boys during bean suppers on the Maine farm.

I often wonder why did you marry this person if now the other is so dark, bad, rotten?

It was your choice going in right? What changed in that person? Did they become alcoholic, get in a car accident and suffer organic brain injuries that altered their personality? And if the divorce, split is the right thing to do because of that other no good son of a… well, you fill in the expletive that works best for you.

Conflict resolution with a mediate not litigate approach to life helps. Keeps it from being a putting out a fire with gasoline merry go round situation. Hurt people hurt people though. Maine is a place to figure things out. Like why you react to this situation or person the way you do. Maybe it is not them but you. The thoughts and attitudes you carry around in you that keep you a prisoner, held back from your greatest potential.

Our Maine Governor Lepage has ten little words that he has led his not always easy life growing up.

“If it is to be, it is up to me.” That pretty much sums it up quick and easy, down and dirty simple. I am glad I live in Maine. A place that is peaceful, less populated, and drop dead gorgeous. See her beauty one Maine photo at a time.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

March 23, 2012
Maine … Less Money, Harder Earned Means Better Spent.

Values, in the items we buy, in the good thoughts we all in Maine try fervently to carry, to use to run our day to day.
Enjoying Simpler Maine Outdoor Living.

Living in Maine means not needing more money to impress someone. To use to make another person envious or to call attention to your material success. The real value, gold and silver is having money saved for a rainy day, a twist in the road. Money is security for lean times that happen in life.

Love of money is never having enough or the newest model that is bought, admired, discarded when something shinier comes down the marketing conveyor belt.

In Maine, a rural state, we try to take money out of the equation. With plenty of do it yourself ingenuity and a healthy supply of patience as we save smaller wages. You don’t need to make more money, but rather see, study and take note of how you spend the stack of dead Presidents you slowly salt away.

Getting value when you do decide to spend requires better impulse control. Not needing it, wanting it right now like a child beside themselves. Clenching a new, crisp twenty dollar bill in a candy store and set loose like a bull near a china closet is not the way we raise our kids in Maine.

Raking Maine blueberries, picking potatoes, reeling in lobster pots on a boat far from the sight of land.

Chores, earning our ipods, the upgrade to the standard issue our parents budget for, can afford happens in Maine. Taking a deep breath, making sure the money you let go of that was carefully, consciously earned and tucked away is not wasted. It requires going without, not needing to test the credit limit of the plastic.

Patience in our spending and an easy does it approach to the Maine household budget. Where money is needed for essentials, luxuries like heating oil, groceries, insurance on our Maine homes, vehicles. Saving for college and updates to the house that are for its structural strength and not for just cosmetic show.

Luckily we live in Vacationland so our fun is no cost, or involves only a couple gallons of gasoline and a picnic to accomplish.

Less money, harder earned means sweeter, simpler living in Maine. It prepares our kids for practical priorities in their life and heaven help them if they get yoked, saddled with someone I remember hearing about reading to the kids nights at bedtime. About the galloping gimmees, never being happy for long.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

March 22, 2012
Living Life With A Take No Prisoners, Time Is Your Enemy Thinking.

Kodak had an advertising reminder they used in their marketing to sell more film a few years back.

The Thrill Of What’s Ahead, Let Go, Find Out. Release Your Fears.
It was “because time goes by”. A reminder to snap those never fade memory shots to enjoy for years down the line. Because you can not go back to capture them. Kids don’t stay little. But there is a little kid in all of us right?

Most of us are painfully aware of the ticking clock sound of life’s precious moments slipping by. With or without a “stop and smell the roses” adage plugged in to your thinking. Type A personality people are not born that way, but earn their own merit badge single handedly for the label, title.

It all boils down to your thoughts, what you think drives the bus.

Makes the wheels of your life go round and round. It is your thinking, thoughts that are the inside source of how you feel, behave and speak. Not outside events, other people and circumstances. In life, we prefer to think it is others that are the problem. Way way more convenient, less fuss no muss to hoist to waist level the sharpened to a point index finger. To tell all who will listen, “there’s your problem”. But what we have here is a classic case of a failure to communicate.

Our thoughts have a hand in our attitudes, character and affect our behavior.

Even our view on spirituality. Plus their nagging, driving force can cause health problems. If you fix your thoughts on what is good, pure, honest, the kick in your pants to not waste time can be a healthy life propellant. To stretch, grow and adjust to the backdrop that arrives right on schedule around the next corner of your ever changing life.

Our thoughts can add to a peaceful easy feeling, a sense of wellness. Which in turn keeps a calming, burped lid on our emotional container. Keeping emotions that come in all shapes and colors contained, instead of escalating to a gale force wind of destruction and exhaustion. Growing up, you did not need the weather channel to see the approaching emotional storm brewing, percolating in my Dad.

I can hear my Mom, see her taking his arm in an attempt to calm him down. Saying “John, now John settle down”… in a Florence Nightingale sort of voice of concern. But too late, like putting out a fire with gasoline. Once Dad interpreted what the person was up to in a jump to the wrong conclusion, reading too much in to it that was not there fashion…well watch out. Baton down the hatches time.

Going way way over the top reaction unhealthy sort of way. Even if the person had wronged him, there is first gear approach to the problem inside your head without full throttle rock spraying. Peppering those you love that get hit with friendly fire that isn’t so much fun.

Kids can grow up to imitate this thinking, getting ballistic, having a hissy, total nuclear detonation over something not life and death.

Taking it personal, feeling sorry for yourself is not keeping your eyes on the Lord. Not thinking good thoughts or seeking solutions for good to come out of a bad situation.

Disappointment does not mean take it to the four corners, end of the world for a painful knee jerk reaction. It is not about you, but others. We are a selfish bunch, even my Dad that I loved. Mom worked on this trait a throw back from seeing lots of drama, hollering and the ravages of alcohol growing up. But it can become a habit, a pattern that does not have to be passed on, continued..

He was not mad at us, but became consumed, enraged with frustration that made him come unglued. Because of what he perceived, thought, felt about the reality of the current state of affair. Fearful, scared, mad at whatever, whoever suddenly rubbed him the wrong way. Quickly taking the emotional scale to red alert, life and death, eat or be eaten stress level.

Suddenly there she blows, erupting up and over in a melt down. Then total calm with the emotional purge. All done, all out in the open and minutes later whistling, humming a Boots Randolph, Glenn Miller, Arty Shaw song. The ones I remember him playing after church Sundays while Mom whipped up Maine potatoes grown on our farm for the dinner she prepared effortlessly for he, her and the four boys.

Emotions are not good or bad, right or wrong and are based on feelings, with a little salt and pepper logic.

And stir in slowly some past experiences, after a quick scan of your core value systems on the side of the box labeled “ME” ingredients. But running your life based on the feelings you have up or down at the time can have a costly whiplash. Because it comes from solely you driving your life 10 and 2.

Fix your thoughts on what is what is true and good and honorably right. It’s good advice and like a metronome to keep you in time, your outlook can be rock solid based on the truth, goodness that God provides. You and I make a mess of relationships with those we love around us when we don’t run everything by God first.

If we don’t drop to our knees daily, take it to the top, well getting hopelessly lost in the puckerbrush happens.

We then start the beginning of life running away from always painful memories . Not always knowing where the heck they come from, or how they just seem to wander in and out. Show up, generate inside as life ticks by. We should be sitting down to can open up the heart, letting God reach in, examine us and one by one expose, sort and understand those puzzle pieces. To put it all in perspective. To tidy up our thinking, rearrange our collection of thoughts. To help us with the Humpty Dumpty process of piecing it back together to have the fullest, richest life possible. For ourselves and most importantly for all those we care about, love dearly around us.

Maine is a perfect setting to open up your heart and self examination.

Because you can get to places where man has not spoiled them. Uncrowded living outside helps your inside parts function the way they were designed. You can hear yourself think when out on a Maine lake at 5AM with a thermos of fresh hot black coffee to nurse while wetting your line. Fishing for supper. Or high a top a big Maine ski mountain or smaller hill to gaze out over the expanse of Vacationland.

When you get away from people, when you are alone in the wilds of Maine, life’s mysteries start to one by one become solved. Or at least understood better as you like a friend of mine Bob Aucoin says “knit on them”. Why not rip back a few lines of stitches where you made honest, sometimes horrible mistakes. And being the pearl one kinit two again. Weaving lots of love into your thoughts, thinking. To become ever ready to believe, see the best of every person God puts in your life for a reason.

Remembering a new valuable lesson that when you race against time, set your focus on material goodies and stay away from Maine too long, it is easy to slide back in to old empty, dead end habit ways. Chasing your tail in circles. Maine, get here quick as you can. For more peaceful, down to earth simple living. Lots of answers too.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

March 16, 2012