personal thoughts Archives -

COVID-19 The Lockdown in Numbers

September 13, 2020 by Thom Abbott

I was cleaning my desk up and found an article I had meant to put into a blog post.

Then I thought, well, it’s still some interesting numbers, so why not still share it. The article was in the July issue of (I think maybe Atlanta Magazine?) and has various stats about what the COVID-19 impacts have been, and The Lockdown in Numbers.

Some interesting points :

Game Downloads and streaming usage increased 35% from March 1 to May 1 (I was certainly online, but it was not gaming!)
A 40% drop in congestion on state roads and our freeways March to May! If you were out and about as I was (although it was pretty minimal in March and April….grocery trips and even those were few and far between as I did some major stocking up when it all “hit” about March 15th) the freeways were more than empty. It was like something from the Walking Dead…..seriously!
The stat that I really liked was the huge increase in the number of fosters and adoptions of four-legged family members. In March, 2019 the number was 233,573…..in March 2020, it was a staggering 792,813!!! It just warms my heart to think of all those animals that found loving homes and families versus what the other future was. And no, I was not one of them…..
And as one can imagine, a 75% reduction in riders on MARTA…I mean, who was going to work?

We are still struggling to get back to “normal” and you have to wonder what that will actually be. To see the airports bustling…hotels filled with vacationers or business people at conventions. It must come soon, right?

Modern Living Outdoor Space Ideas

March 16, 2019 by Thom Abbott

If you follow me on Facebook, you are certainly sure to have seen numerous posts and photos of my secret spot….Serenity Pond.

It’s where I go to chill, have some morning coffee, or that afternoon/evening glass of wine….and I love it. It’s not anything overly fancy…It’s what I literally have created with my own hands and ability!

Yep…I build the raised area where the pond is….did all the stone work, etc, etc. It may not be perfect, but it’s my awesome space.

But I ran across this video today about Modern Living Outdoor Spaces….and I can tell you…I was in aww at all of them! I didn’t see one I could not imagine myself enjoying!

So I thought I’d share then with you!

Enjoy…and I hope you have your space!

10 Questions To Ask Your Kids Instead of “How Was Your Day”

August 16, 2018 by Thom Abbott

I personally don’t have any children. But I have loved the recent sensory overload on Facebook of my friends and family posting photos of their kids headed off to school. Whether, they are in 1st grade or a Senior in high school, the first day back is always a bid deal. I can remember those days when I was in school. If you had not seen kids all summer, it was all about how you looked, what you were wearing, did you get a different haircut, where did your family go on vacation, etc., etc. Remember?

10 Questions To Ask Your Kids Instead of “How Was Your Day”

But as a parent of a kid today, there are so many forces at work out there. Kids have smart phones and social media to carry on the stories waaay past the lunch room or the playground. And when they come home from school, how do you REALLY know how their day was? Was it good? Did they learn something cool? Did they get picked on for the new glasses of the shirt they really didn’t want to wear but you made them wear it?

There is a lot going on in the time they are at school. So maybe you need to consider asking them some different questions to see how their day went. So here are 10 Questions To Ask Your Kids Instead of “How Was Your Day?”

What made you laugh today?
Did you like your lunch?
Rate your day on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being AWESOME!
What was the hardest rule to follow today?
Teach ME something I don’t know.
Did you learn any new words today?
What part of the school building do you like the least? The most?
Who did you sit with at lunch?
What was the best thing that happened today?
Did anyone cry? Why?

By asking more specific questions, you learn more about what their day was really like and what happened~!

We do the same thing in real estate. Ask questions so we have a better understanding of the kind of house or condo you may be looking for. Rather than “What kind of neighborhood/community do you want to live in?” we might ask more specifically, “Do you want to live in a neighborhood where you can walk to shopping or restaurants? Or, “Is a 1-story house better than a 2-story house?” by asking more specific questions, we get a much better idea of what and where you want to live.

10 Questions To Ask your Kids Instead of “How Was Your Day”

Citizens For Progressive Transit – July 2018 Newsletter

July 9, 2018 by Thom Abbott

Somewhere, somehow, I stumbled upon this organization and their monthly newsletter.

Citizens For Progressive Transit

…their website seems to be a tad behind…I’m sharing the July, 2018 newsletter with you here, and the website has April, 2018…so the best way to keep up with them would be to subscribe to receive the newsletter. But the highlights of July are:

Marta Takes Over Atlanta Street Car –$1 Fare Continues

The Atlanta Streetcar was turned over to MARTA on July 1. But they opted to keep the $1 fare, which has been blamed for the dramatic drop in ridership. It should probably be included in your regular MARTA fare, and you could transfer to the Streetcar.

I’ll give Atlanta credit for trying, in getting the Streetcar started. (You remember the plans called for it to run from Downtown to Buckhead on Peachtree Street, but the funding was not there, along with some lack of interest, challenges with it being on Peachtree, etc, etc.) But, to go from Centennial Olympic Park to the King Center….not much service there.

ARC Grants to Expand Suburban Bus Service

Douglas County (that’s way out West for us In-Town folks) will get its first fixed-route bus service, and Cobb and Gwinnett will get to expand, due to new federal funding by the ARC.

Bond Money to Go For GA 400 Bus Service

Gov. Deal announced that recently approved bonds to raise $100M will be used in North Fulton County to facilitate MARTA bus service along GA400.

A Faster Path to Regional Rail (THIS one caught my eye big time!)

We’ve talked about regional passenger rail. And talked. And studied. And talked and studied…..but nothing. Yet North Carolina has launched a fourth daily round-trip on its state-funded Amtrak line, running from Charlotte to Raleigh. The three round trips carried 427,000 people last year. HELLO GEORGIA? It’s the 21st Century…and we can’t keep widening roads or adding cars.

This is why I love reading the Citizens For Progressive Transit newsletter….it keeps me informed.

You can read the entire newsletter here.

You can JOIN CFPT, and subscribe to the newsletter HERE.

Happy Holidays from Thomas Ramon Realty

December 22, 2017 by Thom Abbott

The Holiday Season always seems to be the time of year we focus on thanking our clients and customers for making our year so successful. But it’s not so much we are thankful for making our year a success…but thankful that YOU entrusted us to help you with one of the biggest decisions in your life…buying or selling your home.

For THAT, we at Thomas Ramon Realty are grateful, indeed.

The Holiday Season is also when we gather with friends and or family. Maybe we saw each other last week, and maybe it was last year. Social media (love it or not) keeps us way more connected than we ever could have imagined. Remember, going to the mailbox and how excited you were when you got that letter from _____________(insert whomever!) I certainly do. But now, I see pictures and updates from friends that I’ve not seen face-to-face in years and it seems like I DID just “see” them.

How many of us are often consumed with our smart phone device? Is life passing us by? I guess it depends on how you use it right?

So, as you travel, be it near or far, to be with those family and friends, it is my sincere wish that you capture every moment you can. Enjoy the time with them, as you never know how long it may last, or when it will happen next.

Happy Holidays from all of us at

Thomas Ramon Realty!

What Would You Do If You Lost Your 4-Legged Family Member?

January 3, 2015 by Thom Abbott

Not always do I want to write about real estate. You see, there IS another side to that person that can help you with the biggest financial decision of your life! Sometimes, it’s just a picture that spurs the thought.

And this one is near and dear to my heart.

I’ve never lost a pet. They have died and lord, I even ran over one of my own dogs as a kid. (Try THAT grief on for size will you?!?) But the sheer thought of my dog or cat being missing, and not knowing where they are….dead, alive, warm, cold, safe, scared? They may have gotten out of a fenced yard, or an open door. It can happen.

But what is your pet (dog especially) was….gasp….stolen?

Do you think about dog safety?

As the photo says, dogs can be stolen for a number of reasons. And what made me think about this, is the number of times I’ve seen a dog tied up outside the CVS Pharmacy at 6th and Peachtree! The look on his/her face as they stare at the door, waiting for you to return! Imagine, coming out that door, and they not being there!!!

So, the next time you are out for that walk, and think suddenly, “oh, I need some milk, or razor blades…” maybe you could take Fido back to the comfort and security of your condo, and then run that errand.

Just something to think about.

10 Questions To Ask Your Kids Instead of “How Was Your Day”

10 Questions To Ask your Kids Instead of “How Was Your Day”

Citizens For Progressive Transit

Happy Holidays from all of us at

Thomas Ramon Realty!

PalmerHouse Properties