Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: You welcome back to the real estate and more show. I'm your host, Michael Hatfield. Our Thanksgiving show Today is a very special show, so accordingly, we have a very special guest. You've all heard his name, his radio, his television shows, a well known radio host, a financial advisor for more than 30 years, a good friend. I have Pat Fatucci in studio today to share his thoughts on a positive and a grateful mindset. Welcome to the show. Mr. PAT BATUcci well, thanks, Michael.
[00:00:33] Speaker B: I appreciate you having me today.
[00:00:35] Speaker A: Well, I couldn't think of anybody better to have on to talk about our topic, which is out of the dark and into the light. How do we get people to not feel the gloom that they're feeling all around us today? People aren't getting together. They're just looking at cell phone screens. They're watching television. They're letting the wars all around us bother them instead of living their lives with joy. What do you think?
[00:01:03] Speaker B: Well, it's a real challenge to stay positive in this world we live in today.
I would only describe it as pure chaos.
And we've got two wars going on. We've got, in this country some serious issues.
Our government is basically dysfunctional. The two parties can't agree on anything. We've got crime, we've got inflation. So it's pretty difficult to stay positive. But here we are approaching Thanksgiving and there's still a lot to be grateful for. Despite the top story on this 06:00 news. Michael, as you know, we're still the greatest country on the planet. We continue to have prosperity beyond belief. When you travel around the globe, we continue to reflect on our bounty and it should be a grateful Thanksgiving. We're all blessed with lots of food on the table. And sadly, when you look around the world, there's going to be folks that aren't going to have just basic things like food on the table, heat in our homes, having the blessing of family and friends around. I mean, this is pretty rich stuff, Michael, as you know.
[00:02:40] Speaker A: Absolutely. You know, the other evening I was sitting around with our friend, mutual friend Gabe and his lovely wife Bernadette, and we were talking that people just do not get together anymore, have the family dinner in the evenings or on Sundays. And I have youngsters that just spend all of their time into their cell phone, into their emails, into texting, and they're not actually practicing skills of caring for each other. And I think it's taken its toll. You lose your ability to communicate with others if you're not doing something like that.
[00:03:21] Speaker B: Don't you think technology is a wonderful thing. But the negative is, you're absolutely right. We are disconnected with each other. We don't look at each other in the eye anymore. We got our face buried in our cell phones or at our iPads or our computers, and we're sucking all the data out of these systems that we're looking into. And there's so much to be gained by looking into people's eyes, having a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or dinner with friends or family, and just doing some deep dives into how they feeling today. A lot of lonely people out there, Michael.
[00:04:05] Speaker A: Absolutely.
[00:04:05] Speaker B: And I think it's a function of our high tech world that we live in. And we're way too oversubscribed to our technology bounty that we've kind of enjoyed it. But I think it's gone too far. If you go out to dinner and you see a family of four sitting at a table next to you, and they all have iPhones with their face buried in, they're not looking at each other, they're shoveling the food in without even appearing to taste it.
And then they put the phones down. Our rule this year is I'm going to put my foot down. We are hosting Thanksgiving, Michael, and I'm going to insist that everybody park their phone, I'm going to pass the basket around, and we're going to put it in the next room. So no one has the temptation to stick their face in their next very important, quote unquote email. That can certainly wait until they go home that night.
[00:05:11] Speaker A: When I grew up, every night, my father, I lived in a modest family, lower middle class type family, and in Richmond, of all places. And my dad was a mechanic. Mom was in real estate, but she was more of a social animal than most real estate agents today. But he would always come home at 519. And we'd sit down and we would have our dinner and we would talk. We would talk about everything under the sun. I can't tell you how many times that I would wake up on a Saturday morning and there'd be ten people that had their sleeping bags, oh, that's cousin, or that's uncle, or that's someone there. And then that night, they would talk all day long, all night long, and they would interact with one another. We don't have that today. We don't have it.
[00:06:06] Speaker B: Yeah. The social aspects of our life today is I think you and I grew up in, quote, the good old days when you sat around a dinner table and you shared your day, you cried, you laughed, everybody had a chance to speak up. And we were one of five. I had two sisters and in an italian family.
Those who get the attention talk loudest and you talk over your sisters. And so it was always an interesting dynamic to sit at a table and get your turn to tell your story or share your frustration.
Sadly, I'm not sure how many people sit at home every night at the Ed dinner table at the same time because you're running little Bobby off to soccer and little Susie off to dance lessons and the story goes on and on and you're picking up fast food. Or I'll eat at 05:00 and you eat at 06:00 so you don't have that opportunity to share. And that's certainly a big negative that goes along with this wonderful lifestyle that we all have. Right?
[00:07:26] Speaker A: I'm looking forward to thanksgiving because we can sit down and we can talk with one another and share with one another. I think your idea is great. Park those cell phones elsewhere. Come back to them later if you must, if it's a business thing. But do you.
I keep going back to airplanes. I'm sorry, Pat, but when you teach somebody to fly, you teach them to fly part of the time, only using the instruments on the panel. So you have a device that goes over your forehead, it's called a hood, and you cannot see the horizon outside of the aircraft. And your instructor is the one that keeps eyes out for other airplanes. And so what you would do as an instructor is you would have them put their eyes closed and the head down, and you would take and move the airplane through various different attitudes. And then all of a sudden, okay, you've got it. And the response is, obviously, if they try to do by what their body feels, by the limited flight attitudes, instead of looking at the instruments, they would miss it altogether. And the airplane would have a little bit of a difficulty in recovering in the soonest possible manner. Well, we have five senses. And the more of those senses that you can learn something through, the better you have understanding of what's being said. And then you also have the 6th sense. What I like to think is intuition. You can't get intuition unless you have inputs from something other than text or emails or something of that such. So, hey, how many senses can we take in? How many senses can we use to better our life and the lifestyle that we have?
[00:09:12] Speaker C: I think you're right.
[00:09:13] Speaker B: Texting and email can be so misunderstood. You get a text and it comes off as harsh. And maybe the person was trying to be comical about it. And how many times can you misread the intention, that intuitiveness, that 6th sense, if you will, that it's so easy to misread because it's a very shallow message. There's no depth to it. When I look in somebody's eyes and I can see their facial expressions, I can read their eyes, their whole body language, you understand the words much better. It translates more fully when you take all those other things into account.
[00:10:01] Speaker A: Yeah, I remember when I first met you and it's been a lot of years now and I don't think you really knew how to take my humor until you looked to see that I was teasing. But you don't have that through text message or email. You only have it through hanging out and understanding how a person really is inside.
[00:10:20] Speaker B: No, I just didn't like you at the time, Michael.
[00:10:23] Speaker A: You like me now.
[00:10:26] Speaker B: You've grown on me in the past ten or twelve years. But you're right, it's the totality of the delivery and a text or an email.
There's no drilling down and really looking at what the intention is.
[00:10:48] Speaker C: Right?
[00:10:48] Speaker A: Absolutely. I totally agree with that. So this thanksgiving we're looking for something different. You don't have to have the perfect family. You don't have to have the perfect set of friends.
[00:11:02] Speaker B: Is there a perfect family out there? I'm not sure.
[00:11:05] Speaker A: I don't know. I don't think so.
[00:11:06] Speaker B: The Ozzy and Harriet show was my show that I watched. I thought, gosh, why can't my family.
[00:11:12] Speaker A: Be like, yeah, but we don't really know how long we're going to be on this earth. And the better positive feelings that we have of hanging out, drinking lemon cello, having, there's a story behind that being together. We don't know how many opportunities that we will have and we never know the end date. And so when I sit down for my Thanksgiving meal, I'm going to think a lot about other people. I'm going to think more about family, friends, people that don't have as much and see what I can do. See what I can do.
[00:11:59] Speaker B: There's something to be said about that.
We all think, oh, we're going to be around for many more years because we're young or we're healthy and we all have stories in our life where sadly, young folks, older folks, middle aged folks have some issue and they're no longer with us.
[00:12:23] Speaker D: We're going to take a short break. Be right back.
[00:12:29] Speaker E: Welcome to the real estate minute with remax expert Michael Hatfield. Michael, why choose an experienced agent?
[00:12:35] Speaker F: Complex issues arise in a home buy or sell, your agent guides you through issues in multiple offer situations. First time home buyer needs problems with inspections, financing and escrow. Experienced agents sort and then solve problems.
[00:12:49] Speaker E: Do agents work differently now than in prior years?
[00:12:52] Speaker F: Buyers used to go to an office, thumb through a book, see pictures, then decide which homes to see. Nowadays, buyers identify properties themselves online so today's agent can focus on more critical priorities.
[00:13:04] Speaker E: How do you help clients?
[00:13:05] Speaker F: Michael we work with investment properties. Multiple offers first time home buyers sellers 1031 tax exchanges and relocations experience is pivotal.
[00:13:14] Speaker E: Call 925-32-2775 now to schedule an appointment or complimentary home analysis. Call the Michael Hatfield remax team at 925-32-2775 or go to michaelhatfieldhomes.com.
[00:13:29] Speaker G: Now back to our show.
[00:13:34] Speaker C: And so your message of thankfulness, especially on Thanksgiving. But as we all know, we should not just relegate being thankful to the third Thursday of the month in the month of November. We should be thankful. I mean, I'm preaching to myself. I'm listening to myself, because we all seem to assume happiness and prosperity is something we're entitled to and we know darn well we're not entitled to.
[00:14:07] Speaker A: Well, think about these last few decades. Just think about them and what we've been through, starting out with 911, and then we had the shelter in place, that everybody was home alone and isolated. My dad always said, he says, you want to make some puppy mean, lock him up and don't feed him and you'll succeed in making him mean. Well, we have kind of isolated ourselves as humanity by digital life that we live and by isolating ourselves. We need to sit down and think with others, contribute to others lives and be caring in what we do, don't you think?
[00:14:51] Speaker C: I ran a company for many years, and I hired these young folks, and they're talented, they're smart, they're really bright. But the one thing I always got a kick out of, they'd be sitting in cubicles next to each other and they'd be texting or emailing each other, and I'd get a copy and I'd say, wait a minute, why don't you just reach your head around that partition and say, hi, Sarah. Hi, Bob.
[00:15:17] Speaker B: Here's my thoughts.
[00:15:18] Speaker C: And so we hide behind this digital world that we live in. And I think there's some real negative stuff that, that's come from it, especially among our young folks who, frankly, they were taught to actually communicate this way.
I think we have to go back to the days when certainly we enjoy that technology it's wonderful. Life moves at a rapid pace, business moves at a fast pace, but it's the social interactions, as you're pointing out, is less than desired.
[00:15:56] Speaker A: That's a culture. It's like you said right at the beginning, our government is not functional. We have problems that we never had before. Inflation is off the scale. We were in the olden days. We were much more proficient at doing things. And things seem now that as a culture, we have less intellect than what we used to. And that's a little bit frightening, especially if you start looking back in history to the time of the roman empire, when technology was just crazy. They could do things then that were just absolutely amazing. And then around 400 ad, things started deteriorating, and then they lost the culture, and they lost how to do the technology that they already knew.
Makes you a little fearful to think about our culture going in that direction, because we put it into a situation where people are not being people anymore.
Artificial intelligence has come along to take our place. That's kind of a far fetched, but it's something to think about.
[00:17:01] Speaker C: It's a fragile balance that I think, whether it's 400 ad or 2023, it's a fragile balance of keeping communication lines open, enjoying people's company, learning from each other. We can learn from artificial intelligence and all the level of sophistication that we have today. But until I ask you, how do you feel about this? Or how do you feel about that?
That's where I think, really some of the learning can continue, and the full communication just enhances all of our lifestyles, because, as you said, if you lock.
[00:17:41] Speaker B: A dog up and you don't pet.
[00:17:43] Speaker C: Them and feed them, anger and all kinds of other negative attributes come out. But I think we always encourage more communication. I'm not talking about just blah, blah, blah, just talking, but actual intercourse of ideas. I think that's still something we need to work.
[00:18:08] Speaker A: I totally agree with you. We have had the director of city team in Oakland. City team is a charitable organization that helps people that no one else really wants to help. They help recovering addicts, they help women that have had abuse problems and children.
They have these buildings. It's one heck of an organization. And this woman that we hope to have on a show, I think it should air just before this segment.
I heard about her a long time before I ever was able to meet her. Because of her caring, her giving, her loving ways with helping people that had nowhere to turn, no one to go to. By the way, city team ministries, I saw for $2.79 they're providing Thanksgiving meals to the community in Oakland. $2.79. And you have to pick up the phone or pick up your computer and donate just a little bit there to help out people that feel hopeless, that are fearful they have no place to go. And Thanksgiving is coming up in the holidays. Probably one of the times of the most dysfunction in any family is during the holidays because people just pin up energy and not talking to one another. And it's time to talk to one another. It's time to care for one another. It's time to be with one another and get back to some of the old school things that really aren't so bad.
[00:19:47] Speaker C: It's people like you just described. That's what makes this country so, such a wonderful place. Because too many of us, and including me, we have our own agenda and we're busy running here and running there and we give way too little of our time to people in real need. And so I'm always trying to challenge myself to do more of that. And I've gotten better over the years, Michael. But I think I've got a long way to go in being much more generous with my time and resources.
[00:20:22] Speaker A: After the roman empire fell and everything went into the dark ages or middle ages, it's interchangeable. I understand. It was 1000 years before the technology and the improvements in culture and people started working together to make things happen. It took them 1000 years. Well, we don't want to leave that type of legacy. So let's do what we can do to help other people, help our families, help our friends in wherever we can and take people out of the dark and into light situation.
[00:21:01] Speaker C: I think that's a really nice challenge to present today, Michael. And certainly you and I have talked off air about doing more of the charitable giving.
[00:21:12] Speaker B: Certainly we, actions have to reflect our words.
[00:21:18] Speaker A: Absolutely.
Regards to city team ministries, if you go to donate Cityteam.org, you can pull up and donate to that organization right now if you wish, or you can wait till after we're done here. We've got a couple more things to chat about. And one of the things, have you been to the Academia museum in Florence where the statue, Michelangelo's statue of David is? Do you remember how intense the eyes, they, they were kind of like an italian eyes, kind of like yours, a little know. But it was out of the dark and into the light. And it was captivating to watch that because the statue at the time was to represent out of the dark and into the light. And that's essentially what I'm recommending now is that we look for things to take us out of the darkness and get us into the light. And it's not always that easy to do, but we can start here and we can do what we can do. Now.
[00:22:25] Speaker B: I think those are all really pertinent points that we all need to kind of digest and convert these words into real actions.
[00:22:40] Speaker A: Inspiration, joy, happiness.
How do we get it? We get back to being with people, gathering with nice people, great people, caring people, people that feel as you do, that, hey, we got to gather together as human beings, because nobody's going to get out of this life alive. So how do we get the inspiration, the joy, the happiness? How do we get that? How do we perpetuate that good positivity.
[00:23:16] Speaker D: To help us with another's perspective? I've asked Nancy to provide her thoughts. Nance, how do we help others to have joy, happiness, inspiration and peace in our circle of friends and around us when the whole world seems to be in chaos, loneliness, sadness and fear?
[00:23:35] Speaker G: Well, Michael, first of all, I think what happens is, personally, you have to have those emotions or a lot of those emotions just within yourself. And I think part of that is your belief system. And for me, that is a big part of who I am. I think if you can go out on a daily basis and smile at people, it's amazing how many people don't acknowledge other people just in their everyday life.
[00:24:07] Speaker D: So if you smile, the world smiles with you.
[00:24:10] Speaker G: I think that's probably true. I think trying to just be kind and nice and helpful and just maybe not all consumed some days allows you to reach out and do little things for people in your everyday life.
[00:24:28] Speaker D: We were talking just earlier about how important it is for people to gather together to talk to one another, not just bury their heads in digital devices. I think that's really a big, big deal.
[00:24:41] Speaker G: It is a big deal because it's important to have conversation with friends, family, strangers, even in this day and age. It's nice to talk to others, and that is, for sure an important part of what we do. Another area where I think gives me joy is and happiness and shares, that is resources that I may have that I can pass along to others. And some of my favorite places to do that would be city team ministry in Oakland. Shepherd's gate is another one. There's just various charities that I enjoy donating to.
[00:25:27] Speaker D: That's amazing. I sure appreciate your perspective here.
And also, you know, Nance, thanks for coming on for a moment here. And Pat, the same with you.
[00:25:37] Speaker G: Absolutely, Michael.
[00:25:39] Speaker B: Well, I think it's a real salient message this year, just reflecting on all the misery in the world as we watch the news every night.
I think we've got a lot to be thankful for, Michael, and thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts on this Thanksgiving season.
[00:26:04] Speaker A: Well, it's certainly my pleasure, Pat. So with that in mind, thank you for sharing those thoughts on being positive, having an uplifting spirit towards others, and, oh, yes, for simply being grateful for what we have. Thank you. Mr. Pat Vitucci. You've been listening to real estate and more interesting people, topics of the day, and, of course, real estate. You can listen to archived real estate and more shows by going to Forward Slash radio. That's michaelhatfieldhomes.com forward Slash Radio. I'm your host, Michael Hatfield, and I hope you tune in next week. But until then, have a very blessed week.
[00:26:45] Speaker H: The views and opinions expressed are based on current economic and market conditions and are subject to change. Information on the show provided for illustrator purposes only and does not constitute professional or legal advice. Information from sources deemed reliable, but accuracy and completeness not guaranteed. Michael Hatfield and the Michael Hatfield Remax team have no liability for information discussed on the show. Consult with qualified professionals prior to taking action.
[00:27:15] Speaker I: We at the Michael Hatfield Remax team enjoy representing our valued clients. If you or someone you know is interested in buying or selling and wishes to schedule a complimentary appointment with the Michael Hatfield Remax team, call us at 925-32-2775 that's 925-32-2775 or go to our website, michaelhatfieldhomes.com.
[00:27:38] Speaker A: I'm Michael Hatfield. Thank you for listening today. Join us next Saturday for the next real estate and more when we again sharpen our focus on house the market.
[00:27:49] Speaker I: Join us next Saturday and have a wonderful week. Best wishes and blessings to you.
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