Every year, hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans move to Costa Rica. I’m one of them.  Here’s how it happened.

I laugh when people find out I used to be in a Rock n Roll Band.  They always ask me the same thing, “Were you any good?”  Obviously not, rocket scientist, or I wouldn’t be selling real estate in Costa   Rica.  LOL. Last I heard, Van Halen made $60 Million last year on their reunion tour.  If my old band got back together, there would 24 people at the show.  Our wives or girlfriends would be there along with a couple losers that had nothing else to do on a Friday night.  But it is true, I was the lead singer of a heavy metal rock band in 1982 and we failed miserably.  It was a lot of fun for a couple years, and was the start of my traveling addiction that ended by landing me down here in paradise.

When I was young, I wanted to be a rock star for the obvious reasons:  Fame, fortune and women.  As I got older though, I realized that what really attracted me to the music business were two things.  First, I love traveling.  The thought of being on a bus, in a different city every night, and living out of a suitcase was pure heaven.  Second, I loved the attention.  That was why I was the lead singer and not the drummer.  EVERYBODY LOOK AT ME!!! (By the way I wouldn’t exactly call it singing, it was more like screaming at the top of my lungs, flipping my hair around, while jumping up and down in leather pants).  Getting into sales, I was able to fulfill both of those desires.  I spent the next 17 years traveling from state to state, selling my electronics, and I always had the stage.

Newsletter edition no. 10

It was the most amazing sunrise you have ever seen.  I slowly rocked back and forth in my rocking chair, as it came over the volcano and cascaded across the lake, sipping on my spiked 1820 coffee.  There had to be a dozen parrots in my tree and the Howler Monkeys were already getting after it at 5 am.  I got a text from a friend in the USA; she had sent me a photo to my phone. I texted back, I know you will make fun of me, but I don’t have a smart phone.  Can you email me the photo?  How does anyone survive without a smart phone, she replied? I chuckled, as I admired the view, and the first thought I had was: MY LIFE KICKS ASS!!!!  “How can anyone live without a lake house?”  I texted back.

I mean you have to put things into perspective hahahaha.  Why do I need a smart phone?  I know at some point I will have to give in and get one of them, but I am fighting it all the way.  I see people with the iphone and, truly, they have no life.  They spend their entire time on the device, doing God knows what.  They will be at dinner with friends and instead of TALKING to the people at the table they are playing with their phone.  Personally, I have a wonderful balance in my life, and I am in no hurry to change it.

I see the sunrise every morning and always have time to walk my dogs.  I eat breakfast on the beach and watch the wave’s crash before my eyes.  I get to the office before any of my agents and some how manage to bang out 100 emails.  I then meet whichever clients I have for the day and start our tour.  I make sure to stop for lunch and cocktails at another romantic destination and actually pay attention to what my clients are telling me, because I am not distracted by emails, texts, phone calls or photos.  To top it all off, I always seem to end in time to catch the sunset with some friends.  I still get home and make myself dinner and never miss the ballgame or snuggle time with Millie Dolores.

I should probably exercise a little more and drink a little less, but you have to leave a little room for improvement, right?  If I was perfect it would be totally boring.  I sell more real estate than anyone, so obviously I don’t need it for business.  So I ask you again: Why do I need a smart phone?