Let’s go back, say maybe 5 years or so ago. It’s this same time of year. The time when all of the “stars” come out and drive to a destination where they step out onto a red carpet and it all began. The world was watching, with the streets lined with people on a mission to get a glimpse. Cameras were rolling. Bulbs were flashing. Names being called out from the crowds. All of the magazines were represented with a snapping cameraman. All in attendance and just hoping for a chance to put their microphones in front of them and ask their big question. It was obvious that everyone had been preparing and waiting for tonight. (What on earth had I missed! I’m so out of it!) There seemed to be something more to it than I had tuned in to see. I hadn’t payed much attention but I guess I had heard something about this event coming up on Good Morning America. And the Trib. did have a small ‘reminder’ on the front page of yesterday’s paper. I ignored it. And come to think of it … radio personalities were counting down the days to “the big night”. Now I’m feeling out of it. What is it? What’s all the ‘buzz’? And then it was revealed. The question of the evening… I heard it, but still it had no impact on me. It was asked again to the next one. Did he say…”who are you wearing?” And what did she say? I wasn’t sure what he wanted to know. I was confused…” who are you wearing….. Who are you wearing?” I heard it over and over. Finally, I understood. It was the designer name. Well, fast forward 5 years and here we are. We’re living in a designer clothing crazed society. The academy awards are almost a holiday! There are house parties, get togethers with invitations, family rooms are spruced up, TVs are purchased (just a little larger is always better!) It’s the “New Superbowl”! What is the reason for this? Why should we care? Who are these people? Aren’t these the ones that have such messed up personal lives? Isn’t he the one whose parents I’ve pitied and the one that I would go to any length to shield my daughter from? Isn’t she the one that was just married in Las Vegas and divorced the next day? He’s the one that’s facing jail time and she wrote a book denouncing her messed up family. (Nice.) Wow. Well, on to the awards program! That’s why I watch.

So, I guess this is just life in the new millennium! We are a star struck nation. A star struck world. But here’s my beef. Many of these people are truly talented. They deserve their night to accept awards for their accomplishments. I believe they work hard at their jobs. They are gifted. In acting! All this big brouhaha for their acting abilities. They make movies. They’re entertainers. Why, then, do we have to listen to their views on politics and our country at this forum? Shouldn’t we be insulted that they are stealing the networks TV air time to try to use their power (gained by acting) to promote their personal views? They have the money… take out a full page ad in any paper you want. Pay for a commercial. How about a blog? (heh! heh!) Go ahead and use your misdirected power to further your plight. You have freedom of speech. But choose the correct forum! Don’t use your telemarketer tactics and interrupt my leisure time, unless you want to pay for it in a commercial. Come on! Stay focused! You’re here for something else. Who respects a thief? I once heard an interviewer ask Brad Pitt, “What do you think about the war in Iraq?” His answer was so on point! He said, “I’m an actor. What does it matter what my opinion is on that subject? I’m not here to promote my thinking. Those are opinions.” You have to respect a person that understands his power and is intentional about how he uses it. Go Brad!!

Well, here we are ~ the word is out! The writer’s strike is over and we all know what that means… I’m not sure who will be wearing who, but I know I’ll be wearing sweats by “The Gap” and watching to see which celebrity will be the first to promote their favorite pick for president.

Susan Prokos – Buyer Specialist – The Luby Group
Susan’s Cell: 224-639-0227
Susan’s Email: Susan@TheLubyGroup.com
Susan’s Website: ColdwellBankerOnline.com/SusanProkos

Tags: Academy Awards, Celebrity Spokespeople, Designer Duds, Who Are You Wearing, Susan Prokos

Less than Three Hours From Chicago
W2107 Irving Park Road
Green Lake, Wisconsin

List Price: $2,650,000 – PRICE JUST REDUCED!

Unbelievable Opportunity and less than a 3 hr. drive from Chicago. Truly breathtaking in any season. This home is located on beautiful Irving Park Road, has a heavily wooded, secluded driveway and only 1.5 mi. from town in beautiful Green Lake, Wisconsin. Fantastic family home with enough room for vacations and holidays for the whole family! Situated on a wooded acre that boasts 153 feet of North Shore lake front property. This 7 bedroom, 6.5 bath classic lake house has a gourmet kitchen, private office, workout room, and vaulted wood-beamed ceilings in kitchen, great room and bedrooms; 9 ft. w/b stone fireplace in the family room w/ wet bar, 2 car attached plus 2 car detached garage. Too much more to mention! This peaceful setting is truly sensational- sure to make lifelong memories on the finest shore of the best boating, swimming and fishing lake in Wisconsin. Call Susan Prokos at 224-639-0227 for more information or to schedule a private showing. For more photos & virtual tours, please visit TheLubyGroup.com.

Click Here for the List Price and Property Details

Click Here for Virtual Tours and Additional Photos

Tags: Real Estate, Homes For Sale, Waterfront, Frontage Property, Green Lake, Wisconsin, Marina, Boating, Swimming, Fishing, Wooded Lake Lot

Suzanne Luby
Real Estate Consultant
Suzanne Luby has been selling real estate in the Barrington Area and Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs for nearly 25 years. From first time home buyers to the most skilled real estate investors, Suzanne works with all types of clients and has remained a top producing agent through the real estate market’s many changes. Suzanne’s knowledge, negotiating skills and sales record have earned her consistent corporate recognition, numerous awards and a reputation as one of the most seasoned REALTORS in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs.

In addition to consulting both home buyers and sellers, Suzanne is often called upon to share her knowledge with other area REALTORS by leading workshops at Coldwell Banker’s Barrington office. Every year, she invests a significant amount of time and money to stay up to date with the latest trends in real estate. She has earned such advanced professional designations as GRI (Graduate REALTOR Institute), CRS (Council of Residential Specialists), ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) and SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialists) . She is also part of an idea sharing network of top selling REALTORS from across the country.

Prior to becoming a licensed REALTOR, Suzanne and her husband, Tom, raised four children. Five years ago she recruited her oldest daughter, Liz Luby, to join her real estate team. Her son, Jim Luby, is also an experienced and reputable REALTOR in the City of Chicago. Suzanne’s daughter, Erin Luby, is a teacher, administrator and cross country coach at St. Ignatius College Prep High School in Chicago and her youngest daughter, Christine Luby, is becoming one of the top sales people at HumanScale Corporation, a company that sells high-end ergonomic office furniture.

Suzanne also has a degree in education and spent years teaching High School Literature, Drama & Public Speaking classes before the arrival of her first child, Liz Luby, 30-something years ago. Her background as an educator prepared her well for the real estate industry. There is no one more skilled at advising clients and teaching her team about the real estate business. From interpreting national trends locally to guiding clients through daily transactions, Suzanne is a reliable and expert real estate consultant who holds herself and her team to the highest professional and ethical standards.

When Suzanne is not selling real estate, she loves to travel and she is a voracious reader. She especially enjoys reading books about the real estate industry, spending time with her family and taking care of her two grandsons, Liam and Charlie.

Suzanne’s Real Estate License Number: 076316750

Liz Luby
Real Estate Consultant
After spending nearly a decade working as a Broadcast Journalist in the TV News business, Liz Luby earned her real estate license about five years ago and joined forces with Suzanne Luby. Since they formed their partnership, The Luby Group’s annual sales record has nearly doubled and their business continues to grow. Liz has been a tremendous asset to The Luby Group because of her communications background.

As a former news Anchor and Reporter for KFXB-TV in Dubuque, IA and WHBF-TV in The Quad Cities, IL, Liz mastered the art of news writing and story-telling. She now uses those skills to promote The Luby Group’s brand and effectively market it’s listings both in print and online. During countless interviews with various news sources, Liz learned to get to the root of an issue by asking relevant questions and being a good listener. Today, these skills help her better assess the needs and goals of her real estate clients. As a former morning news producer and writer for Fox News Chicago, Liz developed her skills as a team leader. Under intense deadline pressure, she consistently produced and earned recognition for high quality newscasts. Today, she applies these skills in the real estate realm by guiding seller and buyer clients through transactions with a knack for problem solving and expert attention to detail. Like Suzanne, Liz makes continued learning a high priority. She is one class away from earning her CRS (Council of Residential Specialists) professional designation and is part of a network of top selling REALTORS from across the country.

When Liz is not selling real estate, she loves spending time with her family and playing guitar with her husband, Bill. She enjoys reading, running and photography. She has also recently taken up blogging, which fits right in with her love of journalism and story-telling. Liz plans to use her blogging hobby to help give The Luby Group’s clients increased online exposure and better access to information about local real estate.

Liz’s Real Estate License Number: 076389102

Susan Prokos
Buyer Specialist
Susan is a very big asset to The Luby Group because she has lived in the Barrington area for over 15 years with her husband and three sons. From the neighborhoods to the schools to the sports teams, Susan knows the community very well and she welcomes the opportunity to share her knowledge and experiences with her clients.

Prior to becoming a licensed REALTOR, Susan and her husband, Dean, raised three great sons who are now 17, 19 and 21. Two are in College and one is still a Senior at Barrington High School. Even her golden retriever, Chief, is male. With so many men in her household, Susan has become a pro at understanding the male psyche! Ask her anything about the hottest sports teams. She definitely knows how to talk the talk.

When she’s not selling real estate, Susan and her family love being on their boat. They own a marina in Wisconsin which they have run since 2003. She is also a former school teacher. She taught special education and other classes for eight years. The skills Susan developed as a family business owner and an educator prepared her well for real estate. She is a sharp business woman and a hard worker with great inter-personal skills and a fun, likeable and laid-back attitude.

“I feel fortunate to be a part of such a talented team of REALTORS and I love the “hunt” of finding a home that fits perfectly into my clients’ lifestyles and their needs.” – Susan Prokos, Buyer Specialist

Susan’s Real Estate License Number: 476424962

Christine Snelgrove
Client Care Coordinator
Christine Snelgrove joined The Luby Group two years ago as a Licensed Assistant. She is an invaluable member of the team, preparing the print marketing materials and managing The Luby Group’s Client Care Systems. As a licensed REALTOR, Christine is a vital team participant with a thorough understanding of the business.

Christine has a BA degree in Interior Design and a MS degree in Business/Human Resource Management. Prior to joining The Luby Group, she held professional positions in Finance and Human Resource Management. She was previously the Assistant to the Manager of the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Barrington office.

When Christine is not busy managing The Luby Group’s Client Care Systems, she spends time with her family, including her husband, the V.P of Topco, Inc., a son at Embrey Riddle Aeronautical University, a daughter at Utah State University and a son who is a freshman at Barrington High School. Christine has lived in many locales throughout the United States and Canada, residing in Barrington for the last twelve years. Her experiences provide her with an intimate knowledge of selling homes and the relocation process from beginning to end.

“It has been a pleasure working with this dedicated team of real estate professionals. Suzanne has an expansive knowledge of the real estate business and Liz’s expertise in web marketing, up-to-date ideas and energy are impressive.”

Christine’s Real Estate License Number: 476423952