Sam I Am Blog

by Samuel E. Warren Jr.

Google, Yahoo, Wal-Mart, Paramount Pictures, Sony, and Walt Disney Pictures are some of about 40 companies that I sent information about my more than 70 acres of farm real estate for sale.

My wife and I brainstormed ways to find buyers for the land. We did the traditional action of hiring a realtor. Then, we tried to figure out if there was anything that we could do to find a buyer

The Warren Land Photo CD Project

The Photo CD of Warren Land for sale was mailed to several various American businesses for consideration.

We took our cameras and shot photographs of the rural real estate of more than 70 acres. I put the photographs on a cd. I sit down and took a yellow legal pad and an ink pen and proceeded to write a letter to include with each photo cd, that I mailed.

Letter Method Decision

Yes, I could of typed the letter on the computer and printed it out on a printer. My belief was the reader might consider that I took the time to sit down, collect my thoughts and write from the heart by putting my words on paper.

Granted, penmanship is always an issue. I have been complemented through the years on my clear, distinct, legible penmanship, so I felt confident that my words would be easy to read. I have always been naïve and optimistic to a fault. My belief is that your writing should show conscious effort of thought and composition. I believed hand writing the letter using a black ink pen would reveal my effort.

“Location, Location, Location”

“Location, location, location,” seems to be the mantra of realtors. The property borders Missouri State Highway 176. It is farm real estate that serves as pasture for cows. It is near Table Rock Dam and James River, which I figured were a plus for a potential sale.

History of Successful Replies

I remained optimistic as time passed. In high school history, I worked on a term paper on FDR. Former Vice President, Harry S. Truman had retired to Independence, Missouri. I sat down and wrote the former vice president for his comments on FDR’s administration. When your a kid, anything is possible. A few days later, I received the polite “Thanks, but No Thanks” form letter. I was disappointed, but I did get a response. In 1971, people still wrote and read letters and they would reply.

The Nixon Nothing

In college, I believed Republican President Richard M. Nixon got a raw deal. In those days, I was convinced that the Democrats had set up Nixon. I wrote a long,letter and dropped it into the mail to San Clemente. I never got a response.

In college, I took history and politics seriously. My new roommates were Democrats. I threw my full youthful vigor behind the “Georgia farmer, “( who also happened to be a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis) President James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr. Watergate had left the stink of Dirty Politics on America.

The Official President Carter Photograph

The American people were ready for change. Georgia Governor Carter represented the change because he came from “beyond the Washington D.C. Beltway Area.” His campaign had played up his “country roots” and the fact that he had begun as a “Georgia peanut farmer.” The message was he was “outside” of the traditional negative influences of “the old boys club politics” of the nation’s capitol.

I, like many Americans, believed President Carter represented a new era for America. A politically active young college student, I wrote a letter and sent it to the White House. I got a nice letter on official White House stationary that thanked me for my congratualations and best wishes. The White House letter writer took the time to include a copy of the official 8 by 10 color photograph of the president. I bought a frame and the photo quickly became one of the prized possessions of my college dorm room.

Official Concern Over The Reagan Letter

I left college and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. I grew up with a passionate belief in the ideas of democracy. Even in uniform, I kept my eyes on local, state and federal politicians. My first year or two in the military, I bought into the belief that the Republican party was pro military. President Ronald Reagan became the Grand Old Party’s pro-military poster child. Like many military Americans of the day I believed the ideology.

I believed Ronald Reagan to be the best candidate. When he won, I wrote the new president a letter of congratulations. I was on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. It seemed everyone in the 2101st Communications Squdron at Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas knew about my presidential reply before I did.

The White House logo in the corner of the envelope, instead of the U.S. Postage stamp, must have signaled Strategic Air Command alert klaxons all the way to headquarters at Omaha, Nebraska. While the letter came through the standard U.S. Postal Service channels I have no idea how the simple reply became such a cause for concern.

Many branches of the U.S. Government will tell you they are concerned with the opinions of the American public. One of the major reasons that the U.S. Military is sensitive to feedback from the public is the reaction. Compliments are always welcome.

Complaints go through channels. Americans who are unhappy with any of the military services tend to write their Congressmen or their U.S. Senators. An inquiry from a Congressman or U.S. Senator to any of the military services demands an answer. In my experience through the years, these inquiries are always handled seriously and with the utmost attention to detail.

As a young “slick sleeve” airman, with no stripes on my uniform, I was not aware that a simple letter to an elected official would initiate a chain of interest and events.

I explained to my first sergeant that I had written a letter to congratulate the new president.

The Official President Clinton Photograph

I had been on active duty for several years, when President Clinton moved into the Oval Office. I wrote President-Elect William Jefferson “Bill” Clinton a letter to congratulate him on his election. I received a nice response and an 8 by 10 color photograph of the new president.

Sound Off To Politicians

I grew up with a belief in Democracy. I believe citizens should write their elected officials from time to time to let them know how we view their actions. A letter may still be the best way. The irony of the ease of mobile text messages is that the speed and amount might tend to make them a cliché. Email is a method that might be read or might just be a delete keystroke away.

Letters require effort. You bring together your materials, collect your thoughts and then, write.

One Leg At A Time

My naïve nature comes from my mother telling me time and time again, “Son, people are all alike. From the poorest man to the president of the United States; they all put their pants on the same way – one leg at a time.”

I have found Momma’s belief to be true through the majority of my years. People are basically alike. We all have hopes and dreams. We all have fears. Great men and women just like the average citizen puts their pants on one leg at a time.

Letter Lessons

I learned if you write the White House, you can expect to receive a reply.

If you write a former Republican president – don’t hold your breath.

I never received a reply that I sent to former Republican President Richard Milhous “Tricky Dick” Nixon, who went to San Clemente. I took great effort, in the days before computers, to make sure I had the correct mailing address, so I’m don’t believe the letter went to the U.S. Postal Service Dead Letter Office.

Letters to American Businesses – A Gamble ?

If you write an American business, my experience teaches, a reply may be based on the probability of a gamble. The hope for a reply might be as unstable as a payout from a slot machine or a lucky roll of the dice.

I mailed out about 40 photo cds to different companies. I received a nice thank you, but we have other interest letter from Walt Disney Pictures. I am grateful that Walt Disney Pictures took the time and effort to reply. There were a couple of other companies and individuals who took the time to reply. One company even returned my photo cd for possible use.

American Businesses Lack Of Feedback

Unfortunately, the majority of American businesses didn’t take the time or effort to respond. Thus, I don’t know if any one at these companies took the time to open the mailer and watch the compact disc or if they simply tossed the mailer in the trash can by their desk.

The Death Of Etiquette

In my lifetime, I have watched the decay of courtesy in my lifetime. Even as a boy surrounded by the Ozarks mountains, my remote location in the United States, did not prevent me from hearing about Emily Post and the idea of etiquette. In my lifetime, I’ve watched Americans become more impatient and as a nation we have become increasingly rude, almost to the point of being vulgar in the most innocent of situations.

Thank You

Still, naïve man that I am, I have learned that some people and American businesses still take time to read a letter from an American of seemingly little or no consequence. I thank them for taking their time to read my letter.

I understood, when I created the photo cds that some people would not take the time to watch them. I had hope that they might even hold on to the disc and use the photos as possible screen savers or clip art.

The Democracy Of Writing

A major concept of America comes down to one determined citizen and a sheet of paper willing to take the time to write. I may not have the eloquence of Benjamin Franklin or the wit of Mark Twain, but I have a Voltaire heart and the determination of Samuel E Warren Jr. Thus, I write on.

Future Potential Of Farm Real Estate

I believe somewhere in America or somewhere on the globe, a citizen, a real estate investor or a financier will study the information on the land, look at the photographs and be willing to see the possible future potential of the land.

“Think Outside The Box”

I believe this will probably take a prospective buyer, who goes beyond the traditional conventions of society and comes up with solutions that allow him or her to “Think Outside The Box.”

1. Possible Outside The Box Ideas
2. Consider the site as a location for Underground Secure Storage of Domain Servers
3. Consider the site as a secluded retreat for a company’s management training
4. Consider the site as a secure location to experiment on the genetic engineering of food stuffs.
5. Consider the site a natural location to develop and warehouse natural landscaping products.
6. Consider the site a geographic location for a series of mid-west warehouses to speed up distribution of commercial products throughout the United States.
7. Consider the site for a factory to develop heavy equipment like tractors, bulldozers, aircraft or railroad engines. The Union Pacific Railroad tracks are only about four miles away in Galena, which would allow a manufacturer the ability to ship out large cargo to other points quickly.
8. Chicago, Kansas City and Jefferson City were once massive railroad centers that allowed for efficient distribution of livestock and merchandise to other points quickly. The growth of these metropolitan areas would not make it as easy to ship massive inventories of metal and mining materials as easily as in the past. This location would be an alternative.

The Results

The results of the Warren Land Photo CD Mailing Campaign were significantly less than I had hope for. I remain optimistic that American businesses should look at this land as a location to develop an area to their specifications. I believe the Obama Administration is working hard to restore the American economy to a level of stability and future growth.

Sam

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