I had lunch with my former student/colleague Josh W. today. We talked about everything and solved all the world's problems.
Lately we've been taking turns choosing the restaurant, picking new places off of Yelp or some other local directory. This month he chose a Mexican joint in a strip mall in Phoenix he'd found on Yelp and seen featured in one of those foodie shows I don't watch. I can't remember the name - it was in Spanish - but if it were closer I'd be going back. I think we were the only non-Hispanic people in there, always a good sign, and English was clearly the second language for the waitresses.The name had what I learned is the Spanish word for sandwich in it, and a variety of that is what we both ordered.
My cell phone didn't take a very good pic, but that thing is HUGE, filled with every kind of meat imaginable, and smothered in guac and mayo. OK, not so paleo, but certainly good. I couldn't finish it.
A couple of months ago I wrote here about Josh's career jump, with a position as a hand therapist at a clinic downtown and at The Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. At the time I mentioned that Steve was also on the cusp of a leap forward, but that until it was all wrapped up I shouldn't say anything.
He got news today that it's all wrapped up.
[Note: I hope the following is an accurate description. If not, Steve will correct me and I'll fix it in a subsequent post. His job is related to math, which puts me at a real disadvantage.]
For the last ten years he's been working as a commercial real estate appraiser. He came into the field not knowing a thing, learning on the job at a firm co-owned by Aubri's dad. Before long he'd completed the requirements to get his certification.
The organization that certifies appraisers has a couple (?) different levels, the top one called "MAI Designation." As it turns out, those initials are obsolete and don't mean anything anymore except to say the holder of that designation has demonstrated the highest level of mastery of the complexities that are commercial (both business and property) real estate appraisal. And it can get tricky. If the owner of a widget factory wants to sell his business a buyer needs to know what it's worth. So the guy they hire to tell the seller and buyer what it's worth should know his stuff. The bank issuing the loan wants a solid appraisal, too, so their investment is sound.
To get an MAI Designation you start by taking four written tests, each of which takes a couple of hours to complete. And they're not cheap. So the normal tactic is to study like a fool for several months, take all four exams in hopes of getting lucky on one or two, and then retake those you don't pass. You have one year (or is it two?) to retake those failed exams (at additional cost) before you have to start all over. Candidates figure to fail at least two of the four, sometimes three.
Steve passed all four on that first attempt. Pretty rare!
The final step is completing a major project, as in, "figure on 200 hours of work." The institute gives the candidate a fictional business with a very detailed description of every aspect, and then the individual writes up this monster doc that is the appraisal. "Show your work." When it's done you go through an interview to defend your appraisal. Six to eight weeks later you hear back if you passed or failed.
Steve got word today that he passed. He now officially holds MAI Designation. That sounds a bit academic, but it represents the highest level of certification in his field and tells banks and businesses they can have complete confidence in his work. He's as good as it gets.
I'm a proud papa. Twice over. My sons exceed their dad in so many ways, including professional accomplishment.
But that pales in comparison to my joy at knowing they are good husbands, fathers, and obedient servants of their Savior.
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." - 3 John 4.
T'ank you, Fadder.
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