Tuesday, September 30, 2008
BLOG - Copy Cats
I post ads for my transcription services on several different sites - some are free
listings and others are pay sites.
I don't know what prompted me to check on a few of my free listings
and read the ads in close proximity to mine. Much to my surprise, three ads that I chose to read were almost identical
word-for-word to my listing -- with the only exception of plugging in their own contact information.
If you can't
come up with your O-W-N ad copy and marketing materials without stealing the EXACT words from others, then you have no business
pawning yourself off as a professional -- a thief maybe, but definitely not a professional.
[end of blog]
12:45 pm mdt
Friday, September 26, 2008
BLOG - We've overstepped the bounds when it comes to office and business casual
It has always been a pet peeve of mine, but a few days ago my vein ruptured.
Society no longer has a dress code -- school kids can get by with practically anything as long as vulgar words are not displayed
on their clothing. A few years ago I went to a memorial service and there was a woman wearing shorts.
Business
casual/casual Fridays began about 15 or so years ago. The staff was allowed to "dress down" one day of the week.
I don't know when the one day turned into two, then three and now it's basically every day of the week. It's getting
more difficult to differentiate the homeless dumpster divers and the professionals -- okay, exaggeration - still, it's
getting pretty bad.
Even though I've been typing for more than one-half my life, to become a vendor with the
City, I had to go take a typing test. There were probably about 15 other women applying for full-time permanent jobs scheduled
to take the same typing test. One was wearing blue jeans ripped with holes -- yep, I'm well aware that to buy the
jeans off the rack with the holes, costs more money; a couple were baring their cleavage -- when my son was in high
school, he used to say it paid to advertise - don't know if these women were advertising, or in their confusion they thought
it was a Saturday evening gala.
I was the only woman wearing pantyhose and not baring my legs. I have absolutely
no idea when bare legs with dresses/skirts became fashionable. I don't care what kind of figure you have, or how
little you weigh -- if your husband, boyfriend, or significant other will not tell you, then I will -- 99.9% of the women
over 25 years of age should not bare their legs, feet or toes without hose. Knees are ugly and legs are not much better.
Veins, lumps, bumps -- besides the fact, of what it looks like walking behind you. Are girdles even sold today? Pantyhose
help hold/lift you up and in -- and I don't even want to go in the direction of the ones trying to avoid the "pantie
line" so they opt for the thong -- yep, it's much better to see the rear dimples and cellulite through your slacks!
And painting your toes doesn't change any of the image for the better.
My husband calls today's dress code
"the Joe-Shit the Ragman" -- for me, it's gone way past that!
****
I'm coming back a few days
to post additional sightings: Saturday night we went out to eat with another couple. There were several students eating
before going to their high school Homecoming Dance. Do parents of high schoolers even notice what their daughter is wearing
when she leaves the house?
I was a teenager when Twiggy came into the fashion arena, and I can tell you that
the mini-skirts she made fashionable make the clothing I witnessed Saturday night look like Granny dresses -- there was absolutely
nothing left to the imagination either below the waist or above the waist. And to think I used to have to roll my waistband
a few turns just to get my skirts a couple of inches above my knees after leaving the house!
[end of blog]
3:22 pm mdt
Thursday, September 4, 2008
BLOG - A laughable joke ...
A notary forum recently implemented a scoring system for each member which is a complete
farce. Why? Each individual has a bar graph after their name that would appear, at first sight, to indicate the notary's
knowledge, experience, expertise, ability to communicate with borrowers, etc. However, in the owner's own words, the score
is based on the notary's forum profile and account activity and has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with performance, professionalism
or customer satisfaction.
I'm not crying foul because of my "rating" -- in fact, I have a full bar
-- the same as Joe Blow who has a blank profile. No matter how the owner tries to explain, remove the mirrors and smoke and
it is simply a means to keep the site's slipping ratings on the first page of search engines. Identity theft is on the
rise and the the owner is now talking about requiring photo IDs and notarized affidavits verifying that each member is an
actual notary -- way too much time on his hands!
The mortgage industry is in shambles and the notary signing agent
train has left the station -- and will be some time before returning, but hey, just participate in a forum that has no problem
flaming members and click your profile daily and you, too, can have a full set of bars.
[end of blog]
8:57 am mdt
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
BLOG - Having the equipment needed
The neighbors had some tree work done over the weekend. The trees outside their
bedroom window have become overgrown, so they were having them removed by the same man and his wife they have used for other
yard work.
When I saw the couple, I went and asked them for a quote to cut down our cottonwood from the front yard
that is probably a hundred years old -- for the past few years the tree has been dying a little more each year and with the
heat and drought this summer, it is time for it to go to cottonwood heaven. I've already gotten a quote from another
company, but I thought since they were right next door, I'd get a quote from them, too.
Our tree is too
large and they don't want to touch it -- which is fine -- actually, it is better they don't want to touch it, because
while standing and talking with the neighbors, the man and woman kept interrupting because they needed one thing or the other
-- first, they didn't have their own gloves and asked the neighbors if they had two pairs they could wear. Then the chainsaw
ran out of both gasoline and oil, and again the neighbor had to oblige with gasoline and oil out of his garage. And lastly,
they didn't have a shovel or rake.
I'm sorry, but if you are going to be offering your services, you sure
as heck better show up with the proper tools and equipment to get the job done. I can't be sure, but I'm almost certain
that the neighbors didn't get a cost break for furnishing gloves, gasoline, oil, shovel and rake.
[end of blog]
