I celebrated the International Day of Peace by volunteering at Hostelling International - Santa Monica. We cooked food representing 6 or 7 countries. We had taquitos from Mexico, pancakes from Korea, and hot wings from the U.S. We dined on Jerk chicken from Jamaica and quiche from France.
I met local people and people from afar. We ate non-hybrid avocado with the skin and drank wine from a box. I joined a volunteer group called One Brick.
One Brick brings volunteers together to support other non-profit organizations by adopting an innovative twist to the volunteer experience: we create a friendly and social atmosphere around volunteering, and after each volunteer event, we invite volunteers to gather at a local restaurant or cafe where they can get to know one another in a relaxed social setting.Our 'commitment-free volunteering' allows you to choose when you volunteer, rather than having to make commitments for a certain number of volunteer hours, or agree to be available every week at a specific time. Volunteering made easy!
I found One Brick through meetup.com. Meetup.com has been a great resource for finding anything and everything. Whatever you are into, you can find it on Meetup.com. New to town? Fitness fanatic? Hiker? Wine tasting? Traveling? You name it, they've got it. If they don't, make your own group! Peace and I'll see you around on the volunteer or meetup circuit!
A spontaneous day off is always cool, isn't it? If so, why do I feel like I'm behind?! As much as I enjoy life and living for me, yesterday mommy had to take the backseat. I didn't see the Floyd Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez fight.
I didn't get my laundry done. I did no field services work. Not a door-knock, not a mystery shop, not a nothing! When I realized in the early afternoon that my daughter wouldn't be back with the "get-away" anytime soon, I determined the day was a wash! May as well eat pizza, donuts and watch videos. Heavy sigh. So, now it's around 5 am and I must produce today. As I schedule my day, there is a mystery shop in Beverly Hills and loads of SNAP/EBT (food stamps) store reviews all over the Los Angeles area. Is it just me, or does everyone else see the economic downturn of the US. Not just see it, but experience it? I cry on the days that I go to Malibu, Huntington or Redondo Beach. Some of the most affluent communities in the nation are requiring government assistance in the form of "food stamps". Of course they haven't been called food stamps by the government in a long time, but it's hard to change such brand recognition. If I was really on the ball, I'd schedule myself a nice mystery shop lunch, but that would be too much like RIGHT! Doing the right thing isn't so much fun, is it??? Or is it? My pocketbook would be happier to receive the check back, but fitting it in the schedule and NOT going bonkers isn't a better price to pay. So "Brown Bag Cafe" it is! If only I were that organized! HA! I will probably end up choosing something terrible to eat while out and about. I plan to do better next week! Which is tomorrow, for me. If you want to check the eligibility for SNAP/EBT (food stamps) for you, a friend or family member, click here.
I was laughing out loud at the thought of a debtor trying to hide their vehicle in the parking area of the apartments next door. Imagine open, courtyard-type parking for neighboring apartments, sharing one driveway.
Before knocking on the particular door, I briskly walked to the rear parking area. A quick peek behind the debtors building - nothing. But! I glanced at the neighboring building's open courtyard-type parking and VIOLA! Paydirt! The make and model were correct from the rear. One quick dip around the front and the VIN matched, too! YES! By locating the collateral and recording the license plate number my contact percentage rate will increase. Wait! Is the airbag deployed? Scratched front bumper and a cracked windshield? The collateral was wrecked! Apparently the owner doesn't want to pay for the car since it can't be driven. The nerve of some people! Just kidding. I have been there and done that. I was young. Maybe she is too. Maybe she is in the struggle to survive in this day upon the apocalypse.
Door knock is a term you can search for when looking for field services work. In addition to mystery shop, inspect, or review. I have done just about everything in the field that does not require licensing or certification, although some companies will certify you to work with their proprietary software or equipment. I inspect cars, businesses, heavy equipment, damaged freight, and foreclosed properties. With 15 years experience, I have learned about some good companies and some not-so-good companies. I have learned what works for me and what does not. I learned these things through trial and error. Normally I would advise against paying to become a mystery shopper; but, here's a quick and easy way. It is a compilation of real time shops available in one spot! Free oil changes, amusement park tickets, demo jobs, movie checkers, and merchandiser positions, all in one area. Times are different from when you worked at one job (for an employer) and retired into your golden ages from there. Emerging from recession has changed the times. Lots of people now have bad credit as a result of the mortgage fiasco and subsequent recession. Because times have changed, creditors have changed as well. That's where we come in. It is unfortunate that people have lost their jobs and livelihoods, homes, and cars, but someone has got to service those bad debts. More and more creditors are sending people to the last known address of a debtor to make some sort of contact. Door knocks have become a by-product of the debt-ridden society we live in today. Because of those bad debts I have a job and you can too. I've worked my way up to premium field services jobs in the last 15 years. Here's a little about my story 15 years in and counting!
You've got to start somewhere. You can do a lot of research for yourself, finding companies to work for and applying, or you can try this directory. All of the leg work is done for you.
The very conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck is leaving ABC's "The View" for "Fox & Friends" on The Fox News Channel, or "Faux News Channel" as it is, sometimes, affectionately called. Hasselbeck caught the eye of the The View's executive director Barbara Walters after making it to finalist during Survivor: Australian Outback in 2001.
Hasselbeck has enjoyed a decade with the ladies on The View, interviewing President Obama, Sen. John McCain, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. She also penned two cookbooks:
and
Not everyone is sad about Hasselbeck's departure. I am not. Sometimes the chatter on The View was overwhelming, and I stopped watching. As a matter of fact, I watch very little television. There are more pressing things that require my attention. I'm just saying.
In the end, I agree with Barbara Walters who was quoted as saying, "We will miss her and wish her everything good".
Hasselbeck begins her new post in September with Fox & Friends' Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade.
Well, I don’t know about earning a living, but you can certainly entertain yourself on someone else’s dime! In my inbox there are numbers of upscale restaurants needing to be shopped, golf courses and hotels, too!
When I moved to Orlando, FL in 2000, I began mystery shopping as a way to learn my way around the city and earn some extra cash. There are some mystery shop jobs that pay a fee for the service, in addition to reimbursing you for your purchase. A lot simply reimburse.
I have shopped apartment complexes, restaurants, retail stores, etc. At first, I used to feel like a super-hero on a secret mission or something. I guess in my old age, I am simply looking for what’s right. Was my hot food served hot and my cold food served cold? Did the server greet us promptly?
If you can make a purchase and remember a name, you could be a mystery shopper. There is no easy way to get great work; it is WORK! There are dozens of companies looking for mystery shoppers or secret shoppers. Nine times out of ten, there are no fees associated. If there is a fee, it might be something like a background check and those are far and few, in between. I would NEVER pay a fee to a company to sign me up to other companies! You can do that yourself!
Make it a point of applying to a handful of companies everyday. The more companies you apply to, the more work you get. Typing the same thing over and over can be a bear. Make use of the auto-fill function found in most browsers.
Mystery shopping can be fun and you can earn a couple of bucks in your spare time.
Some mystery shop companies are listed on these pages:
When the economy is diving, companies are laying off and vacations are non-existent, what do you do? If you plan to survive the uncertainty of a capitalist society, you must change with the times, or get left behind.
Translated from Heraclitus's Nothing endures but change - "Change is the only constant". Given this information we must change along with the demands, needs, and desires of our present society, or get left behind.
This video is an adaptation of the popular book "Who moved my cheese?" by Dr. Spencer Johnson.
"You suck!" hurled James "Whitey" Bulger in a Boston Federal courtroom. Former Winter Hill Gang associate Kevin Weeks spewed back, "Fuck you, ok." To which Bulger responded with a hearty, "Fuck you, too."
Whew! Where is the love? Apparently there is no more love between these two mobsters. Gangsters. Made men.
Cameras are not allowed inside federal court so today's word spread via social media. That's right! Journalists attending the racketeering trial feed the public's F.O.M.O. (Fear Of Missing Out.) through social media. Twitter. It's a little much for me because there's no escaping conventional preoccupation as it's often happening right in my own backyard.
While I dine with clients at swanky restaurants (Season's 52) in Santa Monica, the FBI is capturing one of America's Most Wanted. James "Whitey" Bulger was arrested June 22, 2011 and is charged with participating in 19 murders and other crimes including extortion and weapons charges. The octogenarian has pleaded not guilty.
Raised in a South Boston housing project, James "Whitey" Bulger became the most wanted fugitive of his generation. This riveting story is rich with intrigue and was penned by award-winning Boston Globe reporters Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy. From teenage thievery to bank robberies and a string of brutal murders, this unforgettable narrative follows the astonishing career and epic manhunt for Whitey Bulger—a gangster whose life was more sensational than fiction.
Today has been interesting. As I struggled with loads of contracts last week, this week seems dry. Slow. Famine-ous. After a few relaxing hours this morning, I realized today would be the day to press forward on my Internet Marketing gig. Other avenues are fading away.
Being a Field Services Professional for more than a decade has been an interesting ride....
Having your Field Services and BLOGGING businesses earn revenue takes work! Late nights, long hours and little profit can be expected - but success is so tasty! I earned more than $75k my first year as a... [MORE]
It's Tuesday and I am relaxing with a cup of coffee on the porch and writing. Working from home allows me the luxury of relaxing during the regular work week. I have an appointment at the salon this afternoon and I'll visit a few "clients" today. Piece of cake.
Working from home is the best thing since sliced bread, in my opinion.Mystery shopping - gets you fine dining for FREE! You make your own schedule and have lunch with friends. Working from home allows you to generate multiple income streams!
It is not about making $100,000 at one job, get yourself two or three jobs and make $40-$50,000 each. During my first year as a vendor with First American Field services, I earned $70,000. Now I'd like to try my hand at a different "work from home" phenomenon - BLOGGING!
The system is already setup and it just needs YOU! Tell us what you do. I am a self-employed field services representative and I will show you how to can earn money in your spare time. From mystery shopping to government contracts - I've done them all!
I'll always remember Davy Jones going to the prom with Marsha-Marsha-Marsha Brady...oh, I was so happy for her! He was singing the song, "Girl" was to me, though! I guess the white girl in me was beginning to develop. :)
Watching The Monkees on Saturdays was the best [or was it on Sundays?] They were lovable AND funny. One of my favorite songs recorded by The Monkees, "I'm a Believer", 1966, was composed by Neil Diamond and on the Shrek soundtrack [Smashmouth, 2001].
The world is shocked by the loss and share fond memories. Kevin Bacon is saddened along with other friends and fans. Reactions are split by generations. Hollywood news program TMZ broke the story early February 29, 2012.
Rest in peace Ms. Whitney Houston. We love you. Thank you for being. We are grateful for sharing this sea of infinite possibilities with you!
The cause of Ms. Houston's death is still under investigation. Daughter Bobbi Kristina was in distraught condition and hospitalized on Sunday.Read more here
If you've heard that Suge Knight was recently arrested, that is true!Arrested for an outstanding warrant and subsequently released; not, for the murder of Tupac Shakur.[full story] Let's wish Suge Knight peace, happiness, and success in the coming year. Of course we all pray that Tupac's murderer is found. Or is Tupac really dead...?
The little Spanish lady, who stood all of 5 foot 1 inch tall, was so smooth. She stood there with her bidding finger raised as the bid went up...$200...can I get $250?...$250....can I get $300?...$300....can I get $350?...she's calm & cool...finger still raised in the air...$500...can I get $550?...$550...can I get $6? Nine hundred dollars later, she won herself the beautiful contents behind door number 4. I look forward to the day! The family members gave her warm and loving, congratulatory kisses. I was sooo excited for her! I wanted to jump up and down and scream "You go, B*tch!" The kids in the bunch were like, "is it time to go home now...?" The whole family proceeded to the next storage unit to continue the conquest. In total 30 units were auctioned off for amounts ranging from $100 to $1000, each. Not a bad days work, if you can get it! ; ) There is a $200 storage deposit required, per winning bid, thus this game is not for the meek.
Los Angeles Parking Enforcement is some aggressive ass, big pumpkin head-having, fake braid in a bun wearing biotches!!!!! I motioned to the prostitute that I was moving...damn, ain't there a such thing as common courtesy these days?! I guess the hell not! She swooped on my sh*t from across the street! As I was driving away, she was mean muggin me, looking me AND my car up and down and like, "yeah, b*tch, I got yo' ish, n e wayz..." and I'm rolling my eyes at her like, "SPK! "You make me sick..."
That's why we have those convenient license plates on the front and back of legally registered automobiles in California -- so they can get yo' azz, coming and going! Those fother muckers! ARGH!!!!
First of all, never let your cronies have their own room! They need to share!
The club in downtown Orlando was packed and it was poppin'! The club was now closed and after shaking their go-go's with purple and pink dresses and shoes on, it was time to fill their bellies. Denny's or IHOP??? "Denny's!" screamed Holly. Since Holly's Lindsey-Lohan-looking friend was paying, IHOP it was. The pleasantly plump friend, "Go-Big-Gurl!" could go and eat too. So they jumped in the 20 year old Benz, with the muffler hanging that Holly's Lindsey-Lohan-looking friend "borrowed" from her sister's boyfriend. Let's ride!
Before they could enter the fine dining establishment, Buddy and Ace approached. After a little chit chat, let's take the party back to the Marriott. Yeah, Rickey Smiley is my boy, we are in town for a few days for some shows, whoopty whoop and blah-se` blah-se` said Buddy and Ace. "Word?" Holly was acting all impressed but was really ready to open up that Grey Goose..." Blame it on the Goose, got you feeling loose!" Holly's Lindsey-Lohan-looking friend squealed.
After a few drinks, Buddy and Ace had to leave to take care of Rickey Smiley's business. You girls can stay and check out time is at eleven, Ace said. The door hadn't closed good before Holly's Lindsey-Lohan-looking friend was calling room service. "Three steak and egg meals, with extra steak, please!" Then the girls jumped in the bed and ordered some movies.
The girls invite Jeromy and Buck over and it's another round of steak and eggs. "Let's see what's in the mini-bar!" Go-Big-Girl! said. Just when the next room service order was to be delivered, the phone rang. "BRRRNG!" "BRRRNG!" Holly answers. It's the front desk. It seems the credit card on file has been maxed and the hotel will need another. "Ok. I'll be right down." Holly sings. They stuffed goose down pillows, hotel soap and the entire mini-bar in bags and broke camp. Hit the trail. Shook the spot.
Just as they were about to exit the hotel, Holly, her Lindsey-Lohan-looking friend, and Go-Big-Girl! ran into Rickey Smiley. They asked gleefully, "Can we have a picture with you?" No. Rickey Smiley was off on Sundays. "But have a nice day!" Rickey shared confidently. Holly and her band of misfits ran off laughing, "No, YOU have a nice day Rickey Smiley!"
Sometime during Holly's quest for spiritual guidance, she learned that vocally paying homage to those who have gone before you, by name, brings one strength. Holly believed that was an easy practice to employ. Much like remembering to pray to God often by saying grace before eating your three meals. Besides, Holly wanted to be spiritually strong, and sound, too.
It was from the 1992 Ernest Dickerson film, Juice, that Holly learned of the cute man, with the milk chocolate skin named Tupac. Ooowee! Holly was in love! Most of Holly's friends liked the cute, light skinned actor in Juice, Khalil Kain.
Nobody paid attention to Tupac. Holly was the lover of the underdog. The black sheep. The loose canon. Even as a working and rather conservative mother, Holly pined for Tupac. Raw and gritty. Troubled, but thoughtful, Tupac encompassed passion for life. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Holly found Tupac to be a true preacher and prophet of her time. In fact, there are still classes at the the acclaimed Cal State Berkeley discussing
Imagine the devastation Holly felt when Tupac succumbed to gun shot wounds suffered in Las Vegas in 1996. Not normally a freak for celebrities, Holly had to pull her car over when she heard news of his passing. The flood of tears was overwhelming and began to cloud her vision. What a heartbreak. After 10 or 15 minutes, Holly pulled herself together and continued driving on.
When she began her practice of giving a shout out to those who had gone before her, Holly made a special ritual for Tupac. "I love you Tupac Amaru Shakur" Holly would offer toward the heavens whenever a Tupac song came on the radio. More than a year after his death, Tupac stayed in heavy rotation in the Los Angeles area market. Holly continued faithfully giving shout out after shout out. "I love you Tupac Amaru Shakur."
One weekend while working at the law firm of Cheatem & Cheatem, Holly took a phone call on the main switchboard and her life changed forever.
Holly: Cheatem & Cheatem. *singing* Caller From Germany: Is this L.A.? (in a thick European accent)
Holly: Who would you like to speak with, sir? Caller From Germany: I'm trying to reach L.A.
Holly: So you are just trying to call Los Angeles? Caller From Germany: Yes. I called Two. One. Three...
Holly: And you just made up the rest, right? Caller From Germany: Yes. My life is shit.
Holly: So let me get this straight, you wanted to call L.A. so you dialed a random two-one-three number and your life is shit? Caller From Germany: "Jess!"
Since Holly was experiencing down time on the switchboard, she decided to amuse herself by entertaining the thickly-accented man on the other line whose life was shit. In the next couple of sentences, Holly and the caller found that each was very fond of Tupac. The fascination was turned up on both parts. Holly with her shout outs "I love you Tupac Amaru Shakur!" The caller was on a whole other level with his love and fascination of Tupac. Check out this devotion. This is a picture sent by the caller in Germany to Holly, some random chick at a random number in Los Angeles:
Now that is dedication. Check out the detail on those "tattoos" and the selection on the television.
Was it Tupac's spirit that brought the two together? They were separated by continents but bound by love for a fallen brother; his music, his art, and his life.
"I love you Tupac Amaru Shakur" and thanks for bringing two friends together. Holly and the caller continued to be friends through miles of separation, different circumstances and different locations.
Even before Facebook, two people from totally different regions and backgrounds became friends. Commonality through love and music and a random L.A. phone number, created a friendship with no ordinary love.
More than 10 full years had past with no word from her friend. Holly thought she'd never hear from him again. As luck would have it, Holly's friend recently located her on Facebook and the friendship resumes. Thank you Facebook!
It's been another glorious day in sunny, southern California. Holly and Camry were on the way home after a long morning of haggling in the Alley. Anyone who's been to L.A. should know that the Alley is the downtown wholesale district. Not only are sample designer fashions available, but one could outfit their whole family, from the granny to the crumb snatchin', blood-sucking babies.
Exiting the 10 freeway at Crenshaw, the lights are in Holly's favor, so she continues to mash. Wait!
Are they making ANOTHER movie? Gosh, I promise, I'm getting sick of them blocking off the streets, and eating their gourmet cheese in their ugly, 50 foot, personal trailers and stuff, Holly hated.
Girl! That was Tupac, Camry yelled out. Skkkkuuurrrrrr! The little red BMW came to a screeching halt.
Sitting at the light headed south, Holly couldn't wait to whip the little red BMW around and find that gorgeous, charming, and charismatic, man who was headed north toward Hollywood. The chase was on!
Now driving the right way, Holly cut off car after car in a twisted game of leap frog as she made a desperate dash to lay eyes on that gorgeous, charming, and charismatic, man who was headed north toward Hollywood. The traffic was starting to get thick and Holly was getting sick, the farther behind she became. Quick! Turn right and then turn left! Presto! Holly was now traveling parallel to Crenshaw on her quest to find Tupac.
Kicking up trash and blowing by dead palm tree leaves that littered the streets, Holly pushed onward. Every so-often, Holly glanced west toward Crenshaw just to get a glimpse of Tupac, that gorgeous, charming, and charismatic, man who was headed north toward Hollywood.
Argh! I think we lost them Holly whined. Let's go one more block, Camry said. One more block turned into to five more blocks. I'm getting tired now. We are almost to Wilshire, Holly sighed. "I'm done!" Holly has the the little red BMW in fourth gear as she races back toward Crenshaw. The light is in her favor. Holly down shifts to third and whips a smooth left turn, almost on two wheels. The turn was so smooth that the gorgeous, charming, and charismatic, man who was headed north toward Hollywood peeped Holly's game. He winked. Holly winked and she was gone. They passed like two ships sailing in the night. That was all Holly needed. What a way to live. Another perfect day in L.A. :-D
Later, Camry had to help Holly out of the car. It seemed that Holly's head had swelled even bigger than it already was. Holly was finally out of the car and skipped into the house singing, "I saw my baby dad-dee! I saw my baby dad-dee!"
Thanks for stopping by! Check back tomorrow for the last installment of My Angel Tupac.
Please enjoy a part of my day with Tupac Amaru Shakur.
