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At Your Service Entertainment/Virtual Assistant

mindy Flannery


Last Updated: 3/11/2009

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Gender: Female
Status: Married
Age: 41
City: RICHMOND HILL
State: Georgia
Country: US

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August 29, 2007 - Wednesday 

For me this is an inspiring story of lemons into lemonade. It still has some saddness, but reminds me of peoples will and spirit. Just thought I would share it with you...

 

 

Katrina Disaster Tours Still Popular

By JANET MCCONNAUGHEY, AP
 

..

"This is the last pretty thing you're going to see until we get to the lakefront," tour guide Rose Scott tells passengers gazing at the live oaks of City Park.

They're a bit more than an hour into a van tour of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Scott's employer, Isabelle Cossart of Tours by Isabelle, calls it 70 miles of destruction in 3 1/2 hours.

Nearly two years after Katrina turned the New Orleans area into a lake of misery, demand for tours of the devastation overwhelms that for visits to mainstay attractions such as cemeteries, plantations and swamps.
 
"Our survival depends on it. If I quit doing the post-Katrina city tour, I'm out of business," Cossart said.

Scott's van passes the convention center and Superdome, where thousands of refugees suffered after Katrina. "The convention center was never supposed to be a shelter. That's why they didn't have food there," she says.

She turns the van toward areas little known to outsiders before Katrina: Gentilly and Lakeview, where the view of Lake Pontchartrain provides respite on the way to the Lower 9th Ward. Scott drives on to St. Bernard, the hard-hit parish just east of New Orleans where she lived until the storm.

"It used to be, we did nothing but plantation tours," Cossart said. The $58-per-person Katrina tour now makes up three-quarters of her business, and she recently bought a third van.

Tourism officials have struggled with post-hurricane stress on the industry. Some downtown hotels - including the Hyatt and the Fairmont - remain closed. But the convention center and most tourist attractions are open. The bellwether French Quarter was almost untouched by hurricane.

Kelly Schulz, spokeswoman for the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the disaster tours help convince travel agents and convention bookers that devastated areas are distant from tourism venues.

Cossart said the tours began just over a month after Katrina, which struck Aug. 29, 2005. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hired her as a guide for Japanese engineers who had worked in Kobe after the 1995 earthquake.

After visiting levee breaches, the wiped out Lower 9th Ward and Biloxi, Miss., Cossart said she asked how long they thought it would take to rebuild. Their answer, she said, was 10 years plus time for political maneuvering.

Scott, who is living an hour northeast of New Orleans in Carriere, Miss., has gutted her 3,100-square-foot house in Chalmette but hasn't yet decided whether to rebuild. She worries about environmental safety because more than water was released by the storm.

As she pulls into her old neighborhood, she tells passengers about the 1.3 million-gallon spill from the nearby Murphy Oil tank farm that complicated her cleanup and clouded her future.

For Scott, Katrina and its aftermath are very personal matters. Cossart asked her how she felt about disaster tours. Her response was quick to the point. "This is history. People need to see what happened here so they can fix it where it never happens again."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL
10:35 AM 
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August 28, 2007 - Tuesday 

Rumor has it that we may be branching out into the booking agent business, more prominently. So, for those of you that have inquired about this...stay tuned! I can't give details right now, but I will say that it will be mostly local to begin with...though, this could change quite quickly.

I hope everyone is having a great week so far.

10:30 AM 
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August 16, 2007 - Thursday 

Current mood:  chipper

I just wanted to share what I think is a true star to be. His name  is Caleb Scates and his new CD is available now @ http://cdbaby.com/cd/calebscates. In case you are wondering, he is not a client. I just truly see someone we'll be hearing on the radio one day soon. So, at least give his music a listen, and if you like him, give him some support at his page: http://www.myspace.com/kaylubsk8s.

Have a great day! (:

9:59 AM 
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August 16, 2007 - Thursday 

Current mood:  confused

I see that I have a great number of readers...so why doesn't anybody comment on my blog? I was especially curious about the last entry and if anyone else had similiar feelings, or even if you think my blog is stupid! Anyone...hellloooo...

9:52 AM 
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August 9, 2007 - Thursday 

Current mood:  discontent

Hello! I hope everyone is having a great Thursday.

I have some curiosity about what you all think about what is to follow on this page, so please leave some feedback. Warning: the following is me on a rant! This is not a quick read. Also, high likelihood of run-on sentences.

Overall, I think most people who know me, would agree that I generally don't buck the system. I enjoy peace. This has certainly come with age! When I was young, I saw all the injustice of the world. Consequently, I was a constant insomniac and was an open wound. Then, I learned to be flexible and do what I could and let the rest go. ONE of the things that got me started thinking about this was my experience the past month with two large companies: Walmart and Kroger. I frequent both of these stores, and overall, like them. Even knowing their main objective is to sell to me by any means available to them. What ticks me off, or as Peter Griffin would say, "You know what really grinds my gears?" is the blatant deception, and what I am now coming to believe, is THEFT.

First, Walmart:

I have no proof to back this up, only what my eyes saw and my word.

I went through the self-checkout and purchased approx. six items. I was paying with cash, so was particularly mindful of the total, since I had "x" amount of dollars on me. The total on the screen was $16 and some change. I put in a twenty dollar bill and got back a dollar and some change. Though I used to be a pit bull when it came to watching how items rang up, if it was correct and if I received proper change, I have to admit I had become complacent. This day though, I noticed the amount of change and thought, "wait a minute, that's not right." Now, before any of you decide to be as condescending as the employees in these stores, yes, I considered the fact that it was the sub-total before tax. Even without the tax, it was not sixteen-something. I went to the young girl, who was the attendant over the self-checkout stands and told her. She was very nice, and brought up the tax issue and then said all she could do was reprint another receipt from the machine. Well, I knew that it would only be a copy of the one I was holding, so I declined. She offered to get her manager, but I was in a hurry and the difference in money was worth getting on with my original agenda. So I thanked her and went on my way. It still is gnawing at me as to whether this is taking place often.

Second, Kroger:

The dollar movie rental kiosk. Great deal in itself. Rented a couple of times (when it was working) and thought the service was great. Went with my husband one day, and while tied up at customer service, he rented 3 movies. So, our schedules being what they are, generally watching movies after returning from a gig he's played at 2 or 3 in the morning, we took several days to watch them. My husband had mentioned that since there were no late fees on these rentals, we needn't hurry. I thought, "Hmmm, I don't remember seeing the no late fee thing." My husband is generally very observant, so I assumed I had missed this. It turned into about two weeks before I got them back to the store…I know, I know…bad. Well after turning them in, I was horrified to see a $45 + charge! I looked at the front of the kiosk and on the side and saw nothing about late fees. Well, that's a mistake I won't make again. I told my husband and went on. A couple of days later, I was approaching the kiosk from another angle and saw a large stand up floor sign saying, "no late fees." Well! I looked all over it and saw no asterisk leading to further information as to conditions or anything. I inspected the kiosk once again and saw nothing on it regarding fees other than $1 rental. I noticed, though, there was a freshly full container with little pamphlets telling about their services. On the back, it explained a $35 charge if not returned within 14 days. I was also quite sure, that the screen before finalizing the purchase must have explained this as well. Again, I chalked it up to lesson learned, but, my brain is becoming hyper aware of all of these deceptive practices once again.

I go in to the store the next morning to get a few things. I got several produce items. When I went to the self checkout, I had some issues with some of the items not being in the list of produce, so I had to have the attendant manually ring them in. I got to the broccoli I had and put it on the scale and noticed it asked me for quantity, instead of weight. I entered "3" and the total comes up $5.49. Yikes! Seemed high. Since there was no line behind me, I decided to go check the price before I paid. The sign said $1.49 a pound. When I returned to look at how it rang it up, it rang up at $1.99 per each. I went back to the menu on the screen and saw there was only one option for broccoli. Not broccoli crowns AND bulk. So I tell the attendant and she gets a higher up to help her void it. Here comes the earlier reference to condescension! She was already in the process of doing the refund when I started to explain the problem to which she cut me off and stated that crowns are by quantity and not weight. I calmly told her that the ones I chose were under the $1.49 sign. I also tried telling her there was only ONE option for broccoli on the menu and they may want to fix it or they will be having trouble, and again she rushed over the top of me and stated this happens all day, every day AND there are 2 sections of broccoli and that if she took me over there, I would see this. Well, I knew this to be true usually, but knew that the ones I chose were under the $1.49 sign. Needless to say, as I took my groceries to my car, and I'm pretty aggravated. Plus, it's all starting to come together…all of the misleading, the condescension, the thievery. After I put the groceries in the car, for some reason, I felt the burning desire to go see if there indeed was 2 sections that day. I wouldn't have even cared if she hadn't said anything. So I looked…and there weren't. I didn't go and rub it in miss know-it-all's face. I just left and got really fired up about seriously starting a web page dedicated to pointing out all of these businesses and what they do, just to keep consumers on alert. I was going to call the manager and whatever higher up I could get to in Kroger and school them on how their employees should behave and to let them know I was on to them about their ways. I have seen plenty of investigative reports on stores having higher prices in there computers than what the shelf price says. I worked in retail for several years, I know how the system works and don't need to be condescended to, as if I know nothing of the way the scanners/checkout work. I also went back yesterday to customer service to inquire about the no late fees. The same snot was telling me that I was wrong and that I needed to call the company that "RENTS" the space for the kiosk and take it up with them. No matter that the kiosk has the Kroger emblem on it. I've yet to take this any further, knowing pretty much, that they will point out their disclosure. I also checked to see if it was on the screen before you process payment, and it was…in light gray, mice-type, more or less. Without my glasses, I could easily read everything leading up to that page. That page I had to squint and perform other contortions to read that page.

I am aware this is my fault, and this is a buyer beware culture. I think our society is both too busy, too complacent and too driven by marketing to notice what's happening most of the time. Most everyone's time is too stretched to give this high priority, which I think is definitely what is understood by many corporations and slick marketers. But, having thought of two more incidents while writing this (my bank and a car rental company), I'm sick of it! I intend to follow up with this, though, I'm fairly certain the companies won't care too much, until I find a way to make them feel it…when I figure out how, hopefully I will have the time to implement it and follow up. I really would like to maintain a "watchdog" website…

Oh yeah, another thought. I am so disgusted at the SCAM with the money transfer scheme. It's easy for me to ignore and spot…but, it is so prevalent because it works! People that, undoubtedly, truly can't afford to lose money, are.

To those of you that are also business owners, to the bands/musicians that are running their own career and to the average internet browser…Do you find all of the marketing distasteful? I have found extremely useful things on the 'net, but in even marketing my own business, sometimes I find it very distasteful…and I love and believe in what I do!! I'm not certain if it's just my personality, or if I'm just becoming jaded from the constant JUNK I come across! I am, and always have been, skeptical by nature. On the other hand, I am also optimistic in nature. Yes, they collide from time to time. I've always felt like two people (at least!) and feel like I am always looking at the same issue from two perspectives. After almost 40 years, I have learned to accept this and sometimes harness it. I guess I feel like it's a bit of a negative thing, since I just said I've learned to accept it! (: It probably serves me well more than I see.

I'm constantly searching for ways to be informative and helpful, boost my visibility and yet actually come across as genuine as I feel. I find some very good ideas to boost my visibility, but sometimes just can't bring myself to use them, because I don't want to be as obnoxious as I find some other "techniques". Everything I post, endorse and utilize, becomes a leap of faith that others see it as truthful and genuine. Sometime I think that I should stop looking at anything else on the web, because it colors how I feel about the whole process. It's that perfectionism illusion I fight. No matter what, I KNOW I'm going to connect with some people and disconnect with others. "Shhhhhhhh, quiet down little voice inside my head…get back to the topic…"

 

So, do you feel jaded and cynical about what is presented to you on a daily basis as "useful"? Do you see the web and business in general as inherently deceitful? Nature of the beast, blah, blah, blah. Or do you have another outlook? Also, anyone having ideas on combating the rip-offs going on in our daily consumerism, please share them.

Okay, so here's to the next blog being more cheerful…(: Have a great day.

3:31 PM 
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July 31, 2007 - Tuesday 

Current mood:  busy
This is an old post that I thought might be worth resurrecting. I'm constantly asked what I do. This was my original explaination. I have since gone more in the direction of musicians and have added graphic design, everything else is still true.

Here it is:

 

Monday, May 21, 2007

..>..> ..> ..>..>..>

What I do explained...
Current mood: determined

If you just want the bottom line, skip the backstory and go to the end of the article.

Funny, I think I am tap dancing my heart out...trying to please y'all... (: Just kidding...don't care...don't like you, anyhow...

There is apparently a need to explain what I do in different terms. I think the lack of knowledge about VA's in general, in addition to my own goals (apparently confusing) and the direction I want to go.

I've been in the Admin./Clerical field for about 15 years. Except for a couple moments in time, I found the actual structure of most companies I worked for very unsatisfying. My nature has always been to be steady and consistant, so I just excepted it for what it was- a job and an income. I've said for years, "unless you're a rock star or movie star, a job is a job." Simplistic, but makes sense to me.

All of my life, I have been creative and drawn to all that is creative. I actually intended to go into commercial art, live alone in a big city, in a warehouse loft and live happily, independantly alone until I found "the one". Could not have gone further away from that. Turns out, I am serially monagamous (cut out all those adventurous ideas I had). I am who I am, I guess...

Well, after the death of my mother (the kind of adventurer I expected I'd be) and as I got older, I found myself very dissatisfied with life and what I was doing with it. Problem being, I had no idea where to go from there. I only knew I had less patience with being the steady good girl that just accepted things (to the dismay of some people around me). No real pull to go further into higher education (I like self-teaching and love seeking out the knowledge I desire). I didn't really know what career I'd rather have, just knew it wasn't the one I had.

After all the angst, insecurities of not knowing my direction and some self destructive behavior, it came like a bolt of lightening. I must have been ready, finally...the flood gates opened!!! It happened swiftly and, if you have read any of my blogs (scattered in various places), you know it's become a passion.

Okay, the nuts and bolts. I have a very fluid business, but the structure is Administrative/Clerical. There is no set list of duties, only guidelines. It changes with the client. Either I will know how to do it, learn how to do it or utilize a staff member to do it. I will point you in the right direction to find what your looking for, if we aren't able to provide it. The overall tone is towards artists of all types. Having said that, small business owners and women wanting greater freedom are also a flavor of this business. I am open to all possible avenues, but have certain proclivities.

So, if you have papers on your desk (or bed or dresser or in your car) that you need organized and you've come to know you won't/can't do it, mail it to us and we'll organize it. We will make files or put it into a format of your liking. Can't remember appointments, dates, etc.? We will remind you. Too much email to answer? We can do it, forward what needs your attention and give you a report that makes it simple to digest. Need some promoting? At this time, we can do limited, affordable promotion. Inquire whether what your needing is what we offer. I have a feeling this area will become more of a specialty eventually. Need someone to make phone calls for you? We are here for you. Need something researched? Contact us. WHAT DO YOU NEED? I bet we can help! See main website, www.virtualays.com for more info.

I hope this has helped. Feel free to contact us anytime. I love hearing from you!

8:16 AM 
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July 26, 2007 - Thursday 

Current mood:  embarrassed
Probably matters to nobody but me...Yuwie! I HATE spelling errors. If I catch them, I'm compelled to change them...can you say O.C.D. ?
1:38 AM 
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July 26, 2007 - Thursday 

Current mood:  complacent

Yewie...I've yet to really test much about it, but it seems promising. New social networking site that pays you...??? Hmmm. I guess we'll see. You have a referral tree, where everyone you refer is in your tree. It has a great, easy interface that seems to work well.

Anyway, I don't want to hype it as the greatest thing ever, since I'm not sure, but I thought some of y'all might like to be lab mice with me. (:

Also, StatSync seems to be a great tracker tool for stats...not to spy on your visitors. I like it. Helps me get a better view of hits and repeat hits.

Well, ta ta for now. Have a great evening!

..http://www.yuwie.com/yuwie.asp?r=3644">.. src="http://www.yuwie.com/images/banners/mb_banner.png" border="0">

http://www.statsync.com/r-100314_2

12:34 AM 
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July 20, 2007 - Friday 

Current mood:  drained

Hmmmm...that is soooo weird! Tomorrow came three days later this week! Sunspots, probably.

On to the links:

Attendio-musicians and music lovers.

Savannah Online-for all that love gorgeous vacation destinations.

"Midnight" Savannah Premiere-okay, this one is me just shamelessly showing off the article my mom wrote after we went to the premiere of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". I ran across it while organizing the links. (:

Komando.com, Website for The Kim Komando Radio Show®, Kim's Tips-computer advice/tips

VEGAS.com Hotel Search Results-one of my FAVORITE destinations.

Fandango - Box Office-love it

HandymanUSA -cool site

We Like The Moon - the Spongmonkeys try and cash in on the kittens' success - By Joel Veitch rathergood.com, song by Joel and...-okay, don't judge me...either you get their cuteness or you don't.

Well, there is round two. Hope you like them.

 

6:33 AM 
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July 17, 2007 - Tuesday 

Current mood:  cranky
3:16 AM 
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June 29, 2007 - Friday 

Current mood:  bouncy

Just for my blog readers, since you don't always come to my page...hmph!

 

 

 

I just love this concept. Hope you do as well.

8:29 AM 
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June 29, 2007 - Friday 

Current mood:  impressed

Happy Friday! Also, Happy birthday to my step-daughter, Allison! The big 12! (: 

Okay, to the topic:

Since this band has become popular so quickly (another viral success), this may not be news to some of you. But if you have not heard their version of "Hey Ya'", then I really think you are missing out.

They are in my top friends, but here is the link:

www.myspace.com/obadiahparker

Happy listening...

4:13 AM 
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June 29, 2007 - Friday 

Current mood:  amused

If I can save just one person...it will have been worth it...

 

Institute for Backup Trauma

 

:)

3:49 AM 
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June 26, 2007 - Tuesday 

Current mood:  excited

Hello my favorite people! Don't tell the others you are my favorites... (:

We are starting a newsletter! It will have several purposes and opportunities for all.

Promotion:

We will be promoting bands/artists/businesses that we see as having something outstanding about them. As I've stated before, I am interested in helping those determined and creative souls get a leg up! There will be a small fee for promotion, so the highest bidder is the most creative in my book...just kidding. If I actually had to pick a handful, I would be hard pressed to narrow it down. The amazing talent and drive in the people I've gotten to know is inspiring!

Information:

We will be including special links to information helpful to all the readers and featured people. Not like those crazy info links I tend to follow that are junk! Of course, that may be in the eye of the beholder... (:

Special Feature:

We will be including in all newsletters after the initial one, a featured entity. Depending on the categories in each newsletter of featured artists/bands/businesses, we will have 1-3 reader voted entities. In other words, each ad placed in each newsletter, will be voted on by the readers. The winner(s) will be featured, free of  charge, as a featured story in the following newsletter as reader's pick! You can post a link on your site to the newsletter to encourage your fans to vote for you!

As has happened with this business, I'm sure the newsletter will morph into the direction it is pulled. We will strive to keep it fresh and fun and useful.

Space in each newsletter will be limited (who wants an 80 page newsletter?), so send message asap. No, that wasn't a marketing ploy, just anxious to get it out there! The demand will be the determining factor on how often the news letter comes out. It should be launched within the week. Please feel free to send us a message with any questions or ideas, too!

For those of you that have been added as members to my new groups, http://groups.myspace.com/Biz4Biznetwork and http://groups.myspace.com/rockthevenue, you are killing me! I KNOW you all are clever and also have a ton of things to contribute to making them successful for all! So, what the...do you want me to cry? (shut up!) I hope it's not one of the misses in my ever wonderful ideas... (:

I hope you all are doing well, and I will talk to you soon.

4:38 PM 
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June 26, 2007 - Tuesday 
If any of you viewed the last post before it was fixed...I have more trouble posting blogs in MySpace! It is always a maddening thing. Oh well, glad I could fix it for a change.
7:41 AM 
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