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| Greetings!
 Today I hit a golf ball!! Not just hit it, but got AIR! Hallelujah! Ok, so this might not seem particularly profound here in the Land-Of-Golf-Course-Oz where golf is second only to breathing, but to me, seeing that ball fly through the air was a cause for celebration. Perhaps you will appreciate the magnitude of this daring feat if I give you a little history.
You see, I have a mental block when it comes to golf. Oh, I have a decent short game. I can read the green fairly well and can putt better than most beginners, but  when it comes to driving - well, here, let me give you a visual:
Imagine, if you will, the head of the club connecting with the ball in an awkward, stunted fashion, then the ball skipping sideways across the driving range like a pebble on a pond. It is truly pathetic - and that's assuming I didn't whiff it in the first place.
And before you start thinking, "Aw, she's just being hard on herself", consider this: I have taken lessons several times over the last ten years. I even took a three day boot camp that boasted 'we can teach ANYONE to play'. Uh huh, at the end of the third day, the golf Pro said 'well, um, this boot camp isn't really for true beginners - it's for people looking to improve their technique'. Ah. Great. Thanks. And despite all the lessons, I still couldn't hit the ball so it resembled anything close to being a drive down the fairway.
Why the mental block? I really don't know. There are lots of other arguably more  difficult things I've mastered in my lifetime. I can steer an airplane with my feet. I can throw a dart and hit the target. I am wicked good at shuffleboard. I've even been dubbed the 'Spares Queen' in bowling. But give me a stick and a dimpled ball and I become Pinocchio - wooden, clumsy and disjointed.
So what made a difference now? And why do I keep trying? Well, first of all, I finally found the perfect (for me) teacher. A PGA Pro named Geoff Dean. Geoff broke the process down into segments small enough that even my analytical brain could understand. He is patient and observant and takes the time to explain the why and how and what it takes to do it better without being condescending. And in our first session, he got me to hit that ball! I am ecstatic!
The lesson in all this is you should never give up on what you want. I don't have  illusions of grandeur - I just want to be able to play a decent round of golf where I can have fun and not embarrass myself. Would it be easier just to say golf isn't for me and forget about it? Sure. Would I be less of a person if I never played? Of course not.
But when faced with a mental block in any area of your life, you should embrace it, not run away. When things (life, situations, tasks) get difficult, you are being given an opportunity to be creative, to find a better way, to persevere.
 It doesn't matter if it is something simple, like learning a new sport, or something complicated, like starting your own business, or even something really challenging, like climbing out of debt; no matter what you endeavor to do, once you make a commitment, you should follow through no matter how long it takes.
Because when you do, when you finally achieve success, the sense of accomplishment that comes from hard work, tenacity, passion and perseverance is unparalleled. And who knows? When you  finally break through that mental block, when you finally 'do' the thing you've failed at so many times before, you might just find yourself standing on a driving range somewhere, jumping up and down like a fool screaming HOORAY, I DID IT!
For more information about Executive Errands,
please visit our website
www.executive-errands.com
or call us today at 760.469.2487 |
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Word For The Month "Efflorescence"
Wow, that's a mouthful - efflorescence.
 Efflorescence is an intransitive verb meaning to form or be covered with a powdery crust, i.e. like the white salt crystals that form on bricks and concrete when water makes its way from the ground beneath to the air above. Left untreated, efflorescence can pit and erode your masonry finishes.
A source of aggravation to homeowners who want to keep their concrete and bricks looking new, efflorescence used to be a real problem. Old treatments temporarily removed the salt deposits, but ended up sealing the surface which trapped the water and led to crumbling or other damage.
One of our Service Providers, Floor Ever, removes existing efflorescence and  uses sealers that are not commercially available to the general public. These sealers have a high solids content that alter the surface tension and prevent water from entering the concrete yet still allows water vapor transmission by allowing the concrete to breathe.
By keeping the surface porous in this way, the water vapor can escape, but the salt  cannot which stops the efflorescence permanently. An added benefit of this new solution is that it repels water and oil based stains, thus helping to maintain the look of your concrete and brick for years to come.
To learn more about this process or to receive a quote for efflorescence removal, please contact Jim Hartman at Floor Ever
jhartx2@aol.com or 760.578.7339
Executive Errands. 760.469.2487 www.executive-errands.com |
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Our Favorite Things
It's Not Just A Game
This month we have two interconnected and golf-related Favorite Things to share with you.
1) We have to recommend PGA Golf Pro  Geoff Dean as the one to see if you're just starting out or if you want to improve your golf game. Geoff's resume is too long (and impressive) to list here but if you would like to read it, it may be found at
http://www.silverrock.org/geoffdean.html
2) We fell in love with SilverRock Golf Course, set against the beautiful La Quinta mountains at Avenue 50. The city's first municipal golf course, it is also one of the hosts for the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
Every single person there, from the Pro Shop to the Grille to the Valets to the Cart Girls - every single person embodies good customer service and are extremely pleasant.
 Take the time to visit SilverRock - Even if you don't have time for a full day of golf, it's a great spot for lunch where you can sit on the patio and bask in the magnificence of the mountains. Either way, we hope you'll enjoy both Geoff and SilverRock!
Contact information:
["Our Favorite Things" gives us an opportunity to share people, places, events and things that we truly love and that you might too. We have no business affiliation with any company or individual featured here. We just want to share good things with you and if our recommendations help build business for someone else or saves you time or money, GREAT!!!]
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Absentee Home Check Service
Many of you have already scheduled a date to leave the Desert. Or if you stay year 'round, you may know someone who doesn't. This year, it's more important than ever to sign up for Executive Errands Absentee Home Check service.
 Reports of vandalism are on the rise. We know of two homeowners who, after being away for six months, found their entire home had been emptied. The vandals pulled up in a moving van and, with all the volatility in the housing market, the neighbors didn't give it a second thought.
And while Executive Errands can't prevent an incident like the one above, having us in your home weekly will help keep life in the home to distract wayward eyes and, at a minimum, will allow for the detection of vandalism while the trail is still warm.
Our Absentee Home Checklist is long and detailed, but we don't just stop there. We monitor your pool cleaner and gardeners to  make sure they're doing what they are supposed to while you're away. We work with your pest control service to provide interior home access. We check your golf cart to help keep the batteries alive. And we can provide the services necessary to maintain your home - housekeeping, windows, AC checks, carpet cleaning and so much more.
When you have remodeling work scheduled, whether its with one of our Service  Providers or your own, there's no need to give out multiple key copies which then are difficult to control. Your keys are safe with us - one set, one contact person, one phone call gets it all done.
And, as an Executive Errands client, you have access to our services 24/7 - A dedicated personal assistant on call to help no matter where you live during the Summer.
Executive Errands provides exemplary service at a reasonable cost. Starting at  just $27.50 per week, you get an Absentee Home Check service that goes beyond the usual, regular and customary. And because we take Visa, AMEX and Master Card, you have no invoices to pay.
Call Executive Errands today to get your Absentee Home Check service started and Let us help Free Up Your Life!!!!
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Service Provider Spotlight
PC-Assist/MAC-Assist
How many times has your computer acted up and you didn't know what to do or how to fix it?
Our newest Service Provider, PC-Assist/MAC-Assist provides support for home and office clients including:
- onsite repairs & upgrades
- virus removal
- file transfers to new computers
- software & network installation and configuration
- conference call recording and editing
- web design
- PDA assistance
PC-Assist/MAC-Assist, like all our Service  Providers, is insured, responsive and provides excellent customer service.
For more information please visit
Executive Errands strives to bring you the very best in insured Service Providers. For computer support or for anything you need, we are just a phone call away.
760.469.2487
www.executive-errands.com |
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BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament
March 9-22, 2008
Night Life, Net Style
It's finally here!
 The Indian Wells Tennis Gardens is still offering a premium package to friends of Executive Errands. This package allows you to choose between Courtside and Stadium Box Seats for an evening session of your choice and includes dinner for two in our exclusive Garden Club and VIP parking.
This VIP package starts at $85 per person (minimum of 2).
For more information or to reserve your  package, contact Melanie Hinrichs at 760.200.8420 or mhinrichs@iwtg.net - Please tell Melanie you saw the promotion here!
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Enhance Your Living Environment
Are you thinking of remodeling? So many of the Country Club communities restrict large remodeling projects until the Summer months so now is the time to plan that big project.
 More and more of our homeowners, in response to the weak housing market, are electing to enhance their existing home environment with improved patios, room additions, upgraded features, a new pool or water feature, and room layout changes.
And because so many of our full time residents are taking 'Staycations' rather than traveling for vacation, we're seeing an  influx of fun amenities like home theaters, outdoor kitchens, game room additions and the like.
Executive Errands can support all of these projects - both big and small - with our broad array of Service Providers.
We have general contractors and  handymen. We have specialized services like garage door replacement (or repair), appliance install, flooring and window treatments, painters, electricians, plumbers,landscape design, pool/spa design and construction, stone and masonry preventative care or restoration, and home theater setup.
Executive Errands is your one-stop-shop for all things home and convenience-related. Our Service Provider network contains only insured companies who are dedicated to providing the same level of Customer Service we do.
If you'd like direct access to our Service  Providers, please visit our website at www.executive-errands.com and click on the Contractors button.
If you're one of our clients, this service is Free. If not, just $14.95 gets you a referral to a proven company. Using our Service Provides, rather than on a random pick could even save you money in the long run!
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Coachella Valley Boys & Girls Club
Grand Auction
March 14, 2009
The Coachella Valley was one of the last frontiers of the Wild, Wild West and that is the theme of this year's Boys & Girls Club of Coachella Valley Grand Auction.
 Scheduled for March 14th at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in lovely Indian Wells, this event is always a highlight of the Spring season.
Please join us as we help raise funds for the Smilow Family Teen Center. Hosted cocktails and Silent Auction begin at 5 pm followed by Dinner and the eagerly anticipated Live Auction.
Executive Errands and the Indian Wells  Tennis Gardens have donated to the auction four box seats for any evening session at the BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament (retail value $2000).
Get out your boots and cowboy hat - it's going to be a Wild evening! For reservations, please contact Lucy Fox at lfox@bgcofcv.org or 760.836.1160 ext. 101
Please view the Auction blog at www.bgcofcv.blogspot.com
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| Oops - Correction!
Last month we gave the wrong website for Southwest Plumbing. The correct website is www.southwestplumbinginc.com
Our apologies if you were misdirected!
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The Fruits of Your Labor - Painlessly Making a Difference!
 Do you have fruit trees laden with citrus that you'll never be able to eat? In addition to taking bags into the office to share in the breakroom, why not donate your excess fruit to a local Food Bank?
One we especially like is Hidden Harvest. Located in Indio, Hidden Harvest is a fresh produce recovery program that employs low cost farm workers to rescue produce left over in the fields after harvest.
On a visit to the Palm Desert Visitor's  Center last week, I noticed there were Hidden Harvest bins outside to collect extra fruit. Upon further investigation, it turns out that Hidden Harvest has drop off collection locations in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells in addition to the one in Palm Desert. Their goal is to collect 1 Million pounds of fruit this year so let's help them!
Hidden Harvest collects the fruit three times per week, sorts it, packs it into boxes and then delivers it, free of charge to about 60 agencies throughout the Coachella Valley. Feeding the hungry is always a worthwhile endeavor.
Don't let your fruit spoil! Hidden Harvest drop off locations are convenient and you'll be making a huge difference for many people.
or call 760.398.8183
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 As human beings, we only use 10% of our brain capacity. That means we have an amazing potential for learning and are able to consciously choose how we channel our efforts.
Life spins by so quickly, we should eagerly grasp any opportunity for new experiences, to make a difference in this world, and to promote charity, kindness and compassion not only to each other but also for our planet.
It is through the excitement of learning  something new, of mastering a new concept, that we add joy and a sense of accomplishment into our lives.
Patanjali (c. 1st to 3rd century BC) the compiler of the Yoga Sutras said,
"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds; your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be."
So whether you're inspired to learn a new sport, to tackle a home improvement project, to volunteer for charity work or to otherwise expand your knowledge in some small way, know that the biggest reward will come in your ability to be more than you are right now.
 Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Sincerely,
Leslie Spoor 
760.469.2487 |
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Are you a Realtor? These 2-hr gift certificates are offered to anyone who buys a home. They are addressed to your client specifically and include your name as the person from whom the gift certificate originates. It also includes a 'congratulations on your new home' message.
