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Greetings!
 Have you seen the recent trend of using hamsters in commercials? They use people dressed up like the cute, furry little rodents to represent people. They could just use regular people to represent people, but subliminally the hamster represents how far out of whack our society is when it comes to work.
It seems we're all on the proverbial hamster wheel of "work, chores, sleep, repeat" and that wheel spins further out of control each and every day - especially now that technology has advanced to the point where we can carry our work with us everywhere we go. So many of us are truly out of balance. Life? What life?
 The loss of my laptop in July got me to thinking about what's really important. And what should be a priority. That's why lately I've been thinking about my bucket list. Do you have one? Bucket lists, as you know, are very personal 'to do' lists. When we think bucket list, most of us think of travel. For sure "fill my passport" is one of the items on my own bucket list. I'd love to see Spain, Italy, Bali, Bangkok, Morocco, all of the Caribbean islands and the Mediterranean.
 After travel we think of things to do - take a ride in a hot air balloon, visit the Smithsonian, jump out of an airplane (been there, done that, check this one off), master the trapeze, raft down the Colorado River and do a long touristy weekend in New York are some of the items that fill my bucket list.
Activities, no matter what yours are, when completed, will mark your path through life in a positive way, but what about having goals that will enhance who you are as a human being?
 A bucket list should include all areas of your life, not just the extracurricular stuff. For example, have you considered adding items to your bucket list for each of these core areas?:
Work: Finding work that gives you a sense of fulfillment; being among the best in the world in your field; starting a location-independent business doing something you love
Family: Sharing your life with someone you love; having a healthy, happy child; spending lots of quality time with your spouse, family and friends.
Health: Having the energy and strength to do everything you want; to look and feel fit; to age well.
 Contributions: Committing some portion of your time each month to charitable activities like volunteering at a homeless shelter; mentoring a disadvantaged youth; collecting food for the local food bank.
Finances: Having multiple sources of passive income; having enough money to be able to finance your life goals; having a million dollar investment portfolio; retiring at the age of 50 or 60.
These are only examples - your own bucket list may vary greatly. It's never too late to add, change or modify the goals on your bucket list and therefore the direction of your life.
 Even though a hamster is cuter than a rat, they are both still rodents. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be stuck in anyone's rat race and I especially don't want to spend the best part of my life chasing my tail on a wheel that never stops. Step off the wheel and have some fun! This month's newsletter is full of ways to create a bucket list, save buckets of money and to help you make this life your best!===================================================
Executive Errands - helping to create a work/life balance by providing Concierge services to free up your life!
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Our Favorite Things...
Garage Sale Monkey
Is your closet, garage or (heaven forbid) storage unit overflowing with items you haven't used in over six months? A year? More??
 Would you like to turn them into cash but don't have time or don't want to organize a yard sale?
Well, now you can earn that cash without the work. Garage Sale Monkey is here, at your service.
Garage Sale Monkey will help you decide what should be sold at a garage or yard sale and what should be sold through an online auction house. They will do the research for old or unique items to recommend a retail value and they will even set up and host your garage sale or online auction, all at very affordable rates.
 Clearing your home of clutter and releasing the inanimate things you no longer need in your life will set you free in ways unimagined. "Stuff" can be emotionally suffocating, so let it go and earn some cash in the process.
Garage Sale Monkey - more fun than a bucket (or is that barrel?) of monkeys! And they don't monkey around when it comes to earning you cash!
["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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Singing in the Rain
 We don't get much rain here in the desert, but when we do, it can come in buckets. And when it does, our phone rings off the hook with homeowners in a panic either because their roof is leaking or because their yard is flooding.
This year, take a proactive approach to prevent excess water around your home.
We're offering a free roof inspection in the month of September. One call and we'll come out, check your roof for leaks, loose tiles or shingles, gaps around the vent pipes, or other points of potential water access. FREE. One call - that's all it takes to give yourself peace of mind and to avoid the last minute hassle of a leaky roof.
 Likewise, our landscaper is offering a free drainage inspection for the areas around your home. Our ground moves, soil settles, the wind blows away pea gravel, and our drains get clogged. Before you need to fill sandbags, let our landscaping service do an inspection to make sure the rain water will drain properly away.
If you take advantage of these two services, we're confident you'll be singing in the rain instead of sitting among the buckets. Gene Kelly would be proud.
Executive Errands - we care for your home like it is our own.
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Discounted Dollars
Name Brands for Less
 Do you like designer clothes, accessories and housewares, but hate the designer price tags?
We just found a great website where designer items are sold at drastically discounted prices.
Some examples:
--Burberry at 50% off
--Video game consoles and games at 40% off
--Sassybax at 60% off
--Prada at 30% off
--Ike Milano watches at 60% off
--Rockabye Baby Rockers at 50% off
--Movie DVDs at 40% off
--Tommy Hilfiger at 50% off
--Rock & Republic jeans (men & women) at 60% off
--Blac Label Pink Gangsta Accessories at 50% off
--Fendi handbags at 40% off
--Nicole Miller ties at 50% off
--Dolce & Gabbana at 30% off
 The list goes on and on. We just purchased a pair of fitness sneakers, the ones that are supposed to help your back and leg muscles, normally $100 for just $25.
Membership for this site is free and each day they email you a new set of sales. Items may be in select sizes only and sales last for only two days. Items sell out fast so you'll need to react quickly; however it is totally fun to check out the deals each morning.
 If you are interested in joining this site and potentially saving buckets of cash on your favorite designers, please email us at info@executive-errands.com and put 'designer' in the subject line. We'll immediately send you an individual referral invitation.
Executive Errands - we are a complete Personal Concierge service always searching for ways to save you time and money.
Note: Executive Errands is not affiliated with this discount designer site and makes no guarantees about its quality or services. |
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Planning Your Return
 Executive Errands recognizes that those of you who live here seasonally should be just about planning your return to the Desert.
So far, even with the heat wave this past few weeks, the summer has been relatively mild temperature-wise so hopefully that means we'll have an exceptionally lovely winter season.
One of the many tasks Executive Errands does is ready your home for your return. We can--stock the refrigerator --reset the thermostat --have the house cleaned and aired out --have your vehicle cleaned (if you keep one here) --give your golf cart the once over
--get your AC serviced
--change your smoke alarm batteries
--clean your carpet or tile floors
--clean the windows inside and out
--clean and place your patio furniture
--put out your patio cushions (and/or have them cleaned)
--get the cobwebs down and sweep up any bugs
--replace any dead plants on your patio
--put flowers in the house
In fact, there is no limit to what we can do or facilitate to make your return easy and smooth.
 If we don't already have your keys, yours may be sent via overnight delivery to a safe home location (rather than to our regular PO box) along with your 'to do' list for the home. It will be ship-shape and ready to go once you arrive.
Please remember, we never give your keys to anyone or leave them under a doormat. If a service provider needs access to your home, we let them in and lock up when they're done. Your keys are respected and we don't share them, ever.
Once you get back to the Desert and you're settled in, Executive Errands Concierge services are here to help simplify your life so that you may enjoy your time here this season. Your second home should be a place to relax, not just another house to manage.
Hourly rates vary by program plan and community. Referrals to our network of local, licensed and insured service providers are always free.
For more information or to give us your 'to do' list, please give us a call at 760.469.2487 or 760.898,9604 or by email at info@executive-errands.com
Welcome Back and Welcome Home! |
For Sticky Situations....Part Trois
 This is month three and the last of our summer-only column about the many practical (but perhaps little known) uses for WD-40.
Did you know there is a WD-40 fan club? Why? I don't know, but it's true. If you are seriously bored, check it out at www.mywd40.com for blogs, photos and videos. Practical uses 21-39 for WD-40 are:
--Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close
--Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers
--Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles
--Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans
 --Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons and bicycles for easy handling
--Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly
--Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools
--Removes splattered grease on stove
--Keeps the bathroom mirror from fogging
--Removes all traces of duct tape
 As this column comes to an end, keep the following words of wisdom close at hand:
If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40
If it does move and it shouldn't, use duct tape
For more information about Executive Errands please contact us at 760.898.9604 www.executive-errands.com |
New Services... Ghost Writer
Do you need new website copy, a proposal written, a newsletter or an article, but find yourself staring at a blank page, unable to get the words out?
 Then maybe you need a Ghost Writer - someone who can translate your 'chunks' of ideas into a cohesive and logical body of text.
We now offer Ghost Writing services. Give us a call and we'll discuss what you need and we'll come up with either an hourly or a project cost depending on the scope of work.
Together, we'll create something you can call your own.
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Living Your Life In This Moment...
 Way too many of us work ourselves to death, leaving the fun things to 'later'. With cell phones, the Internet, and laptops we can take our office anywhere and often find ourselves working not only 8-5, but sometimes 24/7.
You know what they say about all work and no play... Enter Groupon - a discount event service that makes enjoying your life so much easier.
Like the clothing designer discounts above, it is free to join Groupon and they email you a discount service every day.
 The closest city to us is San Diego but you can check deals for other cities easily (there is a link at the top of the website that says 'other cities). If you don't live here, you can set the city closest to you as your 'home'.
What would you like to do? What's on your bucket list? Sample deals from Groupon this month included:
--Four hour rock climbing introduction including guide and gear for only $55 (regularly $180)
--Four pole dancing lessons for only $35 (regularly $132)
--Two day sailing 101 class in Coronado for just $99 (regularly $249)
--Flying Trapeze class for you and a friend for just $49 (regularly $120)
--Speed Boat tour for two, where you're driving a 30 hp mini speedboat for just $55 (regularly $118)
--Three hour cooking class and wine tasting for just $19 (regularly $50)
--Eight laps in a Nascar with instruction for only $160 (regularly $369 - this one wasn't in San Diego but it's on my bucket list so had to share it)
 Groupon makes it easy to add some fun to your life without breaking your bank account. And Groupon fits perfectly with our Concierge services because we can take care of your errands and chores while you go have some fun.
By the way, we emailed Groupon to ask they add the Palm Springs area to their program so we can take advantage of local deals. We have our fingers crossed that happens soon.
For more information or to sign up, please visit www.groupon.com
760.898.9604 www.executive-errands.com
Executive Errands is not affiliated with Groupon and makes no guarantees about its quality or services. |
 Mark your calendars - the Annual Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade is Sunday, October 31, 2010 and as always will be parading down El Paseo boulevard. This year's theme is "Halloween Extravaganza!"
This will be the fourth year in a row Executive Errands has provided the Concierge service for the VIP Reserved Row box seats.
To reserve your seat, to enter a golf cart or for more information, please contact Katie at katie@pdcc.org or 760.346.6111
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(CHANGE OF VENUE NOTICE!!! The SI-CC-RM Fall Fashion Show will now be held at the Westin in Rancho Mirage.)
 The Cathedral City-Rancho Mirage (CC-RM) Soroptimist Club's annual Fall Fashion Show and Fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the beautiful Westin in Rancho Mirage.
Soroptimist, for those of you who may not be familiar, is a charity devoted to helping women and girls.
All the funds the CC-RM Club raises goes to the House of Hope in Desert Hot Springs and other local charities.
Please mark your calendars to attend this very special and enjoyable event. The theme is Holidays in the Desert and in addition to the Fashion Show, there will be fashion related raffles plus unexpected and exciting Live Auction items .
Also, our Soroptimist club will be honoring Maggie Montez, President of the Sheltering Sisters Auxiliary, an extension of Shelter From the Storm. Maggie is our Ruby Award recipient (formally our Women Helping Women award) and we are very excited to be recognizing her for the great work she does on behalf of battered women in the desert.
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 It is constantly amazing how quickly the time flies. Here it is already September, the kids started school this week, Labor day is right around the corner and then we'll be focused on the upcoming holidays. Is it just me or does the time go by faster and faster?
If for no other reason than the time does go by in barely a blink of an eye, it is imperative that we constantly reevaluate our lives, the kind of person we want to be, how we can make a difference in our community and to make time to fit in those people, activities and goals that will make us feel like the short time we have on this earth is full and rewarding.
 The most valuable commodity there is, is time. The only way to create more is to outsource your tasks and that's how we can make a difference in your life. Let Executive Errands free up your time so you may do the things you love (and those on your bucket list).
Please visit our website at www.executive-errands.com to view our client testimonials, then give us a call. We're always here for you.
Have a Safe and Happy Labor Day weekend!
760.469.2487
We value our clients' privacy. Therefore we do not, nor will we ever, distribute your email address to anyone. Ever.
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