|
|
|
Greetings!
Last week my new computer went all wonky. ("Wonky" is  a technical term and does not; in any way refer to either Willy Wonka of Chocolate Factory fame or any of his heirs). Out of the blue it was sluggish, windows were 'not responding', there was massive heat coming out of the vents and in general it did not seem to want to work.
[Forgive me for pointing out that those characteristics sound a lot like menopausal symptoms.]
Now don't forget, I just bought this computer a couple of months ago, so initially I was thinking - oh rats, I got a lemon. However, since I know a little something about software and the inner workings of computers, it wasn't too long before I realized my anti-virus software was using up ALL of my computer resources, thus making everything else impossible to run. Weird.
 What causes software to just blowup like that? How can it be fine one day and a nightmare the next? (Am I making yet more menopausal mood swing analogies? What's up with that?).
In the end I uninstalled the offending antivirus software and installed free AVG antivirus, then ran a computer optimization protocol and holy moly! This thing now runs like it has wings. Whooooshhhhhh every application screams, they're so fast. Love it!!
Here is the point I want to make: It's always something. It could be that your car breaks down or your home is burglarized or that your electrical power is out for an entire day or that you're doing your best to turn over a healthy leaf but the holidays are upon us with all its tasty treat temptations - whatever it is, there is always something going on.
 | | A happy path... |
We can be traveling along our happy path when suddenly an issue will pop up and we find ourselves derailed, sometimes flailing around in a sea of chocolate....er, confusion. (chocolate wouldn't be so bad yum)
Bad things happen but it's when you allow yourself to become frantic or agitated or, heaven forbid, wallow in the misery of the moment, that these surprise issues may seem insurmountable.
But, if you take them as they come, don't get all worked up and methodically figure out how to resolve them, they tend to lose their power.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
 | | Hoopa Loompa |
Most of us go about our daily lives trying really hard to keep everything in order and attempting to maintain some sort of balance; basically trying to keep a bunch of hula hoops going at once. As adults our hula hoops are defined as jobs, family, friends, health, community responsibilities, chores, errands ... the list goes on and on.
The truth is we can't control everything, and we probably wouldn't be any good at it if we could! But we can control our responses to unexpected situations and we can use our problems as opportunities to learn and to grow.
These are the times when we find our inner reserve of strength that was actually there all along. We discover more of who we really are, and what we're really capable of accomplishing.
 | | Eat? Don't Eat? |
When we take each problem or new situation independent of the rest of our lives, most of the time our options (even the solutions) are more clearly evident; thus minimizing the effect of the problem on our life as a whole.
And at the end of the day, what really matters anyway? The fact your home is burglarized or how quickly your children respond to help? The fact your car broke down or the friends who called to make sure you had a ride?
We're all crazy busy which makes it difficult to maintain perspective. Yes, my wonky computer gave me a few days of aggravation and fits. So much so that initially I was ready to throw it in the trash, chalking it up to buying a substandard product.
 But when I slowed down and thought about it in a logical fashion, I knew immediately where to look for the problem. In short order that problem was identified and the solution was obvious. Voila! Less than an hour later, the computer ran like new!
Don't let the daily grind of surprise issues and problems derail your happy path. Maintain your perspective about the true priorities of your life and you'll find the golden ticket that leads to your own happily ever after.
==============================================
Let Executive Errands help keep your hula hoops in the air - delegate your errands and chores to us today! www.executive-errands.com 760.469.2487 or 760.898.9604 |
Our Favorite Things...
Toys for Tots
We're rapidly approaching the holiday season and there is nothing better in the whole world than making life better for someone less fortunate than yourself.  Every year we do something for families who are struggling and especially for those with children. Some years we've sponsored a whole family, in other years we've plucked children's names off trees for individual gifts, in still others we've donated toys around town in Toys for Tots bins.
This year we've been helping a client plan their Holiday party and they wanted to include a Toys for Tots campaign so we said 'sure' and started searching for a local Toys for Tots contact. Believe it or not contacting Toys for Tots is not as easy as it might seem!
They are a big organization with collection contacts all around the Country. Finally, after at least a half dozen phone calls, return calls and redirected calls, we found the right people for the Desert.
If you would like to organize a Toys for Tots campaign, you can call First Sergeant O'Toole or Captain Nunez at 760.830.0968  Or, if you want, you can go to their website at Toys for Tots then click on 'tell us about your event' and you can request a Marine presence or toy boxes or pickups. Once your event is confirmed you will receive an email confirmation notice. It's simple and a great way to help kids. Toys for Tots - one of our favorite things!
["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!!!] |
|
New Services - Room Redesign
The holidays are now imminent. For us, November 1st kicks off two months of parties, too much food and lots of time with loved ones.
 | | Before & After |
Most of these parties are done at home and when you bring friends and family into your home you want it to be warm and inviting. However, for some of us the idea of redecorating is financially out of the question.
Enter our newest Service Provider who will take your own possessions and, by using a little creativity and some magic will provide a quick and resourceful redesign of your home or office.
Their services include interior redesign, creating children's rooms that will grow with your child, professional shopping, occupied home staging and staging for vacant or occupied spaces.
 | | Two Befores & Afters |
We especially love how your own furniture and accessories are used to create a whole new look for practically pennies.
If you are getting ready to sell your home, our Service Provider has 26 years of real estate sales experience so she can help you stage and depersonalize your property.
As you ready your home for the holidays consider a quick and easy redesign of your favorite living or entertaining space. It will be fresh and inviting and ready for all your friends and family! |
|
'Tis the Season
It's that time again - our association managers are in the midst of budgets and Board meetings.
 As you work on your budget, now is the time to take a look at your holiday decorating for NEXT year. Yes, I know, that sounds crazy - many of you are in the middle of installing this year's decor.
But new decorations require new budgets and/or additional funds for activities like electrical modifications; swap over to leasing versus owning; L.E.D versus incandescent; strike and storage. There are so many options.
If you think you might like to update, modify, replace or change your holiday decor, please contact us to schedule a property walk during the last week of the year.
That  way you'll have talking points as you review this year's decor versus what you might like for next year.
It makes the design process far more efficient and cost effective and allows you to create a realistic budget for holiday decor.
For more information or to schedule a property walk, please contact us at at 760.469.2487 or by email at info@executive-errands.com |
|
New Services - Elder Care
 One service we haven't offered in the past is personal care in the form of showering/bath assistance, oral hygiene, dressing services or toiletry needs.
Over the years, we've had many requests for these types of services for elderly parents or other family members who, while still ambulatory, may benefit from some daily assistance. Or perhaps they're convalescing from surgery or after a fall. Either way, there is some amount of delicate assistance required.
We love the elderly so it always pained us to say 'no, we don't offer that type of service'.
Now we can say 'yes'. After searching for quite some time, we've finally found the perfect Service Provider we can refer. This new provider has been in the desert offering these types of services for the last 30 years. They are properly licensed and insured and offer elder personal care at an affordable rate.
 If you or a loved one needs daily assistance - perhaps as simple as morning dressing or nightly showers or reminders to take medications - Executive Errands can help.
Please contact us for a referral today. Our Service Provider offers Live In, Certified Nurses Aides, and Orderly support services and they accept long term care insurance.
They can transport for doctor's visits and in every way they respect and protect the dignity of your family members.
|
|
Don't Let Water Ruin Your Return
 This last month we heard about two more homeowners who left the Desert for the summer and who didn't have absentee home checks.When they returned for the season they discovered their homes were flooded. It breaks our heart to hear that.
Our position is - and has been since we first started this company - that absentee home checks should be performed weekly.
We advocate for weekly checks because, even though we can't prevent a problem like flooding from occurring, we can certainly identify it at the earliest opportunity and thus help to minimize the damage and cost impact.  The desert climate is harsh. Just because you've been leaving your home unattended for the last X years without problems just means you've been lucky. However, it only takes one problem to ruin everything you've built here and it will cost more than you can possibly imagine. Is it really worth the risk?
Not only can we do the weekly absentee home checks, but having a Concierge account lets you leave a key with a local company which then gives you peace of mind should there be an emergency, if you need tasks performed or if you want something delivered.
Whether you'll be gone for a few days or several months, Executive Errands cares for your home like it is our own.  We know you just got back to town and leaving for the summer is the furthest thing from your mind right now. But please, make a note on your calendar to contact us sometime in January or February so you can meet us and we can discuss your absentee home care needs. And please don't forget - if you do come home to a flood or any sort of water damage, remember we have services to dry up the water, repair the drywall, repaint the walls - we can do it all! For more information or to schedule an in-home visit, please call us at 760.469.2487 or 760.898.9604 or by email at info@executive-errands.com |
"If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done." Dale Carnegie
 We love the difficult requests! Last month one of our customers called up on Tuesday and said 'we want Satellite TV installed and running ALL channels and especially all the pay sports channels by the time we arrive on Friday - can you do that for us?'. Of course we said yes.
If you've ever contacted a Satellite TV company you know they usually say they'll schedule an appointment somewhere a week or two from now and in a window of 'between 8 am and never'. Seriously.
Our client's new system was installed, up and running by end of day on Thursday!  How were we able to do it so quickly? Because we have a Satellite and Cable certified partner in our network.
The tradeoff to being able to install Satellite and Cable quickly is that you have to pay for the work to be done. Often Satellite and Cable companies will advertise their installations as 'free' but that is not always the case. By the time you find out the installation isn't free, the technician is already at your home and you've probably wasted the better part of the day waiting for him so you just say 'go ahead'.  Still, it can be a surprise to learn how much time it takes to properly install these systems (which get more complicated by the day with all the new electronics and home theater configurations).So why should you use Executive Errands instead of waiting for the Satellite or Cable company? Because not only can we get to it quicker, but we may be able to help minimize your account costs. The ROI on the installation of a new home theater, cable or satellite system may be much less than you think! Don't forget we can assist with trouble shooting and even simple tasks, like programming remote controls. We're here for you when you need us!
============================================
If you think you have an impossible task, give us a try - we'll see if we can turn your impossibility into reality.
|
Speaking of Satellite television - don't forget we can install Canadian television in your home here!
 Yes, it's true. If you have an existing Telus or Star Choice account, we can set up your home with one or more Canadian televisions and you can enjoy both US and Canadian channels in no time. You will need to bring us the hardware - a 75 meter dish with amplifier and however many receivers (HD DVR or plain HD - you can have up to six) and we'll get you hooked up right away. Cost to install Canadian Satellite television? Typical installations can run as little as $300-$400 plus the cost of the coax cable.  And we aren't forgetting our US clients either. If you have a second home here and have Satellite or cable television at your primary residence, we may be able to add receivers to your existing account. Executive Errands - making sure you have the best in entertainment options!
=============================================
For more information about either or both of these services, please contact us at 760.898.9604 or 760.469.2487 www.executive-errands.com |
October Event Recap
The Palm Desert B2B Expo at Fantasy Springs on Oct 8 was a huge success. We had a record amount of visits to our booth and met some really wonderful people.  We used our car as our centerpiece which was fun not only because it was different, but it also made setup and teardown a snap.We had a gorgeous (and huge)basket to give away. It was full of Executive Errands logo items and also contained delicious treats such as smoked salmon, chocolate covered almonds, meats and cheeses. The winner of our basket was Ms. Christina Garza, the Human Resources Manager for ORR Builders. Congratulations Christina! We really had a great time doing this event and want to send a shout out to the Palm Desert Chamber staff - especially Andy Mueller - who were so organized and efficient pre, during and post event. Thank you!! ============================================= For the fourth year in a row, Executive Errands provided the Concierge service for the VIP Seating section at the Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade.
 | | Scrubs with our logo |
This year the event (which is always held on the last Sunday in October) fell on Halloween so the golf carts were especially festive and there were more than 80 entries in the parade this year.
All eight of our Concierge volunteers dressed up in hospital scrubs and stethoscopes to offer medic-delightful service to our VIP parade viewers. We got them to cheer and laugh and hopefully added to their enjoyment of the parade.
Together, Executive Errands and Costco (co sponsors of the VIP section) created goodie bags and handed out Trick or Treat surprises to all our VIPs.
This event, like the B2B Expo, was great fun and we look forward to supporting it for years to come.
|
 THIS IS IT! It's right around the corner! Have you RSVP'd?The Cathedral City-Rancho Mirage (CC-RM) Soroptimist Club Fall Fashion Show and Fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the beautiful Westin in Rancho Mirage. All the funds the CC-RM Club raises goes to the House of Hope in Desert Hot Springs and other local charities.
Some highlights for this year's event:
--Patrick Evans of CBS2 news is our emcee --New fall fashions are provided by Coldwater Creek --Maggie Montez, VP at CBRE, is our Ruby Award honoree
--Our 12 live auction 'packages' are based on the 12 Days of Christmas and contain over $14,000 worth of merchandise, products and gift certificates. They are so full of great items, you may want to bid with a friend and split the packages. --The door prize is a multi-day Big Bear retreat for 4 including lift tickets and is valued at $1,650 and if you prepay your registration, you receive TWO tickets, two chances to win! --There are only 6 giveaway prizes - all fashion related and each of them is valued at $200 or more - tickets are 6 for $20
--The table favors have a retail value of over $15 each --The table centerpieces are gorgeous lighted glass block packages - and you can buy a chance to win one for just $10
--The cost for this event is a very reasonable $55
|
|
|
|
|
|
 I had a crush on Gene Wilder when I was young. I know, he was not a likely candidate for a teen crush especially when the likes of Davy Jones and David Cassidy were ruling Teen Beat covers, but I have always had a weak spot for humor and Mr. Wilder provided a goodly share of it.
That meant Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was one of my most favorite movies. As an adult looking back, that movie is full of solid lessons about life.
To make sure he found just the right child, Mr. Wonka threw down challenges and tested each child paying particular attention to each one's weaknesses.
 Sometimes he came across as mean or aloof, but each test was designed to tell him about the child's character (or that of his/her parents).
All Mr. Wonka was trying to do was to find someone to care for his legacy - his factory, his candies and most importantly, his beloved oompa loompas.
In the end, Charlie was the best fit - honest, unfazed by greed or gluttony or shiny new gadgets. He just loved the factory and all that it represented.
 Like Willy Wonka, Life throws challenges at us. It is not always kind or fair or even reasonable. But as long as we take each challenge in stride, everything always works out exactly the way it is supposed to.
So this Thanksgiving, remember to be grateful for all the good in your life and nurture the true priority - your relationships with your family, your friends, your clients and your colleagues.
Have a wonderful November!
760.469.2487
We value our clients' privacy. Therefore we do not, distribute your email address to anyone, ever.
|
|
|
