Posted by BrendaTX on 1/27/05 11:47am
Msg #18396
New Notary Questions
Isn't it interesting that the following appears when you click "new message"
Important Notice
If you are going to ask a question, please consider consulting the Search feature before doing so. Many questions have been asked and answered repeatedly on this forum by expert notaries: Should I buy a laser printer? • What are e-docs? • What is a signing agent? • How much should I charge? • How do I get started? Answers to questions like these are just a few clicks away!
| Reply by Kimberly Crowe on 1/27/05 12:12pm
Msg #18415
If one is too lazy to search the forum, one also may be too lazy to read importance notices. (just a thought) 
| Reply by BrendaTX on 1/27/05 12:15pm
Msg #18420
Or....like me "one who is so busy thinking she knows it all" that she misses some of these *Important Notices* on occasion. Humility is something I am well-acquainted with as an NSA...Every month, just when I think I am "good" I find out, I have a whole lot to learn.
| Reply by CarolynCO on 1/27/05 6:23pm
Msg #18459
And also too lazy to read a post, sometimes only 3 posts down, that answers the same question.
| Reply by Paul-CA on 1/27/05 12:15pm
Msg #18419
Is that new? Don't recall having seen it before (not that my ability to recall would have any bearing on the truth) ...
If so, that's at least a small step in the right direction. Is a FAQ page on the horizon?
[In strict accordance with the 11th (aka the Brenda Exodus Addendum)] Please? and Thank you?
| Reply by BrendaTX on 1/27/05 1:05pm
Msg #18430
Gentle Readers: PLEASE read.
Paul-CA is a long post reader...so am I. And, I am a long post writer. So is he. Neither of us heretofore made significant note of the *Important Notice.*
I think we are both full of ourselves.
THANK YOU! Yes, thank you...for letting me laugh at myself...and at Paul-CA.
(Thank you, Paul, for not getting mad at me for joking at your at expense, as well as at my own. I find it is always better to laugh at myself, thank you, before others do...so...please say you have a sense of humor. And, did I say "thank you?")
| Reply by CarolynCO on 1/27/05 6:26pm
Msg #18460
I personally don't believe a FAQ section will help. I've noticed on other notary forums that have a FAQ section, the same questions that are asked over and over on NotRot are asked over and over on the others, as well.
| Reply by Paul-CA on 1/27/05 7:29pm
Msg #18468
Carolyn, I believe that a FAQ, when done correctly, does help. At the very least, when someone new to the forum posts a question that is already answered in the FAQ it makes telling them how to find the answer much easier:
"Subject: READ THE FAQ PAGE n/m"
Or Brendalized:
"Subject: Please read the FAQ page before posting on this forum and let me be the first to welc"
(Sorry, Brenda -- not enough room in the subject line to fit that "welcome y'all") (grin)
To FAQ or not to FAQ ...
To be worth the effort, it needs to be done correctly AND the forum community needs to support it (i.e., if you answer the inevitable "How do I get started?" question with anything other than "Read the FAQ page" then you've only encouraged the next person to expect a personalized response).
A good FAQ page shouldn't just be a list of questions linked to small "canned" answers. It should begin with short suggestions for using the forum, stating early and often the golden rules:
"Before posting a question, a) make sure it's not already answered in this FAQ, b) make sure you've attempted to find an answer using the forum's Search facility, c) please include your state abbreviation in your name so no one inadvertantly gives you information that doesn't apply to your situation, ..."
The FAQ page isn't just a place to answer questions, it's an opportunity to welcome someone into the community and to tell them how this community works -- to give them the DOs and DON'Ts that are going to result in them getting the most from what's offered here.
(As aside, I personally don't think it's effective to give advice to newcomers that no one on this forum would actually do themselves. I'm referring here to the oft-said: "Read ALL the posts in this forum." There are over 18,000 posts here, probably 20% of which are friendly chatter and 50% are variations on "Read ALL the posts in this forum" and/or repeat answers to repeat questions. Of what's left, there is a wealth of information but, in truth, the forum software used here makes it very difficult to navigate through them. If you haven't, recently, try reading through all of the messages on an old page (say, from 6 months ago) and time yourself. Do you really think it's reasonable to ask someone to go through that exercise about another 700 times???)
If this forum had a FAQ that provided short answers, each followed by lots of links to additional information (including to message threads that address the question) it would be a useful tool.
Oops ..., I've used up my word limit for toda
| Reply by CarolynCO on 1/28/05 9:53am
Msg #18529
Re: Feedback
Paul,
Since you feel so strongly about this, you should actually be posting Harry in the "Notary Talk - Feedback" forum and not the "General Discussion" forum.
**Feedback
This forum should be used to offer suggestions to the Notary Rotary staff. If there's a feature you'd really like to see, let us know and we'll take it into consideration **
| Reply by Paul-CA on 1/28/05 11:02am
Msg #18548
Re: Feedback
Carolyn,
Thanks. I imagine he's already aware of it. Maybe he's just waiting to see if there's enough interest in the idea?
To date, I haven't seen any substantial support for the idea. I half suspect that there are many regular forum members here who rather enjoy the drama of this love/hate newbie dance. Perhaps the absence of a FAQ page is only really irritating to those of us who have recently arrived here and are making an honest attempt to utilize the contents of this forum as a learning tool. Wading through thousands of newbie bashing/coddling messages to find pieces of useful information gets really old, really fast.
Paul
| Reply by ColleenCA on 1/28/05 12:42pm
Msg #18573
Re: Feedback
Paul, I couldn't agree with you more! I tried looking back through all of the threads, and although some were helpful, more were of the "drama of the love/hate" type. Looking through as many threads as I could, I didn't find any that answered some of my "newbie" questions. I am afraid to ask these questions now, as maybe someone will tell me that back in 2003 that question had been asked and answered, and I will have somehow overlooked it in my research. I think a FAQ section would be very helpful. Also, some of the headings of the threads are misleading as to what the question actually is, and to look through them all is nearly impossible. Thanks!
| Reply by CarolynCO on 1/28/05 1:39pm
Msg #18584
Re: Feedback
Colleen, first of all I want to commend you for using your name and state. 99% of the reasons newbies (sorry Hugh) get blasted are their basic questions, "how do I become a notary?" "how do I become a signing agent?" "what is a jurat?" "what is an acknowledgment" "can I make $3,000/mo. doing signings?" They ask these simple, very basic questions, anonymously and want their identity to stay hidden -- hidden from who? -- the signing services?--the same signing agents they want to answer their questions? -- but then they cry "foul" when we won't *give* them the answers, but *tell* them where to find the answers. Personally, I've solved the problem because I no longer read or respond to anonymous and unknown posts, and until such posters decide to identify themself, they will find that more and more regulars are refusing to acknowledge such posts, too.
Or, they have received the loan package and post state-specific questions, and we have no idea where they are from -- and what may be done in Colorado isn't done in Kansas. ... and why is it that Paul_FL can always find the answer the state-specific questions when he doesn't even live in your state? It's not a magic ball, it's called the Internet and googling.
| Reply by BrendaTX on 1/28/05 1:00pm
Msg #18579
Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
See message #18219.
Fees
Jurat
Acknowledgment
>Your State<
Security Documents
HUD 1 or Settlement Statement
Journal
Self-employment tax
Deed of Trust
RTC
Note
TIL (Truth in Lending)
APR (Annual percentage rate)
No No List
Good Companies
Bad Companies
Rates
HELOC
Reverse Mortgage
Refi
Refinance
Piggy back
| Reply by Paul-CA on 1/28/05 1:32pm
Msg #18581
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
Looks like the beginnings of a good answer to the FAQ: How do I find out about ...?" It wouldn't be hard to convert each of those words (except >Your State<) into links that would automatically bring up the search results.
Yet another source of income? Maybe Harry will pay for providing answers. One can never have enough $$$ while waiting for the NNA Prophecy to come true...
p.s., re: Keywords + State = "Real" Answers -- this doesn't apply very often in CA. Here, we mostly deal with the "Unreal."
| Reply by ColleenCA on 1/28/05 1:36pm
Msg #18583
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
Thank you, but I am familiar with all of the subjects that you have listed here other then the No No List, and I am assuming that must be a list of things not to do at a signing? There were a few specific questions that I had instead, but couldn't find on any of the threads as far back as I could stand going. I will try to research them on my own first before taking the chance of asking here. I don't want to offend anyone by asking a "stupid" question. Thanks.
| Reply by Paul-CA on 1/28/05 1:48pm
Msg #18587
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
Colleen, try starting a thread with the subject "Are these stupid questions?" and then list your questions (after, of course, you've explained that you've been unable to locate the answers using the Search facility, have read more old messages than any of hugh, I mean you, and BECAUSE THIS FORUM DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A FAQ PAGE, you of course couldn't find the answers there ...)
| Reply by ColleenCA on 1/28/05 2:15pm
Msg #18597
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
I don't know Paul....I'm kind of afraid. Say, where are you located anyway? If you are close I wouldn't mind tagging along with you on a signing just to see what occurs in the real world and not in class! If you are close to where I live (Ventura County) and you wouldn't mind a tag-along, that would be great!
| Reply by Paul-CA on 1/28/05 2:26pm
Msg #18603
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
Wrong place, wrong time. I'm in the north bay area. If you look at any of my "contributions" to this forum you'll find that, while I comment on the forum itself, people who want web pages, the lack of any good association for notaries and SAs, and the occasional notarial how-to for California that I feel confident enough to answer, I never comment on loan signings. That's because I'm newer than you are. On the "bright side," you should have absolutely no problem finding SAs in your area, some of whom should be glad to let you accompany them. Best of luck with that.
| Reply by ColleenCA on 1/28/05 2:28pm
Msg #18605
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
Oh darn, that would have been fun. Well maybe when I'm not so scared to ask a question, I'll post one for a tag-along in my area. Thanks.
| Reply by BrendaTX on 1/28/05 1:57pm
Msg #18588
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
Colleen: "No No List, and I am assuming that must be a list of things not to do at a signing?"
No, this is the way some people have discussed companies that are not good at paying.
When I started last year, Colleen, I did not know the questions until I read through probably the first 4000-5000 messages. After that, I knew the keywords and some of the questions I needed to ask.
I was just generating a list to be helpful. I am sorry if I offended you, but I was trying to give an idea to Paul for something that could be used until a FAQs was generate if such is ever to be done.
| Reply by CarolynCO on 1/28/05 2:01pm
Msg #18591
Re: No No List
And one person's No-No List can be another person's gold mine!
| Reply by ColleenCA on 1/28/05 2:24pm
Msg #18601
Re: Search (Keywords + State = "Real" Answers)
Oh, gosh, no offense taken at all! It's just after all of the studying and going over the notary public handbook and taking the NSA exam and passing that and researching everything I can think of and reading through the threads on this board, I think I have a grasp of most of the subjects on your list. Although, it never hurts to go over things again. That no no list would be a good thing. I will look for that in the threads, although I have seen a few individually. Those subjects would be terrific subjects for the FAQ's, although if someone doesn't know what an acknowledgement or a Jurat are by the time they have passed their state exam, I don't know! Thanks again!
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