Posted by James Dawson on 7/8/10 3:02pm
Msg #344223

Meet your competition

I just had the pleasure of meeting one of my "distant" competitors and I must say, it was a pleasure and something I will always treasure.

Notaries everywhere are people first. I just met a very good person and excellent new found friend. My hat is off to Yoli, a true class act!

Reply by Yoli/CA on 7/8/10 3:58pm
Msg #344228

Thank you, James. I'm honored and proud to be your friend. We're each others competition but also each others backup.

It was great to finally meet you. It was a short visit, but, one with heart-felt gratitude for that wonderful painting you just gave me.

When I left your home, I immediately called my best friend, took her to lunch and showed off my gift. She loved it!! Thanks! I'm sure Sylvia and Julie will enjoy theirs as much as I do mine.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 7/8/10 4:16pm
Msg #344237

"I'm sure Sylvia and Julie will enjoy theirs as much as I do mine."

I can't wait for tomorrow to get here. I am so excited! The package has arrived in Orlando. I just checked Fedex!

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 7/8/10 3:59pm
Msg #344229

It's nice to meet new people Jim. I've been in contact with several people in Maryland cause of the new law they are all so pleasant to talk to, it would be great to personally meet them.

Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 7/8/10 4:12pm
Msg #344236

That was the one thing I enjoyed about going to the NNA convention a few years ago. I met people from all over the US who I had only previously met on the internet. It was great.

Reply by James Dawson on 7/8/10 4:38pm
Msg #344240

Yoli is so cool, she can have all my work as far as I'm concerned. We even have the same cars and our kids are basically the same age group. I already know we camp in the same area. And then, there's NotRot that brings us together...Unbelievable.

Reply by bagger on 7/8/10 5:41pm
Msg #344246

Re: Meet your competition OT

OK, What kind of "campers" are you?
Tent, Pop-up, on the ground?
I "camp" in a 31' trailer with a slide out.

Reply by James Dawson on 7/8/10 6:22pm
Msg #344251

Re: Meet your competition OT

Kind?...uh outside??? we're in northern Ca.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 7/8/10 6:32pm
Msg #344255

Re: Meet your competition OT

My Son lives in Ojai I come out there every August to car camp in the Sierra's you sure have the best of both worlds in Ca. The scenery is spectacular.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 7/8/10 6:33pm
Msg #344256

Re: Meet your competition OT

We tent it and stink like heck for a week or so. Just kidding we have portable shower.

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 7/8/10 6:29pm
Msg #344252

Re: Meet your competition OT

Richard, saying you "camp" in a 31-foot trailer with a slide-out is like saying your "compact car" is a Buick Roadmaster station wagon. That's not camping; that's just relocating your living room to a campsite. Camping requires lanterns and sleeping bags and folding stoves and mosquitoes and the occasional scorpion.

Reply by Yoli/CA on 7/8/10 6:54pm
Msg #344258

Re: Meet your competition OT

Actually, a couple of weeks ago I took my 14 yr old granddaughter, Julie, to Angels Camp (which is where James camps).

We didn't camp outdoors. We creatures of comfort and like our daily showers and air conditioning and regular beds. We used my timeshare condo and drove to surrounding towns such as Sonora (where we found a wonderful old-fashioned soda fountain with sasaparilla - 1st time for Julie and she loved it - with a "barmaid" well versed in local history); San Andreas (where we visited the jail that held Black Bart; Murphys (beautiful and friendly town - wouldn't mind retiring there); Big Trees State Park (home of the largest Sequoia trees - used to be you could drive through a tunnel at the base of some trees; no longer allowed as they found it was hazardous to tree roots; Copperopolis; and, of course, Angels Camp. These towns are all in "Gold Country".

We did a lot of antique store browsing, caught the movie "Eclipse", and when we returned to resort in evenings, Julie went swimming with friends she made there.

Spent a week of quality time with my only grandchild. Just she and I.

Reply by Sheila Meinecke on 7/8/10 7:36pm
Msg #344265

Re: Meet your competition OT

I love Gold Country. Did you check out Arnold? It reminds me of Tahoe but without all the casinos and crowds. There is a beautiful lake not too far away called Alpine Lake. Several decent wineries in the area too. I would love to retire in that area too. Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation!

Reply by James Dawson on 7/8/10 6:55pm
Msg #344259

Re: Meet your competition OT

Yea, I know..just didn't want to be negative

Reply by MikeC/NY on 7/8/10 7:41pm
Msg #344267

Re: Meet your competition OT

I recall going to a "camping exhibition" years ago when my then-wife and I camped regularly. Many of the vendors there sold or rented RVs, but we were strictly tent campers.

One guy was trying to sell me on a pop-up, and when I explained that we preferred just pitching a tent, he said (condescendingly, I thought), "Oh, I thought you were serious campers."

Excuse me? We're not serious campers? Try camping in Montreal. In late September. Without a tent. We may not be particularly intelligent campers at times, but we're definitely serious...

Reply by jba/fl on 7/9/10 12:45am
Msg #344292

Re: Meet your competition OT

Oh, my - 17' sea kayak, 22" wide, 3 hatches enclosing food, water, tent, air mattress, folding chair, stove, dishes, first aid for humans and boat, extra paddle, everything I need for 6 days to clean and sustain self and now have added my Nook.

Seldom smelly - 4-6 baby wipes freshen entire body, bubbly springs definately clean - no electronics in use although have cells and spots and satellite equipment "in case of.." If I am smelly, so is everyone else and we blend.

Most freeing exhilarating experience to let go of "things" and just "do". And the stars - OMG - the Milky Way does still exist. Owls, alligators, deer, raccoons and all the other night things you hear all night - heavy flapping wings in the morning's fog, animal tracks all over one's camp and edges of, mist rising from the rivers, the riots of colorings and shadings in the morning - what could be better? The ospreys, eagles and hawks hunting in the mornings, watching the fishing of our feathered friends with a fresh brewed coffee - uuum, hmmm.....yes, the life of Riley.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 7/9/10 6:25am
Msg #344299

Re: Meet your competition OT

That is heaven isn't it?

Reply by jba/fl on 7/9/10 8:44am
Msg #344305

OH, YES!

The less you have, the less to take care of! ............Now if I could just lose some weight!

Reply by Susan Fischer on 7/8/10 9:29pm
Msg #344281

OT s'mores: Paid my camping dues. Now? Same campfires,

only with my bathroom, kitchen, double tall lattes, washer/dryer, and snuggie bed.

The scent of campfire still permeates, the fire's still the hearth, the bladder's spared the mossy forest log, and old bones sleep easy.

One morning camped in my old Chinook Motor Lodge years ago in Idaho mountains, a moose across the creek informed us first morning - early - that we were in his breakfast watering hole. Nevertheless, with our hot coffee and bagels, we nonchalantly (sp?) set about getting a fire in the pit going, several anglers headed upstream to catch breakfast, and so we all shared the peaceful sunup with Mr Snorts. He let us be, across his creek; it was a good visit, and he ambled away.

There's nothing like a campfired breakfast, ah! Here come the Troutskies...

Tomorrow's my Birthday, and I'm taking my day off. Wish I were going camping...

Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/9/10 12:34am
Msg #344290

Happy Birthday!!! Enjoy your day off! n/m

Reply by MW/VA on 7/9/10 7:31am
Msg #344303

Happy Birthday, Susan! n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 7/9/10 11:04am
Msg #344321

Thank you, Janet and Marilyn! <grin> n/m

Reply by bagger on 7/9/10 2:16pm
Msg #344359

Re: Meet your competition OT

LOL
Hugh, at 62 I have done more than my share of tent camping. Wife and I went from a tent to a pop-up and now to the "hardside".

Reply by MW/VA on 7/8/10 7:36pm
Msg #344264

Way to go, James & Yoli. IMO that's the way it should be.

It's good to have a trusted ally to cover for each other. Unfortunately, that didn't work out for me, and the person turned into someone who had to be #1. Oh well. I'm still willing to help other notaries.

Reply by Yoli/CA on 7/8/10 7:42pm
Msg #344269

Hang in there, MW/VA. There are still a lot of good people

out there. Sometimes, we just have to trust God to lead us to them.

See ... you're still willing to help others. You're a better person because of that.

Reply by James Dawson on 7/9/10 1:32am
Msg #344295

Re: Way to go, James & Yoli. IMO that's the way it should be.

You have us.......Marilyn. You've help me and don't even know it, that's class.

Reply by MW/VA on 7/9/10 7:23am
Msg #344301

Re: Way to go, James & Yoli. IMO that's the way it should be.

Absolutely. That's why I participate in the forum. We are a community & need to help each other. I've learned a lot through the discussions and don't know where I'd be without this exchange of ideas. It sure beats depending on XYZ for info. LOL

Reply by Susan Fischer on 7/8/10 10:23pm
Msg #344285

I love this lesson. It's a peaceful way of life; much less

strife. Eye-to-eye beats our technologies, hands down, no? Actual visiting...

(I agree it's easier to make friends than to make enemies. In either case, chest your cards.)

One of the reasons I so enjoy this work and our forum - the water-cooler, so's to speak. And when we can actually meet? Then, our Borrowers, that we get to meet every day, are the jewels of our profession.

Five Star post, James.