Posted by Alz on 4/20/11 11:05am
Msg #380624

Have YOU ever been caught

without the appropriate tools or resources? As an example, a forgotten or misplaced stamp, journal, thumb pad, etc. or even low or no toner and/or paper at your disposal.

If so, what did you and how did you prevent these types of blunders from occurring again?

Reply by Julie/MI on 4/20/11 11:09am
Msg #380625

No because we have nice simplistic guidelines in my state, not the hoops that CA has!

Reply by Alz on 4/20/11 11:13am
Msg #380627

Please elaborate. Not familiar with your state guidelines n/m

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/20/11 11:14am
Msg #380629

No, thankfully...

Keeping an eye on basic office supplies, with a routine of "down to the last <<insert numer here>> time to order" "hmmm, stamp getting a bit light" or "journal getting near the end"..and thankfully never having misplaced my stamp or journal (keeping both in one place, secure) - I've never run into it. I'm a habitual list-maker...soo...

I can imagine it's not a pleasant-feeling position to be in.

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 4/20/11 11:21am
Msg #380631

Regardless of the state you are in, Linda said it well....

keep your supplies stocked with a decent inventory......In California, law requires a journal entry......extemely important.....I have never forgotten seal, I forgot my thumb printer once and the borrower went in his office and got a basic stamp pad.
If you take a brief case or folder of some type, try to keep it all together.

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 4/20/11 11:36am
Msg #380638

Re: Regardless of the state you are in, Linda said it well....

keep your supplies stocked with a decent inventory......In California, law requires a journal entry......extremely important.....I have never forgotten seal, I forgot my thumb printer once and the borrower went in his office and got a basic stamp pad.
If you take a brief case or folder of some type, try to keep it all together.

Reply by Alz on 4/20/11 11:28am
Msg #380635

Commen sense does factor into the equation;

however, last week my toner was low, so I placed the usual order with the assumption (never ass-u-me) that I would receive the products in a timely manner, per the person over the phone. Well, when I didn't receive the order I contacted the company and was told that they were having issues, blah, blah, blah. I was hot as a firecracker.

Long story short. I used the Orange search button and discovered a company (new to me) to order products from. The overnight fee is less than normal ground delivery. Toner will arrive today. Thank God and of course RickG for suggesting this company.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/20/11 11:32am
Msg #380637

Alz, my procedure for my toner is

when I take the last new one out of the cabinet, I re-order. Then those new ones are there when I need them.

That's just me..

Reply by Alz on 4/20/11 11:46am
Msg #380641

Thanks. I will try not to push the envelope too far..again.. n/m

Reply by NJDiva on 4/20/11 4:06pm
Msg #380676

Re: Alz, my procedure for my toner is

"when I take the last new one out of the cabinet, I re-order."

Amen Linda! Had to learn that the hard way. It helps that I have multiple printers AND a brand new back up...lol I do not like to WANT for anything...hence, NJDiva!!!!

Reply by CopperheadVA on 4/20/11 11:25am
Msg #380632

Yes I forgot my stamp once, years ago. Don't want to re-type it all so you can just look it up here Msg #159045, along with stories of similar experiences from others.

Now I have a procedure that I make myself go through when I pack up, and have never forgotten my stamp again! I double-check once I'm in the car, too. Also, all my back-up stamps are now purchased through NotRot!

Reply by Stamper_WI on 4/20/11 11:47am
Msg #380642

Check before you leave home and again before you leave their house. Keep a minimum set on your supplies. Know where you can stop for a carryover amount, like paper, in your area.
Usuallay if you have messed up once, the idea of the hassle motivates you to not get in that situation.

Reply by 101livescan on 4/20/11 11:28am
Msg #380636

Not on your life! These are ESSENTIAL TOOLS. Like not having gas in your tank when you need to get down the road. I always make sure where my needle is on the dashboard!

Our dashboards should be ALL THE TOOLS, including biz cards, lint brush, GPS, gas and oil, good tires and brakes! Plenty of vitamins, good fresh food, and sound 8 hours sleep for body fuel.

Reply by James Dawson on 4/20/11 11:40am
Msg #380640

Naw always prepared I

Always have a new toner just waiting, plenty of paper (even in car), full tank of gas, etc. Oh I even carry a notary handbook. and Docs on my IPHONE in case I got to print something again. LOL

Reply by Susan Fischer on 4/20/11 12:04pm
Msg #380647

Crab boat: Redux:

Conducted a very tense signing on a crab boat a few years ago in Newport. The harbor seals seemed to be barking their laughs at the old lady landlubber putting on a show for them. There is *no* graceful way to board a crab boat; no gangplank - just a rickety box to teeter on whilst flinging a leg over the side, trying not to fall into the drink. (So thankful for knit skirt.) Of course, Mrs. borrower hopped right onto the deck, likewise Mr., and the seafaring hands. See? It’s simple! And, the more they tried to help, the more awkward things became. Leg-flinging is not easy when you're giggling like a fool. Those sides are a lot taller than they appear from afar.

Can you see the video? - "Lincoln City notary demonstrates every conceivable way *not* to board a crab boat - laugh at will." The danged seals sure did.

I am one lucky girl living here...the Coastal Flier...what a great commute, even in the storms.

***************
But what started off all fun and embarrassing turned into a nightmare - in the tiny cabin at a table the size of a postage stamp - they began fighting over the terms/numbers/her cooking/his drinking - they were squished up against each other as it was, and the air grew thick with vitriol.

So, I'm trying to get them to focus, but with every signature the air gets thicker. Finally finished, I stuffed my briefcase, and practically few over the side of that boat with the help of the deckhand they called Dances with Hairspray (he sported a mullet.)

Well, I left my stamp, and the boat left the harbor for a few days - and Mrs. called when it returned, and I picked up my stamp when she came up for a dentist app't. Had to take a forced vacation in the meantime.

(We can only possess one stamp in Oregon, so replacing means a big chunk of time waiting for the authorization to send to stamp co.)

Reply by ReneeK_MI on 4/20/11 2:06pm
Msg #380660

Yep!

Caught 30 miles from home with a large stack of blank paper. First few pages had printed just fine, the other 137-ish were blank.

Never again have I grabbed stuff off the printer & sprinted for the car .... I spend the 5 min it takes to stack my pkg for presentation, and that takes care of making sure there's something to present!

Reply by Les_CO on 4/20/11 4:19pm
Msg #380678

No. I have a spare of everything. (even time nowdays)

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/20/11 4:25pm
Msg #380680

LOL Les...good one!!...:) n/m

Reply by James Dawson on 4/20/11 5:52pm
Msg #380686

good one Les n/m

Reply by LKT/CA on 4/20/11 4:44pm
Msg #380681

Yes.....printer stopped cold in the middle of printing docs - ran out of toner. Jumped in car and screeched toward the office supply store, turning corners on two wheels racing to buy a replacement toner cartridge....thank goodness it was in stock. Was able to resume printing, check docs and get to signing on time.

Nowadays, I have a 2nd laser printer and an extra toner cartridge for each printer.

Reply by 101livescan on 4/20/11 9:00pm
Msg #380725

You only have to do this once to realize it's really not good for your nervous system, adrenal glands or your HEART to run out of paper or toner. I always have ample supplies...Ain't worth the stress to run out.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 4/20/11 9:26pm
Msg #380740

Amen!! LOL!! I totally agree.

The worst thing I ever did, I somehow managed to get away with, out of sheer luck! Back in my newbie days, I charged out to an appointment about 30 minutes from home at that time of day. I had just come back from being away for the weekend and had taken my notary case out of my car - which I rarely, if ever do. It's usually on the floor of the backseat, behind me. Yep, got all the way to borrower's house and realized that I had no journal, no stamp, no nothing. (I think I might have had docs, but they were probably overnighted to me in those days.)

I must have had some angel looking out for me because that was one of the few borrower no-shows I've ever had. I remember calling the client from there (I didn't tell them I came unprepared...) and being asked to wait 20 minutes before leaving. Those were possibly the longest 20 minutes of my life - or at least close! You can imagine the emotional roller-coaster I was on for that whole time, sweating bullets! When it was time to leave and still no borrower (I did call, knock on the door, etc.), I was the happiest camper you can imagine!!

I've never come close to anything like that since. Well, I did once leave behind my little stapler, but I was able to get a replacement the next day.

What seems to work for me is to have things as systematized as possible. The less I have to think about and remember at the last minute, the better. I keep a ream of blank letter and legal paper in my car, keep a supply of extra certs (on both sizes of paper) in my case, extra pens, etc. All my pending confirmations are kept in a red plastic folder, so I just have to grab that, my phone and the docs and I'm good to go.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 4/20/11 9:59pm
Msg #380763

Never.

My stamp, seal, journal, pens (both black & blue), thumb pad, etc., are always in my briefcase. My briefcase is always in the trunk. Always. Even if I've got no Notary work that day.

Reply by NJDiva on 4/20/11 11:05pm
Msg #380778

waaaaait!!!

I don't get this...do people's cars not get stolen where you all are? How do ya'll leave your journals in your cars? (I'm sorry, I don't mean to call you out Ernest, but this is the second time I've heard someone refer to it)

With all the mayhem and sickness that happens every day in this world, it would stand to reason that since it is our responsibility to guard peoples very private, HIGHLY sensitive information as securely as possible, how can that be done if it's left in a vehicle?

I don't get it. All I can say is that I sure hope that if anyone ever does a notarization for me that they would guard my information as diligently as I safe guard theirs. I protect my bag like it's my purse. I even take it into the bathroom with me if I'm in a clients house and need to use the bathroom. Additionally I have a combo lock (TSA approved) on my bag which I lock before leaving. I would rather be safe than sorry.

Lest we forget, that is what we've taken an oath to uphold.

It perplexes me to no end.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 4/21/11 12:07am
Msg #380784

Re: waaaaait!!!

Can't speak for anyone else, but at home, my car is in my closed, private garage. Most of the cities where I go are very safe, in the lowest top 10 crime rates for cities of their size in the US. If I'm going somewhere else, where it might be a bit riskier - and if I'm not taking my case with me - it goes into the trunk where it can't be seen and isn't a tempting target. My old car isn't much of a tempting target, either!!

The other side of that coin is that if I get a call to go notarize docs somewhere that doesn't involve printing, I'm ready to roll, regardless of where I am.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 4/21/11 2:15am
Msg #380790

And for the record, the case has a lock on it ;>) n/m

Reply by NJDiva on 4/21/11 4:58am
Msg #380791

And for the record, the case has a lock on it ;>)

Oh, okay, well, as long as your car never gets stolen it's safe I suppose.

I don't know. Call me jaded, but for some reason it still doesn't satisfy that perplex-ion...lol

I love ya Janet, but hmmmmmmm!

I happen to know someone that got their car stolen...and everything in it was stolen too...(mmhmm) Neither was ever found.

Wonder whatever happened to "everything" else?

Reply by Ernest__CT on 4/21/11 9:43am
Msg #380804

One of the joys of an older car ...

... is that it isn't a likely target for thieves. Even the radio is ... umm ... old but not vintage.

The things visible through the windows show that the driver spends a lot of time on the road (Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, McDs, Burger King, etc.). There's never anything of value visible in the passenger compartment and the trunk lid is opaque (duh!). Potential thieves would just move on to a more likely target.

The trunk release inside the car is disabled on purpose.

Reply by NJDiva on 4/21/11 1:53pm
Msg #380860

Re: One of the joys of an older car ...

lol...yeah, okay! lmao Hopefully you're not living on borrowed time AND that I haven't jinxed you...lol