The Return to Southeast Florida or The Follow Up to "The Best Laid Plans"

If you saw my post, "The Best Laid Plans," this time last year, you know the weekend I planned with my husband in Southeast Florida did not go quite as expected (nor did the next six months).  Since I generally do not learn from my mistakes, I made a second attempt this year.  Actually, what prompted said attempt was a visit from a friend and fellow ACL editor, Astrid.  So, really, it was an excuse to visit her while she was in Fort Lauderdale.  Also, the Capital Grille was having its annual "Generous Pour" wine event, and there just happen to be four Capital Grilles in Southeast Florida.  Two birds with one stone.

Generous Pour Wines and Chocolate Espresso Cake

I stressed a little as the weekend approached. Would Andre' get off work in time? Would we make our 7:30 PM reservation at the Capital Grille in West Palm Beach? Would we make it to our little resort motel by the 10:00 PM check in? Actually, we did make it, and with the exception of one little hiccup on I-95 right around Vero Beach where Andre actually got out of the car and started walking (we won't go into that), everything went smoothly. We even avoided most of the rain; no tropical storms this year, either.

West Palm came and went, we stuffed ourselves with red meat and sampled five of nine (mostly) exceptional wines. Dessert was delicious, and we were back on the road. We opted to pay (!!) for a place to stay this year, and the chosen accommodations were amazing. Thank you to all the folks who actually post reviews on Trip Advisor and booking.com for steering me to this lovely gem in Pompano Beach. The Sea Cove Resort Motel was a quiet little eden in a big, glitzy slice of Florida.



Sea Cove Resort Motel Property (View from Balcony)

Andre Relaxing @ Sea Cove Pompano Beach

Not to say I did not enjoy the glitz and glam of Fort Lauderdale, because I did.  I could spend an entire weekend in The Galleria eating and shopping.  I could people watch on the beach indefinitely, and I could sip cocktails by the pool or swinging in a hammock without a single guilty twinge.  I had a fabulous time.  Even Andre' had a fabulous time.  And we rarely agree on anything.  I would definitely move there, and I'll bet he wouldn't complain.

Fort Lauderdale Beach

Astrid and Lisa in Fort Lauderdale

The Capital Grille in Fort Lauderdale was nice, too - more red meat, more great wine - but given a choice between there and Seasons 52 next door, I would choose Seasons next time.  I really thought the manager at Capital Grille was going to pull out a chair and join us for dinner.  I didn't think I had "shopper" written across my forehead, but she would not leave!  Bahama Breeze in Sunrise was nice, too, and I'll need a whole other weekend to explore Sawgrass Mills mall.

So, the weekend turned out well, and we enjoyed spending time with Astrid, her husband, and her friend.  Fort Lauderdale is my new favorite place (in Florida), and my marriage is just a little bit better because we tried again.
 

The Big, Bad City

I just got back from a business trip to our nation's capital.  I'm not sure what I expected, but I didn't expect what I experienced at all.  Everyone always says how dangerous it is in Washington.  "Are you sure you want to go there?"  "It's kinda scary."  "What if you get shot?"  Huh???  I armed myself with a brand new pepper spray and boarded my flight with a great deal of trepidation.  Even more scary was the fact that I was renting a car and driving through downtown Washington DC all by myself.  What if I got lost in a 'bad' area?  What if I got carjacked?

So it was anticlimatic when I made it all the way up New York Avenue to my hotel just north of Dupont Circle without any mishaps.  I'd seen scarier things in Deland, FL.  Actually, the worst part of the drive was trying to navigate the traffic circles, but even that wasn't bad.

It turns out my hotel was quite charming!  A little jewel amidst all the little embassies of countries I'd never heard of or long forgotten since high school geography.  Just a metro stop away from the rest of Washington, which it turns out was not very big.  I even found a quaint neighborhood restaurant - Rosemary's Thyme Bistro - where I had dinner twice, and I would highly recommend the spinach ravioli if you ever find yourself in the neighborhood.

http://rosemarysthyme.com/

I experienced new things while in Washington, mostly surrounding food.  I had my first food truck experience, and while it was interesting, I have to admit I didn't quite find the food I got from the 'mojo' truck as magical as the long lines led me to believe it would be.  Maybe next time I'll stick to pizza or Italian sausage.  But I wanted to try something new.  The concept was interesting, and the place - Truckaroo - was really neat with over 20 food trucks and a big "beer garden," for lack of a better term.  Really, it reminded me of the Towsontowne Festival on a grander scale.  Meanwhile, Truckaroo happened to be right next to the baseball stadium - home of the Washington Nationals - really? When did that happen? I guess I stopped following baseball when Mike Mussina went off to the Yankees. Traitor.

I discovered a wonderful restaurant - Poste Moderne Brasserie - at the Hotel Monaco that I can't wait to revisit. I think I would make a special trip to DC just to enjoy their food and wine. My plate was so pretty, it was almost a shame I had to eat what was on it.

http://www.postebrasserie.com/

Of course I shopped the Capital Grille while I was there, because how could I pass up all that meat? But really it was my least favorite meal (except the mojo) the entire time I was there. Perhaps I'm becoming a little spoiled, or maybe the competition in Washington is just THAT fierce.  Good wine, though, and better company.

Oh, forgot to mention I did go to Sprinkles in Georgetown - yup, it was a shop - for a dozen free cupcakes. And I hate to say it, but I think I'd rather eat Publix vanilla cupcakes. Sprinkles' cupcakes were pretty, and they had some interesting flavors, but I guess when I think of a cupcake, I want what I want, and it isn't there.

I learned how to ride the metro, how to hail a cab, and I learned three things about Washington in five minutes while enjoying a margarita at a sidewalk cafe. First, no one just walks in Washington. They must be texting, listening to their iPod, talking on the phone, or whatever. It is truly a city of multi-taskers. Second, no one makes eye contact. Period. Third, there are more cabs than people. Oh, and the pepper spray? I never needed it. It was safer walking around Washington at 10:00 at night then it is walking around Astor, Florida, population 2,098.

Can't wait to go back!

P.S. Never saw the White House, but wasn't looking for it, either.

Woe is Me!

I try not to complain.  After all, I am incredibly blessed.  I have my health, my family and a great job working from home OR out and about, depending on what I feel like doing.  I get to buy things on other peoples' dimes, eat extravagent meals that I don't have to pay for, and stay at nice hotels and resorts free of charge.  (Still no cruise, though!)  So, really, what do I have to complain about?

If something bad would happen and that would be the end of it, I probably wouldn't complain.  But it's this snowball effect that's got me singing the blues right now.  First of all, I prepared my taxes.  That was my first mistake, but it was a necessary evil.  I don't know why I expected a refund; perhaps it's those rose-colored glasses everyone says I'm always wearing.  Or maybe it was because we got a refund last year.  Of course last year, we still had the last of our dependents, and this past year I doubled my editing load which meant double the money with no withholding.  Yay.  So not only do I have this massive tax bill, but I don't have the refund I thought I was getting in order to pay the massive property tax bill.  Yay again.  Still, if that was the end of it, I would be smiling.

After I filed my taxes, I got into my car to go run some errands.  Turned the key, and nothing happened.  Nothing.  Nada.  Not a click, not a hum.  Yay.  Still, if it could have been something ultra simple (and inexpensive) like say, the battery, I could still be smiling.  But it wasn't, and I waved goodbye to my beloved car as it departed the driveway on the back of a flatbed this morning, headed to the garage for yet unidentified and surely ultra-expensive repairs.  Yippee.

Now if that was all that happened, I still might not complain.  Well, maybe a little.  But not in public.  Not a whiny, prolonged, "Woe is me."  I mean, really.  My life has been going great.  The stuff of fairy tales even (almost).  So what has got my feathers ruffled?  Fleas!  Yes, fleas.  The bane of my current existence.  With five cats, I have managed to avoid fleas for the last ten years.  I was so good, so diligent about topical flea solutions and keeping those little buggers out of my house.  Unfortunately, time got away from me, and I skipped one measly little month.  That, combined with the lack of winter in Florida, was all it took.  Now I will be bathing cats, combing cats, vacuuming rugs, washing sheets, blankets, area rugs and more several times a week for who knows how long.  Have I mentioned how much I hate housework?  Yay.

So yes, woe is me, at least for now.  I'm sure "this, too, shall pass," and I was reminded that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound (or a ton) of cure."  I'm sure there are countless other proverbs that apply to my situation.  That's why the proverbs are there, to teach, instruct, comfort and remind.  I get it.  So now I'm looking forward to, "All's well that ends well."

It's All About The Cupcakes

This post has absolutely nothing to do with mystery shopping and everything to do with my love for sugar, or cupcakes in particular.  Everyone knows I love cupcakes.  Friends post cupcake pictures on my Facebook wall and message me pictures of particularly appetizing cupcakes on my phone.  My favorite editor trainee sent me an awesome cupcake calendar for Christmas with recipes for each month that I still have not found time to make yet.  Some people even bribe me with cupcakes when they want something from me (yes, it works)!  So EVERYONE knows I love cupcakes.  Or almost everyone.

Which is why I received a phone call from my husband this morning asking me what type of chocolates I prefer.  Hello?  First of all, we've been married for eleven years.  You should know what type of chocolates I prefer.  But really, chocolate?  Even in cupcakes, I prefer vanilla.  I might be more forgiving if he skipped the cupcakes in favor of diamonds.  Or a trip to Aruba for the weekend.  Or dinner at Ruth's Chris.  But chocolates?

So while he is deciding between Lindt, Russell Stover and Whitman's, I am scouring the internet and a year's worth of Better Homes and Gardens back issues for pictures of cupcakes.  Next year, I'll be prepared.  I will hide pictures of cupcakes in the nightstand, in the medicine cabinet and under the coffee maker lid.  I will hang my cupcake calendar in a prominent position next to the refrigerator.  Maybe then he'll get the message!

So for this year, I will abandon my hopes for cupcakes and mentally prepare myself for a box of chocolates.  Unlike Forrest Gump, I know what I'm gonna get.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Airport Shops

Since I had to travel to Wisconsin this week, I decided to venture into the realm of post-security airport shops.  I always seem to get to the airport early anyway, and this way I can grab a bite to eat, a cup of coffee and perhaps something to read on the plane, all on someone else's dime. 

The first thing I found out is that if you're going to do (post-security) airport shops, you need to know what areas of the airport you will actually have access to.  In some airports, you can go anywhere once you have a ticket.  In other airports, there might be separate security checkpoints for different terminals.

After signing up for three airport shops at Orlando International Airport, I quickly learned when I arrived that while I could access "Airside 2 and Airside 4," I could not get anywhere near "Airside 1."  It was only by sheer luck that all three shops I had accepted were in Airside 4.  Phew!  In this case, I was lucky enough to grab my caffeine, something to eat, a bottle of water, a puzzle magazine and a new pack of batteries without spending a dime.  I received generous payments on top of the goodies I was able to buy.  I think I'm going to like this airport shopping!

Since the company I'm consulting with has decided to send me to Baltimore (yay!) instead of back to Orlando on Thursday, I quickly signed up for some more airport shops ... but not before checking the airport map this time.  I was able to score another cup of coffee and a dining shop.  Needless to say, if you are a frequent traveler, this is a gold mine.  The competition is scarce since only ticketed passengers or those shoppers with permanent access can complete the shops.  Even if you are traveling for pleasure rather than business, depending on where you are going, it is completely feasible for airport shops to pay a substantial portion of your travel expenses.

So check it out, travelers!  Sign up for some airport shops at http://www.ishopforyou.com/ (Ann Michaels and Associates), http://www.bareinternational.com/,  http://www.intellishop.com/,  http://www.marketforce.com/.  I am sure there are other companies offering airport shops, so feel free to add to the list if you are reading this!

Happy New Year! And the answer is "NO!"

Welcome to 2012!  I learned a long time ago not to make resolutions, but I do have some goals for the new year.  Many of my goals revolve around greater organization and less procrastination, but I'm also going to focus on "me time."  After all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, right?  Or at least that's what it said in The Shining, and I don't think anyone wants me to turn out like Jack.

Everyone knows I'm a work-a-holic.  What some people do not realize is that on top of my editing, training, coordinating and other responsibilities at A Closer Look, I also took a second editing job at Sentry Marketing.  I've been doing this since July.  As if that wasn't enough, I recently added a third job as a Care Partner Consultant with Baird Group, the same company I do medical mystery shopping for.  I am also holding an editing and recruitment workshop at the Chicago IMSC Conference and will speak at this year's conferences in Reno and Las Vegas, as well.  Which leads me to the point of this post.  I will learn to say, "No," a word clearly left out of my vocabulary prior to 2012.

So, unless the question involves a beach, warm tropical waters, a hammock and a fruity cocktail, the answer this year is, "No."  Enough said.

Happy New Year!

Let's Talk Turkey (and Ham)

I love Thanksgiving.  First, it is no secret that I love food.  But I also love holidays and tradition.  It did not hurt that I was able to prepare a feast without spending a dime of my own money.  If you had to pay for your Thanksgiving meal this year, perhaps you are not yet registered with the right companies.

My first score was a delicious honey-glazed, spiral-sliced ham.  This year the ham company went with a new mystery shopping provider, but I had gotten so used to my free holiday ham that I went through every shopper site I could think of until I found them.  The good news is that the report was basically all yes/no answers and took all of three minutes to complete.  I'm not really sure how the ham company gets any value from that, but that's not really my concern - I got a great ham with minimal effort.

I was also lucky enough to happen upon one of my favorite providers' web site the day they released all of their grocery shops, which means I was able to choose up to ten shops.  Each shop paid $7 with a $10 reimbursement for groceries.  So I was able to get the turkey and all the trimmings with plenty left over to feed the cats and pick up a few household staples.  With a little practice, I've learned to get through these shops in 30 minutes or less, and the report is painless.  Since we all have to go to the grocery store anyway, I hardly think this qualifies as work.  The only negative was that I had to visit the stores between 4 and 7 PM on Thanksgiving week.  I crammed in as many as I could on Monday, but I still had to go back on Tuesday to do the rest.  It was crowded, and I had to park far, far away from the grocery store, but I tried to think of it as burning some of those extra calories in advance.  Besides, shopping amongst a crowd sort of gets me in the mood for the holidays.

If you missed out on the bounty of shops available for Thanksgiving, you still have time to take advantage of what will come available for Christmas.  Some companies that offer grocery and specialty food shops in my area include: www.marketforceshopper.com (Market Force), www.serviceintelligence.com (Service Intelligence), and www.msishopper.net (TrendSource).

Happy shopping!



To iPad or Not to iPad

I recently won an iPad2 in an editing contest at A Closer Look.  This was super exciting, and I looked forward to my new toy until I realized that they (at the last minute) decided to offer a cash option, as well.  And so the dilemma unfolded.  When the editing contest began, we had no idea what the prizes would be, but we were told they would be "fantastic" and that we definitely wanted to win.  We were also told the prizes would be something we would want but would likely not buy for ourselves.  All those things turned out to be true (the prizes for second and third place were an iPod Touch and a Kindle + Amazon gift card, respectively).

I pondered my decision and broadcast a call for advice to all my Facebook friends.  Naturally, all the Apple fans out there said I should take the iPad, and I was somehow inclined to agree.  After all, it was an awesome piece of technology that I would never put out the money for on my own, and it would be great for traveling.  I've never been overly practical, so the thought did not first occur to me that I did not actually need the iPad2 and could buy several other things with the cash option.  I also conveniently forgot that I had never been a big fan of Apple products.  Funny how that tidbit of information was forgotten when the machine was dangled in front of me.

When I remembered all those things, I started to compare the iPad with other tablets.  I was impressed with the new Kindle Fire.  Though obviously not on the same level as iPad as far as quality and certain features, it is still a pretty amazing machine.  A lot of the iPad features I have no use for since I have no other Mac products and only know two other people who utilize Mac products (no "Facetime" for me).  There would also be compatibility issues between my devices.  The Kindle Fire would serve my purposes for wanting a tablet (e-Reader capabilities, email and impromptu web surfing in a machine bigger than a phone but that would still fit my purse) at less than one third the cost.  I could still pick up a Netbook for editing on the run with money left over.  Even after all of that sound reasoning, I was just about convinced to take the iPad.

As it turned out, just when I had made the decision to take the iPad, I learned I could not work on it.  The ACL website apparently has incompatibility issues, and I would not be able to edit.  Since the majority of my waking hours are used for editing, and if not editing then mystery shopping, the iPad for me would have become only a glorified e-Reader and movie streaming machine.  Still a great toy but not at all practical since it would get very little use over the course of a year.

I feel good about my decision, and in a way, I'm glad that I could not work on the iPad, thus forcing me to come to this conclusion.  I will still have a toy and a mini work machine, and I will still have some money left over for small extra goodies - like taking a friend to tea ;-)

As for the rest of you, if you're trying to decide whether or not to buy an iPad2, the way I see it, you either are or you are not an Apple fan.  If you are, I guess nothing else will do.  If you can live with the so-called "lesser brands" like the rest of us mere mortals, my guess is you're probably getting a better value.

Viva Las Vegas!

I recently returned from the 2011 IMSC Conference in Las Vegas.  I really enjoy these conferences because they are great for networking, and I have had some super shopping opportunities come from the people I met at the Orlando conference in May.  I enjoy talking with other shoppers and hearing about their experiences, and I just meet great people at these!  I also was invited to speak at the Las Vegas conference, and I held two editing workshops.  It was a lot of fun!  Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about the rest of the conference because I missed most of it!  Let me explain.

When I learned I would be attending the Vegas conference, I wanted to get the most out of my visit without spending a lot of money - yes, the mystery shopper in me never rests.  So I quickly applied for my Nevada work card with the help of A Closer Look, and I signed up for a bunch of restaurant shops.  As it turned out, my Uncle and Aunt, who live in Reno, decided to drive down to visit while I was there.  I also invited my gal pal editor friend, Alison, to come with.

When we got there, my Uncle and Aunt picked us up from the airport and whisked us off to their hotel for a quick breakfast (we arrived at 8:30 AM) and then we went on a grand tour of some of the finest casinos on the strip.  We visited Caesar's Palace:

and then we went shopping somewhere in or around The Bellagio:

and later at night we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris:

We also went to two shows, KA, a great Cirque du Soleil event in the MGM Grand, as well as Legends of Music show at Harrah's.  This is where Alison got kissed by Elvis and sang to by Toby Keith.  We stopped by Toby's bar after the show:

We experienced a unique cab ride from a Mad Russian, and I'm pretty sure Alison was over there praying us safely back to the Tropicana for the entire eight miles from downtown Las Vegas.  We also learned about a secret pizza place on the third floor of The Cosmopolitan. Apparently, just knowing about it makes you cool by default. Now you can also be cool by default! ;-) 

I don't know how we found time to work, but we did.  We managed to complete all six mystery shops at six different restaurants in between all the shopping, sight-seeing and shows, not to mention just a couple hours at the penny slots.  Sleep was definitely an afterthought for the three days we were there.  So how was the conference?  You'll have to ask me next time.  I will definitely budget my time better or go sooner or maybe even stay later.  But one thing is for sure, I will definitely be back!

Where Has The Time Gone?

Wow!  Three months!  Now I remember why I stopped journaling.  This is no easier.  So much has happened, but most of it loses its effect in summary.  Oh well, I guess that's why I should keep this thing up.  To touch on the highlights, I went to Maryland for almost three weeks in September, and it really did not cost me a dime.  I had shops from A Closer Look, Baird, Mercantile, Market Force, and Coyle Hospitality to keep me busy.  Now, I have to comment on the last company I listed.  I have been trying for over a YEAR to get work with that company, and I was so excited when they finally approved me for a shop in Maryland!  Of course, I realized after the fact that the reason they approved me was because no one else wanted to do that particular shop.  Oh well, at least I got my foot in the door.  Now, if they would just approve me for something GREAT!  While I was in Maryland, I sort of attended my 20 year high school reunion.  I say "sort of" becuase I never bought a ticket because I really had no intentions of going.  Since it was at a public bar, some friends and I stopped by anyway, and I was reminded why I had not been to any of my high school reunions previously.  I also did some shops in DC - I took my brother, who can eat more meat in one hour than anyone I know - to a great Brazilian Restaurant.  However, I did not realize when I invited him and allowed him to drive that I would be putting my life on the line.  Next time I drive, because after I enjoy a good meal, I'd like to keep it down.

My Mom came back to Florida with me, and we enjoyed a lovely hotel shop courtesy of my favorite company near Hilton Head Island.  When we arrived in Florida, we stayed busy (shopping, of course!) and we did a super fun shop for Buckalew Hospitality in Orlando.  This is another up and coming company that  is great to work for!  Very fair, and fun shops if you're not afraid to do a little work.  I look forward to my next shop for them.  Cheers!

Phone Shops

A lot of people do not like to do phone shops.  I guess there are various reasons why someone might not like them, but one of the reasons I hear most is, "They don't pay enough."  That makes no sense to me.  Most phone shops pay anywhere between $5 and $15 per shop, depending on what is involved.  This morning I did seven phone shops.  It took me about two hours to make the calls and complete the reports, and I made $41.  I did not have to drive anywhere or work on anyone's schedule but my own.  And of course, my favorite benefit, I worked in my pajamas.  I still made over $20 an hour.  In an economy where around 10% of the population claims to not be able to find work, I can't find a thing to complain about.

So what is involved with phone shops?  Just like any mystery shop, you evaluate an employee on the service provided.  In phone shops, however, a little bit more acting skill is required.  You might call various hospital departments or doctor's offices to ask about a medical problem you don't really have or a procedure that you don't need.  Sometimes this requires a small amount of research so you are not caught off guard with unexpected questions.  It might be important to know where your gallbladder is located if you're calling to schedule an ultrasound for gallstones.  That way, when the attendant asks about your symptoms, you'll know not to say you've been having pain in your ear.  Likewise, if you're calling a hospital in Missouri, be prepared to name a nearby town when the attendant asks where you are coming from.  It might be a giveaway that you're a shopper if they find you are calling from Jupiter (the city in Florida, not the planet).  Dead air is even worse ... believe me, I know. 

Another popular phone shop is for senior living facilities - not necessarily the same thing as a nursing home.  Apparently, senior living facilities have come a long way.  Many are like cruise ships on land.  They offer everything from Bingo to wine tastings.  There are so many activities going on every day, I'm exhausted reading the schedule.  The dining rooms offer meals that rival some of the finest restaurants.  They actually have "chef wars" with rival communities.  Perform enough of these shops, and you will find yourself saving your pennies for the day you can finally move in.  Except pennies aren't going to be enough because the good ones are $4000 a month or more.  You might as well rent a hotel room and order room service.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic.  The point is there are a plethora of phone shops out there, and companies need people to do them.  Even if you don't love acting, even if you think you are going to get caught without the right answer, it's worth doing.  The shops are not as difficult as they sound, and the worst thing that can happen is you mess up.  So what?  The person on the other end can't see you, they don't know your real name (unless you gave it to them), and you hopefully blocked your number before making the call.  So if you mess up, wait an hour or a day and try again.  Be someone else.  It's your opportunity to be whoever you want to be. 

I recently received a call from a lifestyle advisor at a senior living facility I called a couple of weeks ago.  She had been told that I was her "shopper," and she called to tell me how disappointed she was that my Aunt Grace would not be coming to live with her!  She actually invited me (and Aunt Grace, who actually passed away a long time ago) to come and stay with them (on the beach) for a couple of days to visit AFTER she found out I was the shopper!  So have fun with it!  I do.

Some companies who offer phone shops are www.a-closer-look.com, www.baird-group.com, www.bareinternational.com, www.intellishop.com, www.coylehospitality.com

The Best Laid Plans

I had a great weekend planned.  I looked forward to it for weeks.  A three hour drive, dinner at my favorite upscale steak house, two hotels in two different South Florida seaside towns, and another dinner at an upscale pizza place.  A weekend with my husband alone.  In my mind, the weekend was perfect, or at least perfectly planned.

The first thing that happened was the pizza client decided to move the shop to the following week, and could I complete it then?  Sure, let me just get in my car and drive 212 miles each way to eat pizza on your schedule.  One shop gone.

Then my husband sliced his arm open.  Half the point of going to the beach was because he loves to swim.  Sliced arm, 17 stitches, not so great for swimming.  Suddenly he was not so thrilled about the weekend.  Too bad.  I wanted my 22 oz porterhouse.  We were going!

Then came Emily or at least the idea of Emily.  Three days before my perfect weekend, I was glued to the weather channel, trying to determine if a little tropical storm could deter me from great steak and excellent wine.  First she's coming, then she isn't.  My husband, who drives to work in hurricane force winds tried to use Emily as a good excuse to skip the weekend.  Fortunately, God smiled on me and Emily cooperated.  The weekend was on.

Finally, at noon on Friday, I'm all packed and ready to go.  My husband was coming home from work early, a rare occurrence, and we would soon be on our way.  My mouth was watering in anticipation of our 8:00 PM reservation.  And then the phone rang.  "The well broke at work," my husband said.  "No one else can fix it."  GROAN.  "How long will it take?"  I asked.  "Can someone else go with you?" was the reply.  Huh?  This was not looking good, especially since 98% of my friends live 800 miles away.  No, someone else could not go.

To make a long story short, the well repair took forever, and I had to reschedule my steak house shop for Saturday night.  Unfortunately, the hotel on Saturday was 30 minutes away while the hotel on Friday was one block away from the restaurant.  But whatever, no way was I cancelling the main reason for my trip.

We finally arrived in Palm Beach at 8:30 PM on Friday night.  I decided to try the Yard House for dinner since they were open late and it was close to the hotel.  I had heard good things about the restaurant.  Unfortunately, their sign was out, and even though we were literally ten feet from the place, it took us over an hour to find it.  My husband was grumpy and hungry, not a good combination.  I had just driven over three hours, and all we were doing was fighting.  What happened to my perfect weekend?

I did end up getting my perfect steak dinner on Saturday night, and the weekend improved, but the next time I plan the perfect weekend getaway around mystery shops, I think I'll have a back-up plan in place.  Also, a back-up guest.  Anyone out there available on short notice?

Medical Mystery Shopping - Part Two - It's Personal

Yesterday was another medical shopping day.  I was originally asked to have a blood test at a hospital lab.  However, I had to decline.  The last time someone tried to take blood from me, I got yelled at by two doctors, and I ended up leaving the emergency room three hours later in tears and without a real diagnosis.  Like it's my fault my veins wouldn't cooperate,  The next day, several people asked me if I was "using."  So, we won't go there again unless death is iminent.  I was ultimately approved for another much simpler lab test.  I had my morning all planned.  I could be at the hospital when the lab opened at 7:30 AM, get the quick test, drive down the road and complete a walkthrough at another hospital emergency room, and then go across the street for a final walkthrough at a surgery center.  I could be home before 11:00 AM.  Quick, painless, easy.  Or so I thought.

With tape recorder going and camera in hand, I arrived at the hospital.  I was immediately met at the information desk by a group of ladies I refer to as "the gestapo."  This is my not-so-affectionate term for the hospital auxiliary workers at this particular facility.  This is not the first time I have encountered these ladies.  I am fairly certain it would be easier to breach security at the Pentagon than to go anywhere unescorted in this particular hospital with these particular women at the front desk.  As it happened, the physician had not faxed over the order for the test, and I was not permitted to go to the lab.  I was not even permitted to go (unescorted) past the front desk.  I was turned away.

I came back later after I was instructed to demand the test without the doctor's order.  Supposedly, this was allowed since I was presenting as a self-pay patient.  So after spending 45 minutes there earlier and then completing my walkthroughs in another town down the road, I returned.  By this time, it was already 11:00, and I should have been home.  My mood was souring.  I re-entered the hospital, confident and arrogant.  I demanded my test.  Again, I was turned away.  I was beyond frustrated by this point - I was livid!  I decided since I had gone all the way out there (twice), I was not leaving that place without taking pictures of something.  So I decided it would be a good time to pick up the results of my gallbladder ultrasound from the last mystery shop I completed there.  I was finally permitted over the threshold, escorted by "the new girl."  I snapped as many photos as I could, which wasn't many because I was being watched like a hawk.  However, unlike previous visits, I was finally set free at medical records.  I couldn't believe it!  The new girl had walked away!  This was my golden opportunity.  I quickly retrieved my medical records and began to look for the lab, snapping pictures along the way of trash in the hallway, a straw wrapper here, a napkin there.  I wanted to find every possible infraction in these hallowed halls.  This had become personal!  I was so focused on getting pictures of the little things, I failed to notice I somehow made a turn that put me right back in the lobby.  I started to u-turn, but I had already been spotted.  As a certain teenager I know would say, "Epic fail!"  Golden opportunity lost.  I left the hospital defeated and dejected.

The day, however, was not a loss.  The company arranged an alternate lab visit, and I was paid an additional amount to complete an experience survey about what happened at the hospital.  Although frustrating, the day was profitable, and all's well that ends well.  Still, I am going to have my revenge on the gestapo.  Maybe not this week or even this year, but I'm not giving up.  Because now it's personal.

PJs: The New Career-Wear

Today I am working in a cool, dark bedroom surrounded by cats.  This is the busy time of month for editing.  So I generally hole up in the house somewhere for at least a week and focus on the editing.  No shopping.  No human contact until my husband gets home from work.  Just me and the cats and a bucket of Einstein Bros Bagels.  And PJs.  Lots of PJs.

I have an affinity for pajamas.  I always have.  The first thing that came to mind when I took the editing job was, "I can work in my pajamas."  I actually had a legitimate excuse to buy more pajamas.  I no longer tossed the Kohl's sale ads and 20% off coupons in the trash.  I cleared out another dresser drawer.  I got rid of every suit in my closet except one.  I hinted to my family that pajama-grams would be an awesome birthday or Christmas gift.  My career wardrobe gives new meaning to the term "Business Casual."

I also have a rotating office.  Several years ago, we converted a screened-in porch to a beautiful office, but it's in the back of the house, and it gets quite warm in the summer sun.  So I move around.  Sometimes I work in the spare bedroom, but the treadmill is in there, and when I am not exercising regularly, I get a guilt complex just looking at it.  Sometimes I move into the dining room.  The dining room table is a great work surface; it's large and can comfortably hold my laptop, printer, all my paperwork, and the cats.  Of course, we can't eat off of it.  And I think being in the dining room makes me hungrier anyway.  So this week I am working in the bedroom.  I'm cool, I'm comfortable, I'm focused.  I'm in my Sleep Number bed.  It's my favorite workspace.  If I get tired and want a little afternoon siesta, I don't even have to move.  I just take my computer off my lap and shift a little.

After all, I'm already wearing my PJs.

If you're a mystery shopper with a flair for writing, and you think editing from home in your pajamas might be a good fit for you, let me know.  We might have a position for you at www.a-closer-look.com.

Down time

For the first time in over a year, I took two days off from mystery shopping.  Not only did I take two days off, I spent my own money on a spa, hotel, and meals.  Not one single mystery shop!  I was not sure how I would feel about that, but I enjoyed it.  I mean REALLY enjoyed it!  I love mystery shopping and all the great (free) experiences, but this was different.  I was truly able to relax.  And isn't that what a spa visit is all about?  I didn't have to pay attention to what was being done, what was being said, what was out of place, how long everything took.  I could simply tune out.  And I did, most of the time.

Riverview Spa - Hot Pool and Waterfall



Another benefit was the opportunity to visit some small mom and pop type places that do not utilize mystery shopping.  We found the cutest little place to stay on the beach ...

Turtle Run Inn

... and the owner there introduced us to a new favorite restaurant where we enjoyed yummy flatbread, salads and sandwiches plus some pretty good chocolate martinis. 

Lisa and Heidi @ SoNapa Wine Co.

I still found myself timing my meal and noting everyone's names - habits - but I left my tape recorder at home, and I'm not even sure I carried a pen.  No texting, either.  So did I really tune out and turn it all off?  Well, my friend and I came back from our two-day excursion with a plan.  Next summer ... 48 states in 30 days at no cost.  So I guess even when I'm not mystery shopping, I'm still thinking about it.  I'll get back to shopping today, but I leave you now with a New Smyrna Beach sunrise - the view from my back patio yesterday morning.

Addiction

Tonight I will drive 90 miles to enjoy one of the finest dining experiences available.  I will enjoy fine wine, a $45 steak, some overpriced side dishes, and a perfectly prepared dessert.  I will be treated like royalty.  Then I will come home and write about it.  Fine dining mystery shops are what we work toward as new shoppers (well, that and a cruise).  Finally, the day comes when we have shopped enough fast food and casual dining restaurants and turned in enough well-written, on-time reports that the companies trust us with their high-end clients.  The downside is it's really easy to get used to the finer things in life.  So much so that it's difficult to go without them.  I know some of you know what I'm talking about!  It's difficult to go back to a 1/4 pounder with cheese and limp French Fries when you've had carpaccio, lobster mac and cheese, and the most tender filet on the bone.  Not to mention a $25 glass of wine that's actually worth it.  Which is why I will drive 90 miles tonight.  Restaurant clients have rotation requirements.  This particular client only allows the same shopper to visit every 6 months.  Per location.  That's the catch.  We can get our fix, but we have to be willing to travel a little further if we've already been to the closer locations.  I'm willing.

Ready for a new addiction?  Sign up at www.a-closer-look.com.

Happy Dining! 

Mystery Shopping on a Diet: Impossible?

I've been avoiding food shops like the plague for the past three weeks.  It might sound easy to do, but it's harder than you think, especially if you're mystery shopping all day long and schedulers start calling you mid-month dangling attractive bonuses as incentive.  For one thing, you have to eat while you're out.  I mean, mystery shopping is strenuous, hard work!  Okay, maybe that's just my excuse because I love to eat.  But I could pack my lunch, right?  A tuna fish sandwich, a piece of fruit.  I tried that once.  I forgot it was there, and I live in Florida.  Can you imagine the smell in my car?  No, I don't think I'll try that again.  Besides, I have to pay for that stuff.  If you're anything like me, you find it a ridiculous concept to pay for food when you can get it for free.  And there are just SO MANY food shops!  So, I broke down.  I said, "Yes," to the schedulers today.  I'm just doing my part, trying to be responsible and helpful so that one day, they might throw me a bone or something I really, really want.  Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it.  I went online to add a few shops to my route since I was going to be "out that way" anyway.  Well, apparently my mouse has a mind of it's own.  It's like poltergeist in my laptop.  Whatever it is, I found myself with more food shops than I can possibly eat in a day (and I can eat a lot of food).  And they're not healthy food shops, either.  Burgers and fries, burritos, chicken wings and pizza.  It's a smorgasbord of cholesterol laden, artery clogging comfort food.  Thank God I have a husband who likes to eat!  Why can't I just find a nice, safe Subway shop?

If fattening comfort food sounds good to you (not to mention attractive bonuses for shopping and easy questionnaires), you might want to sign up for Market Force at the following link: https://www.applymarketforce.com/index.aspx?source=16&referralID=803042

Other options include www.strategicreflections.com and www.trendsource.com.

It probably isn't impossible to mystery shop on a diet for most people.  But then again, I'm not most people.

Happy Shopping!

Avoiding the high cost of fuel

Today I'm going to Ocala (45 miles away) to have my hair cut and colored.  Why do I drive so far for this with the price of gas today?  Well, for one reason, the person who does my hair is one of my oldest and dearest friends.  We actually shared an apartment after high school in Maryland and later learned we lived less than an hour from each other after losing touch for over ten years.  She does a good job, too!

But back to the high cost of fuel.  I don't worry about gas prices because I write off 90% of my fuel.  How?  I always pick up a mystery shop or two no matter where I'm going.  Then it becomes a business expense.  The IRS allows me to write off fuel at about 50 cents per gallon, so this can be a huge deduction at the end of the year.  Last year, my deduction was so large, it was the reason I got a substantial refund instead of paying in April.

So, I'm off to Ocala for a cut, color and good conversation.  Oh, and pet products.  That's my mystery shop.  And it's only 3 blocks away from the salon.  Practically perfect in every way!

Today's mystery shop is provided by www.shopperscritique.com

Happy shopping!

Medical Mystery Shopping

Yesterday was a busy day, but one of my more lucrative projects.  I posed as a patient at an urgent care facility and earned $150 for my time (forty minutes for the appointment and about one hour for the report).  Medical mystery shopping is particularly appealing to me since I do not carry health insurance.  Earlier this year, I was able to receive a mammogram as part of a mystery shop.  I also had a cholesterol check.  I was paid $150 for each of these in addition to having the procedures reimbursed.  If medical mystery shopping is something that interests you, I highly recommend The Baird Group (http://baird-group.com/mystery-shopping).

So, back to yesterday's appointment.  I went to the urgent care facility and told them I had been having headaches.  I spent $133 to find out I should drink a cup of coffee.  No kidding!  The nurse practictioner (that's right, no docs there) found out I had been off caffeine for eleven days and pretty much ordered me to grab a cup of java.  She wrote me a prescription as a back-up plan, but she seemed to think that Starbucks would do the trick.  I took her advice!

After the urgent care appointment, I did a walkthrough at a local hospital.  A walkthrough is exactly what it sounds like.  You go to a medical facility and just walk through, sit down, hang out, and pay attention.  Oh, and take lots of photos.  I forgot to mention a Smartphone is a necessity for these shops because you might be a little obvious if you're snapping pictures of the receptionist with your Kodak EasyShare.  The walkthrough took just over thirty minutes, and the report was not half as long as the patient visit form.  The payment was $50.  I love walkthroughs.

While I was out, I picked up a few other shops including a hardware store (batteries plus an $8 payment), an office supply store (staples plus $7), a deli (lunch), and two facilities where I was able to mail gifts to my out-of-state family.  When I arrived home, I made a few phone calls to another medical center ($5 each for 10 minutes of work) and then began the reporting.

Completing reports is every mystery shopper's least favorite thing to do.   They can be tedious, especially the longer ones like the medical shops, but the other reports generally take less than twenty minutes each.  Also, once you complete enough of the same type of shops, the reporting is much easier.  I type fast, so I don't really mind reporting.  Unfortunately, yesterday I had eleven edits waiting for me in my editing bin at www.a-closer-look.com, so by the time I finished my reports at 9:15 PM, I still had a long night ahead of me.  But I made over $300 in total yesterday, which will allow me to take a few days off in a couple of weeks when a friend comes to town and enjoy a much needed spa visit.

Have I mentioned lately that I love my job?

To learn more about some of the companies that provided yesterday's jobs, go to www.bareinternational.com, www.mysteryresearchers.com, and www.marketforce.com.

Why did I wait this long?

My first post on my first blog.  I should have done this the day I started my unusual occupation.  Now I only have my 40+ year old memory to rely on for the missed opportunities.  It all started in 2009 after my father's brain injury.  I gave up my job to go to Maryland and take care of him while he recovered.  When I returned to Florida three months later, I knew I had to make a living, and selling people's secondhand yard sale treasures wasn't cutting it (though it helped).  I remembered something I had done almost ten years prior ... mystery shopping!  I wondered if that was still an option.  I had only done a couple of restaurant and hotel shops back then, but maybe there was more.  After all, who wouldn't want to get paid to eat and shop?  I did a quick search on the internet, and I was surprised to find that mystery shopping had become a multi-billion dollar industry.  I couldn't wait to get started!  Like everything else in my life, I dove in head first.  I found two great sites - www.mysteryshop.org and www.volition.com.  I quickly earned my silver certification and then proceeded to register with about 50 reputable mystery shopping companies.  I was smart, focused, and ready, and I knew the job offers were going to start rolling in.  I couldn't wait for my first cruise!
 
That same day, I signed up for my very first shop - with a well known fast food chain.  I was going to make $7.50 and eat a free meal.  Success!  It wasn't exactly a cruise, and it was not going to pay the mortgage, but I had to start somewhere, right?  I did a few more searches, signed up for a few more shops, and before I knew it, I had six shops to complete on the same day.  I was a route shopper before I knew what route shopping was!

Since this was a business, I knew I would need some supplies.  So I made it a point to schedule some office supply store shops during those first few days.  I got a free clipboard, some pens, clips, and various other items to make my new job easier.  Better yet, it was all deductible!  (I did not realize until seven months later that it was also all taxable!)

I have to be honest.  During those first few months, I was not getting rich.  I was shopping anywhere between five and fifteen locations in a single day and only making between $5 and $15 per shop for most shops.  Occasionally, I would find a shop that paid $30 or $40, and I remember thinking I had hit the jackpot!  Then when I got home at night, it wasn't over.  I spent hours and hours on the computer doing the paperwork for those shops, scanning and uploading receipts, and printing out paperwork for the next day's shops.  Sometimes I would work twelve to fourteen straight hours to make $100.  But it was a job, it was mine, and overall, I was having fun.

Now, almost two years later, what has changed?  Honestly, not much.  I still do some of those $5 and $7.50 shops, but today, more people come to me and offer projects that are a bit more lucrative.  Just last month I worked on a senior living project that paid almost $500 for about eight hours of work.  I've also done some route shopping that netted over $300 a day.  But what about the cruise?  (I knew you were wondering.)  I still have not done a cruise shop, but I was approved for a company who shops cruise lines, so I'm getting there!  So, what was the best shop I've done so far?  I always enjoy fine dining, so those shops are near the top of my list, and one of my favorite dining shops was in an Orlando theme park and came with tickets to the theme park ... that was nice!  But my favorite so far was a weekend at a beachfront resort hotel.  Two days, all expenses paid, plus a $50 payment, and the form was so simple, it took less than 20 minutes to complete.

But the best thing that has come out of this?  Last year, I was offered a position as editor at one of the companies I shopped for (www.a-closer-look.com).  I still shop, but I also edit other shoppers' reports.  Between the two, I can definitely pay the mortgage!  I still have all the perks of shopping, but when I don't feel like shopping, I can stay home and work in my pajamas.

So, what do I hope to accomplish with this blog?  I hope I can use this blog to document my more interesting mystery shopping experiences as they come along, but I also hope to educate and inform anyone who might be interested in mystery shopping and does not know how to get started.  I might even toss in some amusing anecdotes from some of the reports I edit.  If I mix in some other stuff about "life," so be it, because I've already made up my mind, I am only blogging in one place.  This is it.  Welcome to my unusual occupation.  Welcome to my life.