Dear Judy: I'm standing on my head trying to clear it. I hear so many different views about memory management programs. I'm sure I need one, because I'm the Crash King of Madison (computer crashes, that is!).
Signed...Memory Muddled in Madison
Response: Claudia Slate
Dear Judy: I love e-books, and my colleagues and I are in a hot debates about the merits of e-books. Do you think they're worth the time, trouble, and paper?
Signed...Curious in Chehalis
Responses: Judy Vorfeld, Rick Thompson, Will Bontrager, and Paul Siegel
Dear Judy: I've heard so many horror stories about attempts to set up a merchant account. How can I get some balanced, rational ideas? Where do I begin?
Signed...Leery in Louisiana
Response: Rick Thompson
Dear Judy: I posted my resume on the Internet, and a company e-mailed me and said they needed help and that I was perfect to become a work-from-home employee as an order processor. The only cost would be $195 for the software to process orders. Plus, after several months employment, I'd be eligible for terrific insurance benefits. I fell for it. The software was of no use, and there were no employment forms. I can't get through to the company, and am working with my credit card company to get a refund. I feel so foolish. Does this happen often?
Signed...Scammed in Salem
Response: Chris Siegel
Dear Judy: Should more than one "title" ("Mr." and "President") be used in an address, such as:
Mr. James Reed
President, Acme Products Company
I've searched the web, and can't find the answer to my question.
Signed...Sharyl in Schenectady
Response: Judy Vorfeld
Dear Judy: As a new (and younger) employee hired to proofread
all material before it leaves the office, the "older" members
resist my grammar rules, as they are different from the ones
they learned. One consistently snaps at my "incorrect" grammar,
and others refuse to make the necessary changes.
When I see professional publications with grammar mistakes like
ours, I usually don't use the companies, as they seem to pay no
attention to detail.
What is a proper and discreet way to explain to the older employees
that my grammar changes are correct? I tried showing them the
grammar rules found in grammar resources, but they just yelled at me.
Signed...Ready to quit and let them look like morons
Response: Judy Vorfeld, Steve Rothberg, and Michael A. Chwastiak
Dear Judy: How can I create a PDF document without buying the full Adobe software? This is a one-time job.
Signed...Puzzled About PDF
Response: Claudia Slate
Dear Judy: Recently I drove to a neighboring community on business. As I headed for home, my car that sputtered and died. I didn't have any towing coverage, but my best friend was with me, and she had AAA. This got us towed home, to a garage that had done my last few oil changes. Unfortunately, the costs were (to me) unfairly high, and I had personality problems with the person in the front office. The costs were worse than the conflict. As a woman alone, what could I have done differently?
Signed...Broke in Bellevue
Response: John Papish
Dear Judy: I'm trying to use an old A/B switch box so I can operate two printers off my primary PC. However, when I try to print off either printer I only get symbols on the pages. Gibberish. What's wrong? Is software required to use an A/B switch?
Signed...Switched in San Antonio
Responses: Claudia Slate and Ann Clubb
Dear Judy: I've built up a nice local and online business in real estate. I'm looking for someone to give me administrative support, but s/he needs special knowledge and skills. Do Virtual Assistants do anything other than straight secretarial work?
Signed...Busy Realtor
Response: Bev King
Dear Judy: How would I go about soliciting business to enter into the
transcription market? Suppose you had the infrastructure in place to handle a
transcription business, and all you needed now was the business -
how would one go about soliciting business and introducing
him/herself without face-to-face contact? Any direction would be
appreciated.
Signed...Hopeful Transcriptionist
Response: Judy Vorfeld
Dear Judy: I've started my VA business by creating a decent Web site, but now have almost no money to advertise. How do I get the word out about my virtual business on a tight budget?
Signed...Almost Broke in Bingen
Response: Marsha Kopan
Dear Judy: I keep hearing about disasters in homes and offices. How can I prepare for one, using my existing technology?
Signed...Nervous in Newport Beach
Response: Angela Allen
Dear Judy: I just purchased a CD Burner for saving files, and for marketing. Now, if I back up files and folders on the CDs, what files and folders am I looking to backup? In other words, how much room is on a CD?
Signed...Wondering in Wisconsin
Response: Angela Allen
Dear Judy I've just decided to start my own VA business. Could you give me some ideas of how to market my business to obtain clients (either locally or via the internet)?
Signed...Virtual Newbie
Response: Jackie Eastwick
Dear Judy: I want to start a home based word processing business, I have plenty of qualifications, but no experience. Worst yet, for the past 8 years I have been employed in a totally unrelated field. How can I write a resume to convince future clients that I can do the job. Most of the time qualifications are not enough, they want experience.
Signed...Not giving up in North Carolina
Responses: Judy Vorfeld, Bob Brooke, and Mark Neely
Dear Judy: In today's world, where you find everyone apologizes for almost any and everything, there must be a set decorum for when it should be used. For example, we often see "I/we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused" in lots of correspondence so much so that it is becoming cliche. Do you have any comments on the correct usages of apologies in correspondence?
Signed...Interested in Indiana
Response: Judy Vorfeld
Dear Judy: I've heard that just about anyone can start a lucrative business on the Internet. I read this constantly in the e-mail messages I get. Explain why.
Signed...Money Hungry in Massachusetts
Response: Judy Vorfeld
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Dear Judy: I've just decided to start my own VA business. Here's my question: could you give me some ideas of how to market my business to obtain clients (either locally or via the internet)?
Signed...Newbie VA in Illinois
Response: Judy Vorfeld
Dear Judy: I work for a fairly large company, and have for eight years. Recently, many of the people in my department began avoiding me, and look at me as if I had leprosy. I discovered that one person, who seems nice on the surface, but absolutely must be in charge of informal department activities, is spreading vicious lies about me. (This person has been with the company for 18 years, and has a very responsible job.)
My crime? The "coordinator" was out for a week, and some people had birthdays, so I made sure we had cakes, cards, and a little celebration. I thought I was helping, but when she got back and learned of my good deeds, she was furious. I guess she felt threatened. The strange looks from fellow workers began the same day she got back.
You might wonder why I'd let it bother me, but the rumors are that I'm very "close" to one of the company's vice presidents and am breaking up his family. I feel like this is going to destroy me, my job, and possibly my marriage. What can I do regarding this vicious whispering campaign?
Signed...Devastated in Dayton
Responses: Judy Vorfeld, Terri Robinson, & Anne Caldwell
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Dear Judy: Our new office manager put out a memo that all typing for the company will have one space only between the end of a sentence and the beginning of another. I was taught that one used two spaces, and I'm ready to fly apart. I just can't do it, and I'm too old to learn!! Who is right?
Signed...Flying Apart in Fresno
Responses: Judy Vorfeld & Claudia Slate
Dear Judy: My website has been online now for more than 6 months. In that time,
I've had 127 visitors. Most of them are probably me checking to see if
anyone has come to visit. The site looks great, but why is no one
coming? What can I do?
Signed...Troubled in Toronto
Responses: Judy Vorfeld, Marc Holt, and Rick Thompson
Dear Judy: I just got blasted because I wrote an article for a newsletter and ended a sentence with a preposition. The president of the organization called and made me feel like I'd sinned! Isn't it okay to end a sentence with a preposition from time to time? Or am I wrong?
Signed...Frazzled in Framingham
Responses: Judy Vorfeld & Jennifer Stewart
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Dear Judy: I see that you do typing and editing. Please hire me to help with your workload. I have a pretty good typing speed. I've been looking for work for ages and can't find anyone like you to hire me. What's wrong? I'm really talented, have a good computer, and want to stay at home rather than have a jay-oh-bee.
Signed...Baffled in Buffalo
Responses: Judy Vorfeld, Jackie Eastwick, Marsha Kopan, & Carolyn Akens
Dear Judy: Everyone says it's easy to be a Web designer, and I'm pretty good designing brochures and flyers. Six months ago, I quit my job, bought FrontPage, got a domain, created a site advertising my services, and haven't had one person hire me, or even ask about my services. What's wrong? I'm going broke!
Signed...Stumped in Savannah.
Responses: Judy Vorfeld, Mark Brennaman, Ronni Rhodes, & Marc Holt
