FIRST!...Nostalgia!

Hello Everyone!

I'm still in the archives and am thinking 'inspirational'. No new creation arrives by magic. It is after thought, research, effort and determination. In the modern age we think of the web, social media... Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, My Space etc... all created by someone. Back in 2013 at the beginning of the year I was suggesting you make it a year of personal firsts. Once again, I lay down the gauntlet...make the rest of 2018 a time to have a 'first' attempt at something and good luck.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It is the first week of the first month of a new year. It is a time for resolutions which will probably be broken before February.

But it is a 'first'! Think about the joy that is associated with 'first'... first prize, first born, first past the post, first in line, first place, first day at school, first job...

Second, third or fourth is just not the same and last is almost embarrassing.

As we begin 2013, I would like to share some 'firsts' with you.

First man to walk on the moon... Neil Armstrong, July 20th 1969.

First man to make a solo non-stop transatlantic flight, Charles Lindbergh 1927

First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, Amelia Earhurt 1932

First Blackpool (UK) illuminations, September 18th 1879

First skyscraper was the Home Insurance Building, Chicago, USA, 10 storeys high in 1883-5 built by William Le Baron Jenney

First safety pin was invented by Walter Hunt (USA) in 1849

First video game was produced by Willy Higinbotham (USA) in 1958

First men to reach the summit of Everest were Edmund Hillary (New Zealand) and Tenzing Norgay (Nepal) on May 29th 1953

First man to swim across the English Channel was Matthew Webb (England) in 1875

First supermarket trolley was introduced by Sylvan Goldman (USA) in 1937

First match was produced by Robert Boyle (England) in 1680

First top hat was made and worn by English haberdasher, John Hetherington, in 1797. He was arrested and fined £50 for causing a disturbance in London when he wore his creation for the first time!

First lawn mower was invented by Edwin Budding (England) in 1930

There always has to be a 'first'! This year, I offer you all a challenge. No, I don't expect you to create something or do something dramatic like climbing Everest; anyway that's been done but how many personal 'firsts' can you achieve? Maybe, you'll purchase your first car, get your first degree, play that first game of golf or run your first marathon.

Make it a year of personal firsts!


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Lady M ✨✨✨                

A Pensioner!...nostalgia!

Moi! Last year 2017 in a kite flying contest! Really living life to the full as a pensioner!

Hello Everyone,

Still in the archives and noticed the day I officially became a pensioner. More than six years ago. Well, really? That long. What milestones have I had since 2012? Hmmm. None! But I'm not at the pearly gates yet so must continue enjoying life and doing what makes me happy. Holidays, the cinema, afternoon teas at the library, tram riding...

I have had loads of information on funeral plans, retirement homes and mobility aids!

Whatever stage of life you are enjoying or enduring at present, try reminiscing. Milestones? What do you want to achieve in your remaining days? If your present life is going through a bad patch hang on in there good times will come soon.

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Hello Everyone!

It is official. I can hardly believe it but today, 6th January 2012, our British government has declared me a PENSIONER. I have only just got used to being 60, but now I can have a bus pass and all kinds of concessions. I am sure I will be getting even more information in the post and on-line regarding funeral plans, retirement homes and incontinence pads.

One's pension is that time in life that one has looked forward to since starting work. It has always seemed unreal, an unattainable goal, a dream of exotic free days doing all the things one never has the time for during the working life. I can now reflect back to those awful snowy, icy, cold mornings of the 70's and 80's when I would far rather have stayed at home than got up and struggled to get to work.

I can also reminisce over the milestones of my life.

That first day at school in 1956... that first day at grammar school in 1962...

Leaving home for college in 1969...my father's face... so full of pride.

My 21st birthday, officially an adult, although the age of majority had all ready been lowered to 18!

Graduation in 1972... again my father beaming and so full of pride.

My first day as a teacher in 1973...

My first pilgrimage to Israel in 1975

My wedding day 1980 followed by the divorce day...

My first day as a holiday rep in 1987

My first book published in 2001...

My first day as a pensioner 2012....

Next stop... The pearly gates!

Have you any advice or anecdotes on becoming a pensioner that you would care to share?

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Have a great week, pensioner or not.   Lady M xxx✨✨✨

Scam... beware! Nostalgia!

Hello Everyone!

This post about a scam was first posted in 2012 but is still receiving comments which means it is still around. Why haven't the fraudsters been caught? I've no idea. I do know that scams are everywhere these days and I know many peeps have been taken in by them and lost money as a result of them. So, I'm reposting this as my fifth nostalgic posts and please look at everything carefully that you do not recognise in emails. Never open a suspicious attachment. Make delete, delete, delete  your mantra. There are various things to look for in these scams. Is it in correct English? Are there spelling, grammatical errors? Are they addressing you personally or generally? Please share this blog. Warn your friends. BE SAFE FROM SCAMS.

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Sofia here, I hope you've all had a great week. Our Lady M is recovering from having all that work done last week and so Donald and I are still here. However, she has asked us to warn you about a scam which arrived in her email.

Hello, We are quite interested in using your face/picture for a billboard/calling card advert. We presently have a billboard advert and your profile is chosen to do the job. Please reply with your approval,so we could move on with further details. All replies should be emailed to danielawhite001@yahoo.co.uk . Regards. Daniela.

Well, it sounds interesting... intriguing. Lady M requested more details.

Subject: billboard advert update
Good day

The profile we selected was sent by a third party company. They look through sites like Facebook, MySpace and MM to identify a profile for suitable for billboard advertising. We do not involved in erotic images. We explained in our previous email that our client who contracted this job to us produces international telephone cards.

This is a serious offer and to demonstrate how serious we are, you wouldn't pay any money. However, as this is a paid job you would get paid for this assignment, the photo session would hold in a photographer's studio close to your city. Let us know if you are interested,so we can send you more information.

Best regards

Daniela.

It sounds good. They are serious and they do not want any money. They are going to pay her. People have looked through FB and found her photograph. They WANT her. Wow. She is interested. Wouldn't you be? Next email.

Good day,

Thanks for getting back to us. This is an advert job, so you do not need to be a model in order to qualify, anyone can do an advert job, provided that your face match what we are looking for.

The total contract package for this Advertisement job is $30,000. We would want your face to appear in our client (Global Link International) advert campaign. The company is involved in international calling cards around UK and Europe. If you are accepted, your picture would be one of the faces for their new International calling cards and billboards. Find all details for the job below.

JOB LOCATION

Since we can not use the pictures from the social network website, we would need to take fresh photos. The photo shoot will be held at a rented photographer’s studio near you, so you don’t have to worry about travelling abroad, the name and address of the studio would be forwarded to you before the date of the shoot, all make up will be taken care of at the studio. You can also come along with any body of your choice on the day of the shoot, your family or personal manager.

JOB DETAILS

You have 4 different outfits to wear; this would be provided by our client on the day of the shoot. Note that your hair would need to be without any artificial hair colour.

TYPES OF CLOTHES

Casual

EXPECTATIONS

An advert job can be done by anybody, it all depends on if your picture matchthe kind of look we are searching for. Do get in touch with us if you will take the job so that we can start up from there. You would pay absolutely no commission, no personal cost to yourself.

Regards.

Daniela.

So, with such information and extremely curious our Lady M goes to the next stage. Alarm bells are ringing but...

Hello,

We appreciate your co-opration in theis project. Candimodels was founded in 2000 by David McDonald and Tracie Rowleys. Within this period of time we have grown into one of the most well-known and respected agencies of it's kind in UK and Nationwide. We have worked hard to ensure that we have the most comprehensive selection picture agency based in United kingdom. We acknowledge gorgeous pictures for commercial billboard advertisement.
Moreover,you have been selected for the billboard advertisement for our clients "Global Link INT". A copy of the picture will be sent to you. You also will have the opportunity to attend the launching of the billboard.
We require the following:

FULL NAME:

PHONE:

FULL POSTAL ADDRESS:

AGE:

OCCUPATION:
NAME OF YOUR BANK:( This is necessary, in other for the financier to know upon which bank cheque we to issue your salary)

Thanks.

Wow! It is all so impressive.
But wait a minute, not once have they mentioned her by name. The original email is a generalised one. If they are a UK company why are they dealing in dollars? Next stage...

Hello Marilyn,

I am happy to inform you that the photo shoot for the billboard/calling card advert is due on the 14TH and 15TH Of April 2012. The amount payable for this advert job is $30,000
(or its equivalent),because you are not registered with us you are entitled to 35%($10,500) of the total contract amount. You will receive your payment in two separate installments.First payment that will be made out to you by the financier would be for $5,000.You are to take out $1,000(being 20% of the first payment, as your part payment)the balance is meant for Studio fees and Legal Documentation. and "Sign up fee" with us,in case of future jobs.

A contract will be sent out to you via e-mail,the hard copy would be signed on the final day of shoot,the second installment payment of ($9,500 being your balance take home) would be paid to you in cash or be transferred to your bank on the shooting date immediately after the shoot. Candimodel members benefits include; being scouted by most of the top agencies in the world, from one place, at one time. Its just that simple. Candimodels, Scouts, backs up this claim by giving the potential model the opportunity to see which agencies/companies express an interest in them.
* Your portfolio is added to our agency database for 1 year.
* Agencies routinely search the database to find new faces.
* Agencies have access to your portfolio at anytime and can email it to clients.
* Agencies can find you by location, age, height, eye color, bust & more.
* Agencies can add your portfolio to their personal call back list.
* Agencies can add your portfolio to a global callback list (used by all the agencies).
Portfolio membership

Pls, do let us know if you are okay with this payment plan,so that we can move with other shoot arrangements. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards.

This is fantastic. For at least 5 minutes our Lady M was spending her $10,500 and she was going to be on their books for twelve months. Thank goodness her hair is still the natural colour. She may take someone with her to a professional photo shoot, the four outfits were to be provided by the agency. She would be invited to the launch. Her face would be on billboards, just how lucky can a girl get?

We would like to point out that there is a Candi Model Agency and a company called Global Link Int, but they may not be associated with this scam or even aware of it.

Why should she have to pay $4,000 out of her first payment? Why do this third party not pay it directly to the agency? Does a photo shoot with make up and hair being done by professionals for ONE photograph really take two days? Aren't contracts normally signed before the work and not at the end? Do professional agencies really pay out such large sums in cash? Why are we still discussing dollars in the UK? Why hasn't it been changed into sterling?

Lady M played around on Google and sure enough there were people around the world who had received this email during the last twelve months. Someone replied that it was a scam originating in Nigeria and they would send the cheque, but you would be obliged to pay the fees before the cheque was cleared. It would bounce all the way back. There would be no photo shoot. Our Lady M pulled out before she found out where the fictitious shoot was going to be. You have got to admit, it is a sophisticated scam. It has plenty of detail, is attractive and looks, until you scrutinise it, as if it is genuine. Strangely, after Lady M pulled out, the company made no effort to persuade her to reconsider.

If anyone can identify these fraudsters, knows who to contact re scams or wishes to publicise other scams please leave a comment. Thank you.

My mantra this week, IF IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.. IT IS NOT TRUE!