Hi. I live in Los Angeles County and also shop Orange County. I started MS about a year ago to test my ability to return to work following a disability that has had me in a wheelchair. Well, I can do most and it is a wonderful alternative to physical therapy. Not able yet to return to full time work.
I focus on fine dining, upscale retail, business verifications, revealed audits and banking. I find banking a bit difficult lately due to my discomfort about what has happened to the economy. I find I have a hard time pulling off the scenarios.
I'd like to hear off post from others who live in this area to share info on which shops are good to work for. It is ok to share since there is usually a limit on how frequently a MS can do a particular shop.
I am trying to find out which company does Norwegian Cruise Lines since I am taking a cruise from Chile to Los Angeles for 18 days in April.
I also am trying to find out, (again only to my e-mail at aol), the company that is now scheduling the Chevron Extra Mile Audits. I know this information cannot be shared in a forum but I think it can be shared via e-mail.
Oh, I am married, have a BA in psychology, have five grandchildren between three months and 19 years of age. Live within two blocks of the beach with an ocean view and am trying desparately to make mortgage payments. I want to try merchandising but haven't taken the leap yet. I have a silver certificate and plan to get the gold. I am looking at setting up my home as a B&B as a possible way to generate income.
I have just one gripe about MS. We get poor pay for shops that require a huge output of our own funds and get reimbursements as late as 120 days later. This hardly covers the loss income from not having the funds in an interest bearing checking account.

Hi Joe!

I'm also from SoCal, the South Bay area, that is. My adventures started exactly a year ago this month to spice up my 9-5 job and my love/hate relationship with ms has developed not long after. I love the interaction with the outside world, I even enjoy the long-drawn narratives some of the shops require. And when it's getting a bit too dark out and suddenly realize that I overextended myself again and the surge of extra adrenaline kicks in, I get some weird joy out of that, too. Of course, I start writing run in sentences like I just did above and get a flak over that...that's when the hating part comes in. Or when I volunteer for the purchase/return shops and there's nothing more I abhor than returning something. And then there are those that I get paid $10 for and then have to work extra hard to hide the $100 item I just purchased because I just could not resist. (But in a way, I did save ten bucks, didn't I?)

I'm sorry I cannot help you with your shop inquiries as I've never come across them either. But you're still set to sail this coming month, right? Have a good time.

Maddie, married with children. (actually, 3 boys all in college. And sometimes ms helps buy them a book or two.)