Beverly Carlson

How long is too long to keep customers on hold?

I once worked in an office and waa expected to pick up the phone before the 3rd ring.

Now it seems that an electric provider that I called today hasn't gotten the same phone etiquette instructions.

After being on hold for 15 minutes for customer service, I hung up and redialed and waited for 5 minutes hung up again and now it is 6 pm.

When I dialed the number the 3rd time, the recording stated they closed at 6 pm. Interesting they are very efficient at closing promptly but not prompt at answering the phone.

If anyone wants to have a similar fun time waiting on hold really about as much fun as waiting for paint to dry,

THEN call Dynowatt at 1-877-DYNOWATT

To find somebody else other than Dynowatt for an electric provider in

Abilene,

go to www.powertochoose.org. and type in your zipcode to pull up providers available in Abilene.

No promises that any of them answer the phone by the third ring. I have been on hold with other electric providers, but won't name names while I still have electricity with one of them! Because if your electricity goes off, it can take them 3-5 business days to go back on. Technology can turn your electricity off instantly, but takes 3 days to even think about getting it back on. But in order to ask the electric provider to explain that to you, you will need to call and ask yourself. Good luck with that.

VACANT DOESN'T MAKE IT; STAGE IT!

ONE EMPTY BEDROOM LOOKS JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER EMPTY B EDROOM. ONE MAY BE A NEWER OR OLDER CONSTUCTION, BIGGER OR SMALLER CLOSET BUT A LOT OF BEDROOMS ARE NEUTRAL BLAND WHEN LEFT EMPTY.

EMPTY BEDROOM LOOKS LIKE MANY OTHER ROOMS - (except for the ladder that sneaked into this photo)

WHEN STAGED THE ROOM SAYS LOOK AT ME!!!!

This room is staged with a Queen blowup bed with decorator rounds as night tables and lamp shown is a $10 lamp from IKEA. The entrie room's furnishings came out of the trunk of MY car.

You just never know what is in a stager's trunk!

IF IT'S VACANT, STAGE IT!!!

I DIDN'T DECLUTTER, I DEJUNKED!

BACK 4 MONTHS ago in MAY, PRIOR TO THE MARATHON 100 DEGREE DAYS, I HAD A person help me rearrange my stuff and have a small garage sale, BUT I NEVER FINISHED DEJUNKING AND it was always too hot even at 7:00 in the morning!

Yes, you guessed some stuff went back in the garage, because usually when I leave stuff sitting out it rains! Heck my stuff could have sit out for four monts this year, but I care what the neighbors think even if they don't.

ORDINARILY I WOULD PUT A PHOTO IN MY BLOG HERE, SO JUST IMAGINE A PHOTO OF JUNK HERE!

PHOTO OF JUNK COULD GO RIGHT HERE!

TODAY I hired a high school student for 3 hours and she and I worked hard OR at least I know SHE DID, pulling stuff out, and sweeping and cleaning shelves in the garage. Much progress was made. I put several pieces of old furniture and Christimas decorations on the curb for GOODWILL. A couple stopped and were delighted to take away several of my Christmas stuff.

Tonight the only things left on the curb are 1 bulletin board, and 1 TV stand.

IT'S TRUE, ONE MAN'S JUNK (OR IN THIS CASE ONE WOMAN'S JUNK) IS ANOTHER'S TREAUSURE.

ALL IN ALL A SATISFYING DAY!!! BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT PUTTING JUNK ON THE CURB COULD BE SO REWARDING.

Downtown Photos taken 9/16/2011.

The Paramount is on the left just past N 3rd and Cypress.

The Grace Musuem is on the corner of the N lst and Cypress and is an Abilene Historical Landmark.

The musuem is the previous Grace Hotel. The Grace could be Abilene's best attraction. There is something for everyone, Art, Abilene history displays, and really fun for kids - a children's musuem!

What is life without some CHOCOLATE? Here it is right downtown!

and

Wouldn't you know it? Another sculpture...

NOW THE pink flamingo is still my favorite, but in Texas w here every thing is bigger here are some Texas sized ANTLERS!

By the way, that is a real train on the tracks going pretty fast. Didn't know my camera was that good, the train is not blurry! The train tracks run through the middle of Abilene and divide South First and North First.

NEED TO RENT OR LEASE - CARLSON PROPERTIES CAN HELP YOU!

Today, all my properties are leased; HOWEVER, as some of my units are month-to-month, it never hurts to check in with me from time to time. I have several nice homes that I manage from modest to executive-sized, so it never hurts to check with me about current availability. I also cooperate with other property managers in town. I can help you find a rental property.

A sign of a good property manager is that their own properties stay rented!

Examples of Carlson Properties that are recently managed and leased:

4 bedroom

2-3 bedrooms and studio on the right bottom.