Ann's Help
Do you need my help?
HERE'S WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU:
I can answer general questions, come to your home or office and train or assist you with software, problems, installation, etc.
I can advise you on purchasing a computer, and set it up for you. I can install operating systems and upgrades.
I can teach you internet browsing and how to use email. I can protect your computer from viruses and spyware. I can remove viruses and spyware.
I can help you understand your computer, and tell you what you need to know in your own environment. I can show you the simple and best way to accomplish any computer task.
I teach computer classes in Southern Riverside County for a reasonable fee ($10 per 1 hour class).
I am available to help you any time. Just drop me an email or call my office at (951) 461-6760. I will come to you! $25 Service charge + $25 per hour.
If you need computer repair or networking, I can refer you to some great people in the area. No need to pay a referral fee.
MY STORY:
I first began working on a computer in 1992 on a Macintosh. I picked it up instantly. I was 24 and my first office job was being a secretary in a mortgage office. I first experienced an IBM pc with windows in 1993, when I was promoted to executive secretary to the regional director. I hired a secretary of my own and began teaching her how to use a computer. I found teaching easy, to people who understand computer language, and difficult, to people who cannot grasp that concept. I then found easy ways to explain things and became very patient, because I was excited for other people to learn this new technology.
I then took a multitude of computer classes and became very advanced in my pc skills, so much so that I was offered a job in Denver, CO in 1995. They needed an Excel expert to take formulas out of an old program and make a new legend and new files for the company. In other words, taking one set of formulas and converting them to another. I did my job, backed up my work, and my brand new IBM computer crashed. Good thing I had made a backup the night before! I was so glad I listened to my computer teacher about making backups. The next day, I received a new computer (another IBM) and began reinstalling my files. Needless to say I was not impressed with IBM computers but things have drastically changed in the IBM compatible pc world nowdays. Anyway, I presented my work to the V.P. of the company who commended me over and over again for a job well done. This was the pinnacle of my career. I felt like I had finally achieved something really great.
The next week, I came into work and found a new V.P. and a new flowchart on the wall, announcing the corporate restructuring (welcome to Corporate America). The computer tech department was not listed on the chart. Next, I was called into a meeting and told our department had been job-discontinued but not to worry, they had a nice severance package for all of us. I was devastated. I took another job for 2 months at a manufacturer for gym equipment and trained everyone in the office on a computer, since they had just received them and had never touched one before. The owner who hired me took off on a 6 week trip without telling me, and left me there to fend for myself and figure out what to do. So after training everyone, I resigned and moved back to California (after making a double income for 2 months).
This time, I came to the Temecula area, because my mom had retired here and needed my help with her computer (which was a DOS system back then). I soon got her one with Windows on it. I spent 6 months looking for a job (in 1995 when there weren't many jobs here) and finally landed a position at a financial company in February of 1996. My severance pay had just run out. Despite the lower salary, I took the job, thinking I would move on soon and not worry. I began to love working at this company however, and ended up filling in for the secretary to the owner as she was first on vacation and then in between jobs. So I assisted my department, the owner, and trained people in between. During this time, I spent lunch hours with the certified pc technician there, who taught me virtually everything I know about the inside of a computer, how they communicate, what they really mean when they say “you have performed an illegal operation”, and how to do a PowerPoint slide show. He is still my friend to this day.
I worked at this company for a year and then was sidelined when I was told I was not getting the raise I was promised because all of our bonus money went to the department head, to persuade her to stay on. I felt like a fool. I told my woes to a girlfriend over lunch one day who popped off with “did you know my company is looking to hire a secretary this week who is an Excel expert?” The next day, I went to the interview down the street on my lunch hour and landed the job. It was a big jump in salary for me. I was elated. I felt my faith coming back. I spent the rest of that Friday afternoon, finishing my work, cleaning my drawers, and typing up notes for the next person who would end up in the job. I did this every time I left a place of employment. It’s just something I feel obligated to do. I then typed a simple resignation letter, giving proper two weeks notice and was told I was excused from spending my last days there so I took a vacation while in between jobs. I spent my vacation buying my own very first computer (from a friend) and hooked it up by my bed at home, and had my first experience with the internet, EVER. It was with America On Line (to which I have no comment). That is really another story … ok?
Next, I began my new job as the Excel Guru and did exactly what they had expected me to do. Everyone was very pleased. I offered to teach computer classes but the owner said no, simply because she had heard I offered to do this without going to her and asking her permission first. Well, it had been a conversation in the break room when my boss casually asked me “hey, would you ever consider teaching a class here?” and naturally I just said “well sure.” He didn’t inform me he had not had permission to just put that together in a break room conversation. OH, POLITICS - and darn corporate america!
So it was these politics and the sale of the company and the playing of boss-switcheroo that got my patience. My new boss was an *** from Chicago and drove me crazy. I wanted my old boss back, who was still in my department, but not the only one higher in rank than me. I really tried to hold out for the severance package here, but on Halloween I was at my wits end when my Chicago boss sat on the edge of my desk thumping his fingers telling me I did not work fast enough and I quipped, “when is it exactly that I do not work fast enough? Would that be when you are on a 3 hour lunch break, when you are on vacation, or when you are playing golf with the owner?” I then said in a very nice way, “I’m sorry Mr. (what’s his name), one day you are going to understand that you just can’t treat people this way and get away with it.” (note here that I had put up with almost an entire year of harassment) And I saved my files, backed up my work, shut down my computer, cleared my drawers, made notes for the next gal, and walked to the human resources office with a resignation letter. She pleaded with me not to go, and even offered to raise my salary. I do confess the number she gave me was VERY TEMPTING. I said No. This was a matter of principal. I then said goodbye to my nice boss with a tear in my eye, and walked out those big glass doors, looked up to the sky and said “Okay God, it’s your turn now. Put me where you want me to be – I’m through with the corporate toilet.” And he did. My next job was at a church. And this turned out to be the blessing of a lifetime.
I worked there almost 3 years. I enjoyed it but had trouble at first because I was very arrogant when I started there. And I didn’t even know it. It takes some time for God to work on you and get you to admit and see your faults. And to figure out how to fix them. I fixed my problem by helping others, praying for strength, and apologizing to those whom I’d been arrogant to at first; my coworkers. I found a routine, kept a rigid schedule, did all my work to the best of my ability, hired volunteers, and had a great time. The people at my church are the best friends I’ve got. After about a year, our pastor informed us he was moving. This was terrible news for me, as I had grown very attached to him. He really helped me through some troubling times, including a rocky marriage and the death of my best friend. He let me teach computer classes at the church; even encouraged me to do this. I had a group of regulars who really gave me a good time. I miss seeing them.
Our associate pastor was especially helpful and comforting to me as well, and became my savior after having long talks with him about how we grew up in almost the same environment, what we are supposed to learn here, and how to cope with problems that sometimes seem too big for the universe. He showed me that you can’t control everything, how to put things into perspective, and that the quality of your life is more important than the quantity. Taking all this into focus, I started to see that actually the job at the church was not the right one for me, even though I loved being there. My life was changing so that I could not dedicate the hours and effort it took to do that job. I had to find another job with shorter hours, and I did.
I worked for a construction materials manufacturer nearby, and found a family of hard workers, who grew it from the ground up, and were sad that their longtime secretary was moving away. We worked in a small office, on the family property, who offered me flexible hours, benefits, and good pay. More over, they treated me like part of the family, were good Christians, and made me feel valued. We went through many things together, including the starting up of another “branch” of the business (patio coatings) and the hiring of more employees. In this role, I became the accounting department, the order department, the shipping department, human resources manager, and personal assistant to the owner. I loved every minute of it. And I loved this family. I was there about two years when my marriage finally hit rock-bottom. My husband had become an alcoholic. I ended up filing a restraining order and removal order, and once he was out of the residence, I began to start my life over.
This time, I wanted to make time for my daughter, my friends, and time just to be peaceful and quiet and alone to think long and hard about everything. My life was again changing so that I could not work even full time on flex hours. I had to end up leaving another job I loved, in order to make the sacrifices necessary to balance everything out. I was overworked, overstressed, and just not generally happy. My mother’s travel business was growing and she needed my help. So I went to work for her, after a sad goodbye to my loving work family (who understood completely – bless them!) and this way I could work my own hours, and not worry if I was sick or tired or stressed. I could take a day off if I needed it. I soon found myself able to attend school activities with my daughter, I caught up on a lot of sleep, was able to do house projects, found time to clean, bathe, breathe, … you know! I saw the inside of a post office, a dry cleaners, a grocery store, and a tanning salon. WOW!
Then I met the man of my dreams. ONLINE!!!! Oh, I hate to think what my life would be without the internet! Perish the thought! I truly love this man and credit him with changing my life and the way I look at everything. He has taught me how to be open-minded, forgiving, grateful, and happy.
The associate pastor at our church married us in August of 2003. In a Hawaiian shirt (with white pastor collar underneath) just like we asked him to. We planned our wedding in 4 days, as our best man and maid of honor were being deployed and we were given a one week notice. The theme was tropical.
Recently, I have been receiving a lot of phone calls from my church friends asking me for assistance. I thought, “I ought to just make a business out of this.” And I did. I now do this in addition to working at my mom’s travel office 3 days per week. But I am available virtually any time, because now I am my own boss. I feel very lucky to be in this position, the position to be able to do what you love, with no boundaries. I think most of us want that.
There are many people I would like to thank who helped me get to where I am today. My family, my friends, my pastors, my coworkers, my customers, and my husband. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF YOU.
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