Tara 's Blog

Let's play a game. What room is this?

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:49:27 -0600

You have all heard by now that staging is an important step in selling a house. Well I want to show you.

With 90% of buyers starting their home search online, a picture could literally be worth millions. I came across some photos of houses for sale that could benefit from some staging because I don't know what room they are trying to highlight can you?

I guessed entry way, until I saw the TV in the corner...

I actually have no clue

Dining Room? Gym? Picnic Area? Greenhouse?

Is this a deck, or sunroom or the party room?

If you were searching for a home online, would you want to visit these homes?

Tara Schinsing is owner of Controlled Chaos, Staging and Organizing the Hudson Valley one home at a time.

IAHSP Convention and Pictures

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:45:48 -0500

This was my second IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals) convention and I am so grateful that I attended. At first I was concerned because I would be flying all the way from NY to Seattle and thought that with the price of fuel and airfare these days that it would be to expensive..then I remembered what I tell my homeowners when they are concerned about the price of staging..You Can't Afford NOT to! So off I went!

Convention Registration: $495.00

Airfare and Hotel: $913.00

Food and Entertainment: $223.00

The information I received and the friends that I made: $ PRICELESS

Thank you for all who worked so hard to put this convention together, and to the speakers and vendors that were so willing to share, I am so grateful and ready to take my business to the next level!

Can't wait until next year!

On the Space Needle

Fish at Pike's Place Public Market

Barb Schwarz and the wonderful Meet the Pro's Speakers

Drinks and Networking..could it get any better?

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:51:18 -0500

As I have blogged before, I am a member of The Hub (Young Professionals of the Hudson Valley). Well they have just announced a new form of networking..5 o'clock Fridays!

Every third Friday of the month The Hub's members have a chance to network with no speeches and no pressure, just drinks and good company.

This month's event is taking place at Bonefish Grill on Rt 9 in Poughkeepsie on Friday March 21st at of course..5pm.

So come celebrate the happy hour and a month of working hard with 5 o'clock Fridays!

Hope to see you there!

For more information please go to www.thehubhv.com.

Last episode this week for 5 weeks!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:58:16 -0500

Sorry to say that this week's episode will be the last for 5 weeks. Due to the writers strike they had only filmed 8 episodes even though this is only the 7th episode, it had a better ending than the 8th so they are waiting to air it with the final episodes of the season in April.

Michael is back! I knew he was going to be Ben's spy on the boat! I had a feeling!

What are your thoughts on him being the spy? Why do you think he is helping Ben?

Also, do you think the people who are supposed to be rescuing them good or bad?

Proof you need to stage vacant houses..right from my clients mouth!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:12:16 -0600

This week I was working with an organizing client of mine and she started talking about how her and her husband were thinking about moving into a bigger home. She told me she would like me to stage her home when she was ready and even stage her furniture when she moves into her new home.

I then asked her if she had started looking at any houses. She told me that they looked at a house a couple of weeks ago and it was very nice. They only problem was that it was very open and a different layout than she is used to seeing. And then told me..here is the proof...she couldn't figure out how the furniture would fit or be configured in this space! So they just walked away from it!

What if this was your home or listing? You would have just lost a buyer because they couldn't figure out where to place their furniture! When will the next buyer come through? Isn't it worth the investment in staging to make sure your buyers can see your home in its full potential?

Controlled Chaos Home Staging and Organizing, services Dutchess, Putnam, Ulster, and Orange counties in NY. Call today to find out more about our services. 845.430.0726

New Group for LOST fans!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:40:00 -0600

I started this group for LOST fans because I am a HUGE fan and I am VERY lost! I have my own theory's but I love to hear other ones. I also find that I don't see everything that is in the show.

So come to the group, ask questions and post your theories about the show.

We can all get LOST together!

http://activerain.com/groups/lostfans

What a show this week!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:34:08 -0600

This week we learned that somehow Kate has taken on the role of mother of Erin, Claire's son. What are your theory's about this?

Also why did Jack say there were only 8 survivors of the flight? And who are they?

Networking and the police..what a night!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:46:43 -0600

So last night was my first meeting with a new organization called The Hub, Young Professionals of the Hudson Valley. This group is a spin-off of the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce. It was founded to create an informal peer networking organization for young professionals. I had an amazing time! This is just the type of networking group that I have been looking for! We met up in Kingston, NY at the Keegan Brewery. This is someplace that I have always wanted to visit but just really haven't had the time. It was amazing! We had a beer tasting, great food and a tour. This group is already opening my eyes different places in the Hudson Valley!

At the meeting we were encouraged to sign up for committees and were told about upcoming events..even a Yankee trip! I networked with many people at this event and even made some great contacts. I can't wait to get involved and make new friends and contacts along the way. If you want more information about The Hub go here: www.TheHubHV.com

On a side note, on the way home I was pulled over! I had no idea what I had done wrong...did I run a stop sign, is my tail light out? When the officer approached me he said "Was it an emergency call? I looked strangely at him because I didn't know what he was talking about. Then I realized that I had a made a quick call to my boyfriend telling him I just left and would be home shortly. So I said "No" He took my license and registration and walked back to his car. I thought he would see that I have a completely clean license and give me a warning. I was wrong, he gave me a ticket for cell phone use while driving..the sad part is that I have a bluetooth but I didn't want to distract myself shuffling through my bag looking for it!

All in all it was a great night, I met some great people, tasted some great beer, and learned my lesson about cell phone use while driving.

Free! Suze Orman's Women and Money Book!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:28:27 -0600

Today on Oprah, Suze Orman was on helping a women who was left penniless after her husbands suicide. Suze Orman is very dedicated and passionate about how woman handle their money, and because of this you can download her whole entire book, Women and Money, for free on www.Oprah.com! It is only available until Thursday February 14th until 8pm eastern time.

I am a very interested in money management. I am always watching Suze's show or other financial programs just to learn as much as I can.

I just wanted to share with you this free gift that I think every woman should have..men I think you might get something out of it too!

Enjoy!

Do, Re, MeMe, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:35:04 -0600

I have been Meme'd! was actually Meme'd a couple of weeks ago but I have not had the time to actually sit down and write one, or any blog for that matter.

Thank you Carol Culkin for this honor,

Carol Culkin - Real Estate Agent
Poughkeepsie, NY
Carol Culkin, ABR, Associate Broker, Relocation Specialist for Century 21- Anita Ferri Realty, is your source for real estate in Dutchess County. Carol - an award winning agent who gets results!

Lets see..what can I say about myself..

1. I originally grew up in a small town east of Rochester, NY called Marion. There were only 69 people in my graduating class and I was Senior Class president! This year will be our 10 year reunion and that is one more thing that I have to plan this year since it's the job of the president to do so. I went to college at SUNY New Paltz and I double majored in Theatre and Communication. I have a HUGE love of the theatre but I also know that it doesn't always pay the bills. I have not acted since my days in college even though I keep saying that one of these days I am going to try out for some community theatre here.

When I was 24 I found my calling. Professional Organizing. That is when I started my business Controlled Chaos. I love the fact that it is a job that I always get a hug with my paycheck! It was only a year and a half ago that I started staging. I love that as well and I still get a hug with my check!

2. I have been with the man of my dreams for 6 and a half years. Everyone wants to know when we will be getting married. And I ask him the same question! We know we are he just wants to have everything set financially before we do.

3.I love Reality TV! I also have a very strong urge to be on Survivor or The Amazing Race. The thought of being trapped on an island looking for my own food and making my own shelter is something I dream of! I know it's crazy! As for The Amazing Race I would love to visit other countries and experience them in a way that many other people don't experience them. Plus the fact that I would get to race against people and find different and faster ways of doing things intrigues me!

4. My dream is to live in Arizona. I have never actually been. But I want the heat. I think the fact that I grew up in upstate NY is why I hate the snow and cold so much. I want it to be HOT! I am still chipping away at my boyfriend to get him to move and I think it's working little by little...

5 I am a huge procrastinator. I have always been that way. My parents would always tell me to start things early but that didn't work for me. If I knew I had a couple of days before something was due. I wouldn't do it. My parents now tell me that they could never punish me for waiting to the last minute to do papers or projects because I would always get A's!

Well that's just a little slice of me, hope I didn't bore you too much!

Now it's time to nominate someother lucky people I would like to know more about:

John Luongo - Real Estate Agent
Poughkeepsie, NY
I work where ever my car, Palm, and Cell phone are. I service both Orange and Dutchess County. You can text message me by sending a message from your email or phone to 8455275129@vztext.com

Sharon DiCarlo - Real Estate Sales Person
Score: 3774
Poughkeepsie, NY
I am a full time professional Realtor specializing in residential re-sale and first time homebuyers. If you are selling or buying in Dutchess County, I can help.

Becky Raike & Nicole Forte -Staging Sells Your Home - Home Stager
Score: 11552
Rochester, NY
We service Realtors and Homeowners in the Rochester NY area for all their HOME STAGING needs. With 10 years experience in display merchandising we can make any home a buyers dream.

I need help with a vacant!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:22:20 -0600

Recently I was asked to do a staging bid on a vacant house. This house has been under contract many times but has yet to close due to finances. It is now owned by a relocation company, they are the ones who asked for the bid.

When I went to view this house, I could immediately tell it needed some work. The tiles were coming up in the kitchen, there is wallpaper that is half up half down, the whole house needs to be painted, and then I walked into the finished basement...there was mold everywhere...

I have left a message with the Realtor stating that I would not stage the home in it's current condition and would not enter the home until the mold has been taken care of.

I know that the Realtor is getting the whole house painted - which I am assuming that includes the mold removal, but since everything he does has to go through the relocation company, there is not alot more he wants to do to the home.

I know that the other stager that has given him a bid has also given him a bid for some of the repairs and the painting.

This is not how I work. I don't act as a subcontractor between my clients and the repairman. I give them suggestions on what to do and who to go to but they do the rest and I come back to stage.

I also don't want to give a bid until the work is done because I don't know how the house is going to look or what I am going to have to "stage around". But the relocation company wants two bids and is waiting for mine.

So I guess my questions are: how many of you act as a subcontractor for your clients, would you give the bid before all of the work is done, if you don't know how much is actually going to get done, and have any of you worked with relocation companies before? This is going to be a little tricky in the sense I am going to have to rents some pieces and the rental company gives the contract to the owner and puts it in there name.

I think I am a little overwhelmed on this one. I have never had a house that needs so much work...

Kevin Everett will Walk out with the Buffalo Bills this Sunday!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:59:09 -0600

This Sunday I will be siting in the stands at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, NY to watch a miracle happen.

Kevin Everett Buffalo Bill's back-up tight end is said to walk out with the team! This is truly a miracle. For those of you who might not know Everett suffered a near fatal spinal cord injury and was initially paralysed from the neck down while attempting to tackle Damenik Hixon during a kickoff return in the Bill's season opener against the Denver Broncos.

When Everett walks out onto the field I can't imagine there being a dry eye in the whole stadium.

Go Bills!

Dewey Color Institute..has it helped you?

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:54:11 -0600

I am working on my 2008 plans for my business and I was looking for some classes and education that can take my business even further. I have noticed that some of you are Dewey Color Institute Consultants. How has this benefited your company? Do you find many people wanting color consultations? Or do you recommend something different that I should look into?

Thanks so much! Happy Holidays!

Yummy! Yummy! Chocolate Covered Ritz!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:47:18 -0600

This Saturday I am having my 4th annual Holiday Cocktail party. I am always looking for new recipes and snacks to share at this party. I have found a great yummy recipe that I tried today!

Picture from kraft.com

The recipe is as follows:

1 pkg of semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/4 tsp of peppermint extract

1 sleeve of ritz crackers

Crushed candy canes

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stir in the peppermint extract. Dip in Ritz crackers and place on wax paper. Sprinkle with candy-canes.

Refrigerate until firm.

These are soo good! I am so glad that I found this recipe.

There were also reviews of the recipes that said to take two ritz crackers smear with peanut butter and put together to make a ritz sandwich. Then dip into the melted chocolate (minus the peppermint). I can't wait to try these out as well.

Enjoy!

I have finally seen the power of ActiveRain!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:25:31 -0600

So as I was watching football and checking my fantasy stats on my laptop, I decided to Google my name.

To my surprise I saw a headline that looked like an newspaper article and my name was in the body. So, I clicked on it and found that one of my first blogs that I had posted, (Stage your open house to cool down the visitors!) was mentioned in an article in The Sacramento Bee!

http://www.valleyvision.org/partnership/pdf/capitol%20solar.pdf

My blog was about how Realtors could "stage" their open houses when it was hot and humid. They actually mentioned some of my suggestions and my name. They did say that I was an agent, which I am not anymore, but hey at least my name is getting out there! Even if it is all the way in California!

I have always heard about blogs getting picked up on ActiveRain and published but, I think I am a terrible writer and thought I would never have one of those "great" posts that would get picked up. This is going to change the way that I blog because you never know who is looking!

Marketing contact I overlooked, Have you?

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:06:26 -0600

We have all heard stagers should be marketing their services to builders as an incentive to buyers to help them sell their homes, but the other day I received a call from a "Personal Moving Consultant" at a senior living complex. She was calling on behalf of a woman who wants to move into their complex but must sell her home first, and it has been on the market since July.

I thought to myself, Personal Moving Consultant? What exactly does that job entail? So I asked her. It is her job to do what it takes to get their new tenants into the complex! Of course! Why didn't I think of that when I was doing my marketing!

I am fortunate that this PMC knows what staging is, but how many senior living personnel don't know? In your next marketing plan make sure you include them so they can refer us to their new tenants.

Websites to save you money

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:28:02 -0500

I have come across two great websites that I now frequent to help me save money on everything from office supplies to Home Decor and furniture.

The first website is www.priceprotectr.com. Many stores have policies in place that if you purchase an item and it goes on sale within a certain time frame you can receive the difference, but it's up to you know when it's on sale. Well, this site does that for you! When you purchase an item from one of the 60 stores they currently watch, including, Bestbuy, Staples, Sears and Amazon. You insert the information into their site and they will email you if the item goes on sale in the specific time frame so you can get the sale price! How great is that!

The second website I love is www.couponmountain.com. This announces all the sales and deals at many stores and online stores in one place! It also gives you promotion codes, so if your buying online you can insert the promotion codes at checkout and receive great savings! Some of the stores include, Target, Sears, Old Navy and Office Max.

I hope you find these websites as useful as I have.

Happy Shopping!

You Asked for it! Staging Inventory Tracker.

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:02:42 -0500

On Kimberly Westers blog Staging Inventory: TAG, You're Mine! I made a comment that I use a free home inventory program that I downloaded. Many of you have asked for the link,

Here it is: www.iii.org just click on the icon on the right hand side that says free software.

With this program you can organize your inventory by room or type or whatever you want, scan in your receipts with each piece, attach a name, description, or id to each photo, print thumbnails of the pictures of your inventory, there is even a search feature so you can locate it within your entire inventory and I am sure there is more you can do but that is all I have done so far.

I hope this helps everyone get their staging inventory organized!

Fantasy Football Draft Day Tips

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:06:07 -0500

So a couple days ago I had my first of three fantasy drafts. This was a small, quick draft with only 6 teams. Even though there were only 6 teams and all of our teams are pretty stacked, I noticed many errors on the part of others and myself during the draft.

Those errors became my tips for a successful draft:

1. Keep track of who has and has not been drafted! - In my small draft I drafted Larry Johnson the 3rd ranked running back in the third round on the 16th pick! When I called his name everyone just looked at me thinking what is she thinking? Everyone had thought he was picked already! Which he wasn't so I scored big time! They weren't happy about that.

2. Go with your gut. - If this would have happened I would have picked Larry Johnson alot earlier than I had. I was assumming that everyone wasn't picking him for some reason. I figured maybe I missed an injury he had or maybe he got arrested..whatever the reason. Thankfullly I took a chance and picked him still unsure, and it was the right descision!

3. Look at the bye weeks. - About 7 picks in, one of the other teams I was drafting against noticed that 5 of his 7 picks have the same bye week! Always look at the bye weeks! I am now hoping that I play that other team in week 6!

4. If the top quaterbacks are taken you can wait awhile to pick yours. - There are many top tierd quaterbacks. That are still great fantasy players and they will be available towards the end. Take this time to back up your running backs and wide receivers so your game doesn't drop much on their bye weeks.

5. Never listen to advice of "take the kickers first, they go fast" - How many times have you heard this one as a joke? I hear it all the time..well one of my friends who didn't know anything about fantasy football thought it was true and thanked the person who told her. It's a good thing I had the chance to set her straight!

6. Pace yourself (alcohol wise)- You don't want to be that person that is drunk at the draft and the next morning you don't know who you picked! Yes that has happened, thankfully not to me!

Well have fun and enjoy your draft!

September can't come soon enough!

I have finally read The Secret!

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:33:23 -0500

This weekend I was relaxing in the Finger Lakes and I finally had time to read The Secret. I couldn't put it down!The philosphy, the stories, the TRUTH in this book was amazing! This morning I woke up and started saying thanks to all that I have. I can't wait to create my vision board, my journal and start to change my life and the way I think.

63 Kittens Abandoned..can you adopt one?

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 19:04:56 -0500

As I watching the local Channel 4 news I heard of this story out of Mt. Vernon, NY. It breaks my heart to see this kind of treatment to animals. If there is anything you can do please call the number at the bottom of the article.

NEW YORK -- When Paula Young, director of the Mount Vernon Animal Shelter, found three boxes stuffed with mewing, flea-infested kittens on her doorstep, she had no doubt where they came from. Just days earlier, the shelter had rescued a severely injured pit bull lying in a pool of its own blood.

Both cases offered strong evidence that illegal dogfighting is occurring in underground locations in the Westchester County suburb, according to Young and Sean D'Aloise, the shelter's manager. The kittens and the pit bull were almost certainly being used as "bait" to train fighting dogs, they said in phone interviews on Thursday.

"It's a problem that's been around and it will stay around until the people doing it get caught," D'Aloise said. Like the recent arrest of Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick on charges of alleged involvement in dog fighting, he said, "this helps to bring it to light. It's in everybody's back yard."

Actually, he said, clandestine dog fighting takes place in basements of homes and abandoned buildings but also may simply involve dog owners who challenge each other on the street to see whose dog is toughest.

How widespread it is as a commercial enterprise, however, is unclear.

Daphna Nachminovitch, domestic animal director for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said dog fighting exists on three levels, with an estimated 40,000 "professional" entrepreneurs involved in breeding, training and fighting, and many more amateur and street-corner participants. "The less organized, the more common it is," she said.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also rates the number of participants in the "tens of thousands" and says the practice appears to have surged anew after declining in the 1990s, partly due to the Internet making it easier to pass information.

Dog fighting is not confined to particular regions and has been reported in urban, suburban and rural areas, the ASPCA also said on its Web site.

Mike Pastore, field officer for New York City's Animal Care and Control, said organized dog fighting in the city is uncommon and arrests are rare. "Even in the shelter do we rarely have a dog come through with the pockmarks and other signs of a fighting dog," he said.

Dog fighting is illegal in all but two states, Idaho and Wyoming. In New York, fighting dogs is a felony, penalized by four years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Spurred by the Vick case, Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., is co-sponsoring a bill in Congress to toughen federal law by increasing penalties for three to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and making it a crime to attend a dog fight or transport an animal across a state or international border for fighting purposes.

The kittens, 63 of them, were left on the Mt. Vernon shelter's doorstep Tuesday night, and were found by Young when she stopped by the shelter after hours on an impulse. "I didn't expect this," she said.

About 11 of the kittens may have been stolen during a recent break-in at the shelter, Young said. She speculated that recent publicity about the Vick case had prompted someone to get rid of the kittens after using them as "bait" in training fighting dogs. D'Aloise said young cats are useful for the purpose because they can't injure the dogs. The felines will be put up for adoption, she said.

Five days earlier, D'Aloise answered a call to retrieve a dog in the street and found the pit bull, bloody and suffering from multiple injuries that showed the earmarks of an abused fighting dog.

"Its hind legs were paralyzed and it had 45 puncture wounds," he said. "It appeared the dog had been hung upside down by its legs and muzzled so that it couldn't fight back when other dogs attacked it. Then it was just dumped in the street and left to die."

Floyd, as he named the dog, is responding to medical treatment, having regained use of his legs, but has a long way to go toward passing a "temperament" test, D'Aloise said.

The city is offering a $6,000 reward for information about dog fighting rings. Just call Mt. Vernon Police at 914-665-2510.

If you want to adopt one of the kittens, call the Mt. Vernon Animal Shelter at 914-522-5945.

www.wnbc.com

Buffalo Bills Training Camp Recap

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:51:21 -0500

So I am back from visiting my family in Rochester, NY and I am excited to tell you that I got the chance to go to the Buffalo Bills Training Camp. I think this is my 4th time going and I love it! I got to see J.P Losman, Roscoe Parrish, Josh Reed, Lee Evans and even the new Running Back Marshawn Lynch!

Take a look at the pictures that I took. Since this was only their second practice of the season they were not in full gear.

Oh and by the way I was able to get J.P's autograph and the autographs of Defensive players and the rookie quarterback Trent Edwards. I think this is the year the Buffalo Bills make the playoffs!!

JP doing his quarterback thing..

#82 Josh Reed talking to #23 Marshawn Lynch

2nd String Quarterback Craig Nall

Go Bills!

Who to Call when an Animal is in Trouble

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:39:23 -0500

Last week I was at a park visiting with some friends when all of a sudden I watched a kid start throwing rocks at a pigeon. The pigeon then tried to fly away but couldn't. The rock must have hit its wing and done some damage.

My friend and I were very upset about this because it was only a matter of time before the pigeon, who couldn't fly, be traumatized a second time. This got me thinking, who can we call?

Have you ever been in a situation where an animal is hurt, or have seen a stray kitten and not know what to do? I did some research and for Dutchess County, NY this is what I have found from www.pant.org:

Dutchess County Humane Law Enforcement: To report the mistreatment, neglect or cruelty to animals 845.452.7722 ext 3

Dutchess County Lost & Found: to report your animal lost or to register a lost animal you have found 845.384.6375

Wildlife Rehabilitators: to report an injured wild animal

Val Nassetta-raccoons- 845.2295626

Cyndy Rossero-deer and baby animals- 845.758.4344

Lee Matheson-fawn, raptors, and waterfowl- 845.266.8676

Donna Tracey-Hudson Valley Raptor Center - 845.758.6957

Gail Phillip- skunks and raccoons - 845.473.3784

Sean Caspellano - deer, raptors, birds - 845.226.0809

As for the pigeon, while we were on the phone with one of the rehabilitators, who wanted to come pick it up, the pigeon started to fly..I guess maybe it just had the wind knocked out of it.

Welcome

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:34:38 -0500

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to start this group for young professionals to get together and share advice. I am 27 and started my company Controlled Chaos over 3 years ago. I am a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and I am an Accredited Staging Professional.

How long have you been in the RE profession?

No I'm not in highschool...

Tara Schinsing, ASP Stager, IAHSP, NAPO (Controlled Chaos) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:06:46 -0500

So yesterday I was approached and asked if I attended a certain high-school. Now I know I look young but do I look that young?

I have always been a little self-conscience about my appearance around other professionals. I started my business 3 1/2 years ago and I have literally had people not hire me because I was too young. I would hear comments like " You're too young to know about clutter." or I love the shocked look when they open the door when I arrive and say "you're young"

I thought I was getting over my complex, but then I received the comment yesterday, and today I was giving a seminar on Senior Downsizing. All I kept thinking was they think I'm too young to be talking about this subject, or they don't think I am credible.

Is there something wrong with being a young professional? I think I carry myself very professionally, and I try not to dress "young" but some people still don't take me seriously.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Maybe I will start an under 30 group..

Oh by the way I am 27.