Aardvark Mobile Notary

Hey long time no post!

2011-04-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

Haha Heey!!! Havn't posted here in awhile. Been keeping busy at CSUN where I'm studying anthroplogy. I'm planning on getting into the field of archaeology and I really like the ancient Andean people so hopefully I can do something with that. Just gonna ramble on randomly cuz I havn't used this in forever and its fun to type this all out.

Thanks to all my clients for keeping me busy with work, I've done some pretty interesting loan signings recently, drama as usual, working on a few appostles, and I've worked with some famous clients as well. Apparently someone in the top 10 in Radio. That was pretty cool though I didn't recognize or know of the old chap.

But hey back to my work, gotta do some research on Russian's in West Hollywood, trying to find a Russian blog from there heh, wish me luck!

Christmas Lights & Events Ventura County

2007-11-27T01:50:00.000-08:00

Time to check out the holiday festivities around Ventura County? Here are a few:

The Ice Rink at The Lakes Shopping Center: Ongoing through January 6, 2007. From now until December 6th, the rink will be open from 11:30 till 9:30 pm. December 7 through January 6th, 2008. Open daily from 10:00 am till 11:00 pm. It will be open December 25th at 1:00 pm. The rink is 3600 square feet and holds 150 skaters at one time. The rink is on a platform above the small man-made lake. Last year the rink attracted more than 25,000 skaters.

Dec 2, 2007: Holiday Street Festival, Ventura. Downtown Ventura Holiday Street Festival with over 400 artisans, food vendors and entertainers, downtown Ventura. (805)654-7830 or 648-2075. 10 till 4 pm.

Ventura County has two different holiday boat parades for the season:
Dec 8, 2008: Channel Islands Parade of Lights beginning at 7 pm in the harbor, Oxnard. For further information (805)385-7545

Dec 14 & 15, 2007: Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights (2 days). For further information, call (805)477-0470 or 648-2075.

For Holiday Lights, check out:
Oxnard's Christmas Tree Lane. Located in the Oxnard Historical District, which runs on "F" and "G" Streets, from 5th to First Streets.

Channel Islands Harbor Ride aboard the Channel Islands Harbor Water Taxi to view the bright lights and holiday decorations of the residents in Channel Islands Harbor. 805-385-7545
Holiday Lights On The Water Tuesdays-Thursdays, 6 and 7:30pm. Channel Islands Harbor puts a creative spin on the traditional Christmas Tree Lane by offering it along the water’s edge. Residents and visitors are invited to come and experience one of the most unique light displays on the California coast throughout the month of December. Visitors can view these sparkling bright lights and holiday decorations from the water through the Channel Islands Harbor and Mandalay Bay aboard the Channel Islands Harbor Water Taxi. One-hour tour offered every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights at 6 and 7:30pm. $10. 985-5828, ext. 102.

Hanukka begins sundown on December 4th.

Gosh I've Been Tagged!

2007-11-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

This morning I was tagged by Karen from MyMobileNotary to write 7 weird facts about myself and then tag 7 more bloggers to do the same. Oh my.....Here are the rules:Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 Random/weird things about me:

I'm working on this.

I am a college student studying to be a lawyer.

I enjoy ancient history, including in depth knowledge about military campaigns.

My mom is weird.

We have way too many ceramic pots in our house. The above person has a pottery wheel.

I am a fencer.

I was on a champion wrestling team.

I have tagged:

A Youth Of Valour
Lee - Just Laughs
Clare - ClareDargin
Kslye - The Strategist Notebook

Shirley - My Work At Home Job

Tatiana - Totally Useless

Sandy - At Your Service

Happy Holidays!

Devon

2008 California Notary Law Changes - update

2007-11-23T21:52:00.001-08:00

Notaryclasses.com has posted the following documents that appear to be in compliance with the recent updates to California Notary Law. What wonderful folks.

These documents are:

2008 California Notary Acknowledgment
2008 California Notary Jurat

They both have removed the "personal knowledge" statement and added "under penalty of perjury" to the acknowledgment.

The Secretary of State's office indicated, in a phone call, they will also be posting acceptable forms of these documents on their website mid December.

Aardvark Mobile Notary

Mobile Notary Service During the Holidays

2007-11-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

During this holiday season, we will be available for your notary needs. Many mobile notaries charge additional holiday rates. This can range up to $200 or more.

We don't.

The bottom line is if that we are available when you need us, you will pay our regular mobile notary rates.

We understand that frequently families are together for the holidays. This means that, frequently, trusts, powers of attorney, deeds, advance health care directives, etc., need updating and older relatives may have difficulty getting around.

For this reason, our holiday gift to you is our availability and understanding. So, if we are not bogged in egg nogg or in a tussle at the clearance counter, we will be where you need us, when you need us. A homebaked holiday cookie tip will be appreciated :-)

Mobile Notary rates in our immediate area are $20 for travel and $10 per signature.

Happy Holidays!

Entertainment in Los Angeles and Ventura County

2007-11-20T09:17:00.000-08:00

Looking for fun stuff to do now that the holidays are here? Take a break from shopping to go have some fun on the cheap! Here is a resource to half priced tickets to fun things to do in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. We love the folks at Goldstar! Just input your email address for a weekly email of things to do in your area and purchase tickets for half price. That's it. No Venue Fee, Processing Fee, Ticket Printing Fee, etc. They also cover many other metropolitan areas such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, and New York:

California Notary Law Changes for 2008

2007-11-11T23:35:00.001-08:00

Since my previous post concerning notary law changes with respect to identification, I realized that readers may consider that to be the only notary law change for the new year. My apologies if there was a misunderstanding. There are quite a number of changes to notary law within the state of California.

Overall, the changes appear to offer more protection to the public, increase penalties for notaries falsifying documents, provide additional verification of identity, and assist when there is a crime investigation. From the California Secretary of State's website, the following notary law updates for the 2008 year are:

AB 434 Chapter 496
Requires the notary to respond within 15 business days from receipt of a request by the public for a line item copy from the notary's journal. The notary must provide a copy or respond that no such line item exists.

AB886 Chapter 399
Provides several provisions affecting notaries public:

"Personally known" to the notary for the purpose of identifying a signer for an acknowledgment or executing a jurat will no longer be allowed. Violation of this may subject the notary to a civil penalty of up to $10,000.
The certificate of acknowledgment will be executed under penalty of perjury. Any notary who knowingly states as true a material fact known to false can be subject to a penalty of up to $10,000.
Notaries will have to submit a photograph with their application for a commission.
The notary journal will have to include a notation that the identity of a signer was based on satisfactory evidence and not "personal knowledge".
Power of attorney documents will need a thumb print in the notary journal.
When requested by a peace officer in the course of investigating a criminal offense, a notary must surrender their journal immediately or as soon as possible if the journal is not immediately in their possession. The peace officer seizing the journal must notify the secretary of state within 24 hours to provide the name of the notary.
Willful failure to notify the secretary of state of an address change may incur a fine of up to $500.

Willful failure to notify the secretary of state of a name change is punishable with a fine of up to $500.
Willful failure to produce the journal, when requested by a peace officer, is punishable by a civil penalty of up to $2500.
Failure to obtain a thumb print as required by law, is subject to a penalty of up to $2500.
Willful failure to report loss or theft of a journal may be grounds for revocation or suspension of a notary commission.

Grounds for denial of an application for a notary commission include:

Making false writing.
Fraud relating to a deed of trust.
Improper notarial acts.
Unlawful acting as a notary.
Filing false or forged documents.
Forgery
Embezzlement
Falsely obtaining personal information
Willful failure to produce the notary journal when requested by a police officer.

These appear reasonable and necessary changes to ensure the publics' protection against notaries performing improper acts as it allows for greater accountability. The original secretary of state posting can be found here.

Thousand Oaks Street Fair 11-4-2007

2007-11-03T20:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday, November 4, 2007 the Thousand Oaks Rotary will be hosting the Thousand Oaks Street Fair. The Rotary Club has provided the following information about the event, which takes place between 9:00 and 4:00 pm.

The Thousand Oaks Rotary Street Fair continues as the premier Arts & Crafts Fair of Ventura County with over 25,000 attendees and 245 vendor booths. It is a great showcase that continues to grow and offer new exciting events.
NEW! "Rodeo Drive": a new area specifically for artisans displaying their own hand-made products.
NEW! in the spirit of Oktoberfest, a Beer and Wine Garden joins the Whole Foods Taste of the Conejo Valley
The Domino's Pizza Kids Playground with games, crafts, jumpees, soft drinks and pizza.
Two stages will have music, dancing, singing and reptiles for the kids.

The Street Fair map provides location information. The vendor list provides information about what vendors will be there and the location of their booth.

Have fun!

Southern California Fires

2007-10-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

It seems that the fires have ended and we are experiencing more moisture with this weekend rain. It is so unbelieveable how last week there was such dryness and so many people lost their homes, 7 losing their lives. That such a change in weather can do so much is remarkable.

My deepest sympathy to those who lost so much over this past week.

Apostilles

2007-10-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

This week I had several apostille orders that were interesting. Several went to Aruba and South Africa. These were repeat clients, which is always nice to see.

I thought I would take a moment to clear up some "can" and "can't do's" since there is always confusion with apostilles.

In the state of California, Apostilles can be directly placed on documents signed by a county clerk, superior court judge (providing the judge has their seal on the document), and any document signed by the secretary of state. This would include original birth and death certificates, divorce decrees, and business filings.

In all other cases, Apostilles are placed on notarized documents that have first been submitted for authentication to the local county recorder's office. This would include powers of attorney, affidavits, copies of original documents whereby the custodian of the document has sworn the copy is an exact copy of a document they have in their possession (including diplomas, passport copies, birth certificate copies), and all other notarized-type documents.

I frequently get international clients that request an apostille on their diploma. This is only possible if the graduate can make an appointment with the original signers of the diploma for notarization of their signature. Most often this is not possible. For diploma, the graduate needs to make a copy of their diploma, and sign a sworn statement that the copy is an exact copy of the original they have in their possession. I notarize the signature on the statement, then authenticate by the county recorder, and finally obtain the apostille from the secretary of state.

I have noticed that the secretary of state's website is not clear on how this process works. As a result, there is much confusion in obtaining an apostille.

If you need further information, such as current countries included in the Hague Convention, in other words, those accepting apostilles - please click on Apostille Service.

You can also email me through my main website if you have questions that have been unanswered - Aardvark Mobile Notary

Notary Law Changes for 2008

2007-10-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

Starting January 1, 2008, notaries will no longer be able to use "personal knowledge" as means of identifying an individual that is requesting a notarization. This means that all signers must be able to present a valid identification to obtain a notarization on their document.

Acceptable identification includes:

Driver's License of nondriver's ID card issued by a U.S. state.
U.S. passport (physical description not required).
U.S. Military Identification Card that contains all required elements stated above, (TheCommon Access Card, CAC, is not acceptable).
Driver's License issued in Mexico or Canada.
Foreign passport that has been stamped by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Inmate ID Issued by the California Department of Corrections.

Seniors that do not have current driver's licenses, need to obtain the California Identification (ID) Card. This can be accomplished through your local DMV office. An appointment can be made on line for this DMV service. You will need to provide proof of your birthdate and legal presence in the United States. This can be accomplished by demonstrating one of the following methods:

US Birth Certificate
US Certificate or Report of Birth Abroad
Federal Proof of Indian Blood Degree
INS American Indian Card
Birth Certificate or passport issued from a US Territory
US Passport
US Military Identification Cards (Active or reserve duty, dependent, retired member, discharged from service, medical/religious personnel)
Common Access Card (only if designated as Active military or Active Reserve or Active Selected Reserve)
Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship
Northern Mariana Card
INS US Citizen ID Card
Permanent Resident Card
Temporary Resident Identification Card
Canadian Passport/Birth Certificate
Non-resident Alien Canadian Border Crossing Card
Valid foreign passport with a valid Record of Arrival/Departure (form I-94)
Certification from California Department of Corrections or California Youth Authority
Employment Authorization Card
Permanent Resident Re-entry Permit
Refugee travel document "Processed for I-551" stamped in a valid foreign passport
Valid I-94 stamped "Refugee," "Parole or Parolee," "Asylee," or Section 207, Section 208, Section 209, Section 212d(2), HP or PIP
Immigration judge's order granting asylum
Certified court order or judgment issued from a court of competent jurisdiction.
Valid I-94 with attached photo stamped "Processed for I-551 temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence" Notice of Action (I-797 Approved Petition)
Mexican Border Crossing Card with valid I-94

Individuals aged 62 and older can obtain the ID Card for free. Individuals younger than 62 years of age will pay a fee for this card.

In place of presenting current ID for notarization, an individual can use two witnesses that can swear to the signer's identity. The witnesses will have to swear under oath, be able to produce current identification, and sign the notary journal.

For individuals in retirement homes or extended care facilities, note that employees of these types of facilities frequently will not cooperate in acting as credible witnesses for identifying signers. We have found that they frequently are under the assumption that they will be financially responsible for identifying a signer in the course of obtaining a notarization. Additionally, if family members are somehow involved in the document needing notarization, they can not be used as credible witnesses. For the reason, it is extremely important that seniors be able to provide their own identification. If you have a senior in the family, it would be good to assist them in obtaining this important document before an emergency arises.

Further information about California ID Cards, how to obtain them, and making an appointment with the DMV can be found here.

Devon

Notary Public

Interesting October 2007 Events in Southern California

2007-10-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Hello:
What a wonderful weekend we are having after the brief showers. The grass is green and the sun is shining!

I was tooling around the internet to see what was coming up, in terms of interesting events. I find several that I will likely attend and want to share this information with my readers.

Until October 28, 2007 the Oktoberfest is open in Torrance. This is the largest Oktoberfest in Southern California. It's actually called the Alpine Village Oktoberfest, and it's located at:
833 W. Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 310.327.4384

This is their 40th year celebration. They are also voted by USA Today Magazine as one of the best Oktoberfests in the world. For your convenience, I am posting information from their website:
"The Oktoberfest, an eight-week event, is the largest Oktoberfest celebration in Southern California featuring plenty of good food and entertainment including an authentic Oom Pa Pah Brass Band, direct from Germany.

Dancing plus hilarious contests like yodeling, pretzel eating, wood sawing, beer stein holding, and of course the famous Chicken Dance for everyone to join in.

Alpine Village, fondly known as "The Little City from the Alps" is open seven days a week from 11am with restaurants that have nightly entertainment; an outstanding Sunday Buffet Brunch ($15.95); Alpine Market a gourmet’s delight and extensive liquor department; homemade sausages and meat products from our own award winning Butche Shop (with low sodium/low fat sausages and cold cuts); a European style bakery; 15 specialty stores for any gift imaginable including the Alpine Glass & Porcelain Store with repair and restoration services too and a wonderful open air market.

Admission to the Oktoberfest is $5 - Friday Saturday (21yrs & over only) Sunday is Family Day, 12 noon to 7pm. For information and 50% Oktoberfest discount tickets call (310)327-4384"

Another interesting, and unusual event is the upcomig Dia de los Muertos at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary. Hollywood Forever, in case you didn't know, is the site of weekend classic films that are shown for visitors that bring picnics and lawn chairs. It occurs every weekend throughout the summer. They just showed their last film for the year a few weeks ago.

Dia de loa Muertos will be held on October 27th, from 4 to 11 pm. The following information is from their website:
"We graciously and enthusiastically welcome the city of Angels and beyond to embrace, honor and celebrate the memory of the departed as we commemorate the 8 th annual Dia de Los Muertos at your historical Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Hollywood Forever, the resting place of Hollywood's immortals requests your presence for the Nations largest and most authentic Day of the Dead celebration. Witness this colorful ancient indigenous based Mexican ceremony as we welcome over 20,000 guests to celebrate life and ancient traditions fused with modern culture.
Join us as we illuminate the evening sky with the various mosaic flavors of life, remembering and paying homage to the dearly departed as we joyfully walk hand in hand with the recollections of the spirits we pay tribute to. Allow the ingrained history of this ancient tradition to capture the heart of the newly curious, sustain the hopes of the returning and quench the thirst of the surrounding souls. Hollywood Forever the only cemetery in the country which opens its gates to commemorate this tradition will hold this annual event".

In addition to attending this event, it is possible to register for their altar competition. There are prizes for the top three altars in the amounts of $3000, $2000, and $1000. Per the contest, this is in the theme of ancient Mexican and Celtic cultures (Celtic being the source of current day Halloween; Mexican including the elements of wind, earth, fire, and water). This looks to be an interesting and unusual event steeped in cultural tradition that honors the tradition of families in a different and positive way as we come to a close of this summer season. Drawing on our own Irish/Celtic background, we will be creating an altar there.
Devon the Notary

Deeds and Loan Signings

2007-10-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

Today I did a loan signing, where the loan pages and deed had the wrong last name for the wife. I see this from time to time. The reasons for this occuring are many. But it important to consider that by the time the signers get their loan documents, those pages have gone through the hands of many folks that are part of the whole loan process. And needless to say, since there many people are involved in the course of a loan package, people make mistakes.

Since this is the case, it is good for signers to look over their documents before having the notary, that they have scheduled, arrive. Deeds are very important documents. Some lenders and county recorders will accept a hand corrected document, some won't. If you find an error on your documents, it is good to contact the escrow company immediately to alert them to the error and ask how they would recommend the signers proceed. Sometimes the solution may simply be to line through the error, neatly print the correct information, and then have all signers initial that correction. Many times this is all the is needed, but it is best to refer to the escrow company for specific directions.

If you have your documents on hand, clearly your loan is ready to go and time is of the essense. If you can't reach the escrow company, then you must decide. If you sign incorrect documents, you may have difficulties in the future with a deed that lists a name that you can't show identification for. On the other hand, if you neatly line through, correct and initial, you have a good chance that the document will be accepted. The only alternative is to hold off on signing the loan package and ask that the documents be redrawn. If escrow contact in not available during the time of the signing, I always vote for going ahead with the signing, making the appropriate corrections, as at least there is a chance escrow will say they are acceptable. If not, then the docs need to be redrawn anyway and at least there was a chance that the documents would have been accepted with the corrections.

The best course of action, of course, is to review your documents as soon as you get them and while the escrow or title company is still open during their business day.

If you need to schedule notary service for a loan signing, please call me at 805.444.2366.

Devon the notary

Happy Birthday John Lennon

2007-10-10T03:25:00.000-07:00

Imagine

2007-10-09T16:25:00.001-07:00

This is Jake, my dog. Actually I have three dogs. But this one is particularly funny, as you can see. This photo was taken after he ate the head off of a Barbie doll. That fuzz hanging under his chin is Barbie's hair. Poor Barbie.

Jake occasionally goes on notary jobs with me. When it is a quick job, Jake comes and sits in the car guarding stuff. He loves to ride in the car and frequently sticks his head out the window so that his ears fly through the air. When he wants the window rolled down, Jake hits the glass once with his paw and then looks my way to make sure I got the message. He always wants the window down at traffic lights. In that situation, Jake closely examines the car stopped just next to us. It is quite clear he likes to gaze at women. He leans so far out of the window and stares without a flinch. He waits for someone to say "how cute you are". This is particularly so when he is wearing his goggles. Just a funny guy.

We got him several years ago at the Camarillo Animal Shelter. They said he had been there a while. He looked old because of his part Bassett/English Bull Dog pretzel legs. Actually he was only a year old. But it seemed that nobody wanted him because of his physical presence. Wow did others miss out! He is so smart...and bossy. He's really a pain around the house as he gets into everything. We have considered doggie ADHD. Two years ago on the 4th of July, he ate a one pound box of Ghiradelli Brownie Mix. He got so sick, his heart nearly stopped. We had to rush him to Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Koss had to pump his stomach and various other procedures. Nearly $1000 of procedures. It was quite scary. But within a few days he was back to normal looking for more dangerous things to eat. It is difficult keeping him away from things as he is very fast and quite smart.

However on the road he really shines. He is a frequent shopper at Home Depot, Office Depot, Best Buy, etc. When we get to the store, he stands on his hind legs preparing to be picked up to be placed in the shopping cart. While shopping, he just sits in the cart waiting for someone to shower him with attention. He looks to play the roll of king. Jake gets more attention than I do, but that's OK. He makes everyone laugh and that's his specialty.

Apostilles and Authentications Call 805.444.2366

2007-10-06T13:01:00.001-07:00

Did you know I offer 24 Hour Expedited Apostille Services? Do you know what an Apostille is?

Apostilles are government authentications of notarized or county recorded documents so that such a document can be used in another country. If you are sending a corporate or personal document such as a diploma, birth certificate, divorce decree, etc. to another country such as Mexico, Ireland, Italy, etc., you will need to have the document authenticated with an Apostille. You can get this authentication yourself by contacting the Secretary of State. However this process is time consuming and requires that you send the document through the mail to the government offices. Sometimes a risky process.

If you are needing this done FAST, such as within 24 hours, I can assist you with my expedited service. Usually I can get the apostille accomplished the same day, 24 hours maximum. Besides the benefit of quick service, you will also have the benefit of knowing where your document is at all times. If your document is important enough that it needs authentication for shipment to another country, you may want to consider having my local service complete this process for you.

If you need an apostille, please call me at either 805.444.2366 or 805.444.7064 OR you can visit: Aardvark Mobile Notary.

Devon the Notary

venturacounty

Aardvark Mobile Notary - Notary Service for Ventura and Los Angeles Counties - 805.444.2366

2007-10-06T12:03:00.001-07:00

I provide Mobile Notary Public and Apostille Service to Ventura and Los Angeles counties. You can look at my main Notary Services website for specific information about my services. I created this site to write current information about my business, important local news, entertainment, and good deals I have found around in the Ventura and Los Angeles county areas.

But first, let me tell you about my business. I am a mobile notary public that provides notary services at your location. I also provide an expedited apostille service for clients in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. I have extensive experience in both areas. As I am a college student, I am quite available to meet you at any odd hour or place to serve your notary or apostille needs. My rates for service are quite competitive, in fact, probably the best in the areas that I serve. I do this because when you think of notary needs, I want you to contact me for service. I love what I do, helping folks and getting around town, and I’m sure you will be quite happy with my service. In addition, if I am not available during a specific time, my back up service provider is My Mobile Notary. Between the two of our companies, we have your notary and apostille needs covered.

I chose this site template, as it reminds me of a recent trip to Ireland. What a beautiful country! I can’t wait to explore there again. Did you know they have ancient tombs older than the pyramids in Egypt. I didn’t. I did have the opportunity to explore inside one of the them at Newgrange. It’s actually a World Heritage Site. If you are planning a trip to Ireland, I would highly recommend that you visit Newgrange.

venturacounty