Posted on 2007-07-06
I'm in another blogging dearth stage. There really isn't much to write about. Softball is over. Summer is hot. We had alot of fun on the 4th of July---our particular community has a huge bash for the 4th and we live just a few blocks from party central. They have a huge parade that literally goes behind our house, a fairly large carnival and fireworks that again, are shot off at the pond behind our house. All of this makes my house the place to be on the 4th. Several friends came over and we had about a zillion kids total. I think I'll be picking up the metal sparkler sticks for the next 6 months! They are one of the few types of fireworks legal in Iowa so the kids each did probably about 30 and multiply that by the 25 or so kids that were here---you get the idea!!
The only other item of recent note is the foray Payten and I took into the world of modeling scams. I know I've said this before but Payten truly is drop dead gorgeous. I wish I could take the credit for this but she really is the spitten image of her dad and for everything else he was, he was certainly a looker---probably still is but I haven't seen him for sev. years. Anyway, since she was little everyone was always saying that she should model. I half heartedly looked into some different things over the years but they always sounded like scams---pay for these classes and we'll help you find jobs sort of deals.
A couple of weeks ago there was an add in the paper by this 'new' company who promised 'no classes, etc. to pay for'. We went down to the Embassey Suites (if you're ever in DSM, I'd recommend it, It's beautiful!) and sat through a couple of meetings that sounded really convincing until they told us that for $329 we should really buy a web page from them for exposure---They promised that there was local modeling work for catalogs, etc. but that models either need comp cards that they could do on their own or pay the $329 to them for a website that they'd set up for you. They then proceeded to explain how, in the long run, it would be so much cheaper to do the website. In a moment of weakness, I actually did this but immediately thought better of it and started to do some Internet research. Turns out, according to the BBB, the guy running the place, Kerry Killowitz, has run several other modeling 'agencies' through the years and it seems like when the complaints start rolling in, he simply hangs a new name on his door. Yes, Xtreme Talent is new but in name only. The company's main source of income is from the 'models' paying for this website NOT from the modeling jobs. Evidently the company does secure a few models a little bit of work but it sounds like most are never able to break even on their investment---$329 in Des Moines but over $1000 in some other cities---they must do there research and know what people are willing to pay or able to pay in the various communities they recruit in. Anyhow, luckily I discovered this within the 3 day time period that one has to terminate any contact and other than the $25 stop payment fee on the check, am not out of anything. I wonder how many of the others in the room have been so lucky? All told, it was really a good lesson for my daughter about how if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is and we're both a bit wiser for the experience.
