I’m no professional buddy…

It’s funny. When you tell people what you’ve been doing in your spare time; for me… it’s working out at the gym maybe twice a week. They automatically think you’re the fitness-queen, a gym junkie, or someone who really knows their stuff. They’re all coming up to me and being like “does nutrisystem really work”? Honestly, I have no idea but I’d just rather give them an answer of a big fat NO. People – you need to be motivated to work out. Having a belly roll is enough for me to start working out and thankfully my body is forgiving with toning up quickly. Just because I’m thin, doesn’t mean I’m fit. I wasn’t, when I re-joined the gym. Soccer was my only form of physical activity and I loved junk food. The more the better.

As soon as you start working out, something weird kick starts in your brain and you actually don’t crave the junk food anymore. It’s honestly a miracle for those sweet tooth lovers like myself. But also, since getting a puppy I’ve been eating a pretty balanced meal since having him in our household. In the morning I now wake up an hour earlier and eat breakfast with the dog. I come home and need to let Alfie go “potty” and I eat a healthy lunch. Before, it used to be: wake up as late as possible so I can get more sleep, then rush to get a shower, blow dry hair, get dressed, and bring a granola bar into work. For lunch I’d have a frozen dinner. Supper would be my biggest meal. Isn’t breakfast supposed to be the largest?

Regardless if I’ve got the dog less than a week ago, and I’ve only been sweating at the gym for less than a month. I’m changed for the better, and lets hope I can keep this up.

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The Waters Spa: A bold move

Remember the honest review and opinion I wrote of The Waters Spa, in Waterloo Ontario back on October 21, 2009? Here, you can find the “the water spa: disaster” review before you continue on with this post. Reading the linked blog post above, you know I had a decent time at the spa, however there was a few mishaps on both my part and The Waters Spa in Waterloo.

As I mentioned in my previous post three months ago, I found a shocking charge on my MasterCard from The Water’s Spa — double the amount what I thought I was supposed to pay for a visit to the spa. I phoned the manager and politely brought it to their attention in an attempt to resolve things. To make a long story short, they did nothing to correct the matter and simply suggested that I purchase a less expensive package on my next visit. Poor customer service on their part, in my opinion — as if I’d go back there again after much frustration dealing with them and my credit card company for a complete waste of my half an afternoon.

What bothered me the most, so much so that I had to create a brand new blog post about The Waters Spa, was they didn’t notice my review (which has both positive, and negative things to say about the spa) until it reached to be the 3rd link when you googled “The Waters Spa”. My review of the Waters Spa was clearly popular with people wanting to find reviews of this place before attending – as they should. However, I don’t think it’s right to ask people to remove any sort of review, whether it be negative or positive. People deserve to know and not shun negativity and think everything is fine and dandy. We both made mistakes, and I just happen to post it on a personal website of mine. Isn’t that what reviews are all about? To notify people of how the spa treats customers? I mentioned in my post we were treated like royalty. I was just appauled at the incredible price of a visit to The Waters Spa, and didn’t come to a resolution.

The owner of The Waters Spa contacted me directly, unknowingly to her that I was the personal owner, and operator of this website. The first of two e-mails she sent me was pretty bold on her part. Let me screen shot it and paste it below for you, so you can personally see what she had written.

Please, go ahead and click to enlarge the image so you can read what she had written.

Not so professional, right? If she had read it clearly herself, she would have known I did have my facts straight. I am not a dishonest person, and I would have never even thought about writing a review on The Waters Spa, unless I was treated wrong.

10 minutes later another e-mail came through to my inbox, with her apologizing.

You can also click to enlarge this e-mail too!

I was pretty annoyed that the owner of The Waters Spa wanted me to take down a post on my own personal website, about my time spent at The Waters in Waterloo, as I said nothing to ruin their reputation at the spa, and I certainly wasn’t “being nasty”, as I quote her e-mail. An honest review of the spa I went to. That was all.

I gave myself a few days to respond to her and I finally wrote her back on January 7 replying this. Also a screen shot, feel free to enlarge it so you can read it better.

I blurred out my last name for obvious reasons.

There has been no response yet for over a week. Which is why I decided to share my story as to what happened. I believe that I have done nothing wrong but stat facts as to what has happened to me. I am not bashing The Waters Spa, but rather alerting people to be aware of the prices — which have conveniently changed on their website after the mishap in October.

This blog post has been cross-posted on my other blog here.

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Are you doing what you love?

Literally.

Someone I know is in the painful process of switching careers right now. For the longest time I never knew something like a Graphic Designer existed, and I’m so glad that I found it out somewhat early on. I’ve been told I am quite the late bloomer with things. But at least I’m still in my twenties, for now … and am doing what I love. I guess I’m what you’d call lucky. I have a full time permanent position, I have a terrific fun-loving boss, and I’ve been here almost three years. It gets better and better each day. I can take Univeristy courses paid by my workplace to better my skills.

It just doesn’t get any better than this.

Do you love your job?

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