The Little Things Mean so Much to Me...
As I may have mentioned in several forums late last night, I am wireless at home again. I was so excited last night my first reaction was to dance around like Tom Hanks when he made fire in Castaway.
I MAKE INTERNET WIRELESS CONNECTION.
So what if it took me six hours. I did it...IN YOUR FACE!!! And with that said, I confess I'm typing this little blurb from the library.
No, I'm not taking summer classes. I'm here for the solitude so I can finish the book I've been talking about for months and months and months. I'm dangerously close to finishing the first draft, which I have to say is pretty exciting. Then I will move onto the next stage of "is it good or is it bad?" I will not be able to dwell in this stage for long because I'm sure I've mentioned...I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED TO GRADUATE SCHOOL. No matter what else is going on, that remains the best news I've received this summer. (In regard to myself...)
Quite frankly, with thoughts of grad school on my mind, I've also been entertaining the idea of applying for a study abroad program for my second year. It is too early to see where that prospect will lead; but when I meet with my adviser and mentor in a couple of months, I'm going to ask about incorporating it into my study plan. I already have an idea where my scholarship will be focused and the type of research I want to do...so we'll see...
PART II
NOT SO GOOD THING
THIS IS THE DETAILED STORY A FEW OF YOU ASKED ABOUT IN REGARD TO MY GYM.
The changes in my life are good for me...and to round out the experience I joined a gym. Hummm. It's been almost a month ago now. I was so happy when I joined up... WARNING** MAJOR COMPLAINING TO FOLLOW**
When I signed up, I was a little reluctant to sign up for a personal trainer too--mainly because I'm trying to learn how to live beneath my means. I knew I would have more money in August, so I told him I would sign up now and add the training in August. However, as fitness centers are prone to do, they put their best looking and most charming person up front to entice you to sign and he did a great job in convincing me. He convinced me I could sign up and then make changes within seven days if I didn't want to spend the extra $$ on the training sessions. I was sold and agreed.
After a good night's sleep, I decided I wanted to keep a few of the training sessions but NOT as many as I originally asked about. I called and left a message, which was not returned. Later that night I read over the contract and noticed there were three days to make changes not seven. (LIE # 1 for RUSH FITNESS) So I called again the next day, I got voice mail again. I left another message in detail of what I wanted to change. Again, I received no call back. Over the following days, I called every day but one--each time leaving a message. I still got no call back. During this time, I didn't go to the gym but a few times because I didn't want to use the package without clearly defining the terms. I decided on the seventh day that if I couldn't get a response by phone, I would drive to the center and force them to deal with me on the spot. This time when I called, I got a live person. Who said he had called me back. (LIE# 2 for RUSH FITNESS) My cell tells me who calls even when they do not leave a message. Anyway, I was willing to let all that go because I had him live and I could discuss my problem.
He tells me by phone, oh we can make those changes no problem. He was leaving the club before I would be able to get there so he told me to come by a few days later because he was off the following day. I'm thinking, "no problem." WRONG... I go in a few days later and he makes a show of trying to bring up my account but not being able to find it. Then he goes and gets his manager, who also makes a big show about not being able to pull it up because the account is now with the home office. The reason is because after three days they can't make changes to the contract. (LIE # 3 for RUSH FITNESS) I knew in my gut he was going to pull the three day card. So I politely told him, I've been calling almost since the day I signed up with no response from the center and before he could go any further, I told him I could have my cell phone company pull the records and prove it--along with the fact that his people hadn't called me back. He tells me that he is sorry, but he is going to contact the corporate office and they would contact me in 24 hours to fix it. (All the time he keeps trying to get me to use the trainer. (I guess he believed that using him would make me want to keep all the sessions.)
Twenty four hours later, no contact from the corporate office. I call. When I get voice mail, I hang up and drive to the center to speak with the manager. He said that he didn't send the email until the previous afternoon, so the corporate office still had until that afternoon before the 24 hour period is up. (LIE #4 for RUSH FITNESS) He never mentioned the previous morning that he would be sending it later. In fact, he said he would contact them immediately to resolve the situation. Again, he pushed me to work out with the trainer. I refused...he wanted it TOO much and my gut feeling was talking to me again because it was Friday...and since the corporate office would close at five, I had a gut feeling I wouldn't be hearing back from them that afternoon, so I called the corporate office and left them a message, which you guessed it...WAS NOT RETURNED.
I knew when they didn't call back, the excuse was going to turn into well they don't work the weekend, so it will be Monday. At this point, I didn't care. I called and left a message on SAT and SUN too... When Monday arrived, they still didn't call, so I called them and explained on their voice mail the run around I had gotten and that $$ wasn't the factor anymore. It was the principle of it all. I did get a call back, but as luck would have it, they hung up right when I answered the phone. I called back immediately, and got...VOICEMAIL. I left two messages that same day, no call back. I called again the next day and said that I would gladly pay an attorney four times the amount they were expecting from me to resolve this matter and hung up without leaving my phone number. They called me back immediately making excuses. (Further proof that they got all my other messages.)
I explained again what I wanted to do with my contract. She threw out the three day card. I told her I could prove I had been trying to contact them since then. She says, "You have to do it in writing." I completely snapped. I told her I didn't accept her response, and that I didn't care and she WAS GOING TO FIX IT. She kept repeating herself, and I kept saying you ARE GOING TO FIX IT. She said I should calm down. I told her that I couldn't calm down at this point. She finally put me on with her boss. Who tried the same thing. He said that they couldn't go into the computer and change it after the three day period. (LIE # $#$#@$ for RUSH FITNESS) I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn't believe him. We went on like that for a few minutes before he finally recalled something I had said in one of my original calmer messages... I had mentioned that I didn't want to get the trainer now, but I wanted one in August. -- so he says to me, "Honestly, the reason the big guys don't like to make changes after three days is because of the accounting. They use it to project earnings for the year and blah, blah, blah...(PARTIAL LIE for RUSH FITNESS) His offer was to push making the payment I was going to make for the training sessions back until August and then split it into two payments so I don't have to deduct so much at one time. What makes his last statement a partial lie is that he then offered to waive my June payment all together. (That would mess with accounting too, although, it is not as large of a payment.)
Anyway, to wrap things up...I agreed to the offer, because I was really tired of arguing...I know if I kept pushing, I could have gotten the contract canceled because the guy sounded so relieved when I relented. One of the last things he said to me was that he was going to call the gym and have the trainer call me to set up a session. Guess what that was over a week ago...NO CALL BACK...
The moral of the story kids...Don't sign up with RUSH FITNESS CENTER, and watch your back with other fitness clubs because I think a lot of them operate like this.
I MAKE INTERNET WIRELESS CONNECTION.
So what if it took me six hours. I did it...IN YOUR FACE!!! And with that said, I confess I'm typing this little blurb from the library.
No, I'm not taking summer classes. I'm here for the solitude so I can finish the book I've been talking about for months and months and months. I'm dangerously close to finishing the first draft, which I have to say is pretty exciting. Then I will move onto the next stage of "is it good or is it bad?" I will not be able to dwell in this stage for long because I'm sure I've mentioned...I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED TO GRADUATE SCHOOL. No matter what else is going on, that remains the best news I've received this summer. (In regard to myself...)
Quite frankly, with thoughts of grad school on my mind, I've also been entertaining the idea of applying for a study abroad program for my second year. It is too early to see where that prospect will lead; but when I meet with my adviser and mentor in a couple of months, I'm going to ask about incorporating it into my study plan. I already have an idea where my scholarship will be focused and the type of research I want to do...so we'll see...
PART II
NOT SO GOOD THING
THIS IS THE DETAILED STORY A FEW OF YOU ASKED ABOUT IN REGARD TO MY GYM.
The changes in my life are good for me...and to round out the experience I joined a gym. Hummm. It's been almost a month ago now. I was so happy when I joined up... WARNING** MAJOR COMPLAINING TO FOLLOW**
When I signed up, I was a little reluctant to sign up for a personal trainer too--mainly because I'm trying to learn how to live beneath my means. I knew I would have more money in August, so I told him I would sign up now and add the training in August. However, as fitness centers are prone to do, they put their best looking and most charming person up front to entice you to sign and he did a great job in convincing me. He convinced me I could sign up and then make changes within seven days if I didn't want to spend the extra $$ on the training sessions. I was sold and agreed.
After a good night's sleep, I decided I wanted to keep a few of the training sessions but NOT as many as I originally asked about. I called and left a message, which was not returned. Later that night I read over the contract and noticed there were three days to make changes not seven. (LIE # 1 for RUSH FITNESS) So I called again the next day, I got voice mail again. I left another message in detail of what I wanted to change. Again, I received no call back. Over the following days, I called every day but one--each time leaving a message. I still got no call back. During this time, I didn't go to the gym but a few times because I didn't want to use the package without clearly defining the terms. I decided on the seventh day that if I couldn't get a response by phone, I would drive to the center and force them to deal with me on the spot. This time when I called, I got a live person. Who said he had called me back. (LIE# 2 for RUSH FITNESS) My cell tells me who calls even when they do not leave a message. Anyway, I was willing to let all that go because I had him live and I could discuss my problem.
He tells me by phone, oh we can make those changes no problem. He was leaving the club before I would be able to get there so he told me to come by a few days later because he was off the following day. I'm thinking, "no problem." WRONG... I go in a few days later and he makes a show of trying to bring up my account but not being able to find it. Then he goes and gets his manager, who also makes a big show about not being able to pull it up because the account is now with the home office. The reason is because after three days they can't make changes to the contract. (LIE # 3 for RUSH FITNESS) I knew in my gut he was going to pull the three day card. So I politely told him, I've been calling almost since the day I signed up with no response from the center and before he could go any further, I told him I could have my cell phone company pull the records and prove it--along with the fact that his people hadn't called me back. He tells me that he is sorry, but he is going to contact the corporate office and they would contact me in 24 hours to fix it. (All the time he keeps trying to get me to use the trainer. (I guess he believed that using him would make me want to keep all the sessions.)
Twenty four hours later, no contact from the corporate office. I call. When I get voice mail, I hang up and drive to the center to speak with the manager. He said that he didn't send the email until the previous afternoon, so the corporate office still had until that afternoon before the 24 hour period is up. (LIE #4 for RUSH FITNESS) He never mentioned the previous morning that he would be sending it later. In fact, he said he would contact them immediately to resolve the situation. Again, he pushed me to work out with the trainer. I refused...he wanted it TOO much and my gut feeling was talking to me again because it was Friday...and since the corporate office would close at five, I had a gut feeling I wouldn't be hearing back from them that afternoon, so I called the corporate office and left them a message, which you guessed it...WAS NOT RETURNED.
I knew when they didn't call back, the excuse was going to turn into well they don't work the weekend, so it will be Monday. At this point, I didn't care. I called and left a message on SAT and SUN too... When Monday arrived, they still didn't call, so I called them and explained on their voice mail the run around I had gotten and that $$ wasn't the factor anymore. It was the principle of it all. I did get a call back, but as luck would have it, they hung up right when I answered the phone. I called back immediately, and got...VOICEMAIL. I left two messages that same day, no call back. I called again the next day and said that I would gladly pay an attorney four times the amount they were expecting from me to resolve this matter and hung up without leaving my phone number. They called me back immediately making excuses. (Further proof that they got all my other messages.)
I explained again what I wanted to do with my contract. She threw out the three day card. I told her I could prove I had been trying to contact them since then. She says, "You have to do it in writing." I completely snapped. I told her I didn't accept her response, and that I didn't care and she WAS GOING TO FIX IT. She kept repeating herself, and I kept saying you ARE GOING TO FIX IT. She said I should calm down. I told her that I couldn't calm down at this point. She finally put me on with her boss. Who tried the same thing. He said that they couldn't go into the computer and change it after the three day period. (LIE # $#$#@$ for RUSH FITNESS) I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn't believe him. We went on like that for a few minutes before he finally recalled something I had said in one of my original calmer messages... I had mentioned that I didn't want to get the trainer now, but I wanted one in August. -- so he says to me, "Honestly, the reason the big guys don't like to make changes after three days is because of the accounting. They use it to project earnings for the year and blah, blah, blah...(PARTIAL LIE for RUSH FITNESS) His offer was to push making the payment I was going to make for the training sessions back until August and then split it into two payments so I don't have to deduct so much at one time. What makes his last statement a partial lie is that he then offered to waive my June payment all together. (That would mess with accounting too, although, it is not as large of a payment.)
Anyway, to wrap things up...I agreed to the offer, because I was really tired of arguing...I know if I kept pushing, I could have gotten the contract canceled because the guy sounded so relieved when I relented. One of the last things he said to me was that he was going to call the gym and have the trainer call me to set up a session. Guess what that was over a week ago...NO CALL BACK...
The moral of the story kids...Don't sign up with RUSH FITNESS CENTER, and watch your back with other fitness clubs because I think a lot of them operate like this.