BAMBOOZLED!! HOODWINKED!!

I can't believe it. I like to think of myself as a relatively intelligent individual. You know, an intelligent perceptive young lady who makes wise decisions, not easily duped.

So there's a gym that I've been attending for the past couple of years. We won't mentioned that name (it's at the corner of Oakdale & Highlands Pkwy) but it's a relatively small yet convenient gym that my former roommates and I joined a while back. Over the past couple of years, they've not had consistent management, and "questionable" individuals seem to always come in, serve for a time, then disappear and two weeks later, another "team" of individuals will come in and the process would begin again.

Right around the time of our contract renewal, new managment entered, and a particular individual, who admittedly seemed as shady as I've now discovered he was, offered us some nice incentives. Because we'd been loyal customers and our contract had expired, he said could offer us a cash-based deal where we'd simply pay a small cash fee and receive another year of membership. He packaged it nicely explaining how he'd recently purchased the gym, and was in need of capital and he wanted us to remain loyal customers to the facility. Since there was such a need for capital, that deal was only available if we paid cash. Again, it was not unnoticably scandalous, but such was the reputation the gym had in our eyes anyway.

We did wait a few weeks to see if this guy would continue to stay around before renewing the deal, during which time (I now remember) that he called quite frequently to ask if I'd take advantage of this short-term cash offer. When I'd go to the gym he'd make a rather aggressive attempt to be friendly; he appeared often to have just woken up, and even on one occassion asked to borrow money because of an emergency illness. Now I admit I recognized that this was a bit unorthodox, but he really appeared sick, and I decided I'd have no expectation of him paying me back, but I'd give him the money. Yes, it was all very shady, but nonetheless, he remained for enough time for us to think it'd be worth it. Naively, we took the deal..

Given the circumstances, the information I received yesterday should have come as no surprise. New management has come in (again) and removed this guy because he was stealing money - all those great cash-based deals went to support his personal medicinal habits; he was LIVING at the facility - hence the reason he always appeared to have just awoken, and now the debt collectors of his dangerous habit were beginning to visit on a regular basis looking for him! No wonder he appeared so sick the day he asked for money to go to the doctor!!

Like I said, I can't believe I went against my better judgment only to be completely and utterly duped. How sad. Yup, I came back to Xanga just to share that story. :)

Okay, so it's only been two months since I've blogged. This is a very time consuming habit. I realize I much prefer to read others, and be able to comment at my leisure than to have to meet the pressing demands of constantly updating, editing, responding to tags....

LOL. Okay, but I'm watching American Idol, and Jane, there's a girl on here doing your country a huge disservice.

K, five wierd or interesting things about myself. Hmm....

1. I'd  stay up all night watching Nick@Night if I could. Some of my favorites are no longer on (The Patti Duke Show, Donna Reed, etc) but I love it nonetheless.

**K, I'm TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY ARE ASKING BY WRITING MY WIERD THINGS AND I'M RECEIVING ALL THIS GRIEF FROM EVERYONE AROUND ME. MY GOODNESS - BE QUIET SERITA!!!! MYSSI, STERLING, ALL YOU GUYS WITH NO XANGA SITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. This is a LOT less fun with EVERYBODY else's input!!! I used to not like to talk in the morning at all before I've brushed my teeth. I got pretty good at talking through my closed lips; unfortunately, it drove anybody and everybody around me absolutely nuts. I used to not, but you know...I've kind of gotten over it.

3. I've milked a cow, had a pet pig, and pet chickens.

4. I once jumped off the second story stairwell at the University of Miami. Yeah, it was the summer before my freshman year in college. Nothing was hurt really - except my pride -  oh, and my left cheek which I apparently rammed my knee into when I hit the ground.

5. I frequently fall going UP the stairs. Yep, almost every time I go up the stairs I somehow manage to fall down. Actually, it's not just limited to stairs - I sometimes fall when I'm walking for no reason at all. Most recently at the Thrashers game, bowling, hmm...shall I continue.

And now for the ones EVERYONE AROUND ME IS YELLING OUT!!

1. I am a condiment maniac. I must douse my food in condiments because I do not like to eat my food dry - but I don't drink usually until the end of my meal.
2. I am a hard core fan of the hispanic culture. If I could live in any other nation or chose a culture to adopt it would definitely be this one. Some people (Myssi, Sterling, Rita) would say I'm a little obsessed, (my favorite movie is Selena, I often watch the hispanic channel) perhaps even would chose to become that if I could but you know....
3. I've gave up sleeping with pillows about 10 years ago - I'm sure I heard something about it being good for me - only to recently discover that it's probably NOT good for me, and I'm not trying to break a 10 year bad habit. What a pain!
4. I am a certified Toddler Pilates instructor. Yes, I frequently do pilates with some of the kids I watch.
5. I am a huge country music fan which is apparently a big deal because I'm BLACK!! One of my favorite Christmas albums is Kenny Rogers. Okay, can we say people have WAY too many categories. So, in keeping with that, here are all the other ones that fall under this category:

• I like "Friends."
• I recently had to ask what "Rapper's Delight" was.
• I just figured last year what "OG" stood for. (For those who still don't know: it's Original Gansta).