Lessons learnt from delivering the local newspaper

I am still delivering the local newspaper.  One thing I noticed from delivering the local newspaper (for as long as I have) is that I have a better understanding of street designs.  As a result, I am a better pedestrian and user of all routes laid by man for man!  To get an understanding of my new found knowledge, you will have to first take the routes without changing it  at all.  In my neighborhood, certain areas have clearly marked routes for pedestrians, bicycles and cars.

Another fun activity, which is also educational, is reading the flyers or advertisement thoroughly.  For example, you can learn about the name of food in another language.  It would be helpful if you have someone who can read the language and pronounce the sound for you.  You can also practice the concept of "units" (for example, one piece of paper not one slice of paper).

I have to return to reading the flyers now to refresh my memory of the names of food I enjoy eating.

Chao!

Investing 303

Investing 303 because this is part three of my investing series.

As you may know, at the beginning of the year, I was seriously looking at investing in stocks.  Making my own selection sort of speak.  In the end, I never made my final decisions. 

Instead, I decided to look at another type of investment.  My potential first real property.  It is real and tangible and I can see it.  Like the stock market, the real estate market also has a lot of selections.  I placed an offer and got rejected.

Next time I place an offer, I think I am just going to put one condition in, something along the line of subject to any conditions the future mortgagee may want to add to the purchase agreement. 

Hopefully, I find someone not in a rush to sell in the future.

My beef with the reception area at the gym

I have been debating to cancel my gym membership for quite a while now.  The main reason I have not cancelled is because my mother enjoys going.  The gym itself is fine in terms of equipment and classes but I had a few unpleasant encounters with a few reception persons.  These encounters make me sort of just want to skip the reception area.

There were at least a few people who were unfamiliar with paperwork that they don't have to do on a regular basis.  As a result, I overpaid for quite a number of months.  I never did anything because I was pressed for time and it's hard to find the right person to speak to.  I eventually fixed the problem but I feel like they may have put a bad note on my file.

I can read, speak and write English but this one staff listened to what I said and summarized my reason for changing my membership from all across Canada to just regional (eventually changed back with bargaining but they may have internally changed back themselves because I really only goto the ones I am close to). That staff did not write what I said.  I didn't say anything because I was already used to a few reception area people who don't know how to deal with members.  With that said, there were a lot of reception area people who did do their job properly.  I am fine with people telling me they don't know how to do something and not do it but I am not fine with people doing something wrong and mess up my membership payment and making it difficult for me to fix it.

It's sad when you ruin a good gym by placing staffs at the front who makes members feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed.

The staff that wrote something completely from what I said was of a certain ethnicity, it makes me wonder sometimes when children translate for their parents, are they really translating what their parents are saying.

Loner

Just read some articles written by someone claiming to be a loner.  Now, I also consider myself a loner but I am a different type of loner and have to disagree with the other loner almost completely regarding the topic that loner wrote about.

There are times I prefer to be alone and there are times when I want company.  If I don't want to spend time with someone at all, I would always say no to that person, meaning I rather be alone than spend time with that person.

I am a loner who usually have ample of time to spend with people I want to spend time with.  If you are on the yes list, I may hear from you, if you are on the no list, I will likely not hear from you.  In both situations, I already know my answer.

What I don't have the answer to is why people say no to my invites.  If you said no to me once and we don't go way back, it's very unlikely you will hear from me again.

I am the only one aware of my list.  It's very hard to get back to my yes list, once you've been kicked to the no list.