Customer Reward Programs

I am a bit annoyed at customer rewards or points program.

I could not participate in a grocery store reward program because they try to tie it to your spending habit or because they try to tie it to a credit card.  I lost the original points card and kept trying to register a new point card but the system would not let me.  They want to force you to use their credit card when I want to use another credit card.  Although I continued shopping at the store, I never got to benefit from the reward program.  Needless to say their reward program got phased out because the person administering it sucked.

Now, another annoying program, would not let you get your receipt if you forgot to bring your stupid points card.  They automatically assume you do not know about their reward program and purposely not give you a receipt.  I am there to buy gas, it is not an issue to me if I didn't join your stupid reward program or if I forgot to bring my reward card to get the points.  It is so stupid. Just give me the receipt because I already pay for the gas, if I want to get the point later I can always go home and do it myself or just not get the stupid point.  Instead they are forcing you go to into the store to get the receipt and ask about the stupid reward program that you already know about.  Seriously, there are some really stupid programs out there these days.  After you get enough point, you have to now select your prize which is also annoying because it takes forever to collect enough points anyways and then you just end up choosing some garbage.

Brace yourself

In my last blog post, I mentioned one of my loves, the slopes of the mountains.  I went skiing there.

I haven't went skiing for a long time so I was susceptible to tumble and fall, sometimes at extremely high speed.  This happened to me twice.  Each time, I would brace myself.  By that, I mean I would try to roll myself into a ball (think cannonball when diving into the lake or swimming pool in the summer).  This way, my ski won't get caught in the snow and I am like a rock when I fall into the snow.  Reflex is very important during extreme speed.  I had closed to no time to think.  I just know I have to protect my body from the fall so I went "CANNONBALL"!

This past Valentine's day

I visited one of my loves, the slope of the mountains.

Shadow boxing

I am still training at the same gym but I have been training long enough that I now train a little differently now.  Just a little.  I am still attending the same group classes.  One of the group classes I attend is exercise movements inspired by mixed martial arts movements.  In that class, one is not learning how to fight or combat but learning the different movements that all the mixed martial artists may use.

At the beginning of my training, I would always have to watch the instructors movements.  Now I am no longer looking at the instructor (especially when I am standing behind a pole where I don't see the instructor).  Instead I am practicing my listening skills, testing my memorization of the movement and utilizing my muscle memory.  I am quite happy with my current level.

The class has always been fun but it is now more fun because sometimes I feel like Bruce Lee.  The instructor tends to show the most powerful way to use each movements but I remember the different options there are to each movement so I tend to display the options.  So sometimes my straight may be strong while at other times it may just be a fake.  I use jabs to block or to get distance and I run away and advance fast with my foot movements. If I am a boxer, I am definitely an out boxer.  The class is always crowded and I sometimes go the wrong direction when we are changing side that is why sometimes I don't fully extent because I don't want to accidentally hit somebody in front, behind or beside me.  I am surrounded each class.  Sometimes when we are practicing, I pretend I am being hit while I try to throw a punch.  It is quite funny. I make myself laugh.

Good thing my class instructor is not strict and require that you follow him exactly.  I used to follow exactly but I feel like I am at the point of my training that I now want to practice what I know.  Having the correct movement is very important which I already have because I seen them so many times.  Sometimes I cannot throw hard every punch because I need to reserve my energy for when it really counts.  My punch might become a block.  Anyhow, my opponent is always air.