This is it and I'm satisfied

Came out of the bank yesterday to find a ding and red paint all over my rear quarterpanel and bumper... poor Molly. I was saddened that someone would do damage like that and just walk away from it, although I fear the percentage of people who would think nothing of it is significant, and rising. So someone just cost me 500 bucks that I don't have, after the insurance deductible. Glad I didn't go for the 1000.

Normally I wouldn't bother, but Molly's a pretty little car and she deserves to look good (she's a Toyota Prius)... they are holding their value incredibly well.

About a month ago I signed up for a membership at Gold's Gym and then went out of town for a couple of weeks. When I came back, I realized that it was no longer logistically feasible to go to that gym on a regular basis, and asked to cancel my membership. I was firmly refused, and told that I had no option but to sell the membership or provide proof that I had moved to an area where there was no gym. I was able to get only to the second-level flunky in the corporate office, and no farther.

Well, that's fine. I've filed complaints with the BBB and RipoffReport.com (I found many similar complaints, after the fact *sigh*), will be putting up flashing warnings against patronizing Gold's Gym on my website, and have changed my credit card number so future attempts to bill my account will be rejected. They may try to intimidate me with an attorney... I say let'em. They can't make me pay for a service I won't be using and no longer want.

I run 3 separate businesses. My policy has always been 100% customer satisfaction - I will refund a customer's payments in full without question, knowing that good publicity is worth far more than one sale. My only unhappy customer was a lady who used one of my product for five months in a row before deciding that she didn't like the results. I think I gave her half her money back, and was rewarded by being called a thief and a criminal. But I'd say only one @$$hole in 3 years of doing business is pretty darn good.

Businesses that don't understand this principle don't deserve to be in business.

Don't ever patronize Gold's Gym

Find a company that knows how to treat its customers well and reward it for its integrity.

9 Chickweed Lane... Blessed Mother of Mogg

Well, if you've been following 9 Chickweed Lane, you will probably agree with me that tomorrow's strip is about as momentous in the Chickweed universe as the elevation of an African American to our nation's chief executive office in real life.

I have seen this coming over time, but never thought it would happen. These two for years have been exercising the most Catholic (in the larger sense of the word, as well as the more limited) restraint, and I have to admit it took me by surprise.

I wouldn't deign to attempt any analysis of the author's belief systems - this is just a work of creative fiction, after all - but I am left with a whole raft of mixed feelings about current developments. If I were an author, and a reader were having the kinds of feelings I'm having today, I'd probably write in my journal, "And a check mark for Saturday!"

Well played, Mr. McEldowney. Well played indeed.