When it comes to cleaning my house, I suck.
I’m terrible about returning emails and texts.
I can be really hard on people.
And forget to say thank you.
I’m also a bit of a procrastinator.
I find it much easier to yell at the kids about putting stuff off until the last minute than taking steps to change that very same thing about myself.
I can deal with that one later, though…
But there are some things that I know I am really good at.
One of them is teaching kids how to swim.
I’m pretty sure I could come up with a long list of people who would vouch for that.
Yesterday I posted this on the facebook page:
I don’t want to turn this into a people-who-have-really-fucking-pissed-me-off -and-who-totally-suck kind of a blog.
I mean, unless they really deserve it.
Plus, some of you asked.
I don’t want to bore you with a long, drawn-out story.
So I’ll try to make it short(er).
Last year one of the coaches at the Y got fired.
He started a new swim team last summer.
It’s a little rinky dink program.
At the Dive Shop.
I was warned by numerous people not to have anything to do with this “coach.”
People who I really trust.
Like trust-with-my-life-and-my-children’s-life trust.
But I ignored them.
This “coach” was looking for help coaching.
He had one assistant but wanted another.
So I offered to coach for free in exchange for Number 3 and 4 waiving the membership and team fees.
The “coach” jumped all over that.
Like saying yes before I could even get the whole sentence out.
But I did pay $300 for USS swimming registration and swim meet fees.
The first practice was on Number 4’s birthday.
I went to that.
I got in the pool with the swimmers.
Which is kind of a slap in face if you are a swim coach.
But I wasn’t going to complain.
I also recruited new swimmers for the team.
I had parents thank me for doing such a good job with their kids.
Then I went to a parents’ meeting as requested by the Head “Coach.”
And at the meeting, he introduced the new coach.
Singular.
Not plural.
As in he introduced the other woman who was coaching and said absolutely nothing about me.
Then he decided to change the practice times and groups in October.
And he moved Number 4 into a different group and time without my consent.
That was the last straw.
We left.
We joined the Y.
The kids love it.
And so do I.
I didn’t do any Dive Shop bashing.
Although I wanted to.
I just quietly left.
But I did want my meet fee deposit back.
Because the kids never swam in a meet.
I emailed the “coach.”
He told me I was due a little over $150, but I would need to contact the owner of the Dive Shop.
I have called and left messages for this person numerous times over the past 3 months.
I finally got ahold of him and spoke to him in person yesterday.
His name is Gary.
Do not give him any of your money.
Because he will never give it back to you.
Even if it is due to you contractually.
And Gary will go talk to a spineless “coach” if he needs to.
That spineless “coach” will go back on his word.
And when you call Gary out, he will hang up on you.
So why was I fantasizing about beating the crap out of someone, or a whole entire Dive Shop yesterday?
Because honesty and integrity are not important qualities to at least 2 of the people who work there.
And that really fucking pisses me off.
I spent a good part of the day fuming about that, and focusing on the fact that there are some serious assholes out there.
And then realized I was wasting a lot of energy on people that don’t deserve it.
I should have been focusing on things like this…
Here is a little excerpt from a message I got last week:
I read your blog every day and absolutely love it. It makes me laugh and some days, keeps me sane. I’m really inspired by your Lose To Win journey, especially as you’re trying to juggle that amazing family of yours. Now, to the point of my message. I’m a massage therapist and thought “if anyone needs a massage, it’s you” so, I would like to offer you a free one hour massage. You can come to me, or I can come to you, it might be more relaxing at my house though, haha…
How cool is that???
Next Tuesday at 12:00 I am getting an hour of relaxation. And pampering. And quiet.
Alone.
Just because.
Just because there are some really freaking awesome people out there.
Yeah, I think I’ll direct my energy toward that.
But remember, if it walks like a douche, and talks like a douche, well, then it is probably a douche.
And chances are it works at the Dive Shop.
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! PLEASE!!!
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Jerry says
I would like to let you know that your “Vote For Me” link has stopped working. I haven’t been able to vote for you for two days now.
Cheers,
susiej says
Hey Jerry,
I think it was the top mommy blog site and not the link, because I had trouble voting this morning from my phone, but now it seems to be fine. Thank you for the heads up.
And thank you for voting 🙂