An Intriguing Tale Of Being An Owner

I read on the local papers that the local terminal ferry is being renovated for future use of a ferry – so does that mean that there is hope for another ferry – so that the tourism industry will not die off?  We are thankful for a busy year thus far – and cannot thank our lucky star – for all the support the locals have given to us for the last 11 years.   This year also marks a turning point in our life – as of this afternoon, we have our last debt pay off – our mortgage.   So I told the spouse – we are going to concentrate on taking care of ourselves now and our health – I’m also trying a colon cleanser because I’ve heard all the good things it can do for the toxin accumulated in our body – and cleansing the toxin means a healthy and more vibrant looking me.  I can’t wait to first the new year with vigor – so I’m all prepared to do what is best for my body.

I have to say that we have a darn good repertoire with our customers – so much so, that we’ve come to know them personally, their children, their parents and friends as well.  Yes – we are that good, we talk about anything under the sun – from having babies to beauty products to eye check ups, food reviews and even going to the gynecologist for thrush treatments.  Yes! you get the idea – we do compare – talk and learn from each other – we do pride ourselves for being so good with people and most customers actually turned into friends.   And I like the fact that there is nothing we can’t talk about – even personal stuff, it’s great to have customers like that eh.  I really love what we do at our store, many are such good people.

dumping day 2010

Nova Scotia is a fishing community – that means – not only do we have fishermen – we also have lots of truckers around our community.  And of course, we have those that we know that have moved to Alberta to join the oil rigs – and construction work.  But we don’t have any Maritime Injury Lawyer around this area like they do in the States.   A few years ago – when the ferry terminal had an accident and caused some workers to stay in the hospital for weeks, I don’t think they were represented properly.  The took the Worker’s compensation and therefore – didn’t get the full compensation that they were supposed to get – due to the negligence of the ferry service.  It is quite sad – because one such worker – we know him personally – and today – he still walks with a limp and when the weather turned cold – he is in great pain.  Just not fair you would think – but if only he was giving the right advice then – he would not be in this position.  Sad!

dumping day 2010

The YMCA is just right across our store – and this year – i intend to lose some weight instead of just sitting around all day.  And no excuse for not having time – because the spouse and I should seriously take an hour lunch each every day – to do whatever we want.  So I’m choosing to skip lunch and head for the YMCA and do some swimming or aerobics since we are members of the YMCA.  Plus I know they also have  weight loss supplements that they recommend which are also safe – I have to check with my family doctor first though to see what she has to say about it – so it doesn’t have any conflict with the medication i am taking for diabetes and high cholesterol.  Losing weight shouldn’t be this hard – if I can only motivate myself to go to the Y – maybe i should find a friend from the store and get her to kick my butt if i start to slack off.

I love my Wii Fit and we do sell them at the store – but some people think that the Wii fit and the board can do miracles – and I hate to burst their bubbles – because even though it does help with losing weight – you have to work at it – 5 times a week – 30 mins a day – and eat proper.   If you don’t eat proper – even the the best weight loss pills cannot help you.  Whenever I sell the Wii Fit  & the board – i remind the buyer to make sure that they take the right supplement to burn their fats and if they are using weight loss pills – they should see results quicker – but to remember to eat proper and stop drinking pop ( pepsi, coke & orange)

Ever since I became a diabetic – I not only learned how to read labels for the sugar content – I also learn to read labels for how many calories are there in the things we eat.   The problem with being diabetic is – when the calories is high – some food does not have sugar.  But those with low calories have more sugar – how ironic isn’t it.   So if you are buying a Wii Fit and the Board – trying to lose weight – yes it can help for sure – but make sure you eat proper  – fish 3 times a week – baked or steam and never fried would be the best.   Definitely make you lose some weight there – easy on the potatoes please.

So more snow came down today – and we could go sledding if we chose too – but of course shoveling was in store for us at the store.  Did you know that we have to shovel our own building when the snow falls?  the town don’t take care of it – so everytime we have snow coming down last night – i wished the spouse could send me to work earlier – so that I can shovel earlier – instead of 11am when we open our store.  This has gotta be the best fat burning exercises during the winter – don’t you think?  I read somewhere that 30 mins of shoveling – you lose like 150 calories or is it 250 – well – no matter how many – it is definitely good exercise i find.

On the same note – about exercises during Winter – last year – I had bought a Wii Fit – to do step aerobics with – so i have no excuses to not keep fit.  So I better get moving – and doing something for the festive season was over about a month ago.   Burn the Fat!!  Burn The Fat !!  I taught my kid to chant this every morning when we wake up to remind me to do my exercises.  What about  you ?  how do you burn fats and keep fit?

I wished we had some kind of contract with our local hospital here – because it certainly looks like they are spending a lot of money not only on equipments but stuff like  exam tables , office chairs and computers every now and then.  I know so – because they throw out completely perfect furniture and computer monitors all the time.  A friend who works in the local hospital told us that he had gotten a doctor’s chair when it was in the trash at the hospital – and according to him you can get all sorts of things from the lounge as well. I bet – I probably can get one of those old blood pressure machine from my doctor – if it was the right timing eh.

I was at the doctor’s today – for my princess – she was taking her second flu mist at our family doctor’s and I had asked if the Zhu’s were accepted at the clinic as well – because I had submitted their application on the first day when the ballot was out.  I was really happy to find out that they were accepted. Woohoo!!  can’t wait to tell them about it – I bet they are going to be very happy – health care careers are aplenty in this town – just look at the doctors – we can’t get enough of them.  And when we do get them – they don’t stay to long, but yes ! if I could turn the clock back I would definitely take up a career in health care that’s for sure.

I checked with the local insurance company here and can’t really find any good rates for health insurance for the employees of the store.  As you all know – we are not a big company – we are a family business – a small business – so we can’t afford to pay the rates that other big companies are paying for health insurance.  But we want to insure our employees right?  after all medication is expensive even though seeing the doctor is free.  So yes!  a good and cheap health insurance for everyone is the ideal and my aim for next year.  Yes! we have employees now!! woohoo!!!  now we can go for vacation anytime we want.

We get many teenagers in our store and i wished I had some teenage acne products to sell to them.  Why?  because  some of the kids sure need them and i could even make some money out of it.  Which kid have you seen without an acne or two. right?  So if can find a good acne product to carry – I could offer those teenagers a product that they can send other kids from school our way too.  Best of both worlds – help some teenagers – and make some money – plus we know how acne can affect these teenagers self-esteem – and if there is a product out there that works – I would definitely want to be a wholesaler for it  – as we do have a lot of teenagers come thru’ our store everyday.

Winter is wicked in this town – and every year during winter – I put on lots of weight – because I hardly go outdoors except from the house to the car and then the car to the store.  How can one not put on weight you tell me?  So i rely a lot on some good fat burners during the winter – and I’m not the only one putting on weight it seems.  The brother-in-law puts on the weight in the winter and loses them in the summer – because he works so much in the woods then.

My kind of job – i just sit and type – or serve the customer/s once in a while – so the tendency of me putting on more weight than usual – is very high.  Thank God for fat burners – already my bum is so huge – if i didn’t have them I bet I would have the biggest bum ever !  not sexy big like Jennifer Lopez – but ugly big like Ugly Betty – hahah!  so yes! for those who loves the winter and snow – be careful what you wish for – cause winter can make one put on lots of weight.

I found out about oxycontin detox from a customer turned into friend who was going thru’ some medical issues in her life and had been taking oxycontin as a pain reliever.  I didn’t know that long term use of it can caused different reaction to different people and some like our customer turned friend is addicted to it.  So her doctor recommended oxycontin detox for her and I know she has worries about this program.  So I read up a bit more about it – that way – I can help her overcome her fear.  I hope she feels better soon – she is such a good and strong person.

So I watched the House debate about the town’s tourism with the new MLA and several issue and cannot helped but shake my head.  I’m guessing being a politician with the opposition party do not need any top weight loss supplements because the answers that the current party is giving the opposition can make one lose their appetite instantly.  I feel bad for our MLAs in the Western county to be honest – that they are been given the merry-go-round answers for every questions they asked the leading party.  If I were the opposition party right now – I bet I’m going to lose a lot of sleep and a lot of weight – there is just no winning situation where the NDP’s are concern is there.  Are the Nova Scotians in this end of town going to have to tighten their belts for the next year’s tourism season?  Even following the debate already makes me lose my appetite for a few days – what about you all out there?  have you watched the debate?

A customer was in today looking for the hair shop that was opposite ours – you see I had not noticed that they moved away!  So this customer said to me – that there should be a store in downtown selling beauty products like acne treatments without having to go to a beauty spa.  Yes!  i fully agree and if I weren’t already so busy with our own business – I know it definitely could be a success in this town.  Going for a facial is $80 – going to highlight your hair here is another $80 – to do special face treatment – it’s more money – and with this economy – not everyone can afford it.   Skin care specialist over the counter – is a great idea – now to find good help for that idea.

For those who are familiar with our store – you will noticed that most of our good customers turn into friends – and good ones at it.  So whenever they have good news or bad news in the family – they come share their joy with us.  One particular customer/friend – who had always been supportive with our business and our lives – is Pat.  Pat is an awesome lady and for the longest time – her spouse wasn’t working. So when he found a job – she was so happy and came and happily announced it to us.  She was very proud of her spouse too – because he had gotten a really good job – and we all know that good jobs are pretty rare in this town.

So with this new beginning – she is also taking care of his health – because of the long hours of work he needs to put in – I told her to read up on  hgh because I heard it gives one energy and build up your stamina.   And since he has to work shift ultimately – it is good to start him on it – if she is comfortable with it.  I am really happy for Pat – and hope for the best for her and her spouse – she so deserved to be happy – and what better way but to ensure that he has the stamina and health for his work.

Yes! we are closing the store for 2 days and heading up to the city for a eating spree for myself and the spouse, weather permitting.  I think I might just go crazy over my Japanese and Chinese food while I am up in the city and the spouse asked if he should get me some appetite suppressant because i had been trying so hard to lose weight and now that I’ve lost a few kgs – do I really want to put them back all at once.

I know exactly where he is coming from – but come on .. !! we hardly go to the city – because we have to take care of the store  – you see being an owner by association isn’t as fun as what most people think eh.   Therefore, some sort of control is a must – but I really wanna eat till i drop – so yes – I guess i need to get my appetite suppressant no?

We don’t have free dental care here even though everyone thinks that medical is free.  It is to a certain extend – but what do one do if they needed dentures or like myself – had to pay close to $1000 for a root canal.   The root canal wasn’t as painful as it was to the spouse’s pocket – I really didn’t know it cost so much here in Canada.  Had we been in the States – the best friend told us that bcbsnc covers her dental plan.   We want to be able to offer health and dental plan for our employees too – in the future – so we are looking at the best way to get the best rate – not only for the employees but for all of us too as a family.   I think by doing that – it would make our store a more feasible place to work for.  But like all small business – we need to make sure that we can afford it.

You know when I was much younger and working in the hotel industry – and in-house guests who comes into our business center – we always try to see which ones are eye candies.  So owning our own business – we too – see many customers – and some I’ll have to say are pretty good looking and some are macho.   And most of these good looking customers are not young men but more like older customers. Wonder if they are using the herbal male enhancement that everyone was talking about lately.   Whatever they are using – they certainly look a lot more confident and a lot more happier with their spouses.   And if they are herbal – they shouldn’t have any bad side effects?    I don’t know if the spouse would need it or not in the future – but if he does – I would definitely choose herbal for sure.

Ahh! there is something in this town I am proud of today!  I had gone to refill my prescription at the pharmacy – after calling it in an hour ago today.  Wasn’t expecting any different – since I’ve had done my refills for more than a year now at the same pharmacy.  But alas, I was told that the pharmacist needed to check on my prescription – when he finally came to talk to me – he said that my prescription was filled 10 days ago.  In which I had argued that it cannot be – he checked on it again – but still insisted that i should have like 20 days worth of medication.  He was quite reluctant to give me my prescription.  When he did finally fill up my prescription – i took a look at it – and knew that I had given him the wrong # for the prescription.  He was quite relieved – that everything was straighten out – and gave me the “right” prescription happily.  So I’m really impressed with our downtown pharmacist – that he is doing his job with utmost caution – so folks – you don’t have to worry that you might get overdosed or a wrong prescription – because our downtown pharmacist is a highly diligent one.   Well done!

Yes! if you don’t know by now – we have a downtown walking club to help folks from downtown – or around town to stay healthy – i think they walk during lunch time.  I see quick a few people walking every afternoon – but I’m so shy to join – because I walked so slow.  But a customer who was in today – and works downtown does her walking and she said that she not only walks but uses  www.bestweightlosssupplements.org to help her keep fit.

The problem with the downtown walking club – they seems like an elite group of people – and people like me – well – you know what i mean – not that socialable – and not very interactive – and not very fit – how do we join right?  not really the most comfy people you want to work with.  So I’ll check out the website instead.