Support the underdog always

Well, as you’ve read many times in my blog, I’m extremely honest and upfront even to a fault. I have hurt many feelings and ticked off many people, but I refuse to be anybody but myself.  I don’t just say stuff to hurt feelings, but things need to be said when they need to be said. Especially to protect the underdog.

I believe in freedom of speech wholeheartedly. I don’t like what some people say but they have a right to speak what they feel. And they shouldn’t be afraid of being sued and whatnot. Thankfully I have a husband whose well-versed in freedom of speech laws. I have an awesome team of fancy-dancy lawyers who will back me up. And they aren’t cheap, but I will use them if I am threatened. Like when the owner of April Glass on Queens Blvd didn’t like my blog post about my negative experience with her, she called me up and threatened to send my post to her lawyer and that I better take that post down. And my response “have your lawyer call my team of lawyers and let’s see who wins”. Well, I didn’t hear a peep after that.

I will not be afraid to speak the truth and like my situation with the Y. I will not be afraid to tell them the truth no matter how much it hurts someone’s feeling. I don’t give a damn if it makes her cry. Someone has got to stick their head out as an advocate for those too afraid to speak.

So I’m still pissed.

So I’m still angry with the Y. And I wrote this email to Executive Director.I have changed the names so I won’t get sued.

I just wanted to write you an email to let you know despite the recent events regarding my spinning classes, I have enjoyed working at the YMCA. But I do think you need to know that I, and many of the other instructors, have been unhappy working under R.  They may never voice their issues to you but I am not afraid to. I have talked to R many times regarding spinning safety and my concerns have always been dismissed. The fact that I was uncomfortable with letting my students in late to class did not matter. It was about keeping membership up.

The spinning room was too small to safely walk around to check on my students. I was unable to see my a majority of students. If anything were to happen, I would not see it immediately and that is cause for major concern. Even though, ceiling fans are to be installed, vents for air conditioned air are not in the room. Intense exercise creates body heat and fans are not enough.

When I voiced my concerns and how my students were extremely upset during my class to Rachel, she reprimanded me saying “I wasn’t helping the situation”. I was making it worse. To change the spinning room to a small closet created discontent among my students. If the room were more reasonable, the students wouldn’t be so upset. They were upset for good reason and their concerns were dismissed. We as instructors all of sudden had to back up a room we were all unhappy with.

I am going to file a complaint against the LIC YMCA, naming you and R, with Ethics Point because other issues, like obtaining more memberships, has taken priority over safety. I take this situation very seriously and even though I am no longer an employee, my students should have an advocate for their safety.

Quintessential New Yorkers

Just like in the movies, I witnessed an altercation between a lady walking her dogs and a guy from a third-floor window. I was sitting outside my apartment with my dogs Chomsky and Kiki at 11pm and this lady was walking her two dogs, one of which was barking at them. Thankfully, my dogs just silently stared at the barking dog. Then a guy from the window screamed at the lady “Shut your damn dog up” and she responded with a loud “Go f%^k yourself!” Then the yelling insued. He blabbed something about her not being a lady and she blabbed something about him being an jerk, etc. etc. It was sadly hilarious! The yelling freaked my dogs out and they ran to our front door so I didn’t have a chance to watch the finale. But all I could think was how quintessential New York.

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Screw the Y

Urgh! I just had to quit the Y tonight. As you know, I teach spinning – well, taught spinning at the LIC YMCA. I have been a teacher there for about two years and I just had enough. They moved the spinning classes to an extremely small room (appox. 200 sq. ft) from the main aerobic room (approx. 500 sq. ft.). The new room was actually a closet that they turned into a “spin” room. So my students were so pissed about the room. Well, I tried looking on the bright side and told my students that we should try it and see if it works. But really it just wasn’t working. So the big boss was walking by the room and I brought him in to hear my students complaints. He was totally unresponsive. So then I saw my boss and told her that everyone was hating it. And her response was “well, I heard you weren’t helping. We’ll talk about this after class.” OMG. That just pissed me off so I stopped class early and told everyone I quit. I just can’t take that kind of crap, especially for how low I get paid, $20 a class. Minus taxes, it’s $13 a class. Seriously, it’s just not worth it. As I was walking out, the big boss was walking by and I said “hey, I just quit. The room is horrible and I get yelled at by Rachel for defending my students. It’s not worth it.” The look on his face was priceless.

Here’s my I QUIT!!! Email. Which I forwarded to the other instructors.

I quit. The new spinning room is horrible and my students are very upset. That room is too small and it is health hazard. I am also upset because I got reprimanded by Rachel for siding with my students. Receiving this type of treatment is so disappointing and intolerable. You will be receiving many complaints from my spinning students.

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VIRGO August 24 – September 23

The Virgin or Maiden is the symbol of Virgo – patient, caring, and eager to help. Their mission in life revolves around attending to the needs of others. Accurate, analytical, and discriminative, they can also be harshly critical. Virgos are not renowned for their sensitivity to those they consider to be their inferior.

Most compatible with Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, and Capricorn

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LEO July 24 – August 23

The Lion is the symbol of Leo – proud and arrogant, yet loyal, brave, and big-hearted. These individuals are noted for their courage and for their ability to lead. They are gloriously colorful and dramatic, true extroverts who like to live life to the full, but this enthusiastic streak might lead them to be a bit too bossy, too controlling, and too pompous!

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CANCER June 23 – July 23

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Most compatible with Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn, and Pisces.

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