Learnin’ Stuff

The Circular Effect of the Lack of Weight Loss

April 15, 2013
Current Weight: 161lbs
Goal: Something, anything!
C25K Progress: Week 6(ish)(again)(I suck)

So, I’ve hit a bit of a roadblock with running, working out and weight loss. A good swift kick in the butt is what I need. See, I get frustrated with the unfairness of it all.

If I took a snapshot of what I used to do, eat, and drink 2 years ago and compared it to today, there is no question that there is a bit of a mystery here when it comes to my scale. My all accounts, I should be wayyyyyy lighter. I eat healthy, Derek continually drives me through grueling workouts, I’m generally less stressed than I used to be, and I have cut out gluten, pop, alcohol and restaurant food. What else is there? The theories abound: I eat too much, I eat too little, I exercise wrong, not enough, too much, I eat too early, too late, too much fruit, not enough vegetables, wine is good, wine is bad, Calgon take me away.

The Circular Effect of the Lack of Weight Loss results in me participating in activities that do not promote weight loss. My self-proclaimed rationale is that if I’m not losing weight anyway, why don’t I just eat the {insert crappy food here}.

A few nights ago I was experiencing my occasional bout of insomnia, and it hit me: Isagenix. I was on Isagenix about 14 months ago, and it worked. I had lost about 18lbs (since recovered, safe and sound, and right back on my ass and gut where it used to be). So why am I fretting over whatever I put in my mouth if I have a solution in my cupboard? I decided to start the very next day.

And I did.

And it worked*.

I lost 4lbs last week! 🙂

* Side note – on Saturday I was scheduled to have a cleanse day. However, I forgot I had to babysit for Rhonda and Steve, and subsequently forgot to bring my cleanse juice to their house. So, instead I ordered a pizza. And then I ate the pizza. We’ll try again next week, stay tuned.

So close…and yet so far

I’m so close. So, so close. 6 days, 2 assignments, and one kickbutt project and I’ll be Nadia La Russa, MBA. It’s been long, and yet it has flown by. It’s been tough, yet I’ve learned so much. I’ve met new people, and met a new me.

And I have absolutely no idea what I will do next.

A Keynote Address by Donald Bell

I’m attending the annual Simply Accounting Conference, this year held in Vancouver, BC.  I try to attend every year, despite the fact that I derive absolutely NO useful information from the conference content.  I’ve been using the software for 13 years now….I pretty much have it down pat.  Basically, in order to maintain my elite “Gold Certified Consultant” status, I am required to attend.

The perks:

1) a “business trip” for Sherilyn and I.

2) the keynote speaker

If there’s one thing that Simply does right each year, it’s rope good keynote speakers to present to a room full of bookkeepers. I have been fortunate enough to hear and meet Merge Gupta-Sunderji, Andrew Brash, and David Chilton.  This year, they brought in Donald Bell, co-founder of Westjet.

I couldn’t have been happier.

Those trusty faithful blog followers know my abosulte disdain for Air Canada.  By default, this makes me LOVE Westjet. The fact that I have had SEVERAL positive experiences flying Westjet tips the scales even further.

I have always been slightly curious.  You know that “How DO they make everyone love them so much” fleeting thought.  Well, now I know.

The story of Westjet began under much duress.  Mr. Bell detailed the struggles they had raising capital, raising faith, and writing a business plan they believed in.  He presented the graveyard of airlines that our continent has buried.  He persisted despite being told time and time again that airlines, in general, fail miserably.

Here are some of the “notable” quotes from today’s keynote address that I found interesting and wanted to share:

“Becoming a millionare is easy.  Just become a billionaire first, then buy an airline.”

“We decided when choosing our employes that we didn’t want to hire anyone that worked at Air Canada or Revenue Canada” ** – note, bookkeepers and accountants find this on particularly funny.

Top 10 rules:

1) Find a model and copy it

2) First get the business plan, then get the money

3) Treat employees as #1

4) Share the wealth

5) Hire for attitude, train for skills

6) Empower the front lines

7) Embrace technology

8) Keep it simple

9) Fly union free

10) Party party party

This is starting to sound alot like….well….me!!!

EEEKK! Without even knowing it, I have the SAME BUSINESS MODEL as Westjet!! That’s right, WESTJET. The household name who’s brand identity rivals Tim Hortons, and who’s growth and profits have put banks and gold mines to shame.

I couldn’t be happier.  Those of you who know me will be most happy to learn that I did “not* run up to him like a 14 year old at a Taylor Swift concert shreiking “omg we are EXACTLY the same!”

🙂 I feel empowered and motivated. Stand back.

Air Canada – no more?

It seems like my favorite topic of discussion is Air Canada. I flew Westjet yesterday, out of a snowstorm in Thunder Bay and landed in Toronto a hilarious THREE HOURS before the suckers on the Jazz flight that was scheduled to leave at the same time.

On my flight, I caught the CNN “Air Canada Crisis” update. Here is what I learned.

1) Air Canada had an operating deficit of 1 billion dollars last year
2) Air Canada owes 3 billion dollars to it’s employees pension plan
3) Air Canada has turfed it’s CEO Montie Brewer and re-appointed Calin Rovinescu to clean up the mess
4) Air Canada has foolishly locked itself into a fixed fuel cost of $99 per barrell or some stupid thing.

So, they are once again on the brink of closure.

I cannot imagine how this is even possible. I mean seriously, your pricing is competitive to Westjet, you have a larger coverage area, more flights, smaller planes, fewer flight attendants and you aren’t even comtributing to the pension plan. How on EARTH did you manage to lose one freaking billion dollars????

I guess it can only be because you have fewer travellers.

Well I have some advice 🙂 here it is:

Air Canada, if you want more business, BE NICE.

That’s right. Be NICE to your travellers. Because let me tell ya, travelling is stressfull enough, the LAST thing you need is crakyass airline personnel. I cannot remember the last time I had an issue with Air Canada and I was treated respectfully.

I get it, air travellers are occasionally difficult to deal with. We’re cranky, sometimes we’re late, sometimes we don’t have the proper paperwork. Do you think snapping and bitching will help? I guess it might, if you dont want to be an airline anymore.

Let’s take your archnemesis, Westjet. They are nice. See? They have friendly, smiling staff. They treat all their customers the same (no elite, you get to board first, here are special fancy bag tags etc) they don’t lose luggage, and when they screw up, they tell you they are sorry. I had bad service ONCE in my life with Westjet. ONCE. So I phoned them. I said “Hey, ummm…ya, I had bad service. I’m kinda not used to that.” You know what they said? They said “What!!! Bad service! We’re sorry! Here is a free flight.”

Take notes, Air Canada 🙂