It’s saddening to me that a local success story…an original Bakersfield business that often receives accolades and awards from the community…conducts business in the disgusting way that I have observed.  Even corporate giants like AT&T, Wal-Mart, and Microsoft has shown a tendency to compromise when it comes to bloodthirsty (read money-hungry) policies that send customers away with a bad taste in their mouth.

Your gyms and spas seem fantastic, to tell the truth.  It’s the portion of your company that makes policies on contracts, billing, and collections that I’m more concerned with.

Your company wants $2,000 from me.  This is to pay off the entire 3 year contract that my wife signed  to use your gym.  She used your gyms for 1 year and is now home raising our daughter.

The thing is…your staff sold her the contract by claiming that it wasn’t a big deal.  If she stopped commuting to Bakersfield or had a baby…it wouldn’t be a problem.

As I’ve attempted to hold your company to this commitment I have received quite a different message.  Essentially it’s been less like “no big deal” and more like “too bad, pay us a lot of money.”

I realize this letter will probably not accomplish anything, but seeing as I can’t afford to pay your astonishing bill it is the best I can do.  I am sending a similarly pointless letter to Bakersfield Credit Control Service, who you claim now “owns this account.”

I would say I’m going rant and rave to the media and dedicate my life to informing the public about your practices, but that just sounds a bit pathetic.  I don’t have that kind of time and frankly I don’t want to harm your company, even if I could.  I just want to be treated fairly…and I wish there were consequences when a local corporation behaves like this.  You can have a contract 3 miles long and strict policies and an aggressive collections policies…but it is still just plain wrong.

So I’m sharing this letter with you (and anyone else it happens to reach) in hopes that when something is wrong the forces of our collective ethical compass will somehow right it.  Kind of naïve, yes, but I’ve got an artistic soul.

Anyway, good job turning a happy customer into a hateful one, and have fun ruining our credit!  I imagine you might even try to sue us if you have the time and resources.  Now that’s exciting!  Lots of luck in 2008!

Sincerely,

        & nbsp;        Aaron Mauldin

 

(Attached is my letter to the credit company which may have more details on the account in question)

 ___________________________________________ ________________________

To:       Bakersfield Credit Control Service

Fax:      (661) 322-0853

Regarding:  Account Number  XXXXXXX

Collections for XXXXXX XXXXX’s Account with Body XChange Fitness Spa (26867)

To whom it may concern:

In 2007 my wife (name deleted) signed a 2 year contract with Body XChange to use their gyms in Bakersfield.  At the time we were living in Tehachapi and my wife was commuting to Bakersfield 5 days a week.

At the time of signing the contract she questioned the staff regarding concerns about using the gyms in the future.  It was made clear to her that if she was no longer able to commute or if we had a baby she could just let them know and the contract could be amended or cancelled.  According to policy, customers can cancel their contract if they move away (more than 30 miles away from Bakersfield).  The staff made it clear that since we already lived out of town this would not be a problem.

In the fall of 2007 we learned we had a baby on the way.  (name deleted) stopped by the gym to ask about changing the contract.  She was told she could bring in a doctor’s note and they could amend the contract.

From that point forward it was clear to us that we would not be going back to the gym, but our lives became very hectic and she never did follow up with Body XChange.  I was not aware that her account was still active until late March, after the baby was born and I started catching up on bills.  I contacted Body XChange and was told in order to cancel her account/contract I needed to pay the past balance due (around $400).  At the time we were flat broke and I was not able to do this immediately.

I received bills from Bakersfield Credit Control Service and attempted to make good on the debt.  I have since paid the full amount.

Now we are receiving a second bill for over $1,700 for the full amount of the contract.  Body XChange claims we missed our windows to settle the account per their terms and have to deal with your company now.  I have tried multiple times to settle this matter in a way that is acceptable to both my growing family and the “Gym For Every Lifestyle.”  They have failed to meet our expectations of being reasonable and fair when life no longer allowed us to use their services.

I find it unacceptable to pay over $2,000 for absolutely nothing to a company that seems more interested in squeezing every last drop out of a contract than treating customers well.  Further, I am disgusted that a local corporation that has received numerous awards and accolades conducts business in this matter.  For these reasons, I will not be making any further payments on this account.

 

Signed       & nbsp;       &n bsp;       &nb sp;       &nbs p;         ;             Aaron Mauldin  (661) 823-0198

Planning a Christmas Party this December?

Give me a call, many premium dates are still available.

Professional DJ, quality service, make your party sparkle!

http://www.aaronsdjservices...

(661) 428-1005

If interested contact my wife, Kendra, at (661) 428-5648.

Here are some pictures and a video.

myspace.com/aaronsdjservices

yeah

Besides drama, my other current causes/interests include health care, the environment, and animals.  I won't preach at you about the political issues, but I am going to use this forum to adopt out some rescued kittens.  My wife works at vet's office and these two boys were rescued a few weeks ago.  They aren't related but don't tell them (they think they're brothers).  Kendra brought them home and we are going to adopt them out.  They are healthy, loving, and energetic.  At night and in the morning we have been letting them into bed with us...which turns our California King into a jungle/playground/wrestling arena.  The white one is about a week older than the black one.

I'm sure they'd be happy if you adopted them both, but they are each free to good home...together or separate.  We have dubbed them Ewok (the black one has a funny little face!) and Abe (short for Abominable Snowman?) for now, but the new owner(s) can call them whatever they want.

Prelude music is an often overlooked aspect of ceremony coordination.  Typically, it is considered well after the choosing of those crucial songs for the bride walking down the aisle and after the couple is introduced.  To me, however, it is just as important and can really enhance the emotional and spiritual impact of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Prelude music plays in the background before the wedding, as guests arrive.  It sets the mood for the occasion.  Usually, I play prelude music for 30 minutes before a wedding is scheduled to begin, and continue to play it right up until everyone is ready to start.  Of course sometimes this extends for several minutes past the start time.  The music can be a blessing in this instance, because it will keep everyone calm and relaxed, and remind them to be patient.  This is a very special day that need not be rushed.

In considering musical options, I look at every ceremony as a blank canvas: ready to be painted in any colors and patterns that are fitting.  Therefore, the prelude is the perfect place to start by establishing a foundation in theme & mood.

To begin, the first thing I recommend is to change your way of thinking about Ceremony music.  Don't start by asking "What music is typically used?"  Start with your imagination!  Visualize your wedding day in your mind and ideas will come from everywhere.  Listen to music on the radio, in your CD collection, in restaurants, malls, and public places.  Think about what musical expression represents your feelings and the mood you want to create on your special day.

There are a myriad of possibilities, and of course I must mention the most commonly used style: traditional wedding music.  There are good reasons that classical, romantic orchestra music is perfect for weddings.  If you decide, after considering all of your options, that this is for you...it's still a good idea to research.  You should look around to find the specific pieces of music that you like, and just as importantly, the right versions of those songs.  There are lots of wedding compilation CD's.  I have dozens myself.  One problem I have found, however, is that there are discrepancies in quality.  Sometimes classical recordings have very high background noise.  Other times the recording just sounds cruddy.  On one occasion, I was reviewing one of these CD's and I heard (very clearly) people coughing in the audience during the the performance!  You can pick up these types of wedding compilation CD's at a discount on websites such as half.com, Amazon, and eBay.  Buy a few and choose your favorites.  Or just spend some time on iTunes and create your classical wedding mix, and buy the music then and there.

Wedding CD's are a great place to start, but don't be afraid to pick & choose, and of course research.  There are many places on the web that can give you advice on good classical music selections for the prelude.  Also, there are many online discussion boards where you can talk to other brides and get their advice and opinions.  Some popular ones include TheKnot and Brides.com.  Also, don't be afraid to explore non-wedding resources.  Find your own romance!  Explore classical music on your own and you might find something that touches you.

Next, let's consider some other instrumental music that is a few steps away from traditional classical wedding music.  You can find beautiful instrumental music in many formats.  Some, you might find in the classical music section, such as some romantic classical guitar or instrumental piano.  I have put together prelude music for a few ceremonies with various music from a popular pianist Jim Brickman.  For my own wedding in 2004, I mixed together various classical compositions that I liked with some of my favorite Enya songs.  Sometimes you may choose a style of music and go looking for the CD's (if you like the Saxophone, a search for romantic sax on Amazon turns up some nice prospects).  Other times, your search may turn up an unexpected treasure.  One such find is Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings CD.  It's made specifically for weddings and is filled with romantic instrumentals of Disney love songs from Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin, Cinderella and etc...  Perfect for beautiful prelude music.

Once we move beyond instrumental music, more possibilities abound.  As long as your choices stay true to your love & personality, just about anything goes.

How about a classic rock themed wedding?  Who says that wedding music has to be sedate?  Bring out the Lynyrd Skynyrd & Led Zeppelin.

Other brides simply put together a list of songs they love.  My cousin's wife, who got married in summer of 2006, made a list of romantic Christian & country love songs.  It was gorgeous, really made their wedding personalized, and put everybody in the mood to enjoy & celebrate their marriage.

Unless you're getting married in a church (in which case there may be requirements on what music you can use) I say go for the moon!  Use your imagination.  No one has ever had a wedding like yours will be, and that's just how it should be.

Here are some suggestions from http://weddings.about.com/

Contemporary Songs Appropriate for Wedding Ceremonies

• "At Last" (Etta James)
  
• "Only Time" (Enya)
  
• "Come Away With Me" (Norah Jones)
  
• "Appalachia Waltz" (Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor)
  
• "Unforgettable" (Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole)
  
• "It's Only Time" (Magnetic Fields)
  
• "The Look of Love" (Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach)
  
• "The Vow" (Jeremy Lubbock)
  
• "Come What May" (Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor)
  
• "Storybook Love" from the movie "The Princess Bride" (Willy DeVille)
  
• "Wedding Processional" (from The Sound of Music) (Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein)
  
• "Can't help falling in love" (Elvis Presley)
  
• "What A Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)
  
• "When I'm Sixty-Four" (The Beatles)

As you can see, there is nothing magic about this list.  Maybe this music fits you, maybe it doesn't.  These songs were thought up by an individual based on what they think would be great for a wedding, but not necessarily your wedding.

The overall point of this blog is to open up your mind and inspire you to create your own vision.  No matter what you do, whether you find the perfect music on CD or hire instrumentalists (a guitar player or harpist, for example), my hope is that it will fit you, instead of being simply what is "traditional."

I hope this discussion of prelude music will get you started with a few ideas and a bit of inspiration.  Next week, I'll continue this series and we will discuss processional music.

Yours,

-Aaron Mauldin
Aaron's DJ Services
http://www.aaronsdjservices...

Today I'm kicking off a series of blogs to share thoughts and advice on planning your wedding ceremony...especially in the area of finding and choosing appropriate music.  My hope is that this discussion will help get your creativity flowing when it comes to your own special day.

Music is the soundtrack to the production/experience that is your wedding ceremony, and the importance of its application should not overlooked.  Prelude music sets the mood as your guests arrive, while the processional overwhelms the ears as you walk down the aisle.  Yes, the perfect song at the right moment can enhance the emotional journey for everyone.

All too often brides & grooms miss out on the opportunity to create a personal, unique experience because they run out of time, or they just don't have the frame of mind to keep an ear out for the right sound and make sure it gets to their musician or sound operator.  It is my hope that be delving deep into the amazing possibilities, together we can find the inspiration to give proper consideration to ceremony music selection.

I'll be exploring the different aspects of ceremony music, mostly in order from beginning to end, starting off with prelude music.  This is the magical, or sensuous, or exciting music that sets the mood as people gather to witness your marriage, so of course it is very important!

Look out for part two in a few days.

-Aaron Mauldin
Aaron's DJ Services
http://www.aaronsdjservices...

This is an email I posted today in our Kern County Barack Obama supporters group.  If you would like to join and participate in the discussion, please feel free to do so at: http://my.barackobama.com/p...

_________________________________________________ ______________

It’s been 13 days since Obama officially announced his candidacy in Springfield, and things are really getting interesting. My excitement in the campaign and the man is renewed today, so I thought it would be a good time to initiate some discussion.

In the past few weeks I had begun to feel slightly down about Barack. I began to be overwhelmed with the feeling that the race was already over. People I spoke to about it didn’t seem to be taking the campaign seriously, like the whole thing was just an exercise…bound to end up like Ralph Nader’s Presidential runs. A statement. A “good for him! See, how far we’ve come since the 60’s!” When I talked to friends and family about Barack, they blew him off and asked “But what do you think of Hillary?” I began to wonder if the whole thing was going to end up like Rocky. Barack would be a hero because he stayed in the ring longer than anyone thought he could…but he would never be President.

The biggest impediment, in my mind, was Hillary. Sure, there are a few naïve cases such as myself who are inspired by Barack’s refreshing outlook…but the majority of Democrats (it seemed) assume that this is Hillary’s race. It’s been a long time coming and the other candidates just don’t matter…no one will have as much clout and support with the liberal side of America as her, and that’s that. Bummer.

Today, I googled for a few minutes because I needed to find out what this “tiff” between Hillary and Barack was. I’d heard about David Geffen’s comments, but I didn’t understand why people connected them to Obama.

As I read deeper, I became very excited once again…

David Geffen was a HUGE Clinton supporter. For the most part, back when Clinton meant Bill & Hill. This week, he dumped a huge sum of money into Barack’s campaign and slammed Hillary, saying that the Clintons were liars and she is a divisive candidate. Hillary’s campaign is acting like Geffen is now some kind of wacko racist because of his criticism. Democrats aren’t allowed to say the Clinton’s are liars! Meanwhile, an African-American Democrat & supporter of Hillary said that Barack would be a disaster for the Democrats if he got the nomination…because he’s black. Who’s back-stabbing who here?

What’s exciting me, is not only are Democrats questioning Hillary’s destiny…it’s happening on a large scale. And Hillary is defensive, possibly threatened. I don’t like to see in-fighting among Democrats, but as I said…I think there is substance here that merits some examination. The thing is…Hillary is a divisive candidate. Conservatives can’t stand her. Moreover, a lot of fairly open-minded moderates can’t stand her either. The Clinton years left a bad taste in their mouths.

Here’s the thing…I can’t change their ideas about a woman’s right to choose, universal healthcare, and all the typical liberal issues. I’m fine with that. I want Barack and not Hillary because I don’t want the hassle of arguing the Clinton’s being liars, Whitewater, and a semen stained dress ADDED to the rest of America’s complex issues. The reason Clinton is a divisive candidate is she brings back all of this baggage that has nothing to do with the Democratic platform! Of course Clinton would be a fine President (in my eyes) but the other half of this country would never shut up about it, and we would waste precious energy and political capital on this BS.

In conclusion, I am not pleased about any negativity that has been indirectly or directly shot at Hillary Clinton. What I am excited about, is that this discussion is highlighting all the positives in Barack Obama as a Presidential candidate.

Furthermore, Obama is starting to look like a real candidate to mainstream America. This has been one of my greatest hopes, because now he has a chance to show everyone what we have seen.

Sorry to drudge through so much muck in this email, but reading between the muck I have made some really exciting realizations and I am really inspired and happy about what is going on. I’d like to write more in detail about my feelings about Barack as a candidate in the future…but I’ll save that for later emails. I have so many hopes, fears, and things to get excited about when it comes to BO…and I’m sure you do as well.

-Aaron

We were watching the news last week and a local anchor opened her story as follows.  "Well, people in Bakersfield are getting Jungle Fever as the Kern County Fair blah blah blah..."

I bust out laughing as Kendra eyed me strangely.

"Jungle Fever" as you may or may not know, is a racially charged buzz word from the 90's, tied to a movie by Spike Lee of the same name.  It's a term for a white woman being attracted to a black man...because of his jungle masculinity, I suppose?  Also, it's pretty damn politically incorrect, which is why I was so happy to hear it come out of the mouth of a local newsperson.

Innapropriate?  Yes!  Hilariously innapropriate.

I'm pretty sure the people who write and produce the local news are retarded.  But I wouldn't say that on TV, because you can't say  retarded on TV.  Unlike jungle fever.

In conclusion, if there are any black people reading this, be careful.  If you go to the fair you will be overwhelmed by white people who want to have sex with you.