Month: August 2010

UPDATE: Bodyworks not responsible for text-message marketing

/ andyveilleux / 8 Comments

UPDATE (6:39PM): A friend called me and informed me how the process works. The martial arts program is being run out of Bodyworks, but not directly tied to them. The previous owned of this phone number had signed up for the course, and was therefore texted about it. However, the approach taken by the marketer who contacted me quite strange.

Also, I have owned this phone number for well over a year, so the information of this marketer was terribly outdated. It makes sense that Ray from Bodyworks was confused about the message. That being said, he was not aware of Systema being run out of his gym tonight it appears, or was at least not wanting to be involved with it officially.

To be clear, it is not the fault of Bodyworks in anyway. My journalistic curiousity is satisfied. Thanks to Mike for calling me and filling me in on their sign-up system.

I have received an email response from Bodyworks, concerning the text-message marketing I received earlier today.

I’m not sure what to think about the email response yet. I’m happy it didn’t take them long to get back to me, but it still seems odd that someone would message me to attend their gym, who was not hired by them.

“Dear Mr. Veilleux,

We have received your complaint and I have reviewed the link you sent me directing me to your personal website.

I can assure you that this was not directed from our facility.  We DO NOT, HAVE NOT and WILL NOT provide any of our membership information to any individual or organization without having a court order to do so.  We run generic advertising campaigns with TV, radio and print and never via email/text messaging.  The campaign that is referred to in the message that you received was run last year by a local radio station so it is not even current.  I have no clue who that number belongs to and have tried calling it a few times and receive a voicemail.

We are very clear on our advertising policies and the rules and regulations that we are required to follow.  All of our material and methods are not only vetted by our legal counsel but also the groups we advertise with.  My guess is that someone has somehow sent you an old message.

We always give away prizes for charity events as well as marketing campaigns.  Any information captured by these agencies is kept and maintained by these associations.  We never receive this information as they have to comply with their privacy laws in the same manner that we do.

I have also reviewed your comments about the message you received and they are unjust and I would kindly request that you remove such unwarranted comments.

Trusting that I have satisfied your query.


Best Regards,

Ray”

In regards to Ray’s request concerning my comments: when I mention the marketer’s grammar, I assumed it was a third-party hired by them. The comments were not aimed at Bodyworks, but the third-party company I believed was working for them. The comments concerning it being illegal to text-market without customer consent is accurate, however. Ray has said it was not on his company’s behalf, but some questions still remain about it. To clarify, Bodyworks was apparently not responsible for the message, and it came from someone else. Who would message me concerning a company they aren’t reprenting? Questions abound. Any ideas?

Bodyworks fail: text-message marketing

/ andyveilleux / 2 Comments

I just received a text message (1:28pm), from a number I don’t recognize. The message is from 1-705-###-####. It reads:

“Hey, slight change. And an update. 1- the Systema is still at Bodyworks in the downtown mall. 2- starts at 7pm. Not 6pm. Oops. My bad. 3- Tonight is a FREE trial. I love free trials. 4-It is at our own intensity. EX: so push ourselves as it is suggested. 5- lets see how well you recognize me in casual clothing. Lol. Let me know if you can make it or not. ###-####.”

First, I have no plans tonight, and have never been a member of the above-mentioned gym. Second, when did text-message marketing start? Third, is it illegal for a company to text message someone, posing as a friend, in order to try and get you out to their event? Fourth, marketing professionals should use decent grammar and have a respectable grasp on the English language (in my opinion). This marketer clearly does not have either of these traits.

Is membership at this gym so bad they need to text message random people to come? Has anyone else been marketed at directly through text messages? What’s the legal policy on this?

Do iPhone users have more sex? Does it matter?

/ andyveilleux / Leave a comment

I'm sure everyone's read the survey, or at least seen the headline, 'iPhone users have more sex' or 'iSlut'… It goes without saying that the survey is a little informal. It was published on free online dating site OkCupid's blog, OkTrends yesterday, and has been generating a phenomenal amount of buzz. The statistics in it are not that significant, unless put in the proper context. Here is a summary of the stats, quoted from the Times' article "iPhone users have more sex" (linked above):

"The accompanying graph shows male iPhone users have had an average of 10 sexual partners by age 30, while BlackBerry users have had 8.1. What's worse? Those poor losers with Androids have only had 6. The best news may be for female iPhone users who have an average of 12.3 sexual partners by age 30, as compared with 8.8 for BlackBerry users and 6.1 for Android users."

Is it significant that iPhone users apparently have had more sexual partners? I don't think so. The significance lies in another context of the statistics; the gender statistics. Did you notice that women had more sexual partners than men by the age of 30? I think this speaks volumes for equality. I'm not suggesting that this tiny survey is akin to women getting the right to vote or anything, but I think it's great that women are feeling comfortable enough to engage in a healthy amount of sexual activity, and to share that fact.

Also, I'd like to see a comparison between the users on dating sites, in terms of sexual partners, and the non-users. Do people on dating sites have more partners? I'll be willing to guess they do. That's not a condemnation of dating sites, or the people that go on them. That would be so hypocritical of me, considering I've used dating sites to a fair degree over the past few years. To hell with the social stigma of dating sites. I've met a lot of interesting people through them (after weeding through a lot of uninteresting people). That's a discussion for another time (oh, you know, next week :P).

There is an issue with a survey like this: honesty. Are these numbers accurate? How do we know a lot of people didn't downplay their numbers? How do we know people didn't exaggerate their numbers? We don't. Still, this survey was an interesting one, and it's worth reading over the article.

What's your opinion of dating sites? Do you think the fact iPhone users have more sexual partners in this survey is significant? Do you think the numbers are high or low for a person at 30 years old?

small battles with self

/ andyveilleux / Leave a comment

Narcissism battles modesty,

and I wonder who will win tonight,

it's an unfair match, a raw street fight,

between a thug and a gentleman,

who can't communicate on the same level;

one fights with a sword,

that never encountered a pen it liked,

the other theoretically knows the pen is mightier,

but fears the reality of cold steel.

Some things don't work in the real world,

and some things hurt for keeps.

Sometimes wars are lost forever,

one small battle at a time.

sleep well far away

/ andyveilleux / Leave a comment

There's a frustration seeping through my skin,

lighting my best nights up in a painful, pretty fire,

I hope you enjoy the view.

To be honest,

I never spared a thought for you,

looking down from glass ceiling,

you were caged by emotional limitations,

you had placed on yourself long ago,

and never let go,

of,

and it was too late even back then;

hasn't it bee a decade yet?

It feels like a century,

and that's the best thing i could say about you,

we're sharing a thought,

doomed to expire after this poem ends,

so savour it;

maybe it hit,

I was never your saviour,

and couldn't be,

but we tried,

and that's more than we could say,

about most people.

At least remember that,

if you share any memory at all,

there was never grace before the fall,

that's only for the movies, books,

and other relationships without you.

 

Sleep well,

and far away from me.

An old paint job sheds

/ andyveilleux / Leave a comment

An anxious energy shoots through my veins,

muscles, tendons, ligaments pulse; lightning,

firing through narrow tunnels filled with water,

propelling these tired, young bones into action.

 

Fists beat on concrete,

walls,

a scratch; no damage of note,

a chip,

of paint,

falls down,

smashing on the asphalt,

a thousand tiny pieces of,

neon orange,

from a picture of a Phoenix,

flames roaring, consuming;

you can't stop it.

 

Occasionally,

a new paint job,

is necessary,

and I live on,

shedding old, concrete-skin,

eroded by sunlight and wind,

even some of your rain,

do you remember the weathering affect,

of all your difficulty and indecision?

 

I don't;

I shed that memory,

with the old paint-job.

Double standards: an interesting experiment via WTF is up with my love life

/ andyveilleux / Leave a comment

Now, I've been following WTF is up with my love life?! for quite awhile now. To summarize, it is a website concerned with anything relating to dating, relationships, romance, love, etc. It's a great blog, and features some interesting guest bloggers, and neat experiments. I encourage everyone to follow the blog, and real through it.

First, you'll learn a lot about love, sex, etc., especially if you're a bit unexperienced with the whole game (not meant in a disrespectful way, but dating, sex, love definitely have a game element to them). Second, you'll find great stories, which you should be able to relate to. Third, you can ask them for advice concerning your own love life. Fourth, and most importantly, They unveil a little of the underbelly of love and sex, which most people pretend doesn't exist, or deny the existence of!

Now, onto the experiment I mention in the title. The experiment is appropriately named "My "Experimental" WTF?! Summer," and it features a girl named Roz. She set out a list of ten rules for her summer, including things such as "I must approach a new guy every night hat I'm out on the town," and "If the kisses are lacking, then everything else probably is too. I must pursue no further." Her experiment, as you may notice, throws a lot of conventional gender roles on their head. She is charging herself with approaching guys, and in many cases, makes some of those important "first moves" that guys are apparently supposed to make according to the stereotypes. Also, she is going to be physical with these guys on the first date.

The experiment has been ongoing for over two months now. Roz recently posted an update to the challenge called "The WTF?! Summer Challenge: Midterm Review." She discusses how the experiment is going so far, and what she has learned thus far (in ten lessons!) I personally think the experiment is a great idea. I've read a lot of articles on dating, romance, and sex that feel so fake, and don't feel like reality in the least. I enjoy reading about someone who takes an honest approach to romance, and gets into the nitty-gritty of cross-gender relations. I encourage everyone to read the blog, and let me know what you think about it. I've often considered writing about my love life, and am happy to find that a lot of people can do so in an honest and open way, without losing their anonymity. The comments are yours. 🙂

Optimism fights reality

/ andyveilleux / 2 Comments

Every touch,

a piece of heart,

a lonely pair,

with a new start.

 

Prophets didn't write it down,

a new beginning, a new town,

a fresh filter for my thoughts,

throw the old ones to the dogs.

 

I watch the sun rise over hills,

you populated with poison quills,

but will roam around no longer.

 

My strength returns slowly;

my eye catches a ray of sun,

a ray of hope,

a new dawn.

 

Infused with energy,

a smile spreads across my face like cancer,

the chances of its survival are the same,

or maybe not this time.

 

Optimism fights with reality,

a spear tipped with malice and distrust,

swinging like a welterweight in the first,

occasionally biting crimson,

but often slicing air alone;

the battle will end somehow.

 

Everything ends,

somehow.

Open letter to my friends

/ andyveilleux / 7 Comments

Hi everyone,

Friends come and go throughout the years, and one's friend circle is always changing. If you're reading this right now, you're involved in my life to some degree. Maybe you're one of my childhood friends, a close friends, an acquaintance, a fellow poet, a twitter friend, family, a mentor, a client, or even a teammate. Either way, this post is meant for you.

The last couple of years for me have been rather interesting. I've loved, and lost, hard. I've grown, and learned a lot in the process. I've launched myself into new business, and gained new skills. I've played the highest level of sports that I ever will, and beat out many people's expectations of me. I've lost some important people through break-ups, falling-outs, and even death. I've gained a lot of new important people as well.

I'm 23 years old, a month from being 24. I'm in good health with the exception of my broken leg, but it's healing well and relatively painless now. I'm at an interesting crossroads in my life at the moment, and I wanted to take the time to discuss it with all of you. First of all, I should discuss the meaning of this post.

I wanted to write this post for a couple of reasons. First,  I wanted to reconnect, to an extent. I feel like there's a great disconnect in communication amongst people. I think the prevalence of social media has increased this divide in some ways. Social media has made it easier to get in touch, but more difficult to get close. It brings with it a lot of distraction, and an automatic distance in communication. Social media lets us extend the amount of people who we can keep in touch with to an extent that is impossible to manage.  I wanted to let everyone know that I haven't forgotten about you, even if we don't talk often.

Second, I wanted to let everybody know that I'll be making some major changes to my life in the next couple of years. Next year is a question mark. Will I start a master's degree? Will I move away for part of it if I do? Will I start my business before my master's degree? Will I juggle both, if so? Will I even start my business? What if one of the careers I applied for hire me? You get the point. The next couple of years will be a time of dramatic change in my life, and I hope you will follow along with me and offer advice.

Most importantly, I wanted to say thank-you. Sincerely, thank you. If you're reading this, you're here for a reason. Life is fragile. It can leave us unexpectedly and suddenly. I never see people take the time to thank their social net, despite how important it has been. I would not be where I am now without all of the wonderful people that have pushed me, and picked me up when I fell. You're great, and I've been fortunate to be surrounded by such positive influences in my life. Thank you all, I look forward to being in your corner and encouraging you all to accomplish the wonderful things many of you will be doing. Never give up.