Paying it forward

I got an email from a very dear friend today who lives far, far, very far away right now reminding me that I have been slacking on my blogging. So I thought I had better get back on the ball. Truth be told I think I have had writers block.  So here I sit in my favorite writing spot on the couch. Lola curled up next to my feet, tuned into a Itunes station that totes itself as being Soundscapes for Liquid Minds. Maybe that is what I need? Something to turn my internal chatter box off and liquefy my mind.

Fall is fast approaching and I love it! Although I am grateful for the summer and the fact that we live in a place that has four seasons. When I drove Paul to work this morning you could feel a cool breeze in your hair and smell the faint scent of fall as a subtle reminder that the solstice is coming.

Occasionally I write reviews on Yelp which if you have never heard of it. Check it out. Yelp.com It gives honest reviews of services, restaurants, etc, in your area. Written by people like yourself. Anywho.

Last year when I first moved here I used it to find a new hairstylist in the area. I had no luck. The few places that were reviewed were ho-hum. Nothing that felt right. I happened to check out this salon around the corner from me one day and got chatting with the girl while she waxed my eyebrows. I didn't have the courage to cut my hair just yet. Come to find out she moved her from Missouri the week before we moved here from Illinois. Of course we got talking about living here and the cultural things. Finally after meeting her a few times I finally booked a hair cut. She did a stellar job and I don't remember even doing this which is the funny part; when I got home I wrote a review on Yelp about her and the salon.

Yesterday (almost a year later) I went for my second hair cut with her. I know, I know, how can I only get a hair cut once a year. Truthfully I just fear getting my hair cut that much and have trouble spending my money on things like my hair.

When I walked in the salon had expanded and my stylist came running up gave me a big hug and said she was worried cause she hadn't seen me in so long. I told her that I just don't do my hair that often and you can tell when you see it.  I wasn't cheating with another stylist. As she shampoos my hair we catch up where we left off. Then I sit in her chair and she starts doing her thing. Then says to me "I never got to thank you for the lovely review you wrote about me!" I had completely forgotten about it until she said that. She went on to say how she never heard of Yelp but kept getting all these new clients saying they read my little review on Yelp and wanted to come see her. Clients from all over the place, like New York, New Jersey and a lot of military people who just moved here. She said that my review helped her really build her clientele. I was flabbergasted! I had no idea people even read these things. But I felt so good to be able to help a fellow woman build her business. She is very talented and I was happy to spread the word about her the best way I could. Having not known many people when I first moved here to tell them to go see her. I did the next best thing I could think of. I Yelped about her.

When I first started out in Calgary, people really helped me out with referring their friends and sort of getting my name out there. I was happy to pay that forward and help her get established in this area.  Even my own clientele here for massage is growing in demand. I worked with a client last week who said someone recommended me and when we were done in the session, proceeded to tell me they could see why I was popular. That was nice to hear.

If nothing else it just goes to show you that your words have power. Never under estimate what you say and how you say it.

Me and my new do! In case you forgot what I looked like.