The Hobbit is racist!

Well Peter Jackson must be anyway. And I'm probly going to come off as a racist by the time I'm done with this. A British actress of Pakistani descent was turned down for a role as a Hobbit based on her skin colour.

She tells the Waikato Times, "It's 2010 and I still can't believe I'm being discriminated against because I have brown skin. The casting manager basically said they weren't having anybody who wasn't pale-skinned. I would love to be an extra. But it just seemed like a shame because obviously hobbits are not brown or black or any other colour. 

Apparently, there are no brown-skinned Hobbits. I never read about any in the books. I never saw anything but short, pale Hobbits in the previous Lord of the Rings movies and in the old animated Hobbit movie. It would make sense for the sake of storyline continuity that they only have pale skinned Hobbits. Isn't that how they are described in the books? I don't think this constitutes racism, though I guess they could have had a make-up artist paint her white. Doubt that would have been acceptable.

Humphreys has now created a campaign group on Facebook.com titled "Hire Hobbits of all colours! Say no to Hobbit racism!"

I haven't found it yet, if anyone does, please drop me a link.

I'm finding this to be ridiculous. Seriously, I've never seen nor read about a Hobbit that was anything other than short and white. While we are playing the race card here, why don't cast Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming as Hobbits as well? And, in the name of equality, have Gandalf played by a fat black woman. I got it! Tyler Perry's Madea as Gandalf! That's got some serious comedy potential and will keep blacks, fat people and transvestites from complaining. Also, they need to add some flamboyantly gay Asian Hobbits. And some Hispanic Hobbits, bot gay and straight, maybe a drag queen or two. I mean who cares if J.R.R. Tolkein's work get's totally butchered, we need diversity!

In fact, some movies should be remade to include more racial and cultural diversity. For instance, Roots should be redone with Caucasian, Hispanic and Asian slaves. Pocahontas should have more people of colour because Native Americans clearly were not one colour. Same goes for 300, the Spartans couldn't have been all white. Let's just throw continuity and keeping to the story out the window in the name of diversity. Come on people, it's 2010!

Don't mind me I'm just rambling like an idiot

Yeah so I'm at the desk watching a youtube video and I had to stop it because some guest walked in and decided to use the lobby computer. So I'll blog instead while I have the video on pause. I guess I'll watch it later. I have shit I should be doing any way. Holy shit! I'm distracted and have to do things I get paid for at the moment.

Well that never fails. I get to doing things I get paid to do and I get a guest nagging at me at the same time. And why do they always ask me how I'm doing? I know it's a politeness thing but really, just get to the point. No one calls in the middle of the night to check on the well being of the guy at the desk. Except maybe my mother. Or your mother, but that's another story that she told me not to tell anyone.

OH SHIT!

But enough of that. Fuck it. I really need to move on to something else. Or something. I really need to find a new job to be unhappy with and bitch about.

So any way. What else?

I can't say for sure, but I think Halloween night is going to be spent with my girlfriend at home. Unless someone I know is having a house party or something that night and hasn't told me. Part of me wants to go to a bar or night club or something, but I'm not up for dealing with crowds of gawkers and douchebags. And there's only a few places that play music I like. I guess I would be more inclined to go out, but I don't live by any place I want to go and I lack in transportation. Whoring myself out for a ride never works. I just still don't know what I am going to do.

I think I'm starting to prefer cons to Halloween, truthfully. Maybe I just need to move to a part of the world that doesn't suck. Seriously. I don't think I'd have this issue if I lived in a big city. Fuck Largo. And fuck you if you live there. Can someone please open up a decent night club in this shit hole? Or 2 maybe? One that has drag queens and one that plays punk, industrial and metal? Hell all that under the same roof would be fucking epic! Seriously!

Maybe I should do that. I don't know. Could it work?

So what have I been up to lately?

Quite a bit. Honestly, I spend most of my time exhausted when I'm not doing stuff, but it keeps me out of trouble. Here's some of the highlights:

Thanks for the overtime, could have done without the bad mouthing though.

So Tuesday morning I had to call the GSM of the hotel I work for because there it was 7:15 am, I'm all alone, she's the only one on the schedule and I just heard from one of the maintenance guys that there was an accident that may have been on her route to work. Now I thought I was nice and respectful, I even felt a bad about waking her up, but according to what I have been told, she had a bit of a different story. I'm not sure exactly what was said, but apparently I was shitty to her. I also heard she got corrected by the same maintenance guy that was present when I called her. Oddly enough, when I called her back later on because I noticed I left with the desk keys she didn't seem to have a problem with me then or when I saw her Friday when I picked up my check. Heck, she was pretty nice both times. I thought about confronting her about it, but I'll be over it once I'm done typing this.

Yeah, I'm over it.

Look Mom, I know you are trying to help me here, but I'd rather carry 100 pounds of lead than 10 pounds of feathers!

Well, my mom is out of the hospital, but not quite 100%. I've been helping her out. Kinda wish I could do more. One big thing though is doing the grocery shopping for my parents. May not seem like a big deal, but try carting a weeks worth of groceries across town taking buses and walking. Every week it's the same thing when my mother is giving me the list - she keeps worrying about the weight of the things, I'm worried about size. I'm built like an ox, I can carry a lot of weight. I'm not very big though, and my backpack can only hold so much. I try to keep it limited to a full backpack and 2 bags. I don't care if the backpack is full of canned goods, that's cool. But when I'm carrying a family size box of waffles, a bag of hoagie rolls, a big bag of chips, etc. well space gets to be at a premium. And in case anyone it wondering, my father can devour a family size box of waffles in a few days all by himself.

And speaking of my father....

There's some program he's on now. It's like a day care for geezers. As opposed to putting them in a nursing home. I'm thinking it's not very good. He goes on the days my mom is at dialysis. So my mom has to get him ready before dialysis and usually take care of him when he gets home. He's come home a few times with a Depends full of shit and piss. Also, I don't know what they are feeding him there, but his blood sugar has been higher than ever a few times afterwards. The program he's on is called PACE. I don't know all the details, but if things don't straighten out, expect a rather big long rant from me after we get him out of the program.

And all that being said....

It's getting up on the end of my shift here at work, which means my computer time will be significantly limited until I come back to work. I still need to buy a new laptop. I still can't afford it. Well I could afford it just fine if I was not going to DragonCon.

BTW, you can help me in a small way be clicking on the Google ads, or in a slightly bigger way by clicking on the "tip jar" in the corner.

Another update on my father

I got a lot going through my head. A few days ago I was talking to my close friend and virtual big sister, Meg, about my feeling like I need to make some level of peace with my father. He's got one foot in the grave and another on a banana. There's a rather long list of things that's wrong with him. I don't think he's going soon, but let's just say it looks pretty grim. Most anyone that has known me long enough knows I haven't gotten along with him hardly at all in my adult life. I still care about him on some level, not sure why.

One thing that was brought to my attention in talking to Meg was that I have never really done anything wrong by him. While it was a conscious effort or not, he has managed to totally alienate me from him. It should be the other way around. He's too stubborn, too full of himself, too set in his ways for that. I'm not expecting it.

I think another issue I'm contending with is not the need to make peace but the need for some level of approval. Something I really never had. My mom told me a few times that he is proud of me, but he never said it, never showed it, never seemed to care. At least not in my adult life. I was the first in either side of the family to graduate college, and graduated with honors. He actually looks down on me for it. I went back to college and twice made the National Dean's List. He told me the first time "that and a quarter will get you a phone call" I didn't bother telling him the second time. I studied at Cambridge University. He didn't seem to care at all. I did hear him telling a nurse one of the other times he was in the hospital about his son, the college professor, but he was telling it to her in a way that sounded like he wanted the recognition.

Sadly, I'd soon have his approval if I traded in those accomplishments that I'm proud of for a pretty, fast car, a case of trophies and a career as a mechanic. Then maybe I'd have his approval. That brings some questions. Would I be living for myself or living for him? Would I be happy? Do I need his approval?

I'm not my father. I'm not about living for him or living in his shadow either. I'm my own person. I'm proud of who I am. I'm happy with my life. As long as I have that, I don't require his approval. I don't require him to be proud of me. Though it would be nice, it is certainly not needed. If he can't accept me for who I am, that's his problem, not mine.

OK, so I'm glad I got that off my chest, now for something else that has been eating at me.

Like I said, for whatever reason, I still care about him. I think it has something to do with the fact that he wasn't always like this. I try to keep that in mind, keeps me from hating him totally and reminds me that part of his problem stems from things like anger and depression brought on by his deteriorating condition.

I don't think he's really getting proper care from the doctor or the hospital. Yes, part of this is his refusal of tests and procedures, but it also has to do with the doctors and the hospital itself. He's nearly constantly being told he can refuse. No one tries to encourage him in any way. Me and my mother can't be there all the time. And there's some stupid things going on too. Like they will take an X-ray of his arm and after he's all comfy back in his room decide it's not good enough and want another one. I'm not doctor, but I know it doesn't take long for X-rays to develop. Wouldn't it be smarter to keep him there until they get the picture they want?

That's just an example. They complain that he's costing the hospital too much money. They are part of the problem. They want to put him in a nursing home. Hey, I'll agree it's not a bad thing for him, but he's got problems that need to be taken care of. I think I might need to go down there and raise a little hell on his behalf.

That's enough insight into my little world for now. I would appreciate some comments on this one.

A few things going on

I'm just the talk of work when I'm not there.

Well maybe not, but I was informed that someone at the hotel is looking for my blog to see if I said anything about them in it. Well this particular post I'm not going to say anything bad about anyone. There's a guest that said he's going to do that. He also said he was going to say something good about me.

See what happens when you do your job right?

That was kind of a dig, wasn't it? Oh well. Moving on.

And the first thing I want to accomplish for the new year...

I want to get my bike back on the road. I miss riding my bike. And it makes me less dependent on the bus. More exercise and less bus riding makes me happy.

My AngelSpit 40K Army is coming along nicely.

Really nicely. Seriously, have a look. I've also completely changed my list. Big thanks to Fritz for helping me with that. BTW, if you like 40k you should seriously check out Fritz's vids on youtube. Seriously.

40K, serious business, seriously.

One bit of annoyance.

In a previous blog I asked for comments if any one read it, no one dropped a comment. I'm just trying to figure out how many people are reading this thing. I don't get any comments, so I can't tell if it's being read.

I feel like a prom night dumpster baby.



That's all for now.

So it's December 20th....

Almost the 21st.

I have no idea what I'm doing for my birthday.

I'm off for the night so I'm asuming it's going to be just another night off.

Which really sucks. I just want to go out some where and have a few drinks. That's all I want. And since both me and Kathy are broke untill after Christmas, I'm probly just going to be giving that to myself after the holidays.

Sadly, that's been a typical birthday for me for thje past few years.

Well here's a big thanks in advance for nothing.

What the fuck?

Middle of fuckin October and it's 88 fuckin degrees out-fuckin-side.

And fuckin 88-fuckin-% humidity.

And no fuckin wind.

I fuckin hate it here.

FUCK!

Where have all the craft stores gone?

Or at least the good really well stocked ones?

I've started construction on my wings. Or at least started gathering bits. I'm having some difficulty though. The only craft store around that I know of (and that is still in business) is Michael's. They are pretty good for framing, scrapbooking, silk flowers and kids stuff. But for everything else, they kinda suck. Watch the video in this blog if you are wondering exactly what I am looking for. The only thing I have so far is the wire, which I actually picked up at Home Depot. So if anyone knows where there is a good, well stocked, arts and crafts store near Largo, please let me know. I'd really appreciate it.

BTW, I'm doing quite well with the list I made in that blog.

I'm pissed with Serfas, therefore I complain about them publically

I spent most of today hunting for a taillight for my bike. I should have just gone to the local bike shop, that's where I ended up anyway.

I got what I thought was a pretty nice taillight. Well, I'll let the complaint to Serfas, the manufacturer tell the tale.

Today I purchased a Serfas TL-1000 taillight for my bike. I just got home and attempted to install it. As I was tightening the seat post bracket, the bracket snapped. The other bracket that came with the light is useless as it does not fit on the rear triangle or on any other part of my bike. Also the batteries that were supplied were nearly dead.

I'm more than just dissatisfied. I need to have a taillight on my bike, it is required by law. I ride my bike to work nearly every night. Not having a taillight puts me at a legal risk as well as a safety risk. I broke the cheap light I had and purchased your product to replace it thinking it was better. Now I am right back to where I was, minus $15.99 + tax.

I have to say, I'm rather pissed. I'm taking it back to the shop tomorrow morning. I hope I don't get a ticket tonight. Yes cops around here pull you over and write you tickets for that.

Not so happy new year

Well it's been a hell of a new year's eve.

I might have been able to get a ride home in the morning from my neighbor. But I declined. I have a feeling I'm going to be mad enough when it's time for me to leave that I'm going to need the bike ride to calm down.

I was pissed off about tonight a week ago when I found out I was working. When the sign-up sheet for the holidays was going around I only asked for new years eve off. Even put down that I would work every other holiday. They gave me Christmas off. And while that's nice that I got to spend it with my mother, I would have found time to do that anyway. I don't celebrate it really. Yeah I get into the whole giving thing, but that's about it. I'm an atheist. I have my doubts if Jesus Christ was even a real person.

So here's an account of my night as it happens. I started typing this just before midnight. It's 00:09 right now. I'm typing in between guests.

21:00
I clocked in was breifed by my manager on the evening. 4 arrivals left and every one of them was to be walked as all rooms were occupied. Shortly after we were down to 3 to come in and get told they would be staying elsewhere. Manager had to do his nightly property walk so that left me at the desk alone.

22:00
Got my first walk. A young lady and her boyfriend or husband, not sure what he was. She was nearly in tears when I told her. Been waiting a month for this. Worst part is the hotel that we are sending people to is right by where she lives.

22:20
Second walk. Guest was pissed.Demanded manager. So I got him. He proceded to spenmd the next 15 minutes screaming, shouting and arguing. All the good it did him, didn't make any rooms magically appear. I got to give my boss credit though. Man's got some serious patience.

Just after 23:00
I'm by myself again and the desk gets totally swarmed. Was able to get my manager to come up from the back office.

00:00
Happy new year! Was actually quiet at that point until the fireworks started. Shortly after the phones lit up. People looking for food, cabs, wake up calls. I had run up to a room to unclog a sink by releasing the stopper. Both myself and the security guard were busy running items up to rooms. I was getting a lot of complaints about things not being done or not being delivered when the guests first called hours ago. I can't get through to the cabs.

00:54
Someone called looking for breakfast type foods, I suggested Denny's.

01:30
All the valets went home except for the one. He's not enough at the moment. Now I'm helping him.

03:44
At this point I've kinda given up providing any kind of accurate log. I've been busy taking care of running more items to rooms, making ill-fated attemps at calling cabs, assisted security a few times and valet a few more times. I'm holding up ok. I am getting quite the work out.

04:09
It's slowed down some. I did just have to send a guest across the street to the Marriot for matches because we do not have any.

04:21
At this point I'm folding an labeling the express checkouts. It's probly going to be quiet at the desk for an hour or 2 then pick back up.

I'll close with this. I'm calling the Holiday Inn that I used to work at and I'm going to see if I can get my old job back or something of about the same pay scale. I look at it this way, if they are going to run this place like it's a Holiday Inn I might as well save myself the trip across the bay.

Losing my mind at work

What the hell kind idiot lays hotel workers off just before New Years Eve? The hotel has been sold out for months.

And of all people to lay off the overnight maintenance guy?

I couldn't unclog a toilet tonight because I couldn't find a plunger. I also had to clean vomit off the floor up on the 12th floor. Took me longer to find all the things I needed to get it clean.

Had to make several runs to rooms to deliver different items that guests needed.

It's not just there that this place is shorthanded. I started at 9pm tonight. It was just me and a desk clerk from then until 11pm. 2 people to handle what was still a rather high number of check-ins and answer phones. Not to mention, every time a pizza delivery showed up, I had to call the guests that ordered and have them come down.

Having the hotel as understaffed as it currently is makes the few that are still working here look bad. Here's something that also makes us look bad-

The hotel I work for sells a VIP services package. We have had, at least during my watch, 2 guests so far come in having paid for this package and both time totally dropped the ball. Let me give you the details -
*VIP Welcome Packet at check in
What welcome packet? Seriously, I never saw one. I know they have a welcome letter for the Hilton Honors (card people) but that's about all I have seen. I did not have a welcome packet for either guest that I saw, nor was I even informed of one even after I pointed it out to one of my managers when the first guest came in with one of these.
*Complimentary upgrade upon arrival
That's if someone happens to notice your VIP reservation and we have the availability. I did have an upgrade pre-assigned for one, but not the other.
*In room amenity upon check in
What amenity? Seriously. Neither of them got it.
*10% off discount at all restaurants
They should include that in the welcome packet, just a simple card or certificate type thing. Oh wait don't have one. Never seen anything like that. Sorry.
*Complimentary high speed internet access
Only our daytime managers have access to the promotional codes that we give the Hilton Honors members. Even at that, in both cases I had to manually remove the internet charges because nobody assigned the guests with the VIP package a promotional code.
*Nightly turndown service
As told to me by the Executive Housekeeper, we no longer offer this service to anyone.

In short, you pay $50 more and are lucky if you get anything. Tonight's guest that came in on the VIP Package ended up having to be give the Ambassador Suite because we messed up so bad.

I feel like I'm back at the Holiday Inn that I used to work at. The only thing is, half the crap I put up with there I expected. It's a fucking Holiday Inn! The hotel I'm at now is an Embassy Suites. It's supposed to be a nicer hotel. I came here for a reason. It used to be pretty good here but with the recent cuts and the lack of leadership, it might as well be a Holiday Inn. Or an Econolodge for that matter.

Had the economy not been as bad as it is, I would have quit tonight. As it is when I left a 5:50am I was leaving my coworker alone for the last hour. That means if anyone needed a bellman or really anything between then and 7am, they were not getting it. And I get to come back at 9pm and do it all over again. Only this time the hotel is oversold by 15 room. That's 15 people/families that we are going to have to send to another hotel that already booked a reservation.

Some people create their problems

Or at least make the ones they have worse.

I had a guest call down earlier complaining about noise from the lobby. There was a guy cleaning the floor and using a rather large (and noisy) vacuum to dry it. I explained that the floors were being cleaned and that I could have him stop using the vacuum. I was told not to have him stop by the guest, then he said he would deal with it in the morning. I'll bet when he does deal with it he will totally leave out that the noise could have been stopped and that he declined it. This is just as annoying as these people that come down to the desk in the morning to complain about the room next to them being noisy the night before. The only thing I tell those people is "you should have called about it last night."

Apparently the guests think I work for the pizza delivery

I'm not here to take their order.

Honestly I think anyone lazy enough to make their order through a hotel desk clerk deserves to have it totally fucked up. It's not difficult to dial a phone and place an order. I'm not going to do it for anyone. Aside from it not being my job, if they have any questions about your order, I can't answer them for you. You have called the desk, not the psychic friends network. I am neither psychic, nor your friend. Now shut the fuck up, go to sleep, and leave me alone. Most people do not realize that those of us that work over night have things to do and constant calls to the desk that can be avoided are a nuisance. Here's the number for delivery, call them. If you are too stupid or drunk (both maybe?) to do that I will dial it for you. That's all I'm doing.

That will teach me to blog at the bus station

So I'm typing in this here blog. Actually, I'm typing in OpenOffice.org Writer because I can't connect to a wireless network. Anyway. A couple of guys come up to me and start asking about my bike. Questions like what did I pay for it and why so much. Modified high quality full suspension racing mountain bikes are not cheap. Then they started asking about my job. Then the one guy asked me if I could help him with bus fare. “Sorry, I'm barely making it to payday.” Then the same guy offers to buy this laptop that I'm using right now. I'm sorry, but my pink Dell is not for sale. I use it at home and both my jobs and I have some pretty important stuff on it at the moment. I said to him “It's not for sale.” So then he says to me “I'll give you $500 for it now.”
“Still not for sale.”
“But you need the money.”
“Not that bad I don't.”

So then his friend says to him “C'mon, he's straight, let's go.” They left me alone, but I was rather annoyed. I was getting the feeling that they were going to try to jack either my laptop or bike. I might have had to hurt them for that.

Really odd thing is, why would anyone that just asked for help with bus fare offer $500 cash for a laptop? And be pushy about it. Sure I could have sold it to him. I paid $600 for this back in January. So I doubt it's even worth $500. Just seems really dodgy to me. I should have asked him about it but I was happy he just went away.

Update on my bus woes

The issue with my passport has been corrected (it seems my apartment number was left off, I could have sworn I put it on the form), and they are sending it back out today.

I feel asleep way too early today

But I haven't been getting much sleep lately and needed it.

Now I'm awake and I have to teach at 7am. I might take a nap soon, right now I have some things on my mind that I need to spew forth.

I've been alone for nearly a month in this apartment. I'm loving it. My stress level is greatly reduced. I'm quite happy. I do feel I lost someone that was a good friend, but I'm fine with that. I can move on and don't care if they are never in my life again. I think I'm by far better off. I thought I was going to need another roommate but things are picking up to the point where I am OK just being me.

The Ray's won today. I fucking can't stand baseball but this makes me happy. I'm hoping for more day time games. This means more teachers that are fans will be taking off and I can work more. I'm human, I have ulterior motives. At least I admit it. I'm only in it for me. Well OK, that's not entirely true. I love to teach and everyone that knows me knows that. Still I also like having money. money is good and the Ray's are helping me make money. I still hate baseball. It's fucking boring. I think the great George Carlin details more things about baseball that make me annoyed.


That about sums it up.

I think that's about all that's on my mind right now.

Hotel guests say the damnedest things

And so do I.

Tonight I'll try to keep track of it all.

Smoker lady: Do y'all have matches?
Me: No
Smoker lady: So you are going to make me pay $2 for a lighter?
Me: Well I don't have one to spare since I quit smoking.

---

Guy with munchies: Is there a snack machine?
Me: No, but the gift shop is still open.
Guy with munchies: Are you sure?
Me: They are open until midnight, it's not quite 11 yet. It's right over here, have a look.
Guy with munchies: And you are sure it's open? (not even looking yet)
Me: Well if it's not open I have to be angry at somebody for closing early.

---

Shaking guy: Do you have a bathroom on this floor
Me: Yes
~short pause~
Shaking guy: Where is it?
Me: Right over there. (Pointing in general direction of bathroom)

---

Hungry guest on phone: When does your room service stop?
Me: 11pm (11:30pm when he called)
Hungry guest on phone: So I can't get any food sent up to my room?
Me: There's a few pizza deliveries that run late, I can give you their numbers and I have menus at the desk.
Hungry guest on phone: So I have to call somewhere outside?
Me: Yes sir.
Hungry guest on phone: There's nothing open in the hotel?
Me: The Starbuck's is open.
Hungry guest on phone: Do they deliver?
Me: No sir.
Hungry guest on phone: So you can't help me?
Me: I've done all I can to help you, if you like I can connect you to a pizza delivery.
Hungry guest on phone: I don't want that, I want (starts reading items off the room service menu)
Me: Sir is that the room service menu you are reading from?
Hungry guest on phone: Yes
Me: Can you read to me what it says next to hours at the top?
Hungry guest on phone: 11am to 11pm
Me: Thank you sir, do you know what time it is?
Hungry guest on phone:(hangs up)

---

Domino's Guy: What's the phone number here, I don't think I have the right one.
Me: Hold on, I need to look it up.
Domino's Guy: You don't know the number to where you work?
Me: I never call here.

---

Food and beverage manager: Why is Starbuck's open?
Me: Starting yesterday they are open until 2am on Friday and Saturday
Food and beverage manager: Why?
Me: Because the biggest complaint from the guests is that the restaurant closes at 11.

---

Concerned Guest: I'm sorry to bother you
Me: It's what I'm here for.

---

Giggling drunk girl on phone: I want to order 4 large pizzas!
Me: So call the pizza delivery (Someone from the same room came down and got menus earlier)

---

Very lost and confused guest: Where's the front desk?
Me: Right here.

---

Guest with a cell phone in his ear: You know the area area code here
Me: 813
Guest with a cell phone in his ear: No I mean the zip code
Me: 33602
Guest with a cell phone in his ear: (to person on phone) 337...
Me: (shaking head then talking slow like he's mentally impaired) 3...3...6...0...2

---

Hours being cut at the hotel

It's slow so they are cutting one auditor to 4 days each week until business picks back up. Next week is my week. I'm rather annoyed by this. I have a rent to pay. I'm scraping to get by as it is. This is bullshit. I understand things are slow, but when it was busy they were making money hand over fist. It evens out. Not only that, do they really need to cut our hours? The day shift is as unreliable as it gets. Always late and calling off. Doesn't that keep payroll down?.

Maybe I need to find a different primary job.

I think I need a new seat for my bicycle

My ass has kind of a sore spot on it.

So yeah, time for a new seat. Think I'm going to get a gel one this time.

Hotel ranting

I used to want to work my way up to being a front office manager.

Here's an instance that makes me reconsider that, it happened last night. I was in the back office working on the audit while the other auditor was at the desk. An angry guest came up to the desk demanding to see the manager. Luckily the Assistant Front Office Manager was still there. So he dealt with it, not me. Good thing, I wouldn't have been able to hold myself. She was complaining because while she was out with her boyfriend, her daughters left the room and couldn't get back in. They left their keys in the room. When the daughters went to the desk to get another key, they couldn't because the only name on the room was the mother's boyfriend. The girls tried to call their mother and ended up waiting out front. That's what she was having a fit about. They were out front. According to her, the hotel was irresponsible because we let them go out front while she was out with her boyfriend. Yes, you read that right. The hotel was irresponsible, not her. BTW, the girls were 13 and 15, wearing more makeup than what I wear when I perform and dressed like they were going to a night club.

All the manager did was apologize profusely, like it really was our fault. I would have been inclined to tell her to do her daughters a favor and drop them off at an orphanage then do society a favor and do a swan dive off the 20th floor balcony.

Another story. Earlier tonight, right after the gift shop closed, a guest came tot he desk looking for aspirin. I cannot give that out and with the gift shop closed the only option for her is the Walgreen's about 3/4 of a mile away. I was showing her on a map how to get there and she got really frustrated. "I'm fat and you are treating this like it's a hop, skip and a jump." I was having trouble finding the sympathy. It might have something to do with the fact that I just rode a bike 22 miles to get to work and passed the Walgreen's right before I got here. I'm no lightweight. It's less than a mile, it is a "hop, skip and jump." Fat, whiny fucking maggot. I kindly pointed out that there are taxis out front.

In the upside, a guest needed a few bottles of water. I got them from the restaurant for him. When I brought them to him, he said that he had recently come into a large sum of money and is not normally this generous, then handed me $20. w00t! $20 and I didn't have to do anything that would make me feel cheap and dirty.

Actually I never feel cheap and dirty.