I seriously hope someone that's in charge of PSTA gets raped, twice, this is getting ridiculous

I'm getting really sick of this. Seriously, WTF? Does riding the bus make me a second class citizen or something? Another problem tonight on my way to work. Here's a copy of the complaint I sent them-

I was waiting for the 18 at the bench near Missouri & Rosary and the bus went past me at a rather high rate of speed. I tried to chase after the bus as I needed it to get to work and I believe the only reason it stopped was not because I was chasing it, but because of the light at the intersection turning red. That's where it stopped, I ran to it. when I got on the bus, I was greeted by attitude from your driver. I'll admit, I was upset, but his attitude only added to it as did him telling me to get off the bus. Which I refused to do as I was going to work. If I at my job treated a customer the way this driver treated me, I would be out of a job. He was completely out of line.

Is it standard practice for drivers to upset someone and then tell them they can leave the bus? Is being left at a stop something I can expect? What exactly am I getting out of the $10 more I pas a month for my monthly pass? How about hiring some drivers that can do their job right? How about putting lights at the stops? How about not being such an epic failure?

I'm pissed. That driver was an asshole. I would have slugged him if it wasn't a felony. He needed it. I also sent a comment to Pinellas County's Transportation Task Force about this and I'm looking into what else I can do. PSTA need to know they suck. Pinellas County needs to know PSTA sucks. People need to know PSTA sucks.

So the price of the bus went up, but will the service get any better?

I'm doubtful.

And annoyed. The buses I ride are late more often than not. Especially the first one I ride on Saturday night. That one has made me late for work several times and forced me to take a bus that is nearly an hour earlier. To add to my frustration, most places I need to go require 2 buses and they never connect. Nearly every time the bus I'm on is with in a block of the terminal, the bus I need is pulling out of the terminal. Then I have to wait at the terminal for 20 minutes to damn near an hour depending on the day or time of day for the next bus. Does an outdoor bus terminal that is crawling with homeless and surrounded by Scientologists seem like the place you want to spend an hour of your time on a 90+ degree summer day? It's not a happy place, far too many creeps and weirdos and not the fun kind either. The security guards that are there during the day don't make me feel any safer. Not that I think anyone would mess with me, but still it's not some place where I want to sit for an hour.

Let's take a look at the changes.

I'm seeing the word eliminate being used an awful lot. I get the impression that those that regularly ride are paying more while PSTA is doing less. $10 more for a monthly pass, 50 cent's more for a daily, quarter more one way. That's got to add up. It's not sitting right with me. I'm trying to keep in mind they did just lose a grant, but jacking up prices and cutting service? If there's a significant improvement in the service provided, I guess it may be justified.

Knew it couldn't last

Yeah, I knew it.

Though I am a little surprised, I hope nothing is wrong.

Just saying.

*waving to my co-worker that is reading this*

So I'm trying to watch Nid Week on Beasts of War

And I'm being bothered by drunk people.

Oh wait, I'm at work and I don't get paid to watch Beasts of War. I don't get paid to bitch about it in my blog either. And I don't think people I work with get paid to read about my bitching in my blog, well that is if they are reading this at work.

Any who.

Even if I were doing things I get paid for at the moment (I'm as done as I can get at this point), getting bothered by people who are already pretty loaded and want to get more loaded is pretty annoying.

Well it's about that time of the night for me to do more stuff. Once all that's done, it's back to Beasts of War.


And probly getting bothered by more drunk people.

The thing about a blog is....

...People read it.

Sometimes those people are the same ones you work with.

I've been told I've made a lot of enemies. *shrugs*

I also noticed something got changed or rather enforced because of something I bitched about. Cool. Maybe I should bitch more. Maybe some other things will get addressed. Maybe I shouldn't press my luck.

Maybe I should just watch myself.

That being said, if you are reading this, drop me a damn comment. I'm feeling lonelier than Kunta Kinte at a Merle Haggard concert.

Business has been slow at the hotel lately.

So I really don't have any stories to tell. This weekend might pick up. Weekends are usually the busiest days. More potential for human stupidity.

Even though it's not Thanksgiving yet, they have already started decorating the hotel. It's a little early for that, that's not what annoys me about this time of year at the hotel. What annoys me is the motion activated singing and dancing Santa Claus. I know that doesn't sound like a subject of annoyance, but something that starts singing and dancing every time someone walks in or walks out can get on your nerves. More so when drunk people, usually women, start singing and dancing with him. It's funny the first time, but after that it really starts to lose it's amusement.

But how badly could they have needed that roll of toilet paper?

So at about 12:45am I get this call from a really upset hotel guest screaming at me because the toilet paper she called the desk for 6 hours ago was still not delivered. As it was, I was by myself at the desk, had a guest I was checking in and 2 more behind them also needing my attention. I told them I was in no position to bring it to them and they would need to come to the desk to pick it up. I also apologized for the pathetic incompetence of my staff. Sadly, she actually needed me to explain to her where I am. They were not too happy about having to come get it. Not really much I could do for them at that point.

So after taking care of those that were already at the desk and the other one that needed the TP, my next step was to see which one on my worthless co-workers fucked up. Turns out that on the logsheet, it was written down that the guest had called, but no one filled in the space regarding who they talked to or signed off on it when it was completed. So I don't know if it was the dumbasses that are at the desk or the illegal Mexican that doesn't speak English in housekeeping. I'm not sure who dropped the ball. As far as I can tell there's quite a bit that went really wrong here, starting with the guest.

First, what kind of a moron calls a hotel desk for something, then waits 6 hours to call back looking for it when it is not there?

Second, what kind of a nitwit at a hotel desk writes it in the log, but doesn't write down who they spoke to or note that the job was completed? There were calls before and after that one. Did they not have enough sense to follow up? I know I have some total fucking dipshits here, but come on. If anything writing it down should serve as a reminder. Especially when you are writing more down. How do you miss that? As far as I can tell, it was never called in.

Finally, this gets back to the guest, but it's not really their fault. I doubt most people are aware that between the hours of 11pm and 7am most small hotels have one person on staff. That being said, that one person may not be available to jump at their beckoned call, no matter how badly the previous shift fucked things up. Honestly, I hate having to tell people I'm limited with what I can do for them. The other shifts have a full staff, all I have is me. I'm not always as available as I would like to be. It would have been smarter to call back before 11pm. Really, they should have waited no more than a half an hour.

So, I'm surrounded by idiots.

Hey buddy, call your own cab

So this guy comes to the desk and asks me to call a cab for him. So I call and let him know they said it would be between 5 and 20 minutes.

He comes back 10 minutes later impatiently whining at me about how he needs a cab now. So I call again to check on the status of the cab and because people that work at hotels have a magical power over the cab companies that the average person does not posess. The cab company said the cab was on it's way and it would be a few more minutes. I relay the message to him and he went out front to wait.

The cab arrives about 5 minutes later and the guy that was being so impatient was nowhere to be found. So the driver left, rather pissed I might add.

Half an hour later the same guy comes back into the lobby whining that he needs a cab now. I told hime the cab he called for was here and gone and I couldn't find him when it was here. "I guess I should have stayed and waited." Gee, you really think to moron? I call another cab for him. This time he waited in the lobby.

And the moral of this mutha-fucka is call your own damn cab, preferably on your cell phone. That way when they can't find you, they call you and not me.

Tonight's facepalm

Yet another wonderful phone conversation

Him: I was there two nights ago and I left my bag, was it turned in?
Me: It's not here at the desk, you need to call back in the morning and check with housekeeping.
Him: But it's important that I get it tonight, can you check lost and found?
Me: No, I don't have the keys to it and housekeeping is gone for the night.
Him: Well isn't there a manager.
Me: That would be me.
Him: And you can't look?
Me: That's right.
Him: But I really need it!
Me: Sorry, I can't help you.
Him: BUT I JUST CHECKED OUT 2 NIGHTS AGO!!!!!!
Me: *facepalm* Two nights ago is not just checked out, you will have to call housekeeping in the morning.

4pm, not 4am

Here's a wonderful gem of a guest -

Him: How early can I check in?
Me: Check in time is at 4 pm
Him: Can I check in any earlier?
Me: If we have the availability whe might be able to get you in.
Him: But I have a reservation.
Me: Right, but your reservation is for 4pm.
Him: *Hangs up*
Me: *facepalm*

What's worse than having to work on Halloween?

Being at work and not really being needed.

Seriously, this pace is about as dead as it gets. They could have gotten by with 1 auditor and not both of us.

I'm more pissed now than when I found out I had to work. This totally sucks. I had plans to go to a party tonight and they got fucked.

At least the boss let us wear costumes. I'm sitting here looking devilicious, but I'm bored and pissed because I don't need to be here.

Who is running this place?

This hotel I work at.

They put this new POS/computer system in the resturant. They needed it. What they had was ancient as far as computers go. The old system backed up to a floppy and printed to a dot matrix. A dot matrix that always jammed I might add.

So we got all this pretty new stuff.

And I had to manually input room charges.

And the "end of night" button that was listed in my instructions for the audit was not there. So no audit, no close of day. And the guy I was to call about it never returned my call.

I just had to tell the chef not to clock in and tell him to pass it on to the servers. They are also going to hand write checks until it it fixed.

Epic fail.

And why did you call me again?

Conversation with a guest that doesn't want to pay for phone calls to Domino's from his room.

Him: Well can't you just give me the number and I'll call from my cell?
Me: Sure, who's number are you looking for?
Him: *gives me the number to the local Domino's*
Me: Sounds like you already have the number.
Him: *hangs up*

*facepalm*

I'm pissed

Really pissed. So fucking pissed.

I just found out I have to work Halloween night.

WTF????

Kathy and I were planning on going to a party

Not anymore.

Well there's still the AngelSpit/KMFDM show. But getting off on Halloween would have been sweet. It's my favourite holiday.

Hotel stories - You are an idiot and so is your kid edition

I just had a feeling it was going to be a bad night, and that was before I left my apartment.

I hate it when I'm right.

The first thing I was greeted with tonight was a note for the management and an incident report. A guest's 12 year old child was in the hotel's fitness center, unsupervised, and hurt them self on the treadmill. Somehow this is the hotel's fault because we don't have any warning signs in the fitness center.

Then I had to deal with a room that was being a noise problem. Sure enough, party room. Sure enough, they have a pretty girl answer the door. Doesn't make any difference, she still gets told the diplomatic version of shut the fuck up or get the fuck out. I've not had any complaints yet. Bummer, I wouldn't mind an eviction.

And most recently I had a lady at the desk looking for a room. We don't have much left tonight. what few rooms we do have are smoking rooms and despite that they seem to be going quick. While she was at the desk, my co-worker was selling 2 rooms to another guest. I quoted her the lowest rate I had for the types of rooms I had. She tried to get me to cut her a deal. Can't do it. I think anyone that's taken a basic course in economic can understand why. That and I really can't change the rates anyway. She asked me about other hotels. I told her which ones had availability and where they were. She left.

Then about 15 minutes later she comes back with her boyfriend. In the mean time I had sold another room. At this point I have 2 left, gave him the rates for each. Both were smoking rooms. He proceeded to ask me if I was sure. Yes. Then if I was serious. Yes. Then if I could cut him a break because it's midnight. No. Then if I could cut him a break because they are smoking rooms. No, non-smoking is the same price. He asks me if there's anything I can do about the rate. No, lowest rate I have, it's actually less than the AAA rate. He again asks me if I'm sure. Yes. And if I'm serious. Yes. Then he decides he doesn't want to talk to me anymore and wants a manager. I am a manager. So he wants my business card and tells me that he's never been treated so poorly. I don't have one of my own, but I did give him a plain hotel business card and wrote my first name only on it. He wants my last name too because according to him I don't know who I just messed with. Not getting it. I don't give it out, ever. Especially to someone who just made that remark at me. He keeps thrown a fit about how badly he thinks he's being treated. I guess I should have been kissing his ass or something. He leaves telling me that he will be calling to complain.

But wait! There's more! He comes back in like a few seconds later all pissed off and asking me if I gave "his girl"attitude like I gave him. I didn't give either of them attitude. He goes on to tell me that I don't know who I messed with, again. Even my co-worker stepped in and said I didn't give either of them attitude. Again he said he was going to call and complain. And that I really don't know who I messed with. I wished him a good night.

Whateva.

All nice and quiet now. And those 2 rooms I had left? Sold!

Moral of tonight's stories - Don't be an idiot, keep an eye on your kid, don't be a cheapskate.

Best quote from a hotel guest ever

I've only been here an hour and so far had a busy and rather harsh night . There was a guest using the guest computer that witnessed me dealing with what seemed to be a constantly lit up switch board and a string of guests that were taking their frustrations out on me. At a point where it had quieted down for a bit, she turned around and said to me.

"I don't want your job!"

I don't want it either.

Superbowl Hotel Room Keys

Got these at work.

Think they are worth anything?

I was going to put them on ebay and see what I get for them.

So I called my former boss

She wasn't in so I left a message.

The question now comes to whether or not she will call me back and if there is an opening.

Honestly, I worked pretty damn hard when I was there and she did fight to keep me there the first time I tried to leave and go to another hotel. When I left I think it was more that she didn't think she could stop me this time. There's too many people there that remember me. People that know what I'm capable of.

One thing I will say about the boss I had when I was at the Holiday Inn - she did make me feel appreciated. Sadly after busting my ass all night my boss at the Embassy Suites made a remark about my haircut. My haircut is the least of that places problems. No thanks from him or anything like that. I really want to leave now. Seriously.

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.