Thanksgiving Day Musings 2018

Some random thoughts and observations on this Thanksgiving Day.  Very random.

I am at work at the hotel now. The hotel is totally book sans except for one suite. I always work at the hotel during Thanksgiving. This is my twentieth year working at a hotel. Interesting how time slips by.  I've always considered my main adult job working at the bank. This hotel job was part-time to keep me amused and supplement my income.  

I don't mind working Thanksgiving Day at the hotel. I meet the nicest people.  Almost all of them are return guests from previous years.  Old people like me. We identify.

When I arrived at work today I got a little reminder that brought me down to earth. One of the guests stopped at the front desk and asked me to send up a housekeeper to plunge his toilet, that was clogged.  There goes my appetite for some turkey. I told him I was the only hotel employee here and it would be me.  He said he was leaving and for me to go at it.  I did and thankfully, I was able to get his toilet working again.  I always dread not getting the toilet working again because I would have anywhere else to put him, except maybe the suite and at $625 a night my boss wouldn't like that. This isn't the first time I've plunged a toilet. Lovely, just lovely. 

Back to my front desk. Earlier I made the mistake of watching our Commander in Chief make phone calls to "the troops."  Since Cadet Bonspurs (Trump) is too cowardly to actually visit the troops in person (like Iraq and Afghanistan), he calls them on a phone which he has the new media televising. Shortly into the conversations with "the troops" he begins his immigration rant about our southern border. He also rants about "Obama judges".  OMG.  Someone asked him what he was thankful for today and he said . . . . himself for making America much safer. Honest to God, is there anybody is who more narcissist than this self-absorbed would be tyrant?  Talk about cringeworthy. Never in my life would I ever have believed I would be so embarrassed for our country to have this orange buffoon speaking for us. God, how did we ever get here?  I had to turn off the TV, I couldn't take any more. Come one Mueller, get those indictments out.

Just did another faux pas, I walked in on a guy using the urinal in the bathroom here at the hotel.  Geez guy, can't you lock the door when you go in to take a whiz?  Wow.  No, I didn't see anything. He wasn't embarrassed either. I was more embarrassed.

I had my Thanksgiving turkey dinner about a half an hour ago.  A Stouffer's frozen turkey dinner. Not bad.  No cranberry sauce though. I missed that.

I work again tomorrow day shift and the next day. Normally I would go in about 6:30 but my boss said I could go in later.  I have bathroom issues in the morning. It's difficult to use the bathroom at work with guests waiting at the front desk.  I'll probably go in about 8 or so tomorrow.  That's a relief.

Sunday I leave for my annual trip for a week's stay in Philadelphia.  Pat is taking an overnight bus from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to Philly to meet me on Sunday.  I have a personal ride. My usual driver, a neighbor who hates Trump even more than me, has other obligations.  I'll miss riding up with him and back.  He always have a good conversation for the two and a half hour drive to Philly. The man who is taking me up had done it before.  I don't know what his political affiliation is and I'm not asking. He could be one of those brain dead Trump supporters and that would just spoil the whole trip.  Last year another driver picked me up at the airport.  He had his friend with him.  I sat in the back.  All the way back I had to listen to him and his friend spout Hillary Hate.  I never got the Hillary Hate thing.  I was tempted to tell him to pull over to the side of the road and let me out.  

This morning I got up and put on my Apple watch. The band broke.  The EXPENSIVE band broke. This is the second time my Apple watch band has broke.  They replaced the first one after I jumped through several hoops.  I don't think they'll replace this one since I've had it over a year. This is their replacement band. I'll just buy another one when I'm in Philly next week and visit the Apple store and pay the 8% city sales tax!

That's about it now folks. It's 7 pm now here at the hotel.  All continues to be quiet. I have another five hours to go until I get off at 11 pm. Then I can do this all over again. tomorrow during the day. Probably not update my blog like I'm doing now though. No personal computing during the day. I can get away with it at night though.

Hope you're all having a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Quiet Night At The Hotel

Yes, I'm at work now. 

Those familiar with me know that I work two days a week at a local boutique hotel in Lewes, Delaware.  

My normal schedule is Mondays and Thursdays, 3 pm to 11 pm.  Occasionally I am asked to fill in for one of my co-workers due to illness or vacation or some special event they have in their lives. Tonight I was asked to come in because my co-worker's wife's son-in-law was found dead in his home. He wasn't ill.  His death totally unexpected. My co-worker's wife is understandably very upset. He is consoling her. 

All is eerily quiet at the hotel tonight which is unusual because we're totally booked. The hotel is full. And it is doubly unusual because there were two weddings in town today. Hotel wedding guest are notorious for high maintenance. Oh the stories I could tell.  But tonight? They must still be out partying. I only have an hour to go on my shift, hopefully they won't come barging in before I leave. My manager told me before he left he fully expects to get a call from at least one of them locking themselves out of the hotel.  We don't have a swing shifty (11 pm to 7 am) at our hotel.  Just a sign on the door to call an emergency number in case of emergency. That's not my number, it's the manager's number.

When I started in the hotel front desk business twenty years ago (1998, my how time flies), I began as a night auditor.  That's the 11 pm to 7 am shift. Man, I'm here to tell you one never gets used to that shift. You meet a lot of interesting characters during the Vampire Shift but your sleep pattern is thrown all off.  It takes a one good day to get your cicada rhythm back.  I never did get used to it.

My very first job when I got out of the Army in January of 1960 was a night auditor at the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I only had to work two to three hours there.  We (there were six of us) didn't have to work the front desk.  We worked in the basement adding up the five hotel restaurant bills and adding 20% gratuities to them.  Once we settled those columnar sheets we could leave. I got paid a big $250 a month (before taxes) for my efforts. I don't make a whole lot more now but this job pays for my quarterly excursions to Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Canada.  And I get to meet a lot of interesting people on my job.  When I worked at the Pittsburgh Hilton I literally ran into Milton Berle when I got on the elevator while he was getting off. I remember him clearly with his mouth hanging open and a wet cloth on his head keeping his slicked down hair.  He was going downstairs to put on a show. I was headed to the restaurant kitchen to get sandwiches for fellow auditors.  We got free meals.  I was elected to go because I was the New Guy.  I remember those sandwiches with the crust cut off.  Oh la la.  First time I ever had that.

I quit that job after three months. I didn't know anybody in Pittsburgh.  I only moved there because my friend Sal De Rosa lived in nearby Elizabeth, PA.  I knew Sal from my Army days at Fort Meade, Maryland.  He was in the Air Force barracks next to the Army barracks where I held sway as an assistant platoon sergeant.  Those were the butch days.

I made a decision to come out but I didn't want to do it near my home and embarrass my parents.  Remember this was in the Dark Ages just past the Fifties when being gay was illegal and you could end up in jail.  So I came out in Pittsburgh (my first gay bar entry) but I didn't know what to do. More about that whole life changing episode in my life in a another blog entry. I could write a small book on those three months I lived in Pittsburgh, trying to assimilate myself, rather unsuccessfully, into the "gay lifestyle".  
I may have declared I was gay in Pittsburgh but I left Pittsburgh a virgin.  

Now fifty-eight years later here I am on a quiet Saturday night at this very expensive fou fou hotel in Lewes Delaware reminiscing about the legend of my youth. 

The curtains are slowly drawing to a close my friends. My friend Sal of Elizabeth, PA died in 2005.  Most if not all of my good friends from those days are gone. Actually all of them are gone now, I am the only survivor. Me and Bill.  Bob, Ron, Ed and Brad and so many others. All gone.  

It's 10:30 now. Some of the hotel guests are  returning to their rooms now from their dinners and time with friends. In about fifteen minutes I will begin the automated night audit of this small hotel.  I'll leave here around 11:15 and make the four mile journey to my home north on Route One, Coastal Highway.  Once I'm home I'll call Pat on FaceTime to wish him a "goodnight", something I do every night.  Then I'll have a light snack and watch an episode or two of "Judge Judy" to destress myself from the vicissitudes of hotel work tonight. 

And that my friends is how I just killed about forty-five minutes of my shift tonight. 

Have a good night everyone!

Flower Power

Loading up

My regular followers will notice that I've been missing in action around these parts lately.  Yep, my work schedule at the hotel has again been changed.  Yep, I used to work two nights a week, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  We're going on month two now that I'm continuing to fill in for my co-workers.  God knows I love them all but they all have lives too and come to me when they need or want some time off.  Yes, I know we have TWO part-time workers but it always seems to be that the other part-time worker rarely fills in.  It's Good Old Ron as usual.  Same thing happened when I worked at the Hampton Inn in Lionville, Pa.  I had seven co-workers there but it was always Good Old Ron.  You know, the guy who can't say "No."  And yes, I know my co-workers read this blog.  

Yesterday I had a chance to get out and visit my favorite nursery and drop bucks on them.  I do love to keep the local economy going.  They're always happy to see me coming.  

We've had a string of fabulous spring time weather in these parts.  So unusual because usually we get one, two or at the most three days of nice spring weather before "The Humids" set in.  So far so good, just nice spring weather.  

Hopefully I'll get a chance to enjoy the next few days (after I go to work today).  I was hoping for a long stretch until I go to work again but I agreed to work for my co-worker this Sunday, Mother's Day.  How could I say no?  She's a mother.

Coming Back To Life

Folks, I'm almost there!  OMG, did I ever get a good night's sleep last night.  These past three weeks seem like somebody else's life.  

Thursday night I went back to work for the first time in two weeks exactly.  I know because I didn't get a pay.  Yep, I timed my health drama exactly to coincide with my two week pay period. Well, at least that was neat.

So I go to work Thursday night, 3 to 11 pm.  Actually I went in an hour early because my co-worker had to leave early.  I went in at 2 pm and worked until 11 pm.  And wouldn't you know it the hotel had an "event."  This one was a wedding rehearsal dinner  Yep, a WEDDING REHEARSAL DINNER.  These straight folks really make a big deal about weddings don't they? And to think Bill and I took Jack and Judy D., our wedding witnesses to the Bay Leaf restaurant in Milton after we got married in Georgetown on July 3rd. And that was it for us folks.  No big deal with the grandparents and grandkids coming in form all parts of the country for THE BIG WEDDING.  But I digress.

My Wedding Party - yes, this was it - FOUR PEOPLE

So here I am, back at work, a little wobbly and light headed after a two week bout with kidney stones and the aftermath, and I have the wedding guest checking into the hotel.  Just between you and me folks, next to sports teams, the worst guests you want to have if you're working at a hotel are wedding groups.  They are a PAIN IN THE YOU KNOW WHAT.  But I'm digressing again.

The Horde coming into the hotel "Do you have a pool?"

So I get through the night only to have to go to work the next morning at 6:30 am.  Yep, that was a short night.  The daytime front desk clerks helps to set up the breakfast prior to the breakfast hostess coming in around 7 am to complete the set out for breakfast at 8 am.  Well, wouldn't you know it but the new breakfast hostess was delayed and didn't get in until 8:15 am.  Yep, that's right folks.....Ron did the WHOLE breakfast.  Of course  I wasn't surprised when I first unlocked the doors to the hotel at 6:30 am I had a guest waiting for me asking "When's the coffee going to be ready?" I said "Give me ten minutes" and I was off and running.  Oh yes, he was a wedding guest and there is a coffee maker in his room but still....no surprise this was a wedding guest after all.  Their main problem is that they want their hotel rooms and accommodations to be EXACTLY like their home.  Ain't going to happen but they try, the dears.  

Bridezilla

After the hostess came in, I could go back to my regular position looking pretty and helpful behind the front desk (which I do quite well thank you).  

The rest of the day went well but it was a long day.  Monica my relief came at quarter to three, and after updating her on the particulars (we do that at every shift change, hotel stuff), I skeedadeld out of there.  As soon as I got home and removed my hotel garb, I hit the sack for a solid hour and a half nap.

Passing the baton to the next shift

I got up, had a light dinner (no lunch, quite impossible when working a front desk at a hotel, it's an accomplishment that I can even go to the bathroom without someone calling or stopping at the front desk - nothing like pee interruptus to throw off your day).  And yes, I do wash my hands when I'm done (I know some of you were wondering).

After dinner I talked to Bill for a while (he hasn't seen much of me the past two days) and then I decided to go to bed early because I was still tired.  Man was I tired. 

I don't know what I did but I finally got to bed around 8:30 pm and only woke up about five times during the night to take a pee (I still have that stent in me).  When I finally got out of bed this morning at 6:05 am I felt SOOOO GOOD. God, for the first time in WEEKS I felt like a normal 71 year old gay white male (whatever that's supposed to feel like).  Man, so refreshed.  So this is what it's like to be ALIVE!  

So here I am, 10:24 am now, finally updating my blog with rambling thoughts (it's my blog, I can write want I want to - sung to the melody of Lesley Gore's "It's My Party").  

Know what folks?  Laying down felt so good, I'm going to do it again before I go to work this afternoon at 2:30.  And oh yes, the wedding guests are still there. Bring 'em on!  

More Adventures of a Hotel Front Desk Agent

As regular followers of this blog know, I work part-time as a front desk clerk agent at a small, upscale boutique hotel in Lewes, Delaware.  And as I have often said I love my job, my co-workers and where I work.  However, as with any aspect of life there is always the occasional fly in the ointment, so to speak.

Folks, as long as I've been at this job (15 years now, hard to believe these past fifteen years tacked on to a prior 36 year banking career), I always encounter a new challenge.  Always.

Of course there is the always present chance of encountering a Guest From Hell, who, nothing you can do, will please them.  However, I am happy to say that kind of guest is very rare.  Oh yes, they do happen and when they appear in front of me with their nastiness, my professionalism is tested to the max.  But, as I said they are few and far in between, thank God.  I look upon them as a challenge. 

Then something happens like what occurred last night.  As long as I've been at this business I think I've encountered just about any situation and have been able to handle it.  But tonight I was thrown yet another curve ball. Yet another challenge.

So here is what happened: 

I get a call from a man who wants to make a reservation for next week.  The phone connection is bad.  He's probably on his cell phone.  He asks me what rooms are available next Tuesday.  I tell him the availability and give him the rate for the room.  He wants to make the reservation.  So I snap into my routine that I've done thousands of times before.  I asked him his first name.  He says "BUMFUCK."  I begin typing then I realize what he said.  As I began to boil, icily I say "Are you kidding me?"  He said "No.  My first name is Bumfuck."  I . AM . MAD.

Now lets back up so I can put my mindset in context folks.  I have to explain to you why on several levels this made me so angry so very fast.  A few years ago one of my co-worker's husband was using her Facebook account.  He didn't like a video I posted to my Facebook account of two men (brothers) dancing the tango. He posted a rude and offensive and homophobic comment under my co-worker's name.  We got into a big verbal to do.  The situation was finally resolved by me unfriending all of my co-workers from my Facebook account so such a thing wouldn't happen again.

Secondly, someone called me a few weeks ago at work and said "How's that burning ass?" and hung up.  I have NO IDEA who called but I didn't appreciate the humor. I think the "burning ass" comment was in reference to one of my uncomfortable side effects from my brachytherapy surgery for my prostate cancer.

Thirdly, as you regular followers know, my longtime partner Bill and I got married on July 3rd, our 49th anniversary. Our wedding was on the news and the local newspapers.  I was very pleased that I hadn't received one negative reaction to our marriage.  However, when I received the anonymous hang up phone call I assumed the worst.

Now back to our regular programming, I get "Mr. Bumfuck" making a reservation tonight. 

I asked him his last name.  There was a pause and he said "Wait a minute! What did you just say to me?"  I said "I asked if you were kidding with that first name?"  Very angrily he said "Did you just make a racist comment to me?"  I said "I asked you your first name and you said Bumfuck."  He said "No!  My first name is Bumsuk!"  OMG! 

As I extracated my size 12 foot from my mouth, I quickly apologized to him.  I told him I thought he said a "different word that I didn't want to repeat to him."  His anger subsided as quickly as it rose just a few seconds prior.  I apologized to him again and completed the rest of his reservation. 

By the way, his last name was Korean (which I won't repeat out of respect for his privacy) but I guess "Bumsuck" is probably a very common name in Korea.  How would I know?  Probably "George" in Korean.

So folks, seems like Ron was a bit paranoid tonight.  What do you think?  Can you blame me?

I thought for sure that I was being punked tonight.  Either by a homophobe or one of those idiots who work for the Howard Stern radio show.  I'm one of those people doesn't get the humor in these radio shows making obsence calls to people trying to make a living. 

So it was a legit call and I have another hotel antecdote to add for book "More Adventures of a Hotel Front Deck Agent."  And the beat goes on.

Paying the Bills On a Rainy Friday Morning and Other Thoughts

Me paying the bills this morning via computer

Bill and I complement each other almost perfectly.  Bill is very mechanical. He can fix a broken toilet, like he just did here yesterday.  

Me?  I wouldn't know where to start.  Bill built all the additions to our house in Pennsylvania.  Me? Are you kidding?  I can hang a picture.  Beyond that, I'm not taking a chance on breaking any of my fingernails.

Now, when it comes to running the business called "Casa Tipton-Kelly, AKA our household.  That would be me.

When I first met Bill he didn't even have a checking account.  He paid what few bills he had with money orders.  Me?  I worked for a bank.  Well, I guess you can deduce that I changed those dynamics of paying bills.  That was in February of 1965 when I moved in with Bill at his garden apartment in Pennsauken, New Jersey.

Bill at his Pennsauken, NJ apartment 1964

Ever since those halcyon days of our setting up house together I have been and still am the Office Manager of this empire, which is Casa Tipton-Kelly as we often tongue in cheek call our household.  

Back in the day I didn't think too much of paying the bills, making the phone calls, making the arrangements, etc and et al.  These days?  Maybe it's me but managing the day to day operations of Casa Tipton-Kelly seem to me more onerous and annoying these days in our fairy dust sprinkled past 49 years of cohabitation.  

I just finished paying bills again this morning.  Most of my bill paying takes place via the Internet.  I try to automat bill paying as much as possible.  Of course there are always a few straggler companies, like there are people who resist modernity and insist "I don't need the Internet!"  Then there are the Amish who claim they don't need modern conveniences like automobiles but hire others to drive them to funerals and such where there isn't parking for horse drawn buggies.

Paying bills by money order

Of course there is a downside to traveling by horse drawn buggy on a highway.

Sometimes sticking to old ways doesn't always work out

So I'm on board with the Digital Age and paying my bills by computer.  By the way, what happened to the myth of "less paper."  I have more paper than ever since I pay by Internet but I digress.

So here I am on this rainy Friday morning, making good use of my house induced time and catching up on paying my bills.  NOT one of my favorite activities.  I tried to lessen the boredom by having the TV on as background wallpaper.  My "wallpaper" this morning is the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin defense lawyer closing arguments.

My "wallpaper" isn't working because I'm becoming more and more irritated listening to Mr. O'Mara's ridiculous argument that George Zimmerman was some poor schlub who was attacked by that hoodie covered bully Trayvon Martin while he was looking for a street sign and only shot Trayvon because he was "protecting himself"  when Trayvon attacked him and was trying to beat his brains out on the cement pavement.  Oh please.  But I'm getting off the subject.

I finished paying the bills.  There will be more bills tomorrow.  Never a lack of bills and pleas for money from various charities.  Now my path is clear for the rest of the day to update my blog (as I am doing now), read some of my favorite bloggers and respond in kind.  

From my very short stint at the Marriott Hotel, Lionville, PA

I am so glad I am not working this weekend.  Last night at the hotel was very, very busy.  At one time I had three phones going, guests waiting to checkin, and other guests waiting with QUESTIONS (guests always have QUESTIONS for the front desk guy or gal).  I was way behind on my laundry, dishwasher and setting out the breakfast.  Anybody who thinks I'm just another pretty face sitting behind the front desk of an upscale boutique hotel in Lewes has another think coming.  

Rain is forecast for all weekend.  I am SO GLAD I don't have to explain to guests why we dared to have rain this weekend.  I even had one guest last night ask me if the hotel could provide a pass to a local pool for her kids if they couldn't go to the beach because of the rain.  Uh......NO.  Hey Mom, you're going to have to deal with those little darlings of yours on your own.  S.O.R.R.Y.

What I Do For A Living

Mrs. Lindermann, "The Paper Lady"  collecting my paper boy take for the week with my Mom and brother Isaac looking on

In 1951, when I was ten years old and in third grade my Mother decided that I was going to get a job.  She didn't ask me, she TOLD me.  She said to me (as her oldest son, i.e. #1 Son) "No son of mine is going to NOT have a job."  Of course at that time I wasn't too thrilled about getting a job but you know what?  That was the best thing she could of done for my developing sense of responsibility. She arranged for me to have a paper boy job and I've been working ever since.  

The only picture I have of me on my Paper Boy Bike - I delivered papers for six years and only have ONE picture

Over the years I have had many jobs (in chronological order):

• Paper boy
• Office cleaner
• Mowed lawns
• Worked in a butcher shop
• Dishwasher
• Shoe store salesman
• Menswear salesman
• Soldier
• Hotel night auditor
• Accounts payable clerk in a steel yard
• Bank remittance clerk
• Bank trust operations manager
• Gardner
• Bank operations consultant
• Hotel front desk agent
• Hotel sales agent

Me (on the left) with friends Bill Allen and Dick Egan at Ft. Devens, ASA training school Massachusetts - another one of my favorite jobs!

And now I work part-time as a hotel front desk agent again.  I will work at this job as long as I am physically able to work.  I LOVE my job.  Does it have it's "moments?"  Of course, what job doesn't?  But I love going into work, working with a great group of people, and meeting new people as guests of the hotel.  Every day is different.  Perhaps the greatest satisfaction I get from my job is seeing the smile on the faces of guests who have enjoyed their stay at our hotel.  Even better when a guest tells me that they enjoyed their stay.  And after all folks, isn't that what life is all about?  Having a pleasant time?

How can anyone not have a pleasant time seeing this "pleasant" face at check in?  I ask you now.

We have so much drama, turmoil and friction in this world.  My greatest sense of satisfaction is making a difference in someone's life, even if it is a small "thing" like making their stay at our hotel a pleasant and memorable experience. 

 

And that's what I do folks and why I like my job.  Perhaps the best job I've ever had since being a paper boy.  While I would never make a lot of money at either job, I derive my riches from a different souce....satisfaction of a job well done.

Taking a reservation - serious business 

Sandy - The Day After

I woke up this morning - EXHAUSTED.  I couldn't figure out why because I wasn't physically working yesterday.  Then I figured it out, after undergoing almost 24 straight hours of wind and rain pounding against our house and the worry about the power going out (which it didn't, thank God), the stress was just a bit much for this old codger.  Of course Bill is an old worry wart hen so that didn't help either.  He found three places where water was coming into the house from the sideways rain and heavy winds whipping around our little development.

I got a call this morning from my co-worker at the hotel.  She asked if I was coming in.  I asked "Is the hotel open?" She said "Yes, they're putting it back together now." My other co-worker Robert, who sacrificed his days off to stay at the empty hotel, had told me that all the furniture and everything else was removed from the first floor.  Hotel lobby exposed!  Well, time for a deep cleaning, wouldn't you say?

Bill wanted to take a "day after hurricane tour" this morning.  I really didn't want to go but he wanted to make sure I could get to work.  The way I go to work I have to cross over a little canal called Canary Creek on New Road.  That little baby frequently floods and closes New Road.  We took a drive down there and noticed that the road to our development was closed!  Apparently our entrance road was flooded yesterday.  We didn't know because we didn't go out.

The video at the beginning of this blog is one that I took of our "tour" this morning.  We also drove to Milton and as expected, downtown Milton is still a lake.  The Broadkill River almost always floods when there is a nor'easter or hurricane and this storm was no exception.  I would have taken pictures but the police and fire engines were down there with lights a flashing and I didn't want to take a chance of encountering an overzealous first responder.

Overall the damage isn't too bad around here.  We definitely did dodge a bullet.  What was even more surprising was that we didn't lose power at all.  We even had satellite reception which surprises me because usually when there is just a little rainfall we lose reception.  We did lose power for about two hours on Sunday night, before the storm even started.  We were very lucky not to lose power.  Thank you Jesus.  I'm not religious but when I dodge a bullet I automatically default to spouting religious phrases.

So we dodged this disaster.  Now my worry is that Romney might actually be elected president next Tuesday.  Now THAT really would be a disaster.  Especially since he's on record for privatizing FEMA and turning over all that responsibility to the states.  Can you imagine where we would be now if you had to PAY someone to come in and rescue you?  One thing you can be sure of, Romney would have shares in that company.

"Déjà Vu All Over Again"

Yep, that's me in the path of Hurricane Sandy.  I live in the middle of the Delmarva peninsula.

We're still here.  Our house is still intact.  Still have power.  So far anyway.  One can only hope.

I called into work a while ago.  My co-worker Robert told me that everything is cleared off of the first floor, including the lobby.  Deep cleaning time!  He's staying there overnight with his cat...on the second floor.  Our hotel is located right next to the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and about a half a mile from Rehoboth Bay.  Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall tomorrow night just at high tide.  Lovely, just lovely.  I can see all those canal jelly fish floating around the hotel lobby now.

I was scheduled to work tomorrow evening but I decided not to go in, with not a "little help" from Bill.  Bill goes bonkers every time one of these "storms of the century" rolls around, which seems like every year.  Didn't we just go through this last year?  And the year before?

As a matter of fact I won my all expense paid, four day, trip for two to Disneyword in 1999 because I risked life and limb to go to my job at the Hampton Inn in Lionville PA.  I really did risk life and limb.  I tried several different routes to the Hampton Inn only to find five of them flooded.  Finally I wound my way up through a heavily wooded housing development to Rt. 113, past several downed power lines that were dancing sparks on the highway!  At one point I was even racing my car ahead of flood waters that I saw rapidly approaching the bypass I was trying to make an escape.  Thank goodness the Hampton Inn was on high ground.

As soon as I got to the hotel the power went out.  The hotel lobby was full of panicked travelers who detoured off of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  My co-workers didn't know what to do when the power went out.  "How do we check in the guests?" Without hesitation I said "By paper.  Just write their name and credit card numbers on the form and we'll update it when the power comes back on." Now mind you, my co-workers were in their late teens and early twenties.  I was fifty-nine years old.  I remembered the old fashioned way to check in hotel guests.  We got everyone checked in and even had guests sleeping in the lobby because all the rooms were full.  No doubling up on the rooms either.

Imagine my surprise four months later when I received an award for "Best Guest Service Representative".  The president of the Hampton Inn called me personally to congratulate me.  I told him "I was only doing my job" which is what I thought I was doing.  Still, I was glad to win the award because I WAS GOING TO DISNEYWORLD for the first time in my life!

Me and "The Mouse" (Mickey is on the right)

I won't be going into work this time.  Robert is taking care of the guests (of which there are none in the hotel as I write this).  Hey, maybe the owner of the hotel will send Robert to Disneyworld for his over and above dedication to his job.  Thanks Robert!

Guess Who Is Peeking At My Blog?

My co-workers.  Yep, my co-workers read my blog.  "Hi co-workers!"

Now I'm racking my brain to find out if I remember saying anything hurtful or disrespectful about my co-workers.  I don't think I have but if I have...oh well.  One might say I've invited a peek and they looked.

I guess I knew all along some of my co-workers would read by blog since I've blabbed enough about it at work.  I guess I thought no one would be interested and wouldn't bother reading my dribble.  Well, I guess I was wrong.

So here is what I'm going to do folks.  I'm going to follow the "Aunt Barbara Rule."  


You say you don't know what the "Aunt Barbara Rule" is?  One of my faithful blog readers knows what that rule is.  It is his Aunt Barbara and he follows the rule himself.  Here is the rule:

Never write about anything in your blog that will embarrass or offend Aunt Barbara.

Simple rule right?  Well, I guess I should have been following the "Aunt Barbara Rule" all along but as regular readers of my blog know, occasionally I do go off the rails.  That is, I rail about somethings that invariable offends someone, and maybe that was my intention.  What I do know is that I have lost more than a few friends and some blog followers who didn't like what I had to say or thought I was talking about them (which I probably was).

I rarely write about where I work and the kind of work I do but I do like what I do and where I work.  I like my co-workers and I even like my boss (smile) and even the owner (how about that?)  I am very fortunate to work at a classy place with classy people in a beautiful town.  This was my goal my whole life, to end my days with a nice job working with nice people "near the water."  That I am doing folks and I love it!

So be on notice folks I probably won't be writing about my favorite porn DVD's, my past salacious history, and how much I make at work.  Nope, won't be happening folks.

Having said that I will still endeavor to make this blog one of the most sought after, interesting and provocative blogs in the blogosphere.  Well, well.  I would say I have my work cut out for me, wouldn't you?  Oh I do love a challenge.

"Thank You"

Sometimes a simple, sincere "Thank you" is the best part about working. 

As regular readers of this blog know I work parttime, two night a week at a small hotel in downtown Lewes, Delaware.  In my previous life, I worked as a trust operations manager at a major Philadelphia bank.  Since retiring ten years ago I began working parttime as a hotel front desk clerk. 

Those of you who work with the public know that it can sometimes be frustrating.  Sometimes I wonder "Why am I doing this?"  Yet there are other times like this evening when I knew exactly why I am working in the customer service/hospitality business.  It is because my nature is to serve and please. 

The way a stand up comedian get reinforcement by the laughter from his audience from a joke he tells or an actor receives applause, I get my reinforcement from a guest who looks me in the eye and says "Thank you very much Ron."  Why it's almost as nice as a raise.  ("Almost", I said.  I'll still take the raise.)

This afternoon when I came in on my shift at 3 p.m. I got a call from room 304.  The guest told me she didn't have any glasses in her room.  I apologized for the oversight and told her I would take two glasses to her room right away.  She also asked if she could have "some milk or half and half" for her coffee.  I told her I would also take that up to her.

A few minutes later I knocked on her door.  After what seemed like an interminable length of time, she opened the door.  I handed the tray to her with the two glasses and the covered stryofoam cup of half and half.  I told her it was "half and half."  She said "Whatever."  Uh oh.

When I returned to the front desk I asked my co-worker "Is there a problem with 304?" (we usually refer to our guests by their room number - hotel talk).  He said "She's not happy with her room."  I said "What's the matter with her room?"  He said "She doesn't like the view, she wants a clearer view of the water." Note:  Our hotel is located next to the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and not all rooms have an unobsturcted view of the water/canal.

These guests were staying four nights and we are full this weekend (The Lewes Car Show) so I couldn't offer them another room.

Later on, as I was passing through the lobby, I saw the couple sitting in the lobby reading newspapers.  I asked them if they had dinner and how was it.  The lady put down her newspaper, slowly looked up at me and said "It was fine and thank  you very much for asking."  She seemed somewhat surprised that I even asked her.

I went back to my front desk and noticed that a room with a better view was available the next three days.   I offered the room to her (at no increase in cost, the room is more expensive because it is on the top floor with the best views and a king sized bed).  She looked at me again and for the first time I saw a smile come to her face like the morning rising sun.  She said "What is your name?"  I told her "Ron."  She said "You know Ron, you're the first person since we've checked in here that has shown an interest in our situation.  You're the first person who cares. I thank you for that."

I was a bit taken aback by the unexpected compliment and momentarily at a loss for words.  After all, this is my job to take care of our guests and to make sure they have a pleasant experience during their stay at our hotel. 

I thanked her.  I told her that I operate on the theory that I treat the hotel guests the way I would like to be treated when I am a hotel guest.  To me this is a no brainer.  She said "You are the exception.  Most people in the customer service world don't seem to care."  I told her that I've experienced the same thing. I also told her that when I did receive good customer service, it was a rarity instead of the rule. 

She was reluctant to move to a differnt room because they were already settled into their room.  I offered to have one of our staff move their things to the new room with the better view.  Her eyes perked up at my suggestiong.  She said she would get back to me after she asked her husband. 

A few minutes later she called down to the front desk and said "Yes, we will move."  I said "Good! I'll take care of everything." 

About fifteen minutes later I heard the elevator bell ring as it opened it doors on the first floor.  The same guest I was just talking too exited the elevator with a smile on her face.  She said "I just happened to look out our window and saw that my car light were on.  I'm glad I looked out.  There is a God!" 

She turned off her car lights and came back in the door by the front desk.  She looked at me, again with that same smile on her face and said "Thank you for everything Ron and have a good night." 

And that folks is why I work.

Another Marathon

Yep!  That's me, 3rd from the left in the back - the tallest dude - 1958 DHS track team
My two buddies Blaine and Lee are on both sides of me

Some people run the twenty-six mile marathon.  I have my own "marathon."  It's working any schedule that is other than my usual two days a week at the hotel.  I'm working one of those "marathon's" now.  This week I worked my usual 3 pm to 11 pm shift on Wednesday and Thursday night. Then I worked yesterday (Friday) from 7 am to 3 pm.  Yes folks, that's a short night of sleep for moi.  Now I'm working tonight (Satuday) 3 pm to 11 pm and tomorrow (Sunday) from 3 pm to 11 pm.

Last night I was talking to an old friend and former co-worker on during my banking days in Philadelphia.  He had called me to tell me that a good friend of his was just diagnosed with stage four colon cancer.  His friend is only 53 years old.  He already has his death sentenence.  My friend (who is also 53) and I were talking about those Bad Old Days when we slaved away at a major bank in Philadelphia.  It seemed like all my life consisted of those days were commuting to and from my bank operations job in Philadelphia and working even harder as my bosses kept reducing staff to save money (and provide bigger bonuses for themselves for their "efficiencies.") 

My friend is now retired, having made a bundle of money a few years ago from his hard work and some wise investments.  He told me he thoroughly enjoys his retirement but at times does get bored.  And that folks is one reason I continue to work.  I think if I ever completely gave up the Work Situation, I would get bored and probably develop a terminal disease.  While I don't want to be a Slave to the System and work full-time, I find my life is nicely balanced by workng part-time.

Then there are times like this marathon run I'm doing this week.  I'm filling in for my co-worker Robert who is in Orlando, Florida (yes, Mickey Land Disney World) to attend his brother's wedding.  Unlike his predecessor who always asking me to fill in for her everytime her daughter got the sniffles, Robert rarely asks me to fill in for him so I was more than glad to accomodate him. The only thing is.....I'm working FIVE DAYS STRAIGHT and this is wrecking havoc with my sleeping schedule (Nap Time is totally screwed up) and my digestive system (constipation).  Of course my regular blog posts also suffer as well as keeping up with the posts of my favorite blog buddies.

I'm at the point in my life where I want a routine and predictable schedule.  When I have disruptions like this week I tend to get f*ck*d up discombulated.  Things like this didn't bother me when I was a young chap.  I seem to take things more in stride back In The Day.  These days I need a predictable routine.

So here is what is on the agenda after today.  I have a DirecTV technician coming in tomorrow to install my free upgrade HD-DVR (only $49.00 installation cost.  This "free" is like the "free" credit report that you pays to see your credit score - only the credit report is free.)  But be that as it may, this new HD-DVR will fit in nicely in my office with the new Samsung 32 inch flat screen TV that I just purchased this morning from BJ's. 
As I told my friend Tom, whose friend got the Death Sentence Notice this week.  I try to make every day count.  I try not to put off until tomorrow what I can do today.  So I made good use of the extra money I will make this week by running this marathon.

Thank you Robert for providing the opportunity for the extra hours.  I'm making my time count.

DHS Senior High Track Team 1958

Hotel Work

As my regular followers know this former bank trust operations officer (thirty seven year career in THAT business, thank you) now works part-time (two days a week 3 to 11 pm every Wednesday and Thursday night) at a small boutique hotel in the beautiful, quaint, rustic, laid-back, town of Lewes, Delaware on the eastern short of the Delmarva peninsula.  That's right folks, I am in the Service Industry.  Long gone are my days of reconciling daily bank trust operations and riding herd over a bunch of clerks.  Now I am the guy behind the front desk of that expensive hotel who checks you in and provides the BEST SERVICE you ever got on this side of the Mississippi!


Every now and than I am asked to go above and beyond the Call of Duty.  This week was just such an occasion.  My fellow front desk clerk, Robert, who works full-time, asked me if I could "take his days" while he jetted off to Orlando, Florida to attend his brother's wedding (second one at that).  I said "Sure!" I am about the best co-worker that you'll ever work with regardless how some others may hate me (and I do have a Hate Following, believe me - something I haven't been quite able to figure out).  


So I work my usual hours Wednesday and Thursday night from 3 pm to 11 pm.  Now here comes the hard part.  I had to show up this morning by 7 (after getting off last night at 11) open up the hotel and set up the breakfast.  Said breakfast is featured in the short video at the top of this blog.  Bragging on myself again (and risking increasing my enemy list - I actually think they're jealous of me) I do set out one damn good breakfast.  


Of course this schedule totally screws up my digestive system (think constipation - sorry, nothing but the facts here ma'am), and my sleep schedule (no NAP today).  I just know as soon as I sit down in that big easy chair in my bedroom and flip on a "Judge Judy" episode I've recorded earlier, I'll be off to Dreamland, mouth agape (it isn't pretty folks when I zonk out while watching television).


This disruption in my schedule of course also plays havoc with my regular blog posting not to mention keeping up with my favorite fellow bloggers.  


So bear with me folks while I get though this temporary, high intensity work schedule.  No need for alarm. I'll be back soon with my usual catty witty comments on fellow blogger's posts, and my daily blogs enlightening you all to the Meaning of Life.


I'm still here folks!