The Reason For The Season

Merry Christmas Everyone!! Wishing you and yours a happy Holiday.

UGGGG JUST SHUT UP

I generally don't have enough going on to do more than one post a day but I am pretty furious right now. There are days at work that are just lovely either because of good times with the co-workers or because of relatively easy guests. Well today was NOT one of those days.

I was having a peaceful day, it was really slow and I was catching up on my favorite blogs, enjoying peace and quiet for a change. Until the biggest A-hole decided that he had days to ruin, and not much day left to do it in. He called wanting to make a reservation, and like so many other entitled bastards, believed he shouldn't have to talk to our reservations department. Now let me explain something here, because it seems to be a constant source of confusion and contention with people calling into hotels to get reservations.

If I could make reservations or more specifically if I had the time to make reservations and if making reservations happened to be apart of my job description, why oh why would there be an entirely different department called reservations? Why would any company pay more salaries than necessary if they only needed one department to do a job? I am not in reservations, and I don't make them. It's not that I can't, it's simply not my job and surprise, surprise, I usually have other things I have to get done, things that I actually get paid to do.

But, I digress, this guy whom I'll call Spot (rhymes with and sounds like) decided that he was too freaking important, so I should drop everything and take care of his needs. After I stopped the internal laughter, I transferred him to our in-house reservations department (see: the department set up to deal with self deluded, entitled cry babies that think the sun rises and sets on their asses). Shortly after, I got a call from the head of this department, a really delightful lady, who called to ask if we had certain accommodations, because Spot told her we did. She was really confused, she's been to this property, she knows the amenities, and knows how everything is laid out and wanted to know if there had been changes since the last time she visited. While I assured her that Spot was an idiot and had us confused with someone else he hung up on her. We both shrugged if off as just another misinformed, sanctimonious fool.

That was until he called me back, and launched into a tirade about how I wasted his time, and that I transferred him to someone who clearly didn't know anything about the property. I admit, I'm a feisty one and I am usually up for a good fight, especially when you're a jerk and I'm right. However in this case I just wanted this idiot to SHUT THE HECK UP.

It was almost comical as he went on and on, not realizing that he had us mixed up with another property, and I didn't care to correct him. Then he made the ubiquitous threat that is meant to make us "small peons" tremble in our boots. He demanded to know my name, and to speak to my manager, again I tried to suppress the laughter tightly wound around my increasing rage.

First off, that is the oldest trick in the book, and the only response it elicits from me is annoyed humor. I'm not afraid of your stupid threats, I'll provide the email address and number to our CEO or whoever else you want to talk to. Think about it my managers know me, they don't know you, and most of my managers are long time friends. You matter to them only because they are going to have to waste time waxing BS trying to make you feel better about yourself. Trust Me, the only thing they feel about your bitching is intense annoyance.

The next time you pick a fight with someone Spot make sure you're right, and save the petty threats and bullying for the school yard.

We're Not Alone

OK so if you have ever wondered if guys fall into the same dating traps we do, then read this it'll provide a ridiculously satisfying answer. Thanks SO It feels so freaking good to know I'm not the only one.

http://startingoverat24.blogspot.com/2008/08/masochism-at-its-worst-falling-for.html

It's the little things

O.K. folks this one has been coming for a looooong time there are just certain things that annoy the heck outta me every freaking day behind the front desk. 1st when you check into the hotel, and I greet you with a "Hi how are you", you respond either by telling me your last name, or tossing a credit card at me (more on that in a minute). I believe the correct response to "Hi how are you" is "I'm good" or "I'm tired" or something that describes an emotion or conveys your mood, not your name. Don't be rude, respond appropriately.

Secondly tossing your credit card at me. This happens all day everyday, and while it seems to be the disease of men, I have female wrist flickers as well.

Does it make you feel important to slide the card across the table, as if you're just too cool to hand it to me? I can see the look on your face of practiced nonchalance as if you're a professional jet setter and common courtesy is just soooo beyond you. I particularly enjoy when you pretend you don't hear me say I need to see your Picture I.D., and on occasion feign injury as if I've just accused you of murder.

In this day and age with identity theft rampant, I find it comical that you are insulted by my request. I've even had a couple of you go as far as saying that you will take your business elsewhere. Really people, really? I'll call you a freaking cab because you're an idiot.

If your card was stolen and used at our hotel you'd be outraged that we allowed some random to check in without looking at an I.D. Get over yourself!!!. I've requested I.D. from celebrities before, and they don't complain, trust me you're not that important.

Then there is the issue of valet, now this is a double edged sword of contention. The first part is that you think it's ludicrous that you have to pay for Valet, and that you have to pay quite a bit for it. I admit it kinda sucks, but then so does taxes. No matter how much you pay for your room, it's not included. No amount of bitching is going to rectify that, so shut up and pay for it or park off property and walk. Those are your options, deal with it.

The second thing is coming to the front desk and asking me for your car. Now if you call from your room and ask for it, that's entirely different, but if you come down to the lobby.....why do you come to the front desk to ask for your car, particularly when the valet person is standing right behind you. I didn't park it, I don't know where it is, and I can't get it for you. There isn't a parking lot in the office behind me so stop being lazy and give the ticket to the person who can help you.

At the end of the day, don't underestimate courtesy, these tiny things can be the difference between my going beyond the call of duty for you, or my complete lack of indifference, ( i.e. the reason it takes 4 hours for you to get a toothbrush before your morning meeting). Sure you'll still get service, but that's what I'm paid to do. You have no idea how much better your stay could be and how many niceties that aren't offered to you regularly that might become available if you exercise a little courtesy.

In 5,4,3,2,1 Read

This semester has flown by, and it was a long, hard haul. Learning how to shoot and edit video properly, endless work hours, and doing endless homework. I bitched and whined, slept too little, gained a pound or two, got sick, well I'm still sick; and gave up any semblance of a social life, oh yes and I whined some more. But at the end of the day, it was all worth it, after busting my butt all semester to learn how to put together a show, an actual news program; in a control room of my peers we aired a news program on the economy. We all worked disgustingly hard on and it, and I had the pleasure of producing. It was the most intense half hour of my life; but when it was all said and done, and we closed the show I was floating on cloud 9. I never in all my wildest dreams imagined that anything would feel so right, that I would actually feel this accomplished . All the mornings I cursed having to be awake at 5:00 a.m. to learn the positions in the control room, and write stories before my brain even started to function, all the interviews I chased down, all hours spent editing, rolling cable, manning camera's, learning to produce, all the tears I shed when I failed on the road. ALL OF IT, SO WORTH IT. I have spontaneously burst into tears on more than one occasion over the past few days. It could be the stress, or it could be that for the first time ever, I know exactly what I was meant to do.

My Heart Lies

There is something about women that makes us vunerable to men who are wounded. You know that guy that you know is bad for you but, the moment he gives you the slightest amount of attention makes you weak kneed and stupid. The kind that even when, for all intents and purposes, you are completely over them can somehow worm their way back into your heart, and mind and put you in a place that you pity other women for being in.

Well I'm there right now, at least I'm teetering on the edge. I want more than anything for this person to be successful, to be happy, to become everything wonderful I know they could be if only they would order up some humility, with a side of honesty..hold the BS of course. And in that desire, and that need, I am pulled in. I already walked down this road with this person, but my head was so far in clouds dreaming of the possibilities that I completely forgot that wounded means he has issues, tons and tons of issues. Issues that phyco-analyze as I might I could not even begin to understand or deal with.

I can sometimes be idealistic enough to believe that love can conquer all, not that what we had was love, but I like most people, hoped that any relationship would lead to that sort of transformative love that moves mountains and changes you forever. Then reality hit when one of his issues caused him to do something pretty unforgivable, and another kept him from realizing what a jerk he had been. Fast forward a couple months, I think I've been broken enough and remade enough to handle his re-entry into my life, we talked, there were apologies, nostalgia and hope. Now, I'm moving from love concurring all, to Sainthood, I just know he can still be helped.

I'm different, and more connected with my sense of purpose in this world, and committed to growing as a person which eliminates having romantic feelings for this person. But the longing to see him succeed, and be a better person stands. I was too busy being Mother Teresa to remember that as a woman with an inclination toward savior behavior, and past feelings for this person; that I am just a woman, vulnerable, and still optimistic about love and all that it means when the right one comes along. Thankfully God didn't forget, and he gave me a big whopping kicker of a reminder today; there is someone else.

Whoa I did not expect the flutters of disappointment, not when just yesterday I was congratulating myself on how far I'd come, and how glad I was not to have feelings for him any more; partially because we are forming a tentative friendship, that is far more rewarding. Foiled again, oh how my heart lies, I'm glad I know that I was disillusioned, and that I really am on the edge of a cliff. I can now take a deep breath, and walk away from the edge. I still think there is something I can do to be a better example, than what he has around him, and I still hope we're building a positive relationship. But instead of believing love can conquer all, I believe if I keep my eyes fixed on God and less on his hurt being healed by something I do or don't do; I think this new friendship might just end up healing us both.