Luckily I didn't need a bail bondsman today -- stayed out of trouble. One more day of work and then it's back to NYC. Beautiful weather today and more of the same forecast for tomorrow.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Friday Night
Long day -- first the regular workday, followed by a dinner party. But I started off prepared for whatever happened to me. Started my day with coffee a colleague brought me with this ad on the coffee sleave:
Thursday, May 17, 2012
104 or 103?
I had it in my head that I am in room #104. When I picked up my electronic key this morning to put it back in the little paper holder to put in my purse, I noticed the room number handwritten on the folder was 103. That's strange I thought -- coulda sworn I was in 104.
When I left the room, sure enough I was in 104, but the paper said 103. But the key obviously worked. I went to the front desk with the same schmo who was there yesterday and told him my situation. He apologized, reset the key and that was it. Glad I didn't have some other guest coming in last night. That would have been a surprise for both of us.
Beautiful day in Ohio with this weather to continue.
When I left the room, sure enough I was in 104, but the paper said 103. But the key obviously worked. I went to the front desk with the same schmo who was there yesterday and told him my situation. He apologized, reset the key and that was it. Glad I didn't have some other guest coming in last night. That would have been a surprise for both of us.
Beautiful day in Ohio with this weather to continue.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Arrived in Ohio
This is a tale of two greetings. Often when I'm asked to fill out a guest satisfaction form and must rate the greeting from 1 to 10, I have difficulty giving anything higher than an 8. I'm greeted, I'm checked in efficiently and I'm on my way.
But yesterday when I checked in to the Comfort Inn, I got a greeting that rated a 10. She made pleasant conversation, asked about my trip, the weather, told me her name, asked me if I needed help with my luggage, told me she was going off duty in an hour but told me the name of the person replacing her. All of this without sounding ridiculous -- I felt that she genuinely enjoyed catering to guests.
When I checked in here, also a Comfort Inn, I got this grunting unpleasant young man who made me feel as if I were bothering him. I told him I had a reservation and he sighed like "Sure you do" and looked at the computer screen as if he were anxious to prove me wrong. I told him my preference for the area of the hotel I wanted to be in, and he was clearly not interested -- like he wouldn't even discuss it. In the meantime I had handed him my American Express card, he didn't say anything, but later when it was time to swipe the card he said dully, "Is this the credit card you want to use?"
No, I'm just handing you random things out of my wallet.
He finally writes my room number on the little folder and I ask him directly, "Is this room down this hall?" and indicated with my hand. He says yes. So I get in my car and park in the place convenient for that hall. But of course, it wasn't in that hall at all. I was tempted to go back to him, but thought it would just annoy me.
So here I am until Saturday with a nice room, but the world's worst hotel room view. In case you can't tell, that's a stucco wall with old boards on the ground.
But yesterday when I checked in to the Comfort Inn, I got a greeting that rated a 10. She made pleasant conversation, asked about my trip, the weather, told me her name, asked me if I needed help with my luggage, told me she was going off duty in an hour but told me the name of the person replacing her. All of this without sounding ridiculous -- I felt that she genuinely enjoyed catering to guests.
When I checked in here, also a Comfort Inn, I got this grunting unpleasant young man who made me feel as if I were bothering him. I told him I had a reservation and he sighed like "Sure you do" and looked at the computer screen as if he were anxious to prove me wrong. I told him my preference for the area of the hotel I wanted to be in, and he was clearly not interested -- like he wouldn't even discuss it. In the meantime I had handed him my American Express card, he didn't say anything, but later when it was time to swipe the card he said dully, "Is this the credit card you want to use?"
No, I'm just handing you random things out of my wallet.
He finally writes my room number on the little folder and I ask him directly, "Is this room down this hall?" and indicated with my hand. He says yes. So I get in my car and park in the place convenient for that hall. But of course, it wasn't in that hall at all. I was tempted to go back to him, but thought it would just annoy me.
So here I am until Saturday with a nice room, but the world's worst hotel room view. In case you can't tell, that's a stucco wall with old boards on the ground.
Typical drive here -- nice weather, lots of sun, no rain, lots of roadkill, lots of cops, a few hitchhikers which I hadnt seen in a while.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Mary's Pre-Hostess Flowers
Mary is having a whole family as houseguests this summer, and she writes, Jorge, the guy from Uruguay who now lives in Spain with his wife and three kids, sent me these flowers for my birthday and as thanks for me inviting them to stay with me when they come to DC. I love the florist they sent them from and I think they are so pretty.
First Stop: Clarion, PA
The torrential rain was supposed to arrive in NYC between 9 and 10 this morning, and I was supposed to pick up the rental car at 10. I woke up at 6 and couldn't get back to sleep, so I got up at 6:30 and went early to the rental car place, arriving via cab at 7:30. I knew there may be a problem arriving early since I'd seen it happen to other people. They told me I couldn't get my car until 9:30, but I could pay more for a "premium" car -- I believe she really worked on my behalf to get the number down -- she claimed she did it by "overwriting the system" whatever that means and so I decided to pay $126 more than wait two hours. It was sprinkling by that time. I remember being genuinely grateful that I could afford to pay this extra money because I know many people couldn't.
I thought I might have escaped the rain, just drizzles and misting
I thought I might have escaped the rain, just drizzles and misting
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| Leaving Manhattan while it's beginning to rain. |
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| Driving through the sometimes heavy rain
One setting I missed on my new camera was the size setting so these photos were set on the maximum size so they are taking way too long to upload -- let's say endless. So I'll quit for now. The sun eventually came out and all is well. Onward to Ohio.
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Sunday, May 13, 2012
Five Thoughts
1. For most of my adult life, I always had a "good" purse -- that meant quality leather, fairly expensive. For the past years, I have become out of touch with purse prices and still can't imagine normal women like us spending $300 and $400 on a purse -- and buying multiple purses in that price range. I think the most I ever spent on a purse was $100-$120 marked down for less. I complimented a client's wife once on her purse during a lunch and another wife blurted out that the purse cost $1200. Really? How rich would I have to be to spend that much on a purse?
2. Another procrastination item crossed out. Despite buying a new digital camera... uh two months ago...I have now downloaded the drivers I need from the Internet. It came with a disc, and this computer doesn't have a disc player. My procrastination centers on this self-defeating thought that Panasonic won't have the download, or it won't be the "real" download (whatever that means), or I'll screw up the download or something. But I googled, I found, I downloaded, I tested. Now I'm set and so when I leave on my road trip on Tuesday, you will be blessed with my (potentially) award winning highway and hotel room photos.
3. Despite its being 80 degrees today, my apartment is still cool. This building is about 120 years old, brick and stone, and it keeps its winter coolness for a few weeks until the entire building heats up. This is a pleasant time of year with natural air conditioning -- windows open, cool air inside, nice gentle breeze blowing in.
4. OK, so I still have to throw away my old digital camera which fell off the table, cracking the screen. Has sat in a drawer for weeks now. Along with the charger, cords, etc. Every so often, I turn it on... why? Expecting it to have healed? Does it have any value? Is there anyone anywhere who wants it? Is it environmentally OK to just put it with the regular garbage? I smell Pert Shampoo Conundrum Part 2.
5. I started reading Swamplandia! today, a book that Barbara recycled to me. I appreciate books from friends because they pass on to me books that I would never buy myself, but typically enjoy. This was a NY Times bestseller and I've read two chapters today and am enjoying it.
When I used to commute by subway, I always took note of the varied people, sprinkled throughout the car, all reading the same bestseller, sitting on the subway going to work. All engrossed in the same book.
2. Another procrastination item crossed out. Despite buying a new digital camera... uh two months ago...I have now downloaded the drivers I need from the Internet. It came with a disc, and this computer doesn't have a disc player. My procrastination centers on this self-defeating thought that Panasonic won't have the download, or it won't be the "real" download (whatever that means), or I'll screw up the download or something. But I googled, I found, I downloaded, I tested. Now I'm set and so when I leave on my road trip on Tuesday, you will be blessed with my (potentially) award winning highway and hotel room photos.
3. Despite its being 80 degrees today, my apartment is still cool. This building is about 120 years old, brick and stone, and it keeps its winter coolness for a few weeks until the entire building heats up. This is a pleasant time of year with natural air conditioning -- windows open, cool air inside, nice gentle breeze blowing in.
4. OK, so I still have to throw away my old digital camera which fell off the table, cracking the screen. Has sat in a drawer for weeks now. Along with the charger, cords, etc. Every so often, I turn it on... why? Expecting it to have healed? Does it have any value? Is there anyone anywhere who wants it? Is it environmentally OK to just put it with the regular garbage? I smell Pert Shampoo Conundrum Part 2.
5. I started reading Swamplandia! today, a book that Barbara recycled to me. I appreciate books from friends because they pass on to me books that I would never buy myself, but typically enjoy. This was a NY Times bestseller and I've read two chapters today and am enjoying it.
When I used to commute by subway, I always took note of the varied people, sprinkled throughout the car, all reading the same bestseller, sitting on the subway going to work. All engrossed in the same book.
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