Had a decent monday economically not the greatest but yet okay , could be worst so I count my blessings ,Saints won and the city is buzzing with happiness , God knows this city needs a reason  to celebrate since Katrina ,

New orleans has been an underdog city for so long be it football or anything else , almost to a point of being forgotten , I love New Orleans because it has that character that is missing from other cities , the culture of music and artists and talent walking around (or driving around )

Well something happened yesterday that is not fair but it fits right in the third world mould , oh yeah New Orleans is so third world that it sometimes puts third world to shame , for instance around 3 pm I was driving down carrondelett when a couple flags me right outside 226 carondalett Hampton Inn down and ask me if I could take them to the Airport , I said Yes and got out of my cab to load their luggage and while I was loading the lady sat in the cab and very soon the man and myself sat in the cab as well , and all of a sudden the doorman runs to the cab and starts yelling and I had no clue who he was yelling at ,he was yelling at the couple to get out of the cab and they themselves did not know what exactly was going on and they come out of my cab and so do I and then did I realize what happened , He had sold the fare to another cab for $10 because right after we were out of my cab the other cab showed up and admitted to pay $10 for the fare , I think that is extortion , I think it’s intimidation , I think it’s not fair ,

This happens all day long outside every hotel (almost every hotel) , The airport fare is sold by the doormen we usually turn a blind eye and go about our way because arguing with these corrupted people is a waste of time , there are few hotels who do not participate in that behavior but 99% hotels do ,

A civil suite waiting to happen because as far as I know once someone wears a uniform of a corp the corp is liable for every action of their employee …hmmmm  , Hopefully the managers of the hotel industry read this blog and maybe the injustice would stop WISHFUL THINKING!!

well on a positive note Saints won and they are 11-0 ,

http://josephsreviews.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/a-turbulent-flight/

Embassy Suites in Independence

EDITOR’S NOTE: Okay, so no one specifically asked us a question about suburban hotels south of Cleveland today, but it’s something  we do get asked a lot and that we thought you needed to know.

If you’ve never been to Cleveland you probably don’t know that in addition to an abundance of downtown hotels, the city’s suburbs are full of worthy places to stay, eat and play.

A ten or 15 minute car ride south of the city will take you to Independence, where you can take advantage of suburb perks yet not be too far removed from the action. Very popular with family reunions, traveling families and group tours, Independence is home to 12 hotels (providing 1,884 rooms) and more than 35 restaurants. The city is easily accessible from all directions and a stone’s throw away from downtown dining, entertainment and nightlife.

Positively Cleveland recently toured some hotels in Independence. We visited the Holiday Inn, Hyatt Place, Hampton Inn, Skyline Hotel & Conference Center, Doubletree and Embassy Suites.

We also stopped at Delmonico’s Steakhouse (where all Italian wines are 50% off on Friday) and Mavis Winkles (a wonderful group option).

Each property has something special to offer. Take a photo tour here.

November 7th and I’m in Houston, TX.  Not my first time in Texas, but my first time as an adult this far inland.  25 years ago I spent a couple days tied to the dock in Beaumont.  I’m about 1/3rd of the way from Norfolk, VA to our home.  Talked to my wife today and she said if I wanted to take an extra day getting home, that would be OK.

BTW, I can’t say enough good things about Hampton Inns.  The rooms are $20-30 more than the economy chains, but worth ten times that difference.  This is my third Hampton on this trip and each one has been fresh, consistent, very generous rooms, GREAT beds (seriously!), everything works right, the sink drains, the toilet flushes, the water gets hot, the sinks are very nice (3″ or so higher than typical so you don’t have to bend over so far), flat panel TVs, good cable, free high speed internet, free and very generous breakfast buffet.  I’ve suffered in economy motels enough, if I can’t afford a Hampton then I’m staying home.

More later, but for now, g’nite and may God continue to bless America.

My Life as a Realtor ~

Day 92:

It’s Wednesday and a few of us from the office are going for a training class at the Hampton Inn in Elmsford, NY.

Faith was kind enough to drive. 

After having some much needed coffee, our class on How to Better Handle Our Listings started.  Much that was said was repetition, but we do try to attend all training classes since the market is always changing and different instructors have their own unique way of teaching – so I take from each to make up my own way of assisting my sellers and buyers.

So, I was staying at a Hampton Inn in Columbus and I got talking to one of the ladies at the front desk after a few days. I had complimented them on how well they had been cleaning my room. With the exception of the Park Hyatt in Chicago this particular Hampton Inn (at Pulsar Pl.) is the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in.

When I told the lady that I really appreciated how well they have been with my room she was shocked and offered me free drinks and snacks. I said, I appreciated it but no thank you. I was then told by her that not many people make compliments, they just complain. She had just recently gotten off of the phone with a man that would not check in unless he could take a phone book to the room. I understand maybe they used to do this in the past, but shit, I’ve not used a phone book in about 10 years. Welcome to 2009 for fuck’s sake. They had like 3 phone books that guests could use in the lobby and then move along. Why the fuck do you need to have a damn phone book to take to your room? Get over yourself. There are more things in life than having to be Mr. Super-Empowered-Jerk-Guy and impose your will (or try to) at a hotel franchise. What a fucking moron!

So for anyone interested the Hampton Inn in Columbus is a great place to stay. Technically I guess it’s in Polaris Place, but none the less. Give it a try.

My Life as a Realtor ~

Day 37:

                                                Making my way to the home in Mahopac, NY

Big and busy day today – Started out this morning by meeting my clients at the home they were purchasing in Mahopac, NY  - to do their walk through.  After making sure all was well – toilets flush, faucets for both hot and cold water run,  attic cleaned out, looked over the home inside and out - we were off to the closing in Bedford Hills, NY.

                                              Sellers attorney’s office – Bedford Hills, NY

After the closing, I went to the office – Century 21 VJF Realty – did some work and then headed to Elmsford, NY – to the Hampton Inn for a seminar in Short Sales - very informative.

                                                        Hampton Inn – Elmsford, NY

Afterwards, Linda – our Broker/Owner, Eva, Caroline and I, went to The Cheese Cake Factory in White Plains, NY – What a lovely end to a wonderful day!

The guestroom doors compliment the carpet, wall vinyl, and overall color scheme amazingly well. As I see them go up it is starting to look more and more like a guestroom everyday. The public areas are alive with carpentry trim and cabinetry being added daily. The distressed wood flooring is being added piece by piece to the first floor areas bringing the big picture together more and more each day.

Thinking we got most of the miles out of our way on Wednesday, we got a leisurely start from our Hampton Inn room in Richmond, Virginia. Down to “breakfast” in their dining room area for one of the worst breakfasts we have ever had at a Hampton Inn ~ and probably one of the most expensive rooms at a Hampton Inn, topped only by NYC! The so-called scrambled eggs were dry, chewy and tasteless and we dumped them. Jim replaced them with dry cereal, I had yogurt. Can’t go wrong with those! The choices weren’t there. The trash was full, and the young lady who was the hostess was leaning on the counter talking. She finally walked over to the trash and pushed it down a little. How did Linda’s day start? Was it going to be same as yesterday? If the breakfast was any indication, it certainly was! Before I left the dining room, I had spilled my orange juice in my lap and had to leave carrying the USA today in front of me. Oh! we had to pick the paper up in the lobby because one was not left at our door, as is the policy for SILVER members of Hilton Honors! Despite the start, the day was rather uneventful. As we departed and turned on the GPS we found we had only traveled half way and we would have to make time today. The various “wild goose chases” that plagued us yesterday set us back more than we had imagined. Jumping on US 70 we headed across Indiana, Illinois stopping in Vandalia, Illinois to see something, anything, and stretch our legs. The town advertised itself as having Illinois’ oldest Statehouse and we set out to see it! The grounds were immaculate and the building beautiful. It was worth the stop! Also worth the stop was “The Old State Cemetery” two blocks beyond it. The cemetery is well kept, and stones that are becoming unreadable have been “transcribed” onto bronze plaques on cement markers in front of each one.  Mary Hall’s is an excellent example of just such an effort. We left Vandalia and continued on our journey, finally crossing the Mississippi River into St. Louis.  Jim drove, Linda snapped as many pictures of the Arch as she could, giving directions to Jim as she did so!  Women, as everybody knows, use both sides of their brain after all! Since we had not had lunch and it was approaching 2PM we started looking for something, anything to eat!  We finally found it and decided on the best!  If you’ve never been to the midwest, you’ve never had the pleasure of a “Slider!”  Yummo, 59 cents each, and of course, one just won’t do it!  The are 2 1/2″ square, a bun, hamburger, diced cooked onions and a pickle slice.  Served hot and there’s nothing like ‘em! We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express an hour before Bob and Lori, giving us time to unpack, relax and take a short nap.  They called when they arrived and we met 10 minutes later for our “dinner date” with the Lindgren clan of Rolla, Missouri!

WWII Troopship USS Cape San Juan 1943

Going to war now days is certainly different than it was a generation or two back.  Back in World War II and Korea the primary manner in which troops deployed to and returned from war was on a troopship.  Troopships in the Second World War ranged in size from the great British Ocean Liners the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary down to small and often ancient passenger ships.  As the war went on the United States adapted a number of ship designs to serve as troop transports as well as built ships specifically designed to transport troops to combat.  There was one thing that all of these ships from the might Queen’s to the lowliest tramp steamer had in common was that they were really crowded.  Every in of space that could be made to fit a bunk was used.  The Queens, which in peacetime might carry 1500-2000 passengers routinely carried up to 15,000 troops.  Talk about cramped quarters, these ships made the steerage passengers on the Titanic look like executive class travelers.  The smaller the ship the worse the ride and many times soldiers would spend their entire voyage seasick.

Troops on RMS Queen Mary

Well times have changed.  We still have ships that carry troops, amphibious ships that can hit from both sides of the plate which carry the Marine Corps Expeditionary Units on their deployments.  However, it is seldom that much more than a MEU is ever carried to a war zone.  In the Gulf War and Build up from OIF a good number of Marines were brought over that way, however many of these in the Gulf War never went ashore and were kept at sea to keep the Iraqis thinking that they would be used in an amphibious operation.  The bulk of the troops who have deployed since Vietnam have done so by air, either military aircraft operated by the Air Force such as C-130s, C-141’s, C-5A Galaxy’s and C-17 Globemaster’s or alternatively civilian contract aircraft mostly run by non-scheduled airlines which specialize in just this sort of thing.  Airlines such as World Airways, North American Airlines, Miami Air, and the now defunct ATA have been the primary carriers of troops dating back to Vietnam while other commercial airlines also do charter work.  When large numbers of aircraft the DOD activates the CRAF, the Civilian Reserve Air Fleet, which is composed of aircraft from the major airlines used on an emergency basis.

World Airways DC-10

The military and chartered aircraft are the closest things now in the world of transportation to the old troopships.  On military aircraft troops often fly with cargo in large cavern like fuselages on seats that can be reconfigured to about any way imaginable.  The -17 is the luxury bird of the military air fleet, but certainly not a paragon of comfort when fully load with troops and gear.  Of course the military aircraft were designed for utility and maximum use of passenger and cargo space.  The charter aircraft are a different matter.  Most of the aircraft used regularly by the charter carriers for deployments are older DC-10s, B-757s and occasionally a B-767 or L-1011.  With rare exception these aircraft are configured to get the most passengers on the aircraft, comfort is not terribly important.  There is no such thing in these aircraft as a true “First Class or Business Class section, merely front of the aircraft or back.  The seats are the same and as far as leg room there is no such thing as “Economy Plus.”  Simply put we are in steerage almost any time we get on one of these aircraft.

We loaded our gear onto waiting trucks at Fort Jackson and boarded military operated “Blue Bird” buses like you send your kids to school on.   Unlike your kid’s bus these are white and driven by soldiers that are in some kind of transient status or Army civilians.  The air conditioning on a hot and humid southern day is asthmatic at best, especially when the busses are full of troops who are much bigger than the kids these buses are designed to carry.  I guess it could be worse; we could be traveling in the old un-air conditioned cattle cars.  When we got to the airport we did not go to the commercial side, but rather to the private side.  Our aircraft, a white World Airways DC-10 sat on the strip in front of the tiny and woefully undersized terminal where most of us ended up waiting in the open and un air conditioned hanger, our Desert Uniforms sticking to our bodies in the sultry South Carolina summer.  We formed up, the baggage trucks arrived with our sea bags and we were organized into teams to load the aircraft.  You guessed it, no airline staff to do this, just us.  Now since there were a couple of hundred of us finding enough people to do the work was not much of a problem.  Nelson and I both volunteered and with the others we stripped off our tops and in our brown t-shirts we organized for the task.  The small guys like me and Nelson got to go up into the belly of the aircraft where we waited for guys on the ground to send the bags up the conveyor.  Bag after bag they came, most were the tradition sea bag or duffel bag, but others like Nelson and my bags were oddly shaped and some were even large cases issued by individual’s units.  Weapons cases were also loaded, each weapon locked inside a lowest bidder plastic case that certainly would not last more than a few trips across the pond.  As we loaded the aircraft a rain shower passed by, the humidity was atrocious and the heat did not subside very much.  Eventually Nelson looked at me and asked, “Boss you alright?”  I assured him that I was and we kept loading the aircraft until there were no more bags to load, shoving bags and stacking them so that nearly every inch of space was taken in the baggage compartment.

One done loading we mustered again.  The pilots arrived and began their inspection of the aircraft.  At this point we were informed that there was a mechanical problem and that we would have to wait.  A couple of more hours waiting around the terminal we finally began to board the aircraft.  Finally we got underway and found that we had to make another stop.  We had to land at Pope Air Force Base in order to pick up an Army Transportation unit heading into theater.  The flight up was short and we expected that after a short delay we would again be in the air.  We were wrong.  We de-boarded the plane to allow it to be fueled.  As we waited in the terminal, once again a rather Spartan affair we found that the crew had exceeded their allowed flight or work hours and that we would have to remain overnight.  Unfortunately the contracting staff at the Air Mobility Command had not anticipated this situation and we were stuck.  We had already been up most of the day and there were no sleep facilities in this terminal except wooden benches and concrete floors.  With our gear loaded aboard the plane and unavailable it looked like things would not go well.  Vending machines were quickly emptied and like any sailors marooned anywhere we made the best of things.  Sailors broke out decks of cards, DVD video players, made phone calls home or found places to try to sleep on the benches or against terminal walls.

At first it didn’t look like we would be getting any assistance from the Air Force.  However, we were fortunate to have as our senior officer and Officer in Charge a Navy Captain who was a jet fighter pilot and wasn’t going to let “his” sailors let overnight in such conditions while still in the United States.  After a while our Captain secured box lunches and pillows.  He then continued to push and eventually some contracting weenie was rustled out of his waterbed and got us rooms at a Hampton Inn somewhere in Fayetteville.  As the hands on the dial of my watch worked their way past midnight the ubiquitous Blue Bird buses pulled up to the terminal.  A few people elected to stay behind and for some unknown reason the Air force required some of our sailors to watch the aircraft.  Mind you they could only watch it.  Our weapons were stowed in the belly of the aircraft.  The irony was that the airfield a Pope is secured by USAF Air Police and probably one of the most secure places in the area.  The Captain lost that argument and a number of sailors volunteered to remain along with sailors who had somehow made themselves comfortable and didn’t want to move.  In my younger days I would have been with them, but I had tried to sleep on those same benches when I went to Jordan earlier in the year I knew that I couldn’t hang with them.

The rest of us mustered again, accountability checks were made and we loaded ourselves on the buses.  T rip took about 15 minutes and we were deposited at the hotel.  It was about 0130 by this time.  The hotel staff was great.  Since like our toiletries like most everything else we owned were safely secured in the belly of our aircraft we were now tired, hungry again and pretty stinky. The hotel night manager opened up his stocks and gave us toothpaste, tooth brushes and shavers. He also gave away snacks.  I think I got a muffin out the deal. We stood in line and since there were a lot more of us than rooms we were assigned 4 to a room and at 0200.  My roommates were four youngish junior officers.  There were two beds and a cot in the room, and since none of us wanted to share a full size bed, something I think was a good idea not to do, two got the beds, one got the cot and the third grabbed all the extra linen and a comforter and lay down on the floor.  The young guys deferred to my age when I volunteered for the floor, they told me that “because you are a lot older than us sir you get a bed.”  I felt like applying for the AARP at that moment but I took a bed which felt really good as I sunk into it and passed out.

We had to be up early to head back to the airfield, the time in bed was too short but better than I had hoped and the shower was great.  I felt almost human and was glad that I had packed a clean undershirt socks and briefs in my backpack.  We got back to the terminal and box lunch breakfasts were on hand. We still had about 4 hours before the flight and it was Sunday morning so Chaplain Fauntleroy and Chaplain Rodriquez and I arranged to conduct two services.  Kyle and Dave did a more Evangelical style service while I celebrated a short field Eucharist.  We did this outside the terminal, the weather was not too bad, and probably half of the sailors as well as a good number of the soldiers who had joined us participated.  Since there was no Catholic Priest my service was better attended than I thought it would be as in such times I usually pick up a few Episcopalians, Anglicans and Lutherans and maybe a stray Catholic.  In these settings I do not interrogate the people that show up as to their background, I do ask that if they are not baptized Christians not to partake of the Eucharist, but figure that God and His grace in the Sacrament will do what needs to be done.  I learned this from a Missouri Synod Lutheran Chaplain in Germany supporting the Bosnia operation. Since the Missouri Synod practices “closed communion” meaning that you have to be Missouri Synod to take communion in their church I asked what he did in field settings or chapels where it was not a denominational service.  He told me, with great wisdom “Steve, you have to trust that God’s grace in the Sacrament will do His work.”  That was an epiphany and I have never forgotten it.

The services concluded we again mustered and finally were able to board the aircraft.  We had a stop at Portland Maine to refuel the aircraft in preparation for the trans-Atlantic flight.  Now this is a highlight for any serviceman or women being deployed or returning home.  The folks in Portland, veterans groups like the VFW, American Legion, Fleet Reserve and Marine Corps League have banded together to meet flights as they come in.  They have been given a space in the terminal in which they have computers, cell phones, land line phones and calling cards for troops.  They also hand out small “goodie” bags with snacks and home baked cookies.  These folks and their counterparts at the former Pease Air Force Base are amazing.  It is an example of small town America at its best.  Some are World War II vets, others from Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm.  They are still others who have never served but feel an obligation to help.  They span the political, religious and ethnic spectrum of the country.  After they personally greeted each of us as we entered the terminal, they had a small ceremony and thanked us for our service.  Many engaged us in conversation and their hospitality was simply amazing.  The Maine Troop Greeters have greeted over 800,000 troops from over 4000 flights in the past six years.  They are Patriots in their own right and what they did for us was amazing.  I felt a wave of emotion go across my and my eyes get a bit moist as these wonderful people, young and old greeted us, shook our hands and blessed us.  It is something that until you experience it you cannot comprehend and I wish that the  men and women who served in Vietnam had been greeted like this.  It makes you feel that you are not completely alone.

Maine Troop Greeters

Eventually I decided to wander the terminal to see what was available.  I saw a small pub which featured the local micro-brew ale which our good Captain permitted us to have since we were still in the Continental United States.  I had a sandwich and chips as well as two pints of this local Amber Ale which would be my last drink until the Marine Corps Birthday in Ramadi.  The brew was quite good and if I saw it again I would probably buy some.  We were then called back to the aircraft.  Our flight to Germany was uneventful and we landed deep in the night in Leipzig where a small area had been set up for refreshments, souvenirs, television, games and internet access.  We were not allowed any alcohol at this stop as we were now under an 8 hour flight to Kuwait.  Our stop completed we got back on the aircraft for the flight to Kuwait which awaited us with temperatures of 120-135 degrees.  Something that I wonder how the Deity Herself allows unless it is to give us a chance to preview hell.

Well the short break of not traveling is over. Over the next 3 months ill be seeing the Hampton Inn more than my home. Tomorrow I leave for Chicago for a short trip to cover the D1 event at Soldier Field.

After that I will be headed out to Seattle, WA; Sonoma, CA; Winnipeg Canada; Calgary, Canada; Toronto, Canada; Miami, FL, Dallas, TX.

Somewhere i will find the time to take a few days off and go to Tokyo, Japan for a few days to visit friends.

We left Illinois around 4 p.m. on the 10th and drove until 1 or 2 a.m. There were plenty of signs for hotels along I-75 so we finally got off an exit in Caryville, TN (near Knoxville) and headed for the Super 8. The heavily-accented guy at the front desk told us they were sold out of rooms. We stopped next at the Hampton Inn. They wanted $113 (before taxes) for a room, which seemed pretty high for that area, but it was late and we were tired so we sucked it up and paid the money. Two things almost made that particular hotel worth the expense (and let me tell you, it was not the “eggs” served at the continental breakfast): llamas (!) right outside our room and the spectacular view from the parking lot.

I slept like a log that night, to the point that I was not entirely sure where I was when I woke up early the next morning. We showered (I shared my shower with an extremely large, extremely pregnant spider), had some breakfast and hit the road. There was some question as to how far we would actually get that day — the GPS has a way of making trips seem much longer than they actually are — but we were able to make it all the way to Laura S. Walker State Park in Waycross, Georgia, where we camped for the night. The park was beautiful (see pic below) and aside from the hordes of tiny ants that made a home in our car, it was a great place to stay. If you’re ever looking for a campsite in the area, I highly recommend it.

The park was right near the Okefenokee Swamp so we decided to check it out. Apparently it was yellow fly season and the park ranger warned us they can be nasty — I was a little freaked, to say the least, especially when a man who got off the tour before ours went on and on about how awful they were. But I sucked it up, put on bug spray (which, it turns out, can totally fuck up your bathing suit) and had a pretty awesome time on the swamp tour (and only got bit once by a fly!). Even when we got stuck in Skull Lake (where Seminoles used to hang cattle skulls on the trees), the tour guide covered me with swamp mud and an angry mother alligator hissed at us, the whole experience was incredibly cool. I’ve never seen anything like it and I’d like to go back again someday.

After the Okefenokee, we visited Skidaway Island, Tybee Island and Savannah. More on that Monday. Have a great weekend!

Here is a tale of what good customer service can do. We stayed in two different hotels during our recent stay in Colorado. Both were about equal in price. One clearly outclassed the other in customer service. I hope you enjoy the tale of Two Hotels:

Ray Province

Ray Province is a retired minister and owner of the Celtic Ozarkian, a website that chronicles life in the Ozarks. He also writes about travel. You can reach Ray at contactus@celticozarkian.com or @celticozarkian on Twitter

Well, it would seem that this move has been a relatively successful one.  I’ve lost my chapstick, mascara, two toothbrushes, my cellphone charger, and a pair of socks in the past three days, but despite the idiotic losses, my family and I have arrived in Chicago without a scratch… Just a considerable amount of bruises. In fact, my arms are covered in them and my hands and fingers are sore from cleaning and lifting heavy items. Very minor irritations, admittedly. Anyway, here’s the story.

The original plan was to leave our house at approximately 3:00pm on Tuesday the 30th with the trailer and vehicles loaded with the belongings we did not leave with the movers. Three o’ clock rolled around and we were absolutely nowhere near even halfway done with packing, cleaning, and loading. We pushed it to six.  Then nine. And finally, five minutes before midnight, we finished. Legally we had to leave by midnight because the people renting our house were moving in the next day. We clearly irrefutably underestimated the ludicrously huge workload. Remarkably high stress levels prevailed from ten in the morning to 2:30am the next morning when we finally found a hotel to stay at somewhere in Maryland.

We left the Maryland Hampton Inn around 9:00am after a fair complimentary breakfast and very little sleep.  The trip on Wednesday was moderately uneventful, driving through just a bit of indecent weather on the outstretched, flat highways of Ohio and Indiana. My parents decided they wouldn’t be able to drive the entire way to the new house, so it was decided that we would stop yet again around 8:00pm at a hotel, this time in Fremont, Indiana—another Hampton Inn.

Looking like the Beverly Hillbillies in Indiana.

After yet an additional complimentary breakfast and a bit of time watching the news and sipping grapefruit juice, I climbed back into the truck with my dad and we took off. I am a massive loser, but I adored, in all its entirety, looking at all of the animals on the farms we drove past—probably my favorite part, mostly consisting of horses and cows.  For entertainment, my dad and I whistled Christmas songs together, fabricated bizarre voices (“I’m not elite, I just have a vocal problem, hmmmm!”), and spoke of the world, life, poetry, and people.  I enjoyed it immensely when he was not screaming at other cars and trucks infesting the roads, which he is absolutely notorious for doing. He expects perfection.

Storm in Indiana.

Finally we entered Chicago around 10:45am central (having lost an hour, we’d actually driven nearly three hours rather than two), and arrived at our new home in a subsequent hour. I’ve yet to take pictures of the house, but I will within the next few days.

Chicago.

(I apologize for the awful quality of the photo above. I have no excuses.)

Regarding other matters, I began to draw an exemplification of my techno stereotype!  It’s… of me, as I think I’m one of the only TECHNO KIDS to exist within America right now, and I was lacking inspiration, as well as craftsmanship. It’s not finished yet and just looks like a caricature of me, but once it’s colored and perfected, it’ll be a true-to-life, fab specimen of the techno-induced stereotype I’m so diligently struggling (ha..ha..) to create.

Techno Kid--unfinished model.

The insane children outside are blowing up fireworks in light of Independence Day… Which is tomorrow. Fucking kids. Fruitlessly trying to drown it out with Cascada. I can’t stop the rain from falling!

ALSO!, I had Star Trek cereal for breakfast this morning. Best cereal I’ve ever had. Nom.

Greetings from Columbus and Mennonite Convention 2009!

 Things officially got underway yesterday afternoon.  My family arrived mid-afternoon, and it feels like we’ve been running ever since:  Hotel check-in, convention check-in, delivery of 500 hot pink wristbands to the PinkMenno organizers, retrieve Middle Daughter’s stuff from my parents (she’d been with them for the last week), grab supper, evening worship, leave early to get girls to bed, leave almost sleeping girls with my wife’s parents while Ordinary Spouse and I have a date night (which consisted of touring the exhibit hall^*), return from date, plan next day’s schedule, get to bed after midnight.

* Just another typical date for us.  You’ll recall that the last date (also courtesy of her parents – thanks!) was to an Amish bulk foods store.

Which brings us to this morning, when I woke up at 5:30 am and couldn’t sleep any more.  And that is why I’m now blogging on the floor of the bathroom in our hotel room, waiting for the rest of the family to wake up.

Ah…  vacation!

We recently went to ‘Kellen’s Country’, otherwise known as Missouri for a long weekend. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Columbia, MO. We like that hotel. It is very close to the Univ. campus and is new, clean and has a nice pool.
When we came home Alex was frustrated that it took 8 hours of traveling to visit Kellen. He noticed a new Hampton Inn being built just a few miles from our home. We commented that it looked a lot like the Hampton Inn we stayed in while visiting Kellen.
Alex suddenly announced from the back seat of the van the other day that maybe we should think about staying at that Hampton Inn instead of the one so far away in MO. He was quite excited with this idea!
I then had to burst his bubble by saying,” Well, that is a nice Hampton except if we go to this one, we won’t be able to see Kellen.”
He looked at me in dismay and then agreed that wouldn’t work. He does love Kellen and even though it is far to visit him, he doesn’t mind once he sees him!

Deborah Mumm, The Adoption Coach
http://www.everythingforadoption.com

MO Hike

Prelude

Some of you have heard my explanation about the genesis of this vacation, and you probably want to skip this paragraph because it’s the same thing I’ve always said. And that is: After my dad died last year, my mother — a burnt-out caretaker 13 years his junior — was talking to her priest, who said to ”Pat, I want you to travel.” She replied, “I’m going to.” He then asked “Where are you going?” And she said “Wyoming — Yellowstone!” This is that trip.

We could not have done this trip without Dave, and we were fortunate that he wanted to join us. After much consultation, we agreed on a 3-part trip: short visit with relatives in Utah/Idaho, 2 days in Jackson WY and Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone National Park.

I carefully aligned our flights so that Dave and I were scheduled to arrive in Salt Lake City about 20 minutes before Mom, allowing us to meet her there. However, the morning we were to leave, as I was taking Eddie to the vet for boarding, I got an uneasy feeling that we had not made sufficient contingency plans. So I did something I rarely do — I called Mom while I was driving.

My car is manual transmission, aka stick shift. I need two hands to drive. There is no third hand available for the cell phone. So I called while sitting at what is normally a lengthy stop light.

“If something goes wrong, we’ll use Aunt Joyce as the switchboard,” I said.

“Why can’t I call you?” Mom asked.

“Because the voice mail on my cell phone doesn’t always work,” I said.

“Why?” Mom asked.

“Just trust me and don’t leave a message,” I said as the light turned and I had to make a left turn with a cellphone wedged between my ear and shoulder.

“But that’s not right,” Mom said.

HONK!!!! went the car behind me as I failed to put on my turn signal for the next sharp left I had to make.

“FUCK YOU!!” I yelled into the phone, meaning the driver, not Mom, which I had to explain once I was parked at the vet’s.

So we’re off to a good start already. I left my dubious Mom with instructions to call Aunt Joyce if there were a problem, and I said I would do the same.

Part One

Those carefully scheduled arrival times I mentioned above? They didn’t happen.

Dave and I were flying on Frontier, which is currently at the top of my list of Airlines I Don’t Hate Right Now. The day before, I did online check-in for the two of us because that’s the kind of thing I do.

Here is why online check-in is important: Say, hypothetically, you’ve booked a flight from Washington to Salt Lake City with a transfer to a connecting flight in Denver first. And say, hypothetically, that your flight to Denver is delayed 3 1/2 hours due to a mechanical problem. Under this hypothetical scenario, if you have checked in online, the airline may automatically rebook you on another connecting flight, maybe even on another airline, so that you do not have to stand in line with the teeming masses and figure this out at the airport. Which is what happened — we didn’t have to stand in line, because Frontier rebooked our second flight before we even arrived at the airport.

So thanks, Frontier Airlines and whoever came up with online check-in! Also, thanks for the two $50 vouchers, which are around here somewhere because I haven’t thrown out a single piece of paper since we left, although I will confess that I don’t actually know where the vouchers are. But I have them. Somewhere.

This begins a round of trying to contact Mom. As it will turn out, when we are on the ground, Mom will be in the air, and vice versa. All. Day. Long. So I call Aunt Joyce and tell her what’s happening. She wants to leave messages on my cell phone, however. I tell her no. Why is it that the 70-somethings don’t accept the notion of failed voice mail? Later that day, I spend the better part of an hour talking to my unhelpful carrier, and I still don’t have voice mail on my cell phone. This will be solved, but it wasn’t going to be solved while we were traveling.

Having nothing better to do, Dave and I go to the United counter, which is the airline that now has our second flight, from Denver to Salt Lake, and which is incredibly busy. The man who stands there directing people to his colleagues asks us what we want. Seat assignments, we tell him. He says his colleagues won’t be able to help. I look at them. They are under siege. But we decide to stick around and take our chances. Sure enough, when we do get to an agent, she gives us great seats in Economy Plus, for an extra charge. What do you get in Economy Plus? Nicer seats with extra leg room. I am 5′ 10″ and expecting to put in a 20+ hour day by time we land. Of course we’re going to pay the extra charge, which is only $39 each.

I then call Aunt Joyce, who volunteers to meet Mom at the airport since we won’t be there. It’s a 90-minute drive for her, but she and her husband will do that because otherwise my 76-year-old mother will be stranded.

Hours later, Mom calls my cell phone (and I have several voice messages from her and Joyce on my phone — too bad I can’t get at them) and actually reaches me.

“I’m in baggage claim, where are you?”

“Denver.”

“What?”

“Did you call Joyce?”

“No. Oh, wait, here she is.”

So that part works reasonably well. Dave and I then make reservations for a Hampton Inn near the Salt Lake City airport. Because our flight out of Denver is weathered in for a while, we arrive there just before 2 a.m. With the time change, this comes to a 22-hour day. We are not in the best shape at that point. The Hampton Inn is not all that easy to find, although the guy at the Hertz counter got us fairly close. But it is worth it. The clerk puts us in the quietest room he has open and, mercifully, we sleep. Sort of. If you don’t count Dave’s leg cramp in the middle of the night and my general inability to sleep from having been wired all day long. But eventually, we are something approximating rested, and get up in time for the free breakfast.

Hampton Inn gave us a great room, a better-than-decent free breakfast, and a few hours of sanity when we were desperate, all at a very reasonable price. Thanks, Hampton Inn!

Next up: Aunt Joyce, Sam, and the Idaho Cousins.

I hinted earlier today that summer vacation is about to begin.  Next week, my family will be travelling to Ohio for the biennial convention of the Mennonite Church in the United States.  I’m looking forward to it.

Back in 1981, my parents, sister, and I spent a few days at the convention in Bowling Green, Ohio.  My sister and I had such a good time that we insisted on attending the entire convention when it next came around.  So in 1983, we went to Bethlehem, PA; in 1985, we went to Ames, IA; in 1987, we went to Purdue, IN; and in 1989, we went to Normal, IL.  Actually, that last time was the only convention that I attended as a youth.  College and grad school interfered with things for a while, but four years ago, I made it to convention again – this time with my wife and daughters.  That one was in Charlotte, NC.  We had planned on going to San Jose, CA, two years ago, but the birth of our youngest prevented that trip.  But now that we’re all a little older and the meeting is close, we’ll be on the road again.

I’m excited for a number of reasons:

• I’ll get to participate in the adult sessions.  Four years ago, I was a delegate, which meant that I attended the business sessions.  This year, I’ll have a wide variety of seminars and worship services to choose from.
• I’ll get to hear what other Mennonites are doing to make their congregations open and affirming.  Not that this will be part of the “official” convention.  Mennonites, in general, aren’t very comfortable with this.  But that doesn’t stop the unofficial stuff from happening.
• There are activities for the children.  Childcare!
• All of the grandparents will be there.  Childcare!  Oh, and some geocaching, too.  (“What,” you may ask, “is geocaching, and why does it involve grandparents?”  That’s another blog entry.)
• There will be personal time.  I hope to have time for various activities, like beginning a re-reading of the Bible in order to see it in a new way.  And blogging.  And geocaching.
• We’re staying at a Hampton Inn.  Sometimes, I make myself a mocha at 10 pm, just “because I can”.  It’s a standing joke between ordinary spouse and me.

(That’s not a complete list, just what I can run off in two minutes.)

Look for more Columbus posts to be forthcoming…

Dear Dan,

We don’t know you personally, but you’ve been so nice to us. It started back in October, when most of my family and a little of Michael’s took over the Hampton Inn during our wedding weekend. There were a lot of us. And they brought guitars. Which they played in your lobby late into the evening. You were great, working the evening shift at the desk and telling me the next day that it was a blast listening to the music and laughter fill your otherwise quiet night.

When I stepped out of the lobby in my wedding dress, there you were again. Did you work a double? You smiled at me, told me I looked great, and wished me luck.

The next night, as an exhausted and happily married couple stood in front of the “Welcome to the Hampton Inn: Our Last Name Wedding!” sign, laughing at how cheesy we were being (yet taking the picture anyway!), you ran over and removed the rest of the information on the sign so it would just be ours.

It’s been almost seven months since we’ve seen you, Dan, but you remembered us as we ran into your lobby at 11 p.m. last night with a request: can we please fax, oh, 15 pages, that have to be out before midnight?

“Of course!” you replied, telling us you remembered us from the wedding and asking how we were. Then you offered to fax everything yourself.

Dan, I don’t know your last name, but I know you’re a good person. Finding someone as courteous, helpful and cheerful (especially at 11 p.m.) as you is quite a feat. We are so appreciative of all the help you have given us, and I hope your boss reads the raving words I wrote about you on the “I caught this employee doing something great!” card that I filled to capacity.

Thank you, Dan, for all your help. There will be a card and a giftcard waiting for you at the desk tonight.

With gratitude,

Molly & Michael

In Forrester’s 2008 Customer Experience Index (CxPi), we ranked 113 companies across 12 industries. I recently published a snapshot of the hotel industry results from the 6 hotels on the list (Hampton Inn, Marriott Hotels, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, Hilton Hotels, and Comfort Inn). Here’s some of what we found:

• Experiences are “good.” As a group, the six hotels ended up with a “good” rating of 79%.
• Hampton Inn and Marriott lead the pack. With an “excellent” score of 89%, Hampton Inn led all hotels and came in 3rd on the overall list of 113 firms. Marriott, with an 85% score, was the only other hotel with an “excellent rating.”
• Comfort Inn lags. With the only “okay” rating, Comfort Inn came out at the bottom of the list at 70%.
• Hampton Inn was most useful and enjoyable. Hampton Inn came out on top in two of the three components of the CxPi, with the largest lead in enjoyability.
• Marriott is easiest to work with. Marriott earned an ”excellent” rating of 92% for being easy to work with. Next on the list for this component was Holiday Inn Express with an 89% score.

The bottom line: I’m going to consider a Hampton Inn on my next trip