Alright, I know I promised to get this in on Monday, but it has been a hell of a week!
I’ll start with clearing up some confusion there may be about just who and what I’m spilling secrets about. I always use pseudonyms for anyone I name personally in the blog. I have mentioned before that I live in a small town in Northern California, but you will NEVER know exactly where unless you know me personally and already live there! I’m sure everyone understands the need for privacy, but I’m also very aware that this blog is not exactly sanctioned by the owners and corporate managers of the Hotel. Our owners have had the Hotel for about 20 years, and I’m amazed, considering some of the colossal mismanagement that has gone on recently. They absolutely abhor giving overtime (like every other boss on the planet) and have even resorted to dirty tricks to keep their costs down. Just recently, I turned in my hours and noticed that my count (89 hours) was one hour more than their count. I mentioned it to my boss and she informs me that because I clock in at 7:05 every morning, I actually only worked 88 hours. Bullshit. We have, at least for the last 3 years, rounded everyone’s clock in and out times as long as it was no more than 5 or 6 minutes. And alright, yes, I’m not the most punctual person. However, I am now the senior member of the desk staff, and if I were to drop my pen and walk out right now, they would be up the proverbial shitty creek without a paddle. In fact, during the disputed pay period, I actually stayed late twice to help elderly guests who were having computer problems. What do I get for my trouble? A warning not to help anyone with their computer because if we break it (or the guest says we broke it) we could be sued up the wazoo. So it looks like the next time 67 year old Mrs. Ying can’t email her son in China, I have to tell her that I’m not authorized to help her with that. Oh yeah, that’ll go over well.
Other than being pissed over my hour shortage, I’ve been putting out fires left and right here. Somehow, over the course of a month and a half, I’ve gone from being a cog in the big wheel of the Hotel to the person all the new hires call when they are having a problem. Take for example, last Tuesday evening when I get a call from Rick, one of my coworkers, who was bitched out by an elderly couple who swore someone took their sweaters when they had to change rooms. Needless to say, the couple was really old. So old I was afraid to breath on them lest they shatter into brittle little aarp pieces all over the lobby floor. Turns out that the sweaters were in their car (I shudder each time I think of them actually operating a motor vehicle). They never apologized to Rick for calling him a liar and a thief. So not only do I get weird calls at all hours even though I’m not even an assistant manager, but I have to put up with it for much less than I am worth. Oy. Vey. It’s times like these that I remind myself I’ll only be living out here in the sticks for a couple more years… of course, I said that 5 years ago.
Thank You
Hi everybody! I’m feeling really happy today… Gamestore Girl just added me to her blogroll! So I guess that means I need to get to work. Before I digress, though, I have to say thanks to Gamestore Girl and all the other service industry bloggers out there! It’s been a long two weeks at the Hotel for me, with nary a day off, but now I have blessed 3 day weekend. My band is playing a gig tonight, so I’ll be back up and posting on Monday!
