BACK TO WORK

I've been working now for a week since I returned from Detroit. ALL THE NEWS!

I am now completely in charge of our restaurant, not by choice but by default. Our previous General Manager decided to turn his notice in so I got the news that he was leaving the day after I got back from Detroit.

Nothing new, I've been in this situation before. Surprisingly it was the job I had before my current one. Now, I am not sure what is going on around us because in our division, currently there are only 4 GM's and we are missing 5. Some of the 5 missing left on their own, others were "let go".
"When you are handed lemons, make lemonade" I believe that is the saying and that is exactly what I am going to do. Aside from our GM, two other staff members "resigned" and that should make things a little better for all the staff involved.
I am looking forward to this other challenge and see where it leads.
I am happy to be home as well. It sure was great to see the kids and Melissa after being apart for so long. Of course as soon as I got here, Melissa and her mom went to Disneyland to celebrate her mom's birthday. Now she is back.
Our life is back to "normal" again.

Today (Wednesday) I checked my baggage in at curbside for my flight to Las Vegas. Spirit wants you to “pre-check” your baggage on line for half the price otherwise it is $10.00 per bag. Of course both times that I tried to do this on the flight here and now back, the online system was down, so it would not let you check anything in.
At least on the way here, the baggage handlers honored my print out about the system being down and only charged me $5.00 per bag.
Today however, as soon as I approached the baggage handler in Detroit, he instructed me that to check my bags in, “they charged $2.00 per bag cash (in addition to what Spirit charged) and that they also “worked” for tips.
So it cost me $25.00 for checking my bags in at curbside. Granted, I will get this money returned to me as a business expense.
The baggage handler an unshaven fat bastard got an attitude because I only gave him a dollar tip.
As I see it, they are ripping people off, without their management’s knowledge, by asking people for $2.00 per bag (cash) at curbside.
Aside from this going into my blog, it will also go as an email to customer service at Spirit Airlines.

At least I am on my way home.

TOMORROW

Tomorrow at this time I will be home. I am so anxious to get back that my bags are already packed. Only toiletries and such are left outside. Hopefully tomorrow when I get up, there will be hot water since today there was none and as of right now, still none. I had to settle for a very cold shower. It felt good after walking for about 5 miles around the downtown area of Detroit and working up quite a sweat. I did go into work for about 4 hours but did not do much other than to talk to people. Most other co-workers also left early since there was not much to do today. The only big even was a meeting of the board of directors for the company.
Last night we went to a hockey game where the Detroit Red Wings beat the Edmonton Oilers. Once we got back into the hotel, we got a chance to see the Cleveland Indians beat the NY Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys beat The Bills by 1 point. It is no wonder the people in this town are so crazy about sports. They have a team in every sports category.


I wish I was there already.

THE END IS NEAR

The end of the trip is near and I cannot wait to go home. Today I decided to take the day off and I just spoke to one of my sidekicks and we are going to a new place for breakfast where supposedly there are mariachis (live)..
Another aquaintance (Richard) wanted to go into Windsor (Canada) for breakfast but I have not heard from him yet so it seems like it is going to be Mexican food for breakfast, more like brunch.

Work has been crazy busy, I am used to this kind of frantic levels of business but I usually know that it's going to last 2, 3 maybe 4 days at most. Here in Detroit, there is no end in sight. As Mr. T once said, "I pitty the fool". Those who are here to stay and work and can't go work somewhere else. At the same time, I asm sure taht they count their blessing that they have a job in a very swank place (See pictures below).

Till next time...

6 DAYS

Yes. 6 Days more. The opening was quite a hit in town. Today is the third day and there is still traffic congestion around the hotel. Our restaurant has been mobbed since we opened, the first night it was 24 hours straight. The crowds were eating everything in site as if that was their last meal. Then again, it was because they had gotten a credit for just signing up for a "players card". So as long as it is a free meal, everyone was taking advantage of it. Me, I am tired. It's been a very busy week with little time for anything else other than sleep and rest. Though on Tuesday I managed to go into Windsor, Canada. as tone throw away from Detroit (South). What a difference a river makes. The difference in surroundings between Detroit and the other side of the river is as marked as the difference between Tijuana and San Diego. I can't wait to get back home. I am done here. I think we (All staff from Vegas) are done. There is only so much we can do and it is time for the management of this property to take the reins. They have voiced this plenty. "Once the people from Vegas leave, we can do things our own way".Indeed. Once we leave, they are on their own and I do wish them good luck because they are all going to need it.