In PTown

Day #3 in Provincetown, and everyday I am refreshed with the genuine sincerity of those I meet in this quaint little town. From day one when we checked into The Carpe Diem Guesthouse and was greeted by Jared and given the tour before going to our room, there was a real feeling of belonging, or being part of a family. I have met so many wonderful people. Jurgen and Hans are the owners of the House, one from Germany and the other from France, who moved here in the late 1990's to establish this place. Both are younger guys, and a couple I believe. Then there's Herbie, a retired English teacher, who makes sure all his "boys" are taken care of. I met a couple from Cannes, France the other night at the wine and cheese which takes place every evening from around 5PM. There are some guys here from Atlanta and a couple from good old Wenonah, NJ. Breakfast is prepared every morning by Jurgen and it is a hearty breakfast, not just bagels and the like. So, far, so good. It is off to a boat cruise tonight, then some more dancing at The A-House. Check in with you later.

In Boston (Part III-Provincetown)

Had a great ferry ride from Boston to Provincetown yesterday. It is so very relaxing to sit on the ferry and ride across the water, about a 90 minute cruise. The activity on the water, boats, etc., gradually decrease until there is nothing but water all around for about 20 minutes or so, then you begin to see more activity as you approach PTown.

Walked around PTown to get our VIP passes to events for Carvnival Week. The theme this year is Fary Tails, and you can guess the many characters one sees. There were lots of Wicked Witches, and as one comdian said, "There are a bunch of Dorothys here!" Went to the kickoff party at the Boatslip where the King and Queen of Carnival were chosen. Lots of good dancing as well. Lea DeLaria was the MC and many of the local PTown celebs entertained.

Today, it's a bit cloudy this morning, but supposed to get nicer as the day goes on. Not sure exactly what today will bring, but I am sure it will be fun!

In Boston (Part II)

Had a great time in Beantown yesterday. Seemed to walk miles. Ended up going to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, then walked over to Newbury Street, nicknamed the Rodeo Drive of the East Coast. Even though it was a "tax free" weekend in Massachusetts, designed to encourage spending at a time of the year when spending is lower (the State of Mass reportedly will lose $17 million in revenue this weekend), we did not buy too much. On our walk to Newbury Street we went through Boston Common and saw alot of the city. It was then onboard the "T" Metro to Cambridge and a visit to Harvard Yard and its surroundings. Had lunch again this year at John Harvard's Brew House, a pub located in the basement of a building. There are stained glass windows surrounding the place and dark furniture. Had a great dark beer, I forget the name, but it certainly hit the spot on a warm afternoon. Then it was back to the hotel and dinner at a Japanese restaurant not too far from the hotel.

Today it is checkout at the Seaport, the Ferry to Provincetown at 1PM, then check in at the Carpe Diem Guesthouse for a crazy Carnival Week in PTown. Should be a blast!

In Boston

Finally arrived in Beantown yesterday afternoon after an adventure with US Air. We arrived to the airport way before the 2 hour time to check in. I thought there seemed to be an awful lot of people in the lines, and I soon found out that many flights had been cancelled the night before, I guess because of the weather. We waited for about 2.5 hours, missing our 9:15AM flight. So we were booked on an 11:15AM flight. The only saving grace is US Air has a flight from Philly to Boston every hour. The flight itself was good, lasting about 40 minutes. Then when we arrived at the airport, my luggage came off, but MyGuy's didn't. How 3 pieces of luggage get checked in at the same time, and 2 make it but the 3rd does not, amazes, yes, Pax, amazes me! Finally, 2 or 3 flights later, the missing luggage arrived. I have never seen MyGuy get mad, but he let the poor kid at the luggage counter know about it! It's not the weather issue and the delays that angered us about US Air, but the attitude of the employees; they just don't seem to give a shit at all. I know they have had pensions taken away and other cuts due to US Air's bankruptcy in the past, but please! I have sworn I will never fly US Air or United again. Unforturnately, US Air is the only direct flight from Philly to Boston I know of, and US Air and United are priced well. (Maybe that explains why they went bankrupted and why their staff suck).

The Seaport Hotel, where we stay, is in the Seaport District right on the Harbor. Great view of all the boats and activity on the Harbor. Can also see the flights coming and going from Logan International. Very friendly staff, and a no tipping place! Yes, customers are told not to tip staff.

Heading out to see Boston today. Going to Faeuil Hall and Quincy Market, then found out it's a "tax free" weekend in Massachusetts this weekend, so off to Newbury Street to hit some shops. Hopefully we'll make it to the German restaurant we ate at before. MyGuy wants his knockers as he put it, but I think he meant knockwurst.

Keep you posted. The weather looks great! Warm and sunny, but not hot and humid.

The Dems On LOGO

Anyone see the forum of Democratic Presidential candidates last night on LOGO? It was quite enlightening, although the candidates really did not have the time needed to really delve into their positions on LBGT issues. Of course, the big area of question revolved around gay marriage. Only Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel favored marriage, while the other candidates support civil unions that would guarantee the same rights, federal that is, that all married couples have. John Edwards out and out stated he personally does not favor gay marriage. The others supporting civil unions seemed to skirt around the issue as to why civil unions, not marriage, but they all appeared eager to extend the same rights to same-sex couples in a civil union as a marriage. Dennis Kucinich made a very bold statement saying if one believes so much in equality, then that includes full gay marriage rights.

I thought Dennis Kucinich came across very favorably with the audience, which included Neil Patrick Harris, Alec Mappa, and other gay celebs. I just don't think Kucinich has what it will take to defeat the Republican candidate in 2008. I felt John Edwards was too "political," giving all the answers as if he were reading from a Q-card or memorized script. I am still torn between Hillary and Obama.

(By the way, the invite to participate in a similar forum was extended to the Republican candidates, and not one accepted).

The Nerve Of That Company!!

I don't usually write about my place of employment. Well, not directly! I sometimes make references in my posts, but it's not my habit of discussing what goes on at work. However, recently I heard of a great deal of scuttlebutt about a memo that was distributed informing staff that they needed to turn in a projected schedule for the upcoming week, and the schedule needed specific times as to when the person would be in the office, in the field, or at lunch. (There are many in my office that are "field" workers, not always in the office). This is not a new policy as it has been in effect since the beginning of time. THE NERVE OF THIS COMPANY!!! To expect its employees to be accountable! To expect the number of hours paid for a day's work is actually worked! This company is asking alot of its employees!


I get so sick and tired of the constant complaining about the job. It took me almost 25 years of working for this company to realize a truth: I DO NOT OWN THE COMPANY, SO WHY DO I THINK "THEY" CARE WHAT I THINK? If I worked for GM, or if I worked for Bob's Used Cars, or if I worked for Mobile Oil, as an employee of the company, it is my job to carry out the agenda that the owner sets. Sure, sometimes your opinion is asked for, but that is only to assist the owner in setting the stage for what the plan. If I ran my own business, it would be my job as owner and CEO to set forth the agenda and it would be the staff I had working for me to who would complete the tasks to acheive my agenda. I do not own this company; I am one of those staff. So why would I think that it was up to me to decide what happened and how it happened in this company? Why would I not think the owner of the company had every right to know where I was, and that I was doing what I was supposed to do during my workday?


Staff at the company I work for need to get real! There are really 3 choices each employee there has: get on board with what's expected and enjoy what you do to make our "customers" lives just a little better; suck it up, shut up, and be miserable to yourself; or find a new job or something within the current system that you do enjoy! Or better yet, start a "company" of your own and be the man in charge setting the agenda. Complain, complain, complain, but never take any action to better your position and lot in the company. I'm sure it is the same for those that work in other lines of work, but this truth that I learned is the same no matter where one works.

NEW FEATURE

See the poll on the right hand side..........(scroll down a bit).

My Little Challenger And I

I woke about 3am this morning, so I decided while I wake I'd go to the bathroom. In a zombie-like state, I made my way to the bathroom, and while there I thought I heard a noise that sounded like tin or metal clanking. I waited a minute and heard it again. At first I thought it was coming from another apartment, but then the noise sounded again. I slowly made my way to my kitchen listening to locate any sound. I turned on the kitchen light and not seeing anything, stood and listened some more. Then, coming from the utility closet in the kitchen was the noise. Maybe a bird making noise in the vent that goes up and out? Maybe the hot water heater banging? Then I remembered something. There is a mouse trap behind the hot water heater that has been there ever since I moved into the apartment about 5 years ago. The same hard piece of cheese or whatever it is in the trap is still there. I have never seen any signs of a mouse, but since the trap was there, obviously for a reason, I never bothered removing it. So what was caught in the trap? Maybe a bird? Maybe a bat? Maybe a flock of seagulls? Who knew? After looking at the door for a few minutes, I gingerly opened it, not knowing what would come flying or running out of the closet, and reached in to turn on the light. Then to my surprise as I looked in the direction of the trap was the noise-maker. A MOUSE!! A little grayish-brown mouse sitting on the trap, or rather trapped in the trap. It looked like either his tail or foot was caught and he was able to move behind the hot water heater, dragging the trap behind him, but caught behind the hot water heater by the pan under the device. The mouse could move only so far either way. What was I to do?

I stood there for about 10 minutes just trying to figure out how to get this critter out of there. I wondered if he was a wild field mouse or someones pet mouse that escaped and ended up in my apartment. I thought wild field mice came in when the weather was getting colder and food outside harder to locate. But it had been very hot, and maybe he wanted a cool place. But then again, maybe it was some kid's pet. Either way, I needed to do something, and I really did not have anything to reach in and get him. And what was I to do with him when I did get him? Kill him, which I could not bring myself to do? Let him go, after I got him out, of course? What? If I messed with the trap too much, I might just end up freeing him, then he'd be running around my apartment. So for a good 10-15 minutes I just thought. At 3:30am I really had no ideas, so I turned off the light, shut the door, and headed back to bed. I'd call someone in the morning, or maybe he'd be dead by then. I lay in bed listening for several minutes to see if I could still hear the little guy (or girl). Finally I fell asleep.

I woke up a few hours later and went to see what was going on with my unwanted guest. I peeked in, but could not see the mouse. He had managed to get further behind the hot water heater. I grabbed a broom and tried to push him and the trap out, but could not. At this point, I was starting to get aggravated at inconvenience this little thing was causing me. He kept me from getting my sleep, and was interferring with my schedule at this point in time. I pulled a chair into the doorway of the utility closet so I could look over and down the hot water heater. And there he was, lying flat, still in the trap. I thought he was dead. I took a 4 foot long stick I had in the closet and touched the trap. The damn little mouse moved, still alive, but a bit more weary than he was earlier. I pushed the trap around to the side of the hot water heater so I could better decide what to do with the mouse. He ran back behind the hot water heater again, pulling the trap with him. Now I was pissed! "Damn you, little mouse. I am bigger, stronger, and smarter than you and I'm not putting up with this any longer! THIS IS WAR!" So I took the stick and pushed the trap and mouse back to the side of the hot water heater and positioned it so I could pick the trap up by the pin that set it off. I grabbed a pair of winter gloves from my closet, just in case he decided to bite me, and I took a brown paper bag from the cupboard. I was able to pick up the trap, with the rodent still attached, and put the trap and the mouse into the bag. I then ran it out to the dumpster and tossed it in. I HAD WON!!! I really didn't care at that point what happened to the varmint, and I did not care if it was wild or someones pet. He had, after all, invaded my territory and I wanted him gone!

I have since purchased another trap and set it just in case he had family. I realize if it was a wild mouse, he probably did not come alone, or if he did, more could make their way in as well. I am on my guard and I will be watching and waiting!