Monday, February 18, 2008
And yet more Recerts......
Okay, true believers I mentioned my last trip horrific. This one was a mild surprise. The issues I had this time was the weather, my 10hr drive and door key code reader failing-constantly.
I flew back home for a mere day before my next trip to lovely Edgewood, MD. Sorry, I'm stretching it-LOL! Edgewood, MD isn't known for much except that it's has a small Army post. I mean it's winter in MD and it can be brutal. I was born and raised in Baltimore for 20yrs and the I had the dubious distinction of being stationed at Fort Meade, MD for 2.5yrs. So I know the place pretty well.
Anyway I get to my room at 9am after driving through the night to avoid traffic hassles. (Good idea for all of you that zip up and down the I-95). Bad idea if you've been loaded off 5hr Shot energy drinks. Those things work, too well for my little body. So I'm wired but I'm crashing hard to as I put my bags away.
The class was at the Ramada and I had a room in the very hotel. So no driving and no traffic woes for me-jeaaahhhh!
Then the madness begins. It's freezing in MD! I mean I was basking in 65-78 weather in TX and it was 65 in GA. So this is a bit much for me. I know, I know-But you are from there you should be used to this. Please I can't stand the cold but I did with the heat pretty well.
My HVAC unit in my room had a personality disorder. It could not decide if it wanted to be hot or cold and medium wasn't a dialect or setting it was remotely familiar with. So I had to be innovative and deflect the Hades jet blast air to floor so it would cool off before it enveloped me in a dry death wrenching dehydrating grip all week.
My key codes kept getting wiped and they finally figured out on Thursday it wasn't me it was the door reader. So I had to leave class for 30mins and move my stuff. Usually I don't unpack and use the hangers or drawers in the room when travel for a week or less. I just live out of my bag. This time I unpacked, oops! Won't do that again-LOL!
Now for the class. It actually wasn't that bad. Lengthy breaks and some humor throughout. My visions of shopping and visiting were dashed by oodles of homework and studying. I refuse to get a free trip, free training, free lodging and come back as a failure so I focus on the mission at hand then I ball out!
The hotel staff kept fat and happy by providing us with a plethora of additional breakfast items even though they had a continental breakfast laid for us earlier. T hen snacks and drinks flowed throughout the day. I'm not a coffee drinker but I was trying to lay off the Full Throttle addiction I developed back in 05 and my last job sometimes "required" a couple of large cans on some days. So I created a "Hood Cappuccino" if you will. Just some hot coco mix thrown in some regular coffee. The extreme rush of caffienated sugar is a but much I feel heart scream "Fool! What are you doing to me!"
Yes I ate a few crab cakes. C'mon I'm a true Charm City kid, I had to do it.
The exam was a 70 question open book torture test. It didn't help the heat was non-existent this particular day. So spent the 3hr near mental death experience chasing my nose and flipping pages. Speaking of pages, we had 6 references to flip through for answers. Yes, some people failed. Why? They don't know how tab key points in their books.
Now I'm back in my warm cozy house and happy it's all over. Now for the last part of the trip. Filing my travel claims-ugggh the headache. However, the money is always nice!
I flew back home for a mere day before my next trip to lovely Edgewood, MD. Sorry, I'm stretching it-LOL! Edgewood, MD isn't known for much except that it's has a small Army post. I mean it's winter in MD and it can be brutal. I was born and raised in Baltimore for 20yrs and the I had the dubious distinction of being stationed at Fort Meade, MD for 2.5yrs. So I know the place pretty well.
Anyway I get to my room at 9am after driving through the night to avoid traffic hassles. (Good idea for all of you that zip up and down the I-95). Bad idea if you've been loaded off 5hr Shot energy drinks. Those things work, too well for my little body. So I'm wired but I'm crashing hard to as I put my bags away.
The class was at the Ramada and I had a room in the very hotel. So no driving and no traffic woes for me-jeaaahhhh!
Then the madness begins. It's freezing in MD! I mean I was basking in 65-78 weather in TX and it was 65 in GA. So this is a bit much for me. I know, I know-But you are from there you should be used to this. Please I can't stand the cold but I did with the heat pretty well.
My HVAC unit in my room had a personality disorder. It could not decide if it wanted to be hot or cold and medium wasn't a dialect or setting it was remotely familiar with. So I had to be innovative and deflect the Hades jet blast air to floor so it would cool off before it enveloped me in a dry death wrenching dehydrating grip all week.
My key codes kept getting wiped and they finally figured out on Thursday it wasn't me it was the door reader. So I had to leave class for 30mins and move my stuff. Usually I don't unpack and use the hangers or drawers in the room when travel for a week or less. I just live out of my bag. This time I unpacked, oops! Won't do that again-LOL!
Now for the class. It actually wasn't that bad. Lengthy breaks and some humor throughout. My visions of shopping and visiting were dashed by oodles of homework and studying. I refuse to get a free trip, free training, free lodging and come back as a failure so I focus on the mission at hand then I ball out!
The hotel staff kept fat and happy by providing us with a plethora of additional breakfast items even though they had a continental breakfast laid for us earlier. T hen snacks and drinks flowed throughout the day. I'm not a coffee drinker but I was trying to lay off the Full Throttle addiction I developed back in 05 and my last job sometimes "required" a couple of large cans on some days. So I created a "Hood Cappuccino" if you will. Just some hot coco mix thrown in some regular coffee. The extreme rush of caffienated sugar is a but much I feel heart scream "Fool! What are you doing to me!"
Yes I ate a few crab cakes. C'mon I'm a true Charm City kid, I had to do it.
The exam was a 70 question open book torture test. It didn't help the heat was non-existent this particular day. So spent the 3hr near mental death experience chasing my nose and flipping pages. Speaking of pages, we had 6 references to flip through for answers. Yes, some people failed. Why? They don't know how tab key points in their books.
Now I'm back in my warm cozy house and happy it's all over. Now for the last part of the trip. Filing my travel claims-ugggh the headache. However, the money is always nice!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Sometimes You May Look Forward To Something too Much?
I love traveling, especially when the government is paying. Sometimes I think I get excited when I find out I can cop a free trip at Uncle Samuel's expense. Well let me get started with the horror-LOL!
Sunday I arrived in San Antonio excited because I made it with no delays or any other insanity that happens usually when I fly. (That's a blog in itself!)
The madness begins-
Avis has slick marketing when it comes to their rentals. Hidden gas fees that I nearly lost my usual cool over with the counter dude. Iron that crap out.
I arrive at my reserved hotel.
-Idiots gave up my reservation because I didn't get there at a certain time. Price gouging due to the annual San Antonio Rodeo. I gives a flying phugg about horses and bulls. By the way fam, I reserved this room back in December of 2007!
-I go to the Hilton. They too are gouging and act like they don't know what a government agency tax exemption form is. So I went online and presented the exemption form to the uniformed suited idiots who's only response was "Oh we didn't realize you were here on official business, Sir?" I guess I should have worn the "appropriate attire" perhaps? The Hilton isn't that ballerific people. Apparently the money goes to Paris' Yorkie dog or something? I had to ask for extra towels and they left trash in the trash can in my room. Be wary of hotels with proprietary restaurants in them. They never will have fridges or microwaves because they want you to pay $6 beers and $21 dollars for a cute but small steak meal.
-Now for the training. It sucked!!!! Last time I came for this recertification there were only two exams. There are exams everyday now but Monday! I mean what changed that I didn't know about? Some instructors didn't want to give us a full ten minute break. "Let's take a 3 minute break, okay?" No mawphucka it's not okay. It takes me longer than that to piss! When you get short breaks it usually alludes to you leaving early. Oh hellz nawz! How about 5pm or 5:15. Then listening to someone so full of themselves and tellling irrelevant stories as if we were excited. Then he demanded for us to exchange info with him. No playa I'm no longer interested, next!
Guess what? I get to go another training starting this Monday. Well at least they were horrible last time and I expect nothing less from them as well.
Sunday I arrived in San Antonio excited because I made it with no delays or any other insanity that happens usually when I fly. (That's a blog in itself!)
The madness begins-
Avis has slick marketing when it comes to their rentals. Hidden gas fees that I nearly lost my usual cool over with the counter dude. Iron that crap out.
I arrive at my reserved hotel.
-Idiots gave up my reservation because I didn't get there at a certain time. Price gouging due to the annual San Antonio Rodeo. I gives a flying phugg about horses and bulls. By the way fam, I reserved this room back in December of 2007!
-I go to the Hilton. They too are gouging and act like they don't know what a government agency tax exemption form is. So I went online and presented the exemption form to the uniformed suited idiots who's only response was "Oh we didn't realize you were here on official business, Sir?" I guess I should have worn the "appropriate attire" perhaps? The Hilton isn't that ballerific people. Apparently the money goes to Paris' Yorkie dog or something? I had to ask for extra towels and they left trash in the trash can in my room. Be wary of hotels with proprietary restaurants in them. They never will have fridges or microwaves because they want you to pay $6 beers and $21 dollars for a cute but small steak meal.
-Now for the training. It sucked!!!! Last time I came for this recertification there were only two exams. There are exams everyday now but Monday! I mean what changed that I didn't know about? Some instructors didn't want to give us a full ten minute break. "Let's take a 3 minute break, okay?" No mawphucka it's not okay. It takes me longer than that to piss! When you get short breaks it usually alludes to you leaving early. Oh hellz nawz! How about 5pm or 5:15. Then listening to someone so full of themselves and tellling irrelevant stories as if we were excited. Then he demanded for us to exchange info with him. No playa I'm no longer interested, next!
Guess what? I get to go another training starting this Monday. Well at least they were horrible last time and I expect nothing less from them as well.
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