Soooo, only 2 days of work left and the weekend already.
Nice.
I've started a light workout routine again.
Summer got to me, the heat and working outside all day long, come home, just
didn't feel like it.
Just starting with pushups and sit ups - or crunches I guess they call them.
Plus a light diet regime, nothing too overwhelming. We are on the cusp of fall and
I can't wait. I will get much more into the mountain hiking again and do a lot of
cardio type of exercise to get the heart pumping and blood moving.
I think the point is that I have put on some body fat and it does not look appealing
and it also simply isn't good for you.
Nothing too intensive to start out with, just start getting back into the rhythm of it again.
On another health note, however, my allergies have gotten so bad that even to some extent
they are keeping me up at night. Sneezing throughout the day. It doesn't matter where I'm
at, either, so one location or perhaps a physical allergy to something isn't really the issue (to
be honest, I was beginning to wonder if I were becoming allergic to the dogs, but I could be
away at work all day long around no dogs at all and still be sneezing and sniffling).
In fact, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it at all. Comes and goes all day long. About
2 months of this going on so far.
Well whatever. I was attempting to watch Clinton and see how he would try to distort facts,
but I got 5 minutes into and - turned the channel, lol.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
This will be a short entry, mostly due to time constraints, the fact that 3 days off and Labor Day weekend is over and I must be leaving for work shortly. Which isn't a bad thing, btw.
But, I have started to get back into the Gospels after sort of hodging around them and reading just about everything else in the Bible. I had forgotten how incredible those times must have been, Jesus actually walking on this earth, doing miracles, rebuking the religious and reaching out the the lost and destitute. Some of the words he spoke about what we are to do with our lives had gone onto a dusty shelf in my mind somewhere.
No longer. I am finding myself slowly - ever so slowly - but still - coming out of the darkness and being in the light is a FAR better place to be. I feel a clarity of mind I haven't had in quite a long time. I feel some regret for having had wasted so much time and not fully engaging myself in my walk with the Lord. But God is gracious and merciful, if not for that, we would all be doomed.
Okay, time to get to work.
G'day.
ben
But, I have started to get back into the Gospels after sort of hodging around them and reading just about everything else in the Bible. I had forgotten how incredible those times must have been, Jesus actually walking on this earth, doing miracles, rebuking the religious and reaching out the the lost and destitute. Some of the words he spoke about what we are to do with our lives had gone onto a dusty shelf in my mind somewhere.
No longer. I am finding myself slowly - ever so slowly - but still - coming out of the darkness and being in the light is a FAR better place to be. I feel a clarity of mind I haven't had in quite a long time. I feel some regret for having had wasted so much time and not fully engaging myself in my walk with the Lord. But God is gracious and merciful, if not for that, we would all be doomed.
Okay, time to get to work.
G'day.
ben
Monday, September 3, 2012
A bit of a dilemma.
I have 1 large plant out front that has completely up and died.
There is one that is even larger that is dying off.
I have no idea, whatsoever, why the one plant has died and the other is dying. It isn't for lack of water, I can guarantee you that.
What's the dilemma? Summer. Heat. Humidity. Oh, no, it's not a dry heat. There has been enough humidity mixed with high enough temps to make it feel very uncomfortable out there. I am soooo sick of the summer that I just want to be outside as little as possible until cooler temps come.
At the same time, that big, brown, dead and now-ugly plant needs to go. It actually isn't that big of a deal that it died, I have fresh ideas about what to do with that area once I get that dead thing out of there anyway. I mean, I didn't WANT it to die, but it's okay, I'm cool with it, find something else to do with that area and maybe take a completely different route with it. The other plant next to it I am not real happy about it's slow, gradual death, due to what I have no clue. But it's turning brown with the exception of a few branches that are, inexplicably, very healthy looking. I'm waiting that one out. I want to see if it's going to completely die out or if there are some parts of the plant that are salvageable. It is about 8 feet tall and maybe that much in circumference. It was a really nice plant that I had acquired from one of the nursery auctions that started out as a twig in the ground.
I'm sure I will get out there and get the dead one cut down. I'm waiting for one of the tenants to come home, he has an electric chain saw in his car that he said he would let me use. Make that job MUCH easier.
I also have yet to put any fish in that front pond after all of them died off in there. Another inexplicable event. I had been suspicious about neighbor involvement in poisoning the ponds and I still haven't ruled that out, to be honest. I may never know. But, if one of the "war" neighbors did do something to my ponds, eventually that truth will be spread around the neighborhood and get back to me. That might be a long time. Meanwhile, I am leaving that pond void of fish for a while. I still have nice plants in it and I am still running the small filtering system for it - can't let it stagnate and turn into a cesspool of mosquitoes. I could just use it as a plant water feature and leave the fish out of it.
My other 2 ponds have apparently recovered from whatever happened to them. I did lose fish in them, but not near as many as the amount of fish lost in the front pond. I have been forcing myself to clean out the filters much more frequently than what I had been doing.
As for today, it's Labor Day and why bother doing anything, anyway. When the temps come down, I will be doing some major work outside, especially on the east side of the house. Cooler temps will help with the amount of trimming and de-grassing under the vines that needs to be done.
_____________________
Just took a trip to one of the largest tree farms in the entire county, which just happens to be 2-1/2 miles away from my house. I found some interesting ideas and definitely found some plants that would replace the dead one and actually look much better. One of which puts out beautiful, yellow flowers and grows up to 12 feet tall.
However, after coming home, I found the answer. Something that will work much better than what I have out there now: Indian Laurel Columns.
I'm actually ready at this point to go out there and cut that dead thing down - however - the tenant is not here yet and I'm going to wait for the ease of us of an electric chainsaw versus having to it down and into small piece by hand.
Well whatever. Work back in the queue again. It doesn't matter how long time off can be - a day, 3 days, a week - it just disappears soooo fast. Lol.
ben
I have 1 large plant out front that has completely up and died.
There is one that is even larger that is dying off.
I have no idea, whatsoever, why the one plant has died and the other is dying. It isn't for lack of water, I can guarantee you that.
What's the dilemma? Summer. Heat. Humidity. Oh, no, it's not a dry heat. There has been enough humidity mixed with high enough temps to make it feel very uncomfortable out there. I am soooo sick of the summer that I just want to be outside as little as possible until cooler temps come.
At the same time, that big, brown, dead and now-ugly plant needs to go. It actually isn't that big of a deal that it died, I have fresh ideas about what to do with that area once I get that dead thing out of there anyway. I mean, I didn't WANT it to die, but it's okay, I'm cool with it, find something else to do with that area and maybe take a completely different route with it. The other plant next to it I am not real happy about it's slow, gradual death, due to what I have no clue. But it's turning brown with the exception of a few branches that are, inexplicably, very healthy looking. I'm waiting that one out. I want to see if it's going to completely die out or if there are some parts of the plant that are salvageable. It is about 8 feet tall and maybe that much in circumference. It was a really nice plant that I had acquired from one of the nursery auctions that started out as a twig in the ground.
I'm sure I will get out there and get the dead one cut down. I'm waiting for one of the tenants to come home, he has an electric chain saw in his car that he said he would let me use. Make that job MUCH easier.
I also have yet to put any fish in that front pond after all of them died off in there. Another inexplicable event. I had been suspicious about neighbor involvement in poisoning the ponds and I still haven't ruled that out, to be honest. I may never know. But, if one of the "war" neighbors did do something to my ponds, eventually that truth will be spread around the neighborhood and get back to me. That might be a long time. Meanwhile, I am leaving that pond void of fish for a while. I still have nice plants in it and I am still running the small filtering system for it - can't let it stagnate and turn into a cesspool of mosquitoes. I could just use it as a plant water feature and leave the fish out of it.
My other 2 ponds have apparently recovered from whatever happened to them. I did lose fish in them, but not near as many as the amount of fish lost in the front pond. I have been forcing myself to clean out the filters much more frequently than what I had been doing.
As for today, it's Labor Day and why bother doing anything, anyway. When the temps come down, I will be doing some major work outside, especially on the east side of the house. Cooler temps will help with the amount of trimming and de-grassing under the vines that needs to be done.
_____________________
Just took a trip to one of the largest tree farms in the entire county, which just happens to be 2-1/2 miles away from my house. I found some interesting ideas and definitely found some plants that would replace the dead one and actually look much better. One of which puts out beautiful, yellow flowers and grows up to 12 feet tall.
However, after coming home, I found the answer. Something that will work much better than what I have out there now: Indian Laurel Columns.
I'm actually ready at this point to go out there and cut that dead thing down - however - the tenant is not here yet and I'm going to wait for the ease of us of an electric chainsaw versus having to it down and into small piece by hand.
Well whatever. Work back in the queue again. It doesn't matter how long time off can be - a day, 3 days, a week - it just disappears soooo fast. Lol.
ben
Sunday, September 2, 2012
So, Sunday almost gone.
I bought 2 racks of pork ribs at the grocery store - on sale greatly reduced price - and slow cooked them for 3 hours on the grill this afternoon.
Yummy.
Church this morning? You bet. I was a little surprised to hear the pastor using a conversation that I had had with him earlier this week incorporated into his sermon. Not opposed to it and he didn't point me out, just used the "speaking with a brother on the phone" statement. But the conversation he was mentioning was unmistakable.
Well anyway. Just riding out a nice, 3 day weekend and looking forward to some new things in my life.
Talk about that another time. Bedtime for me.
ben
I bought 2 racks of pork ribs at the grocery store - on sale greatly reduced price - and slow cooked them for 3 hours on the grill this afternoon.
Yummy.
Church this morning? You bet. I was a little surprised to hear the pastor using a conversation that I had had with him earlier this week incorporated into his sermon. Not opposed to it and he didn't point me out, just used the "speaking with a brother on the phone" statement. But the conversation he was mentioning was unmistakable.
Well anyway. Just riding out a nice, 3 day weekend and looking forward to some new things in my life.
Talk about that another time. Bedtime for me.
ben
Saturday, September 1, 2012
My original plan some weeks ago for the Labor Day weekend - which is now - was to go up to the property and hang out for a couple of days.
Well, I am not going up there again until mother and I have a conversation about my dogs and whether she is going to be able to handle it, cause' if she isn't, I will go up there without them sometime this month, pump the water lines full of RV version of anti-freeze and it will sit until Spring, which is when I will have it hauled out of there. I will sell it, wash my hands of the entire situation and move on with life.
Instead, I went to a men's meeting at church this morning and heard some interesting ideas about starting up a men's group and doing various types of outings and such. Breakfast was also served, very nice egg casserole, the likes of which I had never had before, was severed along with other basic breakfast foods.
Good meeting, was glad I made it.
No great plans for this 3 day weekend. Not that I need any.
Time's up. Bedtime, lol.
ben
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Spent almost the entire day out in the heat and humidity. 108 today. You know it's humid when even if you aren't doing anything, you start sweating profusely. However, I wasn't not doing anything. I was drinking water and tea all day long, but I finally succumbed to a heat-induced headache that will probably stick with me until bedtime, which will undoubtedly be earlier than normal today.
On the way home, I stopped at Fry's Food Stores. Meandering through the store looking for the things I needed, I happened by the deli. A girl working behind the counter, I walked over to the where the fried chicken was and was about to ask for an 8-piece of it until I saw the price. It jumped from $4.99 to $6.99. I simply said, oh, the price has gone up. The girl "informed" me that it has been that price for the last 2 years now. No, I replied, it has not, I have bought a lot of that chicken at $4.99. Oh, yeah, they had that on sale for like 2 weeks. No, I relied again, it was at that price for about 8 months. No, she stated, it has always been $6.99.
I was getting irritated. Number one because I knew I was right - I have bought a lot of that fried chicken at the lower price and 2, that this girl of whom I had never seen before and therefore concluded she hasn't been working there all that long was giving me impudent, obnoxious and argumentative tones. The fact that I had a heat headache and exhausted from busting my @$$ in the heat all day long didn't help matters. I just decided to end that conversation and walk away from her, chicken be damned I can get some some other day. The next thing I know, this girl is talking trash about me to another customer who had just walked up.
I was going to just let it go, little girl with attitude, the world is full of them. But when she made the snide remarks to the customer, who also turned to give me a look, that was it. I went up to the front, paid for my groceries and then asked for Christine, the current store's general manager. Unavailable. Fine, I'll call when I get home.
Turns out, after getting home and calling, this isn't the first complaint against that girl and her stupid attitude. You can't work in a customer service venue and expect that, with a bad attitude, you are going to get away with it forever, or very long for that matter. I was asked what she could do for me to keep me as a customer. "Deal with her, that's all I want".
I'm out of it. I was informed a few minutes ago that it rained for an hour last night - completely missed it - which gives me a pass on having to water plants. I don't feel like doing anything at all right now. It's way too early to go to bed at 4:30, if it was even 7:00 I would be hitting the sack.
Yeah, ending this one.
I'm out of it. I was informed a few minutes ago that it rained for an hour last night - completely missed it - which gives me a pass on having to water plants. I don't feel like doing anything at all right now. It's way too early to go to bed at 4:30, if it was even 7:00 I would be hitting the sack.
Yeah, ending this one.
Monday, August 27, 2012
So, I watched this "guest" in my house washing their hands the first time. First pouring on the Dawn dishwashing liquid - which is a big no-no in my house since I have anti-bacterial pump hand soap available even at the kitchen sink and since Dawn dish washing liquid isn't exactly cheap - and wash their hands for about 3 minutes.
About 20 minutes later, this individual comes back to the kitchen sink and does the same thing all over again. And again. And again. And again. I could hardly contain myself, I wanted to question this person as to what, exactly, it was the caused them to want to wash their hands 10 times in a 5 hour period of time? One of my tenants who also observed this behavior simply labelled it as a compulsive disorder and that was that.
To live with someone acting in that manner all the time would drive me crazy.
Whatever, just the odd things you see in life that I just have to comment about.
Meanwhile, I am cleaning out the larger fish pond filters every couple of days now. They get full of fish waste pretty quickly. It may be that I was allowing too much time to elapse between cleanings and they were wallowing, literally, in their own waste. Without researching it online one would conclude that can't be good for any living thing. But, after doing the research anyway - had to look - it's even worse than I thought.
Let's just say here that cleaning out those filters isn't exactly the first thing I want to do when I get home from work. Yet today, I spent an hour cleaning out both of them thoroughly. IF that is the reason they were kicking the bucket, that potential problem is going to be eliminated.
I am considering going up the hill this coming weekend. I really need to have a discussion with my mom about this dog situation. It really hinges on her. I am firm with my dogs, yes. Great Danes are obstinate and stubborn. They push the limits. Not just once or twice, they just like to push the limits. Prince especially. She doesn't get what having 3 dogs is like, she has one that is a complete handful but it's only one dog.
I like my dogs, if I didn't they would be goners. I have always loved my dogs. But, they aren't going to just run me over and do whatever they want. There are doggy rules and these dogs are WELL aware of those rules.
The political scene is beginning to humor me. The idea that Romney is now leading - barely - in the polls with all the negative ads coming from the Obama camp is entertaining at the least.
An appropriate ending not possible, time for bed.
G'nite.
ben
About 20 minutes later, this individual comes back to the kitchen sink and does the same thing all over again. And again. And again. And again. I could hardly contain myself, I wanted to question this person as to what, exactly, it was the caused them to want to wash their hands 10 times in a 5 hour period of time? One of my tenants who also observed this behavior simply labelled it as a compulsive disorder and that was that.
To live with someone acting in that manner all the time would drive me crazy.
Whatever, just the odd things you see in life that I just have to comment about.
Meanwhile, I am cleaning out the larger fish pond filters every couple of days now. They get full of fish waste pretty quickly. It may be that I was allowing too much time to elapse between cleanings and they were wallowing, literally, in their own waste. Without researching it online one would conclude that can't be good for any living thing. But, after doing the research anyway - had to look - it's even worse than I thought.
Let's just say here that cleaning out those filters isn't exactly the first thing I want to do when I get home from work. Yet today, I spent an hour cleaning out both of them thoroughly. IF that is the reason they were kicking the bucket, that potential problem is going to be eliminated.
I am considering going up the hill this coming weekend. I really need to have a discussion with my mom about this dog situation. It really hinges on her. I am firm with my dogs, yes. Great Danes are obstinate and stubborn. They push the limits. Not just once or twice, they just like to push the limits. Prince especially. She doesn't get what having 3 dogs is like, she has one that is a complete handful but it's only one dog.
I like my dogs, if I didn't they would be goners. I have always loved my dogs. But, they aren't going to just run me over and do whatever they want. There are doggy rules and these dogs are WELL aware of those rules.
The political scene is beginning to humor me. The idea that Romney is now leading - barely - in the polls with all the negative ads coming from the Obama camp is entertaining at the least.
An appropriate ending not possible, time for bed.
G'nite.
ben
Sunday, August 26, 2012
I am sitting here in this absolutely magnificent hotel room - don't get this kind of treat very often -
with the AC turned down to 65 and enjoying the beautiful views out the french glass style doors up
to the north towards the mountains. It is perfectly quiet in here save the sound of the AC system.
I have absolutely no intention of leaving before the final minute of check-out time, which is 3 hours and 45 minutes from now. I won't be staying at a place this luxurious again for some time to come, I am guessing, might as well take advantage of it.
Not only that, but this room is an upgrade, the likes of which I did not ask for neither did I expect.
I showed up after the company party and simply started the check in process, which is when the
man apparently was reading the notes and determined that if available, a room upgrade should be in
order. Well, I'm not one to turn down that kind of offer.
The aspect of this room that is really awesome is the absolute quiet. There are no dogs barking; no humans asking me endless questions; just peace and quiet. Even better that i have 4G access on my internet. No need to pay the $11 or whatever it was internet fee, lol, got that on my Hotspot.
The party was awesome fun as well. They rented out the entire bowling alley at the Dave & Buster's that we were at - 12 lanes worth and all of them were being used. We bowled pretty much the entire time we were there. The only drawback was the limited selection of bowling balls and I could not find one with holes big enough for my fingers. Anyway, there was a raffle and I won a $25 gift certificate to Home Depot, which I thought odd because in many respects, they are
our competitor. Not that I'm complaining, I go to Home Depot all the time, lol. The general manager was handing out the prizes and he was mocking my voice my entire walk up to the table for the prize. I kind of have a deep, gruffy voice which gets even deeper and raspier if I am tired.
One of the drivers from the main branch that was bowling with us got so drunk, he couldn't get the ball down the lane, it was a gutter ball every single time, lol. His wife was just sitting there, shaking her head and not drinking at all.
I am skipping church this morning just so I can sit here and enjoy the serenity of this place. The weather outside isn't even that bad, must be in the low 80's. Yup, 84 with a high today of 103. We are approaching the end of August, thank God Almighty, meaning the temps should start coming down in September and the electric use along with it. Not that September is cool by any stretch of the imagination, just that the temps are not near as high as the worst 3 months of the year which include June, July and August. We have to get into October before we can actually say it's getting cool outside, lol.
There is this large-screen TV sitting in front of me that I have yet to turn on. I just don't care that much for TV as much as I used to. I get my news off the net from a variety of sources - try to get all the different takes on the same story and then meet them all up somewhere in the middle.
Anyway, I'm outta here. Happy Sunday.
ben
with the AC turned down to 65 and enjoying the beautiful views out the french glass style doors up
to the north towards the mountains. It is perfectly quiet in here save the sound of the AC system.
I have absolutely no intention of leaving before the final minute of check-out time, which is 3 hours and 45 minutes from now. I won't be staying at a place this luxurious again for some time to come, I am guessing, might as well take advantage of it.
Not only that, but this room is an upgrade, the likes of which I did not ask for neither did I expect.
I showed up after the company party and simply started the check in process, which is when the
man apparently was reading the notes and determined that if available, a room upgrade should be in
order. Well, I'm not one to turn down that kind of offer.
The aspect of this room that is really awesome is the absolute quiet. There are no dogs barking; no humans asking me endless questions; just peace and quiet. Even better that i have 4G access on my internet. No need to pay the $11 or whatever it was internet fee, lol, got that on my Hotspot.
The party was awesome fun as well. They rented out the entire bowling alley at the Dave & Buster's that we were at - 12 lanes worth and all of them were being used. We bowled pretty much the entire time we were there. The only drawback was the limited selection of bowling balls and I could not find one with holes big enough for my fingers. Anyway, there was a raffle and I won a $25 gift certificate to Home Depot, which I thought odd because in many respects, they are
our competitor. Not that I'm complaining, I go to Home Depot all the time, lol. The general manager was handing out the prizes and he was mocking my voice my entire walk up to the table for the prize. I kind of have a deep, gruffy voice which gets even deeper and raspier if I am tired.
One of the drivers from the main branch that was bowling with us got so drunk, he couldn't get the ball down the lane, it was a gutter ball every single time, lol. His wife was just sitting there, shaking her head and not drinking at all.
I am skipping church this morning just so I can sit here and enjoy the serenity of this place. The weather outside isn't even that bad, must be in the low 80's. Yup, 84 with a high today of 103. We are approaching the end of August, thank God Almighty, meaning the temps should start coming down in September and the electric use along with it. Not that September is cool by any stretch of the imagination, just that the temps are not near as high as the worst 3 months of the year which include June, July and August. We have to get into October before we can actually say it's getting cool outside, lol.
There is this large-screen TV sitting in front of me that I have yet to turn on. I just don't care that much for TV as much as I used to. I get my news off the net from a variety of sources - try to get all the different takes on the same story and then meet them all up somewhere in the middle.
Anyway, I'm outta here. Happy Sunday.
ben
Friday, August 24, 2012
The laughing Marriott customer representative.
Specifically, the J W Marriott Desert Ridge Resort And Spa located on Tatum road in North Phoenix.
It is within walking distance of the Dave and Buster's where our company's end-of-fiscal-year party is going to be held.
I stayed there I think 2 years ago at a discounted rate and now for the life of me cannot remember how I got that rate, but I was asking for it again anyway.
So, I inquired of the lady who - laughed at me.
She thought it was some sort of joke that I should be asking for a lower rate than the lowest advertised rate of $160.
Yeah, that didn't go over too well with me. "What are you laughing at?". "Excuuuuse me? I didn't laugh at you". "YES, you did". She began to get argumentative with me which is when I asked for her manager.
I said nothing to this woman to warrant the kind of behavior I received on the phone from her. NOTHING. I was totally respectful and was ready to move on and try to find something else if they simply had said no, we don't have anything cheaper, we're sorry. I'm of the mindset that it "never hurts to try" and the worst they can tell you is no.
I'm guessing that woman is regretting that response to me last night as I not only informed her manager, I also wrote in a complaint, but figuring it would be forever before I got a reply, I decided to call corporate headquarters as well. And no, I wasn't aggressive panhandling. I simply did not, up until that encounter anyway, associate J W Marriott hotels with that kind of condescending, haughty and spiteful type of behavior coming from anyone working there. Normally, at least for me, one connotes the Marriott name with complete and total professionalism. I have no idea whether calls are recorded but I was informed that the person I was dealing with whose name is Sharon will be having her calls monitored.
Indeed.
Whatever the case, the party is tomorrow afternoon and I intend on enjoying myself.
Onto other things. If you came here on a Google search, well, that's the end of the Marriott tale and the rest is just my day to day life. Such as my fish ponds. Today marks the first day that I did not find any dead fish in any of the 3 ponds. I am not declaring the problem over, but it is a good sign that I didn't find any very large fishies floating around on the top of the ponds today. Fortunately I have not lost any of the large Koi, it's mostly been goldfish and some smaller Koi.
I have been aggressively dealing with the problem in emptying out large amounts of the pond water and replacing with fresh tap water. Taking the filters apart, cleaning them out frequently and then putting them back together again. Yesterday adding pond - stuff - whatever it is - that helps with fish stress. I can only do so much. It is still a bit puzzling that all 3 ponds had the same problem all at once. That indicates something external was introduced, not a naturally occurring event inside the ponds. Again, the rains and the potential of all that chemical that has been sprayed all over the property is the number 1 "suspect". Number 2, though unlikely but certainly not inconceivable, is that some sort of poison was added to all 3 ponds. I find it inconceivable because they would have had to jump my fence and take another risk of me catching them in the act.
The thought of catching someone dumping poison into ponds that are behind fences in my back yard is - a bit troublesome indeed. But I'm going to put that idea on idle and hope that it was just the poison from the exterminator, who last time was out sprayed a lot of that stuff onto the rocks and plants - no problem there, but I am guessing she must have gotten too close to the ponds. From this point forth, the exterminator will not be coming over here unless I am at home so I can monitor where that person is spraying the poison.
I am going to church tonight, though I definitely do not feel like it, it's the weekly prayer thing. I am very tired and I am not feeling particularly well for some reason. But I am not going to allow that to stop me to go as pastoral staff is encouraging everyone to get into those Friday night meetings and join in the prayer celebration. I'll go for at least an hour. There is no one telling anyone that they have to stay for X amount of time. I figure an hour good, come home and go to bed.
So that's it. Church starts in less than an hour. Time to get ready both mentally and of course my attire, lol.
G'day.
ben
Specifically, the J W Marriott Desert Ridge Resort And Spa located on Tatum road in North Phoenix.
It is within walking distance of the Dave and Buster's where our company's end-of-fiscal-year party is going to be held.
I stayed there I think 2 years ago at a discounted rate and now for the life of me cannot remember how I got that rate, but I was asking for it again anyway.
So, I inquired of the lady who - laughed at me.
She thought it was some sort of joke that I should be asking for a lower rate than the lowest advertised rate of $160.
Yeah, that didn't go over too well with me. "What are you laughing at?". "Excuuuuse me? I didn't laugh at you". "YES, you did". She began to get argumentative with me which is when I asked for her manager.
I said nothing to this woman to warrant the kind of behavior I received on the phone from her. NOTHING. I was totally respectful and was ready to move on and try to find something else if they simply had said no, we don't have anything cheaper, we're sorry. I'm of the mindset that it "never hurts to try" and the worst they can tell you is no.
I'm guessing that woman is regretting that response to me last night as I not only informed her manager, I also wrote in a complaint, but figuring it would be forever before I got a reply, I decided to call corporate headquarters as well. And no, I wasn't aggressive panhandling. I simply did not, up until that encounter anyway, associate J W Marriott hotels with that kind of condescending, haughty and spiteful type of behavior coming from anyone working there. Normally, at least for me, one connotes the Marriott name with complete and total professionalism. I have no idea whether calls are recorded but I was informed that the person I was dealing with whose name is Sharon will be having her calls monitored.
Indeed.
Whatever the case, the party is tomorrow afternoon and I intend on enjoying myself.
Onto other things. If you came here on a Google search, well, that's the end of the Marriott tale and the rest is just my day to day life. Such as my fish ponds. Today marks the first day that I did not find any dead fish in any of the 3 ponds. I am not declaring the problem over, but it is a good sign that I didn't find any very large fishies floating around on the top of the ponds today. Fortunately I have not lost any of the large Koi, it's mostly been goldfish and some smaller Koi.
I have been aggressively dealing with the problem in emptying out large amounts of the pond water and replacing with fresh tap water. Taking the filters apart, cleaning them out frequently and then putting them back together again. Yesterday adding pond - stuff - whatever it is - that helps with fish stress. I can only do so much. It is still a bit puzzling that all 3 ponds had the same problem all at once. That indicates something external was introduced, not a naturally occurring event inside the ponds. Again, the rains and the potential of all that chemical that has been sprayed all over the property is the number 1 "suspect". Number 2, though unlikely but certainly not inconceivable, is that some sort of poison was added to all 3 ponds. I find it inconceivable because they would have had to jump my fence and take another risk of me catching them in the act.
The thought of catching someone dumping poison into ponds that are behind fences in my back yard is - a bit troublesome indeed. But I'm going to put that idea on idle and hope that it was just the poison from the exterminator, who last time was out sprayed a lot of that stuff onto the rocks and plants - no problem there, but I am guessing she must have gotten too close to the ponds. From this point forth, the exterminator will not be coming over here unless I am at home so I can monitor where that person is spraying the poison.
I am going to church tonight, though I definitely do not feel like it, it's the weekly prayer thing. I am very tired and I am not feeling particularly well for some reason. But I am not going to allow that to stop me to go as pastoral staff is encouraging everyone to get into those Friday night meetings and join in the prayer celebration. I'll go for at least an hour. There is no one telling anyone that they have to stay for X amount of time. I figure an hour good, come home and go to bed.
So that's it. Church starts in less than an hour. Time to get ready both mentally and of course my attire, lol.
G'day.
ben
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