I Can Nod And Smile But Not Through Everything

It's happy hour.  I am at work.  I was just having a good conversation with a frequent guest.  I know he is a frequent guest because I see his name on the computer screen often.  But I have never said more than a quick "hi" to him before.

We were talking about international relations because CNN was on in the lobby.  All fine.  He actually worked throughout the Middle East in the 1990's. 

We somehow got on to our opinions about Palestinians and their treatment in Gaza and the West Bank.  Still, all was fine.

Then he made a a few negative comments about the Jewish people.  I let it slide.  I am at work, and he was drinking.  I am not Jewish, but I do not enjoy intolerance.

Then, he went off.  He made very anti-Semitic remarks.  Homophobic comments.  Anti-Arab comments.  All ending with the crescendo that the Holocaust happened because the Jews were "taking over" Germany at the time. (Oh, but he clarified that he did not agree with Hitler.)

I do realize that I have to watch what I say because guests are entitled to be stupid. I also am representing a company here. 

But I ended the conversation.  It disgusts me that people can be so intolerant.  Oh, and if you run into him and you are not wearing a uniform or otherwise working, let him know that "Arab" is not a religion.    

EWWW.

Remember, everyone we are always on camera.  It is a fact of modern day life.  From Wal-Mart to the bank and even on college campuses, Big Brother is watching.  We have a ton of hi-tech cameras all over the place.  And yes, we can zoom right in on you.

So, think before you act.  Or, think before you masturbate in the stairway of my hotel.  

Yes.  It happened.  On Saturday, I came to work out in our fitness center.  (Hey, it is cheaper than a gym membership and close to my home.)  

I was not working, but I was catching up with my friend who was working at the time.   We were behind the desk, by the camera screen and caught him in the act.

Now, to be fair, even If it is inexcusable, he was about 20 years old and with his basketball team.  So maybe he did not have enough private time.  But I could think of about 20 other private places he could have "used."  The stairway?  Not on the list.

Another hotel blog

USA Today launched this blog recently.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

It is a little more "inside-baseball," but there are interesting conversations going on there.

I hate my iphone

This is off topic but it is a funny article from the Sunday Magazine of The New York Times...

'And so the iPhone made suggestions. Did I want to say Ride? Ripe? Ruin? No. I wanted to say Running. You know, the way a human might. But with its know-it-all suggestions, the iPhone seemed to want to be more human, more helpful, jollier than I was! The vaunted Apple user-friendliness was exposed, before my eyes, as bossiness and insincerity.'--Virginia Heffernan  Read the rest...

Have any of you found that you hated an electronic device after waiting to buy it?

my funny friends from the north

Well, I have been thoroughly entertained today.   That is a good thing, because life hasn't been so great.

But today, I checked about 12 walk-ins.  They were almost all from Canada.  It is kind of typical for this time of year.  Older Canadians seem to "winter" in Florida, then come home.  

This couple I had today though, they were hilarious.  They drank as much beer as possible.  Then they told me about there life.  They are retired.  Fixed income.  But they invested in Florida when they were younger.  So they stay down there about 4 months out of the year.  I've asked them to take me next year, so if I disappear next December do not be surprised.

But they made my night great.  They made me laugh with their corny jokes.  And, they made me wish I still had grandparents.