And finally we have good/bad news. It depends on your opinion. The oldest Thorpe boy told that our buddy harpy number six is leaving the hotel. It seems Ericka has jumped ship and starts work at the steakhouse across the street from the hotel. I think its sad that employees that have been at the hotel have to leave to find better money. And I know that that has a lot to do with it. Those of us that stay at the hotel don’t always get the financial reward we are deserving. Ericka is a smart girl and she will do fine across the street. And it now gives me an excuse to go and eat there. I know me and Scott will miss her.

I have to say hi to Kristin in sales who felt she has been left out in this webpage. Well this is something I won’t tolerate. Here’s what Kristin had to say:

on my first venture into the world of harpy I noticed a side bar regarding the sales office, and dammit I have to defend our fair office. I’m in touch with the front desk!! In fact I like to touch the front desk…alot. Just kidding, maybe…but anyway I want to know why I’m not mentioned anywhere in the website…I mean Erika is mentioned like 32 times. Do I not measure up, am I not an employee who suffers the same as everyone else?! (5 days a week, no weekends or holidays-ha ha) Well, thank you for allowing me to vent, see you the next time I make it into work on time.

There’s only one thing I can do to fix this horrendous wrong I’ve done poor Kristin.

Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.
Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.
Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.
Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.Kristin.

The poor FDM and I mean it when I say that because I really like the guy. Or you can say I have yet to find anything that pisses me off about him. Whatever you people can believe. Especially since he has been having some problems with user passwords. He has changed the main password to encore. Now I don’t think this is a good thing to do. Because as far as I can guess they (encore support) use that to get in when they dial us up. The reason I even mention this is because I think the reason he changed the password is because of me.

I don’t think he likes me being able to do the things that I can do. Like say for example being able and knowing how to issue somebody a password. Or say changing someone’s password for them if they ask me to. This, in my humble opinion, because He is the Front Desk Manager.

And this is where his problems start. I have used the Encore computer system for over six years. That’s six. S.I.X. Six long fucking years and I have forgotten more things about encore than the FDM will ever know. Yet in the six plus years I have also learned a few really neat tricks. Some of them I tell others. Like for example: ******** was the password to sign in on encore. The cool thing about the encore sign in was that this is the password that is built into the program. That password works on every computer that has encore. It doesn’t matter where it is at. I’ve used the password at our hotel in South Beloit and I’ve used it in Beloit and Janesville also. Then there are the tricks I don’t share with anyone. Because something’s you are just best left not knowing. But its cool shit.

The whole password thing In fact must really bother him. I say this because the old FDM has changed his password three times. I would say two of three this month alone. Now you either are really anal retentive or you just don’t like other people fucking with your passwords.

This is the part when I make my point. If I wanted to, I could take away everyone’s access. I mean everyone. From the GM to the lowest desk clerk. I can do this even now without the encore password. I could do more things than they can possibly imagine to that computer if I wanted to. Here’s my point coming. I have in my six years been through a lot of shit. If I was going to do no good, I would have done it along time ago. I get the FDM’s password for the sole reason of being able to put his code in after I’m done with the audit if he is working that morning. I do the same with anyone else who comes in for the first shift. So I understand he is the front desk manager. And that he is in charge. If he has a problem with me I wish he would just talk to me. He is just wasting his time trying to change the password every time he does. I can’t be stopped. That’s just the way it is (that was sarcasm). So if he has a problem I really wish he would talk to me. Nuff said as Stan Lee puts it.

Just a few things this time around. I have to say hi to Kathy and Tina. Kathy is from the restaurant, and is damn nice just for the fact she borrowed me a tape of a South Park from about two weeks ago.

Tina works in sales and I feel for her. I don’t like sales people. They usually don’t have a grasp on what happens at the desk. Not all of them are like that. And just to show I’m not trying to be rude on purpose, keep in mind my mom does sales for another hotel chain.

My buddy Sarah (harpy number 9)has joined the rest of us in the computer age. She uses a MAC, but I wont hold that against her. So everyone remember to say hi to Sarah, she’s one of us now. This is what she had to say:

I did browse your web page. In case you were wondering I do plan on throwing in my two cents. I am sure you are completely surprised.

From: Harpy #9

So look out for Sarah’s installment of Two Cents.

Just a few things this time around. First Liz one of are sales and catering ladies has left the hotel for a GM gig. Liz had been at the hotel for well over ten years. She started as a Frontdesk clerk and moved her way up the food chain. So it gives one hope that you can move up at the hotel. Of course when Liz moved up from front desk to sales we were under different owners and I don’t see that kind of situation happening under present owners. So good luck I say to her.

Second My buddy Mark J. has become a management type. He has taken the Chief engineer job. mark is quick to point out that he has not had his bodily fluids swapped out yet and does not plan on letting them do it. He’s also quick to point out that I am a management type also. Because of the fact that I am a MOD on third shift. I say that its just a franchise technicality and nothing more than that. So good luck I say to Mark, because he’s going to need it.

And we have a new auditor among our ranks and boot camp starts next Wednesday. As of the 23rd of this month I get to train the forty something college boy. this guy has a slew of degrees and has his own accounting business. I just hate college boys and their goddamn degrees. All I need to prepare for the 23rd is to get my copy of Full Metal Jacket. And then will see if he can survive boot camp.

Here I’m with Teri drinking at my house, after a night of drinking. And the one thing that amazes me is that all (and I mean all) of the people we work with at the hotel are strange. I am also included in the strange category. Teri is like Sarah, she has a thing for going to nasty bars after bar time comes and drinking till bar time in Wisconsin isn’t good enough for her. No we have to run into Illinois to pick up that extra half an hour. You have to keep in mind that Teri and Sarah both bartended together. And you take me back a few years ago and I would appreciate the whole extra half hour a little more.

“I don’t suffer from insanity, I enjoy it.” Teri says after my observation on all employees being strange. She agrees that all employees are strange. High praise coming from her.

And I would like to point out that when I say all employees are strange that I do not mean it in a bad way. Me and Ericka(32 times) had a conversation about writing a book or play about the people we have met at the hotel. I mean it as a compliment. Usually you only read about this many people in good novels, or bad novels, Or see them on the big screen.