Tonight the acting general manager asked me about how things are going. And I told him how it is. I told him that the place was a mess. I then asked him just long it was going to take him to find me a boss. It’s been two weeks already I reminded him. The chain of command is broken and the front desk is slowly falling apart.

I need a boss. Funny coming from me isn’t? But the thing is, who do I complain to? Who do I report the things I see that is wrong at the hotel to? Who do I call at 7:05 am when the first shift hasn’t shown up yet? I need that front desk manager for all of these things. Because when it comes down to it I always respect the chain o’ command. And I’ll be damned if I have to go over someones head. Even when there is no head I’m going over. It just doesn’t feel right. I shouldn’t have to be put in that kind of position.

I then expressed some thoughts on the current crop of possible candidates for the front desk manager gig. I hear things. I’m more informed than the hotel management can guess. I probably displayed just a little to much vehement disgust on the subject of one ex fdm that was in the contention for the job again. I made claims that I would walk out if that person got the job. I may even be prepared to follow through on that claim. And of course after I had expressed myself the gm asked me more or less why I didn’t apply for the job. My response can best be summed up with this movie quote:

After 12 years in the minor leagues, I don’t tryout.

Honestly you guys probably think I’m crazy. But it’s just really the way it is. Now while I don’t have Crash Davis’s good looks or charm, I do feel like I’m in his predicament. And that is why I told the gm I would never apply for the job. I told him he could offer me the job. Which of course went unanswered. I’ve worked at this hotel since I was a sophomore in high school. I don’t think that after all that time I feel the need to apply for something that they should have the common god damn sense to offer me.

Of course as it was pointed out in a conversation with a friend just the other day that is why I’m still a night auditor who makes less than nine dollars an hour. And I’m fine with that. I just have these crazy notions on how things should work. I fully understand that my idealistic expectations are just that.

And you know what else? Fuck them. While some of the management here at the hotel may not know me personally there are some that do. I know I have a personnel file going way back. Just by reading that these people “should” know to offer me the job. I mean for christ’s sake I’ve been fired from this shithole and then hired back by the same guy that fired me. If I didn’t know what I was doing I think I never would have made it back into the place.

No fuck them. If they did offer me the job I would (as I’ve stated before) laugh in their face and tell them no. The way things are now at the hotel I can’t imagine the money would be worth it. It would probably only be a grand or two over what I make now. And that’s just not good enough. No maybe in another time and another place I would have applied for the job. But that time and place is long gone. It’s only here and now unfortunately.

It’s funny I wasn’t going to comment on one of todays subjects just because it’s one of those things that seems like a joke by now. But the other bit of news I do want to comment on sort of ties it all together and I figured what the hell.

The Front Desk Manager is quiting. And calling him that is just me giving him the respect that these asshole at the hotel couldn’t seem to find the time to do themselves. Won’t pay the guy and won’t give him a title. But they expect him to do the work. The FDM finally had enough of that bullshit and gave them a weeks notice. And one weeks notice was him being very generous. I would have gave them the finger and walked out a long time ago.

Now while I’m sorry to see him go, I’m happy he’s not going to let the hotel fuck him in the ass anymore. And that’s really how I saw it. These assholes can’t even pay him what a front desk manager makes let alone give him a meaningless title of fdm. He made less than me for Christ’s sake. They just figured he’s young and he will take whatever bullshit that falls out of managements collective mouths as they spew their lies at him. I say good for you! You will be missed man.

The second shift front desk clerk asked/stated that I would be asked to take the job of front desk manager. I just want to make sure it’s clear to everyone reading that if these people ask me to become the front desk manager at best I’ll politely laugh in their faces. The worst case scenario is of course I’ll end up laughing so hard in their faces they all get sprayed with my spit as I do my best to keep from imploding from the laughter I will end up generating. Honestly you people don’t have enough money to get me to do that job. So don’t waste mine and your oxygen by asking. Not that they will ask.

Now that second bit of news, the one I did want to comment on. The current (now ex) GM is no more. It’s honestly getting silly now. Management here could probably be consider endangered species. I’m sorry to say that I do not have any heart felt words on the departure of this gm. Let me simply say that taking the hotels lifespan and history into consideration this GM will not be missed. You won’t even be a footnote in the hotels history book. Sorry for your trouble and better luck next time! And to this new GM all I can say is don’t use any American colloquialism if you don’t understand just how fucking stupid one can sound when they don’t use certain terms and ideas correctly.

The below is the description of my job as dictated by people who have been here for less than a year. And if the new front desk manager had anything to do with the creation of this document I have to laugh. How can a person that didn’t even work in the hotel business when I started doing the audit create a list of the things I’m supposed to do. My comments will be below this near work of fiction.

Job Descriptions: Night Auditor
Reports to: General Manager
Required Training/Experience/Education: Computer experience is very helpful. Bookkeeping skills or training is preferable. High School diploma or equivalent. Experience with Excel, and Microsoft Word

Minimum Qualifications:

• Strong independent skills
• Able to lift about 25 lbs
• Command of the English language
• Knowledge of calculator operations
• Knowledge of copier/fax/printer

Responsibilities/Duties

• Audits shifts one and two and balances records
• Performs Bucket Check
• Posts daily room charges to folios
• Produces back up tapes for computer system
• Records Payroll
• Daily revenue reports
• Make packet properly
• Performs daily duties listed in “Audit Book”
• Counts drawer at end of shift
• Clean lobby, and desk area during shift
• Sets Wake Up calls
• Assigns rooms for Reservations for the following day
• Performs light maintenance (light bulbs, plunge toilets)
• Set up of breakfast area
• Write out Maintenance Sheets
• House keeping assignment
• Performs all other related jobs assigned
• Meet all requirements as stated in the Employee Handbook

There are a number of things here that make me realize just how bad I got to get the fuck out of this shithole.

Records Payroll, this is new to me. Of course I’ve always assumed that was the job of the hotel accountant, not the night auditor.

Clean lobby, and desk area during shift, ok sure maybe I need to keep the desk area tidy. But I’m sorry keeping the lobby clean is the job of housekeeping. I smell a lot of job cut backs. Anyone for cutting corners?

Performs light maintenance (light bulbs, plunge toilets), not a fucking chance. Night Audit people. Not night fucking maintenance guy.

Set up of breakfast area, that would be another one that just isn’t my job. Fucking hire some restaurant people. Not sure what night audit has to do with setting up of the breakfast area. Once agian a way to cut corners.

Write out Maintenance Sheets and House keeping assignment again sound like the job of someone else. It looks like a lot of things are going to change at the hotel.

Well the event I have personally been waiting for has happened. As of 10:00pm I was let go from the hotel by Shawn Kennedy. His reason for letting me see the hatch was that I was not happy at the hotel. So what happens now?

First I plan on getting ass drunk. Then on Monday I plan on calling my friends at the ACLU. Then I plan on contacting the media. They might like the corporate bastards against the poor little webmaster angle. So any way. Troy’s here, we have to go.

I would like to thank in no particular order: Shawn Kennedy. Larry W. John W. Paula M. And anyone else that deserves my thanks. You all have been to kind.