So March is like a slow month for me, at least if last year is any indication. Last year there was not any posts for the month of March. The Archive jumps from February 27th to April 7th. March is of course the month of Me and Izer’s birthdays. Looking back on last March I can not figure why I did not write anything. Last March was a lot of fun. The birthday outing was really good. Me and the Izer’s had fun that night. And thanks to the Harem Scarem Escort Service I had company that night. No not that kind of company. We went and saw the Julia Roberts movie Erin Brochivich. Which turned out to be a really good movie. This year is going to be a little different. The thought of turning 29 is kind of scary. That of course means the big three O is next year.

I left of around midnight or one, depending on if it is a weekday or a weekend. Really balancing everything takes just about ten minutes. This is under optimum conditions. That is if the Front Desk crew did everything the way they are supposed to do things. A lot of times they screw the pooch on credit cards and balancing direct bills. Now this may take some time it depends on how bad the Front Desk screwed up. But even this will take no more than a hour. So for a time frame point of view I always start the audit at either 12:35 (last bus) or as soon as the bar closes (one or two).

The actual Audit process is done by the computer. The most interaction I deal with is switching the back up tapes. Really hard. The Audit takes just about two hours start to finish. And those two hours I am of course surfing the net. Generally during this time of night I have no customer interaction. Once the Audit is done I print two sets of reports. One set is all of the essential reports I need to fill out my simple little audit report. The other set of reports are for lazy managers (who despite having computer access to the actual function of printing these report) that are just to lazy or incompetent to print the reports themselves.

The reports take about an hour or less. The time now is about three in the morning. The Audit usually finishes around two and another hour for the reports. Now from three until eight when I leave all I have to do is fill out the daily. A simple worksheet that takes five minutes tops. Once again I’m surfing the web. How do you think I got my redesign done? At work. Most of all of my posts are done at work. I can’t remember the last time I did an update from home. Doing this at work is just more convenient for me.

And that’s just about it. I do put all of the paperwork and reports into a big envelope and put over by the accountants door. In the morning I do have to deal with guests. But again its not a big deal. I punch out at eight or later if I’m milking the clock and then I get the hell out of the hotel. And that’s my average night.

Have you looked at the USA Today yet this morning? All I can say is what the fuck is wrong with kids these days? Sorry for swearing, but this is getting crazy. Charles “Andy” Williams is now to be almost as infamous as Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. The only difference between Williams and the Columbine duo is that Williams didn’t kill himself. I think it’s a shame Williams didn’t snuff out his own life. Is that harsh? I don’t think so.

So what is it? Is this teen killing spree phenomenon the result of these kids being bullied? Is it games such as Doom and Quake? About being bullied, isn’t that a fact of life? Isn’t that part of our culture? I just can’t buy into the “being bullied” excuse. Nor do I buy into the blame that’s put on video games and movies. I’m 28 and I never remember any of this kind of thing happening when I was in high school. And what about our parents generation? Never happened when they went to school. And our parents generation had killings all over TV. From the various assassinations to the classic cartoons of the day. And our parents got to see a guy killed live on TV.

Well none of us before this recent generation of youngsters have gone whacko. And I played Doom, so I should have went on a killing spree if games like Doom are really to blame. So is it just these kids that are all fucked up? I mean that has to be it right? It’s got to be the kids these days. But what exactly is the culprit behind them? Is it that guns are easier to get a hold of? That most be it. Or are kids these days just mentally unbalanced?

It’s got to the point that I don’t want to go down to my old high school to visit Mr. Peterson (Social commentary? I’m trying Jeff) because I’m afraid of those kids man. Kids today just scare the shit out of me. The only way you will see me down at the high school is if I know the kids are out of school. Or someone get me a flak jacket.

Now in defense of “kids these days” I do know a couple of nice kids. One of them is Adrian (a frequent reader) who to the eye seems like a nice kid. I’m kidding. Adrian is a good kid. Then there’s Brad (another reader). Both of them are smart. And I would be really disappointed if these guys ever did this kind of thing. Because they now better. I have had the chance to talk to both of them a number of times and I don’t see this behavior in them. So why are these kids that do this kind of thing different from Adrian and Brad? Answer? I don’t know.

Can it be the upbringing? I think if anyone is to blame it’s the parents of these whack job kids. We are what we are because of are upbringing and our surroundings. So if these kids home life are shit maybe that’s the reason? I mean the Columbine kids filmed videos showing their explosives and weaponry. How is it my parents knew I had Playboys under my bed yet these parents of these kids can’t seem to find these weapons? So that’s it right? Blame the parents. Well I’m not even so sure of that. Maybe someone smarter than me can explain this to me.

And what about the teachers? Can they be blamed? I learned a lot from my teachers. Or I should say “I learned a lot from the teachers I paid attention to.” I of course don’t buy this either. Don’t you think these teachers should be scared? And what about when the teachers start bitching about their pay? Don’t you think they deserve a raise because of recent events. I would at least expect hazard pay for them.

So in the end I don’t have answers. I just have more questions. So how about Adrian or Brad sounding off on kids your age? And could I get any Teachers to give me their say? Or anyone give me a reasonable explanation to this whole thing. Send your response to @hotelblues.com.

Here’s what Adrian had to say about “kids these days” and remember he’s one of them:

Hey Turk, I read your most recent article. Damn right the kids are screwed up. I happen to be a kid living today, so I see it all the time. But I don’t think its the parents. I had a shitty upbringing, my parents tried to do good, they made me what I am, but my parents were MEAN to me. I think its just fucked up kids. And its not the games, because for the last 12 years of my life I have played Tekken 1, 2, 3, Tomb Raider 1 and 2, Resident Evil (I have all of them), Quake 2 (just bought it yesterday), Doom, Perfect Dark (my fave), and Goldeneye. Yet I don’t feel at all like running frantically down the main hall at my school toting the biggest friggin’ gun I can wield. I think its just stupid. I think its just fucked up kids.

Makes me afraid.

Well I had Adrian explain what’s wrong with the kids these days. That’s right below. No teachers have sent in their explanations. I am a little distressed by Adrian’s “its just fucked up kids.” I really would like some really smart guy to tell why all this has to happen.

A good bud of mine named Saddler sent in this link that leads to Salary listing for teachers at my beloved South Beloit High School. Here’s how much my favorite History Teacher/Football Coach made in 1999-2000. Sorry Mr. Peterson I couldn’t resist. The website Thechampion.org will let you look up any teacher/school in Illinois.

And I don’t want any of my high school readers teasing the low paid teachers. That would be mean. If you do a little searching you will even find out how much the Superintendent makes. Or you could click here.

Ok I think I caused enough trouble for this morning.

Hopefully today’s headline will be some kind of indication to as what is ailing me. Or you could listen to this news bulletin. Really I have pinkeye. The contagious kind. So you all just caught it by looking at the site. It’s a top secret Perl script. Kidding.

Hey I heard from JP and don’t worry I’m all about confidentiality. I wouldn’t have stayed in business as long as I have if I did things differently.

I’m going to keep this short. I have to go and put eye drop medicine in. Now that really sucks.

One final note here is a page that TheChampion.org missed that you people should check out!

Today is the Birthday of a guy I know named Kevin Rindfliesch. He has many nick names and alias’s for a guy who isn’t a constant troublemaker. Every year around this time I ask him “does getting a year older bother you?” And he always shrugs and says no. The shit doesn’t bother him.

So I wish him a happy B-Day and I owe him a beer.