So it’s November already. November is kind of a special month for me. Mostly because on the 28th I will celebrate the 5th anniversary of the day I was fired from the hotel I work at. It’s become my special day, a sort of religious day you could say. It’s become the day I thank my friends and family that have helped me get from one year to the next. Follow this link to see what I mean.

I also have vowed to not ever work that day. My thinking is that I didn’t work on that day back in 98 so why should I work on that day ever again. It goes back to this almost religious thing I have with this day now. Those events of me getting fired has left a mark on me. One that may not be the best attitude to have.

I was told that I would have that day off, because we would be switching to one full time guy (who works Sunday through Thursday, that will be me I’m told) and then a part time guy/guys (who work Friday and Saturday). So with any luck I’ll get it off with out much fuss. It falls on a Friday this time. Five years, man time flies when your having fun.

So the new Dark Age of Camelot expansion has been out for a bit. I finally picked it up the other day. Trials of Atlantisadds some new stuff to the two year old game. The biggest question of course is it worth the 30 bucks? The answer to that question all depends on your point of view. Before I get into that, take a look at these eight screen shots (1024×768):

Now first off the name alone should tell you what kind of content has been added. Water my man in case your slow at these kind of things. To some it may seem like a cheap gimmick. Personally I like it.

Last night was the first time I actually got scared playing the game. When I saw that big fish in screens 3&4 I just about jumped out of my seat. I was afraid for my character. I had a similar reaction to seeing my first shark in the game. And you can’t discount that kind of thing. Of course I’ve always been into the whole underwater thing. I watched Sea Hunt religiously when I was a little kid.

Other new features include in no particular order own-able boats, master levels, new zones, pretty new graphics, uber items, and of course sharks. I am a little disappointed that you can’t play pirate. I mean it’s kind of a let down with all this water and boat theme they got going on.

So is it worth buying? Yes and no. I’m not exactly a diehard player of the game. In fact I can get pretty bored with it fast. So this new content gives me a reason to play. To some others it may seem like fluff. But that’s up to you to decide.

The Clone Wars have begun! Hurray! Man I just love Star Wars, even the bad movies. This cartoon is just awesome. Granted it’s a little disappointing that each episode is really short. The first one only runs for 3 minutes and 44 seconds. Here are eight screen caps from the first episode:

Ten of these little shorts run this month, then another ten in spring of 2004. You can watch them on the Cartoon Channel or watch them on-line at the Clone Wars website.

Number of things to cover. This post will detail how unhappy I am with the current situation at work. Of course no matter how much I complain here or in the real world will change how I feel. It’s safe to say I’m not to certain how much longer I will be working at the hotel.

First up is the implementation of a demerits system at the hotel. I call it a demerits system, they call it a points system. Their idea behind this is that this is a system that will both reward and punish. You start with zero points and work your way to either positive or negative 35 total points. Rewards are redeemable for different prizes such as cd’s, dvd’s, or even free stays at different hotels.

Now the real reason this system is in effect is that it is a way for them to punish the employees. I don’t see it as anything else. I say this because if they want to reward me (or anyone else) for a good job they can give me a raise. Of course this won’t be happening, so I won’t hold my breath. You will also notice this gay points system has changed my website as well. Over on the right just below the quick links you will see a new info box that shows my current points total.

All in all this is just a stupid management thing. Which is cool, because I’m going to start charging them points to do anything that isn’t related to my job. For example, for me to train a new night auditor it will cost them 35 points total or working when it’s not my designated time will cost 15 points. Shit I’ll sell them my cell phone number for 35 points. Of course making sure I answer the phone will cost and additional 5 points per call.

Now this points system is trivial, what they have done to the night audit schedule is reason enough for me to be looking for a new job. And I am, but sorry no two weeks notice for you (that will cost 100 points). The audit schedule has been cut two hours a day. So instead of working four days on four days off at ten hours a pop, audit is not eight hour shifts. But we retain the 4 on 4 off thing. So the poor bastard that is stuck with the 3 days on will only be pulling in 24 hours a week. And that is unacceptable. Maybe if things would change it would be different. But I don’t see that happening.

So I’m no longer a full time employee the way I look at it. Which is why I’m looking for a job. And when I find a new full time job I’m saying adiós to the part time job. Which is to bad. But perhaps my time has come. Perhaps it’s no longer the place it used to be. And perhaps I’ve worn out my welcome there. Time will tell.

So here it is seven am already and has the first shift come in yet? The answer to that question is a big no. So it’s kind of funny because at a real job I think one would get in trouble for coming in to work late. I wonder how many of these gay points one gets for coming in late?

And sure I’m not perfect. I’m looking at my time card and I’m late some times. But only 1-4 minutes late. It makes me wonder how these people can be over 5 minutes late to work. I look at the schedule when it comes out and I know when I have to be in. It’s pretty simple. But that’s not the case with the people who work the front desk.

I mean it’s not rocket science is it? Does setting a fucking alarm clock take a god damn degree? Maybe it would help if one understood Quantum Physics and all that kind of stuff. Or maybe I’m some kind of genius (or insane even) that I’m able to get my fat ass in to work fairly on time.

Oh well, what can I do? I’m not the front desk manager and I’m sure not saying anything. Not now that they have cut my hours. I can use all the extra time these people can give me. So I say to the people relieving me “be as late as you want” because it gets me more money to blow. And thank god that the chain of command is such a weak link here. I would hate to have management start to do their job and fuck up my extra time. So kudos all around!

I heard via the grapevine that I had a special guest check my site out today. Now I’m not saying that all of you who visit my site are not special. I consider all of the people who visit my site special. A few of you are “special” in a Farrelly Brothers way.

I don’t need to go on about first amendment stuff do I? Nah I don’t need to do that. So welcome aboard and enjoy your look into the way I think. If you think what I write here is harsh or if you think I only say these things here on my site just ask me in the real world.

You may learn a thing or two if you pay attention. And you need all of the help you can get. It just depends on if your willing to pay for it. Because until things change there you won’t get any help from me any other way.

You know what else pisses me off? When a guest says to me “I haven’t seen you here before.” Now maybe this is some trivial shit here. But I just heard this shit and I wanted to rant. I’m in the ranting state of mind. And the littlest thing could set me off.

Back to the “I haven’t seen you here before” shit. How do you respond to that? Really now I mean it. This is like a training question. How would you the hotel employee respond after a guest told you this “I haven’t seen you here before” shit?

My answer? My suck ass corporate shill answer? It was “third shift works odd hours sir. We do four days on four days off. So there is a stretch of days you wouldn’t see me.” Kinda long winded huh? But this is the way you have to answer this kind of stupid guest question.

Now what I would have liked to say to this guest? It would go something like this “Haven’t seen me before? I have only worked at this shithole for the last fucking decade. Open your fucking eyes you blind stupid bastard!” Or something like that, followed by a psychotic nervous breakdown were I nearly beat the guest to death with any blunt instrument I can find.

Man I have to check my gay points thing, because I just may have to mark my self off some for this kind of negative professional winning attitude (sort of like those gay professional winning words except not as gay because I came up with the term). What kind of points should I dock my self? I think ten points will be fair. 2 more points and I have 35, to bad no one knows what really happens when you hit 35. I guess I’ll get a paid day off or something nice like that. To bad I’ll never really get 35 at the hotel, thanks to the fact some managers have nice schedules.