NO FAIR!!!

Well I don't know why I expected any thing different. GSM (Guest Service Measurements ) came out today for the CAR/valets. They were pleased to announce that they were the highest ever ... 100% It would of carried more weight if when they told us the "good news" that the valets weren't at that moment dancing around while a guest in a wheel chair was lifting his bags out of his trunk unaided, all the while Kris and security were discussing the missing laptop that was pulled out of the owner's bag. My comment ... they should be careful ... falsafying company documents is a termanation offence.

3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

Okay ... I know ... the BIG day came and went and I didn't post a thing! I guess this really hit hard and when it came to it I just couldn't post until the last day. Like ripping a band-aid off in one quick motion. So here goes.

12/26/06
Thiss the day most of us bid. I grabbed me some Mickey D's and headed out to the Port Orlens hotel a little early for my 1:35 appointment. Basically they called you into a room to bid but before that they channeled you to the exit of that room where outside they had the scheduals posted on the wall and would update them as the bid proceeded. I pretty young blonde approached me to escort me to this later location. and shook her head as she told me that I wouldn't believe what had happened. I replied, "Let me guess ... A block of bellmen from the Contemporary bid together to go to the Wilderness Lodge thus creating a domino effect that has caused a redispershal of positioning which in turn has lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth." She looked at me stunned. I said that I too was from the Contemporary and that I had been well aware of the things to come.

I looked at my options and with a decission I will be second guessing for some time to come, chose to stay at the Big House. I have a schedual that allows me both nights and weekends with my Yoko. I might of made more money elsewhere but would not of had the schedual.

Bob, Dayrl, John, Dave, Jim, Bruce and Tony (taking the shift that might of been mine) went to the Lodge. Johnny went to the Beach saying he didn't want to be where Bob was. Ray, Joe D4, Terry, and Richard joined me at the Contemporary. Mike C. was sweating it big time as he feared that when he pulled the Shop steward cant be moved card, that he would end up with the 5PM shift.

12/27/06

Mike had reason to rejoyce as he ended up with the 2PM shift. Santi and Kevin as they could not use their seinorty of 20 - 24 years because they went part time and have to wait a year to regain their old senority, have been moved to working straight time running boats from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney.

1/3/07

The valets ... part time have been calling in ... I don't blaime them. What do they owe this company.

1/4/07

Things are getting a little too real. John D. said his goodbyes. He has took a picture of next week's schedual ... the first one since 1972 without his name on it. He signed his last tip to put along side of his first tip he made at the Contemporary. This was Santi's last day and while over the years we have had to deal without him in our midst ... this time we knew it was the last time. Yoko had made a Mississippi Mud cake for the ocassion. Man OH Man was it rich! Everybody loved it. Joan, one of our dispatchers said she was glad I wasn't going so she would get some more of Yoko's cooking. There was a lot of reminising going on that night. Santi and I walked out together and just before we discussed our video gaming habits. I had been discussing my playing of the video game Oblivion. I had said to him that this was very theroputic even given the fact that after 40 hours of play time I was having to start over again. I had failed to pick up an item that later on would allow me to get a mission that would allow me to infiltrate a band of mercinaries that had taken over the fighter's guild's jobs. Santi laughed and pointed out what I had missed ... That I had subconciously picked the branch of the game that mirrored reality.

We walked out to our respective cars a lttle teary eyed and parted a little sadder.

1/5/07

Today was the day of the party which consisted of chips ... a pie that even tasting nobody knew what it was ... 2 Publix veggie/fruit plates ... morning guys got chicken and we got an abindece of flat breads from the Cali Grill. Bruce however brought in supper for the 2 of us and we feasted on Lebanon Bologni, Kerry Gold Swiss cheese on the best hogie rolls I've ever tasted. Add to that potato salad and pudding and you got a meal fit for a king. Thanks Bruce. Again I walked out from work to my car with a good friend, both of us fighting the emotions, and parting our ways.

1/6/07

Today is the last day of the old regime. You will understand if I am a little sad. I have had to say good bye to people I have worked with, shared with for the last 20 years. Even Bob will be missed ... even if he said nothing to me when I shook his hand and made my good byes. I am staying ... but when I get up and on Moday at 4:30 AM and go to work ... I may be at the same location ... but I won't be at the Contemporary.

OUCH! I guess no matter how you pull it off ... it still hurts.

17 ... 16 ... 15 ... 14 ... 13

Thursday the 21st: It looks as if Bruce is going to try for the Lodge too and was arguing the point with Richard.

Friday the 22nd : I called in ... the cold that I thought I was over came back with a vengence. I was throwing up. Head was. all stuffed up. Still is. This was not a welcome advent because even if I work Christmas Day because I took off a day before my weekend before a holiday I loose my holiday pay ... can you believe it?

Saturday the 23rd: Felt good enough to go with Yoko to our holiday splurge we planned the begining of this year ... going to the Bob Carr theater downtown O-town and see "The Lion King." It was good ... but better was the resturant, Hue. The atmosphere was a little urban chic, but the food was great. I had one of the best pork chops I have ever had and the salad had duck on it.

Sunday the 24th: A quiet day. We had our Christmas feast on Christmas Eve because I had to work on the Day. Just a very pleasent day spent doing holiday things and taking it easy with my beautiful wife. Read "The Night Before CHristmas" to both her and my stepmother, Sylvia ... a holiday tradition.

Monday the 25th : Had a marvelous Christmas ... Yoko spoiled me big time. Just had a really good time. Took some of her party potatos ... a speciality she makes to work with a tin of cookies. I was suprized because it looked like everybody joined in and brought something. I finally ran the numbers and figured that I am on the border line and could go one way or the other given the bidThings started out slow but after our 2 o'clock went ome we had a rush and Santa delivered . I broke $200. I can't remember when I did that in cash. What a way to go out.

Tomorrow is the big bid ... I bid at 1:35 ... Wish me luck and light a candle.

20 ... 19 ... 18 ...

I'm sorry for not being more dilagent. The requirements of the holidays have taken a bit more of my time than I had expected.

The 18th was the day that they were to announce the plans to re organize the staff into bellmen. As we arrived they handed us our packets. In them was a time to bid on one of 3 days, a proxy sheet and other instructions. On the boards, the seinority list were posted. So as I understand it; we will show up on our day and time, bid first for our property, secondly for our schedual ... all in 5 minutes. There is rumor that they will have some way to show the choices outside in the waiting area.

I was lucky and am #51. This may seem a low number and while it is the bottom, it is still the top 25% ... this will put me into a premium resort. There are 108 of those positionsand about anpther 100 postions in the mderate resorts. We figure they have eliminated 38 lines. Besides this for every resort they have eliminated a line so they can keep 7 part timers. This means 18 full timers woun't have bell positions. Finally the press release said those who did not get compareral rolls. Some how becoming an attendant at the archade as ... compareral rolls. How appropriate is that the first day is the 26th, the day after Christmas, aka "Boxing Day." For those not familair, this is the day traditionally that one bundles up (boxes) up the scraps of the Christmas feast to give to the poor.

The 19th and 20th:

Things are once again swirlling. Bob on Tuesday changed his destination 3 times. The next day he and about 5 people decided not to go to the Animal Kingdom (the rooms are too far) and will go to the Wilderness Lodge. There are 2 bellmen there that if they stay will be bumped from 1, and 2 will go to 6 and 7. If they go to gain higher seinority else where, Bruce and Richard may go there as well. This will blow my chance to go there. So the swirl grows and goes.

Finally I had to go home early and was so sick that I nearly colapsed and left my soprano dulcimer at work. It has a tag and I hope it is till there when I gtet there tomorrow.

23 ... 22 ... 21... Counting down

Again not much to report. Friday was not as busy as Thursday was. Joan is still having major problems with the Maximo system and has a major challenge with the simplest of tasks. She is a nice person but just ... doesn't get it. Very frustrating ... and detrimental to one's income.

Sunday I had a most incredible experiance. Yoko took me to the Candlelight Prosesion. We had a lovely dinner at Le Celler in the Canadian Pavillion. After that we saw the definate NON PC show at the American Garden's Theater for traditional Christmas Carols. Kirk Cammeron was the narriator. It was very moving and I admit to weeping openly. This was a great treat and I have thanked my lovley wife for such a present.

25 and 24

Not much of consquence in the last two days. Wed. the 13th, I was assigned a room change. Rarely pleasent ... almost never profitable. These guests were complaining that their room was dirty. When we opened the door they smiled and said, "We're saved ...it's John!" It seems as if we had a simular experience 2 years ago. I had moved them into a satifactry room and had calmed their upset child. They chatted with me and thanked me again for making their visit pleasent.

The dirty rooms should not be blamed on the housekeepers. More than a few years ago they were doing 14 rooms a day. Around Christmas, they were offered a bonus for every extra room they could do. They averaged 16 rooms ... the Mouse's responce was that they had been slacking and 16 rooms a day would be the norm. Then they got rid of those who were going behind to check on the housekeepers' s work. That and the wonderful treatment of the last couple of years have caused a decline in quality.

Thurs. 14 was a day when the Maximo system was going nuts. It is to complicated on a busy day to impute work orders and answer guest's questions with a single dispatcher. And now that the control of dispatching DME work orders, chaos reigns supreme.

But this was nothing to the news I got from the Boy. I really shouldn't call him that. He is a man. But he is the son of my best friend from jr. high school. I remember seeing him as an infant, and I have been his Uncle John for 20 years. He has struggled with Ceribal Palsy all his life, because of that or in spite of that he has stode broad steps and has stood taller than most his age. He has gone through more than most twice his age. Today, he told the doctor has found a lump that is to be tested. This makes what I and all my fellow cast members are going through seem as to a mosquetto bite. I ask any and all reading this blog to say a prayer for the Boy. Thank you.

... 26 ...

Tues 12/12/06

I didn't think I would have anything to post for today until Mike came up to me. He told me that this day was his 15 year anniversary. I cingradulated him, but Mike just shook his head. He went on to tell me that he hadn't been given his castle. For those of you who don't know, every 5 years is celebrated at Disney. At 5 years your get a new pin and a breakfast ... at 10 it is a new pin, a plaque and a dinner ... at 15 it is a new pin, a castle trophy, and a dinner ... at 20 it is a new pin, a watch or gold ring, and a dinner ... after that it is a new pin, a trophy with a different Disney character and a dinner. I went to Kris and asked him about Mike's castle. I asked him if they were stopping this because of what was going on. He gave me an uncomfortable look. He told me he had been looking for the award but could find no sign of it. He had called Joe our area manager but he was just as clueless I suggested that Kris might want to talk to Mike as he was pretty much down. That we were all pretty much down and this wouldn't help. I was pleasently suprized when Kris took my suggestion.

The funny thing is I got to thinking about how valuable these trinkets will become in about 5 years. After all, with no more perminant employees there will be no more of these awards. Some cast members, like Daryll, already have sold his. The Disney Collectors already prize these. How much more when they become a finite collectable.