Friday, January 4, 2008

Memories and lists.

About 10 – 12 years ago I was on an airplane going someplace. The book I had with me was bad so I started playing mind “games.” In this case it was trying to remember every hotel/motel that I had ever stayed in. After awhile I took out my trusty portable and made a spreadsheet.

I have kept it up pretty well up to date and this morning I opened it up to add the trip to Pensacola. Now you may think it silly, and I couldn't’t argue with you, but I find scanning the hotels and cities, some with brief notes, great for bringing back memories. As I looked, I noted that there were 707 discrete line entries. Not number of “stays.” Not number of “nights.” Discrete line entries. Given that I had a tendency to stay at the same hotel time and again, and that many were multiple night stays…. Well, I think it is easy for me to say that I spent at least five years of my life in a hotel or motel.

That, and $7.50 will get me a glass of wine at most hotel bars…..as long as I don’t go too “up scale.”

But, the list is great for bringing back memories. And most are good.

Like checking into the Westbury in Brussels with no shirts, socks or underwear. They had been kept by the laundry/cleaner in Moscow because the block water heater had failed and the authorities said: Visa expires. You go. We'll send your clothes.

To my pleasure I discovered true service as various establishments visited my room to sell me the items I needed. I had never had a custom made shirt before, but I had six snow white ones and two blues that fit perfectly in less than 48 hours... They, and the underwear, were made of cotton fabric so tough that they lasted for years.

The stuff they had kept in Moscow? I got all of it in about three months. All washed and spotlessly clean and neatly folded. Including the suit.

Heads I win, Tails I win.

Over at TalkLeft there is a posting on how, at one of the gatherings of the Demos, a coin toss was used to deterimine the winner.

And these are the people who want to run the country??

Link to TalkLeft

I think these are the same guys


I hired to take out a sink and tub/shower and replace same.

And the results were about the same.

After breaking a cold water pipe one tried to hold his finger in it while the other was yelling "Where's the cutoff!"

Thanks to my bud Mike L!!