�Please Hold..."

I am a lazy bitch.

Yesterday... I did nothing... literally... nothing.

You don�t believe me... I mean... I once, too, thought that it was completely impossible to do absolutely nothing in an entire day...

But yesterday... I proved that thesis to be untrue.

I woke up around 2pm. I don�t even know *how* I slept for that long... well... ok... maybe it was the alcohol...

Friday was not a good day. And... Friday night was a way to escape from the day... with massive quantities of alcohol... which is just... so... healthy.

Anywho... I sat around. I had a cigarette. I stared at my computer screen. I wrote a diary entry. I ate leftover chinese food. I sat some more. I ignored the phone ringing in the other room. I ignored the phone ringing in my room. I ignored IMs on my screen.

I watched Rogers & Hammerstein�s Cinderella... the one with Brandy on the WB, while sprawled out on my bed.

I talked to a kid from the Hotel School who is going to do the Disney College Program... and I feel badly... like... I�ve been in a wretched mood... and he believes that I hated CP... which is not entirely true... I mean... all of you kids who know me know how much I�ve loved my experiences, all of the things I�ve learned and how much I love it and miss it dearly... and those of you who have done it know that I hate how CPs are treated and scheduling crap... but... that�s part of the job... and part of the fun of bitching about the job... more on the bitching part in a moment...

I watched a movie... I watched TV...

Now, I�m writing another journal entry... staring at the clock... thinking about how I haven�t showered, am still wearing the same clothes I woke up in and have accomplished nothing to forward my cause for the week...

Like... maybe... I should start worrying about the researched persuasive speech I have to give on Monday... or... perhaps my finance prelim on Thursday... hrmmm...

Just a thought...

Today, I was talking to someone online... surprise surprise... but... we got to talking about my future and what I want to do... and we got to talking about hospitality... and they told me that they didn�t understand how I could do hospitality...

I mean... I�m a sarcastic bitch... I know that. I complain about stupid guests a lot. I make fun of people�s outfits. But, really... that�s the thing about hospitality... it�s the fact that you can stand and have a complete stranger yell at you for something that you didn�t do and have no control over... then the fact that you don�t yell back... but... you smile, apologize and then go in back and laugh... well... laugh, talk about how stupid they were, the hideous shirt that looked like an easter egg threw up on it and how you hate all guests... and then... you�re able to go back out and do it all over, again.

I�m judgmental. But... hospitality is all about appearances and judging. I get paid to judge people. They walk up to the desk and I�m supposed to know exactly what they want, before they ask. How do I do it? I look at them and assess them, based purely on superficial factors. If I see a frazzled woman looking at children climbing on the table behind her, with tickets in her hand, I can tell that she either lost a ticket or is having issues with it.

When I�m serving a table, before I walk up to the guests, I need to assess how I should approach, purely based on superficial factors. If they�re younger, I know not to offer any drinks and usually bring water or coke. If they are a couple, smiling coyly at each other, I know that I�m going to lay low and let the focus be on them.

Hell, even when I was in housekeeping and I never even saw the guest, I could tell what they wanted based on how the bed was left, what was in the closet, the items left on the vanity and how the papers were staked on the table. If there were only a few papers loose on the table, I knew I could set them up and organize them. A giant stack of papers and an open briefcase means �don�t touch.�

The better I am at judging people and their character, the better off I am. Reading people is what makes some people better than others in my industry. Sure... I�m judgmental... but it�s a part of my nature that I need to bring out... and mold so that it�s accurate... in order to reach my goals...

My goals... I actually had to write about this for a job application... and... I mean, I guess it�s kind of amusing... but... here is what I wrote in response to the question: �What are your plans as they relate to your educational and career objectives and future goals?�

�When I look back on my life, in regards to where I am and how I got here, it amazes me. If you would have asked me four years ago about my plans for the future, my answer wouldn't have included Cornell University, Walt Disney World or Hospitality. Each time I had to make a decision as to the path I would choose, in order to get past the confusion, I took a look around. I focused on where I was at the moment, looked at what had led me there and how happy I was. I know that my place in life as it is now, is a result of a mixture of passion, natural talent, hard work and a little bit of luck. From these factors, I am accomplishing all of the immediate goals I have set for myself, and am well on the road to reaching my overall goals.

�People usually laugh when I tell them my two overall career goals. These goals are a little bit ambiguous as to exactly how I'll reach them, but I know that I'll someday achieve them. My first goal is to be able to walk around a resort and have everyone, from front desk to bussers to housekeepers to sales agents, know who I am. I want to become the type of executive who plays an active role in the resort, respected and recognized by everyone in the organization. My second goal, which occasionally causes people to laugh, is, I would someday like to be able to have my secretary be able to call some one and say, "Please hold for Robert Craig." And then I want them to not laugh, but actually hold. I'm imagining some sort of interaction like that of countless movies where the President of the United States has his secretary call and say, "Please hold for the President of the United States." Now, this may seem a bit silly, but I think about the stature and level of work associated with this. My goal is to be able to be in a position of influence and power in an organization. I want to make a difference and have the ability to make a positive impact. I'm not sure exactly what path I need to take to reach these overall goals, but I know that I have the ability and drive to someday accomplish them.

�In the more immediate sense, I have come across a number of things that I have enjoyed and want to continue to do. As seen in my resume, I have spent a lot of time working for Disney. I've done a number of different things for Disney and have found substantial value in everything. I love Disney as a company, but I want to branch out to see how business is conducted in other organizations and gain a fresh sense of how things are done. I love Orlando and I enjoy working in a large resort atmosphere. I have had extensive experience working with many different groups of guests and I enjoy the challenges associated with working with such diverse groups. Balancing the needs of families with small children, business travelers, conventioneers, foreign guests and couples on vacation is a challenge, but I enjoy the variation necessary to deliver the service demanded by each group. Upon graduation, I would like to go into Operations Management and I want to continue working in a large resort atmosphere with varied guest types.

�My goals stem from what I've done before and are refined by what I have liked and disliked from each experience. Because of my outlook and my method of goal setting, I have never felt like I've worked a day in my life. Sure, I've spent many 16 hour days on the clock, I've cleaned rooms, sold merchandise in 100% humidity and lost my half my body weight in sweat in parades, but it's been a pleasure. I find pleasure in everything I've done. I'm very passionate about everything I've gotten an opportunity to do and I know this drive will help me to be successful in whatever I do.�

Reading back over that... I�m actually a bit amazed... I mean... I actually do have some confidence in my abilities and myself. I sound so... focused... and... so sure... and the reality is... I�m not. Sometimes, I really am driven and focused... but... those times are few...

I do really believe that I am going to go far and achieve everything that I set out for myself... I mean... hell... I�ve come this far with all of the stuff I�ve gone through... I mean... it hasn�t been a living hell... but I haven�t had someone to hold my hand, either...

So... really... one day, when I�m all important and stuff... those of you close to me can get discounts wherever I�m working... as long as you all promise me one thing...

When my secretary (who is going to be male and HOTT) calls you and asks you to hold for me...

Please.

Don�t laugh.

later, kids...

~robert