Sunday, October 25, 2009

Graveyard Shift

Some people think that working the graveyard shift is a walk in the park. They should walk 8 hours in my shoes...

Working the graveyard shift is difficult, because it is the shift where people are the most drunk. Drunk people checking in. Drunk people checking out. And drunk hobos without reservations trying to get a place to stay for the night.

The worst part is, the people who come late to check in, after they were charged for not showing up for the night. Everytime someone calls asking about our check in time, I let them know it is between 4p.m. and 1.am.

I personally believe this is a large window of time to check in. However, I let people know that if they need to do a late check in (after 1.a.m), they should call the front desk so someone can write a note in their reservation. So why is it that I get people checking in for the 24th on the 25th at 4 a.m.? Don't they need to know they have to check out by 11? It seems pointless. but the worst part is setting up their reservation again after it has been cancelled and charged for not showing up. Now I am not complaining, I have a great job, and it is a lot easier than other jobs, but refunding a payment to a customer who was charged is not the best part of my night.

I am not alone however. I do get some company from Danny, the security who works the night shift here. He is a good man. Although the two of us know, from firsthand experience the consequences of working this shift.

Our sleeping schedules get messed up. Imagine breaking night, in a place where the lights are on and the music is blasting. I like to listen to palladia. They always have an interesting mix of rock, country, pop, and hip hop. Yeah, I said it right, and don't worry, I'm confused too.

But I keep myself busy. We restock the fridge, and make sure everything is ready for the person who is next on the shift. This includes keeping the work area clean, answering emails, and even taking all the pages of people who checked out, out of our files marked "in house" . But I love working at the L. It is an awesome job. I sometimes get upset when my coworkers start to preach to me, but in the end I love meeting new people. Each shift is an 8 hour speed dating special. I don't fall in love, or even hook up with guests, but it is very similar. Even if I did, I know it will never work out because they are all from out of town. This whole long distance thing never works out.

But by meeting new people, I am starting to notice some bizarre trends. I don't want to make any negative comments about any people from any particular country, but I am noticing some trends. Does that make me a racist, if the people who frequent this hostel, from particular regions all have similar traits? Not that they all have a particular trait, but the propensity for specific traits is higher in some populations than in others. Noticing trends does not make me racist. It just makes me more savy, and it better equips me top deal with people. Don't judge me!

What is really sad is when you develop a close relationship with a customer, and then that customer has to leave, or has a problem that I am unable to solve. This must be how the health insurance companies feel. They promise people they would help pay for medical bills, and then when something comes up, they bail. There is one customer in particular... Joel, a coworker, claims she praises me, but I don't believe that is completely true. She is always really nice to me. She is a lot older than me, but we always kid around. She has had some problems with other people who work here, and I always have to convince her to stay. She has never given me any problems when I work my shift, and I don't know what problems she had with other people, but it makes me sad to see her upset. I guess that comes with the territory of friend.

It is also dangerous to get to know the guests to well. Not only because of the conflict of interest it creates, but also because some guests get too comfortable.

But I wont say anything bad about them. So I am going to go now.

Updates All Around!!!

I have not updated my blog in too long. It appears I have let this blog slip from the top of my fingertips.

As an update, I will be the Mad Hatter for Halloween!!! Not the mad hatter from the disney version of alice and wonderland, but an original mad hatter inspired by Tim Burtons work.

If you wish to see the trailer, it is available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjMkNrX60mA

I do not have the orange hair, but I do have a hat, makeup, yellow contacts, and a pretty bow. Pictures will be posted as soon as I have them available.

I also have been reading many books since I last wrote here. I have read the entire series of the city of ember.
In truth, the first and second books (City of Ember, and People of Sparks) were better than the Prophet on Yonwood, and the Diamond of Darkhold. In all, these books give some insight as to what may be the future of our human civilization, even though they are only childrens books. The Prophet of Yonwood in particular sounds like it could have taken place in todays society, with war, and a constant feeling of dread perpetually being fed into our minds through the mass media.


I have also finished reading the Dangerous World of Butterflies. It is an exceptional book, and I believe it went well with the Orchid Theif. They both are books that look at a natural subject, but the main focus of the books has little to do with nature, and more to do with the people that research the subjects, and deal with them on a daily basis. Butterfly and Orchid smuggling go hand in hand, and I was very interested when the Laufer admitted the similarities of his and Orleans book.

I am still in NYC, and working at the hostel. I made employee of the month, which earned me a new Ipod Nano. It is pretty cool. I use it to watch podcasts such as CNN news, and Countdown with Keith Olbermann. No, I am not a liberal, I am a moderate, but I still watch CNN and MSNBC. The Ipod can also record video, and it has radio. It was amazing when I was learning how to use it. motion sensitive, and a pedometer, are some of the many functions included as well. I hope to continue to do great work, but I am not sure how many more "employee of the month" or quarter, I can get. I would love to receive another gift, and the prestige again, but who wouldn't. Also, I am afraid that it will create some animosity between me and my coworkers.

Tomorrow I will be going to video games live! It is a concert (at the Beacon theatre tomorrow, but they travel worldwide), that plays music from video games. They allow the crowd to record, and I have great seats, so I will see, and most likely have video, of how it all went down!

I am currently reading Will they Trust Us Again by Michael Moore. Since I just started it, I am not sure how good it is yet.

I am still waiting for a book by Richard Dawkins to come. I purchased it on half.com, and it is supposed to arrive before the 26th, but as the date nears, I am worried I will not have the book in my hands by Halloween. If anything I will contact the seller, but I should not have to go through such pains. Also, I can always purchase books from the Strand in NYC, one of my favorite book stores.

I also have been trying to get in contact with some of my friends, but I am not sure I have much to talk about with them. I miss them. I miss Vermont, and I wish I can go back to college.

Maybe one day.