alright
part 1
it all started last wednesday.
by now i've already scheduled my new flight, rearranged my work schedule, etc.
my flight leaves at around 12:30, so we plan on getting to the airport around 11 (so early because i've never been on a plane before, and i wanted to give myself enough time in case i got lost).
around 9:30 i get a call from robert - he tells me dothan got scratched, but he has a new offer - gainesville, ga @ 33k. to be honest i was expecting this store moreso than dothan. he tells me the problems, what he wants to see change, about the other managers, etc. after going through the ups and downs i accept. he sounds relieved, and tells me that he'll let the powers above know and to enjoy my trip. i run around the house, yay, yay, yay - i've gotten a promotion and a hefty raise, maybe now i won't be so broke all the time.
so leebee takes me to the airport, we get there pretty fast, i bid her farewell and head off to get my boarding pass. everything run's smoothly, when i arrive at the gate, i see my flight is postposed around 45 minutes or so, the 45 turn in to about 70. so the time passes by slowly, i have an overpriced tuna sandwich and some chips, right before i board, i call the cab pickup in houston and i tell them i should be arriving at 2:50 or so there time. there's another slight delay and we finally board. i'm surprised that the plane is so small, i sit on 9d, next to the window, my neighbor is an old lady who obviously flies way too much. i could tell this by all the coupons she had for drinks (and some that expired, that made her quite huffy). the plane lands at around 3:10, houston time.
i go to curbside 11, where my van is supposedly waiting, it's not there, i call the cab company again, and they inform me that it's already left, and i'll have to wait for the next ride, look for a white s t r e t c h limo @ 4:30. great, now i'm stuck waiting for another hundred minutes for my ride. i meet a couple of girls that also work for bam, and the ride arrives. the driver comes back from the airport lobby with 5 more people (including this really hot dark haired, dark eyed guy from the hot springs, ak store - and yes, it just so happened he was gay) we chit chat for a little bit, and the ride takes around 40 minutes. the company checked out just about every room at the springhill suites, im informed that i'll be rooming with charles prunty. i say "ok" and proceed to the 3rd floor - room 319. it was pretty nice, i go back downstairs and try calling joyce, since robert has not e-mailed me a new agenda, and i have no idea what to do. the cute guy from the limo asks if i'd like to join them - they're going to the mall across the way, and are going to grab some food etc.
anyway, we eat a place called the rainforest cafe - at least a hundred kids running around, a man in a huge bear costume running around, getting chased by those hundred kids with sword-balloons made by the equally disturbing clown that's going from table to table. he was quite talented with those balloons i must say. i have a pizza and a couple bottles of guinness draught. we leave, some stuff happens and i go to bed.
wake up bright and early at 6:00, have a shower, go downstairs and have some apple juice, catch a ride to the store, we get name tags and split into groups, training, training. all bullshit that i already know. lunch time, i eat. only 4 more hours then i'm free. yay, it's time to go, we all head to the back they tell us all thanks for coming, and don't forget the ball game hosuton astros vs. cincinatti reds- the bus arrives at 5, and will be leaving at 5:15 - it's not an option, we have to go.
noooooooooooooooooooooo. i hate baseball, i hate sports. fuck it. i end up riding with joyce and a couple of her gm's so i don't have to ride the big bus. yay. we stop at a gas station and get some drinks, and do some very illegal things that i'm sure will get us all thrown in jail were we to get pulled over.
so we get to the game, get our 15$ gift certificates. i proceed to get a drink - a strawberry daquiri for 10.75, no less. this just adds fuel to hating sporting events (but i still do like the olympics!). i miss half of the game, walking around, chatting it up with people, meeting more people from the company, most of who don't want to be there either. one of my favorite people from this session was shannon gray, from the fort smith store. she was funny, and we had a good time. the game ends at 9:30 (thank god) instead of the scheduled 10:30, astro's win 3-1.
after we get back to the hotel, some of us head out to a bar/club called the midnight rodeo, it was in the mall, and it was bigger than any club i've ever been to. it was fun. 50 cent longnecks, 25 cent well drinks, and most everything else for 2 bucks. of course i have to get the one drink (twice) that costs 4.25. i down those and play a couple games of pool, i kick ass both times. (angry gay boy with a stick who just had to endure four hours of boredom is a force to be reckoned with) we get back to the hotel at 1:15, and i proceed to bed, i have to be up at 6 again.
i wake up and have some oatmeal, with brown sugar, raisins and pecans. it takes like shit, i throw it away and get some yogurt and a fruit cup, and more coffee. training was even worse this day - interpersonal communications, and it was held in the conference room at the hotel, i much rather would have went to the turnover training class, but i wasn't so fortunate.
training is over, i grab my bags and catch a ride back to the airport with joyce again, we say bye and i head towards my gate. this airport is shit, and im stuck here for 4 hours. i have a couple beers, make a few phone calls, get a piece of pizza.
the plane is only 15 minutes late this time though, add another 15 minutes to take off. i sit in 6a this time, the pilot isnt as friendly as the one that fif the first flight, and as we're passing over lousiana, he makes sure to tell us all that to the left is the city of new orleans, which is out of power (gee, thanks for the grim reminder) i get back in atlanta around 10. the city is gorgeous from above, all the city lights. i'm thinking wow, i live here!......... but not for too much longer - i'll tell that story tomorrow.