May in Indy -Vroom Vroom

So I am still on a work assignment in Bloomington IN, so not much travel unless you consider my daily commute (which I do). This past Memorial Day weekend – I did work a little at the hotel, not as much as the housekeepers do but who does that much work? They do – it’s easy to be critical of a hotel room until you realize that sometimes the person who cleaned your room had 18 rooms to clean before yours. That’s not just 18 beds to strip, and re-make with fresh sheets  – after all some rooms have two beds. 18 bathrooms to clean, 18 rooms to vacuum, trashcans to empty, toilets to scrub. I have to admit, no matter what hotel I am traveling to – I always wonder how do they stay motivated? So I asked – and while tips are always appreciated, a nice note or thank you is crucial. An acknowledgement of the work done, and maybe some patience when your room was not clean at the exact moment you wanted it. So – while I appreciate the contributions of our military – living and deceased on Memorial day and every day, I was most motivated by the housekeeping staff at hotels. They don’t often have holidays off with their families, as there are no Closed days at a hotel.

Don’t feel too bad for me, I did manage some fun time at the track. The TRACK – you know, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I was able to have time with friends, bfriend and a couple thousand more people for Carb Day and Race Day. Haven’t gone? You must – it should be a mandatory bucket list item. The roar of the engines, the excitement of the crowd, the sun and the inevitable sunburn (don’t worry Mom, I totally re-applied Sunblock all day ). Did I mention the food? How could I forget the massive smoked turkey leg that was $10 but worth it – if only for the great picture opportunity. This year was the best, we had a great quick ride to the track, assigned parking and easy access to our seats and even better – quick way out of the track. But even if we didn’t have that – there was a beautiful day, a great race, wonderful company and a new champion. Vroom Vroom Race Fans.

Maybe next year we will return to the large family Memorial Day cookouts at Nana’s in Brown County, but I was glad this year to be reminded of those in the hospitality industry who still had a full board of rooms to clean and clean them, they did.

 

The Dark Side or is it?

“You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. but mostly they’re darked.
But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Still in Bloomington IN, but new assignment and new job title. A few weeks ago, I was asked to switch over from the Sales side of Task Force Management (covering and recruiting for Sales positions) to the Operations side of Task Force Management (covering for General Manager positions) or what some have said is the Dark Side. This was not a shock, in the interview process we had discussed how I enjoyed both “sides” of Hotel Management and would be willing to help on both. There was still some fear on my end, and I likely told several people how long it had been since I was a General Manager, and I was never one who traveled from place to place. I explained in detail that while I could learn the paperwork again, the accounting and the human resource side, that I would need to adjust my brain. Easier said than done, for those who know me best. (here’s your shout-out, Bill) While I love working with employees and guests, I find my challenges are finding the right mix of sympathy and firmness in handling the day to day, never ending lists of things to do. Sales offices shut down at a certain point in the day, Operations never does. The last time I was a General Manager, I worked a lot, hired a lot, trained a lot and yes, fired a lot. I took the responsibility for everything that happened, and had a hard time dividing work from home. I am older now (ugh) and hopefully wiser. I will focus more on empowering others than on thinking I need to do everything, be everything to everyone.

I am starting out pretty well, have been accepting that I don’t know everything – and I need to reach out to my colleagues to ask questions and be open to making mistakes. And ideally the different hotels I work with – will appreciate my efforts while I am there but adjust to their new long term General Manager once found. Feels right that my first hotel for my first “new role” assignment is in Bloomington IN – and keeps my family close to mind.

The quote from my favorite Dr. Seuss book is for one of my nieces, Annmarie. I contributed a note to her Time Capsule that she will open her senior year of high school. I thought about how at her age, I had no idea what I would be doing as an adult and how many paths were taken and still will be taken. And how fear of what might happen, can keep you from going into the dark or unknown places. But if you don’t move in any direction, your fear keeps you in the same place. I, for one, want to move. To change. To learn. Make mistakes and learn from them. Take some risks and succeed from them. Because the scariest thing is not doing anything at all.

Wow. That got deep. how about something lighter?

Travel tips for Bloomington IN? There is nothing like walking around downtown Btown on a nice day, lots of local businesses to visit. Live music – go to the Bluebird or Players Pub. Unique watering hole – House Bar. Yep, it is a bar in a house. Irish Lion for great pub atmosphere and food. Delivery to your hotel room – nothing like Mother Bear’s Pizza and yes, they will deliver cold beer too. Business lunches or dinners – Malibu Grill. Everyday awesome lunch – Bub’s or Scholar’s Inn. Special mention for the sweet potato fries at Bub’s – they serve with marshmallow cream – enough said. Not sure how long I will be here but chances are – I will continue to eat, drink, think and share my thoughts.

 

Mother’s Day blog, yes mom I will still get you something ;)

Been hearing a lot of Mother’s Day tributes and while I am not an overly emotionally open person – I will share the following thoughts:

I have been lucky to have several Mom – type figures in my life. I have friends who lost their mother at young ages, or recently lost their mothers and cannot even imagine the day to day heartache this must be. I still remember my mother writing her mother, and getting letters in return. I imagine every trip to the mailbox, she misses seeing her handwriting on an envelope. How she kept all the letters in a dresser drawer, and this is one hoarding behavior I won’t tease her about. I do the same, have kept letters from her and both grandmothers that I got in college. They remind me of the incredible support system I have always had, whether I appreciated it or not. I hope to pass on letters to my daughter, texting is not the same, never will be.
I have my nursery “mom” who I work with in the church nursery almost every Sunday along side my mom – who is just as concerned that I stay safe while traveling and get home often enough to get time with my daughter and rest. She is quietly supportive, and “mothers” anyone who needs it – adult or child. She is a provider type of soul who doesn’t want large or public recognition for what she does but she should.
I have some incredible (ex) Mothers in Law – and while those relationships have suffered or are gone due to divorce – I have to be grateful for the time, knowledge, love and support they have shared with me. They, like me, took a risk – inviting someone into the family and dealt with the grief when it hasn’t worked out as planned.

I hope I pass on my enthusiasm for traveling to my daughter, as I am sure I get it from my parents. My dad and mom have always traveled and while usually for church business, they placed a large importance in taking at least a once a year trip to the beach as a family. While I am jealous of them getting to do this more often now, and as a couple or with friends – it is a goal of mine to eventually have just as much fun traveling with a significant other and making it a priority. (This is in no way to pressure my current beau to schedule a trip, as we have traveled together a little and he is quite a fun traveling companion 🙂
My mom also made it a priority to visit and travel with her mom and sisters prior to her mother’s passing, and now with her sisters whenever possible. And while it may be like herding kittens to get my sisters on a trip together at the same time – I look forward to this. There may need to be a large supply of wine and the trip may be to a mental health spa but I think we could do this.

I have had a few weekend trips and Spring Breaks with my daughter and those times are like gold to me. There is a certain sense of freedom that the open road and no “list of things we have to do” gives you, it opens up your soul to make last minute decisions and see new things together. It opens up discussions of future dreams, current challenges and sometimes even – wonderful acknowledgements of appreciation for one another.

I look at friends who have recently or are about to become mothers and I can’t tell them how to be great at it. I can only tell them of the examples I have had and the learning experience it is for me. It is one long fabulous trip that doesn’t end.