Lauralee131
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2005
I've been suffering a bit of writer's block - even though I'm not really a writer - but the babbling has started so indulge me while I try and spew this out and get a trip report out of it...
For those of you that know me, you know my life has been in major chaos the last several months. Actually, chaos is an understatement. I worked for several months more hours in a day than an 18-hour bra was designed to withstand. Im sure several of you recall my 3 am postings on the DIS after Id gotten home from work (since 7am) I needed this trip. Better yet, I deserved this trip.
BUT life, and other various forces of evil my job, the economy, Bank of America, Capital One and Chase yes, Im talking about YOU kept getting in the way.
And, for those of you that are aware of our August trips, which have become somewhat of a Focker tradition, well, you probably also know that somewhere around the time were either getting ready to leave for August, or while were down there, we already start perusing the calendar for the following year. And also in fine Focker tradition, my family tends to go rushing home the night before school starts. It just works this way.
This year though, was going to be different. Wed go early August. No rushing back to go to school. No fighting off the incoming free dining crowds either. 2009 was going to be the best. The summer of ME.
Sadly, I was the last of us to book this annual pilgrimage. See, there was also this little matter of the economy and the way it kicked construction into reverse. Not even back in to first gear after years of ripping and tearing. Nope. Everything came to a complete stop.
For a while, it actually looked like both my husband and I were going to be out of work. Thats a big blow. I dont care if you can collect unemployment losing both your incomes at once is devastating.
Especially if youre like me which hopefully youre not. Remember me, the one who chooses not live within the restrictions of my bank account.
I know theres a recession.
I, however, have made a conscious decision not to participate in it.
I chart my own course.
I am the master of my domain.
The captain of my own ship. That ship, the USS Oblivious, is usually found cruising up and down the river of Denial. 
Which is not in Egypt. TFI.
I tried, I really, really tried to be a grown up about this. Knowing that I may be out of work, I tried to be responsible and hold off on booking my trip.
It was torture.
As it turns out, adulthood doesn't look good on me.
For months I waited to hear about my job. I even got proactive and began looking into a job in our Texas division just to ensure that Id keep my job.
Gotta keep those Benjamins rolling in, right?
My Mouse dont eat cheese
he consumes all my lettuce.
I had my first phone interview with the Texas division of my company and although it wasnt really a job Id normally go after, it was a real position, in gulp the main office. But hey - it was steady work. Scary as it was, unemployment was scarier.
Then I found out that I was being transferred to our Southeast division. Yes Virginia, there is continued employment!
Wooo Hooo .
Lauralee youve just found out that youre going to stay employed! What are you going to do now??
IM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!
Within 15 minutes I was on the phone with DVC Member Services.
Why yes, Id like to book a trip please
I gave them the dates and the resort I wanted and they said certainly let me just put you on hold while I book your reservation
After a few minutes, the CM came back on the phone and apologized profusely Maam Im sorry, but you dont have any points available.
Thats impossible. I banked enough points for this stay!
Yes, thats the problem.
See, I banked my points into the following use year, which doesnt start until September 1, 2009. DOH!!
NO TRIP FOR YOU!!
Defeated, I hung up the phone.
Down, but certainly not out.
I put on my thinking cap. There had to be some way to do this. There was no way I was going to miss out on this trip.
I couldnt!
And I wouldnt. No way.
Think, think, think....
So, not easily broken, I called the following day.
I booked a trip for early September. I had a plan yes, I had a plan.
Since I booked my trip in this current use year, if I cancelled, then the points in question would have to be put into this use year, right?
Yeah, I thought so too
But, upon doing a bit of research, I discovered that the opposite was true. Nope the points would go back into the next use year where they were originally banked.
Bummer.
I may have been down, but not out
I called the next day I was desperate. I had a plan.
I needed to pull the wool over the Mouses eyes. Errr ears
I decided to throw myself on the mercy of court.
I dialed the number, nervous about what Id say, hopped up on caffeine and adrenaline. This was the last shot. Bottom of the ninth, 2 outs and bases loaded
I pressed 1 and waited for the next available cast member
A short bit later, Cinnamon answered the phone.
Yes, Cinnamon. Remember the bad economy? Well, exotic dancers apparently do phone work these days!
Anyway, I explained to Cinnamon that I booked this trip and due to the industry problems and the economy, my company has made it mandatory no vacations after August 15th. I may or may not have embellished quite a bit more and may or may not have carried on about the big annual trip we had planned but now have to either cancel or move up and yes, there may have been some fake tears involved.
Cinnamon, lovely girl that she is, felt very bad for me and consulted not one, but 2 managers about allowing me to move up my trip with my banked/borrowed points. They said no initially, but Cinnamon herself laid it on thick and after quite some time, they gave in.
VOILA!!! I got my trip!!
We did it! We did it!!
I dont know who was more excited for me Me .or Cinnamon!
I thanked her profusely. Booked my trip for August 2nd to the 8th, promised to remember her always and hung up.
And danced my lovin butt off...probably not an exotic looking dance, but a victory dance nonetheless!!
Hooray for me! I got my trip. I may have been shadyabout it, but I got it. Plus booking early August would eliminate the need to go rushing home the night before school starts!!
So...it begins now. Thank for allowing me to babble and get the random thoughts out of my head - maybe now that it's clear, the actual trip will flow freely!
Up next re-introductions, nomadic movement and a chink in my chain
For those of you that know me, you know my life has been in major chaos the last several months. Actually, chaos is an understatement. I worked for several months more hours in a day than an 18-hour bra was designed to withstand. Im sure several of you recall my 3 am postings on the DIS after Id gotten home from work (since 7am) I needed this trip. Better yet, I deserved this trip.
BUT life, and other various forces of evil my job, the economy, Bank of America, Capital One and Chase yes, Im talking about YOU kept getting in the way.
And, for those of you that are aware of our August trips, which have become somewhat of a Focker tradition, well, you probably also know that somewhere around the time were either getting ready to leave for August, or while were down there, we already start perusing the calendar for the following year. And also in fine Focker tradition, my family tends to go rushing home the night before school starts. It just works this way.
This year though, was going to be different. Wed go early August. No rushing back to go to school. No fighting off the incoming free dining crowds either. 2009 was going to be the best. The summer of ME.
Sadly, I was the last of us to book this annual pilgrimage. See, there was also this little matter of the economy and the way it kicked construction into reverse. Not even back in to first gear after years of ripping and tearing. Nope. Everything came to a complete stop.
For a while, it actually looked like both my husband and I were going to be out of work. Thats a big blow. I dont care if you can collect unemployment losing both your incomes at once is devastating.
Especially if youre like me which hopefully youre not. Remember me, the one who chooses not live within the restrictions of my bank account.
I know theres a recession.
I, however, have made a conscious decision not to participate in it.
I chart my own course.
I am the master of my domain.
The captain of my own ship. That ship, the USS Oblivious, is usually found cruising up and down the river of Denial. Which is not in Egypt. TFI.I tried, I really, really tried to be a grown up about this. Knowing that I may be out of work, I tried to be responsible and hold off on booking my trip.
It was torture.
As it turns out, adulthood doesn't look good on me.For months I waited to hear about my job. I even got proactive and began looking into a job in our Texas division just to ensure that Id keep my job.
Gotta keep those Benjamins rolling in, right?
My Mouse dont eat cheese
he consumes all my lettuce.I had my first phone interview with the Texas division of my company and although it wasnt really a job Id normally go after, it was a real position, in gulp the main office. But hey - it was steady work. Scary as it was, unemployment was scarier.
Then I found out that I was being transferred to our Southeast division. Yes Virginia, there is continued employment!
Wooo Hooo .
Lauralee youve just found out that youre going to stay employed! What are you going to do now??
IM GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!
Within 15 minutes I was on the phone with DVC Member Services.
Why yes, Id like to book a trip please
I gave them the dates and the resort I wanted and they said certainly let me just put you on hold while I book your reservation
After a few minutes, the CM came back on the phone and apologized profusely Maam Im sorry, but you dont have any points available.
Thats impossible. I banked enough points for this stay!
Yes, thats the problem.
See, I banked my points into the following use year, which doesnt start until September 1, 2009. DOH!!
NO TRIP FOR YOU!!
Defeated, I hung up the phone.
Down, but certainly not out.
I put on my thinking cap. There had to be some way to do this. There was no way I was going to miss out on this trip.
I couldnt!
And I wouldnt. No way.
Think, think, think....
So, not easily broken, I called the following day.
I booked a trip for early September. I had a plan yes, I had a plan.
Since I booked my trip in this current use year, if I cancelled, then the points in question would have to be put into this use year, right?
Yeah, I thought so too
But, upon doing a bit of research, I discovered that the opposite was true. Nope the points would go back into the next use year where they were originally banked.
Bummer.
I may have been down, but not out
I called the next day I was desperate. I had a plan.
I needed to pull the wool over the Mouses eyes. Errr ears
I decided to throw myself on the mercy of court.
I dialed the number, nervous about what Id say, hopped up on caffeine and adrenaline. This was the last shot. Bottom of the ninth, 2 outs and bases loaded
I pressed 1 and waited for the next available cast member
A short bit later, Cinnamon answered the phone.
Yes, Cinnamon. Remember the bad economy? Well, exotic dancers apparently do phone work these days!
Anyway, I explained to Cinnamon that I booked this trip and due to the industry problems and the economy, my company has made it mandatory no vacations after August 15th. I may or may not have embellished quite a bit more and may or may not have carried on about the big annual trip we had planned but now have to either cancel or move up and yes, there may have been some fake tears involved.
Cinnamon, lovely girl that she is, felt very bad for me and consulted not one, but 2 managers about allowing me to move up my trip with my banked/borrowed points. They said no initially, but Cinnamon herself laid it on thick and after quite some time, they gave in.
VOILA!!! I got my trip!!
We did it! We did it!!
I dont know who was more excited for me Me .or Cinnamon!
I thanked her profusely. Booked my trip for August 2nd to the 8th, promised to remember her always and hung up.
And danced my lovin butt off
...probably not an exotic looking dance, but a victory dance nonetheless!!Hooray for me! I got my trip. I may have been shady
about it, but I got it. Plus booking early August would eliminate the need to go rushing home the night before school starts!!So...it begins now. Thank for allowing me to babble and get the random thoughts out of my head - maybe now that it's clear, the actual trip will flow freely!
Up next re-introductions, nomadic movement and a chink in my chain
Okay.
Well, maybe not all of you, but those with an inner LL can. 
The cream in my coffee and the icing on my cake. The only people Id bring my fat butt into the Africa-like heat of Florida in August for. 
