8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC #5

[Pluto 2]

i paid my cruise off today, now i need to get my credit card bill to actually get the cruise paid off

 

[captaincrash]

I am in hiding now for DD's safety.
My Mom drives all the way across town (15 mins) most days to help Megan (11 yo DD) with her homework. My Mom was a teacher and is a major braniac.
Well today she says "Can you get Megan's regular homework done with her so I can concentrate on Science?" I say "Sure".
We get home from school after going to the post office and finding out my "Vital Statistics" forms are correct for the girls, and we start homework. Megan says immediately that she does not have much at all. Great!
I go Miranda's speling w/ her while Megan finishes up her homework. So far so good. Mom gets here and starts going through Megan's notebook and finds a TON of stuff not done. They will be at it for hours! I was SO MAD!!!! I tried calmly asking Megan why she did not tell me she had all this. "I forgot". A blatant lie. I told her she knew she had this and she screams and runs upstairs. Mind you she is in the 5th grade- not a baby!
She is pitching a fit and DH walks in and does not understand why Megan is in trouble and DEFENDS HER! He absolutely will not listen.
To avoid screaming at my DH in front of my mother- I decided to come in my room and ignore them both. Poor Mom is stuck dealing w/ Megan.

So.... Shannon- Today stinks for a lot of us!!

Monica- Please forgive my rant when you obviously have much more valid concerns. Best of luck to you!

My FIL is...

... closer to me in some ways than my own father. And he often hears some aspect of the issues Alicia and I have.... SOMETIMES mind you. And as such one of the things he counseled that really helps is to NEVER let an "bad feeling" issue fester overnight. Try to reach some kind of closure on it. I figure you can straighten your husband and Megan will be approachable before they turn in. And if not - try working on this closure thing before everyone is asleep NEXT time.

OK... we're doing a Road Runner fast supper before we return to school for the play tonight.... I got 15 minutes before I wanna get going.

TTFN

 

[smeecanada]

Have fun!!

Me Too!! Finally! Made a stop at my TA too. Was dated that it was created on 03/20 so no clue why the delay.

That's the date on ours as well.

In a word? Passporter!! It has everythnig on excursions in detai.

I've got a Passporter on order. Just waiting for Amazon to get their act in gear and send it. Ordered "The Love Boat - Season 1 DVD" while I was at it, as well. Cann't wait to see Julie, Isaac, Doc etc. again.

Color me JEALOUS!!! I love whales!

They had to go alot closer than normal to them as well. It was either that or end up on the rocks. Usually, they have to keep the ships/boats quite aways from the pods. There must have been at least 8 - 10 whales. Still haven't seen one do a big breach yet. I keep hoping.

 

[captaincrash]

i paid my cruise off today, now i need to get my credit card bill to actually get the cruise paid off

If I FedEX my credit card bill over to ya tomorrow would ya pay off MY TOAL bill...
... that way this chore will be marked off your to-do list quicker?

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Ooooo... you're looking for YOUR credit card bill... oops!

OK ... I gotta go now!​

 

[smeecanada]

Hugs to everyone that seems to need them tonight

DS returned from a 3 day band trip and is in a really good mood. I want to know where my other kid is because this isn't the one I sent on the trip . Sure, like the one that returned, hoping he stays this way for awhile.

 

[m&m's mom]

Coral...I can tell you are seething!

You were so mad when you typed this, you actually spelled "spelling" wrong. That's never good.

Hope you don't mind me making light, just trying to cheer you up!

It'll get better....you will take one look at Megan sleeping in bed tonight, looking like an angel, and all will be forgotten!

That's a good one! I went and got Schlotzsky's for dinner and now I feel better. (Food always does - Hear that Oprah- I am an EMOTIONAL EATER!!)

 

[tiggrbaby]

Somebody pass the rum......I promise to share with Shannon


Just got off a conference call where it was announced that we will be making a 23-25% force reduction. Within my organization that means about 350 people. No one will know until 'late April' what their employment status is. Some people will even have to take downgrades if they want to stay employed.

I've known for several weeks that we were restructuring. But this is the first time they put some numbers and timelines to it.

They say it's based on performance and skills. But I know from personal experience that is not always the case. I was one of the top performers when we went through this last year, but got targeted anyway. Luckily they found me another position otherwise I would have been laid off. I actually found out that some people's annual reviews were not even looked at in making the decisions last year.

I've been here 12 years. This is about the 6th time I've been through this.

does anyone want some kids?? it has been such a bad day!! thank goodness dh is on his way home, cuz i think i'm gonna lock myself in my room and scream/cry!!
the baby i watch has done nothing but scream all this week. he's not sick...it's just his lovely nature. i've dealt with it for over a year now, but it's getting worse! and today i'm grumpy anyways!
and today is my dd's bday. she has dance at 3:00, so i asked my friend to pick her up at school, and friend calls me to tell me that dd is not out of school yet. she asks the teacher where she is, and teacher informs her that dd has been in school crying hysterically all day today about going to dance. she has never had an issue with going...she's danced since she was only 2....but for the last few weeks, if i can't go with her and sit there, she doesnt want to go. she doesn't usually dance at 3...but they have a comp this weekend, and she is going in for extra practice. i know she may be a bit stressed over the comp, but she really needs to get over this! my friend brought her home, and she acted like a baby....clinging to the furniture and not going out the door! we had many discussions before, and she's done comps before, so i'm not sure what the deal is...it just irritates me!
then, while i'm trying to get her all ready to go out the door for dance, i hear yelling amongst the boys that i watch. turns out that they are all out playing basketball, and my oldest ds decides to have a meltdown too....and whipped the ball at one of his friends. what in the world? i'm about ready to have a major meltdown!!!! his attitude comes from not wanting to go to baseball practice....something that HE wanted to sign up for. im so irritated...sorry for venting.

I am in hiding now for DD's safety.
My Mom drives all the way across town (15 mins) most days to help Megan (11 yo DD) with her homework. My Mom was a teacher and is a major braniac.
Well today she says "Can you get Megan's regular homework done with her so I can concentrate on Science?" I say "Sure".
We get home from school after going to the post office and finding out my "Vital Statistics" forms are correct for the girls, and we start homework. Megan says immediately that she does not have much at all. Great!
I go Miranda's speling w/ her while Megan finishes up her homework. So far so good. Mom gets here and starts going through Megan's notebook and finds a TON of stuff not done. They will be at it for hours! I was SO MAD!!!! I tried calmly asking Megan why she did not tell me she had all this. "I forgot". A blatant lie. I told her she knew she had this and she screams and runs upstairs. Mind you she is in the 5th grade- not a baby!
She is pitching a fit and DH walks in and does not understand why Megan is in trouble and DEFENDS HER! He absolutely will not listen.
To avoid screaming at my DH in front of my mother- I decided to come in my room and ignore them both. Poor Mom is stuck dealing w/ Megan.

So.... Shannon- Today stinks for a lot of us!!

Monica- Please forgive my rant when you obviously have much more valid concerns. Best of luck to you!

Hugs to all of you and prayers for a better tomorrow!

 

[Grandma x3]

Happy Birthday Lauryn!!!

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Happy Birthday Dylan!!![/QUOTE]

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ing Happy B'day to you both!!

 

[tom31b]

So the Westbound has finally gotten their stateroom assignments. If DCL keeps same pace with us, that will mean last week of July (ish) for us. Of course, I don't think DCL mailed info to anyone who had cancelled the WB, so maybe they will have problems with getting our assignments.

Wouldn't it be funny if they ended up with a severely underbooked ship in August due to errors like that?

 

[micmse2003]

So the Westbound has finally gotten their stateroom assignments. If DCL keeps same pace with us, that will mean last week of July (ish) for us. Of course, I don't think DCL mailed info to anyone who had cancelled the WB, so maybe they will have problems with getting our assignments.

Wouldn't it be funny if they ended up with a severely underbooked ship in August due to errors like that?

Better for us it is underbooked!!!! More lobster for everyone.
Can you tell I am getting better. I am finally thinking of food.

 

[Diznyfan68]

So the Westbound has finally gotten their stateroom assignments. If DCL keeps same pace with us, that will mean last week of July (ish) for us. Of course, I don't think DCL mailed info to anyone who had cancelled the WB, so maybe they will have problems with getting our assignments.

Wouldn't it be funny if they ended up with a severely underbooked ship in August due to errors like that?

Are you sure? I figured the WB was about 31 days out so that should put ours at mid-July (7/17 to be exact!).

 

[mjy]

So the Westbound has finally gotten their stateroom assignments. If DCL keeps same pace with us, that will mean last week of July (ish) for us. Of course, I don't think DCL mailed info to anyone who had cancelled the WB, so maybe they will have problems with getting our assignments.

When I spoke to Disney Cruise Line last week (to make reservations for a 3-Day cruise in January), I asked them about our GTY assignments for the EB cruise. I was told that they will be making those assignments around June 15th. We'll see if the CM was correct . . . I hope so!

 

[Diznyfan68]

Just a quick catch-up here tonight - I'll do a more in-depth one tomorrow...got my travel info for my company convention next month. Flying out to Chicago at a decent time on the 14th but coming home at O'dark early on the 19th! I am so not a morning person and then add on to it that I'll be doing my best to book our excursion and Palo ressies the night before I leave...I guess I'll be pulling an all-nighter.

 

[tom31b]

Are you sure? I figured the WB was about 31 days out so that should put ours at mid-July (7/17 to be exact!).

I wasn't a math major (that and I have no clue what today's date is...) --> You are right

 

[m&m's mom]

DH apologized for being snippy with me when I explained how Megan has been acting so that is good. Megan is also in bed so peace in our house.

 

[msaseifert]

Well....this is my last rant about Delta - I promise (unless they make me mad again). DH sent along this nice little letter (LONG) with an article he found somewhere but it drives the point home - just treat people/paying customers with respect, the rewards are countless!


Dear Sir/Madam,
By the way, I did get refund out of Salt Lake City, rebooked on AirTran for
a lower fare and still get 2 bags free of charge. Also, in addition to
helping me with the situation you left me in, AirTran today added flights to
help out the American stranded passengers. They are building loyalty and
capable of taking advantage of opportunities.

Believe it or not, had Delta simply sent me a proactive email telling me
about the baggage change and why they had to do it and what my real options were (according to the contract of carriage I could get a refund if I
desired), I probably would have quietly accepted it and Delta would have
received $200 more from me on top of the $1344 already paid. However,
because
1) I had to learn about it through a message board
2) Was told incorrectly it was clearly published on the web site when it was
not (making me think Delta wanted to spring it on passengers at the last
minute when they have no other options)
3) Three agents of Delta told me I could not get a refund until I read the
contract of carriage directly to a Salt Lake City CSR (Basically the three
Delta CSRs clearly misrepresented something that was not true)
4) Delta never addressed any of these concerns in their reply.

As the article below states, you people just don't get it. My desire for a
refund wasn't about the $200. It was how your treated me about the $200. How can I trust you again? What else will you hide and then when asked about my options will you incorrectly guide me?

Well, this means Delta is out $1,544 of my money and your competitor is up.



Budget Airlines' Secret: First-Class Customer Service
Elizabeth Blackwell
04/10/08 - 12:39 PM EDT
This hasn't been the greatest week for airlines. AMR'sAMR American Airlines
has been canceling hundreds of flights to check wiring on its jets, leaving
stranded passengers steaming. Whistle-blowers from the FAA are testifying
before Congress about lapses in safety inspections. Low-cost carrier ATA
recently shut down and filed for bankruptcy.

Then came the final blow. Researchers at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
and Wichita State University announced their annual Airline Quality Ratings.
The headline-grabber? As a whole, airlines received the lowest scores in the
17-year history of the ratings.

Ouch.

But believe it or not, small businesses can learn something from this
bruised and battered industry.

Take those Airline Quality Ratings, which measure criteria such as baggage
handling, on-time arrivals and how often ticketed passengers get bumped.

Which airlines scored best on customer service? Air TranAAI, JetBlueJBLU and
SouthwestLUV -- all of which just happen to be low-cost carriers.

How do these upstarts -- with lower-paid employees -- manage to deliver
better service than the big guys? Any small business can follow the lead of
these airlines to shoot to the top of customer-service rankings.

1. Know What Matters
Sure, we'd all love to return to the days when cross-country flights meant
free meals and seats with enough space to stretch your legs. But ask an
airline passenger if she would rather have a roomy seat or an intact
suitcase, and guess which one she'll choose?
Find out which criteria are key for your customers and focus on those above
all else.

"Airlines do a bad job in just about every dimension," says Professor Claes
Fornell, director of the National Quality Research Center at the University
of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross Business School. Fornell leads the research
team for the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which found that airlines
ranked at the very bottom of customer-service ratings. (The other two
losers? The IRS and cable TV.)

However, Fornell points out, discount airlines focus on travelers' most
important needs. "They do a better job providing the basic service:
delivering you to your destination, more or less on time, with your
luggage," says Fornell. "The major airlines are operating with a business
model that no longer works, and they're probably slashing costs in the wrong
areas."

2. Underpromise and Overdeliver
Entire books have been written about Southwest's successful marketing, but
just as important is what the airline doesn't sell: an image of airline
travel as glamorous or relaxing. Passengers don't book a flight on Southwest
or Air Tran expecting a luxurious getaway; they're picking a relatively
affordable way to get from Point A to Point B. So when an Air Tran or
Southwest passenger is able to board their plane on time and pick up their
bags afterward -- the bare minimum for a successful plane trip -- they walk
away satisfied.
Larger airlines push their first-class and business-class amenities to draw
big-spending corporate travelers. But the discount-fare crowd doesn't get
anywhere near that level of service -- and they walk away resentful.

People are willing to put up with some low-cost inconveniences (like
Southwest's cattle-call boarding process) if the end result measures up to
what they expected. If you keep your customers' expectations realistic, it's
that much easier to dazzle them.

3. Location, Location, Location
When it comes to baggage handling and on-time arrivals, smaller airlines may
benefit from something that seems like a handicap: their out-of-the-way
location. JetBlue and Southwest avoid high-traffic airports such as
Atlanta's Hartsfield and New York's LaGuardia, where delays are common and
the sheer amount of bags coming in and out makes mix-ups more likely.
A location away from the center of the action -- and your big competitors --
can seem like a disadvantage. But the cost savings from that
less-than-desirable spot can be used to lower prices, convincing customers
that you're worth the trip.

Once you've got those loyal customers, they're a powerful force. Southwest,
for example, has had planes grounded for safety inspections -- and recently
got hit with a $10 million fine from the FAA -- without any noticeable drop
in bookings. JetBlue suffered a PR nightmare a year ago when it canceled
flights for days with no explanation, yet the airline now pulls in high
customer-service marks.

This is a dismal time for many industries. But if you get customers on your
side, your business can still fly high.

 

[Diznyfan68]

I wasn't a math major (that and I have no clue what today's date is...) --> You are right

I stink at math myself! I tell everyone that accouting is NOT about math, rather it has to do with WHERE you put the numbers - if I wasn't counting down the days until we leave I never would of caught it!!

 

[PBader]

Hope your not expecting to get it at a Brigham's Ice Cream parlor..not very many left!

Chrissie

Really! I hope the one on Centre Street is open, it's the only one I know how to get too.

 

[tom31b]

Roger's Jolly Pirates
Zip Lines
Saw a nice door magnet
Theme nights
Fantasmic Meet 8/16
Cliff divers
Staying at the Port
Beach Day
flying into long beach
airport....transportation ?
Horse riding
hotel discounts
Hi, my name is...
T-**** Update
Segway in CA
Tequila buying/tasting
Massage at Krystal
Cartagena Excursions
Disney Visa DL Discounts
Any DL discount info? DVC or Passholder?
Disneyland/California Touring Tips
Smithsonian Online Panama Exhibit
Verandah?
Acapulco Excursions
Rugby
Puerto Vallarta Sunsets
Don't care to see the divers, what else
is there?
Disneyland Resort Restaurants
San Pedro Restaurants
Disneyland Rides that aren't at WDW
Transportation from LAX to Port/DL etc.
DL Mini Meet 3/16
Cartegena?
SECRET MICKEY SIGN-UPS!!!
Wristband Info
Packing Lists

 

[msaseifert]

Something must have been in the air today with these children. DD8 asked if she needed a jacket this morning for school - I said yes, she said why? I said its chilly, put your jacket on. She says "I don't want to wear a jacket". (at this point i am not sure why she even mentioned the jacket in the first place). I say PUT YOUR JACKET ON, WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE FOR SCHOOL. She goes and sits at the dining room table with her arms crossed - looks at me and says "You have 2 choices, I can either not wear a jacket to school or I sit right here and make you late for school/work". Well, then I went off on some rant about how she doesn't get to give me choices, I give her choices IF I CHOOSE to do so! I told her she had no choice but to gET HER JACKET and get into the car or she was grounded for a week with NO HORSEBACK RIDING. She starightened right up and grabbed a jacket and was waiting in the car for me

Can you imagine my 8 year old giving me choices - the nerve! I won't even go into the issues with DS12 - its SPT stuff that most of you are dealing with too.