Nothing to See Here...

[Sherry E]

Like I said before I kind of foresaw this whole thing after Idaho had flaked so many times before. Wow I have been in the position to have to cancel things but the whole lack of courtesy in at least a text message or email or call to people I have made even tentative plans with floors me. If she had not posted the general message on FB you could have ended up not knowing until the last minute and what disappointment when you are planning on a trip to the land only to have it yanked out from under you without any notice just straight blows!

I worry about how you are going to get out of this whole computer mess. I know your client causes you stress but not working/ bringing in money has got to be even more stressful. I truly hope something comes up to bail you out of this mess soon.

If all those friends actually did show up even for one day each that would be a truly crazy TR i am sure...not sure if all that people juggling would make for a very relaxing getaway but I am sure it would make entertaining reading!

Sherri - Yep, you mentioned something quite a while back about the Idaho friends not exactly being reliable in showing up! You were right!

I suspect what happened this time (even though there is a history of flaky behavior) - knowing my friend - is that she started getting overly ambitious about seeing a bunch of people while she was planning to be in town, which was only supposed to be for a few days. She probably got excited and said yes to everyone in the heat of the moment, or at least couldn't say no to anyone and manage her time to allow for all of the plans, i.e., this day is for this person, that day is for that person, I'll see that person for a couple of hours, etc.

It probably got to be too overwhelming and frustrating for her, assuming that everyone had different requests and schedules, and then she just 'locked up' because she didn't know how to work it all out. She probably just didn't want to tell anyone that she wasn't coming because she was frustrated with the whole thing - which, of course, was all by her own design. But I think that's what happened.

My friend said that her dad (who was supposed to be out here with my friend, her husband and her 4-year-old son) kept saying that they shouldn't come out here now and should just wait until later in the year. But he was already out here with her husband, visiting family! Clearly, when her dad and her husband made the decision to come out to L.A. on their own and then flew back to Idaho, that was their trip. They obviously were not planning on doing the whole family group trip on this particular go-round. So as soon as my friend's dad and husband got on the plane to head to SoCal, my friend must have known that she would not be coming out here...and just didn't bother to tell me.

But what further annoyed me is when I DID see the random comment on Facebook about her dad & husband being out here in L.A. and then I wrote her and asked if anyone was going to let me know anything, she said, "There's nothing to know right now. My dad keeps saying we should just come out in November." There's nothing to know? How about telling me that your dad and husband were already out here and that you didn't come with them? Isn't that newsworthy? That's what there is to know!


And the thing is, it's not just those Idaho friends who don't bother to tell me when a plan falls through.

If I recall, Sherri, you said you had read through this whole TR before you finally spoke up - so you know about the other flaky friends who don't bother to tell me anything or answer e-mails when I try to plan something, and then when they finally reply a month later, they get snippy with ME for being annoyed that they didn't respond! Meanwhile, they couldn't possibly be rude and discourteous...no...but I am in the wrong for being frustrated!

Just the other day I noticed that another friend was posting quite a bit on Facebook. I had written a couple of messages to her over the last few months, asking if she wanted to get together while she was in town, mentioning a possible Catalina trip and possible Halloween and/or Christmas Disneyland trips. In all of this time, she never replied but I saw her post on Facebook here and there. I was quiet for a long time and finally I sent a new message about coming with me to Catalina on my birthday. No reply. So I didn't wait this time - I wrote again right away and asked if there was some reason she was not replying to any of the last few messages I had sent over the last few months, when I noticed she was posting on Facebook a lot.

This friend finally wrote back and basically didn't even offer any answer for why she hadn't replied to anything, but said to not "take it personally." She said that she couldn't make it to Catalina but would be available for Halloween or Christmas Disney trips.

Okay, I am fairly certain that if any one of you readers out there wrote a few times to someone, asking specific questions about getting together for this thing or that thing and didn't receive a reply over a few months, but saw the same person posting all the time on Facebook...you would "take it personally." I KNOW it is not just me!


Anyway, yes, if any of the current possible holiday DLR trip companions actually had good track records of showing up, it would be a stressful, frenzied, chaotic maelstrom of activity - which would likely make for an amusing TR, that's for sure! I would have to have the guests show up in shifts, essentially! But not only do I have friends who are known for not showing up or communicating, I just think that the time between now and then (6-1/2 months, basically) is enough time for a lot of plans to change.

So I am not even remotely worried about being bombarded with a sudden wave of guests in November/December. I will book some dates during that week just to leave it open for them, but I am not expecting it.

I have absolutely NO problem being solo OR going with friends...my main issues are that: 1) I don't like to find out what's happening at the last minute because it's too stressful for me, so I need people to communicate; 2) I don't like to be stood up at the last minute, or for plans to drastically change at the last minute, when it could have been avoided; 3) I don't want friends who I invited along to then take it upon themselves to invite all of these other people to come with us without running it past me; AND 4) I just need to know what mind set to get into. If it's a mind set of being in a group of friends I haven't seen in years, I have to mentally prepare for it. If I am going to be solo and go on a photo-taking tear, I need to be in the right frame of mind for that. It's all a matter of switching gears. I'm pretty understanding up to a point, but when it delves into any of those areas, I don't like it.

I'm worried about the PC situation too. Just trying to stay calm and not panic. It annoys me that my client is pressuring me, even though he has someone else to do his work in the interim. It's all about money and the fact that the other person is charging him more $$ than I charge him, so he is antsy for me to do his work. He doesn't realize that I lost MOST of his documents in the computer crash (seeing that I had 4 years of his work stored on the PC), and most of them will have to be created essentially from scratch. I can't do that on this current PC, which is barely running. He can't pay for a whole new computer system for me (complete with all the software and hardware that I would need), as he just bought his own new system recently (even though he has no clue how to operate any of it!). And if he DID put down any money towards a new system for me, then he would not pay me for any work I did for him until it was all paid off...which could be a while. So I would basically be no better off for a while than I am now!

 

[mvf-m11c]

You will have a great trip to the Catalina and DL during the Holiday season.

For someone that you reply to by email, facebook, etc. All of a sudden they don't respond to you and writing the other people comments, than it looks like they have something against you or something like that. I'm not trying to be offensive, but it seems that your friend has something against you. It would be nice if that person respond to you as of why they didn't reply back. I try to ask someone on the thread about something and they don't respond. That person respond to other posts, but not mine. I try to forget it and move on, but the good thing about this thread that everyone can answer something I need to know. Like you, Michele, Liza, etc.

Sorry for taking up your time on this.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Well if you messaged me about going to Catalina with you I would have answered!!! I don't always comment on threads or posts on FB....but I am reading them!! If someone specifically asks me a question....I'll be polite enough to respond.......nuff said!

 

[bumbershoot]

 

[azdisneylover]

Sherry,
I am glad to read you are planning both the Catalina and Disney trips! To me it sounds like your friends have either forgotten or have taken for granted what a loyal and valued friend they have with you, and it is a great idea to start calling them on their actions, like the Facebook incident. True friends are so hard to find, and you are a gem.

As for computers, is it an option to do some work on a computer at the library? Just thinking out loud.

On the Disney trip, how many days can you book for that great rate?

I do know, Sherry, you have plenty of people here on the board who would jump at the chance to hang out with you at Disneyland! (Me, included). So, plan away, post your trips, and .


Michele,
Wow! Awesome! Living that close to the Jelly Belly Jelly Bean plant would be awesome for me! LOL I am a tad bit jealous! Those are my favorite candy, after chocolate! What is great about them, is I eat them one little bean at a time to savor the great flavor, so I do not eat nearly as many as say, M&Ms!

 

[deejdigsdis]

Pass the Extra Strength Tylenol please...

I just got caught up on your saga. My goodness Sherry! "There's nothing to know right now." Wow. What kind of response is that? How does planning a trip which involves meeting up with people and then canceling said trip without informing the people fall into the "there's nothing to know right now" category? (I think that made more sense in my mind.) Good grief!

I'm so sorry to hear that your teeth are still having issues, and that there's been no positive change with the computer situation as of yet.

I hope you can truly look forward to your Catalina and DLR trips with all that's going on.

Interesting to hear that Bridgette (not sure if I spelled her name right) is moving back. I remember Shawn was so gung ho about returning this year for another holiday trip. Did she ever mention it again after that?

 

[kaoden39]

Sherry,
I am glad to read you are planning both the Catalina and Disney trips! To me it sounds like your friends have either forgotten or have taken for granted what a loyal and valued friend they have with you, and it is a great idea to start calling them on their actions, like the Facebook incident. True friends are so hard to find, and you are a gem.

As for computers, is it an option to do some work on a computer at the library? Just thinking out loud.

On the Disney trip, how many days can you book for that great rate?

I do know, Sherry, you have plenty of people here on the board who would jump at the chance to hang out with you at Disneyland! (Me, included). So, plan away, post your trips, and .


Michele,
Wow! Awesome! Living that close to the Jelly Belly Jelly Bean plant would be awesome for me! LOL I am a tad bit jealous! Those are my favorite candy, after chocolate! What is great about them, is I eat them one little bean at a time to savor the great flavor, so I do not eat nearly as many as say, M&Ms!

Anytime you want something from the Jelly Belly plant like Belly Flops or anything like that let me know. They also have a kitchen there that they make fudge and other candies in. Oh the pounds that can be gained there. Oh my goodness.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

Anytime you want something from the Jelly Belly plant like Belly Flops or anything like that let me know. They also have a kitchen there that they make fudge and other candies in. Oh the pounds that can be gained there. Oh my goodness.

OK what is a Belly Flop???

 

[kaoden39]

OK what is a Belly Flop???

Belly Flops are the misshaped or the name not being on them Jelly Belly's. Making them much cheaper. But, the main downfall is the flavors are all mixed including the Bertie Bott's Beans.

 

[bumbershoot]

But, the main downfall is the flavors are all mixed including the Bertie Bott's Beans.

That just made my face twist up and I made a sound something like "agurp". Doesn't sound tasty to me!


I live (relative) moments away from the Almond Roca factory. Thankfully I despise the stuff! Didn't used to, until I got a huge tin for my 10th or so birthday. Ate it all. Got sick. Never ever EVER wanted it again.

Funny...that's happened twice to me (getting really royally ill from something) with tequila, but I always forced myself to drink it again (after a year or so)...guess tequila meant (I don't really like it anymore) more to me than Almond Roca!

 

[kaoden39]

That just made my face twist up and I made a sound something like "agurp". Doesn't sound tasty to me!


I live (relative) moments away from the Almond Roca factory. Thankfully I despise the stuff! Didn't used to, until I got a huge tin for my 10th or so birthday. Ate it all. Got sick. Never ever EVER wanted it again.

Funny...that's happened twice to me (getting really royally ill from something) with tequila, but I always forced myself to drink it again (after a year or so)...guess tequila meant (I don't really like it anymore) more to me than Almond Roca!

Oh the smell of tequila sets my stomach rolling. Oh it is totally out for me.

 

[tinksdreamwishes]

Sherry sorry to hear about all this! These friends sound really crappy! My advise to you is forget about them and meet new friends! Like all these wonderful people here on these forums! Maybe you could host your own meet n greet called 'Sherry's New Friends Meet N Greet". Would be a blast!

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry sorry to hear about all this! These friends sound really crappy! My advise to you is forget about them and meet new friends! Like all these wonderful people here on these forums! Maybe you could host your own meet n greet called 'Sherry's New Friends Meet N Greet". Would be a blast!

^^^ tinksdreamswishes - I was chuckling at that title for a Meet! Too funny. Anyway, thank you for the kind words!

I have met a few nice DIS'ers so far, so that's a good thing!

My friends are on the flaky side - well, not all of them necessarily, but the ones who are not unreliable are the ones I only see every few years because they live too far away and can't get out here. None of them are bad people - it's just that I think people have different 'styles' of managing plans and friends; some people are better communicators than others and some things are lesser priorities to them than to other people (like me!) - or perhaps bigger priorities to them. Maybe, for some people, they don't care if someone backs out on them for a plan - it's not a big deal - so they have no problem doing it to someone else, because they think it's no big deal.

​

I have not forgotten to reply to the last few people who posted, just in case anyone thinks that - in fact, right before tinksdreamswishes posted here I was thinking, "Hmmm...maybe I should post an update in the TR."

BUT, I wanted to wait so I could have something to update you on in addition to replying to your posts.

Right now, I am actually waiting on someone at Disney/DLR to call me back. Yesterday I spoke to a very nice CM in the Special Activities office about the reservation I want to make at the PPH (with my discount) in late November/early December.

Going through the Special Activities office is very different than how I am used to making reservations for DLR hotel stays. It's better in that I don't have to put any money down up front - they don't even get a credit/debit card number from me to hold the room! Can you imagine that? It's all a "pay upon arrival/check-in" situation. But the thing that is different in a so-so way is that I have to be 'approved' for the dates I want. Normally, you would call the Reservations main number and the CM would tell you if your dates are available or not right there on the phone.

Well, because the Special Activities office is not the same as the Reservations office, they have to actually get approval from other people in the office before granting dates. I gave the dates I wanted to the CM yesterday, and she actually has to check with someone else in her office (who was not there when I called) before giving me the okay!

I have a feeling they may have only wanted me to use the special discount offer I got for the same number of nights I stayed last December (3 nights). I don't think they had anticipated that I would want to stay more nights. I actually asked them for 6 nights, just to leave it open right now for whomever may join me, with the plan to eventually cut off one or two nights. When the plans are more firmly sealed and I know who is coming or not coming along, I can get rid of a night or two if need be.

So the CM I spoke to has to check with other people to be sure I am OK'd for that number of nights, during that particular week, at that specific discount. Once she calls me back with the yay or nay, then she will send me an e-mail confirmation.

This Special Activities office is the same place that handles celebrities and VIPs when they visit DLR, as well as anyone who has had a 'disappointing' stay. So they are much more accommodating with the guests, like as far as not taking any money up front and all that.

It's funny to think that while I am on the phone, trying to nail down my dates, another CM in that same office might have John Stamos or Courtney Cox or Kobe Bryant on the phone, making their reservations for them!!

I told the CM that, for the record, I did not have a disappointing stay in December at all - it was a delightful stay and I loved my room. I had a wonderful trip overall.

She said, "But there was a problem with the billing, right?" (She was able to pull up the letter with my PPH offer in her system and read it!)


So when I finally hear back with the yes or no on my dates - they MAY tell me that I can only do a certain number of nights at that rate, and not as many as I wanted - I will update you all with the final word!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

SHERRY!!!!!!!!!!!






















hi ..........

 

[kaoden39]

How neat that you don't have to put money down. I hope they let you have the dates you want.

 

[deejdigsdis]

You reached over 100,000 views! That calls for a celebration from these guys...

 

[TheColtonsMom]

You reached over 100,000 views! That calls for a celebration from these guys...

Wow looks like your drama attracts alot of lurkers!

 

[Sherry E]

You reached over 100,000 views! That calls for a celebration from these guys...

Thanks, deej. It's 3 years in the making, though - it's not like it soared to 100,000 views in 2 months! There are way, way, way more views than people who actually post (look at the relatively low number of pages in the thread, given how old it is), which is the case for most TR's. Check in on your TR (after you have added more to it) in another year or two and see how many views you have! I bet it will be the same!

Oh, and you asked me over in your TR about this - I am still waiting to hear back from the mysterious Disney office/people who have to approve my requested dates. Even though I will enjoy not putting down any money up front, I still feel better with an actual answer as to whether or not my dates are available right away so I can get the e-mail confirmation. I feel like I was left hanging! The CM told me that she would contact me "later," so I assumed she meant later that day (Saturday)...or yesterday....or today. And I received no phone call. So I have no idea what "later" means - how long am I supposed to wait for approval of the dates? How long could it take to say yay or nay? I may just call them back tomorrow. My Idaho friends (who I am not holding my breath over) are asking me to let them know as soon as I get my DLR dates confirmed so they can book their flight and figure out when exactly they are joining me (supposedly).

I mainly just want to know the dates because I need to figure out how much $$$ I need by which time. Even if I am totally alone, I want to get the dates set.

Wow looks like your drama attracts alot of lurkers!

Hmmm...not sure that statement is exactly a ringing endorsement of my TR! It is an old, ongoing TR so there are lots of things in it from the last 3 years. I have DL photos going back to 1972, I have plenty of old DL photos from all through the '80s and '90s and beyond. I have Bret Michaels photos. I have DLR trip photos from 2007, 2008, 2009 and last year. Halloween and Christmas photos... Maybe people like some of that stuff...or maybe they find me entertaining in some bizarre, abstract way. Who knows?

In any case, I talk about what's going on in my life as it pertains (directly or indirectly) to formulating a trip and getting to DLR - and how the plans succeed or fail in the process - because I would be willing to bet that a lot of folks assume that people who live reasonably close to DLR (even if it's 45 minutes away) and who are mods on a DLR planning discussion forum get to DLR a lot - dare I say, they probably think we go all the time and don't need to plan. They probably assume we don't stay at the DLR hotels because we can just go home. I am living proof that this is not the case, and that each trip is as special to me as anyone else's trip is to them - because it is such a struggle to make it happen. And I DO plan for trips and stay at hotels!

I am living proof that the best laid plans fall through for various reasons and 'life stuff' happens. I would love to be able to tell you all that I won the lottery or just got a high paying job and have booked my next 10 vacations to wherever I want to go in the world...but unfortunately, that stuff has not happened yet to report on it. So I report on what does happen!






Anyway, thank you to all the lurkers out there and the longtime subscribers for bringing me to 100,000 and beyond. I hope to share many more adventures - some of them this year, if all goes as hoped - in this TR!!

 

[6Smiles]

Hi Sherry!

 

[kaoden39]

Wow three years Sherry? It doesn't seem possible to me.