I went on a small trip down Memory Lane yesterday

So we were supposed to go to Hemet, (Jack, Kile and I) for a special Disney presentation. But as what usually happens, we got a little off schedule and traffic was not on our side. It did lead to some funny conversations though.

As we are traveling down the 91, it becomes very apparent that we are NOT going to make it to the 7pm beginning. None of us want to be that guy, we all don't like "that guy." You know, the ones that try to slide in during a show and pretend like it's normal.

Anyhow, we are driving and there is Castle Park. Oh yeah, I haven't been there for years. Not since I lived over in that area. It' s the general consensus in the truck that there is no way we will make it on time, so why don't we go and check out Castle Park? (Neither of them had been there before)

I know what you're thinking. Castle Park over Disney? Or for that matter, Super Walmart? Well, it seemed silly to drive all the way out to Hemet just for Super Walmart. At least this trip. But don't worry, my sister. I will go out there and take pics for you.

But anyhow, we get off the freeway and discover there is only one entrance. Oh boy. It looks like a ghost town since the rides are only open on the weekends. Oh, wait there are some people playing golf. Okay.

We check the sign and it says closes at 8pm. What!??! All right then. One round of golf. I pick Course 3. Wow, I think the person that designed this course also was responsible for most of the roads in Riverside County. It was loops and dead ends and holes in strange places.

But we had a lot of fun with Jack winning. Of course, we are finishing up and they make the announcement they are closing. Okay, no worries. But when we drop off our clubs, ALL the doors are closed and we had to walk around the castle to the parking lot. That was interesting and weird.

Kile says he's hungry, so we go to the IHOP down the street. He pulls into what seems to be the logical driveway. Oh no, it's a fire lane that should be open, but has 2 trucks parked in it. He has to do the most creative driving I've seen in a while. I didn't think a truck could be a pretzel like that.

Then we came back home and played a few video games. Jack showed him a Japanese Disney game on the computer, then Fatal Frame on PS2, then they played WDW Racing that is sort of like Mario Cart.

It wasn't what we expected, but it was a good time.

And because I am a freak like that, I did get some pics of the haunted house on another course. It was with my phone, so they are kind of scratchy. But here you go...


Yeah, I could live there.

I went on a date yesterday!

Let me explain. Now I will be posting the Sea World pics soon, but this just has to be written about first.

The mail comes and there is a card for Jack. He opens it and it's from his Mom. Inside are some gift cards for Carl's Jr. and two movie vouchers for AMC. So he says to me, "Would you like to go out to lunch and a movie with me?"

Of course I will! I love that he still asks me like we have only been together for a few months, not 7 years. So we go to the Block to have lunch and they have Coraline toys! Wow, that movie was amazing, but I had not seen any toys. So he buys me the set. How sweet!

Then we go to the theater. Now we had decided that since we get to go for free, let's go and see something we normally would just wait to see on DVD. So in the spirit of well, us, we go see Friday the 13th.

Oh boy, now I knew it would be different. We aren't really fans of the slasher genre of horror anyway, but we tried to give it a chance. But this was awful. The acting was terrible, the kills were boring (all 12 of them, 14 if you count the implied ones) and the side plot that was shoved into it didn't work at all.

The only thing that was great was that we were the only ones in the theater. So yes, we made some smart aleck comments. Jack and I were laughing throughout most of it. Jason was no longer this lumbering idiot. He was fast, sort of smart, and wow it only took him 20 years to finally figure out those pesky arts and crafts.

But you didn't care. That was sad. I wanted everyone to die. Even the "heroes" and heck even Jason. So when the big finale happened, it was meh. We did have a lot of fun though. Afterwards, we reviewed it and came to the conclusion of 3 and 1/2 jack-o-lanterns out of 5.

Only because if you are a fan of the series, it is just what you would expect. But don't rush out to see it. I'm just glad I didn't pay to watch.

Wow, does that sound cynical? It's not. I just have to know what someone's motivation is. Pinhead has one, Freddy has one, even Michael Myers has one. But Jason has been living at Camp Crystal Lake for over 20 years. Get over it, dude. Seriously.

That's just my opinion.

Another idea is brewing

Ooh, look treasure!


Here's what was really inside. Hehe

I was reading another blog that I follow and I left a message on it. It got me to thinking..what a great idea!

The person stated that they had thought about just taking one of their Halloween props and setting it up on a semi lonely road to leave there. So that way someone would look out the window and wonder who left that ghost floating there?

I was told about geo-caching by a friend of mine. This sounds like it could be a branch of that if nurtured. I haven't really researched it, but basically you bury an object, put in the GPS coordinates and someone goes to find it. Ah, but there's a catch.

If you find and take the object, you have to leave something in return.

So, that would be so fun to take an old Halloween decoration, place it in a box and bury it for others to enjoy. Then you could track where it's been.

Or if someone decided to keep it, they could. Again, as long as they replace it with another treasure.

I don't think geo-caching is that tailored, and I am really thinking that would be really great. Especially if you had to take a pic and post it after you found it.

And it could be for any holiday!

The only 2 downsides I could see would be if someone just took stuff or if someone didn't wrap their offering properly and it got ruined.

But hey, that's treasure hunting. Sometimes you get diamonds, sometimes you get a box full of sand.

Here it is, my birthday trip!

Yes, unlike most of the time that I'm a slacker, I am posting my pics the day after my birthday!

I placed them into a slideshow for you to enjoy. Now, there's a lot. I do apologize, but they were all so fun I had to include them all.

YAY!!!

Just for a laugh

Pug vs Laser


I love this video 'cause it reminds me of my doggy Jen-e-fur. She's a puggle, (pug and beagle mix) and she does the same thing when playing. She will go crazy for a few minutes and then slurp, slurp her water! It makes me crack up every time.

So now I know where she gets it from, her pug side.

I just wanted to say....

to my beautiful sister and her charming husband. May it be the first of many happy anniversaries to come!

Love you!

Oh, by the way....



Happy Groundhog Day!

Oh, you know I'm never going to forget that one. Look forward to a special package in the mail soon!

Love you tons!

100 facts about me

Okay, this is for my sister. In no particular order:

1. My favorite salad is the Cobb salad at Plaza Inn in Disneyland.
2. I love the color purple.
3. I have been knitting for almost 2 years.
4. My favorite book is Alice In Wonderland.
5. My goal is to one day own a horror themed BNB.
6. I am writing 4 stories at once that I want to have published one day.
7. I am afraid of crickets and junebugs.
8. Jello tastes gross to me.
9. I have a spider tattooed on my ankle.
10. Halloween is my favorite holiday.
11. I am afraid of the dark.
12. I believe I can sing well.
13. Has made 5 scarves, 4 baby hats, 2 pairs of slippers and 6 pairs of booties since I started knitting.
14. My first things I ever knitted were 8 six foot long camo colored pieces to look like netting for our haunted maze.
15. I have been to Knott's Scary Farm almost every year since 1990. This last year was my Sweet 16!
16. I shop online all year long for Halloween stuff.
17. Is a Disneyland Annual Passholder.
18. My favorite food is Fettucine Alfredo.
19. My favorite soda is Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi.
20. Contrary to popular belief, I love to cook and bake.
21. Have been working in the hotel business for 5 years.
22. Rick Baker is my idol and I used to want to be a monster maker.
23. Sometimes cries for no reason at all.
24. Have been with Justin (Jack) for 7 years.
25. Would be a pirate if she could. (Anne Bonny style)
26. Was proposed to at Disneyland.
27. Has 2 extraordinary kids, Keith and Alex.
28. Cries at Disney movies and Disneyland firework shows.
29. Is an amateur photographer.
30. Loves to read.
31. Learned to read at 2 1/2 years old.
32. Dyed my hair blonde in high school.
33. Have three holes in each ear.
34. Is of the Wiccan faith.
35. Still says Merry Christmas.
36. Loves to swim.
37. Has a bad habit of biting my nails.
38. Has a pentacle necklace that she hasn't taken off for 6 years.
39. Wears contacts.
40. Met Jack at Disneyland when we both worked there.
41. Left Disneyland 2 months later.
42. The answer to everything.
43. Is bi-polar and has not been on meds for years.
44. Has a fangirl crush on Freddy Krueger.
45. My favorite movie is Nightmare on Elm Street.
46. My favorite TV show is Ab Fab.
47. Has dressed up like a man for fun.
48. Jenefur is my first dog I have owned.
49. Is an 80's Valley girl.
50. 95% of my closet is black clothing.
51. Was married to my first husband for 12 years.
52. Loves to go to the beach at night.
53. I get cold easily.
54. Dresses up for Halloween.
55. Has a secret weakness for chili cheese fries.
56. Is the producer/set designer/everything girl for The Darkest Hours.
57. Has 1 sister and 1 brother, both younger.
58. Doesn't like reality shows.
59. I do really enjoy Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares though.
60. BBC America is one of my favorite channels.
61. Secretly desires to have and learn to play bass guitar.
62. Lives the Gothic lifestyle.
63. Hates Hot Topic.
64. Bites my nails when I'm nervous or stressed.
65. Has a weird affinity for naming inanimate objects.
66. Has owned 4 cats, 3 of which were black.
67. Cried when my first cat Lucky, was put down because of feline leukemia.
68. Often paints my toenails weird colors.
70. My favorite opera singer is Luciano Pavarotti.
71. Breaks out into song in public.
72. Almost shaved my head when my friend Nadine lost her hair from chemo.
73. I still have not knitted anything for myself.
74. Didn't have my first intimate experience until I was 16.
75. Lived in hotel rooms for a year.
76. Is the oldest in my family.
77. Doesn't have a father.
78. Used to cut myself when I was depressed.
79. Is fond of Christmas.
80. Writes in 3 different journals depending on my mood.
81. Has eaten mustard and mayonnaise sandwiches.
82. Puts A-1 sauce on corn.
83. Used to be bisexual.
84. Danced in a gay club.
85. Lived with gay men for a time.
86. Spent the night in a friend's car when she couldn't find the keys to drive home.
87. Almost got hit by a motorcycle while crossing the street at night.
88. Have been in 2 car accidents.
89. Had my appendix taken out.
90. Have my tubes tied.
91. Doesn't like elevators.
92. Gets migraines.
93. Dreams of living in another state than CA.
94. Can touch my tongue to my nose.
95. Celebrates New Year on Samhain.
96. My hair goes down past my waist.
97. Believes in ghosts.
98. Is sometimes called Claudia.
99. Is afraid of being forgotten.
100. Believes in magic.

Hopefully this gives a little insight to me!

It's that time!

To show off my Super Poke Pet Christmas habitat. Yay!





Doesn't he look so happy?

This is why I love this season. Right here.

So there is a forum I belong to and they are having a gift exchange. Now it's a goofy one and not one that you buy cutesy stuff for.

I thought it would be funny to send this person a zombie survival kit. (On the cheap side, of course)

Here is a copy of the letter I am including in the box so the recipient will understand just what the heck this box is full of.

IMPORTANT:IMPORTANT:IMPORTANT

Dear citizen ________________, we have been informed that a zombie uprising has been reported in your vicinity.

We are sending these kits to all persons in your area in hopes that you haven't become infected by this epidemic.

If you have received this package too late, we do apologize and the correct officials will be contacting you shortly.

Inside this package you should have these items as follows:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A set of 3 training films to help you recognize what a zombie is and the best methods to destroy it.

A gun with ammo to protect yourself from attacks.

A flashlight with extra batteries so that you can avoid stepping on any zombie carcasses.

A bottle of hand sanitizer to help keep your skin clean from any contaminants.
(Note: we have discovered the picture on the bottle is one of the suspected leaders of this outbreak. Please approach this individual with extreme caution.)

An energy drink to help you stay sharp and awake so that you don't drop your guard for wandering zombies.

We have also included a small personal hygiene kit that was donated by a local hotel.
(Good health should not suffer in chaos.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please be safe and God be with you.

Thank you for your cooperation.

This message and package contents have been inspected and approved by Z.O.M.B.I.E.
-Zamora Official Mobilization Board International Enterprises-

Your local representative,
Little Doll Claudia _________________________

IMPORTANT:IMPORTANT:IMPORTANT

Here's what the stuff looks like:



Yeah, it's cheesy but funny. I even decorated the outside of the box. Hopefully the post office will see the humor and allow me to send it.

I..Uhh, what?

Oh yeah, just when I think today is going to be just another day..

I have clowns showing up at my hotel!

I should know better, I really should.

Never a dull moment here at the Holiday Inn Express

Okay, I've decided that I am going to share what happened today at work. I wasn't going to as it's a LONG entry, but I just want to show what I go through during a typical day. Not saying I call the cops all the time, but this brand of guest is what I am forced to deal with quite frequently.

So sit back, grab some popcorn and have a laugh.

From my front desk report Nov, 19, 2008:
(Mr. Lipski is the guest supposedly in this room and Christina is the manager on duty, Tina is my general manager)

Guest was due to check out today. I was informed when I came to work at 3pm that a female not registered called from the room stating that the room had been extended for 1 more night. The room had been cleared out by a cash payment, but no other arrangements had been made. When I called the room to speak to Mr. Lipski, the female acted as though she didn't know the guest. I told her we needed to have a form of payment to be able to extend this reservation as well as an ID to change the name responsible if that was the case. That either Mr. Lipski or herself needs to take care of this or they would have to vacate the room.

The guest acted very strangely and then said that she was waiting for her friend to come in to pay. I said that we would need some form of payment now for her to stay in the room, if not it was past check out time, so she would need to leave until the person arrived and then she would be more than welcome to check back in.

She got very agitated and said that the guy was supposed to pay for the room and she didn't understand what was going on. I said that he had not authorized that, and that his CC had declined. She said that she would leave in 10 minutes. I called the GGPD after giving Christina the heads up and she suggested I should call just as a backup.

Mr.Lipski called during this time and asked what was going on as he had received a phone call that we had charged his CC. I told him that since there was still someone in the room and was the person listed as the responsible party, he would be charged for whatever happened. He said he was not authorizing that. I said okay and let the guest in the room know this. She tried to tell me again that she was waiting for someone.

Then another female named Cindy called saying that the person in the room was her sister. That she was at a lawyer's office in Irvine but that she would take care of the room when she arrived. Christina spoke with her telling her that that was fine, but until then the guest would have to leave the room until she came to make the payment.

The police arrived at 4:00pm and the guest had still not left or come down to pay for the room. The officers asked her to pack up her things and leave the room. Then they left. A half hour later, I had not seen the guest come downstairs. Christina went upstairs and then called saying that the guest had taken some items from the room and that I should call 911. I did so and the police came back. The police said for me to go ahead and charge the CC on file for the missing items.

But they did not remove the female in question. Rather, she had a luggage cart packed full that she took out to the parking lot and is at this time still waiting for someone to pick her up. That was at 5:00pm.

At 5:30pm Christina left and saw the guest still seated in the parking lot with the luggage cart. After calling Tina, she said I should call the police and have her removed seeing as she was now considered trespassing. I called the GGPD and they said they would send someone out.

At 5:45pm a blonde girl that I had not seen before came in and said she was here to pick up her sister that had been in Rm.328. Could I let her go upstairs to check over the room? I said no, I'm sorry but only the guest responsible can do that. She said she had left a laptop case inside the room. I told her that Mr.Lipski would have to come in and show us his ID because he was the guest listed on the room. Paulin had gone upstairs and brought it down to me. It is on the counter. Only Mr.Lipski is allowed to pick this and any other items that may have been left in this room. He is to produce a valid ID.

I was instructed by Christina to also charge the guest's CC for 1 night room and tax since the guest did not depart until almost 2 hours after check out time. I was able to do so, but guest's CC did not authorize for the $50 in stolen items charges. I have left this account in the system under house account 9044 for check out tomorrow. Please settle the amount before checking out of system. Thank you.

So that is what I had the pleasure of sorting out during my shift. I had the cops show up three times and many of my guests were watching wondering what the heck was going on. I apologized to a few of them and tried to play it off like it was nothing. As it was, my GM asked me who checked them in and who let them stay over. I told her and she is not happy.

But I doubt anything will happen to the employees. It's frustrating, really.

At least tomorrow Jack and I are taking Alex to Disneyland for her B-day. Thanks to an awesome CM I know. Yay, I will have to take pictures!

Make sure to call her. She will be 17. Wow, time sure goes fast, doesn't it?

Funny T-shirt of the day

"You have your whole life to be a jerk, why don't you take today off?"

I did it, yes!

Well, I'm tired but I did it. I finished Alex's scarf. Not bad for starting on the 3rd, right? I knitted this in just over 9 days. Whoa. No wonder why my eyes are buggy. But doesn't it look pretty?

And of course I had to be silly and send a goofy pic to everyone. See??

I am the poofy blue ninja!

Muahahahaha!

Actually I look more like a Dr Suess character.