LAP OF LUXURY
Tourist season in Phoenix/Scottsdale means big money. Tourists flock in by the thousands for the good weather and are willing to pay the big bux for hotels, resorts, golf, food, etc. Having previously lived here for two years, I've seen hotel prices jump from $79 to $379 from Summer to Winter.
I had a choice to make. Pay the big bucks or go cheap. I dunno, I usually don't go for the cheap, but somehow I felt this trip was 'cheap' so I went for the cheap. I found a Ramada Inn for $54 a night. That's dirt cheap this time a year with emphasis on the word 'dirt.' I'm sitting in my room and I went around and noticed a few things. The bedspread was just plain nasty so I immediately and carefully removed it only to find a stained blanket underneath. It looked like blood stains to me. Totally gross. That got carefully removed as well. The bed sagged and was hard as a friggin rock. The pillows were flat as pancakes. The room was just plain dirty. Stains everywhere. Toilets and sinks rusted. The A/C didn't work, and the towels were like sandpaper. The so-called closet consisted of a dirty pole and a few hangars, no door. The 'Kleenex' and toilet paper? See 'towels' comment. The soap dish consisted of a triangular-folded Kleenex. When I got back to the room tonight, I was locked out. It seemed that annoying emergency latch or privacy latch got hooked on the door AFTER I left. How the hell does that happen? They had to call security to let me in. I guess the maid couldn't get in either cuz the room hadn't been cleaned. Oh well, you get what you pay for, right?
On the bright side, I've gotten to hang out with my son which has been totally cool. The tough part is leaving him each night, but tomorrow and Saturday he's staying with me so I look forward to that. I'm ready for battle tomorrow. My lawyer's excellent, I'm confident, I have no fear, and I'm bringing my 'A-game.' Interestingly, based on my review today, my little blog and all 37 posts will be accompanying me in court. Courtesy of the opposition.
Oh, I *am* working on the Readers' Choice post so hang with me. I think it'll be worth the wait!
I had a choice to make. Pay the big bucks or go cheap. I dunno, I usually don't go for the cheap, but somehow I felt this trip was 'cheap' so I went for the cheap. I found a Ramada Inn for $54 a night. That's dirt cheap this time a year with emphasis on the word 'dirt.' I'm sitting in my room and I went around and noticed a few things. The bedspread was just plain nasty so I immediately and carefully removed it only to find a stained blanket underneath. It looked like blood stains to me. Totally gross. That got carefully removed as well. The bed sagged and was hard as a friggin rock. The pillows were flat as pancakes. The room was just plain dirty. Stains everywhere. Toilets and sinks rusted. The A/C didn't work, and the towels were like sandpaper. The so-called closet consisted of a dirty pole and a few hangars, no door. The 'Kleenex' and toilet paper? See 'towels' comment. The soap dish consisted of a triangular-folded Kleenex. When I got back to the room tonight, I was locked out. It seemed that annoying emergency latch or privacy latch got hooked on the door AFTER I left. How the hell does that happen? They had to call security to let me in. I guess the maid couldn't get in either cuz the room hadn't been cleaned. Oh well, you get what you pay for, right?
On the bright side, I've gotten to hang out with my son which has been totally cool. The tough part is leaving him each night, but tomorrow and Saturday he's staying with me so I look forward to that. I'm ready for battle tomorrow. My lawyer's excellent, I'm confident, I have no fear, and I'm bringing my 'A-game.' Interestingly, based on my review today, my little blog and all 37 posts will be accompanying me in court. Courtesy of the opposition.
Oh, I *am* working on the Readers' Choice post so hang with me. I think it'll be worth the wait!
posted by Plantation at
11:09 PM
10 Comments:
As a divorced parent with a child, I find your comments, your attitude toward your divorce, and especially bringing your child to your weekend cheapo "hell hole" to be evidence of your lack of fitness as a parent.
If there is a G-d your words and actions of the past several weeks should be entered as evidence.
By
Anonymous, at 1:11 AM, January 14, 2005
Anon, I guess I failed to mention the fact that I couldn't afford spending $1200 for hotel expenses. Obviously I didn't know what the rooms were gonna look like beforehand, else I'd have never checked in here. If I had a lot of money I'd stay in a really nice place, but such is not the case. Hell hole yes, but my son and I had an awesome time over here.
On a separate note, I truly find it interesting that I'm getting a lot of these negative comments from the home court. I've blogged now for 2 months and rarely had a negative comment and rarely had a comment from the home court location. I think if I did a statistical analysis, the r-squared value would be quite high. You may think I'm an idiot, but even this idiot recogizes this rather obvious trend.
By
Plantation, at 1:47 AM, January 14, 2005
Plantation....don't let the bastards get you down. As my divorce neared final last month, people around me also turned. It was odd....almost like they were supportive until it *really* happened. Oh well, helped me weed through those I could trust.
And you don't even know these folks.....let it sharpen your iron and nothing else.
ps, i'm the maureen who emailed last....hadn't figured out the 'comments' component yet. lol....and i also don't have a blog yet so that's why i'm anonymous.....but i'll sign!! lol
ttfn ~ maureen
By
Anonymous, at 2:22 AM, January 14, 2005
Hey, the Ramada sounds nice!
Seriously, though...I can't tell you how many times I've stayed in places like that.
Consider yourself lucky that you don't find that the norm.
Because I do.
Ye feckin' wine snob, ye!
By
(S)wine, at 9:06 AM, January 14, 2005
I don't know what the "stakes" are in this case (and just to clarify, I don't want to know). But I hope that you and the ex both emerge from this "battle" relatively unscarred and ready to move on with your lives, which will be best for both of you and for your son, who can't be enjoying this process either.
By
Esther Kustanowitz, at 10:59 AM, January 14, 2005
Most important thing first: understand that many of us are hoping things work out well for you, your wife, and son. It's better to live life and experience all the laughter and tears it offers than to live in a "seasonless world" where you don't laugh all your laughter and don't cry all your tears (Khalil Gibran, "The Prophet").
As to the hotel, your life can change dramatically in the next few years. You may never stay in anything other than luxury hotels. As dark as things may appear, that they are so now does not mean that they will remain so. It's better to be on the roller coaster of life and face challenges than to feel that one was cheated out of all that life could offer, including a tolerable element of pain and misfortune that adds favorably to one's character. We hope you will have good news to share.
Adam
By
Anonymous, at 1:26 PM, January 14, 2005
It's amazing how people can pick and spin everything from words to actions in the other direction. Keep your chin up!
By
Mrs. Architect, at 2:14 PM, January 14, 2005
I truly hope things go well.
I didn't have to endure the whole court battle, but I can imagine. Divorce is an awful but sometimes necessary thing, but hostility is even worse. I'm sorry you're going through this. Blech.
By
Anonymous, at 2:22 PM, January 14, 2005
I am still hoping for the best for you and your son! Hopefully, this process will be as painless as possible.
By
slow poke kate, at 4:23 PM, January 14, 2005
1. Ick aout the hotel. I stayed at a very scary place on my HS sr class trip to Orlando. There were footprints in paint in our room. And hair (!) in the beds. (needless to say we slept on top of the covers).
2. As a child of divorced parents I ask one thing of you- NEVER use your child as a pawn. I was lucky and my parents did not use me for leverage against each other (and if they did I never knew about it).
Be careful what you say in front of the kid. Your ex-wife may have screwed you over (or whatever the situation may be), but she is still your son's mother.
Ever have any questions about the p.o.v of a 'divorced kid', just ask......I'm pretty OK with my parents divorce).
By
Lyss, at 2:35 PM, January 16, 2005
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