So, basically if I screw up my business, mismanage my money, gamble with other peoples money, etc. the government is going to bail me out too? No chance in hell. Some of the brightest people on Wall Street or in the world for that fact really screwed up and greed took over the past few years. This accumulation of  ”wild west” investing almost caused the world’s financial markets to collapse.Where do I get my “bail out”card? 

Here we are back to the hustle and bustle of school and all the activities that surround it. I am interested in comments how other people are getting along.

To start, Car lines at school are the most bizarre phenomenon that I have ever experienced. You have a bunch of cars, filtering through a bottleneck into a parking lot, dropping kids off, similar to a NASCAR pit stop. On the subject of school, I have to give credit to the teachers; they are the backbone of our children’s education.  However, the homework can get a bit much. My middle school kids seem to be working all hours of the day and night just to keep up. The one variable that is the toughest to manage is the extracurricular activities.  Tennis here, football, there, religious school across town, study groups, tutoring, play dates, it becomes a logistical nightmare.  I have to tell you, my wife and I are a few weeks into this marathon and the “legs are giving out”!

But, we all make it through the eight to nine months of overlapping schedules and recharge during the summer. (Which seems shorter and shorter every year.) The smiles on the faces, “A”s on the report cards or a run for a touchdown all make it worth it!

How many days until summer break?

But then again, that’s the way I see it!

Tip of the iceberg!

Calling all readers! Calling all readers! I need your help.  It seems like there is a common trend developing in the food service and other industries. The utilization of a tip jar. I am curious if there are any rules for what I am writing about. Follow me on this. You go into Starbucks, Jamba Juice, etc. and order a $4.23 drink, what do you do with the change? Do you drop it in their bowl for gratuity based on the job they are getting paid for? By the way, that would be roughly an 18% tip. Or do pocket the change and walk away? Does that space between the counter and the door become the “Walk of Cheapskate Shame“, I do not know the answer. What about take-out from a restaurant? Do you tip the host/hostess for going to the kitchen and retrieving your order? I usually use a credit card and take out bills have that dreaded blank space for tip. What if my order is screwed up? (That never happens, right!) Do I get the gratuity back?  I know wait staff rely on tips as a method of compensation. Does counter service staff rely on them as well? Here is an interesting concept, my kids like when I put some money in the tip bowl at Cold Stone. In exchange you get a half-hearted jingle that makes one chuckle. Better than nothing! Frankly, I’d rather a percentage service charge be included, if this is going to become the norm.

So I sit here confused. Am I a cheapskate if I smile and say thank you? Or do I drop a few coins or dollars on a “gratuity”? Any “tips” on this for me?

But then again, that’s the way I see it!

If you have any comments, please visit my blog at www.thewayiseeit.net or email me at damarsh@bellsouth.net

How does FPL get a rate increase? Politicians are so corrupt that they look the other way on every oneof these municipal/utility deals. Between gas and energy people are not going to be able to afford to live. What do you think?  

Oh! sorry, that room is not ready yet. 

A business traveler’s and family’s last words they want to hear after driving countless hours or spending an ungodly amount of time in an airport or airplane. I know the  “Travelers Bill of Rights” is struggling to “get off the ground”, but something needs to be done. With record delays, stressed economy, and out of control fuel prices the airline industry is sticking it to the consumer. There is no accountability for hours on the tarmac, lost luggage, canceled flights, and a host of other problems within the industry. We, as travelers are at their mercy, because we want to get to our destination. 

Speaking of destination, I am not sure about the hotel industry. Check-in at 4:00pm, check out at 11:00am, does anyone else feel like, “Thanks for coming! Now get out!” More absurd, after traveling an entire day, the room is never ready. What I cannot figure out is how the hotels have all sides of the equation and inevitably rooms are not ready or they oversold the hotel. It should be simple math. They know how many rooms they have, they know how many people are checking in and out, they know how long it takes to prepare a room for the next guest, what am I missing? It’s a straightforward spreadsheet. On the flipside, I have encountered some pretty nice hotel employees over the last few months, so it’s hard to focus on negative experiences. 

We always want everything to run smooth while on vacation, I guess we have to take these “bumps in the road” as they come. At the end of the day, it beats working! 

 But then again, this is just the way I see it… 

If you have any comments, please visit my blog at www.thewayiseeit.net or email me at damarsh@bellsouth.net.