Make your choice Adventurous Stranger...A Goin Solo PTR - Page 31 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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I just read all 30 pages in one sitting. (okay, so I got up to use the bathroom couple of times...) I'm super jealous, and also super pumped about this/these PTR(s). I was considering going on a short alone trip, but chickened out. Turns out I'm going for a SHORT trip with a friend next week. 2 1/2 days of glory. I will return and quickly figure out a way to do that solo trip, somehow, someway, on my own terms as quickly as my wallet will let me!
I'm appalled at your boss' comments, but sometimes you have to grin and bear it, and sadly it sounds like that's what you have to do here...
Ok, so I have thoroughly confused myself and I'm not sure what color I was using for what PTR but who really cares right?? Let's be honest here, I'm confused, you're all confused, let's just hop on a Kali River Rapids raft and be confused together.
Couple of updates and the last one is a doozy so hang on tightly folks.
First, I have to say Thank You to each and everyone of you following. I would never believe I'd reach over 6,000 views on a thread about what I have to say. I listen to myself talk all day long and while I crack myself up here and there, I didn't think anyone else would think I'm interesting. Weird yes, interesting no.
Another Thank You going out for all the advice and encouragement regarding my situation at work. And here is my first update. Fridays seem to be the "put your big girl panties on and pull yourself up by your bra straps" kinda day. Reason? My "head up his butt" boss is in the office ALL DAY. So last Friday began like the others Sh&tstorm as he seriously calls it.
Flashback to Wednesday (the other really crappy day of each week). Jennie #1 and I discovered some mice droppings. Never noticed before but now that all pictures, decorations and any personal item that brought us joy has been removed from the office I guess it's easier to notice other things. After several calls to exterminators, one showed up, did an inspection and gave a report. Somehow this report fueled the already raging fire under our General Mgr's butt and he attacked my boss first thing Friday morning and advised ALL food items were to be removed immediately and he would be reinspecting our office at 5pm. Folks, this included Kcups for the Kuering coffee maker, individually wrapped Lifesavers and Oatmeal & hot chocolate packets and GUM!! For the Love of Peter Pan! It really rolls downhill here doesn't it! Of course my lovely boss steamrolls this crap onto us at 8am so there goes my Friday!
Well my aforementioned bad temper flares and I go on a "it's all going in the trash" rampage. I went flying thru empty desks tossing binders, papers, phones and equipment not being used. I filled up 7 trash bags. I went downstairs and grabbed the vacuum (which has NEVER seen the upstairs in the three + years Jennie #1 has been there. I went thru a whole container of lysol wipes. All the while listening to my boss cuss and moan on how he thinks they are trying to get rid of him. If that happens, I will personally clean out his desk and fling everything down the stairs including his ignorant rear end.
That was it, I FINALLY went to HR which is not an easy feat considering her office is directly across the hall from mine. Mike, classes in sneaky paid off. I spilled the beans. I spoke about the "removal of Joy" and the "no victim" statements. I told her about my fear that our department seems like it's being shut down and wondered if there might be somewhere else I could go if that should happen. I told her about the feeling of personal vendettas being carried out, the lack of respect and just general "bad joo joo" in the office.
And she listened. Intently, her eyes never leaving mine although her pen was scratching furiously on the notepad at her side. It was such a relief. She gave me her card, told me to call her cell anytime I needed and she told me not to worry. Go about my job and she was going to call The REALLY BIG BOSS (who was on vakay btw). Do you know, afterwards, I felt guilty??? What The Feazy??? Def keep you posted....
In other news, and this is the doozy kids.....
My Solo Adventure is no longer solo!
Wait, Wait, Wait. Sit down, quiet please, let me explain. All you Disney Nuts will understand when you hear why.
I have a coworker Emily (at one of the restaurants I work at) who recently turned 21. Her only birthday wish? To go to Disney for the F&WF. How cute is that??? Not Vegas, Not Miami, Not NY. Disney. Yep, she's one of us.
Anyway, we had been talking Disney (shock & awe!!) and she was asking me for my advice (pishaw!). She decided on a long weekend, perhaps overlapping the dates of my vacation. Her parents were wishy washy about the dates but agreed to the vakay. It was originally just Emily and her parents.
Well, here we are, a month away (gasp!) from my vacation and poor Emily's parents haven't done a gosh darned thing! Yes, they are THOSE PEOPLE that beleive you can just wake up one day and decide Poof! Disney vacation!
SOooooooooooooooooooo, seeing the disappointment in her face everytime I mention Disney, I asked her last Tuesday what the status of her vacay was. With head held low and in the most pitiful little voice she said, "I don't know, my parents just push it to the side when I bring it up" THEN she says, "I guess I'm not going"
It was like the last petal falling from the Beast's rose. Her wish wasn't going to come true. It was at this point I felt the Disney Magic rise up from inside me (cue music, send in the pixie dust) and I did it, I uttered the words that would transform my first solo trip into a Dream vacation wish come true for someone else.
"Yep, I've got two beds in my room. Why not? In fact, if your parents agree to send you with me I will buy you a tix to MNSSHP". So I quickly grabbed a kid's menu, flipped it over and wrote down every expense I could think of so she could present it to her folks.
I am happy to report, I recieved a text 10:30pm on Friday that read, "Disney is a go" It made my stinky Friday turn into a great one. I fired back a text, "we will secure airfare tomorrow at work"
Yesterday, armed with my PassPorter, I showed up for work and luckily it was slow. We hopped on the compter and purchased plane tix (same flights) and shuttle tix round trip from mco to the Dolphin. I also kept my end of the bargin and purchased Emily a tix to MNSSHP. FYI, they now offer Etickets for no charge. I had to pay $5 shipping and wait two weeks for my tix!
She ran to AAA for tix prices on a 6 day Hopper and said hi to Linda the branch manager who still remembers "The Jennie's" from our crazy disaster booking/cancelling our Feb trip. Luckily, Linda had made it all right and I now visit her regularly. She told Emily that she was sure to have a fanastic trip since I'm crazy.
Truth be told, I was slightly disappointed that my trip was no longer solo and this would change my plans quite a bit (not to mention my ressie at Le Cellier) but I DO have another trip in Nov. I also welcome a second party to assist me with my enormous hotel bill and we will be able to share food/bev at the F&WF. Not to mention sharing at Le Cellier. There was no way I could enjoy an app/entree/dessert by myself but now we can. I did explain about the Party 4 The Senses and she was fine with having some solo time as well. I printed up our day by day "schedule" from one of the E worksheets and went over the EMH and rope drop as gently as possible. I explained that she was in no way obligated to go anywhere with me much less get up super early to make a mad dash for TSMM Fast Passes either. There are also "must do's" for the first timers that I will probably pass on. Soarin' has become a take it or leave it for me. Splash Mountain depends on the weather. I told her she can remain at the park when I go back to the hotel for wine and pool time. Emily is very low key and said she would welcome a swing in a hammock on the beach for a bit herself.
Could you imagine getting to experience F&WF as soon as you turn 21?? The plethora of food and beverages to try and discover favorites? Luckily she is not a tee totaller (didn't even take a shot on her 21st bday) and loves to eat. She will also get to go to a Foodie Fest event AND the Swan & Dolphin F&W Classic as well.
I pulled out the Jack Sparrow costume yesterday and found another pirate costume (female) along with the Snow White costume. Emily would make a beautiful Snow White but she's leaning more towards pirate. With her extremely long hair, I think I could turn her into Angelica from the last Pirates.
I told her about the bday button and said I'd make her a "FLY" custom button using scrapbook stickers. I showed her a pic of the four we made for our February trip and she suggested I wear mine again - double birthday fun!
Well, followers of my PTR, I am sorry to dash your hopes of reading a solo TR and living vicariously thru me. You'll just have to wait until December for that TR.
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Last edited by jennie622; 09-04-2011 at 11:26 AM..
Jennie -
1st - It's about time you went to HR! Hello? - Hostile Work Environment! I hope they can your boss so you can play "ruthless pitch"! 'nuff said.
2nd - You are so sweet! Emily is truly lucky. You will still have some "solo time" and as you point out - there's always your next trip. You are a good person! So now you can be like me and change your PTR. We went from a "Mini" vacation to a "Jeep" vacation. You are going from solo adventurer to a duel mission of mercy.
You are SO nice!! I think it's great that you got to be Emily's Fairy Godmother here! (And hopefully you'll still think it's great after the trip!) Gold star to you! And for going to HR - it had to be done!
Wow, that's quite an update! Glad you went to HR...always important to document stuff as it happens, because if you don't and something happens later...then it's he said, she said, and no one ever wins. Hope it starts to turn around for you at work!
What a great thing you did for Emily! I know it changes your plans around, but hopefully you'll discover that things work out even better. And like you've said, it's not like you won't have any alone time. Plus, think about all the great memories you're creating for Emily (not to mention yourself!)! Kudos!!!
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Huge Disney Fan...Always Have Been...Always Will Be!
Disneyland 60th Anniversary Celebration TR here!
2013 WDW trip here!
2011 trip to Hawaii here!
Oh my gosh... you made me tear up hearing about how you are going to make her 21st birthday wish come true!!! Talk about passing on the magic!
My daughter also wanted to spend her 21st birthday at Disney, and it ended up being just me and her - it was AWESOME! I wasn't a stick-in-the-mud Mom either. If she wanted alcohol, I told her it was fine... Mickey was doing the driving (Disney Bus). We had a blast!!! (my siggie pic is of her 21st birthday at MNSSHP)
If you have to change your solo trip to a duo trip, what better way than to grant a 21 year old's birthday wish! That is fabulous. And to see the F&WF with her for her first time will be great!! Will you be my fairy godmother next??
Erm perhaps it is time to hang up the pirate costume and get a lovely, light blue cape with a wand . . . what a wonderful thing to do for your friend! It sounds like you guys are going to have a blast together!
I'm glad you finally took your issues to HR and that they listened to everything you had to say and were ready to do something about it.
You are a real gem! That was so awesome to extend that invite to your friend! I think going to the F&WF with you would be a blast. A partner in crime could be alot of fun for you!!!
Sorry about the work crap, hope things work out for the best in that dept.
Sorry about the whole work thing. I think you're being a lot more patient than I would have been, especially after your boss making those horrid comments about drunk drivers. Grrr! As for your now Non-Solo trip, I think that was a very nice thing of you to do, and I'm sure Emily will have an extremely memorable birthday trip because of it.
Glad you finally went to HR!
And what an awesome thing you're doing for Emily! That's great! You can always do another solo trip, but she wouldn't get another 21st birthday trip! Kudos to you!
Emily stopped by after work on Sunday to try on the Snow White and pirate costumes. She loved both but she is leaning more towards SW since we will be in Disney afterall!
Other than that, nothing to report. I'm going to go back into Disney Planning Purgatory and freak out. ttyl
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