Two weeks ago my grandchildren were spending the night and I decided we should carve a pumpkin together. They had these new “designer” pumpkins. They were only $5 each and very elegant with orange, green, white stripes.
Alexis (12) and Michael (5) selected one. Alexis asked if I had pumpkin carving tools. I looked at her with disgust. Does everything have to be specially made for a small task? Of course not. I announced that I had appropriate tools. We would do this the old fashioned way – with knives!
What I had not counted on was that the pumpkin would have such tough skin. I got out a steak knife and a large carving knife with a good looking point. I broke the steak knife with the first cut. I finally pushed it through the rock-hard rind and tried to move it. It snapped off. Minimal bad words – children are present.
Next I attacked with the carving knife. Although I didn’t break it, I realized this was not going to work. Michael suggested we go and get a pumpkin carving set. Really? I have more tools in my arsenal. I marched in and got a big screwdriver and a hammer. (Couldn’t find the drill.)
Success! Well, if by success you mean it was easy, it wasn’t. But Alexis and I took turns pounding the screwdriver with the hammer and using the big knife to cut into the pumpkin. We and were able cut and pry the lid off and to carve rudimentary minimalist facial features.
The darned thing got moldy in 2 days.
So this weekend Gil supervised pumpkin carving with Erin (2) and Alexis and Michael. It was a traditional pumpkin and we used pumpkin carving tools. How boring! But it was enjoyable and Erin and I were full of pumpkin seeds and gunk. Next time I’ll don a hazmat suit rather than an apron and bring on the drill!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Maximize hotel reward programs
What would you do for a Hilton stay?
Our speaker group is the most creative group I know. Here are some of our tricks to get to that diamond, platimum, whatever level.
• Stay at a different hotel each night so we get a stay at each one. You see, if you spend 3 nights at one hotel, you get 1 stay. If you go from the Embassy Suites on night 1, to the Hampton Inn on night 2, to the Hilton on night 3, you get 3 stays, which gives more benefit than 3 nights at one hotel.
• Book a stay at a local dive hotel in the chain you need another stay to maintain your premier status. Check in. Go home. Stop on the way to work. Go to your room to pick up your amenity (chips, candy bar, and/or water). Mess up the bed. Check out. Put found treasure in children’s lunches. One stay!
• Book a room under your name. Check in. Let daughter, son, or relative stay there. They are happy because they were upgraded to a nicer room. You get a stay. But be careful. If they have children, you will likely be babysitting. Hmmm. But it’s a stay.
• Use your points for a stay. But depending on the chain you may need to charge something to the room to get a credit for a "stay". Parking is good. So is a round of cocktails.
Lest you think this is ridiculous, you are wrong. The most important things are: You keep your top tier preferred status; You have more status than one of your compatriots: a heady notion.
Our speaker group is the most creative group I know. Here are some of our tricks to get to that diamond, platimum, whatever level.
• Stay at a different hotel each night so we get a stay at each one. You see, if you spend 3 nights at one hotel, you get 1 stay. If you go from the Embassy Suites on night 1, to the Hampton Inn on night 2, to the Hilton on night 3, you get 3 stays, which gives more benefit than 3 nights at one hotel.
• Book a stay at a local dive hotel in the chain you need another stay to maintain your premier status. Check in. Go home. Stop on the way to work. Go to your room to pick up your amenity (chips, candy bar, and/or water). Mess up the bed. Check out. Put found treasure in children’s lunches. One stay!
• Book a room under your name. Check in. Let daughter, son, or relative stay there. They are happy because they were upgraded to a nicer room. You get a stay. But be careful. If they have children, you will likely be babysitting. Hmmm. But it’s a stay.
• Use your points for a stay. But depending on the chain you may need to charge something to the room to get a credit for a "stay". Parking is good. So is a round of cocktails.
Lest you think this is ridiculous, you are wrong. The most important things are: You keep your top tier preferred status; You have more status than one of your compatriots: a heady notion.
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