"FUR REAL"

Speaking of "Fashion Police" though....THIS PHOTO IS REAL! I was in the town of Como, Italy....and wandering around....and I FOUND THIS! I could kick myself for not using my real camera...because I bet I could have gotten away with it...but outside the chocolate shop...was this....this....ANIMAL! It's Sunday afternoon....and he's an OLDER gentleman....in a jogging-type LEOPARD PRINT SUIT....with....MATCHING LEOPARD PRINT SANDALS! FURRY SANDALS! So I couldn't resist a phone picture....and I mailed it to my brother and Brad....and they are funny funny cats-no pun intended....but I sent it to them...and put "For REAL?" in the subject line....my brother promptly responds with...."FUR REAL!". LOLOLOLOL!!! WHAT IS GOING ON! Seriously! Though....what laughs would we have if the Fashion Po Po were out there doing their jobs.....?!

Fashion Police..

Speaking of "REALLY?" This picture...I took while riding an elevator up and out of the tube in London. I have NO idea what is happening.....but I don't even know what part of this is acceptable....I mean the fact that you have on red tights? Or that the back of your pants are intentionally missing? Or that on top of all this you are wearing a skirt? Anyway, I just really wanted to share...seriously. Where are the fashion police when you need them....because this? Is a crime that affects us all!

True Story....

It's not MY story...but it's a TRUE story...and I'm posting it for a few reasons...first of all...it's just funny when re-told....second of all....maybe you'll realize that we "tour managers" don't just get paid to go on "vacations"....we put up with CRAP! Or...THROW UP, in this case.

This....THIS happened to my dear friend Annie....my Tour BFF Annie....and here we go.

She's at the airport, in Rome, it's arrival day....the day, I think we all hate, it's just inexplicable, unless you've been there. It's generally ALWAYS insanely early, you generally get ZERO sleep the night before....and I'm positively a MENTAL case on those mornings....call it stage fright....Annie is the same way. So we hate it. We only hate it till we get our passengers though. For me....before they come through that door....I want to cry, run away, quit, and cry some more. I wonder, if I wasn't here....would it be that big of a deal? Why am I doing this? What is the matter with me...? And on and on. But the thing is? The SECOND that my little green tags and bags walk through that door? I'm FINE! And I'm in LOVE LOVE with what I do....and I'm grounded, and on, and all is RIGHT with the world. So again, Annie, the same....except in this case....and I'll just quote from the e-mail I received from her....
This is a new one.....I pick up Ms. Beltz (henceforth, Ms. BELCH) at the airport and she is carrying a Ziploc baggie full of throw up....after I almost vomited looking at it, she shakes it in front of my face and says "What do you want me to do with this?"

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! Really...."what do you want me to do with this?!" Um...people...when doing group tours....I think they leave their brain at home....this one though....really? I have a million answers....and who knows what I would have said if I had been in her position-something way too polite I'm sure...as Tour Carrie is freaky Customer Service and Brand Image....but my first thought....was the obvious....
"Are you kidding me!?????"
but then I really got thinking.....
"Pack it in pack it out!"
or
"You are gonna have to keep that for customs when you leave....can I get you some ice?"
or just the simple
"really? REALLY?"

I mean...so many gems....but that...that my friends, was the beginning of Annie's trip....so when you think we just vacation....remember Ms. Belch...and her ziploc bag of throw up.

And what did Annie say? You were wondering?
Well, she's a rock star....and she #1. did not throw up OR dry heave and #2 was polite and said this... "Yours to take care of. I recommend a trash can." She didn't coddle AND was polite....a rough line.....I mean you can't coddle or they walk all over you, and you HAVE to still be polite because of brand image, customer service, etc.

The joys of our job....I love the MB story....and if you are having a bad day at work....and you deal with people? Maybe it will make things appear "not that bad"....I mean...nobody tried to hand you a bag of throw up today right?!

And also....on behalf of Annie....and another one of her tours? I'm putting up a picture of shoes....a pair of shoes worn on one of her trips by one of her passengers. These are really out there folks....and if you own them....and are reading my blog? I'm gonna need you to stop! SERIOUSLY!? lololol!

Momma Bear

So....I just have to say it, if you don't already know, which, really? How could you not, but here goes. My mom? DARN FUNNY!!! On a lot of levels....but this is what happened today....

I'm at work....Bath & Body Works....part time....and FUN! I love it part time....seriously. So...I go in tonight because I'm going to work my "magic" in the back room...which I love....and more importantly...my "Secret Weapon" is coming to help! So...I dress in appropriate "get buried in boxes and sweat" attire...but I put on the wrong shoes. I put on my birks...that are really just comfy shoes....but here's what I forgot....there is NO room in the back...duh, that's why I was there...and really? I'm just not nimble in my birks. So I'm kind of fussy about it. And I'm kind of getting blocked on being productive because of my shoes...I'm neurotic...I get that. So, it's BUSY on the floor....and there were only 2 girls out there....and there are mad people...and then lines at the register...so I hop on....get the line down, and then continue to empty the cart and am just doing things out there because they need me...and because "Secret Weapon" doesn't get there for an hour! So, I can't handle it...I live a mile away...I need better shoes. Now, me going home...involves me making my way to the back desk....crawling over the store manager on the phone....getting my purse...and making her approve my clock-out...and explaining....then driving home....grabbing my shoes, and doing the whole punch in process, WHICH, if you have ever seen a back room at BBW at holiday...you'd get...but a back room in this store? Somehow worse....somehow...my bedroom is bigger! Anyway, so I text mom. I did try and call her first. And so I said...."if you could, and no big deal if you can't, or when, but can you bring me my pink shoes please? (pictured to the left) I think that they are downstairs or they could be in my room....probably in my jeans where I kicked them off....oh...and not my crocs." (I added the "not my crocs" part because I know that they too are "out" somewhere, and are pink, and are something that I would wear in the back room, and they are pictured to the right!) I text her my request....she texts back...okay. And THEN she texts back...."is there a prize involved?" She is so my mother....I am so her daughter....I write back "duh". So...a little while later, she's there....I run out to the car.....she opens the window....and hands me...are you ready? MY LEAST COMFY HEELS I OWN.....MY PINK HEELS!!!! (Pictured to the left.) My face fell. I mean FELL. Two things are happening in my brain....#1. okay...I guess I'll just make do, I mean I can't make her go back for the right ones, I gotta suck it up, it's not that big of a deal, she is the best for bringing them....oh well, and Carrie, don't freak out, she did you a favor, be an adult....say thanks, I mean after all...they were out....and they are pink!..... and #2.!? I'm HOT about it! WHEN WOULD I EVER EVER EVER WEAR HEELS TO WORK!!!! ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE SAW ME IN MY BACK ROOM GRUNGE ATTIRE BEFORE I LEFT!? WAS THIS SOME SORT OF JOKE?! HOW COULD SHE REALLY THINK THOSE WERE THE ONES!!! LOL So...all of this is occuring in my brain in less than 3 seconds....and she cracks the BIGGEST SMILE and says "that was a GOOD one huh!".....and she's laughing....and I'm DYING....but dying! I mean I'm relieved on one hand....and then mushy that she TOTALLY has my number and KNOWS me and what I do/DID for a living! WHAT A HOOT!! SHE TRICKED ME! And I fell hard hard hard for it.....and seriously....roaring with laughter. So funny. So that....THAT is a perfect example of "from whence I came"....what a riot. Oh my goodness. So that's my momma bear for you. Tricking me....in the midst of crabby me.....I love her.