July 6, 2019
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It Simply Didn’t Matter … Back Then
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I’ve had the following Incredible Insights bouncing around in my head for several years. Best to get them permanently lodged into The Cloud for generations yet unborn.
The purpose of today’s musings is not to bore you with My Adventures… BUT for YOU to either (1) identify with… or (2) be thankful that your Life has been so much different.
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Prior to becoming “The Internet Legend” I had a real Life and a real Job with bosses and co-workers and all the corporate mundanity that involves. Looking back, all that was simply “fodder gathering”. In the 70s-80s- and early 90s the whole “Internet Legend” thingy was non-existant. There was no Internet. … (Insert your own AlGore joke here? Those are sooo trite.).
No one said “Look out when you’re around BobLee. He’s taking notes for some day when he is a famous Internet Legend.” It is quite possible – likely – that many/most of the folks I interacted with back then still don’t know what ever became of me. A precious few like “Princess Fairmont” do; but most lost touch with me just as I lost touch with them.
For almost twenty years I was in the Big Time Fancy Hotel bizness. We’re talking Big Ol’ Fancy Hotels with 800-1000 rooms and about as many employees in major metropolitan cities all across the Fruited Plain – Kansas City – Dallas – San Antonio – Boston – White Sulphur Springs – et al. Companies with names like Hyatt and Sheraton and Fairmont and Western International (Westin) and The Greenbrier.
About 3-4 years into those 20 I realized that while I really enjoyed certain aspects of “the hotel bizmess” I REALLY didn’t like Corporate America much at all. Plus, I had diverted into a sub-specialty of “the hotel bizness” that had only tangential “to do” with what appealed to me about “big fancy hotels”. What “success” I achieved from that point on was in spite of “the quiet desperation that the masses of men” supposedly lead lives of…
The #1 Best Job ON EARTH – if $$$ was not a factor – is “Night Manager” (11 pm – 7 am) at a Big FancyHotel. It’s More Better than “Vice Cop”. The More Big Fancy the Hotel… the More Human Bizarros you’re gonna encounter just about every night. If I can’t “come back” as an MLB Umpire… that’s what I wanna be.
In Las Vegas or Dubai … OH WOW!
OK… you charge by the hour so let’s get to today’s Topic – It Simply Didn’t Matter… Back Then.
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For those twenty years in those 5-6-7 locations around the country with all those co-workers both within my specific sector as well as throughout the hotels … AND the many thousands of guests I interacted with …
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I never knew the political persuasion of A Single One… and no one knew mine.
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It Simply Didn’t Matter … Back Then.
There were CHARACTERS as there are in every business office / establishment. I watch sit-coms like The Office or WKRP or Mary Tyler Moore or Seinfeld or… or… and see exact replicas of Carey Swope … or Pat Wyatt … or Linda Pearce … or Ben Yeakley … or Mike Stajel … or Pedro Prado … or Nancy Fagin … or Frank Brown … or Connie Pion … or
Kevin “Zero” McGee… Bellman at The Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City… “Zero” had memorized EVERY line of dialogue from every Marx Brothers movie. “Zero” likely has left this mortal coil. I bet Zero’s “leaving” was memorable.
I would tell “Kid” as she was matriculating thru each stage of her Life Education to take note of the various personalities she was encountering… how she interacted with them… how successful that interaction was to her objective at the time… BECAUSE…
There are only so many “types” and, after awhile, almost everybody will remind you of somebody somehow. Consult your records for how to / or not to deal with that “type”.
The exception – That Character Unlike Any You’ve Ever Met Before – is THE only possible reason to endure the sheer agony of social interaction.
Going back further than my adult work experiences… in college I never knew or cared about anyone’s “political persuasion” nor they mine.
You know where I matriculated – UNCCH -and it’s OVERT Political reputation NOW. “Back in the day” it was not overt at all. If anyone ever talked about elections or candidates or political views it was not in my presence. Sure there were student political groups but those were for “nerds” who wore ties to class and ran for student government offices.
30+ years after college I began reuniting with old acquaintances and it got a little dicey. One fellow that was one of my closest friends in college … and I had totally lost touch with him … we somehow reconnected and agreed to meet on a Kenan Saturday. This was in the Clinton / W Bush Era … before Obama and waaaay before Trump. I don’t recall who said what about what, but we both seemed to realize “UH OH” … “He’s changed in the past 30 years!”. YA RECKON.
Our halcyon college days of yore remain halcyon but neither of us saw any reason to “reconnect” beyond the polite – “Man, it sure was great to get together again. Lets (not) stay in touch…!” … and we haven’t. Bre’r Kennell and a handful of others more than fill my modest quota.
Getting back to those twenty years when I was a corporate nomad either being transferred or answering a headhunter’s siren song… I worked daily with a lot of different people in various parts of the country and – thinking back on certain ones at certain times in certain places – I cannot guess what ANY of their “politics” were then … or might be now.
OK… the ones that were “kinda odd” and “socially awkward”… maybe I can guess what fork in the road they probably took. Wink… wink.
As in any office environs, there were people I “liked” and others I “tolerated” because you kinda have to in most office situations. The usual “stew” of personalities that tumble out of any office tree you shake. I am confident that I left a similar wide spectrum of memories with them. But those differences had nothing to do with “politics”.
The fancy hotel bizness has always had a certain appeal to “the gay stereotype”. I don’t know why. Thinking back to each hotel I was with… there were “gays and lesbians” among the 800-1000 employees at which one. I don’t recall any “issues” or harassment or snide remarks. Not being “gay” maybe I was unaware of it if there was.
I did witness a fascinating ethno-racial situation in the late 70s. The “boat people” were arriving from Viet Nam etc. The unskilled entry level positions in a hotel are in Housekeeping. Housekeeping staffs tended to be largely AfricanAmerican back then. As VietNamese, Cambodian, Thai , Asians etc were hired in Housekeeping positions, they would refer their relatives. Much like Hispanics and Koreans do.
These new workers had a different “work ethic” than their predecessors. They were more reliable… took more pride in their work… had fewer issues with co-workers… etc. I’m not a workplace psychologists so I don’t know why … but Asians soon replaced Af Ams in most hotel Housekeeping Depts.
Then one of’em (Asian) discovered the opportunities in the mani-pedi Nail Salon business and they all left to do that. Indians (Patels) took over the roadside motel bizness. “Why” of stuff like that fascinates me.
I’ve been out the hotel biz for 25+ years. Don’t know which ethnic demographic fills hotel Housekeeping Depts these days. Maybe its otherwise unemployable Millennials with Gender Studies Degrees ??? Nah … that work is way too hard for them.
.Do you recall “the politics” of your co-workers in the 70-80-early 90s. Which, coincidentally was well before the creation of Social Media …
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A Lot More BobLeeSays Columns … LINK
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yes I do. I flew to Harrisburg to visit him after his pro career ended. He was on the downhill. What a great competitor.
Recruited to UNC by Jim Hickey as a defensive end from, I think, York PA. Last MLB stop was NYY.
Do you recall Tom Buskey, you, and I having breakfast at the Crown Royal. I was staying there on business and Buskey was staying there with the Toronto Blue Jays. When I arrived to my room there was a hotel gift basket and a note to call you. You told me Buskey was there and could I join you two for breakfast the next morning.
I think I do … Tom came thru several times during the 3 years I was there. I assume you know his sad story …
Realizing I’m late to this conversation, so I’m not sure if anyone will see this. . Despite my advanced age, I still labor at the bosom of corporate America. My employer is Fortune 500 and financially conservative, but in recent years, under recent leadership, has become decidedly more liberal in its public persona. HR led the way, of necessity, but the C-level has become more willing to take stands and/or positions that will certainly alienate some employees and customers. This is very strange to me, even from the “slightly-left-of-center” part of the spectrum where I sit. . In the workplace,… Read more »
That “fear for our futures” might be the commonality with both “sides” … that “the other side” will somehow totally negate the other.
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I’m not sure “talking politics” was a formal “taboo” 30+ years ago as it was simply not a 24/7/365 concern for most folks. “Politics” was several weeks in late Oct / early Nov every 2-4 years. Kinda like the week before a Hated Rival ballgame.
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It sure ain’t that way these days … sigh.
I read an advice column (don’t recall where) about ten years ago when social media was just starting to take off (at least in my world) and they didn’t recommend anyone try to ‘reconnect’ with old pals, girlfriends etc. Those bridges were crossed (and sometimes burned) ages ago and the landscape has changed, even though it may not be immediately apparent. You have your memories, but if you happen to bump into someone from your sordid past then by all means be polite, but if one tries to reestablish a relationship… it will end in tears, GUARANTEED! Also, my wife… Read more »
The ease of manipulation of social media to sell/promote/justify/force feed an opinion is now on full display. Electronic bot blast to make 10 activist posters appear to be 100,000 angry customers or “normal” citizens. We saw it on display with HB2 and is full throttle tool of any self-righteous PC devotee. But in retrospect similar tools, then media controlled, were on display during the Duke Lacrosse public lynching. . The higher up the socio-economic ladder of a person it seems; the more intense is the pressure to speak out for the victim rightly or wrongly. It has become noise to… Read more »
One must begin with either of two broad assumptions… (1) America is clearly divided into TWO clearly divided ideologically partisan consumer markets … or (2) Those NOT in either defined ideological consumer bases are simply too few to statistically matter. So any marketer of pretty much any good or service select which half of America it wants to sell to … realizing by doing so he/she/it is saying SCREW YOU to the other half. . I strongly considered going SCREW YOU to one half with this website but have decided to “try” to bridge The Great Divide as long as… Read more »
Recent hotel observation: We took the kids on a quick trip to a very large, child friendly hotel-resort thing. I quickly noticed that the housekeeping staff on the floor was all AfAm, male and female, and this is the very first time I had seen this ever. Almost always, the attendant in any hotel is female, and 99% of the time, either Asian, Hispanic, or Eastern European. That exception has been in Appalachia, where I have found the lone white American female. 2 questions, do hotels skirt immigration rules to staff that job? No judgement intended in the question whatsoever,… Read more »
IMO… that depends on what ethnic demographic is predominate in a certain metro area or region. You’ll find more Hispanic Housekeepers in Texas or Florida or SoCal than you might in Montana or Missouri. The major chains have pretty strict HR rules regarding “green cards” etc to avoid class action suits or ICE raids. An independent property likely NOT as strict. There is always a lot of turnover in Housekeepers and other entry level positions.
No note today but did you mean the book The Formula To Go Pro by Garry Jones (don’t know him) which I learned about this AM from NN.com. Can’t wait for your take on the end of sports nationalism. I got over it about 20 years and recent events have reinforced my sentiment.
It would have been yesterday. Yes, the Garry Jones book. I was sent the NN article… had never heard of it or the author. Did some research… it seems to be about Kinston’s NBA pipeline from Cornbread until now. The author is a civil rights activist whatever that means.
I wonder just how many more times it will take to convince some of your concerned friends that “the lesser of two evils” is what a lot of voters did back on 11-11-16? 2020 looks like an instant replay.
I said so at the time. But, by golly, IMO, I got a much more effective POTUS than I could have ever hoped for. The bone-deep HATRED spewed at him daily by Lib/Dems and NeverTrumpers convinces me of that. I have one NEVER-TRUMPER who is darn-near pentecostal in his hatred.. his eyes roll back and he starts speakin’ in tongues. It kinda scared me the first time he did it now I find it hilarious… . I need to get off “politics” … and talk about Womens Soccer! Oops. Better rethink that one. . Did you get a note from… Read more »
Whenever I read political posts on Facebook and the vitriolic comments they provoke, I remember wise advice a friend and lawyer once said:
“Opinions are like a••holes. Everybody has one, but most people have enough sense to keep theirs covered.”
It’s good advice these days.
I fear that “most people” label has switched sides in these trying times. Again, being a bit of a compu-recluse I am spared the hand-to-hand combat that I hear tales about…
BL, really enjoyable column, and so true. As you might know I was a registered lobbyist in Congress (part of my job) during parts of the 70’s, 80’s 90’s and had to work with both parties where the politics were a little more sociable. I had the opportunity of meeting with and working with 7 US Presidents going back to Ford, (missing only Clinton). I’ve also had the pleasure of working with 9 NC Governors who were all genuinely good people. I remember your and my first meeting at a taproom in which I raised my long term appreciation for… Read more »
BK: I’m not interested in a long debate on your opinions of “Evil Immoral Trump and Trump supporters” compared to “Your Legendary Political Heroes and their wonderful salt-of-the-earth supporters”. Lets just say if I was What YOU THINK “Trump Supporters are like”… I wouldn’t like me either. I’m not. Nor are any of my Pro-Trump acquaintances. … and now a crusty old yellow-dog democrat trying to claim “the moral high ground” … LOLOLOLOL. . Hopefully this ends your attempts to impose your political views on me. Note I have never tried to do so with you. . Upcoming BLSays on… Read more »
Just goes to show BL at one time or other we were all board monkeys, but I never questioned your back politics ????
I like to think I got out before I became infected. A lot of tetanus shots and showers under high pressure hoses helped too. Ya think it’s like “herpes” and you can’t get rid of it ???
Some what off topic I guess but just wondering if at some point, prior to becoming an internet legend , did you occasionally visit message boards as “Bobby Lee Swagger “?
WOW! that was a looong time ago -15+ years at least. It was “BobLeeSwagger”. Never understood where the “Bobby” came from. Comment Boards / Fan Boards were a new cyber toy for hurling insults at one’s own reflection in a mirror. They have survived thru various re-inventions… and so have I. 🙂
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“AgentPierce” was also quite a comment-magnet on The N&O back in those days. THAT got really scary! I bet Ol’ BELO still haunts that board.
I stay away from any of my coworkers social media 100%, unless they are normal and it revolves around kids and grandkids pics. The moment I see anything political, I hide their feed. I make it a rule not to friend subordinates or reports. These aren’t rules, just my way of making it in 2019. I assume (possibly incorrect, but I would rather expect the worst), that all millennials are as underexposed in politics as they are in the rest of life’s areas. Therefore it may shock me if any of them weren’t raging Libs. . I hear very little… Read more »
Twenty years ago WRAL’s owner Jim Goodmon had an inviolatable (sp?) policy prohibiting any employee from displaying ANY partisan political material. He even had a Sr Executive patrol the employee parking area checking for bumper stickers … Jim was well-known for his political neutrality… THEN in 2007 Jim had a Road To Damascus Flip and became a Raging Uber-Lib … after considerable haranguing by his “Earth Mother” wife. WRAL went further Left than The N&O…The times we live in … sigh. . I can’t imagine the tension that today’s political climate has to create in corporate hallways in addition to… Read more »
Like many of your regular readers I missed this current phenomenon you speak of although there were rumblings of how social media and engaging with consumers was going to be the future. One such meeting was with a blend of senior management and young whiz kids explaining to the old farts how direct engagement with consumers through social media was going to change our business….how these preferences would help us design new products etc. I said you mean like Ford did with Edsel? The more experienced people in the room chuckled, the young ones were puzzled and stared blankly. .… Read more »
I’ve been “gone” 20 years thru several generational changes. The concept of each manager having a private office WITH A DOOR would shock most Millennial Jr. Execs I suppose.
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The thought of political tension within an office can’t be a positive in any way. Breakroom fist fights being just one possibility.
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A BobLee Buddy who passed away 3 years ago -“JDanWuff” – had great stories of the feisty uber-liberal intern they had in their engineering firm. She and JDan did NOT get along AT ALL.
Interesting take. Your comments about politics mirror my memory. I do remember an incident where politics were discussed….the morning after the beatdown of the hippie protestors in 1968 at the Democratic convention. Mayor Daly’s PD certainly did believe in “riot control” or perhaps riot prevention in those days. . As to the most unforgettable character and also one that probably somewhat warped my young and impressionable personality. He was a “bull of the woods” that smoked big Cuban cigars and drank a fifth of Crown Royal every night. But he was as sharp as it gets and was faster on… Read more »
It wasn’t a To Avoid Topic… it simply wasn’t an issue with anyone in my professional orbits.
No, I had no idea what political spectrum people/friends were, nor they mine. Hell, I didn’t even think about mine. Our biggest concern (other than making it through classes) was what we were going to wear any given night out! THAT’s how simple life was 45 years ago!
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BTW, love the pic of the hotel lobby. I miss the beauty of class, which none have now.
My Kinston/Duke buddy – Leo Hart – was a Sr VP for Hyatt and Ritz Carlton in the 80s. He has SOME HOTEL STORIES!
Like you BobLee… I am long gone from “having to go to an office and interact with others”. … I suspect the rules are quite different these days. I can only imagine “staff meetings” if someone gets OFFENDED…
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I doubt I could deal with “cubicles” either. They call those Prairie Dog Villages … !!! Fun read as always BL.
In my “prime” I could “take over” a staff meeting with just “eye rolls” and body language. It created issues with upline management.
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I missed the Era of Cubicles by at least 10 years… thankfully.
I started in corporate America in the early nineties and the only topics that were considered sensitive and off limits were discussions around religion or employees pay grades. If politics ever came up in conversations the tone was always civil. The same could be as sports fan during the same time frame. I had no clue what my favorite players or coaches views were on taxes, abortion or gay marriage. I’m even old enough to remember when you could tune into Sports Center and see actual highlights from the games!
We had all the usual inter-office gossip. When your “workplace” has 1,000 beds … the gossip can get pretty YEE HAA! I don’t recall any friction over religion or politics or sports. “Hotel people” tend to be transient so there was pretty much no Hated Rivals to deal with.