It’s true! I have a new phone! WAHOO!

As you have heard me, um, voice my concerns and experiences regarding my phone, I fixed the problem, I got a new one! It’s a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and it’s ginormous!!! And I love it!

I have had my eye on only two phones: the Galaxy Note 3 and the Droid Razr Maxx. The Note has a 5.5″ screen and the Maxx has a 5″ screen, the batteries were impressive, the Note: 24 hours, the Maxx 48! WHAT? They both run the Google Play app store: plus. The Note has a 13 megapixel camera, Maxx has a 10 megapixel, but the clincher…They both have 32G of internal memory, but…you can’t add memory to the Maxx and you can to the Note, that was the deal breaker. And I’ve been looking and looking and looking at the Note, so I went with what I wanted and in two years, I can get something else if I want it.

This phone comes with a stylus! and all sorts of neat little features that I have yet to discover and I am going to discover them all, well, I’m gonna try anyway! I found an app that I can sync my Motoactiv to, so bonus there!

JCT and I talk about phones we want and I usually get it first, learn everything and then when she’s ready, she gets the same one and we compare and learn more together! She’s about ready to come over to the darkside!

I have to tell you, the battery was at half when I got the phone about 6pm, it’s still at half! WAHOO!

Ok, what am I going to take a picutre of first???

Gotta go play! Night!

http://www.samsung.com/us/guide-to-galaxy-smart-devices/galaxy-note-3.html

There, I said it! Whew, it’s out in the open!

They say the first step is to admit you have a problem! ha ha

Years ago, it didn’t matter where I stayed, up to a point. Best Western was my hotel of choice at one point, it was reasonable, the rooms were clean, breakfast was free and I was only sleeping there, right? Right. Then I started traveling for work and I had to make a choice, well, didn’t have to, but you kind of need to stick with one to get the real benefits.

I have stayed at Marriotts, even have points there, SPG, Holiday Inn, you name it, I have points, but I decided that Hilton Hotels was the way to go for me. BG says he won’t stay at Hilton, he doesn’t want to give Paris Hilton any more money! Ha! He decided that Marriott is his hotel of choice and more power to him. I’ve stayed at a few Marriotts over the last few years and when I’ve stayed on the Concierge level, it’s very nice, but my last stay at a Marriott wasn’t the best, especailly since I’ve become spoiled by Hilton!

When I was on the road a few years ago, sometimes there weren’t any other options than Motel 6 or Days Inn or a few others and they were fine, a place to sleep, internet connection, but not my first choice.

There is something I really like about the level of service I get from Hilton properties. I am Gold Level, working towards Diamond this year and I know I’ll make it. I always have free wifi, free breakfast at most locations that don’t offer free breakfast, when I check in, two bottles of water, sometimes cookies or a snack waiting for me when I get to the room. There is a standard that they hold themselves to and strive to meet that level and standard at each hotel for each guest.

I’ve also had a time or two where something was wrong, and when hasn’t that happened and they corrected the issue immediately, that’s what matters to me. I was reading something that compared Hilton to Walt Disney World, that level of white glove service, well, they have me hooked.

When I need something, they do what they can to accomodate me, I always have a handwritten note in my room welcoming me to the hotel by a manager, little things that make me feel welcome. One time I stayed at a Doubletree hotel and as you may know, they are famous for their warm chocolate chip cookie at check-in [you can even buy a cannister], I asked when were they going to offer other cookies at check-in, they asked what my favorite cooke was, white-chocolate-macadamia-nut. I went to dinner that evening at CWB’s house, wonderful evening with her daughter, SB and husband, DB, and when I got back to my room, on the desk was a tray with two glasses of milk [with saran wrap on them] and a plate of 4 white-chocolate-chunk-macadamia-nut cookies [saran wrapped] and a hand written note with a flower on the front drawn with fruit/colored markers. How nice was that?

I know that Hilton properties are not inexpensive and definitely easier when traveling on business to have someone else pay, but I’ve earned points and sometimes I can find one for less than $80/nite and to me, it’s worth it. In addition, you can find a Hilton Hotel almost anywhere!

The beds are so incredibly comfortable and the pillows, you sink into them and if it wasn’t for the alarm, I’d sleep and sleep and sleep! And if you get to spend the night at a Homewood Suites, even better, they have full kitchens [full sized refridgerator, sink, dishwasher, oven, range, microwave] sometimes a separate bedroom with a cieling fan, living room, it’s your home away from home, even serving breakfast, happy hour and dinner, how can you beat that?

So, there you have it, I am a hotel snob and I’m ok with it! I am going say goodnight, get under the covers and snuggle into my very comfy bed and drift off to sleep! Sweet dreams!

http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/index.html

It’s Valentine’s Day! It means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

Valentine’s Day has its origins hundreds of years ago, there are so many stories and traditions. Since the 19th century, we have been sending notes and then cards and then chocolates and gifts. Some people think the bigger the better, others feel it’s the thought that counts, that doesn’t mean to say that means nothing, it just means what’s important to that person.

Flowers are a big deal, roses more specifically, here is the meaning of the colors, http://www.rkdn.org/roses/colors.asp. Isn’t it incredible, roses are not an inexpensive flower, but get incredibly more expensive as we get closer to Valentine’s Day, it’s a sellers market. Don’t get me wrong, I love roses, brown, orange, white, yellow, they make me happy, but my favorite flower? Sunflowers, how can you not smile when you look at a sunflower? Daisies, they can make you sigh.

Some people feel that jewelry is the way to go, and hey, I’m a girl, I like the sparkle, shiny and bling! I’ve received some sweet and wonderful jewelery, and I love it, I’ve received teddy bears and bubble baths, all making me happy, but…Let me tell you something…being a techno junkie dating a techno junkie is awesome! I’m not going to tell you what I got, I don’t want to seem like a braggart, but if my friends ask, I will tell them. The best part…I was TOTALLY surprised, which is not easy for DCM to do! It wasn’t the “normal Valentine’s Day gift” but then again, I’m not a normal girl and he’s not a normal boy and when I saw what it was, I almost passed out! I’m way happy! Thank you DCM!

I think he thought my gift for him was “sweet”, lots of different items with notes on them telling him how I feel.

I also get the most wonderful and thoughtful gifts from my dad, he has a way of finding things he knows I will like! This year it is a “Sketch-A-Day” book! He had sent me “Wreck this Journal” which I am still working on! Thank you daddy! I hope you like what I sent!

For some, Valentine’s Day is a challenge, what to do? We just started dating, do I get him/her a gift? Do I just get flowers? Do I go crazy to show how I feel or hold off so s/he doesn’t think I’m stalking or a nut? Things are not going so well, do I break it off before Valentine’s Day? Do I wait and get something for him/her so it’s not awkward? If I wait, how long do I wait? The pressure!

For others, it’s a day of haters. Maybe you just broke up with someone, and hate everyone, maybe you’re single and feel it’s just another chance for industry to make money. Maybe you go to a black heart dance/party. Maybe you have a party for one, or take yourself on a date, the possibilities are endless!

For others, its a time to spend with family and/or friends, celebrating the time you have together, enjoying each other. For some, it’s a day to get married, easy date to remember! it’s a day filled with love, so why not? and when it is on a weekend, even better! maybe it’s a day to get engaged, same reasons!

For one special and dear friend and her daughter, it’s Gotcha Day! This refers to the day that the adoption is finalized, it’s official, parent and child. From the book, The Joy of Family Rituals, “It is designed to show your adopted child how much you wanted him and that every year you continue to cherish him.” – See more at: http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=127#sthash.Qefx10Gy.dpuf

Of course, i am talking about SDL and the pickle, Miss A!!! Wow were all our lives changed when she brought Miss A home. What a sweet tribute on FaceBook today! A fantastic picture of her smiling and laughing and a wonderful message from her mommy. It was three years ago today that SDL walked out of the orphanage a mommy and Miss A, her daughter, officially. I got to pick them up from the airport, with her parents, when they came home, the family was complete.
http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=127

So…however you celebrate Feburary 14th, Valentine’s Day, I hope it’s what you wanted and hoped for and enjoyed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine’s_Day

You thought I was kidding when I said what a day!

The day started too early for a Sunday, alarm went off at 8:15am, had to get up, get ready and head to the airport, amid the teeny flurries. I did have to stop at Walmart to pick up a patch for my jeans, pook, wish certain parts wouldn’t rub together!

Before I left, since everyone was still sleeping, and why shouldn’t they be at 9am on a Sunday! I wrote a note on the bathroom mirror for DCMsquared.

Got to the airport, parked at the lot in the row I was told to park in and waited and waited and waited, in the wet snow, for the van to pick me up, I finally walked down to the other end, slid a little and all the driver said was “My driver didn’t pick you up?” Nope. No apology, nothing? Nice. But I was on the van, warm and heading to the airport.

(Ooh, the original Willy Wonka is on TV, I’m happy! Cheer up Charlie! Of course, I have a whole rant on some of that movie, but I love it!)

I had an experience that was a first for me…
I am waiting in the sky priority line to drop off my bag and the guys behind me are talking about trying to get to their flight, it’s hard not to overhear some conversations. I asked what time their flight was, they were trying to get bumped to an earlier flight, I told them to go ahead of me, I had plenty of time before my flight. He thanked me and offered me some money, I told him no, please don’t, just pay it forward. He kept the money, then came back for his bag and said thank you thank you, me letting him jump ahead of me got them on the flight, I said no, he said get yourself a cocktail, I said I don’t drink! He told me to get a soda! Then he said they made it with five minutes to spare, then tried to get me to take the money again, said it was worth it!

He put the money in my pocket and took off, I looked later, it was twenty bucks! I have to tell you, it made me uncomfortable, I wasn’t looking for recognition, just trying to help someone out and you always hope someone will be nice to you too.

Off to my gate, got some breakfast and we actually took off on time, well, they closed the doors and we moved away from the gate three minutes late, is that a record?

One of the flight attendants had a bad attitude, nasty to the son of the guy sitting next to me and you could tell her politeness to everyone else was phony, bad form!

Took a taxi to the hotel, the driver was entertaining and pleasant, we had a very nice conversation. I asked where he was originally from, I knew it wasn’t Detroit. He told me we had twenty five minutes to figure it out! I asked a few questions and he really liked my first two questions, “is it warm and was it a long flight?” He liked that I didn’t make an assumptions about where he was from. It made what could have been a long boring ride enjoyable.

As we pull up to the hotel, I look and see a Caesar’s, I asked if there was a casino, we are across the river from Windsor, Ontario, I had no idea! Take a look, the water is frozen solid!

It’s so cold, I’ve upped the heat to 73 in the room and my are still cold!

I checked into the hotel, Marriott Renaissance Center downtown Detroit. It’s quite the facility! It’s on the back side of one of General Motors buildings, there are cars in a showroom, opposite from a food court! What? I got lost going to the food court, I should master it by the time I leave Thursday! (I promise, I will tell you why I’m here soon!) I grabbed some food, back to the room, put on my jammies and I opened the blinds, it’s snowing! Go figure!

The best way to end my day, aside from talking to you, of course…I had a wonderful phone call with one of my oldest friends, HW. We’ve known each other since grade school, became good friends in high school and then reconnected at our twentieth high school reunion. I know, I know, not possible we’re not old enough! Thank you!

The best was when she and her fiancé, FP, made their annual trip to Savannah and DCM and I drove to meet them, it was awesome!

She’s thinking about blogging, she had some questions and we chatted about blogging and word press and everything else that is going on. We finally had to hang up after almost two hours, got to get some sleep at some point!

HW is one of those friends, you can pick up the phone months, years, whatever later and it’s like no time has passed, never a quiet moment, no lag in or lack of conversation, you just pick up where you left off. She sounded great and we made very tentative plans for when I come to NYC, getting the gang together, since everyone lives pretty close, I can’t wait!

(Was someone on some serious drugs when they wrote the whacked out boat scene in Willy Wonka?)

Ok, big day tomorrow! Need to log off and get some rest! You too! Happy Sunday! I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed the Beatles 50th anniversary tribute!