Tuesday

This is a shot of the Pappajohn Building that houses Iowa's Tippie School of Business. I'm sitting in a lounge in this building as I write this entry. Being the good DOD, I drove 2 over here this afternoon for her evening class, given a sketchy stretch of weather last night and this AM. I-80 really wasn't that bad, although there were a couple of semis that obviously had had major problems and were way off the road near West Branch. IC streets seem to be in much better shape than they were last week when I was here to help 4.

The U of Iowa wireless network is security enabled. Bummer. My Verizon connection is so s-l-o-w here. I called 3 to see if there was a quick, secret code for easy entry in to the U's wi-fi system, but she advises me that there's not a simple access protocol. I think that all the wireless activity in the building just overwhelms Verizon. It's usually very adequate, speed-wise. Not tonight.

Hope nobody wanted any SB's this evening. Three hours of "national" training?

The McDonald's at Duck Creek (and I presume at other commonly-owned local stores) has stopped stocking cream and sugar (and the various sugar substitutes) in the dining area. You have to request what you want/need at the counter. I had noticed this a couple of weeks ago when I had done a run-through for a breakfast sandwich, and thought it odd, but maybe just another indication of so-so service that I had experienced at that location. When it happened a second time this week, I asked the server what the deal was, and she said that it was a management-directed change. Apparently, too many customers were stuffing their pockets with too many packets of the items for use at home or elsewhere.

Ten things that people take home because the stuff is "free":

1. Mints at a restaurant.
2. Pens from the hotel.
3. Tees from resort golf courses.
4. Bottled soft drinks served at conferences.
5. Writing pads from conferences.
6. Soap/shampoo from the maids' cart at hotels.
7. Packaged condiments for take-out food.
8. Road maps at Interstate rest-stops.
9. Coffee packets from hotel rooms.
10. Matchbooks from restaurants and bars.

The food/beverage/hospitality industries all must struggle with some kind of policy with regard to this stuff. I'm sure that the more up-scale the place is, the easier it is to just add a buck or two to the bill to pay for these items. It already happens at the car repair shop where virtually all garages had a fee for "shop supplies". We also do it at our office by passing on a "computer fee" for tax return services. Lots of examples. More on this at another time.

A little excitement at Pappajohn. A fire alarm emptied the building and interrupted my entry. I took leave and went to the Airliner for dinner. Half price pizza Tuesday. Deep dish Hawaiian. I sat in the window but held up no rating cards for the winter-clad coeds who passed. I was by far the oldest guy in the place.

I shared the second half of the pizza with 2 who is paying back by finishing this entry as we barrel down I-80 toward home. It's past my bedtime. This does go as a "first" for 4000 Days, a dictated entry.

Have a great evening.

BCOT