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I had some work travel in New York City this week. This one turned out to be a big clusterfuck.
On Tuesday, I took a late train to the city, arriving at 10:45. I had booked a hotel only a few blocks from Penn Station, knowing I'd be getting in late.
When I got to the hotel a short time after 11:00 p.m., they were taking a long time to find my reservation.
I had booked through a new-to-me website called venere.com. It's Italian (?) and I only used it b/c this was a last-minute trip and lots of hotels were sold out, but this one had a decent hotel at a decent price.
I called on Monday to confirm my stay, since I was skeptical of this venere.com website. Yep, room was confirmed, rate was correct, and late check-in was noted.
Turns out, the hotel had a fire earlier in the day of my arrival, so lost 1/2 of their rooms for the night. They would find another hotel for me, but insisted that "every hotel in Manhattan is full," so I had to go to New Jersey.
Long story short, I got lied to several times. There WERE hotels in Manhattan, but none that they would pay for (higher rates). The hotel in Jersey wasn't the 1.7 mile cab ride that they promised, but almost 8 miles away.
When I got there at midnight, the hotel was kind of gross - just old, run down, etc. I had to carry my luggage to the 2nd floor, as there was no elevator. The neighbors in the room next door were loud, though I was exhausted and fell asleep. They woke me up at 2:3o in the morning with some VERY loud sex. They got slightly quieter when I banged on the wall.
The Manhattan hotel paid my cab fare back and forth. But the cab that the hotel allegedly called for me in the morning never arrived, so I was running late from the get-go.
I had to go back to the Manhattan hotel to drop my bags on Wednesday morning, since I'd be staying there on Wednesday night (they had rooms available by then). So that added to the length of my day.
I got less than 6 hours of sleep on Tuesday, when I've been averaging about 9-10 hours a night recently. I was a cranky beast that morning.
Finally, I checked into my room around 4:00 pm, once my meetings for the day were done. Changed my clothes, went out to run an errand and get my nails done, and brought some dinner back to the hotel. I was sound asleep by 9:00 p.m.
Thinking of John Cale / Lou Reed song - work
a song about Andy Warhol who said something like "every one is entitled to 5 minutes of fame !" Mine today !
There are around 2 million Tajik migrants in Russia. Majority lives and works there illegally, and is often treated as cheap work labor without basic rights. Tajik men leave their country for not-so-friendly-to-them Russia to make money, because here in Tajikistan the unemployment rate is huge. People from Central Asia usually take jobs that Russians wouldn't agree to, like cleaning the streets, or construction.
The results of this migration are disastrous for the country. Away from the "control" of their families and the society (it's a pretty conservative country), Tajik men return home as drug or alcohol addicts. The rates of HIV/AIDS raises quickly for the same reasons. Very often men never come back, leaving their wives and children earn their living by themselves. They live in hostile conditions in Russia, with nationalists demanding that they leave, and unfair employers treating them with little respect. With this said, 70% of Tajikistan's economy lays on the money that the migrants send home.
These women, were working in a bazaar in Dushanbe. Probably they get pennies for what they do, but they didn't look unhappy. Maybe because they're treated better in their own country.
And here is one more thing I've wanted to write about since the time we were in Bangladesh. In average, a person working in the factories that make branded clothing to be exported to Europe mainly, earn about $50 a month. I suppose the women on this photo make slightly more than that, but still, is it enough? Next time you (and I) buy another blouse from a nice, clean brand store, maybe we should give it a thought - one blouse we buy costs as much as a worker in a country like Bangladesh lives on (with family) for a whole month. I always think about it, whenever I read "Made in Bangladesh" on the label. It doesn't prevent me from buying the clothes, it just makes me wonder...
Thanks for your visit and have a great day!
This is an as yet unnamed work in progress, but I am happy with how it is coming along. More information to come!
Blazer: Salvation Army $6
Dress: True Value Vintage $19
Tight: American Apparel $20
Shoes: Aldo $60
Cuff: Value Village $2
Watch: Yardsale $1
www,girlinthecityvancouver.blogspot.com
www.birkenheuerphotography.com/
round 2. my second venture in front of the camera and working with doug birkenheuer. i am most excited to see the finished photograph. this is merely a sample of the direction in which the final photograph is heading. hats off to doug!! =D
Eastbound empty grain train G846 climbs the hump at Carvel Alberta and begins the downhill descent to Edmonton. The freight has just left the current end of double track, however in the near future the double track will be extended all the way into Edmonton.
A real wow factor taking place at Campsie golf course just now. This fabulous mural of Robert Millar wearing his polka-dot Tour de France climber's jersey is underway by the famed ROGUEONER artist. Here he is checking the work so far. It's a really dramatic piece of art, situated at the bottom of the Crow Road where Robert Millar used to train when he was a member of the Glasgow Wheelers. He says it should be finished next week sometime. Can't wait to see the finished result. It's being sponsored by East Dunbartonshire Council. It's on the gable end of Drew Wilson's bike-fitting shop. I'll get a photo of the finished artwork next week.
Cyrille Bailly © Tous droits réservés
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.
Credits-
Left::
Skin/Mesh Head - Vive Nine Fiore - Jasmine Static Head v1 in SPF 35 @ Cosmetic Fair (Sanya Bilavio)
Hair:: pr!tty - Avah in Dark Brown (NEW!!) (Karla Marama)
Hat:: JFL - Plains Hat V2 (Marketplace)
Vest:: ISON - Raw Hide Vest in Moss (Harry Hyx)
Shirt:: Vive Nine Ryvolter - Liu Leather Crop Top in Black @ Seasons Story (Inna Bilavio)
Bottoms:: Ozi - Pleat Maxi in Ash @ Hipster Fair (Ngozi Faith)
Shoes:: Sixbois - Glam Pointed Heels Black/Gold (NEW!!) (Celena Galli)
Clutch:: Mon Tissu - Envelope Clutch in Black
Bag:: DDL - The One in Black (NEW!!) (Melina Anatine)
Watch:: ILLMATIC - Medusa KorsWatch in Gold (Kaiden Trill)
Bracelet:: ILLMATIC - Classic Chunky Bracelet in Gold (Kaiden Trill)
Pose:: I made it! :D (IM in world if intersted!)
Right-
Skin/Mesh Head - Vive Nine Fiore - Jasmine Static Head v1 in SPF 35 @ Cosmetic Fair (Sanya Bilavio)
Hair:: pr!tty - Lily in Dark Brown (NEW!!) (Karla Marama)
Beanie:: Chemistry - from Lyric Hair (Kimberlee Mills)
Sunglasses:: Epoque - Catastrophe Shades in Black (Vintage McMillan)
Scarf:: ISON - Oversized Infinity Scarf in Black (Harry Hyx)
Coat:: ISON - Oversized Wool Coat in Camel (Harry Hyx)
Top:: Faenzo - Cotton Longsleeve in Pearl @ My Attic (NEW!!) (Faenzo)
Skirt:: Sabotage - Sneja Tall Tube Skirt in Houndstooth (Regellan Monday)
Shoes:: Vive Nine Ryvolter - Ulla Pumps in Black (Inna Bilavio)
Clutch:: Mon Tissu - Envelope Clutch in Black
so much hot air!!
I got to blow up balloons last night at work, in celebration of our
schedulers today.
then, I got to decorate their work area.
good times.
:)