Update

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 Once upon a time , someone asked me if I would be happy working a job that was not at the university. Since my position at the university closed in 2020, I found myself doing exactly that— working in jobs not at the university. It has been a very difficult transition.  Recently, things shifted quickly and in unexpected ways. The short version is that I am leaving the hotel which I am currently working, having taken a position at another.  The longer version of the story is that I stopped by to see my good friend and former GM at his new hotel. While I was visiting with him, one of the owners came out and introduced himself and we got to talking. After a few minutes, he said he wanted me to meet his brother. Our conversation turned into a job interview and 48 hours later I accepted a new position as front desk, manager and assistant operations manager. After some negotiating, we reached an agreement and I start my new position on April 9. It’s a much nicer hotel and these...

A Preluding Interlude

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 I am presently re-reading Shakespeare’s “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.” This is one of my favorite plays. Another favorite is Tom Stoppard’s stroke of genius, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.” This comedic gem is built around the observation that these two men (Gildenstern and Rosencrantz) have few and small appearances in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, yet contribute an important part to the story. Stoppard brings a question to our attention: what were these two men doing the whole time they were not on stage?

One proficiency of Hamlet is his ability to ask questions as he wrestles with his problems. Stoppard’s play has Rosencrantz and Gildenstern wander into an empty tennis court where they volley at a game of “Questions.” What begins as boredom-bashing fun, suddenly turns deeply philosophical. Of course they walk off with no answers, but most notably, they are unable to tell which one of them is Rosenzrantz and which is Gildenstern! They don’t know who they are! Hilarity in the context of tragedy, where the two just wait for their fate.



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