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Post by BagLady on Sept 23, 2014 21:15:35 GMT -5
Isn't adding anything to a good vodka like painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa? Well, we aren't starting with a good vodka. Ob-vi-ous-ly.
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Post by gary on Sept 23, 2014 21:16:38 GMT -5
Isn't adding anything to a good vodka like painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa? Well, we aren't starting with a good vodka. Ob-vi-ous-ly. My mistake. Carry on.
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Post by bartleby on Sept 24, 2014 6:12:48 GMT -5
Baglady, I have been there a couple times and I enjoyed the stays. It just sounded like Funky didn't care for it. I found the breakfasts to be acceptable, but usually a group and I wandered off for dinner. Our rooms were pretty good and the kitchenette was great. They gave us microwave popcorn packages daily in our rooms. Hope you all are doing good. I almost quit the second week there as it got strangely confusing and that is coming from an insider. Also wasn't used to sitting in class 8-9 hours a day. Try the Segway tour, the sundown one. An experience you will never forget. Great fun. Do you all have a robe sales person coming to the hotel for sizing and ordering? Mine is a Bently & Simon, Peachskin fabric, not too hot or too cold and wears well, just finished three years. They take the measurements and give a pretty good discount if you order while there. They make the Robe and send it to your office and usually it is there when you get back
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Post by Missundaztood on Sept 24, 2014 13:04:38 GMT -5
Maybe some of us will have "winter" camp...
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Post by Gaidin on Sept 24, 2014 13:12:37 GMT -5
Miss when I was in the National Guard "winter camp" was when they took you into Minnesota or the Upper Peninsula during the winter for Annual Training. It did not occur indoors. I gladly missed those "opportunities" for additional training then but I will gladly embark on a winter camp at the Residence Inn Pentagon City.
As a side note though to make sure that no one especially Bob questions my commitment to the job. I would do the ALJ training in a tent in the Upper Peninsula in January for this job.
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Post by gary on Sept 24, 2014 13:14:27 GMT -5
Maybe some of us will have "winter" camp... If Uncle Bob were to send me, would there still be s'mores?
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Post by gary on Sept 24, 2014 13:15:33 GMT -5
Miss when I was in the National Guard "winter camp" was when they took you into Minnesota or the Upper Peninsula for Annual Training. It did not occur indoors. I gladly missed those "opportunities" for additional training then but I will gladly embark on a winter camp at the Residence Inn Pentagon City. As a side note though to make sure that no one especially Bob questions my commitment to the job. I would do the ALJ training in a tent in the Upper Peninsula in January for this job. I'd even share a tent with Gaidin!
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Post by luckylady2 on Sept 24, 2014 13:38:01 GMT -5
Ooooh winter camp in a tent with little ice crystals falling down your back as you put your shirt on in the morning...... Man, THAT's been a while.
Bob, any time you want to send me to camp, I'm just fine with it.
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Post by anotherfed on Sept 24, 2014 13:46:56 GMT -5
Miss when I was in the National Guard "winter camp" was when they took you into Minnesota or the Upper Peninsula for Annual Training. It did not occur indoors. I gladly missed those "opportunities" for additional training then but I will gladly embark on a winter camp at the Residence Inn Pentagon City. As a side note though to make sure that no one especially Bob questions my commitment to the job. I would do the ALJ training in a tent in the Upper Peninsula in January for this job. I'd even share a tent with Gaidin! Bob, that's true dedication. Something to think about when you're interviewing for the next cert.
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Post by hamster on Sept 24, 2014 14:02:26 GMT -5
Dear campers:
Just be glad you're at camp. Your mother and I are working very hard, every day, here at home, just to put food on the table and feed ourselves. You all get to be at camp. You have crafts, canoeing, camp fire songs, stimulating lectures, and free food. When your mother and I attended camp, in the Old Days, we had no such entertainments. We had to study diligently. We slept in unheated, drafty, leaking and mildewed canvas tents. If we were lucky enough to kill a squirrel, it would feed all 19 of us for days. Each day was a struggle to survive. And the snow! We even had a hurricane and a flood. General Washington had it easy compared to us at Valley Forge.
So, try to look on the bright side. You're being paid $100,000 + per year to attend camp--for a whole month! You get per diem. The instructors spoon-feed you these materials--they were not at all solicitous to us when we went through it. You have nice, courteous, genteel mentors. We got the drill instructor who taught the drill instructor in Full Metal Jacket how to be a DI.
It will all be over in less than a month now. And you'll all be growed up. We're looking forward to you actually doing some work once you get back home, and helping the rest of us out. Try to tough it out until then--and just remember, all you whippersnappers out there, you all have it far, far, far easier than we did.
Welcome to the family.
Hamster
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Post by mcb on Sept 24, 2014 16:33:19 GMT -5
Purely my own opinion but the hotel is less than awesome. Food is generally only marginally worthy of the term. Rooms are significantly smaller than the residence inn room I stayed in for writer training in 09. And I just paid $2.50 for a pepsi. They are generous with the wine and beer but selection is limited. Watta ya want, the Ritz Carlton? RE: the food If there was a restaurant in the hotel, that'd be one thing. Still, breakfast is free and has everything from granola and fresh fuit to scrambled eggs, sausage and biscuits & gravy. If ya don't like the free food at happy hour there are plenty of restaurants witihin walking distance, or a short subways ride away, that shouldn't break yer per diem. There's free internet, cable TV and I found the rooms to be quiet. I think that's plenty when the taxpayers are footin' the bill. Just my humble opinion.
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Post by gary on Sept 24, 2014 16:41:53 GMT -5
I suggest that all SCOBies think carefully about whether they are willing to accept a month of such substandard accommodations, and I urge them to withdraw in protest. Don't worry. As I've said in the past, the agency will still be able to get its cases done since I and a handful of noble volunteers will sacrifice ourselves and remain on the register.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2014 19:24:57 GMT -5
Purely my own opinion but the hotel is less than awesome. Food is generally only marginally worthy of the term. Rooms are significantly smaller than the residence inn room I stayed in for writer training in 09. And I just paid $2.50 for a pepsi. They are generous with the wine and beer but selection is limited. Training.... The Tupelo twosome have even started dressing alike.... Tough being away from family, get them to visit or plan a trip home in advance if you can. Three points that I would comment on....
1. The hotel is perfect for getting out and around DC, less that 5 minutes to subway and all of DC. I've stayed in a ton of $200+/nightly hotels in private practice for CLEs and this place is below what you should get for the $$. However, I believe there is a method behind the madness, all ALJs are near public trans, get some free meals and a short 15 minute drive to Skyline for training each day. I haven't ate many of the meals but the breakfasts works for this old soldier and the dinners are decent.
P.S. Thanks Bartleby, until your post I didn't know I had free popcorn in the room, now I will hide my daily stash and stock up! Popcorn goes great with the free beer that I get in my frig everyday!
2. The "awesome Tupelo twosome" had one bad day of wearing the same Jos A Banks shirt and dark blue slacks and we are labeled for life. We now have a schedule for the shirts, Wes has MWF and I have T, TH, so problem solved.
3. Finally, yes plan for visits one way or another as it will be a nice mini-vacation in the middle of training.
Otherwise, life is great in Falls Church!! NODARs will not be bored, but sitting on your butt 8 hours a day will wear you out after 14 years of being on your feet in Court for most of the day. My broken leg/ankle swells up every day and it's been 16 months since the accident and operation.
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Post by BagLady on Sept 24, 2014 20:53:49 GMT -5
Thanks, Bart. I just found and stashed my popcorn. Right next to my stash of shampoo and conditioner. I'm like a squirrel.
I'm never leaving. In addition to the people who cook, clean, and do my laundry, I have a driver who takes me on errands and an invisible fairy who DOES MY GROCERY SHOPPING. (I just put in my list, including 4# of granulated sugar.)
But even better than all of that, my fellow campers are awesome. They are amazing, impressive, wonderful people that I'm thrilled to get to know.
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Post by funkyodar on Sept 25, 2014 6:30:44 GMT -5
Feel like I need to clarify on the hotel and food. Are they adequate and perfectly located? Sure. Is it a $200 a night hotel? No
The last of the residence inns I stayed in had rooms easily twice as big with a living room dining area and bedroom. I was told this place underwent remodeling 18 months ago and basically turned every two rooms into three. The result is a room with very nice furnishings and a small kitchenette but really no larger than a typical motel 6 room.
The food. Breakfast is adequate but essentially the same thing everyday. "Dinner"? Well, the first nite we were told would be fish sandwiches and chips. We got esentially a large fish stick plain white rice and green beans. Thats been typical. Sure there are great restaurants close, but ine thing about these places thats a draw is the "free" food.
And please stop calling it free. One could get the exact same room I am in online for about $100 a nite less than the gov is paying. Ask the taxpayers how they feel about that. Maybe that extra hundo could ensure the purported bbq chicken sandwich actually has bbq sauce and is not a basic unseasoned odd colored cold chicken patty with a stack of buns next to it?
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Post by anotherfed on Sept 25, 2014 6:45:18 GMT -5
Feel like I need to clarify on the hotel and food. Are they adequate and perfectly located? Sure. Is it a $200 a night hotel? No The last of the residence inns I stayed in had rooms easily twice as big with a living room dining area and bedroom. I was told this place underwent remodeling 18 months ago and basically turned every two rooms into three. The result is a room with very nice furnishings and a small kitchenette but really no larger than a typical motel 6 room. The food. Breakfast is adequate but essentially the same thing everyday. "Dinner"? Well, the first nite we were told would be fish sandwiches and chips. We got esentially a large fish stick plain white rice and green beans. Thats been typical. Sure there are great restaurants close, but ine thing about these places thats a draw is the "free" food. And please stop calling it free. One could get the exact same room I am in online for about $100 a nite less than the gov is paying. Ask the taxpayers how they feel about that. Maybe that extra hundo could ensure the purported bbq chicken sandwich actually has bbq sauce and is not a basic unseasoned odd colored cold chicken patty with a stack of buns next to it? You're going to be dreaming of those fish sticks and bbq-less sandwich when you're in Middle Earth.
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Post by bartleby on Sept 25, 2014 7:28:36 GMT -5
Wow, and to think people used to call me negative. I can't wait for Funkster to hit the road and start reporting on the problems we have with management. I may be able to retire from the Board, I think he may be able to handle it...
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Post by sealaw90 on Sept 25, 2014 7:44:36 GMT -5
Feel like I need to clarify on the hotel and food. Are they adequate and perfectly located? Sure. Is it a $200 a night hotel? No The last of the residence inns I stayed in had rooms easily twice as big with a living room dining area and bedroom. I was told this place underwent remodeling 18 months ago and basically turned every two rooms into three. The result is a room with very nice furnishings and a small kitchenette but really no larger than a typical motel 6 room. The food. Breakfast is adequate but essentially the same thing everyday. "Dinner"? Well, the first nite we were told would be fish sandwiches and chips. We got esentially a large fish stick plain white rice and green beans. Thats been typical. Sure there are great restaurants close, but ine thing about these places thats a draw is the "free" food. And please stop calling it free. One could get the exact same room I am in online for about $100 a nite less than the gov is paying. Ask the taxpayers how they feel about that. Maybe that extra hundo could ensure the purported bbq chicken sandwich actually has bbq sauce and is not a basic unseasoned odd colored cold chicken patty with a stack of buns next to it? Funky, thanks for the clarification on the rooms. I stayed in that same hotel about 5 years ago for a reserve drill and thought the rooms were large - some crappy idea of a 'renovation' to make them smaller and charge the same rate. I suggest all of you NODARs provide feedback to Falls Church and tell them to find another residence inn - isn't there one in Old Town Alexandria by the King Street metro?
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Post by Gaidin on Sept 25, 2014 9:19:40 GMT -5
It still sounds better than a tent in the UP come January.
I see what Funky is saying though. If the government is paying $200 a night then they ought to get $200 a night accommodations.
BL thanks for the grocery store info. That was something that I was curious about.
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Post by Gaidin on Sept 25, 2014 9:22:42 GMT -5
I suggest that all SCOBies think carefully about whether they are willing to accept a month of such substandard accommodations, and I urge them to withdraw in protest. Don't worry. As I've said in the past, the agency will still be able to get its cases done since I and a handful of noble volunteers will sacrifice ourselves and remain on the register. I second Gary's motion. You all should make a statement and let them know that you will not tolerate this sort of treatment. Cold chicken patties!!!!! Fish sandwiches without bread!!!!! This is an outrage and you should tell ODAR that you will not stand for it.
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