Greetings, BlogReaders ("BreaDers"?  "BleaDers")..  Today this message hails from the Hookah & Coffee Lounge known as IGNITION in Palm Springs, California.  I'm not smoking a HOOKAH, because I'm not THAT cool, but I am having an ice-blended mocha Frappe as coffeesister sips a cappuccino by my side and we both avail ourselves of the free WiFi connection that's so generously offered.

We spent the night at the hotel of my employ, because I've been spending oodles of extra time there due to the calamities of a coworker called Billy; a decent fellow who's been smacked in the face with a glove and challenged to a duel by Sir Adversity.  It would seem that if anything could go wrong for anyone, it has for him - I'll spare you the details, which you'd thank me for doing if you knew them - but if you knew them it'd be a moot point - so what are we talking about again?  Oh yeah, Billy.

I really like Billy, and I'm sorry to see him going through crap.  He's a Vietnam Vet, former Cook County (Chicago) Sheriff's Deputy and all-around badass.  He's not one to get on the wrong side of, so I've tried to stay on his right side, which doesn't literally mean his RIGHT side, because you can stand to the right OR left of him and still be on his right side, as in CORRECT side.. and you can stand on his left or right and be on his wrong side, which is not something I'd want.  I don't recommend standing in front of him either, if you're on his wrong side.  Behind him might be okay, as long as he doesn't see you, so just be really quiet.  He's a bit hearing impaired due to bombs, guns and shit like that.



Billy when things were better - out in the hotel
valet area a few weeks ago

Because of Billy's calamity, which I can't tell you about and you don't want to hear it anyway, we (as in coffeesister and I) were given a room to stay in last night because the Rooms Director at the hotel felt sorry for me working all those hours, and I'm also really nice to her.  Also, there were about 200 rooms available because a huge group had checked out that morning and almost nobody checked in, so do the math.  ALSO, I begged.  and pleaded.  She gave in.

This was my view from the balcony this morning.  I took these pics with my little cellphone camera, so please rest assured there's nothing wrong with your eyes, the photos really are blurry and smeary.  I apologize ahead of time for making you squint..

   

Isn't it lovely?  This is springtime in the desert, when all of the rocks are in bloom and the lizards tweet tweet as couples stroll hand in hand drenched in buckets of sweat.  It's about ninety-something degrees ALREADY in Palm Springs, and it's not even MAY yet.  The huge building with blue trim across the way is a spa, resort and casino cleverly named "SPA-RESORT-CASINO".  No, really.. check it out.  They have a restaurant inside too, but I'm not sure what the name of it is.

Well, I must go.. I have lots to do, but free WiFi with good company should make it all a bit easier to pull off.