Training Update #5 - updated!

Hello from the Magnolia Hotel Dallas! The hotel was once the office of Magnolia Oil, the company that would someday become Mobil. The red neon Pegasus sign on the roof is a Dallas landmark (and familiar corporate logo).

This is one of my classmates, Boston Tom. He really is from Boston and has a great accent. He needs a little wardrobe help though, because this is his idea of business casual. It was a Thursday so don't try and defend him with a Casual Friday remark. Note to Boston Tom - a Celtics t-shirt is not business appropriate. Neither are a Dallas Cowboys t-shirt, jeans, or shorts.

Here's a good look at some really interesting clouds we had in Dallas last week. I think this was the day after the big storm from a previous post.

If you climb A LOT of stairs, you can get to the roof on top of the Magnolia. The door wasn't locked so I went out and snapped a pic of the neon Pegasus. It was a lot of stairs but it was worth it, and I got an even better view of Dallas. For those of you interested in this type of information, I was only out there for about 30 seconds before I worried about getting blown off the edge so I didn't take any pictures of the view.

Classroom Update:

I had my final two tests this week, and did pretty well. On Tuesday I made a stupid mistake and missed a question that caused me to fail an objective. Overall in the course I passed 44 out of 45 objectives, well above the 70% necessary. My on the job instructor will go over the one I missed with me back in St. Paul, but clearly I know what I'm doing.

Classmates Bring the Funny:

These are all real quotes from my classmates over the last week.

Instructor: "You need to know this for when the 'customer' is in front of you."
Classmate: "Can't we just go ask the manager?"
Instructor: "The manager's going to ask 'Can I write you a pink slip?'"

(reading aloud) Is Gloria illegible to claim the credit? (word was eligible)

I know what you're saying, but I don't like the words.

OK, I got a bat in my hand and I got to hit the dead horse.

I heard if you can't sleep to imagine a black wall, so I did it and every time I saw the wall I depreciated it.

(reading aloud) Ms. Ass...bury. Is it Ashbury or Ass-bury? I'll go with Azz-bury. (Asbury)

Who got the hole punch?

They was supposed to do what?

There's a bank right down the street - Jose Bank. (actually, it was the clothing store Jos. A. Bank)

(reading aloud) Computate the penalty. (compute)

(reading aloud) His position is based on a court case from the district where he presides. (resides)

Instructor: "You're up next."
Classmate: "What?"
Instructor: "Do you want to explain the answer?"
Classmate: "What?"
Instructor: "You wrote it on the board 2 minutes ago."
Classmate: "Oh, yeah. OK."

6/21 Update - Found another sheet with more quotes written down.

My last job was either at a non-profit or a not-for-profit. I'm not sure which.

I have the wrong hat on my head so to speak.

Classmate: I read that as the business providing it for free.
Instructor: It doesn't say anything about free.
Classmate: I know but that's how I'm reading it.

My ears were trying to pop when you were talking, can you say that again?

I'm still looking for something that says it is 15 years. (materials clearly state use 15 years)

(in a whiny voice) Is this on the test?

Classmate: You erased the stuff on the board!
Instructor: It's on the previous page. I know, it's a lot of page turning.

Is there anywhere we haven't gone that we haven't gone?

Instructor: Did everybody get $803?
Classmate: No, I got $802.50. (all number have been rounded to the nearest dollar for the entire course)

Classmate: I'm looking at this example and it says September 1st. Do we need to worry about the September 11th rules?
Instructor: No.