This is a quick blog post to update you what is going on with TBB. I could have done a post about some Friday restaurant bonus or to remind you for the 146th time to register for some card’s 5x category and pumped some credit cards but I am not going to fake it, I am coming out of the closet and screaming out loud: this is a filler post! You are excused not to use my Amazon link but if you do I appreciate it of course!
I have been in Orlando since Wednesday attending a conference for my real job. As most of you know, conference schedules tend to be hectic along with plenty of opportunities for booze, networking and stuff like that. I am keeping up with the onslaught in blogs in my Feedly but have not been able to make a dent in them and clear through the clutter to feature the ones I think you should know in a fresh Buzz post. You all know by now my eclectic taste cough 🙂
Flight from Detroit to Orlando was on Air Tran. It was the most uneventful flight that I had in recent memory. This was my first flight ever on Air Tran. It is mostly converted to Southwest, except I can still get assigned seating! I can not believe I am excited for assigned seating…oh how the mighty have fallen 🙂
The conference is held at the Hyatt Regency in International Drive. Fantastic job handling over 3,000 of us!
I am staying at the Four Points by Sheraton down the street on just 14,000 Starwood points. Upgraded to the top floor to a suite. Had an A/C/heating issue with the room so they moved me to the next room and got 4 drink coupons. The bartender is a cool guy recently immigrated from Egypt. Along with the drink coupons as Gold I got to know him well and if I had a few more nights here we could probably solve the Middle East problem lol. Aiming to get some SPG points back by making the Green choice. They are now charging a $10 daily facilities fee (for internet, shuttle, rides to the parks, etc.) which sucks even more for a non resort property like this (not that I approve it for resorts!). Staff is wonderful. Fitness center has some good machines. It is a great value staying here!
I got a Chrysler 200 from Budget for $11.22 per day plus taxes. I can’t complain.
Every year they bring in some mega name speaker. It is usually a Republican as this crowd is leaning heavily to the right. This year it was Mitt Romney. He had a speech which was mostly fine with some humor. Of course he had to tell us how his daddy, President of American Motors at the time, taught him a valuable life lesson (forgot what it was). And then, out of the blue, he called Putin a thug. If you see he loses his tickets to the Sochii Olympics you now know why, you heard it here first! I must admit I enjoyed seeing CNBC’s Mandy Drury much more (emphasis on much!). I wonder what Mitt’s speaking fee was and if he donated it to charity 🙂
Then we saw this Huey Lewis dude with his News band come on stage in the closing night to sing for us. Frankly, I had not heard he was still around! I was expecting some guy with a cane or a scooter! But he was surprisingly fit and sounded the way he did many years ago! (was it the 80s?)
I am in Orlando until Sunday and I will have some time to catchup tomorrow and perhaps work on the next TBB post. I missed you guys.
I also spent some time trying to burn me some of my United miles but I could not get what I wanted. So be it. We save them to fly coach. It would have been nice but it was just not meant to be. I still have a shot to burn some of my US miles.
I have not called AA to inquire about the status of my Maui award trip from hell…I dread calling so I will do it next week.
It looks like we may have some Champions League soccer games in the US this summer, including Manchester United vs Real Madrid on August 2nd in the Big House in Ann Arbor according to this report, woohoo!
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Again? Handshake
If you keep this up I may need to just fly there to congratulate you in person. Oh wait, I may do it if AA will let me lol
I’m on Oahu so just change your itinerary to HNL! There should be more routing options.
Just spent almost 2 hrs trying to burn UA miles to Asia. Got me on the way there on LH C and TG G on the A-380 via Frankfurt but can’t find my way back. Come on people. leave some awards seats (around Feb 19 – 22) for the common people like me!!!
This is priority right now
It may be ‘Hip to Be Square’ but is it hip to be second?
Sure is!
If you have some free time, try to visit the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. It is pretty close to Orlando, and is a pretty neat place to visit. Enjoy your trip. Thanks.
Gator World rocks. Best Orlando attraction no one goes to. Awesome blog what’s your real job?
Agreed. Gator World is awesome.
Isn’t Gator World Orlando near Jesus World Orlando (featured in the Bill Maher movie Religulous.
I will hit Gator World next time I am here. It looks like this conference is here every other year.
I am in the financial planning business. No product sales. I basically keep people from making mistakes with their money. Definitely not this crowd here 🙂
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Interesting news about the Champions League games. Some fantastic teams, too, except for this comment: “This is great except those players who will be playing in the World Cup will not feature as they will be given time off after their involvement in the World Cup.”
Maybe this is why they decided to hold it in the States. What do we care, right? I still might go to NYC games. Why not?
And oh my goodness, man, you’ve elicited quite a few chuckles from me with this pic. And even more from the wife.
I’d usually be looking for flights to Ann Arbor, but since United can’t even muster a draw with Stoke, let alone a win, I’m not prepared to see the bloodbath.
That was probably the best gif I ever posted,I still laugh about all the pumping going on!
I went to a summer game again a few years ago between a Greek team and AC Milan. It was $20, still worth it. Even the B teams will put on a show. I mean, how often do you get to see these jerseys play in front of you.
“I can not believe I am excited for assigned seating…oh how the mighty have fallen”
I don’t think AirTran EVER qualified as “mighty”! {wink}
Yes, certainly. But it was always a step up form Southwest and light years ahead of Spirit 🙂
Buzz is the trip to Maui off? But I told the Maui Wowi guy in the orange shave ice truck you were coming………………………..At the conference did they discuss how Corporate Raiders/Greenmailing-Blackmailing Scumbags are now referred to as Activist Investors (see Carl Icahn and friends).
No the Maui trip is not off but as of now I am down to just four nights in Maui which pretty much makes it a no go. I havent had time to call to get an update, too busy with conference, keeping up with blogs and I wasted enough time trying to burn me my UA miles and giving up in the process exasperated. Most people in this business in the conference are good guys, in the advice business. Scumbags always sneak in of course but not as many as in other conferences where you still see “Wolf of Wall Street” types.
Oy George, get new reading glasses (or wear the ones the doc prescribed)! Its the ‘International Champions Cup’ ie playtime exhibition matches, not real European champions league matches….! Of the eight teams named there, only Man U appeared at a Champions League final in the past 5 years (in 2009 & 11) :p
Come on man, don’t ruin it. You know how starved we are around here for seeing European soccer teams! I was shocked to see UofM agreeing to host these games. It is the same people who refused to host World Cup 94 games because they would have to alter the “American Football” stadium a little bit. Yeah, these games are meaningless in the heat of the summer. But still a treat to see the B Teams 🙂
Shocked to see UofM agree to host a soccer match?
They host hockey games there every year now!
You would not believe the pushback UofM got from alumni and residents about the 94 World Cup. All because they had to modify the stadium and take away some seats…pretty minor stuff.
Hockey will always have a place in Mchigan,especially when it involves UofM MSU or the Red Wings!
I am not going to celebrate until this one is confirmed.