I just found an eye opener courtesy of the Travel Channel World Hum News, in one of their articles they note that DealBase.com has a listing of the worst hotel deals in their database of deals. World Hum News focused on one particular package that says it offers a “special rate” for government employees that tacks on an additional $94 per night to the hotel’s normal price. While this might be amusing, I was not amused when I got to looking at some of the other deals and found so-called deals to AARP members.

I was not sure if that was real or not so I went looking and was surprised by what I discovered. Surprised enough that I took screen captures of the average daily rate at Denver Sheraton and the AARP special rate at Denver Sheraton

Yes, it is true from what I am seeing, the Denver Sheraton Hotel & Resort has an average room rate of $87.20, but will give a special rate of $119.00 to AARP members. What the *bleep*??? And yes, I checked, as you can see in the screen cap, that I was “booking” a room on the weekend, in fact, I said I wanted a last minute booking (tomorrow) so it should be the most expensive rate.

This was only one of many many many so-called “savings” for AARP members that Deal Base exposed. I counted over 25 offers that cost from .10 cents more to an extra $116 a night more (+$116 a night for AARP members was at The Westin Verasa, Napa).

Lesson learned: triple check that discount rate you have been quoted really *is* a discount from what others booking a room are paying. Maybe book room, get quote, then say, “do you have a special for AARP members?” and get that room rate quote after you know what non-members would have to pay for the same room.

I am sitting here with my dad watching the inauguration. As I watch it I can only wish that my mom was here to watch it with us, however, I feel that she is here, even if I can not see her. She is here in me and dad’s hearts, memories of things she said to me over the years lending to me an easy knowledge of how she would feel watching this.

I remember things she said to me over the years, things such as living in New Orleans years ago. How she felt that it was not right that blacks could not come into the diner she worked at. Mom had to take their meals to the back door for them. She told me of how just after she got there, having moved from California, she got onto a bus and automatically went to the back of the bus to smoke a cigarette. She apparently got into a lot of trouble – a white woman at the back of a bus in the deep South.

I was raised by my parents to respect people, the only guide to a man’s character being an old adage of my grandfather that “If my dog don’t trust a man, I probably shouldn’t either.”

This is a very wonderful day for this country, and I know that, if only in our hearts, my mom is here watching it with me and dad. I know as well that President Obama’s grandmother is with his family today, watching in unspeakable pride as he takes the oath of office. (When I wrote this he was President Elect – he is now President. Congratulations Mr. President!)

It is now 6:30 in the morning, so I am going to lay down and get a couple of hours of sleep.  I stayed up tonight because I was having some trouble with the house heater, but I think it is staying on now, so I am going to get some sleep.  The temperature is thankfully staying warmer now, it is currently -23 F outside, this time yesterday it was -34 F out there… so it’s a bit over 10 degrees warmer tonight.

I got some work done tonight.  If you have been here before, then you’ll notice the blog has taken on a new look.  I will be doing some more tweaking, getting the blog in shape over the next few days to a week, but for now I need to get some sleep before I collapse.

Today is a cold day, sun is shining, which in Alaska in the winter means cold.  According to the weather deal on my computer, it is 7 degrees F in Wasilla, AK, at the moment, 3 degrees in Chugiak, AK.  WeatherBug seems to think Chugiak is the better match for our weather, and I think it’s right.  I know we’re always a few degrees colder here than it is in Wasilla.

I just know it is cold in here and feels like it is getting colder rather than warmer as I add more wood to the fireplace.  I hate to run the electric heater though, because that causes the electric bill to skyrocket.  At the moment the electric bill is breaking the budget as it is, so I definitely do not want to have that go up any more than it has already.

I have finally got things sorted out here for a nice holiday theme. Much thanks to the theme designer Amazing-Christmas-Ideas.com for such a nice looking WordPress Christmas theme to use here for free.

I hope that others enjoy this theme as much as I enjoy it.