As stated in the Iowa Tax Code: Local hotel/motel tax is impose on the gross receipts from the renting of sleeping rooms for 31 consecutive days or less. Contracts for periods of more than 31 consecutive days are exempt. To qualify, the renter must contract to rent for a single period of more than 31 days and cannot accumulate these days.
Because of the ambiguity of the words "contracted" and "accumulate" I guests in five rooms waiting on my interpretation that will decide the fate of HUNDREDS of dollars in past-paid taxes that they may be eligible to receive in the form of room credits.
I REALLY wish there was an entire class devoted to hotel taxes, I would pay money just to know this stuff better.
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There is a guy who stays here frequently and regularly on a company expense contract who just happens to be a close neighbor to my parents. I made a comment about his address once and it sparked a conversation that led to the discovery that his nephew was a classmate of mine in high school. I don't know this guy well, but it's nice to know that I'll have a little touch of home to look forward to every Wednesday. As usual, he stopped in tonight to ask for his morning wake-up call, then he ask how school was going and how my boyfriend is. I don't recall every sharing the fact that I have a boyfriend with him.
I'm sure it was innocent on his part; he knows exactly which house I grew up in and who my parents are so it's not as if I really have much to hide from him, but it got me thinking about the line between sharing friendly information and crossing the comfortable boundaries.
I try to stay pretty mum about my personal life, I don't even like sharing with my guests which classes I'm taking. I realize that there are things they can glean without me even having to say a word (for example, I have a calculus textbook sitting out on the desk which is a pretty good indication that I'm a student), but it bothers me when people notice things like
- How I wear my hair, makeup, or clothes
- Jewelry ("Are those real diamonds?" or "Did your boyfriend give that to you?" or "I don't see a ring, can I get your number?")
- Changes in my work schedule (seriously, it doesn't matter why I wasn't here on Monday, you fucking creeper).
I know I'm prone to bouts or paranoia, but it worries me when people care about certain things, but I'm conflicted knowing that most of my job centers around building personal relationships with guests. I've built my entire business reputation at this place on being the nice, accommodating person, giving the personal touch that sways guests from staying with our cheaper-priced competitors. But I worry that this strategy has made me too much of a public figure about which people feel they are entitled to know everything.
Quelle dilemma.
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When I first got this job, I worked any and every day they asked of me. I was in it for the hours, anything to beef up my paycheck. After a while I settled into a regular schedule of strictly nights during the semester and I spent the summers filling in whenever needed, and this is how it stayed until recently. This semester I was in a pickle trying to schedule classes around work so I switched to mornings with one night a week - Wednesday.
So here I am on a Wednesday night, thinking how fking inconvenient it is that I can't just be at home. I've been spoiled by the mornings, getting to spend my day as I please, having dinner at home and being able to enjoy the sunlight instead of wasting it behind a desk.
BUT - I realized these thoughts are not helpful to my situation, and I should just be grateful that I have a job at all. So here I offer a cheers to Wednesdays and the sunnier side of having to be at work tonight.
Working Wednesday nights means:
1. I never have to worry about doing Accounting homework at home, because I always have a few quiet hours and free WiFi to get it done at work.
2. I never have to worry about missing a new episode of SVU, which is conveniently scheduled on Wednesday nights at 9pm and I have a TV at my disposal.
3. Free laundry. It's the only day of the week that I work that it's practical to bring my laundry, so it keeps me on a schedule and helps me maintain my apartment better.
4. I have a better relationship with my boyfriend, because we get to spend the night apart to tend to non-relationship things (I'm currently studying, and I would bet money he's playing Madden right at this moment).
5. My work week is over. Today is my practical Friday, meaning after today I have two days to spend as a please before my work week resets itself (yes, I realize that a REAL Friday is better than a PRACTICAL Friday, but beggars can't be choosers, okay?).
So there, happy Fridnesday.
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