¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Chartering an aircraft.. question for my 3 readers ;)

Here's my scenario. I like Virgin Gorda, BVI quite a bit. I like it there, and if visa requirements weren't an issue, I'd likely live there (or perhaps in Tortola and just ferry across when I desire). My immediate family (as in myself, my folks, and my siblings) also like Virgin Gorda, as they're the ones who introduced me to it.

Anyway, my predicament. My extended family has come to learn of my family's (and my) love, they've seen my photos and now they're smitten, so this summer we're spending a week there. 42 of my "closest" relatives and I from across Central and South America and the US stuffed into 4 rental homes, 2 hotel rooms, and a smattering of rental SUV's and Vans.

When I go to Virgin Gorda, I either take a little 26 footer from Fajardo and head out before dawn or I fly to EIS and take the ferry over.

With 42 people, including small children, that's not a viable, convenient, sane, or (in the case of my 26 footer) even a safe option, so I have to fly into VIJ.

Second clincher, we're planning on leaving just after the 4th of July, so SJU isn't an option for 42 of us. I don't like going through TSA checkpoints by myself (so I cringe at the thought of going through as a large group, many of whom don't have US issued ID's, others who don't travel often, and some who might do or say something too smartassed) as it is, nor do I care for SJU as an airport in general. Furthermore, due to the lack of parking facilities for a group as sizable as ours, FDO is also not an option.

So it appears that SIG is my saving grace. We are going SIG-VIJ/VIJ-SIG.

I have found one charter company (and only one in this region) willing to take a group this size. Air Flamenco will provide us with 6 Britten-Norman Islanders (or 3 running 2 shifts back and forth) at a rate of $1800 RT AI per plane (8 seaters, so that's $225/seat). I'll assume that's a decent rate, since I can't get anyone else to quote me for my size (Seaborne Air quoted me $250/seat, but they have a mandatory stop in St. Thomas and can't accomodate our group, Fly BVI doesn't have the available planes in their fleet, MN Aviation can't land in VIJ, and I can't find enough individual aircraft owners available to coordinate this cluster). Going through another company that needs to bring planes in will cost exponentially more, so I have not given that any more thought. However, I have not yet checked with carriers from the French/Dutch islands, as I am not certain about laws/landing rights for us, departing from US soil to UK soil with our varied passports (anyone with knowledge care to fill me in on this?)

I am attempting to haggle a little more on the price with Air Flamenco, seeing if I can get the planes for $1600, or if they would include an extra plane for extra cargo (we plan on bringing our own food, since Virgin Gorda is expensive and the selection is lacking in everything except Beer and Rum), but as it stands, I'm willing to settle for $1800 per plane out of desperation.

So I guess what I want to know... to those that have done this, am I doing this right?

Shannan's Irish Pub is awful

They're quite awful, if they dare call themselves an Irish pub. Not a little awful, a lot awful.

Remove the 'Irish' from your name and you'd be much better. With the large Irish ethnic minority here in PR and the Bostonian ownership of the pub, I'm surprised that it's such a bad place. Not a single ale, the only dark beer is Heineken Dark (granted, it's a wicked good beer), bad crowds... the list could go on. Seriously, it's like a shitty nightclub with an Irish pub theme.

Seriously, I loathe the place.

And I love Irish pubs.

Grafica del Caribe 2008

I went there yesterday... usually, for things like this I take tons of pictures and post them and link to them.

However, I didn't. Why? Because Grafica del Caribe is the worst graphic design conference I have ever been to.

Ever.

EVER.

Seriously, they had a few talks with illustrators, a Photoshop CS3 workshop, and a Maya workshop for $10/day ($30+$20 coupon = $10)... so that wasn't bad.

However, the exhibitors were awful. Atlantic College and a local artist were the only decent exhibitors there... everything else was printers (retail), printers (imprentas), and printers (people who print for a living).

If it were more than $10, I wouldn't have gone.

Thanks to my former employers :)

Part of my catharsis (and recommended by a therapist friend of mine) is gonna be thanking my former employers for the skills I learned through them.... this is gonna be a long one, since I've worked tons 'o jobs since I was 15.

In chronological order:

Publix (Bagboy) - Thanks for teaching me what I'm worth. Even though I barely lasted three months, I won't ever (nor have I ever since) earn minimum wage, nor will I ever work a 3 hour shift.

Family Business - Thanks for teaching me that as much as I love my family, I can't live with them as bosses.

Disney - Thanks for teaching me to be flexible (seriously) and for teaching me the how to give good service to my clients (or guests in Disney terminology). Also, thanks for teaching me what it's like to be poor, how to sell on eBay, how to say both a lie and the truth in the same sentence, and to appreciate the value of a dollar

NBC/Universal - Thanks for teaching me to be quick on my feet when making decisions, and how to see through people to tell that they're full of shit. Also, thanks for teaching me to walk on stilts

IHG - Thanks for teaching me how to file an expense report, what behavior is considered appropriate during a business trip, how to defend myself when a false statement against me is written (TWICE), how to lie to a client in order to reassure them and then in turn bust my ass to follow through in the lie in order to make it true, how to take advantage of when the boss is picking up the bar tab, and how to write professional letters.

Publicis - Even though this was an internship, I learned something from you. How to use and capitalize on my (then) newfound Microsoft Excel skills, and how to walk away from a job when you know it's not right for you. Also, thanks for refining my skills on finding out when people are full of shit and when they're out to get you. I suppose the little bit of French I learned couldn't hurt either.

Viacom - Thanks for teaching me how to raise my alcohol tolerance after all the drinking I did after working there? Nah... that's bad. Thanks for nothing :)

and last,

Starwood - Thanks for making me the only native English speaker in the office. I can now say "Do your job" and "fuck you" in Russian, Ukrainian, and Estonian! Also, thanks for teaching me what a bad boss really is- that's right Phil, I'm talking about you, you worthless piece of shit.

Catharsis

I need it.

No matter how far you go, you can't hide from your past. I've done some bad things in the past, but no matter where it was or how long ago it was, it still manages to bite me in the ass.

Usually through ways you never thought possible.

Thankfully though, it was nothing illegal or financial... rather something personal... which is why I'm being purposely vague.

So this is directed at that person in a hope that they read this- I fucked up, no one was hurt other than me, no one lost anything, it was stupid and laughable, and it was nearly 10 years ago. Leave it be, leave me alone. Are you that spiteful that you're chastising me over something that happened almost a decade ago and you were never involved in or privy to (or even in my life during its occurrence).

If this is how you get off, then I'm glad you're not in my life anymore. I hope you can certainly be a better person than I was at that time and get over yourself.

Ouchies update

Update of this: http://mkt3kdotcom.blogspot.com/2008/01/ouchies.html

The Acura's at the body shop.

Total damage is about $5,000. 1 large body panel needs to be replaced, 7 need to be repainted, a new muffler is required, and two wheels need to either be replaced or repaired.

Ugh... thank god I found some Fosters Oil Cans today.