For the First Time in Decades....

Having dinner at a Ground Round somewhere in middle America.  These spots used to be all over Long Island when I was a kid, and we went there all the time as a family.  They still have the popcorn, although peanuts (and the shell-covered floors) are now just a memory...

Airport Bound...

6:30 am and in an uber on the way to the aiport for a trip to somewhere in the middle of the country.  Matt believes playing up the "pro gambler" angle would be an interesting story for purposes of ptomoting the album, but I believe it's in my best interest to keep that aspect of things quiet, at least for now.  There's already plenty of heat coming from casinos; I'm not sure I need any additional attention resulting from a marketing firm pressing that angle on my behalf...

Am at the point where I need to start putting that dedicated marketing plan into place... photo shoots, videos, single release schedules, artwork and label copy, etc.  Lots to be properly coordinated...

The Folly of Delta Airlines...

I called Delta airlines four hours ago with a question regarding the timing of upgrades as a Gold Medallion member.  An automated message confirmed that - due to long wait times - a Delta representative would call back when available.

How convenient!  A more than courteous and reasonable approach that conveys a high regard for my valuable time - and I can confirm that as promised, I received that callback about seventy minutes ago.

That might seem like a surprising statement - that I received the callback seventy minutes ago.  Why so specific?  Well... that's because - *ahem* -  Delta has kept me on hold for seventy minutes since initiating the callback.  That's not a typo.  I didn't mean to state 7 minutes, or seventy seconds, or anything along those lines.  I'm watching that call time continue to increase on my phone as I continue to wait on hold.  Within the last thirty minutes, I've actually had two computerized recordings (wait, make that three) confirm to me that I "am next in line to be answered".

Yet, here I am, continuing to be kept on hold.

To summarize... Delta offered to call me back so that I wouldn't have to wait on hold for a representative - and has now kept me on hold for more than 70 minutes since calling me back.

This is indicative of one thing - just like the governments of the United States and California: 

Delta is hopelessly broken.   Let's please put some smart people in charge (and while we're at it, let's do that for the U.S. and California as well).