A hotel blog is a funny thing. A friend asked me, “What on earth are you going to write about?” Actually, there’s so much going on in the Sac my problem is trying to pick just one thing. With a hotel, two restaurants and two bars, not to mention the customers and town it all happens in, it’s a whirlwind of activity. Sure, there is the occasional downtime, but that’s just to catch your breath so you can tell your co-worker or one of the local customers the newest tidbit of the day.  Humor keeps you sane in the service industry, and you have to be willing to poke a little fun, even at yourself.  Trying to please everyone you come in contact with can be tough, and while you make the best effort there are simply times when you come up lacking. Back in the kitchen, they can go back in the walk-in cooler, shut the door and rant and rave to all the vegetables.  Up at the desk, your game face has to be on at all times.  You’re wishing for a cooler break because two people are on hold and the phones are still ringing; the beer guy’s waiting for you to unlock the downstairs door; the coffee has been depleted in five minutes flat from the Continental Breakfast, which, of course, is on the 2nd floor; a lovely couple wants to see the King Suite, which, of course, happens to be on the 3rd floor; and for no apparent reason, the fire alarm goes off.  Did I mention there is no elevator?  Handling it all with a smile makes it a little easier when you have good people right beside you in the trenches who are doing their best to smile too.  Tag-teaming the problems is the way to go.  The one who happens to remember how to turn off the fire alarm, which evidently was due to a burnt bagel, heads downstairs with the lovely couple in tow because surely they would like a tour of the bar, turns off the alarm, finds the bar keys and opens the door for the beer guy all while answering the cordless phone.  After appeasing the people on hold and fielding five more calls, the other heads back to the kitchen to get the back-up coffee, which also has been depleted in five minutes flat from employees who are nowhere to be seen in this time of trouble.  They quickly start another pot, check off some goods from yet another delivery man, and while lugging the heavy coffee canister upstairs they try to remember what they’ve been told about the fire alarm.  Passing each other on the stairs, they both find themselves humming the theme song from “Mission Impossible.”  The lovely couple, panting by now, stop to enjoy a cup of coffee before going up to the 3rd floor.  After a quick check of the Lobby, you both enjoy a quick cup with them and swap life stories.  Then the phone starts ringing, a group of people have entered the Lobby and it’s back to work.  One of you starts going down, the other goes up with the lovely couple in tow, who are now also humming the theme song from, “Mission Impossible.”  Smiles come easy after that.