AT 10 PM ON SUNDAY NIGHT

Just came back from dinner with Fearless T and soon-to-be Mr. Fearless T. Kosher restaurant. Ate a lot of pickles, got full, and couldn't finish my cage-free chicken kebab. Fearless T was incredibly thorough and patient about my new dietary restrictions, calling restaurants to see if they served a certain brand of chicken that is cage-free. Mr. Fearless T said, "Your food restrictions entertain us" -- the "us" being Orthodox Jews, who know from dietary restrictions.

Have done no work for classes.

Did, however, make it to the gym. Which cost $12.

Also checked out the luggage storage for tomorrow, which costs $3.50 per day.

I suppose in a hotel of this size it only makes sense to charge for things like luggage storage. But it offends me nevertheless.

It's really not the amount per room that matters to me, it's the quality of service and the type of amenities that come with it. The boutique hotel I stayed in three weekends ago? Free continental breakfast with complimentary copies of the New York Times you could read. (The continental breakfast at Behemoth Hotel costs $14.95.) If there was a line for the concierge at Boutique Hotel, it was usually only 1 person. (Here, there's always a line of several people to check in or check out.) When you got to the concierge at Boutique Hotel, he smiled and was pleasant without being overly obsequious. (Here, I didn't get a hint of a smile when I talked to one of the counter folks about settling my incidentals bill; in fact, she was just short of snappish.) At Boutique Hotel, I didn't have to pay online for wireless service; I just called once and received a password that was good for the duration of my stay. (Here, I've had to call every night since Tuesday to get my wireless connection -- and it's the same goddamn problem every time.)

I just want some service, people. And it's easier to get it at a smaller place (which can be more expensive, but not necessarily: I just checked prices for the weekend of Nov. 11-13, and the boutique hotel is actually $60 cheaper than Behemoth Hotel! Sheesh.).

Anyhoo. Complaints and whining over for now. Must to bed, as have two remaining NYC interviews tomorrow and then am immediately getting on a plane back to Crimson College. It's been a long, strange, psychologically corrosive week.