Childhood incident is framed as assault
Most people's entire perception of a hotel is the state and condition of their room -- and yet they give no thought whatsoever to the cleaners.
When I was 10 years old, I worked helping my mom clean hotel rooms. She was paid per room, and bringing me along helped her make more money.
We never could have afforded to stay in such a place, but we worked hard ensuring the place was as clean as possible.
Occasionally, we came across acts of thoughtfulness that made our whole afternoon brighter; it was seemingly little things, like towels gathered in one spot, the garbage bag tied and sitting outside, and on very rare occasions a couple dollars in an envelope labeled "Housekeeper."
We never knew who these angels were, but now that I am an adult and significantly better off than I was in childhood, I cannot vacation without remembering those days when my family worked on the other side of tourism and these memories cause me to fold my dirty linen, take out the trash and leave a tip.
-- Life Lesson Learned
Dear Lesson Learned: Thank you for these commonsense tips for ways hotel guests can be more considerate toward the unseen people who clean up after them.
Dear Amy: "Damned if I Do -- Or Don't" wrote to you about pursuing a Ph.D. after quitting a previous program. Your basic advice was good, but Damned should seek out a specific professor working in her field as a possible mentor before even applying to a program.
-- Academic
Dear Academic: Great advice. Thank you.
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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: ASKAMY@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)