Arnold is a Cheap Host

I hadn't planned on posting a blog tonight, but something about sitting in a hotel bar, alone, out of town, a martini in hand, and, well...

Back in September I visited our state's capitol - Sacramento - to lobby ("advocate", we say - it sounds better) for a $400 million state budget provision. I traveled on my company's budget - a nice hotel, a generous per diem, fine dining, etc. I posted a blog then from a grand but pretentious lounge, served drinks by elegantly dressed and sexy waitresses, and partook (is that a word?) in fine dining.

And our lobbying - er, advocating - was mostly successful... $240 million was budgeted for our cause. Great. Now the governor has asked me to return to help decide how to spend the money. OK, he didn't ask for me personally, but I was named to his team of 10 people to formulate the plan. It's quite an honor, or so I've been told. This time, however, the Great State of California is paying my tab. All the better. Let's get to work...

So last week the State's travel office sends me their guidelines for travelling on their dime (and I mean "dime" literally). As I read the allowances and instructions, I realize this won't be the pseudo-extravagance of my last visit. For instance, I am allowed up to, but not exceeding, $6 for breakfast, $10 for lunch, and a whopping $16 for dinner. And I will be reimbursed up to $84/night for lodging. Isn't this the Gold Rush state? Shit, the martinis on my last visit cost more than my dinner allowance.

So here I am again, not at the Hyatt Regency lounge, listening to live piano music and drooling over the cocktail waitresses, but sitting in a bland and suffocating lounge at the "Marriot on Y Street", listening to a pair of drunk farmers complaining about the declining quality of manure. My martini tastes like vermouth with a splash of vodka, and my waitress probably cleans rooms on the day shift - in fact, she's still wearing the uniform.

And I have two thoughts battling in my head... Is the state just cheap, or have I become the epitome of pretention that was so at home in that elegant lounge back in September? I dunno, but I'm thinking of hailing a cab and going back to the Hyatt.