No, not the USS Missouri, not the iconic Hot Shoppes patty, not the boxer, no--a chance to actually reward us old-timers for being loyal over decades!
jerrycoin has perhaps one of the longest streaks going, he's the 'Cal Ripken' and 'George Blanda' of Marriott Rewards in my book, with an enviable 30 year time with the Marquis, Honored Guest and Marriott Rewards program. I am almost at thirty years myself.
But here's the rub (wonder where that saying came from?**): Someone like Mr JerryCoin (or me) is treated the same as every other person with our elite status. All Platinum Elites are treated the same in Marriott Rewards, as are all of differing levels, regardless of loyalty time with Marriott--one year elites are the same as thirty year elites.
Oh the humanity (I know where that came from)! Why can't Marriott do something to recognize both the status and the time that we've spent getting there? I have a slew of ribbons from Sunday School that look like the decorations on a North Korean generals uniform, attesting to my personal loyalty in attending the classes. I have bumper stickers (never put on the Benz) telling the world that I have been a member of USAA Insurance
Marriott could do the following:
- Put the number of years in the program on the plastic membership card
- List the year of joining on the statements and on Marriott.com
- Give the old timers an unexpected gift from time to time (Maybe not a Maserati, but something useful--wait they are useful too)
Ideas, comments, critiques?
---------------------------------
**To die — to sleep.
To sleep — perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub!
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.
Hamlet.
Apparently In a game called 'Bowl,' a rub is some fault in the surface of the green that stops a bowl or diverts it from its intended direction.