Catching up on catching up...

The schedule for the busiest man in security continues to be packed with jobs... after the football game on 9/11 (they had some special remembrances at all the football games; brought back some powerful and very sad memories of nine years ago) with company #1, I was back on the job with company#2 on Sunday night and Monday morning, handling the move-out of the Arizona Home and Building Expo. It was like watching a movie where the enemy is coming and everyone is fleeing the other way... two days to set up the event and the exit was almost completed is 4 hours. The following morning was just for the large pieces and pallets of bricks (landscaping companies built patios and other brick work for the show). The hot tubs came out on Monday as well as the 30 foot tall tees and shrubberies from the nursery companies... (and even the trees were loaded in record time!). By the time my shift was over the hall looked barren... I got home from downtown around 11:30am and slept quickly before going back downtown to start an overnight gig at the Hyatt... (I know I'm repeating myself here but bear with me).

I got to the Hyatt around 5:45 and was escorted by security to my post at the main ballroom on the first floor... (I was there to guard the AV equipment being used by the event). I introduced myself to the event managers and Debbie says "I know you". I told her that I get that all the time, I must have a familiar looking face but she insisted and while the clients were still in their meeting we talked. We were both from New Jersey and I went to high school with her cousin Tracy. So she really did "know" me... (can't get away from Jersey no matter how hard I try). The client finally abandoned the room and I had the entire ballroom to myself for 12 hours... Started my new book (John Grisham's An Innocent Man--first non-fiction work by the author--about a murder investigation in Oklahoma. Scary stuff about manipulation and injustice in the investigation). The night was uneventful and quieter than a library and I survived. Home again and back in the sack for a return engagement on Tuesday (yes, it's Tuesday already but I'm working later that night---isn't overnight work great?). Just what I need... something more to confuse my already addled brain. Tuesday night was even quieter and I needed to walk around more to keep awake... (luckily the a/c was set on "stun" and I was shivering at times). Then an angel walked in and asked if I wanted some free coffee...(actually she was Hyatt security--no, I wasn't hallucinating). She watched the room while I made my way down into the employees cafeteria and poured myself a cup of liquid gold (yes, I love my joe). It was mega strong and got me through the rest of the night and several chapters.

A welcome respite on Wednesday and Thursday (although I technically worked 6 hours on Wed.). I did play volleyball with the gang on Wednesday night. Golf on Thursday was a wonderful round and then back at it Friday (6am-5:30pm) on the upper north docks at the Convention Center. On the third floor on the Center, my job was to coordinate traffic flow of 18 wheelers and box trucks going up and down the ramp to the docks... (I nicknamed it the "sun porch" because from sunrise to around 4 pm there is nowhere to hide from the sun except in the building). But I adhered to the rules of security and had plenty of sunblock and a hat. This was the first time I would be able to watch an event unfold from beginning to end because I was working from set-up to move out... (Friday thru Tuesday---all shifts 10 hours or more). The ballroom was empty on Friday and by the time 5:30 came the decorators had the skeletons of the booths and displays up as the forklifts unloaded the tractor trailers from the docks. Pretty amazing to see the entire process unfold while I was escaping the sun and 100+ temps. The view from the sun porch was great... (downtown Phoenix, Chase Field and Camelback Mountain). On Saturday (8am-6pm) and Sunday (7am-6:30pm) I was a roamer/supervisor (checking exhibitor badges and giving breaks to the other guards). Set-up was in full swing and the room was really coming together with carpeting and event booths. In the hallway outside they set up the business center and registration center for the event. It was a flurry of activity and I walked some serious mileage between posts and all around the building.

I was given a special assignment on Saturday... around 11am I received a call from the boss telling me she needed me in the South building for about an hour or so... (The Ultimate Woman's Expo was there and she needed me to escort the keynote speaker to her limo after the speech). The speaker was actress Helen Hunt. I stood stage left during her speech and then escorted her from the hall to her waiting car outside. Then on Sunday, I got another call that the client requested me personally and I would be on Kirstie Alley's protection crew for her talk and photo session with the fans... (that lasted 3 hours and I kept the crowd at bay while people had their photo op with the star). Another escort to the car and I was back to the North building to protect the booths and equipment. Pretty sweet gig if I say so myself... (the client asked if my partner and I would come to San Francisco to do the same detail for the Expo--don't think it will happen but it was nice of them to ask---I would go in a heartbeat).

Wow, I'm into the same week now. Just got bombed with some more gigs for this week and next, including an ASU football game on the 25th... I never thought I would entertain a second "career" but I am having a blast... (beats being the "human cheeto" in a parking lot far away from the action). Oh yeah... the Chandler Center for the Arts called and requested me personally for security at Howie Mandel's show on Friday the 24th... BONUS!