Wow! a whole day off...

Here it is Monday and I am completely free of work and social commitments... (which is good because I can catch up on laundry and actually pack for my trip to Virginia). The past two weeks have been a great mix of events and tests of endurance... especially the last weekend in September.

I was personally requested to work Howie Mandel's show in Chandler on Friday night... I was in the green room with him before the show, next to the stage during and escorted him to his vehicle afterward... (he introduced himself to me but did not shake hands--germaphobe, but he was funny and cool and very down-to-earth). John Mendoza (comedian) and his tour manager were with him and that was the extent of the "entourage". Sample joke... (It's so hot in Arizona that I saw two trees fighting over a dog). The show was hilarious and it was free (always a bonus) and I got home around 11pm... The next day was football and I got there at 2:30pm for a 7:30 game... (the time is spent collecting your crew and posting guards and preparing for the gate openings). I must remain in the tunnel until the team leaves after the game and with the final score 42-31 the game didn't get over until late and I didn't leave the stadium until after midnight... I fell asleep around 1am and the alarm went off at 4:45am because I was playing in a charity golf tournament in Goodyear, Az. Got finished with golf around 1pm, hightailed it home and caught a nap (about an hour) and then suited up for a concert at the Orpheum theater downtown... (Sharon Jones and the DAP Kings rocked the house!) I was at the stage but the show ran overtime... (we were scheduled til 10:30 but didn't get out until 11:45pm, just in time to start my midnight to 6am shift in the Convention Center). I got back to the office, grabbed my lunch and drinks and then saw that I wasn't scheduled til 6am... (it was actually til 8am). So between Friday night (6 hrs sleep) and Saturday night (3-4 hrs) and Sunday afternoon (1 hr), I was a hurting pup... (5 hr. energy--tastes like crap but worked like a charm). I crawled home after that and hit the sack like a dead man... (woke up around 5:30 that night--Monday I think it was--not knowing where I was or if I was late for work and which company I was late for).

I wasn't late, but I started work at 9:30pm and went til 7am guarding very expensive equipment for Best Buys EHK4convention (EHK4--Early Holiday Kickoff). They were showcasing new games and electronic equipment for this holiday season and the technology was overwhelming and the amount of equipment was huge. Of course I didn't get to see any of it because that went on during the day. That night (Tuesday is a good guess) I was back at the Orpheum for Bryan Adams and his concert... (stage right and the show was great). Finished at around 11pm and went home with no work scheduled with company #2 until I returned from vacation. Then Wednesday morning company #1 called...and called again...and called a third time. I was given a gig on Thursday to patrol number pickup for the Tour de Scottsdale bicycle race... (can't figure how they can ride bicycles with their noses in the air---just kidding). They had local restaurants feature some delicacies and wine and a band... and the gig lasted four hours. Friday I was back at Inspirador in Chandler working a wedding... Paramedics were called when an elderly (older than I) gentleman had some physical issues, but he was fine and the party raged on... Then on Sunday I was back in Scottsdale at the Center for Performing Arts for "Dine Out with the Chefs". 20 local restaurants had their chefs at booths offering tasting menus and cooking demonstrations and wine tasting... (the iced coffee was delicious). So that's it in a nutshell... the busiest man in security is now ready for some r&r in Virginia with sister and her family... not to worry, though. I will be bringing my laptop and will try to keep up with the newsreels...