Getting older by the minute... Part 2

     I almost forgot to tell you the reason for the title of this segment...(which is another factor of getting older, CRS--which stands for Can't Remember Sh$%!).  We woke up on Tuesday morning...(me, out of a coma because my last day was a 15.5 hour marathon) and went to airport and took the two planes (layover in Minnesota) and endless hours and finally arrived in Phoenix in the afternoon.  And guess what?  It was raining... but it was a welcome sight because I was home.  I got back to the apartment and found my truck survived...(although the "haboob" that hit had turned my white truck into a beige one).  So I jumped into the Jeep and drove around in the rain and met my friend Jenny for dinner and got back to the apartment and crashed hard.  Luckily, my boss had given me the rest of the week off because I didn't start feeling better until Saturday morning when I came into the office... Not sick, but sore and fatigued and basically in a funk.  I felt every year of my age (and then some) for those three days and let me tell you, it isn't going to happen again.

     I know I have told you countless times that I am returning to the gym and changing my eating habits and losing weight, but after this endurance test in New York, I know I can't put it off anymore.  The refrigerator is empty, the junk food is in the trash and the "healing" has begun.  The last couple of nights, I went for a walk after dinner with Jody, who lives in my apartment complex.  I have revisited healthy eating and have acquired more healthy snacks to bring to work and the golf course.  I have reinstated my gym membership and will be in there first thing Monday morning.  I will continue this regimen while in Virginia and will take a walk with my girls every night... (if it's OK with Mom and Dad).  I can't understand why I can't seem to change this crappy lifestyle.  It's not like I haven't done it before...(see drug and alcohol recovery and new life in Arizona).  I can't wait until a health problem develops to begin.  The time is now and here we go again.  Hopefully, the next time you see me, I'll be a "lean, mean, fighting machine".  (thanks to Bill Murray and the movie "Stripes").

     Just in case, I am keeping a log of activities and things I eat during the day to ward off the effects of CRS...and I want y'all (getting my Virginia on for the trip) to remind me if I get to see you.  It's all good.  Once i get into working out again, the "addict" gene I possess (and it's there) will kick in and I'll stick with it.  Wish me luck! Feel the burn! Here me now, listen to me later! no more Girly-man!

Getting older by the minute...

     Hello, it's me again... a heck of a lot has gone on since I last "spoke" to you and I ask your forgiveness once again for not staying in touch.  As you know, I went to New York to work the US Open Tennis tournament.  As you also know, an earthquake and a hurricane visited the area along with me.  Due to circumstances beyond my control...(thanks, Mother Nature), I did not receive the one day off as promised as the tournament was extended until Monday the 12th and I flew back on Tuesday the 13th. So I did not get any time to visit and for that I apologize.  It was, however, a working trip, and believe me I worked this trip.  I was in charge of security for the hospitality pavilion and the indoor tennis courts and there was much activity during those days.  My day began at 5am when I woke up, showered, dressed, and went to the deli on the corner for my daily bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a toasted everything bagel... (God, how I missed those bagels).  It was available every morning except Sunday (damn them!) and with breakfast in hand we took the hotel shuttle to the tennis facility.  I then began the day at the ITC (Indoor Tennis Center) and posted guards and checked credentials and met quite a few celebrities (I will drop some names in the next paragraph).  This went until 3pm when I restocked the deployment with fresh guards for the evening shift and turned the ITC over to the evening supervisor.   When guards were plentiful (a rare event), the day flowed smoothly, but there were a few days when I had to supervise my ass off because of lack of staff... But all in all, the USTA folks running the ITC were pleased with my group's performance and the head of security was happy also. 

     Some of the people who came to the facility... Michelle Obama and her daughters (and a bucketload of Secret Service agents), Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, John Isner, Patrick and John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, Tracy Austin, Mary Carillo, Billie Jean King, Serena Williams, Mr. Williams (Serena's Dad) and a host of Foreign tennis players I didn't recognize.  I got a chance to talk to John McEnroe for a few minutes and it was very cool.  I was a big fan of his back in the day and I admit it was a thrill to meet him.  I escorted Alec Baldwin to an art exhibit in the book store one night and kept the public at bay while he perused the collection.  But mostly my job was to make sure that only those with the proper credentials made it into the parties at the hospitality spaces.  I have to admit that my staff of guards did a great job and I want to share the credit for a job well done.  And now we come to the frustrating and not so good part of the trip...the hotel we stayed at.

     Don't get me wrong, a free room is a great room, but after hearing the shuttle driver talking about how other hotels don't measure up in customer service and quality to them, I'm glad I didn't stay somewhere else because they must be beyond nightmare accommodations.  The first night one of the guys we were with had his a/c break and the room was about 97 degrees.  Then they put him in a single room with a cot until they fixed it.  They shuffled around other people in our party because of various other problems.  Twice, the cleaning staff took the used towels and didn't leave fresh ones.  The elevator broke down numerous occasions and we had to hoof it up to the 7th floor after a 12 hour day.  I gave up on the return shuttle after the 3rd day and walked over to the subway and took it back.  I made it back before the guys who waited for the shuttle, and my commute included a seven block walk from the station and a stop at Dunkin' Donuts!  But all that aside, it remained standing during the hurricane and the bed was comfortable.  After 12 hours walking around the tennis center, I usually went up to the room and had dinner in the bar downstairs and then went to sleep.  Exciting times, eh?