Going to Aruba!

     Going to Aruba! Going to Aruba! cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha!  Sorry about rubbing it in, but this week at work has made me appreciate this trip more and more... 70 hours of fun (and that was with 2 days off). Again, there is no complaining, just tired, is all.  This job (event manger) never ceases to challenge and teach me new things.  Like being told we did a good job at the concert and then my boss getting her butt handed to her 10 minutes later by the same guy, calling our crew the worst he's ever seen!  We figured the "talent" didn't like the way we handled his beloved fans (by the way, we handled them professionally. They are not allowed on stage and we didn't let them).  An investigation followed, reports were written, witnesses were interviewed and we had a meeting with the head of security for the Convention Center.  I spoke with him today and he believes that the client didn't have grounds to complain and he was satisfied that we performed our jobs as we were trained.  If the client wanted to allow a certain amount of patrons on stage, he should have communicated that to our staff.


     That was a 17.5 hour day (Sunday) which followed a 17 hour day (Saturday) which followed a 12.5 hour day (Friday...which doesn't figure in this week's total hours).  The Auto Show rounded off this week and it started on Thanksgiving Day and will run through the weekend.  Lots of cars and lots of people looking at those cars... and lots of employees watching those people looking at lots of cars and little old me watching the lots of employees watching the lots of people looking at lots of cars... (you following this?, because I think I'm lost).  I work Thanksgiving Day so that my bosses (who have families) can enjoy the holiday and the day after...(the time and a half pay also fuels my generosity) and its because I usually go to Aruba right after Thanksgiving...(my flight leaves 4.5 hours from now, in fact).  I am red-eyeing (that can't be a word, can it?) to Atlanta, then a hop to Orlando and then on to "my " island (Aruba). There are easier ways to go, but I paid for my trip in American Express points and that the way it has to be. I will be there until next Saturday with my lovely and good friend Jenny, who has never been there...(get to see the island through a newbies eyes).  We fly back to Orlando Saturday night, stay at a hotel...(free night with Holiday Inn points).  Then Sunday, it's off to Atlanta and home to Phoenix by 2pm (Arizona time-which is now MST-remember, we just change time zones, not clocks. Love flying west!).  So I will be off the air (blog) for a week or so...(not that I'm on the air (blog) that often that you would notice), but being the man who I am, I wanted to let you know.  December is a slow time for security (I hope) so there will be new and different adventures that I will attempt and hopefully they will serve to entertain you.

     So I am off to Aruba and sandy beaches and gentle waves and my friends from New York. Living the dream, baby!  Adios!

Happy Thanksgiving (and all that crap)...

     I know the title is a bit cynical, but I trust you will understand my rantings and accept my true feelings by the time this blog is over...(either way I need to express this).  The "holidays".  Remember how this time of year used to be magical when we were kids... Aside from returning to school and the return of colder, nastier weather in the East... (which meant football in the mud and snow, a nice trade-off), we looked forward to traveling to family's houses to gather together and have a great meal and visit with friends and relatives we didn't get to see very often.  And Christmas was a very special holiday, with Christmas concerts and lights ad trees and caroling and annual visits to the relatives.  I am sure that there are similar traditions continuing to this day but I feel the message and the "holiday spirit" that permeated this time of year has been trampled on by political correctness and the abolition of anything spiritual.  The expression "put Christ back in Christmas" should not have to be used.  The joy of giving gifts and the friendliness of the season is being trampled by commercials hawking the latest and greatest, promoting greed and establishing "Black Friday" as the true holiday and Thanksgiving as a day to rest up and fuel up for the carnage at the stores the next day.  Is it truly an economic indicator that we are tracking or the further degradation of our society to purchase the latest and greatest so that our kids (most of whom these days have a false sense of entitlement and few social skills) can keep up with their friends and the Joneses?

     Again, the opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the opinions of this blog-site or its readers (although I feel there are some out there that share these views).  I am thankful for a slew of reasons and wish to list many of them here... (because its my blog and I can--:)).  I am thankful for where my life has led me.  I do not regret my past, because regrets belong in the past and there is nothing I can do about them except make sure that I don't fall back into bad habits.  I am thankful for my health...the fact that I am still alive after what I put myself through is truly a blessing.  I am thankful for my relatives...those that are still here (especially those that I have reconnected with) and especially those that have passed on.  It is those members of my family (who I will never forget) that gave me the strength and resolve and character (and there were quite a few characters) to be the man that I have become...(wait a minute, should I thank them or blame them?).  I am thankful to be able to live where I am truly happy... I am thankful that I have a job that I truly enjoy...(despite the crippling hours at times) and the freedom it provides me to live comfortably here in the desert.  I am thankful for my friends, who put up with me in bad times and revel with me in good times...(speaking of good times--4 days to Aruba!!).  I am thankful to be living in the greatest country in the world, even though there are those who are trying to tear down the spirit that made this country what it is... (GOD! bless America, In GOD! we trust, I pledge allegiance to the flag, one nation under GOD!).  I am thankful for the freedom to be able to write my opinions and express them openly without fear of oppression. 

   There are so many other little things that I am thankful for...the sunrises and sunsets,  hiking in the mountains, the golf courses, the beautiful abundance of nature that is here where I live...(to deny the existence of a higher power when viewing the Grand Canyon or an Arizona sunrise truly boggles my mind!). And my mind is truly boggled...(just ask my nieces!).  I am not saying we should go back in time and recapture the spirit I remember, I am saying that allowing that spirit to die is one more knife in the back of family and society.  My sincerest wishes to all my family and friends for a very Happy Thanksgiving and my wish for all to remember the spirit of the day that the Pilgrims and Indians shared on that very first Thanksgiving.... (GOD bless all of you).

Who turned off the heat??? and various other ramblings...

     It's Saturday afternoon and I am blowing on my hands to warm them!  This is not what I signed up for.  I wasn't planning on digging out the cool weather gear until after my return from Aruba, but Mother Nature has decided to send me a cold snap...(Arizona cold snap= 60 degrees, no humidity).  I know you die hard winter people are chuckling at my plight, but after 3 summers of having my blood boiled, it's freaking cold out here.  But up north and west of the Valley they got snow so I will stop bellyaching... It's a crisp fall day here with sun and passing clouds and it will warm up later in the week.  Looking forward to watching LSU-Alabama tonight on TV.  Have to be back at the office at 6am tomorrow, but I can cut out after the Muslim prayer meeting (Eid Ul-Adha) in the South building.  That ends around 1 pm and I can catch the afternoon football games. 

     Which reminds me...don't forget to "fall back" tonight (daylight savings time).  While you guys run around the house resetting clocks on the night stands, microwaves, and other appliances, all of us here in Arizona go from Pacific to Mountain Standard Time...(no clock change--2 hours behind now).  It's just another bonus in living here.  Not having to change my wrist watch is one of the little annoying things that I don't have to worry about.  It frees me up to contemplate more important things...(I'm laughing too).  As we speak, "Occupy Phoenix" is marching to all the downtown banks to protest...(they are all closed...nice work).  They say they represent the 99%...(I'm not rich but I don't want to be included in their ranks).  Get a job, wash, and buy something to stimulate the economy, you morons...(my opinions are my own, they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this blog site. Aren't disclaimers bad-ass?). 

     OK, enough political commentary...I'll save more for the elections coming up.  Countdown is 22 days and counting until I'm on the beach... I hope Vee finds her "bag that fits everything"...(I hope her CRS is not permanent like her Uncle's).  It's not as bad as it may seem.  My attention span is so short that every day (or even hour) is fresh and exciting.  That's why I love blogging.  Years (or days) from now I can read and recall (or not) the things I did.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  I know I will...

Chilling (literally) in the Valley of the Sun...

     Woke up this morning after working a party at the Convention Center until midnight and found that it is quite chilly...(Phoenix chilly not temperature chilly).  Low 60's and cloudy with significant rain in the forecast for tonight and high in the low 60's and 70's for the next week or so.  Still better than cold and snowy but a little fast considering that we were still in the 100's just last month.  Sweatshirt weather is the best.  As the prices go up on the golf courses to accommodate the arrival of the "snowbirds", the emphasis will be to fine tune the game through practice and to explore new courses that I haven't played yet in the valley...(and there are a multitude of those).  And despite the dip in temperature, it is still most beautiful here and the countdown is 23 days until Aruba...
 
     Before I forget, I wanted to send many Happy Birthday wishes to Victor in Brick.  Today is his birthday and I hope he celebrates accordingly (a Giant victory Sunday over the hated Patriots would be a gift for both of us, pal!).  Couple that with a J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets! victory over the upstart Bills and we would be right back in the AFC East race after a very lackluster and disappointing start.  I would hate for the Jets to tumble further because my other team, the Cardinals, couldn't win if they were the only team on the field...(so hard to watch!).  The ballyhooed arrival of Kevin Kolb is turning into a bust and now he's hurt and John Skelton (grandson of Red?) the ex-Fordham product (not exactly a football dynasty) is slated to start against the Rams and AJ Feeley.  It a battle for the basement in Arizona...(both teams are 1-6) and good tickets are still available...(good tickets--awful game).  Makes me sort of glad that I'm working this Sunday.

     Raise your hands if you miss the NBA...(I don't see any in the air).  Go play in Europe or wherever and shut-up!  The owners and the players are BOTH too greedy for words and I'm not wasting any more on them.  College hoops will more than suffice my basketball needs and they play until baseball comes around and spring training is in the Valley.  And I like hockey more than pro basketball any day.  So cancel the season, see if I care... Happy Birthday, Vic...

Countdown to Aruba...

     Happy first of November to you all...Today starts the official countdown to my trip to "my" island, the tropical paradise of Aruba.  Can't wait to hang with my New York friends on the beach...(and I'm sure they are looking forward to sun and sand after that freak snowstorm last Saturday).  The Daddys have confirmed and I will be bringing a plus 1(Jenny)...renovations are still going on at my resort and I'm interested to see how the place turns out.  Once again, I will explore and try to hunt down a new addition or two to our restaurant list (we have been fortunate to find some great out of the way places over the years).  Since this is Jenny's first trip, I will let her decide which kind of vacation this will be...(adventure packed vs. lie on the beach do-nothing).  I, of course, will be primed for either.  So, let the countdown begin... (t-minus 26 days and counting).

     Work has shifted back into the busy season, but there are still rounds of golf and days off to be had.  The theme for this winter (I know, there is no winter in Phoenix, so how about non-summer?) is more practice.  The new clubs are performing well but there are lapses in each round that keep me from consistently scoring lower and that can only be fixed by practice.  So, that is what I intend to do.  I have more time to practice than play and have found several driving ranges that are close.   But, don't feel bad.  I still have time to play and I can play all year round...