i___zombie

so ...

I've been busy lately.
I worked the Warped Tour ... again. It was fun as usual ... 14 hours in the sun, all paid and catered. I had the Nintendo/Tilly Stages. They are set up side by side. So as one band plays, we strike the other stage, and set up for the next band. In other words I had about 20 bands in 6 hours ...

The week prior and after that day .... I was working the largest convention that hits SLC twice a year ... Outdoor Retailer. It is not an "open to the public" show. It is huge! taking up every inch of the Convention Center, plus a Pavillion tent that is set up across the street in a parking lot. I started out working I&D, which is to "install and dismantle" the booths. I was offered to be a Lead of a crew for the Sperry Shoes Booth ... but that is a drama story that I wish never happened. I was promised O/T, and the Lead position ... wound up with 14 hours in two days ... I was not happy with the person they did make the Lead ( he pissed me off so much , I wanted to throw down with him about 4 times the first day ... :mad He did nothing all day, but single me out. I do not know why, and the others included, he chose me. I know my job, ... been doing this for 15+ years ... I brought my tools, and then some. He didn't have squat! Yet, he still had to treat me like shit ... and the Mgmt of the I&D Co wonders why I did not wish to return for the out ... even though after the first day, I had a sit down with the Regional Mgr,(Sal) and Phillip, who first contacted me about this gig. I told Sal straight up, about all the promises Phil gave me ... Phil called me a liar, and that I was "putting words in his mouth" ... it turns out ... I wasn't the only one ... I have never bailed on a call, in my 15 years ... this time I did ...
As I went to work that first morning, walking across the dock ... I was asked by several co-workers, why I wasn't driving a fork, or rigging in a High Lift ... needless to say ... after that first day, I jumped ship, and got myself on a "pony" (fork). If I had not taken the I&D call, ... I would have had about 4 extra days of the load in driving Fork. I even told this to Sal ... that I was in high demand, as the Fork Crew were short drivers on all 7 docks!

Kathy, my Dock Lead, and a friend/co-worker from the start ... was soooo gracious that I was put on her dock.
I don't like to brag ... I like driving a Fork, and feel very confident in my skills. In the years I have driven fork for these shows, I have only had two accidents ... never involving another person. When I drive a fork, ... it's like playing tetris, either packing a 53' trailer, or placing crates and freight in the 8' wide aisles, or the empty ones out in the dock and streets. Not all crates are shaped alike. The "Standard" is about 48"x52"x 98" ... trailers are 99" wide, and 110" tall ... so a trailer can hold 22 "standards" ...and an aisle can fit two aside, without crossing the tape line of "booth space". Thes aisles are packed to the guild!
My favorite ... taking the "Empties" out, when the Booth is built. Taking the crates which are big and long. Say for instance, one crate I had was back behind the booth. The booth was about a 60'x 200'. The crate was about 15'x6'x5' tall ... remember, the ailses are 8' wide. try taking a corner, when your Forklift is already 6' long, 4' wide with 72" tips ... it makes for some clever maneuvering You either have to lift the crate up over the corner of the booth, hoping it doesn't "teeter/totter", while making the turn, ... or you do what I like to do. I will drag the crate, with just enough tips under it, and swing it like a "trailer" ... freaks the Exhibitors and Patrons out!
All in all ... I was much happier being on a Fork vs. I&D ... I got more days/hours, for about $3/hr less ... wah!

I've been doing a few other gigs as well. A Corporate gig on Saturday, which I just truckloaded (person in the trailer, who pushes gear to the crew) that loads out on Thursday. Josh Groban load out that night. Tomorrow is 311 out at Usana Amphitheater. Friday starts another Corporate gig, for a week, for Usana Intl. Next week starts the pre-rig for Mary Poppins Broadway at the Capitol Theater (not sure if it will get to me).
Sugarland is Saturday, or Amy Grant ...

better yet ... here is what my Call Steward Calendar looks like ...
Calendar

In other news ... I took my Subaru into the shop yesterday to get fixed. Now that I have a little extra cash. I am also getting it fixed to pass emissions for Utah ... it was from Idaho, and had no standards. I hope to get it back today, and tomorrow to get it legal.

I would really love to figure out how to afford this ...home




Christy is still looking for a job ...
It isn't doing well for her well-being ... right now, she is curled up in bed. I know it is stress related. She has had several interviews, including 4 in one week ... but has been getting "rejection" emails, or phone calls ...
This is the longest she has been out of work ... since Feb. ... the longest was only two months ...
I really wish things would turn up for her ... she would be much happier. We rarely go do anything, as she is usually at the computer, filling out apps, and searching the boards. The only thing that keeps her sanity, is playing the FB games ... and even it is starting to annoy her. She started a Book Club, getting new novels ... but reads through them quickly. We did plan to go to Lagoon today, but she is ill ... She always says the reason she doesn't like to leave the Apt, is that she might miss a job posting, or a call for an interview. Also doesn't like to get out, "because it costs money" to go do things ... even though I suggest free events and Fairs happening downtown. We spend alot of time sitting at home, on each other's computers, or watching Netflix movies ...

I hope things improve for her ...