Job News

I've gotten good news the past week. I was asked to learn a fourth route at the Post Office. I took this as a compliment. It also means I can work for the Post Office another full week which means another butt kicking paycheck. I told the Post Office I'd be glad to do it. I just want to give the folks at Medieval Times a little breather before I disappear for another week. My boss at Medieval Times has been good to me and I didn't want to mess him over.

I also got a payraise to my surprise from the Post Office. I went from $16.45 an hour to $17.51 an hour. That was really nice news. I just wish the work wasn't so hard. I continue to make newbie type mistakes which can be really frustrating when I'm trying my dangdest to get all the mail delivered and get back to the Post Office. I think I'm getting better BUT I'm just not getting better as fast as I'd like. It makes it something of a battle everytime I go out to deliver mail.

I don't know if I mentioned it or not in previous posts but a second substitute mailman quit at the Post Office where I work. I was really surprised that he quit. I first met him when we were doing our initial processing. He was so enthusiastic when he started. He was also a source of encouragement when I've been struggling at the Laurel Post Office. I have no idea why he quit. It saddened me greatly to hear the news. He was a really nice person. I hope things work out for him where ever he moved on to.

Medieval Times wise, I'll get to learn the job of executioner tomorrow. It should be fun. You get to interact a lot more with the customers and try to drum up business for the spoof picture they tack of people in the stocks. The executioner is supposed to have his tongue cut out i.e. he can't talk so that makes it more of a challenge character wise. I've come up with some ideas for the character but I'll have to run them by the head of sound and lighting to make sure they're all right.

Chancellor wise, one of my co-workers in security may become the second Lord Chancellor. Supposedly, he was asked to read the script and the person in charge of the actors/actresses was impressed. He also has the chancellor look. To create something of a conflict for me, one of my best friends in gift shop is also up for the chancellor part. He also looks the role. I'm glad I'm not the one deciding who going to get the job. They're both super people who have paid their dues at Medieval Times. They both deserve the part but unfortunately only one can get the role. In regards to me doing the role, I was interested it but I have doubts whether I can do it. I still wish I could be a squire. Oh well.

We replaced all the old sand in the arena at the castle. Horses have calls of nature just like people do though unlike people, they let rip where ever they happen to be. Many times, they let rip in the arena during practices and shows. While the squires try to get all the crud up, small pieces do remain in the sand. These small pieces do rot and begin to stink. The castle can spray the sand with some stuff that deadens the smell BUT in time, this fails to take care of the problem. The only thing left to the castle is to replace the sand with entirely new sand. That's what they did this past Sunday. It's incredible how much nicer the new sand looks in the arena. We could have a mini-beach party down there now.

Besides my co-worker who may become the second Lord Chancellor, another person in security may leave. One of the old timers in security (and in my opinion one of the best people they have) has an interview at a chemical plant. I'm hoping he gets the job. It would help his family enormously and the guy deserves a good break. He is a super nice person and a very hard worker. I don't think the folks at Medieval Times have appreciated him as much as he deserves. Hopefully, lady luck will be kind to him and he'll get the job at the plant. We'll see.

All of this means considerable change in security. Personally, I'd like to leave security too but I have found one drawback to working in sound & lighting. The folks in sound & lighting don't get the hours the folks in security get. Pay wise, the two departments are about the same. I'm surprised sound & lighting doesn't have the personnel problems security has at times. I can only guess the reason for that is because working there is more fun and it is more prestigious. Fun wise, you get to wear a costume and be either the dungeon master, executioner, or one of the castle guards. Show wise, you are more a part of the show in sound & lighting than you are in security. The people who work the spotlights, sound system and special effects are crucial to the show. This puts you higher on the ladder than if you're in security. From what I've seen, security is big time at the bottom.

Spotlight Solo

Yesterday, I got to operate spotlight #4 at Medieval Times by myself for the first time. I was surprised when I found out I'd operate a spotlight by myself so soon. Still, I felt confident I could do it. As I'm somewhat hyper, I had to take a number of deep breaths to relax as I was quite nervous doing my first solo operating the spotlight. Operating one isn't super hard but, you do need to concentrate totally on what you're doing. One problem I had with my concentration was I was tired. I'd trained at the Post Office yesterday on rural route 6 for seven hours and then drove to Medieval Times two hours later. To make matters worse, they had someone doing a refresher as far as calling the cues. Whoever he was, he missed a few of them which left me trying to figure out what I was suppose to do. I also had to be careful not to accidentally open the shutter. Two or three times, I did that to my frustration. Overall, I thought I did all right for my first solo. Still, I know I could do better and plan to. Hopefully, I'll get to operate one of the spotlights next Wednesday or Thursday. We'll see.

Medieval Times Update

I got to work security and sound and lighting yesterday. There is no question which I enjoy more. Sound and Lighting is a lot more fun though I get fewer hours with them. Considering that I'll have three days a week with the Post Office, that won't be a problem. I got one surprise when I found out that supposedly, my boss isn't getting any new applications for security. The problem may be the pay. People with previous security experience supposedly see the pay, laugh and walk away. I think the pay is another issue in another way. While I was waiting in line at the Taco Bell Express, I noticed a sign saying help wanted, can start immediately. The quoted starting wage was $7.50 an hour. While I have no wish to work at Taco Bell Express, that is .50 more an hour than what I make at security at Medieval Times. I doubt others will be so picky. To make matters worse, I suspect the hours you'd get there are more secure. The last two weeks, we've had shows that were cancelled. I was released early or told not to come in at all. Because of that, I lost hours. Because of the lack of applicants, I'll be doing double duty at Medieval Times. I'll cover the Dungeon initially then, provide security at one of the posts at the entrance to Medieval Times till the gift shop opens then, revert back to my job in sound and lighting by working one of the spotlights.

Working one of the spotlights in pretty challenging, you have to know where to open the spotlight shutter, continuously adjust the the size of the light as the person you're covering moves around the arena and listen for the command to fade out the light. You also have to watch where you're at in the spotlight booth. The booth is at least 10 feet above the audience and the front of it wide open so the spotlight can have a clear shot on the various actors in the arena. You must stay aware of where you are in the booth. If you're not careful, you could fall out of the booth and come down on one of the tables or one of the customers. Another challenge is changing quickly back into costume. When the show is done, I had to hustle down the ladder from the spotlight booth, dash over to the sound and lighting booth, quickly take off my black long sleeve shirt (Sound and Lighting people must wear all black clothes during the show so we fade into the black ceiling.), put back on my fake chain mail hood, put back on my red overgarment (I don't know what else to call it.), put back on the belt with my axe (The axe is both cool in that it is neat to carry it and annoying as I keep jabbing myself with it. Thank God it isn't sharp!), and rush back to the Dungeon to collect tickets.

I've found covering The Dungeon fun as I get to joke with the customers. I tell them that the ticket guarantees they'll get in but they're on their on getting out. I'll also see some customers and say more food for the dragon. It was a bit unreal when one kid turned out to be something of an expert on dragons. He actually asked me if it was a Chinese dragon or not. I also ask customers when the come out if they found our dungeon suitably nasty. I assure them that we do our very best to keep a well stocked and suitably nasty dungeon. Lastly, I remind customers that we don't loan out any of the items in the dungeon for personal use at home (shades of kinky Suzanne). The customers seem to enjoy the jokes. I continue to be surprised by how many customers check out the dungeon. Last night, we must've had around 100 people check it out. Unreal!

Update on The Hobbit

According to the official Peter Jackson fanclub website (http://tbhl.theonering.net/index.shtml), MGM officially released the list of movies they hope to make and The Hobbit was on it. When Peter Jackson was asked about that, he replied that it was the first he'd heard of it. Jackson said that he'd be very interested in making the movie even though he has a number of projects planned or in various stages of development. I hope the fact that MGM hasn't approached Jackson isn't a sign that they plan to go with someone else. Jackson has the vision and so much of the development work for the project would already be done if they went with him. Interestingly, MGM reportedly plans to make The Hobbit into two movies. I wonder if they're trying to milk the novel for all its worth by doing that. Whatever, it would be awesome just to see the novel made into a real action movie vice the very well done cartoon movie that was made back in the late 70's (see my previous post for my comments on that movie). We'll see if anything turns out from this latest bit of titillating information.

Bad News Good News

I got word that I'm going to be the substitute mail carrier on rural route 6. The news was good and bad or vice versa. Bad in that my weekends will be virtually gone as I'll sub on the route on Saturdays with me also subing on Mondays and Fridays on rural routes 2 and 10. Bad because it's another 9 hour plus route which means another 12 work day for me. I can't wait for the day where I'll be able to do the route in the time that it's been assessed in. Bad because I'll be spending three days next week training on the route and then do the route solo two more. That's bad because that means I'll only be able to work for Medieval Times one day (Sunday) unless I can manage to help the primary carrier get it done on the training days in time to where I can go work at Medieval Times for another 3 or 4 hours. Bad in that I didn't get to do my new job at Medieval Times very long before this came down. Bad because I won't be able to work at all at SHARE during bagging week. Bad in that this route was so stressful that the previous sub walked out and never came back. Something, I've thought about doing at times. The main reason I don't leave the Post Office is because it is the best thing I have going right now. It offers a good future to it and pays really well.

Good first and foremost because it means more MONEY. I'll be guaranteed 26 hours a week now at the Post Office. I'll earn more during those 26 hours than I'd make working 56 at Medieval Times. Good in that it is something of a kudo that they gave me another route. I doubt they'd give me a third route to sub on if I was doing a bad job. (though they may have given me this route because I haven't quit yet, working at the Post Office has definitely taught me perseverance!) Good in that I'll get more experience as a postman.

We'll see how goes. Hopefully, I'll be able to continue to work at Medieval Times in Sound and Lighting. I got to try it a little this past Wednesday and I enjoyed it. Because of the increased hours at the Post Office, I doubt I'll try out for Lord Chancellor. I don't think they'll want someone who can do the part only 3 days a week. Another nice thing about the increased hours is it makes my chances of getting to go on the Globus Scandanavia tour more likely money wise. The big question is will I be able to get the time off from the Post Office. Right now, I don't know. I suspect maybe not but we'll see. I know if I don't get to go on that tour because of the Post Office, I going to be really miffed. We'll see what happens.

Guess Who

If you haven't guessed, it's me in costume. The reason I'm in costume is because I have a new job at Medieval Times. What lead to that was I got tired of working security. Security isn't a very fun job. You have to make sure people don't sneak in, don't do unsafe things like stand on the chairs or leave stuff in the aisles that the food servers could trip over and you have to be an expert on Medieval Times as you are the primary person customers come to for help.

The job I really wanted at Medieval Times was squire but I'm too old to be a squire. The only other job I could think of that I might want to do is Lord Chancellor. The problem with that job is that you are the emcee of the show and I've never been an emcee. You also have to memorize a staggering number of lines. I wasn't sure I could do it. To make matters worse, I got to watch the knights and squires work out and train which tormented me because here was the job I really wanted to do, felt I was qualified to do but, by the rules, I was too old to do it.

After much personal debate, I decided to heck with it. I was going to inform my boss that I was tired of security and was going to leave as soon as he could replace me. Actually telling my boss that I was going to be leaving proved to be a lot harder than I imagined. The fact is my boss at Medieval Times has treated me really well. Also, Medieval Times was the first place that hired me after I retired from the Air Force. For a bit, I was wondering if anyone was going to hire me so I was delighted when they gave me a chance. So, it wasn't easy deciding to leave and having to tell my boss the news.

My boss understood when I told him why I wanted to leave. He asked me to give him a chance to see if he could find something else I could do there. I couldn't imagine what he might find job wise. I didn't care to work in gift shop, reservations, or cash control. Still, because of how he'd treated me, I had to give him the chance.

I got a call from him Friday and he said he'd spoken with the person in charge of sound and lighting. He needed a Dungeon master and Executioner. My ears pricked up real fast when I heard that I could become the Executioner. I thought that would be fun and cool. I would also learn how to operate the spotlights and the sound system. I'd never done anything like it so it promised to be something totally new and challenging. I agreed on the spot to do it. Little did I realize how soon I would get to start.

I was scheduled to work security Sunday afternoon. I showed up, clocked in and went in search of the keys to the security office so I could put on my name plate and get a radio. My boss called me aside and asked if I was still game to do the job in sound and lighting. I said sure. He said good, you're starting tonight! Crap! The head of sound and lighting led me to one of his assistants who took me back to wardrobe where I got issued my costume. No one told me how to put the costume on so I got to figure it out myself. To my embarrassment, I put on the red overgarment you see in the picture backwards. I decided to have the lady who runs wardrobe check to see if I had the costume on right. She realized real quick my mistake and helped me with the costume. She also probably had a good laugh about my gaff. After that, I got to go guard the dungeon and collect tickets from customers who wanted to see it. I was surprised how much business we got. I found out that some nights over 100 people will check out the dungeon.

Just before the show begins, the dungeon closes. I got to watch Post 2 to make sure no one sneaked in. I noticed a big difference with people going by. Some kids wanted to see a little of the show so they could decide if it was any good. I had to tell them repeatedly they couldn't. I suspect they would've taken me more seriously had I been wearing my security uniform. I also had a couple little boys come up and shake my hand. I guess they wanted to shake the hand of one of the castle guards.

Once the gift shop opened, there wasn't any need for me to watch Post 2. I went to the sound and lighting booth where I got to watch the chief of sound and lighting and his assistant operate the strobes, the fog and the various soundtracks. It was interesting to watch. It was also something to watch the show from the booth. The booth has a great view of the show and audience. One thing I discovered the people in sound and lighting must have is a good sense of timing. They must know when to cut in with a certain piece of music and when to fade it out. They also must know certain cues which tell them when to do certain things like activate the fog or strobes. To the chief and his assistant, it was old hat but to me, it was interesting to watch as they carefully timed each segment of the show.

In no time, the show was nearly over and I had to head back out to the dungeon. I opened it up again and collected more tickets. I had to remind myself to call all the customers milord or milady. I now had to play the role of a medieval castle guard whereas in security we don't have roles. I suspect that's because we want people to take us seriously.

The audience cleared the castle quickly and I kept the dungeon open just 35 minutes. After that, I got the key to the security office so I could get my clothes back. Then, I changed back to my security uniform. I helped Dave (another person who works in security) brief two of the new security people on preseating and crowd control. After that, it was time to clock out.

Wednesday, I'll get to learn how to operate one of the spotlights. Sound and lighting operate four spotlights during the show. There is one person operating one of the spotlights who also directs the other three. It'll be interesting getting to learn how the commands and how the spotlight operates. I'll also learn more about the roles I'm supposed to play. First, I'll learn the role of castle guard. Later, I'll get to learn the role of Executioner. Sadly, I won't get to be the Executioner in the show. I found out they have to use one of the knights or squires for that. I will get to be the Executioner who gets his picture taken with people when they pay for the one of the spoof pictures they do at Medieval Times (They have a spoof picture where the person appears to be bound in the stocks and the Executioner is swinging his HUGE axe at them like he's going to chop their head off.) It should be an interesting time. I'm looking forward to learning my new roles and how to operate the spotlights.

9-11

I hadn't planned on posting about 9-11 but I read a post on Jack Yan's blog http://www.jackyan.com/blog/ and decided to write about it. (Jack has an interesting blog and shows a unique perspective on things as he's a New Zealander, you might want to check his blog out. He is also something of a celebrity in New Zealand which is interesting.) Concerning 9-11, I remember it well not because I lost anyone close to it but because I knew as it happened that everything would change. I later realized that 9-11 was just another in a series of attacks on the U.S. The attacks began with the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1991 and continued with the Khobar Towers attack, the attack on the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya and the attack on the U.S.S. Cole. I remember the attack on the Cole particularly as I was in the Middle East at the time and heard what happened. It is chilling that the attackers actually drove their suicide boat around the Cole at least once and during that time waved to the sailors onboard the Cole before they rammed it into the Cole setting off a massive explosion that nearly sank the ship. It was only because of truly heroic efforts on the part of its sailors that the Cole was saved.

Like many Americans, I don't think we realized that we were under attack during the first World Trade Center attack, the embassy bombings or the attack on the Cole. It would take 9-11 to hammer that home. I'd finished my assignment in Bahrain in August of 2001 and was sent back to the states. I was busy inprocessing and in a little limbo as the shop I was assigned was reportedly going to be phased out. I was checking in at that shop when someone came over and said that a plane had gone off course and flown into one of the World Trade Center towers. I was stunned. I rushed over to the tv where CNN was broadcasting the event. As I continued to watch, we watched stunned as a second plane flew into the second tower. It dawned on us that there was no mistake when a second plane flew into the second tower. The horror continued as the broadcast showed people jumping from the towers to their deaths. It got worse because 40 or so minutes later, the towers collapsed and fell to the ground. Everyone was in shock. I knew everything had changed though I had no idea what the U.S. would do about it. Because of that event, the U.S. went into the Afghanistan, became friends again with Pakistan and would go into Iraq. 9-11 had enormous repercussions and still does to this day though scarily, some people just want to forget about it.

We can't afford to quickly forget about 9-11 because 9-11 won't be the last attack on the U.S. If the terrorists have their way, it will be just one in a series of attacks as it followed the previous attacks before it. The only reason the U.S. hasn't been hit again is because of the extraordinary efforts of the U.S. military, U.S. intelligence community and the U.S.'s allies. The recent plot in Britain proves that the terrorists have no plans of stopping their attacks. We need to remember that we can defeat the terrorists thousands of times (and we have) but they only need to successfully hit the U.S. once and they will have won. We also need to put aside any political correctness and profile certain groups at airports. We shouldn't be shaking down grandmas and U.S. Marines. (I've heard of this happening and I think it is seriously STUPID!) They're not the ones that are going to try to turn an airplane into a flying bomb. As I've previously mentioned, the terrorists have an entirely different sense of time. To those of us in the U.S., five years is old history and fifty is ancient history. Fifty years is nothing to these terrorists. I can assure you that 9-11 will stay in their mindset for some time and will seem like only yesterday to them. President Bush wasn't kidding when he set that this was going to be a LONG drawn out conflict. Lets make sure we remember 9-11 and realize that we must keep fighting these terrorists. If we forget 9-11, we will be doomed to repeat it in some way in the future.

Lost Passport

I've had some interesting misadventures with my passport recently. The whole thing started when I took my passport with me on my trip to Richmond. I left it out in my room and the cleaning lady found it. She got worried that it might get stolen so she put it in the hotel safe. Later, the folks at the reception desk told me they had it. I subsequently forgot about it being in the hotel safe and enjoyed my visit with my friend Harvey.

Three week later, I decided to find my passport so I could have the things I'll need to prove residency to the University of Maryland. I searched every where and couldn't find it. I remembered vaguely that I might've left it at the hotel in Richmond. I consequently contacted them. They told me they didn't have it. I searched the apartment again and couldn't find it. I had to conclude I'd lost the dang thing.

I checked the State Department website and found out what I had to do concerning a lost passport. You have to file one form informing them of the lost passport, where you lost it, and what you did to try to get it back. You also have to fill out a form as if you were getting a passport for the first time. All totalled, my mistake was going to cost me $102 ($67 for the State Department, $30 for the Post Office to process the application, and $5 for the passport photos at Costco). I wasn't thrilled with that but I accepted it.

I filled out the paperwork, called the Post Office to make an appointment to process the application, and got two new passport photos. I drove out to the Post Office today to get it done. Afterwards, I did some shopping at the Commissary and Post Exchange. When I got home, I found a portfolio I'd planned to use to take all the forms and other paperwork to the Post Office. I could feel that something was in it so I opened it up to see what it was. I had no idea what I'd placed in it. To my disbelief, there was my missing passport. I checked it four or five times to make sure it was the passport I'd searched every where for. It was.

I realized that I needed to contact the Post Office and stop them from sending my application for a new passport in if I could. I tried calling them but couldn't get through. I then hopped in my car, drove back to the Post Office, and anxiously asked if they'd sent my passport application to the State Department. To my relief, they hadn't. I told them to tear up the forms. Since the Post Office had processed my application, they kept my $30. I didn't mind that. I was just glad to have my passport and to not have to file a lost passport with the State Department. I've also heard that it's taking as long as 6 months to get a new passport. I was glad to have one already.

I don't know how the thing ended up in that portfolio. I do know I plan to lock the thing up in my safe. I also know the procedures now if I should ever lose a passport (God forbid). I also plan to write down the number of the passport in case I should lose it. It's very important so the State Department can stop someone from trying to use it. It has been a trying misadventure and one I hope I don't go through again. If you have a passport, make sure you keep it in the same place so you can easily find it. You don't want to have to do what I did though in my misadventure, all turned out well in the end.