the techiemike chronicles

the lone star week

2010-09-18T10:15:00.001-07:00

So, I'm sitting at my hotel waiting to fly back to Los Angeles. I'm going to be going back to train someone for two weeks, then I get to tour alone in California. Someone else who is more qualified to tour away from the company headquarters will be coming to take my place. To be honest though, I've had lots of fun this past week touring alone.

I spent the first two days up in the Dallas. Although the traffic was crazy, I liked going to the schools. These were only one school days, and I had help both setting up and tearing down. The only part that will take getting used to is having to move the equipment alone. It's not really that heavy, just awkward to carry and put onto the cart.

Then, I went to a town called Grand Saline, which I found out is the home of Chris Tomlin. It was an interesting yet random fact, I thought it was kinda cool. This school probably had the biggest and most pristine gym that I've seen. The setup and tear down at this school were quick and effortless.

The last two days were in the Houston area. My first school in Houston on Thursday morning was good, but the room where I was setting up was really hot. I assumed it was just the stage lights, but it turns out that the air conditioner was not only not working, but was also blowing hot air. I found this out after our setup was already done. (This is why training in the hot California sun is important, even this setup was cooler than that!) I had plenty of help setting up and tearing down yet again, then I went to my next school which again was effortless.

I then went down to the Lake Jackson area, which is a little further south of Houston. Not to insult the other schools, but these were probably two of the best schools I've been to so far. I had great help at the morning school, even as far as help with protecting the equipment, etc.

The final school is my favorite so far. I arrived a little late due to a delay at the last school, but once I met with the teacher we got a group of students together and got it set up. To my surprise, we got it set up in seventy minutes. We were in a hurry, because we wanted to try and get as close to the start time as possible. This was the quickest setup I had done by myself (or with my co-worker) with the whole thing. All of the students, and the contact, were very helpful and attentive and thus made it really easy and quick to setup. Everyone was really polite and helpful, even though I was late and had delayed the start time. Tearing down was fun too, and it made my entire week worth it. It was also the first time that I had alot of students coming up to me and telling me how much they liked the show and how it helped them, etc.

I know I'll miss Texas even more now since that happened, but I'm interested to see what California has in store. Hopefully I can return to touring Texas another time. I get to fly back out in about three hours, so hopefully all will go well there (I don't need anymore battle scars for my guitar case!)

the campgrounds

2010-09-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

So, for the weekend we decided it would be awesome to go camping, so I got a cheap tent and Donnie slept in the van. Camping in Texas is fun at night, but during the day it's hotter than I expected. It got really nice yesterday, but then this morning it was raining really hard. Apparently there is some kind of hurricane or tropical storm coming and it's causing it to rain alot. Sadly, it started raining at 5 in the morning, so I had to hurry up and get all my stuff folded up, and then get ready to go to our school. I've decided it would be a great idea to let the storm pass before going camping again.

the sprint series of texas

2010-09-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

I just came back from a sprinter race at the speedway in Waco, and I had alot of fun. I haven't been to a stock car race since back in high school, so it was awesome to go back to that. I don't remember all the different types of vehicles they had, but the main event was part of the Sprint Series of Texas. I got a few pictures, but it's hard to take pictures at night at a racetrack. I did, however, get a close-up picture of the car that I thought would win (and did actually win). I had seen its performance during the hot laps and I just knew it would take first place.

Another cool thing, is that I ended up sitting next to someone who used to own their own speedway, and so he was telling me lots of information about stock cars that I didn't know before. It was very interesting, and I liked having someone to talk to, even though I didn't know him at all. I'm always up for talking to new people, even if I know that I'll never see them again. So now that's over, I'm going to bed. I smell like fuel and I'm covered in dirt, now I'm at a campground and going to sleep in my tent. I love Texas.

the unexpected change (aka the new adventure)

2010-09-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

I just got the news that my co-worker Donnie will be returning to California. I know the reason, but there's no need to share that online. I will be taking him to DFW in the morning to fly back, and I will be touring alone in Texas next week. I wish he didn't have to go back, but I also am looking forward to the challenge of doing seven schools in five days by myself. I've been talking with some people at Camfel who have experience touring solo, and it's really helped me to get my processes together for solo touring. More updates soon, I need to get to sleep so I can get up at 4am tomorrow.

the small towns of colorado

2010-09-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

This week was very interesting, we toured some very small towns in Colorado. I didn't have time to take many pictures, but I can say that I've never seen so many open fields with nothing in them. I had alot of fun working in Colorado, lots of small town people who were friendly. They were small schools, like the one I graduated from, and we always had plenty of help. There were also some good local restaurants and hotels that I really liked. The next thing to do would be to have the van checked out, it seems to be having some brake problems, so we'll see what to do once we get to Colorado Springs. Until then, I'll just have to take extra time to brake.

the casinos, the desert, and the mountains

2010-08-31T02:13:00.000-07:00

So we're going to be touring Texas, but for the first week my co-worker Donnie and I are going to be covering Colorado. We left Sunday morning at about 11am and decided to stop by Las Vegas on the way up. That was a big mistake (not because of Vegas, but because of having to drive through the mountains at night).

We arrived in Vegas right around nightfall, so we checked into our hotel room at Camelot and then started walking down the strip. I took plenty of pictures, probably more than needed, but I took them anyway. We walked up one side and down another, stopping at the Bellagio for the fountain show and stopping at random hotels to see the insides, etc. We stopped at a few different restaurants as well, including the Hard Rock Cafe. There wasn't anything that looked any good for the price, so I just got a soda and that's it. So we went back to Camelot (we didn't get back till around 1am) and then we left the next morning around 11am again.

We ended up stopping just outside Vegas at a fireworks place and lighting off a few. I didn't have much money, so I only got a few things, but I posted a video of the better ones on my facebook page. Then, we moved onward to Colorado, stopping at random tourist traps and scenic sights along the way. Then night came, and it became increasingly difficult to drive, not only from fatigue, but also the extra fatigue from having to weave through the mountains.

So then we finally made it to Colorado Springs, and we'll be touring the area for a while, I'll probably get around to updating this next weekend.

the training

2010-08-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

So I've been slacking on blogging again, but that's because training has been long and tiring. Luckily, I'm done with that now and we just have a week to wait for our Texas tour to start.

Basically, training is pretty terrible, but in a good way. The goal of the training is to present the worse case scenarios, so that when they happen we're prepared (which I know is a good thing.) This included training out in the hot California sun, time trials, etc. Luckily, there was plenty of time over the weekends to do stuff. I didn't take time to blog about them, but the best thing to do would be to just take a look at all of my photos from training to get an idea. This week should be fairly simple, just some office work and prepping our own vans for when we leave. I don't expect it to be too bad. I'll try to keep things updated, but there's no guarantee since I don't know how busy I'll get.

the flights to los angeles

2010-08-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

I arrived at PIA fairly early before my flight, and it was surprisingly much simpler than I had thought it would be. I guess being such a small airport there weren't really any huge lines anywhere, and even getting through security with my huge guitar case wasn't an issue. I did get lots of looks though, since the case is about five feet long and is shaped like a coffin. While waiting for the plane a few people actually asked to see the guitar, so I gladly brought it out. (Of course I want to show off my epic guitar!)

Once I got on the little puddle-jumper I took lots of pictures taking off, and of the clouds. It's amazing how awesome clouds look when you're above them. (I haven't flown since I was thirteen, and of course I don't remember that very well.) Most of those pictures are posted up on my facebook page. I didn't really talk to anyone on that flight as the person next to me was listening to music, so I just watched a movie.

Then, I arrived at DFW, which I should note is shaped like a snowman. I had to take the tram around for a while to get to my gate. It was interesting trying to balance myself, my bag, and my guitar case on this thing, because it took off and stopped very quickly. Then, I got on the airplane (again, effortlessly) and for the next two hours I had a great conversation with the two older ladies sitting next to me. They talked about a cruise they had just been on and they were heading home, then I told them about my new job at Camfel, etc and it was a very interesting conversation.

Then, an unfortunate thing happened. My coffin case had been damaged by American Airlines at the gate, because they raised the elevator up with the case still sticking out. To make a long story short, they made it nearly impossible for me to get it fixed, and still be able to take it on tour in two weeks. I decided to just think of it as a "battle wound" on the case, since I didn't really have time to mess with it. So then I just collected my bags and waited outside for someone from Camfel to pick me up.

the bonfire

2010-08-08T02:00:00.000-07:00

So I just had a bonfire, and it was actually really fun. (Okay, so it wasn't officially a bonfire, but hey it was still fun.) I had my family here at first, even family from far away, which I thought was awesome. It was great to have them all here to see them one more time before I leave for California. Then, lots of my friends showed up and we finished off the hot dogs, beans, chili cheese dip, chips, and soda. I really had a great time talking to everyone, catching up, and just hanging out. It was just the thing I needed. Off to California I go!

the apples to apples

2010-08-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

So I have one more fun thing to share before the big bonfire. I had been talking with my aunt about my whole job thing, and also that I would be able to store my stuff there while I'm gone, and she decided to have me over for dinner and some fun. So I was picked up, along with some Papa John's Spinach Alfredo Pizza (nom nom nom) and we went out to their new house. My uncle and two cousins were also there, and we had a great dinner together. Then, afterwards, we played Apples to Apples for a while. If you've never played that game, I highly recommend it. The easiest way to describe it is that the goal is to match a word in your hand with a word that is drawn, the one who matches the best according to the judge is the winner. It's a good way to pass time and have fun while doing it.

Then came a surprise, they had purchased me a new camera for me to use while out in California. I had told them a few weeks ago on the way to the family reunion that the only camera I had was a phone, but I didn't expect them to purchase me one. (So now I can put amazing pictures with all of my blogs woohoo!) A big thanks to them for getting me a camera that's worlds better than my phone.

the yard sale

2010-08-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

So on Friday and Saturday I had a yard sale (along with my grandparents and my aunt). I decided it'd be a great idea to sell some of my stuff, since I'm moving out to Cali and won't need it. I already sold the big things such as my TV, car, furniture, etc, but I also wanted to sell the smaller stuff.

The weather was actually fairly nice both days, it rained just a small bit on Monday, but not enough to make us close the sale. After all of it, I made about $80 which is $60 more than I expected, so I'm happy about it. I ended up taking the rest of it to the local Goodwill since that's where I usually take my unwanted stuff.

It was a fun experience, but at the same time I hope I never have to do it again. I've decided that I'll only buy things I absolutely need, rather than keep things that I'll never need and eventually sell anyway. That's just my two cents on the whole thing. One more weekend left!

the wedding

2010-07-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

So last Saturday I DJed for my friend's wedding. Apparently, I had no idea what I was getting into. It was partially my fault, but some of my friend's as well. I didn't realize that DJs did a little bit more than just play music and do lighting at a wedding. The announcements and dances were a little rocky, only because the plans continuously changed and I still wasn't sure about them.

Apart from the little kinks, the reception went well. I didn't get to go to the wedding itself, since I still had to go purchase lights, get the sound equipment, etc, but I can tell they're going to have a great marriage. I actually had fun too, once the party got started. It was difficult at times, dealing with inebriated requests for songs that I didn't have (but then I realized they'd forget if I played their request or not). So overall the night was a success. It really wore me out since I was there in the morning setting up, and till about 1am helping clean everything out, but I'm used to being the first one and last one at events, so it was no big deal. It at least gave me something to do during the weekend, just two left and I'm gone!

the family reunion

2010-07-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was our yearly family reunion (apart from Christmas) which is hosted in the quad cities. My aunt has a very large yard and a nice kitchen area which is perfect for gatherings. I ended up hitching a ride up there with my other aunt (I have seven aunts and uncles total, not including my mother's side) and it was a great trip up there. We had good conversation (aunt, uncle, and cousin), just catching up on everything since I haven't seen or talked to them in forever.

Once we arrived, everyone seemed happy and all (or so I thought). We had a great lunch. There were brats, hot dogs, chips, plenty of salads, and great desserts as well. After that there was just lots of mingling around. I don't think I stayed in one area for more than ten minutes or so, but that happens with a big family. I was able to tell everyone about my job in CA, so I was glad about that. It was good to get everyone's perspective on it. Luckily, everyone thought very highly of my choice to take the job, so I was further encouraged.

There were plenty of yard games available, people playing catch, a disc golf game (that I did terribly at, which is odd since I'm usually a little better), and just sitting around chatting. There were a few issues between family members which shouldn't happen, but I suppose it's not really my business and it's bound to happen in a larger family. I didn't let that ruin the gathering for me, but it did disturb me just a bit.

Soon after, everyone headed out. I again enjoyed conversation with my aunt, uncle, and cousin on the way down. I've noticed that talking with someone cuts down on time perception much more than anything else, which is good obviously.

So with one more weekend down I still have a wedding, a yard sale, a dinner, a bonfire, and of course a flight. I'll be writing more about that as it happens.

P.S. I've been learning guitar over the last week, and I'm surprised how easy it is now that I've gotten started. I'm hoping that I'll at least be able to play a few things once I get to CA, but I have all year to learn things.

the job

2010-07-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

Just a quick background story: If everyone doesn't already know, I'm taking a job in Los Angeles with a company called Camfel Productions. I got tired of looking for a job locally, so when I decided to expand my search to the whole country, I found this one.

My job will be fairly simple. What I will do is travel around with projectors, sound equipment, etc. showing videos to various schools. Most of the videos are about character traits and how to treat others (which is pretty normal school assembly stuff). There is a two week training course, then another person and I take off on our tour. Most of the duties are just setting up, pressing play, and tearing down. (Plus the whole travel and budgeting thing.) Some of the videos from a few years ago can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/camfelproductions

Now that's settled, fast forward to present day. I am eagerly waiting the date that I leave, which is August 8th. I have everything all packed up that I need, the difficult part is getting rid of stuff I don't need and storing stuff I don't need to take with me. I actually like it. I've always tried not to be a pack rat, and this is the perfect opportunity to make sure I don't become one.

I have a very busy next few weeks: a family reunion, a wedding, a yard sale, and a bonfire. I guess I'll post updates on those few things since the rest of my time is spent either practicing guitar, watching television, or doing stuff outside. (Pretty boring stuff if you ask me.) For more frequent updates add me: http://www.facebook.com/techiemike