The year 2010 has finally come to an end, and what a year it was for me personally. I thought 2009 was great being on the West Coast and vacationing to Dallas, Texas. However, this year topped that in a big way.
The year started out slowly because of my line of work, but once I began traveling again in May, everything changed...immediately.
Believe me when I tell you that our line of work doesn't give you as much time as you would think looking at the places I've been especially this year. That's why I try to take advantage of the down time when I get it. One thing I look at is events and places I can go to when I know where I'm going. Also, I take advantage of the internet to buy tickets to events I want to see instead of in person which kills more time standing in long lines in many cases.
I was in the northeast for the majority of the year when it came to work. I was in New York City as I toured Times Square, went on a cruise, and worked there later in the year, too. I was able to see a game in May at New Yankee Stadium and also at New Meadowlands Stadium in October to watch the Giants play my favorite NFL team, the Chicago Bears. It was hectic driving around NYC as most anyone that has been there knows, but I was glad to have seen the city for the first time in 2010. I'll be back, but hopefully for vacation next time so I can see more because it's impossible to see it all in a short time.
I had been to Philadelphia a handful of times before, but never seen a Phillies game until this year. I only worked there for a week in June, but was lucky enough to catch a break to see them play at Citizens Bank Park since they were in town to play the Cleveland Indians. I really like how parking accessible the Philadelphia Sport Complex is, and I felt much the same way when I watched the Army/Navy game at Lincoln Financial Field in 2008.
During Fourth of July weekend, I was able to watch some minor league baseball. I was able to see games at BB&T Ballpark and NewBridge Bank Ballpark.
I had to work overnights and in the Boston area for the majority of the summer. It was very tough to get used to that schedule and traveling that went with it. The weekend after Fourth of July, I stayed in market so that I wouldn't lose a day off flying back home. This was the day I walked around Boston to checkout the New England Aquarium, Science Museum, Prudential Skywalk Observatory, and Museum of Fine Arts after purchasing a CityPass. Four days later, I visited John F. Kennedy Library & Museum since it was in my CityPass book, too.
It was around August that I had thoughts about what I was going to do for a weekend getaway since the summer was about to wind down. Being that I didn't want to miss work due to the schedule, I wanted to arrange for my company to fly me to wherever it was that I wanted to go on a holiday weekend.
I had thoughts on certain cities to visit until I heard from an old elementary school friend on Facebook. That's when I had my eye on returning to the state where I went to elementary school at: Oklahoma. Since football season began in September, the timing was right.
Finally, after 22 years of not being there, I was able to arrange for my company to fly me out to Oklahoma City during Labor Day weekend. The school and neighborhood I did part of growing up in hadn't changed much, and I drove up to the house I once lived in, too. I was able to see the Oklahoma Sooners play Utah State in the opening game of the season which as you all know is my favorite team.
Also while on my four-day vacation there to OKC, I was able to go to the Oklahoma National Memorial & Museum, Science Museum, Oklahoma City Zoo, National Softball Hall of Fame, Remington Park Casino, and National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Plus, I went on an Oklahoma River Cruise which was definitely something they didn't have when I was a kid. I love what they've done to the city, and have had thoughts of moving back there. We'll see what happens. I can't put into words what it meant for me to return to OKC.
After my last assignment in NYC in September, I was scheduled to return to the Boston area to work in Newburyport. Originally, we were to work overnights in the second week of the project, but we got far enough ahead in the first week where that made it unnecessary to do so. During the first and third weeks of the projects, the Boston Red Sox were on the road and were home in the second week which meant I wouldn't have been able to watch them otherwise. Because of working overnights in Boston previously(the Red Sox typically play mostly night games) or the Red Sox were out of town, I didn't get the chance to see them play. But when the schedule changed, the chance to see Fenway Park had finally happened. So in September before the season ended, I was able to make it to the historic park to see them play the Baltimore Orioles. Though they lost, I finally got the chance to see them play after working in Boston all summer. Just like in Philly, I got a break when I needed it!
The projects of working overnights finished up for us in November. I was blessed to have worked with a great Crew Coordinator named Gary as well as his assistant named Laura as we worked well together on these projects. There were times when things got hectic and stressed us out when it came to the schedule and the job itself. But they were a big help since they also knew the northeastern cities WAY better than I did. There wasn't much I liked about working nights to be honest, but working with those two were a huge help for me as it was for them, too. We stay in contact about work and other things. Thankfully, I don't have to deal with the winter weather they're getting! LOL!
I'm working on a new account, and much of the work we'll be doing is in Florida. In fact, I worked in Tampa, Florida a week before Christmas. We had to work some long days, and four people had to share a rental car. But, we did get the chance to go to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa. Yes, I like playing the slot machines as some of you know, but I didn't win anything that night.
The day after I returned from Tampa, I looked into buying a ticket to watch the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Three hours before game time, I was able to get a ticket over the phone in section 104 on the lower level. It was a great experience seeing my second favorite NBA team, the Oklahoma City Thunder(behind the Chicago Bulls), play in Charlotte. The lounge in our section was great and I even watched a game from there in the 3rd quarter. A really cool story took place at that game as well in case you didn't read about it.
2010 was a year of firsts and also a time to return to my childhood roots in a city I still am fond of. For the little time I had working away from home, I was able to do that more than ever in 2010. It was a year I won't soon forget.
Here is a video of images from the places I visited in 2010. Yes, the song in the video is Living In America by James Brown. See you all in 2011 and thanks to every single friend and visitor for stopping by to read and/or leave comments. I hope you all will return here to read my blog and comment in 2011, too.
The year started out slowly because of my line of work, but once I began traveling again in May, everything changed...immediately.
Believe me when I tell you that our line of work doesn't give you as much time as you would think looking at the places I've been especially this year. That's why I try to take advantage of the down time when I get it. One thing I look at is events and places I can go to when I know where I'm going. Also, I take advantage of the internet to buy tickets to events I want to see instead of in person which kills more time standing in long lines in many cases.
I was in the northeast for the majority of the year when it came to work. I was in New York City as I toured Times Square, went on a cruise, and worked there later in the year, too. I was able to see a game in May at New Yankee Stadium and also at New Meadowlands Stadium in October to watch the Giants play my favorite NFL team, the Chicago Bears. It was hectic driving around NYC as most anyone that has been there knows, but I was glad to have seen the city for the first time in 2010. I'll be back, but hopefully for vacation next time so I can see more because it's impossible to see it all in a short time.
I had been to Philadelphia a handful of times before, but never seen a Phillies game until this year. I only worked there for a week in June, but was lucky enough to catch a break to see them play at Citizens Bank Park since they were in town to play the Cleveland Indians. I really like how parking accessible the Philadelphia Sport Complex is, and I felt much the same way when I watched the Army/Navy game at Lincoln Financial Field in 2008.
During Fourth of July weekend, I was able to watch some minor league baseball. I was able to see games at BB&T Ballpark and NewBridge Bank Ballpark.
I had to work overnights and in the Boston area for the majority of the summer. It was very tough to get used to that schedule and traveling that went with it. The weekend after Fourth of July, I stayed in market so that I wouldn't lose a day off flying back home. This was the day I walked around Boston to checkout the New England Aquarium, Science Museum, Prudential Skywalk Observatory, and Museum of Fine Arts after purchasing a CityPass. Four days later, I visited John F. Kennedy Library & Museum since it was in my CityPass book, too.
It was around August that I had thoughts about what I was going to do for a weekend getaway since the summer was about to wind down. Being that I didn't want to miss work due to the schedule, I wanted to arrange for my company to fly me to wherever it was that I wanted to go on a holiday weekend.
I had thoughts on certain cities to visit until I heard from an old elementary school friend on Facebook. That's when I had my eye on returning to the state where I went to elementary school at: Oklahoma. Since football season began in September, the timing was right.
Finally, after 22 years of not being there, I was able to arrange for my company to fly me out to Oklahoma City during Labor Day weekend. The school and neighborhood I did part of growing up in hadn't changed much, and I drove up to the house I once lived in, too. I was able to see the Oklahoma Sooners play Utah State in the opening game of the season which as you all know is my favorite team.
Also while on my four-day vacation there to OKC, I was able to go to the Oklahoma National Memorial & Museum, Science Museum, Oklahoma City Zoo, National Softball Hall of Fame, Remington Park Casino, and National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Plus, I went on an Oklahoma River Cruise which was definitely something they didn't have when I was a kid. I love what they've done to the city, and have had thoughts of moving back there. We'll see what happens. I can't put into words what it meant for me to return to OKC.
After my last assignment in NYC in September, I was scheduled to return to the Boston area to work in Newburyport. Originally, we were to work overnights in the second week of the project, but we got far enough ahead in the first week where that made it unnecessary to do so. During the first and third weeks of the projects, the Boston Red Sox were on the road and were home in the second week which meant I wouldn't have been able to watch them otherwise. Because of working overnights in Boston previously(the Red Sox typically play mostly night games) or the Red Sox were out of town, I didn't get the chance to see them play. But when the schedule changed, the chance to see Fenway Park had finally happened. So in September before the season ended, I was able to make it to the historic park to see them play the Baltimore Orioles. Though they lost, I finally got the chance to see them play after working in Boston all summer. Just like in Philly, I got a break when I needed it!
The projects of working overnights finished up for us in November. I was blessed to have worked with a great Crew Coordinator named Gary as well as his assistant named Laura as we worked well together on these projects. There were times when things got hectic and stressed us out when it came to the schedule and the job itself. But they were a big help since they also knew the northeastern cities WAY better than I did. There wasn't much I liked about working nights to be honest, but working with those two were a huge help for me as it was for them, too. We stay in contact about work and other things. Thankfully, I don't have to deal with the winter weather they're getting! LOL!
I'm working on a new account, and much of the work we'll be doing is in Florida. In fact, I worked in Tampa, Florida a week before Christmas. We had to work some long days, and four people had to share a rental car. But, we did get the chance to go to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa. Yes, I like playing the slot machines as some of you know, but I didn't win anything that night.
The day after I returned from Tampa, I looked into buying a ticket to watch the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Three hours before game time, I was able to get a ticket over the phone in section 104 on the lower level. It was a great experience seeing my second favorite NBA team, the Oklahoma City Thunder(behind the Chicago Bulls), play in Charlotte. The lounge in our section was great and I even watched a game from there in the 3rd quarter. A really cool story took place at that game as well in case you didn't read about it.
2010 was a year of firsts and also a time to return to my childhood roots in a city I still am fond of. For the little time I had working away from home, I was able to do that more than ever in 2010. It was a year I won't soon forget.
Here is a video of images from the places I visited in 2010. Yes, the song in the video is Living In America by James Brown. See you all in 2011 and thanks to every single friend and visitor for stopping by to read and/or leave comments. I hope you all will return here to read my blog and comment in 2011, too.
