Off to a fast start...

Hey everybody,


I have been down here in Florida for almost 2 weeks now and I can finally say that I am loving the weather. The first week I was down here, it almost felt like I never left Ohio. It got down into the 20's some nights and even got a little snow over night on one occasion. But, over the past few days, the weather has got much better. It is 62 degrees right now and as I write this blog I have my window open feelin the nice January breeze, hahaha...have I pissed everyone off up North yet?


Anyways, I have been extremely busy since the last blog I posted. I began workin at the Forum last Monday and have worked nearly every day, usually putting in 12 hour days. At times it can get tiresome, but I really can't complain about anything, life is treating me well right now.


The first day of work I met a couple of the other interns and kind of got an overview of what to expect from my boss. She gave us a tour of the Arena and it was kind of overwhelming because the place is so big. I felt like I was just doing circles and after the tour I still wouldn't of been able to tell you where anything was. After a week of working there, I am still working on remembering where everything is located in the arena, but I am starting to get the hang of it. What makes it so difficult is there are several elevators, but they dont all go to every floor and not all the stairwells go to every floor either. So let me tell ya, it has been fun figuring that one out. Getting lost several times a day has actually really helped me learn where things are.


Day 2 was a very busy day and I met a ton of people. I got to work around 10:30 and saw that I had an e-mail from our boss asking all the interns from every department to go help out marketing with some mailings for the, "Glitz and Sticks" charity event. Even with all the interns helping out, this took a very long time to complete, but it had to be done. It was also a game day so we had many other jobs we had to do to prepare for the game that night.


On game days, the Event Ops interns are responsible for doing the suite walks. For each event we are given a list of which suites are going to be filled and who is going to be in each one. We have to then go around and make sure all suites are in good condition and place a copy of the St. Pete Times newspaper and the game notes in each occupied suite. Depending on how many suites are filled and how many interns are working, this usually takes around 1 to 2 hours to do.


After the suite walks are done, we all usually go get some lunch and relax for a little bit. The lost and found line and the employee phone line are all forwarded through our office, so we run those lines. So during our down time, we usually keep ourselves busy with all the phone calls and messages. It really boggles my mind how people lose certain things. Twice we have had people call in saying they were missing one shoe...now how in the hell do you lose one shoe? Don't you think that would be something you would notice when you are leaving the arena? We also have several phones that are turned in to us. One of the phones that was left in our office kept ringing and the caller ID said, "KiKi." I am still not sure who KiKi is but I was very interested in finding out. Unfortunately, the owner of the phone called to come pick it up so I never found out, sigh...

When we dont have any of that going on, we have been known to partake in games of putt-putt golf, butts up, paper football or mini-basketball to help pass the time. What? Everyone deserves to slack off at some point, right?


When it gets closer to gates opening up, we have our supervisors meeting, which is basically just a briefing to all the supervisors about the events going on that night and where certain things, like autograph sessions, will be taking place. After that, we have our call time and all the event employees meet and get a similar briefing that the supervisors got. Once that is complete, everyone gets ready for gates to open. During events, the interns split up duties and shift around so that we don't get bored doing the same thing. Some of us help out at the ADA entrance with anyone that needs wheel chair assistance and the rest of us shadow one of our two bosses.


Last Tuesday, the Lightning played the Capitals and it was probably one of the greatest hockey games I have ever seen. It was a very physical and high scoring game and made me wonder why I never became a big fan of hockey. Click the link above to see the highlights from the game, it was a good one...


Last week, there were 2 hockey games, a lingerie football game, winter jam concert and Lipizzaner Stallions show. So the arena was pretty busy this week and I learned a lot already. Probably the most important thing I learned this week was that the Lingerie Football League is hands down the greatest league ever created. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this league, please check out this website. What is so great about my job is that I get to spend the whole day leading up to events in the arena and get to see everything that the teams are doing. This includes watching out my office door as the Lingerie teams walk back and forth throughout the day. I also got to watch some of their practice while I was doing suite walks. I tried to snap some pictures for the fellas back home, but the closest I was willing to take pictures was up in the suites. Mainly because I enjoy my job and wouldn't want to risk losing it after the first week for creeping the girls out. So, I am sorry guys, this is the best picture I could get from their practice.





Aside from work, I have found some time to get out and have some fun outside of work. I went to the aquarium downtown, the West Virginia vs. USF basketball game and have had the chance to check out a few bars in the area.

I met a few of my roommates friends and they are all pretty cool. That night consisted of doing some stupidly random things like trying everything in our power to break a large rubber band. I have a pretty funny video of this, but for whatever reason my computer wont upload it.

Saturday night, I went to Lakeland to party with Josh. He had a hideously awesome hawaiin shirt party. It was pretty hideous to say the least...I believe this picture does the night justice...








Anyways, so far I am lovin it down here. Everyone I work with is really cool and we have a good time at our job. I have been lucky to meet many really cool people so far. I am sure these blogs will get more entertaining once we start having concerts and other events like that. I miss everyone back in Ohio and definitely miss the nights out with the guys. GET YOUR ASS' DOWN HERE HOMIES!

Signin off from sunny Florida :)

Nick

The Devil Went Down to...Florida!

Alright, so as most of you know (atleast the ones that would take the time to read this), I moved down to Tampa this week. I start an internship with the Tampa Bay Lightning next week and will be working full time in the Arena Operations department. On my long journey down here (17 1/2 hours) I was thinking (suprisingly) about what I could do to keep all my family and friends that I left behind in Ohio informed on the happenings in my life. So I thought of no better way then to make you read through some boring blogs...no I promise I will try and make them atleast semi-entertaining reads, but if you find yourself wanting to go overdose on some pain medications after reading, then do us all a favor...and keep reading...

So anyways lets start from the beginning...I left Toledo early Tuesday morning to begin my long trek to the sunshine state. Everything had happened so fast and I was in and out of the doctors the whole week prior to leaving so I didn't get a chance to really think about the fact that I was moving 1117.69 miles away from my family and friends. Needless to say, saying goodbye to my parents wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I owe them so much, they have sacrificed everything for me so that I can experience this great opportunity. Words can't express how greatful I am for that. Also, the thought of leaving all my friends was tough, but we were able to go out BIG the last couple nights I was in town. I'll keep those stories between us, hahaha...with that said, as you can imagine, the first half hour of my trip was a quiet one and a lot of nervous tension...but once I got passed BG and Miley Cyrus brought the party to my Kia Optima, there was no looking back...fists were-a-pumpin...I made a quick stop in Troy to grab a bite to eat with my sister, scott and my niece and nephew and it was great to see them all one last time before leaving. Then, the journey continued...

The ride was long and gruesome, I can only imagine how they musta been feelin on the Oregon Trail...atleast I had no problems with Dysentery. I got to Atlanta around 6:45pm and hear me when I tell you this...try to avoid downtown Atlanta at all costs between the hours of 4 and 7...holy shit, that was an experience. I continued about another hour or so past Atlanta to Macon, Georgia, where I decided to post up for the night...12 1/2 hours was enough for me...

So I checked into my hotel around 8:30 pm, just in time to watch the Orange Bowl. When I was checkin in I noticed a bar that was connected to the hotel, that was bumpin some solid tunes. So naturally I had to go check it out, right? Not gonna lie, I was a little skeptical at first, but who wouldn't be? I was in some city in GA that I knew nothing about...well let me tell you, this place did not disappoint...

I first walked to the gas station to grab a pack of gum and some chapstick...now I know what your thinking, but C'MON! I had no idea what kinda girls Macon, GA was gonna throw at me...


So I walked back over to this bar, it was called "Friends Bar" (who wouldn't wanna go here, right?), and walked in the front door not knowing what to expect. It looked like the picture to your right, except with four older guys (who probably took a whole bottle of Jose to the face... a piece), playin pool and a younger token black guy about my age sittin at the bar. Then there was a really cute southern belle bartender and I fell in love with her accent as soon as she said, "What can I get you sweetheart?"


I sat down and had a beer, watched the game and had several interesting conversations with Mr. Token and the bartender. Shortly thereafter, a group of about 4 middle aged people walked in and the beats were flowin from the jukebox. They started dancin and my natural instinct was to start a dance off, but because I was in a place I was not familiar with I decided against it. That, and the fact the one guy dancing looked extremely intoxicated and wouldn't even stand a chance against Pat Tussing (see pic below).



So around midnight I decided enough was enough. Macon, GA treated me well (minus the guy that came in trying to get money from me and wouldn't quit staring at me) and it was time to get some shut-eye for the 5 hour trip to Tampa that was ahead of me in the morning.

I woke up around 8 AM and felt a little out of it, but made myself some coffee, jumped in the shower, got some McD's breakfast and hopped on the highway.



I was passing through Gainsville and saw signs for the University of Florida, so I decided to stop for a bathroom break and check the place out. Sadly, there were no Tim Tebow sightings but a couple roads were closed due to flooding...said somethin about Tim Tebow cryin a river...(insert punchline sound effect here)...ok there were no roads closed, but it took me the whole 15 minutes I was in Gainsville to think of that joke so I had to use it...

Back on the road...arrived at my apartment rougly around 2:30pm and was greeted by the same girl that I had met a few weeks back. I got everything squared away and got my keys. I got to my apartment and there was no one home, which was cool cuz I was able to get all my stuff moved in and not have to worry about bein in anyones way. I walked to my room and saw the door was open in the room across the hall from me and something caught my eye...pink pillows...and a lot of pink...mind you, at this point I was under the impression that I had two male roommates, so this was somethin to cause concern...

I started makin excuses for this person in my head already like, "Okayyy, wellllll...just cuz he likes pink doesn't mean hes not gonna be a good roommate" and "mayyyybe he just let his girlfriend set up his room"...in any case, my mind was all over the place and rightfully so...after I looked in the room again I noticed the closet open and what appeared to be female clothing...yet, it still hadn't crossed my mind that a girl might live there..."wellllllllll, just because he might enjoy wearin womens clothing and likes pink, doesn't mean we won't be able to look past that and get along..." As you can see, I was tryin to justify just about everything and not jump to conclusions...which I already had.

About 3 hours later, one of my roommates, Kurt, showed up and he seemed like a really cool, chill guy from Iowa. I nonchalantly asked about the "other roommate"... "soooo...is it just you that lives here?"...he replied with, "Nah, there is a girl that lives in the other room...my buddy went home so she moved in" Holy shit! Do you realize the relief I felt at this particular moment? It was like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders (I know, cliche right?) I dont know why it never crossed my mind that it could be a girls room.

I got the majority of my room unpacked but I was really tired, so I tapped out pretty early. I woke up this morning around 10 and showered without a shower curtain, which is very tough to do, and headed to get my car washed and then walmart to buy some necessities. I got home and finished setting up everything in my bathroom and stuff and then briefly met the mysterious other roommate, Danielle. We joked about how I thought she was a dude that loved pink, but she seems pretty cool from the 5 minutes I talked to her, so I can finally relax and enjoy these next few days before I start working next week.

I'm not real sure what I got planned for the weekend, but I'm sure I will find somethin to get in to. I'll update ya in the next blog. This is something I want to try and do atleast once a week, depending on how busy I get. I enjoy writing them because it gives me a way to keep in touch with all the people back home, so I hope you enjoy reading them. Until nex time...


From Sunny (but chilly) Florida, Signing off...

Nick