Fresno Fuego Revisited
The show was absolutely spectacular if I say so myself. We setup 103 three inch mortars and eight multi-shot devices which are called cakes or shows in a box.
The fireworks were loaded into a digital firing system that was pretty increadible. I still prefer the analog firing systems where I am the conductor of the show.
The fans were loud and appreciative of the show which is one of the reasons I love this gig and of course the number one reason is that I love to blow stuff up in a creative and beautiful display.
Lamborghini Murcielago
I'm a Lamborghini Murcielago!
You're not subtle, but you don't want to be. Fast, loud, and dramatic, you want people to notice you, and then get out of the way. In a world full of sheep, you're a raging bull.
Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.
Feuerwerk
Feuerwerk
Tonight is a good night for fireworks. We're putting on a choreographed show for the fans and spectators at the Fresno Fuego soccer club. The shells will be numbered according to a specific firing plan that has been ordered by the customer to either be in sync with music and/or a specific dispay that they want.
I will have to chain the motar tubes together to accomidate the space that we are given to do the show. The shells are lowered carefully into the tubes so that no static electricity will be created and cause an accidential misfire resulting in serious injury or even DEATH to the person lowering the high explosive shell. Then we hook everything up to an electrical panel and those panels will be fed to a control panel.
Once eveything is hooked up I will perform a continuity check and make sure that everything is a-okay. Now we wait. Sometimes during the wait the fire marshall will start poking around to make sure that we accounted for things such as wind direction, fallout areas, fire extinguishers are readily available, that the mortar tubes are in good condition, check out our safety equipment. I could go on.......
Good times, great memories and remarkable showmanship is what I strive for.
Memory Lane
- Me on the right.
Here's a picture of yours truly deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990. I was part of the setup crew assigned to the 197 Infantry Brigade Military Police Platoon. My duties were to provide security to the unit as well as the supply routes. HooYa!
Food Poisoning
Hometown Buffet. If you want to lose weight then by all means please stop by for a spell. You will also receive a full body workout from the violent shivers and shakes while you purge your body of every known liquids you have ever digested.
Crap.
Next Fireworks Show
Prison Adventure
So there I was. The center of attention at the Women’s Detention Center in Chowchilla, California better known as the Valley State Prison for Women. It was career day and I was asked to attend to speak with approximately 2,400 “residents” and let them know that there is work after prison.
As I entered the prison’s visitor’s center with my program flyers in my trusty office depot cart, I take in a few deep breathes and replay my mantra in my head, “I’m to pretty for prison, I’m to pretty for prison, I’m…..”
I hand over my identification card over to the correctional officer and he verifies that I have authorization to be there. I put my cart on the counter and he tells to remove any and all metal objects from my person prior to entering the enormous walk through metal detector. So, off goes my ring, keys and wallet. I walk through and immediately the sound of the detector alerts everyone that I failed this simple task of removing any and all metal from my person. Second attempt, off goes my belt (metal buckle), third attempt off goes my Chuck Taylor shoes (metal eyelets). Fourth time is a go.
I find my table, I set up camp and set out my colored flyers and prepare my game face. As the first wave of women walk in I start to feel a little out of place. Last thing I want to happen is disrespect some lady’s number one and get shanked. The table next to me could see that I was a newbie and informed me that they were lifers and they would keep an eye on me. Yeah, I feel better knowing that.
Now the visiting room was buzzing with activity and I could see every color of the rainbow swarming to my table. I see tall, short, bald and heavily tattooed women making a bee line towards me. I muster up my best half smile and stammer, “good morning ladies.” Several responded with their best Joey Tribbiani impression, “how you doin?”
One young lady approached my table bearing a full neck tattoo and asked me if there were any jobs available for me as she pointed to the gang tattoo on her neck. I told her certainly, but you could probably rule out any customer service related job.
There were a total of four different housing units filtered through and the fourth group was by far the most how do I say, “animated.” As I was talking to a small group I felt a hand on my keester and thought wow, how brazen trying to take my wallet. I then realized that my wallet was in the other pocket and that she just grabbed my butt.
As I departed from the prison I thought it was a good day, a very good day indeed.
Fighting with myself
Growing up I didn’t have the ability to express my true feelings on subjects that where either close to my heart or just plain bothered me. As a young boy I stayed pretty neutral on things because I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers. I was that kind of kid that wanted to please everybody yet deep down inside I wanted answers to questions.
Every so often being the good kid I acted out around my brothers just so I would be punished, but those were far and few between. My siblings were always being told, “Wait till your father gets home” and my dad would punish them for their [crimes]. When it was my turn to go and get his belt I was both afraid and some what excited that I was breaking the good boy title I had desperately and carefully built.
Now as an adult I work so very hard at having a bad boy image at work while still trying hard to be the overachiever and being recognized for doing a great job. Is this what we [guys] do, or are we just nuts to even care what others think?
There’s a blogger here on tBlog that I call a friend and we have different points of view on both politics and religion but he’s still a friend. I don’t have the need or desire to try and convert him to my way of thinking. Why should I?
He always closes with, “Be good to everyone.” And I would like to modify it and say, ‘Be good to family and friends” because they’re the ones that’s going to be changing my man diapers when my mind slips away.
Thanks for listening.