Mask's Off!

Last night I was invited to be the emcee for the Actor's Youth Theatre 3rd annual Masquerade Ball at the Red Mountain Multi-Generational Center in Mesa, Arizona. It was a great time and a super special gala! There were magical performances by special guests Cosette Fife, Tyler and Lindsey Maxson, and AYT's own junior actors performed two hit dances choreographed by Corrine Clement and Marcus Ellsworth.

Now, I wanted to write how super special the evening was, and that is important, but whats more important is the amount of volunteers it took to pull this off. There was a food volunteer, a gift and raffle volunteer, a dj, a technical volunteer, a prop volunteer, a registration volunteer, someone to install props, someone to connect the speakers, someone to put the table center pieces together, someone to make those centerpieces, and of course the volunteer I forgot to mention and there are many. Of course, an event such as this wouldn't even be possible without sponsors and donations. And, there were many sponsors too.

I have been a volunteer in many different organizations and I think it is so cool to help people out. So I write this blog post for two reasons. The first, AYT you rock! The volunteers and the youth of your organization are so wonderful to work with and it inspires me to keep on volunteering in any capacity! Keep it up! The second, is for all my readers. If you have not had a chance to volunteer in any organization don't you think now is the time? I mean, with all the political banter now a days, and the "what's in it for me" attitude, our youth and newer generations could benefit from helping those that need the help most.

Try to volunteer in an organization that is devoted to helping further or make any individual better. You never know, when the Mask's come Off, you too, could be a much better person yourself.

Are You Secure?

Flying into the Sacramento airport the other day, it dawned on me. I can just look at the screen for my name, drive off in a car, and GET STOPPED. There is always a security guard or you gather your keys at the check out counter. The rental car agencies have done a pretty good job at securing their prize investments. The vehicles are well protected and the policy seems streamlined and simple. Get stopped by a security gate or go retrieve your keys by flashing your drivers license. Simple right? Wrong.

How about a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)? I went to a recent WWTP in Northern California and drove my very secure rental car into the facility and stopped at the visitor parking spot. The gate was opened and there was no security guard. I suppose if I had mal-intent I could have reeked havoc on this WWTP. But I didn't. After all I was there to teach a safety class for incident management. The result of this story is not very difficult to grasp. Similar to the rental car facilities, this WWTP could implement a policy to help secure their most prized assets, treatment equipment. If I am not mistaken, the equipment costs local-sewer-paying-citizens many dollars. Just so you know, they alerted me that they were in the middle of clamping down on their security policies, and here is an example of this, I forgot to sign in, and they were on top of it! Getting me down to sign in on their visitors log sheet right away. I love awareness! Try it!

The Federal Government has not required WWTP's to comply with vulnerability guidlines like they have for Water Treatment Plants (WTP). Unfortunately this prejudice is harsh, because WTP's have nearly the same equipment as WWTP's. The only difference is the media they are treating; Water vs. Wastewater. There are slight differences in chemistry, but the premise is the same. "MEET THE STRINGENT EPA REQUIREMENTS FOR DISCHARGE OR CONSUMPTION" Nevertheless, the conversation remains, how much security do I need? The only way to remedy that is to pretend that you are intruder, how easy was it to get away with things you wouldn't want to have happen to you? Then you can decide whether or not you are secure enough.

Let's step up our efforts to secure our people, public and our equipment. You know you can do a better job.

Tools to help: EPA's Vulnerability assessment, Consultants and the AWWA Vulnerability Guidleines. (Google: CFATS) (Chemical Facility and Anti Terrorism Standards)

Valentine's Day Love

Today I received a link on Facebook and it read, "Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite." This was posted by the most amazing Sheila Page-Bottorff, my wife, my Valentine, my everything. As this post signifies the last personal post under my Travel Blog, I wanted to make it special for the special person in my life.

Sheila has given me things I thought I would never possess. Now, possessions to me were important up until about a few months ago, but as I try to improve and remove the need for material things, I see that the most prized possession is not any single item per se, but someone's undeniable love and devotion. Which she delivers without hesitation in everything she does. I will always tell you that I do not deserve someone so valuable as Sheila, but I am thankful. I can only hope to give half as much love and devotion she has provided and perhaps she will find value in me. I love (live) you so much baby. Will you be my Valentine?

Brush off The Dust

Hello everyone! I updated my business web site and needed a blog site to update my travels. So what I will be doing with this blog is talking about different personalities throughout my travels and extraordinary things from people I meet. 1, to show the appreciation and 2, to share with my subscribers that Business, Safety and Health will always be my focus, but there are things I learn that can be weaved in and out of the core fabric of my main business model. This last blog will be about Friends, and the new blog will be about business. Thanks for your patience as I transition.

Starting off, Tommy Adams, Eric Garcia and Sheila. First of all, Sheila will receive her very own blog post on the most special day of Valentine's day! So let me move on to Tommy and Eric. Affectionately known as T-Bone and G-Spot....Nick Names you see...

When I was traveling back and forth to Orange County The first two folks I met were these two characters. But I tell you what, I wouldn't change it for the world. They ended up becoming really GREAT friends. I miss them, but still hold them in my every thought. Here are some of the crazy things we used to do: We played trash golf, PSP Tiger Woods, rapped songs in the style of country, (Well Eric Did) I stunk at that, but could do a mean beat box.

Trash golf was simple. Take a wad of paper and shoot (throw) them into designated trash cans throughout the 4000 square foot facility. The PSP was pretty cool too, my first exposure to connecting hand-helds. In between these matches we would go to Eric's pad (before marriage) and have a game night, where I would rule the Tiger Woods Golf arena! Good Times Guys!

Tommy Left for Japan in Mid 2006 and it was just me an Eric. Although, Eric and I lived through Tommy's pictures and late nights, vicariously.

My week visits brought me back and forth to Orange County in which I started staying with Eric. He was so hospitable. We would have dinner and at times, his mom would make us dinner too. We would play tennis and sometimes basketball if me knee was up to it.

All-in-all, these were great times! Best of all, Eric is now Married, and has a new son, Noah. Tommy is back from Japan and has a great girlfriend too!

Memories were never better. Thanks for everything you two. I hope we stay in touch!

The best part about this blog is that if I could mirror these guys, I would. They are both examples of guys you would be comfortable marrying the next door neighbors daughter, but not mine...haha! Just Kidding! These guys rock! Thanks for all your technological upkeep for a no-tech savvy Filipino.

Windshield to Debris Field

I'm sitting in the waiting room/lobby waiting to get a new winshield
on the Camry that Sheila used to drive. The car goes to Courtney in a
couple of weeks. As I sit here and ponder the thought that Courtney,
my oldest daughter is beginning to drive, what could be going through
the mind of a teenager in this era of super technology. Facebook,
Myspace, Blogging, Texting...whatever it is; are kids doing this while
driving? I have researched many publicized events in which teenagers
texting while driving causes much grief for family and friends. If
Nancy Grace ever gets a hold of it, never mind the family grief, but
drag the entire continent through the grief as well. The likes of
Oprah, local TV, 60 Minutes and many other outlets have explored the
texting and driving phenomenon. The reason I sat down to write this
blog was not driven politically, out of frustration with rules, or any
other reason other than just simple love for my girls. Don't get me
wrong, the texting and driving laws should be an effective way to
deduce the likelihood of a catastrophe, but is texting all that kids
do? What about rushing to school? What about eating breakfast? What
about friends in a car? What about a bad day at school which pro-
generates homeward bound frustration? What about the iPod connection
failing? What about the assignment they missed and all they could
think about was just finishing it and not the red light they just ran?
What about the billboard marketing a new Disney movie that they just
had to go and see? What about the wind that blows so hard it jostled
the car? What about the accident they just got in because......?

There are many questions that any normal parent would think the moment
their own child takes the keys to the car. You can only hope that you
don't get a call from authorities asking you to come and identify your
child's body in a debris field caused by an accident that occured with
them in it.

Some simple steps to help avoid a mishap can simply start with wide
open communication. Know what your child does. Know what their intent
is when they go somewhere. Know what their destination will be. Know
who their friends are and who they hang out with. Know their frame of
mind prior to them leaving. Triggering on Rushing is a trademark item
that I teach as a result of Safestart, but do kids do it? Are they
under tremendous amount of pressure? Yes! Have frequent discussions
with your child to better understand their frame of mind. You can
only hope that it won't be your last conversation.

In exactly two weeks Courtney takes the keys to the old family Camry.
She will be 16....where did the time go? With all my will, I have to
restrain fear and hope that Sheila and I have done a good enough job
for Courtney to think on her own. I think a tall tale sign is when
she constantly points out my distractions while I drive myself. It
sounds funny. But seriously, I get a bit defensive, but I know she is
absolutely right! So I just (mostly) bow my head and say alright,
alright. But she has been able to communicate like this because we do
it with her, but it is only fair that we behave as we want our kids to
behave, because the last thing we want is to have our kids peer
through the windshield and the last thing they see is a debris field.

I love you Courtney! Please take the wheel to your car and know that
your mom, sister and I love you and always want you to return home
safely just as you left it.

Three Awe Shits

Three times this week. Three freaking times! Ok, the first one was
no big deal. They couldn't find an authorized gate agent to operate
the jet way. Who was the person that shut the door on the outside.
They are authorized to shut an aircraft door but not authorized to
operate a jetway? How unproductive is that. Maybe that's why they
filed bankruptcy..... Hmmm???

Okay the second time was in Columbus, Oh. This is the lowest form of
wierdness I have seen US Airways pull. There was an odd flight
attendant with an incredible Napolean Syndrome, except she wasn't
short. She wanted everyone to know that she had authority. I mean,
gosh! Let me give you an example. I flew first class on the way to
Columbus and that flight was very comfortable and the service was
impecable! But, as the old addage goes, one awe shit takes away alot
of atta' boys. I digress, the return trip is the second awe shit in
this series of awe shits. The flight attendant I started explaining
about was stopping in every aisle forcing everyone to push their bags
in "or else!!". Now this is where it goes crazy! She cannot manage to
get the dinger sound to work to get the other flight attendant's
attention. She is in the rear of the aircraft and she was trying to
hail the front of the aircraft. The dinger didn't work. She came all
the way to the front of the aircraft and banged on the cockpit door,
they unlatched the lock to the cockpit and she literally screamed to
the pilot that the overhead dinger didn't work. It all sounds so
silly, but I was there! I was in my assigned seat, 5F (no upgrade
this time). The pilot calmed her down and told us we would be delayed
until they can get the dinger to work. 30 minutes later they still
can't get the dinger to work. But the pilot came on the sound system
and said very sarcastically, "we have other means of communication
within the aircraft!". Almost to say to the flight attendant, SHUT
UP! But of course he was politically correct with his calm submissive
self towards the antichrist of type A personalities.

So the third Awe Shit happened today on my way to Ohare, my second
least favorite airport; Denver International is my least favorite.

The aircraft secondary electrical system didn't work. I know that 72
degrees isn't stifiling, but put 143 people into an Airbus 320 and it
becomes a sauna. The AC didn't work without the secondary electrical
system. Well, guess what else doesn't work without that SES? The
engines won't rotate to start, so they have to roll the cart that
blows air into the engine to get it started. This really didn't annoy
me, because it has happened on several occasions. What really did
annoy me is a passenger in my row who didn't get upgraded to First
Class. I didn't either, but I don't let the whole world know I am
pissed because I didn't recieve an upgrade. She had the "whole world
owes me" attitude. I don't know what causes that kind of attitude but
I promise all of my readers to never act that way! If I do please let
me know!

So no matter what happens, if you are just glistening for doing
something so great and awesome, it can be overshadowed by just one awe
shit. You can have many great accolades, but one awe shit will delete
them forever. Why? It really doesn't matter why, but just remember,
people have a tendency to remember the bad things you have done
regardless of all the good. Don't leave this world with a bad taste
in everyone's mouth. US Airways has so much to give and learn, but I
see the same problems over and over again. I don't know if they can
recover from so much shit. No pun intended.

Sent from Tim's iPhone

SWA seat 15 A

I'm sitting in seat 15A on Southwest (SWA) flight 1509 traveling to Portland, Oregon. I find myself laughing at myself.  My ass is killing me, the flight is completely full.  If they served cheeseburgers the seat capacity would expand so far that everyone would need those slimming jeans for women.  Yes!!!! The men too.

I wanted to comment on the psychology behind the Southwest boarding phenomonon.  If you have never traveled using Southwest you may not know about the rules and the boarding process. Let me explain:

The boarding process on SWA is a simple process for seasoned veterans.  You know who I am talking about!  The "A" listers.  The people that fly SWA more than 30 segments a year.  I fall into that category but I don't buy into all of the hoopla. But if it is your first time you are going to be blown away.  Before I begin I have to explain that there are two types of SWA passengers. The first type is the anal pascifist who is an A lister who flies SWA so much he/she is recognized by every single flight attendant.  The SWA A lister gets to skip the long security line and recieves boarding priveledges over the second type of passenger.  The second type of passenger is the "who cares where I sit passenger" when they board or the person that knows nothing about the SWA boarding policy and arrives dumbfounded.  What is this letter and number mean?  Is that my seat number?  Oh my god! Really?! I didn't know I could check in online. Those are a few quetions the second type of passenger might ask.

Now, when the second type of passenger arrives at the gate they approach five tall silver pillars and two tv screens.  The pillars identify where you stand according to your boarding pass number and group. The tv screens tells everyone how the boarding process works but no one pays attention. 25 minutes before departure the gate agent reviews the boarding process.  Again, no-one listens.  What do you mean I board after the "A" group?  That is what a woman asks traveling with her two small children.  SWA is not family friendly.  The families board between groups A and B not first.  The A group has potentially 60 people. The B group also has 60 people but they board after the A group.  A, B, and C are the three boarding groups. Respectively, A goes first then B then C.  If you are in the A group you are almost guaranteed to get any seat in the airplane. If you are B, you are mostly certain to get a non middle seat but not your first choice. If you are in the C group you are very likely to get a middle seat.

Now, here is the phenomonon; most A listers travel together and sit together with a middle seat open. They also have a tendency to lean inward at the middle seat.  If you happen to be at the end of the B or in the C group, you are gonna have to chose the middle seat.  Secretly people are hoping you will pass their middle seat as they cower closer and closer towards the middle hoping you walk by them.  If you happen to chose that seat, you are polite and ask if anyone is sitting there.  As soon as you ask, you see the red sea split and that middle seat is wide open.  The person sitting  next to the hatch leans against the bulkhead and the aisle person leans out into the aisle.

It is comical watching people boarding on a SWA flight!  Today the biggest person on the flight boarded last and was flustered because all that was left were middle seats.  The guy sat between two other guys that were just as big in the shoulders.

I laugh beacause I start wondering what kind of SWA passenger I am...being an A lister, I don't have to check in online because I am guaranteed to board in the low A's. The only demand I have is usually a window seat that is perfectly situated to where my shoulder fits in it.  Guess what?  15A wasn't assigned, it was selected. I chose to sit here.  I suppose the irony between the two type of passengers are the one's that choose and the ones that settle. I want to choose what I want! I don't want to settle. I will live my life with this as my motto. For you SMFPB.   

Sent from Tim's iPhone