Atlanta

I'm currently in Atlanta for the All-Star game....got in early Wednesday morning after a red-eye from Vancouver (will blog about my Canada excursion after I get home and get pics downloaded). For the first time ever, my bags did not arrive on my flight with me. The airport didn't show that my bag had been checked in anywhere...stressful! I had to work at 3:00 that afternoon and had no appropriate clothes to wear or make-up or a toothbrush or anything that I needed to feel and look decent! I had to go shopping! Luckily, my bags showed up at my hotel around 10:30 that night...I have no idea where they'd been in between.

I've had so much fun with my job here - I love it! I'm working with a company that just does transportation for events. I never had any idea how much time and energy goes into event transportation! This company has been doing the transportation for the All-Star game for years and years, so they know what they're doing. They handle ALL transportation - VIP cars (we have about 30 mini-vans being used for this), buses to/from the big events, special orders for limos or SUVs or whatnot.

My part in all this is to keep track of the schedule for the VIP cars....I have nothing to do with the special-ordered vehicles or the large bus transportation. We have an enormous Excel spreadsheet that I update with additions or changes and keep track of as the days go on...constantly making sure everyone who may need to know is also aware of those changes. It is very, very fast-paced and sometimes a little stressful, but I like it! Most of the VIPS are hockey-related-the players, team owners, etc.... We also have some celebs in for various events/concerts...Alyssa Milano, Usher, Wyclef, Ne-yo, David Boreanaz, the Jonas Brothers, One Republic, Taylor Kitsch....even the Old 97's (the band I saw play in Austin in December) was here! I love hearing about all the celeb transportation and sometimes helping schedule it. Most of them are just using the VIP mini-vans like everyone else. Some of them (Usher) had specific requirements....a black, large SUV such as an Escalade. So, we got him one! Wyclef can't seem to follow instructions and has walked on his own to events twice. His manager once got in the car and told the driver that Wyclef had walked and made some side-comment about the difficulties of working with celebs. One of the drivers did a pick-up for Alyssa and went to the wrong door...she gave up and caught a cab. There are constantly changes being made...i.e. Alyssa isn't ready yet, so the car must wait around for her putting kinks in the schedule. Or someone wants to leave earlier, or a flight is delayed, or someone not on the schedule wants a car right now, etc.... My phone is constantly ringing with those kinds of updates. We are also constantly getting calls from drivers who have been waiting for 30-minutes and their party hasn't shown up. Then there are the times when our Event's managers come in and say, the Jonas Brothers have been waiting for their car... and we have to figure out what the heck happened to their driver! We have greeters at the airport who I send my schedule to so they know who to look for coming to/from the airport, when and what flight, etc. It's crazy!

One of the girls from the Transportation company serves as the dispatcher. She has about 4 Walkie-Talkie's going at once with several mini-van drivers assigned to each walkie-talkie. I don't know how she does it - it's fascinating just to watch her!

I spoke with one of Alyssa's "people" last night when she wanted her car delayed. I'm sure Alyssa has no idea how much energy and how many people are working on her transportation alone. Her PR person, our events people, me, the dispatcher, the driver, etc....

Last night was the Wyclef/Old 97's concert (I didn't get to go). Usher was introducing Wyclef. His "people" came into our office last night just before the show...they had Usher's introduction speech on a disc and needed to print it for him. I was having a slow-period, so I quickly volunteered to do it on my computer/printer. So, yes, I printed the piece of paper Usher would read from later that night!

I DID get to go to the concert on Thursday night - One Republic - but, we didn't stay long at all. I went with one of my co-workers, but we didn't see anyone else we knew there and neither of us cared much about the concert, so we didn't stay. The cool thing is that we were VIP's! Got to go in before general admission and they had food/drinks set-up for us. I felt important!

Tonight, I go to the Super Skillz competition and an after-party. Tomorrow night is the big game...I'll also go to a pre-party for a little while, but will miss most of it as I'll be in the office coordinating transportation to it! I think most of the celebs will be gone for these events, but I'll keep my eyes open!