Last trip to Biloxi

Well since everyone has seen the news it's easy to realize I won't be back in Biloxi, MS in the immediate future.

I spent the week of August 22nd thru the 25th there. Luckily I was scheduled to leave and come back on Labor Day weekend for the opening of the Hard Rock Casino so I wasn't there during the storm. Needless to say all of the hard work I did that week preparing Hard Rock was all for naught. The building was flattened by our good friend Katrina that decided to come through and remodel the coastal front and many lives with it. It is totally a surreal experience to be able to look at places that were there one day and completely wiped out of existence the next.

One of my big bosses from Las Vegas was in town checking things out so we spent quite a bit of time with him that week. His one stipulation while we were in town was that we had to eat at local establishments the whole time we were there. No, O'Charley's or any other large chain restaurants; we had no problems finding good meals all week at many interesting places. It's hard to fathom that all of these places were completely leveled after the storm. One of the places we ate had been there for something like 125 years. I guarantee it is there no longer. It is a shame though it really had character.

I always enjoy my time while I am in Biloxi and usually get to make my trips to Mobile, AL, and Pensacola, FL, during the same time. Hopefully I'll get to go back shortly and the place won't look like a total war zone.

Mohegan Sun

Spending a week in Uncasville, CT this week. Mohegan Sun has the largest casino floor I have ever been on. My feet have the blisters to prove it. I never thought I would have a problem with the shoes that I have been wearing, but boy was I wrong. The Casino of the Sky was my favorite as far as decoration goes. I however loved the Casino of the Earth because of the cool ass wolves on top of the slot banks. Someone told me that they are on timers and one of the employees told me they howl when someone hits a jackpot. During the whole week I was there I only heard them howl once so I would believe the later was true.

While I was there I made it out to the US Naval Submarine Museum in Groton, Connecticut. It's kind of sad that it might not be open much longer. It receives no funding and depends on donations to keep the doors open. I found it interesting to see the history of subs and learned some things that I was not aware of.

Yosemite Valley

I was out in Coarsegold, California for a week and on one of the last days I went sight seeing. Here's a couple of shots I took while I was in Yosemite National Park. It only took a 5 mile hike to get the picture of the grove of giant sequoyahs but I think it was worth it. They're truly unbelievable in person.

Hey Ref, Where Have You Been?

It's been a while since I laced up some skates. The new job has had me out on tour, so far the list is:
Shreveport/Bossier City, LA
Atlantic City, NJ
Montgomery, AL
Birmingham, AL
Jacksonville, FL
Las Vegas, NV
Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma City, OK
Biloxi, MS
Mobile, AL
Pensacola, FL and the list keeps growing and growing.

I finally made it out to the driving range today. I have had my new irons for about two weeks now and haven't swung them until today. My golf game is going to need some major work to get it back in shape. Speaking of shape it is that time of the year again. It is time to start skating when available and hitting the gym to cut weight and get the body reshaped again. I have to pick out a work out regiment which I haven't decided on yet. I will put out an update when I have figured out what I am going to use.

First Time With The Arm Bands On

Tuesday night was the first time that I had ever been called on to act as head ref this year. Until this point I have just been a linesman when needed. There was an unofficial/practice game between Germantown High School and the Bantam Travel Team. The elders of the league thought this would be a good chance for me to get some practice in with the arm bands on. I thought the same at first but worried that my conditioning was not up to par for the task being asked.

It wasn't very far into the game when I realized I was over skating everything. I ended up ahead of the play once or twice from over anticipation which I thought would happen before the game. I knew that if one team controlled the puck more than the other one that I would end up in the zone earlier than I would prefer. Thankfully the high school team did put up a good show and kept things from being too lop sided in favor of the travel team. I fully expected the travel team to dominate that game if the Germantown seniors were not playing. Once the game started I did not see one of the star players of the Germantown squad so I was sure the travel team would not be too over challenged. I was however worried about myself being over challenged.

The travel coach said in pre-game that he wanted his guys to get to work on some penalty killing so he would have them take a penalty or two intentionally. This had me a little nervous that I might miss the call that he was expecting to be a penalty call. Worse, I was worried if I did miss the call what might ensue afterwards. (normally a melee takes place) Luckily the Germantown squad never allowed that to happen. Some teams play hockey and others take stupid penalties. It was Germantown's night to do a little of each. Needless to say the travel players got to work on their power play more than the penalty kill. Not to knock the Germantown squad, but they had some good opportunities to even that game up and didn't capitalize on it.

I had one play where a puck was kicked into the net, but thankfully I was on the whistle quick that night and was already shutting that play down before it crossed the line.

I thought things went alright at the end. I don't know how anyone does more than one game a night as a referee. I guess when you get in shape for it the job becomes easier. I can say that I was a little more than tired when it was over. I look forward to the experience of getting to do a few more games like that but also know where my challenge now lies. Thankfully I wasn't hit in the legs by a puck that night; first time in 3 games that hasn't happened. Now if these other bruises would just go away.