Why is it...

Why is it, that some people don't seem to understand that carrying a concealed pistol (legally that is) is not just a right, but also an obligation? As a Citizen of this great country, it is a right that was guaranteed to us in the Constitution. It is not given to us by the Constitution.

The right to keep and bear arms is what some call a "God given right." Well, if not not a religious person, how about we call it a Natural right. We all, every single one of us have a natural right of self defense. To help excersize that right, we need the proper tools. Before the advent of firearms, the proper tools were swords, bows, or whatever other weapons it might take to adequately defend our lives and those of our family.

Some time in the future, I would not be surprised if the proper tool is a laser weapon, or some other futuristic device. But for now, it is firearms.

To take away my gun, would be like taking the jack out of my car. Or the fire extinguisher out of my house. Who ever does such a thing is a criminal, and should be punished.

And that's all I have to say for now on that subject.

What a trip!

Ok, so we didn't get started until about 4:00PM on Monday 11/14/05. This was the fault of the owners who decided at the last minute to go shopping for the guys staying at Baton Rouge. They even had the gall to ask us to help unload the stuff!!

"Sorry, I'm under doctor's orders." ;-) Anyway, we got started, and we're off.

First thing, I am NOT going through Illinois. Why? Simple. I'm taking my gun back with me. And every state I intend to pass through will recognize my Michigan concealed Pistol license. Illinois does not, since they don't even "allow" their own citizens to pack a gun off their own property.

So, we go through Louisiana (we started there), Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas (by mistake, we got slightly lost around Memphis), Kentucky, and Indiana. We FINALLY got home, about 10:00PM. We might have got here sooner, but we made a short stop in Clarksville, TN, to visit some friends of my co-driver. That was ok. I got to sleep about 20 minutes or so, and it kept me going for most of the rest of the trip.

Man, was I EVER glad to get home!

The long drive

I was gonna take a bus, but I've been offered the chance to drive a company vehicle back to Grand Rapids, along with another fellow, who is being sent back for a different reason (they fired him by making him quit.). Hey, it beats two days on a bus.

In any event, we're supposed to leave tomorrow morning.

Out of the hospital and going home

Well, two days later, I'm free at last. But, since I'm type II diabetic, the doctors think it would be better if I were not in the "atmosphere" that is currently surrounding New Orleans. So I get to go home. The only question is "How?"

Ok, it's worse

Earlier this morning, at the site, I thought my right leg was swollen from water weight gain. I've had this type of problem before. However, this afternoon, when I woke up, I noticed a very bad red spot on my right shin that covered most of the front part of it.

I told my boss, he took me to Touro Infirmary. Now I'm a "guest" there for at leat 24-48 hours. This sucks.

FEMA F**kers??

Ok, so I'm on roving patrol, "Forrest" is on the exit gate, and Jason is on the entrance gate. I'm over at the entrance talking to Jason when this taxi manages to get past Forrest, (there was a truck exiting at the same time between Forrest and the taxi) and makes a quick dash over by where some of the Shaw guys are inspecting a trailer.

I go over to find out what's going on, and this guy is complaining to Shaw. It turns out, he got his FEMA trailer repossessed by FEMA. It seems he told a little lie when he said he had permission from the lot owner to put the trailer where it had been. Well, he didn't have permission, FEMA found out, and they took back the trailer. So, now he wants to get a "FEMA f**ker." We tried to explain to him, everyone at the site is a contractor. Unfortunately, this guy has a one track mind, and it's got some bad rails too.

Apparently he did understand the idea that if he didn't get off the property of his own free will, he'd be spending the rest of the night in the Kenner city jail.

Ouch

I discovered a busted blister on the second toe of my right foot. Time to stop wearing boots and go to my Dr. Scholls shoes.

Other wise, it's ok. I also lost the toenail from my big toe on my left foot. I suppose it could be worse.

Almost forgot to mention, Art got fired. Seems he was trying to talk some of the other guards into leaving and going to Wackenhut along with him. He got a bus ticket home. Too bad. He was a good guy to work with and a lot of fun.

I have a new nickname!

Ok. So this post isn't as bad as I thought it might be. And the old man of the post, Art, has given me a new nickname...Shrek. Ok, so maybe I'm a bit uglier than I thought I was.

Anyway, now I get to guard one of the staging lots that Shaw uses for the trailers that FEMA is using for temporary housing. These are not too bad looking either.

Dreams dashed on the beach

So much for going home. It went from 3 vans to 1, and only the driver (not me) is going back. It seems they need me back at New Orleans. Never mind I only got 3 hours sleep today, after working all night, last night, driving half way to Baton Rouge, only to turn back, then go back to Baton Rouge. What a terrible pain in the butt. It wouldn't be so bad, but on top of everything else, I had to wait over an hour in Baton Rouge for them to bring someone else back from a job site so I could take him back to New Orleans too.

Then, I get to go out to a site by NO International Airport. Half dead, from lack of sleep, with my feet killing me. I have to ask myself, is this really worth $1200.00 a week?....well, maybe it is. ;)

A chance to dream, perhaps

Now it looks like I'm going to be taking someone, and a van back to Grand Rapids, picking up some more people, and coming back on Monday/Tuesday. I like this. It will give me a few hours at home with the wife and kids.

Qualification day

It seems today is to be a long day for me. I'm off to qualify for the armed guard status I've already been assigned to. Not to worry, it seems there's a 30 day grace period that I have to get the training done, AFTER I start working as an armed guard. Mighty nice of them. When I worked in Chicago, Illinois had no such grace period. You had to take the 20 hour course first, THEN you could work as an armed guard. Here, in Louisana, it's a 12 hour course, but they teach it in about 1.5 hours.

What do I care, I could do most of this with my eyes closed anyway.

Nice easy job

Ok, so I got a slight reprieve. It seems the hotel that we're staying in doesn't have the staff to run a full desk 24/7, and they want a Security Officer on at night. Since I'm not doing anything else, it fell to me. Granted, it's only a 9 hour shift. But that's 9 hours more than I had 4 hours ago.

Another day, NOT another dime

It seems the NOPD's hipocrisy knows no bounds. Our 2 man post at the Hampton Inn has become a one man post, per shift. I hope NOPD is happy, they didn't gain anything. None of our men were replaced by NOPD. It makes little sense. But I guess they don't call New Orleans "the Big Easy" for nothing. As for me, I still don't have any assignment. I'm just sitting around, twiddling my thumbs. Oh well.

Nice place, but...

Well, the first 12 hours went fine. Then we found out that our site went from a 4 man per shift post to 2 men per shift. It seems some of the NOPD who were staying at the Hampton Inn felt we were cutting in on their territory. Not even 2 hours after they started, half of the day shift was sent packing by arrangement with Shaw. At least they got paid for the whole day.

Normally I wouldn't complain, but instead of being salary, like we were lead to believe on the phone, we get paid hourly. This means if we don't get 7 days at 12 hours each day, we don't make the promised $1200.00 a week. Oh well.

New location, new job assignment

Well, shortly after arriving at the lovely Garden District Hotel, in N.O., I'm told I have 5 minutes to get ready for work. It took me 6, but that's ok.




Anyway, we go to the Hampton Inn, down by the convention center. Four of us are to guard two rooms that Shaw has computer equipment in, and watch cars in the parking lot and on the street. It's a boring job, but someone has to do it. We were about 20 minutes late, but it was a difficult place to find.

A job, finally? Nope, relocation, again

Well, Wednesday brings a new day, and new challenges. When I first called about the add I saw in the Lansing State Journal, I was told we'd be living in tents, sleeping on cots, and so on. In fact, the term "military style living" was tossed at me. Well, I was in the Military, and our cots kept us more than 1.5 inches off the ground! Well, I guess it's better than sleeping ON the ground, but just barely.

Of course, the other comment was, I was to work as an Armed guard (bring your own gun) and I'd be paid $1200.00 a week. Also, the shifts were 12 hours on, 12 hours off, and I'd be working 7 days a week until staffing was up to the necessary levels. What I wasn't told in either the phone interview, nor the face-to-face interview, was that IF I should be so lucky to get a day off, my pay would suffer the consequences. THAT, I didn't hear until I arrived in Baton Rouge.

Oh, and since there were no "armed" positions in Baton Rouge (the reason why is still fuzzy), I'd only be paid $1100.00 a week. Ok, it's still nothing to sneeze at. Anyway, by early afternoon, I now have a job assignment that I'll be going to tonight at about 7:00PM.

3:00PM rolls around and I hear yelling outside my tent. Aside from the 3 guys who did not have a job assignment, they're calling for more volunteers to go to New Orleans. I stick my hand up and get picked. "Pack your stuff and get in the van."

Slight detour

After a drive of 27 hours, we finally arrived...in Baton Rouge. We get to sleep in 4 man tents, in our sleeping bags. I guess we'll find out tomorrow what happens.