San Francisco for Work and Play

I visited NAPA after the Convention.  

I want to write a special thanks to Greg and Susan for putting up with me during another visit.  You two are very special and i truly love you for it.

WTC the World Transplant Congress in San Francisco.  

Where do i start?  Hazmat Man the sneak thief?  Hazmat Man made 5 separate appearances inside the building. Five that we know of.  First I met him Saturday morning @ 6:15AM on the 3rd floor during my way in to work.  Half awake, going down the hall i run into some nut job in a florescent suit shining a flash-light, walking around one of the meeting rooms very near my equipment...   (i was not comfortable leaving this guy alone with my gear.)  He asks me, "where do these walls go?"  (? the airwalls?)  i take him over to the closest airwall pocket.  tell him, 'they go in here.'  Hazmat Man shines his flashlight in the closet and looks around.  "Are there other closets?"  So, i take him to another one. As i open the door, I ask him "what are you looking for?"  He looks at me and says, "SPIDERS.  these closets are sometimes full of spiders."

ding, Ding, DING, now i'm awake.  I take off my backpack, pull out my camera and start taking this guys photo.  (see attached)  He says, "dont take my picture, you'll get me in trouble.  I ask him for some ID and he says it's in his car.  At this point he hurries over and climbs on the elevator.  I'm thrilled to see him go...

only later did i find out that he's wanted.

The very next day my AV crew met at 5:30am for a rehearsal.  Afterward, one of my guys says, "hey Skip i think the  BOLO that the building posted mentions a red rolling bag?  I saw one behind the screen in my room next-door."  So we go look and find 2 passports and 3 ID's inside the bag.  One of the ID's  "allegedly" matches some photos taken of a thief spotted on earlier occasions.  (all this is then turned over to the SF Police)

Wednesday night about 7pm i got a call from Security to come meet them.  They had found Hazmat Man on the second floor with a "backpack containing some alleged stolen equipment."  But he fled on foot, down a fire escape, pursued by security across the street into a parking garage.  Before being apprehended he dropped the bag and escaped.  the Backpack contained two of my work laptops.  Hazmat Man is currently wanted under two felony warrants.  If seen - in any of his many disguises - do not attempt to apprehend, call 911...   He was also spotted this week with a red wig on.  On another occasion he had on a blue hoody.  My favorite time that security spotted him was @ 3am "trying to deliver bagels."  imagine the nerve of this knucklehead...  he is obsessed with getting into this building and stealing something.

a visit from President Obama

President Obama was staying at my hotel the first night i got to town.  The DCC was doing some fund raising, so we had a "special guest" It made for some interesting photo ops.  There were no homeless on our block.  Those of us staying in the hotel had to stop at the corner and sign in with the Secret Service...

 

These Homeless taken later in the week after Obama was gone.

We had a great crew working the show.  It was long hours and hard work, but we got through it.  The client was happy.  Sometimes that's as good as it gets...

that's enough till next time.      -skip