We've made it! After an 8hr trip, three major cities and rush hour traffic we arrived in Cleveland last night around 9pm. After a "quick" dinner and checking into the hotel we napped for 4hrs before rising for breakfast and to catch the shuttle. We're now at opening ceremonies where they have the parking lot at Brown Stadium celebrating the chance of finding a cure. We just took the first step of 120,000 among over 1,000 other women and men. We'll have plenty of pictures to share when we get home. We're already looking forward to the tents, showers and fun waiting for us at the end of the day and today's 20 miles.
Sara Shelton
Triangle Talent, Inc
502-267-5466

Sent via BlackBerry

Susan G. Komen for the Cure!

In less than 24 hours team 'Pink Warriors' will be heading to Cleveland, OH to participate in the journey of a lifetime! Four members are from Owensboro, KY; my Mom, Lisa, sister-in-law, Lauren, Aunt, Kim and cousin Lindzey; and myself from Louisville, KY. You may ask why Cleveland? Well there are only 15 of these selective events. Cleveland just so happened to fit right in my schedule. Chicago was the closest and it is the week prior to me leaving for the road for two months. I figured I better see how this goes before taking that risk. :) I'll be blogging from the 60 Miles we will be walking as well as tweeting.

You can view my tweets at twitter.com/sarajosunshine

Can't wait to share this journey with everyone! Thanks to everyone that donated and has supported this great cause!
Sara Shelton
Triangle Talent, Inc
502-267-5466

Sent via BlackBerry

Life is a Highway- Rascal Flatts in Dallas

I was recently in Dallas, TX (actually a suburb called Frisco) for a show at the FC Soccer Stadium Pizza Hut Park.  This 20,000+ seated stadium was absolutely gorgeous and couldn't have been a better venue for an outdoor show with the Flatts themselves.  Although Mother Nature sure tried to make us worker even harder.  In the middle of the day they measured the temp on the field---115 degrees!  We kicked off the morning at 6:30A with buses and trucks rolling in.  We did a quick walk through of the venue and talked about some last minute issues that had to be sorted out.  Everything throughout the day rolled along smoothly and really couldn't have gone any better.  For this one I was so terrified that I knew I just needed to let it go and do my thing.  Walking into a new venue can be extremely daunting..but working with this band has had it's horror stories.  So I was ready for a double whammy.  The venue was fantastic to work with, totally organized and have a good feeling we'll (or I should I (:  ) will be back soon.  The band's production manager was phenomenal which made the day go so well.

Loading in equipment to the stage

The funniest story of the day all revolved around one item:  a baby pool.  The production manager came in telling me a story of how a baby pool appeared at their show the night before.  They expected for it to be loaded into a packed truck with the water still in it.  There was no room in the trailer so he just left it there.  We joked and laughed about for a few minutes and then magically a couple of hours later one of those big, blue plastic pools showed up right outside the production office.  The manager asked me if there was a hose they could use to fill it up.  I had to disconnect the hose from where the caterers were washing dishes and therefor the pool needs to be filled right away.  These guys were busy arguing over more important things, like where the band was going to play basketball.  So I filled the pool up.  Keep in mind it's 115 degrees outside and I'm dragging a 100ft black, industrial, dirty hose from one spot to the next to avoid having to drag a filled pool instead.  Turns out that the pool is for Joe Don's (one of the RF members) baby.  Over the next few hours everyone passes by that pool..at this point I'm convinced someone's going to end up jumping in.  But alas, no one ever used the pool...not even the baby.  The frustration of the baby pool continued. The things we do for entertainers!

The show went one with just a few glitches...of course things no one in the audience would know.  We had some big gaps in the seating on the floor.  Instead of having the guys looking out and seeing the open spots we moved folks from the back of the floor up to fill in those seats.  The spotlights that were ordered were not strong enough to make the throw from their location to the stage.  They were pretty much useless but they worked the lights on the stage so you could still see them from afar.

2.5 hour load out and tear down of chairs...amazing!

After the show, we got the payments settled and I was about to crash!  I was starving because I hadn't gotten to eat dinner so I went rummaging through the production office.  They had left over Whataburger (yay!) and cotton candy.  What a healthy dinner!  I was in the dressing room area talking with security when Gary (the lead singer) came out and nearly attacked me to get to the cotton candy.  Needless to say he won that fight. Finally after every person on the tour (about 100 folks) had their shower the bus started rolling out.  You know it's almost over when you see this....

After a 22hour day...I could not have been happier to get back to the hotel and take a shower. =)
Hope to be back in Frisco soon and working with the fine folks of Pizza Hut Park!

This is one of my favorite signs in Texas

American journey/Birth of the Nook

As usual on travel days (that are earlier than I ever get up!) I oversleep. The saving graces of this are 1) I live in Louisville where you never have a problem getting into the airport and 2) I was flying American which always boards late, leave late and arrives late.  I managed to pack for 3 days in a carry on and my business tote.  For those of you that know me well, you know that this is a challenge.  I figured it was worth saving the outrageous baggage fees and my sanity of having to squeeze a massive rolling bag into that tiny compartment.  For some reason my upper body strength disappears when I'm lifting a 25lb suitcase over my head. 

American is by far my least favorite airline (hence the comment above).  I've never had good luck with them.  But this morning I had to double check and make sure I wasn't on Southwest (my favorite airline).  We left on time and even arrived 20mins early! 
And this brings me to the second half of the title: Birth of the Nook.
In my travels last year I had about 4 weeks that I was out, had a few days at home and then back on the road for another 3.5wks.  In this time I read six books.  I collect hardback books for those authors I love, James Patterson, Iris Johansen, Mary Higgins Clark..plus others.  I packed about 3 books for the first leg and had them finished in no time.  I ended up leaving them with Josh in Branson and buying paperbacks of ones I had at home.  Since I won't be coming home for those few days and won't have the luxury of leaving them with Josh I had to come up with a different plan.  It was either that or pack a seperate suitcase just for books!  HA!  I decided to face the fears and go electronic.  I like the feel of the book in my hands and I was worried about not having that.  I purchased a Nook a few weeks ago and was totally excited to use it on this first trip.  I hadn't thought about it until last night but I realized that I can't have it on for the first part of the flight!  DUH "Anything with an on/off switch but be switched the off position"  This part was not fun.  I had to listen to the in flight instructions for the first time since I was 12.  But once I could turn it on it was awesome!  It's going to save so much space this summer.

I got to Dallas by 8:30CST...whew!  Picked up the rental car which was a different experience.  DFW is HUGE!  At Alamo they have all the cars sorted by type; compact, mid-size, etc.  You walk to that area and pick out the car you want.  It was like shopping!  LOL  I was about to keep it in the family and choose the Avenger but decided to go with the newer model of the Sebring.  When I was car shopping just 3years ago I was going to purchase this in convertible...but they weren't released until 4 months later.  So I thought I'd see what it's like.  Glad I chose the Charger!  It's a nice car but when I was having to get speed to get out in front of all these crazy drivers down her she just didn't have the get up and go mine does. 

I had a great visit and walk through at the venue for tomorrow.  It's 20,000+ seat professional soccer stadium, Pizza Hut Park.  We'll have 15,000+ coming in for the show tomorrow.  From what it seems the venue, crew and staff run well.  Which mean tomorrow will hopefully be an easy day!! 

But since it starts at 7:00A I better head to bed now. =)

Thinking of all my friends and co-workers back home in Hullabalou (wishing I was watching Bon Jovi right now!) and the fine folks that kicked off the Susan G. Komen 3-Day events in Boston today!!

"Sara Does Dallas"

Well this weekend has been coined, "Sara does Dallas".  While I'm sad I'll be missing all of the fun of Hullabalou, I'm off to begin my Mud and Dust Tour of 2010.  Hullabalou is a 64 band music festival that will take place this weekend at Churchill Downs.  Every other Triangle employee will be working and sweating their rears off at this event!  The second sentence is pretty much sarcasm...(:  I was assigned to head to Dallas (Frisco area technically) to produce a Rascal Flatts show.  This will be our first (of hopefully many) show at this venue, Pizza Hut Park, a professional soccer stadium.  I'm looking forward to working with the Flatts tour which also includes Chris Young, Jon Rich and Kellie Pickler.  Hopefully Mother Nature will decide on the exact opposite of the forecasts...100 degrees is HOT no matter what part of the country you're in!

July 4th Weekend

Happy belated 4th of July!  For this glorious holiday of partaking in adult beverages and stuff that blows up, I took the opportunity to make some extra moolah.  While it's not all bad..I don't get to drink liquor but I normally indulge in regular Cokes--which doesn't happen too often and I get to hang with the stars...or at least chauffer them around town.  I got to take the back seat on this one which was the  Louisville Waterfront Development's Independence Day Celebration on the Waterfront.  Featuring John Rich (of Big and Rich) on the 3rd and Arrested Development and Michael Franti & Spearhead on the 4th.  We had great crowds for both nights and things ran pleasently smooth....
1) John Rich decided 45mins before show time that he HAD to have a specific kind of wine.  Caymus Cab.  Now we're in the middle of downtown...surrounded by ghetto liquor stores and he wants three bottles of this stuff which are $68 a piece!  A quick phone call, short 20min drive each way, and the delivery is a success.
2) Michael Franti and crew are supposed to arrive by plane at 4:00PM Sunday the 4th for an 8:45P performance.  Their flight out of Omaha is cancelled so they don't arrive until 7:00P!  Talk about cutting it close!!  Things worked perfectly and we got them to the venue in plenty of time for the band members scarf some food and Michael and hottie guitar player to do some yoga. =)
3)  It's time for the fireworks to go off...They were to be timed perfectly with the last song of the night..."Say Hey, I Love You"  Youtube it, it's a really good tune.  He's got all the little kiddies up on the stage, the coordinator is talking with the barge from where the fireworks are shot off of....and nothing is happening.  Everyone is screaming in the cell phones and at each other, trying to talk over the music...and the only song that I knew.  Finally the big booms start up.  Turns out...a barge had been let through the locks.  Therefore, the fireworks barge couldn't shoot until it passed.  If you've ever watched one of those things you know it's like a snail in a race. 

These are just a few of the highlights of the weekend.  Things that people on the other side of the stage took place.  Things that could have ruined 50,000 folks 4th of July but due to the professionalism of those at back of house....the show went on!

The Rush of a lifetime!

Some of you may have a bucket list.  If you don't, it's time to draft one.  I've done some crazy stuff in my short lifetime...parasailing, scuba diving, yes, even riding a pick up truck like a bull.  But never did I think I would jump out of a perfectly good plane!  Well two weeks ago, I did and I'm ready to do it again!  Mom, Lauren (sister-in-law) and Seth (baby brother) all headed to Skydive Kentucky in Elizabethtown.  Everyone was pumped but as the time neared I started getting a little freaked.  We started out by signing our lives away.  Literally you had to sign saying you know you could die from it.  Then a short training, going over all the steps and then a really long wait as we waited for a plane to be available.  We decided to have photos and videos taken so that meant most of us had to go on our own or with strangers.  As time went by I felt fine.  Then it was my turn....and they took Seth.  The day was an emotional rollercoaster.  By the time I actually got suited up I had been up and down three different times and was honestly just exhausted!  They got me in the harness.  My instructor suited up with what we hoped was a good parachute.  There were seven people shoved in this tiny little plane that didn't have a door...yes, it was completely open one side.  I'm terribly scared of planes as they are taking off.  Once they level off I'm fine.  You'll find me even on a commercial flight focusing on my breathing and bury myself in a book.  So at this time I had my head buried in my knees and breathing like I was in labor.  Had to have been a great laugh for the instructors.  Once we leveled off I was fine and was able to look out off the beautiful scenery of Kentucky.  I knew there was a reason I love this state.  We continue to climb in altitude, making it to 7,500 ft.  Then one of the folks starts moving around and resituating.  They had told me he was a student and was going to dive on his own.  That was all fine and dandy until they said GO! and the kid jumped from the plane and it sounded like he was being sucked down a massive toilet bowl.  Then I started to REALLY freak out.  The instructor got me calmed down and started to hook us up.  Yes, I put my life in the hands of a perfect stranger. =)  When we started to reach 10,000ft Larry (my instructor) had me move to the edge of that open door.  The photographer at this point is literally hanging off the side of the plane, kinda like Spiderman.  As Larry is sitting on the edge of the plane, I'm (yep you guessed it) hanging off of him and over the side of the plane.  Arching my legs back under the plane and crossing my arms across my body (at this point I didn't know whether to scream or puke).  At this point I don't remember what happened! LOL  But he pushed both of us out and we freefalling into the air.  My eyes were closed, apparently we flipped and then I remembered OH YEAH, I have to look at the photographer (who had then jumped as well).  We are freefalling at 170MPH for nearly 15seconds.  Larry send up a tiny parachute that slows us down to 150MPH.  As we near 5,500ft Larry points for me to watch my altimeter (the wristwatch that tells you how many feet you are above the ground).  I reach back to grab the ripcord.  500Ft later I pull the cord all by myself and we shoot back and up into the air.  I must say this produced the funniest picture!  Success!!!  He picked a good pack. :)  Then as we are both acting as if we're birds, flying at 5,000ft above the ground we glide back towards the DZ (dropzone).  The next task was the landing.  While we have slowed down quite a bit we were still getting some air.  We near the ground, I lift up my legs and Larry hits the ground with his legs and brings us almost to a stop.  Somehow when I put my legs down to stand up we end up rolling over the top of each other and totally tangling the parachutes.  I don't think they like to do that. =(  While I was completely pertrifide by the time we got up there and it was time to seal the deal, it was an experience of a timetime.  So for those of you that have any desire, DO IT!  Think you can't because you hate planes, are afraid of heights, don't want to trust anyone else, DO IT!  I can prove anyone wrong on each of those details.  Now that I know what it takes and what happens I'm ready to go again.  It is totally INSANE! 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2378308&id=20702564&l=8c7fefe296-  Link to photos on Facebook