Cinco De Mayo

Day began at 1am. No, not a typo. 1am.  Call time for cast and crew was 4am but I needed to meet the caterer at 2:30am. Unwritten law in the location management rule book is that the caterer will always be early and needs parking instructions. They were. Thus my rational for being on location at 1:45am for the meet and greet.  Second reality of location work, coffee can only do so much when, in a span of 24 hours, you've gotten only 6 hours of sleep.  I take full responsibility for my actions. Could have gotten more shuteye but my Gboys were playing a 3 game series against the dreaded LA Blue boys. Game was televised Saturday night so I was watching it in my hotel suite. We were ahead, Dodgers came back to tie it 8-8 and it went into extra innings. We won it in the 10th. Game had started at 7pm. With my eyes half open I could hear Vinnie say, "we just passed the 4 hour mark." You do the math. Don't get to see the Giants play often in the LA TV market so when the opportunity arises I'm watching. Suffered from my faithfulness but we swept the series so it was worth it!!!! 

Here's what our crack of dawn moment looked liked.

By lunch time (which was 10am) my body clock was thinking it was cocktail hour. I'd eaten a breakfast burrito at 4am so a simple plate of salad for lunch. Otherwise my blood sugar would have plummeted me into a coma.

I was so tired even a direct Coffee IV wouldn't have helped. As we broke for lunch I was inside the faux Club Ed diner where I'd set up an "office" in one of the booths.

People were coming into the diner to get their meal. I was focused on an email I was composing. Heard the Happy Birthday refrain start and my beleaguered mind asked, "wonder whose birthday it is?" I looked up from my laptop screen and saw the cake convoy heading straight for me. Only then did my brain click into gear, "Oh it's mine!" Began turning red but no need to be embarrassed. With the desert dust, dirt and crime caked on my face no one could see the blush.  To say I was surprised by all of this is an understatement but here is the kicker. I was given an iPad Mini.  Still stunned.

Yep, this is one shoot I'll recall with great fondness.  Not solely because of the birthday tribute (although that touched my heart) but because it was a great group of people to work with.

Do hope all of our paths cross again soon!!!!

My only disappointment was on Monday, the 6th, the actual day of birth,   Clooney never called.  We share the day. Sigh.