Monday March 15th

Today is the last Monday I will be working in Whistler, Canada. Next Monday I am planning to head to Vancouver to do some site seeing before I fly home from there on the 24th. The weekend went by pretty fast but did not really feel much like the weekend because I had to work. I sometimes have to think for a second what day it is because other than starting times differing, the days are all the same. Lexi and I talked with Kylie over the weekend and she really wanted us to have the chance to do stuff in Whistler in our last week so she said she only needs one of us in the office each day. Yesterday (Sunday) Lexi and I agreed to take off alternating days and both come the 21st, our last day. Since Creekside was expecting snow overnight last night and during the day today Craig asked if I could help out around the Parkaid today in case we got any calls. Today was supposed to be my day off but since they wanted me here because of the snow Kylie let me go home early yesterday. It was nice to go back, take a nap and tidy up our living space. Before I got off yesterday Craig, Clean Event's project manager, explained a strategy he had put in place for the expected snow. If it was going to snow several centimeters each hour throughout the morning as the weatherman forecasted, it was going to be very difficult for our staff to keep all the steps and landings cleared. Craig went and spread shovels around the venue so that there was one close to all the steps and landings. He told me that if anyone called the helpdesk requesting shoveling, to tell them that if it was not an athlete area that it may take us a little while to get there because it is not our highest priority and they may be better off shoveling it themselves. It sounds blunt but what he said makes sense, and makes our job more manageable. As a result of Craig putting these shovels out we actually received no calls about shoveling any steps or landings today. This idea of placing the shovels out around the venue had never occurred to me when I heard how much snow we were expecting. I simply thought this is our job so to speak so I assumed our staff would be having a busy, long day. However this is where Craigs experience and knowledge of managing events comes into play. I feel like this is something that can't be taught in a classroom and has been what I have benefited from a work opportunity. The ability to adapt to situations and finding ways to get things done faster and better are qualities of a good event manager and are acquired skills. Things have slowed down since the snow stopped around lunchtime today. I am planning to have Wednesday and Friday off later this week, Wednesday because it is St. Patrick's Day and Friday so I can go skiing. It is a weird feeling that the end is so near, a week from now I will be in Vancouver and 9 days from today I will be arriving home in Charlotte.