TOP 5 : EXPERIENCES

Traveling full time for work, one of the biggest draws is continuously getting the chance to do things I'll never get to do again. It's one of those things that makes thinking about what's next for me career wise hard, because I don't want to give it up too soon. Kind of like Brett Favre retiring. But if I did stop touring tomorrow these are 5 things, sports related (there could be children reading), that I won't ever forget.

5. Free.99 $$$

One of the perks, especially when working sporting events is your contact usually has all the access to tickets and credentials. In the past, this has meant both the nose bleeds and field passes. Other times you just have to find your own way in. Most notably the Florida - Miami game in 2008. While working with Alltel, I had reasoned the game wasn't worth $100 for the ticket, especially when we would be trying to get to Tampa that night. But I couldn't say no to free entry. Ticket: No. Being escorted in by a member of the bomb squad: Yes. What student employee is going to say no to a man with a gun.

4. Meet and Greet

This one would probably be higher, had I ever had the opportunity to really meet someone great. If this were a music blog, I could go on and on about all of my adventures with the bands on the Warped Tour. I have had my share of sports run ins though, and it's always exciting. Besides. How many people do you know that asked both Barber twins what the key is to telling them a part?

3. Sight Seeing

I may not get to choose my destinations, but that doesn't mean I can't decide how I get there. If that means driving out of the way to see a new team, a short flight on a day off, or a road trip so be it. I take full advantage of the fact that I essentially travel for free, and if there's a game, or museum, I am there. Sometimes it's just too damn cold to work, and you have to call it quits and head to the football hall of fame. Shit happens.

2. Where's the Bathroom

On a normal tour, you work an event and then retreat to your hotel. On Warped Tour, you work all day and sleep on a bus. Where do you shower or poop you ask? Simple. The venue or arena you're working in front of. I have officially showered, pooped, and walked through more closed off areas in 26 different arenas and stadiums. Most notably, the American Airlines Arena three days after the Heat championship. Its kind of intimidating showering in a stall when the shower head is 9 ft in the air.

1. Play Ball!

For someone who's ever played a sport, the thought of making it to the pros, real or not, has always been a dream. So the chance to play baseball in a MLB stadium was the definitive sport experience. Especially when it normally costs about $5000 for one of those fantasy camps. The Twins were on the road, which meant the Metrodome was all ours. Everyone chipped in to turn the lights on, and for one 2 hour window, the league had more kids of emo and punk descent then it did Dominican. My two highlights: One hopping a ball to the outfield wall. Watching a kid fall off the wall in to the seats after trying to stage a photo of catching a home run ball. Classic.

As I look to return to the road at the end of January 2011, hopefully I'll be able to add more to this list. Who knows. Maybe this year I'll end up as part of the halftime show at the Super Bowl.