This is my life.  I’ve been many things throughout this adventure to include; a musical prodigy in New Orleans, a character performer at Walt Disney World, a voice actor for Paramount Parks, a store manager at Radio Shack in Maryland, and even found myself working for the Goodwill in Colorado.  Here I’ll give a bit of a breakdown of how my life has played out to this point.  I have unfortunately become quite familiar with death throughout my life as well.  If at any point you become bored, just imagine something fun and go out and do it.  It’s how I made most of these things happen.

 

BIRTHS,   MOVES,   SCHOOLS,   JOBS,   DEATHS

1978

·         Born July 19 at 12:42am at Mary Washington Hospital; Fredericksburg, VA

·         I have four godparents; Eugene and Janice Barnett, Uncle Lou, and Uncle Mike

·         My Great Grandfather Ellis Dies

·         Moved multiple times throughout my first 3 years of life

1981

·         Moved to Home in Waldorf, MD

·         I begin going to a small daycare with about 4 other kids.

1982

·         First Year of Kindergarten

1983

·         Second Year of Kindergarten

·         Brother is born on May 11th

·         Because my parents can’t afford daycare for two children, my mother opens a daycare in our home.  We have anywhere from 5-10 kids in our home every day until 1988 when we move.

1984

·         First Elementary School – Dr. Mudd Elementary

1985

·          (October) – My Maternal Grandfather dies

1986

·         Sister is born on October 17th

1987

·         Second Elementary School – Daniel of St. Thomas Jennifer Elementary

·         I repeat the third grade.  The new school has a class that is both third and fourth grade split down the middle of class, so that I see all my old friends sitting on the opposite side of the room.

1988

·         Moved to home previously owned by my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Pat in Huntingtown, MD on my 10th Birthday

·         Third Elementary School – Huntingtown Elementary

1989

·         At 11 years old, I began working on my own selling gift wrap and cards door-to-door in my neighborhood.

1991

·         Middle School – Northern Middle School

·         I start wearing prescription glasses.

1992

·         My Uncle Timmy dies from a gunshot wound sustained in a carjacking.

·         (Spring) – I play soccer in gym class, and actually enjoy playing a sport for the first time.  The second day playing I break my wrist and have to stop.

·         (Spring) - I got into my first and only fight in school when another student, Kevin Neff throws his books at me in the hallway and charges at me claiming I said some things about his mother.  I shove his head into a locker; knee him in the stomach and slam the door on it several times, sending him to the hospital.  I am given in-school suspension. Once there, the teacher in charge asks the two of us who started the fight.  We both admit he did, the teacher sees him all bandaged up, and me without a scratch and I am excused from suspension and sent back to class.  I never got into another fight.

1993

·         My Uncle Bubba dies from a gunshot while fighting a car jacker.

·         (May) – Started working at my grandparents’ fishing shop, filling gas on the dock and steaming crabs.

1994

·         High School – Northern High School

·         (January) – Got my learner’s permit to drive.

·         (July) – Started earning some money from my Great-Grandmother by driving her places and taking care of chores around her house.  This also gave me access to my first car, her Celebrity Station Wagon.

·         (July) - Got my driver’s license during the summer between 9th and 10th grades.

·         (July) - Took my first “real” job working with a friend from school at “Adventure World” performing as a character, assisting with personnel, costuming, and operating sound and special effects for the wild-west stunt show at the park.

·         (Fall) – My friends and I are hanging out in a parking lot where we run and jump against a stop sign to try and knock it loose from the ground.  I get thrown off the sign after running against it and fall, breaking my right wrist.

1995

·         (Spring) – Win a spot in the National High School honor band as a sophomore.  The band that takes place every two years is generally only for juniors and seniors.

·         (March) – One of my best friends, Chip Smallwood dies in an automobile accident.

·         (Summer) – Via a reference from the sound techs at the Marine Band, I take a job two hours away from home in Rockville, MD with “RCI Sound Systems” where I would handle the product levels and upkeep of the equipment warehouse, as well as deliver sound equipment all over Washington D.C.

·         (September) – A student at my school commits suicide.  I am asked to play “Taps” at his funeral

·         (October) – I am the driver in a car accident where my brother is injured and my sister dies in my arms two weeks after her 9th birthday on October 31st

·         (November) – Following the accident, I gave up my job with RCI as well as my license to drive.  I didn’t work again until the following spring.

1996

·         (Spring) – Regained my license and began working part-time for our local Radio Shack

·         I am reunited with my godfather, Lou Hancock

1997

·          (Spring) – I earn a place in the National High School Honor band for the second time.

·         Graduated High School

·         My father retires from the Marine Corps

·         (Summer) - Father, Mother and Brother all move to an apartment in Florida while they wait for their home to be built

·         (Fall) - I moved to New Orleans, LA

·         College – Loyola University, NOLA

·         During my time at Loyola, I worked on the technical crew, was named foreman and made responsible for the operation and maintenance of the school’s three performance venues.

 1998

·         Home completed in Clermont, Florida

·          (Summer) – Auditioned for and got cast as a seasonal character performer at Walt Disney World

·         (Fall) – My private trumpet teacher and mentor through high school, Rick Lehman dies.  This is especially hard on me as I’m not getting along with my private teacher at Loyola.

·          (Winter) – Was awarded a position performing with the “Fanfares of Christmas” a college program where I performed as a trumpet player in the Christmas parade in the Magic Kingdom all while still maintaining my character performer duties during the daytime.

1999

·         (Summer) – I invite my roommate from Loyola, Ryan Harvey to live with my family in Florida for the summer so he can audition for the character performer program.  He auditions and gets the job.

·         (Summer) - Lost scholarship due to complications stemming from my poor relationship with my private lesson teacher.  I received the call on my 21st Birthday and dropped out of college.

·         (Summer) - Moved to Florida with my Mother, Father and Brother

·         (Summer) - Changed from a seasonal to a part-time character performer until a full-time position becomes available at Disney

·         (October) – I audition for and get cast in “Masquerade 2000” a performance art style mime show for the EPCOT Millennium celebration.

·         (Winter) – Even though I am no longer a college student, I am allowed to reprise my role as a trumpet performer with the college program at the Magic Kingdom while continuing my role in Masquerade 2000 at EPCOT.

·         (December) – Following an altercation with a guest during a performance of Masquerade 2000 on Dec 30th, I am terminated on Dec 31st.

2000

·         (January) – I take a job with “Music-For-Less” a CD / DVD store in a factory outlet mall in Orlando following a recommendation from a friend at Disney.

·         (February) – I leave “Music-For-Less” due to the 30 mile commute and shortness of hours.  I then take a job as a grocery store stocker for Publix.

·         (March) – I Leave Publix and take a job at SeaWorld, Florida as a ride operator on “Journey to Atlantis”

·         (October) – My Great Grandmother dies

·         (November) - My Godfather Eugene Barnett dies in Richmond, VA

2001

·         (January) - Move to Richmond, VA to live with my Godmother, Janice Barnett

·         (January) – My Father moves to VA with my Brother while my Mother stays in Florida until the home sells.

·         (March) - Mother moves to VA with Father and Brother

·         (April) – I take a job as a sound engineer, karaoke show host and DJ at Paramount’s King’s Dominion.

·         (July) – My Father and Mother get divorced

·         (July) – My Mother moves in with me and my Godmother

·         (July) – Asked to take on two additional shows at King’s Dominion

·         (September) – Asked to perform, operate sound as well as help create the Halloween themed show “Skaraoke

·         (October) – Began additional position as music programmer for pre-shows

·         (October) – My Godfather Lou Hancock dies from a heart attack at 49 years old.

·         (November) – Named “Technician of the Year” at King’s Dominion for the first time.

·         (November) – Began part-time employment at GameStop when King’s Dominion closed for the season

·         (December) – Took second part-time job at Chuck E. Cheese performing as Chuck E. as well as assisting in the Kitchen and performing maintenance on game machines.

2002

·         (April) – Returned to King’s Dominion, this time beginning the season as the sound engineer for three different shows.  (I continued to work sporadically at GameStop and Chuck E. Cheese throughout the summer season.)

·         (May) – Took over for recording of general park announcements

·         (August) – Asked to take over sound technician duties at the main theater of the park when their sound tech had to leave the park suddenly.  Stayed in this position through the end of the season.

·         (September) – Reprised duties performing “Skaraoke” for the Halloween season

·         (November) – Named “Technician of the Year” for the second time.

2003

·         My father sets up the Caitlin Merie Hurrey Fund, a scholarship in my sister’s name.

·         (April) – Returned to King’s Dominion, this time starting the year as the sound technician for the main Paramount Theater, while also running sound for the country show.

·         (September) Reprised role at “Skaraoke” for the Halloween season

·         (October) – My Paternal Grandfather dies from lung cancer.

·         (November) – Awards ceremony at Kings Dominion discontinued permanently.

2004

·         (March) - Moved into my own apartment with my best friend Dan, a performer at King’s Dominion

·         (April) - Returned to King’s Dominion as sound engineer for “Tuned In” the main musical stage show, as well as “Pulse” a Stomp style show where I needed to operate sound as well as perform on stage in percussion roles.

·         (May) – Nickelodeon Studios becomes a part of Paramount’s King’s Dominion and I am asked to join the parade performances as a dancer as well as host the mass character Meet & Greet with the Sponge Bob unit.  I perform as “The Captain” for the opening song on stage as well as pre-recorded performances as Sponge Bob’s voice from behind the scenes.

·         (September)  The “Skaraoke” show is revamped by the Nickelodeon staff and during the show writers meeting; I am cast as the lead performer, now performing in a singing role for the first time.

·         (November) – Moved to apartment on Dunes Court in Kissimmee, Florida with my Mother

·         (December) – Returning to Walt Disney World, I took a job working at “DisneyQuest” a 5-Floor interactive theme park featuring hundreds of classic arcade games as well as virtual reality simulators of many different styles and themes.  In this role, I needed to perform as many different characters from the games as well as operate the attractions.

2005

·         (October) – Offered a position with “Disney Photo Imaging” as a photographer due to my position on the waiting list for lighting and audio technicians as well as my previous experience as a character performer.  I am immediately singled-out for positions where the photographer is called upon to interact with families while visiting character performers.

2006

·         (Summer) – After spearheading the program for character / photographer interactions, I took a position in the photography base maintaining the camera equipment.

2007

·         (January) – I was asked to take on the added responsibility of driving a company van between the various parks, picking up broken equipment and replacing it with working equipment.  I would then deliver the broken equipment to the repair shop in Orlando.

·         (April) – The position of “Coordinator” is created at Disney Photo Imaging.  I am on the opening team for this position and immediately assigned to the Magic Kingdom to handle the special cast scheduling during the after-hours events at the park.

·         (July) - Moved to a bigger apartment at Cagan Crossings with my Mother and my Girlfriend

·         (September) – I handled the integration of the Walt Disney World standard “CDS” (Cast-Deployment-System) into the Disney Photo Imaging daily operations due to my previous experience with the program during my time at DisneyQuest.  The program is implemented with minor issues.

2008

·         (January) – I changed my park selection to the Disney Hollywood Studios, where I am immediately selected to take over the team that handles nighttime photography at the park.

·         (April) – Named head coordinator for liaisons between the Lucas Branding staff and photographers for Star Wars Weekends during May of 2008.

·         (May) - Handled all staffing schedules as well as facilitating smooth transfers of staff during Star Wars Weekends.

·         (July) – Moved to apartment at Global Circle

2009

·         (April) – I move to Coster Rd in MD to live with my Aunt Lee and her new Husband, Frank

·          (May) – Began working for Holiday Inn as a driver for the employee shuttle and support for maintenance staff

·          (October) – Caitlin Merie Hurry Golf Tournament is held to raise funds for the Caitlin Merie Hurrey Fund.

·         (October 31) – Moved to live with my Father and Brother on Coster Rd in MD

·         (November) – Forced to leave my job at Holiday Inn due to claims of nepotism

·         (November) – Took a job working in the kitchen of “Catamaran’s” a restaurant on Solomon’s Island, MD

·         (December) – New chef takes over the kitchen at Catamaran’s and fires the whole kitchen staff

·         (December) – Took job as a salesperson at the same Radio Shack in Prince Frederick, MD that I worked at in High School

2010

·         (February) – I am offered a position as Manager for the Radio Shack in Charlotte Hall, MD

·         (March) – My brother moves to Florida to live with my mother.

·         (October) – Caitlin Merie Hurry Golf Tournament is held to raise funds for the Caitlin Merie Hurrey Fund.

·         (November) – My Great Uncle Art dies.  I’m the only one from our immediate family that can make it to the funeral.

2011

·         (October) – Caitlin Merie Hurry Golf Tournament is held to raise funds for the Caitlin Merie Hurrey Fund.

·         (May) – On the 27th of May, I am robbed at gun-point at my Radio Shack.  The man puts a gun in my face, takes me in the back room, ties me up while taking several products as well as the money in the cash drawer.  I am thankfully alone in the store so no one else was put in danger.

2013

·         (May) – I leave my job at the Charlotte Hall Radio Shack due to hours being cut to the point where I cannot afford the gas to drive to work anymore.

·         (June) – I take a job working in the kitchen at “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, a Fuddruckers restaurant in Hollywood, MD

·         (July) – Left my job at “Cheeseburger in Paradise” due to confusions during training mainly due to the fact that I was the only one on the whole kitchen staff that spoke English.

·         (July) – Took a job at “Boomerang’s Bar & Grill” on the kitchen staff.  After only getting 4 shifts in four weeks, no sign of training ever taking place, and concerns over some staff members being under aged I am forced to leave the restaurant.

·         (October) – The “Caitlin Gala” is held in Solomons, MD.  This is a fund raiser hosted by Florence Henderson as well as featuring several performers from “American Idol” and “So You Thing You Can Dance”.  This show benefits the Caitlin Merie Hurrey Fund.

2014

·         (July) – After a year of job searching, I finally take a position with “Direct Mail” fulfilling mail orders in a home-based setting

·         (November) – After nine months on the market, the house still hasn’t sold nor had many people even come looking.  We took the house off the market and began working on a full home renovation.

·         (December) – Take a full-time position with “Solomons Gallery” as Gallery Manager as well as product fabrication and remote location artwork sales.

2015

·         (January) – After repainting the entire house and re-finishing several rooms and hallways, we put the house back on the market with the same realtor as before.

·         (April) – The house has still not sold nor had very many people even looking at it after several months.

·         (May) – We find a new realtor, who uses the Internet to list the home properly; we have an offer within a few weeks.  The closing date is June 23rd.

·         (June) – The house sells and my father moves to Colorado.

·         (June) – Moved to efficiency apartment in Saint Leonard, MD

·         (September) – A body is found in the room next-door to mine in the apartment complex I live in.  I am questioned briefly by the police, but I had no interaction with the person.

·         (October) – My father remarries.  I am unable to attend the wedding in Vermont.  Elsie moves to Colorado with my father.

·         (November) – On Thanksgiving Day, my cousin is found dead in his bed from falling asleep face down; smothering himself.

·         (December) – After giving several months warning, training my replacements, and helping cover artwork sales and deliveries all over Washington DC and Southern Maryland, I leave my job at the gallery when I move to Colorado

·         (December) – Moved to Falcon, CO

2016

·         (April) - Took a position with “WOW! Cable-Internet-Phone” as a Tier 2 customer service rep in a call center in Colorado Springs, CO

2017

·         My Uncle Pete dies from a Heart Attack.

·         (January) – I am fired from WOW! due to poor decision making and hanging up on customers after being previously warned about this behavior.

·         (February) – Took a position as a salesperson at Discover Goodwill of Monument, CO

·         (March) – I begin working for Michael Garman Galleries part-time.

·         (April) – Went Full-Time with Discover Goodwill

·         (August) – Given a promotion to Shift Supervisor at Discover Goodwill.  I am one of the first supervisors given responsibility over the entire store.  This change in organization does not sit well with many of the previous supervisors of the various departments and almost every one of them quits within a few weeks of my promotion, forcing me to handle a lot more a lot sooner than anticipated.

·         (December) – I finally get the opportunity to join my father in Pearl Harbor, HI to help with the production of the Pearl Harbor Day events with his company.  I’m assigned as the liaison and support for the WWII veterans at the awards ceremony and I assist the parade DJ in getting him the information he needs to announce the correct groups that come by the judging stand during the parade.

·         (December) – My assistant manager begins training me to handle many of the responsibilities of her position so things will be taken care of when she is gone on maternity leave at the store.

2018

·         (January) – Moved to a house in Downtown Colorado Springs

·         (March) – I am asked to become the store’s “Guest Delight Ambassador,” a position where I will be motivating the employees to have more and better interactions with our customers.

·         (June) – I apply for an available Assistant Manager position with another store in our division.  I’m told that they believe I could handle the position, but it would entail skipping two levels up and would not be appropriate.  I’m also told that it has already been offered to another person.

·         (Future) – My father has plans to sell our house in Colorado Springs and move to Maryland to live with his new girlfriend whom he has known since high school.  I have been offered a position back in Maryland with Solomons Gallery once again and am planning on making the transition and move sometime in November.

Well that about does it.  I look forward to adding the many future adventures someday!  Bye bye!