Saturday night lite

Other than locking up the Choir room, kitchen, and a few choir-related room doors, nothing appeared out of the ordinary. No campers.

Peace

Peaceful Friday night

Nary a door or a light. The universe appears to be in good order. 7am start for Saturday, so off to bed...

A little extra up-and-down

Peaceful night. Except--one light on in a locked closet, high atop the third floor. My Plan-A master key didn't work. Back down, to get the ring of extra keys to open that lock (Plan-C). Back up, to the third floor. Prepare to use the Plan-C set of keys, and search for the right one. Discover the Plan-B key. Which I wouldn't have had to go back down and up the stairs for. Fun time, at least.

Peace

Wednesday, after a dinner, and various events.

Peaceful enough. No campers. A couple of doors. The windows were open in the Choir Room. They are on the second floor, and probably not much of a security risk, though I remember one Church member once worrying that agile burglers could climb the trees next to the building, and enter an open Choir Room window from a tree branch. So, I closed the windows.

One kinda puzzling door-blocked-open scene (photo). This door leads from an upstairs classroom area to an even more upstairs attic-like area. The door is always locked. Nobody appeared to be in the upstairs attic-like area. I closed it. I can't think of a sinister reason to block open that door, but perhaps one will reveal itself. Not likely.

Peace

Peaceful night

Tuesday night's walk was quiet, except for a left-on coffeemaker, and an open interior door that I don't have a key with which to lock. I don't know how dangerous the coffeemaker thing is--opinions around here seem to vary some. It certainly is an electricity drain.

No campers. No ethical quandaries.

Peace.

Monday again

Day included my turn at observing the cash counting for the stewardship offering.

I folded newsletters again. The machine did the first fold (of two) perfectly, with very little vexatiousness. After I neatly folded all near-700 newsletters, I prepared to do the second fold, and discovered that I'd placed the postal address section of the newsletter inside the folded sheet, instead of outside. Knowing that the folding machine is fussy, I feared the worst. I unfolded a test copy, and ran it through the folding machine again, this time with the proper side facing up. It folded beautifully. The crease in the opposite direction seemed to only encourage it, with a nice, flat-lying result. So, I unfolded all near-700 of my newsletters, and re-folded them beautifully... ...for the first fold (of two). For the second fold, the machine became vexatious. Sorely vexed, I had to fuss my way through the second fold, in small batches, with frequent re-adjustments, and occasional re-folding. In the end, they got done.

Night security run was peaceful. A couple of lights, a door or two. There was a gentleman camping on the upper Seneca entry. He left without incident. He didn't want the ROAR resource list I offered to get him. He did want a blanket. I don't have any blankets, but wonder if I should get a small supply. On the one hand, it might have offered him some comfort, wherever he ended up sleeping. On the other hand, I'd have been simultaneously saying "you can't camp here" and giving out camping equipment. I'll think about this, and get some advice.

Peace.

Peaceful night

A couple of lights, a couple of doors. I decided to add a perimeter walk outside. The vent cover, near the wheelchair ramp to the Sanctuary, appeared intact (photo). I was informed that it had been dislodged, apparently Friday night, and then re-installed. Everything else was normal.

Peaceful night

A couple of unlocked doors, a couple of lights, including the balcony. Peace in the valley.

Using the "porchlights" on the upper level entries makes all the difference for deterring campers.

Quiet Friday night

Peaceful Friday night "run," done Saturday morning. A couple of lights, and a poignant cardboard sign on the upper Harvard Avenue entryway. Probably used to solicit donations from a wedding rehearsal group Friday afternoon.

Peace

Peaceful night

...and so it was.

After Weds dinner

Peaceful. A couple of unsecured interior doors. Some curious debris out on the upper Harvard entrance landing. Corrugated cardboard, probably with something behind it (see photos). Might be nothing, might be a cache, might be a hastily-abandoned campsite foundation. Might be nothing.

Peace.

Quiet night

Except for a few lights, including one cool closet full of banners and alter dressing materials, that I'd never explored before. One possibly broken key/lock mechanism in a door from the stairway to the second level, near the Church Office. No campers.

Monday

Folded a bunch of newletters. Saved by the office staffer who came in and showed me how to load the second fold in the folder. Peaceful night. One guy reading on the upper Harvard steps. He said he was just sitting and using the light (by all appearances, true). I welcomed him to stay, and reminded him that he couldn't sleep here. He seemed fine with that.

Sunday night

Multiple things tonight. A lot of lights on, kitchen storage door ajar, nursery door won't close, office lights on, other little things. Campers (MF couple) on upper Seneca entryway. The "porchlights" were off, and the inside lights on at upper Seneca, which may have attracted the campers. They declined the ROAR resource booklet, promised to leave, then fell back asleep, and then finally left when I returned. I corrected the lights.

The door to the bowling pin room was open and broken. I'm not sure this means it was broken open. It showed damage consistent with being forced open, and I can't close it now. It was locked at this time last night. Pics show some of the door damage, plus some of the screws that repaired some of the door damage. I can't tell how old the damage or the repairs are, because I have no older pics of it, and don't recall seeing the screws before.

Friday and Saturday nights

...were uneventful.

Camera

Tonight, I'll try packing the camera. My ambition is to add photos to the now-completed (draft) saga of the evening security "run." I won't take them all tonight, just maybe a couple of test pics.

After big events

The first of weekly Wednesday all church dinners. A big author event upstairs in the Sanctuary. Unfortunate interactions between people at the church and mentally ill people just outside of the church. The evening was eventful. I imagine the night will be peaceful. We'll see...

Off to the night's security round.

Completing the basic "run" description, and off to tonight's run

So, when there is a camper, he's usually asleep, or trying to sleep. It's almost always "he," though, sometimes it may be "she." I open the door from the inside, poke my head out, and awaken the camper, usually with something like "sir. sir. SIR. good evening. I'm sorry to disturb you, but, you can't sleep here." Usually, the camper wakes up, and says something like "oh. ok. i'll go." If the camper is a bit more confrontational, curious, or maybe just articulate, he'll ask something like "why?" or "by what authority?" I'll explain that it's my job to tell them that they can't sleep here, and that if they don't leave, my job is to call 9-1-1, and put us through "that whole process." I apologize for not having good camping facilities, and offer to fetch a copy of the ROAR guide to resources for the homeless for them. If they take me up on the offer, or if they have lots of stuff to pack up, I tell them that I'll be back in about 10 minutes, to give them some time to wake up and collect themselves. Then, I walk down to the Church Office, do an interior check of locked doors, lights, fans, fountain, and radio, and latch shut any windows I found open on my outdoor window walk. If I need a copy of the ROAR guide, I pick it up at the Office. Then, I lock the Office, turn off the elevator power, verify that the Thrift Shop door is locked, and prepare to go back to my own apartment via Fellowship Hall, unless there was a camper. If there was one, it's now been long enough for me to go and give them their ROAR guide, and verify that they are either leaving or already gone. Returning to my apartment via Fellowship Hall, I turn out the last lights in the hall.

Off to tonight...

Monday

Starting "run"...

More of the saga of the "run," and tonight's plan (Sunday night on Monday morning)

Continued from previous posts:

Arriving at the Sanctuary, I have two areas left to cover. The Sanctuary and the Church Office interior. It would have been strictly more efficient to do the Office earlier, but I save it to allow for a particular kind of camper encounter. Approaching the narthex from the choir room area, I look down the hallway alongside the Sanctuary, for As I enter the Sanctuary area, I first glance out the Harvard upper entrance door, to see if anyone's camping there. Then, I walk through the Sanctuary itself, stopping to listen carefully in the darkness. By the way, the oscillating fans, when left on, sound like someone sleeping. After checking the alley entrance into the Sanctuary, I come up on the Seneca upper entrance, and check it for campers, and correct lighting. Most nights, nobody is there (when I come around). For nights when someone is camping on the upper entrance floor, you'll have to tune in next episode...

To be continued.

Now, on to tonight's "run."

Earlier this evening

Earlier this evening, I removed a mattress and some cardboard from the upper Seneca entrance. It was a campsite, probably from late last night (after my security walk-through). I put them into the dumpster, which might or might not be cool as far as dumpster use is concerned, but tomorrow is our big "homecoming" Sunday, and I decided it better not to leave this stuff out and visible (and easily relocatable to the doorway) for the morning.

Off to tonight's wak-through, after the next installment of the "routine run":

Arriving in the child care center, I breeze down the hallway toward the alley, verifying that the hall lighting is correct. I don't check doors here, or anything (that's up to the child care center people), just make sure there aren't any monsters, or broken down doors. I verify that the child care area utility room light is off, and that the room is locked, with its key hanging on its special hook. Then I open the stairway gate, and bound up the stairs to the E-300 level. Here, I check the youth lounge, women's room, and offices for lights and locks as appropriate, making my way down the hall to the men's room and Buddhist center. At this point, I retrace my path to the child care center, replacing the child gate across the stairs, re–enter the church building, and pass through to the Sanctuary entrance.

To be continued.

Friday night

off we go...

After big events

There was a large author reading/book signing, split between the Sanctuary and Fridell Lounge. This ran simultaneously with the League of Women Voters, and a Women's Chorus rehearsal. Lots of door and hall logistics, especially moving people between Sanctuary and Fridell without disturbing/disrupting the meeting in Fellowship Hall.

We'll see what the aftermath is...

Meanwhile, continuing the story of the "night journey":

Arriving on the second level, I check restroom lights in the women's room., then check the elevator lounge, the choir room, and the hallways for excess lights, and verify that the choir room is locked. I then run down the hall toward the alley doors, checking classroom lights and locks (plus music library and Community Room) along the way. After verifying that the double doors are locked (unless I remember that I checked them from the other side on my way up to the Gym), I head back toward Harvard Street, and turn right, checking the Choir Robe Room and nearby storage room doors, the men's room light, and the choir room back door. I then cross into the Minor Hospital building, and the child care complex.

To be continued. Now, on to tonight's security run...

After choir practice

Having breezed by it earlier, I know that the Choir Room is unlocked. Soon, all will be better. Off I go on tonight's "run."

Tuesday night, actually on Wednesday morning

Speed run. I've already checked for campers on the steps, so this should go smoothly...

Continuing the story of a basic night "run" of the building

As I reach the top of the stairs, I check that the doors to the bowling alley pin room and the other door (who knows where that leads) are locked. Then, I enter the gym, and lock the door behind me, pulling it all the way shut (it makes a loud "slam" sound, that echoes through the gym). I pad across the gym floor, to the security lighted entrance alcove for the women's restroom and bowling alley entrances. There, I confirm lights are off in the restroom, and that the bowling alley door is locked. I move across the gym floor again, to the men's restroom, and confirm that its lights are off. At the circuit breaker panel by the main gym entrance, I turn off any gym lights that may have been left on, and then leave the gym by the main (Harvard side) entrance. I confirm that the gym door is locked, and head down the stairs, one floor level, to the second floor choir/classrooms area, which I enter through the locked doors.

To be continued...

After the holiday, this should go quickly...

Filling in (some of) the next steps of the "run"

Inside the Kang Wen Clinic door (aka the "Harvard Room"), I confirm that the door is double locked. Then, I proceed through the Harvard Room, confirming that all doors except the massage room and lounge are locked, and all lights are off. I leave the clinic area via the double door building-to-building passage, into the hallway outside of the Church Offices. There, I confirm that all office doors are locked, that the Peacemakers Room door is closed, and head down the hallway toward Fridell Lounge, locking office doors as I go, except where they are labelled "do not lock." At Fridell Lounge, I confirm that the lights are all the way off, and not just dimmed. Continuing down the hall from Fridell toward the alley exits, I check for door locks. As I exit the double doors, I check that they are locked, and that they close behind me. I check the side entrance to Fridell for locking, and head up the stairs, selecting the outside door key for the gym, two floors up, and checking that the double doors, one floor up on the way to the gym level, are locked.

To be continued...

After Sunday worship.

Tonight, going with my friend, John. John may well do this "run" some times when I am traveling, some day.

Continuing the saga of how this is done:

Having blocked open the Fellowship Hall door from the hallway just outside of the main entrance to the Church Office, I proceed to the exit (on Harvard). After confirming a lock on all four glass doors, I exit to the sidewalk, turn right, and go along the Church Office outside wall, pushing on each of the twelve windows from the outside, to confirm that each is latched. I re-enter the building at the Kang Wen Clinic entrance, and lock it behind me.

To be continued...

Saturday night

After a full day struggling to clean the oven and kitchen, followed by a (long but satisfying) marathon unwrapping and putting away of dishes, I'm ready for the night's security run.

To continue my description, we start from the lower church entrance on Seneca side, arriving from the Fellowship Hall.

I check the women's bathroom, all three chambers, for lights left on. Then, I examine all the windows to Seneca around the door, and confirm locking on all doors. I make sure that all lights are off except the (ample) security lighting, which stays on. Moving back through Fellowship Hall, I proceed to the lower level Harvard entrance area. There, I make sure that the Heritage Room and other nearby doors are locked, and check all locks and windows to the Harvard entrances. At both entrances, I check for campers. Confirming that only security lighting is on, with all other lights, including in the multigender accessible bathroom, I proceed to the Church Office area, checking the men's room light switch as I pass it. Arriving at the hallway door that leads to the Office, and it's associated glass exit doors to Harvard, I open the door, confirm it is locked, and block it open.

To be continued. Now, it's time to head into the building for tonight's check. The flashlight has a new bulb, and I'mready to roll...

Before going out

This is my first active "log" blog entry. I'm about to "run the church." The process includes looking at a bunch of doors, lights, switch settings, and windows, throughout the church. If people are camping on the doorway landings, I ask them to leave. Usually they do.

Eventually, I hope to have a detailed picture of the night's "run" for my readers. Tonight, I'll start a process of describing the sequence, bit by bit.

I'll start by leaving my apartment, and entering Fellowship Hall, turning off any excess back hall lights on the way. I'll turn off all lights in Fellowship Hall, except for the "ramp" and "by kitchen" ones, which will stay on until I return at the end of the night's trip.

I proceed to the kitchen entrance, verifying that the kitchen entrance doors are locked, including the one from the storage area at the back of the refrigerators. Then, I verify that all lights are out in the kitchen, and that both coffemaker rotary switches are in the "off" position. Exiting the kitchen into Fellowship Hall, I turn up to the Seneca Street entrance, lower level area.

To be continued...

Beginning September, 2006

Now that internet access is working in my apartment, I'm starting to keep a record of my (mainly nocturnal) church work. For the first little while, I'll keep it private, to see how it develops, and then make it available to anyone who wants to keep up with what's happening with night-time "security," and whatever else I'm up to, at SFBC.