Hello again!
It’s been a dismal three weeks, but I can see the light. One week of the heart business running amok and and then two weeks with a doozy of a sinus infection. A week ago, when I finally went in to get my sinuses checked out, the doc signed me off of work for the night. This is a big deal on a Monday night. Monday night is one of our big production shows. Nobody here can replace me.
We happen to have another floor tech on board shadowing our automations tech, so we got the harebrained idea that he would fill in for me. The show was in less than 5 hours. So, despite my fever (and being signed off), I spent the next 2 hours going through the show with him. And then he spent the next 2 hours studying it on his own. Then after a few emails between our big guys and the head office, I got a call asking if the doc could see me again to reconsider.
I did the shows. The meds had kicked in and I felt a lot of relief. The other tech shadowed me in case I needed help. In retrospect I really could have used the night off to really start recovering, but to have the show go on, it would have been great to just rest up all before it. No stress. No fevered tutoring.
After that cocktail of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, Benedryl, and some misty stuff, the doc put me on codeine on Thurs.
I have discovered that it’s not so great to be running onstage in black-outs to move large set pieces with codeine induced vertigo. Nothing bad happened, just not a reassuring feeling.
Had my cardiologist visit today, finally. EKG, Cardiac echo, some blood work, a 24 hour heart monitor... and there went my free day in Miami.
Pretty neat set-up the cruise lines have for getting medical stuff done on Sundays (and other weekend days). All of us sick-os get to get off the ship first and get shuttled to a center that serves only cruise staff - and it serves all of the cruise lines. On Sundays, the doctors come in as needed to this one center. The shuttle drivers stay and act as escorts, in a way. I needed to go to another location for my echo and Holter Monitor so these guys take you where you need to go - and when you are done, they come fetch you from whatever wing of the hospital - no getting lost.
Anyway, I brought my labs back on board and had a follow-up with the doc here and we determined that next Sunday I'm going to the endocrinologist…
... and maybe the next Sunday after that I'm going to follow up with the cardiologist...
There go my Sundays.
I have to wear the heart monitor for 24 hours. On the outside, it looks like a little purse, but underneath the facade I have 5 leeches attached to me. I'll be free from it at 1pm tomorrow and precisely at that time you will find me taking a nice, real shower. (EDIT: I just learned we have a rehearsal then. Crap.)
Love and medical leeches,
Jamie
06 December 2010
24 November 2010
arythmia
the doc is slowing down my heart with meds to get it back on rhythm. i was feeling strangely last week and it turns out it is my heart murmur on the fritz. 3 days on the meds and lots of improvement. i've been working as usual, but also sleeping my butt off.
and now i have a sinus infection on top of it.
could be worse.
i really love the accessibility of the medical center. it should be like this everywhere. i just drop in, get an EKG, see the doc, meds prescribed and given - all within an hour. they'll have a specialist check me out on land. this is how general practices should be!
this run-around medical system we have on land is ridiculously inefficient.
we had a medical emergency on board earlier this week. there was an announcement made to the crew looking for the appropriate blood needed and we deviated our course to bring the patient to the medical facilities in cozumel.
guests complain to guest services about how their vacation is ruined because we missed grand cayman because of the emergency. we even went to another port, by the way.
they also complain if it's raining. they expect some sort of discount. we have a joke amongst ourselves that we'll give them mother nature's number and they can talk to her about it. why do people think that carnival controls the weather? this is why your cruise is cheaper than if you went in the summer, people! that's your discount.
i don't have to deal with that stuff. i just hear about it.
i still could go for a whole day off, though. my last one was november 5th. crossing my fingers that december 3rd will turn out that way.
love and palpitations,
jamie
and now i have a sinus infection on top of it.
could be worse.
i really love the accessibility of the medical center. it should be like this everywhere. i just drop in, get an EKG, see the doc, meds prescribed and given - all within an hour. they'll have a specialist check me out on land. this is how general practices should be!
this run-around medical system we have on land is ridiculously inefficient.
we had a medical emergency on board earlier this week. there was an announcement made to the crew looking for the appropriate blood needed and we deviated our course to bring the patient to the medical facilities in cozumel.
guests complain to guest services about how their vacation is ruined because we missed grand cayman because of the emergency. we even went to another port, by the way.
they also complain if it's raining. they expect some sort of discount. we have a joke amongst ourselves that we'll give them mother nature's number and they can talk to her about it. why do people think that carnival controls the weather? this is why your cruise is cheaper than if you went in the summer, people! that's your discount.
i don't have to deal with that stuff. i just hear about it.
i still could go for a whole day off, though. my last one was november 5th. crossing my fingers that december 3rd will turn out that way.
love and palpitations,
jamie
16 November 2010
the strength and beauty of the butterfly is in his wings
Some sort of large insect wing just fell into my lap and it's incredible how strong the structure of it is. I pinched it between two fingers and held it in the wind. It held up really well and the vibrations where a really neat feeling.
Every week is a new week. Never quite the same-old-same-old. We’ve swapped ports on Wed and Fri because another ship has changed course, and so we need to alleviate congestion. So now on Wed we’re in Cozumel and Friday in Roatan.
This change prompts other changes in the structure of our show itinerary and so, while they’re the same shows, there are many other small facets to account for. Overall, it’s nice. It keeps it fresh. I love that our Cruise Director is working so hard to craft our activities so precisely to fit the days. Although it’s ultimately to please the guests, and thus to get good ratings, and to bring in more money, it feels like a respectable art. I work in the Entertainment industry. And I work for a corporation. Our number one goal is the guest satisfaction. We do not do Art here, but there is an art to what we do. Somehow this satisfies me for the time being.
I really appreciate how involved this Cruise Director allows me to be. He welcomes ideas and feedback. I have been the catalyst for a few small changes and because I’ve been allowed to make a difference it feels so good, especially in this corporate environment.
Went clothes shopping with Amanda and Hanna (the Art Associate) on Sunda. I sacrificed phone time with the parents today because this was also a welcome change from the norm. It was so nice to have girl time. Amanda and I are already pretty attached at the hip, in fact, twice now I’ve been accidentally called Amanda. And my parents are getting a little too spoiled with the weekly phone calls ;)
Amanda's filling in for the Music Director while he is on vacation for a week and I get to benefit from that. She gets to use his swanky guest cabin, so we had a mini cabin party Sunday night with Hannah.
This also means that I pretty much get our cabin to myself for the week. I have already begun to miss her.
I needed her to calm me down last night when Security wouldn't let me into the club because on formal night you have to be either dressed in formal uniform or gussied up - but I was wearing my formal uniform. It just doesn't actually look formal. I wasn't even there to hang out. I was trying to find Karen to bag out on staying up late. Then I ended up staying up late writing a complaint to my supervisor and then stayed up even later being wound up and restless.
My mom’s neighbor’s parents and sister (Karen) are cruising this week. It’s almost like having family on board, though I had never met them before. So silly.
I also have reconnected with a friend who is working on another ship. We have been in Roatan on the same day every other week, but haven’t been meeting up. Now we've reconnected, but now we’re indefinitely not in port together. Grr.
Busy week this week. We added a performance for just this week for the crew, we have two maintenance days, and the fleet supervisor for my position is with us for the week checkin stuff out. In fact, I really shouldn't be out on the internet right now, but for some reason, he gave me his blessing. I feel guilty, so will not be out long. I really should be there working on stuff. :/
Hmmm
Love and responsibilities,
Jamie
Every week is a new week. Never quite the same-old-same-old. We’ve swapped ports on Wed and Fri because another ship has changed course, and so we need to alleviate congestion. So now on Wed we’re in Cozumel and Friday in Roatan.
This change prompts other changes in the structure of our show itinerary and so, while they’re the same shows, there are many other small facets to account for. Overall, it’s nice. It keeps it fresh. I love that our Cruise Director is working so hard to craft our activities so precisely to fit the days. Although it’s ultimately to please the guests, and thus to get good ratings, and to bring in more money, it feels like a respectable art. I work in the Entertainment industry. And I work for a corporation. Our number one goal is the guest satisfaction. We do not do Art here, but there is an art to what we do. Somehow this satisfies me for the time being.
I really appreciate how involved this Cruise Director allows me to be. He welcomes ideas and feedback. I have been the catalyst for a few small changes and because I’ve been allowed to make a difference it feels so good, especially in this corporate environment.
Went clothes shopping with Amanda and Hanna (the Art Associate) on Sunda. I sacrificed phone time with the parents today because this was also a welcome change from the norm. It was so nice to have girl time. Amanda and I are already pretty attached at the hip, in fact, twice now I’ve been accidentally called Amanda. And my parents are getting a little too spoiled with the weekly phone calls ;)
Amanda's filling in for the Music Director while he is on vacation for a week and I get to benefit from that. She gets to use his swanky guest cabin, so we had a mini cabin party Sunday night with Hannah.
This also means that I pretty much get our cabin to myself for the week. I have already begun to miss her.
I needed her to calm me down last night when Security wouldn't let me into the club because on formal night you have to be either dressed in formal uniform or gussied up - but I was wearing my formal uniform. It just doesn't actually look formal. I wasn't even there to hang out. I was trying to find Karen to bag out on staying up late. Then I ended up staying up late writing a complaint to my supervisor and then stayed up even later being wound up and restless.
My mom’s neighbor’s parents and sister (Karen) are cruising this week. It’s almost like having family on board, though I had never met them before. So silly.
I also have reconnected with a friend who is working on another ship. We have been in Roatan on the same day every other week, but haven’t been meeting up. Now we've reconnected, but now we’re indefinitely not in port together. Grr.
Busy week this week. We added a performance for just this week for the crew, we have two maintenance days, and the fleet supervisor for my position is with us for the week checkin stuff out. In fact, I really shouldn't be out on the internet right now, but for some reason, he gave me his blessing. I feel guilty, so will not be out long. I really should be there working on stuff. :/
Hmmm
Love and responsibilities,
Jamie
07 November 2010
4 months and some change
I received a letter from Andrew today that made me burst into tears in the mess. I have always loved how he writes and have saved every letter. The walls of my cabin are decorated with the cards and letters he has sent while I’ve been away. This letter in particular touched me because it said much of the same things I had just written to him in letter that was sealed and ready to mail today.
What I keep seeing, maybe because I want to see it, is that we’re both doing some beautiful personal growing that we agree was hindered by our relationship.
I told my mother in July that I miss having a boyfriend. What I have more recently discovered, and just wrote in my letter, is that I miss having someone around whose presence I can be in without having to be in their presence - where we are together, but in our own worlds. I miss that level of comfortableness and familiarity.
I only discovered that about myself while writing that letter to him. That’s not something that Andrew expressed to me. That is part of my personal journey.
Of course I reminisce about our relationship. When I do, I try to remember to see both the good and the hard stuff together so I don’t let one side of the memory override - so I don’t see it all rosy when I’m lonely or throw it all away when I am frustrated. And when I think about other potential relationships, I start to outline for myself my needs and wants and end up debating if it will ever compare to what I had.
And when everything seems like it’ll only ever fall short, I struggle with the thought of the possibility of getting back together with Andrew; I fear complacency. I fear that I will succumb to the familiar and comfortable. That it is too easy or lazy or weak or something. Where’s the adventure? But then again, if we were to, say, one day get back together, it’s all going to be improved with the bonus of that shared history. Maybe better. Maybe not.
Of course, I’m not going to prescribe this. But this is what is on the shared mind. The maybe-we-again.
I also miss lots about that part of my life. I haven’t talked with his family in a long time. He gives me updates here and there. I finally called his parents today, but then realized I wasn’t sure whose answering machine I reached since his sister and her family moved out there. I left a slightly awkward message, but I hope that what was said underneath is that I really love them and only just now gave myself permission to contact them again. They aren’t written out of my life. I just wasn’t sure about the boundaries until now.
I now have this collection of letters and emails from Andrew that reconnect me to his family through their news. I wonder what it’s like for his family to have me disappear. I was brought into the fold a long time ago by his parents and was really only feeling fully included just recently. What does this break/up do to that?
I really wish I could share some of the really cool stuff he has written, but that’s not for me to do. We’ll just have to settle with my moderate expression of the impact it has on me to hear his voice through his hand and that we’re both on good paths. They will intersect once again. Time will tell if they will run parallel again.
Love and more love,
Jamie
What I keep seeing, maybe because I want to see it, is that we’re both doing some beautiful personal growing that we agree was hindered by our relationship.
I told my mother in July that I miss having a boyfriend. What I have more recently discovered, and just wrote in my letter, is that I miss having someone around whose presence I can be in without having to be in their presence - where we are together, but in our own worlds. I miss that level of comfortableness and familiarity.
I only discovered that about myself while writing that letter to him. That’s not something that Andrew expressed to me. That is part of my personal journey.
Of course I reminisce about our relationship. When I do, I try to remember to see both the good and the hard stuff together so I don’t let one side of the memory override - so I don’t see it all rosy when I’m lonely or throw it all away when I am frustrated. And when I think about other potential relationships, I start to outline for myself my needs and wants and end up debating if it will ever compare to what I had.
And when everything seems like it’ll only ever fall short, I struggle with the thought of the possibility of getting back together with Andrew; I fear complacency. I fear that I will succumb to the familiar and comfortable. That it is too easy or lazy or weak or something. Where’s the adventure? But then again, if we were to, say, one day get back together, it’s all going to be improved with the bonus of that shared history. Maybe better. Maybe not.
Of course, I’m not going to prescribe this. But this is what is on the shared mind. The maybe-we-again.
I also miss lots about that part of my life. I haven’t talked with his family in a long time. He gives me updates here and there. I finally called his parents today, but then realized I wasn’t sure whose answering machine I reached since his sister and her family moved out there. I left a slightly awkward message, but I hope that what was said underneath is that I really love them and only just now gave myself permission to contact them again. They aren’t written out of my life. I just wasn’t sure about the boundaries until now.
I now have this collection of letters and emails from Andrew that reconnect me to his family through their news. I wonder what it’s like for his family to have me disappear. I was brought into the fold a long time ago by his parents and was really only feeling fully included just recently. What does this break/up do to that?
I really wish I could share some of the really cool stuff he has written, but that’s not for me to do. We’ll just have to settle with my moderate expression of the impact it has on me to hear his voice through his hand and that we’re both on good paths. They will intersect once again. Time will tell if they will run parallel again.
Love and more love,
Jamie
02 November 2010
one delightful day
day i lost count
let me tell you about sunday.
went on an adventure with nathan to dadeland south to find guitar center. with half an hour to kill, we tried to find a breakfast place and after much walking, found one that magically happened to be right next to guitar center. do not underestimate the coincidence of this.
then a $50 cab ride to get back to the ship on time whilst eating croissant sandwiches that must have had some sort of happy drug in them because we both became giggly and very pleased.
a little stress on my part from having realized i double booked myself in volunteering to help two people at the same time. once that was straightened out, i was doing "just ask" where you answer oncoming guests' questions. because of my cocaine sandwich, i had a blast and was dancing around the lobby while JD played guitar and i danced with Funship Freddy, our mascot (and a friend) in full body costume.
then at the entertainment staff meeting, i was awarded "employee of the two months" (working title) for being awesome. my prize is dinner for two at the steakhouse.
this day was also halloween and i dressed up as the assistant cruise director, Gayve. he has long curly hair, wears his ties tied short, and crazy socks. also, he is a man, so he has bushier eyebrows and sideburns. so, if you see a funny looking picture of me with other people in costume, just know that the inside joke was a big hit.
also, starting the night off with a shot of tequila followed by a couple of double sidecars made the rest of the night very silly.
that combined wiht losing one of the hair extensions i borrowed for the costume, and the quest to find it... thank goodness for amanda.
now that i have this steakhouse certificate, i have a lot of new best-friends - and a lot of half-serious sexual favor proposals.
this tells you how good the food is at the restaurant, especially compared to that of the mess. and how silly/desperate my friends are.
love and hair pieces,
jamie
let me tell you about sunday.
went on an adventure with nathan to dadeland south to find guitar center. with half an hour to kill, we tried to find a breakfast place and after much walking, found one that magically happened to be right next to guitar center. do not underestimate the coincidence of this.
then a $50 cab ride to get back to the ship on time whilst eating croissant sandwiches that must have had some sort of happy drug in them because we both became giggly and very pleased.
a little stress on my part from having realized i double booked myself in volunteering to help two people at the same time. once that was straightened out, i was doing "just ask" where you answer oncoming guests' questions. because of my cocaine sandwich, i had a blast and was dancing around the lobby while JD played guitar and i danced with Funship Freddy, our mascot (and a friend) in full body costume.
then at the entertainment staff meeting, i was awarded "employee of the two months" (working title) for being awesome. my prize is dinner for two at the steakhouse.
this day was also halloween and i dressed up as the assistant cruise director, Gayve. he has long curly hair, wears his ties tied short, and crazy socks. also, he is a man, so he has bushier eyebrows and sideburns. so, if you see a funny looking picture of me with other people in costume, just know that the inside joke was a big hit.
also, starting the night off with a shot of tequila followed by a couple of double sidecars made the rest of the night very silly.
that combined wiht losing one of the hair extensions i borrowed for the costume, and the quest to find it... thank goodness for amanda.
now that i have this steakhouse certificate, i have a lot of new best-friends - and a lot of half-serious sexual favor proposals.
this tells you how good the food is at the restaurant, especially compared to that of the mess. and how silly/desperate my friends are.
love and hair pieces,
jamie
21 October 2010
yes, i kissed the dolphin and it kissed me
day 110
on tuesday, shore excursions was offering spaces to crew to go on the dolphin and stingray encounter (usually $150 for guests) for $45. in the name of "team building" my supervisor arranged it so that all of us technicians could go with no one being left behind.
the guys promised me that i wouldn't drown, in fact, one is a life guard, but no promises about getting teased. and really, there wasn't that much teasing about my awkwardness in the water.
dolphin encounter was first.
i laughed my butt off the whole time. i'll post the pics later. we couldn't take our own pics, but with a little help from our smooth talker mark, we got ours for free (guests don't).
petting, kissing, dancing, singing, water fights, and rides.
then we took a pontoon boat a half an hour away to a sand bar to chillax with some stingrays. who knew they'd be so cool to pet? i even held one. they are so docile. the big ones are the females and the little ones are the males.
once you get used to them touching you when they swim past and get over the fact that they have a terrifying stinger, the only thing that really freaked me out was feeding it. and for a girl who grew up with horses, this should be no big thing right? ACK.
you know you miss your pet (oh daytona!) when you don't want to stop petting the stingrays.
love and marine life,
jamie
on tuesday, shore excursions was offering spaces to crew to go on the dolphin and stingray encounter (usually $150 for guests) for $45. in the name of "team building" my supervisor arranged it so that all of us technicians could go with no one being left behind.
the guys promised me that i wouldn't drown, in fact, one is a life guard, but no promises about getting teased. and really, there wasn't that much teasing about my awkwardness in the water.
dolphin encounter was first.
i laughed my butt off the whole time. i'll post the pics later. we couldn't take our own pics, but with a little help from our smooth talker mark, we got ours for free (guests don't).
petting, kissing, dancing, singing, water fights, and rides.
then we took a pontoon boat a half an hour away to a sand bar to chillax with some stingrays. who knew they'd be so cool to pet? i even held one. they are so docile. the big ones are the females and the little ones are the males.
once you get used to them touching you when they swim past and get over the fact that they have a terrifying stinger, the only thing that really freaked me out was feeding it. and for a girl who grew up with horses, this should be no big thing right? ACK.
you know you miss your pet (oh daytona!) when you don't want to stop petting the stingrays.
love and marine life,
jamie
13 October 2010
Ja-makin-me crazy
Day 102
I am in meat shock.
Our itinerary changed this week due to Hurricane Paula. The first half of the week our course was normal, stopping in Grand Cayman yesterday.
So we are in Jamaica at Ocho Rios today, instead of in Honduras; two days at sea instead of Belize and Cozumel; then Nassau, Bahamas on Saturday.
Went exploring in Jamaica with friends. We hired a driver to take the 7 of us on a tour. Ya mon! The flora and foliage are superb. The spiders are terrifying. The grapefruits are sweeter than normal. Chawed on sugar cane. Bought earrings made from coconut shells.
$15 got us all we could eat at a Jamaican/Asian buffet and Red Stripe beer by a waterfall.
And the meat shock I mentioned above is because I binged on Jerk Chicken and Curried Chicken. I have been vegetarian for 6.5 years and it has been 4.5 years since I have eaten any meat.
I sampled the pork and my feeling was exactly as I had hoped – I was not desirous of it, and in fact, grossed out. But the chicken!
I hope it satisfied my sense of nostalgia and that I’ll continue to be able to stick to my values and not have to ward off meat cravings again.
I have a feeling of adrenaline and a slight headache.
I’m disappointed that all of the good looking t-shirts were at least $25.
One of the vendors was willing to sell me one for $18, and I bet I could have gotten this one I wanted for $15… but I haven’t had a debit card in over 2 months, so I’m struggling for cash. There are only so many opportunities to pay a bill for a meal with friends with my credit card and scoop up their cash. I already owe a nice sum to my roommate who has generously covered me in my inconvenience. I’ll forgo the cool t-shirt to avoid owing her more money.
Those earrings are my only tangible souvenir from Jamaica, and my last $5.
Jamaica is beautiful and I don’t have to work until 10:15pm. So great.
My sign off date is 9 January 2011.
Love and flesh,
Jamie
I am in meat shock.
Our itinerary changed this week due to Hurricane Paula. The first half of the week our course was normal, stopping in Grand Cayman yesterday.
So we are in Jamaica at Ocho Rios today, instead of in Honduras; two days at sea instead of Belize and Cozumel; then Nassau, Bahamas on Saturday.
Went exploring in Jamaica with friends. We hired a driver to take the 7 of us on a tour. Ya mon! The flora and foliage are superb. The spiders are terrifying. The grapefruits are sweeter than normal. Chawed on sugar cane. Bought earrings made from coconut shells.
$15 got us all we could eat at a Jamaican/Asian buffet and Red Stripe beer by a waterfall.
And the meat shock I mentioned above is because I binged on Jerk Chicken and Curried Chicken. I have been vegetarian for 6.5 years and it has been 4.5 years since I have eaten any meat.
I sampled the pork and my feeling was exactly as I had hoped – I was not desirous of it, and in fact, grossed out. But the chicken!
I hope it satisfied my sense of nostalgia and that I’ll continue to be able to stick to my values and not have to ward off meat cravings again.
I have a feeling of adrenaline and a slight headache.
I’m disappointed that all of the good looking t-shirts were at least $25.
One of the vendors was willing to sell me one for $18, and I bet I could have gotten this one I wanted for $15… but I haven’t had a debit card in over 2 months, so I’m struggling for cash. There are only so many opportunities to pay a bill for a meal with friends with my credit card and scoop up their cash. I already owe a nice sum to my roommate who has generously covered me in my inconvenience. I’ll forgo the cool t-shirt to avoid owing her more money.
Those earrings are my only tangible souvenir from Jamaica, and my last $5.
Jamaica is beautiful and I don’t have to work until 10:15pm. So great.
My sign off date is 9 January 2011.
Love and flesh,
Jamie
03 October 2010
chapter 2
day 92
today is embarkation day, which means new team members sign on and old ones sign off. a lot of people were planning on this. many friends signed off today.
one of them found out at 4am that he was fired (and immigration was at 5:45am today).
there are a lot of changes going on around me.
a few good friends left today.
i have a new supervisor.
we have a new cruise director, so the variety shows are going to change a bit.
the new cast is still in rehearsal and will open their 2nd show on thursday.
i think my woes last week originated from hormones. i guess i got a bad batch last week. (can i get a refund?)
my pal chris signed off today. he's been counting down the days with eager anticipation.
i realized last night that i've been absorbing this energy of leaving and change and getting mixed up in it. i felt my body relax as i walked away from saying goodbyes at the bar last night. i had been feeling the stress of changes and moving as if i was also about to sign off.
my mindset all along has been to be open minded to the revolving door that are our contracts. in the time i have been here not many of my friends have signed off. so, i've been looking forward to the experience and the change. only for a moment last night did i dread it. i suddenly realized that the comfortableness of the routine i was in with this set of people was about to be broken.
it dawned on me this morning, as i walked solo across the bridge from the port of miami to downtown, that i lost track of where i originally was on my personal journey. not to say that i have been sidetracked and haven't learned anything, just not what i was originally intending to work on.
i have been wanting independence and possibly routine. my routine turned into always making time for whomever asked for it.
granted, i have been busier with work. but i haven't been reading so much anymore, or going to the gym much (mainly work and illness impede this), or lying in the sun, orr eating only when hungry, or sleeping whenever i want, or knitting, or studying language much.
when written out like this, they sound like simple and strange goals, but damn it, i'm on vacation! wait...
those are just the expectations i had coming into this. i anticipated being much more isolated than i actually am. i can't list all of the good side effects from the experience i am having. the point is that i just remembered i want to return to those other points of interest.
love and growth,
jamie
today is embarkation day, which means new team members sign on and old ones sign off. a lot of people were planning on this. many friends signed off today.
one of them found out at 4am that he was fired (and immigration was at 5:45am today).
there are a lot of changes going on around me.
a few good friends left today.
i have a new supervisor.
we have a new cruise director, so the variety shows are going to change a bit.
the new cast is still in rehearsal and will open their 2nd show on thursday.
i think my woes last week originated from hormones. i guess i got a bad batch last week. (can i get a refund?)
my pal chris signed off today. he's been counting down the days with eager anticipation.
i realized last night that i've been absorbing this energy of leaving and change and getting mixed up in it. i felt my body relax as i walked away from saying goodbyes at the bar last night. i had been feeling the stress of changes and moving as if i was also about to sign off.
my mindset all along has been to be open minded to the revolving door that are our contracts. in the time i have been here not many of my friends have signed off. so, i've been looking forward to the experience and the change. only for a moment last night did i dread it. i suddenly realized that the comfortableness of the routine i was in with this set of people was about to be broken.
it dawned on me this morning, as i walked solo across the bridge from the port of miami to downtown, that i lost track of where i originally was on my personal journey. not to say that i have been sidetracked and haven't learned anything, just not what i was originally intending to work on.
i have been wanting independence and possibly routine. my routine turned into always making time for whomever asked for it.
granted, i have been busier with work. but i haven't been reading so much anymore, or going to the gym much (mainly work and illness impede this), or lying in the sun, orr eating only when hungry, or sleeping whenever i want, or knitting, or studying language much.
when written out like this, they sound like simple and strange goals, but damn it, i'm on vacation! wait...
those are just the expectations i had coming into this. i anticipated being much more isolated than i actually am. i can't list all of the good side effects from the experience i am having. the point is that i just remembered i want to return to those other points of interest.
love and growth,
jamie
01 October 2010
half-way mark
Day 90
Due to the weather, we were unable to visit Grand Cayman. It was quite rocky Monday and Tuesday. I didn't get nauseous, but for some reason the constant motion was pretty exhausting.
And we opened the first of the two shows with the new cast, so we were in the closest thing you can get to being in tech rehearsals with a cast change - so lots of hours on the clock.
I have been pretty stressed out the past couple of days for reasons to be explored. Maybe it is the compounded exhaustion. I really didn't think it had much to do with work, but as I finally got it off my chest last night, and I kept mentioning things that indicate that I'm stressed about my job performance.
But I feel good about my work and that I'm doing well.
Well, whatever it is, I bawled my eyes out a couple of times in the last 24 hours, didn't get much sleep, and at one point was hyperventilating. Unusual.
Today I feel much better, so don't worry.
I do have cycles where I just release tension by having a good cry - this was just a bit much.
I have a new roommate, Amanda. She’s the horn section of the showband. Alto and tenor saxophones, flute, and clarinet. She's from Victoria, BC, and therefore naturally awesome. There are predictions that we're going to be too dynamically diabolical and that we should be separated. I say our friendship is going to be a beautiful thing.
Went out to supper club again last night - second time this month! It's so nice to eat well crafted food. And with friends! Unfortunately I had to leave my party early to get to work, so I took my leftovers and my dessert to go. I was 10 steps from my room when I got stopped by the ASSt. Chief of Security, who asked me where I was going with these plates of food and then told me I had to throw them out. We're not supposed to have food in our rooms, although we all do. I even have a refrigerator! And why would I be able to take it out if I can't take it?
I understand where the no food policy comes from - to prevent negligence and critters, but I don't agree with the principles of the enforcement of the policy, the inconsistency, and the hypocrisy.
And I would have discussed this with him, but I chose to not get into it so I could be on time for work with less of a headache. So I marched down in my formal attire and heels to the crew mess where you have to do your own busing and violently flung the food off my plate with my fingers. The act was satisfying enough to not regret having not just snuck back to my place another way. I couldn't have thought of that anyway while seeing red and with the aforementioned exhaustion.
Opening for the new cast went really well. That's a bonus.
I posted pics of my musician friends playing the Marcus Anthony show. He's a fly-on performer (not pictured) whose show we did every Friday. He's going on tour and won't be coming back for many weeks. So, in his place we have a juggler who tells terrible one-liners. I hate it.
Love and venting,
Jamie
Due to the weather, we were unable to visit Grand Cayman. It was quite rocky Monday and Tuesday. I didn't get nauseous, but for some reason the constant motion was pretty exhausting.
And we opened the first of the two shows with the new cast, so we were in the closest thing you can get to being in tech rehearsals with a cast change - so lots of hours on the clock.
I have been pretty stressed out the past couple of days for reasons to be explored. Maybe it is the compounded exhaustion. I really didn't think it had much to do with work, but as I finally got it off my chest last night, and I kept mentioning things that indicate that I'm stressed about my job performance.
But I feel good about my work and that I'm doing well.
Well, whatever it is, I bawled my eyes out a couple of times in the last 24 hours, didn't get much sleep, and at one point was hyperventilating. Unusual.
Today I feel much better, so don't worry.
I do have cycles where I just release tension by having a good cry - this was just a bit much.
I have a new roommate, Amanda. She’s the horn section of the showband. Alto and tenor saxophones, flute, and clarinet. She's from Victoria, BC, and therefore naturally awesome. There are predictions that we're going to be too dynamically diabolical and that we should be separated. I say our friendship is going to be a beautiful thing.
Went out to supper club again last night - second time this month! It's so nice to eat well crafted food. And with friends! Unfortunately I had to leave my party early to get to work, so I took my leftovers and my dessert to go. I was 10 steps from my room when I got stopped by the ASSt. Chief of Security, who asked me where I was going with these plates of food and then told me I had to throw them out. We're not supposed to have food in our rooms, although we all do. I even have a refrigerator! And why would I be able to take it out if I can't take it?
I understand where the no food policy comes from - to prevent negligence and critters, but I don't agree with the principles of the enforcement of the policy, the inconsistency, and the hypocrisy.
And I would have discussed this with him, but I chose to not get into it so I could be on time for work with less of a headache. So I marched down in my formal attire and heels to the crew mess where you have to do your own busing and violently flung the food off my plate with my fingers. The act was satisfying enough to not regret having not just snuck back to my place another way. I couldn't have thought of that anyway while seeing red and with the aforementioned exhaustion.
Opening for the new cast went really well. That's a bonus.
I posted pics of my musician friends playing the Marcus Anthony show. He's a fly-on performer (not pictured) whose show we did every Friday. He's going on tour and won't be coming back for many weeks. So, in his place we have a juggler who tells terrible one-liners. I hate it.
Love and venting,
Jamie
24 September 2010
day 83 - scoot scootin
7 more days and it is the 90 day mark. a time when i will start talking with the head office about my next cruise. yep, i'm game for another contract.
over all, it's pretty great.
yesterday was odd, though. i'm recovering from a sinus infection. yesterday was a day of intense coughing and other forms of phlegm management. that wore me out physically, on top of clocking about 12 hours yesterday (gettin them hours!). when i hit the hay at midnight, i fully expected to be asleep before the lights were off, but i couldn't fall asleep.
and this is a perk of ship life: i rolled down to the bar, hung out with friends (dethroning the current foosball champions with the help of martin, the guitarist, against mike and chris - chris is my former partner in foosball victory, so that victory was even more sweet). then sat outside with mike and his guitar until 3:30 am.
we made up a song about our new friend, percival the bird, who was hanging out on the forward mast, "scoot scootin" on his perch and sometimes gliding with us. he was the size of a small dog.
and then i started reading "moby dick" now that i've finished learning about the origins of the universe (which was awesome).
i am enthralled with the writing already. huzzah melville! that kept me going until 4:30am.
i haven't figured out why i was so restless last night.
perhaps it was the funk i was in most of the evening. it wasn't until chilling out with mike that i finally hit reset.
4 hours later, back to work!
my big project right now is replacing the cat's paw on the soles of the new casts' new shoes. they came with some slippery crap. nothing like the smell of contact cement at 9am.
love and late nights,
jme
over all, it's pretty great.
yesterday was odd, though. i'm recovering from a sinus infection. yesterday was a day of intense coughing and other forms of phlegm management. that wore me out physically, on top of clocking about 12 hours yesterday (gettin them hours!). when i hit the hay at midnight, i fully expected to be asleep before the lights were off, but i couldn't fall asleep.
and this is a perk of ship life: i rolled down to the bar, hung out with friends (dethroning the current foosball champions with the help of martin, the guitarist, against mike and chris - chris is my former partner in foosball victory, so that victory was even more sweet). then sat outside with mike and his guitar until 3:30 am.
we made up a song about our new friend, percival the bird, who was hanging out on the forward mast, "scoot scootin" on his perch and sometimes gliding with us. he was the size of a small dog.
and then i started reading "moby dick" now that i've finished learning about the origins of the universe (which was awesome).
i am enthralled with the writing already. huzzah melville! that kept me going until 4:30am.
i haven't figured out why i was so restless last night.
perhaps it was the funk i was in most of the evening. it wasn't until chilling out with mike that i finally hit reset.
4 hours later, back to work!
my big project right now is replacing the cat's paw on the soles of the new casts' new shoes. they came with some slippery crap. nothing like the smell of contact cement at 9am.
love and late nights,
jme
17 September 2010
Day 75
We're getting called out for not working enough hours. The boss says we need to be racking up 50-60 hours a week. I've usually been somewhere near 35. The Audio/Visual guys, who have recently merged into our Entertainment department, are getting over 70 hours a week, which is inversely not good. We're not supposed to go over 70, but we keep getting told we need to work hard like them. The structure with the merge is messed up with no model. Lots of drama.
Well, good thing the work is picking up in my area - we have a new cast learning the show, so there is more to do in prepping the stage for their rehearsals; also, my roommate is leaving and has no replacement. She's a tech as well and decided this job wasn't for her. Because she worked in another area of the boat and they were already planning to drop this position, the rest of us are going to have to cover her tasks.
I went to Belize City for the first time, yesterday. I have no pictures to show for it and am pretty glad I didn't bring my camera. I'd love to take pictures, but the economy is so poor that displaying something like that, I'd be nervous for my safety.
A large group of us went to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The menu options were chicken, chicken, or pork... I ended up having sides -> rice, beans, tomato slices, and fried plantains. It was excellent and worth the hour plus wait.
Also, the beer is tasty!
A table of seven meals and 2 dozen beers was $67. We gave the cook/owner $112.
Next week I will have my cabin to myself. I may get a new roommate the following week when the new sax player arrives. Looking forward to a change of pace. Also, I tend to hang out with the musos anyway.
Working on learning some Italian and how to play the guitar.
Haven't done much of either recently, though.
A big debate Chris and I have had recently was on attractiveness. He believes that women are attractive when they look like real people - no make-up, that if they're tired, they should look it. He says that make-up and all the stuff we put on is false-advertising. That if you don't wear it when you're at home alone, then why would you when you're out?
The idea is that we change ourselves to suit other people. That we betray ourselves by altering our appearances in order to please others, in order to attract others. And that we're not the same people at home as the faces we put on.
I love some of the sentiment behind it - that we don't need to be wrapped up in these superficial things (a lot of which are quite consumerist) and that it's okay to look like a human.
But I think primping is fine. I don't think everything that people do to themselves is attractive, but I don't take issue with a daily look that is moderately made-up and a special time look that is done for fun.
I agree that we don't NEED to do these things and that nobody should feel that they can't go out without being themselves. And I also agree that there is a fine line between getting all made up because you like it and doing it because you think others like it.
A common friend, Martin, came up to me in the middle of this very discussion, unaware of what we were talking about and told me that he thought my eyes looked good with the mascara I was wearing, and that I should wear it more often.
Chris's hackles got up because he interpreted it as I should never not wear mascara. I took it as a compliment.
But I see Chris's point - that even so small of a thing tries to influence our choices in how we present ourselves.
My interpretation of Chris's moral of the story is "if you don't like me as I am, fuck off."
And of course I agree with that. And unless you go to extremes to avoid any semblance of "fashion", it's hard to draw the line between what you do for your own expression and what you put on for the sake of others.
Discuss.
Well, good thing the work is picking up in my area - we have a new cast learning the show, so there is more to do in prepping the stage for their rehearsals; also, my roommate is leaving and has no replacement. She's a tech as well and decided this job wasn't for her. Because she worked in another area of the boat and they were already planning to drop this position, the rest of us are going to have to cover her tasks.
I went to Belize City for the first time, yesterday. I have no pictures to show for it and am pretty glad I didn't bring my camera. I'd love to take pictures, but the economy is so poor that displaying something like that, I'd be nervous for my safety.
A large group of us went to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. The menu options were chicken, chicken, or pork... I ended up having sides -> rice, beans, tomato slices, and fried plantains. It was excellent and worth the hour plus wait.
Also, the beer is tasty!
A table of seven meals and 2 dozen beers was $67. We gave the cook/owner $112.
Next week I will have my cabin to myself. I may get a new roommate the following week when the new sax player arrives. Looking forward to a change of pace. Also, I tend to hang out with the musos anyway.
Working on learning some Italian and how to play the guitar.
Haven't done much of either recently, though.
A big debate Chris and I have had recently was on attractiveness. He believes that women are attractive when they look like real people - no make-up, that if they're tired, they should look it. He says that make-up and all the stuff we put on is false-advertising. That if you don't wear it when you're at home alone, then why would you when you're out?
The idea is that we change ourselves to suit other people. That we betray ourselves by altering our appearances in order to please others, in order to attract others. And that we're not the same people at home as the faces we put on.
I love some of the sentiment behind it - that we don't need to be wrapped up in these superficial things (a lot of which are quite consumerist) and that it's okay to look like a human.
But I think primping is fine. I don't think everything that people do to themselves is attractive, but I don't take issue with a daily look that is moderately made-up and a special time look that is done for fun.
I agree that we don't NEED to do these things and that nobody should feel that they can't go out without being themselves. And I also agree that there is a fine line between getting all made up because you like it and doing it because you think others like it.
A common friend, Martin, came up to me in the middle of this very discussion, unaware of what we were talking about and told me that he thought my eyes looked good with the mascara I was wearing, and that I should wear it more often.
Chris's hackles got up because he interpreted it as I should never not wear mascara. I took it as a compliment.
But I see Chris's point - that even so small of a thing tries to influence our choices in how we present ourselves.
My interpretation of Chris's moral of the story is "if you don't like me as I am, fuck off."
And of course I agree with that. And unless you go to extremes to avoid any semblance of "fashion", it's hard to draw the line between what you do for your own expression and what you put on for the sake of others.
Discuss.
10 September 2010
day 69
quick blast before my computer battery dies
long time, no internet. sorry guys.
all is well.
i now have a new cell phone charger and so will be regularly using my phone on sundays... and having it on to receive calls! woohoo! you can reach me sundays until 3:30pm est.
in my time away from the internet, i've learned to solder. so that took all of 5 minutes. been good and busy though.
lots of personal growth. LOTS of great philosophical discussions had with friends. i hope to fill you in on some of them in the near future.
it'll be trickier to get off the boat as much over the next four weeks. we're in the process of a cast change - so there are rehearsals during the day when i would be getting off. i don't always have to be there, but definitely do as they get more and more into using the set/tech elements.
love and kisses,
jamie
long time, no internet. sorry guys.
all is well.
i now have a new cell phone charger and so will be regularly using my phone on sundays... and having it on to receive calls! woohoo! you can reach me sundays until 3:30pm est.
in my time away from the internet, i've learned to solder. so that took all of 5 minutes. been good and busy though.
lots of personal growth. LOTS of great philosophical discussions had with friends. i hope to fill you in on some of them in the near future.
it'll be trickier to get off the boat as much over the next four weeks. we're in the process of a cast change - so there are rehearsals during the day when i would be getting off. i don't always have to be there, but definitely do as they get more and more into using the set/tech elements.
love and kisses,
jamie
28 August 2010
Day 56
Starting tomorrow, I have the trifecta of duties. I have my regular work and then on top of that I have Port Manning, Backstage Manager on Duty, and Laser Tag. Port Manning happens every 5 weeks, BSMoD ever other and Laser Tag every 4th week. It only happened like this this week because I had to swap out Laser Tag last week because of being signed off. Calling all math nerds! How often should something like this happen if there were no irregularities/swaps?
By the way, this means I won't be getting off of the boat this week (Sun-Sat), so no phone calls this week and little internet.
I don’t have any pictures, but we were horsing around backstage and Mike set up some of his climbing gear and I zip-lined across the stage. Well, sort of – I connected in the center, pulled myself up and then only went half way across the stage (back where I started) so that I didn’t crash into the band set-up… but cool, right? Mike did some rappelling from the perch. Good times.
I have a new friend – he’s one of the officers and is trying to schedule it so I can visit the bridge. You should ooh and aah right now. Go ahead. Very few people get to go up there. For security reasons, they only let 16 guests take a tour each week.
I met a kid today who did it – he’s maybe 3 years old and his mother said he told the captain that it was a BMW.
Check facebook for pics from friday.
Love and rarities,
Jamie
By the way, this means I won't be getting off of the boat this week (Sun-Sat), so no phone calls this week and little internet.
I don’t have any pictures, but we were horsing around backstage and Mike set up some of his climbing gear and I zip-lined across the stage. Well, sort of – I connected in the center, pulled myself up and then only went half way across the stage (back where I started) so that I didn’t crash into the band set-up… but cool, right? Mike did some rappelling from the perch. Good times.
I have a new friend – he’s one of the officers and is trying to schedule it so I can visit the bridge. You should ooh and aah right now. Go ahead. Very few people get to go up there. For security reasons, they only let 16 guests take a tour each week.
I met a kid today who did it – he’s maybe 3 years old and his mother said he told the captain that it was a BMW.
Check facebook for pics from friday.
Love and rarities,
Jamie
27 August 2010
Day 55
I didn't really know what it meant to have sea-legs until one day a couple of weeks in I realized I had to stop and think if I could feel the boat moving or not. I don't notice it much at all.
And then there are days like yesterday when we are doing a show and you don't have to stop to feel it. You feel it without thinking and you see it in how set pieces that are hanging backstage and backdrops up in the sky sway more than average.
In my first weeks I wondered why the crew even bothers drinking alcohol - just the swaying of the boat made me feel tipsy. I'd lie in bed and feel that motion of a good buzz. When we're at sea, I can hardly walk a stick straight line. But as I've said, now I don't notice it so much: I've gotten used to the motion of the sea so now I better understand why people don't not drink.
Now I know that a lot of alcohol consumption here is out of boredom or job frustration (or both). And it's cheap for crew! Did I tell you? $1.5 beers, $3.5 wine, $2 shots.
I'm still on meds so I'm not drinking for another couple of days.
We had even more excitement than just the more-than-usual boat rocking. In fact, we've had many technical glitches in the past few weeks. Last night, all of one type of light fixtures went out in the middle of the show. The day before, the lavaliere mic stopped reading on the sound board just after the magic show started. I think I mentioned the glitches last week with the video feed not patched correctly and the curtain coming off it's carrier.
Ah, live theatre.
Love and gentle rocking,
Jamie
And then there are days like yesterday when we are doing a show and you don't have to stop to feel it. You feel it without thinking and you see it in how set pieces that are hanging backstage and backdrops up in the sky sway more than average.
In my first weeks I wondered why the crew even bothers drinking alcohol - just the swaying of the boat made me feel tipsy. I'd lie in bed and feel that motion of a good buzz. When we're at sea, I can hardly walk a stick straight line. But as I've said, now I don't notice it so much: I've gotten used to the motion of the sea so now I better understand why people don't not drink.
Now I know that a lot of alcohol consumption here is out of boredom or job frustration (or both). And it's cheap for crew! Did I tell you? $1.5 beers, $3.5 wine, $2 shots.
I'm still on meds so I'm not drinking for another couple of days.
We had even more excitement than just the more-than-usual boat rocking. In fact, we've had many technical glitches in the past few weeks. Last night, all of one type of light fixtures went out in the middle of the show. The day before, the lavaliere mic stopped reading on the sound board just after the magic show started. I think I mentioned the glitches last week with the video feed not patched correctly and the curtain coming off it's carrier.
Ah, live theatre.
Love and gentle rocking,
Jamie
26 August 2010
Day 54
I was released from isolation on Tues morning. Doc still isn’t fully sure what it was, though he’s pretty sure that it’s not scarlet fever (without the fever) which is what I thought it was. The antibiotics I was taking may have toyed with my immune system and made me hypersensitive so it may have been an allergic reaction to laundry detergent, the treated water, or anything. Then he said that I was just in isolation for no need. Turns out it wasn’t chicken pox… they were just jumpy about that because they’ve had a few cases recently. Grrr.
There are now three of us that worked together at the Cleveland Play House working on Carnival ships: Devon, Liz, and me. How silly. It’s strangely nice to have an outside friend on a ship who I can see every other week when we’re in port together. Somehow connects me to my outside life. Unfortunately, Devon and I don’t cross paths.
Chris lent me a book called Origins, which is about the cosmos – the Big Bang theory and the thought processes behind how the universe works. It can be pretty technical in places, but isn’t written like a textbook. It has a sense of humor peppered in that checks in to see if you’re paying attention and helps break things up a bit. I’m a bit overwhelmed at the moment by the nitty gritty of the math behind it because I get a little lost in terminology, but it sparks some pretty neat conversations with Chris. And it makes me wonder why we learn in school only about our solar system and not more even about what galaxies, supernovas, stars, nebulas, and what all of these things are. This book is really opening up my perspective. I feel like when I look up at the sky I know a lot more about what is out there and how it works, rather than it being a big scary mystery. While it’s strange to know that the way our solar system works now is not permanent, that slowly everything is changing (and I haven’t yet gotten to the chapters that probably talk about the future), it’s nice to kind of understand how things in space change and why. I may not be able to do anything about it if there is a possibility that Earth is threatened, but I’m sure there’s also a chapter on that and what is predicted to happen and if there are plans on how to save Earth/keep existing.
I see hummingbirds every time I go to Roatan. Love it!
Love and physics,
Jamie
There are now three of us that worked together at the Cleveland Play House working on Carnival ships: Devon, Liz, and me. How silly. It’s strangely nice to have an outside friend on a ship who I can see every other week when we’re in port together. Somehow connects me to my outside life. Unfortunately, Devon and I don’t cross paths.
Chris lent me a book called Origins, which is about the cosmos – the Big Bang theory and the thought processes behind how the universe works. It can be pretty technical in places, but isn’t written like a textbook. It has a sense of humor peppered in that checks in to see if you’re paying attention and helps break things up a bit. I’m a bit overwhelmed at the moment by the nitty gritty of the math behind it because I get a little lost in terminology, but it sparks some pretty neat conversations with Chris. And it makes me wonder why we learn in school only about our solar system and not more even about what galaxies, supernovas, stars, nebulas, and what all of these things are. This book is really opening up my perspective. I feel like when I look up at the sky I know a lot more about what is out there and how it works, rather than it being a big scary mystery. While it’s strange to know that the way our solar system works now is not permanent, that slowly everything is changing (and I haven’t yet gotten to the chapters that probably talk about the future), it’s nice to kind of understand how things in space change and why. I may not be able to do anything about it if there is a possibility that Earth is threatened, but I’m sure there’s also a chapter on that and what is predicted to happen and if there are plans on how to save Earth/keep existing.
I see hummingbirds every time I go to Roatan. Love it!
Love and physics,
Jamie
22 August 2010
Day 50
I have a mysterious rash all over my body.
(Notice I have figured out how to include photos on this thing)
The medical center has put me in isolation for at least a day, but I had to pack for 6 days. This obviously means that I am not allowed to leave my room and I am to order room service. What they didn’t tell me at the medical center is that when on isolation, all room service is allowed to give me is bananas, plain rice, toast, plain yogurt crackers, and clear soup. I don’t eat most soups so I’m even more limited.
Good thing I went to Whole Foods today (what a heavenly, soul warming, home-like feeling) and have brought along with me fig cookies and… more crackers. My friends, I’m sure, will sneak me, funny to say this, better food from the staff mess (it’s usually pretty mediocre itself). But I think I’ll put up with the bland food for tonight and if I have to continue being confined, ask if the doc will give room service the green light for other foods. He already said he didn’t think it was an allergic reaction.
He said he thinks it’s a post-viral reaction.
As you may know, I just got over strep throat. But, he says he just has to deductive (is that the right word?) diagnosing - to figure out what it is by slowly crossing off what it isn’t is because of what it isn’t from.
And because they’ve recently had a few cases of chicken pox on board over the last 3 weeks, they’re gun shy – but I’m pretty sure it’s not that.
The doc said “come back tomorrow and we’ll see if you have blisters. Then we’ll take it from there.”
Man, I was just starting to have fun again. I was out and about socializing in the evenings. No longer feeling dopey from antihistamines and spacey which I attribute to the antibiotics, though that may be incorrect.
Back to Whole Foods. While it was so comforting to go to that store again after multiple months (it’s where I do most of my regular grocery shopping), it felt strange to not be buying regular staples. There were whole isles I didn’t walk down because I have no need for baking items or even canned soups – I have nowhere to heat them. I did almost buy a box of Annie’s mac and cheese just out of nostalgia. I am one of the lucky people who has a mini-fridge in their room. You either have to buy one from Carnival (because they only let you use their approved ones) or you have to be lucky and have one left behind by a previous tenant (which is my case). So I did buy myself a tub of blueberry yogurt. Unfortunately, the room I have been moved to for isolation does not have a fridge, so I couldn’t bring/sneak it along.
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a weird or mysterious affliction.
Sigh.
Could be worse.
And for the folks at home, I ran all over looking for a phone charger today and am going to have to order one online. My phone is just that old.
Sorry Dad, it’s hard to go around taking pictures around the boat with this time off, since I’m not allowed to leave my room… and be careful what you wish for. If I get bored, you’ll know it by a proliferation of hideously yellow photos of the beige and plywood cabin.
As I've been writing, my room service showed up. You should see it... oh wait, you will. (This isolation is going to cost me a pretty penny in internet cards.)(Not really, I'll be responsible.) (And it's 10 cents a minute, not exactly a bank breaker when you're responsible.)
UPDATE HALF-AN-HOUR LATER: F this S - one plate of chlorine tasting plain rice, half a green banana, and two cold pieces of toast - I'm busting out my snuck-in snacks and getting my friends to hook me up.
(Notice I have figured out how to include photos on this thing)
The medical center has put me in isolation for at least a day, but I had to pack for 6 days. This obviously means that I am not allowed to leave my room and I am to order room service. What they didn’t tell me at the medical center is that when on isolation, all room service is allowed to give me is bananas, plain rice, toast, plain yogurt crackers, and clear soup. I don’t eat most soups so I’m even more limited.
Good thing I went to Whole Foods today (what a heavenly, soul warming, home-like feeling) and have brought along with me fig cookies and… more crackers. My friends, I’m sure, will sneak me, funny to say this, better food from the staff mess (it’s usually pretty mediocre itself). But I think I’ll put up with the bland food for tonight and if I have to continue being confined, ask if the doc will give room service the green light for other foods. He already said he didn’t think it was an allergic reaction.
He said he thinks it’s a post-viral reaction.
As you may know, I just got over strep throat. But, he says he just has to deductive (is that the right word?) diagnosing - to figure out what it is by slowly crossing off what it isn’t is because of what it isn’t from.
And because they’ve recently had a few cases of chicken pox on board over the last 3 weeks, they’re gun shy – but I’m pretty sure it’s not that.
The doc said “come back tomorrow and we’ll see if you have blisters. Then we’ll take it from there.”
Man, I was just starting to have fun again. I was out and about socializing in the evenings. No longer feeling dopey from antihistamines and spacey which I attribute to the antibiotics, though that may be incorrect.
Back to Whole Foods. While it was so comforting to go to that store again after multiple months (it’s where I do most of my regular grocery shopping), it felt strange to not be buying regular staples. There were whole isles I didn’t walk down because I have no need for baking items or even canned soups – I have nowhere to heat them. I did almost buy a box of Annie’s mac and cheese just out of nostalgia. I am one of the lucky people who has a mini-fridge in their room. You either have to buy one from Carnival (because they only let you use their approved ones) or you have to be lucky and have one left behind by a previous tenant (which is my case). So I did buy myself a tub of blueberry yogurt. Unfortunately, the room I have been moved to for isolation does not have a fridge, so I couldn’t bring/sneak it along.
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a weird or mysterious affliction.
Sigh.
Could be worse.
And for the folks at home, I ran all over looking for a phone charger today and am going to have to order one online. My phone is just that old.
Sorry Dad, it’s hard to go around taking pictures around the boat with this time off, since I’m not allowed to leave my room… and be careful what you wish for. If I get bored, you’ll know it by a proliferation of hideously yellow photos of the beige and plywood cabin.
As I've been writing, my room service showed up. You should see it... oh wait, you will. (This isolation is going to cost me a pretty penny in internet cards.)(Not really, I'll be responsible.) (And it's 10 cents a minute, not exactly a bank breaker when you're responsible.)
UPDATE HALF-AN-HOUR LATER: F this S - one plate of chlorine tasting plain rice, half a green banana, and two cold pieces of toast - I'm busting out my snuck-in snacks and getting my friends to hook me up.
20 August 2010
Day 48
Last few hours of being on antibiotics after having strep throat. Tonight: alcohol. (and singing and dancing and revelry)
It's amazing how pleasant it is to have a pretty snafu-free show after the mess that was two days ago for the magic show. We had our main curtain come off of it's traveler right before a show (making it not move automatically) and then after getting that fixed in time, the video patch for the video camera was messed up - and half the show requires the camera.
Once our troubleshooting was unsuccessful (we of course, didn't know right away that it was the patch), we came up with a back-up plan, but all of this made the show start 40 minutes late. And we didn't rehearse the changes to the show order, so both performances had some less than magical moments. Yuk.
Also, the giant talking couch that is in the Monday show looks like he had a stroke. One of his corneas came detached, and hanging down, so when his eyes open he was one good blue eye and one blank white one. Repairing this is proving more difficult than expected.
So I partied last night (without alcohol). Closed the piano bar. Closed the disco. Tried to brave the high winds and gusts of salt water at the front of the ship. Hit the sack at 4:30am.
It was only the second time that the boat was rocking pretty heavily since I've been here. Pretty good in 7 weeks!
Love and tempests,
Jme
It's amazing how pleasant it is to have a pretty snafu-free show after the mess that was two days ago for the magic show. We had our main curtain come off of it's traveler right before a show (making it not move automatically) and then after getting that fixed in time, the video patch for the video camera was messed up - and half the show requires the camera.
Once our troubleshooting was unsuccessful (we of course, didn't know right away that it was the patch), we came up with a back-up plan, but all of this made the show start 40 minutes late. And we didn't rehearse the changes to the show order, so both performances had some less than magical moments. Yuk.
Also, the giant talking couch that is in the Monday show looks like he had a stroke. One of his corneas came detached, and hanging down, so when his eyes open he was one good blue eye and one blank white one. Repairing this is proving more difficult than expected.
So I partied last night (without alcohol). Closed the piano bar. Closed the disco. Tried to brave the high winds and gusts of salt water at the front of the ship. Hit the sack at 4:30am.
It was only the second time that the boat was rocking pretty heavily since I've been here. Pretty good in 7 weeks!
Love and tempests,
Jme
15 August 2010
day 43
I stopped at the infirmary this morning - the doc was kind enough to see me even though he doesn't have hours until later today. He looked in my mouth and his eyes enlarged - he said that it looks like someone poured boiling water in my mouth and that I have the beginnings of strep throat.
Antibiotics, theraflu, alka-seltzer, cough drops, vitamins.
Already the food at the mess takes an effort to eat. Now it's harder. I'd almost rather drool than swallow.
So in my quick note about the lovely time in Roatan, I didn't elaborate on how I tried to drown Randy while snorkeling. I hadn't planned to go snorkeling. I was perfectly happy lying on the plastic floating dock by the snorkeling, but Randy came back in to tell me I had to go check it out.
And I try to give people a warning about me and water. "I am a spastic swimmer" "I am not a good swimmer" "I've only been snorkeling once"
So he gave me his goggles and snorkel and led me out. I let him keep the flippers. We got a ways out and I started to panic. So we go to turn back, Randy is going to tow me back so I offered him back the goggles and snorkel. I tried to help put them on him, while piggybacking, of sorts, and ended up submerging him.
It was spastic. He doesn't seem to hold any ill feelings about it. We had a good laugh when I had to re-explain that my swimming skills are not so proficient. Next time, I'll use a life vest!
A group of my colleagues got in an auto accident with some locals in Cozumel. It wasn't their fault and they were fine. They were in a hummer and the locals were on a scooter - a couple and their baby. The man broke his leg and the baby was in a coma for a couple of days. The police needed someone from the party to stay at the station to finish up paperwork (maybe he was the driver?), so he had to miss the boat leaving port! Such a big deal! Thankfully there wasn't any corruption against the foreigner and there don't seem to be any big repercussions from work. Missing the boat in general is grounds for termination.
Oh, and Randy has fainting goats.
http://www.facebook.com/jamielynnesimons?v=wall&story_fbid=419205276935#!/video/video.php?v=1250714101318
Does the link work?
edit aug 20: ah here we go, dunno what happened with that other link.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1250714101318
Anywho, when they get excited, they freeze up and fall over.
Love and pain,
Jme
Antibiotics, theraflu, alka-seltzer, cough drops, vitamins.
Already the food at the mess takes an effort to eat. Now it's harder. I'd almost rather drool than swallow.
So in my quick note about the lovely time in Roatan, I didn't elaborate on how I tried to drown Randy while snorkeling. I hadn't planned to go snorkeling. I was perfectly happy lying on the plastic floating dock by the snorkeling, but Randy came back in to tell me I had to go check it out.
And I try to give people a warning about me and water. "I am a spastic swimmer" "I am not a good swimmer" "I've only been snorkeling once"
So he gave me his goggles and snorkel and led me out. I let him keep the flippers. We got a ways out and I started to panic. So we go to turn back, Randy is going to tow me back so I offered him back the goggles and snorkel. I tried to help put them on him, while piggybacking, of sorts, and ended up submerging him.
It was spastic. He doesn't seem to hold any ill feelings about it. We had a good laugh when I had to re-explain that my swimming skills are not so proficient. Next time, I'll use a life vest!
A group of my colleagues got in an auto accident with some locals in Cozumel. It wasn't their fault and they were fine. They were in a hummer and the locals were on a scooter - a couple and their baby. The man broke his leg and the baby was in a coma for a couple of days. The police needed someone from the party to stay at the station to finish up paperwork (maybe he was the driver?), so he had to miss the boat leaving port! Such a big deal! Thankfully there wasn't any corruption against the foreigner and there don't seem to be any big repercussions from work. Missing the boat in general is grounds for termination.
Oh, and Randy has fainting goats.
Does the link work?
edit aug 20: ah here we go, dunno what happened with that other link.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/video/video.php?v=1250714101318
Anywho, when they get excited, they freeze up and fall over.
Love and pain,
Jme
13 August 2010
day 41, but who's counting
On Wed, I was led to Maya Key by the piano man, Randy (as soon as we're friends on Facebook, I'll tag him, but I'm sure you can figure out who he is). He kept telling me about his friend George... yes, he did say he was a monkey, but I didn't realize how friendly he'd be. Hugs hugs hugs. And kisses. He also loved to play with the velcro on my Tevas.
Went snorkeling.
Got bit or stung by something that left some cool looking red spots all over my back, arms, and feet. No pain, or itching (until the next day). Randy tried to tell me it was sea lice. I think it was noseeums. Biting gnats. And now they are like mosquito bites. Grrr.
Such a lovely day. It was the farthest I have been from the boat - about 15 minutes away on a smaller boat. Very quiet beach with a variety of animals in captivity - perhaps it's a preserve? Not many people know about it, it's well maintained, and they have nice facilities. Definitely going back. With bug deterrent.
Have been checking out the meteor showers the past couple of nights. Saw a huge one two nights ago! Takes patience. When I think of a "shower," being from Seattle, I think of lots of meteors. I think it's more like a meteor occasion(al). I saw 8 in half an hour last night.
Yesterday was a long day. 10 hours of work. Sometimes it tries my patience being on call always. I'll be in the middle of a nap, not expecting work for another 3 hours, and get a call to be backstage for one reason or another. A little more communication and pre-planning would prepare me to not be (as) grumpy. But did not get so much yesterday. Oh well. It's still a great life.
I get paid to live where people pay to be.
Love and itchy spots,
Jme
Went snorkeling.
Got bit or stung by something that left some cool looking red spots all over my back, arms, and feet. No pain, or itching (until the next day). Randy tried to tell me it was sea lice. I think it was noseeums. Biting gnats. And now they are like mosquito bites. Grrr.
Such a lovely day. It was the farthest I have been from the boat - about 15 minutes away on a smaller boat. Very quiet beach with a variety of animals in captivity - perhaps it's a preserve? Not many people know about it, it's well maintained, and they have nice facilities. Definitely going back. With bug deterrent.
Have been checking out the meteor showers the past couple of nights. Saw a huge one two nights ago! Takes patience. When I think of a "shower," being from Seattle, I think of lots of meteors. I think it's more like a meteor occasion(al). I saw 8 in half an hour last night.
Yesterday was a long day. 10 hours of work. Sometimes it tries my patience being on call always. I'll be in the middle of a nap, not expecting work for another 3 hours, and get a call to be backstage for one reason or another. A little more communication and pre-planning would prepare me to not be (as) grumpy. But did not get so much yesterday. Oh well. It's still a great life.
I get paid to live where people pay to be.
Love and itchy spots,
Jme
05 August 2010
Day 32
Today we’re in port in Jamaica and I’m not getting off of the boat. I might have had time this morning if I wasn’t recuperating from the past couple of days. While we (I) don’t actually have to do much on the charter cruise, we are on the clock longer hanging around just in case aka babysitting.
The Festival at Sea brought all their own equipment and personnel, so we just help them hook up to our system and make sure they don’t break any of our stuff. At least, for sound and backstage that is the case. Lights actually have to work and I’m on rotation for running spot, but haven’t had to do that until tonight.
The best gig yet was the O’Jays concert, two nights in a row. I was assigned to backstage and basically just got to watch the show from there. If you don’t know them by name, they’re the band that does the theme song for Trump’s tv show the Apprentice. “Money-money-money money… money!” 3 singers, 2 keyboardists, electric guitar, bass guitar, percussionist, drummer, 2 trumpets, trombone and sax. I sat by the sound guy that adjusts the quality of the sound – changing the levels for the different types of sound and then there is another guy out in the audience making the main mix. Real pro gig.
Yesterday I also ran sound for the Bachelor Auction. That was quite amusing for the first half an hour. Then it was tedious. The best looking guys, in my opinion, were first, but what made the other hour and a half drag was that they had four people on microphone acting as auctioneers all at the same time. They’d lose track of where they were in bidding, what they already had and what they were looking for. And they all were yelling into the mics. Combined with the massive sound system they brought, the deafness of the clientele and the technicians, I’m sure the decibel levels were off the charts. I wore earplugs in the audience (where the sound board is) and still was exhausted from the barrage of sound by the end.
The Festival at Sea brought all their own equipment and personnel, so we just help them hook up to our system and make sure they don’t break any of our stuff. At least, for sound and backstage that is the case. Lights actually have to work and I’m on rotation for running spot, but haven’t had to do that until tonight.
The best gig yet was the O’Jays concert, two nights in a row. I was assigned to backstage and basically just got to watch the show from there. If you don’t know them by name, they’re the band that does the theme song for Trump’s tv show the Apprentice. “Money-money-money money… money!” 3 singers, 2 keyboardists, electric guitar, bass guitar, percussionist, drummer, 2 trumpets, trombone and sax. I sat by the sound guy that adjusts the quality of the sound – changing the levels for the different types of sound and then there is another guy out in the audience making the main mix. Real pro gig.
Yesterday I also ran sound for the Bachelor Auction. That was quite amusing for the first half an hour. Then it was tedious. The best looking guys, in my opinion, were first, but what made the other hour and a half drag was that they had four people on microphone acting as auctioneers all at the same time. They’d lose track of where they were in bidding, what they already had and what they were looking for. And they all were yelling into the mics. Combined with the massive sound system they brought, the deafness of the clientele and the technicians, I’m sure the decibel levels were off the charts. I wore earplugs in the audience (where the sound board is) and still was exhausted from the barrage of sound by the end.
31 July 2010
day 28
Today is my first day off of the pain killers and anti-inflammatories. It’s weird to be able to feel again. I’ve been on light duty the past few days, making sure to not do any heavy lifting and have made sure to not hurt myself more just cuz I couldn’t feel it. So, still on the mend and doing well.
Next week starting Sunday (tomorrow) we’re on a special charter cruise. Our itinerary is switched up a bit. Instead of Honduras and Belize, we’re going to Nassau, Bahamas and Montego Bay, Jamaica. It changes our sea days and the order we hit the other things and I don’t remember. Also, this group is bringing all of their own entertainment. They have created their own itinerary and tomorrow is going to be so busy moving around all of their equipment. That also means that tonight (starting 11:30pm) we are super busy making room for their stuff. Gonna be a taxing couple of days followed by a pretty easy week.
Of course, I said that about this week and that I would be taking a bunch of pictures around the boat. Eh… not so much. I did take a couple today. The water was eerily still. I looked out the porthole at lunch and noticed this and then immediately saw flying fish. I never imagined the sea to ever be so still. It’s like looking at a calm pond!
So, I’ll try to find some time tomorrow to check my voicemail, but I won’t be able to get off the ship in Miami. Again.
Love and extra pay (we get additional fees for doing things outside of the norm!),
Jamie
Next week starting Sunday (tomorrow) we’re on a special charter cruise. Our itinerary is switched up a bit. Instead of Honduras and Belize, we’re going to Nassau, Bahamas and Montego Bay, Jamaica. It changes our sea days and the order we hit the other things and I don’t remember. Also, this group is bringing all of their own entertainment. They have created their own itinerary and tomorrow is going to be so busy moving around all of their equipment. That also means that tonight (starting 11:30pm) we are super busy making room for their stuff. Gonna be a taxing couple of days followed by a pretty easy week.
Of course, I said that about this week and that I would be taking a bunch of pictures around the boat. Eh… not so much. I did take a couple today. The water was eerily still. I looked out the porthole at lunch and noticed this and then immediately saw flying fish. I never imagined the sea to ever be so still. It’s like looking at a calm pond!
So, I’ll try to find some time tomorrow to check my voicemail, but I won’t be able to get off the ship in Miami. Again.
Love and extra pay (we get additional fees for doing things outside of the norm!),
Jamie
27 July 2010
day 24
I went to the infirmary this morning and got a bucket load of painkillers and anti-inflammatories and the doc signed me off duty for the day. Two days ago we had to do a lot of equipment shuffling and somehow in the process I hurt a muscle in my back, which has made lying down unbearable and sleeping impossible. The regular pain killers weren’t doing enough, but I made it through the big show last night. When the act of trying to adjust my position in bed made me want to scream out this morning, I decided a.) that my roommate might kill me if I did, and b.) I should get it checked out.
Now I can lie down peacefully, though still moving carefully. And I can sleep!
Except for when the phone rings. Certain people on board have company cell phones (that don’t call out). Being the Tech on Duty this week (port manning) I have my roommate’s phone to answer while she is off the boat in port. Thankfully now, my supervisor suggested I forward the calls to his phone.
So, sleep, sleep, and more sleep for me today. I’m supposed to see if I’m cured tomorrow. Doubtful, but I can’t wrap my mind around the thought of not doing my job. I’ve just adjusted to working/being on call 7 days a week. It satisfies my addictive and plucky (or maybe busybody) facets. Besides, why else am I here? I get enough vacationing in my down time. I don’t need more!
I got my first mail this week and it is so exciting. It’s just like what I hoped it was like for my friends when I sent them care packages when they served in the armed forces overseas. It filled me with joy.
Doesn’t hurt that one of the goodies included was a box of dark chocolate non-pareils. :)
CNN says, or maybe it was a viewer comment, that this oil spill is the biggest US environmental disaster in history. First, US history is not so extensive, though I don’t know of any environmental disasters before the Industrial Revolution. Second, I consider the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki US disasters.
One of my shipmates said over lunch today that it wasn’t a disaster. That the Japanese deserved it. My head exploded. Good thing I hadn’t had enough sleep, rendering me useless at forming words. Otherwise that man would have had significant welts from the lashing he would have received.
That partial conversation is stuck in my craw right now.
My poor craw and my aching back.
Peace and painkillers,
Jme
Now I can lie down peacefully, though still moving carefully. And I can sleep!
Except for when the phone rings. Certain people on board have company cell phones (that don’t call out). Being the Tech on Duty this week (port manning) I have my roommate’s phone to answer while she is off the boat in port. Thankfully now, my supervisor suggested I forward the calls to his phone.
So, sleep, sleep, and more sleep for me today. I’m supposed to see if I’m cured tomorrow. Doubtful, but I can’t wrap my mind around the thought of not doing my job. I’ve just adjusted to working/being on call 7 days a week. It satisfies my addictive and plucky (or maybe busybody) facets. Besides, why else am I here? I get enough vacationing in my down time. I don’t need more!
I got my first mail this week and it is so exciting. It’s just like what I hoped it was like for my friends when I sent them care packages when they served in the armed forces overseas. It filled me with joy.
Doesn’t hurt that one of the goodies included was a box of dark chocolate non-pareils. :)
CNN says, or maybe it was a viewer comment, that this oil spill is the biggest US environmental disaster in history. First, US history is not so extensive, though I don’t know of any environmental disasters before the Industrial Revolution. Second, I consider the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki US disasters.
One of my shipmates said over lunch today that it wasn’t a disaster. That the Japanese deserved it. My head exploded. Good thing I hadn’t had enough sleep, rendering me useless at forming words. Otherwise that man would have had significant welts from the lashing he would have received.
That partial conversation is stuck in my craw right now.
My poor craw and my aching back.
Peace and painkillers,
Jme
24 July 2010
day 21
Three weeks down. I’m settled in and well adjusted. Very nearly into the routine.
I read a lot yesterday. I sat on Deck 3 starboard, where I took the picture of the life ring. Where while sitting on the bench I can see the ocean through the railing. I wondered to myself what it is like for those who have been here 10 years – what they feel when they sit here looking at the ocean after all this time. Are they sick of it? Do they still feel like they are somewhere new? Is it comfortable like home?
It occurred to me that sitting there is like sitting on a back porch.
It’s where the smokers in the entertainment department often go. I like it because I can see the water while sitting – in our other crew deck areas you have to lean on the railing and those decks are in the front of the boat, so they can be rather windy. Deck 3 is protected. Technically it’s a guest area, but not many of them find this spot.
Kirsty, the hair stylist from England who turns 20 in a week, asked me how my birthday was yesterday. She asked if it was different on board.
Yes, it was. It was missing some sort of sparkle. It was more like every other day in that I spent most of it by myself – sleeping, on the internet ashore, at the gym, sunbathing, reading. All lovely things, but missing a sparkle. People were shocked today to find out my birthday was yesterday. I didn’t go around announcing it. I didn’t feel like herding cats. I’ve only known these people a couple of weeks. Everyone likes to celebrate and make each other feel good, but it just felt weird. So, I told a handful of people to “dress to impress” and meet in the crew bar. It didn’t really occur to me until this morning that of the three people who made the effort, two were guys I work with. That actually means a lot to me.
Kirsty asked me if I bought myself a present.
Does a bottle of cava count?
I’m considering seeing if Bobby, the music director, is still headed to the Apple store tomorrow and if so, I’ll send him with cash from my paycheck (oops didn’t set up direct deposit before payday) to get me that iTouch. At the moment, the practical side of me says that $300 is a lot for a portable music player. But then again, it’s so sleek and smart. I could check email ashore without bringing the laptop. And and do all sorts of unexplored fun things. Gah, I have this cash burning a hole I my safety deposit box!
I would go buy this myself, except I’m on port manning this week. A representative from each department has to stay on board and it’s my turn. I could get someone who is already planning to stay on board to swap for the day, but I’m feeling lazy and would feel a bit sheepish about skipping out on my first day of port manning. I think I have some other duties that are yet to be explained for embarkation day, called “just ask”. It appears you stand around helping the new guests find their way. Turn that smile on!
Didn’t take a single picture yesterday because I needed to charge my camera battery. Looks like I’ll have time this week. :)
Love and spoils,
Jamie
I read a lot yesterday. I sat on Deck 3 starboard, where I took the picture of the life ring. Where while sitting on the bench I can see the ocean through the railing. I wondered to myself what it is like for those who have been here 10 years – what they feel when they sit here looking at the ocean after all this time. Are they sick of it? Do they still feel like they are somewhere new? Is it comfortable like home?
It occurred to me that sitting there is like sitting on a back porch.
It’s where the smokers in the entertainment department often go. I like it because I can see the water while sitting – in our other crew deck areas you have to lean on the railing and those decks are in the front of the boat, so they can be rather windy. Deck 3 is protected. Technically it’s a guest area, but not many of them find this spot.
Kirsty, the hair stylist from England who turns 20 in a week, asked me how my birthday was yesterday. She asked if it was different on board.
Yes, it was. It was missing some sort of sparkle. It was more like every other day in that I spent most of it by myself – sleeping, on the internet ashore, at the gym, sunbathing, reading. All lovely things, but missing a sparkle. People were shocked today to find out my birthday was yesterday. I didn’t go around announcing it. I didn’t feel like herding cats. I’ve only known these people a couple of weeks. Everyone likes to celebrate and make each other feel good, but it just felt weird. So, I told a handful of people to “dress to impress” and meet in the crew bar. It didn’t really occur to me until this morning that of the three people who made the effort, two were guys I work with. That actually means a lot to me.
Kirsty asked me if I bought myself a present.
Does a bottle of cava count?
I’m considering seeing if Bobby, the music director, is still headed to the Apple store tomorrow and if so, I’ll send him with cash from my paycheck (oops didn’t set up direct deposit before payday) to get me that iTouch. At the moment, the practical side of me says that $300 is a lot for a portable music player. But then again, it’s so sleek and smart. I could check email ashore without bringing the laptop. And and do all sorts of unexplored fun things. Gah, I have this cash burning a hole I my safety deposit box!
I would go buy this myself, except I’m on port manning this week. A representative from each department has to stay on board and it’s my turn. I could get someone who is already planning to stay on board to swap for the day, but I’m feeling lazy and would feel a bit sheepish about skipping out on my first day of port manning. I think I have some other duties that are yet to be explained for embarkation day, called “just ask”. It appears you stand around helping the new guests find their way. Turn that smile on!
Didn’t take a single picture yesterday because I needed to charge my camera battery. Looks like I’ll have time this week. :)
Love and spoils,
Jamie
23 July 2010
day 20
it's my birthday! j'ai vingt-six ans!
once again, i'm in cozumel. though, today i have the whole day off. i'm off rotation for working the easy peasy show this evening and someone else is covering me for laser tag tonight (which i am technically on rotation for).
so i'm at the three amigos again, just finished a margarita and a burrito that i got 50% off on.
no big plans. had hoped to go on an "excursion" today to the closer of two mayan ruins or a beach, but discovered yesterday that you have to request it a week in advance to go for free as a crew member (based on availability). i have plenty of time, though. i got to sleep in until noon instead!
the rest of today will be pretty similar to every other day. go run in the gym a bit. maybe sit in the steam room. read my book out on the front crew only deck. go have stimulating conversation over buffet dinner in the staff mess. eat more dessert than i should. maybe throw some darts in the crew bar tonight. make a fool of myself dancing when no one else does there. pretty pleasant good times.
actually, i should take some more pics. that'll switch things up today.
and i bought a bottle of cava.
love and good life,
jme
once again, i'm in cozumel. though, today i have the whole day off. i'm off rotation for working the easy peasy show this evening and someone else is covering me for laser tag tonight (which i am technically on rotation for).
so i'm at the three amigos again, just finished a margarita and a burrito that i got 50% off on.
no big plans. had hoped to go on an "excursion" today to the closer of two mayan ruins or a beach, but discovered yesterday that you have to request it a week in advance to go for free as a crew member (based on availability). i have plenty of time, though. i got to sleep in until noon instead!
the rest of today will be pretty similar to every other day. go run in the gym a bit. maybe sit in the steam room. read my book out on the front crew only deck. go have stimulating conversation over buffet dinner in the staff mess. eat more dessert than i should. maybe throw some darts in the crew bar tonight. make a fool of myself dancing when no one else does there. pretty pleasant good times.
actually, i should take some more pics. that'll switch things up today.
and i bought a bottle of cava.
love and good life,
jme
20 July 2010
day 17
sendiri. that is hello in indonesian.
i am learning a few phrases from my cabin steward, putu.
did i tell you that americans are a minority on the boat? i forget what i've written versus what i've chatted on the phone about.
anyway, the entertainment department is comprised mainly of people from english speaking countries. the officers are italian. and everything else is a big mix.
am off the boat in the cayman islands for the first time. lots of tourist shops and pricey places immediately. just beyond that i went for a walk along the opposite running roads with hit-and-miss sidewalks.
most notable here for me is the flora. cannas, hibiscus, and a plethora of other plants i have never seen before. i stop and touch their wafer thin petals, saturated with color. otherwise, the vegetation is not my style - too dry.
a couple of days ago in miami i bought a bunch of sunblock, finally. have been very careful about the sun because i wasn't able to apply it everywhere, so i waited until i bought spray block. i got some and applied it yesterday and laid out.
and got a sun burn. turns out i was not as successful with my application as i had thought.
so i got burned in a literal and figurative way.
the pianist, victor, tells me that christmas and new years on the boat are way better than going home. he also says that vacation time from the boat (when you are between contracts) is more like work to him and that being on the boat is actually his vacation. he's the first person who has been here a few contracts that i've heard say this.
i like to think it will be this way for me, at least for awhile. i'm sure, like many people, that if i return for multiple contracts that some of the luster will wear off.
but so far so good. just keeps getting richer - in a spiritual... and financial way.
let me know if any of you wanna skype chat and we'll set up a date. i can do this on days that i am in port (sunday, tues, wed, thurs, fri) usually before 3pm est. well, at the moment i know of good places on sunday, tues, and fri. haven't actually been to internet cafes on wed and thurs yet. and actually tues and fri are better than sunday.
heh.
love and humidity,
jamie
i am learning a few phrases from my cabin steward, putu.
did i tell you that americans are a minority on the boat? i forget what i've written versus what i've chatted on the phone about.
anyway, the entertainment department is comprised mainly of people from english speaking countries. the officers are italian. and everything else is a big mix.
am off the boat in the cayman islands for the first time. lots of tourist shops and pricey places immediately. just beyond that i went for a walk along the opposite running roads with hit-and-miss sidewalks.
most notable here for me is the flora. cannas, hibiscus, and a plethora of other plants i have never seen before. i stop and touch their wafer thin petals, saturated with color. otherwise, the vegetation is not my style - too dry.
a couple of days ago in miami i bought a bunch of sunblock, finally. have been very careful about the sun because i wasn't able to apply it everywhere, so i waited until i bought spray block. i got some and applied it yesterday and laid out.
and got a sun burn. turns out i was not as successful with my application as i had thought.
so i got burned in a literal and figurative way.
the pianist, victor, tells me that christmas and new years on the boat are way better than going home. he also says that vacation time from the boat (when you are between contracts) is more like work to him and that being on the boat is actually his vacation. he's the first person who has been here a few contracts that i've heard say this.
i like to think it will be this way for me, at least for awhile. i'm sure, like many people, that if i return for multiple contracts that some of the luster will wear off.
but so far so good. just keeps getting richer - in a spiritual... and financial way.
let me know if any of you wanna skype chat and we'll set up a date. i can do this on days that i am in port (sunday, tues, wed, thurs, fri) usually before 3pm est. well, at the moment i know of good places on sunday, tues, and fri. haven't actually been to internet cafes on wed and thurs yet. and actually tues and fri are better than sunday.
heh.
love and humidity,
jamie
16 July 2010
day 13
back in cozumel today. this time it's not raining... yet.
i'm pretty well settled in now. we've had very calm waters since day 2 and i hardly notice when we're moving anymore. i sometimes concentrate on trying to feel the boat rock. during the first week the swaying of the boat felt like being buzzed on alcohol. a nice, happy, relaxed, gently swaying feeling - at least, that's what it's like for ME when i'm buzzed. i don't feel it so much anymore, but i do sometimes when i lie down to sleep. it's like being cradled. i like it.
as a crew member, i have an interior cabin. when we turn the lights out, it's pitch black. daytime naps are quite easy. my roommate and i take a lot of naps. i think it's sweet when we both nap at the same time.
i've had an emotional week. this cruise is, like the title of the blog suggests, intended for introspection. i'm still sorting out my personal life and part of that is about discovering more about myself. if there is one thing on board, it is a lot of time, so my mind has been quite busy.
thank goodness i've made a friend, chris, the bass player in the showband, who engages me in stimulating conversation. not only do we have very satisfying discussions, but it also keeps me sane. keeps me from falling into a deep pit of thought.
which is something i've been warned of. he admits that he tends to get as he says "dark" and that seems pretty common for others who have been here a number of years. there actually tends to be a lot of frustration. and it's reasonable enough - this is a very small community and rather confined.
chris frequently tells me that i'm one of the few people who can hold substantial conversation. that mostly around here it's superficial and weak.
i'm trying to make sure that i filter out some of the advice i get from the old hands - i recognize that some of it comes from a jaded place, though they all have the best intentions, but it's like foreshadowing in a book - it's pretty gloomy to know in the beginning that a book has an unhappy ending, so you end up pulling harder for the protagonist. in my case, i hear what they're saying, but remind myself that i have a whole journey before i may or may not find the same results.
it just gets to be an record on repeat, in a way.
also, everyone is very careful on board because, as i've heard numerous people term it - it's like "high school". everyone get in each other's business. everyone is watching everyone else. they take note of who you hang out with a lot, who you are chatty with, everything. and chris, the very private person he is, tries to protect himself a bit by not hanging out with me consistently. it's weird.
well, and some of that is just chris being paranoid.
and yeah, my posse does tend to be all males. chris asked me last night what it feels like to be the "most eligible bachelorette on the boat". hah
he says they're all fawning over me, but i think that's a little simplistic and not entirely true. not entirely, untrue either ;)
so, i'm finding a niche here and trying to keep the sociology of it all balanced.
lots of fun. hardly feels like work. and really, i'll be working only about 30 hours a week, though some weeks are 7 days.
this week i volunteered to participate in the new safety video for the guests. it will run on all of the ships for a few years. i know, really, people should be getting paid for this, but they are able to get volunteers who are trying to stave off boredom. so it ended up being fun - almost all of us were from the entertainment department. my supervisor, mike, thinks i'm crazy for doing this in my second week.
hey, i got to do the waterslide onboard. okay really, i could do this anytime, but it was good encouragement to go and do.
mike was also pretty impressed yesterday that i passed my pyrotechnics exam on the first try. he said he head of the department failed it the first time.
love and sea breeze,
jamie
i'm pretty well settled in now. we've had very calm waters since day 2 and i hardly notice when we're moving anymore. i sometimes concentrate on trying to feel the boat rock. during the first week the swaying of the boat felt like being buzzed on alcohol. a nice, happy, relaxed, gently swaying feeling - at least, that's what it's like for ME when i'm buzzed. i don't feel it so much anymore, but i do sometimes when i lie down to sleep. it's like being cradled. i like it.
as a crew member, i have an interior cabin. when we turn the lights out, it's pitch black. daytime naps are quite easy. my roommate and i take a lot of naps. i think it's sweet when we both nap at the same time.
i've had an emotional week. this cruise is, like the title of the blog suggests, intended for introspection. i'm still sorting out my personal life and part of that is about discovering more about myself. if there is one thing on board, it is a lot of time, so my mind has been quite busy.
thank goodness i've made a friend, chris, the bass player in the showband, who engages me in stimulating conversation. not only do we have very satisfying discussions, but it also keeps me sane. keeps me from falling into a deep pit of thought.
which is something i've been warned of. he admits that he tends to get as he says "dark" and that seems pretty common for others who have been here a number of years. there actually tends to be a lot of frustration. and it's reasonable enough - this is a very small community and rather confined.
chris frequently tells me that i'm one of the few people who can hold substantial conversation. that mostly around here it's superficial and weak.
i'm trying to make sure that i filter out some of the advice i get from the old hands - i recognize that some of it comes from a jaded place, though they all have the best intentions, but it's like foreshadowing in a book - it's pretty gloomy to know in the beginning that a book has an unhappy ending, so you end up pulling harder for the protagonist. in my case, i hear what they're saying, but remind myself that i have a whole journey before i may or may not find the same results.
it just gets to be an record on repeat, in a way.
also, everyone is very careful on board because, as i've heard numerous people term it - it's like "high school". everyone get in each other's business. everyone is watching everyone else. they take note of who you hang out with a lot, who you are chatty with, everything. and chris, the very private person he is, tries to protect himself a bit by not hanging out with me consistently. it's weird.
well, and some of that is just chris being paranoid.
and yeah, my posse does tend to be all males. chris asked me last night what it feels like to be the "most eligible bachelorette on the boat". hah
he says they're all fawning over me, but i think that's a little simplistic and not entirely true. not entirely, untrue either ;)
so, i'm finding a niche here and trying to keep the sociology of it all balanced.
lots of fun. hardly feels like work. and really, i'll be working only about 30 hours a week, though some weeks are 7 days.
this week i volunteered to participate in the new safety video for the guests. it will run on all of the ships for a few years. i know, really, people should be getting paid for this, but they are able to get volunteers who are trying to stave off boredom. so it ended up being fun - almost all of us were from the entertainment department. my supervisor, mike, thinks i'm crazy for doing this in my second week.
hey, i got to do the waterslide onboard. okay really, i could do this anytime, but it was good encouragement to go and do.
mike was also pretty impressed yesterday that i passed my pyrotechnics exam on the first try. he said he head of the department failed it the first time.
love and sea breeze,
jamie
08 July 2010
day 5
Day 5
Sitting in Three Amigos restaurant in Cozumel, Mexico. My first sojourn off of the boat – and it’s the very first place off the dock. Megan, Brittany and I got caught in the downpour that occurred right when we got off the boat and lasted for only our walk down the ¼ mile dock. We got SOAKED. I have a great view of the boat here at our booth in the restaurant, but I can’t take a picture because of the condensation on my camera lens. F that S.
Had a great time at the disco last night. Stayed up until 4:30am. It’s great having an evening job! Soon all of my trainings will be over and I’ll have a real theatre life.
Made use of the sauna and steam room yesterday. It’s a pretty great life here.
My itinerary goes like this:
Sunday: Miami
Tuesday: Grand Cayman
Wednesday: Roatan, Honduras
Thursday: Belize
Friday: Cozumel
Days in between are on the sea.
Sitting in Three Amigos restaurant in Cozumel, Mexico. My first sojourn off of the boat – and it’s the very first place off the dock. Megan, Brittany and I got caught in the downpour that occurred right when we got off the boat and lasted for only our walk down the ¼ mile dock. We got SOAKED. I have a great view of the boat here at our booth in the restaurant, but I can’t take a picture because of the condensation on my camera lens. F that S.
Had a great time at the disco last night. Stayed up until 4:30am. It’s great having an evening job! Soon all of my trainings will be over and I’ll have a real theatre life.
Made use of the sauna and steam room yesterday. It’s a pretty great life here.
My itinerary goes like this:
Sunday: Miami
Tuesday: Grand Cayman
Wednesday: Roatan, Honduras
Thursday: Belize
Friday: Cozumel
Days in between are on the sea.
05 July 2010
Day 2
This cruise stuff is pretty great.
It’s a lot more casual in my department than I anticipated and in some ways could use a little shaping up.
Day 1 was 6:30am-2am. Involving getting picked up at the hotel, getting on boat, couple bits of business, and having a number of friendly people take me in.
Life on board:
I am on the top of the food chain here. I’m considered staff, versus being crew. I get special privileges, such as access to the guest areas.
I always wear a name badge, even off-duty.
I get 20% off in the shops, which are tax and duty free. 40% off of spa services when we are in port.
So far, I’m not famished as a vegetarian. The staff mess is mostly buffet style, with some menu options with table service (no required gratuity).
I have a tidy roommate, Brittany, and one of the larger cabins. It is about 6’ by 11’, including bathroom. I’m actually on the 3rd floor – and much of the entertainment staff is right back stage. 10 steps from my door and I’m at work.
My coworkers (Mike, Kyle, Justin, Josh) are all near my age and have excellent senses of humor. Way fun. The guy I’m taking over for (Mike) is getting promoted to another position and will be sticking around until October – so I have an easy grace period of learning my job. He’s also taken me under his wing a bit. We hit it off and he’s mentoring me in learning to cobble (extra weekly pay) and is sharing his extra pay with me for when groups rent the space. At just the split rate, it is twice the amount I’ve ever made hourly.
We’ve had some stormy weather today. I’m adjusting surprisingly well. I just feel tired and I really think that it’s because I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in over a week – not like I’m pulling all nighters, but combined with the transition and travel… yawn.
Off to work, and for the moment, that means watching the first show from audience and the 2nd show from backstage.
Also, it’s formal night Mondays and Thursdays.
It’s a lot more casual in my department than I anticipated and in some ways could use a little shaping up.
Day 1 was 6:30am-2am. Involving getting picked up at the hotel, getting on boat, couple bits of business, and having a number of friendly people take me in.
Life on board:
I am on the top of the food chain here. I’m considered staff, versus being crew. I get special privileges, such as access to the guest areas.
I always wear a name badge, even off-duty.
I get 20% off in the shops, which are tax and duty free. 40% off of spa services when we are in port.
So far, I’m not famished as a vegetarian. The staff mess is mostly buffet style, with some menu options with table service (no required gratuity).
I have a tidy roommate, Brittany, and one of the larger cabins. It is about 6’ by 11’, including bathroom. I’m actually on the 3rd floor – and much of the entertainment staff is right back stage. 10 steps from my door and I’m at work.
My coworkers (Mike, Kyle, Justin, Josh) are all near my age and have excellent senses of humor. Way fun. The guy I’m taking over for (Mike) is getting promoted to another position and will be sticking around until October – so I have an easy grace period of learning my job. He’s also taken me under his wing a bit. We hit it off and he’s mentoring me in learning to cobble (extra weekly pay) and is sharing his extra pay with me for when groups rent the space. At just the split rate, it is twice the amount I’ve ever made hourly.
We’ve had some stormy weather today. I’m adjusting surprisingly well. I just feel tired and I really think that it’s because I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in over a week – not like I’m pulling all nighters, but combined with the transition and travel… yawn.
Off to work, and for the moment, that means watching the first show from audience and the 2nd show from backstage.
Also, it’s formal night Mondays and Thursdays.
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