...And All That Jazz

Well... We're in St. Thomas again. The ship has officially been repositioned from New York to Miami. It's been an eventful couple weeks. Unfortunately, they've been keeping me pretty busy and by the time I get a few free minutes to write anything, I'm ready to drop. So you'll have to wait for the full update until later.

I just wanted to take a minute to bitch about this week - and we've only been on this cruise since Saturday. We've got a private group onboard this week - about 600 jazz nuts and the musicians they came to see. And they like to treat us like they own the ship, which is really annoying. They close all the lounges for private events and like to talk to us (the techs anyway) like we don't know the first thing about what we're doing... And then make ludicrous demands, like moving a grand piano into Dazzles (which is a small lounge, deck 7 forward) because the other lounge they've been using (Star Bar, deck 13 midship) is too small. Sorry dudes, you knew the size of the ship and the lounges before booking the cruise. Do what everyone else does and play a keyboard. But oh MAN, some of these jazz guys would SHIT themselves if you told them to play a keyboard instead of a piano with the top all the way open. Or even a grand piano with the top closed. God forbid!!!

Pricks.


The tech they brought with them... I could've knocked the dude out the first night. He's gotten a little better (with me anyway) since we've talked and he realized I know what the hell I'm doing and I learned recording on analog gear... That I know how to cut tape and I know how to chain an LA2A and an 1176. The first night, he was over my shoulder barking orders and I wanted to turn around and break his nose.

The funny part is, I like jazz... But after this week I could do without it for a while.


Ok, gotta get back to the ship and do some laundry before work (more jazz... yay)

I've got a few pictures from the beach the other day - none of me, of course haha - and uh... a few random ones from some of the ports we've been in. Nothing too exciting because... For the most part, they were crap. I didn't go to the beach and if you don't do that, they're like run down third world countries nearly... So not many pictures.

Anyway, more about that later.

See ya!

They Come Runnin' Just As Fast As They Can...

(see how small my room is...)

Oh the EXCITEMENT!

People complain that I have no pictures of ME in any of these places I go...

So here's a picture of me in New York! Note how thrilled I am to be here!





OR maybe what I should do is have the guys onboard take my picture in front of their big green screen and superimpose myself onto some of my other pictures... Now THAT'S an idea! Heh heh heh...

Anyway, we're in New York for the last time today. After we leave here, it's off to the Caribbean and then Miami, where we sail out of until April.

I had a passenger give me a gift last night... I mean she got something for several people but... I mean it's a $40 Nautica leather wallet, which is no small trinket. She was this Indian lady in her late 30s who had come on the cruise by herself. Ya know, finally having the resources to do all the things she's wanted to do and having the courage to get out there and do them... That sort of thing. Anyway, so Lisa first got to know her and then, through her, I was introduced, as well as several others. And I guess we made such a difference in her cruise - to have some people to talk to and hang out with in the evenings and stuff - that she got us all gifts. I was pretty blown away...

anyway... it sucks calling people sometimes because I use a prepaid phone card and it shows up as a number people don't recognize, so they don't answer. I mean I can't blame them, I did the same thing with unknown numbers. But still - got off the ship all excited to talk to a bunch of people and no one answered the phone. Did get to talk to my brother though, which was nice.

Anyway, it's about time to pack it up and head for the ship. I'd like to not be scrambling on 30 seconds before all aboard for once :)

So... I've got basic safety training for the next week, so I'm not sure how much time in ports I'll have so... We're in Miami on the 15th (which is when Felix moves out, actually) so hopefully I'll have a chance to get online sooner than the next 13 days. Blah!

But... Til then... Later!