![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Time With Family
Dec. 8th, 2018 10:08 am12/02
We set sail from Los Angeles/San Pedro last night. The sea was still a bit rocky, but today is better. At least the ship is not pitching up and down.
We played the Welcome Back event and two new shows with guest entertainer Paul Baker, who does a Broadway show featuring a lot of roles he’s held over the years. We had been warned that it was a complex show with a lot of click tracks…and it was, but as long as you listened carefully it was pretty straightforward. Both shows went well. Paul will be with us for several weeks, so we’ll have time to improve for him.
After the shows I went straight to bed. Some of us are still not feeling great after that one rough day at sea.
12/03
Today we are in Cabo San Lucas. The only thing I had scheduled was the Disco Deck Party sound check at noon and then the show at 9:30pm.
The weather was very nice, and with so much free time I decided to go ashore for a bit! I have been wanting to get new sneakers because when it rained in Vallarta mine got soaked, and now they smell gross no matter what I do. There’s a Sketchers outlet at the local mall.
I got off the Princess tender and wound my way through the busy port. It’s a very touristy area, lots of shops and restaurants and locals pushing tours and excursions at every corner. It’s a long walk to the mall, probably a little over a mile…distance-wise that’s not too bad, but fighting your way through sidewalks clogged with tourists and souvenir hawkers does take a while! I made sure to wear my ship ID prominently to encourage less harassment. For the most part this worked, but I still got catcalled an awful lot.
At the mall I quickly found the Sketchers store, found the shoes, bought them and walked around a little bit hoping to get ideas for Christmas. For some reason this mall doesn’t have wifi so I was not inclined to stay long. After I’d had time to window shop and cool off from the heat, I stepped back outside and made my way back to the pier. I passed old women selling handmade dolls on the sidewalk, fancy jewelry stores full of Mexican fire opals and locally-mined silver…little boys carrying iguanas and offering photos with the lizards for a few dollars, kiosks selling huge freshly-cracked coconuts laced with chili powder...and more. Along the way I glanced into the cloudy water along the docks and saw many red-and-black crabs, pelicans, minnows, and one black fish with white spots. It was a nice day and I was happy just for the walk.
Back at the pier I was surprised to find a bit of internet, so instead of going back to the ship I plopped down on a bench and did a little work. I am applying for jobs for when I return to Orlando, planning flights to visit family, and trying to line up gigs as well. I was able to make progress with all of these, which made me feel accomplished for the day. When I was finished I climbed aboard the tender and rode it back to the ship. After a refreshing shower I enjoyed scones and tea on Deck 16, cleaned my cabin, and savored some quiet time.
Around dinnertime Stacey returned, and we told each other about our doings. She and some of the other band ladies had taken a glass-bottomed taxi tour of Cabo, followed by a relaxing day at the beach. How nice!
The Disco Deck Party went well, although with the ship pitching so much the pool and hot tub were sloshing and spilling enough to cause a delay to our start. I wonder why the waters are suddenly so awful. Maybe it has to do with the recent seismic activity around Alaska.
12/04
We arrived in Mazatlan around 8am. The music department had a brief meeting around 9am, just to go over a few changes and upcoming events for the holidays. Hard to believe Christmas is almost here! And 2019 too!
After the meeting we had a crew drill, which is basically all of us checking in with our departments, going to our passenger drill stations, and then going to our muster stations. So it’s just like a passenger drill, without passengers and without having to go over life jacket procedures and such. When the drill was done we watched a safety video. All of that was finished around 11am, perfect timing for the guest buffet! Today I had muesli, eggs and mushrooms, smoked salmon, a triangle of French toast, and some pineapple.
Rebeca (guitar) sat with me, and we had a nice conversation. Like me, she has a partner at home. We are both missing our S.O.’s very much right now. She told me that she’d had a Skype session with her partner yesterday, and both of them had to struggle to keep from crying. I empathized with her, and together we talked about our plans once this contract is over, and whether or not we’d consider another contract in the future.
For Rebeca, the economic situation in her home country is not good. She says that the prices of goods has gone up as much as 600% in some areas, and on top of that it’s difficult to find work. She feels that things will improve eventually, but for a while she and her partner may need to put work first, even if it means being apart. She hopes to join a cruise ship again as a duo along with her loved one.
For me, I think there are more options. Although I have had trouble finding work lately, I will at least have several months to keep trying. There will also be time to talk with Jameson about what will work best for both of us. My plan currently is to keep job hunting and networking and doing my absolute best to find something. If nothing comes up by the end of March, I have two contingency plans, and we will see which is the best choice at the time. I don’t want to share too much about that just yet…even the best laid plans are often all for nothing.
Anyway, I enjoyed spending time with Rebeca this morning. Afterward I practiced and went to the gym, enjoyed a little snack, and had rehearsal for the guest entertainer shows this evening. Then it was dinner and the two shows, both of which went well.
Tomorrow we are in Vallarta, and as usual I’ll be booking it over to the mall early in the morning to use the wifi and continue my job hunt.
12/5
Here we are in Vallarta! The mall is decorated for Christmas.
I got off the ship after breakfast...I have the day off because tonight's guest entertainer doesn't use horns. Whee!
I spent several hours at the mall sucking up wifi. There is Christmas shopping to do, apps to be updated, flights to be booked to visit family once I leave the ship. It's just the start of December, but with the holidays approaching I feel the need to get certain things taken care of before everything shuts down and everyone loses their minds.
When my interneting was done, I went to Mexican Walmart for a few small gifts for the girls for Christmas (sssh, don’t tell them!) and then returned to the ship. I cleaned up, ate lunch, started a load of laundry, and had some nice quiet time. When the laundry was finished I had dinner, then Nia (trumpet) and Paula (sax) and I rehearsed some Mariachi music that we hope to perform this coming week.
Next up, our two sea days to return to San Pedro/Los Angeles. I really, really hope that the sea will stay calm for us.
12/06
Today the sea seems calm! Hooray!
After breakfast I practiced in my stairwell for a bit. We have a jazz set tonight (boooo) and two Motown shows with Dwight, our pianist/vocalist in the Crooner’s lounge.
While I was practicing I happened to glance out at the sea and was surprised to see another Princess ship! I’m not sure which one it was but it was a similar size to ours, so maybe the Emerald?
I went to the gym, then we had rehearsals before our evening shows. Dwight’s shows both went very well; Explorers lounge was packed and the audience was great! Even our jazz set was well-attended and also went really well. So well in fact that we wished we’d recorded it! Everyone had great solos, even me for once.
Dwight’s last show ended around 11:30, so I went straight to bed. Tomorrow we have another sea day, and the only thing on our schedule is Voice of the Ocean.
12/07
The sea was much rougher today. Oh well. At least we only have one show scheduled.
Since I have been to the gym for two days in a row, today is my rest day. I had a nice breakfast, then spent some time struggling with the ship’s internet and phone to get some things done so I don’t have to waste time doing them on Saturday. I get to hang out with my sister Kayle! And I don’t want to have to be making phone calls or doing internet stuff during our time together!
Anyway, I spent most of my day relaxing…reading, watching Ship of Darkness (hilarious by the way, it’s on youtube, check it out) and trying to do some Christmas shopping whenever the internet was strong enough.
Our one show went well and was shorter than expected! Several of us decided to play cards and enjoy a drink in the crew bar. I almost won the game, but Jane (bosswoman, piano) beat me in the end!
12/08
Today I got to spend time with my sister Kayle!
Stacey and I got up early and were able to get off the ship just a little after 8am. We took an Uber to a Trader Joe’s and did a little shopping, then she got picked up by her uncle while my sister and her husband Skylar came and got me! We drove to her house and they showed me around, then Skylar cooked us an amazing breakfast of eggs, cheese, avocado, and sausage on tortillas.
We sipped our coffee and got all caught up. Kayle has been busy preparing for her new arrival, she showed me some of the baby items she’s collected so far: books, bottles, onesies, stuffed animals, and more. I told her about my doings and life on the ship. At one point the baby was kicking, so Kayle let me put my hand on her tummy to feel it. Wow! It’s so amazing to experience a new life, especially one that will be related to you!!
After that we drove over to Skylar’s workplace. He’s…well, I don’t know his official title, but he works with drones and satellites and such, and much of his work is classified. But today he showed us something really cool! Do you remember the Hubble space telescope? Skylar’s employer is building it’s replacement, the James Webb telescope!
Pictures were not allowed, but it was still incredible to see it. The main portion of it was not there today, but I got to see the huge “eye” that will be capturing light waves put out by distant galaxies before the dawn of time. The telescope is being built in a carefully controlled environment; people need to wear hazmat suits and use specially calibrated tools to work on it. Skylar pointed out small collection plates stationed around the room designed to act as canaries in the figurative coal mine, gathering samples of micro-debris that could potentially harm the delicate gold foil and mirrors. A video in our viewing area described the launch and deployment processes of the telescope, and Skylar provided details on how it will capture infrared light while deflecting the interfering rays of our own sun.
It was a really incredible and mind-boggling thing to see. I felt privileged to see something that few people will get to lay eyes on, a device that will be an important part of human history.
Too soon it was time to head back to the ship. Before that, though, I wanted Kayle and Skylar to experience the magic of Hojas teas! This time I got the green tea with chocolate powder mixed in…Kayle got the same but in latte format. Both were amazing, like all Hojas teas :) The three of us shared a piece of egg nog cake while making plans for another visit next Saturday. Then they drove me to the ship and we said our goodbyes. I’m so happy that I got to spend time with Kayle today! It really made my day and gave me some positivity to carry through my week.
Once back on board, I unpacked all of my goodies. I had gotten some RX bars, candied ginger and stocking stuffers at Trader Joe’s. Kayle had given me some candied pecans that she made herself, and a few satchels of tea that she thought I’d like, and a pair of slippers that she didn’t need. It felt like Christmas already! And on top of that, I received some teas I’d ordered in the mail! Merry Christmas to me!
We are en route to Cabo San Lucas, but first we will have one sea day.
We set sail from Los Angeles/San Pedro last night. The sea was still a bit rocky, but today is better. At least the ship is not pitching up and down.
We played the Welcome Back event and two new shows with guest entertainer Paul Baker, who does a Broadway show featuring a lot of roles he’s held over the years. We had been warned that it was a complex show with a lot of click tracks…and it was, but as long as you listened carefully it was pretty straightforward. Both shows went well. Paul will be with us for several weeks, so we’ll have time to improve for him.
After the shows I went straight to bed. Some of us are still not feeling great after that one rough day at sea.
12/03
Today we are in Cabo San Lucas. The only thing I had scheduled was the Disco Deck Party sound check at noon and then the show at 9:30pm.
The weather was very nice, and with so much free time I decided to go ashore for a bit! I have been wanting to get new sneakers because when it rained in Vallarta mine got soaked, and now they smell gross no matter what I do. There’s a Sketchers outlet at the local mall.
I got off the Princess tender and wound my way through the busy port. It’s a very touristy area, lots of shops and restaurants and locals pushing tours and excursions at every corner. It’s a long walk to the mall, probably a little over a mile…distance-wise that’s not too bad, but fighting your way through sidewalks clogged with tourists and souvenir hawkers does take a while! I made sure to wear my ship ID prominently to encourage less harassment. For the most part this worked, but I still got catcalled an awful lot.
At the mall I quickly found the Sketchers store, found the shoes, bought them and walked around a little bit hoping to get ideas for Christmas. For some reason this mall doesn’t have wifi so I was not inclined to stay long. After I’d had time to window shop and cool off from the heat, I stepped back outside and made my way back to the pier. I passed old women selling handmade dolls on the sidewalk, fancy jewelry stores full of Mexican fire opals and locally-mined silver…little boys carrying iguanas and offering photos with the lizards for a few dollars, kiosks selling huge freshly-cracked coconuts laced with chili powder...and more. Along the way I glanced into the cloudy water along the docks and saw many red-and-black crabs, pelicans, minnows, and one black fish with white spots. It was a nice day and I was happy just for the walk.
Back at the pier I was surprised to find a bit of internet, so instead of going back to the ship I plopped down on a bench and did a little work. I am applying for jobs for when I return to Orlando, planning flights to visit family, and trying to line up gigs as well. I was able to make progress with all of these, which made me feel accomplished for the day. When I was finished I climbed aboard the tender and rode it back to the ship. After a refreshing shower I enjoyed scones and tea on Deck 16, cleaned my cabin, and savored some quiet time.
Around dinnertime Stacey returned, and we told each other about our doings. She and some of the other band ladies had taken a glass-bottomed taxi tour of Cabo, followed by a relaxing day at the beach. How nice!
The Disco Deck Party went well, although with the ship pitching so much the pool and hot tub were sloshing and spilling enough to cause a delay to our start. I wonder why the waters are suddenly so awful. Maybe it has to do with the recent seismic activity around Alaska.
12/04
We arrived in Mazatlan around 8am. The music department had a brief meeting around 9am, just to go over a few changes and upcoming events for the holidays. Hard to believe Christmas is almost here! And 2019 too!
After the meeting we had a crew drill, which is basically all of us checking in with our departments, going to our passenger drill stations, and then going to our muster stations. So it’s just like a passenger drill, without passengers and without having to go over life jacket procedures and such. When the drill was done we watched a safety video. All of that was finished around 11am, perfect timing for the guest buffet! Today I had muesli, eggs and mushrooms, smoked salmon, a triangle of French toast, and some pineapple.
Rebeca (guitar) sat with me, and we had a nice conversation. Like me, she has a partner at home. We are both missing our S.O.’s very much right now. She told me that she’d had a Skype session with her partner yesterday, and both of them had to struggle to keep from crying. I empathized with her, and together we talked about our plans once this contract is over, and whether or not we’d consider another contract in the future.
For Rebeca, the economic situation in her home country is not good. She says that the prices of goods has gone up as much as 600% in some areas, and on top of that it’s difficult to find work. She feels that things will improve eventually, but for a while she and her partner may need to put work first, even if it means being apart. She hopes to join a cruise ship again as a duo along with her loved one.
For me, I think there are more options. Although I have had trouble finding work lately, I will at least have several months to keep trying. There will also be time to talk with Jameson about what will work best for both of us. My plan currently is to keep job hunting and networking and doing my absolute best to find something. If nothing comes up by the end of March, I have two contingency plans, and we will see which is the best choice at the time. I don’t want to share too much about that just yet…even the best laid plans are often all for nothing.
Anyway, I enjoyed spending time with Rebeca this morning. Afterward I practiced and went to the gym, enjoyed a little snack, and had rehearsal for the guest entertainer shows this evening. Then it was dinner and the two shows, both of which went well.
Tomorrow we are in Vallarta, and as usual I’ll be booking it over to the mall early in the morning to use the wifi and continue my job hunt.
12/5
Here we are in Vallarta! The mall is decorated for Christmas.
I got off the ship after breakfast...I have the day off because tonight's guest entertainer doesn't use horns. Whee!
I spent several hours at the mall sucking up wifi. There is Christmas shopping to do, apps to be updated, flights to be booked to visit family once I leave the ship. It's just the start of December, but with the holidays approaching I feel the need to get certain things taken care of before everything shuts down and everyone loses their minds.
When my interneting was done, I went to Mexican Walmart for a few small gifts for the girls for Christmas (sssh, don’t tell them!) and then returned to the ship. I cleaned up, ate lunch, started a load of laundry, and had some nice quiet time. When the laundry was finished I had dinner, then Nia (trumpet) and Paula (sax) and I rehearsed some Mariachi music that we hope to perform this coming week.
Next up, our two sea days to return to San Pedro/Los Angeles. I really, really hope that the sea will stay calm for us.
12/06
Today the sea seems calm! Hooray!
After breakfast I practiced in my stairwell for a bit. We have a jazz set tonight (boooo) and two Motown shows with Dwight, our pianist/vocalist in the Crooner’s lounge.
While I was practicing I happened to glance out at the sea and was surprised to see another Princess ship! I’m not sure which one it was but it was a similar size to ours, so maybe the Emerald?
I went to the gym, then we had rehearsals before our evening shows. Dwight’s shows both went very well; Explorers lounge was packed and the audience was great! Even our jazz set was well-attended and also went really well. So well in fact that we wished we’d recorded it! Everyone had great solos, even me for once.
Dwight’s last show ended around 11:30, so I went straight to bed. Tomorrow we have another sea day, and the only thing on our schedule is Voice of the Ocean.
12/07
The sea was much rougher today. Oh well. At least we only have one show scheduled.
Since I have been to the gym for two days in a row, today is my rest day. I had a nice breakfast, then spent some time struggling with the ship’s internet and phone to get some things done so I don’t have to waste time doing them on Saturday. I get to hang out with my sister Kayle! And I don’t want to have to be making phone calls or doing internet stuff during our time together!
Anyway, I spent most of my day relaxing…reading, watching Ship of Darkness (hilarious by the way, it’s on youtube, check it out) and trying to do some Christmas shopping whenever the internet was strong enough.
Our one show went well and was shorter than expected! Several of us decided to play cards and enjoy a drink in the crew bar. I almost won the game, but Jane (bosswoman, piano) beat me in the end!
12/08
Today I got to spend time with my sister Kayle!
Stacey and I got up early and were able to get off the ship just a little after 8am. We took an Uber to a Trader Joe’s and did a little shopping, then she got picked up by her uncle while my sister and her husband Skylar came and got me! We drove to her house and they showed me around, then Skylar cooked us an amazing breakfast of eggs, cheese, avocado, and sausage on tortillas.
We sipped our coffee and got all caught up. Kayle has been busy preparing for her new arrival, she showed me some of the baby items she’s collected so far: books, bottles, onesies, stuffed animals, and more. I told her about my doings and life on the ship. At one point the baby was kicking, so Kayle let me put my hand on her tummy to feel it. Wow! It’s so amazing to experience a new life, especially one that will be related to you!!
After that we drove over to Skylar’s workplace. He’s…well, I don’t know his official title, but he works with drones and satellites and such, and much of his work is classified. But today he showed us something really cool! Do you remember the Hubble space telescope? Skylar’s employer is building it’s replacement, the James Webb telescope!
Pictures were not allowed, but it was still incredible to see it. The main portion of it was not there today, but I got to see the huge “eye” that will be capturing light waves put out by distant galaxies before the dawn of time. The telescope is being built in a carefully controlled environment; people need to wear hazmat suits and use specially calibrated tools to work on it. Skylar pointed out small collection plates stationed around the room designed to act as canaries in the figurative coal mine, gathering samples of micro-debris that could potentially harm the delicate gold foil and mirrors. A video in our viewing area described the launch and deployment processes of the telescope, and Skylar provided details on how it will capture infrared light while deflecting the interfering rays of our own sun.
It was a really incredible and mind-boggling thing to see. I felt privileged to see something that few people will get to lay eyes on, a device that will be an important part of human history.
Too soon it was time to head back to the ship. Before that, though, I wanted Kayle and Skylar to experience the magic of Hojas teas! This time I got the green tea with chocolate powder mixed in…Kayle got the same but in latte format. Both were amazing, like all Hojas teas :) The three of us shared a piece of egg nog cake while making plans for another visit next Saturday. Then they drove me to the ship and we said our goodbyes. I’m so happy that I got to spend time with Kayle today! It really made my day and gave me some positivity to carry through my week.
Once back on board, I unpacked all of my goodies. I had gotten some RX bars, candied ginger and stocking stuffers at Trader Joe’s. Kayle had given me some candied pecans that she made herself, and a few satchels of tea that she thought I’d like, and a pair of slippers that she didn’t need. It felt like Christmas already! And on top of that, I received some teas I’d ordered in the mail! Merry Christmas to me!
We are en route to Cabo San Lucas, but first we will have one sea day.
