(no subject)
Back, resting nicely.
What a lovely contract. I'm going to post all the good stuff I started with behind this cut:
This has been the most magical contract ever, starting with finding my passport in the glove compartment of the van an hour before the mechanic shop closed for the weekend ARGH! YAY! Little voices talked to D and he suggested we go look there . . .
IN the Lewiston (one gate) Airport, I was terribly thirsty in the security line, hadn't brought water (cause you can't take it through), there was a big, unopened bottle sitting there. Cold. I drank the whole thing down.
Sat next to an English woman who (A) taught me how to knit European style - much faster when you get the hang of it (B) showed me how to do the foot part of the project that didn't have instructions and (C) looked at the sample I had with me and told me what was different from the written instructions I had -- a row of k2tog, yo, between the pattern rows to make it lacier. Called it "wool over" instead of "yarn over" Like Mom sitting there with me, only she would have been embarrassed by the mistakes in the instructions. I was glad someone could show me.
Didn't have a seat assignment in Denver and the flight was delayed for "mechanical evaluation" (that don' sound good). We were moved to a different plane and my seat assignment was upgraded to a window and more leg room! and only about 30 min delay.
Got to Miami around midnight:30 and had my suitcase and was in my hotel room by midnight:45. LOVED my roommate, Hungarian Laura (pronouce all the vowels, like in Spanish). She's lovely, lithe, blond and super smart, biology major. Nick name at home? Luca, pronounced Lutsie. Another lovely Laura Loo, like my daughter.
HR is this great, fun wonderful lovey guy from England, a month older than Marilee, who I hadn't seen in 2 yrs. My manager is anally organized in a way that works PERFECTLY with my style. Everything's exactly where I expect it to be. The team of women is hard working and everyone seems really rational so far. A super plus.
Have gotten enough sleep, the safety office is a real dick, but one I've been trained by before so hoping he'll allow me to just take the test today instead of 4 days of training (always so stoopid for a 10 day contract, esp when I was just trained 5 wks ago)
In Key West today, prolly could get off, but am enjoying the time on the ship so much, our crew deck is the best place, the entire front nose of the ship, clean, a small pool and never any people.
I feel like I can breathe again. Still a lot of hours of work, but this trip is enviable so far . . . I feel so good on a ship.
So, a continuation of grand things:
safety officer ended up sending me away when I sat in the front row of training with a bright smile, ready to answer all of his questions. Most of us who go through this too often sit in the back and pout, and get picked on.
He asked loads of safety questions but gruffly said, "Not you." and pointed past me to get answers. Finally he said in his heavy Greek accent, "YOU are a TRAINING FOOL! GO!" I've never heard of anyone being excused from safety training.
Shannon, my manager didn't want me to go when I left. That is a huge compliment, she's really the best manager I've had on a ship.
My two dear g'friends from previous contracts wrote and said all three of us are scheduled to be on the same ship this summer in the Mediterranean. I still haven't gotten confirmation, but it makes me happy to think that. Hope hope hope . . .
I got to see my Australian drummer friend Tom and his lady Sheena (from Philippines) who performed the most amazing lounge jazz. Thought I'd never see them again. And they have a wonderful pianist working with them, Ashley, laid back, who speaks new age and wears crystals. My daughters would all love her.
check her out: http://www.ashleywey.com/
I got to kiss a stingray and go snorkeling in Grand Cayman.
I made all my flights home (barely) and my suitcase was only 12 hrs behind me.
There was another bottle of water waiting for me at security . . .
What a lovely contract. I'm going to post all the good stuff I started with behind this cut:
This has been the most magical contract ever, starting with finding my passport in the glove compartment of the van an hour before the mechanic shop closed for the weekend ARGH! YAY! Little voices talked to D and he suggested we go look there . . .
IN the Lewiston (one gate) Airport, I was terribly thirsty in the security line, hadn't brought water (cause you can't take it through), there was a big, unopened bottle sitting there. Cold. I drank the whole thing down.
Sat next to an English woman who (A) taught me how to knit European style - much faster when you get the hang of it (B) showed me how to do the foot part of the project that didn't have instructions and (C) looked at the sample I had with me and told me what was different from the written instructions I had -- a row of k2tog, yo, between the pattern rows to make it lacier. Called it "wool over" instead of "yarn over" Like Mom sitting there with me, only she would have been embarrassed by the mistakes in the instructions. I was glad someone could show me.
Didn't have a seat assignment in Denver and the flight was delayed for "mechanical evaluation" (that don' sound good). We were moved to a different plane and my seat assignment was upgraded to a window and more leg room! and only about 30 min delay.
Got to Miami around midnight:30 and had my suitcase and was in my hotel room by midnight:45. LOVED my roommate, Hungarian Laura (pronouce all the vowels, like in Spanish). She's lovely, lithe, blond and super smart, biology major. Nick name at home? Luca, pronounced Lutsie. Another lovely Laura Loo, like my daughter.
HR is this great, fun wonderful lovey guy from England, a month older than Marilee, who I hadn't seen in 2 yrs. My manager is anally organized in a way that works PERFECTLY with my style. Everything's exactly where I expect it to be. The team of women is hard working and everyone seems really rational so far. A super plus.
Have gotten enough sleep, the safety office is a real dick, but one I've been trained by before so hoping he'll allow me to just take the test today instead of 4 days of training (always so stoopid for a 10 day contract, esp when I was just trained 5 wks ago)
In Key West today, prolly could get off, but am enjoying the time on the ship so much, our crew deck is the best place, the entire front nose of the ship, clean, a small pool and never any people.
I feel like I can breathe again. Still a lot of hours of work, but this trip is enviable so far . . . I feel so good on a ship.
So, a continuation of grand things:
safety officer ended up sending me away when I sat in the front row of training with a bright smile, ready to answer all of his questions. Most of us who go through this too often sit in the back and pout, and get picked on.
He asked loads of safety questions but gruffly said, "Not you." and pointed past me to get answers. Finally he said in his heavy Greek accent, "YOU are a TRAINING FOOL! GO!" I've never heard of anyone being excused from safety training.
Shannon, my manager didn't want me to go when I left. That is a huge compliment, she's really the best manager I've had on a ship.
My two dear g'friends from previous contracts wrote and said all three of us are scheduled to be on the same ship this summer in the Mediterranean. I still haven't gotten confirmation, but it makes me happy to think that. Hope hope hope . . .
I got to see my Australian drummer friend Tom and his lady Sheena (from Philippines) who performed the most amazing lounge jazz. Thought I'd never see them again. And they have a wonderful pianist working with them, Ashley, laid back, who speaks new age and wears crystals. My daughters would all love her.
check her out: http://www.ashleywey.com/
I got to kiss a stingray and go snorkeling in Grand Cayman.
I made all my flights home (barely) and my suitcase was only 12 hrs behind me.
There was another bottle of water waiting for me at security . . .