Friday, March 16, 2007
This week was pretty uneventful. Shows went well, and we just finished our first scriptless (improv) show.
We hear that our boat might be heading into a big storm and that NCL has advised the spirit to button down the hatches. For some reason, I’m excited about a storm. I think it’s just to break up the routine a bit.
Last night, the crew welfare had a “Freedom” party on the Bier Garten deck. Prior to the party, they had printed out all the letters of FREEDOM, and hid them under the tables and chairs. About halfway through the party, they had everyone look for the letters, and spell out FREEDOM with the printed out letters. But, they couldn’t find the R, so they were stuck with FEEDOM instead of FREEDOM. We all started yelling out “FEEDOM! FEEDOM!” But, it was pretty windy on the deck where we were, so we headed down to the Maharinis and hung out with the hypnotist who’s on board for a few weeks.
Also, the majority of the NCL production dancers and singers are leaving in about a week. So, they were taking pictures and hooking up like crazy. Freedom indeed.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
I love the Library
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Today was NY day. I finally found the little NY public library right off the port, and got a temporary library card. I tried to flash my impressive 15-year old Chicago Public Library card in the hopes of inspiring much inner-city book loaning cooperation, but the librarian scoffed at it and said “That card is no good here.” NY is a tough town to crack with my Midwest folksiness, but I’ve got pluck aplenty and will keep on trying. Luckily, she allowed me to fill out an application for a temporary card. I put my address down as “Norwegian Spirit, 50th street and 12th Avenue”, which is where we usually dock. She didn’t even blink and I scooted away with three DVDs (Coal Miner’s Daughter, Brazil and Silkwood) and 5 books (The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain, A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, The Little Friend by Donna Tartt, Anna Kaenina by Leo Tolstoy and Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld). That will fill these long sea days with some classic tomes and films.
And the library has free and strong wireless!
A jaunt up 10th led me to the Lincoln Center and a Barnes and Nobles where I cover shopped but did not purchase. A stop by Starbucks, and then I was back on board.
The spring weather put a spring in my stride, so I decided to lurk on the edges of the sail away dance party at Tivoli pool. I was highly amused to see Ray-Ray Wright dance the Macarena with his fellow cruise staffers, including NCL Spirit’s #1 party boy, Jay Pepper and our cruise director Julie. This picture does not capture his reluctant enthusiasm, but it was quite a sight to see.
I also enjoyed going by lady liberty, as always, and tried to capture the competing upheld arms of our on-board buccaneer’s sword with the upheld torch of lady liberty.
St Patty’s day is this week, so I expect this to be a party crowd. Does anyone know on which day the parade in NY will be?
Pensions and lobster shack
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Hello blog!
It’s me, your author. Yes, I’ve been ignoring you for this week and I apologize.
I don’t want to turn you into a blog about my minor miseries….but now I’m back and in effect.
Yesterday was a lot of fun. Mom and Dad Eldridge popped by Port Canaveral for a visit and we had a ball. We went to visit our old vacation spot, “Outdoor Resorts, Melbourne Beach, Recreational Vehicle Resort.” I got such a kick out of seeing our favorite RV park, where we spent 3 spring breaks as kids. We drove through the resort (and I use that term loosely) and saw the pools, which look about the same as they did 25 years ago, the community center and the arcade. Then, we crossed the street to look at the beach with waves that get pulled us under and washed me ashore and finally saw the seven-eleven where we used to go for Slurpees and other beverages that would cool one down on a hot Florida day.
My dad wanted to go to the restaurant/bar at the Port Canaveral base, but I boycotted it. Instead, we headed to Cocoa Beach’s infamous Lobster Shack, and sat outside and watched some military maneuvers off-shore—something with a helicopter.
My dad stated, “I want to be somewhere, maybe outside, where we can sit and eat and watch the water.” The Lobster Shack was exactly what he described, plus they had a salad bar! Strangely, there was no lobster on the menu of the Lobster Shack, so I opted for rock shrimp, described in the menu as “The Poor Man’s Lobster.” It was quite tasty! My dad, who no longer orders a full meal, enjoyed the Rock Shrimp, too. His dining strategy is to eat a bite off of everyone’s plate. It actually works—the servings at American restaurants are always double what anyone actually eats, so he’ll just graze on the leftovers.
We had a great time comparing our lifestyles—they are retired and snow birding in Clearwater at a trailer park with their new Canadian friends, and I’m also snow birding in the Caribbean with my new Canadian friends on a cruise ship. They definitely drink more then me. We both do yoga and have little themed get-togethers at our friends’ trailers/cabins. We both play golf and we both go for walks and enjoy watching movies. We both eat early, taking advantage of the lighter crowds and early bird specials. We both worry about our family in the cold and are looking forward to visitors.
Hello blog!
It’s me, your author. Yes, I’ve been ignoring you for this week and I apologize.
I don’t want to turn you into a blog about my minor miseries….but now I’m back and in effect.
Yesterday was a lot of fun. Mom and Dad Eldridge popped by Port Canaveral for a visit and we had a ball. We went to visit our old vacation spot, “Outdoor Resorts, Melbourne Beach, Recreational Vehicle Resort.” I got such a kick out of seeing our favorite RV park, where we spent 3 spring breaks as kids. We drove through the resort (and I use that term loosely) and saw the pools, which look about the same as they did 25 years ago, the community center and the arcade. Then, we crossed the street to look at the beach with waves that get pulled us under and washed me ashore and finally saw the seven-eleven where we used to go for Slurpees and other beverages that would cool one down on a hot Florida day.
My dad wanted to go to the restaurant/bar at the Port Canaveral base, but I boycotted it. Instead, we headed to Cocoa Beach’s infamous Lobster Shack, and sat outside and watched some military maneuvers off-shore—something with a helicopter.
My dad stated, “I want to be somewhere, maybe outside, where we can sit and eat and watch the water.” The Lobster Shack was exactly what he described, plus they had a salad bar! Strangely, there was no lobster on the menu of the Lobster Shack, so I opted for rock shrimp, described in the menu as “The Poor Man’s Lobster.” It was quite tasty! My dad, who no longer orders a full meal, enjoyed the Rock Shrimp, too. His dining strategy is to eat a bite off of everyone’s plate. It actually works—the servings at American restaurants are always double what anyone actually eats, so he’ll just graze on the leftovers.
We had a great time comparing our lifestyles—they are retired and snow birding in Clearwater at a trailer park with their new Canadian friends, and I’m also snow birding in the Caribbean with my new Canadian friends on a cruise ship. They definitely drink more then me. We both do yoga and have little themed get-togethers at our friends’ trailers/cabins. We both play golf and we both go for walks and enjoy watching movies. We both eat early, taking advantage of the lighter crowds and early bird specials. We both worry about our family in the cold and are looking forward to visitors.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Teen angels
Saturday, March 3, 2007
(pic of teens)
Last week, the lines for the tender boat to NCL’s private island, the Great Stirrup Cay, were long. With a boat full of 600 kids and teens, there were a lot of passionate discussions about cutting in line and general injustice.
Teen 1:
“Everyone judges. Tell me on person who doesn’t judge. Don’t go in the middle, that’s cutting!”
Teen 2:
“I’m NOT a cutter! Never have been a cutter and I never will be a cutter! I’m not a cutter.”
In a second conversation I overheard, a 10-year old boy declaring “cheaters” to a group of passengers who exited the elevator doors and merged with the front of the line instead of going to the back. He said it, and then looked around like he had just dropped the f-bomb in the middles of a high mass, so I knew he was po-ed.
I had my eyes peeled for some teenage renegade justice emerging and taking over the ship.
Instead, they just congregated in the stairways and yelled and screamed and refused to move when you walked through their little groups.
This week, we do the kid cruise again…hopefully it’s less then 600 this time.
(pic of teens)
Last week, the lines for the tender boat to NCL’s private island, the Great Stirrup Cay, were long. With a boat full of 600 kids and teens, there were a lot of passionate discussions about cutting in line and general injustice.
Teen 1:
“Everyone judges. Tell me on person who doesn’t judge. Don’t go in the middle, that’s cutting!”
Teen 2:
“I’m NOT a cutter! Never have been a cutter and I never will be a cutter! I’m not a cutter.”
In a second conversation I overheard, a 10-year old boy declaring “cheaters” to a group of passengers who exited the elevator doors and merged with the front of the line instead of going to the back. He said it, and then looked around like he had just dropped the f-bomb in the middles of a high mass, so I knew he was po-ed.
I had my eyes peeled for some teenage renegade justice emerging and taking over the ship.
Instead, they just congregated in the stairways and yelled and screamed and refused to move when you walked through their little groups.
This week, we do the kid cruise again…hopefully it’s less then 600 this time.
Party like it's 1994
Friday, March 2, 2007
On an ideal day, I get up, and workout to ER for an hour or so. It passes the workout time, and I get the bonus of seeing Chicago on tv. ER was one of my favorite tv shows--I used to watch it so faithfully when it premiered in 1994. It was the perfect show at the perfect time—Amy and I had just moved to Chicago, and it was on Thursdays, after Seinfeld and Friends. I remember the early days of friends, too. One time, they had George Clooney and Carter on Friends as two NY doctors that Rachel and Monica tried to date. Another time, all the Thursday night sitcoms set in NY had a cross-show black-out episode. That seemed CRAZY to me at the time—this idea of all shows sharing a thematic link, but doing their own twist on it. That’s the same fall that Pulp Fiction came out, and I remember people being very excited about that, too. Everyone always would talk about how long-form improv was influencing pop culture, and cite Pulp Fiction as the example. I don’t know if that’s true—but I did see the parallels in the styles, and it was really hip for everyone to try to do long-forms like Pulp Fiction, or that other movie that follows a dollar around. Also, swing music and rockabilly was back in style, and the Smashing Pumpkins were very popular, too. Billy Corgan bought a huge-hugeVictorian house on Bosworth or Greenview, west of Southport, in Wrigleyville. My cool friend Sara and I used to walk by and try to see glimpses of him in the window.
I was in love with my city, and in love with my life in the mid-90s. I was young, working in advertising, taking classes at Second City and eventually, IO and just happy to be where I was, and Clinton was the president, so that was GREAT.
Watching ER is a reminder of that time period so I try to get up in time to work out to it during the week.
On an ideal day, I get up, and workout to ER for an hour or so. It passes the workout time, and I get the bonus of seeing Chicago on tv. ER was one of my favorite tv shows--I used to watch it so faithfully when it premiered in 1994. It was the perfect show at the perfect time—Amy and I had just moved to Chicago, and it was on Thursdays, after Seinfeld and Friends. I remember the early days of friends, too. One time, they had George Clooney and Carter on Friends as two NY doctors that Rachel and Monica tried to date. Another time, all the Thursday night sitcoms set in NY had a cross-show black-out episode. That seemed CRAZY to me at the time—this idea of all shows sharing a thematic link, but doing their own twist on it. That’s the same fall that Pulp Fiction came out, and I remember people being very excited about that, too. Everyone always would talk about how long-form improv was influencing pop culture, and cite Pulp Fiction as the example. I don’t know if that’s true—but I did see the parallels in the styles, and it was really hip for everyone to try to do long-forms like Pulp Fiction, or that other movie that follows a dollar around. Also, swing music and rockabilly was back in style, and the Smashing Pumpkins were very popular, too. Billy Corgan bought a huge-hugeVictorian house on Bosworth or Greenview, west of Southport, in Wrigleyville. My cool friend Sara and I used to walk by and try to see glimpses of him in the window.
I was in love with my city, and in love with my life in the mid-90s. I was young, working in advertising, taking classes at Second City and eventually, IO and just happy to be where I was, and Clinton was the president, so that was GREAT.
Watching ER is a reminder of that time period so I try to get up in time to work out to it during the week.
Haircut
Thursday, March 1, 2007
I’m sitting in my room, happily watching ER and working on my taxes. I got my hair chopped today, and I love it.
We have our mainstage show tonight. I find myself really looking forward to the shows—they’ve been super fun and the audiences are really responsive. It’s a huge theatre and a huge thrill to me to do these shows. I haven’t said much about the show on this blog---but it really is the highlight of the week. This cast is chill, funny and easy to work with so it’s a pleasure.
GI Homer
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Poor Homer and Joe had GI trouble, and Homer was quarantined on St Thomas day and Joe stayed in, too. Carly, Darryl and I went to Bluebeards Beach Club. We had a boozy boozy day of volleyball in the pool, football on the beach and recreational drinking. About half of the NCL production cast was there, along with Meghan the airbrush tattooist, and Jayne and Christine from the crew staff. It was fantastic.
Poor Homer and Joe had GI trouble, and Homer was quarantined on St Thomas day and Joe stayed in, too. Carly, Darryl and I went to Bluebeards Beach Club. We had a boozy boozy day of volleyball in the pool, football on the beach and recreational drinking. About half of the NCL production cast was there, along with Meghan the airbrush tattooist, and Jayne and Christine from the crew staff. It was fantastic.
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