Do I still know how to write?

Yes, friends, I still have the knowledge I just lost most of the time and motivation there for awhile. I know why I lost the time, not sure where that pesky motivation has been hiding. But I know I can overcome motivation with determination, so here it goes!

My last post from approximately a light year ago was a recap of all that had been going on in my life. I was promoted in late November and worked like crazy through the holidays and the NFL playoffs to deliver an excellent and consistent product to our guests. Shortly after that was over (1 cruise after the Sup

er Bowl to be exact) my family came cruising again! This is always my favorite cruise of the contract even though it does mean splitting my time between work and family. But getting to see them a little each day is far better than going months without seeing them.

They were assigned to a balcony cabin this time and we enjoyed the fresh ocean breeze in their room every day. This cruise had the exact itinerary of the one they took last year so they had been to the ports before and had their favorite spots they wished to revisit in addition to things we had ran out of time to see last year.

San Juan has always been a favorite stop of mine and we went to the large fort last year but didn’t have time to see the smaller one- San Cristobal. So we headed straight for it as soon as we could. It is beautiful! We only had about an hour and a half to spend in there, but it is breathtaking! The

coast of Puerto Rico is absolutely stun

ning. We had a wonderful time.

We were in St. Thomas brig

ht and early the next day and what else would my mother like to do in the shopping capital of the world but put some heat on those little plastic cards. Although she told me she just wanted to get her ring from last year resized and maybe get a band to go with it, I should have known better. Two bands, another ring, and an omega necklace later we were leaving downtown. I can’t complain too much though because I finally bought a

watch for myself that I have been looking at since I started at sea. After the jewelry jaunt, we headed up to Paradise Point overlooking the bay with the cruise ships. It too is a beautiful spot and on a clear day you can see all the way to Puerto Rico from up there.

We found ourselves in Cayo Levantado, Dominican Republic on the next day- a favorite of my parent’s. We swam, snorkeled, and sunned ourselves silly on a day that was once again way too short. We didn’t see the massive amounts of starfish as we had the year before, but there were still some beautiful si

ghts to behold. This area is a top spot for whale watching during January, February, and March- something I had done here 3 weeks before my parents arrived. We enjoyed sitting on their balcony as we sailed away looking for these magnificent creatures.

Our last port of call was the stunning Labadee on the north coast of Haiti. We spent all day lounging on the beach, snorkeling, and eating. My mom and I found some great

undisturbed reef areas lush with ocean life.

As always, the entertainment onboard was stellar (but as part of the entertainment family, I guess I am a little biased). My parents had already seen 2 of the 3 production shows on this cruise, but still loved them all. They also got to see a UV puppet act that blew their minds as much as it had done to me when I first saw this act. I was so excited when I learned that legendary comedian Marty Allen and his wife Karon Kate would be performing on our cruise. I have worked with Marty and Karon multiple times- I love their show and adore them as people. I managed to keep it a surprise until the first night that my parents were onboard when and announcement by the Cruise Director undid all of my careful planning. Thanks a lot Chris! Oh well, my parents were not only surprised, they were now excited. Karon dedicated the love song in their show to my parents and invited us to have lunch with them on the last day of the cruise. Marty Allen is still just as sharp and funny as ever.

An added piece of entertainment to this cruise was my role in it. Yes, I work in the entertainment division, so I always have a role in it, but it was different this time. A lot of Cruise Directors will do a morning show. Typically filmed the night before, a morning show will air the entire morning of each day with a run down of the days activities. As a Broadcast Technician it is my responsibility to go to the filming location, press record, and playback the show on television. However, the structure of the show is entirely up to the Cruise Director. The Cruise Director I had the pleasure of working with this time insisted that I participate in his show while staying behind the camera. We set up a box and asked people to write in questions to the show and we would answer them on air. Questions like, “How fast does the ship go?,” “Are you single?,” “What is the average age of guests on this cruise?” Everyday Chris and I would attempt to answer these on the air or we would have homework if we couldn’t. By the end of a cruise there was quite the mystique built up over my identity. My voice was heard every day, but no one ever saw my face. As a grand finale, I would do one last question segment live at the end of the Farewell Show on the last night of the cruise in which my identity was revealed. Although this was a much different role than I had ever played onboard, I absolutely loved it! Entertaining has always been a part of who I am and is a main reason why I switched jobs. Only God could work it out where a Broadcast Tech who is by definition a not seen and not heard role would be heard every single day and have people anxious to see her. God is amazing.

All of those experiences seem like a really long time ago and by now I guess they kind of are- I’ve been home for 5 weeks now. I use the term “home” loosely. I was “home” as in at my actual residence for a couple weeks before going to my sister’s for a weekend. Then I was home “home” for another week before heading to Las Vegas and embarking on a road trip to Vancouver for another couple of weeks. But I am home “home” once again and loving it. I think I would make a great bear. I can easily hibernate and find nothing wrong with it.

My trip out west was great. The main purpose of the trip was to attend the National Association of Broadcasters show in Las Vegas. This show features the latest in video technology and seminars by experts in my field. I realize I am supposed to be on vacation, but I still find it all so fascinating and know that I have so much to learn before I can ever be considered an “expert” at what I do. So yes, I am a big geek and basically went to school on my vacation from work- I was reminded of my nerdiness by a couple of my bosses whom I ran into at NAB. Nonetheless, I learned great tips from the experts, got ahead of the curve on some new technology, and was inspired by all of the creativity going on.

But the trip certainly wasn’t all work and no play. I was blessed with the chance to see three amazing shows while I was there. On Monday I saw the Blue Man Group in the Venetian. I loved this show! It is probably the most amazing live performance I had ever seen. I really wish I could describe it, but it is so creative and so unlike anything else that it really does defy description. Cirque du Soleil’s new Viva Elvis was the second show we saw. Again, amazing. It featured the music of Elvis with acrobatics, dancing, and ariel acts. There was so much to watch at one time that I know I only saw a fraction of the show and I need to go see it again sometime. The third show was KA by Cirque. Another amazing show. After working in a field that specializes in outstanding live entertainment it is nice to go to a place like Vegas that takes it a few steps further. I really like Vegas- I think I’ve mentioned that in a few posts from years ago. I might write a whole post on Vegas because I find it so fascinating.

Despite my love for Vegas I couldn’t spend my whole trip there. After four days, it was time to move on to Reno, but just for the night. Then it was off to the Redwoods of Northern California. Another place I love. I have never been there so early in the spring so it was much wetter than I recall, but still wonderful. Since I was in a rental car instead of a big bus, I was finally able to experience the drive through trees. Hard to imagine, but there are actually trees large enough that someone can cut a chunk of it out and you can drive a car right through it.

After the Redwoods it was time for a trip up the coast and I-5 to Seattle and to meet up with my old friends from my days on the road. I had never been to Seattle so it was nice to go somewhere new. I enjoyed snapping lots of photos from the Space Needle and Pikes Place was interesting. We were there on a Sunday it was under construction and incredibly crowded. Perhaps I would like it more on a weekday. With the crowds, lack of map, and desire to see my friends it wasn’t long before I was ready to head out of the city.

The next day I was in Vancouver with my personal tour guide. I did not know much about the city, but it is very green and lovely. I enjoyed a lengthy tour around Stanley Park and a stroll through Granville Island. I especially liked seeing the home of the Olympic flame and visiting an Inukshuk.

In all, it has been a great vacation so far and I’m hoping that the restful part has now begun. I’m enjoying time to write (now that I remember how), watch movies, get caught up on my favorite television shows, and yes, even read. I have read 4 books and several magazines since I’ve been off- probably a record for me…and I’m loving it! I’m working on reading my third book about the television show 30 Rock. Does it still count as a book when it is about TV?

I hope to write more very, very soon. Stay tuned…..