So...

Our final New Zealand cruise. The weather is amazing. So far. Yesterday we were in Auckland, and it drizzled, but eventually the sun came out and it was simply glorious! Peggy and I visited the Auckland City Museum, which also has a really cool WWII wing, complete with both a Japanese bomber as well as a Spitfire aircraft. Very very cool. Didn't have enough time to see the entire museum, but I have a feeling I will be back. Here are some pics from the museum and other pics of note. More later.

Tomorrow we are in Napier. Today in Tauranga. Again, gorgeous weather. A shame we have to ruin the day by performing Tribute tonight without the main set pieces, because they are loading in British Invasion... ah well.

God bless Christchurch and Lyttleton

Wow. What a week. To think that one of my past blogs was written sitting in Christchurch in a pub that is probably no longer there. Scary. To see the utter devastation of that gorgeous city is beyond words. I sat and cried when I heard the news and saw the footage of the cathedral. Here are some pics of the church when I last saw it. Unfortunately the spire is now on the ground, and the majority of the church is in rubble and irreparable.

Now it's personal.

And I am hopping mad. But, here are some of the photos I couldn't post the other day when my signal was weak... these are from Wellington. Enjoy. More on my bad mood later.

Art Deco Weekend in Napier

and I am in heaven!

Thought of my big brother, Mark the entire day while antique car after antique car drove by. These pics are for you, Mark. Belated Birthday present! Mom, please forward them to Mark if you get a chance... love ya!

Glorious!

I am sitting in Christchurch, New Zealand with the elegant and amazing Davidia, singer extraordinaire on board this week. We just had Japanese dumplings and Miso soup at the Dragon somethingorother a few blocks away. We are now sitting in a cafe called the Taproom overlooking the Avon River. A light breeze is blowing (the cigarette smoke of the guy next to me in my face) and there are picnickers on the banks of the river. It is sunny, clear, and a gorgeous day.

And of course, we have to ruin it by performing Tribute tonight...

Only kidding. Sorta.

The ship was on red level for Valentine's Day (hmm...) but now we are back to green or yellow, or yellowish green, or greenish yellow. I dunno. They don't tell me these things.

I think I have made a decision to step down from my post as Wardroom Vice President. It is stressing me out, and making my throat yucky. I guess i found out where I carry my stress. I know things will get better once a certain dorkwad cruise director makes his exit...but until then, I just have to try and relax. Easier said than done.

Valentine's Day came and went, thankfully with no issues. Sorta. We had a cookie decorating party in the Wardroom until we were told to leave because it was red level and you can't have food in the Wardroom during red level. We had the party in the dressing room instead. It was fun. Lots of frosting and sprinkles and laughs to be had. Of course, I didn't get any pictures to commemorate the adventure. My bad.

Once again my sleeping pattern is screwed up. Late night TV is bad. Very bad. Aussie Network is addictive, as are the crew channels. Lots of horror movies. Not to mention the TV shows I borrowed from Alex. I am now into season 1 of Heroes. Trying to find the series finale of Lost, because the copy I have does not let me know how things end... the earth is shaking and then it cuts off. UUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

Peggy gets here in a week or so, which will be so nice. I am looking forward to getting some work done, although I have tons of work to do before she gets here. My cabin is a wreck, and there is no room for anything, including me at the present time.

New Zealand boys are yummy.

Sorry, got distracted there for a moment. Peggy is going to see the new Dr. Zhivago musical in Sydney on the 11th of March, and I am very very jealous. It is by Lucy Simon, who did The Secret Garden, peggy and mine's favorite.

Okay, I should post some pics for you, and I will try to do it with the slow internet connection I have. Enjoy, and I will try and post again very soon. Actually, I have no new pics to post, so you will have to wait.

Oh... I started working on my solo show... It is going to be a lot of fun. more as it develops.

JMB

What do you do...

...when your "boss" is a total jerk and is purposefully making your life and the life of your company total hell, and there isn't anyone to go to about it because he has his pesky little fingers in every pot? Who do you go to to complain?

No one, unfortunately. Our cruise director is a real interesting fellow, to say the least. I have yet to hear one good positive comment come out of his pie-hole. I wish I could go into detail here, but of course, anything I say can and will be used against me.

Suffice it to say that life on board just got dreadful. Only five more cruises, and I can't wait.

In positive news, I am loving my new camera. Did not get off the ship but twice this cruise, as i am trying to save as much money as I can. So I have not taken many photos. In Christchurch today, and Napier the other day... we are skipping Port Chalmers/Dunedin tomorrow because of the situation in the Tasman. Should be an interesting crossing back to Melbourne.

Here are some of the latest pics from Napier. Enjoy.

So we are getting a new dancer, Lisa (who I wirked with on the Sun last year). She is supposed to join the ship tomorrow in Dunedin, but since we aren't going to Dunedin, God only knows how she is going to get to the ship. We have re-worked our entire entertainment schedule to avoid the rough weather coming up, and because of it, my voice is so very tired... I need a mental health day, but I ain't gonna get it.