It has been a while

And for that I apologize. I have been battling insomnia, homesickness, a bout of depression, and anxiety over a missing package. My apologies.

So, here is the story from then until now. Things are going pretty much as expected. It is our second month plus some, and the cast is getting on each others' nerves, as expected. My leading lady is a gem, but then again, she is also very young and has a lot to learn about how to play the "cruise ship game."

Shows are going well, and I feel like they are new, due to the new leading lady and a new cast. I wish I could say a lot of great things about them, but overall, I think they are in this for the money, and for the job, not for the passion of performing. This is nothing that I wouldn't say to their faces, so I don't mind posting this online.

I am spending more and more time alone and behind the lens of my camera, which is fine for me. I have read four novels since coming on board, which is two a month. A record for me, I think. I read the three Hunger Games novels, and enjoyed them, though I think the criticism over the amount of violence is a little overdone. I found them not at all violent, comparing them to Where The red Fern Grows and other novels I read at that "age level." Sorry. I enjoyed them. Had a tough time getting through the third one, as I felt the author needed a "screenplay-type" of ending. Ah well. Read Clay by David Almond... it was good. Could be a good movie, but needs work in my opinion.

Just finished the most recent book in the Tales of the City series by Armistead Maupin. Mary Ann In Autumn it was called. Loved it. I read these books on the first ships I worked on , and I feel like it is coming home, in a way. The characters are real, and the situations are somewhat far-fetched, but somewhat believable. I envy how the author is aboe to have all these different characters scattered all over the globe, and yet there is a common thread that brings them all together. I wish I could write like that.

In other news, I have not heard from a certain M.S., and I am starting to worry. This is the guy whom I have spent a lot of my adult life thinking about, worrying about, caring about, and I feel like I have been abandoned by him. Facebook does no good, and though it is probably my own fault for not calling, I have not heard from him. If anyone does, please let me know. I am worried.

Have met some amazing people in the past few weeks, some of whom I have cruised with before, others I am meeting for the first time. It makes life bearable. Spent a wonderful day with Sally in Melbourne, and though it rained and we did not get a bright green footie ball, it was well worth the amazing day. We saw the King Tut exhibit, went to a brothel for a glass of wine, laid down at the museum, got amazing chocolates, and basically turned Melbourne upside down. She is incredible.

My friend Merle is doing well. Her chemotherapy is working, and she is anxious to get back to cruising. She will be heading out November 15th, I think. She and I are hopefully going to meet up on the 14th in Sydney. She is also a very strong and incredible woman.

I have entered my photographs in the Photofest contest in Tallahassee, Florida, and the judging is on the 17th of October, i think... I'll let you know the outcome. Last year, i had all three submitted photos in the show, and this year, who knows... it is a different committee doing the judging, and well, who knows!

Not much else to report. There was a package issue, but it has been resolved. Long story short, I sent myself a package to arrive prior to my own arrival in Los Angeles on August 15th. It arrived in LA, but never made it to the ship. I was told by someone in the home office that it would be forwarded to Hawaii. It never arrived. When I tracked it, it had never left LA. I was then told it would be forwarded to Sydney. It never arrived. Got Dad to see what he could do about it, and gee, it was still in LA. I really dislike liars. Sucks. Story of my life.

I miss my family, my cats, my friends, chick-fil-a, the kids at Wakefield, North Carolina Theatre... and then some.