2-18-13

Aruba. Today I was second call. However, the first call was the CMO, otherwise known as the crew doctor. So I had to be in the clinic for a good portion of the day so he could do his normal thing. I needed to be in here anyway, just to refresh some things. We pulled in to Aruba around 1300. Our LMO got off to catch a flight that will take her to San Diego for the LMO conference and our new temporary LMO arrived. Her name is Dale and she seems very friendly. I like her already. She is from Houston and has been doing this part time for 8 years. All the full timers and LMOs are headed to the conference. Since we arrived in Aruba at 1300 and I had to be in clinic at 1600, there wasn't a ton of time to get out and do anything. We managed to get out and get a fan for our room. Last night the swell got a little bigger and the ship rolled a little more. nothing too bad really, but it created a new noise where two wall panels bind against each other and then release for a wonderful creaking, scratching, 'WTF is that noise?', noise. So we got a fan. In our room, the hallway and messdecks noise can be a bit loud anyway. Oh yeah, and a bloody nose. Same thing happened to me on the Eurodam. The air below decks is so dry, I got a bloody nose for a few days, intermittent of course. Good times. Life on board can be frustrating at times. Something as simple as getting a cup of coffee or a sandwich can take forever. Lunch is tough with the kids, because it is buffet style. That means we take the kids to get their food and then one of us sits with them while the other gets food and then the other gets food, by which time the kids are already finished. Oh yeah, don't forget another trip for drinks. Ugh. And we are trying to learn who is who and who can help with things like excursions and information about, well, everything. It is still such a foreign world. So we got an hour or two on shore in Aruba. Then we went back and while I went back to the clinic, Sarah took the boys swimming in the pool while it was relatively quiet. Everyone that would normally be in the pool was ashore. So, it was a good, if frustrating day. We are progressing. It seems like we have been aboard for a long time, yet it is only day 4. Tomorrow we go to Curacao. I am first call, so I will see it from the ship. The kids spent a little more time in Club HAL today. They really seem to like it. I think they may need a little break from Mommy and Daddy. Michael got to see a real wild iguana today. He seemed pretty jazzed. Altogether I think it was good. Now, let me go see if that fan works. Hope my buddies are having fun in San Diego at the conference.

2-17-13

OK, time to play a little catch up. We are on Zuiderdam. Day one was busy, as expected. Getting to know the new crew and trying to figure out how this thing works with a family on board takes time. Then there are the mandatory meetings and getting ID cards and laundry and figuring out who goes what, where and when. It was very tiring. Poor Max fell asleep at the dinner table, but I believe I mentioned that already. We did manage to get him up and awake enough to get the kids registered and introduced at Club HAL, the kids area. They seemed to like it and now continually bug us to let them go play there. Day two was Half Moon Cay day. So I sat in the medical bungalow while Sarah and the kids played at the beach. We avoided the worst of the sunburn. The kids had a grand time playing on the beach, the waterslides and the park equipment. Of course they did. Sarah was pretty tired keeping up, but I think she had a pretty good time too. Hard to not have a good time on a private Carribean island. I did get to see them for a bit, not all was work. It was crowded though, the Westerdam was there at the same time. Eventually we got back onboard and took off. I was first call and had to get back into the clinic. Using all that energy during the day, Max fell asleep at the table again. Poor little guy. Michael was buzzed and wanted to go to Club HAL. Max woke up and decided he wanted to as well. We let them for a few minutes. I had call all night and not one phone call. That just means that I will get stormed later on this trip. Call me a cynic. Today I was 'off'. Of course, the last nurse here was released before contract ended and left a few things undone that I had to make done. So I did get some office time today. I did my first voyage report for a voyage I wasn't even on. Yay me! There have been frustrations. Sarah is still getting used to such a drastic change. I am still getting used to the new MO's. I'm still feeling everyone out at this stage. I miss my buddys Mary and Kelli. Some day I hope to sail with them again. It will work out. One of the big things we were worried about hasn't yet been a big thing. We all snuggled right into the room. The kids are sleeping on two pool floaties covered in sheets and blankets on the floor by the bed. They just crash right out. It gets a little tight in there when we are all changing for dinner, but nothing too heinous. Good thing we are used to tight fits already. I took the kids up to the sports deck today to play basketball, tennis, soccer and several odd combinations of the three. It was fun. Sarah got to lay out for a few minutes. Tomorrow we get to Aruba. I am 2nd call and won't get out much. Sarah isn't sure how much she and the boys are going to get out. We will have to wait and see. One unfortunate turn is that each of my 3rd call days this trip are on sea days. Oh well, what can you do. The LMO here is a little tighter with control of the internet and I am a little tighter on time because Sarah and the kids are here. I will try to get some pictures up in the next few days. I have been planning on writing on the Touchpad to keep up the daily journal a little better, but the keyboard died and it is a pain to use without it. I foresee a cheap laptop in my not too distant future. Just something to write on and store pictures. Live and learn.

2-15-13

Just a quick note. We are on Zuiderdam and snugly fit into our room. Yesterday was a busy day with a 0600 wakeup for all involved. The kids made it, they hung tough, til dinner time. Then it took an ice cream infusion to keep them awake long enough to finish the day. there is a lot to do to get everyone ready for today. Today is Half Moon Cay day. I have to work, so Sarah and the boys will be mostly on their own. I will post some pictures of the sardine can later. This trip looks to have less internet access and less time to blog. I will still try though. More later.

2-14-13

On the eve of a new grand adventure on a cruise ship...not named Triumph. There is some free floating anxiety present in the room. The wrong kid can't sleep and the insomniac is out in an instant. Press on through the uncertainty and it will likely become more certain. Other than that it has been a nice day. The air is eerie still with darkness in the distance. Behind the darkness is unknown. Let the games begin.

2-13-13

I am glad that certain of my friends can't see me right now.  Being convinced I was a zombie, they would certainly insert large quantities of lead into my brain.

On a side note, my my kids are the stuff of legend.  They didn't have one breakdown.

I had a day of ups and downs.  Waking up to a beautiful morning sky over the Gulf, up.

On the road before 9am, up.

Spotting a large helicopter by the side of the road and stumbling upon the Air Force Armament Museum, way up. There were many cool aircraft on display. As we drove past I saw a SR-71 Blackbird parked out front and yet I somehow still managed to avoid leaving a skid mark as I changed course. For those that don't know, I spent a large chunk of my childhood obsessing over that particular plane. To stand there with one was borderline bucket list. Very cool. A down was finding out I broke my Kindle yesterday. I had put it into my back pocket while carrying luggage up to the room and heard it snap when I bent over to pick up a fallen bag. No external damage, but when I tried to use it today, the display was hosed. Another up was finishing I-10. We decided on a last minute course change that took us to Jacksonville where I-10 turns into I-95. That means that I have now traveled the entire length of I-10, coast to coast. The final down to report tonight is the apparent death of my keyboard for the touchpad. I am typing this on the touchpad touchscreen. It keeps screwing up on me and my patience is flagging after the long drive. More later. Perhaps even some pictures.

2-12-13

Was I talking about discomfort?  Well, I can tell the adventure has officially started because I was uncomfortable for most of the day.  The car is so packed that the day is almost a meditation.  Things are so packed around your feet that they have to stay in almost the same position for the whole day. It was a 12 hour day, about 10 of which were driving.  Sore butt, tight leg muscles and numb brain.

We stopped near Lafayette, Louisiana for lunch and had some decent Creole food.  It was misty and rainy for the entire day.  Not a real fun day driving.

The kids were champs.  Now they are running around the hotel room like coked up spider monkeys. They asked to wake up early tomorrow because the hotel is right on the beach.  I told them if they got up early enough they could go dip their toes in the water of the Gulf of Mexico.  We will see if they retain their enthusiasm.

Day one down.  Another 12 hour road day ahead of us tomorrow.

2-11-13

Interesting thing, plugging back into the 'normal' world.  I mean, I have spent the past week or so living in houses.  Full time full speed internet, cable and/or satellite, large screen TV, big fridge, the whole nine yards.  I was struck by something.

There seems to be a trend, and I think I had to step away a bit to fully see it.  The trend is toward comfort. Sounds good in theory.  I can see the seductive lure too.

It is possible to create a very comfortable life with all of the above accoutrements and more.  You can pay someone to mow your lawn.  You can even get groceries delivered.  You can look online for recipes and grocery lists.  If you have a medical problem, you can get a pill.  You can watch TV and listen to talk radio and even be told what to think.  Hell, if you watch advertising, you can even be told you are inferior if don't do those things. 

The problem as I see it is that they lessen your impact on the world.  People seem to be driven to create a situation where they don't have to do anything.  Isn't that odd?  You work hard so that you don't have to work?  You do stuff so that you don't have to do anything. 

Aside from the obvious paradox there, isn't it just a little bit sad that you don't want to do anything? 

If you don't want to do anything, why are you here?  Why be alive in the first place? 

Nope, I am going to go ahead and choose to do things.  Sometimes they will be stupid things and sometimes I will make mistakes.  Sometimes, hell often, I will be uncomfortable.  That discomfort is a small price to pay to get out into the world and do things.  The seduction of comfort is powerful, but I think it can wait. 

I think there is a part two for this post.