H1N1

I was REQUIRED to get this H1N1 vaccine. The dead virus one I guess. The shot didn’t hurt, and So far no symptoms, but I woke up this morning with a slight cold. I don’t know if it’s because of that.

It sucks cause if you wanted to keep your job on the ship You HAD to get the shot. Even if you just got it. No excuse could get you out of this stupid shot. I didn’t want to get it. I was not happy about it. I also had to wake on a sea day where I get to sleep in…I shoot things in the afternoon on seas days so I don’t have to get up at stupid o’clock. So the fact they scheduled this shot at 8am was another aggravation. Alan saw me walking back from my shot and I looked all pissed. Lol. Well pissed, aggravated, and in my morning form. Which usually isn’t good. Lol.

Dreaming

When you get on board you immediately realize sleeping is very different. Now with dreaming it varies what happens to people. Some people I know say they dream more and they can remember them very clearly. Other People say they don’t dream at all.

What happened to me for the first month I dreamt about work, editing and shooting. Lol. It was weird. I than started dreaming of like a regular day on the ship. I was dreaming about stuff that would happen as if I was awake. That sucked. Cause who wants to dream about the same shit that happens during the day? Really though. Lol.

I finally am dreaming regularly now. ☺ It’s nice to finally go to bed and have a regular dreaming night sleep. Weird things with random people I crossed paths with in life, not just work and ship life.

Maui

For this port I actually went to another island. Lana’i. This day was rough!! I am exhausted by this day. I woke up late, but wasn’t late to my tour.

We waited in the princess theatre for 45 minutes before we got to tender over to the harbor. Than we waited there for the ferry for about 20 minutes. Than waited in line for another 20 minutes to board the ferry. Than it was a 45 minute ferry ride to the other island.

The whales I was supposed to shoot were not very active. I imagine they felt like me…didn’t feel like being all crazy happy and jumping around. Lol.

Got to Lana’I and I have to say that this island is so different. The landscape is very dry. They don’t get rain. Two hundred years ago King kamehameha …(I think) like ordered the whole island to be set a blaze. So it changed the climate and vegetation forever. Crazy right. It was a very rural area. 3000 inhabitants. The population has been that size the past 40 years.

I saw the island Molokai from the top of Lana’i. I’ve been on 5 islands, and one I’m not allowed on. The big island, Kaua’I, Lana’i, Maui, and O’ahu. Molokai from what I hear is a lot of poor people with nothing really going on there. But who knows. And Ni’i’hua is forbidden. The 8th island…I forget which one that is…

I wanted to get a picture of the soil, but I didn’t. I did get a few pictures of some other things though. The soil though is super rich with iron, so its bright orange-red. It was trippy to see.

We had lunch at this little coffee shop. It was cool, the whole island doesn’t hae any chain restaurant or anything like that. All the shops/stores are locally owned and operated. I had the Best coffee I have had in a Looooooong time there!!

After my tour was over and I got back over to the ship I got my best whale footage!! All up close and they were active! It was 5pm and I had been working since 8am, but after that great coffee my mood and energy were wonderful. ☺ I think the whales and I and in sync. Lol

So far so good. ☺

Honolulu

I did the Natural Highlights of O’ahu tour this cruise. It was a short tour and I was thankful, cause by this day I am starting to get tired. I was seriously sour from the tour the day before cause I was doing some serious hiking with my equipment. I didn’t feel it that day- Wasn’t tired, winded or anything, but I felt it the next morning. Oy.

We stopped at Diamond head crater. Drove in, people took a picture of the sign and than left. No hiking!! I thought we were, but thank god we didn’t. lol. We stopped at this cool looking bay where a lot of people snorkel. We went to see a blowhole where it wasn’t doing much of anything. Lol. Than a beach where they shot this movie. Than we went to the 100% natural sand beach. Absolutely beautiful!!

A lot of people don’t know but Waikiki…the most famous beach in the world is man made. It used to be a wetlands area. They import the sand from California, and Australia every few years, and from other Hawaiian islands. And from far out at sea.

We than went to see some war temple pile of rocks thing….by this time I was started to get tired… so my memory of that and what it really was is kinda …blurred. Lol.

We did the Na Pali lookout, but I already had sweet footage for that and a cool edit of the history of the battle there. So I took pictures of plants and chickens. ☺

After I went on my tour I went for a coffee…was disappointed. Wasn’t great…why I keep going to that place I don’t know. I keep forgetting its crap there. My memory lasts less than two weeks apparently. But I was waiting for the shuttle and I HATE waiting for the shuttle. I don’t know. It’s like almost unbearable. When I get done with tours while we are in Honolulu I am always in such a hurry to go go go. Waiting around is the last thing I want to do. So, I kill time by going to the shitty coffee place. Where it takes forever and a day to get an iced vanilla latte…when I’m the first person in line.

I shopped around…bought nail polish and a shirt. Yes, ONE shirt. Lol I was disappointed.

Honolulu is getting old. I should have gone to the movies or something. Or walked to the beach or something.

Kaua’i Ziplining

THIS TOUR WAS AMAZING! I did the Mountain trek, wagon, and Zipline.

When I first found out what I was doing I didn’t know what I was getting into. All I knew was that I was going to be in a wagon and on a ranch. I didn’t know what fun or boring time I’d be having.

Kaua’i is so far my favorite island. I had high hopes for this tour. Luckily the tour group was small. Usually it’s a group of 20- we had 8! It’s always better when there are less people. One of the crew members was an escort too, John from the shops.

We pull up to this ranch, with cattle - the whole 9 yards. Amazing views of the mountains there. I love it! Especially the morning. I hate getting up that early, but its so worth it for the views ya know.

We get on this wagon that hooked up to a tracker. It was a cool ride. I got some sweet footage. We saw the spot where Jurassic Park was filmed.

We than get to the zipline. I did ziplining before, I liked it but after awhile I was like okay…ehhhh. It was very proper-structured….I don’t know the vibe was waaaaaaay different doing it with this group. It was sooo much more fun. We had less zips, but it was so much better. The passengers got to zip line without holding on and backwards the second time around. I was filming so I only did one zip at the first stop. It was cool hiking back to the spot that we started. You zip across and hike back. It sounds like it sucks, but it totally doesn’t cause you got to go across these cool bridges!! It was like hiking through a giant tree house!!!

So we go on a small hike, saw these cool spiders called crab spiders. They are super poisonous. I couldn’t get a picture my camera was being difficult. I don’t know why. ☹

We hike to the next zip line. Again it looks like a giant tree house. This zip line was great. You HAVE to do it backwards. When you do it you free fall for like 2 seconds!! You than go upside down!! I tried but it didn’t work for me. Lol. I put myself doing it on the dvd. It was hilarious. Lol so fun!
You zip across then you have to go over on these hanging bridges, over these streams. Again, a sweet tree house deal. ☺

After that we hike to this waterhole where we got to zipline into the water!! I did it twice. I also jumped off this 5 or 6 meter platform. I did that twice. I was so scared, but just did it. Than we hiked, had lunch than went to the second watering hole place with these cool little waterfalls and did rope jump thing. John and I were the only ones that did it. The passengers got a kick out of us. ☺

I got eaten alive by the bugs in the rain forest, but hey it was soo worth it. They’re going away by now anyway. That tour was so fun. The tour guides were really cool too!

Hilo

To start off this cruise has been great!! It’s almost over. I am on seas days… stuff is compressing and after staying up to 530am editing I am slowly catching up on my work. So, while port files are compressing I am chilling out and I can update you guys ☺

Hilo was good. The tour I went on was the Land of Frozen Fire. It was basically like, the Secrets of Puna tour, but the tour guide was really good at presenting the story. I added a bit to my Hilo mini documentary.

It was cool cause I got interviews from two different tour guides, and he took us in a restricted area where the town of Kalapana was destroyed and people are building houses right on the lava rock there. Its intense. My edit is pretty cool. I got some extra footage of the Lava tree park, and some footage of these great stills that are on display at the what use to be the largest black sand beach in the world. The only thing that sucked was how I couldn’t use the interview from the other tour guide. He spoke so softly … while the camera was on. Lol. But the wind just destroyed all audio. Next time I am taking the lav mics with me. Yay! More equipment to carry with me.

I love how I am making these cool mini docs. There simple but people actually watch them. They learn a tiny bit of Hawaiian history.

Its funny when I’m on tours cause I always get this question 100% of the time: “ is that equipment heavy?” I always come up with this funny answer… and a different answer every time. I try and mix it up. I always offer for them to hold it. They always fear it and just laugh like its 50 lbs. It’s not that heavy. I never weighed it, it does get heavy after 4 or 5 hours of carrying it around- or when I have to hike with it. But I always have it with me so it’s like nothing. I always have the guy tour guides offer to carry it for me. I ALWAYS decline. It’s my job, if I couldn’t handle the equipment I wouldn’t have this job. I always say this is my job this is what I get paid to do.So, no, I thankfully decline your nice offer of helping the chick with the camera. Lol.

Rough Seas

It’s weird how the ship rocking affects everything. For crew we only feel it when its gets super rough. Like when we went through a hurricane that was intense, ever since than everything has been small potatoes-for me at least.

The slightest lil storm the passengers are cranky!!! But really though they do get cranky and become very hard to please. Its hard for them, they get sick at the drop of a dime.

Last night there was some 80’s party in the crew bar and dancing was pretty funny with the rocking. I guess you never really danced until you danced on a ship that is a storm. It was interesting to say the very least.

Its weird its rougher now than when we first left LA. Usually when we enter the pacific its gets the worst. When we get closer to the islands its usually gets more and more calm, but that’s the ocean for you. Unpredictable.

I like that. Unpredictable. ☺


Tomorrow we get to the Big Island. I am taking a tour that is covering the Natural highlights of Hilo. I will be making a sweet mini documentary of it for sure, just like I did the past two Hilo Ports. ☺ People like my edits. Now THAT makes me truly HAPPY!!

When drama strikes

Ok I have to address this, it actually is a big part of ship life.

Now people have their home lives, family friends back home which usually have no idea what ship life is about. No one does until you do it yourself really.

Well I guess I made a major decision. I took a break from a relationship I was in. I won’t discuss details about it all, but the back lash I am getting from back home is quite surprising.

Ship life makes you question stuff. At least I am questioning things, my life, what I want, everything.

The only thing I am clear about is what I want in my career. As far as relationships…not really sure.

One thing you hear when you get on board is how you meet so many people. Which is absolutely true. Quality is another matter. You may find yourself liking someone, falling love, meeting the person you want to marry, or you may realize who ever you broke if off with back home before you got to the ship is that one you really want to be with. You may even become a person you never thought you could be. It can be better or worse.

Simply put…YOU CHANGE. It could be major changes, it could be just little things. You also REALIZE certain things you didn’t before.

One thing I notice is I want to be sure. I want to be sure about what I get myself into.

I have always been a person to just kinda …walk away from things, like for example if it is something I don’t really wanna do I wont make a big fuss and be like no -no fuck that I’m not doing that, I’ll just do it cause it makes someone else happy. Well that has changed since being here.

Anything I am unsure of I am taking a stand and saying No. If its something that I don’t want I say No I’m not doing that. It can be major things or little things. It could be some scum bag trying to get me to his cabin, it could be someone saying have another beer. Again big and little thing.

DO SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU WANT TO, not because anyone else wants you to just to make them happy.


Ship life you can be taken advantage of, your feelings can be hurt, used and abused. You fall quickly in and of love, you hate people, you have fun, you may become part of a game play, there are so many things you go through. This is why I say shiplife is real. We’re real people with real feelings.

Some people on the ship like to think Ship life is a joke and not reality.

Some people use ship life to be their real selves. Cause on land you are meant to be a certain kind of person. For example, I know people on board who would never sleep around with 4 or 5 different people a week on land…on a ship no holds bar my friend. It becomes a free for all. I guess you can get away with a lot on a ship. And this is why some people don’t think of it as reality.



So what am I saying with all of this??

Well I made a decision to give myself time to think about what I want out of my life as far as after I’m done with ships goes. People back home are struggling with that.

I guess I should be upset with some of the stuff people are saying to me, and that, but I’m mellow. I’m here on a ship still. I guess I can take it in as I want. If I decide not to answer my emails, I don’t have to ya know. I can avoid the backlash if I want really- is what I’m saying. I can still take time for me.

Ship life challenges the person you are, only by actually showing you the person you really are, and what you are capable of doing.

The close proximity only lets you hide in so many places for only a short amount of little time.

My Birthday

My 25th Birthday wasn’t bad actually. I actually embraced this birthday. I usually don’t tell anyone its my birthday. I hide the fact that I’m getting older….oy. Hell I cried my last birthday. Lol.

Alan shares the same birthday. It was so happy to find this out. It actually helped my mood. I connected with someone on something. To connect with someone on any level is great. It was something special we shared. We had fun with it for sure. It was hard doing Christmas, and new years away from everyone…on my First contract no less….than to add to that my Birthday. So it was good to have shared it with someone. ☺

He got me jager, I am in debt to him forever as far as I’m concerned. They don’t serve it in the crew bar and you can’t bring it on board. So he got it for me. Which was totally awesome. ☺

I went out with some of the photo team to dinner last turnaround day. It was nice. Stephan even paid for me. I thought that was sweet of him. He bought me a crazy amount of drinks. I got drinks handed to me from a few people. Lol. My manager bought my first like three drinks. My birthday lasted like three days. It was awesome.

The night before turnaround day Ensenada I went out with Dan, Alan, and Maris and that was fun even with the tequila poppers thing. Lol. The night before Ensenada we cracked open the jager. That was a fun night. The last few nights with Dan were fun, sad that he had to leave, but we departed on fun terms. I miss him tons for sure.

I got a card from Craig and Alan. I made Alan a birthday sign for his door. Lol. I had a great birthday this year. Although I missed out on a cake from my mom, or my sister usually makes for me. Lol.

Yes- Jen remember that year you made me a cake- strawberry cake, strawberry frosting, and with fresh strawberries- yeah the idea was good, too bad it wasn’t the best cake I’ve had. I’ll always remember that cake though!! Lol Love you Jen!

25….Its not that bad …so far. ☺

Wedding bells

Well we shot a wedding yesterday afternoon. My turnaround day was cut short unfortunately. It was really emotional to shoot it. Stephan was concerned for me. I was okay in the end. It was a long work day. I got done at 1am.

Later we are shooting renewal of vows. …11am! Boo. I just don’t feel like getting up early on a sea day. Lol. We actually have some work on seas days this cruise. I figure this way we might sell more dvd’s with the renewal of vows on the dvd.


I have to shoot Pirate night, and 70s night. Disco tomorrow night too. So hopefully I’ll be able to make it up there around midnight. 70’s night isn’t too bad of an edit. I do not wanna edit the renewal thing. I edited sailaway and I have to edit pirate night and 70s night so he better edit the renewal thing. Lol.

Speaking of wedding bells…. I wanted to touch on relationships on board a bit. Its weird how they are. Like my friends always discuss their bfs…well mostly bitching about them. They put up with some stupid shit. Its funny I never see them until they are fighting with their bf. Lol. Its like al the couples onboard … you NEVER see them out unless working only until they break up. Its retarded. I don’t get it. Its funny… I say funny cause its really entertaining… people jump from one person to the next so quickly. There is always a new person on board so be careful who you get attached too. They’ll either drop you for he newest thing or they’ll have to leave soon anyway cause their contract is up. But I will say you can’t help you love/like or have feelings for I guess.

Just gotta be careful

Changes

Sorry I know I haven’t wrote in my blog in forever and a day.

To be honest it’s because of ship not lack of ship life. I have to say it gets to me. It really affects my mood. It is hard to relay that to people that don’t live on a ship. When I describe it to someone that has lived on a ship they get it right away. When I try and explain it to someone on the outside they don’t really get it.

Like for example…the sea days. When I say sea days bum me out…they do, they really do. Usually I am in an okay mood when turnaround day is here, than gradually I get in a worse mood getting more, and more bummed out. Everything becomes dissatisfying, and just not enjoyable. Then port days come-my mood is lifted up a bit. But port days I have to work all day… not a day to just do what I want really. When you’re in port you just want to do whatever. But for me when I’m in port there is work that needs to be done. Honolulu is my favorite cause I work, but I also have enough time for myself. A person always needs time for just fun. Tours are fun-depends on what it is though…lol. Sea days…give you no freedom you are restricted!! Ugh. I have very few options. Plus less work to do. So I’m bummed out, restricted with not much to do.

I was working out quite a bit last cruise, but than my roommate got Noro and I got a minor case.. I guess for a day. It comes and goes quickly. So that set my working out schedule a bit off. But I worked out the other day and I tell you I seriously felt sooo much better. It was great to get a good workout in.

Yeah the Golden Princess is THE worst ship to work on. Everyone agrees. The sea days are brutal.
Oh and I guess I should clarify. A port day is when we stop and dock and the people can get off. A sea day isn’t when we sail-away at night. A sea day is when the whole 24 hours is spent traveling at sea. Some people were confused about that.

I know what most people are thinking too well its fun on a cruise ship. it is….when you haven’t been on it for 9 weeks. Lol I will admit I have my great days when I’m like wow this is really what I do. But some days I’m like ya know I could really go for hanging out at a bookstore, or café, or like going to the movies. Stuff like that I miss.

Changes…title of my blog…I call it that cause I seriously have changed a lot. It is so weird. The way I think, how I act is a bit different. How I feel about my job and this whole ship life thing has changed a bit as well. My positivity has gone down, but I will make a conscious effort to try and keep that up for sure.

☺ <3 Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!!! <3 ☺