Okay, Finally you get a blog..... but this one will be realllllly long.
It's has been so long since I wrote. I have so much to talk about - it's just ridiculous.
Let me first start out with last cruise, which was by far one of the most memorable of my entire contract. It was our "Make A Wish" cruise. We had six families onboard, each with one terminally ill child (ranging from age 3 to 18). We also had several members of the foundation onboard along with one special family, Mr. & Mrs Stout and their 2 daughters. I spent so much time with this group throughout the cruise and got to know their children and their stories very well. Mr. & Mrs. Stout are a lovely couple from North Carolina. In August of last year there youngest daughter (12) was diagnosed with a very rare form of osteosarcoma (bone cancer). They began a huge battle trying to fight the disease and unfortunately their daughter, Hope, lost her battle with cancer in January of this year - but not before making the most amazing request. Make A Wish foundation came to her door before she passed away and told her that her wish was to be granted - her wish was to grant the wishes of all 150 terminally ill children in her area. Therefore, they begin a huge campaign and raised over 1 Million dollars to grant these wishes. 6 of the families chose to come on cruises and those were the families I was able to spend time with. (Along with the Stouts and there eldest daughters, Holly & Austin). They begin journaling online when they found out Hope had cancer and I urge everyone to check out their website if you have some kleenex and need a reality check. This family inspired me, all of them did - and I vow to get involved with Make A Wish when I return to land. Such an incredible story. These children are incredible. So strong for such weak bodies. My heart goes out to all of the families and their trials. Anyway, the website is www.caringbridge.org/nc/hope. Please check it out.
Tim McGraw. Okay, one of the guests on my last cruise - his name was Tim McGraw. I thought it was THE Tim McGraw along with all of my colleagues as well. It wasn't - just someone with the same name. How stupid did I feel when I tagged his room key to meet him at embarkation??? Loser.
Windy-lickers. Or as my friend Helen from Scotland insists, "Windae-Lickers." One night in the crew bar a few weeks ago, Helen, Lisa, Adam (our new sports coordinator), and a few others were having a few beers joking around. We were talking about retarded people and their running joke on how I blanked on stage awhile back (more details on this later), and I realize that in Scotland they call retarded people, Windy-lickers because they usually have their tongues pressed against the windows of the bus. I don't know but for some reason this just cracked all of us up...to the point where we can't even look at each other now with out saying, "Windy Licker."
It's interesting in all of my travels since November, I have learned so much. I have learned conversational skills in Jamaican, Bulgarian, Thai, Greek, Scottish and Canadian - although the latter are more or less - just learning the slang words. It's interesting though... as I near the end of my first contract - exactly 7 weeks from now- I have mixed emotions about leaving. On one hand I can't wait to get home and visit with everyone, see my family and Jennifer and yet on the other end it's sad that I will not be returning to this ship. i have made friendships here and shared something so special with all of these people that just will never be again. When I leave, everyone I have been friends with will either stay or move onto another ship. We have had some incredible times and I personally have made memories that will last me a lifetime. I have a nickname by all the greeks - It's official, I am Shell-aki. I guess the name my mother gave me just wasn't right because I can't walk down the halls without someone whether it be waitstaff or the Captain calling me Shell-aki. It's neat. It's just an example of how close we all are onboard Mercury. I suppose it will be like that way at the Century ship. I suppose that is just the life in general. It's definitely been a great experience though. Really great.
So...on to the next topic - MAY 29TH!! I come home. Finally. I have been counting down for so long now. It's hard ot believe that I have less than 2 months now. Lisa leaves on MAY 5TH and I am sure the following 3 weeks will fly by for me. I was thinking of staying in San Fran for a day or two but to be honest I am so ready to go home and see my MOMMA I could scream. I miss her so much. And I am missing a very important day for her tomorrow which makes me sad. I am assuming I will come home, go out to dinner, and sleep for a few days. Probably head to my grandparents and get back to Austin a week or so later. I can't wait to get to Austin. Just to go to Flipnoticks, Waterloo, The Brown Bar (of course with you, Lisa), all my hangouts. I can't wait to see live music (Not Mariachi Bands!!), eat great food and drink coffee on Town Lake. I am looking forward to seeing my AJ. I miss him so much. I miss just laughing my head off with him and acting stupid. It will be great to see everyone!!!!
Anyway, so we should plan a get-together and of course I will leave all the planning in Lisa's hands because she's so damned organized, it makes me sick. Let's do a happy hour, a dinner, a night out - whatever. I just want to see everyone again and share my photos and stories and hear about what the hell has been going with everyone for 6 months!
I love you all, especially you Jen, and I will see you soon - VERY soon!
Shelly (aka Shell-aki)
Let me first start out with last cruise, which was by far one of the most memorable of my entire contract. It was our "Make A Wish" cruise. We had six families onboard, each with one terminally ill child (ranging from age 3 to 18). We also had several members of the foundation onboard along with one special family, Mr. & Mrs Stout and their 2 daughters. I spent so much time with this group throughout the cruise and got to know their children and their stories very well. Mr. & Mrs. Stout are a lovely couple from North Carolina. In August of last year there youngest daughter (12) was diagnosed with a very rare form of osteosarcoma (bone cancer). They began a huge battle trying to fight the disease and unfortunately their daughter, Hope, lost her battle with cancer in January of this year - but not before making the most amazing request. Make A Wish foundation came to her door before she passed away and told her that her wish was to be granted - her wish was to grant the wishes of all 150 terminally ill children in her area. Therefore, they begin a huge campaign and raised over 1 Million dollars to grant these wishes. 6 of the families chose to come on cruises and those were the families I was able to spend time with. (Along with the Stouts and there eldest daughters, Holly & Austin). They begin journaling online when they found out Hope had cancer and I urge everyone to check out their website if you have some kleenex and need a reality check. This family inspired me, all of them did - and I vow to get involved with Make A Wish when I return to land. Such an incredible story. These children are incredible. So strong for such weak bodies. My heart goes out to all of the families and their trials. Anyway, the website is www.caringbridge.org/nc/hope. Please check it out.
Tim McGraw. Okay, one of the guests on my last cruise - his name was Tim McGraw. I thought it was THE Tim McGraw along with all of my colleagues as well. It wasn't - just someone with the same name. How stupid did I feel when I tagged his room key to meet him at embarkation??? Loser.
Windy-lickers. Or as my friend Helen from Scotland insists, "Windae-Lickers." One night in the crew bar a few weeks ago, Helen, Lisa, Adam (our new sports coordinator), and a few others were having a few beers joking around. We were talking about retarded people and their running joke on how I blanked on stage awhile back (more details on this later), and I realize that in Scotland they call retarded people, Windy-lickers because they usually have their tongues pressed against the windows of the bus. I don't know but for some reason this just cracked all of us up...to the point where we can't even look at each other now with out saying, "Windy Licker."
It's interesting in all of my travels since November, I have learned so much. I have learned conversational skills in Jamaican, Bulgarian, Thai, Greek, Scottish and Canadian - although the latter are more or less - just learning the slang words. It's interesting though... as I near the end of my first contract - exactly 7 weeks from now- I have mixed emotions about leaving. On one hand I can't wait to get home and visit with everyone, see my family and Jennifer and yet on the other end it's sad that I will not be returning to this ship. i have made friendships here and shared something so special with all of these people that just will never be again. When I leave, everyone I have been friends with will either stay or move onto another ship. We have had some incredible times and I personally have made memories that will last me a lifetime. I have a nickname by all the greeks - It's official, I am Shell-aki. I guess the name my mother gave me just wasn't right because I can't walk down the halls without someone whether it be waitstaff or the Captain calling me Shell-aki. It's neat. It's just an example of how close we all are onboard Mercury. I suppose it will be like that way at the Century ship. I suppose that is just the life in general. It's definitely been a great experience though. Really great.
So...on to the next topic - MAY 29TH!! I come home. Finally. I have been counting down for so long now. It's hard ot believe that I have less than 2 months now. Lisa leaves on MAY 5TH and I am sure the following 3 weeks will fly by for me. I was thinking of staying in San Fran for a day or two but to be honest I am so ready to go home and see my MOMMA I could scream. I miss her so much. And I am missing a very important day for her tomorrow which makes me sad. I am assuming I will come home, go out to dinner, and sleep for a few days. Probably head to my grandparents and get back to Austin a week or so later. I can't wait to get to Austin. Just to go to Flipnoticks, Waterloo, The Brown Bar (of course with you, Lisa), all my hangouts. I can't wait to see live music (Not Mariachi Bands!!), eat great food and drink coffee on Town Lake. I am looking forward to seeing my AJ. I miss him so much. I miss just laughing my head off with him and acting stupid. It will be great to see everyone!!!!
Anyway, so we should plan a get-together and of course I will leave all the planning in Lisa's hands because she's so damned organized, it makes me sick. Let's do a happy hour, a dinner, a night out - whatever. I just want to see everyone again and share my photos and stories and hear about what the hell has been going with everyone for 6 months!
I love you all, especially you Jen, and I will see you soon - VERY soon!
Shelly (aka Shell-aki)
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