A Maritime Christmas and A Briney New Year

Well, christmas is wafting through the salty air everybody. About a month ago I helped hang giant christmasy, ropey decorations from the top of the banister down several floors. By helped I mean uselessly stood around because they had about 30 people doing the job of 5 people. Also, giant shiny balls that were not securely attached to the christmas rope were raining down upon very fortunately absent heads of guests. Aaaanyway now the promenade is all sparkly and complete with a gigantic christmas tree right in the middle.

This week, the horn section of the orchestra got our little books of christmas music that is easy enough to walk around and sight read. So, we all put on our santa hats (Doug wears the whole santa outfit, because he can fill it out) and we wander through guest areas spraying people with musical christmas cheer. A guest was nice enough to take a picture of us on Doug's phone the other day while we were caroling and it should be up on faceook by now.

This is my first totally snow-free winter. I kind of miss the snow, but mostly I just miss not being meltingly hot all the time. Tengo Calor! Si, mi Espanol es mui bien. Mucho Gracias.
This Saturday my family is coming on the ship for a cruise and to visit me. Hooray!

Gossip is Conversation Currency

As it turns out living in what is essentially a prison with the same people for months straight means people run out of things to talk about. Also they get really mad at eachother. So, the only things people ever talk about are the food they ate in Cozumel and how crazy their friends are. In the first week, two of my best friends got so mad each other that they now are not on speaking terms and last night I got so mad at my friend that I yelled "Fuck you!" and stormed off. I have yet to resolve this little fiasco, but something tells me her latina pride might be a resolution barrier.
Maybe this is all a product of so many different cultures with different social customs coming together, but I think the real culprit is that on land we can't tell just how many of our friends are truly crazy. It takes lengthy confinement for the insanity to ferment and mature.
When I first arrived I found the gossip hilarious because everyone is at least 22 and many are older, and they behave more like children than most children I've met. But now I see that there really is only one way to make friends(but not necessarily keep them): join in on the gossip and reap the wonderful rewards.

Gingervitis

Yesterday I went outside in the sun in Jamaica. It was beautiful and fun and it didn't even feel like I was getting sunburn. What is wrong with me? I'm 22 years old and there has never been a time in my life when it was safe to be in the sun without sunblock. I suffer from the Delusional Gingervitis. This is a physical and psychological disease wherein I don't tan but cannot mentally grasp this fact.

Wont you please help? Even a single dollar donated to the Sunblock for Delusional Gingervitis Sufferers fund will help. Just having the sunblock in hand can make all the difference between enjoying a day outside and excruciating, cancer-soaked death for a poor, hapless ginger. The SDGS fund has worked tirelessly for the past 5 minutes to bring an end to needless sunburn. Donate today and bring hours of outdoor happiness to gingers around the world. Thank you!

Royal Ca-reepy-an Inter-nasty-cal UPDATE

This scarlet woman soliciting bandmate of mine dresses up as Santa and walks in the parades. The kids love him. He is quite obese.