Back in the Saddle – At Sea – [06/15/2015]

It almost always feels as if I never left.

There are differences of course – although it is somewhat bizarre how similar my current ship is to the flagship. One of the things about working on a sister-ship of the same class; same layout, even the same carpeting in places (it was a head-trip walking into the lobby for the first time and seeing the same carpeting and the same office layout, I had the moment of “am I on the …right ship?”. About the only thing that changes is the superficial décor, the flagship leans more toward classic hardwood whereas here leans a little more towards modern lines, though it’s far from the steel and big city sleek of the larger ships.

The first day chaos is the same every time, just as it’s the same cabin every time – just a different number on the front of the door. Since I have a roommate this time around (not unheard of on a summer contract with a high kid count), there are the usual kinks to work out about who’s stuff goes where and who works when, and the requisite 24 – 48 hours of ‘ah! They’re going to drive me mad!” that no matter how bad it seems will always pass after the first week. It takes that long to get into the rhythm of living with someone else who is not necessarily yet a close friend.

That said, the shift from the flagship to the normal rotation feels like easing into warm bath. Rather than lines of 15 or so people at my desk there are only a handful throughout the morning, and most people are quite content to do things on their own. Out here? That’s the closest you get to bliss.

So, the selkie-skin still fits quite nicely, until such time as someone comes along who reminds me that there are sometimes reasons to store it in the rafters of the attic.

I will admit I’m a little bit nervous about heading to Alaska. Not about the work, the work will be as it ever is – but Alaska and I have an…interesting relationship; Alaska has brought me life changing friendships, love, heartbreak, even death…as such I find myself wondering what may be waiting for me…somewhere at the base of a glacier.

I guess I’ll just have to find out…