Banana Split – Charlottetown, P.E.I – [09/09/2014]

Posted on September 10, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

LudellaBananaStandIMG_6059-1The continuing adventures of a girl who likes bananas…

I had IPM today, and I also had a whole lot of training, which meant that I stayed on the ship during the morning (at least until the cast began their afternoon rehearsal which freed up a slot for me to be able to go ashore). Since I hadn’t yet heard our new singer, I perched myself at a table for lunch, clinked glasses with Amras before he went up to the set, and settled back to people watch.

Thing is, I wasn’t really hungry. My appetite comes and goes, mostly goes…but I usually try to force myself to eat something…

Which is when I was struck with one of my impish moments.

Y’see, Amras was on the stand (obviously), most of the time his back is to me, but every so often he turns around and scans the crowd, especially if there are other entertainment team members sitting nearby, which there usually are, but the point being, if he’s on the bandstand, he’s a captive to the bandstand. I smother a mischievous little smile, turn to Predator who’s sitting with me and tell him I’ll be back in a minute. Thankfully there was no line at the buffet, because they frown on crew making special requests if there are guests to be served.

Excuse me, do you have fruit on this side or is it the other?

What are you looking for miss?

I have a sudden craving for a banana…

No problem

I return with said banana, sit down, push my half-finished plate aside and giggle. This causes Predator to look at me curiously for a moment, but he shrugs it off, until Amras turns around on the bandstand just as I take my first bite. Utterly, priceless reaction. Reaction that had both Predator and I collapsing in laughter.

Oh you are mean…

He has this thing about me not eating bananas! Hates me eating bananas!

That’s because he’s a guy, we’re all pigs.

It’s JUST A BANANA

Nope, it really isn’t…

I have been told this…

Yes, yes I am a mean girl. I am fully aware of this. But the look of total exasperation on his face when he next turned around and saw me innocently eating a banana was so worth the flack I’m sure to catch for it later.

 

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Where Did Ya Come From – Sydney, Nova Scotia – [09/02/2014

Posted on September 6, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

buell-pitchforkSo which dances are we doing tonight?

The standards, start with the Countrified electric, into Lucky Lady, into Sidestep, into Hitch…

So just four?

Nah, gonna do five actually…

What’s number five?

Cotton Eye’d Joe

And the show host and I just look at each other, and then look back at Elsa, who was running last night’s line dance session, and then back at each other. I break into delighted giggles, because I love that dance, and the show host just settles back in the DJ booth,

Y’all have fun with that one y’hear, Imma just gonna sit myself right here on this here stool and run the music…

Y’see, the other four line dances we do for country night are relatively laid back, they’re not very fast and they certainly don’t involve any jumping around – I mean “Hitchhiker” you can do sitting down really. But Cotton Eye’d Joe? That’s a whole different story. The last time I did that dance was years ago on the flagship – and we started out with a full floor of guests and it ended up being just me and one other team member by the end. I’m sure that if we had played the whole song last night it would have ended up that way here as well, but our Show Host is smart and he fades each song out half-way through.

Even so, we had a lot of startled reactions when the song actually started, even though we had warned them it would be fast. No one ever expects it to be as fast as it is.

Me of course, I just figure go big or stay home…means my muscles are killing me in the morning but hey, sometimes it’s worth it.

 

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Copy That – Bar Harbour – [08/31/2014]

Posted on September 6, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

girl-walkie-talkieTendering is never an easy procedure for anyone, but this ship tends to make it pretty smooth running. Moreover, we somehow manage to make it fun – especially since it means we get to play with the walkie talkies.

Yes yes, I know, you should be professional over the channels, after all, the bridge is probably hearing everything you’re saying. But this is such a fun loving team, and you hand our cruise director a walkie? Seriousness is just not going to happen.

So the whole procedure is really quite simple, two of the entertainment staff (usually myself and one of the workers from kids’ club), man the table in the show lounge to give out the numbered tickets to the passengers. We then wait to receive a call up from the gangway telling us how many groups of numbers we can send down to be loaded into the tender boats. The whole thing is just crowd control. Since I am usually the one most comfortable on the mic, I’m usually also the one manning the walkie, and White and I have developed a random rapport on tender mornings. Yesterday, the newest (and quietest) kids’ club worker was on with me for the first time..

So, White on the walkie talkies? Is a little bizarre…

Oh?

You’ll see…

And the walkie goes off.

Gangway to show room,

Gangway this is show room what can I do for ya

Hey Shaughnessy, that you?

Yup

He-ey beautiful, was hopin’ it’d be you up there, you don’t want to know what it’s been like without ya!

Am here now handsome, what can I do fer ya?

Nothin’ just called to say that security looooooooooooooves you…we looooooooooooves you Shaughnessy

Awww, thank you, we love you too…

Oh, and can you send down four numbers?

Comin’ your way…

And there were calls that came through with a random Spanish accent, calls that came through with (and were returned with) a full Southern drawl, calls that came through with requests for hugs and kisses at the end…etc etc

And we wonder why the entertainment department has the reputation it does….

 

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Another Openin’ Another….Show? – Boston, USA – [08/30/2014]

Posted on September 6, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

a5bd27c601c0c6ef71dfe657148c8f6cYesterday morning the entertainment department went through a massive change-over, among those who left us for the season were the (as yet not replaced) Party Band guitarist, the Dance Band leader, and…the entire production cast…

Which means this week? Welcome to Cast Changeover.

Otherwise known as the entertainment two-weeks-from-hell. The new cast comes on knowing the shows cold (they rehearse in LA for several months before joining a ship), but they all have to be reblocked for the ship’s stage, and there’s always costuming repairs and adjustments that need to be done, plus every single show has to be rehearsed, prepped and polished by the Corporate Entertainment team that comes on board with the new cast and stays for a week…at least. The stage team is run off their feet with all the extra rehearsals and the show room is always booked up. It gets a wee bit crazy. Back in the day when I used to be friends with a ship-board stage manager, I would ferry coffee back and forth from café next to where I work to the theatre. At one point I could man-handle a fire screen door way heavier than me whilst still carrying five coffees…it was an art.

The offshoot of this for us on this ship particularly, is that the cast wasn’t able to participate in the opening night show. Something to do with the costumes not being ready. Now, the opening night bumper show is short to begin with, it only runs 35 minutes (“fast, fun and flirty!”), you take out the three or four major cast numbers from a show that short? You’re left with about…a 15 or 20 minute show! Rehearsal was hilarious, as it was ultimately a stumble of a stumble through

Whaddya mean I’m doing this whole number myself? GAH! Can’t remember the words!

Where do I go now?

Did anyone tell you guys when to exit so you don’t get stepped on?

It was a bit crazy. We did, thankfully, manage to stretch it out to 30 minutes, so we weren’t so ashamed for dragging everyone into the show lounge for such a truncated performance! And as always the performers on board are amazing and can pretty much carry off anything we throw at them.

The other issue is that that guitar player still hasn’t arrived – and we’re not 100% sure when he/she is arriving. With any other instrument you can somewhat play around it, I mean, if you get stuck without keys you’re going to have a lot of trouble but it can be done, if you get stuck without drums the bassist can take up some slack with regards to the rhythm, but without guitar? Try doing a 50s/60s rock n’roll set, or a Motown night, without guitar! So not going to go over too well. So the ‘Cats have a very light schedule this week simply since they’re not really able to do their normal gig (schedule tomorrow reads “have a nice day” lucky dogs!!)…upside for me? More time in port with my big brother! woot!

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[08/26/2014] – Landings and Take-offs

Posted on August 27, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

11076890-beautiful-young-woman-sitting-on-the-splits-in-the-gymThose who know me well, know that I am a sucker for a good chance at shock value. It’s one of the many reasons that I don’t talk about my voice to passengers before the chance I get to use it among other things. Amras knows this all too well, and it usually makes him laugh…one of the reasons he calls me a sniper…

Anyway, every week we have a 50s/60s Sock Hop upstairs in the main dance lounge, but only every other week do we get the chance to host it with the live band, which trust me makes all the difference. So, like most theme nights, the whole thing involves various contests and such, oldest married couple, youngest married couple, best at the twist, best at the hoola hoop, all sorts of things…

One of those, is the champagne walk. Since I go all out for the theme wear on that particular night, I always am the one who walks the walk for the champagne give away. It’s a simple thing, the Cruise Director stands with his back to the dance floor, and gives me directions: take two steps left, three steps back, spin 180, moonwalk four times….and then he always makes the same joke

Okay Shaughnessy, give me a backflip into the full splits….

And usually I flash him a sarcastic eye-roll and make some snappy comeback about wearing the wrong shoes. But for weeks now, I’ve been telling him that while I may never manage a backflip (never been a gymnasist after all) I am a dancer, I can drop to splits….now granted I hadn’t done it in a very long time but…the idea solidified in my head last cruise while I was sitting at late night with Amras

So, I’m gonna work to get my splits back

And he pauses with his pasta fork half way to his mouth

Oh?

Yeah, I figure it might be time to spring a surprise on White

Oh, that would be. So. Awesome.

So, fast forward to this week, and I’m standing in the middle of the dance floor, in my polka dot dress with my curled pigtails and my bottle of champagne…and no one has noticed that instead of wearing my normal sky-high “Dorothy special” red shoes, I’m wearing little black flexible flats. And while, I didn’t hear him do so, Amras nudges every single band member and tells them to watch. And the cruise director does the same line….and I give him the same look over my shoulder….

Well, I can give you half of that request…

And I set the champagne bottle down next to me…

And I drop….first time in about three years I’ve dropped to full splits…

And the crowd just breaks into applause

Did she do it? She DID it didn’t she? And I missed it!

Like I said, I’m a sucker for a good chance at shock value. But as it turns out, that’s not the only chance I got that night. Much to my surprise – which just goes to prove you never really know your co-workers – our computer expert, who regularly slaughters me at Call of Duty – can lead, as in swing dance lead. I knew this sort of, but I didn’t realize exactly the extent of it…until the band kicked into Johnny B. Goode and half way through the dance? All I hear in my ear is:

Are you ready?

The follow part of my brain thankfully knew what that meant, because I only had a split second to plant my feet together and jump before he flew me. Which was, I admit, totally against traditional social dance rules because the floor was full and that usually exnay’s aerials but…at the same time, I just can’t complain when someone flies me…

So, if my reputation as the quiet little librarian wasn’t already blown for this cruise? Pretty sure it’s well on its way to being so now…

 

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Mad Dash – At Sea – [08/25/2014]

Posted on August 27, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

337859You’re still in bed at ten, but work began at eight! You burned your breakfast so far things are going great
your mother warned you there’d be days like these…

We only have one sea day per cruise on this run, and it’s not actually a sea day it’s sort of a “half sea/half river” day as we’re mostly doing scenic cruising of the St Lawrence, but for the crew? It’s just a sea day. And what happens with sea days, is that we run completely off our feet for the duration…until we finally are able to collapse into bed at the end of what always feels like a very long ten hours.

For my part, the sea day involves mostly a lot of talking. This is the day that everyone decides to go online, so there are a lot of internet accounts to set up.

None of which was really improved by the fact that I – in my infinite wisdom – took a sleeping pill last night, completely blanking on the fact that one should never do such a thing on the night when we jump forward an hour. I vaguely remember waking up for my first alarm, but not my second, or…unfortuantely…my third. My shift starts at 8 o’clock…I woke up? At 10 after…so NOT GOOD! Thankfully, because it was hour forward last night, no one was in the office waiting for me, but that doesn’t mean it was the best possible start to my day!

That said, as it turns out I can get myself put together awfully fast, of course it meant bypassing little things like breakfast…but hey, you have to make some sacrifices in life I suppose…

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Longing – At Sea – [08/25/2014]

Posted on August 27, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

Perspective Its odd how sometimes things just strike you out of the blue.

Yesterday, I was sitting on the stage, waiting for Amras to finish setting up for the evening show before we went up to dinner, and I suddenly looked out at the empty theatre and felt my eyes starting to well up.

What’s up Sis?

I think my answer was so quiet he may not have even heard me. Especially not when he was wrapped up setting up his gear for what really is the most challenging production show of the week (once the downbeat drops on this show it simply doesn’t stop), but answer I did…

Sometimes, it just hits me hard how much I miss this perspective…

It’s been so long since I saw a theatre from stage (with the exception of the introduction show, which doesn’t count because all we do is stand and wave and walk back off stage), that sometimes I think I’ve forgotten what it’s like. It’s one of those things that if I think about it, if I let my mind or my heart rest on it for too long, my heart cracks right down the middle and I miss it so much the tears won’t stop. I suppose the day I stop missing it, stop craving it, stop forcing myself to think of it in present tense instead of giving into saying “I used to be in theatre” will be the day I’ve lost something of myself. So I don’t think about it…I refuse to think about it…I have three years left to pay off my debt load from my master’s degree all that time ago, and until that’s off my shoulders I literally can’t afford to go back to making the rounds…so I take what I can, when I can, from those who are kind enough to grant it to me…

But I don’t think about it…

Except every so often, when I’m sitting on an empty stage, looking out at the worn red plush seats of an empty theatre….

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Slow and Steady – Montreal – [08/23/2014]

Posted on August 27, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

a5bd27c601c0c6ef71dfe657148c8f6cOn most of my other ships, embark day is sort of known as the day the “ship gets revenge” the crazy day, the day where you start and simply don’t stop. Oddly enough I’ve found that’s just not the way here.

Of course it helps that these days I’ve gone back to my long thought lost tendency to “sleep like a cat”…just flop and pass out, boneless, deep, dreamless…that’s a blessing out here. I thought I’d lost the ability a long time ago, but apparently I’m finally relaxed enough for it to come back.

Anyway, embark day here actually has a lovely lazy start…I do have to wake up early (ish) so that I can open the library for the handful of CVG guests we have on board each week (though none of them actually come to the library that early) – but after that I don’t start work until the afternoon! This is nearly unheard of!

When we’re in Boston, Amras and I usually use our brief amount of time off together in the morning to head out and window shop and generally wander (one of these days we’re going to do the Swan Boats), but neither he nor I are fans of Montreal so usually we both crawl back into bed and call each other in time for lunch if we happen to remember. Which sometimes we don’t, so we end up not seeing each other until the welcome aboard party band set – which is to say I sit and eat my lunch and listen to them play…

Despite the lazy start though once work does start it tends not to stop; however, so far this crowd seems substantially less demanding than last weeks. They’re getting harder and harder to predict. Week before last we thought we’d have them eating out of our hands, and then the ratings came in…ouch! So we are remaining cautiously optimistic if nothing else!

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Bananas – At Sea – [08/23/2014]

Posted on August 24, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

LudellaBananaStandIMG_6059-1It all started with a banana…

We have a BBQ party/buffet dinner every embarkation day, which the crew partakes in as well as the guests. I never eat much, but the buffet line features a fruit selection that is not really available for the rest of the cruise, so I usually treat myself to that. Having finished my BBQ’d chicken and such, I start peeling my banana.

And Amras just looks at me…

I’m just going to take this moment to move my plate so that I don’t have to watch you eat your banana.

Huh? I’m just enjoying my banana; it is a totally innocent act!

Not if you’re a guy it’s not. It’s never just a girl eating a banana. NEVER.

At which point I just looked at him and took a wholly non-innocent bite of said banana…because hey, who can pass up an opportunity like that when it’s pitched over home plate?

I have no idea what you’re talking about

Uh huh, sure….

This went on for a while; I managed to finish the offensive fruit before he returned to the table. One youth staff joined us in the meantime. I couldn’t stop my uncontrollable giggles, but managed to speak through them whilst attempting to eat the ice cream he had brought me – strawberry with sprinkles, precisely the way I liked it, Amras knows me far too well.

So, I resisted the temptation to just go and get another banana…

He glared at me.

But I was tempted! I may just have to discover an inexplicable liking of bananas

No! Nope, that is not allowed

Are you telling me what to do? It is an innocent consumption of a fruit! I happen to like bananas!

No! no bananas for you!

At this point the Youth Staff who is sitting with us looks over completely baffled and states that she must have missed something in this conversation. I’m still trying desperately not to laugh, and failing rather epically. I manage to explain the gist of the “apparently I am not allowed to eat bananas in front of him because I am a girl”, argument that is going on.

All this is really accomplishing is making me what to eat more bananas!

And she just nods in agreement and looks at Amras and says

She’s right you know, that’s totally what I would take away from this conversation: note to self – eat more bananas.

It’s never just a girl eating a banana!!!

 

Posted in Below the waterline, East Coast Adventures 2014 | 2 Comments

Lazy Days – Charlottetown, P.E.I – [08/20/2014]

Posted on August 22, 2014 by GypsyShaughnessy

cold_feed_cold_front_artist_gil_elvgren_vintage_classic_pin_up_girl_poster_print_1_largeThere are days when you both feel like doing nothing, and feel like going out and doing something that just gets you off the ship. Cabin fever can kind of sneak up on you. Besides, as has been previously mentioned, Amras very rarely has a ‘full’ day in Charlottetown, as usually he has to bolt back to the ship to play – or attempt to play – the mussel bake set at the midship pool. Since that set was rescheduled this week, it left us with a lot more time on our hands than we usually have.

The terminal has a crew wi-fi lounge, and Amras is trying to teach me a video game, which you can only play online (and forget playing it on our ship’s slow signal!) I emphasis that he is trying to teach me said game. Until recently – I have been failing miserably at learning. I am slowly starting to improve, and at least I’m not driving myself off of cliffs anymore! But an ace? I am most definitely not. Thing is, Amras is, which means he’s constantly sitting next to me telling me to angle left, angle right, fire now, and – more often – back up back up back up!

The in game matchmaker – the bot that arranges who goes where in a battle – doesn’t have the slightest idea what to do with us most of the time, most aces don’t platoon with completely new recruits.

But hey, we’re having fun, which is all that matters I suppose.

But even we can’t game forever; eventually my tummy started complaining that it needed food.

There is an Irish Pub in every city in the world, I am convinced of this (I’ve been even more convinced of it since we found one in Barcelona), and Charlottetown is no exception. The food was probably overpriced, but it tasted yummy, and I finally got to have an Irish Pride cocktail, which the introduced on the ship the St Pat’s after prohibition was rolled out…it was very minty, and very green. But really, the highlight of the restaurant was the staff – more specifically, the waitress, more specifically her accent. When she opened her mouth to rattle off the specials, Ireland just wound through her voice…I could have handed that girl the phone book to read and been entranced…

Couldn’t have told you what the specials were..

Did you hear anything she actually said Sis?

Nope…

That’s okay, neither did I…

Lunch finished we just kind of…wandered…the rest of the day. On a whim I decided I wanted ice cream, there’s a shop here called “Cow’s” which is apparently very well known in ice cream circles. I – not being an ice cream connoisseur – was unaware of this. But it was yummy, and there’s also the fact that it was flavours other than just your standard chocolate/vanilla/strawberry triptych. Honestly sometimes it feels like years since I’ve tasted mint chocolate chip! And it was one of those ice cream parlours where a single scoop is more than enough…

Of course, Amras may be able to handle a virtual tank like an ace…but manages to cut himself on something as innocent as an ice cream cone…

I’m a terrible person…I laughed!

Posted in East Coast Adventures 2014, Ports of Call, Summer Contracts | 3 Comments