Crew Talent Show- Sunday March 13th, 2011

The Crew talent show was tonight at 9 pm. It was amazing. I can't tell you how much I screamed, smiled, clapped and sung along with those who sung...my camera regrettably died and I was running out of video space anyway but fortunately Dean Marti said it'll be up on the public drive. It was amazing to see them outside of the usual and in their elements. THere were slips that were passed out so that we could contribute to the Crew Fund since many of them spend 6-10 months on the Explorer... and as we have engaged in conversations, we've learned about the families they've left behind. From the dance routines to the band (whoo!) solo performances and their final act... It was refreshing, exciting and just awesome. The vibe of support and appreciation was palpable. Following it we were in such a great mood... that folks started dancing to the music playing. Next thing you know it became a huge ordeal. haha.... we were imitating Raja since it was the song they'd danced for the Indian pre-port meeting. But he was towards the left of the Union door entrance dancing with some folks... when they realized we were following what they were doing, they really got into it haha... anyhow, all around the auditorium folks were rushing to the center where we were to get in on the action. After that song, others followed and everyone trickled into the main area.... it was like another Club Union... haha. We created all types of soul train lines and got dean Marti to show off her moves =) it was pandemonium but fun chaos. The two interport students from Singapore were laughing haha. We were a funny sight. Then there was the Thriller song in which we got even crazier. No one really knew how to do it so that is where the funny part comes in... over all, full of laughs and good times.

contrary to earlier this morning,
I went to the spa on the seventh deck sometime around 10ish am to get the seven seas massage which is 50 minutes for a combination of Swedish, Thai, Reiki, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Shiatsu, Lomi-Lomi. The lady was okay, although the pressure was often time much more painful than pleasurable, I've been extremely tense and far more stressed since India and have yet to update you folks about it, but I hope to soon. I realize that while this is an informal blog, I don't share "everything" I guess this time it's important to note my physical presence but emotional absence for some time now... it's becoming more and more frequent. We have our next pre-port on Tuesday, and arrive in Singapore. It's all becoming much more hectic. School-- I freaking hate it at this point. Talk about senioritis. I am tired of the papers, journal entries, quizzes... tests. Its difficult as it is to bounce back and forth between land and sea, and then to have to jump back into classes whenever we are not in port is brutal. I never really bounce back until a couple of days within the week. Certainly not the first day of class again. I've been floating and searching for some type of motivation to stay focused. Right now I don't have it.  I also unfortunately brought minutes and logged onto Facebook at some point and instead of that being comforting it was actually depressing. If I already thought I was somehow depressed, this only set me back further. Anyhow, I've been finding myself becoming distant and not myself so I thought a massage would be useful. Unfortunately I wasted $55 because it was completely and utterly ineffective. Instead, I laid there trying to silence my brain and tell myself to relax as it happened. I tried to focus on my breathing. I tried thinking about animals and beaches. I got nothing. Instead the same matters plaguing me back in my room followed me there and me telling myself not to think about it wasn't the least bit helpful. It didn't work as commanded and being an expert at what she was doing, I am totally sure she was aware that I wasn't getting any better or relaxed. She kept asking at the end was it satisfactory, did I like it and I had to reassure her... and tipped her to prove it. She was great. I just... dunno. It's amazing how we go for days, for weeks, for months without knowledge of our physical guards. I know when I am emotionally distraught but it takes occasional representations like this to reaffirm or inform me that something is really not okay with me. I've been listening to my ipod a lot and reading "The Long Walk to Freedom" -Nelson Mandela's autobiography (almost done with it, it's by far one of the most amazing autobiographies I've read). I've been isolating myself and trying to silence out the "noise" being surrounded by tons of people can bring, but I seem to be doused with some sort of sadness I can't shake. My favorite waiters noticed it and have asked me on a number of occasions, I try to respond as honest as possible. Unfortunately there is only so many days you can go without contact or on a hiatus on this ship or in life in general. Friends inquire and the social experience makes up about 95% of this voyage. For someone still trying to sort out their feelings and process without ill projection, it can be frustrating not to put the world on hold until I figure it out.


Neptune Day- Saturday March 12th, 2011

Around 7ish am, there was a knock at the door and some other noises of those of "Royal Neptune's court" waking us up. Shortly after Dean Marti or "The Voice" made an announcement about it. We all headed to the pool deck where Captain Jeremy was painted in green as King Neptune, Dean Lisa was Queen Minerva and there was an array of staff and LLC's who made up the royal court. All were decked in their robes/costumes. We had to repeat back an oath of some sort.  It was all very cheesy. Then the festivities began. There was a garbage bucket filled with "greenish" gunk. Folks were instructed to wear their swimsuits, so they got dumped with that stuff. Jumped into the pool, swam over to the sidelines, kissed the fish, then kissed the  the Queen's foot...or as I saw most people do... her hand. Over near the pool bar were the chairs filled with people getting their heads shaved and donating it. It was pure craziness watching it happen. A number of my friends did it. As an upclose spectator it was interesting to see people's faces as it was done. The flicker of uncertainty, the fear, the pride when folks howled and cheered them on... it was also very sad to listen to conversations of peer pressure. Those would be the very same folks who would after a few weeks, regret doing it because everyone else did it. Most of the volunteers were women..although there was a fair amount of guys who seized the moment to have a haircut haha as my friend said. It was pretty different though because it was essentially a baldy- very close to the scalp and not very flattering for the most part. Already some women were donning hats or scarves...with such a cut it would take months to get even (and lengthy) growth. There was a meeting in the Union about the state of the voyage and updates about Japan. It was our first exposure to what was happening internationally and technically that was because it would affect us. We are scheduled to dock in Kobe and Yokohama, Japan. We aren't too sure about Yokokama since a city 200 miles north was affected and the fear of nuclear reactivity is high, but at the moment we are still on schedule. It was a reflection day so we met with our cultural reflection groups and that was cool as well...

We advanced our clocks a half hour yesterday making it 12/13 hours in total--one of the two, I can't remember... I am awfully tired since we have to advance our clocks one hour tonight and another hour tomorrow. Either way we are bizarrely ahead. I'll try to post my reflections of India and what I did sometime before we arrive in Singapore though...