Are you new to ships is the phrase I here most often here. It’s equivalent to “What’s your name?” “Where are you from?” or “What do you do for a living?” in the rest of the world, but here it’s “Are you new to ships?” I am, so when I instead get asked “How long have you been on ships?” or “What ship were you on before?” it’s a like a bit of an ego boost. It’s like someone is saying, “Wow, I didn’t notice you walking down the same hallway three times trying to find the crew elevator, you hide your new-ness well.”
Anyway, things here in ship land are ok. I got through Thanksgiving despite the intense loneliness I felt that night. Coming on board and having your birthday and your favorite holiday pass, essentially not existing at all, is a change, but it’s just part of life here. Friday I went to an improv show – yay! I even got on stage with the Second City. It’s short form, and all the improvisers were nice to me and wanted to talk improv afterward at crew bar.
Saturday was my 4th auction, it didn’t go amazingly in terms of sales but nobody yelled at me so I didn’t go home crying or anything. Today was intense because Kirk and Elaine left. Mike and Bethany are my auctioneers now and their program is very different. They run a much more involved program, they got on board and are in the quick process of changing everything I learned. It will be a big change, and it will be a lot more hours, but it has the potential to teach me a lot of new things.
As a side note, I found flats on another short stop in Cannes yesterday. PHEW. They were only 10 euro! I also got a pashmina that is totally gorgeous for $4 euro; pretty amazing considering scarves of much lower quality go for $15 in the states. It was a quick trip and as such I didn’t have time to wander about on foot and photograph, which is so sad. Cannes is so beautiful and I want nothing more than a few hours to photograph there, but Saturday is auction day and all I can ever afford is a little jaunt in and out of the shopping area. You have to walk up into the hills to capture the beauty. I was supposed to have tomorrow to do this because we’ll be in Cannes again (itinerary change due to the reposition), but I am schedule for an AM training. I’d think there’d still be enough time to go out after training, but now it looks like we might not stop at all. Cannes is a tender stop, meaning the port is too shallow for a big cruise liner to dock, and thus we anchor in the water and send our life boats into the port to transport passengers to land. When there is a storm, and the water is really choppy, we can’t use the life boats to tender into port, so instead we cancel the port and just have a sea day. If this happens my final stop in Cannes get canceled, and a full auction gets scheduled. For these reasons I REALLY HOPE they don’t have to cancel Cannes, but even if they don’t it means the weather will probably be icky. I really wish I had been able to photograph the past two trips into Cannes. It is amazing, I cannot tell you enough how amazing it is. If I get to go on a cruise or European vacation again, Cannes will be in my itinerary for sure. It’s the playground of the rich and famous, and now I know why.
Well, I don’t have much else to say. I’m sorry I’m not posting photos but I haven’t had a wi-fi stop for 1.5 weeks, and internet here is so expensive and SO SLOW – there is no way I can upload things. I blew through my first card way too fast, so now I’m signing on, copying emails into word and signing off then responding in word so I can quickly paste them into email and sign back off. I also keep am just writing the journal in word to quickly paste into the blog here and sign off.
The states await me in 13 days, hopefully a decent free wi-fi connection will be found in a couple weeks!
Anyway, things here in ship land are ok. I got through Thanksgiving despite the intense loneliness I felt that night. Coming on board and having your birthday and your favorite holiday pass, essentially not existing at all, is a change, but it’s just part of life here. Friday I went to an improv show – yay! I even got on stage with the Second City. It’s short form, and all the improvisers were nice to me and wanted to talk improv afterward at crew bar.
Saturday was my 4th auction, it didn’t go amazingly in terms of sales but nobody yelled at me so I didn’t go home crying or anything. Today was intense because Kirk and Elaine left. Mike and Bethany are my auctioneers now and their program is very different. They run a much more involved program, they got on board and are in the quick process of changing everything I learned. It will be a big change, and it will be a lot more hours, but it has the potential to teach me a lot of new things.
As a side note, I found flats on another short stop in Cannes yesterday. PHEW. They were only 10 euro! I also got a pashmina that is totally gorgeous for $4 euro; pretty amazing considering scarves of much lower quality go for $15 in the states. It was a quick trip and as such I didn’t have time to wander about on foot and photograph, which is so sad. Cannes is so beautiful and I want nothing more than a few hours to photograph there, but Saturday is auction day and all I can ever afford is a little jaunt in and out of the shopping area. You have to walk up into the hills to capture the beauty. I was supposed to have tomorrow to do this because we’ll be in Cannes again (itinerary change due to the reposition), but I am schedule for an AM training. I’d think there’d still be enough time to go out after training, but now it looks like we might not stop at all. Cannes is a tender stop, meaning the port is too shallow for a big cruise liner to dock, and thus we anchor in the water and send our life boats into the port to transport passengers to land. When there is a storm, and the water is really choppy, we can’t use the life boats to tender into port, so instead we cancel the port and just have a sea day. If this happens my final stop in Cannes get canceled, and a full auction gets scheduled. For these reasons I REALLY HOPE they don’t have to cancel Cannes, but even if they don’t it means the weather will probably be icky. I really wish I had been able to photograph the past two trips into Cannes. It is amazing, I cannot tell you enough how amazing it is. If I get to go on a cruise or European vacation again, Cannes will be in my itinerary for sure. It’s the playground of the rich and famous, and now I know why.
Well, I don’t have much else to say. I’m sorry I’m not posting photos but I haven’t had a wi-fi stop for 1.5 weeks, and internet here is so expensive and SO SLOW – there is no way I can upload things. I blew through my first card way too fast, so now I’m signing on, copying emails into word and signing off then responding in word so I can quickly paste them into email and sign back off. I also keep am just writing the journal in word to quickly paste into the blog here and sign off.
The states await me in 13 days, hopefully a decent free wi-fi connection will be found in a couple weeks!
In America it is Thanksgiving.
In Europe it is Thursday.
Today was my first day in Rome, tonight my first holiday at sea.
Kirk and Elaine tried to help by having traditional turkey with me after work, and even holding my hand when I asked them to say grace. In addition tonight was the November baby birthday party, but all in all everything feels terrible, and I hope I forget the upcoming holidays before they happen.
Here, remembering a holiday only makes it worse.
If tomorrow is another nameless day I'll be better off.
Best regards to my American friends,
Teresa
In Europe it is Thursday.
Today was my first day in Rome, tonight my first holiday at sea.
Kirk and Elaine tried to help by having traditional turkey with me after work, and even holding my hand when I asked them to say grace. In addition tonight was the November baby birthday party, but all in all everything feels terrible, and I hope I forget the upcoming holidays before they happen.
Here, remembering a holiday only makes it worse.
If tomorrow is another nameless day I'll be better off.
Best regards to my American friends,
Teresa
ASSOCIATE’S LOG: DAY 7 (11/20/09): As mentioned in my last entry I made it into port Thursday. Kirk, Elaine and I traversed a bit of Civitavecchia on foot. **WHOA – ON A BOAT IS ON! That’s so random! But they’re playing it on ship TV, not the whole SNL episode, just the “On a Boat” video. Haha! Awesome - this video is great** (sorry to digress, I just thought that was neat). We stopped at a grocery where I got some crackers and accidentally bought bubbly water when I wanted flat water. The bubbly water has a weird taste. As I said to Kirk, “It’s not entirely undesirable, but it’s not desirable either.” I was able to get online at the cappuccino stop (obviously) but the connection was terrible so I couldn’t do too much. If you’re wondering, I write these entries in word on my MacBook, and then when I am at an internet stop I copy/paste them into my journal. I got enough signal to get the post up, but images weren’t working and soon the internet wouldn’t let me access livejournal at all, and gmail kept timing out - pretty annoying. After the cappuccino and internet stop we had to head back to the ship. At 7 we had our very classy ART VIP party. Unlike the Gem VIP parties, we get to pick our own VIPs for this. We just invite all the people that stop by the gallery and interest us, as well as the rich folk in the top cabins. We bring work from all our master artists to the library, order wine and cheese, and after about half an hour of general mingling, everyone sits and Kirk talks about each of the master artists. All the art is covered with sheets and as he unveils the pieces he presents on them/the artist. At the other VIP parties we cannot drink or eat, we just have to stand and converse and feel awkward when guests keep telling us to take a drink. At our party, however, we can eat the cheese and drink the wine! This was the best work event I have attended thus far. That night was also my first CREW PARTY. Whenever the ship throws a crew party you just show up, and everything is free - it’s pretty awesome. We do have rules governing alcohol consumption; if at any time you are breathalyzed and you are over .08% you can be kicked off the ship. From what I can tell people do drink past .08% sometimes, but the point is that you can’t get drunk and wander around the ship. If you realize you’ve had too many you need to collect yourself, get to your cabin, and go to bed – it’s a logical requirement because you work on a ship and guests are everywhere, you can’t be drunk as a skunk around your guests. Anyway – the crew party was fun enough. I just sat with Kirk and Elaine, and when they danced I held down the table. I was hoping I’d have made more friends by now, but I haven’t. I don’t know how – everyone is so busy with their work schedules here I have no idea how people meet friends on board. After the party I came back to my room and ate some crackers, then fell asleep with the TV still on…
One of the weird things about living in a crew cabin is that there is no window, so it can be pitch black whenever you want. As such I wake up a lot completely confused as to what time it is.
Today Kirk, Elaine and I got off the boat again and were in Livorno, Italy. Not much to see here, they just wanted to do some shopping. I tagged along mostly to avoid sitting in my room all afternoon. We stopped at a grocery where I acquired a coke zero – I haven’t had one since I was in the states and it was delicious; I ALSO GOT A KINDER EGG (I’m going to eat it after I finish this entry). The trip was really worth it because we stopped for GELATO. I had delicious Gelato in Italy; I got cherry, and it tasted like real cherries (instead of that fake cherry flavor) and had cherry chunks in it! Kirk also wouldn’t let me pay for it, so that make it EXTRA delicious. We had to hustle back to the ship because we had a 5pm Master Artist seminar, which went fine. A quick dinner and I was off to another of Gem’s VIP parties to mix and mingle and have people insist I drink drinks that I’m not allowed to drink. It’s quite awkward, really. People are all drinking there and you just stand with yours hands clasped or behind your back guests say “I INSIST you have a drink! What’s the harm? Why aren’t you allowed?” and you just have to say no, I can’t, I’m sorry, and they even sometimes mention that it’s awkward for them to be sipping wine chatting while you just stand there awkwardly – but them’s the NCL rules.
Every night (except Thursday) we have the gallery open from 7-9, so I’m there at night, after I finish attending to whatever else I have to do. This was the case tonight, but we didn’t get any unexpected awesome sales (we got one the other day, and it was neat).
All in all today was a pretty tame day. The boat is a little rocky tonight, which will be nice because I like it to rock me to sleep. Tomorrow will be BUSY BUSY BUSY because we have our final auction. Gotta set up at 8:30am, have an auction at 3:30, and close said auction in the evening.
But for now – I will eat a kinder egg…
ASSOCIATE’S LOG DAY 8 (11/21/09): Today was terrible. The auction was terrible. The checkout was terrible. People were terrible. Cannes was pretty and I drank a cappuccino, meaning that for about 1.5 hours today I wasn’t on the verge of tears, which really just serves to emphasize how terrible everything else was. Tomorrow is a light day and then we go through it all again Monday. I’m sure it will be terrible.
Associate out.
ASSOCIATE’S LOG DAY 9 (11/22/09): A new group boarding today. It’s weird that everyone you meet just disappears and then there’s a new group every week. How do you get used to this lifestyle? Seems impossible to me.
I slept late today. The pure darkness of a no window cabin allows that on days I don’t have a morning event. We worked until 2am last night, and then I stayed up a bit, so I guess it made sense that I was tired. Still, I don’t like sleeping that late, will throw me off tonight and I have another auction tomorrow. I don’t feel like one day is nearly enough time to recover from yesterday’s auction. I’m already nervous just thinking about it. Ugh.
Haven’t worked out since Miami, no energy. I know I should be working out, I’m just so mopey. I know working out would help said mopeyness, but I don’t want to go to a crew gym and endure all these people I don’t know alone. Once I’m done for the night it’s late, and I just want to come back to my cabin and be alone. Maybe in a couple weeks, if I have friends or feel less stressed, I’ll be able to go work out.
When I get home I want to go to grad school, I think, unless I happen upon some truly desirable job. Through this training and auctioneering process the best I felt was being up late studying and learning again. I have so many loans though; especially after the funding I had to get to come on this cruise job. Since I’m here I’ll be doing this awhile, but maybe I can go back to my studies someday. Econ, more anthropology, or maybe even something in art? It all sounds more fulfilling than sales (sorry sales). Perhaps the most logical option would be communications. I love speaking and its one of the few interests that has never waned. It also seems like there are quite few colleges in the Chicagoland area who offer this coursework, where I can also take courses in Econ and Anth. I want to stay in Chicago for sure. Being away from Paul for almost a month (minus a few days between Miami and the ship) has illustrated how important it is to be with the one you love while you can, especially considering there are so many great places to live and study in Chicago, and my entire family is there.
Too bad it took living at sea to seriously consider going back to school. I always thought I hated it, but studying means more opportunities in non for profit. Being in sales just isn’t my bag. I know I know, I’ve only been here a week and I have to give it a chance, I have to because I already am here, really. But there is nothing wrong with thinking more about what I want long term and knowing it isn’t sales, even if I am selling art, I don’t like to sell things.
ASSOCIATE’S LOG: TIRED OF COUNTING DAYS (11/25/09): Well folks, I finally withdrew money and bought an internet card. I can’t go online much because it’s expensive, and EXTREMELY SLOW, but I thought I’d make another text post. I’m going to Rome tomorrow and will likely post pictures after that trip (seems silly to waste time putting things up now when I’ll have so much to add tomorrow).
The past few days have been better than Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It seems that’s the nature of the beast. You’re very stressed around your auctions, and then you can breathe a bit during the non-auction days and things don’t seem as bad. Life at sea is like the sea – always coming in waves.
Tried to find a pair of flats today in Naples, but to no avail. I got the PERFECT pair of dress flats before I left, but in a rush to get to dinner, I didn’t check what was in my box. Two days into wearing them on board I realized one foot felt very odd and sure enough I was wearing 2 different size shoes. One is a 9 and one an 8, and the nine is definitely big enough that it’s really awkward to wear them. So, I have been doing the auctions in pumps, it’s not terrible but it’s bad enough that I need to find flats. I took out some euro today and will be looking again for shoes in Cannes on Saturday. Though many fear that the European prices are outrageous, they aren’t. We find just as many cheap or affordable stores as I do in Chicago. The clothes are easier to find cheap than shoes though. In Cannes I found a store with AMAZING sweater dresses for 12 or 13 euro! Unfortunately, I have no reason to buy a sweater dress since I have to wear suits on the ship. Bummer. Ladies, if you need a sweater dress and the BEST VIEW OF THE WEST MEDD YOU CAN IMAGINE, just book a trip to Cannes. I’m going to try to take pictures there this Saturday as well, so I can share it with all of you. The French Riviera is the most beautiful town of everything I’ve seen so far.
Though I hear the beaches in Nassau are amazing, and will see those in just a few weeks.
Last night I went to the crew bar by myself. I sat alone a bit and almost left, but a few minutes later a girl I knew showed up. I sat with her and met and talked to a variety of people. I wouldn't say I have friends just yet, but I certainly put myself out there and tried and at least formed some connections.
Tonight I'm going bowling with Kirk and Elaine. We get to bowl here for free - how neat!
In case you all were wondering, I miss my friends and family, Paul, and Boo very very much. I really wish I had printed pictures before I came, I don't have any here and that was a big mistake. Now I know for the future...
Oh! I just heard my first emergency code on board. I'm not on the squad that has to tend to that code, but I heard it and I know what it means - thanks safety training!
One of the weird things about living in a crew cabin is that there is no window, so it can be pitch black whenever you want. As such I wake up a lot completely confused as to what time it is.
Today Kirk, Elaine and I got off the boat again and were in Livorno, Italy. Not much to see here, they just wanted to do some shopping. I tagged along mostly to avoid sitting in my room all afternoon. We stopped at a grocery where I acquired a coke zero – I haven’t had one since I was in the states and it was delicious; I ALSO GOT A KINDER EGG (I’m going to eat it after I finish this entry). The trip was really worth it because we stopped for GELATO. I had delicious Gelato in Italy; I got cherry, and it tasted like real cherries (instead of that fake cherry flavor) and had cherry chunks in it! Kirk also wouldn’t let me pay for it, so that make it EXTRA delicious. We had to hustle back to the ship because we had a 5pm Master Artist seminar, which went fine. A quick dinner and I was off to another of Gem’s VIP parties to mix and mingle and have people insist I drink drinks that I’m not allowed to drink. It’s quite awkward, really. People are all drinking there and you just stand with yours hands clasped or behind your back guests say “I INSIST you have a drink! What’s the harm? Why aren’t you allowed?” and you just have to say no, I can’t, I’m sorry, and they even sometimes mention that it’s awkward for them to be sipping wine chatting while you just stand there awkwardly – but them’s the NCL rules.
Every night (except Thursday) we have the gallery open from 7-9, so I’m there at night, after I finish attending to whatever else I have to do. This was the case tonight, but we didn’t get any unexpected awesome sales (we got one the other day, and it was neat).
All in all today was a pretty tame day. The boat is a little rocky tonight, which will be nice because I like it to rock me to sleep. Tomorrow will be BUSY BUSY BUSY because we have our final auction. Gotta set up at 8:30am, have an auction at 3:30, and close said auction in the evening.
But for now – I will eat a kinder egg…
ASSOCIATE’S LOG DAY 8 (11/21/09): Today was terrible. The auction was terrible. The checkout was terrible. People were terrible. Cannes was pretty and I drank a cappuccino, meaning that for about 1.5 hours today I wasn’t on the verge of tears, which really just serves to emphasize how terrible everything else was. Tomorrow is a light day and then we go through it all again Monday. I’m sure it will be terrible.
Associate out.
ASSOCIATE’S LOG DAY 9 (11/22/09): A new group boarding today. It’s weird that everyone you meet just disappears and then there’s a new group every week. How do you get used to this lifestyle? Seems impossible to me.
I slept late today. The pure darkness of a no window cabin allows that on days I don’t have a morning event. We worked until 2am last night, and then I stayed up a bit, so I guess it made sense that I was tired. Still, I don’t like sleeping that late, will throw me off tonight and I have another auction tomorrow. I don’t feel like one day is nearly enough time to recover from yesterday’s auction. I’m already nervous just thinking about it. Ugh.
Haven’t worked out since Miami, no energy. I know I should be working out, I’m just so mopey. I know working out would help said mopeyness, but I don’t want to go to a crew gym and endure all these people I don’t know alone. Once I’m done for the night it’s late, and I just want to come back to my cabin and be alone. Maybe in a couple weeks, if I have friends or feel less stressed, I’ll be able to go work out.
When I get home I want to go to grad school, I think, unless I happen upon some truly desirable job. Through this training and auctioneering process the best I felt was being up late studying and learning again. I have so many loans though; especially after the funding I had to get to come on this cruise job. Since I’m here I’ll be doing this awhile, but maybe I can go back to my studies someday. Econ, more anthropology, or maybe even something in art? It all sounds more fulfilling than sales (sorry sales). Perhaps the most logical option would be communications. I love speaking and its one of the few interests that has never waned. It also seems like there are quite few colleges in the Chicagoland area who offer this coursework, where I can also take courses in Econ and Anth. I want to stay in Chicago for sure. Being away from Paul for almost a month (minus a few days between Miami and the ship) has illustrated how important it is to be with the one you love while you can, especially considering there are so many great places to live and study in Chicago, and my entire family is there.
Too bad it took living at sea to seriously consider going back to school. I always thought I hated it, but studying means more opportunities in non for profit. Being in sales just isn’t my bag. I know I know, I’ve only been here a week and I have to give it a chance, I have to because I already am here, really. But there is nothing wrong with thinking more about what I want long term and knowing it isn’t sales, even if I am selling art, I don’t like to sell things.
ASSOCIATE’S LOG: TIRED OF COUNTING DAYS (11/25/09): Well folks, I finally withdrew money and bought an internet card. I can’t go online much because it’s expensive, and EXTREMELY SLOW, but I thought I’d make another text post. I’m going to Rome tomorrow and will likely post pictures after that trip (seems silly to waste time putting things up now when I’ll have so much to add tomorrow).
The past few days have been better than Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It seems that’s the nature of the beast. You’re very stressed around your auctions, and then you can breathe a bit during the non-auction days and things don’t seem as bad. Life at sea is like the sea – always coming in waves.
Tried to find a pair of flats today in Naples, but to no avail. I got the PERFECT pair of dress flats before I left, but in a rush to get to dinner, I didn’t check what was in my box. Two days into wearing them on board I realized one foot felt very odd and sure enough I was wearing 2 different size shoes. One is a 9 and one an 8, and the nine is definitely big enough that it’s really awkward to wear them. So, I have been doing the auctions in pumps, it’s not terrible but it’s bad enough that I need to find flats. I took out some euro today and will be looking again for shoes in Cannes on Saturday. Though many fear that the European prices are outrageous, they aren’t. We find just as many cheap or affordable stores as I do in Chicago. The clothes are easier to find cheap than shoes though. In Cannes I found a store with AMAZING sweater dresses for 12 or 13 euro! Unfortunately, I have no reason to buy a sweater dress since I have to wear suits on the ship. Bummer. Ladies, if you need a sweater dress and the BEST VIEW OF THE WEST MEDD YOU CAN IMAGINE, just book a trip to Cannes. I’m going to try to take pictures there this Saturday as well, so I can share it with all of you. The French Riviera is the most beautiful town of everything I’ve seen so far.
Though I hear the beaches in Nassau are amazing, and will see those in just a few weeks.
Last night I went to the crew bar by myself. I sat alone a bit and almost left, but a few minutes later a girl I knew showed up. I sat with her and met and talked to a variety of people. I wouldn't say I have friends just yet, but I certainly put myself out there and tried and at least formed some connections.
Tonight I'm going bowling with Kirk and Elaine. We get to bowl here for free - how neat!
In case you all were wondering, I miss my friends and family, Paul, and Boo very very much. I really wish I had printed pictures before I came, I don't have any here and that was a big mistake. Now I know for the future...
Oh! I just heard my first emergency code on board. I'm not on the squad that has to tend to that code, but I heard it and I know what it means - thanks safety training!
- Location:cabin
- Mood:
okay
ASSOCIATE’S LOG: PRELUDE + DAYS 1-3 (11/13/09-11/17/09)
Friday I left Chicago around 5:30 pm. My plane was on time, thanks AirFrance (suck it, American Airlines). I arrived in Paris around 8:50am (Paris time). My sister really wanted me to go outside while in Paris to “smell the Paris air;” I never would have had time, but luckily I HAD to go outside. The gate my flight arrived at doesn’t connect to the rest of the airport, so you have to walk down aircraft stairs, board a bus, drive to the airport terminals and go back inside. So I did these things and smelled Paris. Unfortunately, Natalie, it was raining, so all I can tell you about the scent of Paris when it rains is that… it smells like rain – a perfectly pleasant smell, but perhaps not what the literary geniuses describe when they talk of the scent of Paris. Anyway, I ran through customs + security, ran to my terminal, and made my 9:25 flight to Barcelona. When I got there I found a cab – I had a metro map but 2 suit cases plus my business traveler plus a camera/personal bag is hard enough to move around the airport, let alone the subway (in a country I’ve never been with a language I do not speak). The extremely short airport taxi ride still cost 34 euro, but I had little choice…
My hotel was truly terrible. It was much smaller than my college dorm room, and it was really seedy. No cockroaches or anything, but lots of flying bugs and it just looked gross. There was no toilet paper, there was a sign specifically asking you to reuse your towels a couple times before asking for new ones, and I had read 2 reports on TripAdvisor.com of bedbugs and/or fleas (both dated in the past few weeks) so I was scared to even get under the covers or open my bags. I was exhausted after flying because I didn’t sleep the entire way, so I lay down timidly atop all the covers as soon as I got in the room. I woke up after dark and had already missed all the daylight of my one day in Barcelona. I went out that night to walk the city a bit, determined to at least see some of the town since I was there. I walked down to the port area, and through some of the city. I was nervous about getting pick pocketed and it was only 8 pm, but already the pan handlers were calling at me so I didn’t walk too long before heading back to the terrible hotel. I had seen no international sim card buying places or internet cafés along my journey, and the hotel had no internet – so I couldn’t call anyone (either to let people know I arrived or just to talk). I tried to buy soda, but the machine wouldn’t take my euros and nobody was at front desk to help me, so I went to my room and watched American TV in Spanish trying to feel more at home. Eventually I went to sleep atop the covers trying to use my coat as a blanket. All in all it was a terrible day and I couldn’t wait to get to the ship.
Sunday I got a cab, it should have cost less than 10 euro from the research I did at home, but instead it cost $17. It wasn’t that far but it was far enough and through a crowded enough area that doing it with bags would have been impossible (especially traversing the multiple bridges). When I got to the port I was ushered into a building where people told me the crew check in was “over there” and really left me quite confused. I walked out behind a building to a giant empty dock with a little ramp sticking out the side of the ship near the bottom, I pushed my luggage up a steep little ramp huffing and puffing the whole time, and made it inside, only to further be “over there”ed until some kind soul realized how lost I was and walked me to an office. Here I started signing forms and in came my auctioneer, Kirk, a man in his 40s or 50s. After forms were done we put my luggage in my room and Kirk took me to lunch to meet his wife/assistant as well as the departing auctioneer and steward. Here I learned that the associate auctioneer and steward had been roommates because they were very close friends. The associate auctioneer was getting her own ship, so the steward normally could stay aboard this ship, but since the steward is male and the ship couldn’t allow a female to live with a male stranger, my being transferred here meant the steward had to go as well. This means I get a room to myself, but instead of being the associate I am now the associate who also has the steward’s job (meaning I will be hauling, organizing and moving a lot of art). Kirk leaves in a couple weeks and Mike and Bethany will be my new auctioneer/assistant team, but since there are very few female stewards there is likely no time I’ll have a steward or a roommate (unless, at some point, we take on a second female associate). It’s hard being the only associate on the team without a steward. We are still three wide because we have an assistant, but the work assistants do varies team to team. Really assistants aren’t hired to be assistants but they join the ships because they are the auctioneer’s significant other and the auctioneer “pays” him/her from his wages – which, for married people, just means they jointly live off the auctioneer’s income. It will certainly be interesting to see how Mike and Bethany run their team versus Kirk and Elaine. And that’s part of the good thing about my situation; I’ll get to see the various ways people run their business as an auctioneer. ANYWAY, I ate lunch with these folks and also learned that Elaine, Kirk, Adeline, and Mitja have formed a sort of art family. Nobody was mean to me, but it was very clear that Kirk and Elaine were sad that their art family was being broken up. They’ve been supportive and nice to me, which is great because I have heard auctioneer horror stories from others, but it was still a bit unsettling to start my job here as the associate that made Adelina and Mitja leave. That night I unpacked a bit, went to my first night of “Safety Training” and then got dressed up and went to the gallery where we talked to potential clients and signed people up for Monday’s auction. We also had a “10 at 10” which is basically a little “See All The Stuff To Do On The Ship” show. People set up tables and they do a big raffle and we have a little fake auction. Kirk auctioneered and I hopped around the audience “hyping” the crowd and yelling bids up to Kirk. Kirk and Elaine took me to the crew bar afterward and bought me a Smirnoff Ice – they love those things. I came back, got into PJs, and fell asleep for the first time to the rocking ship.
Monday I started the day off with more “Safety Training.” We need this to know the ship; learn the protocol for emergencies, ship codes, and basic company policy. It will take up half my day at least for the first week or so. After a few hours of training I made it to my first auction! I did a preview, ran around the audience shaking hands and scheduling meetings for those who bought, and I even sold a piece of art! I hear this bodes well (selling on the first day), but that I only sold 1 and it wasn’t very expensive and the woman was really easy to sell to because she already collects that particular artist. Besides that the rest of the auction was mediocre, so we didn’t make much money. Humph. I had to go back for a few more hours of safety training, and then back to the gallery for checkout (where we meet with those who bought at auction and complete their sale). Checkout took a long time, it was 11 before we were done. 8am-11 with only a 30 minute break for lunch and about 2 hrs for dinner = a long day. But that’s the life here, you work a lot, but then again you work ON A CRUISE SHIP, so that’s the trade off.
Today I had a short segment of training, and then I had to take a test – I passed! Then I spent a couple hours walking my “emergency routes.” I have to walk about the ship and write out my route from my room to my emergency station, citing along the way all the fire safe and water tight doors as well as the staircases and directions. Whenever I run up and down the “crew only” areas of the ship it really feels like I live in Titanic. At some point this week there will be a fire drill where we must use said emergency routes – it sounds like a pain and I’m not looking forward to it (also: there is drill every week – joy). After that was done I was called to the gallery, we had a lot of art to cart up to our locker, reorganize, and new art to bring down and hang. This was tiring, especially because I had already put on my business wear. I wish we had an art steward, but I really can’t complain. Lots of teams don’t have a steward and lots of people on the ship work harder than me. The sooner I get confident the sooner I can have my own ship, be my own auctioneer, and if I have enough cabins - hire a steward. I want Paul to come be my steward/assistant, but he’s not at all interested. Paul, I pay well! Anyway, after doing that I ate some dinner, combed my hair and powdered my nose, and headed upstairs to a VIP party to “schmooze.” Which just meant introduce myself and NOT talk about Park West but help some rich cruise folk know who I am. After that was done I hauled more art, and eventually spent some time sitting in the gallery with Kirk talking to more potential clients.
Tomorrow I have 2 safety training lectures, likely some organizing of the deck 10 locker, and more night gallery hours.
I keep hearing lots of good things from people about how fun ship life is and how many interesting people I’ll meet. I don’t think they’re wrong, but I wonder what kind of people they know at home. I know meeting lots of interesting international people is great, but it’s not as if those people will replace my family or interesting and exciting friends. It might be more tolerable if I still had contact with the world, but not having a phone or regular Internet means that the interesting doctor from Malta I talk to a couple times in a week is all the connection I’ve got. And my job as a salesperson isn’t to exchange regular dialogue, it’s to listen, and eventually sell. It’s not a bad job, it’s just that I realized very quickly upon arriving here I may not be as “independent” as I always managed. At the end of the day I want nothing more than my boring old house, and to do the dishes, and to eat ice cream with Paul or make cat jokes with Becky online. I hope it’s all there when I get home, because either way I have to spend some more time on this ship before I give up. It’s just a weird lifestyle that I don’t know if I could do for years (like so many others on the ship do).
ASSOCIATE’S LOG: DAY FOUR(11/18/09): Today I got up and went to a wonderful DRUG LECTURE. Most everything they said was true, but it was so anti drug in a propaganda way that it made me feel a bit like a kid. Among the most egregious of claims were
1) The photo of a “marijuana addict’s” lung at 14 years, versus a healthy lung. Does this marijuana “addict” also smoke tobacco? Are they 14 years old or have they been addicted 14 years? The way it was worded implied that it was their age, but the lung damage indicated either a use of multiple carcinogenic drugs or a serious marijuana problem for 14 years.
2) Acid stays in your system forever and you could have flashback at any time. I have heard this, and I don’t doubt that it may be true – I just have yet to READ it anywhere reliable. If it stays in your system so long why don’t we test for it in drug screens? Because we’d have to tap the spine? I don’t know, this is just one I’m starting to wonder about.
3) “Ecstasy pushers put cartoon characters on the pills so they can push it outside schools and get little kids addicted so they have more people to sell to.” I’m sorry, but I just don’t believe this. I know people peddle drugs to young’ins, but the reference to characters on pills specifically aimed at attracting little kids seems false. I mean, you aren’t going to create a regular user from a 3rd grader, disposable income alone is a problem. You’re going to grow a user in maybe… junior high or high school? At which point the cartoon character isn’t the draw, it is just part of that drug’s culture.
4) “Ecstasy pushers sell the drug for $5 a pill so they can sell you a bottle of water for $30. Then you drink too much water and your head swells and you die.” I know that over hydration can be deadly, I do not deny this at all. Again, I don’t think the drug is sold specifically for peddlers to make money off water an hour later. I also found it odd that they didn’t mention the opposite, dehydration. Since Ecstasy is a club drug I’ve been taught in other similar seminars that another key danger is dehydration. People take the drug, go dance for hours, and don’t remember to stay hydrated. There was no mention of this in our lecture.
5) Hallucinations and crank bugs are related to ecstasy. Now this just bothered me because we had already covered meth and LSD and the training didn’t talk about meth in any great detail, or mention crank bugs. Crank bugs are primarily associated with meth, and meth is a prevalent problem currently; I’d think the crank bugs should be brought up in association with the dangerous drug that most commonly causes them. As for the hallucinations, they were not mentioned at all when we covered LSD, but they were mentioned with ecstasy. LSD typically is taken for its hallucinatory properties, I’d think if you’re trying to educate people on how to know if someone is under the influence of that drug you’d mention hallucinations at the time you told them about LSD.
6) The drug creation map: A map of the world colored coded to show you were great quantities of drugs were produced. The ENTIRE WORLD was shaded red, for heroin. Mass quantities of EVERYWHERE produced heroin. Then there were little green blocks for cannabis, and little yellow blocks for cocaine. The US has ONE green block in the Kansas/Oklahoma area. I know that much of the US grown marijuana comes from growers in Tennessee and Kentucky, and I’m sure there are more states that constitute significant quantities of production. I mean, if the entire US constitutes significant heroin production, why leave out the other wide reaching pot growing states? Also, Mexico had one green block, south American a couple green blocks and a couple yellow. I know the point was to show us how far spread heroin use is, even if we aren’t aware of it, it just seems like a silly slide to show if its not up to date or factual on the other drugs it references.
It also surprises me the amount of commonly trafficked drugs that were not mentioned at all. Just to clarify this entire rant, I certainly don’t mean to say “Hey man, you got the drug peddlers all wrong, they’re okay dudes!” I know drug trafficking is a major issue and one for the cruise lines to be concerned with since we’re going to ports all over the world; I get that. Since I’m from the states we have a very elaborate drug education program that teaches us the dangers of these substances from a very young age. I don’t plan on trafficking any drugs, and all my crewmembers thus far seem like good people who are not interested in doing so either, but if the purpose of these seminars is to educate us on what to look for in case we suspect others around us of drug use, and the dangers of using and trafficking said drugs, I think the seminar should be factual and up to date. That’s all I’m saying.
MORE IMPORTANT: I GOT OFF THE SHIP TODAY! After my drug lecture I ate lunch in Naples, Italy! Though I wouldn’t normally order pizza in Italy, I was told I had to try it, so I did. I got one with spicy peppers and “salame,” with a glass of wine and some water. When you order water in Europe it comes in a big glass bottle, but don’t worry, they know we like it “no gas.” I went with Kirk, Elaine, and another gentlemen I just met whose name is pronounced “Mihah” though I know that is not the spelling. Some of my clients were there, and they addressed me (as opposed to the actual auctioneer)! They walked in, saw us all sitting and said “Teresa! Teresa’s here! Maybe you can help us order?” Go me, I have clients, and they remember my name - and they think I know these places – perhaps my newness is only obvious to me. They too were ordering pizza, but they didn’t want spicy peppers so I was of little recommendation help – ah well. I couldn’t stay long enough to take anything besides a photo of my lunch, had to rush back to the ship for “Crowd Management” training. Though short, it was nice to get off the ship for the first time in 4 days.
“Crowd Management” was more safety stuff, then I went to dinner in the Garden Café with Kirk and Elaine(got lost along the way, big shock). What was supposed to be 7-9pm gallery hours turned into 7-11:30 gallery hours. BUT we scored a totally unexpected sale so it was totally worth the extra time spent. Tomorrow we have a VIP party (with VIPs we’ve chosen instead of just the Gem VIPs), Friday we have a “Masters of Fine Art” seminar, and Saturday is the auction. Should be a busy few days. BUT if all goes according to plan, I’ll get to get off the ship again tomorrow in Italy, and perhaps even go to a Subway which has FREE WIFI and update all that I’ve been writing these past few days.
A few side notes I haven’t had time to mention:
1) The crew cabins are quite nice. I like my little bed, the walls are magnetic so it’s easy to hang things, and this ship is new so the desk, closet, and drawers are all tip top. It might be way less enjoyable if I had a stranger as a roommate, but living alone or living with a friend in here wouldn’t be bad, the space is not as tight as I feared onboard the Gem.
2) The food is quite nice as well. When I eat in the crew mess there are less options, but there’s always romaine, baby spinach, carrots, corn, peas, + peppers – so I can have a big salad for lunch and dinner and then supplement with something else that looks nice. There is a ton of good food upstairs in the Garden Café, which is a passenger buffet that we are also permitted to use. If I really cared about having more selection I’d go there, sometimes they have sushi, they always have chicken curry, and they also have sweet n’ low (crew mess only has regular sugar, which I don’t prefer but have been using anyway). The thing is I like eating in the crew mess because it’s nice to hide away from the passengers on my break. There are less food options and there is no sweet n low, but really I just like to get away sometimes. One thing I do really miss is soda. There is no soda on board unless you buy it from the bar. I like to have coke zero, but we can’t bring things on board from town so I can’t even buy it in port and bring it on; if I want it, I have to buy some bottles in the crew lounge and stock them in my room. I have no idea how much it costs and I am afraid to find out, so I just haven’t had any. Alas poor soda, I knew you well.
3) I have a cabin steward! He comes to my room every day and makes my bed fresh, and replaces my towels, and empties my garbage. He also gave me the only birthday present I got on board! He made an elephant out of towels and left me a note. I got it at the end of a particularly tough day, so I really appreciated it. I also read Matt and Erin’s “open these when you’re at sea” birthday cards which were also very nice. Thank you both, it was a dose of home I needed. Other than that my birthday did not exist, and I guess that’s okay. I had one in October and that will be the case for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years – so I ought get used to it.
DAY 5: I got off the ship and am updating this via wi-fi at a cafe in Civitavecchia, Italy. I am drinking a DELICIOUS cappacino, very rich and needs next to no sugar (if you know how I usually drink my coffee drinks, this means it's some GOOD espresso). I planned on adding images to this post but I can't because I'm on very slow free wi-fi. Sorry all, hopefully I'll have good internet sometime in the next few weeks...
Friday I left Chicago around 5:30 pm. My plane was on time, thanks AirFrance (suck it, American Airlines). I arrived in Paris around 8:50am (Paris time). My sister really wanted me to go outside while in Paris to “smell the Paris air;” I never would have had time, but luckily I HAD to go outside. The gate my flight arrived at doesn’t connect to the rest of the airport, so you have to walk down aircraft stairs, board a bus, drive to the airport terminals and go back inside. So I did these things and smelled Paris. Unfortunately, Natalie, it was raining, so all I can tell you about the scent of Paris when it rains is that… it smells like rain – a perfectly pleasant smell, but perhaps not what the literary geniuses describe when they talk of the scent of Paris. Anyway, I ran through customs + security, ran to my terminal, and made my 9:25 flight to Barcelona. When I got there I found a cab – I had a metro map but 2 suit cases plus my business traveler plus a camera/personal bag is hard enough to move around the airport, let alone the subway (in a country I’ve never been with a language I do not speak). The extremely short airport taxi ride still cost 34 euro, but I had little choice…
My hotel was truly terrible. It was much smaller than my college dorm room, and it was really seedy. No cockroaches or anything, but lots of flying bugs and it just looked gross. There was no toilet paper, there was a sign specifically asking you to reuse your towels a couple times before asking for new ones, and I had read 2 reports on TripAdvisor.com of bedbugs and/or fleas (both dated in the past few weeks) so I was scared to even get under the covers or open my bags. I was exhausted after flying because I didn’t sleep the entire way, so I lay down timidly atop all the covers as soon as I got in the room. I woke up after dark and had already missed all the daylight of my one day in Barcelona. I went out that night to walk the city a bit, determined to at least see some of the town since I was there. I walked down to the port area, and through some of the city. I was nervous about getting pick pocketed and it was only 8 pm, but already the pan handlers were calling at me so I didn’t walk too long before heading back to the terrible hotel. I had seen no international sim card buying places or internet cafés along my journey, and the hotel had no internet – so I couldn’t call anyone (either to let people know I arrived or just to talk). I tried to buy soda, but the machine wouldn’t take my euros and nobody was at front desk to help me, so I went to my room and watched American TV in Spanish trying to feel more at home. Eventually I went to sleep atop the covers trying to use my coat as a blanket. All in all it was a terrible day and I couldn’t wait to get to the ship.
Sunday I got a cab, it should have cost less than 10 euro from the research I did at home, but instead it cost $17. It wasn’t that far but it was far enough and through a crowded enough area that doing it with bags would have been impossible (especially traversing the multiple bridges). When I got to the port I was ushered into a building where people told me the crew check in was “over there” and really left me quite confused. I walked out behind a building to a giant empty dock with a little ramp sticking out the side of the ship near the bottom, I pushed my luggage up a steep little ramp huffing and puffing the whole time, and made it inside, only to further be “over there”ed until some kind soul realized how lost I was and walked me to an office. Here I started signing forms and in came my auctioneer, Kirk, a man in his 40s or 50s. After forms were done we put my luggage in my room and Kirk took me to lunch to meet his wife/assistant as well as the departing auctioneer and steward. Here I learned that the associate auctioneer and steward had been roommates because they were very close friends. The associate auctioneer was getting her own ship, so the steward normally could stay aboard this ship, but since the steward is male and the ship couldn’t allow a female to live with a male stranger, my being transferred here meant the steward had to go as well. This means I get a room to myself, but instead of being the associate I am now the associate who also has the steward’s job (meaning I will be hauling, organizing and moving a lot of art). Kirk leaves in a couple weeks and Mike and Bethany will be my new auctioneer/assistant team, but since there are very few female stewards there is likely no time I’ll have a steward or a roommate (unless, at some point, we take on a second female associate). It’s hard being the only associate on the team without a steward. We are still three wide because we have an assistant, but the work assistants do varies team to team. Really assistants aren’t hired to be assistants but they join the ships because they are the auctioneer’s significant other and the auctioneer “pays” him/her from his wages – which, for married people, just means they jointly live off the auctioneer’s income. It will certainly be interesting to see how Mike and Bethany run their team versus Kirk and Elaine. And that’s part of the good thing about my situation; I’ll get to see the various ways people run their business as an auctioneer. ANYWAY, I ate lunch with these folks and also learned that Elaine, Kirk, Adeline, and Mitja have formed a sort of art family. Nobody was mean to me, but it was very clear that Kirk and Elaine were sad that their art family was being broken up. They’ve been supportive and nice to me, which is great because I have heard auctioneer horror stories from others, but it was still a bit unsettling to start my job here as the associate that made Adelina and Mitja leave. That night I unpacked a bit, went to my first night of “Safety Training” and then got dressed up and went to the gallery where we talked to potential clients and signed people up for Monday’s auction. We also had a “10 at 10” which is basically a little “See All The Stuff To Do On The Ship” show. People set up tables and they do a big raffle and we have a little fake auction. Kirk auctioneered and I hopped around the audience “hyping” the crowd and yelling bids up to Kirk. Kirk and Elaine took me to the crew bar afterward and bought me a Smirnoff Ice – they love those things. I came back, got into PJs, and fell asleep for the first time to the rocking ship.
Monday I started the day off with more “Safety Training.” We need this to know the ship; learn the protocol for emergencies, ship codes, and basic company policy. It will take up half my day at least for the first week or so. After a few hours of training I made it to my first auction! I did a preview, ran around the audience shaking hands and scheduling meetings for those who bought, and I even sold a piece of art! I hear this bodes well (selling on the first day), but that I only sold 1 and it wasn’t very expensive and the woman was really easy to sell to because she already collects that particular artist. Besides that the rest of the auction was mediocre, so we didn’t make much money. Humph. I had to go back for a few more hours of safety training, and then back to the gallery for checkout (where we meet with those who bought at auction and complete their sale). Checkout took a long time, it was 11 before we were done. 8am-11 with only a 30 minute break for lunch and about 2 hrs for dinner = a long day. But that’s the life here, you work a lot, but then again you work ON A CRUISE SHIP, so that’s the trade off.
Today I had a short segment of training, and then I had to take a test – I passed! Then I spent a couple hours walking my “emergency routes.” I have to walk about the ship and write out my route from my room to my emergency station, citing along the way all the fire safe and water tight doors as well as the staircases and directions. Whenever I run up and down the “crew only” areas of the ship it really feels like I live in Titanic. At some point this week there will be a fire drill where we must use said emergency routes – it sounds like a pain and I’m not looking forward to it (also: there is drill every week – joy). After that was done I was called to the gallery, we had a lot of art to cart up to our locker, reorganize, and new art to bring down and hang. This was tiring, especially because I had already put on my business wear. I wish we had an art steward, but I really can’t complain. Lots of teams don’t have a steward and lots of people on the ship work harder than me. The sooner I get confident the sooner I can have my own ship, be my own auctioneer, and if I have enough cabins - hire a steward. I want Paul to come be my steward/assistant, but he’s not at all interested. Paul, I pay well! Anyway, after doing that I ate some dinner, combed my hair and powdered my nose, and headed upstairs to a VIP party to “schmooze.” Which just meant introduce myself and NOT talk about Park West but help some rich cruise folk know who I am. After that was done I hauled more art, and eventually spent some time sitting in the gallery with Kirk talking to more potential clients.
Tomorrow I have 2 safety training lectures, likely some organizing of the deck 10 locker, and more night gallery hours.
I keep hearing lots of good things from people about how fun ship life is and how many interesting people I’ll meet. I don’t think they’re wrong, but I wonder what kind of people they know at home. I know meeting lots of interesting international people is great, but it’s not as if those people will replace my family or interesting and exciting friends. It might be more tolerable if I still had contact with the world, but not having a phone or regular Internet means that the interesting doctor from Malta I talk to a couple times in a week is all the connection I’ve got. And my job as a salesperson isn’t to exchange regular dialogue, it’s to listen, and eventually sell. It’s not a bad job, it’s just that I realized very quickly upon arriving here I may not be as “independent” as I always managed. At the end of the day I want nothing more than my boring old house, and to do the dishes, and to eat ice cream with Paul or make cat jokes with Becky online. I hope it’s all there when I get home, because either way I have to spend some more time on this ship before I give up. It’s just a weird lifestyle that I don’t know if I could do for years (like so many others on the ship do).
ASSOCIATE’S LOG: DAY FOUR(11/18/09): Today I got up and went to a wonderful DRUG LECTURE. Most everything they said was true, but it was so anti drug in a propaganda way that it made me feel a bit like a kid. Among the most egregious of claims were
1) The photo of a “marijuana addict’s” lung at 14 years, versus a healthy lung. Does this marijuana “addict” also smoke tobacco? Are they 14 years old or have they been addicted 14 years? The way it was worded implied that it was their age, but the lung damage indicated either a use of multiple carcinogenic drugs or a serious marijuana problem for 14 years.
2) Acid stays in your system forever and you could have flashback at any time. I have heard this, and I don’t doubt that it may be true – I just have yet to READ it anywhere reliable. If it stays in your system so long why don’t we test for it in drug screens? Because we’d have to tap the spine? I don’t know, this is just one I’m starting to wonder about.
3) “Ecstasy pushers put cartoon characters on the pills so they can push it outside schools and get little kids addicted so they have more people to sell to.” I’m sorry, but I just don’t believe this. I know people peddle drugs to young’ins, but the reference to characters on pills specifically aimed at attracting little kids seems false. I mean, you aren’t going to create a regular user from a 3rd grader, disposable income alone is a problem. You’re going to grow a user in maybe… junior high or high school? At which point the cartoon character isn’t the draw, it is just part of that drug’s culture.
4) “Ecstasy pushers sell the drug for $5 a pill so they can sell you a bottle of water for $30. Then you drink too much water and your head swells and you die.” I know that over hydration can be deadly, I do not deny this at all. Again, I don’t think the drug is sold specifically for peddlers to make money off water an hour later. I also found it odd that they didn’t mention the opposite, dehydration. Since Ecstasy is a club drug I’ve been taught in other similar seminars that another key danger is dehydration. People take the drug, go dance for hours, and don’t remember to stay hydrated. There was no mention of this in our lecture.
5) Hallucinations and crank bugs are related to ecstasy. Now this just bothered me because we had already covered meth and LSD and the training didn’t talk about meth in any great detail, or mention crank bugs. Crank bugs are primarily associated with meth, and meth is a prevalent problem currently; I’d think the crank bugs should be brought up in association with the dangerous drug that most commonly causes them. As for the hallucinations, they were not mentioned at all when we covered LSD, but they were mentioned with ecstasy. LSD typically is taken for its hallucinatory properties, I’d think if you’re trying to educate people on how to know if someone is under the influence of that drug you’d mention hallucinations at the time you told them about LSD.
6) The drug creation map: A map of the world colored coded to show you were great quantities of drugs were produced. The ENTIRE WORLD was shaded red, for heroin. Mass quantities of EVERYWHERE produced heroin. Then there were little green blocks for cannabis, and little yellow blocks for cocaine. The US has ONE green block in the Kansas/Oklahoma area. I know that much of the US grown marijuana comes from growers in Tennessee and Kentucky, and I’m sure there are more states that constitute significant quantities of production. I mean, if the entire US constitutes significant heroin production, why leave out the other wide reaching pot growing states? Also, Mexico had one green block, south American a couple green blocks and a couple yellow. I know the point was to show us how far spread heroin use is, even if we aren’t aware of it, it just seems like a silly slide to show if its not up to date or factual on the other drugs it references.
It also surprises me the amount of commonly trafficked drugs that were not mentioned at all. Just to clarify this entire rant, I certainly don’t mean to say “Hey man, you got the drug peddlers all wrong, they’re okay dudes!” I know drug trafficking is a major issue and one for the cruise lines to be concerned with since we’re going to ports all over the world; I get that. Since I’m from the states we have a very elaborate drug education program that teaches us the dangers of these substances from a very young age. I don’t plan on trafficking any drugs, and all my crewmembers thus far seem like good people who are not interested in doing so either, but if the purpose of these seminars is to educate us on what to look for in case we suspect others around us of drug use, and the dangers of using and trafficking said drugs, I think the seminar should be factual and up to date. That’s all I’m saying.
MORE IMPORTANT: I GOT OFF THE SHIP TODAY! After my drug lecture I ate lunch in Naples, Italy! Though I wouldn’t normally order pizza in Italy, I was told I had to try it, so I did. I got one with spicy peppers and “salame,” with a glass of wine and some water. When you order water in Europe it comes in a big glass bottle, but don’t worry, they know we like it “no gas.” I went with Kirk, Elaine, and another gentlemen I just met whose name is pronounced “Mihah” though I know that is not the spelling. Some of my clients were there, and they addressed me (as opposed to the actual auctioneer)! They walked in, saw us all sitting and said “Teresa! Teresa’s here! Maybe you can help us order?” Go me, I have clients, and they remember my name - and they think I know these places – perhaps my newness is only obvious to me. They too were ordering pizza, but they didn’t want spicy peppers so I was of little recommendation help – ah well. I couldn’t stay long enough to take anything besides a photo of my lunch, had to rush back to the ship for “Crowd Management” training. Though short, it was nice to get off the ship for the first time in 4 days.
“Crowd Management” was more safety stuff, then I went to dinner in the Garden Café with Kirk and Elaine(got lost along the way, big shock). What was supposed to be 7-9pm gallery hours turned into 7-11:30 gallery hours. BUT we scored a totally unexpected sale so it was totally worth the extra time spent. Tomorrow we have a VIP party (with VIPs we’ve chosen instead of just the Gem VIPs), Friday we have a “Masters of Fine Art” seminar, and Saturday is the auction. Should be a busy few days. BUT if all goes according to plan, I’ll get to get off the ship again tomorrow in Italy, and perhaps even go to a Subway which has FREE WIFI and update all that I’ve been writing these past few days.
A few side notes I haven’t had time to mention:
1) The crew cabins are quite nice. I like my little bed, the walls are magnetic so it’s easy to hang things, and this ship is new so the desk, closet, and drawers are all tip top. It might be way less enjoyable if I had a stranger as a roommate, but living alone or living with a friend in here wouldn’t be bad, the space is not as tight as I feared onboard the Gem.
2) The food is quite nice as well. When I eat in the crew mess there are less options, but there’s always romaine, baby spinach, carrots, corn, peas, + peppers – so I can have a big salad for lunch and dinner and then supplement with something else that looks nice. There is a ton of good food upstairs in the Garden Café, which is a passenger buffet that we are also permitted to use. If I really cared about having more selection I’d go there, sometimes they have sushi, they always have chicken curry, and they also have sweet n’ low (crew mess only has regular sugar, which I don’t prefer but have been using anyway). The thing is I like eating in the crew mess because it’s nice to hide away from the passengers on my break. There are less food options and there is no sweet n low, but really I just like to get away sometimes. One thing I do really miss is soda. There is no soda on board unless you buy it from the bar. I like to have coke zero, but we can’t bring things on board from town so I can’t even buy it in port and bring it on; if I want it, I have to buy some bottles in the crew lounge and stock them in my room. I have no idea how much it costs and I am afraid to find out, so I just haven’t had any. Alas poor soda, I knew you well.
3) I have a cabin steward! He comes to my room every day and makes my bed fresh, and replaces my towels, and empties my garbage. He also gave me the only birthday present I got on board! He made an elephant out of towels and left me a note. I got it at the end of a particularly tough day, so I really appreciated it. I also read Matt and Erin’s “open these when you’re at sea” birthday cards which were also very nice. Thank you both, it was a dose of home I needed. Other than that my birthday did not exist, and I guess that’s okay. I had one in October and that will be the case for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years – so I ought get used to it.
DAY 5: I got off the ship and am updating this via wi-fi at a cafe in Civitavecchia, Italy. I am drinking a DELICIOUS cappacino, very rich and needs next to no sugar (if you know how I usually drink my coffee drinks, this means it's some GOOD espresso). I planned on adding images to this post but I can't because I'm on very slow free wi-fi. Sorry all, hopefully I'll have good internet sometime in the next few weeks...
- Location:Civitavecchia, Italy - Mr.G Cafe'
- Music:euro dance stuff
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A Mona Cat! With an extra cool matte job! |
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Mike contemplates a Britto table. |
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I let Michel take this one. Michel's shot was a little off, but this is in fact a Britto sculp cat atop a different Britto table. |
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BRITTO CENTRAL! This is a Britto table. |
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Matt enjoys the Britto Wizard of Oz. |
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Matt and Kat with some Britto sculps. |
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Irina and a Britto sculp. |
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Irina and Johnny enjoy some Britto books under some Britto giclees. |
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Me and a Britto Bottle of vodka! |
Today we went to Britto Central on Lincoln Avenue in Miami. Romero Britto is a Brazilian native who has gained a lot of popularity in past 10 years. He exploded in 1989 when he was commissioned to design an Absolut Vodka bottle, and the rest is history. Park West has an exclusive contract to sell 3-D Britto works, and it's a big seller of ours. As such, I had to go to his Miami gallery and see more of his work in person. I'm actually quite glad there was a Mona Cat there, I do love that goofy Mona Cat.
Also, while downtown we saw a Miro print at a vendor stand. She described it as a "signed print." We asked how much is cost and she said "95" Johnny asked Ninety five hundred? and she kind of cocked her head and replied "No... 95 dollars..." She repeated that it was a "signed Miro" but it was NOT 9,500 and Johnny just turned as we walked away and told her "That's what they go for. Hell that frame alone should be worth more than 95!" because it was a pretty big well kept wooden frame. THAT'S A MIRFAUX FOLKS, signed Miro's should never cost $95 bucks. The prices can vary VASTLY from dealer to dealer, that is true, but Miro's actual signature alone is worth way more than $95. What silly things people try to sell on the street. If it were truly an undiscovered Miro, you'd have to sell it unsigned at a garage sale (ya know, like the 5 dollar Pollack - HAHA; ART JOKES).
IN OTHER NEWS: If all goes according to plan, I'll head home tomorrow. YAY! I can't wait. I miss everyone already. Oh, my plans for the weeks following got more interesting. I don't just get 2 weeks in the West Mediterranean, I get three! These are my cruises:
WEEK 1+2 - Depart Barcelona Nov.15 and Nov.22 for 7 day cruises.
Barcelona, Malta, Naples, Florence/Pisa, Rome, & Cannes.
WEEK 2+3 - 13 day cruise/TransAtlantic REPOSITION!
Barcelona, Cannes, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Ajaccio, Granada SIX DAYS AT SEA, New York!
Whoa. November and December are going to be INTENSE.
A note regarding the banner change, I thought the color scheme was thrown off, though Durer's etching is amazing and Dali's "Lifting the Sea..." is an awesome image, they just didn't fit. Also, I've come to love Joan Miro since I stared at one of his color lithographs through training 8 hrs a day last week. All that being said, I have added Miro's "Sea of Love" and Dali's "The Ship."
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Hotel Courtyard, I essentially lived here for the past ten days. |
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The view from my training facility. Such a tease to sit inside 8 hours a day and look out the window at this. |
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The table during our WE'RE FINALLY DONE TRAINING celebration. |
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Feet, I'm into pictures from the ground lately. |
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Coleman and I at training. Dave says I look like an airline stewardess in this suit top combo, but I like it. |
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Enjoying free beer and wine for 1 hour courtesy of Park West on Wednesday night. |
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WE'RE FINALLY DONE TRAINING, and somebody foamed Mike's (Canada) beer. |
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Dave (Canada) and Johhny (South Africa) |
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Zandi (Johanesburg, South Africa) and Christian (South Dakota). |
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Jessica (Texas) and Kathleen (California). |
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I wish this weren't blurry, Jurgen (Austria) was certainly one of my favorite trainees to meet! We ran together and always chatted about healthy food, Jurgen suggests you put a table spoon of pb in your yogurt in the AM. Just letting ya'll know. |
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Dave, Alexandre (France), Mike, and Jurgen |
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Jessica, Fabrizio (Argentia) and Matt (Austrailia). |
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Dave, Matt, Lindsey (USA), Mike (USA) Fabrizio |
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Paul (Canada) and me. He is my awesome boss for the week/trainer (national sales manager of PW). This guy was hard on people at first, but he was also an amazing trainer. By the end of class we all loved him. I can't wait to see him again someday (I hope). |
You may have noted my country tags, I did this b/c I really enjoy the fact that this industry is international. It's the first time I've worked somewhere with people from so many places, and I really enjoy that. It doesn't feel so scary to be go far away from home when you see how many other people, from much further places and cultures, are doing it as well.
So that has been training so far. The days have been up and down, excited and terrified. But I finally got my ship assignment - STARTING IN SPPPPAAAIIINNN. I get to go home as well! The plan is to fly home Monday sometime, enjoy a week in Chicago, and then fly to Spain Saturday Nov.14th. I'll spend two weeks doing the last leg of a Mediterranean cruise. Barcelona, Malta, Naples, Rome, Florence, Cannes. Then on Nov.29 I'll do a cross Atlantic reposition to NY. For the month of December its weekly cruises from NY to the Bahamas.
I'll be aboard the Norwegian Gem! I'm very happy, Norwegian is exactly the line I wanted. Free style cruising - Whoooo!
For now I'm going to go out to dinner. I'm going to have no money when I get home and I'm not getting paid for awhile, but after a week of hotel room pb+j I figure I should go out to dinner in Miami at least once.
OMFG.
That is Miami so far. Let's run down the past few days. How many days? No idea, I will have to go over them to figure out what day it is.
DAY 1/Weds: Fly to Miami. Arrive @ O'Hare @ 8:15 am - check in bags, thru security, buy coffee, get to gate, study for training. Plane arrives THREE HOURS LATE. Fly to Miami. Arrive in Miami. Find out the "shuttle at the air port to hotel" is not actually a Hotel Indigo shuttle at all. Hotel Indigo has no shuttle! There is, however, a shuttle you can ask to take you to any hotel, so I take that (good think I knew the address by heart). I arrive @ the hotel around 6:30pm and my recruiter is already waiting for me at the desk. SURPRISE! COLEMAN IS WITH HER! Set down my baggage and meet with my recruiter to cover everything I missed in the first day's training. Go to dinner with her and Coleman and some of the other trainees. Arrive back, talk to Coleman and give him a few of my presentations. Head to room to try unpack suits and gowns, study, send some emails, get a couple things together for my morning, sleep...
DAY 2/Thurs: Wake up at 6:45 - shower - go to lobby to drink coffee, eat a little box of Special K and catch 8:20 bus to training. SURPRISE! Dump an entire cup of coffee down my new suit and white top. Run to room, change, hang wet clothes in shower, run back to lobby to catch second and FINAL bus to training. Training consists of some artist knowledge quizzing, presentations, note taking, lunch. If you want to know more apply for this job, get it, and come train :) My presentations go very well. Get back to hotel room at 6pm, change into street clothes, check email, wash coffee ridden suit in sink:
Thanks tide to go! Talk to Paul while I wash. 7:30-10:30pm meeting. Walk to grocery store with another trainee and buy a 12 pack of coke zero. Get back and study until 3:30 am. Sleep...
DAY 3/Fri: Wake up at 7 - shower - go to lobby to drink coffee, eat some yogurt and fruit and catch 8:20 bus to training. Training = more of what I've explained. Everything goes fairly well. Meet more members of the company including THE OWNER! Unexpected. Come home, talk to Paul a long time - freak out with stress - very stressed and going a little crazy. Nervous about being a salesman, worried about the other trainees not liking me... worry worry! Get off phone, go to 7:30-10:30pm meeting. Chat finances with Coleman until about 12. Study until 1:30 am. Sleep...
DAY 4/Sat: It's halloween? My costume is this:
I am frowning because it's not much of a costume since we wear business attire, but it is a black suit and orange scarf, so I went as festive as I could! Wake up at 6:30 - shower - go to lobby to drink coffee, eat some yogurt and fruit and catch 8:20 bus to training. Training = more of what I've explained. Kind of sad about today, I was skipped in presentations and I didn't stand up for myself. It was especially aggravating because we rank one another and with time run out I simply didn't get to speak. So I don't know if anyone had any reason to rank me well, they just had to base it on presentations from a day or two past. I'm going to talk to my trainers tomorrow and ask for a morning presentation, show them that I am motivated, aggressive, and able to speak about the artist. Mentally today was much different than yesterday. Way more comfortable with the idea of being an art dealer, though I still feel like a jerk that this is the OPPOSITE of non-for-profit, I know that can still be my goal in the end. I'm dealing art, not knives, and that's a respectable thing to collect, and we can help people start. Finally getting excited, which means I'm extra sad about not getting in that presentation. ANYWAY. Training over, get back to hotel and change into street clothes. Meeting 6:15-7:40. Come outside and watch the other person in my meetings (meetings I refer to are learning a computer system) do his meetings and hassle him the whole time (because he hassled me - don't worry, friendly hassling). Run to room and grab computer to type this while he finishes. He just finished. Now... breathing?
Oh! One of the senior auctioneers wants to go to a grocery store. Maybe I will go along and buy food to have a night meal. That'd be good. I think I will do this. Bread... or maybe some lettuce. Have to put away computer because he's leaving in 5minutes.
MORE SOME DAY WHEN I HAVE TIME!
10:09 PM UPDATE! Talked to my trainer before I went to grocery, will present tomorrow first thing before class starts. Also! Got groceries. GUAVA PRESERVES? I must be in Miami.
I know you'd all like to see real pics with my camera, I simply haven't had time to take any nor the time to upload. I promise there will be more in the future. For now I have to make a quick sandwich, and run outside to find some study partners! We get to go in late tomorrow b/c it's Sunday and we also get an extra hour tonight of daylight savings time, I can't wait to sleep!
That is Miami so far. Let's run down the past few days. How many days? No idea, I will have to go over them to figure out what day it is.
DAY 1/Weds: Fly to Miami. Arrive @ O'Hare @ 8:15 am - check in bags, thru security, buy coffee, get to gate, study for training. Plane arrives THREE HOURS LATE. Fly to Miami. Arrive in Miami. Find out the "shuttle at the air port to hotel" is not actually a Hotel Indigo shuttle at all. Hotel Indigo has no shuttle! There is, however, a shuttle you can ask to take you to any hotel, so I take that (good think I knew the address by heart). I arrive @ the hotel around 6:30pm and my recruiter is already waiting for me at the desk. SURPRISE! COLEMAN IS WITH HER! Set down my baggage and meet with my recruiter to cover everything I missed in the first day's training. Go to dinner with her and Coleman and some of the other trainees. Arrive back, talk to Coleman and give him a few of my presentations. Head to room to try unpack suits and gowns, study, send some emails, get a couple things together for my morning, sleep...
DAY 2/Thurs: Wake up at 6:45 - shower - go to lobby to drink coffee, eat a little box of Special K and catch 8:20 bus to training. SURPRISE! Dump an entire cup of coffee down my new suit and white top. Run to room, change, hang wet clothes in shower, run back to lobby to catch second and FINAL bus to training. Training consists of some artist knowledge quizzing, presentations, note taking, lunch. If you want to know more apply for this job, get it, and come train :) My presentations go very well. Get back to hotel room at 6pm, change into street clothes, check email, wash coffee ridden suit in sink:
Thanks tide to go! Talk to Paul while I wash. 7:30-10:30pm meeting. Walk to grocery store with another trainee and buy a 12 pack of coke zero. Get back and study until 3:30 am. Sleep...
DAY 3/Fri: Wake up at 7 - shower - go to lobby to drink coffee, eat some yogurt and fruit and catch 8:20 bus to training. Training = more of what I've explained. Everything goes fairly well. Meet more members of the company including THE OWNER! Unexpected. Come home, talk to Paul a long time - freak out with stress - very stressed and going a little crazy. Nervous about being a salesman, worried about the other trainees not liking me... worry worry! Get off phone, go to 7:30-10:30pm meeting. Chat finances with Coleman until about 12. Study until 1:30 am. Sleep...
DAY 4/Sat: It's halloween? My costume is this:
I am frowning because it's not much of a costume since we wear business attire, but it is a black suit and orange scarf, so I went as festive as I could! Wake up at 6:30 - shower - go to lobby to drink coffee, eat some yogurt and fruit and catch 8:20 bus to training. Training = more of what I've explained. Kind of sad about today, I was skipped in presentations and I didn't stand up for myself. It was especially aggravating because we rank one another and with time run out I simply didn't get to speak. So I don't know if anyone had any reason to rank me well, they just had to base it on presentations from a day or two past. I'm going to talk to my trainers tomorrow and ask for a morning presentation, show them that I am motivated, aggressive, and able to speak about the artist. Mentally today was much different than yesterday. Way more comfortable with the idea of being an art dealer, though I still feel like a jerk that this is the OPPOSITE of non-for-profit, I know that can still be my goal in the end. I'm dealing art, not knives, and that's a respectable thing to collect, and we can help people start. Finally getting excited, which means I'm extra sad about not getting in that presentation. ANYWAY. Training over, get back to hotel and change into street clothes. Meeting 6:15-7:40. Come outside and watch the other person in my meetings (meetings I refer to are learning a computer system) do his meetings and hassle him the whole time (because he hassled me - don't worry, friendly hassling). Run to room and grab computer to type this while he finishes. He just finished. Now... breathing?
Oh! One of the senior auctioneers wants to go to a grocery store. Maybe I will go along and buy food to have a night meal. That'd be good. I think I will do this. Bread... or maybe some lettuce. Have to put away computer because he's leaving in 5minutes.
MORE SOME DAY WHEN I HAVE TIME!
10:09 PM UPDATE! Talked to my trainer before I went to grocery, will present tomorrow first thing before class starts. Also! Got groceries. GUAVA PRESERVES? I must be in Miami.
I know you'd all like to see real pics with my camera, I simply haven't had time to take any nor the time to upload. I promise there will be more in the future. For now I have to make a quick sandwich, and run outside to find some study partners! We get to go in late tomorrow b/c it's Sunday and we also get an extra hour tonight of daylight savings time, I can't wait to sleep!
- Music:hotel jazz
I leave in a week. Been reading training manuals like crazy and talking to myself about artists in my speech voice. I had my first phone presentations yesterday, which yielded some constructive criticism. I have a week to learn my artists before I head to Miami and try to impress the pants off the trainers. If I can do that, I have more likelihood of getting placed on a "good boat" where I can sell the most art and potentially the higher priced artists. We'll see. As for locale, I'll probably be in the Caribbean. Most of these boats (correction: SHIPS) stay around the Caribbean all winter as that its warm and many other destinations get too cool for a cruise.
I had a great going away party last weekend. My friends and a few friends' parents chipped in to buy me a D-SLR (Canon Rebel XS). I really am a lucky girl. That Becky organized that, and that that many of my friends were willing to put in money just to see me go to sea with a camera is... well... amazing. I was very moved, especially since so many of my friends are still in college or grad school, or live in different areas/states so I barely see them, or are just starting jobs and lives of their own and not made of money - it's crazy that they all found a way to chip in just to make one of my dreams come true: to live at sea and photograph.
Ya know, when I'm not busy selling photographs.
That being said, here is a photo of my friends who could make it to the party acting silly - I can't wait to see each and every one of you again.
NOTE ON THE CHANGE: The new banner features Park West artists - from left to right Marc Chagall's "So I came forth of the Sea...", Britto Romero's "Mona Cat," Albrecht Dürer's "The Sea Monster," Salvador Dali's "Dali at the Age of Six, when he Thought he was a Girl, Lifting the Skin of the Water to see a Dog Sleeping in the Shade of the Sea," and Picasso's "Maya with Boat." I would have had all sea/boat images, but when I found Romero's Mona Cat I knew a cat needed to be included. I may be an international art auctioneer, but what would a trendy website be without a cat?!
I had a great going away party last weekend. My friends and a few friends' parents chipped in to buy me a D-SLR (Canon Rebel XS). I really am a lucky girl. That Becky organized that, and that that many of my friends were willing to put in money just to see me go to sea with a camera is... well... amazing. I was very moved, especially since so many of my friends are still in college or grad school, or live in different areas/states so I barely see them, or are just starting jobs and lives of their own and not made of money - it's crazy that they all found a way to chip in just to make one of my dreams come true: to live at sea and photograph.
Ya know, when I'm not busy selling photographs.
That being said, here is a photo of my friends who could make it to the party acting silly - I can't wait to see each and every one of you again.
NOTE ON THE CHANGE: The new banner features Park West artists - from left to right Marc Chagall's "So I came forth of the Sea...", Britto Romero's "Mona Cat," Albrecht Dürer's "The Sea Monster," Salvador Dali's "Dali at the Age of Six, when he Thought he was a Girl, Lifting the Skin of the Water to see a Dog Sleeping in the Shade of the Sea," and Picasso's "Maya with Boat." I would have had all sea/boat images, but when I found Romero's Mona Cat I knew a cat needed to be included. I may be an international art auctioneer, but what would a trendy website be without a cat?!
- Mood:
busy
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H+M tights, boots from Pitaya - not sure of the brand, vintage tee, Old Navy sweater and cut-offs
Oh neat! An outfit post. I love these blue suede boots. They were super cheap from this shop in champaign, Pitaya, and I've wore the hell out of them. I'd love to invest in a nicer pair, but it's hard to justify buying anything since I'm moving to sea in a month. My dress code there is terrifying: Conservative business suits, Formal shoes (Black / maximum 2” heel / toes covered), Business style blouse, Black / dark socks, Tights / stockings (Black & flesh tone), Smart knee length skirt, 2 floor length formal dresses. 2 IS THE MAXIMUM INCH HEIGHT ON HEELS? And I can only wear black or nude tights?! AND MY FORMAL DRESSES HAVE TO BE FLOOR LENGTH?. I was really hoping to wear my beautiful red dress from last November, but it's knee length! Whatever, I'm bringing it and it's amazing so I'm finding a way to get away with wearing it.
For now, I gotta enjoy colorful tights and shorts and crazy pumps while I can.
It's been awhile since I had an outfit post. I enjoy doing it, but just got too busy - sorry fashion readers (if you exist).
In bigger news... I'm leaving the country for awhile. But not for about 1.5 months. Here's the story: I've been hired with Park West At Sea - they auction art on cruise lines. On October 28th I'll be headed to Miami to train for 10 days, after which I am flown to a port (which I won't know until I train) to be on a cruise ship for 4-6 months at sea.
So! If you're in IL and you want to hang before I leave, lets get it done. This is my upcoming schedule:
Sept. 19: Attending![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
djsquirrel's goodbye party in Chicago.
Sept. 25-27: FREE!
Oct. 2-4: Attending a roommate reunion in Chicago.
Oct. 9-11: Visiting CHAMPAIGN, IL. I'll be open Friday night for whatever! Saturday I'm visiting my friend Justin, we're going to tailgate and he's attending the 11am football game, I want to go to the game as well - but I still need to secure tickets. Saturday evening is similarly up in the air and open for plans and socializing. Sunday I have to head home. At some point in this weekend, I MUST GO TO DOS REALES. Anything else is yet to be determined.
Oct. 16-18: I am having a pizza-party (that's right, a pizza-party) at THE BLARNEY STONE PUB in Oak Forest on Oct. 16th @ 7pm. If you'd like to come to this goodbye/birthday gathering, please comment, email me or search it and RSVP on Facebook. I have my cousin's wedding and luncheon on the afternoon on the 17th, but nothing that night or the next day.
Oct. 23-25: FREE! Last weekend in town, so lots of packing/planning, but I'd still love to see people if we haven't had a chance to say bye yet.
Oct. 28th: Fly to Miami! Train for 10days. Be assigned a port, fly to it, and board ship for life at sea for 4-6 months. See you all next spring!
Other than that, my schedule is free. If you are in CU and want to visit that weekend I'm there, please let me know. If you're in Chicagoland, lets meet up on a weekend or weekday sometime soon!
And if you're wondering more about what my adventures at sea might be like, you should read my friend Coleman's Blog! He hasn't posted in awhile, but plenty of his older entries are great descriptions of what living on the boat and working for Park West is like.
In bigger news... I'm leaving the country for awhile. But not for about 1.5 months. Here's the story: I've been hired with Park West At Sea - they auction art on cruise lines. On October 28th I'll be headed to Miami to train for 10 days, after which I am flown to a port (which I won't know until I train) to be on a cruise ship for 4-6 months at sea.
So! If you're in IL and you want to hang before I leave, lets get it done. This is my upcoming schedule:
Sept. 19: Attending
djsquirrel's goodbye party in Chicago. Sept. 25-27: FREE!
Oct. 2-4: Attending a roommate reunion in Chicago.
Oct. 9-11: Visiting CHAMPAIGN, IL. I'll be open Friday night for whatever! Saturday I'm visiting my friend Justin, we're going to tailgate and he's attending the 11am football game, I want to go to the game as well - but I still need to secure tickets. Saturday evening is similarly up in the air and open for plans and socializing. Sunday I have to head home. At some point in this weekend, I MUST GO TO DOS REALES. Anything else is yet to be determined.
Oct. 16-18: I am having a pizza-party (that's right, a pizza-party) at THE BLARNEY STONE PUB in Oak Forest on Oct. 16th @ 7pm. If you'd like to come to this goodbye/birthday gathering, please comment, email me or search it and RSVP on Facebook. I have my cousin's wedding and luncheon on the afternoon on the 17th, but nothing that night or the next day.
Oct. 23-25: FREE! Last weekend in town, so lots of packing/planning, but I'd still love to see people if we haven't had a chance to say bye yet.
Oct. 28th: Fly to Miami! Train for 10days. Be assigned a port, fly to it, and board ship for life at sea for 4-6 months. See you all next spring!
Other than that, my schedule is free. If you are in CU and want to visit that weekend I'm there, please let me know. If you're in Chicagoland, lets meet up on a weekend or weekday sometime soon!
And if you're wondering more about what my adventures at sea might be like, you should read my friend Coleman's Blog! He hasn't posted in awhile, but plenty of his older entries are great descriptions of what living on the boat and working for Park West is like.
- Mood: busy
My "designer shoe I want but cannot yet afford" list is long. But when I have the scrilla to throw down on a real pair of designer shoes, I'll probably want my first pair to be Mui Mui's. I've just seen a lot of awesome pumps from her.
That being said, you can imagine my excitement when I found a pair today on the Nordstrom RACK. Not only were they cute, but they were exactly what I have been hunting for, a pair of nice closed toe wedges; also, they were ankle booties, another niche I need to fill in my shoe life.
They were not as much as this price tag at $375.
Or even the rack tag of $229.
They were, after discount, about $150.
Even though that's a great price for Miu Mius, I had to walk. I'm unemployed and have only had a few interviews and am still hoping to find income for just my bills this month, let alone shoes. But I know, somewhere out there, there is a pair of designer shoes in my size sitting on some rack, waiting for the day when I can buy them.
Not to mention all the ones waiting for when I'm rich and famous and can buy them full price (har-dee-har-har).
I went on a promo interview today - so I may be around Chicago in booty shorts and tank tops handing out energy drinks soon. WATCH OUT!
That being said, you can imagine my excitement when I found a pair today on the Nordstrom RACK. Not only were they cute, but they were exactly what I have been hunting for, a pair of nice closed toe wedges; also, they were ankle booties, another niche I need to fill in my shoe life.
They were not as much as this price tag at $375.
Or even the rack tag of $229.
They were, after discount, about $150.
Even though that's a great price for Miu Mius, I had to walk. I'm unemployed and have only had a few interviews and am still hoping to find income for just my bills this month, let alone shoes. But I know, somewhere out there, there is a pair of designer shoes in my size sitting on some rack, waiting for the day when I can buy them.
Not to mention all the ones waiting for when I'm rich and famous and can buy them full price (har-dee-har-har).
I went on a promo interview today - so I may be around Chicago in booty shorts and tank tops handing out energy drinks soon. WATCH OUT!
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american apparel sweetheart printed mini, diy stirrup tights, some cheap pumps i got years ago, gifted black pearl earrings, borrowed (still! - sorry nicole) pearls, bangles from youth
As in every post, apologies for clutter. I'm trying to learn to use my dad's space, but as you can see, even our bathroom is a mess (it's under construction, hence the lack of floor and appropriate shower curtain). Oh well - work with what ya got I suppose.
I got this sweetheart mini off shoptoast.; was concerned it'd be small and well - it is. My choices were xs/s or m/l, so I took my chances on the shoptoast xs/s cause I wanted other things there and saved on shipping. It's tiny - I can't tell if I can pull it off, but I wore it anyway to MASON JAR NIGHT @ LASSEN'S. See those giant jars of beer? That's 32 oz baby - for $2.50. Can't beat that. Also, they have a jukebox, so tight dress or not - I drank and sang. The last picture is of me and friends Brian and Sarah - they are having a baby in February! It was nice to have them out for the evening, especially considering Sarah had to sit and sip aqua while we had giant beers.
Remember when I said my Aldo wishlist had gotten a little out of control? Uhm - here's a collage of it.
Aldo if you're looking for walking advertisement in Chicagoland - I'm your girl. I clearly have an obsession with your products.
from left to right, top to bottom: SWEGER black clutch, MICKOLICK platform pump, BABINSKI boot, ARZACHENA red clutch, DAYEM multi-color earring, DOONAN bag, MELLAND platform pump, GOTTRON boot, CERVINARA purple earring, KRUPINSKI metallic-multi earring, BOLAY platform pump, SEACE ankle boot, HORTENSE heel.
Aldo if you're looking for walking advertisement in Chicagoland - I'm your girl. I clearly have an obsession with your products.
from left to right, top to bottom: SWEGER black clutch, MICKOLICK platform pump, BABINSKI boot, ARZACHENA red clutch, DAYEM multi-color earring, DOONAN bag, MELLAND platform pump, GOTTRON boot, CERVINARA purple earring, KRUPINSKI metallic-multi earring, BOLAY platform pump, SEACE ankle boot, HORTENSE heel.
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threadless 3 keyboard cat moon tee - dollhouse wedges - vintage plaid dress - both fake pearl sets from friends - boo cat is from the local shelter, and it should be noted that he was not interested in eating an apple
I know everyone and their mom loved that damn Christopher Kane Gorilla dress, but I have a few suggestions for you Mr.Kane
1) Hilarious cat shirts trump gorillas.
2) Plaids are always a win.
3) Turn the runway into a home that has not been remodeled since the 70's and pose your models in that, it adds a whole new layer to the pleats and pearls thing.
- Mood:
goofy
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black tights - aldo parrin heels - gap hoodie - f21 tank - earrings bought from a friend - necklace made by a friend - Malian bracelet - plastic bangles from youth
Paul insisted I stand like the captain in that last one. Also: please ignore the fact that I live in a 12 year old's room, it's hard to escape when you move back home for awhile.
- Mood: busy
The fashion world is all a flutter with these Pretty Polly leggings, and yes, I agree they're adorable. Already seen on fashionista Alexa Chung - they're making headway fast. Also, they're affordable! But what I wanna know is... how do I get a pair of SHOES like that? I really like the closed toe mary-jane-esque-wedge - but I can't afford designer shoes and am always hunting for $100 or cheaper knock-offs. Suggestions?
Also, Pink Studio has released a more fall-friendly wedge, and again - as with the "London" - I am in love. The starting price is $100, and just as I did with the London - I'm going to wait these out and hope to get them on sale.
I'm already picturing these with opaque tights galore.
Finally, I have my own shoe purchase news - and fail revelation. After months of drooling, I noticed that Aldo was no longer carrying the Parrin on their website. I first saw them on Rumi Neely @ www.fashiontoast.com and had long planned on someday buying. When I saw the Aldo site no longer had them, I ran to Amazon and scooped a pair before they were gone forever, and as I hoped - they're gorgeous. As warned, they are not the quality I would like. I've already noticed - after 2 wears - that the stitching is loose in one place and the quality of the leather isn't the best. But the silhouette is unlike any other I've seen and I simply had to have them on that basis. Though I know they'll be great with skirts, I've so far only worm them with skinny jeans, which has also been fabulous.
So my fail revelation? Models wear sky high shoes in shoots for a reason - they're shoots, they DON'T have to walk you to the bar. I wear heels a lot, and generally I don't find them to be unreasonable. I like heels, I deal with the pain, the potential tripping and falling, the blisters - I mean what's the point of owning fun shoes if you never wear them out? This is always been my motto - but the Parrin's got me. They are higher than any non-wedge I've owned, and with the high ankle zipper closure - they are PAINFUL. After walking to and from a bar I've simply accepted that these shoes are ONE LOCATION shoes. I can wear them when I will be driving or driven somewhere, standing around, and eventually walking to the car and driving/driven home. I cannot wear them to a friends, walk to the pub, and walk back from the pub EVER AGAIN in these shoes. Luckily - I can wear them to parties! Wore them to a party where little travel was done Friday night and everything was great. The pub situation is NOT to be repeated, though.
SIDENOTE: I ordered these Wednesday at 6:02 pm and the arrived Friday around 7 from UPS - BEST SHIPPING EVER. Thanks Amazon/Aldo!
That's all my news in shoes for today.
Also, Pink Studio has released a more fall-friendly wedge, and again - as with the "London" - I am in love. The starting price is $100, and just as I did with the London - I'm going to wait these out and hope to get them on sale.
I'm already picturing these with opaque tights galore.
Finally, I have my own shoe purchase news - and fail revelation. After months of drooling, I noticed that Aldo was no longer carrying the Parrin on their website. I first saw them on Rumi Neely @ www.fashiontoast.com and had long planned on someday buying. When I saw the Aldo site no longer had them, I ran to Amazon and scooped a pair before they were gone forever, and as I hoped - they're gorgeous. As warned, they are not the quality I would like. I've already noticed - after 2 wears - that the stitching is loose in one place and the quality of the leather isn't the best. But the silhouette is unlike any other I've seen and I simply had to have them on that basis. Though I know they'll be great with skirts, I've so far only worm them with skinny jeans, which has also been fabulous.
So my fail revelation? Models wear sky high shoes in shoots for a reason - they're shoots, they DON'T have to walk you to the bar. I wear heels a lot, and generally I don't find them to be unreasonable. I like heels, I deal with the pain, the potential tripping and falling, the blisters - I mean what's the point of owning fun shoes if you never wear them out? This is always been my motto - but the Parrin's got me. They are higher than any non-wedge I've owned, and with the high ankle zipper closure - they are PAINFUL. After walking to and from a bar I've simply accepted that these shoes are ONE LOCATION shoes. I can wear them when I will be driving or driven somewhere, standing around, and eventually walking to the car and driving/driven home. I cannot wear them to a friends, walk to the pub, and walk back from the pub EVER AGAIN in these shoes. Luckily - I can wear them to parties! Wore them to a party where little travel was done Friday night and everything was great. The pub situation is NOT to be repeated, though.
SIDENOTE: I ordered these Wednesday at 6:02 pm and the arrived Friday around 7 from UPS - BEST SHIPPING EVER. Thanks Amazon/Aldo!
That's all my news in shoes for today.
- Mood:
gloomy
I recently read this post from Carlye Wisel at her blog awkcity.com/
“ Hipsters are the friends who sneer when you cop to liking Coldplay. They’re the people who wear T-shirts silk-screened with quotes from movies you’ve never heard of and the only ones in America who still think Pabst Blue Ribbon is a good beer.
—
I’ve long denied that I’m a hipster because Phish is my favorite band and that completely negates me being able to fit the stereotype, but considering I held a PBR at that insound sale while making fun of Rachel for liking Chris Martin means…aw, fuck.
While I don't deny Carlye's sentiment (yes, we are hipsters) I have to finally speak out against this thread of thinking that hipsters think pbr is "good." WE DON'T.
ANY HIPSTER WHO LIKES BEER KNOWS PBR IS NOT "GOOD BEER."
This was my response to Carlye's post - it's less to Carlye, and more directed at THE WORLD.
I'M SO TIRED OF THAT STEREOTYPE. And as a cultural anthropologist, I know there are far more detrimental stereotypes in this world. Honestly though, I am - in many people's eyes - a hipster. I'm sure some hipper hipsters would say I'm not quite there, but I ride fixie, I worship Pitchfork, I own a pair of neon wayfarers - and yes, I drink PBR.
But I don't think it is A GOOD BEER, and I have yet to meet a hipster who drinks beer in any normal capacity that thinks it's a "good" beer.
HIPSTER is a term generally applied to a YOUTH ORIENTED sub-culture. Guess what world, YOUTHS = POOR. So, yes, we drink PBR. It's a cheap beer, and that particular cheap beer has attached to the hipster crowd. Hipsters, though, often branch out to include foodies. I know so many hipsters who eat vegan or veggie, enjoy tapas, or adore sushi - people who really get to know their food and drink. And guess what folks, if you go out for a nice sushi plate at 7 pm, the drink you order along side it is likely NOT a PBR.
PBR is what you get at the pub/club/bar when you already paid $5 cover, spend $100+ on your messanger bag, and plan on buying the $15 vinyl.
PBR is what you put in the keg so you can sell a cup for $5, let people fill it up as much as they what, and not end the night with a destroyed house AND a loss on the alcohol money.
PBR is what you drink when you're young, poor, and want something that you know is drinkable but doesn't cost $8-$10/pint. Miller high life is another beer I commonly see at Hipster parties. In Champaign, IL - Keystone Light was a beer I commonly saw at "dude" parties. Many of these dudes enjoyed a dark stout or a fine ale when stocking their fridge - but if you're going to party, it needs to be affordable.
That is my rant - world (and Carlye). HIPSTERS DON'T NECESSARILY THINK PBR IS "GOOD," it's just... good enough for the price.
“ Hipsters are the friends who sneer when you cop to liking Coldplay. They’re the people who wear T-shirts silk-screened with quotes from movies you’ve never heard of and the only ones in America who still think Pabst Blue Ribbon is a good beer.
—
I’ve long denied that I’m a hipster because Phish is my favorite band and that completely negates me being able to fit the stereotype, but considering I held a PBR at that insound sale while making fun of Rachel for liking Chris Martin means…aw, fuck.
While I don't deny Carlye's sentiment (yes, we are hipsters) I have to finally speak out against this thread of thinking that hipsters think pbr is "good." WE DON'T.
ANY HIPSTER WHO LIKES BEER KNOWS PBR IS NOT "GOOD BEER."
This was my response to Carlye's post - it's less to Carlye, and more directed at THE WORLD.
I'M SO TIRED OF THAT STEREOTYPE. And as a cultural anthropologist, I know there are far more detrimental stereotypes in this world. Honestly though, I am - in many people's eyes - a hipster. I'm sure some hipper hipsters would say I'm not quite there, but I ride fixie, I worship Pitchfork, I own a pair of neon wayfarers - and yes, I drink PBR.
But I don't think it is A GOOD BEER, and I have yet to meet a hipster who drinks beer in any normal capacity that thinks it's a "good" beer.
HIPSTER is a term generally applied to a YOUTH ORIENTED sub-culture. Guess what world, YOUTHS = POOR. So, yes, we drink PBR. It's a cheap beer, and that particular cheap beer has attached to the hipster crowd. Hipsters, though, often branch out to include foodies. I know so many hipsters who eat vegan or veggie, enjoy tapas, or adore sushi - people who really get to know their food and drink. And guess what folks, if you go out for a nice sushi plate at 7 pm, the drink you order along side it is likely NOT a PBR.
PBR is what you get at the pub/club/bar when you already paid $5 cover, spend $100+ on your messanger bag, and plan on buying the $15 vinyl.
PBR is what you put in the keg so you can sell a cup for $5, let people fill it up as much as they what, and not end the night with a destroyed house AND a loss on the alcohol money.
PBR is what you drink when you're young, poor, and want something that you know is drinkable but doesn't cost $8-$10/pint. Miller high life is another beer I commonly see at Hipster parties. In Champaign, IL - Keystone Light was a beer I commonly saw at "dude" parties. Many of these dudes enjoyed a dark stout or a fine ale when stocking their fridge - but if you're going to party, it needs to be affordable.
That is my rant - world (and Carlye). HIPSTERS DON'T NECESSARILY THINK PBR IS "GOOD," it's just... good enough for the price.
- Location:dad's
- Mood:
enraged - Music:some band you've never heard of
Next week sometime. Swapping also an option (I now wear XS/S and 0-4 depending on the store/style of clothing). Anybody interested?
I tried to do a dyi "what I'm wearing shoot" a few weeks ago. Failed horribly, but here are two photos that feature my Dollhouse (sort of wanna be Marc Jacob's knock-offs) wedges.
diy cut wife beater, old navy cut-offs, Ada by Dollhouse wedges, gifted belt, Radiohead pendant by Julie's Gas Money (on Etsy) on leather cord.
diy cut wife beater, old navy cut-offs, Ada by Dollhouse wedges, gifted belt, Radiohead pendant by Julie's Gas Money (on Etsy) on leather cord.
I ate so many delicious things last week I had to post them to flickr.
Seen here is my roasted red pepper avocado crisp from Cowboy Monkey in downtown Champaign. Included in my most recent flickr upload is
-my martini
-my beer
-a hamburger
-paul's salmon salad
-eric's beer
-chips and salsa
-a dinner party (!)
-another crisp
and more!
xoxofoodlove -t
Seen here is my roasted red pepper avocado crisp from Cowboy Monkey in downtown Champaign. Included in my most recent flickr upload is
-my martini
-my beer
-a hamburger
-paul's salmon salad
-eric's beer
-chips and salsa
-a dinner party (!)
-another crisp
and more!
xoxofoodlove -t
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