Say it ain't so, Majesty!

September 24, 2012 is here and today marks the end of Chapter 1 of my Walkabout. I've been onboard the Majesty of the Seas since March 5th and have had a variety of experiences. I remarked to Ian today while saying goodbye that there has really only been one episode onboard so far that I would classify as a negative experience. On the whole, my first exposure to the life of a cruise ship musician has been overwhelmingly positive. I credit that to the lifestyle, but, more importantly to the people whom I met and interacted with while living onboard for the past 6 months. 

Usually, I'd be prone to blather on here meandering between vague point and obscure anecdote. I'll spare you that for today and give you the opportunity to experience a small slice of the last half-year of my life by watching the following video. Since I'm notoriously bad at saying goodbye (never mind saying cruise ship goodbyes, which are a totally different kind of farewell), this video will have to suffice.

If you follow the link below (or highlight/paste into your favorite browser) the video should start immediately. Faster internet connections will be better since the video is 17 minutes long, so, if anyone from onboard is following the link - it's probably best to view while off the ship and not on a mobile device (put down your iPhone, Stephanie Johnson). 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/60443309/SIAS%2C%20Majesty.m4v

I'm currently sitting in the Miami airport waiting to fly to Indy where I'm going to be visiting with friends and family. I'll also be traveling to Michigan and Chicago. Looking forward to hanging out with all my friends and family and especially to get some quality time with my main man, Ted Oberlander. After 3 weeks jam packed with vacation, I'll fly to Malaga, Spain to start Walkabout: Chapter 2 onboard the Adventure of the Seas.

I'm on my way, Teddy! Can't wait to see you and make some more memories!!

Ted and I checking out the splendor of Lake Michigan.

Me and my rainbow loving buddy at a Harvest Festival in Indiana.

Might be the fastest 7 year old in the tri-state area.

Not just a music snob, anymore

I was watching Friday night baseball recently in the cabin with Ian. When the game went to commercial I lamented not having DVR on the ship (#firstworldproblem) and flipped to ESPN2 and found a boxing match in progress. Now, I'm not a boxing fan in general. In fact, I'm not really a fan of any sport that you can't 'play." You can play golf, tennis, hockey, and even play football. You can't play boxing, play wrestling, or play MMA. It's just me.

In any case, I noticed something strange immediately with the boxing match. For one, it was not current. It was an "ESPN Classic" match of Ali vs. Frazier from 1975. However, that wasn't the characteristic about the broadcast that had me scratching a temple. I noticed that there was a significant lack of advertisements on the screen. No tattoos on the boxers. No air brushed messages suggesting purchase of Monster energy drink on the fighter's backs. No decals on the boxer's stickers hawking Tapout clothing wear. Not a single advertisement whatsoever save for the "Everlast" label on the ring posts. Everlast is a company that makes boxing rings and other equipment. Ian and I laughed about this and he remarked that he had watched a classic hockey game from the 80's before getting onboard and remembered it being bizarre that the ice was so white. The only marking on the ice (save the blue lines) was the logo of the home team.

Ah, my snobbery has reached a completely new level. Maybe it's a sign of getting older. I now yearn for the days where sports figures are not plastered with advertisements and sponsors at every possible place. From the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl to Fly Emerates stuck on soccer jerseys to the Ro Tel Halftime Show to the QB with the Nike Swoosh embedded into his eye black. I'm just saying that we've all become accustomed to these invasions of the game and to our collective sports spectating environment.

I soon tired of the boxing and flipped back to the present day baseball game where I immediately was greeted with the sight of six (!!!) ads in one camera angle from behind the pitchers mound. These were all physical signs in the stadium itself. I'm not even counting the promotions on the graphics used to display the score of the game. Probably not good for me to get started on that.

Say it ain't so, Rachel!

We say goodbye to yet another good friend from the Majesty today, Rachel Lefberg. Rachel was our production manager onboard for the past few weeks doing a vacation fill. She is heading directly back to the Adventure of the Seas where she works in Studio B (the ice rink). So, I guess I'll see her again in about a month. Good times! Safe travels, Rachel. See you soon!

Rachel with Ian and I in the crew bar.

I have a (blog) microphone…

…so you have to listen to everything I have to say!

Actually, that's not true. You could just not read this. But, I hope you do. It's been nice getting comments and conversations from people who have been reading the blog since it started. Plus, this is about sharing what's been going on with me while I've been at sea, so, here you go.

I've been watching a lot of movies and tv shows onboard for the past 6 months. There are lots of lively discussions about favorite movies, genres, actors, directors, and the rest. So much so in the past few weeks, I was prompted to post my top movies on the blog. Hopefully, this will prompt some more lively exchanges of dialogue. Please keep in mind that these are my favorite movies currently. I'm not making a qualitative judgement about these films. I'm just saying I enjoy them and I hope you enjoy reading about them.

10) Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid

"Boy, I've got vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals."

I love a good buddy movie (who doesn't?) and this is a great one. Great acting and a plot that has the advantage of being a heist movie, western, and love story all wrapped up in one.

9) The American President

"We had a nice couple of minutes together. She threatened me, I patronized her. Didn't have anything to eat, but, I thought there was a connection."

Aaron Sorkin is my favorite screenwriter. His ear for dialogue, comedy, drama, and ability to create situations where smart people disagree with each other is exceptional. Also, this movie stars Annette Benning, my celebrity crush, so there's that. This movie is also an understated vehicle for Michael J. Fox.

8) Major League

"I look like a banker in this."

I've always been a Charlie Sheen fan. I especially think he's a very gifted comic actor in addition to all of his other accomplishments. I've stuck by this assertion even with all of his recent transgressions in the public sphere. What can I say? I like the guy and this is a very, very funny movie. Furthermore, this is my favorite sports movie. The baseball sequences are extremely well shot.

7) The Princess Bride

"Tyrone, you know how much I love watching you work, but, I've got my country's 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder, and Guilder to blame for it; I'm swamped. "

In my opinion, this is a timeless movie that is often overlooked when making lists of favorite comedies. Superbly written and directed with memorable characters as well as being endlessly quotable, this movie has it all. Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True Love. Miracles. And, don't worry, it's not a kissing movie.

6) A Few Good Men

"I have no responsibilities here whatsoever."

Another masterpiece from the pen/typewriter/word processor of Aaron Sorkin. This time an adaptation of his stage play by the same name. Tom Cruise (another possible blog post topic…who is the bigger movie star, Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks?), Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Keifer Sutherland, and of course, Jack Nicholson (with one of the greatest monologues in cinema history) round out the star studded cast. A movie that will make you laugh, cry, think, and probably verify the polarity of your moral compass. 

5) Leon

"This...is from...Mathilda."

Eurpoean director Luc Besson (The 5th Element, The Transporter, Taken, etc) is famous for making action movies. This is his masterpiece, in my opinion. Released in the United States with a different title (The Professional) and editing sequence (the US version is about 20 minutes shorter), I highly recommend the European version. Natalie Portman (her first major motion picture) and Jean Reno (an almost exclusively comic actor in France) combine for some extremely powerful screen time sharing a deeply emotional and largely misunderstood relationship that stems from Reno (who plays a hit man) rescuing Portman when her family is killed in a drug hit. Add in Gary Oldman for some top shelf psycho acting and incredibly filmed action sequences that I've come to expect from Besson and you have screen magic. Don't forget Danny Aiello as a clichéd Italian-American mob boss. The end credits even utilize a Sting song. Perfection.

4) Grosse Point Blank

"Some people say forgive and forget. Nah, I don't know. I say forget about forgiving and just accept. And…get the hell out of town."

I could probably make a fairly long list of my favorite John Cusack movies, but, this is the only one that makes this list. This movie combines many of my favorite things: Detroit, John Cusack, comedy, and action. I've been a fan of this movie for so long I own it on VHS. Cusack is incredibly talented both as an actor and as a screenwriter. Further, he tends to put childhood friends of his in his movies (check out the small role played by Jeremy Piven as Cusack's high school buddy prior to well-earned fame in his starring role on "Entourage") which is something I find charming. This may also be one of the most quotable movies on this list.

3) The Town

"No matter how much you change you still have to pay for the things you've done. So I've got a long road. But, I know I'll see you again, this side or the other."

Some movies come into your life at the right time. Characters, music, plot points, and locations that you can relate to. That's what happened with The Town for me. The story of Doug MacRay figuring out that the old way of life just doesn't work for him anymore and his lonely struggle to leave his lifelong comfort zone behind to make completely different life for himself is compelling on it's own merits. However, for me, I saw it at a similar time in my life and it truly became a part of me. The 3rd movie in my unofficial Ben Affleck Boston Trilogy which is preceded by Good Will Hunting and Gone Baby Gone. I would also recommend the book on which Affleck's film adaptation is based, Prince of Thieves.

2) Big Trouble In Little China

"This is Jack Burton in the Pork Chop Express, and I'm talking to whoever's listenin' out there."

Kurt Russell absolutely makes this movie happen. He wills the movie forward with the character of Jack Burton by sheer macho charisma. In the DVD commentary, director John Carpenter says that after they finished post-production, he and star Russell were positive they had a blockbuster on their hands. As it turns out, it's a cult classic…with the emphasis on classic.

1) Heat

"I am never going back."

I am a huge fan of Michael Mann movies. With films including: Heat, Miami Vice (he was also a creator of the visionary television show), Collateral, Ali, The Insider, and Manhunter (the first screen appearance of Hannibal Lecter), he is probably my favorite director of all time. Heat is his crime masterpiece. The movie is absolutely superb on so many levels:

• Sound editing (i.e., the final shootout at the bank), cinematography (color palates…this is a beautiful film)
• Set design (no sound stages were used…everything set in the movie is an actual location in Los Angeles)
• Dialogue (written by Michael Mann based on interviews with police officers and convicted criminals)
• Characters (Waingro is one of the greatest guys-you-love-to-hate ever)
• Star power (Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino share their first scene together in this movie, Val Kilmer,  Tom Sizemore, AshleyJudd, Jon Voight…the list goes on and on)

I could go on here, but, I'm not sure there is enough room in cyberspace for all the praise I have for this film.

Fletch

"Aw, c'mon guys, it's so simple! Maybe you need a refresher course. HEY! It's all ball bearings now!"

I like this movie so much, it's actually higher than #1. It's my favorite movie of all time. Chevy Chase at his wise cracking, prat falling, above-average-height-having best. This movie spawned many a drinking game, sequel, and quote fest. I live vicariously through characters in film and Fletch is my hero. You have to see it to understand.

I Saw The Sign

One of the great things about working on a cruise ship is the diversity among crew members and passengers. During my contract here on the Majesty we have never had less than 850 crew members onboard at one time. Those crew members never fail to hail from less than 50 different countries. All told, including passengers, at any given time there are roughly 3,500 people onboard coming from 60+ different nationalities. 

Our current captain, during his speech to the guests at the Captain's Cocktail Hour, advocates sending a representative from Royal Caribbean Crew to the United Nations in order to teach the world about working together in harmony. While I think that is commendable and a little funny, I prefer the perspective of one of our headliner entertainers, juggling comic Steve Carte who says, "There are over 50 nationalities in the crew onboard, most with their own language. We all get along because…well…nobody really understands each other."

The official language onboard is English. While it's easy to get your point across in person most times using English, it's very clear that not everyone onboard has an exemplary grasp on the finer details of the language. This extends to the signs that are posted around the ship as you can see below.

Let me make one thing clear before you continue reading. I find these signs humorous. While I'm able to see the comical nature of these signs, I am in no way ignoring the fact that one may read my blog and find plenty of opportunities to point out that I may be a fine example of the pot calling the kettle black here, so to speak. Those who live in glass houses and all that jazz. What can I say? Pobody's nerfect…and I think these signs are funny.

I took this picture in Nassau several months ago. Shrewd advice, to be sure.

I stopped here in Key West and asked if they had any information on snorkeling.

All musicians received this note as a reminder to administrate our 'Kronos' (ship's time card, basically). I get the central theme here, but, it could use some punctuation, no?

So many things to point out here. Basically, be reminded that proofreading is important. Also, I'm a little OCD about formatting (notice the comma) and about whether food "could" be taken out of the crew mess.

The ghost of tenses past. I find it hard to keep this door close at all times. Downright impossible, really.

Ah…the singular plural. Also, I like the details about what 'might' happen after I might get injured.

Safety is your health. Truer words were never spoken more clearly and stuff.

I just…I've got nothing.