Decompressing

Shannon and I just returned from five (mostly) wonderful days aboard the magnificent Norwegian Jewel. Once I finish transitioning back into the "real world" I may post some photos and such, or I may not (I try to keep the narcissism factor of this blog reasonably low). Actually, perhaps I'll write a book on the experience of cruising someday. I'll call it The Good the Bad and the Ugly: Human Nature at Sea (or an attempt to return to Eden).

A cruise ship is a fascinating microcosm of economics, sociology and multi-culturalism rolled into one, and the hundreds of crew-members -- mostly from the Philippines, Indonesia and the former Soviet bloc -- are the real hardest-working people in show business. They have my complete admiration and are the people I'll remember most fondly. Their stories should be told.

At sea, you lose track of time and news back home seems oddly distant. We did see brief snatches of news on the horrible, yet all too familiar shooting spree in Nebraska. We happened to be in Grand Cayman that day, where the cops don't carry guns and simply being caught with a firearm results in a stiff prison sentence. Not surprisingly, gun-crime is non-existent and crime of all sorts is very low. Too repressive? The Caymanians don't think so.

SO. It's again "front" and "back" instead of "forward" and "aft", and Armando won't be stopping by to make the bed tomorrow. Oh well. Cruising is grand, but it's good to be home!


BTW I just added two blogs to the "friends and favorites" list: The Official Blog of Proverb Newsome from our friend and neighbor Proverb and musings from the rose tree from our friend Jessica D. Check 'em out!