and the winner is...

Watched the Miss Universe pageant with Phil, Tac, and Mark tonight...  I swear, watching the pageant with three nationalities represented was quite an experience!  Funny thing was the winner - Miss Venezuela - shocked us ALL!  Phil and I had our hopes set on Miss Mexico and Tac was rooting for Miss Dominican Republic...  

Anyway, it was interesting watching with guys, too... they tend to have a different take on things.  At one point, Mark made a comment and Phil looked at me like he was in trouble!  I just sunk in my chair and covered my ears.  I guess I've been accepted as one of the guys although sometimes they still make me turn red.  

Job hunt starts hot and heavy tomorrow...  going by the agencies to get my name in their minds, going by the docks to hand out resumes, and possibly stopping by Quarterdeck and Red Lobster to get a temporary job until things pick up here in the marinas...  Everyone keeps saying that everything will work out okay, so I have to trust that it will.  I know it will, but I need a timeline...  WHEN will everything be okay?  I'm not eating dirt yet, but I have to find something soon or I WILL be!!!!  EEEEEK!

one hard core day...

Rain started pouring on the way to the beach, so we didn't go. Got stranded at CVS for about half an hour before I'd had enough, so I trekked it home and ended up a drowned rat... soaked to the skin. Haven't warmed up since, but oh well.  Everyone else followed me about 15 minutes later.

May go to Red Lobster tomorrow to look for a temporary job until things pick up around here. My friend's wife manages the restaurant, so... maybe it will sustain me until something more permanent comes along...

I'm looking at going to an open mike night tomorrow evening... there are three options before me... One bar that is close but "hard core" (as Phil would say), and two that are coffee shops and more artsy, but father away... I'd have to drive to the coffee shops versus take the bus to the close but hard core one... I don't know... I don't really like to perform at taverns and bars because my music isn't exactly "crowd pleaser"... it's enjoyable, but it isn't a sing-along-and-jam sort of music. It's more thoughtful and contemplative... In other words, it will put you to sleep unless you've got caffeine to keep you going.  Alcohol + my music = Sleep!!

It's almost time for the open bar at Embassy, but I don't know if people are going to want to go or not. I SWEAR! These people can drink like NOBODY's business!! I haven't had a DESIRE to drink the past few days, and I haven't had nearly as much as they did!  They're going to pickle their livers at the rate they are going...

I think I'm going to take a nap...  it's been a hard core day.

STCW '95 Graduation

Hey there, faithful readers...

Sorry for the delay in updating... As a result, I have LOTS to report. I am now a graduate of the STCW course. I am ready to tackle almost any disaster that may occur at sea - man overboard, fire, flooding, lacerations, burns, and heart attacks - I just hope I can remember it all when the time comes. The course was informative, and as scary as the scenarios are, I am not as afraid of them if they SHOULD occur. I hope I NEVER have to abandon ship in the middle of the ocean, but if I do, I know what to do.

Thursday, we went to fire school where we put out fires, breathed through SCBA, wore insulated fire-protective gear, practiced using fire extinguishers, and even sat in the "burn box" with a fire over 250 degrees! It was an exhausting day, and I felt like I spent it in a sauna, but I learned a lot and was faced with some of the more terrifying aspects of a fire - what to do if I'm stuck in a room filled with smoke, how to do search and rescue, etc.

Friday night, after we all "graduated" - which was nothing more than running by IYT to pick up our diplomas - we hung out at Waxy's. True to my word, I only bought one beer and I drank water for the rest of the evening. It was cool hanging out with everyone, and as the night wore on, more people started joining our group. As a result, I've met LOTS more people.

Last night, we had a party over at the Main house (two doors down). Everyone got out their iPods and we shuffled through them until we found OLD songs to rock out to. We danced and sang along in the kitchen while the smoking section clouded it up outside. I drank water, but it was fun to watch everyone act like idiots...

Today, I think we are going to the beach maybe? I'm about to head over to Dunkin Doughnuts for some exotic coffee and a chat with Molly. I was kinna depressed last night about some things, and Molly was SUCH a sweetie about it all... so encouraging and positive. She promised a coffee talk, and she offered again this morning, so I'm taking her up on the offer. I may be cooking my famous Chicken Tikka Masala tonight. Only about half of the group likes spicy food, so it may be a small turnout. Oh well... more for me, right?

I'm gonna head out now... If you love me, leave a comment.

the dangers of walking down the street...

Howdy, mate... eek, I'm getting my accents mixed up...

Anyway quick note to say hello and I'm off to Day 3 of STCW. Yesterday we learned all about personal survival - what to do if the boat catches on fire, what to do if you fall overboard, etc. It was a bit scary to think that some of this COULD actually happen, but since I know about it, I feel a bit more confident in how to care for myself.

Tonight we are to be going to the pool for the practical portion of our learning... we are going to be donning life vests, jumping from the 15 ft platform with vests on, swimming in immersion suits, climbing aboard the liferaft, and some other things... should be interesting.

welcome to florida - lightening capital of the universe...

Okay, so I'm quite proud of myself. Went out with Molly, Tac, and Phil to a little bar called "Ernie's"... everyone else was drinking beer, but I only swigged water... AND I had a Greek salad instead of a mega-burger. I'm making a resolution to only drink once a week, and THEN, I'm only BUYing two. I'll allow for the suckers who want to try to woo me with their generosity... but, drinking is expensive and expansive... my jeans were tighter today than they were last week... I'm not allowing myself to rationalize that it has to do with my having washed and dried them on hot.... No, sirree... it ALL has to do with this indulgent lifestyle. Well, NO MORE! I'm becoming an ascetic... Nothing goes into this body unless it's absolutely healthy... Diet starts TODAY... AFTER Kim and I get back from our ice cream run...

Speaking of what goes into my body, many of you know that I take anti-anxiety meds every day because I can get a bit edgy at times. Well, I've realized that since I won't have insurance or regular contact with a doctor, things will get difficult once I get on a yacht and run OUT of my meds. SO, I've decided to wean myself off the meds and try some alternative methods. I've done some research about the subject, and I've discovered that what I thought were the side-effects of my anxiety - the "shock wave" feeling, my cloudy thoughts, and the desire to crawl out of my skin - are all WITHDRAWAL symptoms of coming off the meds!! Basically, I'm a drug addict... EEK! That could be taken TOTALLY out of context! But really, I'm fearing the worst here... my research says that withdrawal symptoms can last up to three weeks... I hope to be WELL into my first permanent job by then, and I don't need to be going through withdrawals while trying to impress my new coworkers.

Okay, the thunder is getting pretty massive... I love it though. Somewhere I read that thunder means that God and the angels are bowling... lightening means someone got a STRIKE!

Day Two of STCW tomorrow... all about staying safe in crisis situations -- fire, flood, storms, man overboard, etc. Tomorrow evening, we are going to be at the pool treading water, swimming in immersion suits, loading onto life rafts, and jumping in with our PFD -- all sounds harmless, eh? But it can be VERY dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Fun / Frightening fact: Life expectancy in Arctic waters is 15 minutes... AND hypothermia is an issue even in tropical climates.

Registered for a couple more crew agencies this evening. Hoping something comes up pretty soon... May have some day work for next week -- cleaning a yacht for showings...

OH YEAH! True Mega-Yacht story.... So Keith text messaged me this morning saying that he was cooking breakfast for some high profile NASCAR drivers. Apparently, they all flew their private jets down to party like Parrot-heads in Key West... I hope it isn't storming there like it is HERE!!

Okay, so I'm headed to my bed... Class starts at 0900.

First day of class down. I barely survived the hypothermia from the overactive air conditioner, but I learned a good bit.

Right now I'm watching the Snoop-Dog show "Father Hood"... I swear, some people can be the BIGGEST babies. Snoop's wife is complaining because she was given a spa treatment for her birthday, she doesn't have a cake, and she has to walk to a restaurant over cobblestone streets in expensive boots. Is she FIVE?! I think its behavior like this that gives Americans in general such a BAD reputation. I wish I could smack her.

Anyway, I'm getting sick of drinking every night... I feel like my insides are getting pickled. Unfortunately, Waxys and other area bars are prime spots to network for jobs... I could always just drink water. Oh heck, I'll be daring... water with lemon.

ft. lauderdale - capital of the world

Went out last night with some of my housemates... actually, I went out alone first -- drove to Waxy's to get some food. I would have walked, but there are creepy guys at the end of my road who hit on and proposition any woman walking by, so I felt safer in my fiberglass shell. Anyway, as I was chowing down on some fantastic chicken curry (especially for an Irish pub!), some Dutch guys came over and one started talking to me... Honestly, sometimes I wonder what vibes I give out. I'm too nice, I swear. Anyway, Dima was his name and he was very nice. Apparently, he is a yacht transporter and he lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. He bought me two drinks. I drank one and left the other... I had told him that I didn't want the second drink! Anyway, I politely excused myself to the ladies room and when I returned, I told him that my friends were at the Village Well waiting for me. It wasn't a COMPLETE lie... yes, Tac and Phil were at the Well, but they weren't exactly waiting on me to join them! Hehehehe...

So, off I trot across the parking lot -- literally! -- to the Well, a smokey, cavernous hole-in-the-wall dive where all the lighting comes from TVs and neon signs. Two pool tables are tucked against the back wall, and dart boards dominate the front corner. high-top tables and bar stools litter the concrete floor in between. Before any of the creepy guys at the bar can corner me, I spot the boys playing pool with a few more members -- Jane, Ashley, Brooke, Brett, Rolf, and Guy. Jane is a really cool Kiwi who is also getting started in the business. Ashley and Brooke are from Bermuda (but they have VERY mid-western accents... suspicious...), Brett's from Tennessee, Rolf is a South African who sports a faux-hawk and tight jeans, and Guy is a Beastie Boy look-alike from South Africa... I bought my beer and started sipping, chatting with Tac and Phil. Phil introduced me to a VERY cool new drink -- Jager and cranberry -- it tastes almost like a non-carbonated Dr. Pepper... spicy and refreshing!

I didn't even get half-way through my beer before everyone decided to head to Waxy's to watch the Australia / New Zealand rugby game. A sense of foreboding clouds my mind, but I shush it away because I'm protected by the group, right? WRONG! Dima the Dutch Dude finds me within two minutes of my arrival and starts pestering me about how I'm nothing like typical American girls; I'm beautiful and giving and blah blah blah... We go back and forth for a while, and secretly I hope that if I just give him my number, he'll go AWAY... I don't have to answer it, right? Well, his phone number is international and it isn't working on my phone... so finally, I give him one of my business cards and tell him that I really want to spend some time with my friends. It was nice talking to him, but he should really go. And then he's gone... WHEW!

I get myself another Heineken and start to mingle with the group... we talk about how rugby is a real man's sport, and Jane tells me about how the NZ team playing is only made of Maori descendants. After we've had enough of Waxy's honey-colored goodness (around 2 am), most of the group is hungry. I'm not ABOUT to walk home by myself at this time of night, so we crowd into the 24-hour Denny's up the road from our houses. We cram into a crescent booth and quote silly movie lines from Zoolander and Office Space -- you'd be at home, HL. After my chicken curry only hours before, I am not hungry, but I've been craving pancakes for days... so... well, you know the rest.

We stumble home dizzy from the evening's adventures, full of some greasy groceries, and exhausted. The entire house slept until after 11 today... except me. I was up at 10 walking to Waxy's to fetch my car. The short walk in the morning heat helped sweat the rest of the alcohol out of my system and I was ready for the day once I made it back with my car. Kim and I went to the beach for a couple hours... I'm getting quite a tan and my hair is lightening... I came home from the beach with wild hair that Molly said looked like a mermaid... I thought it looked more like Medusa, but mermaids are seductive and mysterious, so I'll take that over deadly Medusa any day! After I'd showered up and gotten comfortable, Molly comes bouncing through the house, "We're going to the Embassy to swim! Get your suits on!" Confounded, I plop on my bed... my HAIR was still dripping and I smell like Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion... YUMMY! Maybe I'll head down there to hang out but I won't swim... or maybe I'll throw on my skirted black polka-dot bathing frock and take a dip... I dunno. I'm an independent woman.

when one door closes, another opens...

So sorry it's taken me so long to update... what a BAAAD blogger I am! But really, I was out of town with a sketchy internet connection and a busy schedule.

Wednesday, I left for a visit to Keith in Key West. What a GORGEOUS drive it was -- LONG, BORING, but BEAUTIFUL! I am always amazed at the wonders of God's creation. On Thursday, Keith and I relaxed - sleeping late and running errands around town. I did some research about getting my Open Water SCUBA Certification, and I've settled on a place here in Ft. Lauderdale.

Friday evening, Keith and I performed at a dock party... we donned our gypsy gear, climbed to the fly deck of our host's boat, and rocked out for a solid two hours. The guests were so grateful saying the music we played was perfect for the party, and I sounded like I was on the radio instead of live! That made me smile. After the music, Keith and I ate while mingling with the guests. Pretty soon, the fireworks started, and I ran to the bow of the boat to take it all in. Over the marina, a band played classic rock while the fire works went off in the distance and a balmy breeze tickled my skin. All the excitement from the evening washed away, and my body slipped into a peaceful trance.

Later that evening, I had "the talk" with Keith... I've been thinking a LOT about this new adventure I've gotten myself swept into. I'm going to be sailing to exotic ports, experiencing the world like I've never known it. I could be taken away next week or tomorrow for all I know! And, who knows when I would ever return to these shores? Weeks? Months? YEARS? Is it really fair that I should expect Keith to hang on to me? Or I to him? Is it right for us to be attached to each other only technically? No, I don't think it is. So, I set him free of me last night. We vowed to remain friends, and that promise I intend to keep. But, as for any bond that requires certain rules and social regulations, there is none. Yes, I am sad about this break. We had such grand plans for our future together, but sometimes I wonder if I may not have been more in love with the IDEA of such a romantic future. I still see myself as so young and immature -- barely ready to be out in the world on my own, let alone attached to another human for the rest of my life! Maybe this is too much to share for the "general public" and I hope that you aren't upset about my talking about this, Keith...

Anyway, it's early evening here at the crew house, and oddly enough, everyone is home... probably regretting their alcohol intake from the day before. The boys are watching some show about crazy, death-defying videos, and we girls are doing what we girls do -- laughing at the boys. I've never lived with guys before (my brother doesn't count), so this crew house thing is really new to me... quite amusing, actually. If half of yachties are this entertaining I should have PLENTY to talk about in future posts.

Thanks for your patience as I galavant around south Florida, and if you ever need a little piece of paradise, may I suggest the Keys?

spending the morning in paradise...

This is how I fell in love with yachting... I'm currently seated on the fly deck with the tropical wind caressing my hair. The dock has barely begun to wake up, and I feel like I'm the only one who knows about this little piece of paradise.

Not sure what's on the agenda for today, but it is supposed to be HOT - welcome to ultra-south Florida. I'll probably stay indoors cleaning up to help Keith get ready for the owners coming in on Sunday. Word has it that some Nascar drivers are supposed to be down here to hang after the Daytona race on Sunday. Pretty cool, huh?

in the blink of an eye...

Okay, so the past.... mmmm.... 24 hours have really shown me how things can change in the blink of an eye...

First off, today I was supposed to journey north to visit my dear Percy, but last night about midnight I got a call from Lisa telling me that she and Luis had been in a pretty bad car accident with a drunk driver. The Tahoe was totaled, and Lisa and Luis were taken to the ER. Lisa is stylin a neck brace, and I haven't heard back about Luis. When I spoke with Lisa, he was getting checked out. I PRAY that things are okay... With one son in college, things can't be easy around their house, and a back and neck injury never *helped* anyone.

Second, I had an interview about a yacht that is both private and charter -- meaning the owners rent the yacht out for weeks at a time to defray the ridiculous cost of running these floating palaces. The itinerary for the yacht is to head up to Alaska in the next few days, spend some time in a shipyard in California, and then head off to Tahiti and New Zealand!! If I got the job, I would have to leave in the next day or two because there will be guests aboard on Friday. The captain is reviewing candidates in San Diego right now, so there's a strong possibility that I would not get the job, but things like this happen all the time.

At any moment, I could get a call about a boat leaving for who-knows-where, and I'd have to pack up and be ready to go. This industry is definitely not for the faint of heart or the ultra-planners. Its rather exhilarating to think that I may be in another place tomorrow or next week. Yacht plans are about a solid as Jello in the summer sun... jiggly and never quite reality until it is the past...