Making Monday the Fun Day

Shupdate: Update from the Ship

I guess you all are waiting with baited breath. What's ship life like? What do you have to do every day? Who are you coworkers? Who are you friends? What are the passengers like?

Well, hold your breath no more! I'll finally tell you something more than my food obsession.

Helsinki to Stockholm and Back

According to others on the ship (who've done cruise work in the past), this is more of a ferry than a cruise. We travel every single day at approximately 1700, an overnight trip across the Baltic Sea. One of the first things to get used to is the time difference. Each day we are either springing forward an hour or going back an hour. Helsinki is an hour ahead of Stockholm.

On top of that befuddlement, we do a different set of shows depending on which direction we're going. On a Helsinki day, I get to sing Motown to modern, with a classy feel. On a Stockholm day, we sing more rock and pop - it's edgier on those days stylistically. We wear black and red leather, PVC, stiletto boots, studs. It's a good look.

Each day we perform two different shows and a sneaky little flashmob. The most difficult thing is to keep energy up between shows, even though it's getting progressively later in the evening. The patrons become increasingly drunk. Thus far, we've had a group of Erasmus students (an exchange program) completely packing the audience; we've had much more family-oriented audiences, where we're wondering whether The Rolling Stones is going to roll with over-protective parents; and yes, we've just recently had a masked drunkard alight the stage and make rude gestures, staying on stage for a good 20 seconds before security pulled him off. 

City Dwelling

Unlike other cruise contracts, we don't have any duties - we can go out every day if we wanted and scour the city. I try and get out every day, even if only to pick up some cookies at the local grocery store. Except for today. Today, I slept and oh what a necessary thing!

I've been ill for a couple of days now. It's a bit of a disappointment, knowing that I am giving my "all" at this point in time and it's just a notch shy of what it should be, but I am proud of the fact that we are performing three times a day, every day, for the next two months. I have time to improve and refine and that's great.

Some days are so rocky that you're literally clutching your teensy toes trying to make it look like a cool, casual pose. But then I stumble, or get pulled along with the tide. We all feel a bit drunk as we no longer have the capacity to walk in straight lines. We fall, we support each other, we move on, we smile.

I cannot believe it's a job I'm doing. I'm getting paid to do this. I'm sure the novelty is something to factor in, but it is an absolute treat to be on this boat performing with these delights (the people I perform with, of course). We have our ups and downs and laughs and tears, and we progress. Some of us progress away from one another, some of us are growing together, and we all have to figure out the best way to deal.

I think, for me, some fresh air is often the best antidote.

No photos again. Sorry. Best bet is to follow FB and instagram as I'm increasing my output in those outlets.

Love to all, especially my dear niece Charley (who I have been hoping to see again for some time) and my Dad (who spent his birthday camping with Hammer).