Last year on our initial 80s cruise we were on Holland America cruise line and the cruise broke their record for alcohol consumption. The ship had to make an unscheduled stop to load up on beer. Yes, a 2000 passenger cruise ship had to make a beer run!
This is the best thing I’ve read all day, and since I doubt it will be topped this afternoon I hereby declare you today’s Winner of the Internet.
I’ve never taken a cruise, though I really dig the 80s theme you describe. But cruises kind of hit a weird part of my brain, I think about being stuck on a boat with no control of its destination or who I am onboard with, and it just sounds confining. I know lots of people dig this whole “hands off” aspect, my in-laws for one love cruises, so maybe I’m just busted. Still, yours sounds like the best of all cruise options I’ve read about.
It can be a bit confining, though these ships are very large and you can always find a quiet nook somewhere. And they do stop for the day at ports of call where you can walk off the ship and do a variety of things. On the 80s Cruise we had three sailing days and four days in port.
Normal cruises are pretty sedate. The 80s Cruise was very high energy. Another benefit of a theme cruise is you are there with like-minded people. You go on the Star Trek cruise because you’re a big fan of the show, and everyone on the cruise feels the same way. It’s easy to walk up and talk to people. You’re all part of the same tribe and you’re all happy because it’s a really fun week at sea.
I find this true at the bar in the casino as well. :)
His snout totally looks like a puppy. If you covered up most of the kitten you could be mistaken. He also has the, “I am the most innocent creature ever” expression going on :)
And they pay you for this shit?!?
Sounds to me like you have one of those increasingly rare jobs that a person could actually love.
Speaking of which, my job doesn’t pay well at all, but I stick with it because it’s the best job I’ve ever had (which I admit isn’t saying much). I’m a para transit bus driver for the handicapped and elderly. It can be difficult and challenging, and requires 10-hour shifts, but I’ve gotten to know some of the best people while doing my job. The handicapped people have consistently amazed me with their upbeat spirit about life, and how much they enjoy everything in spite of their limitations. By the end of every day, I’m exhausted, and yet made so much happier by being around them. It always takes a long time until they feel they can trust you, but once they open up, they are some of the most intelligent and witty people I’ve ever known. I consider many of them to be close friends, especially now that I’ve been doing this job for over 16 years.
That means a lot. I’ve learned that I don’t really need a lot to be happy but when you can find contentment in your job it is so meaningful. And I do need a job – not just for the money but to occupy my time and point me in some direction.
As to my job being fun, it is. I enjoy talking to our guests on the phone and the cruise aspect is very cool. I work on the ship in a sales office, but I get some free time. Most of the year I work in an office in a cube but it’s work I enjoy. Cruise time is special.
Water pipe burst that leads from inside house to outside flooding part of our basement. If that’s not bad enough, I have a very bad lung infection, am trying to get ready for my first pre-transplant surgery set for March 31, and I have to try to somehow disassemble a covered deck structure I’d built many years ago when I felt better. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to get the screws out since it’s freezing out. Stuck in a catch-22 where if I get sicker then I won’t be able to have surgery, and things get very complicated.
If anyone has advice on how to remove deck screws in winter please tell me. I’m also afraid they will shear while removing because I had a few of the screws when I was installing that snapped in half because apparently they don’t make screws like they used to. Can only work for a few minutes at a time so will be on my computer a lot if anyone has advice.
The only cruises I have any interest in doing are the JoCo Cruise and the MaxFun cruise, though the latter was I think a one-time affair. But in practice there’s no chance I’m going to pay for flights to the US on top of the cruise tickets.
Don’t have any deck screw advice but I sure hope you feel well enough for the surgery.
Man, I hate wills. You take a sad situation, a death of a family member or close friend, and introduce redistribution of their possessions and you just get ugliness. Like divorce, I guess it’s impossible to keep it civil. I guess this all sounds needlessly coy but I didn’t want to bore everyone with my story, just kind of wish I could just step back and not be involved.
Hey, if you need to vent, feel free. I know that @RichVR had something similar crop up with wills, I think, perhaps you could talk to him?
I remember that now that you mention it. Some unpleasantness with his brother? I think he’s got me beat for a story, mine’s not terribly interesting but I’ll keep it short at least -
My grandfather died recently, and I found out his will, which he created in 1996, hadn’t been updated. So it names my father and two uncles as beneficiaries, split equally. Except my dad died in 2001, so legally I “step in”, I guess. And while nothing has come of it, I get the impression that others in the family expected to be named as well, and it looks a bit like I’ve been elevated, I guess, by circumstance. There’s also the fact that my grandfather’s estate is mostly property that my uncles just want to sell for the proceeds, which upsets other family members, and it just makes my head hurt. You might say this is me worried over what may happen rather than dealing with things as they come, but I don’t want to see bad blood come out of this - we’ve had disagreements cause rifts before and it’s just hard in everyone.
Well, impact driver makes quick work of any screw. Who cares if they shear off?
The fastest, easiest way to remove screws is with a reciprocating saw and a demoblade. Shear them all off. If speed is of the essence, I’d recommend that route. The only downside is you need to get under the deck as you put the blade between the deck and the support.
I read that as “demon blade” and I was all like, whoa, this dude does not like screws.
ha-ha demon blade does not like anything - wires, pipes, metal brackets and wood just gets in the way of chewing anything else up.
Wow, sorry dive. Maybe a compromise can be somehow worked out, if everyone agrees your grandfather would’ve wanted things split among everybody.
Yeah, that’s a weird situation to be in. My dad’s circumstances were somewhat similar. I remember the penny dropping when he realized the “defaults” might be different from what he assumed they would be.
It can be a difficult, emotionally freighted task, but man, setting up a clear will, and keeping it updated to acknowledge major events, can really make life easier for the surviving family.
Yeah, I’ll second that. It’s not fun but everyone should give thought to putting together a will, long before you really need it. I have two small kids and my wife and I set up a trust for them until they are 25. It’s not like I’m wealthy, it’s just helpful to make sure everything is understood as clearly as possible.
Mine’s still ongoing. Looks like I’ll have to get a lawyer involved. I feel your pain, dude. Greedy family sucks, especially when the passing of a loved one is involved. Best of luck.