Fiber Babble: October 2009

Some Ups and Downs

October 19, 2009

Abandoned book "Tunnel Vision" by Sara Paretsky ♦♦◊◊◊

Seriously? I've missed you all. I've had such grand plans for telling you all about the exciting and not-so-exciting things going on around here - but there have been a lot of things going on and I just haven't had the time (or taken the time?) to sit down and share with you.

So, where've I been? Well, the most surprising answer (to me) is that Mom took me on an Alaskan cruise last month!

It was a 10-day cruise on the Celebrity Millennium (sooooo many people ask that question!) and a good time was had by all. I didn't experience any notable wildlife sightings (another frequently asked question), but the scenery was great and we met some truly delightful people while on board. (We also met a few people who were NOT delightful, but that's to be expected and it was pretty much a non-issue.)

We did some of the 'activities' on board (who knew that my mom enjoys watching Karaoke?) and I really enjoyed the opportunity to listen to different musical performances in the various venues. We booked excursions at each port, though we skipped a couple of them in favor of shopping or doing our own thing (which, as it turns out, is usually synonymous with, uh, shopping).

We had a couple of evenings/nights with some pretty gnarly seas. Big ol' waves and lots of rocky-rocky even on a ship big enough to have its own gravitational pull. I absolutely loved it! Yes, I admit it: I did get a little green a couple of times but overall the high seas were a definite highlight. If I could have, I would have been happy to stand at the railing and feel the sting of the sea on my face and just ride the waves! (I did it a little bit on the balcony of our stateroom, but it made Mom pretty nervous!)

I ate. And I ate. I tried new foods (nearly) every chance I got - most were successful, some were so-so and a few made me thankful that they'll bring you something else if you ask for it! Did you know you can eat for 20 hours a day on a cruise ship? I knew that. And you know what? I lost weight while on 'vacation'. I think it had to do with a) walking a lot, b) having "real" meals rather than grazing, and c) no soft drinks.

This was definitely a trip of a lifetime - one that I never thought I'd take. Now, having said all that? I don't think cruising is my thing, for the most part. Funny, when I've said that to a few friends and family, their response is not one of surprise. More than one person has said that they can understand that of me, and that I probably would have preferred a more hands-on, working-type of boat/ship experience rather than a 'luxury liner'.

Really? Do I actually give off a Popeye vibe? Or is it Forrest Gump??

Some Things I Learned (or Realized) On The Cruise
1. I love listening to live music. I should make the effort to do it more often.
2. Don't book an excursion for every port, or you'll end up setting wake up calls for too damned early on every morning of your "vacation".
3. I love the ocean and the majesty of the waves. But in heavy seas I can get a bit green if I can't actually SEE the waves.
4. My mom's pretty funny at times. And she can still surprise the hell outta me.

Soon-ish, I'll post a report (or three) about the Fiber-y activities since we last chatted!

Labels: babble