MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2013

One day back in October, during the rehearsal process in Tampa, Josh, one of the dancers, out of the blue asked me if he could call me "Miss Matt."  I have no idea why, but as I called the cast "campers" (to try to make rehearsals feel more like camp), I said "yes," and from then on had images of Miss Hannigan from ANNIE flooding my head.  Well, on another day, at the rehearsal studio, Todd asked if he could call me "Melissa."  Again, I have NO idea where these gay boys get these ideas, but without missing a beat, I replied, "sure, but I'm going to call you Tabetha."  Thus was born "Melissa & Tabetha."  Wait - it gets better!

Somehow, totally organically, Todd, who always sat shotgun in the van (which I drove) to/from rehearsals, decided that one morning, he was going to start a "talk show."  "You're here with Melissa and Tabetha," he'd say . . . "this is the beauty section of the show" (as he'd moisturize his face, using the mirror on the sun-visor.  Or, "You're here with Melissa and Tabetha, and the cooking segment.  What will you be making for dinner tonight?"  OK, so it's probably a lot funnier when the dramatic inflection is there, and when a pen or hair brush or some other "prop" is used as a microphone.  Regardless, it still makes both of us laugh.

Well, today is Todd's . . . er "Tabetha's" birthday!  So, for his birthday, I created the "poster" below, and hung it over his place in the dressing room.  The photo was taken on March 5, the night of the "Cosmo Club" posting . . . several photos were taken, all for the purpose of this birthday surprise, but he didn't know that then.  Anyway, eat your heart out, Regis Philbin!

SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013

WHAT TIME IS IT?!?!  Since I boarded back in mid-November, every Monday night before bed, we have had to turn our clocks back, as Central America is an hour behind Florida.  Then, on Friday nights before bed, we turn our clocks ahead an hour.  OK, no biggie.  Well, last night, we turned our clocks ahead ANOTHER hour, to start U.S. daylight savings time.  Again, no biggie.  Now here's the crazy part . . .

for the next several weeks, before going to bed on Sunday and Monday nights, we go back an hour each night, as Central America and Mexico are not on daylight savings time yet.  Then, on Friday and Saturday nights, we go forward an hour each night.

Then, on April 7, Mexico goes on daylight savings time (but Honduras and Belize do not).  So, on Sunday and Monday nights, we go back an hour, then on Wednesday nights, we go forward an hour (when we head up to Mexico), and then on Friday night we go forward an hour.  OY!

Salvador Dali must have been doing this itinerary when he painted the melting clock!

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

The girls from SEX AND THE CITY may have been the first "Cosmo Club," but there's a new group in town!  Karlene (dance captain), Todd (dancer), Josh (dancer), and I have our own "Cosmo Club."  This started a few weeks ago when I asked Todd what he was drinking one night and he told me.  Well, of course I had to have one too, and the thought that kept running through my mind was the last line of the SEX AND THE CITY film, "why did we ever stop drinking these?"  What a brilliant question!  Mmmmmmmmmm!

SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2013

Well, wouldn't you know it . . . I have TWO avid readers!  My mother informed me today that my Aunt Dana (who clearly read the comment about me posting for my mother a few posts ago) is also a fan of this little blog, so now I know I must continue posting!  One doesn't mess with A.D.!  :)

This morning, Mom and Dad drove up to Tampa, from Sarasota, to meet me for brunch.  We went to the Marriott hotel restaurant where we had our Christmas brunch together on December 23rd.  They brought me a whole bunch of mail that my Lighthouse Point Plaza neighbor and dear friend, Phylis, had sent them.  Most of it was tax paperwork.  I had everything prepared, and had previously spoken with my parents to ensure that all 1099s, W2s, etc. were there.  So, that was all put together and sent off to my accountant (a.k.a. Uncle Paul - financial extraordinaire)!

After brunch we ran a few errands, and Mom and Dad dropped me back off at the ship.  It was FREEZING cold in Tampa today . . . 46 degrees Fahrenheit at 9:30am and the high was supposed to be about 59 degrees.  I am ready to get back to the Caribbean . . .

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013

Tonight I was a judge again for "Dancing with the Dawn Stars."  It was another fun night.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013

Well, I was supposed to have brunch with Mom and Dad this morning, in Tampa.  Sadly, that didn't happen.  Southwest Florida gets fog in the mornings from time to time and because the channel in Tampa Bay winds so much, the U.S. Coast Guard closed the port at 9pm the night before.  This has happened on other occasions, but 9pm the night before was EARLY!  We had to wait out in the bay, on the water side (as opposed to the land side) of the Sunshine Skyway, until the fog lifted enough so that we were able to navigate the channel.  We finally docked a little bit before 4pm, disembarked, turned the ship around, started the embarkation of the new passengers at 6:45pm, and sailed at 10:30pm.  It was a LONG, exhausting day, but with the recent incident on the Carnival Triumph, the majority of guests and crew recognized that it could've been a whole lot worse!

Due to some fog in the Gulf of Mexico the arrival of the Norwegian Dawn was delayed by several hours on Sunday.

TAMPA (FOX 13) - 

One would assume the word "delay" would be the last thing any cruise ship passenger would want to hear these days after the Carnival Cruise ship Triumph disaster earlier this month.

Passengers on that ship were stranded for days in the Gulf of Mexico because of malfunctions on that vessel.

Sunday, passengers on the Norwegian Dawn and the Carnival Legend were delayed outside of Tampa because of fog.

And while many Triumph passengers called their conditions "hellish," passengers delayed in Tampa sang a much different tune.

"This morning they woke us up around 7:30 and it was party time," said Norwegian Dawn passenger David Koffman

"They had a barbecue, they had a buffet for us, served us rum punch, we had music going," said Norwegian Dawn passenger Beverly Malone.

"It was one more day of extra fun, one more day away from home," said Norwegian Dawn passenger Jean Hall.

To be fair, conditions were far different.

The two ships outside of Tampa were delayed for just a few hours and there were no mechanical failures.

But passengers say they think the treatment they received Sunday had a lot to do with the public relations nightmare that surrounded the Carnival Triumph.

"They gave everybody free punch, they gave us lunch they took great care of us," said Koffman.

Passengers on the Norwegian Dawn say they were informed of a potential delay Saturday night and were kept up to speed all day long Sunday.

But not everyone was pleased.

Mary Ellen Wasser of Philadelphia missed her flight because of the delay.

"I think it's going to cost more but I'm going to try to get it, something like a thousand dollars more, but I'm going to try to get that taken off," said Wasser.

And Justin Boyd of Virginia was stuck on the other end.

He and his family were supposed to board his all inclusive cruise at 11 a.m. Sunday.

Instead of relaxing on board, he had to wait.

"We're out here having to spend money for lunch, dinner, drinks things that you you weren't expecting to pay for today," said Boyd.

There have been several boats impacted by the fog, which continued to pose problems Monday.

Read more: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/21320902/early-morning-fog-creates-havoc-at-port-of-tampa#ixzz2MJk939We

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013

Because he didn't have his props the week of the 10th, and because his wife and performance partner will be off the ship next week, Justino did his solo comedy magic show tonight, rather than the big, 2-person EXTREME VEGAS show.  He'll do the same next week when his wife, Daniela, isn't on board.  It is a great show!  He uses live video feed, projected onto a screen for "close-up" card tricks, but also does some bigger illusions.  He is also quite funny, and incorporates personal stories and such into his act.  It's really a great show, and the guests loved it.

After his shows, in the Spinnaker Lounge, we presented the Liar's Club game show and I was a host!  It's basically a game where there is a panel (we had 4 people), who each give a different definition (often accompanied by anecdotes and stories) of a word and the audience decides who is lying and who is telling the truth!  It was great fun and allegedly, I was quite humorous & entertaining.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Tonight I was one of the three hosts of "Dancing with the Dawn Stars," a weekly game show on the ship.  Various crew members (production cast dancers, members of the cruise staff, members of the youth staff, etc.) are "stars" and are paired up with guests, who's names are pulled from a bucket (where they've entered their names).  At any rate, this new cruise director thinks I'm funny and has decided to use me in "front of house," in addition to "behind the scenes."  So, I was a judge this week.  It was fun and I got a free cocktail.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Well, my posts are becoming less frequent.  I guess I'm not a "journal" type of guy.  Ah well.  I suppose I'll continue to post periodically, if for no other reason than to please my mother.  Today, the 6 cast members of THE SECOND CITY, who have been on board since I arrived on October 31, left.  Their 4-month contract is up and they're headed to their various homes.  They are a great group, and the company manager, T.J., who is also a cast member, has become a trusted confidante and friend.  I'm going to miss them, but look forward to meeting the new cast members who arrive today.  The departing cast did all sign one of their marquee posters for me.  That was a lovely surprise.  It is one of only a few things hung in my cabin and, while it makes me smile, it's a bit unnerving having their eyes follow me around.  :)

Justino Zoppe, the magician who arrived last week, had his props delivered today.  They were mistakenly delivered to the Carnival Legend last Sunday.  Oops.  At any rate, it's here and he can start unpacking, assembling, and performing.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2013

I FINALLY went ashore in Costa Maya, Mexico.  What a cute little beach town.  Basically, the entire stretch of "down town" (and I use that term VERY loosely) is along the beach.  Natalie, one of my buddies from the cruise staff took me to a place she knows for $2.00 tacos.  Not a traditional breakfast, but yummy nonetheless.  We were joined by Debbie and J. (Jesus), two interpreters for the deaf, who are on board this week.  After breakfast, Natalie took us to a place where we had strawberry daiquiris, made with fresh fruit.  After that, we went to another place, again, right on the beach, called Tropicante.  Natalie knows the owner and Jorge, who appears to be a manager.  He climbs the coconut palm trees to get coconuts . . . and then made us a delicious coconut drink, served right in the empty coconut.  I had to excuse myself "early," as I had to return to the ship for the behind-the-scenes tour (of which I host the backstage portion).  I would have MUCH rather stayed and enjoyed the beach, drinks, and company.  Ah well.  Oh, and despite being in the shade for most of the day, somehow my forearms and back of my neck are sunburned!  OY!

With J, the interpreter