Random Musings and Nicknacks

Merry Christmas all! (Nikon D80)

Merry Christmas all! This is actually being written on the 25th, regardless of what day it finally ends up online.

I started the day with something that definitely qualifies as a first for me – attending Catholic Mass in a bar, then walking through a casino on the way out. I wouldn’t be surprised if that also qualified as an only. Midnight mass last night filled the ship’s theatre. The 8:30 one only filled their mid-sized lounge.
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Does he know Clive Owen? (iPhone 4)

On our third full day at sea, the ship finally settled down some, and I no longer need the Dramamine. Also it turns out the main pools aren’t wave pools after all.

I’m beginning to think they were underreporting that swell the first two days.
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Relaxing in the wine bar (iPhone 4)

I believe I have remarked before that travel is one continuous exercise in queuing. Getting on a cruise ship is certainly not going to dispel that notion, but one thing I’ll say is that Princess’s embarkation procedure is much more orderly than Norwegian’s. Once we got through all the security to the holding area in the terminal, we were given a boarding number. Ours was 6, they went at least as high as 17. We then boarded as groups by number, stretched over 3 hours.
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Hyatt Regency, Long Beach (iPhone 4)

Today is the fourth day since we left home, the second full day at sea. It is also the first day that Ling and I are starting to feel relaxed and on vacation. I guess that’s an indication of just how much decompression time we actually required! Ling insisted we put the jeans away and start wearing shorts today. I think that’s definitely helped us make the transition.

It’s not a coincidence that this is also the first day I’ve started writing – although I’ve been jotting quick notes for the last few days, this is the first time that my mind has felt settled enough to compose a narrative that consists of more than 140 characters. The first time in a long time.

So let’s start at the beginning. That’s always a good place to start.
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