DJBex has hung up her headphones

No, No, I haven´t quit.

Dante had to go home this week because his wife is ill and his family need him so I have sort of been promoted to Stage Manager. I say sort of because TPTB won´t say on way or the other who is now Stage Manager (and don´t think that Felino isn´t taking advantage of that!) but I am doing all of Dante´s work. So the role of 4 tech´s is split into 3, but we´ve pretty much sorted it so that the daily duties are fair.

It means that I am now doing the lighting for the shows etc in the CCL, the sound for the group Cabaret´s in the OKL and stuff on the pool deck for deck party´s. But I am no longer DJing. Instead Sebi is now the only DJ and me and Felino are sharing all the morning duties. It´s going to be a shaky couple of weeks but we´ll get there.

I need to rant now.

Richard (CD), Alice (ACD) and I went with Dante to the taxi to see him off and the Port Agent in Barcelona was such an A**H***. He was really racist towards Dante, I wanted to thump him. He assumed that Richard was going and that Dante was his porter. When he eventually understood that (it is beyond me why they employ port agents who can´t speak more than one language!)he was generally rude and derogatory towards Dante, the nicest, calmest guy on the planet, who just took it. This treatment is just because Dante is Filipino.

Now I´m sorry but Dante probably has more brains and compassion in his little finger than this arrogant g*t has in his body. Dante can speak at least 3 languges, he´s in a management position, he´d probably have to work twice as hard as the g*t to earn the same money so deserves some damn RESPECT...OK.

It baffles me how countries can be admitted into the EU when they have such a disdain for an entire nation (Greece as a particular example, if most of this officers on this ship are anything to go by) because of their own superiority complex.

These guys work damn hard, and they enjoy it. That gives NOBODY the right to treat them like a lesser species. They should in fact be thankful for them and treat them with respect as they work twice as hard as the b******s who treat them so appalingly.

There was a similar incident on the Spirit with the Captain and the Sound Tech, Anthony and the Capatin weasled out of it. Me and the team were fuming, he didn´t even apologise. I´ve also had comments from Greek officer´s etc because they think it´s wrong that an English person should be working for as Filipino boss. Well excuse me for not being racist and realising that he´s actaully far more qualified!

So I wanted to ask if when you read this you could pray/send mojo for:
Dante and his family (wife and 3 small kids)
and the team on here to stay calm and sorted
and me to have patience with everything!

Su Doku

Yes, I realise I am behind the entire human race on the isle of Britain, but last night I did my first Su Doku puzzle (and then another 5 whilst DJing, but whose counting!)

I love logic puzzles, when my mum used to buy me the puzzle compendium (my sisters got cool magazines, I asked for a puzzle compendium - sums me up really!) they were the first puzzle´s I would turn to. Richard (CD) has given me a book of them, so this week instead of scaring the heck out the Vicks by reading 4 James Patterson books in 5 days, I´m going to work my way through these puzzles! Check Out Sudoku.com.

I am typing freely as my right hand is now free of the cast, there´s a lovely coloured bruise all along the bone and it feels stiff and tingly, but all in all it is much better. The swelling went down after about a week and the last couple of days I was able to do a lot more things without it hurting (putting my hair in a ponytail being one of them!) So now I can finally write those Pompeii postcards (we´re back there again this week but don´t think I´ll brave it!)

We´ve had some real...hmmm...how can I put this without being rude...."characters" on the ship this week. Mostly of the teenage variety. I´m not sure where their parents were but I´m pretty sure if they ever found out what their little "darlings" were up to they´d never let them out of their sights again! Still only 1 or 2 weeks left of the sumer holiday and they can go back to asserting their independence and power complexes at school.

Books: Have read James Patterson - Cradle and All & Violets are Blue (see side bar under Reding:)). Both excellent books, although the ´Winged Children´ books are tighter these two are still fast paced and full of tension, although I did figure out who "Mastermind" was at the beginning of ´Violets are Blue´, but then I can usually guess the twist in anything!

Oh and my Dad pointed out that I never mentioned what happened to young Daniel´s arm. Well, nothing really ...... it got a bit scratched ........ (hastily adds) but my actions did have the desired effect and he never got near my bag!

Left Handed Blog

My right hand and forearm are currently half ensconsed in fibreglass and bandaged up. So it is taking me twice as long to do modt things and my left suddenly feels like it´s been sent to labour camp.

The point by point reason being this:

On phone in Naples (in one of those 1/2 phone booths)

Danny (ents Host) walks past and decides it would be fun to test my reactions if someone were to try and steal my bag.

My reactions (after 5 years and 5 belts of Jujitsu) are better than he expected and I react to the arm intruding the booth by slamming myself into it and the corner if the booth.

Unfortunately the side of my hand gets trapped right on the edge of the booth.

It hurts

I ring my mum but have to say goodbye du to heat

And hand now quietly throbbing.

Walk back to ship, buy "Calippo" Ice Lolly to put on throbbing hand

It goes numb

Showing Vicks Pompeii photo´s

It´s now stinging intesley so Gavin rings Doctor.

Then follows an X-ray onboard, A trip to the Naples hospital (weird), A trip to Olbia´s hospital (damn scary), and then finally a trip to the military hospital in Toulon (lovely!). All to be told that I have severely bruised bone (my whole hand is swollen) and a possible fracture of a tiny bone in my wrist. S I have to keep this on until next Thursday and see how it goes. It´s more to stop me hurting it than anything else!

It does however men that most of the Ents team has either opened something for me, cut my food up or done my hair for me!

Bizzare Happening of The Week: Having a conversation in German with a Morrocan taxi driver in Barcelona

This week I have finished reading:

And it is a good finisher to the series. Not particularly exciting, but well written, strong characterisation. I particularly liked the last scene with Picard an Crusher, really good understanding of the characters and their history! and also the explanation for Wesley being in Starfleet Uniform at the wedding in ´Nemesis´ Whilst getting the link for this I have seen this new book,

Can´t wait!

At the minute I´m reading "When The Wind Blows" (see Side Bar). I´ve never read any James Patterson before but will definitely be devouring some more soon. (especially as Vicks retrieved most of them from the library for me!) The action moves at an incredible pace, no wasted words and twists aplenty. It leaves you reeling and almost short of breath to read.

It´s raining men!

Well, not exactly but it rained! The first time I´ve seen rain in almost 3 months - very funky. We were in Mahon, Menorca. Not sure the passengers were that impresseed but we were v. excited!

Have watched all my Bewitched DVD´s, "marvelous". Am all twitched out (until the next series comes out ;))

I am hopefully going to Pompeii on Sunday. I can´t wait to go and see this place that you here about all the time. I can´t rally imagine what it will look like but by all accounts it is fascinating so look out for some pic´s etc next week.

Question: Why do PAX think that by insulting you/degrading your DJing ability/choice of music that you will play the song/music they like? Somebody explain the logic of that to me please!

On a plus point my rock sets that I throw in whilst DJing are going down a storm!

Been pretty homesick for the last 2 weeks. I´ve never really bee homesick before so it´s a strange experience! It´s not so much wanting to go home as just wanting to see people and check they´re still there! I´d love to go out for the day with my sister´s, sit in the garden with my mum, chat to my Dad at the pub and go round to my friend´s houses for a cup of tea and possibly a trip to Tesco´s! I´d also love to go to church, although I have just downloaded "The Word For Today" so at least that´s some help with reading my Bible everday!

The Half Blood Prince

And I think we all know what I´m talking about. As mentioned in the last post I have the new Harry Potter book. (Eventually, after it was mistaken for an engine part and taken to Engineering - tell me - what engine parts do they get form amazon.co.uk?!)



It took me 2 days to read and I was gripped the whole time, although I don´t recommend reading the last bit in the dark - I was DJing and got very paranoid and jumpy!

Justr to say it is excellñently written (better than the last one) and the ending will probably have you in tears!

Floor Filler´s are us!

This week on the ship we´ve had a film crew, they´re shooting video and stills for various adverts etc, which really heped me out when Djing. Because the camera´s were there evryone was on the dance floor solidly for about 2 hours - Fabulous!

Lots of teenagers on this week, they seme to hunt in packs. Also a few of them have not yet grasped the concept that chairs are for sittinog on. Not Standing on, climbing over the back of or indeed walking along the back of. So it was my duty to remind them of this.

"It´s my duty,
It´s my duty as an absolute b*****d"
(RD series 3 : Timeslides)

I´ve made a couple of music purchases to add to my growing collection:

Bought these mainly due to requests for things that I used to pay on the Spirit or for things that have recently come out and I´ve never heard them!!

These lat 2 weeks have been a bit of a reading marathon. If you look down the side bar to "Reading :)" then you will see 2 books that I read last week. Both fascinating in there own way if difficult toread. "Sickened" takes some getting into but is wirth it if you stick with it. It is written by a woman who suffered Munchausen By Proxy as a child and only discovered this whilst at University and is still coming to terms with it.
"one Child" is a brilliantly written insight into the the world of a teacher (Torey) who deals with kids (and adults) with beahavioural problems. She writes here of her experiences with one child in particular (sheila). This book takes you through many emotions I cried, smiled., ans was appaled at some of the occurences but it is absolutely gripping. I would recommend this book to anoyone thinking of going into teaching as this woman is amazing at understanding the way kids think and act. But overall a fantastic book about life, it´s baseness and the wonderful things that can happen when we show people we care.

This week I´ve had a complete change of pace and read the next 2 bboks in the ST:TNG series I´m reading at the moment - "A Time to......"

A Time to Kill
and
A Time to Heal

These are real action books but with some great character work. Because David Mack introduces new characters aswell as using the new additions to the crew used in previous books you are not always sure who´s going to make it through the battles, whereas you know that the main charcaters will as these are prequels to "Star Trek:Nemesis". It took me about 3 days to get through the first one (in between duties etc.) But I finished it whilst on the beach yeaterday afternoon, and started the second one, which I finished reading at about 3am this morning whilst DJing! I could not put it down. The speed at which the action travels, the uncertatinty of who was going to make it and the seemilng hopeless situation towards the very end of the book kept me so involved it was amazing!

Have ordered the final part, so have this week to get through Harry Potter before it arrives!

We are now officially half way through our contract wOOt! Am going to go on some tours, especially want to visit Pompeii. This week is Gibraltar week, Safeway here we come!!

"Maaaarvellous"

I´ve just pre-ordered ´Bewitched´ Series 1 - YEEYEY wOOt!

Back Pain and SIght Seeing

I had my second massage aboard the ship (well, ever actually!) this 2 days ago and this morning was the first the first time I could lean against something without my shoulder´s screaming for mercy. Apparently my back musculature is first degree screwed so I spent 30minutes trying to relax whilst switching between screwing my face up and calm due to that glorious ´nice´ pain you get when the right bit is being manipulated. My lower back has been really hurting for the last 6 weeks, mostly due to all the lifting and standing up for so long when Djing, on drill or any other job I have on here!

So away she pummeled, prodded and squidged and I have to admit that inside it felt better (although apparently it needs a lot of work!) but my back hurt to touch for the next 2 days.

I have started a real effort at sight seeing, finally, I mean geez I´ve only been on here what, 3 months! So in Tarragonna last week I visited the Roman Circus (lots of tunnels, pretty cool.




















And yesterday in Barcelona I braved the Metro and visited the Sagardia Familia (I´ve probably spelt that completely wrong!) Gaudi´s amazing Temple/Cathedral. Wow, what a feat of engineering and artistic skill. Just the vision itself to create such a thing shows the man was a genius. It was all brought down to earth however when I found out how he died. He was hit by a tram, for some reason I find this really strange. An amazing man like that hit by a tram, bizzare.

Should get the new Harry Potter book today. Hopefully it will get to the port Agent before we leave. There´s quite a few of us waiting for it!

Christmas in Summer!

I Got lots of Joy in the post this morning! I was DJíng last night ´til 4am and got woken by roommate pottering about at about 9am. Was just dropping off again in the middle of a bizarre dream when I hear Alice´s (ACD) voice proclaiming "Santa´s Been".

I thought it was one of those dreams where you dream it´s Christmas, open all your presents and then are sadly disappointed when you awake. But no, Santa had actually been to the Destiny, well the Port Agent anyway! I got My Sparkly new juggling Balls and Clubs from ´Butterfinger´s´ very nice folks who supply juggling/clowning stuff to just about anywhere!

In one box from Amazon (in Germany - very strange!) I got "The Incredibles" 2-disc special edition. I saw it for the first time on the ship (it´s one of the films we show in the cabins) and love it. It´s funny and clever and has some great little touches. Personally I would like a rintone of the quote form Frozones wife:

"Greater Good?

I am am your Wife,

I am the greatest good you´ll ever have!"

I tickled me for ages! Also in that box I got "I can speak Spanish". I though I should learn as I´ve been in Spanish speaking countries since Decamber and most of the locals think I am Spanish so we´ll see how that progresses!

In the other box from Amazon I got series 1&2 of Frasier. So I can now donate my videos of those series to either Lil´Sis Jo or Lara (her housemate), as when I stayed there, whilst working on the panto, they watched all of my Frasier avidly! Also I got series 1 of "The Vicar of Dibley" as it´s only 5 poinds on Amazon right now, it makes me laugh and feel all fuzzy, and Vicks likes it!

So a fun morning. Although after opening it all I did go back to sleep until 1pm, as I´m DJing again tonight!

Haven´t posted for a bit. not much has been happening ship side. Routine is kicking in a little which is good, never thought I needed it but when you haven´t had one for 3 months you miss it! Having a few problems regarding sleep and roommate (going out, coming in, using hair dryer) but at least she´s talking to me again and TPTB are aware of the situation. I think if I work for this PEEL again I´m going to ask that I have to have my own cabin. It´s not fair on either party as when I caome from DJing I need to chill and usually I can´t because she´s asleep (although frequently she´s out now so that´s actually OK. But then she comes back at 8am and wakes me up!)
Sebi (other DJ) is having a similar problem so hopefully they will see the problem´s of a DJ sharing.

This weék´s itinerary that we´ve just done is my favourite. It includes 2 of my favourite (and the most picturesque) places - Villefranche and Mahon (Menorca).

Vilefranche is the playground of the rich, although you see all walks of relaxed life there. After getting off the tender boat I pottered along the front, shaded by the tiered, terraced fishing houses but still appreciating then blazing sunshine, the cool breeze and the crystal wasters. Out in the bay people were lounging on big yachts, speed boats and small fishing boats, whilst several old men were sttod on the rocks in front to the path casting lines into the water. A small boy, lythe, suntanned with curly blode hair hurried past with bare feet, a bucket and a net to climb over the rocks and show his grandad the small crabs he had caught. I sat in a cafe, it´s interior spilled onto the pavement, but still had an intimate feel it was called "Le Pomme Verde (te?)" and whilst chatting to the young guy who worked there I enjoyed an ice-cold coke and a Nuttela crepe. The last time I had a Nutella crepe was at my Frech exchange partner´s house when I was about 14! It looks like a film set and has such a relaxed feel. It´s definitely up there with Madeira!

DJing has been going OK. "Heartbeat" could hire me as a DJ. The other night I played ´Sweet Child O´Mine´ and it FILLED the dance floor. after I carried on with rock and for about 40minutes was playing 60´s and 70´s classics to a packed floor! Then went onto some Motown. It´s funny because every night is different. Last night I didn´t play any rock at all!

It has been even hotter this week. I´m nt sure if you´ve seen in the news but many places in Italy and Spain are having heat waves. We were near Rome the other day and it was up near 40´C - nuts! I got burned at the beach in Mahon yesterday - yes, the first time I have managed to get to the beach so far! - only where I´d missed the suncream though! Also there was jellyfish in the water so we daren´t go in!

Anyway, must head back to do the shorex presentation, we got to Barcelona this week - yeyeyeyey! Hard Rock Cafe here I come!

Overdrafts, Birthdays and Bewitched

Couldn´t decide what to call this post I have so many random things to be excited about - not least the perfect beach like weather outside. Some of the team are off to the water park but I´ve got lots of ´poddling´ about to. I picked that word up from one of the books I´m reading at the mo (see side bar - blatantly not LOTR though!).

I´ve just ordered a surprise for me mum (she is the gramd age of 50 today, scary!) and I just know she is going to have the coolest evening! :)

Oh My Stars, I am sooo excited because ´Bewitched´ is coming out soon (both the film and the DVD´s!) people who know from Uni will understand this twitching in the cosmic coninuum, I do happen to have a small obsession with this TV programme and I can´t wait to have nice slim DVD´s instead of the hoards (and there are hoards - ask Tim and Penny who helped me move them!) of videos, also I can have them on the ship with me :)))))

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWING: For the first time in 5 years..... I´m out of my Overdraft, wOOt! \||/ yeah!!! much joyousness!! Not until next pay day will I be well and truly in the safe zone but how kewl is THAT!

I´ve been trying to put some photo´s of the new ship and peeps up in the side bar but the computers in here are a bit naff and the right ahnd mouse button doesn´t do what it´s supposed to! Still if you fancy a peek then follow the link in the sdie bar to my msn community and then to the "Cruise" album. They´re at the end (pgs 6&7) ´cos I didn´t have the forthought to create a new one until today :)

Ship wise everythings a little more settled, still tired but nowhere near as bad as I was. Duties and that are getting a bit more organised and still finding pieces of equipment that we didn´t know exsisted! Have DJ´s 3 nights this week! Went pretty well, one night in particular the floor was full for most of it. Stil finding it a bit tricky using CD´s not the computer but hey, at least I´m building up quite a collection :) Speaking of which I must go an order some more tewns,

Ciao for now.