(The pictures above are of the Rhapsody singers and dancers as we prepare for our final run through on Wed. )Well, I'm jet lagged and I still feel like it's 2 a.m. even though it's just 11:00 over here on this side of the country! We had a GREAT run of our country show on Wed. and got some wonderful comments from our directors, as well as many of the office workers that played a part in hiring us. I guess that was our final chance to prove to the office, directors, and other casts that we had in fact done our jobs and were ready to perform on the ship. I think we proved that and then some if you ask me!!
As most of you know, I am a bit of a procrastinator, so I spent all night Wed. packing and cleaning up. BUT in my defense I was not the only one - 1/2 the other girls were right there with me. So, none of us got to bed until around 2 a.m. and we had to be waiting outside to be taken to the airport by 4:30 a.m.!!!!!!!!! It was BRUTAL...but I got some sleep on the 5 1/2 hr. plane ride and managed to arrive in Seattle around lunch time their time.
We head toward the ship at 7:45 a.m. and will hopefully be on board by around 10 a.m. at the latest. Most of the next couple of days will be filled with orientation training and boat drills etc. and our ship should be leaving around 5 p.m. Friday.
We open with "Piano Man" the following WED!!! Please be praying for the whole cast during the next 3 weeks because we will be rehearsing constantly so that we can get comfortable working on an actual stage with props, costumes and everything....our days will go anywhere from 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. until all the shows have been successfully installed and we have all passed our ship safety tests. It's gonna be a lot of work, so keep us in your prayers!!
That's about all the updating I have for now. Thanks for all your wonderful comments...they really keep me going when I'm far away like this! KEEP THEM COMING!!!!
Blessings,
Kris
4 comments:
SEATTLE!!!!!!!YEAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! You are finally there on the ship!!! I am so excited! I know that this is your final "dress rehearsal" for the cruises. Is this a real cruise with real audiences, or is this just a "training" cruise with mostly company employees who train you and watch you in rehearsal? Is the ship actually moving and going somewhere or is it docked and you are just rehearsing? Is this the real thing?
I noticed that all of you are in black (which looks great, by the way). Is this just dressy rehearsal wear or the base of all your costumes that you add pieces to to perform?
Its amazing to fly across the country in the midst of getting ready for a show isn't it? Packing, moving, rehearsing, changing time zones, getting no sleep and working with deadlines. Aren't you glad the flight was 5+ hours? I'm quite sure the jet lag will stay with you a day or so. But you are young! You will bounce back. The adrenaline from the excitement will pick you up and you won't notice the exhaustion as much!
Is this the first time you have been to Seattle? If you are docking, will you get to go off the ship and see any of Seattle? Seattle is beautiful. I love Washington state anyway. OR - are you on the ship cruising? if you are, where are you cruising? I need details, Kristian!
You group is so great! Are there 12 of you total?
I am so glad that you impressed the socks off the management with the country show. That is so exciting!
TJ is about to go camping with a buddy and so I need to see him off. More later.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! You only live once, Kristian!
Love, Mrs. Stricklin
Hi Kristian!
After reading your blog again, I realize that you are rehearsing for a few days getting the shows ready before you start the cruise on Wed. I think? No doubt, you will be working long hours and then there is all the safety training. WOW! I will be praying for you to learn quickly and solidly and to rest well when you do sleep. I do hope that the boat agrees with you, especially at first. I never had problems with any of the boats I was on, but I didn't have to live on them for a month or longer! You will have all kinds of stories to tell as time goes on. I hope that you don't get tired of reporting to us. I want to hear about EVERYTHING!!!! Ship stories, port stories, sightseeing stories, etc. The sea-sick stories I can do without. I'll be curious about your reactions to things that happen.
Before long, you will be an expert at packing, traveling, moving about, adjusting, living on a cruise ship, all the things that might be new to you now.
I'm not clear how much you will be able to keep up with this blog while you are on the ship. If I remember correctly, this blog was the only way that you could communicate with us. Was that just those of us on this blog or everyone on the internet? I don't really know how it works. When I have been on trips and ships, I have not been able to communicate at all, but realize that was before cell phones and computers. To make a phone call when I was traveling around the world in my 20s was extremely expensive, so I just mailed post cards home from wherever I was. Times have changed so much now that I don't know what you can do and what you can't do. Even when Chuck and I took our honeymoon cruise, the situation was still the same - no communication unless it was an emergency and you went in to arrange that with the ship's management. What will be your circumstances? I really do want to see photos and read these blogs if possible. It is just so neat to me.
This may be a redundant question, but will the people on your facebook be able to communicate with you? I just don't know how it all works.
When you have time and can answer, please let us know exactly what you'll be able to do and not do. There will be times of extreme excitement where those of us at home will be the last thing on your mind. Then, there will be those days that you are so exhausted with your job that you will fall asleep in your clothes. But then...there will be times that you will want to write an update for us and that you will be dealing with a touch of homesickness. When the touch of homesickness hits, THAT is the time to answer all of my questions!!!Tee hee!!!
You are going to have such a fabulous time when you catch your breath! Just realize that when you are finally finished with all the rehearsing and the training, and you get a chance to catch up on your sleep, that is when you'll realize how exciting it is to be who you are and where you are!
Whenever you start missing home, just think, you could be in my shoes and have a house to clean, clothes to wash, meals to cook....speaking of which, all of that is calling my name, so I've gotta go. So much for my little mental escape to Seattle. Its back to the world of Jacksonville reality for me.
I know that you will be working like a trojan, but have a fabulous Memorial Day Weekend! Maybe they will take all of you out to one of Seattle's incredible restaurants! Or, maybe you'll get to go to a local's house for a cookout. If so, I want to know every detail!!! Enjoy!
Love, Mrs. Stricklin
Hey Kristian- you know, I was just thinking (while I was grooming the Pomeranian - leaves me plenty of time to think...) about your travels and I flashed back to my own. It occurred to me that as you cruise/work around the world, that you will find things in ports that you want to purchase and you will have very little room to store anything. I am quite sure that the cruise line and your employers have already or will tell you how you can mail things home. You will want to do that when you find things that you love, want to purchase and are too big to carry around with you all over the world. I am sure your Dad, your Mom, your step-Dad and Robin are all telling me to shush about this time, but, you could mail things home that you want to keep from your travels.
Our group of entertainers were all former pageant girls and we were all interested in mailing things home to furnish our apartments and future homes. Most of us had just graduated from college and were ready for that first apartment or that first home. I have in my house right now lace curtains from Amsterdam, Wedgewood trinket boxes from England, linens from St. Thomas, wall hangings and framed prints from Germany, England Paris, France and San Francisco, fans from Japan, brass from Korea, trinkets from Russia, crystal from Austria and Japan - just all kinds of things have always filled my house since I returned from my singing adventures. You will have even longer than I had to ponder the kinds of items you will want to purchase and mail home.
I would only give you one word of warning - don't go overboard. I almost did. When Chuck and I moved into our home, I was looking so forward to all the space I was going to have in the new house. I filled it up the first day. We have a small house and it has been a challenge ever since. So, moral of the story - you will be in many ports for much longer than I ever was. You will have plenty of time to think and make decisions. You will probably visit ports more than once. Don't spend all your money in one place! :)
Of course, now, purchasing anything is the most distant thing from your mind, but when the time comes, please use good sense and know that you can outfit a home with exotic things that you love very quickly. Likewise, if your weakness is jewelry or clothing (which you can usually take with you), there will be more than you can possibly shake a stick at! BEAUTIFUL stuff! EXPENSIVE stuff! I still have sweaters that I wear from Austria and Scotland. I did, however, donate the sheepskins I bought in Iceland to Freddy in the drama department, who was THRILLED to get them! I had them on the floors (which was the original intent) and they just got too smelly. They were skin and fur. What WAS I thinking? Don't make choices like that! Make good ones!
Just thought I'd mention it!
Love, Mrs. Stricklin
Hey Kris!
Another random thought - I was watching a car headlights commercial on tv and the thought hit me that you won't be driving your car for a good long while. Don't forget how to drive while you are on the ship!
Giggle, Mrs. Stricklin
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