  Do you ever have those days where you feel like you are in high school? Let me explain. I live and work on a floating high school. Most all of the kids here are juniors, some seniors. They all like to drink too much when they know they shouldn't and always jump at the opportunity to get naked with someone. They sneak alcohol into their cabins, throw dishes in the trash and smoke cigarettes in their offices. Some "forget" to wear their name tags on formal nights, while others throw parties on the bridge for the popular kids while the master is sleeping.
Yet we still have those chosen few, the dedicated seniors that are solely looking towards their future and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize their career. (Mind you they are few and far in between). Then we have the shoppies, (chicks that work in the gift shops), that pee in the coridors when the crew bathrooms aren't working, one actually lives with a married officer in his cabin, another one is gay and he sleeps with the photo guy who isn't "gay", oh and let me not forget the newest information I have found out - - one of the shoppies - offerec a private strip show about 4 months ago for the senior officers in a closed in area of the ship.
I saw the photos 2 days ago, believe it or not. And that is just half of deck seven - move to another deck aft or forward....Let your imagination carry you. This high school is located in a very small town, where everyone knows everyone's business and even if they don't know they will actually make up crap about you.
Just make it up - completely untrue. I know this because tonight one of the shoppies dared to ask me about rumors they heard about me, now labeling me with raised eyebrows as "the girl from Texas. " I kindly said to that shoppie as if I was Courtney Love, "Believe everything you hear" and then flicked him off. In this high school, we have separate cafeterias, much like separate lunch periods (A,B,C if you remember correctly). Except each messroom is like a different grade level. The dancers are by far the freshman - err, freshwomen of the group and they are not allowed to eat in the seniors mess. I eat in the seniors mess but depending on the time of day, I may not go because of the looks women get when they walk in. It's like the popular kid walking into a room and everyone looks up from their plate to see what she's wearing and what she's eating.
All the while, whispering under the breath as she walks past. The Jocks in one corner and the nerds in another, the princesses with princesses, the new "age" with other new "age" - and then there's the cafeteria food. The lunch lady has changed her appearance from that we are used too - now she's a he and he's from Indonesia, he cleans the room and serves the slop. But unlike the junk food counters in high school, you can order from the fast food place and the indonesian will bring it to you. Aside from this we have our physical fitness areas, those include the staff bar and crew bar - much different from the taebo tapes we watched in health class.
Now, our health class is held in the medical center when a dancer gives another STD to someone on board. We have the troubled youth counselor who is very popular for handling disturbances at home. She usually talks to the principal about those problems he has with others and continually reminds him that shouting at his coworkers (i.e. students) is not in the SQM (School Handbook). Then cut to the socal hostess, who apparently had a reputation before she even got here.
She's the bubbly one around the ship who is always happy yet recently she has been boggled down with too much of the high school life. Her normal happy self has turned to a frown and she scowls at everyone she comes in contact with -especially the crew. With guests, she is still managing to put the "act" on but in silence in her hidden office she sits typing about her drama on a computer screen.
Everyone has noticed that she isn't quite the same as the first few months she was here. Now, exuding much more negativity about the way things are handled and views things with a jaded tired look. There are moments when she shines. There are moments when she truly shines, one of those being when she hears the Cinderella gasps as she walks down the grand staircase with the most beautiful people on he ship walking behind her and a senior officer following. But usually that moment lasts only from the time she enters the dining until the time she leaves (4-6 minutes). She's mean to those around her, demanding of their attention only to throw it away in a whim, sincerity blinded by jealousness....jealousness of the people leaving in 11 days - back to their home and "normal" life.
Jealous of the families they have and the bonds they have created while on vacation. She has guests email her - "No, please stay in touch, " as she waves goodbye from the gangway. All the while knowing that after a few emails the connection will fade and the guest's reality will set back in - she won't hear from them then...at least not until their next cruise, when they want VIP treatment - to be invited to sit at THE table.
The Social Hostess sluffs it back and forth one side of the ship to the next only to be greeted haphazardly in the hall with either a feeble sounding voice of "good evening, dear" or a blank stare because the guest doesn't know English. It is a constant battle this one fights daily - get up, get out of bed, laugh, joke, make fun of people, have a few cocktails, lay in bed, miss your family, plan your vacation and fall asleep watching the same movie you've seen a hundred times since joining the vessel.
Oh wait, tonight's tomb raider two and she hasn't seen the ending of this one - only the beginning a few times. Ugh, sorry just venting. Been a tough day. I need sleep. I was awakened at 3:45am this morning to the sound of the hotel director telling me that they needed me for a medical evacuation. I jumped out of bed threw my hair in a ponty tail and got dressed in my uniform. I arrived in the medical center at 4:02am.
The coast guard arrived to the aft of deck 11 at 6:10am. I sat with guest, helped them pack, consoled the grown man as he weft over his father's condition. Then I watched as we discovered that the son would be able to accompany his dad in the life flight carrier. He was around 35-38 years of age. The son took one look at the helicopter flying above and the raft he would be placed in and said, "No, I can't go.
I am too scared. " Then our medical team took this eldery man's body and placed him in the basinett and hoisted him high above the ocean into the helicopter. Shortly after the coast guard officer jumped up to catch the roped and they were off. We will arrive in Cabo 3 hours late tomorrow because we had to turn the ship around to meet the helicopter. It was exhillarating and scary. I got back to my cabin at 7:30 this morning and smoked four cigarettes in a row.
I thought to myself, "How could I ever leave a member of my family when they were in serious condition? " My fear would never be as strong as my will and desire to see them through the condition. I don't know. I just sat there. Watched some travel show on Istanbul for about an hour and then went back to sleep. I got up at 10 and headed to the office. Exhausted and you know, it's now - let's see - 10:30PM and I haven't stopped since 10:00AM.
The funny thing is I still have to make an appearance at 3 other places before finally going to sleep around 1:00AMish. What does that make? about a 22:00 hour day? Something along those lines. I miss everyone. I miss the normality and politics of bullshit office. But you know, I also lie when I say that.
I am just in a complaining mood and decided to spill my guts on this damn blog. Don't anyone dare take pitty on me - I am a princess in a dream world that suddenly has realized everything isn't always what it seems. I am fine just needed to vent a bit. I get frustrated as everyone does at some point. It probably has a lot to do with the lack of sleep, the deepest of emotions from last night's medical and the argument I got into with Jennifer yesterday. I have just been in a funk this cruise. I need to pull out of it, swallow some prozac and hop back on the "happy-I-am-on-a-cruise-ship" train. Oh poopy. I have probably just depressed everyone. Maybe not. Love you all. Next blog will be happy I swear. Shelly 
