Ok, so two stories on opposite ends of the spectrum.
The first "only me" story occurred at Reggae Beach in St. Kitts. I was innocently looking at the monkeys in cages. Out of nowhere this goat tied to a nearby tree rams me in the - well let's just say if I were a boy I'd have been coughing up blood. Now I am left with two giant bruises on my thighs and the laughs and "neighs" of those closest to me. My Cruise Director even announced it on the Daily so all the guests could ask me how I'm doing. Then a few days later while shooting in the theater the A/V Manager starts to lower the floor of the pit while I'm half on it. Yes, I almost died again. This prompted my girl Anna to tell the whole audience about the rough week I've been having, having been rammed by a goat and all. I just shake my head and say, "only me..." And maybe Tine Fey. Yea, me and Tina Fey.
Big news, though. Yesterday my boss got an e-mail telling us that next month I'm going to be transferred back to Europe. I've been asked to be on the broadcast team opening Celebrity's newest ship - the Eclipse. This is really a big honor. Typically people who open ships are the best of the best. I think that I'm one of the few who know Final Cut so well, so there's that reason. I'm still rather flattered though. I'll be back in the Baltic and I have no clue how long I'll be there. I am excited as we get two overnights in Ireland - a fact that nearly brought tears to my eyes. I'm very conflicted. I rather like the Summit. I have my posse of girls here. I just got the new equipment settled and organized and I was really looking forward to overnights in Bermuda and Sundays in NYC. Like Sara said, though, I really can get to NYC much more easily than most.
This will be a great experience for me. It's definitely something to put on the resume and now I can have experience on every class of ship. It will be lots more work, but I've done this run already. So I won't be bothered if I don't get to get out in Russia again. One more month on the Summit and I head back to Europe. Shake my head... "only me..." I don't think even Tina Fey can make that claim.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
No Excuses, I Know
Those of you who once heard me talk about all the free time I had on the Century will know that I'm getting what I deserve here on the Summit. I've put in overtime at least four times in the last month. I worked 12 hours in one day last week. I am exhausted. Hence the lack of blog.
After finally catching the broadcast up to all the new equipment I was handed a video by my Cruise Director. It was an Embarkation Day video from one of the new ships, the Equinox. I watched it and was blown away. Music, effects, flashy numbers, I knew I could do one similar, but I was going to need at least three weeks. When did my Hotel Director want it? A week and a half. Why? So the President of Celebrity Cruises could see it when he came onboard that day. There were hours of shooting, last minute interviews and just a few tears shed and it was done. Last night it was broadcast on the big screen in the theater before the welcome aboard show. That's always my favorite part.
So I can relax now, right? Wrong. Some head office guys came onboard yesterday and installed a new satellite system. They also rearranged so much that our recording system isn't working properly. So I will be spending quite a bit of time fixing that. Goodie.
Complaining done. Despite it all I do allow myself relaxing time - catching an acapella set here and there, laying on deck 5 to catch sun or star gaze, spending a bit too much on a designer handbag in San Juan - the usual.
I've taken a break from tours, but the ones I have gone on are epic.
The botanical gardens and plantation house in St. Croix weren't really anything to write home about, but three in particular were things I never thought I'd ever do. Lobster, zip lining, and rainforests.
One of the girls in my new "posse" was lucky enough to accompany me on the Shadowfax Champagne Lobster Tour. We boarded a catamaran boat and sailed around the island of Grenada being served sweet Caribbean fruit (best bananas of my life) and drinks - rum punch for the guests, coke for this working girl. They blasted Caribbean music and put the sails out as we laughed when the boat hopped in the wakes of others. We stopped to snorkel and look at an underwater sculpture park. Then we docked on Hogg Island - the Robinson Crusoe island - for salad, champagne, white wine and my very first lobster. I was worried we were going to go to some fancy hotel to sit and enjoy lobster with waiters who were going to put napkins in our lap. I never fit in in those places. I had my first lobster in the most fitting and perfect of circumstances. Grilled up by a big Caribbean man in a chef's hat, with champagne out of those plastic glasses you have to assemble, sitting at a picnic bench in my swim suit on the beach. Plastic plates and waves crashing - it was the kind of moment I couldn't have planned better. And Dad wanted me to try Red Lobster first...
Zip lining is something I never would have picked to do on my own. In St. Kitts I sailed over the hilltops. It was awesome to see things you normally only see from a plane, but having the added bonus of feeling the wind rush at your face.
I definitely NEVER would have chosen to go hiking through a rainforest. My buddy Rob went with me to assist with the camera. I shocked my self at how easy I hiked through the rainforest with a camera at my side. It was amazing. The sights took my breath away. Fruits I'd never seen and banana trees that reminded me of my old one out in Highridge. I love bananas - especially here. I tried a cocoa bean and, barefoot, carefully scaled pebbles to get to a beautiful waterfall spot. I ate coconut cake and tried banana ketchup. Out tour guide gave us leaves that gave us "jungle tattoos" (facebook photos to come soon) and after hiking all day I felt like I could do anything. It's amazing what the Caribbean is doing to me. I wear dresses, jog four times a week, rarely nap, and eat fruit!
Superbowl Sunday oddly felt like I was really missing a holiday at home. We watched the game on the big screen in the theater and I was surrounded by rowdy Americans. One man was so excited during the national anthem I teared up. Being away from the States really does make you miss it more. What good game, though? I chose to root for the Saints before the game and was so into it by the end of the game I was screaming during that amazing interception.
Another holiday today, too. Daytona 500 Sunday - what did you think I meant? I'm sitting in a wireless cafe with a coca cola admiring how blue the sky looks at home today. Unfortunately I seem to be the only one requesting the 500 onboard - so it doesn't appear as we will have it broadcast on the ship. So friends and family - please cheer on Kasey "perfect hair, perfect smile, perfect face" Khane for me.
Oh yea, and Happy Valentine's Day. :)
After finally catching the broadcast up to all the new equipment I was handed a video by my Cruise Director. It was an Embarkation Day video from one of the new ships, the Equinox. I watched it and was blown away. Music, effects, flashy numbers, I knew I could do one similar, but I was going to need at least three weeks. When did my Hotel Director want it? A week and a half. Why? So the President of Celebrity Cruises could see it when he came onboard that day. There were hours of shooting, last minute interviews and just a few tears shed and it was done. Last night it was broadcast on the big screen in the theater before the welcome aboard show. That's always my favorite part.
So I can relax now, right? Wrong. Some head office guys came onboard yesterday and installed a new satellite system. They also rearranged so much that our recording system isn't working properly. So I will be spending quite a bit of time fixing that. Goodie.
Complaining done. Despite it all I do allow myself relaxing time - catching an acapella set here and there, laying on deck 5 to catch sun or star gaze, spending a bit too much on a designer handbag in San Juan - the usual.
I've taken a break from tours, but the ones I have gone on are epic.
The botanical gardens and plantation house in St. Croix weren't really anything to write home about, but three in particular were things I never thought I'd ever do. Lobster, zip lining, and rainforests.
One of the girls in my new "posse" was lucky enough to accompany me on the Shadowfax Champagne Lobster Tour. We boarded a catamaran boat and sailed around the island of Grenada being served sweet Caribbean fruit (best bananas of my life) and drinks - rum punch for the guests, coke for this working girl. They blasted Caribbean music and put the sails out as we laughed when the boat hopped in the wakes of others. We stopped to snorkel and look at an underwater sculpture park. Then we docked on Hogg Island - the Robinson Crusoe island - for salad, champagne, white wine and my very first lobster. I was worried we were going to go to some fancy hotel to sit and enjoy lobster with waiters who were going to put napkins in our lap. I never fit in in those places. I had my first lobster in the most fitting and perfect of circumstances. Grilled up by a big Caribbean man in a chef's hat, with champagne out of those plastic glasses you have to assemble, sitting at a picnic bench in my swim suit on the beach. Plastic plates and waves crashing - it was the kind of moment I couldn't have planned better. And Dad wanted me to try Red Lobster first...
Zip lining is something I never would have picked to do on my own. In St. Kitts I sailed over the hilltops. It was awesome to see things you normally only see from a plane, but having the added bonus of feeling the wind rush at your face.
I definitely NEVER would have chosen to go hiking through a rainforest. My buddy Rob went with me to assist with the camera. I shocked my self at how easy I hiked through the rainforest with a camera at my side. It was amazing. The sights took my breath away. Fruits I'd never seen and banana trees that reminded me of my old one out in Highridge. I love bananas - especially here. I tried a cocoa bean and, barefoot, carefully scaled pebbles to get to a beautiful waterfall spot. I ate coconut cake and tried banana ketchup. Out tour guide gave us leaves that gave us "jungle tattoos" (facebook photos to come soon) and after hiking all day I felt like I could do anything. It's amazing what the Caribbean is doing to me. I wear dresses, jog four times a week, rarely nap, and eat fruit!
Superbowl Sunday oddly felt like I was really missing a holiday at home. We watched the game on the big screen in the theater and I was surrounded by rowdy Americans. One man was so excited during the national anthem I teared up. Being away from the States really does make you miss it more. What good game, though? I chose to root for the Saints before the game and was so into it by the end of the game I was screaming during that amazing interception.
Another holiday today, too. Daytona 500 Sunday - what did you think I meant? I'm sitting in a wireless cafe with a coca cola admiring how blue the sky looks at home today. Unfortunately I seem to be the only one requesting the 500 onboard - so it doesn't appear as we will have it broadcast on the ship. So friends and family - please cheer on Kasey "perfect hair, perfect smile, perfect face" Khane for me.
Oh yea, and Happy Valentine's Day. :)
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