B(ack)log

So, now that I'm sitting in a Canadian cafe with free wifi, I can take the time to update this blog, finally. Let's backtrack a little, shall we?

After enjoying a taste of downtown Vancouver, it was time to get on board the ship and start working. I probably would've gotten lost if not for the kindness of Cecilia, one of the ship's photographers. Photo and video are part of the same department, so we'd run into each other quite a bit. She helped me get around the ship (so many corridors and levels and dead ends...), get my uniform, and get to my cabin. 

Crew cabins are not nice and luxurious like passenger cabins. They're small and cramped and I quickly realized I wanted to spend as little time as possible in there (aside from sleeping, of course). We had a little induction meeting (the first of three ridiculously boring meetings), then I went to go find my supervisor/partner, the only other videographer on the ship, John.

John is one of only three Americans on the crew, not counting dancers, singers and musicians. The rest of the crew is huge mix of nationalities, but mostly British, Italian, and Filipino, from what I've noticed. One of the disadvantages of this is that once we hit Alaska, only American citizens can work on American soil. It's weird. This led to me and John taking turns dressing in a giant eagle costume so that Brian (an American photog, ship slang for photographer) could shoot us with passengers leaving the ship. $40 to stand in a hot eagle costume from 6:30 am to 10:30 am. God bless America. Anyways, back to John.

So, I've been on the ship for a few hours. John shows me the cameras we have some other equipment in the edit suite/office (which used to be a pantry and is about the size of the cabins, which is to say tiny), and then hands me a camera. The following conversation is paraphrased.

"Go shoot the sailaway."

"What do you mean?"

"Go up to the top deck and shoot the ship leaving Vancouver. Interact with the passengers, get cool shots, you know."

"I don't, actually. What are you looking for exactly?"

"Something passenger heavy. You better get started before we leave."

That was the first of many times I would be basically kicked into the deep end. Needless to say, the footage was crap, 'cause I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. Thankfully, by the end of the first week, and the first cruise, I'd start to figure it out.

Unfortunately, this where I must leave off, as my battery power dwindles lower and lower. Hopefully, it won't be two weeks before I can fully update again. Until next time...

(p.s. I never got to go on that dogsledding tour. But I got something way better...)

A Teaser (For Now)...

I'm going on a dog-sledding tour tomorrow. Pictures (and maybe a nice long update?) to come soon.

Good News, Bad News

Good news: I'm having a great time so far.

Bad news: Internet service is not free and very slow.

Blogging will be infrequent. I'll hopefully update when we hit Juneau (and a free wifi cafe).

5 Hours Forward

3 hours back...

Atlanta (where the players play) charges for wireless internet, so we're skipping straight to the final destination.

Customs was a breeze, but it did take a while for my luggage to arrive. At least it got here in one piece. After spending a day in Vancouver, I feel somewhat more at ease about this whole "being on a ship for six months" thing. It's really nice up here, weather's fantastic (not too cold, not warm) and the people are nice. It's like America on its best behavior.

I've got a 5:45 am call, so I'm going to leave it at this and try to update again tomorrow (from the ship, no less!).

Do You Think That if You Were Falling in Space, You'd Slow Down After a While?

Or go faster and faster?

This is a reboot of my previous blog, "Life, Unlike Writing". I had no real purpose at that time, a definite but far-off goal, and a long road to nowhere in particular. That has all changed, hence the fresh start.

I'm writing this from Orlando International Airport, waiting to board a flight to Vancouver via Atlanta. Once in Vancouver, I'll begin working as a videographer for a major cruise line. It's a fantastic opportunity, considering the short time I've been a member of the working class, and since I'll be traveling from Vancouver to Alaska, I'll have a chance to experience some exquisite natural beauty.

With this blog, I hope to take you (the reader) on the journey with me, to drag you through the pitfalls and lift you up for the highlights, all as it happens (relatively speaking). I'll update entries with pictures whenever I can, and hopefully my writing skills can adequately convey the wonder and majesty of what I encounter.

To avoid draining my laptop's battery, I'll keep it brief. Maybe another quick update from Atlanta. For now, just sit back and enjoy the read.