Catching up! And a good night!

It’s been a busy couple days... But not really. Ha. Just trying to do what I can. Yesterday, I went out into Vancouver around 8 AM, to find that nothing of value opened until 10 AM. So.. I walked around and took many many pictures. A very beautiful town, it was. I managed to find the Apple Store, so I most certainly took a look around. Logic 9 came out, which is a very cool recording software. Unfortunately it’s a lot more expensive here than it is in the US. So, I passed.

Also in the Mall I visited, I tried some sushi (which was very delicious.) I also had a fruit smoothie. I then went to Staples and bought some burnable CDs, so that I could some of my album while I wait for approval from Carnival. I also noticed that most ATMs in Vancouver, don’t accept VISA. It was so backwards to me. But luckily most shops did accept it. So, I was safe.

After a few hours, I went back to the ship and prepared to play for my new audience. I started off with a bash, and played lots of upbeat good songs and got lots of onlookers immediately. Then I went to the piano bar, and it was kind of dead. A couple cool people hung around, but it was overall dead. But that’s normal for the first night.

So, after sleeping in late, and having lots of weird dreams that involved an old man psychic, I woke up, ate lunch, took lots of pictures out on the deck, in search for whales (of course they were jumping around when I didn’t have my camera. I ran to get it, and when I got back.. there was nothing..) Then I played in the Atrium, and after I played one original, I got requests for more. Then, I got some pictures taken of me in a tux for a poster, and then I went and played the Piano Bar. This time, I managed to fill it pretty well tonight. Sold two cds, and by the end of the night, everyone was singing along. Met a gymnist teacher named Neil (who swears he will fill the place up tomorrow for me,) and Australian named Mel (great funny guy,) and an 18 year old named Dean. Amanda came and asked if I wanted to go see the comedian with her tonight at 12 (assuming I got off then) and I agreed. But at 12, the place was really rocking, so I couldn’t leave. She was dressed up real nice. All the people at the bar were heckling me to go out with her and all that. Especially Mel. But I informed them many times she had a boyfriend.

Amanda came back around 12:50 and said the comedian sucked and asked me if I wanted to go to Disco. All the people at the bar started cheering for me, though I repeated once again, it wasn’t like that. We invited everyone out, and I ran back quick to get dressed into a dress shirt and tie. My boss had his door open, so I let him know how it went, and that I was going to go out and socialize (which he liked.) Gerhard has been really cool to me. He really encourages me to go out and meet people, and he and I have lots of cool conversations after the gigs. It’s really going to suck when he leaves. He’s a cool mentor.

So, I went to the crew bar, to not find Amanda there (where she told me to meet her.) I saw Chris, the bass player and he made me get a beer. Haha. Funny english guy. So I got one, and chatted with Megan, Jeffery (the showband piano player) and Melody (entertainment girl.) After a few jokes and laughs, Amanda showed and we made our way to the disco. She asked what all the cheering was about when she left the bar earlier, and I let her know. She thought it was funny.

We got to disco and it was DEAD. Like.. maybe 15 people there. She bought me a coke and rum, and we drank and talk for a bit, and waited for people to arrive. Not many arrived... then she got the sudden urge for pizza, so we ran to the pizza bar and got a slice each. Then ran back down. We bumped into a few of the passengers and made them come (Dean and Mel.) So they came in and I talked with them and Amanda, until Amanda got tired and left. So I talked with both of the guys for a bit, and explained my job to them. I turned around and noticed Colleen (a girl that works at guest services, that I had met a couple days before.. we also ran into each other the same time 3 nights in a row at her door.) coming up the stairs and I poked her and we got to talking. Found out she’s 27, and from Toronto. This was her second contract and she’ll be here until December. She likes her job, though it has it’s ups and downs. While she ran off to get a bottled water, Mel left, but I talked with Dean for a bit. He works for his dad’s auto mechanic shop. His dream is to start a underground record label and help the local bands he loves. So I gave him my advice on it all. He was a real cool kid.

Colleen came back, and she asked if I wanted to go to the lower level of the disco with her, so I did. When we got to the bottom, we pretty much demonstrated what bad dancers we are. Though she’s black, she admits she has no rhythm. As I am a white guy it’s already a given I can’t dance. We hung around and talked more, as we danced. The song “Womanizer” came on, and she asked me if I was a womanizer.. I told her no.. not by any means, but she didn’t seem convinced. She noticed me coming in with Amanda, but I once again made it clear we were friends. Another one of her friends came over and danced with us. Colleen left to do something real quick and she told me not to leave, so I hung with her friend. We ended up being the only 2 people besides the DJ left in the room. He called out “last song”, and Colleen came back, and we all walked out. Colleen lives 4 doors down from me, so I walked her to her room, and I came here to go to sleep, because.. well.. I have embarkation tomorrow.. well.. in 3 hours. So.... NIGHT...