Sea Day, and Whittier

When I got to the Atrium yesterday, all my fans from the piano bar were there. So it was a good gig. I really enjoyed it. I love talking with passengers that come to listen, because it does turn into a kind of friendship. I ate dinner afterwards, and bumped into Colleen so I ate with her. Found out she was going to the bar in town where we (the musicians) will be playing.

On our way back to our rooms she said she got tickets to go on the Yukon Trail tour, and asked if i wanted to go. I said as long as it doesn’t interfere with the time I’m playing, that would be fun.

I went back upstairs and started restringing my guitar, when Monica, a passenger that’s been to see me almost every night with her dad, sat and talked with me for a bit. She was 24, and from Texas. She will finish her degree in Psychology in December. She worked and tried to get her degree at the same time so it took a little longer. The last couple nights she had requested songs I didn’t know, but I took time to learn two of her requests, which I played, and she liked.

After that gig, I went and set up in the piano bar where she came and the others from the other night. It was a great night of conversation and music. And I made 146 dollars in tips! Best night thus far. Unfortunately, this will be my last week in the piano bar. A new piano player is coming in on the 2nd, so I’ll be forced to the atrium or the Deco Lounge. After the piano bar, i talked with Carlos (a man who has worked for Carnival for 15 years and was on vacation) Monica, Billy (the drawer, artist) and Megan, and tried to talk them all into coming into town to hang with us and the musicians. Within seconds, Monica and Carlos agreed.

We all met at the gangway, and approached a red van that took us to the Bar. When we got there, there were maybe 10 people in there... That were locals. I was beginning to worry. Monica said she was having a good time, and Carlos bought us our beer. He’s a real cool guy. Too bad he doesn’t work on our ship. So we chatted about lots of stuff, when suddenly the musicians showed up. And two minutes later, half the staff was there! The place was SLAMMED. Within minutes i was pulled up to play with the band. I sang “All My Loving”. And jammed through lots of different tunes. It was a great time. Colleen indeed showed up with her friends.

My boss, Peter, who is a very soft spoken guy, definitely let loose and was crazy! It was a great time.

At one point I mentioned to the Cruise Director that I would be leaving for a week. He told me he’d find room for me to stay if that’s what their (corporate) concern was.

When it came to leave, Colleen, her friend, Monica and I went back to the ship. We all went our separate ways and I fell asleep.

This morning I woke up with a massive headache, but I checked my email to see something from Chuck. He said that he was trying to work out the details of keeping me on the ship for the week, UNLESS I wanted to get off, which was just as easy to arrange. I told him if Pat wanted to come on immediately, I could take the week off and see some friends, It might help me through the next 4 months.