Today I got to see my Mom and Eddie in Brooklyn, NY. It was quite a long day.
It began at 6:15am when my alarm clock woke me so I could go to the 6:30am Immigration inspection. I stood in line for 30 minutes so an official could look at my passport, look at me and say "next." He had to do that for all 2000 crew members so it took quite a while. It also was unfortunate that every single crew member had to be cleared before crew shore leave was granted (that didn't happen until about 10:30am). I had to go pound on my neighbors door at 8:00am to remind them to go get checked so they could go back to sleep. And even at 8:00am people were still not showing up to get checked.
Anyways, we finally made it off the ship and I was able to meet mom and Eddie at the gangway. Mom sniffled, but didn't cry. I took them on a tour of the ship starting with my cabin and I loved my mom's response on first seeing it. "Two people live in here?" Yes, it's a tiny cabin, but we actually have one of the largest crew cabins because it used to belong to a married couple.
Then I took them up to deck 2 to meet the boss and drop off keys, we headed up to deck 3 to see the Planetarium, the Royal Court Theater and then the Grand Lobby. We headed to the back of the ship to see the Photo Gallery, then the Queen's Room, and finally the night club G32 (named after the ships engineering title before she was named the Queen Mary 2).
We headed up to deck 7 to see the Winter Garden and got a great shot of the Statue of Liberty. Then we jumped on the crew shuttle bus to Fulton Street where I did $80 worth of shopping at Target. I needed a bunch of stuff especially since we won't be back this way for a while. I hate trying to buy necessities in other countries because I don't know if I'm getting a good deal or not while trying to convert dollars into whatever it is they use.
Lunch was a really good hot dog from a street vendor (don't say ewww until you've eaten the crew food on this ship). We ate some ice cream at Baskin Robbins and said our good-byes (mom cried) from Fulton St. I made it back to the ship and participated in the passenger drill at 4:30pm then headed back to my cabin. My cabin mate and Bam Bam (Andrew) were waiting there with boxes of pizza so we ate and watched Team America for a while.
They headed off to do tonights show and I headed up to deck 13 to watch the sailaway from New York. We passed under the Verrazano (sp?) bridge again and the passengers cheered when we crossed under because it's only a 13 foot clearance from the ships smoke stack to the bottom of the bridge. It's an amazing sight and I braved the cold to get an mpeg.
I got to talk to my dad and send out some text messages. Plus I sent out this link again with a reminder to you all to check it during the daylight. http://www.cunard.com/qm2
I miss everyone! I can't wait to see Robyn and Danny's puppy and get home to some good old fashioned food. I'm going to have to buy some exercise equipment just to keep the weight off.
Laters!
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Trannies
Trans-Atlantics (or 'trannies') are 5 days long. It consists of going from New York to Southampton or Southampton to New York. This is when the crew gets absolutely no sleep and works non-stop. And this isn't just our department, it's everyone!
Our ship has 3 production shows plus two versions of a Welcome A Board Show (WABS) and a going away show called Thank You For The Music (TYFTM). The production shows are Rock at the Opera, Appasionata and Zing Went the Strings. Rock at the Opera is a fusion of Rock and Opera music which isn't as bad as it sounds. The only problem is a 2minute transition shift cue we have that is insane!
In two minutes time, three crew members have to move 5 columns and load a moving bridge truck (automated scenery) into a track. The actors (at the same time) are striking 6 rolling arches pretty much into the same area that we have to move columns, so like all shifts it's timed to work like choreography. If one person is late or slow on a shift, it throws everyone off. And the show is all timed with MIDI so when the music runs out, and if the shift isn't complete, we're "proper fucked."
Rock at the opera also features the fiber optic wall upstage and a quarter of a million dollar chandelier above the apron. The chandelier looks like a half dome, then the "petals" open like a flower lowering a full sized crystal chandelier from that, and a disco ball. The fiber optic wall displays a skyline of Barcelona. The floor has 6 lifts built in which can all be programmed to raise and lower with the music while at the same time a built in revolve spins the stage.
Zing went the Strings is a lot more intense. The shift involves striking the rolling truck, striking a flat, rolling two scroll walls upstage of the main and then making a clearing in the center for the truck to roll back downstage thru a swagged opening in the main. During my first time in rehearsal, we didn't make it and had to stop the run thru. Our second try, we still didn't make it, so it was decided that having two new people on the crew at the same time was a bad idea. So from now on, only one new crew member will run the rehearsal and show while the other new person "shadows" the veteran crew members.
Appasionata is the easiest show for crew. There are six panels. Two mounted on the floor far stage left and the other stage right. Four panels fly in on one flybar. On each of them, one side is mirrored and the other has built in LEDs to match the star drop upstage. All you need to remember to be a stage hand is which way you're supposed to turn each panel on each cue. Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise and the stage manager calls that before each shift. The only other job I have during that show is handing a mashenka (sp?) to a dancer thru the truss and handing a drum box to a dancer.
I'm going to try to get an mpeg of the chandelier and the revolve onstage during Rock at the Opera because it is amazing!
This weekend our boat was chartered by a company in England so a lot of shows are running right now in every single venue. It's almost 12:30pm so the shows techs (who came on board) are setting up for tonight. We assist them where we can but we're still responsible for the main theater's show. Last night and again tonight we did a Jamie Cullem concert. He's really famous in Britain and I can see why. I'm ready to buy his CD just after listening to him play and sing in the Royal Court Theater.
Hope all is well, Casey's gay! And my friend Andrew has his wireless working on his laptop so I'm going to try to upload some pics after this charter is over and we get free time. Plus, I'm thinking I may have to get a domain when I get home. Casey's Gay Dot com?
Our ship has 3 production shows plus two versions of a Welcome A Board Show (WABS) and a going away show called Thank You For The Music (TYFTM). The production shows are Rock at the Opera, Appasionata and Zing Went the Strings. Rock at the Opera is a fusion of Rock and Opera music which isn't as bad as it sounds. The only problem is a 2minute transition shift cue we have that is insane!
In two minutes time, three crew members have to move 5 columns and load a moving bridge truck (automated scenery) into a track. The actors (at the same time) are striking 6 rolling arches pretty much into the same area that we have to move columns, so like all shifts it's timed to work like choreography. If one person is late or slow on a shift, it throws everyone off. And the show is all timed with MIDI so when the music runs out, and if the shift isn't complete, we're "proper fucked."
Rock at the opera also features the fiber optic wall upstage and a quarter of a million dollar chandelier above the apron. The chandelier looks like a half dome, then the "petals" open like a flower lowering a full sized crystal chandelier from that, and a disco ball. The fiber optic wall displays a skyline of Barcelona. The floor has 6 lifts built in which can all be programmed to raise and lower with the music while at the same time a built in revolve spins the stage.
Zing went the Strings is a lot more intense. The shift involves striking the rolling truck, striking a flat, rolling two scroll walls upstage of the main and then making a clearing in the center for the truck to roll back downstage thru a swagged opening in the main. During my first time in rehearsal, we didn't make it and had to stop the run thru. Our second try, we still didn't make it, so it was decided that having two new people on the crew at the same time was a bad idea. So from now on, only one new crew member will run the rehearsal and show while the other new person "shadows" the veteran crew members.
Appasionata is the easiest show for crew. There are six panels. Two mounted on the floor far stage left and the other stage right. Four panels fly in on one flybar. On each of them, one side is mirrored and the other has built in LEDs to match the star drop upstage. All you need to remember to be a stage hand is which way you're supposed to turn each panel on each cue. Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise and the stage manager calls that before each shift. The only other job I have during that show is handing a mashenka (sp?) to a dancer thru the truss and handing a drum box to a dancer.
I'm going to try to get an mpeg of the chandelier and the revolve onstage during Rock at the Opera because it is amazing!
This weekend our boat was chartered by a company in England so a lot of shows are running right now in every single venue. It's almost 12:30pm so the shows techs (who came on board) are setting up for tonight. We assist them where we can but we're still responsible for the main theater's show. Last night and again tonight we did a Jamie Cullem concert. He's really famous in Britain and I can see why. I'm ready to buy his CD just after listening to him play and sing in the Royal Court Theater.
Hope all is well, Casey's gay! And my friend Andrew has his wireless working on his laptop so I'm going to try to upload some pics after this charter is over and we get free time. Plus, I'm thinking I may have to get a domain when I get home. Casey's Gay Dot com?
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Happy Easter
So I'm supposed to call home at 10am (Pacific Time) but I'm hearing from all of my friends that everyone on this ship is trying to call home so chances of me actually getting through at a specified time are one in a million. I will try as close as possible but at 2pm today (10am Pacific time) I have to be on stage working. So I will call at 1:30pm and if I can't get through, well then... Happy Easter.
New York was awesome. I was stuck on the boat but we circled the statue of liberty and crossed under the Verazano (sp?) bridge. The boat only has a clearance of 13 feet when we go under so it looks like we're going to crash into it. It's amazing!!! I can't wait to come back and actually see the city.
I also wanted to share a poem a friend showed me here on board. No one knows where it came from, but it's hillarious
New York was awesome. I was stuck on the boat but we circled the statue of liberty and crossed under the Verazano (sp?) bridge. The boat only has a clearance of 13 feet when we go under so it looks like we're going to crash into it. It's amazing!!! I can't wait to come back and actually see the city.
I also wanted to share a poem a friend showed me here on board. No one knows where it came from, but it's hillarious
Last night as I lay sleeping
I died or so it seemed
Then I went to heaven
But only in my dream
Up there St. Peter met me
Standing at the pearly gate
He said "I must check your record,
Please stand here and wait."
He turned and said "Your record
Is covered with terrible flaws,
On Earth I see you rallied
For every losing cause.
I see that you drank alcohol,
And smoked and used drugs too.
Fact is, you've done everything
A good person should never do.
We can't have people like you up here.
Your life was full of sin."
Then he read the last of my record
Took my hand and said "Come In."
He led me up to the big boss and said
"Take him in and treat him well,
He used to work on Cruise Ships.
He's done his time in hell."
Happy Easter!
PS Amy, if you're reading this... where's LOST? :-(
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Caribbean
So the last few days were in the caribbean. I sent out some more post cards and bought a few more so I could write them on the way to New York. I'm missing a couple of peoples addresses, so if you REALLY want a post card, e-mail me your address.
The ship is getting knocked all over tonight. We're in the atlantic heading north to New York. We'll be there on the 15th and again on the 29th. I won't be able to get off the ship until the 29th when my mom comes to visit because of shows and such. We're actually going to do a show tonight at 8:45pm which is in 25 minutes for me. If the first one goes smoothly, we'll do the second, but the dancers were slightly hesitant to do the show tonight because of how bumpy it is right now. The cruise director has a comedian on stand by to do the second show if the dancers really dont want to do it, or if one gets hurt.
Our lighting guy today got really sick during rehearsal. His blood sugar level dropped or something but he's doing better. So all in all, it's been a really hectic day.
I'm gonna post the new york mailing address again for anyone who needs to write to me instead of e-mail, or if you're a certain blond mailing me the LOST season on DVD ;-)
QM2 - Roxanne Rosas
c/o Cruiselink 238
676A 9th Avenue
NY, NY 10036
I think it's a little different than the first one I posted, but my friends said the port usually figures it out if it's close enough to that. I found that I actually can receive some small packages to that mailing address, but they go through loads of security so it would be a while before I got it. And we hit New York several times during this contract so it's probably the safest bet to mail something to me there.
Miss you all, remember if you post a comment to sign your name cuz I have to guess who it is otherwise. I don't get to see your e-mail address if you post and I'd rather not have to make anyone sign up for an account with blogger if they don't want to.
Miss you mom and dad! oh... and Robyn.... :-)
PS Casey's Gay and I have a picture with a monkey to prove it! Muah ha ha!
The ship is getting knocked all over tonight. We're in the atlantic heading north to New York. We'll be there on the 15th and again on the 29th. I won't be able to get off the ship until the 29th when my mom comes to visit because of shows and such. We're actually going to do a show tonight at 8:45pm which is in 25 minutes for me. If the first one goes smoothly, we'll do the second, but the dancers were slightly hesitant to do the show tonight because of how bumpy it is right now. The cruise director has a comedian on stand by to do the second show if the dancers really dont want to do it, or if one gets hurt.
Our lighting guy today got really sick during rehearsal. His blood sugar level dropped or something but he's doing better. So all in all, it's been a really hectic day.
I'm gonna post the new york mailing address again for anyone who needs to write to me instead of e-mail, or if you're a certain blond mailing me the LOST season on DVD ;-)
QM2 - Roxanne Rosas
c/o Cruiselink 238
676A 9th Avenue
NY, NY 10036
I think it's a little different than the first one I posted, but my friends said the port usually figures it out if it's close enough to that. I found that I actually can receive some small packages to that mailing address, but they go through loads of security so it would be a while before I got it. And we hit New York several times during this contract so it's probably the safest bet to mail something to me there.
Miss you all, remember if you post a comment to sign your name cuz I have to guess who it is otherwise. I don't get to see your e-mail address if you post and I'd rather not have to make anyone sign up for an account with blogger if they don't want to.
Miss you mom and dad! oh... and Robyn.... :-)
PS Casey's Gay and I have a picture with a monkey to prove it! Muah ha ha!
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Schedule Update
April
5 At Sea
6 At Sea
7 At Sea
8 At Sea
9 At Sea
10 Barbados
11 St. Kitts
12 St. Thomas
13 At Sea
14 At Sea
15 New York
16 At Sea
17 At Sea
18 At Sea
19 At Sea
20 At Sea
21 Southampton
22 St Peter Port
23 Southampton
24 At Sea
25 At Sea
26 At Sea
27 At Sea
28 At Sea
29 New York
30 At Sea
May
1 At Sea
2 At Sea
3 At Sea
4 At Sea
5 Southampton
6 At Sea
7 Hamburg Germany
8 Hamburg Germany
9 Hamburg Germany
10 Hamburg Germany
11 Southampton
12 At Sea
13 Aalesund Norway
14 At Sea
5 At Sea
6 At Sea
7 At Sea
8 At Sea
9 At Sea
10 Barbados
11 St. Kitts
12 St. Thomas
13 At Sea
14 At Sea
15 New York
16 At Sea
17 At Sea
18 At Sea
19 At Sea
20 At Sea
21 Southampton
22 St Peter Port
23 Southampton
24 At Sea
25 At Sea
26 At Sea
27 At Sea
28 At Sea
29 New York
30 At Sea
May
1 At Sea
2 At Sea
3 At Sea
4 At Sea
5 Southampton
6 At Sea
7 Hamburg Germany
8 Hamburg Germany
9 Hamburg Germany
10 Hamburg Germany
11 Southampton
12 At Sea
13 Aalesund Norway
14 At Sea
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Rio de Janeiro
So we spent the last two days docked in Rio de Janeiro. Yesterday I wasn't able to go ashore because of this huge show that came on board. Fafa Nebelem or Debelem. I think that was her name... anyways... She's famous here in Brazil and she came on board for a special performance that drove us all insane. She's a total diva so the requests that she had were outrageous at times.
We had to partition the connex area of the ship that guests are used to crossing thru because she was afraid she would have fans bugging her a lot. So the passengers were getting upset at us because they couldn't go where they normally did, they'd have to find alternate routes and it was making them lose their way. I've learned the best way to not get lost on this ship is to always have a favorite route to where you're going, I'm guessing the guests do the same.
Plus, memorizing where certain art pieces helps to guide me. There are modern art collages in the connex area so I always know I'm between the theater and the planetarium when I enter the connex rooms.
So after hours of load in, which was all a pain because these people speak portugese and not spanish making it harder to understand them, Fafa shows up a couple hours late for her own personal sound check. The lighting guy wrote all over the light board in sharpie, and the sound guy did his own EQ of the room so both of our lighting and sound guys were frustrated.
Then we had to fix up connex rooms 4 and 5 for Fafa and the band, in that order. Room 3 was converted into the MC's own personal room. Then Fafa's entourage started asking for alcohol and food so I became more of an errand runner than a stage hand. But then they couldn't have tap water, they wanted bottled water. After that all arrived then they told us the MC wanted food and water of his own. After that arrived, then Fafa and her band needed 4 more bottled waters (smaller than the ones in her room) and a bucket of ice. When the ice arrived, apparently the bucket was too big. Ugh! Divas...
So basically, my work day yesterday was from 9:30am to 1:00am. I got up at 10am today so I could go to shore, and now I've eaten dinner, I'm waiting for the DVD rental place to open so I can get "Little Britain" season 1 and something else. Then I'm working at 8:45 and 10:30 tonight for the Welcome aboard show for the passengers who joined us in Rio.
Well, I better be on my way. Miss you all and love you lots. Robyn, turn off Ryan's TV and Mom I hope you're enjoying Da Vinci Code. Dad, I'll call again soon. My first pay day is in 2 days and I have no idea how this works since I'm having most of my money directly deposited into the savings account.
Roxanne
PS Remember if you leave a comment to sign your name, because they are sent directly to my Gmail with the name "Anonymous" in the header.
We had to partition the connex area of the ship that guests are used to crossing thru because she was afraid she would have fans bugging her a lot. So the passengers were getting upset at us because they couldn't go where they normally did, they'd have to find alternate routes and it was making them lose their way. I've learned the best way to not get lost on this ship is to always have a favorite route to where you're going, I'm guessing the guests do the same.
Plus, memorizing where certain art pieces helps to guide me. There are modern art collages in the connex area so I always know I'm between the theater and the planetarium when I enter the connex rooms.
So after hours of load in, which was all a pain because these people speak portugese and not spanish making it harder to understand them, Fafa shows up a couple hours late for her own personal sound check. The lighting guy wrote all over the light board in sharpie, and the sound guy did his own EQ of the room so both of our lighting and sound guys were frustrated.
Then we had to fix up connex rooms 4 and 5 for Fafa and the band, in that order. Room 3 was converted into the MC's own personal room. Then Fafa's entourage started asking for alcohol and food so I became more of an errand runner than a stage hand. But then they couldn't have tap water, they wanted bottled water. After that all arrived then they told us the MC wanted food and water of his own. After that arrived, then Fafa and her band needed 4 more bottled waters (smaller than the ones in her room) and a bucket of ice. When the ice arrived, apparently the bucket was too big. Ugh! Divas...
So basically, my work day yesterday was from 9:30am to 1:00am. I got up at 10am today so I could go to shore, and now I've eaten dinner, I'm waiting for the DVD rental place to open so I can get "Little Britain" season 1 and something else. Then I'm working at 8:45 and 10:30 tonight for the Welcome aboard show for the passengers who joined us in Rio.
Well, I better be on my way. Miss you all and love you lots. Robyn, turn off Ryan's TV and Mom I hope you're enjoying Da Vinci Code. Dad, I'll call again soon. My first pay day is in 2 days and I have no idea how this works since I'm having most of my money directly deposited into the savings account.
Roxanne
PS Remember if you leave a comment to sign your name, because they are sent directly to my Gmail with the name "Anonymous" in the header.
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