Job hazards - Hurricane DEATH.

Week 6

Day 1

Shopping trip. As you know my earphones died on me sometime last week. I had to head down to the nearest radioshack and purchase my trusted earphone brand. I bought three pairs just in case.

I hate necessary expenses. The more of them I can avoid the more money I can save and the richer I'll be when I get back home.

Day 2

Some stick breakage is beginning to happen. And to start it off I broke my beloved oak sticks. The hardest pair I have and they shattered just as easily under my mighty power. This is why I had to bring that obnoxiously overloaded bag of sticks. I also broke one of the old steve gadd ones I had while practicing. 

I hope my supply is enough to last me till the end of my contract.

On a worser note, My finger met with an accident today. I was putting my cymbals back into my bag today and while doing so one of the cymbals sliced my fingernail pretty badly. It is quite ouchies. Now I have to do the drummer skill of bandaid hand playing. It's always weird gripping a stick when you have a bandaged finger. 

Non playing related injuries are probably worse than playing related ones because you know you could've avoided them. Now I'll probably have this bandaid on for a whole week before that part of my nail grows out and can get cut.

Day 3

Some people despise playing 'cocktail music'. I actually find it quite bearable.

Saw the comedian's show again. Different comedian obviously. Entertainment is always nice

Day 4

The week continues with two daunting pieces of news. 

One is of the impending hurricane. So apparently the captain made the announcement that we're leaving a day early to get there before the storm hits. Kinda bummed that we got shanked out of a Bermuda day. Then again, it's the guests that have it hard. At least I'll be back next week.

The other piece of news is that of the guests entertainer show that I have to play tomorrow. From what I've heard it's probably the most challenging show ever to come to ships. It's very drum challenging.

I've been listening to the music and I can see that clearly. This is probably the first guest entertainer show that I've had to practice beforehand. It is pretty darn hard. Music is pretty high up the scale though. Not some half assed pianist like last time. He's a violinist who's worked with some pretty big names.

We will see how I survive tomorrow.

Day 5

INTENSE SHOW.

Crazy long rehearsal. Had a double rehearsal. 3 or more hours of it. But the show was fun. Quite a number of trips in the show but it didn't destroy the performance. It is actually quite a fun show to play. 

Doug Cameron. Go check him out. He's actually quite a good violin player. Though it has now changed my perception on how awesome jazz strings are. I've always thought a jazz violinist or cellist would be awesome, and they are when the arrangements are built around them as the soloist, but if they're just included into a rhythm section playing standards, the sound doesn't really do that well. 

But the show went great. And apparently we're gonna do his show again next week. And then the week after that. And then the week after that. 

Other piece of interesting news is this new ongoing saga with the hurricane. For those of you who've been informed, the hurricane is actually going to hit new jersey and new york, right where we'll be docking. It's all very exciting.

Our early departure schedule has been changed back again to friday. So we do get the night out, and the third day on the Island. What's going to happen is we're going to leave as arranged but take it slow and get into port on Monday. The storm is going to hit Jersey on Sunday so we hope to move behind it and not get hit. So our cruisers get an extra day cruise. And we might have to put on an extra show for them for that one night. That kinda sucks.

The weather is still unpredictable. Nobody knows what this storm is capable of doing. It might choose to change directions and come attack the ship. In which case I will be thrilled. You see I'm the kind of person that sees the possible awesome anecdote behind every tragedy. It will make for an awesome story if I don't get killed. So if the ship tilts like mad and chairs go flying around, be assured that I will be enjoying myself.

The other possibility is that we would sail into port on Monday to find it completely destroyed and demolished by the storm, just like New Orleans after Katrina. It could be possible. The hurricane might just go up to category 4. Which for a non terminologically inclined person stands for CRAZY FAST WINDS OF DEATH. Or something similar.

That's all I have to say about the hurricane for now. See you on the other side of this ordeal.

Oh and Doug bought us drinks after the show. Happy times.

NOTE

This update comes to you midweek on friday due to the unpredictable nature of the storm. I will only be in port on Monday and may not have time for internet depending on how quickly we choose to depart again. I'm thinking we may not get as many hours off the ship, or any at all. Or the other possibility that the restaurant is destroyed when I get there and the internet may quite possibly be down in that situation. 

Look forward to my next update with the rest of the juicy details.