A Lot Like Love...

I’m writing this as I sit and wait for my roommate to come home from work. We’re going to the Crew Valentine party tonight in D-Lounge. It’s being thrown by Mainstage and Character Performers, so it should be pretty interesting. However, as I sit here in my jeans and heels, I can’t help but think that Valentine’s Day is quite possibly the dumbest and most useless holiday ever created.

Before you think I’m one of those girls that hates Valentine’s Day because she’s single, calm yourself. I actually have a legitimate reason. Besides, I’ve had boyfriends on Valentine’s Day before, and I still hated it.

I hate Valentine’s Day because I believe with every fiber of my being that you should be able to tell someone you love them, or do something extravagant in the name of love, on any day of the year. Why February 14? What is so special about that day? If you really love someone, you should be doing something every day to show them. Even if it’s something simple like a post-it note on the bathroom mirror, or a sweet text in the middle of the day just to say, “I love you.” The person you love, should know you love them, without question. You want to buy a girl flowers? Buy them. Don’t wait for a special reason. Just do it. You want to surprise your guy with tickets to the big game/concert/convention? Do it just to see him get all excited. And it’s not all about gifts. Be there for them through bad times, long days, work problems, whatever it is. Get excited with them. Be sad with them. Fight with them. Make up. Live your life, and don’t be afraid to be in love.

OK, stepping off my soapbox.

I talked to my MYA today and learned I will be coming back to the Dream for my second contract. I will also be coming back as an Ent Host! Boom! Mission accomplished. Hopefully, I’ll get to take scripts home with me and work on them over my vacation to save time when I get back. I may suggest it, just to be ahead of the game. The only problem is I don’t know if I’ll be coming back as a Club or Lab host. Perhaps I’ll just learn both. I pretty much know all the Club programs anyway, since I’ve seen them roughly 456,000 times, give or take a bit. And I’m probably going to extend my second contract by a couple weeks or so. Why? Two of my friends are getting married in October and I refuse to miss their wedding. Also - I plan on extending my vacation after that and being home for Christmas. So, nice long break after contract number 2!

The nursery is crazy busy this cruise. We are COMPLETELY booked. There’s even a waiting list for reservation spots. I’ve never seen it this busy. Furthermore, we’ve got a lot of first timers, which means hysterical fits of apocalyptic intensity every time Mom and Dad leave them. Super. Fun. Oh, and there’s three sets of identical twins. And an officer’s kid. And several breastfed babies. There is nothing wrong with that last one, except when Momma ain’t around. There you are, rocking the baby to sleep, when he gets sort of peckish, starts to nuzzle a little too deep, and things get awkward. I’ve said, “Hey now... nothing in there for you...” several times this cruise.
Also got to deal with the most heinous DPA (Dirty Potty Accident) on the face of the Earth this cruise. I’m talking running down the kid’s leg onto the floor, overflowing out of the diaper, needs a whole box of wipes and a water hose to clean off, D.P.A. I really thought I was going to get sick. It was like something crawled out of this child’s rear, liquefied, and then died. Not okay. So there I am, holding my breath and wiping away, when another counselor comes up and is all, “Ooo, that smells like a bad one. Did he poop?” Really!? The only other thing that could make that smell is rotten food covered in sour milk. Since there doesn’t seem to be a pile of that around anywhere, I’m gonna go with, Yes. He pooped. Here’s your sign. Dumb.

Anyhow, I’ve gotten to see “Believe” twice in the last few cruises, which is unheard of. My breaks and early nights have just worked out that way. I love the show, and there’s this one climactic moment when the Dad realizes how much he loves his daughter and how she is the most magical and precious thing in his life. He sees her all grown up, dancing with her dashing “prince” and then he cuts in. They slow dance and he sings, “Baby Mine” to her. Every single time I see the show (and I’ve seen it four times now) this moment makes me cry. Not like a single tear down the cheek, oh no. Full on sniffles and cover your mouth so no one can hear you sob cry. It gets awkward for those around me. Why? Cause I totally know that my Daddy is going to do that with me when I get home. And would do that with me now if he were on this boat. And will do that one day at my wedding reception. The song he sings to me will be different, but it will be ours. “Believe” makes me miss my Daddy. But it’s a good kind of missing. It makes me so very grateful for how I grew up, and for my parents who love me dearly. Tonight I was sitting behind a family of four, and when this moment in the show happened, the dad put an arm around each of his kids and hugged them close, kissing the top of their heads. I thought my heart was going to explode.

Speaking of exploding, if one more person asks me if I have a boyfriend/husband/fella/special someone on board this ship I am going to scream. For whatever reason, guests and crew members alike have taken a sudden interest in my love life. Let me make this simple for everyone - I AM SINGLE. In the past two cruises, I’ve had five different moms ask me if I was dating someone, or if I left my husband at home while I came onboard. Really? You see a ring on my hand? Nope. Add that to the endless, “Are you a mommy?” questions the come flying out of the kids mouths and I feel like I’m getting the third degree. It’s like I’m in a room with nothing but little Yenta’s telling me that I’m getting old and should be married. I swear, I half expect one of the kids to say, “Ally, oh Ally, have I got a match for you! He’s handsome! He’s young! Alright, he’s sixty-two... But he’s a good man, a nice man. True? True.” And if that happens, I’m jumping off Deck 4 and swimming to shore. People (and children) need to calm it down.

And now for the most important part - I COME HOME IN 22 DAYS!!!!! That’s three weeks from tomorrow people. THREE WEEKS!!!!!! 

So let it be written. So let it be done. 
(Ten points for anyone, besides my family, who can name the movie that line comes from.)

The Thing...

So, there’s that moment when The Thing, whatever it may be, hits you. You weren’t really expecting it to pop up in your mind, but there it is - big, flashing, and right in front of you. And despite your best efforts, the natural reaction is to shout out loud. This reaction makes it a little awkward for everyone when The Thing hits you in the middle of the day, at work. True story - I’m standing on wash and I realize I have 32 days left until I come home. I give a little giggle and shout with glee.

See, that’s my thing... days until I come home. And don’t think I’m counting because I hate it here and I’m so homesick I can’t function. I love my job. I will be doing a second contract for sure, probably a third, and depending on the itinerary (fingers crossed for Mediterranean!!) a fourth contract. After that, career navigation within the Walt Disney Company, because let’s be honest... The Mouse is a fantastic boss. But back to my thing... did I mention that I will be walking, no, running down the steps past the little old man taking his time at Blue Grass airport in 32 days? That I will be flinging myself into my family’s arms and most likely bursting into tears? (It’s me. I cry. We should all know this by now.) And that a couple days after that I will be putting on a dress, grabbing a bottle of wine with my girls, and catching up on the last four months? And in April I’ll be with my friends watching March Madness and my Cats win an eighth national title!!!! And then I’ll be going to London to visit my friend!!!! You. Don’t. Even. Know. These little things all come together to make The Thing. My only reaction is to shout for joy. But like I said, The Thing hits me at the most random, and sometimes inappropriate, times. I should probably work on that... BUT I COME IN 32 DAYS!!!!!!!!!

In other news, in case you didn’t see my Facebook status (or haven’t talked to my parents) - I WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MY ENTERTAINMENT HOST AUDITION!! I found out from the MYA last Thursday. The panel was very impressed and thought I did a really good job, so they sent my recommendation off to Shoreside. Now all I have to do is wait for a line to open up. The position is for any spot fleet wide, so I could be (and most likely will be) moving ships. Rumor has it, I’ll be going to the Wonder - which means Alaska! - but nothing is definite yet. I am so excited it’s unreal!

As far as my rooming situation goes... omg, I love my new Roomie. She’s is fabulous! That is all. Boom.

Yesterday, I got called into the Manager’s office. I walk in trying to figure out what they could possibly want or what I may have inadvertently done to get myself in trouble. Elizabeth, the Club Manager, then asks me to sit down and offers me M&M’s and an Orange Soda. At this point I decide she’s either bribing me or I’m getting fired. Then she tells me they need me to go back to Nursery until Feb 19th. Totally fine. She scared me to death with the food bribery. After I told her that was all good, she visibly relaxed. She was worried I was going to freak out on her. Silly woman. As long as I’m still employed, we’re good. So, I’m going back to Nursery for three cruises. All good and everything, right? Right.

Oh, and if you haven’t seen my new Facebook profile picture, go check that awesomeness out. Goofy and I are totally getting married now. Obviously. ;)
Love to you all and see you in 32 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!