Scintilla Day One :: Drinking Diaries

Day One.  Tell a story about a time you got drunk before you were legally old enough to do so. Kokanee Beer.  Giggling uncontrollably in my Aunt and Uncles basement.  My cousins were freaking out because they got the girl cousin drunk.  So they fed me a banana and checked on me all night long to make sure I didn't die in my sleep.

Kahlua, Vodka and Milk.  I hid in the closet when the police came.  The crowds started to disperse and someone came looking for me.  When they found me I whispered, 'Tell the Cops my name is Ally McBeal!'.

Boones Farm.  We shared a bottle or two around a bon fire at Honoli'i.  Nothing better than drinking at the beach.

Sangria.  Girls of Summer Mugs - fluorescent hot pink, orange and yellow.  One for each of us.  Homemade sangria that was oh so delicious.  These mugs were huge and we used them allll summer long.  Best ever?  Rocking out to Vanessa Carlton in Babs The Little Blue Car.

Woodchucks.  A six pack of woodchucks at the Back Shore in Castine.  We are sitting in Marquis Mark (the big pimp ass car) listening to The Toadies and yelling along with the lyrics.  Therapy.

Crown Royal and Ginger Ale.  Making snow angels without my coat on.  My Bestie is visiting from her college in California.  She has stopped drinking because she's 'done'.  I yell at her as loudly as possible, 'PUKE AND RALLY!'....while we make snow angels without our coats on.

Cape Cods.  A Gremlin full of Midshipmen.  Drive up an un-plowed dirt road until it gets stuck.  Drink for awhile and push it out.  Repeat.  (On the way home pick up the Commandants dog and squeeze it into the car.  Go to the empty parking log and do donuts.  Then let the dog out and actually go home.)

I'm participating in The Scintilla Project.  Mostly because a few years ago I participated in Reverb10 and loved it.  I'm also participating because I'm enjoying making internet friends!  Also, I apologize but I'm already two days behind!

The Power Of A Trade

When I was working on tankers I didn't have too much interaction with the locals in whatever port I was in.  I mean, there was a little but mostly, two guys would come and hook up the hose and then we wouldn't see very many people until it was time to disconnect the hose again.  Breakbulk cargo is the total opposite. We get the ship tied up and put down the gangway.....and get immediately stormed by a herd of Longshoremen who can't wait to crawl all over the ship.

I'm not going to lie....sometimes it's a little intimidating.  When they see me, they stare.  Not like they're peeking at me out of the corner of their eyes wondering who I am and what I'm doing there.  Nope.  THEY STARE.

It takes me a little while to get them to relax and carry on with business...when I say a little while I mean at least a day.

I have another Lady Sailor Tip for you all.  (I swear I need to start writing a Lady Sailor Training Guide soon...)

I offer a trade.

I look and see what they have with them.....and then I ask them if I can have it....in exchange for something else.

What began as a way for me to simply crack the ice has become one of my ultimate favorite things about my job.

For example, when we were in Jubail, Saudi Arabia I noticed that every day the Longshoremen were all hanging out around a big thermos on their breaks.  The Longshoremen were mostly Indian but there were some Pakistanis and some Bangladeshis as well.  I had no idea what was in the thermos but I walked over and asked for a cup of what they were having.  They said no without hesitation.  I was not to be dettered.  I told them if they gave me a cup of what they were having that I would bring them a cup of coffee on their next break.  A trade was made.

They gave me a tiny plastic cup full of the yummiest chai I've ever had in my whole life.

Later in the day I was called to the gangway and there waiting for me were four Longshoremen.....thirsty for coffee.  When I brought out four cups of coffee you should have seen their faces light up.

After our successful trade there was a complete change in their demeaner.  They said Good Morning to me every day.  They lended an extra hand.  They chatted with me about their families.

My thought is this:  When you offer a trade you're acknowledging that you recognize they have something of value.

This sounds strange but, if you think of how Longshoremen must get treated working in countries that aren't their own, on ships of all nationalities....it can't always be a walk in the park.  I'm sure that they aren't always treated as if they have something to offer.

Plus, I get to drink kick ass chai every day I'm in port!

Wanna Be My Blog Friend?

I say this all the time but, I'll say it again:  This.Blog.Has.Changed.My.Life. Just typing those words makes me feel a little dramatic but the end result is the same, this sweet little blog o' mine has continuously brought me happiness.  True, unadulterated happiness.

I'm so happy my family has somewhere to come looking for me.  I'm gone so often and even when I'm home I am rarely where I'm supposed to be.  Now, everyone can see what I have for breakfast when I'm on a road trip or what my morning clouds looked like at sea.  It's glorious.

I'm so happy that I can share photos.  I can't tell you how often I go back and look at archives so I can look at a set of photos or, how happy I get when I scroll back in time and happen upon things like monkeys in Gibraltar.  I mean, talk about having no choice but smiling.

I'm so happy that I have a reason to write.  I used to love keeping journals when I was a kid.  I'd sit in the yard and write poems and pretend to be deep....yes, I was totally that kid.  Now, I have a place to write that's all grown up and pretty.  Happy.

I'm so happy that I have to look for the good in my days.  When I write a cranky post it's nice to be indulged of course but, I can always rely on my Nautie Friends to say, 'enough of that now!'.

Okay, you get it....I like the blog....and it makes me happy.

There's just one thing.  I don't have any blog friends.

None of my friends blog.  In fact, some of my Besties think I'm a crazy lady who broadcasts her feelings for the internet....what a weirdo.

Here's something I bet ya didn't know about me.  I'm a little shy.  I don't make friends super easy.  I do just find in social situations but, I'm a teensy bit stand-offish at first.  Even if I really like you I'll be a bit aloof.

Do you know what this means in the interwebz?  I'm incredibly akward.

Twitter kills me.  I hate commenting on people's blogs even when I loved the post.

Where the eff am I going with this?

I decided to change things up.  I want blog friends so I'm going to go freakin' find some....and I'm going to do my best to not seem creepy while doing it.

I did something major.  I signed up for Bloggers In Sin City.  Nautie Friends, I feel like a totally ball-sy badass for signing up for this thing.  I know!

I'm so freakin' excited.

Spandex, Stars and, Smoothies.

I got off watch at 1800 and immediately put on my work out clothes for a walk around the deck. Yep, I speed walk in circles when at sea.

This does several things for me....it lowers my stress levels, it gets me some fresh air and most importantly it helps keep me fit.

I could write post after post about how hard it is to stay fit at sea but, I won't.

I also speed walk around the deck in spandex.  I KNOW.

I had a super duper best friend at Maine Maritime.  I was feeling shy about wearing my swim suit at Old Orchad Beach in Maine.  He said, 'Megan, I'm pretty sure everyone knows exactly how chubby you are even if you wear shorts.'.  He changed my life.

Now I wear spandex on deck.  

I was on my fifth or so lap when I came head to head with the Electrician.  He took one look at me and turned and walked the other direction.  I think he is convinced that I will be the downfall of the US Merchant Marine.  You should have seen his face.

I kept walking....and rocking out to a little Brit Brit, a little Christina, a little B.E.Ps....you know.

As I was coming into the house it was just getting dark.  BOOM.  The stars.  Right over head was Ka Hei Hei O Na Keiki (Orion) and my favorite Makali'i (Pleiades).  Sometimes, you just absolutely can't beat a Persian Gulf sky.  (Albeit most times its hazy and the stars are barely visible...sandy air and all that jazz...)

I headed straight to the galley (everyone else had already finished supper) and made a smoothie.  Almond milk, frozen strawberries, a banana and some hemp hearts.  (I brought most of these items from home.)

I still had my ear buds in and the Cadet walked up behind me and scared the crap out of me!  Apparently the Captain had been looking all over for me because we got word to heave anchor.  He had even paged me over the ships intercom.

I ran up to my room, threw my work clothes back on and then, ran down to the Deck Change Room to get my boots on.

Then, I ran up to the Bow (with my smoothie in a mason jar of course) and commenced heaving the anchor.

I realized once I was heaving the anchor that I didn't know if we were going home or going to Kuwait.

The good news is we're homeward bound once more.

Oh Boy.

We were homeward bound.  We had taken the last of the bunkers...we heaved anchor....we were headed for the Suez Canal...and then the Satellite Phone rang. We turned around and are anchoring awaiting orders.  Apparently, there is a potential cargo back in the Persian Gulf.

Oh Boy.

This is the life of a tramp vessel.  I get it.  I do.  It was exciting to feel like we were homeward bound...even if it only lasted for a day.  Who knows, maybe the cargo won't pan out.

In the meantime, daily onboard life chugs along.  Reports to be sent, jobs on deck to get done, ordering supplies for a stateside re-stock....breakfast, lunch and dinner!

I'm trying to survive life without my iPhone.  I've realized exactly how many photos I'd been taking on my phone and how few with Big Bertha.  I tried to find 20 photos to post....and couldn't.  Sad, sad days.

Here's a photo I took with the Third Mate's camera in the last port.  Yes, it's that desperate around here.

The Hole Digger's Hard Hat

The Hole Digger strikes again.  Yes my friends, that is a Sombrero with the top cut out of it taped onto a hard hat for additional shading.  I will admit, I'm a teensy bit jealous.  Why didn't I think of that?!

A few of you were quite fascinated by the Hole Digging.  It fascinates me too.  Minus the fact that you would have to be concerned with the condition of your belongings and, that you'd need to keep meticulous notes on what rail line is your rail line.  What I think about most is, what I would think if I happened upon an individual with a knife digging a hole.

Totally bizarre.  Totally genius.  You choose.