cUpDate & The Cruise

Thought I'd try this: I did some artwork on my cup today, and not wanting to hassle with taking a picture or three, downloading the pictures, picking the best, editing it, and posting it here, decided to try using my webcam to get a shot of it. The pic came out to be quite good, I thought, with a shot of my piercing and my guitar shirt in the background!!! I didn't have enough time, but I was going to add red stripes and white stars on a blue field to the sails, but oh well. Also never got a chance to see if any of my co-workers got the significance. In case you can't make it out, the boat (actually a sloop) is named the John B. The meaning is related to the the Beach Boys song, "Sloop John B", where a recurring line throughout is "Let me go home, I wanna go home..." It was a good day at work, and I was on the middle shift today, so I did get to head home an hour and fifteen minutes earlier that usual. Whoo hoo, three days off!!! I get to do an hour of overtime on Monday, too. I haven't done much OT this year, so far only two hours.

It is late, but since I have began a post with a nautical theme to it, I will relate the story of the company outing, the Booze Cruise (aptly renamed by the guests). I started the day by heading to the bank. I had gotten the IRS stimulus check deposited, and was intending to take the boy's portion and add it into his portfolio. I got to the teller, and asked her if I could do a deposit into my son's money market account. Sure, no problem... Duh, I can't find that account.... Screw around for a really long ass time, asking other tellers, etc. Finally I was directed to see the manager, who, once I told him I was attempting to deposit into his money market account, tells me that no, investment banking isn't linked to your normal banking and tellers can't do that. Hey, stupid ass teller, I told you SPECIFICALLY money market account to begin with, so you'd know exactly what I was talking about!!! Of course, I didn't have his account number with me, and I don't have his SSN# memorized. He tried to find the account, but I was rapidly running out of time. COMPLETE waste of time!!!

I had decided to take public transportation down to the port. Cheaper to do that than to even park, much less burn the gas. Of course, the trade off is the length of travel time. I had wanted to stop by home again and pick up my camera and a bit of breakfast, as well as pick up the newspaper to read on the ride, but that would have put me in a situation where I might be late, and once the ship has shoved off, it would be a wasted trip. The ride was an adventure. I had never been on the blue line branch before, and had to take the gold to the red to get to the blue. From the red, I dashed up to the blue that was waiting in the station. It stayed waiting for another 10 to 15 minutes. The train was pretty full, and within the next few stops it was to standing room only. One of the first stops a very large, very smelly homeless woman got on and sat down a few rows up and across from me. It was bad. Very shortly the seat next to mine opened up, and the guy who had been directly behind her moved to the one next to me. "I had to get away from that stink!!!", he tells me. "I don't think it's much better here", I reply, to which he says that it's a marked improvement. She stayed on for most of my ride.

Made it to my stop in Long Beach with half an hour to spare. Nice, it's only a couple of blocks to the intersection the directions had. I hoof it over there, and there's NOTHING THERE!!! It's an intersection, no signs directing "TO BOATS", or anything with "COMPANY OUTING" or anything!!! There are parking structures on two corners, a bridge going to who knows were, and empty space. Naturally, the other thing I'd wanted to get from home was the paper about the outing. My spidey senses told me it was probably towards the ocean, so I passed through one structure and found myself near the entrance to the aquarium. I thought, "No, that can't be right", so I headed back to the intersection and headed up the bridge... No, that didn't look right either, but from midway on it I could see some moorings for boats past the aquarium. Back again (covering quite a bit of ground) and around the area. I don't see the specified boat, any signs, or anyone I work with. Naturally. I stop into a bait shop and ask them if they know where this ship sails from. The guy made a call, and five minutes later tells me he has no idea. I keep heading around, and finally happen on an information booth, and the lady there had just the information I needed!!! The other way, and keep going around. I make it there at almost the exact moment they were to cast off. Of course, they were probably about half an hour late shoving off, but that was fine with me.

See that??? I was actually able to find a photo of the actual ship on the web!!! Impressive rig, two enclosed decks, as well as an open deck on the top level and on the bow. As I boarded, I was given a glass of champagne and tickets to be exchanged for poker chips. After my breakfast of champagne and cheeses and crackers, I started on beer. Several friends and I made our way to the upper deck and drank several beers as we departed. Perfect weather, and a fuzzy warmth that only alcohol and friends can bring. They served a tasty buffet on the first level after we'd been asea for a bit, then had casino games and dancing on the second deck. We passed by a buoy with several sea lions on it at one point. Near the end of the cruise I made my way to the bow. I was past pleasantly buzzed at this point and heading towards fairly sloshed. Among the other passengers out there was one of my area's former supervisors, a pleasant chunky girl who I'd always had a good rapport with. She has been moved to a position in human resources, where I believe she is one of the main people in charge of putting together the code of conduct and anti harassment meetings. We talked, and caught up some. I have a vague recollection of playfully grabbing her by her pony tail (possibly twice) as the cruise was wrapping up. Probably not the best thing to do, and defiantly not the best choice of person to do it to, but I still had my job the next week, so I guess she took it in the spirit in which it was intended!!!

As we were heading off, one of my friends who lives in the area invited me to come over to her place to jump in the pool. Sounded like a good idea, a nice capper for the day (and a chance to sober up a bit). Instead, she and a bunch other of us headed off to a local watering hole and continued. On the walk over there, one of the group asked to see my piercing, so I obliged. I don't recall if I ever got my shirt buttoned back up or not. When we got there, I just drank water. I had my water bottle with me, and had it filled before we disembarked. Twice while I was there, I was told I couldn't drink from that bottle in their establishment!!! The second time they confiscated it, told me I could have it back on the way out. I showed them, though, I stiffed 'em on the tip!!! And I made them fill it before I left. Probably an hour and a half or two I was there, and amazingly I didn't seem to sober up much at all. I staggered my way back towards the train station. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten we'd headed a few blocks farther down to drink. Took a little bit before I found my way back. Once I got on the train, I snoozed for the better part of the ride. Every so often I'd awake and see where we were at. By the time I got to the final stop, I was able to maintain.

Good times!!!