~Sky Falls Down~

The time is finally here.  I recently recieved my departure date and should be recieving my flight information today.  I'll be flying out of Houston, Texas to Honolulu, Hawai'i on the 11th of this month (T-9 days!) to report for Coast Gaurd/STCW training. Shortly after, I'll begin my first contract onboard the Pride of America for Norwegian Cruise Line America (NCLA) lasting 5 months.  I've been waiting for this a long time, worked hard to get here and am more than ready for what I know will ultimately be a life changing experience.  I'm ready.

~Float On~

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I recieved news this morning that I am medically cleared for employment for work with Norwegian Cruise Line.  So, after a tedious and expensive process...more waiting!  :)  I'm happy with that...the hiring process is just about over and now I'm just waiting to hear back from my recruiter about a departure date for training in Hawaii.  I don't mind the wait @ this point.  All I can really say is "WHEW...!"  5 months on @ a time with no days off - bring it, baby ;)

~Echelon~

Hopefully this day will get better.  I had a check that I needed to stop deposit on and I think it went into an overdraft account that I'm having trouble with.  I'd hate to lose all of that work - well I'm about to find out in about 20 mins when the bank opens.  They really don't want me to go into the branch, which is inside of a Kroger - in front of God and everyone else who needs to buy milk and bread today.  I went over due to an emergency, about 16 bucks...now I owe how much? 287 and some change?  GTFOH....crazy.  Anyway...it's not the end of the world, just may be the end of our relationship.  They have screwed up on everything since I opened that account and are hardly willing to show any overdraft forgiveness.  And it was an emergency, at that!  We'll see what happens.  I really dont need the account and they'll never know where I keep my pot 'o gold, haha!

On to other things...I found out that I don't need the STEWARD rating on my MMC, or Merchant Mariners Credential.  I just need the OS/WIPER rating, so that saves me and probably a few other people some trouble.  I had to send a letter to the NMC requesting that the request for the particular rating be removed and then recieved a reply this morning stating that my request had been forwarded.   Hopefully I'll hear something back sometime today.  I'm anxious to have this thing in my hands, already...

Have a good day, it's time to get on with it~

~A Tear In The Open~

I feel really good this morning.  I had some coffee left over from last night, so instead of poring it out, I just removed the filter with the old coffee grinds and ran the coffee back through to heat it up :)  I don't care, it's still good.  I'm really hungry, though and after I take care of business, I'll probably want a beer or a cocktail - afterall...it is the day before Halloween! Or Hallowicked Eve ;)

And, on that note:  I really can't believe that I probably won't do anything to celebrate this year.  With all that is going on with getting on with NCLA, I just don't have the time, money or real desire to get out.  A nice house party or block party sounds about right to me if anything...

I won a pumpkin carving contest and a costume contest last year and I thought about just getting out to go and try to win some cash somewhere, but eh...I need to keep myself safe and out of any harms way simply for the sake of rescuing myself from any job threatening injury that I could possibly succumb to.  (mostly due to my own sometimes, predictable clumsiness after a night of debauchery)

So, anyway.  I'll leave it @ that.  I'm still waiting to get info. back from the NCL Medical dept. so that I can get on with my MMC.  Everything else is pretty much done.  I'm anxious to hear about what kind of wait I'm going to have before I fly to Honolulu for STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping).

I hope everyone decides to stay safe this weekend.  It's a good weekend to rave, the weather is fabulous!

~A Beginning~

This is the Pride of America, the vessel on which I will make my first of who knows many voyages with Norwegian Cruise Line America, or NCLA.  It will also be the largest ship that I've ever lived and worked on, let alone even been on.  As we speak, I am currently back and forth with my recruitment officer Xiomara about my medical.  The reason for this is that I had already gotten my TWIC and was well into the process of obtaining my Merchant Mariners Document, or MMC whenever I first spoke with the people from NCLA.  Sooo...where I'm @ now is trying to find out if the medical exam that I just took for NCLA will be sufficient enough for the National Maritime Center, or NMC - and if it is, how do I get it from one place to the other in the alotted time, considering there can't be any copies.  I had already taken one physical for my MMC application, but it didn't contain enough information for all of the ratings I had requested (blood work).  Everything will work out fine, though - I'ts just a matter of time.  I know this because I have already been cleared security-wise by the United States Coast Gaurd, or USCG and have accepted the offer from NCLA and am well into the hiring process...the ball is rolling and things are looking  great! And aside form the technical stuff...this is the way it has to be.  There is nothing else.  This is it.  Yes sir...I plan to take this opportunity for a fresh start and new beginning and run with it.  And run with it I will...count on that.

Here we go...