What's going on...

So we are still traveling towards Japan and the ship is starting to get rocky again and word around town is that we will be experiencing similar weather as we did when we were traveling towards Hawaii from Ensenada.   Hopefully we are all adjusted enough to prevent some of the seasickness that we saw before.

I am finally feeling better after having the start of Bronchitis.  The night I was the worst was when we had a 'Mismatch Dance' where students were just instructed to dress in crazy outfits that did not match...oh and they were.  I would say about 300 students came and we were not serving alcohol.  Again the wonderfulness of programming on the ship.  I have even heard from students that they had so much fun that they would give up alcohol on other nights to have more dances like this. 

I just had a sea movie night with me sea.  We watched Top Gun and this is the first time I realized what a cheesey movie it is.  Maybe because I was focusing completely on the movie and I would say the last dozen or so times I watched it, it was on in the background.  We had popcorn and cookies and I think they were just happy to be able to watch a movie on a big screen.

Anyway last night is what I really want to talk about.  I got invited to the first wave of captain dinners.  All of the faculty and staff get invited to these dinners with the captain and his staff.  And I was fortunate to actually get a seat at the Captain's table...fancy!!!!  I was also sitting next to our Executive Dean, Loren Crabtree, who also happens to be the former Chancellor of the University of Tennessee...not too shabby.  Though I will say like I have said before we are all seen as on the same level and I never feel as though my opinion counts any less then anyone else's and we are all seen as equals and experts in our own work.  Anyway to the most important part! It was a great 5 course meal; shrimp cocktail, cream of brocolli soup, ceasar salad, salmon (or steak), ending with some delicious chocolate dessert treat.  We also drank good wine and  had great conversations.  Some of us ended the evening chatting up some of the captain's staff in the faculty staff lounge after the dinner ended.  All in all it was a great night and I even put on a fancy dress (pics will come soon).

I am pretty busy on this very long stretch across the pacific .  I am working with students to plan the Sea Olympics and our Talent Show and another coffee house that will happen this weekend.  I also worked with a student to set up an intramurals schedule that was supposed to start yesterday but we will keep having to reschedule games when the weather is bad.  I also oversee the recreation and fitness class schedule.  There a few different dance classes that people are teaching; Zumba, Latin Dance, Spiritual Dance, Breakdancing, Tahitian Dance and Hula.  You should see the turnout at these classes...it is amazing.  I think I will rename the Voyage of Discovery to the Voyage of the Dance because that is what it is.  These kids (I know they are not kids) sure do love to dance!!!
OK I am going to sleep now as those of you on the East Coast of the US are just heading out to work.  It is 12:30am on Saturday February 6.  I apologize that this may not be as exciting to you as my port entries but though I am working hard I am enjoying my time on the ship as much as those times in port.