Happy New Year everyone... or at least, that's how my new year e-mail went. Some of you didn't get that email only because I've lost a lot of email addresses somehow.
So, the following is somewhat a retread of my new year email, but expanded and with stuff added to make up for lost time here.
So here I am, wishing everyone a belated Merry Christmahannukwanzawali and a happy and prosperous new year. 2008 was for me what major league baseball franchises call a rebuilding year - yes, I've said that before, but this one actually served its purpose well. Rolling into 2008 I was dealing with the accumulated war wounds of a really poor idea that I'd been part of for a few years, but I had found what would turn out to be a very happy home as a guest entertainer for PCL on the Golden Princess. For the turn of the year into 2009, here I am on the Coral Princess, with a number of great people. Sure there are those one would not consider great, as always, and those whom one might not be unhappy are leaving soonish... but this contract is nearly over and the next looks to be great as well. The plan at the moment seems to be finishing up here on the Coral in late February, then I’m planning to take a nice vacation back around home in Kansas. I'm most excited about a trip I'll be taking to Australia in late March. After that, a little more time at home probably studying before heading back to LA at the end of April for rehearsals.
For some reason I find myself feeling really optimistic about 2009, I think because I feel very lucky to have this job - especially in this economy - and because (knock wood) things seem to be moving in promising directions all around. I feel very lucky to have been able to met some great people this year with work, and to have had the opportunity to spend time with old friends and family this past summer. It’s made me think of all the friends I’ve lost touch with due to the unavoidable isolation that so much travel creates, and one of my goals for 2009 is to reconnect with some of those people. In retrospect, considering the crap leading into it, it was not a bad year at all and basically kept improving as it went.
Happy New Year 2008 - a picture just over one year old now. A great group of singers I was lucky enough to spend a contract with on the Golden. Emma, Joe, Leslie, and me. This was two days after they'd joined the ship - I'd joined early.
There is no chronological order to these "highlights of 2008" photos. Leslie's 80's themed birthday party in the wardroom on the Golden.
Indian Independence Day on the Golden with Steve, Chad, and some South African guy we decided fit our needs for this photo.
Jesus performing a blessing/Jedi mind trick.
Penguin Night in the wardy on the Golden.
San Diego Zoo... PANDA WATCH
Best Thing I Ever Did... got my parents to take their first vacation ever and brought them on a cruise to Alaska on the Golden.
Curtain call for CINEMATASTIC
Matt Jones and Don Winsor welcome you to Las Vegas, where it is ridonculously hot in July.
Dusty and Michael Karraker at the Cosmosphere. I added the marshmallow sticks and flames. Dusty and I first went to the Kansas Cosmosphere together in something like third grade.
For a while, I dated a Jamaican dolphin. Her name was Ronar. It didn't work.
The Coral... Tallis of Canada, Marina of Australia, Don of Kansas, and Riana of Washington meet crazy pirate guy of Ocho Rios.
Tallis and Marina and I on Halloween... I never travel without my Oompa Loompas.
The first few people to attend the Pre-Halloween Party I held in my cabin on the Coral.
Meeting and working with Adrian Zmed has been a real pleasure. So much so that I made him part of my Christmas card this year.
Tallis and Marina shortly after we woke up on Christmas day.
Our tree, our gingerbread house, my pen, one of the cast shirts I had made for everyone for Christmas, and my official Goulard Family Christmas Pants. (Tallis' family sent Marina, Tallis, and myself gifts of special pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve, thus I named them the GFCP.)
Tallis and Marina on New Year's Eve... a long story of its own.
And shortly after New Year's, we joined the Coral Orchestra for a Rock Night in the crew mess. Patrick and I are pictured there being "Soul Men."
So that's a bit of catch up on what I've been doing. There's not a lot of opportunity for internet on this run, and I honestly haven't had a lot to report. So... I'll try to do better. Really.
No, Really.
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