Life

Day 6: Grand Cayman

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 | Fun, Life | No Comments

2:26 pm - Swimming with Stingrays was cancelled because the cove was too choppy. =(

Instead, we did some shopping, got a tour of the island, visited the Tortuga Rum Cake factory, went to the Turtle farrm…

…went to Hell…

Welcome to Hell.

Welcome to Hell.

…then headed back.

5:18 - Just left Grand Cayman. Awesome place. Best island out of the three so far. Dad wants to move down here…

Interesting thing is, they’re very strict about who they let in; you have to be married to a Caymanian, there on a work permit, or rich enough to prove that you’ll never ask for a cent of government assistance, otherwise, they deport you. Because of this, there’s virtually no crime.

8:43 - Waiting for the show to start in about 15 minutes. Just got done with a Rock Band competition. Only lasted a half-hour, and only played one song, but it was fun. We should totally have more Rock Band parties…Hmm…Small group after-event! Speaking of which, I wonder what the latest is on that…no! Must not think about anything responsibility-related!

Ship’s rocking again. Odd, because when we left, the sea was pretty calm. As long as I get to swim with dolphins in Cozumel tomorrow, I’ll be happy. I definitely want to check that off my list.

Anyway, show’s about to start…

10:04 - Show was cool. It was a fairy tale-themed performance, with a lot of modern songs built in (i.e. “You’re So Vain” for Snow White’s Queen [random thought: did Disney create the name Maleficent for her or was it preexisting?])

Pizza time, then probably gonna go back and read for a bit, then sleep. Throat’s a little rough, so I’ve taken massive amounts of vitamin C, and am probably gonna call it a night. I am NOT getting sick. Not for the next two days, anyway.

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Day 5: Montego Bay, Jamaica

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 | Fun, Life | No Comments

11:00am - Rain.

On the plus side, I probably won’t be getting sunburned further today.

Probably gonna get off, just to say I’ve been to Jamaica, but likely won’t stay long.

12:54pm - So, Jamaica wasn’t overly impressive in my book. I mean, it was cloudy and ouring rain while we were off the boat, but once we got wet, we didn’t really care about that anymore. We checked out the Jamaican Bobsled Cafe, Margaritaville, and did some souvenir shopping, but beyond that, I can’t say that I liked it, or would go back.

Let me tell you, the roads? Nuts. For one, they drive on the left, which would throw me for a loop. For another, the streets are total zoos! It’ll be hard for me to complain about New England drivers once I get back. I’ll still do it, of course, but at least it’ll be tougher…

The boat’s got a pretty good sway to it, and has since we left port. So far, we’ve had pretty calm seas and smooth sailing, but now the movement is definitely noticeable, which made the “Dancing Like The Stars” event an interesting time…

It was great though; they had the ship’s band playing Big Band music, and a quick swing class and everything. Tons of fun. After that was the “Dancing Under The Stars”, which was supposed to be on deck, but ended up being mroe of an “under the ceiling” affair. The wind outside is insane, especially on the top decks.

Ended up being a hero though (at least in my own mind). We were doing the Electric Slide, and the ship must have hit a good wave or something, cause it came down hard on one side, and this older lady toppled, but I caught her. She was fine. Where’s my medal?! =P

The Lava Flow (like a strawberry-banana pina colada) was delicious. I like being inebriated enough to complement and unlock parts of my personality that don’t usually come out, but not enough to affect my motor skills or thought processes. In other words, I’m glad I’m a silly drunk.

Drink of the Day: Terrific Tuesday (Bacardi rum, sweet & sour mix, grenadine) - SImple, tasty, but didn’t go well with the superb lamb we had for dinner.

Shot of the Day

  • 1/2 Butterscotch Schnapps
  • 1/2 Bailey’s

Irish creme is my favorite liqueor, and I love butterscotch, so this was great.

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Day 4: Labadee, Haiti

Monday, November 17th, 2008 | Fun, Life | 1 Comment

7:39 PM - Ow, ouch, OOH! @&%#! Sunburn!

Today, I laid on a Haitian beach and did nothing. It was fantastic…

So today we arrived in Labadee, Haiti, a portion of the island that is owned by Royal Caribbean. That being the case, you didn’t see quite the natural culture found in other parts of the island, but it was still really cool to set foot on foreign soil (and sorry to Canada, or U.S. North, but you don’t really count…).

So yeah, Labadee involved a lot of sunbathing, some swimming, some shopping, some eating, some cooking (of my own flesh), and was generally a relaxing time. The Haitian Flea Market they had was interesting. For one all the guys would be like “Sir, let me show you something.” For another, they all had the same stuff. They all had the same wood-carved jewelry box (basically all of it was wood-carved) that said Haiti on it, the same tribal masks, etc. I eventually ended up getting a necklace that I don’t think was made in Haiti, but was still cool.

8:58 - OK, so I’ve come to a conclusion: cruises are a horrible idea for single nightowls. As I said before, days are great and sailing the Caribbean is awesome. But unless you have a companion, you’re shit out of luck for a dance partner, or anyone to share any sort of romantic moments with. In short, nights fricking suck. There’s only so much stargazing a guy can do alone.

9:26 - Great. Now I get kicked off the deck at the front ’cause they’re closing the heli deck. It’s not even windy… Wonderful.

9:31 - As I’ve said before elsewhere, it’s not easy to make me angry. In fact, I’m an extremely patient person. But right now, I’m fuming.
…
…
I’m not even sure what I’m mad at.
I think deep down I’m pissed at everyone who’s having a good time. Sure, I’m happy for them and all, but everytime I see a couple dancing, or holding hands, or laughing or something, I can’t help but flare up with a tinge of…jealousy, I suppose.

I think I’m going to go hang out in the coffee shop and read for a while. I’ve heard the coconut coffee is really good.

11:49 - So the coffee was really good. The night’s gotten better to. They had a big “Dancing in the Streets” dance party out on the Royal Promenade, which, although disco isn’t really my scene, was fun. Now I’m sitting in the theatre waiting for the late-night comedy show to start. Hopefully will be funny; the guy’s been on the Tonight Show 11 times. Could use a good laugh…

1:33 - Yeah, he was funny. Not the best by any means, but got a few chuckles and guffaws.
Good night!

We’re in Montego Bay, Jamaica tomorrow. Got nothing planned, so I think we’ll be checking out the town.

Drink of the Day: Marvelous Monday (Sex on the Beach)

Shot of the Day: Italian Stallion
1/2 Frangelica
1/2 Bailey’s Irish Creme

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Day 3: At Sea

Sunday, November 16th, 2008 | Fun, Life | No Comments

2:30 - Today is a good day so far. Did a bit of sunbathing; I have a feeling I’m going to stick out when I get back to RIT. =D

Again, the Flowrider is totally sweet! I managed to show off a bit for the guy taking pictures (and the crowd ;) )…right before screwing up a barrel roll. Almost had it though…

Heading to a dodgeball tourney at 3.

4:00 - Lost the dodgeball tourney, but had a blast! Won 2 games, lost 2. The second game, it was down to me vs. 4 big guys, and I ended up taking all but one down until he got me in the gladiator match. So much fun. But now I’m all sweaty and tired…shower time.

Ooh, and it seems I’m sufficiently red… =)

1:08 (AM) - In short, today was great; tonight sucked. Dinner was phenomenal, the Oxtail Broth was very good (I don’t usually eat soup, but this was yummy). The Filet of Beef was nice and tender, and the Cherries Jubilee was a great dessert. I love cherries, can you tell?

The after-dinner show was called Somewhere in Time. I didn’t quite pick up the plot much, other than this guy was travelling through time to find this woman… It was good; no Phantom of the Opera or Spamalot, but good nonetheless.

Even the Battle of the Sexes game show thing was fun, even though clearly rigged in favor of the women. Go figure… =P

But after that, things started getting sucky. I had some time to kill so I checked out Boleros, the Latin dance club/bar, because after all, I am a ballroom/Latin dancer; I enjoy it. Unfortunately, as a solo flyer, it’s really awkward when everyone is already coupled. I did end up dancing with a crew member; I definitely needed that, but it was somehow less than satisfying…

So I went to check out the single’s mixer at the Catacombs. Complete bust. There didn’t appear to be anything at all going on; just the typical nightclub scene. Smoke, booze, and “dancing” are not particularly of my idiom.
So basically I walked around for a bit, but due to “high winds,” I couldn’t even go to the front of the ship to wrestle it out with God (Yes, I know I can do it anywhere, but there’s just something about that space that makes me feel closer.)

So yeah. Tonight sucked. Tomorrow is Haiti so hopefully that will be better.

Drink of the Day: Sunday Sensation - not sure, but whatever it is, it pretty efficiently screws you up…

Shot of the Day:
1/3 Creme de Cacao
1/3 Amaretto
1/3 Irish Creme

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Day 2: Leaving Port

Sunday, November 16th, 2008 | Fun, Life | No Comments

The Liberty of the Seas…

160,000 tons floating–no, gliding–on the ocean. This ship is amazing. It’s opulent, beautiful, and elegant; a supreme example of human engineering. An example that serves as a frame for the portrait of God’s creation.

As I write this, I’m sitting at the front of the ship, looking out over the nighttime Caribbean Sea, watching the waves roll by, as a nearly full moon reflects off of them. Patches of cloud drift in the sky, highlighted by the moonbeams, and serve to accentuate the stars as they shine above. It’s an extremely romantic scene (of course, I’m a bit of a romantic at heart), and I can easily see why cruises are so popular as honeymoon destinations. Alas, for now I quietly enjoy it by myself…

The ship itself is gorgeous. Many different archictural styles are represented, and it is all pulled together tastefully and nearly seamlessly. Some of my favorites are the Sphinx, an Egyptian-themed lounge, the Catacombs, the Norse/Medieval nightclub, and the Hoof and Claw, the Irish pub.

The Flowrider, the surfing area at the back of the ship, is awesome. Basically, they pump massive amounts of water, nearly 30,000 gallons per minute, up an incline, and you surf or boogie-board in place. It’s so much fun!

The ship’s shows are really good so far too. Tonight’s “Welcome Aboard” show featured a hilariously funny and incredibly talented juggler.

And the food…
Oh goodness, the food is absolutely delicious. Tonight at dinner, I had a Strawberry, Kiwi,and Pineapple starter, a Black Angus Top Sirloin steak, and a slice of Chocolate Cherry Cake for dessert. Let’s just say anyone who goes hungry on a cruise ship has only themselves to blame.

Well, that about covers today.

Ooh, I see the lights of another liner in the distance. Hi!

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Day 1: Flight

Friday, November 14th, 2008 | Fun, Life | No Comments

I love flying. I love it so much I put up with the long delays, the cramped seats, and the horrible pretzels they serve. I deal with the overbearing security and the stuffy cabins. I endure it all for the pure joy of speeding down a runway and severing your connection to the earth. The sight of rising above the clouds, even out a tiny window, is simply astounding.
My heart is overflowing with joy and anticipation of where this gorgeous journey is taking me…

…and no, I don’t mean the stopover in Atlanta.

P.S. Ooh! Lightning in the distance! This flight just keeps getting more and more awesome!

P.P.S. It’s so weird seeing a small bit of cloud hovering in midair when you’re level with it.

P.P.P.S. This will likely be a teaser post. The hotel has free wi-fi, and the Wordpress app for iPod/iPhone is awesome. The ship on the other hand does not have free wifi, but I can still write and just mass upload at the end.

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INTJ

Monday, October 27th, 2008 | Life | 4 Comments

Taking a reprieve from my post series on respect, I wanted to write about something cool I (sort of) discovered today. Hayden over at Persistent Illusion wrote about Jungian personality types and the Myers-Briggs Personality test. She referred to pieces of the personality profiles as “freakishly accurate,” and I have to agree.

I took the full-blown test for a college class a year or two ago, and it came back as ISTJ. The full results are in a box somewhere, so I’ll have to go looking for those, but it probably wasn’t too different than what the two I took today were.

One came back INTJ, and one came back ISTJ, but but both toed the line between S and N. ITJ were solid for all 3 of the tests though. For those who have no clue what that means:

  • I for Introverted versus E for Extroverted
  • S for Sensory versus N for iNtuitive
  • T for Thinking versus F for Feeling
  • J for Judging versus P for Perceiving

There are long descriptions for each of the 16 possible combinations. After reading both ISTJ and INTJ, I believe that I fit better as an INTJ (with aspects of ISTJ).

Here are some examples of why I agree with Hayden in regards to “freakish accuracy,” and hopefully, this will allow anyone reading this to understand me better.

To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of “definiteness”, of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age.

I have noticed that some people seem to think that I can be arrogant (which is not completely untrue at times…), but that sentiment tends to vanish once they actually get to know me. I think it’s because I do possess, and often try to outwardly show, my self-confidence, which manifests itself in a dignified, gentlemanly attitude, and that sometimes gets misconstrued.

INTJs are natural leaders, although they usually choose to remain in the background until they see a real need to take over the lead. When they are in leadership roles, they are quite effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation, and are adaptable enough to change things which aren’t working well. They are the supreme strategists - always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against their current strategy, to plan for every conceivable contingency.

This, especially the part about choosing to remain in the background, is very accurate. I don’t like the limelight; I don’t crave fame for my actions (a simple “thank you” will suffice). I’m even content to let others take the wheel, as long as they’re competent enough to drive.

For INTJs, love means including someone in their vision of the world. INTJ men tend to be attracted to partners who enjoy living their lives with and outward vitality and zest. Perhaps it is to compensate for their internal, visionary focus that they often find partners who are more outgoing and may even run interference to help the INTJ deal with the day-to-day world.

They say “opposites attract.” I think they’re onto something. That’s about all I’ll say about that for the moment, but let’s just say I hope they’re right. ;-]

When scorned, INTJs retreat to their own world and may share none of their feelings with others.

It’s really very difficult to make me angry. I mean, I may get agitated and/or annoyed, but it takes a lot to really piss me off. But, if it happens, I tend to withdraw, throw up walls, and fume for a while. It usually doesn’t last too long, but it’s usually wise not to push my buttons in the meantime. Just give me a punching bag.

As for my ISTJ roots:

ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don’t keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don’t mince words. Truth wins out over tact. The grim determination of the ISTJ vindicates itself in officiation of sports events, judiciary functions, or an other situation which requires making tough calls and sticking to them.

I don’t like indecision. I don’t care if you make a wrong choice, just pick something and stick with it. Make up your mind.

To sum it all up:

[An INTJ is an] “…observer, values solitude, perfectionist, detached, private… does not talk about feelings, hard to impress, analytical, likes esoteric things…”

I’m proud I’m an INTJ. It’s a part of who I am. I’m not strictly defined by it though, as there are certainly a lot of other aspects of my personality that are not listed here, and may not fit into this category. But this is definitely a good foundation for people who want to get to know me better.

Quotes taken from:

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Respect, Part 1: A Man’s Core Need

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 | Life | No Comments

I’ve been listening to a series of messages from Liquid Church titled Love and Respect based on the book of the same name by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. It looks at Ephesians 5:33 and discusses the fundamental things that at their core, every person needs, and how for men and women, what’s at the top of that list differs.

For women, the need to feel loved, protected, and cared for is critical. She needs to know that her counterpart loves her deeply and would go to the ends of the earth for her. The unconditional love that Christ shows the church, enough to give His life for her, is what women need to see reflected in their own relationships.

Men, on the other hand, do not require that kind of love as much as they need respect.

In one national study [in 2004], four hundred men were given a choice between going through two different negative experiences. If they were forced to choose one of the following, which would they prefer to endure?

a) To be left alone and unloved in the world

b) To feel inadequate and disrespected by everyone

Seventy-four percent of these men said that if they were forced to choose, they would prefer being alone and unloved in the world.

- Love and Respect, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

3 out of every 4 men would rather be alone and unloved, without a single person in their lives, than be looked upon by multitudes with scornful and disrespectful eyes.

If the key to a man’s soul is respect, what exactly does that mean? It’s a concept that our culture doesn’t seem to comprehend as adequately as it should. The Amplified Bible expands upon Eph. 5:33 and the idea of respect like this:

And let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him.

Notice that love is included in that definition, but it is the acknowledgment and admiration of who he is at his core that a man craves and thrives on. And it’s regardless of how badly he’s screwed up or if he’s even worthy of respect. Unconditional respect is the fuel for the fire of a man’s soul and has the ability to stir something in him to bring out the best of his character.

A perfect example of this is the interaction between David and Saul in 1 Samuel 24. At this point in time, King Saul loathes David and wants him dead, because when he heard that God had anointed David as king, from Saul’s perspective, all respect was gone, he had nothing left. Saul found out David was hiding in En Gedi, so he brought thousands of soldiers to kill him. He went into a cave to “relieve himself”, which happened to be the cave David and his men were hiding in. David realizes that even though Saul is practically insane and wants David dead, he’s still the King, so when Saul’s done peeing and leaves the cave, David follows him and shows him an incredible amount of respect, bowing down before him, knowing full well that his life was at risk. The effect this has on Saul is profound; it’s like he woke up from something and regained his confidence and self-control (think King Theoden in Lord of the Rings when Gandalf breaks Saruman’s curse. Same idea.)

David demonstrates the concept that God has placed people in positions of authority, and because of that fact, respect must be given to them, even if they do not deserve it. I suppose a prime example of this would be President Bush. This is a man who’s seen the harshest, relentless criticism thrown at him from all sides. And granted, some, if not most of that criticism is probably deserved. But the man is still the President of the United States, the leader of the most powerful country on Earth, a position we, I might add, elected him to, and so he deserves our respect and honor, our personal feelings about his deeds and actions aside.

Respect, the currency of a man’s self-worth, confidence, and spritual and mental well-being, must be given uncoditionally if he is to grow and thrive.

Next time we’ll take a look at some concrete examples of this concept in popular culture.

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Drunk Pumpkins

Friday, October 3rd, 2008 | Fun | No Comments

This, my friends, is what happens when a party gets out of hand. Some guys just get too much booze in them, and the next thing you know they’re stumbling around, bottles are getting knocked over, and there’s some guy puking his guts out on your front porch…

I hope somebody took away their keys...

I hope somebody took away their keys...

Drink responsibly, folks. Don’t be that guy. ;)

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The Woman’s Relationship Bible from Persistent Illusion

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 | Life | 1 Comment

Hayden Tompkins, I’ve said it once (or thrice), I’ll say it again, you’re awesome.

As author of Persistent Illusion, one of the few blogs I read [nearly] every post on–it’s that good–she writes about life improvement and personal development. Her style of writing is very to the point, and often her posts are very profound. I encourage you to check it out if you don’t know about it.

She just released an e-book titled “The Woman’s Relationship Bible: How I Converted A Romantic Athiest.” Don’t let the title fool you though, this isn’t just for women; men can gain a lot from reading it, and I would encourage anyone, man or woman, who is married or has ever thought about wanting to get married at some point to check out this book.

Best part? It’s free.

Ok, I lied, the best part is that it’s a kickass book. But the fact that it’s free is a great perk and should only make you want to read it more. So quit wasting time here…

READ IT!

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