10:23 a.m. - 2006-02-14
Why Max is better than chocolate.
I was looking at some jobs in the cruise industry, just in case, you see, and the pay is a bit lower than what I'm used to. For what I think I'd qualify for anyway. Some of the jobs pay extrordinarily well. And you get 401K bennies, plus free health/dental/life/disability insurance. I did not know that.
They also pay for your uniforms, laundry, airfare to and from home and hotel/transportation near port. Free room and board, fitness facilities, entertainment, nightclubs, alcohol stipend, the list goes on. And Max and I could room together. That's how you really know if you are meant for eachother. Living in a 12 by 12 box for months on end. If we didn't kill eachother or consistantly froth at the mouth by the end of the contract, I'd say we were compatible.
Anyway, what this all means is that even if I make less, I can save loads because there will be no apartment, no spending on credit cards, no eating out or grocery bills, and free benefits. Oh, and most importantly, no booze bills.
On the pay front, I have loads of experience, but none of it in the hotel industry. Maybe I can wiggle something out of my past, or current experience that sounds hotelish. I'll have to work on ye old resume to see what I might be able to do. I'm thinking purser's office. Possibly cruise director's staff or shore excursion staff.
Of course, this is all theoretical for a couple of years IF I'm still as gung ho on my current favorite man-age as I am now.
But it is a hell of a lot of fun think about.
Working on a cruise ship has been a dream of mine since 1995. But I've always made excuses, such as I'm too chubby, too sickly, too in debt. Now that I know more, it seems possible. Even probable.
Yeah. Thank you Max for opening my eyes to the world. No matter what may happen down the road, I will always hold you dear for everything you've already done for me. Your kindness, compassion, wisdom, intuition, humor, humility, protection and respect mean more than any Valentine could. Because they are year round and universal. Because you are the coolest puppy in the pound.
Happy Valentine's Day all. Now let's all skip the card buying and put Ha11mark out of business for exploiting the day so shamelessly. And back away from the chocolate...
And for all the other singletons out there - Happy Singles Awareness Day!
There's nothing like a holiday that exploits love and affection to make a single girl, especially one of nearly 35 (shhhh!) feel like a loser. But Max does make me feel a bit less lossery. So I can't complain too much.
