I Was Giving Runway Looks While They Were Giving Sears Catalog

The cruise. Sorry it’s taken me so long to write about it but things since coming back to land have been rough. (Like waiting for my land legs to return. It took a week!!!!) Excuses made—I’m gonna start from a day or two before we disembarked.

So if you read my blog you know all about the passport drama and the fear that it wouldn’t arrive in time. It happened to show up the day of my faux anniversary with the boy so that was settled about a week before. So all that was left to worry about was money and packing.

Now the money worries are my weakness. I guess because I’m always worried that I’m two steps away from being on the street. I knew going on the cruise itself was fine, paid for, but I wasn’t sure how much money I might need for extra expenses. Between that and work not giving any answer as to whether we would be paid for Thanksgiving much less the following Friday I was concerned I might be really broke when I got back. That and I was on the tail end of my current show and hadn’t been totally sure that my next job was a definite. Even though I had been told by an executive to not take another job I am always worried until I have a little deal memo in my face. So I was very concerned about cash.

Add to the mix the fact that I hadn’t packed and was unsure what to bring and you end up with a very edgy Rory. Of course Samuel tried to help me out with the packing by explaining that all I needed was three pairs of pants, two shirts per day and some formal wear for the big dinner. But I would only maybe pack that light if I was going away for two days to his house, much less a cruise. That and I don’t so much pack outfits as much as visual experiences. But I made a game plan and managed to fit a fifth of my closet into two bags. And some booze too.

The final issue on my list of things to worry about was how exactly I would be not only getting down to the port but also the return trip. It had been somewhat settled when Rocky offered to take me with her when she dropped of Lola (My roomie for the cruise) that Friday and to pick us up the following Monday. My only concern was that it would take us awhile to clear customs and Rocky would have to work so it didn’t seem the most realistic game plan and so I decided to look into other options for the ride home. Fortunately Kelly and Johnny said they would be able to squeeze me and so the game was on.

(Outfit: My brown ‘Miss Scarlet in the Hall with the revolver t-shirt, cute brown sneaks and dark jeans with my fur lined hoody sweatshirt.)

The morning of the cruise was a bit hectic. Between getting up early after a day of turkey and wine, dragging my bags down the longest apartment complex ever and last minute passport, wallet, paperwork check we finally go underway. After a quick stop to grab Lizzie (and debate about whether we needed to go by her office to get her luggage tags) we made our way down to the Port of Los Angeles. It was a fun ride filled my many jokes including several about the unfortunately named Terminal Island. (Don’t take the bridge; it will bring you to Terminal Island. It’s a dead end. Ha!)

After hugging Rocky and telling her to give love to the boy (who had his appendix burst and had operation the night before Thanksgiving) the girls and I ran into the rest of our cruising buddies. After checking in (where I was terrified something would go wrong and I would end up detained in some way) and making our way through a labyrinth of pre-cruise photo ops, we finally boarded the boat.

Lola and I tired immediately to get to our room; we were both worried about our contraband but I was unwilling to engage in conversation about it. (I tend to find when I am in the midst of doing something I shouldn’t that it is best to ignore the issue lest I give someone the impression that I am doing something wrong.) After a bit of a wait we were finally able to see the room and get a lay of the land. After having our beds separated and realizing that we still had to wait for our bags we decided to make our way to lunch.

Now the cool thing about a cruise ship is that it is almost exactly like a hotel, in that everything pretty, clean and easy to find once you spend some time there. We made our way through the huge lobby and up to the buffet lunch. There we were joined by Ava, Henry and Lizzie after we stole the table from Kaylee and Alexander. Lunch was fun if a bit unnerving with all the vibrations of the boat but I did learn some things. Like some of us aren’t thrown by boys in dresses. Matter of fact—some of us might date them.

After lunch we made our way back to the room to begin the unpacking process. I sorted outfits as Lola sorted through the television to the video channel and we made ourselves at home. We kept the door open so people could pop in and out—with gossip of course. I found out that Ty was engaged—shocking—and Kelly got to see the reaction on my face. And then it was time for the lifeboat drill.

I really wanted to dress as a pirate in my life jacket but no one had an eye patch so then I suggested that we run screaming to the deck ala ‘Poseidon Adventure’ but no one took me up on that idea. So depressed and grumpy I made my way to our lifeboat with the rest of the gang for a school on proper escape policy. Only because I was told they would know if I was not there. It was actually kind of fun—we got shushed by a crew member and I found my sailor crush. He was British and tall and cute but he did have big ears and British teeth so most of the girls didn’t agree with me on his hotness. But afterwards was nap time. Not.

No sooner than I had curled up on the bed then Kelly came in insisting that Lola and I had to come to the Bon Voyage party on the roof deck. It was odd to wave good bye to Terminal Island, the odd freighter ship docked nearby and even the odd grouping of custom agents standing boat-side. The exciting ‘Love Boat’ moment finished I finally napped for a few hours—after a couple of chapters of ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

(Outfit. Black polo, blue and black tie, blue velvet blazer with cute jeans.)

Feeling refreshed I woke up to change for my first formal dinner which was a bit more perplexing than I imaged. I pride myself on always knowing what to wear and say in any given moment of time but it was my first time in ages being around multi course meals and men that would leap to pick up my napkin. So nerves were had but fortunately I was seated with a great table for conversation and distraction. Dinner was wonderful—even though Robin did compare my outfit to Avril Levine. I don’t think he meant it as a compliment. But I did get to have steak. Yum.

(Outfit. Vintage green short sleeved dress shirt with mint green t-shirt underneath and patterned denim. )

Dinner finished the only thing left to do was find fun. I briefly returned to the room with a handful of people for a quick change of clothes. I was getting ready for fun and formal wear was not part of the plan. I made my way with a small portion of the group and hit the piano bar. Now I have issues with piano bars—the first bar I was ever thrown out of was a gay p[piano bar back in Boston and there was a particular birthday (Looking at you Heddy) held at a piano bar that lead to a disastrous affairette. So piano bars and I are not friends.

That and I just wasn’t feeling like sitting much but Lola wasn’t feeling well and most everyone else was tired from the holiday. Everyone except Ali and Robin, Ali’s sister Sari and Marissa who were in the nightclub dancing up a storm. So of course I spent the next hour jumping back and forth to both places and unsatisfied with both. And let me tell you, the ship’s nightclub looks exactly like a set from the every cruise film you’ve ever seen. But regardless, the piano bar was more fun at points than I expected and the nightclub more draining that I would have guessed.

The night round out with me on the ship deck with Lola, smoking cigarettes and talking with Lizzie and Valeska as we waited to see where Liam went off to. I learned some interesting gossip and was even called a best friend by someone unexpected. And was given a hint about some past romantic tension that at some point I will have to deal with. But bed that night was early and very much needed.

The next day was Mexico and a daytrip to Ensedana. Imagine my surprise when I woke up that morning to look out our porthole to see the foreign equivalent of 7-11 but with people snapping pictures; I could be in the background of some poor family’s photos. In my pajamas with full on bed head. But I managed to overcome my horror and close the shades before Lola woke up. Why should we both have international shame?

(Outfit. White sweater hoody with my FCUK cap, board shorts and my cute black and white Vans.)

We slowly got dressed and made our way to breakfast with Ava and Henry. We decided to see who else we could round up before going on to the shore but everyone was in various stage of prep so a small group of us headed out. It was hot and crowded and a bit familiar when we hit the pier, which was nice but we could hear the sounds of traffic and smell the food before we even got on the shuttle. Where we learned all about Papas and Beer.

Up next—Mexico, formal night, drunk packing….