While on land...

If you ever read my blog you'll be well acquainted with the fact that I love working and living on ships.

But we all know that's not my life 100% of the time.

So, when I'm 'stuck' on land I sleep on friends couches and in my car and travel around. I've thought of possibilities for alternatives to this but since I'm not even in the country for long periods of time it's simply silly to get a place, pay rent, sublease, be unreachable in case of a problem, etc.

Browsing the internet I just came across a company in Portland Oregon that makes exactly what I need. I have a car; a cute little silver coupe with a spoiler on the back. She's ancient now but she still runs well and treats me good when I give her attention (she always holds a grudge initially when I leave for extended periods of time). Knowing she's not going to be around forever I've considered a van or live-in vehicle, but I just don't want to drive something that big around all the time, especially in the big cities.

This company, The American Dream Trailer Company custom makes each of their super tiny, yet very versatile trailers. There's even a boat on the roof!!! So when I want I can go out on the water and enjoy that lovely feeling of being rocked to sleep...for a short nap :)  It also sleeps two!



Sooo, who's up for some time off, maybe a trip through the Rocky Mountains? We can camp for a few days or however long we want at each spot; go hiking, biking, swimming, boating, fishing, you name it. Just enjoy nature and the freedom of life.



I just need to work another year here in Korea and then I can afford it. Although the trailers are really cheap, I'm really poor!

If you have one, know someone who has one, get one yourself, please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear about these nifty looking trailers. And maybe someday, I'll own one myself!

Reminiscing Cruise Life

Things haven't been bad here. No, not really. It's been pretty good. There are problems. There are always problems. It seems in Korea if you don't have one someone will make one for you because apparently everyone must have one. It's like eating. Everyone must do that and everyone must have at least one problem a day.

I'm figuring out how to work through the problems here though. With the language barrier and cultural differences it's been a struggle and still is but I'm learning, howbeit too slow for my taste.

Today I got the urge to read an old blog I used to keep during my cruising days. Oh man, did that bring back the memories. And what fun memories! I really loved cruising and really hope to cruise again.

It sparked me to write some emails to potential cruise partners and reaffirmed my interest in recording a promo video after my contract in Korea so that I can get back out on the high seas.

It seems to be clearer and clearer to me the longer I am on land, that the sea is where I want to be. It's where I love to be. It's where I feel at home.

What's also interesting is that in the past year I've had several crushes. My heart has finally healed enough to become open to a new love, but even though this potential exists, my heart is leading me back out to the ocean and not after anyone on land.

Am I destined to be alone forever? Are friends the only source of intimacy I will have in my future?

I don't know these answer but I wonder.

Am I in love with the ocean and am I always meant to sway on its rocky seas?

One can never really know what life has in store for them. That is what makes life fun; not knowing, just going ~ letting life change around you and change you.

I really truly hope to perform for many people on the high seas once again.

Love of the heart can not keep me here on this dry land. It seems my heart belongs to another for now.

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I just tried to go through some old facebook photos to find a great smile to post here but there are soooo many. Seems I was having a great time :-D

Here is a great smile though from my very first cruise ever. I was already hooked ;-p

Hoh! Land....

Ah Land.  It's a very stressful place for me. Amazing how at ease I feel out at sea and how out of place and awkward, for lack of a better word, I feel on land. Some people would say I'm just used to things being done for me on the ships, but I would gladly trade those things for the peace on land that I have at sea. Yes, it is nice to not have to do my dishes, clean my bathroom, make my bed, dust the house, but these things are insignificant to my mental and emotional and also financial state whenever I return from the mesmerizing ocean. Not to mention I sleep much better when I'm rocked to sleep each night :)

I wish I could write here that I've got leads to new contracts or possibilities on the horizon. Instead, I have nothing but bad news from my agent and a serious lack of time from reading all the music job sites and craigslist everyday in search of potential gigs.

One GREAT idea has arisen within and I'm  gung ho to travel down this road; the road is one that leads to a guest entertainer gig or simply put, I am my own show.  I would not be in groups on ships anymore and would not have the stress of putting one together, keeping one together, and the stress of knowing they are hurting for money because I'm not getting them work. I'm so ready for this. The ideas had been mulling around inside my head for a while, but they all finally juxtaposed themselves into a brilliant scheme (or so I think). Now all I need is to get the research and taping and practicing and demoing and marketing and scheduling done. I do know, this will be entirely impossible without a producer or two so that is on the back of my brain. I can do research and practicing on my own and when that is complete I will then require a producer(s) to proceed any further. So now it's about keeping my fingers crossed that someone out there somewhere that has money, believes in me.


In the meantime, while on land, struggling away at my meager existence, with the help of my friends :)

....Lots of things are being pushed to the forefront of my brain and to sort it all out I thought I'd write it down.

Other major things on the forefront of my mind since I'm on land and continue to be here, are electronic items that are almost necessary to succeed in this society it seems.

Things I need that are replacements for things I already have:
A new computer:
My computer freezes constantly, doesn't have a functioning battery, can't run more than one large program at a time, doesn't have any memory, can't play videos without hitching or can't play them at all, and is just super duper slow :(
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009F1II54?tag=vglnk-c2098-20

An alarm clock:
Alarm clock to replace my cell phone, which is not really an alarm clock.
http://www.brookstone.com/Travel-Tranquil-Moments-Sleep-Sound-Machine? bkiid=SearchResults|CategoryProductList|590877p

Things I need that I don't have already:
An Ipod:
Ipod Touch 32 or 64 GB to use as an mp3 player, portable email around wifi, free phone around wifi, e-reader
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_touch_4thgeneration

Things I want that will be a big help and not just superfluous:
An e-reader

I read books on my laptop. Not sure this truly should be under this category, but I can use my computer as an e-reader even though I don't actually own one.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/nook-simple-touch-with-glowlight-barnes-noble/1108046469



Otherwise, I really would just like to pay my bills and live peacefully. High hopes, I realize.