shooting deers and drinking beers welcome to Alaska

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Hey peeps hope everyone is doing well.

Just some updates in the life of Fergus. So I joined the Island Princess about a months and a half ago and things having been going pretty good. I'm doing seven day cruising out of Alaska right now. What does that mean. It means a lot of work for me. We do stop in some beautiful places though. Alaska is really amazing once you get past all of the shitty tourist parts of it. Like everywhere you go on a cruise ship there is a big industry built around it. So when you get off the ship there is a million and one crappie shops people go too. I can't image why people come on vacation and then go shopping. But once you get past all that there is some great stuff.
Every ship is so different; it’s really hard to explain. Sometimes when I show up to a ship I have friends instantly other times it takes you a while to meet people you really click with. So after about a month on board I’ve managed to find my little group. A couple Canadians, one Brit, a Pilipino and Mexican. A good mix.
What else has been going on, oh I went zip lining and that was amazing. You latterly just fly over these canyons. A fantastic time. But I would have to say the highlight of being here was probably the snorkelling trip I did. That right I went snorkelling in Alaska, it was crazy. 7mm wet suit so I wasn’t very cold. Got to see some really cool wildlife and sea enemenies. Scott and Erik I'm sure you would have loved it on so many more levels then me, but still I had a great time.

Other updates. I bought a "steadicam" before I came to work on ships. It’s basically and expensive piece of camera equiptemen that lets you walk and run will keeping the camera steady. I though after a bit of practice I would be able to use this no problem. Well boy was I wrong those things it mad tough. Once we get to our next port I'm ordering a training DVD online. So hopefully that will put me in the right direction.

While I have written about the good things there are a couple road bumps along the way. I was butting head with my JR. As the Senior Videographer I supervise one other employee, climbing that corporate ladder one person at a time. Anyway when I came in I changed a bunch of things as new managers do at most places. Long story short he didn’t like all of my changes and was throwing some temper tantrums. He was having some personal problems with other people on the team as well. So I didn’t feel like it was just me he was mad at. It was a good learning experience for me, I really need to grow a spine and lay down the law. But it can be hard on the cruise ship when we all live and work together. You know if I only had to see him at work fine but I only live one floor below him as well. And we all have the same friends. So we talked it out and things are much better. He didn't like all the changes I was making but I gave in a schooling in Final Cut Pro, he really didn't know anything about it, and after that he I think he realized that maybe I know what I'm doing.

The whole photo team is very nice on here, except two of my good friends are leaving on turnaround day. Its ok I think I've gotten used to it by now that is how ship life goes. As people leave new ones join. I'm just going to be a bit sad to see them go.

Hmmmm what else. Oh ya my roommate is from Ecuador. Which is fine, his a nice guy but pretty quiet and doesn't party at all. Which is too bad because I used to have rocked cabin parties on my previous ships so things have been a bit quite at club Gus, that what I call my cabin.

Oh yesterday I saw a shirt that said “Drinking beers and Shooting Dears that how I live my life” Welcome to fucken Alaska eh. Because it’s always a great idea to mix alcohol and firearms. Oh also I saw a Sara Palin calendar on sale in a store and it made me laugh. As I write this I’m setting sail for Fort Lauderdale Florida. I’m heading down the west coast of Alaska though the Panama Canal (which I’m pumped to see) and ending up in Florida. Where I’ll pretty much stay for the next 3 months.
Hope everyone is doing well back home, sorry for my lack of updates and blogging. But I’m sticking with my theme of a blog every two months.

Bye for now.

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