November 12, 2005....7 Night Eastern...Who Else?

[bobsuzla]

Barkley, so happy for Marissa!!! If she's anything like my daughter she'll spend 95% of the summer in the pool! At least she is allowed to do that!!! I was picturing her in one of those wrist to shoulder casts for the long hot summer, glad to realize this is not the case! Laura will be in touch with her!

Things have gotten so crazy at work and stressful too that I absolutely CAN NOT wait for this cruise. I do have a weeks vacation between now and then, actually coming up in 2 weeks, but we are not going anywhere, just took it off because it is the week between school and summer day camp for Laura, and we don't really have a reliable sitter... but since we do live at the beach, we will probably go a couple of times... Still, we really need the R&R that the cruiseship promises!!!

 

[Favorite Auntie]

Slow week on the 11/12/05 thread? We are almost at the 5 month mark!!

 

[barkley]

i wish i could say it's been a slow week! marissa is doing well, however my husband's guardian angel was doing overtime on him this week. i am currently waiting to hear from my insurance company to find out if they are going to repair or TOTAL out his 2003 mustang gt! yup, he got into an accident, and i cannot fathom how a civic did so much damage to mustang! fortunatly no one was injured, we have tow and rental insurance and so for now it's just wait and see.

i started watching "dry dock" on tv last night, it's on a rcl ship but i thought it would be interesting to watch the process since the magic will be undergoing the same prior to our trip.

hope everyone is well, stay safe.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Hi folks - have a safe weekend if you or loved ones are involved in the path of our first storm. I still hope it peters out, but it looks unlikely.

Sorry to hear of your stroke of very bad luck Barley, but at least Marissa is still doing well - and I hope that DH was not hurt in the accident....

Later...

 

[barkley]

thanks for the well wishes-just sore from the impact, no injuries on either driver's part. got a call from the body shop, appears the car can and will be repaired, and we will end up with a rental until at least the end of june.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

thanks for the well wishes-just sore from the impact, no injuries on either driver's part. got a call from the body shop, appears the car can and will be repaired, and we will end up with a rental until at least the end of june.

We need to give that guardian angel a big Thank you for saving DH from injuries. At least the car can be repaired.

And you guys have had your fair share of accidents, so no more - ok

 

[chip&dale&fun]

:thewave:

THE FOUR MONTH WAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HELLO FELLOW SHIP-MATES.....

LOOK AT THOSE COUNTDOWN CLOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[4formickey]

After watching the 'dry dock' on tv , I really didn't realize how much work is put into these ships. No wonder the trip cost so much. I was thinking about the changes that the Magic will under go during its dry dock. It is almost a new ship when they get done.

 

[DIS NURSE]

wuuuuuu hoooooo! I can't wait to hear first handed from fellow DIS'ers all about the changes onboard....and the changes we won't even realize but get to enjoy like freshly steam cleaned carpets, fresh paint, etc.!

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I was thinking about the changes that the Magic will under go during its dry dock. It is almost a new ship when they get done.

The Magic actually underwent it's big drydock a year and a half ago. (Like the one that the RCCL SOS went through on the show.) It goes in every 5 years or so for a major drydock. Every two years or so it will have minor tweeks. I read the stuff that will happen this drydock, and it is not really structural stuff like last time. (Can't wait for MUTS though!!)

 

[barkley]

what's muts?

 

[bobsuzla]

Emotional dilema that I need some advice on... I have a blackout period at work for the summer vacations (Last week in June thru 2nd week in Sept.) My sister, in Orlando is pregnant with her first child, and my Mom wants me to fly down for the weekend for her baby shower. Do I: A) ask my boss before booking my flight taking the chance that she'll say no. B) book it and call in sick on that Friday and Monday? or C) tell a little white lie and say that my Mom already booked it for me without my knowledge, and what am I supposed to do???

Help! I know lying is wrong, and I love my job and my boss, I have only used 1 sick day in the year and 1/2 that I have been there, when my daughter was sick. I go in on my days off when I have to, etc. there is no doubt that they know that I am a dedicated employee, they reward me well for it, but they are very strict on the vacation policy. I think I have a better chance with C than with anything else. (if I called in sick I would feel like a heel all weekend, and then I wouldn't be able to display my enthusiasm for seeing my sister and Mom, whom I haven't seen since January)

 

[barkley]

bobsuzla-boy do i sympathize with you situation! my husband's department is just about to implement a major computer system and as a result no one is allowed vacation from june-july (in addition to having all alternate work scheduals perm. canceled).

i hate lying as well, however i've been on the the other end of this situation as the supervisor who had to enforce these "black out periods", and approve/deny vacations based strictly on seniority vs. employee merit (it seemed like the folks who never abused sick leave/always asked for time off well in advance never managed to have the seniority to get the vacation days they wanted). this being said, if you go with "c" is there any chance your boss can approve the time even if they wanted to? if you realy want the time off you may just have to call in sick and for you own piece of mind think of it as a "mental health day".

good luck whatever you decide.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

what's muts?

Movies Under the Stars.

Some of the other boards have explained the refits - and this is a huge screen on the upper deck.

 

[barkley]

o.k.-now i get it! i can see where this would be great for the deck parties, esp. if they have c.m.'s roaming around with live video cams-but honestly, the thought of sitting out in what i guess would be deck or folding chairs to watch a movie does'nt sound too appealing to me.

speaking of movies-i wish shutters offered something similar to holland america's cruises:they had videographers at several of the on board events, at the crew show, as well as going along on some of the more popular excursions; at the end of the cruise you could order a video of "your cruise" (we did'nt because while we loved alaska we hated holland america). i doubt disney will pick up on this though, on a previous disney cruise we asked why the photographers don't go into the kids clubs and take candid shots and were told that unless all the parents signed waivers there could be legal problems selling photos with several kids in them (this is also the reason they won't sell a copy of the powerpoint slide show they display during the kid's show or take a a group photo without your request/permission).

so has anyone firmly decided on any excursions or spa treatments? we're still mulling around excursion choices but as far as the spa goes i know we will both sign up for the package that gives you weeklong access to the steam rooms and those great heated stone chairs, and since we both experienced the incredible enjoyment of a hot stone massage on our alaska cruise we will def. be signing up for one each. i read on some of the drydock posts that the spa will be renovated so it will be interesting to see if they have some new offerings.

did anyone catch the disney resorts special on the travel channel the other night? it gave some good information on the different offerings of things to do at the "deluxe resorts". i think that since the parks close fairly early the nights we will be there (sunday-friday before the cruise) we will try to go to a couple of resorts each night for activities and just to look around. this is only our 3rd time at wdw and i've yet to see most of the resorts (in fact wilderness lodge is one of our 2 dvc "homes" and i have never seen the place ).

 

[Favorite Auntie]

Emotional dilema that I need some advice on... I have a blackout period at work for the summer vacations (Last week in June thru 2nd week in Sept.) My sister, in Orlando is pregnant with her first child, and my Mom wants me to fly down for the weekend for her baby shower. Do I: A) ask my boss before booking my flight taking the chance that she'll say no. B) book it and call in sick on that Friday and Monday? or C) tell a little white lie and say that my Mom already booked it for me without my knowledge, and what am I supposed to do???

Help! I know lying is wrong, and I love my job and my boss, I have only used 1 sick day in the year and 1/2 that I have been there, when my daughter was sick. I go in on my days off when I have to, etc. there is no doubt that they know that I am a dedicated employee, they reward me well for it, but they are very strict on the vacation policy. I think I have a better chance with C than with anything else. (if I called in sick I would feel like a heel all weekend, and then I wouldn't be able to display my enthusiasm for seeing my sister and Mom, whom I haven't seen since January)

Can't you explain to your boss that this is very important to you, if you had known about it before hand, you would have asked a whil ago. It is your sister for crying out loud! We have rules here too, but two days? Would they really make a federal case out of it??? I would really go with honesty...

 

[barkley]

i think it depends alot on who you work for-private or government, and if you're an "at will" or union represented employee. in my case it was government and all my employees were union represented. so despite any opinion i had on time usage it went by the m.o.u. and the civil service code (both of which stink if your a great employee with low seniority). it gets even wierder if your employers offers "alternate work scheduals"-mine had:

employee chooses work hours (at least an 8 hour shift) between 7am and 6 pm monday-friday,

9/80-employee works 9 hours a day and gets every other monday or friday off,

and

4/10-employee works 10 hours per day with either monday or friday off.

these scheduals made it even harder to give people days off if they wanted a friday or monday, we were always running short staffed and had to have a minimum number of people in the unit at all times (worked with the public and had to be available to see them from 8-5 upon demand). my hands were tied on what could or could not be approved (it did'nt help that my manager was "married" to her job and had no sympathy for those who had a life outside work-i truly think she relished requiring us to do disciplinary actions on our staff ).

 

[4formickey]

Do what your heart say. Some of us would go to the shower and others would bypass the shower and go to work. Follow your heart and everything will work out. You are very close to your down time at work. If you are at the shower or the baby birth, which is more important. Do what you know is right because only you will have to live with yourself.

 

[DIS NURSE]

I know exactly the predicament you are in! I work an as NICU RN and I am one of about 20 of us who do what I do in all of Central and Eastern Oregon and getting time off is like pulling teeth! You have to submit requests no sooner than 6 months before the days and they still have every right to say no depending on who else is on maternity leave, sick leave, etc. They will only let 2 RN's in the dept. off at a time and that includes all of the Labor and Delivery RN's (which I am not a part of but still up against as far as vacation requests!)

I went out on a limb for this upcoming DCL request and used the "but it's our 10th anniversary" card....which it is in October but I had to get them to say yes before I booked those airline tickets!

I am already booked for DCL Nov of 2006 and I run the huge risk of them saying no for about 6-7 shifts over the 2+ week period. I am just crossing my fingers! The toughest part is getting them to pre-approve a major holiday off (Thanksgiving).....I hate feeling this trapped in a job as far as time off but at the same time I have major job security!

Good Luck! DIS NURSE

 

[bobsuzla]

Thanks all, for your sound advice. I am going, I asked and was granted my request based on the fact that I have recently taken on the endeavor of turning my branch into a 7 day banking branch. I think because the transition has gone relatively smoothly, despite a lot of staffing difficulties, and I think that they appreciate the fact that I have always gone the extra mile to make the new schedule work. Plus with all of my recent staffing woes I think my boss has taken pity on me, and knows I need a break!

Thank you again!!!