October 17, 2009 Western

[shancan911]

Just had to stop by and brag! DH just won an award this evening. His company has an annual meeting, and he won the "VAD Specialist of the Year" award. His company makes a variety of cardiac devices. Since October, his focus has been on VADs (ventricular assist device) Essentially, it helps the heart along, gives it a rest if you will. If you're a Grey's Anatomy watcher, Issy cut the wire on Denny's LVAD. There are right (RVAD), left (LVAD), and biVADs. If you would like more info, buy him a beer on the ship, and I'm sure he'll talk your ear off about it. Anyway, after a hospital has purchased the devices, he goes in and does training with the surgeons, OR staff, and floor nurses. He also is present for implantation and recovery for 1st use at a facility. Keeps him busy, and lately, medicine seems like the only half way safe industry. So, YAY Vince! Congratulations on being the very best!

 

[yazee1]

Congrat Bourgie...

Anyone else thinking about Swine Flu and Mexico... ??

Not me.

 

[yazee1]

Just had to stop by and brag! DH just won an award this evening. So, YAY Vince! Congratulations on being the very best!

Congratulations to your DH on his accomplishment and recognition! You don't always get both.

 

[wendym]

Congratulations to your DH - what a wonderful accomplishment.
No, not worried about swine flu - we'll see what happens but hopefully nothing will stop us travelling.

 

[ImagineerM]

Hey everyone...long time no see! I've been slammed with internship year paperwork and amping up for standardized testing at school. Haven't had time to check things out in a while. Hoping to be more regular from now on.

How is everyone? How is the FE exchange coming along?

I can't wait for this cruise! I'm so excited!

Hope all is well!

Cheers,
Josh

 

[yazee1]

For the sake of conversation and because I am interested in your answer, what do you say when someone asks you, "Where are you from?" Do you answer with where you were born, where you spent most of your childhood (if you were born one place but moved soon after), where you currently live, or some place else? Does it depend on the situation in which you are being asked? I was born and raised in Philadelphia but I've spent the last 16 years in Frederick County, MD. So, if someone locally asks where I'm from, I answer Philadelphia. If we were on a Disney Cruise or something like that, I'd say Frederick, MD. How do you answer that question?

 

[bourgie]

Yazee,

I would answer basically they way you did....or I just say NY.... because this is where I have lived all my life!!!

 

[bourgie]

I cannot wait to go on this cruise, but I don't want the time to go by too fast either...........

 

[shancan911]

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for the kind words for my DH I am very proud of him! He is off again this week, will be home on Friday. We go in waves. He'll travel alot for about a month or so, and then he'll be home for a month or so. Haven't figured out the rhyme or reason yet. He's off Oct 16-24!!!!!!! That's all that matters right now.

Where am I from? Well, I've always lived in the Cleveland, OH viewing area, so anytime I'm out of the viewing area, I answer with a "just outside of Cleveland". Around here is funny. When I say Wellington, some know where it is, most have no idea. There is a college town about 10 miles north of here, Oberlin. Oberlin is also home to a major FAA station. Pretty well known town. There's also a real nice state park about 5 miles south of us that is very well known. Even though our county fair is in Wellington, and is a HUGE county fair, lots of folks never heard of us. If another Wellingtonian asks me where I live, I answer "in town", and then reference the church across the street from me. Around here, you're either "in town" or "in the country". Ah, the joys of being a country bumpkin

DS had his first baseball practice this evening. He did real well after a long winter. Just throwing and catching today. They'll bat on Wednesday. I'll miss that one, gettin' my toes done with DMIL Love the pedicure. Even more so with good company. Then I'll only be 3 pedies away from our cruise!!!!!!

 

[bourgie]

I dont know about anyone else, but it has been raining here for days.... we had a really nice 90+ weekend a bit ago and it was AWESOME!! I can't wait for the sun to come out!!!!! i have been looking at the cruise POTD thread to keep me happy.!!!

 

[strega7]

We have had some really wierd weather lately too. A couple of weeks ago, it was unseasonably warm, then yesterday it poured down rain all day. Today we had a little of both. I am soooo looking forward to summer!

 

[yazee1]

Bourgie, same here. In fact, the Scout's canoeing trip this weekend was canceled due to the impending flooding. Unfortunately, the grass doesn't stop growing during the rain and by the time dh and ds can start mowing again, it's going to take all day.

 

[calmpets]

Wow , it took me forever to get caught up on this thread from the beginning - who knew people would be actively planning two years in advance! My husband and I are sailing on the 10/17/09 Western Caribbean cruise, along with two other couples (my dad & his girlfriend, and two of our friends who will be celebrating their one year anniversary). I worked shoreside for DCL back when the Magic was the only ship in the water. It was a less-than-delightful work experience, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the ships! My first three sailings were as a cast member back in 1999, and then I decided to revisit the Magic in 2006 for my dad's 60th birthday. I dragged my husband along kicking and screaming (cruise ships are giant petri dishes, everybody gets sick, a giant wave could make it capsize, Carnival's ships always catch on fire, etc. - yes, he was a big drama queen about it) and he fell in love with cruising too, so now we try to go annually. (Pretty much all he does onboard is eat and sleep, but he seems really happy like that ). He's also a big photography nut, so anyone sailing who wants to talk endlessly about lenses and lighting will have found a soulmate!!! I spend my time in the adult areas - the spa, Cove Cafe, Sessions, the martini & tequila tastings - as well as enjoying the nightly shows, including the fun little in-between-dinner-and-the-big-show cabaret acts. Oh, and we're late seating people. So that's a bit about my family - I look forward to meeting everyone this fall!

 

[shancan911]

Welcome, Calmpets!
I just re-read our thread a couple of weeks back, it is a little lengthy. So glad you're joining us. We're going to have a "magical" time. If you don't mind sharing, what did you do during your DCL employment? I realize it's not all glitz and glamour, but there has to be so much that goes on behind the scenes, more than we realize. I bet you appreciate your cruises on a whole different level!
I'm a photog wannabe. I would love to spend time shooting with someone to give me pointers, but respect anyone who doesn't want to tutor while on vacation.

I'm looking forward to Mother's Day. We sort of came up with a tradition a couple years back. This will either be the 3rd or 4th year. My DM, and DMIL/DFIL come over. The girls go shopping at the nursery for poseys, as DS used to call them, and the boys cook dinner We're gonna hit two nurseries this year, and steaks are gonna be grillin for dinner. Yum-O!! Does anyone else have any plans for Sunday?

 

[calmpets]

I worked in reservations, and did a cross-u as a supervisor (temporary assignment doing work of a supervisor for something in between the pay of a supervisor and pay of a res agent). As a res agent we really had no contact with the ships or crew, other than the training cruise we took to show us the offerings on the ship. No plans for Mother's Day (I have stepkids, so they spend it with their mom) but I am going to see Josh Gracin that night at Mohegan Sun (a casino in my area).

 

[yazee1]

My husband and I are sailing on the 10/17/09 Western Caribbean cruise, along with two other couples (my dad & his girlfriend, and two of our friends who will be celebrating their one year anniversary). !

Welcome to the group! I think our husbands would get along fine. My husband likes photography, too. I think he's more interested in cameras than pictures, though. I'll add you to the thread member list on page one of our thread. You can add as much information as you like to member list.

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Hi there friends!
Im Kim, my husband is Josh. We have 3 kids, Jakob is 7, Braxton will be 5 at sail time, and Londyn will be almost 2!!! We just booked today and we are super excited. We sailed in October last year and looooooved every minute of it! Can't wait to meet everyone, by the looks of things I have some postes to catch up on!

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Wow Shannon, I just read your post about hubby!!! Yay for him!! Congrats to the both of you, what a great honour!!!

 

[yazee1]

Welcome to the group Kimberlee. I'll add your family to the list on page one. Did you know about the Disboard last year or did you (gasp) cruise without the benefit of its wisdom and advise?

 

[strega7]

Welcome Kimberlee and Calmpets....I am glad to see our group is growing!!!!