Fine, okay, it's a blog already!

Somewhere 120 miles southeast of the island of Antigua

Proof positive that even the nicest of locations and people can just positively get on your nerves.

I've been on a cruise since last posting. Started out in drydock in Norfolk for a few days (now THAT'S fun) and then on to Miami, Grand Turk, St. Barths, St. Maarten and the aforementioned Antigua since then. Honestly, very clean install and go live for the casino on the ship, plus I've had a few good days in the sun. There isn't much to complain about - except that there is.

The ship ordered under-spec equipment, and the company more or less let them do it in order to get a contract out before year's end. Can't blame Aristocrat; money is money. Also, they still cut my check. Not biting the hand that feeds and all that....

So, we didn't have exactly the right equipment, not sure where that got off the tracks but it did. The ship wants me to stay until the parts get in (you know, as opposed to YESTERDAY when they were supposed to meet us) and I definitely want home for Thanksgiving. So we're collectively at an impasse. Namely, I'm going home and they're pissed about it.

Kudos to the guys at the home office for pulling for me. I'd definitely be shopping for new employment if I missed Grand Turkey Day to be stuck here with folks openly hostile to me.

I know I don't talk about work much, mostly because it's fairly routine. Also because I don't want to mix a blog and work for obvious job security and litigation type crap. I also don't want you to get the wrong idea about things that go bad and my opinions of people. Case in point, I had a horrible, horrible, godawful series of server builds in Puerto Rico a couple weeks back, but I sure don't blame the good people who worked at the casinos for it.

I also don't have too big of an issue with this ship, with the possible exception of the head IT guy who has just recently become a raging asshat. He's even right to do so in a certain-point-of-view kind of way. Either way, his attitude and those of his higher ups have completely soured on us.

It could be better.

Let's start it out like this. Their rules were: no spouses come along, we eat with the crew, we get one day off. Over time they've let us eat in the officer's mess, then the regular passenger restaurants, and have let us hit the shore when the casino is closed. Like I said, it hasn't been all that bad, all things considered.

It just hasn't been without its bumps.

I know, you're saying, "Shut up John. You're in the Caribbean." You're right, I am, and have been away from home for awhile too.

I miss home. I miss Leslie. I miss my dog. I miss my life.

I've been out a whole lot more than I've been in the past few months and am feeling the burnout coming. I've definitely feeling the loneliness.

Frankly, sitting out on my veranda, drinking some Makers and Coke and listening to the ship cut through the waves on a totally dark night should be damn cool.

It's cold comfort on a warm night at 2 am Atlantic time.

I'll chat with you when I'm back in the States.