I wasn't very lonely on the cruise, for several reasons:
Reason One
Miss Manners says that there is a principle: "The roof constitutes an introduction," and that while it doesn't apply to a bus, it applies to a ship. (This always comforts me as I drop my robe and stand naked with a thousand others.)
I am here to say that the chicken purse constitutes an introduction. I believe Erin should be the only one in New York with a chicken purse, but if you don't live in New York and intend to travel, go to Pylones and get yourself a Chicken purse:
and as important, the matching coin purse:
Here's an example of the power of the Chicken Purse: I was in the Miami airport, eavesdropping my way through a conversation on global warming theories. The active invited participants were scientists just come from a conference. Then their conversation went on to the Octuplets. A sharp grey-haired scientist idled her eyes on my purse and said to her friends, "You shouldn't have kids unless you can care for them -- Oh! That's a chicken purse!"
"Yes." (Take a moment for chicken purse / coin purse bit. Bok bok at woman.) "But you know, with the octuplet lady, where you you draw the line? How much money do you need to make to have octuplets? Can she rely on her family? I imagine if she were married she'd rely on her husband, so why not live with her parents? And by whose standards is she supporting the kids - is 24 meals a day enough, or is it 24 meals and new shoes, or 24 meals, shoes and a college fund?"
Not that I'm a fan of octuplet lady, I just was excited listening to them debate global warming. Sadly, I had to catch my plane almost immediately.
Reason Two
The other reason I wasn't lonely on the cruise was that I begged for attention. As soon as I started to see the people I knew from the cruise message board, I insisted they had to call me over for dinner or drinking if they saw me alone. They were very convivial.
Reason Three
I like talking with you people. Thanks for commenting.
Now I feel compelled to comment, even though I don't know what to say.
I commend you for going alone. I think I would have cried giant tears and then stayed locked in my room. For about an hour. And then HELL WOULD BREAK LOOSE!
Posted by: Candy | February 10, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Pylones, huh? I just figured out what to get my sister for her birthday.
And were there really 1000 nekkid people? Um, why?
Posted by: magpie | February 10, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Thank you for the link (even if the company name does sound like a disease) - they have a lot of fun stuff. I've ordered a bag and hope to have the only one in the country.
You did well to turn the disappointment around. I travel alone and cheerfully quite often - I just have to be careful when I get back home not to seem to have had too much fun: spousal envy can be an ugly thing. But I'm sure Garyn is above such nonsense.
Posted by: Big Dot | February 10, 2009 at 01:47 PM
Bok BOK!! :)
Posted by: Erin G. | February 10, 2009 at 03:10 PM
I'm bummed I didn't see you on the cruise - but I did see the chicken purse! On the pool deck - in the hot tub - with the guys from Gaelic Storm... No- really I did spy it. You must have been near by!
Posted by: Kelly Light | February 10, 2009 at 04:33 PM
I am sure that purse is a sign of the End Times. I'm off to check Revelation
Posted by: Moobs | February 10, 2009 at 06:17 PM
Candy - Yeah, that's pretty much what happened.
Magpie - Actually, only 850 nekkid folks this year. The band in their youth spontaneously got naked in elevators, recorded several songs in the nude, etc. When the cruise came up, someone (I say Ed, who is frighteningly well-endowed) said if they were going to get naked everyone was going to get naked, and there's been a naked photo every year.
Big Dot - Gary says he is envious. He says the 'ho's helped out. Are they called hos in New Zealand? You don't have to wikipedia that, do you?
Erin G - Ha! I let a toddler in the taxi play with the coin purse, and every time he squeezed it I said "Bok." He was amazed.
Kelly Light - That crazy chicken! I told her not to get poached with those rockers.
Moobs- And then the eighth trumpet sounded, and the women carried valuables in chickens that had never lain egg.
Posted by: TheQueen | February 10, 2009 at 11:15 PM
Ellen, I want to meet up with you someday just so you can bok at me.
Posted by: Jammies | February 12, 2009 at 06:31 PM
Jammies - Bok BOK! I like the Erin inflection.
Posted by: TheQueen | February 12, 2009 at 11:56 PM
Okay, I want to meet up with you so you can bok BOK! at me.
Posted by: Jammies | February 13, 2009 at 06:40 PM
Jammies - well, invite me to JammiesFest!
Posted by: TheQueen | February 15, 2009 at 12:19 AM
You are hereby invited to every single JammiesFest from now until the end of time.
Posted by: Jammies | February 15, 2009 at 09:15 PM
Jammies - well, good then. I accept.
Posted by: TheQueen | February 15, 2009 at 11:13 PM