A raspberry for June Alyson

In my publication of pianoman JP’s itemized letter 5/18, I somehow forgot ITEM #8, which was --

“Enjoy yourself -- you‘ve got excellent tours coming up. Get familiar with Shorex on Deck 7. They need tour escorts, and we have the best schedule to take care of this!!”

At this writing (5/22) I’ve already been a Tour Escort - yesterday - as I rode the bus to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum on Cape Breton Island-- my dad worked for Bell Telephone for 32 years, so it seemed appropriate. My job as tour escort is to critique the tour, using a form provided by Shorex.

Bell lived on Cape Breton Island (part of Nova Scotia) the last 37 years of his life -- after patenting the telephone he could live where he damn well pleased of course.

His real passion in life was deaf people. He taught at a school for the deaf in Boston as a young man, his father had developed a sign language method…….his grandfather was a speech therapist..... And Bell married one of his deaf students at the Boston School. After which he developed the telephone. Bell knew and taught Helen Keller.

In the Museum was a photo of Bell and Keller and Ann Sullivan.
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While JP’s item #1 (air-conditioning) was quite a concern, I felt that the other issues (toilet paper, non-attention from front office, getting left on shore when the ship departs, playing ROV, maybe even the lack of TV) are small matters. But his letter was nonetheless a gem, and I will keep it and add something to it for the next guy.

Someone told me that the air-conditioning problem was investigated, and it was determined that the ship was too old for the problem to be fixed. As if air conditioning was invented only 20 years ago. I’ll probe this further before giving up, in the meantime it’ll be back & forth every night with the fan. Oh well, it’s better than going back & forth every night with an amplifier and an electric keyboard. The fan, and possibly the chilly weather on this run, have made the piano bar perfectly comfortable.

Up until yesterday I knew exactly zero about June Alyson. But now I know that
a) she christened the Maasdam and b) there’s a beautiful Framed 11” x 14” photo of her prominently displayed in the piano bar. Other than that, I still know zero about her.

This ship has two raspberry-colored pianos (one in the piano bar, one in the dance bar) to add to the raspberry-colored piano I used on the Ryndam last winter. I’d like to meet the person responsible for this and ask him What Exactly Were/are You Thinking. This color choice truly deserves a raspberry.

The piano bar is actually very very cozy and nice, a the raspberry Yamaha was tuned a few days ago. There’s 12 spots around the piano, and I used the typical tried-and-true tunes to grab a few people and have fun for a few hours.

I have knack for striking up conversations with priests on these ships, and this week’s Catholic chaplain is Wendell, a semi-retired priest from Boston whose been getting cruise ship gigs few times a year for the past 8 years. One mass a day and an occasional “last rites”. Best job on the ship.

Hardly an artsy venue -- Last night we did “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” for 5 minutes. It’s amazing how much full-grown adults get into that tune.

cabin letter from previous pianoman

PIANO BAR ENTERTAINER -- MUST READ --
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW !!

1) NO AIR CONDITIONING in the piano bar. It can be a real torment. However the electrical engineer from before gave me this old fan. Place it where you like, but on top of the light tower (green light) by June Alyson is a great spot. Run the extension all the way up and plug it in on top. You will need to bring it back to your room every night, otherwise you will lose it (for sure). Besides, it’s great comfort in your room.
2) You will run out of toilet paper and facial tissues. For some reason they don’t replace those. (I hate to beg for that stuff). Best place to get that stuff is in the washrooms Deck 8 by the
Rembrandt Lounge, or washrooms starboards side aft on Lido deck.
3) You do not play for Renewal of Vows (ROV). However you Might have to ask #3305 (Event Planner or Cruise Director) If it’s ON !! Usually second formal night, but check it out anyway.
4) YOU HAVE NO TV !! You may inquire from #3294 (the techie) but you may as well give up and buy your own. (I did) and sell it to someone else on board at the end of your contract.
5) Check your box for any internal communications/letters from Head Office, in the Cruise Director’s office. They will NOT call to let you know that something’s there.
6) You may want to define your schedule -- I have been playing 7:45 TO 8:30pm and 9:15 to closing. Don’t waste it but you can close sometimes on a judgment call at 11:30, sometimes even 11:15 (rarely OK?)
AND TAKE THE FAN TO YOUR ROOM ! Or it’ll wind up somewhere on C deck.
7) PLAN to be back on the ship at least one hour before All Aboard. (I missed the ship once). They will NOT wait for you. Don’t trust the TV announcement - rely ONLY on the All Aboard announcement on the gangway wherever and whenever you disembark.
9) Pass this on to the next person, piano bar entertainer, and add your own insights, just for fun.
toodles
J P Nadeau
Ck out > jpnadeau.com

PS -- hope I didn’t leave too much of a mess
PPS -- PIANO BENCH -- I changed it but the original is at the piano in the Hudson Room, Deck 7, (elevator B deck.) -- also a great spot to practice

Greetings from Steve

Hi gang --

The 3-month engagement at "Reflections" was a lot of fun -- that Knabe piano was wonderful, and we had many great musical moments. My thanks to all of you who frequented "Reflections" and helped make the engagement successful. The management has indicated an interest in a "Reflections Part Two" for September.

In the meantime it's off to sea again on the Maasdam, from May 17 to August 23, a 98-day contract of Piano Bar work.

HUGE thank-you to Marianne.......

.....for getting me going with this blog

Here's a 5-minute montage of "the gang" at the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook, NY

Steve's Summer 2008 Farewell Party

(From Marianne)
Once again, we had to say Goodbye for the Summer to Steve. So, in order to ensure that we can keep up with him during his overseas journey, I created this Blog for him. This first entry is mine - pictures from the Bon Voyage night at Reflections. After this, it will be up to Steve to keep us informed.

How about those pictures?