Monday at Sea

Monday was a good day.

 After breakfast, I walked the ship a bit, then attended a talk on Stellar evolution the life cycle of a star by Dr. Elizabeth Cunningham University of Surrey. Amazing. She’s worked at Michigan and at Cerne and still has a sense of humor. I learned that the heavier metals on Earth, like gold and silver, are products of a star that went supernova billions of years ago. She showed picture of Saturn and Titan taken from Cassini’s lander Huygens...I am astounded that the lander worked! Just imagine and that was more than a decade ago. She wondered what pictures taken with today’s digital cameras would have produced!!! Almost as astounding as that Chinese astronomers in 1047 (That’s two decades before William the Conqueror invaded England!!!!) were plotting supernovae. I wanted to ask what instruments they used but did not have the chance. No matter, she has a few more lectures or I’ll see her around the ship. (Damn! I miss instantaneous Internet access!)

I have fallen in love with goat cheese popcorn. I wonder where I can I acquire some in the USA?

Matt Diffie has been a professional cartoonist for 30 years. I actually recognized some of the examples he shared from the New Yorker, though none from his work for Texas Monthly. I was impressed that Stephen King chose him to illustrate one of his books. Of course, I didn’t write down the name since I’m not a huge King fan, but the folks around me seemed very excited and awed. He;s offering a few workshops on cartooning later in the trip, I believe I’ll sign up for one. A note: he argued his approach to cartooning is to spend two hours every morning after his coffee jotting down problems he saw or thought of and finding ludicrous answers to them. Huh. It seems to work for him as he submits 10 cartoons each Tuesday to the New Yorker. My favorite cartoon: two pigeons on a ledge talking, “My inspiration is Jackson Pollock!”

I watched a fencing exhibition and immediately knew I would not be taking those classes. Line dancing would appeal more if the room was less crowded, I just don’t want to make a total ass of myself in front of a hundred people I’ll never see after the ship docks.

The RADA production of Cunard Street was entertaining. As always, I am flabbergasted that they put on this show in the/ middle of the Carinthia Lounge’

For the first time in years, I missed the knitting circle. I was just too busy to attend. 

I joined the on board book club. we’re reading Little Dreams by Emma Flint. Never heard of the author or the book. Hope it’s good.

The Royal Cunard Gala was all I expected with the glitz and jewels and dancing. This is about the only time I wish I had a partner, not often is that the case!

I was just too pooped to post, my bed called too loudly. I fell asleep easily, rocked by the gentle motion of the ship cutting through the North Atlantic.