Very Important Fun Person Flusher

I've made only one post in 2025 and no trip gambling, or life updates. Can you believe it?

There hasn't been much to write about with Vegas out of the picture. I knew you fine people out there would want an update, but the longer I left it, the more of a mountain it became. So I wrote nothing.

When I was a kid, I'd take books out of the library. That's one of the things you can do at a library. 

The books would become due and I was too lazy to take them back. And then I was too embarrassed to take them back because it had been so long since they became due. Then the library would phone the house demanding I return the books, and then I was really embarrassed and wouldn't take them back for even longer. When they finally sent Mrs. Taylor to the house personally, I'd have to finally deal with it. I'd take the books back, pay the exorbitant fines, and after a week or two, take out more books. And the cycle would start again.

People have been in touch to ask about me so it's time for an update.

How are you?

Much of this year has been extremely difficult. You would think the first year after losing my wife would be the hardest and year two would be easier. I think it's sort of like this - the first year is shock, incredible trauma, sorrow, grief, agony. Second year... it's starting to become apparent that this is the new reality. The adrenalin is gone, most of the duties that keeps one so busy have been dispatched. This is when it becomes almost unbearable.

I liken it to a bad fall off a bicycle into a flaming tree full of bees and then a piano plunges out of the tree on top of you and the piano is also in flames. For the first while after an unfortunate (if implausible) occurrence like that, you don't necessarily feel all the trauma and wounds and burns. The shock and adrenalin seem to numb the worst of it.

The next day and the days following - that's when you really, really know you are hurting. Not only that, the piano is horribly out of tune.

Somehow, though, I've kept busy and keep putting one foot in front of the other. 

All part of my widower JOURNEY. (Can you smell the eyerolls?) Everything is a fucking journey these days. This morning, I swallowed another mouthful of paste in my toothbrushing journey. I'm thankful that everyone is about to forget about journeys now that AI is the talk of the data center.

Speaking of which, Jimmy Poon is working on a special project for me - a Small Language Model processor that will implement Artificial Stupiditys (ASS).

I have returned to the Greacey Palms Senior Putt Putt Trailer Park in Florida for the winter. Playing geezer rock with The Tragically Hips provides an excellent outlet for all the out-of-tune music I have bottled up inside.

We're learning some new songs this fall. I suggested Mercy by Duffy and nobody in the band had ever heard of it. I told them that it's because it was released well after 1980.

Gosh, I haven't had this much fun since I brewed my own cloudy beer while attending Campus University. It was about 11% ABV and you couldn't drink more than two because of the ensuing torrential diarrhea.

Any trips planned?

Just the other day (not this day, the other one), I was wandering around Tampa, minding my own business, when I came across a gigantic boat.

Guess where I am.

It was on porpoise, actually. Because, I wanted to get an idea of what I am in for because soon I will be embarking on my very first cruise!

My internet friend Jennifer, the insanely intrepid iputmylifeonashelf blogger, suggested that I should look into cruising. There are casinos on board, and playing in said casinos can result in comps and offers for future cheap cruises with freeplay and other goodies.

Long story short, I signed up for Carnival's VIFP club and before long, I was connected with a sort of host, and had booked my very first 4 day cruise, the first stop on my cruise (ahem) journey.

I'm excited to try this out! The Quad Queen had always made it clear that she wasn't ever interested in going on a cruise, but I always liked the idea of a life at sea, 4 days of buffets at a time. So I'm giving it a shot across the bow.

One of the really cool things about this is I know nothing - NOTHING - about it. I don't know any angles, or ins and outs, or secret menus, or flashmob early dining room seatings, or anything. I know Vegas up, down, left, right, and center, but being on a Cruising Ship? Nada!

It's going to be an adventure!

Sometime very soon I will be setting sail on the Carnival Bilge Class Cruising Ship Paradise, one of the oldest Cruising Ships they own. I reckon the bottom is a good place to start, because if I enjoy it, it's all downwind from there.

What a good deal I got on this cruise! They chose my stateroom for me - Cabinette 00, which is conveniently located above the waterline of the Cruising Ship Paradise and features a shared porthole.

I get free drinks in the casino (can't imagine why...) and $50 in freeplay. The cost of the cruise is about $5 plus $445 in gratuities, so around $450 or so.

My plans for the cruise are to eat randomly, gamble heavily and occasionally look out the porthole. And I'm going to take you with me, as I blog every complaint, share every win, and regret every bad decision.

At this point in my life, I can either give up, or strike out in new directions. As we used to say at Campus University, Ubi Sunt Credita, Ibi Est Spes.