Welcome Jean! An easy way to use the smiley faces is to click on the "instant graemlins" in the reply box, a list of them will pop up and you can just click on the one you want to use.

Jean:

Just make sure you space bar between the text. This will not work:). But this will :)

You are welcome to e-mail me off line for questions, pointers, tips.

:)

R

Oh, I see! Before, when I posted I didn't use this box. So now I can try Thanks to all who welcomed me. I knew you were all friendly from reading all the posts but it's scary to jump in and do it yourself especially when you know you are an old granny. We probably would ty the PG, Ngaire, but for the long plane trip to get there for just a week. Hubby is in his high 80's and although he plays tennis three times a week and golf the rest (!), he isn't keen on that trip. My back isn't either. One of the most prolific joke posters on my email is a guy in his 60's we met on the Mariner some years ago. We usually end up with the younger crowd--they're more fun!

I ahven't stopped by for a while. Welcome jgnaip and everyone! Look forward to hearing more from you - thanks for sharing!

jgnaip: Keep posting and this fun bunch could care less about age - just love happy fun people - Joanna

Hi all,
Because I've been reading the CC Radisson board for over 2 years and LCT almost since its inception, I feel like I "know" most of you! Finally decided to relinquish my "learner/lurker"status.

We have booked our first RSSC cruise, the June 16 Navigator from Montreal to NY and are greatly looking forward to it. Will have many questions as June approaches, but have already learned so much from you all.

Except for husband's Navy experiences, our only cruise was on Orient's Marco Polo in 2001 to Scandinavia and the Baltics in 2001. It was a fabulous itinerary and we loved being able to see so much without the packing/unpacking experience, especially since the cruise was preceded by 10 day trip in Ireland. Wouldn't even think about a ship larger than the Marco Polo, so I started reading about Radisson and here we are!

We have been married 37 years, have 2 sons, 4 grandchildren and another on the way. One lives in Raleigh, the other in Oklahoma so we don't see them too often.

Really looking forward to June, and thanks so much,Ngaire, for providing this great board! :lct:

Welcome Kathy! And I replied to your question in ports of call. :)

(and why are you up??? By my calculations, it's around 1 am where you are when you posted!!)

Masaki

Since I have taken the plunge and registered, thought I would say a few words about myself. We haven't taken that many cruises - first one was maybe 15 years ago on Celebrity, and it turned us off cruising for several years. Too many people, too many lines, too much "conspicuous consumption" (ice scuptures, yck!), too much "everybody into the pool" mentality.

So - then, we got a great deal on a Silver Sea cruise in the Carrib., and it was wonderful. Then, saw an ad for a special deal on the Paul Gaugin - couldn't resist, and we were hooked again (at least, I was). Liked that so much I took my daughter on the PG last year! Then, 2 years ago we had a wonderful experience on the Silver Whisper, Italy/Greece. It was simply fabulous. Recently we took Oceania, and were disapointed. No variations for me any more from RSSC or SS!

We are retired (well, I am semi-retired) - unfortunately no grandkids, a lovely poodle, and 2 adult daughters. Born and raised in LA, married 37 years. I am scheduled for the Chocolate cruise on Voyager 12/6 with our WOWzer group. Other than that, no cruises in our future for a long while - want to do some land vacations. I look forward to kibbitzing and learning on this board, and perhaps meeting some of you people on the planned LA trips....

Glenda: So happy your used "introductions"...it is fun to learn a little something about posters on this board - you'll quickly fall in love with the kindness and friendliness of everyone here - Joanna

Glenda - thanks for posting your introduction! :)

Masaki

(edit to correct spelling error)

Welcome GF and Glenda. I love this feature thought of by Andrea W and think it is a great way to get to know each other and make this board a friendly place.

Ngaire: I agree with you - hope people keep using it - nice to know where people are from etc - Joanna

I hardly know where to start. I don't know why I waited so long to do an introduction, since I think all my postings already say it all about who I am for the interests of those on this board. What we write or communicate with others is, after all, who we are about to them! Geography and what we do are obviously unimportant when you board a ship and start talking to others. So this little intro is really unimportant. Anyway, I was born and reared on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and except for times away for my education, that's where I have been all my life, so I have no exciting past to report! I was married for 20 years to a wonderful husband locally and involved in his family's business. We had 4 children in about 7 years, and they were and are the center of my life. When that marriage ended, I had the opportunity, at the age of 47 to get a new life, so to speak. That was law school, and I graduated when I was 50 and passed the bar the first time. I joined a practice with my brother and others, and we are the largest in the county, with 9 lawyers! So not one of those big city things, just a "country lawyer" sort of thing, except that we are in a resort, with many opportunities. I learned early on that I did not have the stomach for litigation (I was just too old when I got into it, and soured by the lawyer jokes). So my days at work are happily filled with helping people with their estate planning, probate, real estate settlements (my bread and butter), but the greatest pleasure I get is from my domestic mediation work (ordered by the court). It gives me geat pleasure to help people get over an unpleasant life experience without paying the lawyers more to fight over it! In addition, the children are better off when the parents forge their own plan.

I first started cruising on Radisson in Alaska on the Navigator. We were cancelled on the Panama Canal cruise in her maiden year because of a vibration drydock, and got a great rebate from Radisson. Next we went to Alaska, same ship. Since then, we have done PG, Mariner many times, Voyager on the first shakedown cruise and others, and Diamond a couple of times with my daughter after Christmas break. I think I have 10 cruises with RSSC at last count! I love all the ships for different reasons. But all of them always have offered the same great service and attentiveness on each and every cruise. My daughter and I just got back from a cruise on Silversea, and I would love to cruise this line in the future. Everything was up to Radisson standards, if not higher, only because it was a smaller ship! All my 2005 plans are on Radisson.

Olivia,

While I have read your posts and corresponded with you for some time now, I was so pleased to read your introduction and get to know you better.

You have a very interesting career, which I am sure, can be very gratifying.

Thanks for allowing us the opportunity to more fully know the person behind all those intelligent and informative posts! It was worth the wait!

Thanks for that info Olivia. Its great to know more about you. I guess you and Dolebludger can trade lawyer jokes. I would think that being in family mediation could be rewarding, as well as frustrating.....sounds like a good line of work - I am especially impressed as you went to law school so late - hard to do, and somewhat intimidating I imagine at first to compete with young people. You obviously succeeded! I thought about it briefly in my 30's. I would have been a good litigation lawyer. I put those skills to work somewhat when I did a lot of training in the corporate world, but have been out of that game for almost 20 years.

Its great you have your own earned income to treat yourself with Rad and SS cruises! Congrats on your successes - truly.

:app:

Very impressive Olivia :)

Olivia - while I've enjoyed our conversations here on LCT, I still appreciated your introduction so we can see the context behind the words. Thank you for posting it! My friend's mother did something very similar to you - started a second career as a lawyer after working as a public school teacher for many years. She also chose not to go into litigation (probably for similar reasons) :)

Masaki

Olivia: As I have said before, introductions are fun they just give a glimpse of who, what, where. I knew your introduction would be interesting! Joanna

Great Olivia, thanks for sharing!

Olivia,

For an (your words) unimportant introduction, I found your post very interesting to read. You are a very accomplished lady, obviously.

Nice to get to know you via LCT.

Betty

Olivia...after all this time, it amazes me that you are just now writing your introduction.

It was lovely to read a bit about you and to appreciate where you come from.

Your advice has always been so thoughtful. You are an asset to our LCT community - I'm so glad you're here!

Great story Olivia! I, with an ex husband, lived in Easton, Maryland for several years in the late sixties. Gorgeous area! Bonnie

Olivia, thanks for posting your introduction. I know you've met a number of CC/LCTers on one or another cruises, and I hope to meet you onboard one of these days too. Congrats on your legal career. I also am a lawyer (a second career so I also was an "older" student), although essentially retired after 16 years of practice, and I understand exactly what you mean about NOT having the stomach for litigation and about the satisfaction of helping people out with important facets of their lives. Good to "meet" you!

Olivia,

Thanks so much for your intro. Yes, we have come to know each other through our posts, but I always enjoy hearing the different roads people have traveled to get to this point in their life.

I especially enjoyed what you said about your "new life". I have been struggling with the idea of going back for my PhD, and thinking that it's too late in the "game" to do something like that. Your story gave me new hope! Thanks!

Sheri

Sheri, if this is a dream of yours, just DO IT! You are still so young! My law degree has not brought me a lot of money, but it has given me a thousand/fold back in so many other ways! I want to hear you tell me that you have enrolled in that degree program!

Sheri, to reiterate, it is NEVER TOO LATE! I tried to respond to this earlier but it would not work. You need to get going and apply for whatever you have to, and do it! I can't tell you that it will give you a lot of money. It has not to me because I am too selective. I love being in my practise, and I really enjoy my days at work, but they are far more numerous than my days at sea!

Sheri - what Ph.D. were you thinking about going back for? And I agree with Olivia - it's never too late!

Masaki

Thanks for the encouragement Olivia and Masaki!
It would be in psychology. I have my Masters, but that doesn't do much for me in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately this state doesn't allow Masters level therapists to accept 3rd party reimbursement.

It's just so scary. As you know Olivia...single income, mortgage, bills, etc. How I am going to manage to pay for school, and find the time for classes, dissertation and residency while still working is beyond me. <img border="0" alt="[12]" title="" src="graemlins/18.gif" />

Just catching up on reading all the introductions. So much fun to learn about everyone.

Olivia, I loved reading your story. Starting a new career at mid-life (ugh, hate that connotation)is inspiring. I especially enjoy your cruising posts when you are traveling with your children.

Sheri, go for your dreams. Olivia and Masaki are right, it is never too late. At the age of 50, I started over again. Once my children were out of college, I left a long, long very unhappy marriage (boy was that scary after being a stay at home mom)and entered the workforce. I even left my homeland (as my Southern mother says)and relocated to the desert Southwest. I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful man who sees all my possibilities and encourages me to go for my dreams. We've been married and cruising for the last 3 years. Now, I call myself a freelance writer!

Ahhh...there's hope for me!!
I keep thinking of the line in the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun", where Diane Lane says at the end, "unthinkably good things can happen even late in the game."

Sheri - masters-level therapists can't take 3rd party reimbursement?? Really? Wow ... we just recently had a stink at our workplace when we discovered that our bachelors-level psychiatric social workers couldn't bill and they had to get pulled from their patients. Had no idea that PA was so strict that even masters-level therapists can't bill either.

Any task is doable taken in small enough portions. Taking a class at a time and stretched out over a number of years .... doable?

Masaki

Sheri, I was just waiting to get home from work to respond, and I agree with Masaki's last paragraph. My former husband has a cousin (my age), and after she had three children back in the 70's was a full-time mom. She started out with a BS before marriage, and when those children were small, she started chipping away, course by course. The master's came after a long time, and then she started on the PhD, again, course by course. It took years, but she was your age back then! A few years ago (oh, they slip away so fast it could have been "many") She fulfilled her course requirements, did the disertation and orals, and now does all the billing she wants to anyone, so long as she has the clients! There is so much financial help out there to help you get to this goal! And if you are not strapped with a family and children, this can add a new dimension to your life.

I am not going to play the martyr about my law school experience later in life. It was entirely on my husband's "nickel" as we were separated but not divorced until my last year of school. He paid not only tuition, but the mortgage, as well as rent and other expenses while I lived in Baltimore, and tuitions for all the kids in private schools. My stress was not money. It was going back to school after 25 years!

Masaki,

What do you do, if I might ask?

Yeah, I know there is more than one way to skin a cat...Marcie and all the other pet lovers out there can relax...JUST a figure of speech! I need to really look into the options...I know there are loans, and I think the interest is now tax deductible (it wasn't while I was paying all my previous loans back).

Olivia, do you think your ex might want to contribute to a good cause??? What shall I call it...the fund to support Sheri in her quest to finish school and feed her cruise addiction???? hmmm....it's probably much more legit than SOME of the charities out there!!!

Once again I must reiterate what a supportive group this is. It doesn't matter what we talk about, you all immediately jump in with words of wisdom and support! If we were still on that "other" board, I would have been slapped on the wrist and banned from the board!!!

I find more and more each day that I am dying to meet all the board members that I haven't met already. One of these days we are going to have to get together and charter one of the ships...our group is almost big enough...for the Diamond or PG anyway.

Thanks again!!

Sheri

Sheri,

We met you last year on VOF and I must say, you are one intelligent and terrific woman. I think once you set yourself in motion, nothing will stop you from pursuing your dreams.

Go for it, girl! We're all pulling for you!

Sheri - I'm a family practice doc by trade but I also serve as the clinic chief of our clinic and we have an eclectic group of services at our clinic (work for a big national healthcare organization that I'm sure all of you have heard of). We have family practice, dermatology, bariatric surgery/weight loss program, and behavioral health services. I just found out about BHS's problems with their therapists recently ... but it does explain the recent difficulty with some of our patients getting into their BHS appointments :(

Olivia - that's a great story about your cousin-in-law. See Sheri? It's doable! Olivia - does your ex want to contribute to my future kids' college fund as well? (can't hurt to ask!) :D

Masaki

Masaki, he is just getting over the last of four private college tuitions! I think now the youngest wants to start some graduate work in London this summer, so may be best if I just left well enough alone!

Sheri, It's NEVER too late. Trust me. I'm a pediatric hospice nurse (and no spring chicken). On Monday (May 17th) I will take my final law school exam and graduate! I take the California bar exam in July.
Olivia, I have been mediating disputes in small claims court and I love it! I don't want to be a litigator either. Mediation is what I call 'the therapeutic practice of law." I'm going to cruise to Asia next year. I have not been on Radisson yet but I have been on Seabourn and Silversea. I'm going to Alaska on Crystal in August. I enjoyed all your detailed reports on Asia. I'm thinking about doing the Singapore to Sydney cruise on the Mariner in October. I'm longing to go back to Bali.

Such fascinating stories from you all!! Sheri, you are so intelligent and capable. I know you can do anything you set your mind to!
This was evident the first time I met you....

I once recall hearing someone middle age considering going back to college stating:
"Four years...By the time I graduate I'll be 50 years old", the response was "And how old will you be in four years if you don't go back to school?"
GO FOR IT!

Sheri,
Maybe you should write some stories for "6 feet Under" for some extra money.

Juicyjuju, Congratulations on getting your law degree and taking the bar! It is not a fun event preparing for it, and I hear the California bar is one of the toughest in the country to pass (along with Florida and Colorado) If at first you do not succeed, try, try again!

Sheri, are you still listening? Now you have it from TWO of us who have followed our dreams. Are you next? (only if it is important to you)