Whore now and save!

The next chapter of my novel The Fourth Estate is up at The Practical Press.

And don't forget, you can vote in The Practical Press Awards of 2006 for your favorite short story, poem, novel, audio book, or songs until Monday. Not only will you find my work, but that of our friends Mustang Bobby, Old White Lady, Shakes, and many others.

Cross-posted at the Brain.

Ships 4

Taken from Noordam, Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 off Tortola.







She pulled anchors and shoved off several hours after we arrived, on to her next destination. We left for St. Maarten a few hours later.

Click pics to embiggen.

Ships 3

The ships of Holland America Line


MS Oosterdam


MS Prinsendam


MS Ryndam


MS Veendam


MS Amsterdam and MS Zaandam

All pics courtesy of Wikipedia. Click to embiggen.

Dam Ships

Mirrors: Mirror image taken in the UV-coated glass that was the rear wall of our stateroom aboard Noordam. The Varrazano Narrows Bridge is in the background. Click to embiggen.

Okay, this is my last vacation-related post (well, until I take you to Germany this Christmas to meet my family).

There is a reason my wife and I prefer to travel aboard the ships of Holland America Line more than any other, and do so whenever possible. Their motto "Signature of Excellence" is not just a horseshit marketing idea, it is part of their culture (over 100 years' worth).

From the time you board a Holland America ship, the crew bends over backward to assure your trip will be an enjoyable one. From the officers to the crew, every person aboard has one thing in mind, your comfort. We've sailed with a number of cruise lines, from Carnival to Cunard, and, while our trans-Atlantic crossing aboard Queen Mary 2 was extraordinary, we still prefer the ambiance of the HAL ships.

From the food and the on board activities to the shore excursions and excellent destinations, each Holland America cruise we've taken has been memorable (as opposed to the 11 cruises we've taken aboard Carnival ships which all seem to bleed into one). The ships themselves have a distinct personality, from the tiny Prinsendam to our old friend Noordam, each has its own cachet (even ships of the same class have differences that make them unique). The HAL ships are more a family than a fleet.

I believe another point that makes Holland America so appealing is their Mariner Society; Holland's way of recognizing cruisers who are loyal to the line. A little something to say thank you on behalf of the cruise line.

While a cruise aboard a Holland America ship is a bit more expensive than most, we believe it is worth the extra for a truly enjoyable experience and recommend it highly if you're considering your first cruise or your 50th. The 'Dam Ships' of Holland America are truly something to experience.

A little disclaimer here. Mrs. F and I are shareholders in Carnival Corporation who owns most of the cruise lines out there, Carnival and Cunard included, and benefit from their good fortune, though I give a shit if you ever go on a cruise and I certainly don't want you to take a cruise for our benefit, though I thank you for your patronage if you do. We work hard and when we take a vacation, we want it to be enjoyable and relaxing. Holland America gives us what we think is the best value per dollar.

Cross-posted at the Brain.

Ships 2

Royal Caribbean Lines' Serenade of the Seas at the pier in Philipsburg, St. Maarten.


Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas at the pier in San Juan.


Costa Lines' Costa Mediterranea, also at the dock in San Juan.


Harbor tugs Margaret Moran (l) and Brendan Turecamo prepare to push Holland America's Noordam into her berth at Pier 92 in NYC.

Click pics to embiggen.

Ships 1

NY Waterway taxi crossing the Hudson from the West Side to Hoboken.


The Staten Island Ferry leaving St. George for Lower Manhattan. Note the auto carrier in the background, tied up at Elizabeth.


An OOCL container ship, packed to the gills, in the Lower Harbor, heading upriver.


Noordam off Tortola.


Cunard Lines' Queen Mary 2, also off Tortola.

Click to embiggen.

The good, the bad, and the whoring ...

Saturday means the next chapter of my novel The Fourth Estate is up at The Practical Press.

And as you know, I don't shill my novels here on the Brain (at least not the titles up for sale; integrity and all that), but several have asked* (those who want to order one) which they should read first. I would recommend Special Operations because it's where the little world I've created 'begins'. That is all.

*See, I do read my email ... mostly.

The Practical Press Awards 2006

The brains, heart, and vision behind The Practical Press, Kenneth Quinnell, has posted the nominees in each category (and yes, I am honored and humbled to receive a nomination; great thanks to those who gave The Captains a vote). Voting is open to all and I encourage you to go there and read the best work of the 'creative membership', my esteemed colleagues. You won't be disappointed. Also, while you're there, give Kenneth a big 'thank you' for putting so much of his time and energy into the site.

Cattle Dogs

Why we love Australian Cattle Dogs:

This is the first time herding sheep for this dog. Herding is instinct to these dogs and they take to it without much training.

Cattle Dog babysitting a Jack Russell pup ... heh.

Packing ...

MS Noordam at anchor off Porta Delgado, the Azores.
Click to embiggen.

We're leaving Wednesday for the Caribbean (my birthday present to Mrs. F) and, since we both have to work Monday and Tuesday, I'm doing most of our packing today. The bright side is we don't have to fly this time. We're meeting Noordam at Pier 92 on Manhattan's West Side (only a 40 minute car ride from home) and returning to the same place. Mrs. F can pack what she wants and buy what she wants without weight restriction. Yay!!!!

Since Noordam has satellite access to the intarwebs, I'll be taking you along (just like Europe - NYC last year), posting pics and sea stories at AltBrainNet, so as not to clog up the important shit here with pics. As usual, Gord's in charge until I get back and what he says goes.

And if you're interested in cruising, I wrote a piece last year about cruise ships and ocean liners. And to add, though I make no money from the endorsement, we book our cruises through Cruise Vacation Center exclusively.

Cross-posted at the Brain.