I'm Back! An Update from June 11-23

Hello blog readers! Glad to be back! My first update as a married man:

The wedding in Plano, TX was awesome! The reception was held at the Infomart building in Dallas, TX. It was amazing and I can’t thank everyone enough for helping us make so many memories.

Shortly after the wedding, my new wife and I traveled to Galveston, TX to board the Carnival Conquest cruise ship bound for the Western Caribbean. Let me just say, the honeymoon overall was great; however, I’ll give you the good, the bad, and the ugly of some things:

The Good:

Everything about Carnival as a company was first class. The entertainment, plethora of activities, etc was great and made for an enjoyable trip. The staff overall was funny, interesting, and very personable. In addition, the stop in Cozumel, Mexico was my favorite because Carnival has their own pier right in the downtown area. Cozumel was very clean, entertaining (Senor Frogs!), and cheap. $5 t-shirts, hats, etc..

We swam with the dolphins in Cozumel which I highly recommend if you get the chance. In addition, go swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman. The trip was relatively cheap and a once in a lifetime opportunity to hold and feed stingrays in their natural habitat.

The food at dinner was exceptional and is included in the basic cruise package.

The Bad:

They certainly are master marketers aboard the ship simply because you have nowhere else to go. If you want something, get ready to pay for it. The all inclusive trip is a joke. Expect to spend a lot of money f you plan to do any offshore excursions, drink alcohol, gamble, pictures, etc… In addition, gratuity is included in everything (food, drinks, and daily room service).

The Ugly:

It was sad to hear the stories of many of the workers on the cruise ship. Most of the workers are foreign and we discovered they are paid next to nothing, and operate mainly on tips, so they are very good at “selling” you.

The stop in Jamaica was a little rough—especially their driving skills! We almost had “human hood ornaments” in the taxis because they simply don’t stop for people. Also, they honk their horns constantly. It was a little scary traveling through the streets.

Overall, I would definitely cruise again. If you are like me and need a vacation with numerous activities, a cruise should satisfy your needs. There is something for all ages and 8 days was a perfect amount of time.

My Last Blog Post Until After June 23rd!

With the wedding rapidly approaching (6 days away!), I’ll be shifting my undivided attention to finalizing the wedding plans (luckily my fiancé and her parents are finishing the majority of them!). That being said, this will be my last blog post until the end of June. I have been thinking of a few things lately, reading a few new books, and truly loving life and realizing I’m very blessed. A few highlights and things coming up:

The Wedding. If you haven’t seen our wedding website yet, I recommend you take a look. We have chosen to share some details of our lives with family and friends, so why not for my blog readers? www.danielleandbrian.weddingwindow.com

The Honeymoon. My fiancé and I are taking a cruise for our honeymoon. We are setting sail on the Carnival Conquest bound for the Western Caribbean with stops in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico. I’ll have details for you later, including tips, tricks, and lessons learned.

An Air Force Officer: I haven’t blogged much about life in the Air Force, so I’ll give you a quick update. I really enjoy the Air Force—especially the people and the mission. Everything about active duty is first class and I am extremely happy with my decision to serve our country. Moreover, I enjoy the challenges associated with government Contracting. It seems like I learn something new every day. More to come as my career progresses…

Reading: Along with the books mentioned in last week’s post, I purchased 1776 by David McCullough yesterday. I have wanted to read it for a long time, so I made an “impulse” buy and picked it up in paperback. The book received fantastic reviews, so I’m excited to get started.

What I've Been Doing Lately: 6.1.08

I spent last week at the Air Force Academy watching my fiancé graduate and had the chance to hear a speech by President George W. Bush. I was impressed by his composure, thoughtfulness, charisma, and overall likeability displayed throughout the day (including a fantastic speech to the graduating class). He carried himself in a humble manner, but jumped at the opportunity to “connect” with the cadets in more meaningful ways. Some of the antics included: Chest bumps, Heisman poses, back-to-back, and a cell phone call to one of the graduates mother. In addition, he took the time to shake every graduates hand and saluted most of them as well (1012 cadets).

*****
On an unrelated note, I saw Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney last night at the University of Phoenix Stadium—Urban is way better live than Chesney by the way. Urban was pure energy, entertainment, and talent while Chesney was more old school country with his cowboy hat, rhythm guitar, and laid back attitude.

*****
Currently Reading:

The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Being a Groom by Jennifer Lata Rung and Mark Rung
Gods of Tin by James Salter
In A Pit with A Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis

Thinking About:

-The Wedding (13 days!)
-Wondering if my car is about to die because I’m sensing a problem I’ve had before (last time I needed a new transmission…ouch!)
-Trying to decide if I should renew my subscription to Fortune Magazine…It has been a very informative magazine, but I may move on to something a little deeper with more of a global spin (The Economist?)