JAM CRUISE!!!!!

Hi! I'm back from my Jam Cruise vacation! It was AWESOME. Here are my thoughts, observations, and highlights...

-WOW. That's A LOT of white people. My guess is that, of 2000 cruisers, about 0.5% were non-white. This does not include musicians, many of whom were black, and ship crew, who were mostly Asian.

-There was a lot of weed on the ship. You could smell it EVERYWHERE.

-The more you participate in the cruise, the more the cruise gives back to you. I did a rousing version of Aretha Franklin's "Respect" for Rock Star Karaoke, and after that, a lot more people talked to me and congratulated me. I did feel like a star!

-I also participated in the Guitar Hero competition. I got eliminated in the first round, re-inserted into the second round to compensate for a no-show, then got eliminated again. :P C'mon, the guy who eliminated me had a 265-note streak! My 119-note streak didn't stand a chance!

-Jam Cruise is a 1-week long dance party. Dress accordingly. Things that sparkle, shine, glitter, and flash are highly appreciated. Also, people are SERIOUS about the costume nights. On pirate night, everyone kept saying "Arrrr."

-The music is good, but you'll have an even better time if you like more than 1-2 bands in the lineup.

-I kept seeing Stanton Moore (drummer from Galactic) and Jeff Austin (mandolin player from Yonder Mountain String Band) everywhere. I saw Stanton Moore at the emergency drill, eating dinner at the restaurant, using his laptop in the coffee bar, etc. I went snorkeling with Jeff Austin.

-The reefs at Grand Turk island are pretty extensive and quite different from the ones in Hawaii. There's a lot more soft coral, and fewer fish (at least, in the spot where we snorkeled). The water was warm and clear.

-Fresh hot pizza, anytime. Awesome.

-As John and I wandered around the ship, we accidentally stumbled upon Galactic rehearsing with JJ Grey. That was a wonderful surprise. We could just sit there and listen to them rehearse!

-Amenities: Free sauna and steam room. John spent a lot of time there. :P

-Bring earplugs.

I'm back in Hawaii now, and I have to relearn my job. Vacations rule! I'll be back in L.A. on the 19th. Expect photos shortly thereafter! Mwah mwah!