Slogging through the second half of this 7-week trip, and it certainly is a slog. Morale is at a low ebb. We're seeing an uptick in cargo volume among the idlers, the clean oil carriers, while black oil is still moving like crazy. Those are all fine things, but pay and now benefits are are on the chopping block, while the workload is increasing, which is hard to swallow. Obamacare well and truly fucked us. There are so many unhappy people complaining that it is truly a depressing environment on deck just now and I find myself avoiding all but the people I truly like out here, which is not a lot of people. My company has a high proportion of nice folks for a maritime environment, but you can only have the same conversation so many times before it gets just boring and depressing as shit. At the same time, somewhere in every conversation comes a 'well, we've still got a job, let's be thankful,' which, when you think about it, is an interesting juxtaposition. Lord, it makes the days drag by.
Anyhow, in an effort to keep my chin up, I'm re-reading the Master & Commander series, which, if you haven't read it, you should. It's my absolute favorite book series.
Flight Test 6 Reset to Tuesday
15 minutes ago
3 comments:
Patrick O'Brien is the great author of the world.
Give you joy, sir!
(just finished The Truelove, headed for the end of the series for the nth time, great stuff)
Off topic:
http://gcaptain.com/coast-guard-releases-el-faro-investigation-report-summary-conclusions-recommendations/
I'm thinking the number of current US flagged vessels may drop. That's a lot of upgrade work. Expensive upgrades.
I'd heard of the series, but just began reading it this year. I have to wait for books to become available at the library; it would appear that someone else is working his (probably) or her (perhaps) way through it, & is at about the same point I am. They certainly seem to read more slowly, judging by the time it takes for books to come back. It's worth the wait.
--Tennessee Budd
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