How rude!

You will not believe it but I have been forced to work today! I didn't join the navy to go to sea!

We have had the training people on teaching us what to do if the ships is sinking, or flooding or on fire. They could cut all this nonsence down by teaching what I would do if the ship was sinking, flooding or on fire - thats right, throw on a ife jacket, climb into a lifeboat, lower it and head for land ensuring to get supplies from the bar - you don't know how long it will be until you have your next drink!

For some reason known only to them they have me up in the control centre of the ship named HQ1. Don't know where HQ2 is, so it seems rather odd to call it HQ1, but I suppose someone somewhere was paid alot of money to come up with that. I get information from all round the ship then whittle it down reporting on the bits people need to know, updating an incident baord, which is basically a big map of the ship putting things like fire here, fire there etc. The problem is I really don't know my way round the ship that much - so unless the fire/flood/causualty/invasion of the bodysnatchers happens in my cabin, the mess, radio room or the bar I spend most of the exercise looking for places. But I suppose that adds to the suspense of people looking over my shoulder! Where will he label next...? I muddled through today though and only got one person killed, which is a personal best! The first time I did it a few years ago, I managed to get myself killed which was rather fun!

Yes so I have been up since 4 this morning and am still going. I must write a strongly worded letter of complaint to head office.

Then to top the day off the Sat TV system has quite literally blown up. Inbetween getting people killed I was in and out of a Sat TV dome trying to fix something that had smoke coming from it. Nobody seemed that worried about me only 'Neighbours is on soon - is it working yet?'. I could have been overcome with smoke but it would have taken them 30 minutes to find me. 'He'll be alright - I will go and look for him once Neighbours ends!' In the end I haven't been able to fix it yet so people will have to watch the omnibus on Sunday or whenever its on.

On a brighter note it looks like we might have an eunexpected port visit to Cyprus sometime next week which will be kewl. I haven't been there so will have another flag to plant on my map of comings and goings. People be ready for the avalanche of postcards.