Administrative issues

Friends. The staff of the Cobosce understands that you have a choice in blogs, and we thank you for choosing http://cobosce.blogspot.com. Having said that, I’ve been accused many times of holding back stories and, and Mandy called it, being mysterious. Perhaps there is truth to this rumor. Given the logistics of a 23 hour day, and the time and price of the internet on the ship (the Brazil entry cost me over $60 to upload), and the fact that I avoid internet cafes in port, this is not intentional. However, we at the Cobosce think we have a solution and will expand our staff accordingly. In an expansion of the guest blog paradigm, I will try to recruit fellow staff members, students, faculty, adult passenger, crew, people I like, people I don’t like, etc… to contribute a funny story or two that they might think my friends would want to hear. The only restriction is that the story can’t get me fired, otherwise, the comments will run unedited, warts and all.

I guess I should line up people to write first.

Anyway, I’m working on the South Africa posting and pictures and that’ll be up soon. I’ll also try to upload shorter blurbs as we make our way to Mauritius. I am flattered by the number of people who have requested that I write more, and I’m doing my best to honor the requests.

Speaking of rumors… spreading rumors around the ship is a lot of fun because it spreads like wildfire. For example, there's a rumor going around that I'm trying to dispel that I spent the entire time volunteering at HIV hospitals when I actually spent the time with an HIV researcher. Anyway, these have been my three of many favorite (innocent) rumors to start, but I’m sure there will be more in a few days.

3. Yas is organizing a thumb war tournament. This is funny when 700 students want to sign up for it. I put this on the Dean’s memo under her name with the tagline “Warm up those Dueling Digits!” and people kept bugging her to participate. And she had to tell them it’s not real (“Hey, can I sign up for the thumb war tournament?!”). But she decided to give in and really hold a tournament. I was the first name on her signup sheet. But I never signed myself up.

2. The staff waterskiis behind the ship at night. I posted this on Yas’s board one night (“Yas – I got the skiis… the Captain said we can go skiing at 4am… remember to set your clock ahead tonight!) and let’s just say students can be very, very gullible.

1. The ship hit a whale in South Africa. This one is still making it’s way around.

Here's a quick pic from our early morning arrival in Cape Town.

Full report shortly.