Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for Crew

The New Year is when I make a list of vows to help me become the most perfect version of myself – and model crew member – ever. You can take a cue from me and adopt the following resolutions or come up with your own special list. (Note: Re-reading them this time next year is sure to inspire guilt….)

1. I will take more pictures. Shooting photos – especially with a digital camera – is easier than trying to conjure up memories. This applies to goofy pics of Jenny in curlers on watch as well as the exhilarating moment that signifies a successful transatlantic crossing: Europe to port and Africa to starboard.
2. I will save at least half of my salary. I probably can live without that darling new frock…. Every dollar/pound/euro banked while at sea is one less I will have to earn as a landlubber.
3. I will gently, cheerfully, kindly, politely and in the most humorous manner possible remind the chef or stew when an important item or product is running low (milk, tea bags, soap, etc).
4. For every alcoholic beverage I drink, I will consume one glass of water, thus staving off a terrible hangover and making me a better employee/coworker or contributing to a better day off.
5. I will do more with my days off. A day off spent nursing a hangover is a waste of free time and is second only to one spent inside a shopping mall or a bar, in my opinion. Meanwhile, a day off on the beach can be considered soaking up local culture. Have you seen some of the culture on Orient Beach? Perhaps I will even get my butt in gear and do some hiking, snorkeling, cycling, fishing or local walking/history tours.
6. I will spend more time talking to family and friends. It only takes 10 minutes to catch up with Mom, and that is 10 minutes fewer that I will spend shopping or in a bar (see Resolutions #2 and #5).
7. I will call out a job well done. We never leave our fellow crewmembers or associates guessing when they may have let us down, but how often do we pat each other on the back? What about wait staff at a local restaurant, a friendly shop clerk or a civil employee who was super helpful?
8. I will not let my brain turn to mush. Instead of TV/Wii/celebrity gossip, I will spend a few minutes getting smarter every day. This will include reading real books, listening to podcasts, or doing puzzles like crossword or Sudoku.
9. I will chamois my shower and clean my cabin. What is the point of hoarding all of these cleaning supplies if I don’t get to use some on making my living space fresh and clean?
10. I will send out more postcards. The internet killed the postcard, but I will be a soldier in the army of snail mail. Everyone loves a handwritten note—big writing means having to come up with less to say.