Host Dan Posted December 24, 2016 #1 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Hi everyone! Now that the water cooler part 2 has over 5000 posts, it's time to start a fresh thread! You can visit part 2 here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2249318 Please continue the conversation on this thread. :) A great way to welcome a new year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare spinnaker2 Posted December 24, 2016 #2 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Thanks Dan and Happy Holidays to you. 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKCruiseJeff Posted December 24, 2016 #3 Share Posted December 24, 2016 (edited) Thanks Dan ...... and Seasonal best wishes. The new Cooler smells of fresh paint ... and hopefully a lovely start to a more optimistic 2017 ... to all ... :) Jeff Edited December 24, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TLCOhio Posted December 24, 2016 #4 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Thanks Dan and Happy Holidays to you. 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 UKCruiseJeff: Thanks Dan ...... and Seasonal best wishes. The new Cooler smells of fresh paint ... and hopefully a lovely start to a more optimistic 2017 ... to all ... Jeff Appreciate this forward shifting as we prepare for a busy and hopefully more positive 2017. To start off the visual sharing' date=' below are few more examples from our time in the Kansas City area. Getting ready for Christmas tomorrow in the middle of sunny Kansas. Yes, the sun is out and looking lovely right now. Should be a high of around 48F this afternoon. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio[/font'] Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 219,647 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at: http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474 Where's Norm? Remember the classic TV show "Cheers"? One of the favorites on that show was Norm who always sat at the end of bar drinking his beers. Earlier this week, we caught actor George Wendt doing a fun dinner theatre in Kansas City based on a group of guys doing barbershop singing, etc. As you see from my two pictures below, Norm/George still looks about the same. Clearly, Norm still likes his beer and food!: Where's the Devil? That terrible person must be in Kansas!! See this personalized license plate below that was parked ahead of me at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. Seeing is believing!!??: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare spinnaker2 Posted December 24, 2016 #5 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Toto, I mean Terry you aren't in Kansas anymore...watch out for winged monkeys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted December 24, 2016 #6 Share Posted December 24, 2016 New cooler! Glad to help christen it. Today we hopped the train to Montreux, where we visited Chateau de Chillon (as in the poem by Byron, "The Prisoner of Chillon.") Then we stopped off in Lausanne on the way home for a wander around the old town, a church tower to climb, some lunch, a visit to the Olympic Museum, a stroll along the lake, etc. Then home in time for a nice dinner. Early to bed tonight. It's been a busy 3 days so far. Tomorrow, we'll just wander wherever the mood strikes us. Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialcruisegirl Posted December 24, 2016 #7 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Thanks Dan.....Merry Christmas.... Jeffers....really gutted to hear about Rick...l know you and the band go back a long way and they were one of my very favourites as you know.....so sad, l doubt Rossi will carry on now....... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKCruiseJeff Posted December 24, 2016 #8 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Jeffers....really gutted to hear about Rick...l know you and the band go back a long way and they were one of my very favourites as you know.....so sad, l doubt Rossi will carry on now....... Hi Soapy, ... yes a sad day. However, you were a genuine fan as I know being lucky enough to see the pictures of you at their gigs! I liked them but wasn't a great Quo fan. I first started working with them in '68 when Pictures of Matchstick Men was in the charts. I was playing records and "introducing" bands and my first one with them was at Leyton Baths during that summer. I remember it clearly because my girlfriend at the time was extremely good looking but also quite "bookish". She was also a talented classical pianist. One thging all my girlfriends had in common in those days was a driving licence .... ;) When we were doing the sound checks Rick took a shine to her but I think was a bit confused that she wasn't bowled over by him. It transpired when she asked him what the name of the band was that she had never heard of them and that rather pricked his balloon. I got my own back by repeatedly playing a demo I happened to have which was The Spectres playing I who have nothing ... which was their previous incarnation. Every do after that I played it just to irritate them, and I succeeded. I use to say "buy the drinks ... or the record gets played. " I worked with them a couple weeks later in Cheltenham when I was greeted with "Oh no ... not you again ....." and after the sound check we went out to eat but found it tough because even thopugh it was only 6pm and everywhere had just opened and was empty, no one would serve us because of the hair. We ended up in the local Wimpy bar with loads of autographs bbeing signed. I became quite matey with Roy Lynes who was there organist at the time as he was impressed with the girlfirends keyboard skills and I was impressed with his red Jag. We had a lot more gigs together over the next few years and they stole my roady who I was so pleased for because working for them was a real leg-up for him. Francis has been playing some dates in the UK over the recent past without Rick who was told to take things quietly since he "died" a while back. I don't think they had any future plans because Rick had plans for some solo stuff. A lot of people criticised Rick's "lack of musicianship" saying he only knew three chords, and I use to say that he might have only known three chords but boy what he did with them and at least it was one more chord than the Kinks. I last saw him two or three years back when I bumped into him at Heathrow where he told me he didn't recognise me without my hair and wifey told him that she held him responsible for my hearing issues because of my many hours in front of their stack. He was really nice to wifey. My memories of him was of a really straightforward down to earth guy who always had time to chat to his fans and treated them with patience and friendship and never really quite believed how lucky he was. I don't think, thankfully, he ever really grew up. I think a lot of people will say he was a thoroughly nice ordinary bloke who played in a band that they never tiered of. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare spinnaker2 Posted December 25, 2016 #9 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Jeff and Sophia Sorry to learn of the loss of Rick. Seems like a lovely guy. Too young !! Had to go listen to him play on YouTube. Those days were just yesterday, right? Glory days much of which were in a haze! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKCruiseJeff Posted December 25, 2016 #10 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Jeff and SophiaSorry to learn of the loss of Rick. Seems like a lovely guy. Too young !! Had to go listen to him play on YouTube. Those days were just yesterday, right? Glory days much of which were in a haze! Hi Spins, Yes, I guess recent because their great achievement seems to me to be their longevity. I don't think it harsh to say that way back in 1968 most including themselves would have predicted a career of three or four years which was more of the norm in those times, but their's has been a genuine 50 year career. I would have put cash on a three year max career. Part of their success is due to them being a genuine live band with both front men being extremely keen that their live gigs reproduce their recorded hits fastideously. Many bands don't get that real fans want to hear their idols play their rercords accurately live and not hear a developed and "improved" version, but Soapy will confirm whether that is still true because she has been to a concert or two more recently. She is a real fan. It's hazy but I think I remember on Pictures of Matchstick Men they made and I think released two versions one was a mono the other a stereo version, the mono using the wah wah / phasing effect on the guitar solos and the stereo not. The mono was a hit and was the version they always reproduced live. They also largely kept to their type of music and although they made some stuff that wasn't typically Quo, and even though quite recently have archived quite a lot of acoustic stuff for future release they largely stuck to type and their fan base has grown up with them. There was a bit of an "insiders joke" that they made much of their cash from announcing each year for many years a "farewell tour" .... but never really intended them to be their last. I think one of the reasons why the band kept going for so long was that Rick and Francis are definately completely different characters and enhance rather than compete with each other whereas most bands end in ego rows. I think I recall Francis saying that he wrote Pictures of Matchstick Men whilst in the toilet trying to escape his family. Anyway, nostalgia isn't what it use to be and I know that there are many millions of fans that will be mourning a legend that they all felt they had a personal connection with because he was basically an ordinary bloke they could identify with and they loved what he could do with a guitar and a mountain of Marshall amps. :) Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialcruisegirl Posted December 25, 2016 #11 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Happy Christmas Day All....[emoji268][emoji268][emoji268] Jeffers.....Quo always played live and very accurately so....they created such an electric atmosphere even as they walked on stage....no special effects or dancers....just the band...that's all they needed as their music was and still is so unique...and boy did they rock! My daughter in the end refused to accompany me to their gigs as she said l embarrassed her by doing the Quo shoulder moves....[emoji51] Rick didn't have an easy life as you know but was a truly lovable and genuinely nice guy.......their "farewell" tours were legendary ...[emoji6] it quite sadly won't be the same again...... Just indulging with a rather large brandy here after a very enjoyable lunch out with my very oldest friend......she held me in her arms when l was just six weeks old....we go back a very long way and to me today was what this festive season is all about as we reminisced about the years.......such genuine Joy..... S [emoji4] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumblefoot Posted December 25, 2016 #12 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Today we hopped the train to Montreux, where we visited Chateau de ChillonSuch a quaint town. And, I'm not sure there is a more cute and well sited castle than Chillon. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tothesunset Posted December 26, 2016 #13 Share Posted December 26, 2016 And now George Michael... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKCruiseJeff Posted December 26, 2016 #14 Share Posted December 26, 2016 And now George Michael... Yes .... sad .... a troubled genius who might have succumbed to lifestyle. I guess we will hear in time. Happy Boxing Day all. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted December 27, 2016 #15 Share Posted December 27, 2016 And now George Michael... Yes .... sad .... a troubled genius who might have succumbed to lifestyle. I guess we will hear in time. Happy Boxing Day all. Jeff More sad news. Seems endless this year. I don't know much about Status Quo or Rick, but I certainly remember growing up to George Michael's music. Got home to JFK yesterday afternoon and had a relatively easy drive home for a change. Got home a little after 8 and did some shopping. Managed to get a little sleep, until 4:30. Not bad for the first night back. Now, off to work. Last week of 2016 is here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKCruiseJeff Posted December 27, 2016 #16 Share Posted December 27, 2016 More sad news. Seems endless this year. I don't know much about Status Quo or Rick, but I certainly remember growing up to George Michael's music. Got home to JFK yesterday afternoon and had a relatively easy drive home for a change. Got home a little after 8 and did some shopping. Managed to get a little sleep, until 4:30. Not bad for the first night back. Now, off to work. Last week of 2016 is here. Welcome home JP ...... I guess many people will with the benefit of future hindsight will wish that we had missed much of 2016 completely and simply gone straight from 2015 to 2017. Here is hoping for a great 2017. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted December 27, 2016 #17 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Carrie Fisher... Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumblefoot Posted December 27, 2016 #18 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Carrie Fisher... Now she truly understands the force. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKCruiseJeff Posted December 28, 2016 #19 Share Posted December 28, 2016 (edited) I first started working with them in '68 when Pictures of Matchstick Men was in the charts. I was playing records and "introducing" bands and my first one with them was at Leyton Baths during that summer. Jeff I stand corrected. Not quite Summer of '68 ... but 9th November 1968. How time flies ..... Jeff Edited December 28, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted December 29, 2016 #20 Share Posted December 29, 2016 It does fly. Some day I will have to post a picture of myself from November 1968... Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKCruiseJeff Posted December 29, 2016 #21 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Not many people know exactly what they were doing at 7.30pm on 9th November 1968 ..... :) Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted December 29, 2016 #22 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Greetings Coolers! J...I cannot say with any certainty what I was doing at 7:30 pm on November 9, 1968. However, I can make a pretty good guess. I was 15 going on 16 in a few days so I was probably holed up in my bedroom listening to my teeny tiny transistor radio dreaming of the day when I would be 21. What a waste of time that was! Time goes so very quickly. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to relax and enjoy what I had. Waxing philosophical as 2016 winds down. Enjoy your life all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted December 29, 2016 #23 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Note to Joc123......I finally found a reference to the location for the Hallelujah video by Pentatonix. It was filmed in the California Mojave Desert, near Barstow and the video features the group singing while walking across stark Coyote Dry Lake. It was a spectacular setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tothesunset Posted December 29, 2016 #24 Share Posted December 29, 2016 And now Debbie Reynolds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tothesunset Posted December 29, 2016 #25 Share Posted December 29, 2016 (edited) At last. Thing about these air miles is that getting a flight on the exact date required is usually impossible BUT for once we have secured a flight back from Barbados next Nov after the Wind crossing. No Upper Class seats on the Virgin aircraft for reward redemption but 2x Premium Economy secured for £300 and 45000 miles (leaving us with nearly 200,000 miles between us). Cheapest Premium Economy ticket is £1700. So that's £3k saved. I know it's petty but it makes me feel all warm inside. Edited December 29, 2016 by Tothesunset Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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