Share your news

We want to know your news -- graduations, anniversaries, children, grandchildren ... all of it! And we'd like to print your pictures here too!

You can e-mail us news here, call or fax us at 354-3916, or send us news through the mail at RanchoMurieta.com, P.O. Box 573, Rancho Murieta, CA 95683.

NEIGHBORS NOTES

Steve Anderson says his daughter, Aubrielle, has gotten stronger in her fight against leukemia. The family is looking forward to the finish of her treatment in November.

Helping fight for a little girl's life, a group's first anniversary and college classes at sea


Published Tuesday, February 20, 2007

A little Murieta girl's struggle against leukemia continues to inspire fundraising efforts, a college student attends a floating university, and volunteers make the safety center a part of community life.

Helping Aubrielle in the fight for her life

A year ago, after the 2006 event, the Anderson family posed for a photo.

The photo taken of the Anderson family after last year's St. Baldrick's Foundation head-shaving fundraiser for childhood cancer shows two bald members of the family -- baby Aubrielle and her dad Steve.

Steve Anderson responded to his daughter's struggle with T-cell acute lymphatic leukemia by organizing a team and raising more than $40,000 for childhood cancer research and to increase awareness of the disease.

Anderson is putting together another team for the March 16 St. Baldrick's Foundation event at UC Davis Medical Center. Aubrielle, an active, talkative 2½ -year-old with a fringe of soft brown hair, will have more hair than her dad after the event, even though she's still receiving treatment for the disease, now in remission.

"She's considered high-risk," said her father. "She's on the most aggressive treatment out there. Our goal is that we never see another cancer cell in her body because she would have to start all over again, from Day 1."

The team is named Angels and Warriors after Tanner Smith, a child who died from leukemia in 2000, and Aubrielle and Joey Raimondo, who are fighting the disease. Joey is the son of Anderson 's co-worker at Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund.

Aubrielle's treatment regimen of chemotherapy, radiation and steroids began after she was diagnosed with leukemia in September, 2005. It started out as twice-a-week trips to UC Davis, and then became weekly. She's expected to complete treatment in November.

If the disease hadn't responded to treatment, a bone marrow transfer would have been the only option, Anderson said. The disease attacks the white blood cells that normally protect the body against infection.

"So far, so good," is how he describes Aubrielle's progress over the past year. "She's definitely gotten stronger."

With a little help, Aubrielle is delighted to climb up the slide in the family's high-ceilinged living room.
Steve and Jennifer Anderson turned the soaring space into a colorful indoor playground for her and her brother, Zachary, 5, when Aubrielle was stricken with leukemia.

Steve describes his daughter as "a tiny, little thing. … She's really good at puzzles," he said, pointing out a completed one that's designed for children age 3 and older.

The family is hopeful Aubrielle's growth and motor skills will catch up to children her age once she's off treatment, but "our first goal is to cure her and we'll worry about the side effects as they come," her father said.

With a month to go before the event, there are 39 volunteers for head-shaving, Steve said. Last year there were a total of 35 volunteers, only two of them women.

St. Baldrick's Foundation is a non-profit organization that has coordinated hundreds of head-shaving events to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for childhood cancer since its inception in 2000. More than $12 million has been raised. To volunteer for the event or to donate online to Steve Anderson's Angels and Warriors team, click here.

Community volunteers mark their first anniversary

Jacque Villa was one of the first Murietans to train as a member of Volunteers in Partnership with the Sheriff (VIPS), the citizens group that is marking its first anniversary as the staff for the James L. Noller Safety Center. VIPS are trained by the sheriff’s department to help residents file police reports for vandalism incidents, identity theft and other crimes. They also conduct patrols throughout the community in a specially marked vehicle. In addition to Villa, Ed Wallace, Hal Coburn, Ron Squires and Pat Carroll are currently serving as VIPS. The group hopes to expand the safety center’s days of operation and its hours, and add vacation checks to its patrol duties as the number of volunteers grows. The safety center is located near the Community Services District Building and is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. To contact the safety center, call 354-8509 or 354-8511.

A semester of classes on the rolling sea

A hundred days at sea would be an adventure, and for Erin Merchant it's a learning experience -- both inside the classroom and outside it.

At some point, most college students feel they're at sea. But for Erin Merchant, that feeling won't be about rethinking her course of study or career plans.

Erin, 20, is spending spring semester of her junior year aboard the MV Explorer, a floating university that will take her to South America, Asia and Africa on a 100-day learning adventure.

The 24,000-ton passenger ship set sail from Nassau Feb. 4 with 702 college students on board.
John Merchant suggested the program to his daughter after hearing about it from a colleague. "John thought, Wow, what a great opportunity as a young college student to take classes and go around the world," Marleen Merchant recalled.

By the time her father had second thoughts and began to wonder if spending time in a single country might be more productive, Erin had already embraced the idea. "She was more inclined to do the adventure and less inclined to do the one country," said Marleen. "She's been in a rush to do something since she's been born."

The program won out after the Merchants considered a number of factors.

"When you weigh the dollars involved in this and then you look at what they're allowed to experience -- and that is top professors from all over the United States … you get this wealth of knowledge from this group of individuals who wouldn't otherwise be available to you," said Marleen. "For her, as an international studies major (at San Francisco State University), it was kind of a no-brainer after a while."

She described Erin, the couple's only child, as independent and capable of marching to a different drummer. "We're pretty proud of her most of the time."

Erin spent a year in Japan as an exchange student when she was in high school and it "shaped her attitude towards a lot of things … to her greater advantage," said Marleen. She plans to share her knowledge of the country with her shipmates by leading a group of 15 on a tour when the ship reaches Japan.

The itinerary also takes the students to Vietnam, where her father saw combat as an Army lieutenant during the Vietnam War.

While the semester at sea is an accredited program of the University of Virginia, not all colleges accept the units students earn as counting towards their degree. Erin negotiated the credits she will receive with her department head before she embarked on the voyage.

Information about the spring semester at sea is available here.

Erin's e-mail reports about her great adventure follow.

"This is not a boat, it is a ship. This is not a cruise, this is a voyage. You are not tourists, you are travelers. You are students of the world."

Well hello, everyone!

It is the second day of our voyage, the first complete sailing day we have had out on open water. I have yet to gain my sea legs, and thusly have been walking around looking like a complete drunken ass. It's just very comforting that most everyone has been doing the same along with me. A few people have suffered from serious seasickness; however, I have been fine so far. Traveling on water is much like traveling on a train: the rocking motion and the slight jolts are pretty much right on par.

The only difference is that you can physically tell there is no solid ground underneath your feet. Though you are walking on a hard surface, all the vibrations and wave motions are extremely apparent. My room is on the second level, which is the lowest floor. I have yet to decide whether or not there is more or less motion down at the bottom, but sleeping is very interesting.

So, the beginning of the trip: we started in the Bahamas, and I know that I have spoken with a few people about it online. It is a great vacation destination. I have to say that I'm not completely sold, but it is some kind of paradise. I shared a room with one other girl at the Atlantis resort hotel. That place is incredible; it's a small city within the city of Nassau. The interior is completely thematic, covered with marble and waterfalls and all sorts of other kind of ridiculous attachments.

Impressive, yes. I invested in a $7 Jamba Juice on the island, indulged in some good food (we went to Carmines, a small, Italian family-style restaurant) and enjoyed Senor Frogs, probably the most popular bar and grill in Nassau.

I have to say, even though the whole experience of Nassau was amazing, I had a few moments where I felt completely submerged in American consumerism. Everywhere I turned, there was a Starbucks, a Johnny Rockets, Burger King … but I'm in a foreign country! What happened to the laid back, local-vibe Bohemian scene that earned its original reputation as a travel destination? I felt guilty for walking around such a large resort, instead of going into the city and meeting the locals, going to the places that would normally be considered "seedy" or "shady."

The locals are lifeguards, hotel managers, hair-braiders, and their original culture has been long lost, it seems. The only thing that remains is their personality, which I must say will probably never die. The Bohemian way, that sort of, "I'm coming on to you, but not really" attitude, the laid back, laughable, time-flows kind of attitude lives on. =)

We boarded the ship on Feb. 4, split into two groups. The M-Z's went first, from 8-10 a.m., followed by the A-Ls's from 10-noon. I have to say that there was way more involved than just loading up our stuff. The regulations of the ship are extremely rigorous. Not only was that our first introduction to many of the staff on the ship, both student and adult, but it was also the first time that we were presented with the strictness of shipboard life.

They were adamant about not allowing outside alcohol, drugs, hair straighteners and curlers, and a few other prohibited items. Some bags were searched, and I am happy to say that my one (meager) bag was not. … I'm not even sure they would have been able to close it back up.

I handed them my passport, they handed me my identification card. My everything. This card not only supplies me with, well, identification, but it's also my room key, my "credit card," how I am allowed on and off the ship, library card, and any other form you could even imagine. I lose it, and there is some serious hell to pay. Then, I swiped it in, my information came up on the computer screen, and I was officially a student of the Semester at Sea Spring 2007 Voyage.

The MV Explorer is incredible. It is the fastest passenger ship in its class, and this baby can really book it, let me tell you! It is also equipped with almost any amenity that you could imagine.

Granted, it's no Princess Liner cruise ship, but for a bunch of students on our way to far-off places, it's a dream. Currently, I am residing on the pool deck, where there is an outdoor pool and two small hot tubs, a poolside bar with speakers, music, and plenty of relaxing students, a small sea-facing gym, and an amazing view. The bar provides us with, yes, alcohol after dinner, but also snack foods that we might crave: candy, chips, ramen (a college student diet staple), smoothies (my personal favorite), coffee of the frilly variety (mochas, cappuccinos, lattes, the works), tea and popcorn.

On the lower decks, there are two dining rooms, one large, and more formal one (the chandelier is fantastic!), and a smaller and more casual one. Both serve the same meals, but they give you a little bit more diversity to eating habits. It is strange being waited on, though; I am used to the dorm situation where you bus your own tray, clean it up and put it on the gurney, however, here they take care of everything for you. It's an interesting change, one that I'm definitely going to have to adjust to.

The MV Explorer is also equipped with quaint classrooms, for small class sizes and laid-back studying. It's nice, and they're very study-friendly. There's also a small library with a large array of books, maps, and DVDs for the nights where we just crave entertainment. We can check out board games and play music with rented equipment, so life is good!

The cabins are small, but totally livable, and my roommate is awesome. We're both pretty laid back, and you don't really spend a whole lot of time in your cabin (like I said, I'm writing this on the pool deck), so there really isn't any worry of cabin fever or strangulation from overexposure.

Tomorrow begins our first day of classes, and I am more than excited to get started. A strange thing to say, since I usually dread going back to school, but everything is just so new and exciting that it's all looking up. I am taking International Public Health, Introduction to World Religions, Food and Culture and Global Studies. Global Studies is probably one of our most fundamentally important classes, since it both introduces us to all of our ports as well as informs us of their culture, habits, customs, food, people and lifestyles. The others are specifically my interests. The day after we start our classes, we dock in Puerto Rico, class stop for the duration of our stay, and we venture out to explore the country. I have a few trips lined up, and as soon as I return from them, I will post some pictures and give another small update.

I have to say, this is the most diverse group of people I have been involved with. There are people from all walks of life, rich and poor, young and old, from all over the United States, and some from all over the world. Everyone has made a definite effort to introduce themselves, meet new people and just be friendly. It is definitely a community of its own. The staff, faculty, students and life-long learners are all on this ship together, and we have made the best of it in the last two days. I am sure that our bonds can only get stronger as the semester wears on.

I hope that you all are enjoying yourself back in the States; I miss you all very much. Being out here on the ocean is an experience in it of itself, but there is a definite feeling of isolation. It's not necessarily in a bad way, but I am definitely more aware of the fact that we are the only people for miles around, and that we are, just generally, very far away. I have begun documenting our isolation by taking photos of every other ship I see on the water. Nerdy, yes, but comforting.

Ah, well, this was some letter -- I wrote a ton. More than I expected! Hopefully, I will continue to update after every port, with pictures and new information, anecdotes and good tidbits. Please write me, my inbox is ever so empty!

All my love,
Erin

Boa noite, everyone!

I am now between ports, traveling from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Salvador, Brazil. Yesterday we crossed from the calm Caribbean Sea into the much rougher, higher swelled Atlantic Ocean, and it's making the journey a little more difficult. No seasickness yet, so knock on wood for me.

The skies have been generally blue, but there are a lot more clouds and passing weather patterns. Right now, we have 8-foot swells and cloudy skies, and since our room is on the second deck we are closest to the water. The cabin is also towards the ____ of the ship, so we really do get the brunt of the immediate waves. People seem to be taking it much harder than I am, and there are plenty of Dramamine patches going around.

We have been doing about an average of 19 knots per day, and are currently at a latitude of 07° 54.51N and a longitude of 052° 56.11W, soon to be in Brazil. They have slowed our speed down so that it will take a full seven days before arriving. We are scheduled to port in Salvador on Feb. 17.

Since I last wrote, we were on our way to San Juan, Puerto Rico. We have since passed through, leaving behind only a wake in the ocean. We docked at about 8 a.m. on Feb. 7, and were greeted by Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá, the governor of Puerto Rico, his Secretary of State, and his entourage (including many security officials). He spoke to us about Puerto Rico as a nation, its development, people and integration with the United States as a commonwealth, which was particularly interesting.

There are three sentiments within Puerto Rico as to the relationship they hold with the U.S., obviously spanning the spectrum. Many see the commonwealth as beneficial to the nation of Puerto Rico, others want statehood, and for Puerto Rico to be admitted as the 51st state of the U.S. One of the tour guides that hosted a trip to the rain forest phrased it as, "We are a commonwealth of the United States, and hold the same processes and legislation, but we will soon be the 51st state." Lastly, there are those who wish to be separated from the United States completely, so that Puerto Rico can pursue independence. The current political regime was elected on the platform of the commonwealth, and to increase the education and industry within Puerto Rico, so as you can imagine, the majority of Puerto Ricans are also for the idea of the commonwealth.

After docking, we were allowed off the ship to either pursue Semester at Sea trips or independent travel. My new friend Heather and I both had the early morning free, so we ventured into Old San Juan, but only after a short detour into New San Juan, by accident. Neither of us speaks a lick of Spanish, and I am about as useful as a rock when it comes to communication in any South American country. We ended up at the "Plaza America", a huge shopping mall. Though this was not where we had expected to go, it was quite an interesting experience to walk through a mall and see almost all the same shops as we would back in the United States. It was eerily like being back in San Francisco or Sacramento.

After jumping back into a cab and arriving in cheery Old San Juan, we walked the streets and the coastline, viewing the old city and its monuments to presidents and national leaders. We climbed the hill to the top of San Juan Boulevard, visiting Castillo de San Cristóbal and El Campo Del Morro. Both are forts that guard the northern side of Puerto Rico, and were once connected. As the city developed and needed space for housing, the midsection of the fort was partially demolished and houses were built in its place, but there are plenty of remnants of brick and guard towers that hide between houses on the coastline. They are the first thing you see as you enter the port at San Juan, suggesting that it was indeed a mighty fortress, and an impeccable protective barrier against any foe.

Old San Juan is home to, of course, many a tourist shop, but it still houses many of Puerto Rico's older generation, and is becoming a scene for young people to flock to, both for housing and for entertainment. The most famous street, which holds much of the shopping and unique restaurants, is Fortaleza Street and San Francisco Street. Both are cobblestone, and full of merchants standing in doorways handing out fliers, or trying to lure you into their shops. The people are characters, speaking both English and Spanish, whistling and singing old Spanish love songs.

Heather and I, after studying and moseying around the truly historical areas of Old San Juan, did a little shopping on Fortaleza and San Francisco Streets, finding some local non-tourist shops to browse. I highly recommend (if you are to vacation or visit Puerto Rico) the Rainbow Market, which is a great shop to pick up some extra clothes for absolutely hands down cheap. I, in comparison to my friends and classmates, came thoroughly "underpacked" -- since I only brought one suitcase, I had less clothes, and absolutely no dress-wear that could be used for Neptune Day and the Ambassadors Ball (which I will describe more later, I do not want to give the events away). The wonderful thing about Puerto Rico is that the weather automatically does not permit heavy clothing, and most everything is cotton and absolutely comfortable. I was incredibly pleased with my purchases.

We also had a moment of weakness, where the "tourist" in us came out. As we were meandering the streets we happened upon the high-fashion area, which is home to Ralph Lauren, Coach and the like. Heather, being a fiend for Coach bags, dragged me into the store, to only find out, delightfully, that it was a Coach Outlet and it was having a sale. Indeed, I bet you can see where this story is going. The both of us walked out of the Coach store, feeling a tad bit guilty, with a few bags. I have to say, yet again, another five-star place to go for couture and high-fashion items; the sales representatives are extremely friendly and accustomed to foreigners, so they all speak perfect English, but also, the price difference between the United States and Puerto Rico for such items is great.

Old San Juan reminds me a bit of New Orleans, because it mixes the old and the new well. It is not influenced by the French, as New Orleans is, but rather by the English and Norwegians. The architecture has carried through from the development of San Juan, with high roofs and carved geometric balconies, and seaward roof decks and gardens. There is also an interesting contrast in Old San Juan of well-kept buildings, and houses that have fallen into complete disrepair.

Despite the beauty of the old area, many of the houses look as if they have been burned or destroyed; probably to be replaced with new housing at some point. Some of the properties are for sale, but some just sit there, filled with brick, debris, and garbage. It was a strange contrast to walk by impeccably painted and carefully kept houses, to find that next door there was no sign of life at all.

Everything is blooming right now, and people are out and about. During our walk we saw a few local moments, since we were out earlier than everything was open: there were children lined up in a row, walking single file, with small colored armbands, all linked together, on their right arm. In front of them, like the mother duck, was their teacher, urging them forward in their line as they chattered and played with each other on the sidewalk. A local older woman was cooing at them, giving them attention and praise.

Later in the day, as we were eating lunch (mmm, Puerto Rican food) a local policeman stopped at our little café, revved his engine and called inside to the woman behind the bar, waving his arm. When she did not respond to his first call, he revved his engine again, then pulled in his motorbike and walked back, sitting at the bar. Immediately, they served him with a full lunch and sat down to chat, gossiping and laughing at the bar as old friends would. The ambiance is soothing, partially, I think, because of the weather, and partially because of the people; they are not go-with-the-flow like the Bahamian people, but they are relaxed and purposeful people.

Later that day, Heather and I split up so that she could take a tour of the rain forest, and I was left to my own devices. Upon hearing that there was a Wal-Mart in Puerto Rico (which threw me off completely), another friend and I had proposed meeting to pick up some cheap supplies. That never happened (and it was probably a good thing it didn't … we later found out that the Wal-Mart was a $50 cab ride and an hour away), and I was going to travel out into Old San Juan to wander some more. Instead, some fellow SASers, whom I had never met, whisked me off to a day at the beach.

We went to North Park Beach, which is smashed in-between many of the big resort hotels, but is considered the local beach. I was in no way prepared for the beach, and thusly was left out of the water festivities. However, it did give me a good chance to get a little tan. Or, shall we say, a little, oh, well, a lot, burned. I turned a bright red Jell-O shade, sunglass lines and all. I've since recovered, but it was my first taste of near-the-equator sun. They aren't kidding, it is hotter down here.

That night, I participated in one of the SAS trips. One of the things unique to Puerto Rico is their bioluminescent bays. There are only five in the entire world, and three of them are in Puerto Rico. After a two-hour bus-ride-from-hell out to the bay, we plopped into two person kayaks and rowed out (my partner and I were kayaking stars) through a lagoon area and into an open bay.

Now, for those of you a little lost on bioluminescence, it occurs because there are symbiotic organisms that release light when they are agitated in the water. The organisms "charge" during the day, gathering and storing the heat energy from the light to protect themselves at night. The luminescence occurs only in certain places because of the way the bay is set up; there has to be a high concentration of salt in slowly moving seawater (I accidentally swallowed some, and it is way saltier than regular, moving ocean water), as well as mangroves, which provide nutrients that the organisms use to survive. The process of luminescence is a defense mechanism, as well as a way that is thought to be communication. The organisms in the water, when touched, or paddled against, light up. It is almost like a firework, because the light bursts and flickers and then goes out. They are completely harmless, but the phenomenon is so unique and beautiful. We not only get to put our hands in the water, but actually swim in it. It is absolutely amazing, because when your whole body moves, it lights up in a gorgeous bluish-white light. During the summer, when it is hottest, the organisms are in their highest concentration, so when you get out of the water, you continue to glow. Unfortunately, it is impossible to take pictures of the phenomenon, so I don't have any to share other than the ones in my head.

Thursday was spent walking around Old San Juan again, exploring the forts more extensively and taking lots and lots of pictures. We found an old Norwegian Seafarers house, which was originally designed as a place for anyone coming off of a ship to commune with other people, get the news, and communicate with family and friends by the means possible at the time. It had fallen into disrepair at one point, and then was fully restored with new architecture that combined the old tradition with modern interior. It was a great find, and one that was completely unexpected.

That night we were hoping for some salsa dancing, but with any other city, each night holds a new experience. After dining in style at Café Puerto Rico (which I highly recommend, though a little expensive, it is an amazing representation of traditional Puerto Rican food), we went out in search of salsa, meringue, and reggaeton. We were sucked into a local hangout that boasted local, live music, and after sitting and sipping a few beers, they showed up. Though it was not salsa music, it was definitely Puerto Rican to the core.

We ended up on San Sebastian Street, which is notorious for its many bars, and is the Thursday night hangout for both locals and foreigners. It is where you can get a drink and chat with them, dance, and laugh over the same jokes.

Friday, our last day there, I spent the entire day at the rainforest. Puerto Rico's rainforest is quite extensive, and is also home to the Rio Camuy Caves. The caves are extensive and large, and dangerous in most areas, thusly, not open to the public. However, they have opened up a small area of the caves to view. You travel down into the huge sinkhole, which takes you about 300 feet under the surface. By the time you reach the interior of the cave, you have gone down another 200 feet, and at the lowest section of the cave, you reach a distance of 600 feet under the surface of the earth. Inside the cave, stalactites and stalagmites hang from the roof of the cave and rise from the floor at grandiose heights. One of the largest stalagmites in the world is within these caves, rising all the way from the lowest recess to the ceiling. It is so many feet in diameter that I cannot even begin to guesstimate.

The caves are also home to bats, which are the only animal in its ecosystem that leave the caves. Without them, the other life forms within the walls would not survive, because the bats bring in nutrients that cannot be found in the desolation of the caves, where nothing grows. The cave has two entrances or exits, the second leading out to the Rio Camuy River. The water around it, before dipping even deeper into the earth, is the purest of the pure; they call it the "elixir of life." I took a drink; it's pretty close to true.

Our last eve in San Juan was spent at a small restaurant called Café Berlin, which looked delicious. Unfortunately for me, I am allergic to many of the traditional fruits used in Puerto Rican food (guava, mango, and anything in that fruit group), and could not indulge. I was told, however, that the guava butter was spectacular and the mango salsa was to die for.

On-ship time was 2100 hours (oh military time) and we watched Puerto Rico fade into the distance. I must say now that we've been through one port of call; the experience is starting to become a realization. We will be in Salvador, Brazil, in three days (I need to remember to take my malaria pills) and it is hard to believe. Classes do occupy most of my time on the ship, and though the teachers are just as excited about the opportunity to visit all these ports, they are just as serious about the classes they are teaching.

I am currently taking Global Studies (which is taken by all students), Global Public Health, Introduction to Comparative Politics, and Food and Society. I am most interested in Food and Society, simply because I love foreign food, but the Global Public Health is turning out to be an extraordinary choice, though frightfully full of reading.

The SAS student life program also provides us with opportunities to participate in clubs, and I have signed up for the Yearbook Crew and an international correspondence program. We have the resources on the ship to send video feeds back to high schools, and hopefully I will be able to post both some video blogs and speak with some students about the experience. We also spend a significant time at the gym, and have signed up for a cardio-kickboxing class to get rid of some of the cabin fever. It will be interesting to see how I balance my time as the semester wears on.

I must say that there are a few American amenities I miss, like Granny Smith apples and smoothies. Hopefully somewhere along the way I'll be able to get my hands on one or the other.
This trip has very much increased my traveling skills; I am much more adept at packing, hiking, and general in-port activities, but I have also noticed that my interest in the political and social climates of each port, as well as my perceptions of things around me has increased. I could not be more thrilled.

Well, I'm sure I've taken up about two or three hours of your time with this letter of epic proportions. Perhaps one of my classes will teach me how to cut down these things… or maybe I should stop seeing so much.

Ciao,
Erin

Port of Call: Salvador, Brazil on February 17, 2007 @ 800 hours

Dear everyone,

You have now witnessed how bad I am at nautical speech. My cabin is at the front of the ship. Whatever that is in technical ship speak... I've got aft, starboard, and port, but no front. What is front?!?! Five points for anyone who can tell me. And maybe something cool from one of the ports I'll be in.

Erin