Good morning readers! The trip was amazing! I would have been posting everyday but the internet connection was rough, even by phone. Once realizing this, I’ve been documenting the whole trip via Open Office into one big amazing piece. No need to slap on some sun screen for this, but grab your mug and lets brew about it!
Morning of, I was more than ready to shoot straight to the port, no work, no meal prep, and no cooking for the next 4 days sounds like a DREAM. Living in the Tampa area made it an easy trip to the port although the wait to get on the ship was a bit, BUT the wait wasn’t entirely boring as I got to see some of the stars before I checked into the room, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, and Brian O’ Halloran to name a few BIG NAMES.
The room is spacious! Not only that but 2 signed posters of Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes lie on the bed!!! One of which read “snoochin” on it, and the balcony spacious to read, write, and drink coffee. The ship isn’t sailing until 4pm but I was already over the seas with he posters and the lanyard I got when I picked up my key card for the room.
The ship set sail with a bang with Kevin and Jason saying a few words before Morris Day And The Time kicked off the trip! They can still wail! I have some video clips as well but what was really touching was the Prince tribute, whom passed away a decade ago. After the concert I rallied back to the room before the Podcast of Jay and Silent Bob Get Old started up. Which was hilarious, getting to know them and their life now.
The final act of the night was the Edumacation Podcast with Kevin Smith and Andy McElfresh, come to find out Kevin and Andy take walks together daily. Which one is really cool that they have that bond together, secondly, this is where they cook up ideas for comics that they work on together for Marvel and DC. Which there’s a comic that’s coming up in June, since Marvel has released the info NOW, I can say what it is the INTRODUCTION of Jay and Silent Bob: Jays of Futures Past.
Thursday, began with coffee, I may be on a ship but BrewFeeds is the name and besides brewing ideas, brew needs to be ingested before the doing or brewing of things can occur. Autographs from the JSB lineup was the first stop of the day and armed with the Autographed poster I made my way to meet Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, and Andy McElfresh who were all down to earth beings.
I really enjoyed learning some work out tips from Ethan whom, had his work out card deck to buy at the merch store. Fun fact Ethan’s work out card deck is set up where you can shuffle together to make interesting meals without getting tired of old baked chicken, which is an underlining goal I’ve been working for almost a year; side note I’ve lost 20 pounds in under a year and I have to tell you that I am feeling WONDERFUL. Yes, do I wish I’ve lost more but there’s no rush to the goal, it’s the journey as corny as that sounds. Plus, mentally, physically, spiritually I feel better AND I don’t feel uncomfortable in my clothes.
Next stop, the Comic Workshop with Marc Bernardin and Andy McElfresh. I’m not going to lie I brought my sketch book thinking we’d be getting down on some how to’s and sketching panels. But it was more of how to write/ create a story versus drawing one.
Q & A with Kevin, was not only heartwarming how down to earth Kevin Smith is. He treated each person with kindness and open heart. When approached about having a band’s music in one of Kevin’s upcoming movie he promised him he would look them up and have their music used. The big take away was the affirmation, that though we aren’t people that help our people by serving our country or other welfares of our country we still serve the people by creating an outlet to entertain and bring back the morale in individual lives. Being someone that likes to create it was nice to hear that though I’n not contributing by saving lives or protecting others, I am bringing joy and filling up other people’s cups.
After a full day and having missed breakfast, again, the ship was set up for Mooby’s, the fast food restaurant from Kevin’s movies the menu was set up for the iconic double cheeseburger, Cowtipper, chicken andwich, Cocksmoker Chicken Sandwich, the vegan option, Non-Moo Cowtipper and Hater totz, nd dessert options of Cow Pie Brownie and chocolate covered pretzels. I got the Cowtipper and Hater Totz which both were delicious and I love that there were a lot of different toppings you could add.
For the evening events watched Jason Mewes in his comedic show Diary Of A Man Child, Fatman Beyond with Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin, talking about their experiences in writing comics, and Q & A with the audiences.
Friday morning began, and yes we made it to port in Cozumel, Mexico! Originally, the trip was to go to Santa Maya, Mexico but because of bad weather we were taken to Cozumel. There was some excursions available but nothing that really peaked my interest and stayed near the ship. However, I wasn’t going to leave without getting some tacos from Three Amigos, now, I watched this movie when I was younger with my grandfather, but I’ve seen so many Three Amigos, I didn’t think anything of it until, I saw the mural on the wall and movie stills framed along the walls. The food was delicious, I got the quesabirrias, which is one of my favorite to get back at home in Florida.
After, getting some gifts to bring back home, I lounged around enjoying the pool side and even got to talk to Morris Day for alittle. The big event besides, being in Mexico, was the script reading of JSB of Jays Futures Past, read by the JSB actors with Kevin as the narrator. I can’t wait for the comic to come out! I want to get 2 copies, one to read and the other to save for whenever there is a convention with Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes. To top the night off a Pub Quiz with Andy McElfresh and Brian O’Halloran.
Saturday, after all the seminars and workshops I jut wanted to relax and roam, feeling a little over sensitized, decided to move about the ship at my leisure and pack my bag. Got more merchandise and to my great surprise more goodies from JSB. I never been so hooked up with goodies in one go that I can recall. Ending the evening with a performance by Cinnamon featuring Harley Quinn Smith, which was amazing and got a picture with Buddy Christ and Ming Chen from Comic Book Men. It was a great way to end the night.
All in all it was a great trip and as I sit comfortably back home typing the trip up it was a lot of fun eye opening experience and to think creatively and not about the mundane things back here. Which thoughts of home and things to do crossed my mind fleetingly and about work while on the trip, but it was nice to recharge my batteries. But I hope you enjoyed my adventure as much as I did.
Also, ANOTHER side note during this trip I found out what an upside down pineapple was BEFORE setting foot on this voyage, an upside down pineapple on a door means that the couple are swingers and are DTF, evidently, Jason Mewes recently learned this as well and spoke about it on Wednesday, which gave ME a wily idea, after seeing some cabin doors on my deck have erase boards and notepads stuck on the outside of their cabins for others to write on, I decided to tag their pages with an upside down pineapple and take a photo of my handiwork. I wasn’t going out of my way but if I happened upon one it was going down.
As Always Keep On Brewin!