#SNCCruise Day 4

We jumped out of bed in as quiet of a manner as humanly possible without disturbing our slumbering cabin mates (or more accurately, I nimbly climbed down my ladder…jumping out of bed probably would have resulted in some serious bodily injuries) and began preparing for the jam-packed day ahead of us. We had been looking forward to day 4 of the cruise since we received our itinerary, but it came with a bittersweet sentiment for the mere fact that we weren’t ready for this incredible experience to come to an end.

#SNCcruise Day 3!

After our late night out and the abundance of alcohol we had consumed (including shots from a light up shot glass! (how perfect, right?) Megan and I deemed it a fantastic idea to go to the 9:00 screen of the MAC DVD. Neither of us had ever seen it (with the exception of the outtakes) so we dragged ourselves out of bed, bundled up to a) keep warm in the arctic venue and b) conceal the fact that we were either still drunk from the night before or nearing the hangover stage. Our cabin mates had decided not to join us. We made our way up to the venue where we waltz in and found our seats paying special attention not to talk to ANYONE. The ship was already swaying, add in our spinning heads and it was required we sit down immediately.  Randy came out and introduced the DVD and gave us some background knowledge on it. Charlie also made an appearance up on stage. We unfortunately did not get to see the entire DVD because we had started it late and the Q&A with the guys was immediately following that. We were able to view a decent portion of the DVD and watch some of the hysterical outtakes/bonus features. If you haven’t seen them, you need to because they are amazing. The DVD was stopped and the venue made the quick turnover to the Q&A, which only entailed bringing 10 stools onto the stage. Very sophisticated work, indeed.

A day in the life of a cruiser- #SNCCruise Day 2

Have you ever had one of those mornings when you wake up unaware of the time of day or where you actually are at that very moment? Day two of #SNCcruise arrived in that manner for me. As I pried my eyes open begrudgingly, I peered over the edge of my bunk and saw Amanda was showered and dressed already, putting the final touches of her makeup on in the mirror. My immediate thought was that it was time to go to the show already…had I really slept that long without noticing anything going on in the cabin? My mind instantly went into panic mode as I asked Amanda what time it was. She assured me that it was only 10:30 am, but we had been docked in Key West since 7:30. Jenn and Tara had already exited the boat to explore what Key West had to offer. Amanda informed me that she was just about to wander the ship so she didn’t disturb my slumber…imagine my panic if I had woken up to that situation. I told her that if she could wait a few minutes, I would get ready and we could go explore Key West for a little while.

Better Late Than Never

When the cruise was originally announced there was absolutely no doubt in our minds that we would be on that ship. As we began to tell people about it, we heard many reactions like, “Why would you do that?” or “That’s crazy” but my favorite response (because it was the one with the outcome I liked best) was “That’s awesome, you should do it, while you’re young and still can!” Soooo, we did.

Still Not A Cruise Blog

Have you ever experienced a moment when you seriously thought you would never smile again? You think that nothing can turn that frown upside-down, but something happens that makes you realize that that is an absurd way to go about your life. This is exactly what happened to Amanda and me on August 25, 2012 in Danbury, CT.

Not A Cruise Blog

No, no, and no some more. You cannot have any cruise blogs. Not yet at least. They’re currently “in production” at the moment, but here, enjoy a little anecdote from our adventures in Hyannis.

Double Stuf Oreo Weekend- Cohasset, Ma

The Olympics are underway in London (or were at the time this was taking place, and I started writing this...slacker, I know), and I can’t help but think that a cappella should be an Olympic sport. Or maybe just a spectator sport. At the very least, the last weekend in July was an a cappella Olympic event for Amanda and I that proved to be epic in all senses of the word. We like to refer to this weekend as our “Double Stuf Oreo” weekend. Straight No Chaser was the delectable cream filling on Saturday and Sunday, while Hyannis Sound made up the scrumptious chocolate cookie portions on Friday and Monday. A cappella overload may be an understatement, but we quickly came to the realization that you can never have too much a cappella in your life.

Biloxi, MS

*Please accept our apologies on the sluggish speed at which this was written. It's been a busy summer*

Day 1….

You see: these are the types of crazy things that happen when Megan and I are faced with a long car ride home – and an even longer wait to see SNC. We have silly “what-if” conversations and then, suddenly, before we know it we’re hopping on the next flight to Gulfport, MS.

Newark? But what happened to Oldark?

Saturday, April 28th started like any normal day…well, as normal as any day gets in our world. We got up, showered, and percolated some coffee while readying ourselves for another exciting evening with Straight No Chaser. We reorganized our belongings, making sure our most precious valuables were protected. It would have been a tragedy if anything had happened to our light necklaces or Sunstaches after all.

Hey Randy...Did we meet our deadline?

So, we meet again my friends. This is that coveted time where I can reminisce with Megan and ward off the SNC depression for just a little bit longer (it has been showing up increasingly sooner with every passing concert.) I think I figured out  why this happens though….Every time we travel somewhere we end up having so much fun with other chasers and the guys that when it’s over and we have to return to real life it all seems so boring and mundane in comparison.  And Let’s be honest, who wouldn’t get depressed over that.  

whoa!

With just a little over a week (9 days, but who’s counting) until our next SNC shows (in Reading & Newark), I wanted to take the time to make a quick note of something super important to me and Megan.  Reading and Newark will mark shows number 23 & 24. It’s hard to believe considering today, at 8pm is the 2-year anniversary of the very first SNC show Megan and I saw in Northhampton, MA.

So many new friends made along the way and it feels like I’ve known them all for my entire life. I just can’t even imagine my life without all these fabulous people in it and it makes think back to how boring my life must have been only two short years ago. While most of my non-chaser friends think I’m crazy – most, not all- I’m perfectly okay with it because lets be honest, to be a chaser it’s kind of a requirement to have a little crazy in you. I wouldn’t change anything about the past two years.

So, To: Charlie, DR, Don, Jerome, Mike, Randy, Ryan, Tyler, Seggie, and Walt- With sincere appreciation, Thank you for making these past two years crazy amounts of fun and wicked awesome! See you in 9 days!

-Amanda 

Surprise! We're in Tampa

As many of you know, and can probably appreciate, Atlantic City ended on a note that was far from acceptable. We hadn’t even hit the end of the meet and greet table when the depression had begun to hit. That is NOT OKAY! On our drive back to Massachusetts the following day, we made a pit stop at a rest area on the Mass Pike. I don’t even remember anything being discussed, just Amanda saying, “So, Tampa?” as we walked back to the car. It was decided, pending affordability and time-off, we were going to see Straight No Chaser in Tampa. There may or may not have been some prancing in that rest area parking lot.

Atlantic City Day 2. (it's about time, right?!)

Wow, it’s never taken me this long to finish one of these! That’s what she….nevermind. 

Atlantic City, NJ 11/25

Thanksgiving is usually a time to spend with your family, eat so much turkey you can’t move, and maybe watch some football (or fall asleep on the couch while the game makes some nice background noise).  For us this year (and many other Chasers) Thanksgiving also meant Straight No Chaser.

Baltimore, MD 11/19

Ahh Baltimore….Another whirlwind trip, but that’s just how we like it. The person to thank for this trip is Tara. She was very persistent and relentless in her efforts to get us to Baltimore. It worked, we caved, and everyone was happy!