MOANS AND GROANS

We’re back at sea, and it’s been a non-class day for me, so I’ve spent it mostly catching up on other work, and enjoying some ‘White-screen Therapy’ in the Captain’s club.

In the afternoon, I had Mitch, the Cruise Director, ask me about some letters he’d received from several passengers. It seems that one or two people who attend my classes have taken it upon themselves to complain (and rally others to complain) about how few art classes there are, and are asking for more. This has all come as much of a surprise to me as it was to Mitch. Yes, there have been occasions when people have asked me why there aren’t more sessions, to which my stock reply has been because they have had to accommodate four tutors in one room, which means having to rotate those classes accordingly, the knock-on effect of which is that I’ve ended up working alternate sea-days, and that’s just the way it is.

The letters have caused a bit of a stir, and the art and craft classes have been re-arranged as a result, with the art classes being scheduled for all the remaining mornings, and Creative Writing sessions being relocated in the Walforf Restaurant (actually, a small annex room to the restaurant, known simply as ‘The Garage’). While I’m fine with laying on the extra classes since I always agree to, and bring sufficient materials along with me to cater for, a few spare sessions, I’m not over-enamoured with the way that they have come about. Letters of complaint to the Cruise Director’s office reflect badly on everyone, myself included (ie. I should have known about them beforehand, and raised the issue with the office directly… except I didn’t know about them, so its Mitch who ends up taking the flack); such issues could, and should, have been raised and handled in a far more dignified and appropriate manner.

On top of all this, it’s my class’s fault (and ergo ‘my fault’) that the craft sessions have undergone an upheaval… I’m not sure what the potential fallout of this might be…

In the evening, we went to watch our final guest comedian, David Hubband, in the Show lounge before retiring early for the night (after an episode of GOT, of course); clocks go forward tonight, and I have classes in the morning…