LADY DI: Closing Cruise Connection!

“Six degrees of separation is the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world, so that a chain of “a friend of a friend” statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps, so states the free encyclopedia - Wikipedia”.    

So what does this have to do with Diana's cruise connection introduction? Well, we currently have approximately 36 folks for our cruise and if I were to describe all of my family and friends on this cruise, I could place them into six groups and with enough thought I could probably connect at least six or less relationship through either my life or our past renewal ceremonies. But I’m not going to do that...what I am going to do in my introduction cruise connection is share with you how I am connected with each of our cruiser.

Here we go...No.# 1, ”Family”, ROGER need I say more? Yeah he’s the love of my life and the reason we are “ALL”  going on this cruise

to Hawaii. You might want to thank him because I would not be planning any of this if ROGER wasn’t insistent on renewing our vows, “again” and for the final time! FUMI, my Mom and of course REAGAN, my older of two Brothers who have made it to our wedding as well as to all of our renewals! 

No. #2, “Sonoma Friends”, childhood schoolmates since 3rd Grade. I moved and claimed Sonoma, California as my home town at age 8 where I became friends with SEAN, ANDRE, PEGGY & SARA.

Then some 5 years later, in the 8th grade, ROCKY & GARY entered my life. Knowing these long time friends brings more friends, HOLLY, Sara’s hubby & ANDREA, who is Sean’s girlfriend. Our frequent visits to family up in Nor Cal always includes our Sonoma friends and though some have branched away from our hometown our friendship ties often reunites us in other areas...staying close even to this very day.

Through some fun and crazy Halloween parties in Burbank as well as Roger’s best friend Jim who has since passed away, Group No. #3 brings RUSSEL and DUANE into my life as we shared years of fun gatherings, celebrations, getaways, motorcycle rides and camaraderie...I also met LINDA who became Duane’s devoted wife through these two best friends. If you wanna laugh, get to know these guys. You’ll understand why your side aches the next day! 

Through some coaxing of promises to support him, I told Roger he should get involved with his Glendale High School Reunion Committee. So he got involved, and we haven’t stop having fun, which brings on No.#4, GHS Friends... we got to know and became close friends with his classmates WENDY and LEE. You know when it’s an instant right connection? Well the welcome I received from these two special ladies was amazing. The numerous meetings and coordinating tasks and duties to put on a high school reunion brought about not only classmates but their spouses...again instant connection with two wonderful guys, NORM, Wendy’s husband and BOB, Lee’s husband. The reunion committee meetings aren’t frequent anymore until the next reunion of course. But our friendship has flourished through the years as we continue to connect over dinners, travel getaways, parties, celebrations and continuous promises to stay in touch till we meet again at our next reunion, whenever it may be. And thanks to my connection with Wendy she brought about CAROLE & ELLIOT as we cruised the Mediterranean on one of my biggest group of 90+ cruisers in 2008.  

No.#5,  City of Irvine, the reason I moved to Southern California to pursue a career and

where I should probably be concerned with shared stories meshing my various friends on this cruise, especially if it involves umbrella cocktails, yikes!  I met KAREN my BFF, who by the way worked for Roger and of course through the years of friendship with Karen, the foursome was born when Karen married BUZZ.  The fun & laughter keeps coming! Then PAT who hired me as an intern when I finished up my education before climbing a career ladder that kept me in So Cal & over 25 years with the City of Irvine. Then here comes fun-loving STELLA who we both found as each other’s Soul

Sister. You should meet up with Stella over coffee or cocktails for her version of this story. She’s got a good one, just saying! ROSS my Program Coordinator for awhile and oh boy did we manage to create some crazy memories & projects together. JO MARY who provided departmental support and JAN who became a special friend though City projects as we managed to share and interact among other City friends such as ANGIE & IRENE.  Through my coordination in traveling and cruising a number of group trips, Roger and I had the pleasure of developing friendship with Pat’s childhood friend DEE DEE . JoMary brought her husband MICHAEL as well as Jan introduced her fiancé JIM and Angie brought her Mom LIEN on our incredible Asian Cruise which we will always cherish the moments.

My success, excitement and passion could not come about without No.#6... no degree of separation here! Instead my partner in crime in my successful travel/cruise trips since our 15th Anniversary Renewal is due to ALEX. I may create and have a vision, but if it wasn’t for the expertise, professionalism and experience of this amazing and dear friend, well

Roger would be going crazy as my retirement days would surely be without focus and fun. With Alex comes her husband chef TED. Love this guy and our passion for cooking and food truly bonds the two of us. What a double bonus for me travel and  culinary adventures. Two of my passions! The years have brought about so many laughter and fun times...sharing dinner parties, restaurants and events. Most recently Ted brought CONNIE his sister to our Mexico cruise and obviously she must have had a great time with us and will be joining us on our 25th Anniversary Renewal Cruise to Hawaii.  

I’m getting to think this world of ours is a very small world!  Welcome Aboard Everyone and let our celebration begin... as of today, 91 days till embarkation!  See you on deck of the Ruby Princess soon!