Kenney Myers

Author | Actor | Producer | Kickboxer | Entrepreneur

Kenney Myers

10 Ways to Reduce the Amount of SPAM You Get

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spamJunk mail did not die with the invention of email. It adapted, and its virtual name is SPAM. Much like the junk mail in your physical mailbox that takes the form of sales papers, credit card offers and used car advertisements, SPAM is unsolicited electronic communication that clogs your email inbox in an attempt to sell you something.

Nobody likes or wants SPAM. People go to great lengths to avoid receiving it. Email providers try their best to filter it out so that you will never see it. Still, somehow it seems to find a way to forge a path through vast filtering systems and into your inbox. You don’t have to accept this intrusive and potentially fraudulent communication, however. There are ways to rid yourself of most SPAM once and for all.

  • Unsubscribe – With a lot of advertisements, you may have actually inadvertently subscribed to them. Sometimes a store clerk asks you for your email address or you place an online order and get onto a company’s mailing list that way. In any event, take the time to open these emails every time you get them for about a week or two. Scroll down to the bottom and you will see an unsubscribe link. Click it. Sometimes the click is all you need, while other times you’ll have another step or two to follow. While this is tedious, if you are diligent you will drastically reduce your SPAM intake within one or two weeks. Note: If the SPAM is not coming from a reputable company and you feel hesitant about it, click your report spam button instead of the unsubscribe link.
  • Keep Your Email Address Private – When you join message boards, chat rooms and social networking sites, ensure that you do not display your email address. If your email is out there for the world to see, you can be sure someone will be snagging it and adding it to a mailing list.
  • Don’t Reply – Spammers see replies as verification that your email is active. If you reply you will often get even more spam. Using the unsubscribe link is okay, but don’t use the reply button (unless it is specified in the unsubscribe instructions and you trust the site).
  • Use an Email Service with a Good Filter – Make sure you are using an email service that automatically filters out most spam. This will save you loads of time and does a lot of work for you.
  • Make Your Address Unique – Some spammers just use a random combination of common names at popular email services to send out their junk mail. So, if your email address is JohnSmith@aol.com, chances are you will receive spam regardless of what measures you take to avoid it. Consider changing your address to something that would not be guessed as easily.
  • Take the Time to Read Privacy Policies – It might seem like a lot of tiny letters intended to strain the eyes and the brain, but that’s just a tactic to try to get you to skip this important read. If you read the privacy policy of websites, you will usually find an option for opting out of emails from both the site and its partners. This can save you from a lot of SPAM.
  • Hide in Plain Sight – If you absolutely have to publish your personal email address somewhere, try to mask it. Sometimes email addresses are automatically picked up because of the format in which they are written. For example, a program might be looking to “harvest” anything they see with the format “Name@provider.com.” So, instead of displaying the email in its usual format, write yours out in a way that only a real human can interpret, such as “Name at Provider dot com.” This does not mean you will not get any SPAM. There are humans out there harvesting as well, but it will decrease the volume considerably.
  • Don’t Fall for Scams – In case you were unsure, if you receive an email stating that you inherited mountains of money from a long lost relative, won an international lottery, or that someone has lost their luggage in a foreign country and needs your help, it’s a scam. These emails are sent out in mass each day. Each one will eventually ask you for a small amount of money. None of them have ever been legitimate. Please do not answer them. Answering them will usually encourage more of the same.
  • Limit Your Contacts – An option some people are taking, especially in regards to their children, is signing up for paid subscriptions to extremely safe email accounts that will only allow certain senders that you designate to send email through. While this may not be practical for everyone, it may be a good option for children to ensure that they not receive SPAM that could be inappropriate or offensive.
  • Create a Second Email Account – Create a second email account for public use. Use this one when you leave comments on blogs or articles online, sign up for social media or join online groups. This will be your public email account that gets all the SPAM. The sole purpose of this account is to collect your SPAM and you will never actually use it or have to see its pile of virtual junk mail. If your own email address is being overrun by SPAM, and you do not have the patience to try and fix the problem or mind changing email addresses, you can instead choose to use the new address for your personal use and have a fresh, SPAM-free start. In that case, use your old address for public display and sign-ups.

10 Kens Most Known for Their Charitable Contributions

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kennethkathIt is said that charity begins at home, and for many people that is true. However, a home is often defined as a place where a person feels safe, welcomed and respected. Homes can take the form of hospitals, schools, sporting arenas and much more. When someone of considerable wealth feels that their second home or family needs a helping hand, they are often more than happy to donate some of their hard earned money. Such was the case for these ten exceptional human beings, each of whom has pledged at least one million dollars to a worthy cause close to their hearts. While they all share a generous nature, they also share the same first name Ken.

  • Ken and Arle Adams – The United States Equestrian Team got a shock back in 2010 when they received a whopping $5 million donation from Ken and Arle Adams. The huge contribution was part of the International Competition and Training Grant Fund, which was dedicated to the donors. The grant will go towards the three major Olympic equestrian events: dressage, eventing and show jumping.
  • Kenneth and Kathleen Andrews – A generous donation of $1.2 million dollars was made by Kenneth and Kathleen Andrews towards military veteran scholarships. The recipient of the gift was Riverside Community College District Foundation in California. Kenneth Andrews passed away in 2006 and Ms. Andrews died in 2011, however, their gift has not been forgotten.
  • Kenneth E. Behring – This former owner of the Seattle Seahawks donated $7.5 million to the University of California, Berkeley’s Principal Leadership Institute. The donation, made in 2000, was aimed at creating scholarships for principal training and improving educational programs for public school principals. Behring made his fortune in real estate, however, it is education that he feels is at the cornerstone of every success.
  • Ken and Sheila Cafferty – The University of Maryland and the Center for Celiac Research were more than happy to receive the Cafferty’s donation of $45 million. The couple made the donation after Sheila was diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity. When asked about the family’s contribution, Mrs. Cafferty replied, “When you don’t feel good, when you don’t feel up to par, you don’t feel like doing the activities you’d normally do. It affects every aspect of your life.”
  • Kenneth and Ellen Chessick – A $3 million donation is how Dr Kenneth and Ellen Chessick showed their support for Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Athletics. The Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Facility was opened in 2011, thanks to the generous gift. It was a strong belief in the athletics programs place in the education of students that lead the couple to make such a large donation.
  • Kenneth W. and Carrie M. Coquillette – Career planning for sophomores received a boost to the sum of $2 million at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana from donors Kenneth W. and Carrie M. Coquillette. The couple are university alumni, and Kenneth W. Coquillette serves on the board of trustees, as well as being managing director at Goldman Sachs in Chicago.
  • Kenneth M. Garschina and Sara Story – With a pledge of $2 million to Cleveland Clinic’s Digestive Disease Institute, Kenneth M. Garschina and Sara Story have made possible an endowed chair for research in colorectal surgery. The proud recipient of the Story Garschina Endowed Chair was Luca Stocchi, MD, head of research of the Department of Colorectal Surgery.
  • Kenneth and Joann Gill – In 2009, the Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) Foundation was seeking to raise $424 million to expand their AAMC campus. Kenneth and Joann Gill stepped up with a $1 million pledge. The Gills had previous given $1 million towards the initial project in 2005, making their total donation $2 million to the AAMC expansion.
  • Anne Dias Griffin and Kenneth C. Griffin – Artists are notorious for being broke and living on a dream. However, with a $19 million donation from husband and wife Anne Dias Griffin and Kenneth C. Griffin, the Art Institute of Chicago’s luck changed in 2006. The donation was pledged towards a $260 million project to build a three-story wing at the Institute.
  • Ken Berger – While Ken Berger is not, strictly speaking, a major charitable contributor, he does play a very important role. Berger is the CEO of Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity rater. Not only does the company monitor the intricate workings of the world’s charities, they also offer invaluable advice and guidance on how to best manage, invest in and donate to non-profit organizations. Ken Berger has over 30 years’ experience in the industry, with various leadership roles under his belt.

10 of the Most Interesting People Named Ken

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kenburnsRoughly one in 142 Americans carries the name Kenneth, which has a first-name rate of 80.41% and a middle-name rate of 19.59%. When the population statistics of the United States are compared against these statistics, it indicates that there are approximately 2,224,539 people with the name of Kenneth in the nation. The most common derivative nicknames of Kenneth are “Ken” and “Kenny.” These 10 men are some of the most interesting public figures who have the name Ken or its parent name Kenneth.  NOTE:  some of these you will see on other lists of Kens on this site!

  1. Sir Kenneth Branagh – Born in Northern Ireland in December of 1960, Sir Kenneth Branagh is a revered film star. Nominations for five Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards and the winner of one Emmy and three BAFTAs are an indicator of his immense talent and the respect of his film colleagues. While Sir Kenneth has been known to lend his talents to a variety of projects, he is perhaps best well known for his starring and directing roles in multiple Shakespearean film adaptations.
  2. Ken Burns – Well known to fans of documentary film-making and cultural Americana, Ken Burns is an award-winning documentary director and producer who’s known for his distinctive use of simple but arresting musical scores in his films, as well as the technique of slow zooming on still photographs that’s been dubbed “The Ken Burns effect” in Apple’s iMovie and iPhoto programs.
  3. Ken Galbraith – A Canadian-born economist and public official who became an expert on American liberalism and capitalism, John Kenneth “Ken” Galbraith is certainly an interesting figure. He served in the Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy and Johnson administrations and acted as the United States Ambassador to India under the John F. Kennedy administration. Upon his death in 2006, it was posited that Mr. Galbraith was the most well-known economist in the world. For his services in economics, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was named a Commandeur de la Légion d’honneur by the government of France.
  4. Kenneth Benton – A former English MI6 officer turned spy novelist, Kenneth Benton is a fascinating figure who brought his real-life MI6 experiences to the fictional page with a series of popular crime thrillers and spy novels after his retirement. In 1974, he became president of the Crime Writers Association.
  5. Ken Wilber – Whether you subscribe to his theories or not, Ken Wilber and his amalgamation of philosophy, ecology, developmental psychology and mysticism is certainly interesting. His body of work explores what he calls Integral Theory, which is 1998-established Integral Institute teaches.
  6. Ken Starr – While he served as a federal Court of Appeals judge and Solicitor General under the George H.W. Bush administration, Ken Starr will always be best known for his role in the sordid sex scandal of the Clinton administration and President Clinton’s impeachment.
  7. Kenneth M. Taylor – Ken Taylor was a Second Lieutenant Pilot in the United States Army Air Forces who was stationed at Pearl Harbor on the day of the Japanese attack. He was awarded with the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart for his efforts that day, and served in active duty for 27 years. In 1970, the film Tora! Tora! Tora! depicted the momentous event and Taylor’s role in it.
  8. Ken Dryden – Truly a man of many talents, Ken Dryden is a politician, lawyer, author, businessman and former goaltender in the NHL from Hamilton, Ontario. With so many accomplishments under his belt and a federal elections defeat in 2011, it’s intriguing to wonder what this multifaceted man will do next.
  9. Ken Kesey – A rallying point in the counter-cultural movement that started at the end of the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s, Ken Kesey was a vocal advocate of hallucinogenic drug use who challenged the status quo. While he wrote a variety of popular novels, articles and short stories in his lifetime, arguably his most popular piece was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which was later made into a film starring the great Jack Nicholson.
  10. Ken Carson – On the surface, Barbie’s boyfriend may seem like the antithesis of interesting men. A generic blonde with perfectly coiffed locks, deep dimples and an even deeper tan, Ken doesn’t seem to offer much in the way of excitement. As the patriarch in a sea of pink, however, Ken does serve as an interesting figure in sociological studies of gender roles.

I still find it fascinating for some reason that there are so many Ken’s out there.  In my pursuit of lists of Kens if you have any interesting ideas for me to explore, please let me know!

10 Famous Ken’s Who Have Made it Into a Hall of Fame

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kengriffeyjrJust about every discipline you can think of has a hall of fame. Every actor, musician and athlete are moving one step closer to being immortalized by their peers and supporters as they work to make it to top of their game. Not everyone aims at a place in the hall of fame, but it’s a good place to lay down your hat if you can make the cut. For every legend that has walked those hallowed halls, there is no doubt on the world stage that they are among the best in their respective fields. These 10 entries are no exception, and they all proudly go by the name Ken.

  • Ken Griffey Jr. – Some call him the greatest Seattle Mariners player of all time. Well, that accolade was given a lot more weight when Ken Griffey Jr. was inducted into the team’s hall of fame on August 10, 2013. He spent most of his career with the team as a star outfielder. Griffey is an All-Star 13 times over, and is renowned as one of the foremost home-run hitters of all time.  Hopefully, he will make it into Cooperstown as well when he is eligible in 2016!
  • Ken DeStefanis – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Connecticut chapter honored Ken DeStefanis with an induction on Saturday, April 20, 2013. A successful wrestler and part of a family wrestling franchise, DeStefanis has coached at high school, college and wrestling camps, rolling out programs that have helped countless young wrestlers find success.
  • Ken Buchanan – In the year 2000, Ken Buchanan was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is a former Boxing Undisputed World Lightweight Champion, with a career spanning over 15 years in professional boxing. He is currently retired and living in his homeland of Edinburgh, Scotland.
  • Ken Shamrock – The mixed martial arts and UFC legend Ken Shamrock is known as the most dangerous man in the world. He earned the title after countless victories in the sport during its early professional outings. Ken is also one of the few people who officially holds a place in the UFC hall of fame.
  • Ken Curtis – Festus from Gunsmoke would be mighty proud to know that the actor who played him made it into the cowboy hall of fame. Ken Curtis was inducted into The Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1981. For a guy who was initially brought in for a bit part, that’s pretty good going.
  • Ken Jennings – Inductee into the Trivia Hall of Fame for 500? In case you haven’t guessed, the answer is: Who is Ken Jennings? This is a man with a winning streak so long on Jeopardy that he actually wins a place in the hall of fame as well.
  • Ken Dryden – Some know him as a Canadian member of Parliament, however, others will remember that Ken Dryden had a cool career in ice-hockey before turning to politics. That humble career earned him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame, which makes him quite possibly the most famous Canadian politician of all.
  • Kenneth Treadway – With a surname like Treadway, it’s no wonder that this Ken made it into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Along with being an accomplished swimmer in his own right, Ken Treadway is a passionate ambassador for the sport he loves and the people who participate in it, too. Besides all his awards, Ken has also served on a number of committees, including during the Olympics.
  • Ken Nelson – As the person in charge of A&R for Capitol Records, Ken Nelson was used to working behind the scenes. However, his contributions did not go unnoticed, and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Nelson was, in part, responsible for launching the hugely popular Hank Thompson, with his number one hit “The Wild Side of Life.” Ken passed away in 2007 at the grand ol’ age of 96 years old.
  • Ken Anderson – The hall of famer of the fans who, unfortunately, never was. Anderson spent his entire career playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and, despite being nominated for a place in the hall of fame on several occasions, Anderson has yet to make the touchdown. However, Ken is in the top 10 of those who should have made it into the hall of fame, which means he’s gaining yards. For the travesty that he is not in the hall of fame alone, Ken Anderson has earned a mention.

10 Famous Crime Fighters Named Ken

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crimeThe problem with trying to find crime fighters named Ken is that they, by their very nature, tend to be extremely protective of their true identity. However, as is the case with every great crime fighter, the super villain always unmasks them in the end. Of course, the adoring public are always quick to forget that the hero’s identity has been revealed, so here is a permanent record of crime fighters named Ken who shall remain unmasked.

  • Ken Masters – Introduced to the world in 1987, Ken Masters is one half of crime fighting duo Ryu and Ken from the popular Street Fighter game series. Ken’s special moves include Hadoken, Shoryuken, Tatsumaki and Senpukyaku. The character was originally created by Capcom as Ryu’s counterpart in order to appeal to the American audience when the game was released globally.
  • Kenneth Dowler – He’s not so famous among everyday citizens, but Kenneth Dowler holds a very prominent place in international crime fighting circles. Dowler is the author of a number of important publications concerned with criminal processes and justice. With over 15 publications under his belt, Kenneth has made significant contributions towards understanding the media’s impact on criminal investigation and reporting.
  • Kenny McCormick – Mysterion, AKA Kenny McCormick from South Park, bears a striking resemblance to Batman, and even has the gruff voice down. The Mysterion character was first introduced to the show in the Season 13 episode “The Coon.” The crime fighter’s super power, not surprisingly, is the ability to come back to life after suffering fatal injuries, although his friends and family have no recollection of the event.
  • Kenneth Aubrey – As one of the main characters in Craig Thomas’s series of spy novels, Sir Kenneth Aubrey is a top handler with MI6. Thomas is most famous for the novel titled “Firefox,” which was adapted for film in 1982 with Freddie Jones playing Aubrey’s character. Although Tom Clancy had much more success in the British spy genre, Craig Thomas is regarded by many fans as the founding father of the genre.
  • Ken Follett – A crime fighter perhaps only in his own mind, Ken Follett has written more than six unique book series comprised of over 30 novels in total. Common threads found in Follett’s novels deal with crime, war and politics throughout the ages. The Welsh writer is also an avid supporter of the British Labour party, and even became involved in politics himself in the late 1970s.
  • Kenneth Hutchinson – You may not recognize his name, but you will recognize his nickname – Hutch of Starsky and Hutch fame. Although the show became incredibly famous all over the world, the original series only ran for four years on ABC. The show was also famous for introducing the much loved character “Huggy Bear” to the world. Huggy was later revamped by rapper Snoop Dogg in a movie remake of the show.
  • Kenneth Drury – Detective Chief Superintendent Kenneth Drury of Scotland Yard’s Flying Squad fell afoul of the law himself in a famous bribery and corruption scandal in 1977. The Flying Squad has always had close links to criminal elements as part of their mission, however, investigations were launched into the squad’s conduct due to public scrutiny of nefarious tactics and practices.
  • Kenneth Toby – Kenneth Toby appeared in a number of TV and movie roles throughout his career, which included many roles as crime fighting characters. Most of the roles that Kenneth played were as military men, however, he also played sheriff in “Big Top Pee-Wee” and a Twilight episode titled “A Day in Beaumont.” Kenneth Toby died on December 22, 2002; he was 85 years of age.
  • Ken Carson – Another name that you may not recognize, which is probably because he has kept it under deep cover. Ken Carson is better known as the Ken Doll – or Barbie’s other half. Of course, everyone knows that Ken can’t hold down a job for long, so it’s no surprise that he lists police officer as one of his many failed career choices.
  • Ken Wallis – This thrill seeking dare-devil has the honor of having doubled for James Bond in You Only Live Twice. Wing Commander Kenneth Horatio Wallis loves all kinds of vehicles, especially when he is inventing or racing them. Wallis created what is considered by many to be the original Scaletrix race tracks and cars. Unfortunately, he did not patent his invention, and thus lost out on the fortune that similar designs later brought for Scaletrix.

12 Things Our Family Can Share with Yours About Carnival Cruises

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cruiseMy family just got back from a Carnival cruise today and before I got totally back into my routine I thought I would take a few minutes to blog about what we learned.  First of all, it was an amazing trip and I highly recommend that families and extended families consider a cruise.  We had 14 of us on the trip which was most of one side of our family.  Many of us haven’t spent considerable time together in years and this cruise was an opportunity of a lifetime to make that happen.  It definitely did not disappoint we had a great time reconnecting and getting to know some of the “kids” which are all now old enough to really engage in great conversations and activities with us “adults.”  In fact, I’m not sure whether or not some of the “kids” acted more mature than some of us “adults” or not.  But I digress (what happens on the ship stays on the ship)…  Here are some of the tips that I wanted to share with you for your next cruise experience:

  1. Arrive  early at the port to board the boat.   One of my relatives is a cruising pro and she encouraged all of us to arrive very early to board the ship.  So our recommended time to show up was noon and we arrived around 9AM.  The result was we pretty much avoided most of the onboarding lines and had a much easier time getting on the ship.
  2. Take advantage of the Bottomless Bubbles program especially if you or your kids enjoy soda/pop/coke (depending on where you are from in the U.S. and whatever you call sugary carbonated water).  It actually saved all of our families quite a bit of money and we paid far less than $4.50 per day mentioned here: http://www.carnival.com/cruise-food/bottomless-bubbles.
  3. For adult beverages it’s a good idea to think through how much you are going to drink.  Our group found that it only took about 6 drinks a day for the cheers package of 15 drinks to be a good deal http://www.carnival.com/Funville/forums/t/271978.aspx.  I’m not a drinker but those in the group that are definitely took advantage of this plan, but just so you know 15 drinks is a hard limit unless you find a “buddy” willing to let you use theirs (aka have them order for you).  Realistically though who needs more than 15 drinks in a day (you know who you are)?
  4. Book your excursions as early as possible to make sure you get the ones that you really want and think through very carefully what is best for your whole group.  We did a snorkeling/beach combo in Cozumel and another all-inclusive beach-excursion in Progresso.  The main reason those were great for us was that everyone was able to participate.  In addition, when it comes time to head off the ship for your excursion IF you meet in a lounge on the ship make sure you sit as far back as you can because the back of the room gets on the bus first.
  5. While shopping at the ports, be sure to walk through the shops before buying anything because you will quickly find out that many of them have the exact same products but at wildly different prices.  We found NFL & college backpacks that ranged from $15 to $25 and no doubt most merchants would have been willing to take $10.  It’s not like buying items in the US so be prepared to haggle a bit and don’t expect a best price guarantee (you get one shot and once you buy it, it’s yours).
  6. Make sure that you don’t push it to get back onto the boat after your excursion is over.  We heard that a couple of other families didn’t make it back on the ship (yep, we left them).  We also found that if you get back on the ship an hour before you have to you will find a much, much shorter line.  If you wait until the last minute you can expect a very long line to get back onboard.
  7. If you want a good seat on the lido deck (aka by the pool where the action is at) be sure to get up early and stake your claim.  Also remember that you can’t just set something there forever and expect people to honor that.  If you want to have a day in the sun be there around 8am and take turns getting your breakfast, etc.  If you wait, then realistically you could have a hard time finding deck chairs certainly with a view of the action.
  8. Another great perk that is FREE (aka included in the price of the cruise) is the gym on the ship.  Yes, you can pay to take some classes (cycling, etc.).  However, general use of the gym is included and they have a wide selection of treadmills, universal weights, free weights, rowing machines, and much more.  I would say that the biggest change from the previous cruise ship we were on was the gym on the Triumph, it was excellent!
  9. Many of us are not shy about visiting the buffets onboard (I mean the food is pretty solid).  Remember that there are almost always two sides to the buffet so check them both before getting in line and several times of the day there is a third area in the middle of the lido deck (at least on the Triumph) for breakfast that is way, way faster to get through.  This holds true for many eating places on the ship (two lines).  Don’t get angry if you chose the long line, that’s not the other cruisers fault.
  10. Dinner times on the boat can either be pre-set or you can choose “your time dining”.  My family split on this and I want to focus on “your time dining”.  If you want some flexibility then this is a great option but keep in mind that everyone in your party needs to be there in order to be seated.  If you want to eat early then you will want to arrive 15 minutes before that dining window opens up (yes, a line will already be started).  We found that showing up early got us through the dining experience much faster (but allocate a good 90 minutes for each dinner).
  11. It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to the programs being offered as they will tell you whether they are PG, PG-13, or R rated (adult only).  They actually do a great job of warning you but in the end it’s up to you what you expose your kids to.  In our case the love and marriage show (which is hilarious) resulted in a child running out of the room due to the content revealed by his parents as a part of the show.
  12. When your cruise is over and it is time to get off the ship be prepared for some genuine chaos.  If you want to get off the ship EARLY then you will have to choose the self-assist option (you take all of your bags off of the ship).  You want to find the lounge on the lobby level where cruisers can congregate and again get as close to the back row of that lounge as possible as they exit last row first.  You can dramatically reduce the time it takes to get off of the ship.  We were set to disembark by zone at 9:15am and if we left our bags out the night before it would have been 10:40am.  Instead we were off the ship around 8:30am and headed back home a little after 9:00am after clearing customs and getting to our vehicle.

In general, the thing to keep in mind throughout the trip is “_________ is as fun as you make it”.  For instance, boarding is as fun as you make it or waiting in line is as fun as you make it.  Remember you are on VACATION.  You don’t need to freak out every second or overly plan every single thing (which is harder for some of us than others).  Just go with the flow and you will enjoy your cruise way more than if you treat it like your regular routine.  We had a blast and reconnected with family in ways that would have been impossible on any other type of trip.  It was a relatively cost-effective way to create memories that will last a lifetime at least for our family and hopefully for yours.