Published in The Startup·PinnedFive Life Lessons I’ve Learned from Working on Cruise ShipsAbout one year ago, I moved everything out of my Boston apartment and decided that I wanted to live on a cruise ships full-time. As a… — About one year ago, I moved everything out of my Boston apartment and decided that I wanted to live on a cruise ship full-time. …Travel7 min read
Published in Counter Arts·Jul 15, 2021Five Free Things You Can Do To Support Local ArtistsAccording to an Independent Musician — 2020 was devastating for people across the board, but I’m not sure if any industry has suffered a blow as hard as the arts and entertainment. Well, maybe my good friend, the cruise industry. …Music5 min read
Published in Curious·Oct 6, 2020I Traveled across the Country in a Van with My Best Friend in the Middle of a PandemicThe story of two best friends and unemployed cruise ship workers living in a van during one of the most chaotic times in American history. — A few weeks after being sent home from our jobs working aboard luxury cruise ships, my best friend, Emily, and I were taking our daily government-sanctioned stroll through my neighborhood, contemplating what we wanted to do with our (what was originally supposed to be) two month hiatus from ship life…Travel8 min read
Published in Music With A Purpose·Sep 22, 2020Choral, Community and Creativity in Times of Crisis: Interview with Philip Shoultz of VocalEssence#MusicWithAPurpose is a series dedicated to continuing the conversation surrounding music education and expression, both pre and post… — Pre-COVID, or the “BC Times”, as Philip Shoultz likes to call them, VocalEssence, like many performing arts organizations, was strongly rooted in live performance. Founded in 1969 by Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence has thrived on major music stages across the Twin Cities and in the international choral music scene, boasting an…Music8 min read
Published in Music With A Purpose·Sep 19, 2020#MusicWithAPurpose: Interview with Olivia Marques#MusicWithAPurpose is a series dedicated to continuing the conversation surrounding music education, both pre and post COVID. Today’s… — Alissa: What made you want to get involved in theatre education? I know that you are a performer yourself. What was that process like for you, pursuing that dream? Olivia: It was kind of a no brainer. My whole life, my parents always told me that I was singing before…Music14 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Sep 14, 2020I’m Competing in A Virtual Beauty Pageant in the Middle of a PandemicBusiness meetings, classrooms and concerts have all transitioned to Zoom. Now, beauty pageants are going online, too. — Even if you know absolutely nothing about beauty pageants, you’re probably not surprised that this year’s Miss America competition, the 99th anniversary, was cancelled. So was every preceding state contest— except Montana. No pandemic was going to get in the way of crowning a new Miss Montana!Pageant6 min read
May 11, 2020This is the Beginning of the Decline of Social MediaIf I don’t care about your travels from 5 months ago, why am I suddenly going to care about your travels 5 months from now? — If I don’t care about your travels from 5 months ago, why am I suddenly going to care about your travels 5 months from now? I am just as sick of uploading posts about my new song covers, past vacations and #AtHome life as you are looking at them. The…Coronavirus4 min read
Published in The Startup·May 8, 2020Confessions of an unemployed entertainer: I’m working harder then I ever did when I had a jobThis is what May 8th, 2020 was supposed to look like: I wake up in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Even though I had a show the night before, I… — In the words of my hero, Sir Elton John, “I think it’s going to be a LONG, long time”. This is what May 8th, 2020 was supposed to look like: I wake up in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Even though I had a show the night before, I get up early…Coronavirus5 min read
Apr 15, 2020Mental Health Experts Agree: This is NOT the Right Time to be Making Life-Changing DecisionsWhile the current pandemic may raise larger, existential questions about life and meaning, mental health professionals recommend holding… — Being in isolation for the last several weeks, I’ve had a lot of time with myself to think; you know, to really hone in on all those insecurities, imperfections and shortcomings I’m usually able to sweep under a rug while distracted with the vicissitudes of every day, fast-paced life. In…Coronavirus5 min read
Published in GEN·Mar 19, 2020I Worked Onboard a Cruise Ship and Watched Coronavirus Unravel the IndustryThe latest in our series about how this pandemic affects our lives, our loved ones, our work, and our way of life — Life in the Time of Coronavirus is a new GEN series where we are interviewing people across the country who have had their lives upended or are experiencing the stress of the unknown. Ordinarily, on the day a cruise ship embarks from the port, there’s an energetic buzz among crew…Cruises4 min read
