To Go On a Cruise or Not?

I've been unemployed since a week before Thanksgiving 2004 from a laid-off and have been seeking F/T work. It's not very promising as I'm very dishearten, discourage, and broken hearted with my career. I'm a marketing professional. I'm really depressed as I'm trying to get my professional life back on track but it's really hard with so many rejections to potential jobs. DH is luckily to be employed F/T as a computer tech support. DH and I have several trips planned this 2005 (Japan; Washington, D.C./Maryland; and Cooperstown, NY) which the airfare and hotel for Japan is free. DH's father won 1st place a golf tournament, JAL Best 30 Golf Tournament that was sponsored by JAL Airlines and received 2 first class round-trip airline tickets to Japan which DH's father then traded it for 6 round-trip economy class tickets, thus DH and I got FREE airline tickets! We will lounge with DH's paternal relatives during our stay in Tokyo, Japan, thus not pay for hotel expenses except for meals, souvenirs, transportation, museum admission, etc. The other trips: Washington, D.C./Maryland and Cooperstown, NY are 2 days, 1 night weekend getaways. Traveling is one of my passions as I've always enjoyed it as my hobby when the finances and timing allows.

However, one of my BM offered me to go with her on 7 night cruise to the islands a week after my return from Japan. It was an honor to be asked as she really needed a vacation from working and helping her uncle's restaurant business on the side. We are going to Tokyo, Japan for 8 days in mid-May 2005. I haven't seen her since my wedding day in 2002. I would LOVE to go on a cruise as I have never been on one before; however the dilemma is the finances and my unemployment situation. I've calculated my finances enough for Japan; Washington, D.C./Maryland; and Cooperstown, NY AND for my share of bills but unexpectedly a cruise? She is open to the Bahamas, or any of the islands where the sun almost always shine. I told her that I would be interested if the rates were UNDER $1,000.00 which includes meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the whole time on the cruise as well as other activities. I'm not a beach person as I don't like to be lying out all day in the sun. I would go to the shows, the spa, gym, and read romantic novels (yeah, I'm boring). My BM is very anxious about putting a deposit and going, her boyfriend is spending all his vacation time in Lebannon thus she wants to go with someone. The cruise dates will be late May 2005 through early June 2005 (one week) which follows a week after my return from Japan. I feel guilty as I don't want to disappoint her, she did a good job as being my BM, but... the $$$ and my unemployment situation? How do I explain the huge gap in my resume between mid-November 2004 and early June 2005? That's a 1/2 year employment gap! Dilemma!

Any thoughts? Please, keep it positive and clean.

Hey what type of marketing position you looking for...Fm me.

Scott

The plan tonight was go to food shopping with our car. DH is the driver in our marriage (I don't drive), he moved it last night to prevent from getting a parking ticket. We live in an apt. building where there is a garage but the list is endlessly a long wait, so we park it on the street with alternative siding. Last night we went looking for it and NO CAR!

Guess the cruise is now officially out of the question as well as Washington, D.C./Maryland. DH and I were planning to go to Washington, D.C./Maryland with another married couple in their car as they have Explorer, however this couple is thinking of going to Vegas and California to visit one of their wedding guest. My DH and this couple are into baseball and were hoping to see go to NY Mets vs. Washington, D.C. Nationals and Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays for that same weekend. Cooperstown, NY is still open as a weekend getaway. Since DH and I are without a car we can't go long distance trips for a while.