MUSICIAN | ENTERTAINER | SINGER | SONGWRITER

Greetings from Northeast of Cuba!

I find it easier for me to write on my day off…. which is always on a “sea day” heading back to Miami. It’s 12:21 PM (afternoon) and I just finished my lunch. Watching Foghorn Leghorn on the Cartoon Network. You know, the older you get, the funnier Bugs Bunny-type cartoons seem to get. I know, the technology today is better for animators…. and cheaper. But they lose something in translation. Disney animated movies, especially. Give me Lady and the Tramp over Toy Story any day! Not that Toy Story is bad…

They just ran a commercial on the Cartoon Network that they are having a show on Sunday at 5:30 PM about the effects of bullying…. aptly called, “The Bully Effect”. (Go figure.) As most of you know, I’m sick and tired of people bullying others and want to help do something about it. Perhaps Anderson Cooper is in a better position to make a difference than me. Good for him! Perhaps I should pursue one of my many other societal concerns. Hope you will take the time to watch and/or set your DVR. Bullying is a real issue…. and is more of an issue in your daily life than you realize.

Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny are now on the TV. Hysterical!

Got a nice e-mail, you may have read on Facebook, that my music is being played in France. That means: Mike Archer is being played on the radio in Belgium, France, England, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Mexico, Belize, Japan….. but not yet in my hometown of Indianapolis. I will, however, be playing Indy on June 15^th, for those of you in the area. Terry and I will be at Manley’s Irish Mutt located on the corner of 10^th and Shadeland. Mike Manley is one of my classmates, to whom I am very grateful for the honor of playing his establishment. Let’s make it a party, Eastsiders!!

Today at lunch, I was reading the April 25^th issue of Rolling Stone…. with Louis CK on the cover. Louie is one of my favorite comedians… VERY adult oriented… and I love his TV show on FX. The article is interview questions and his answers. So insightful. Funny, as usual, in many cases. He talks about how he struggled through years of bad gigs to improve himself to the point of all his success. He talks about how young kids today want instant success and don’t learn how to gradually improve. Boy, can I relate! Please, do yourself a favor and read the article. He talks about a number of things… and I love his take on people like Nancy Grace… that I think people need to understand about show business. It’s not an easy job!!!

Again, the guests on the cruise really liked my shows this week. I must be getting better and better because they are starting to follow me from one location to the next…. night after night. More so than when I first joined the ship. When I finish at night, I’ll take time to chat with the guests and they always like asking questions about the ship life. In a nutshell…. it’s not for just “anybody”. It’s a lonely job, for the most part. Friends come and go each embarkation day. In my case, I don’t work with anyone else at all. No roommate…. which is exactly how I want THAT part of it. But, ultimately, I am playing music for a living. That is exactly what I wanted to do. This is exactly what I wanted when I moved to Kentucky to learn how to perform. Winning!

I was watching Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable on ESPN 2 yesterday and he showed a clip of a rattle snake that had his head cut off by a guy with a shovel. Did you see this? Well, they didn’t show the actual cutting…. but did show the snake harassing the guy’s family, then cut to it’s severed head. It was a close-up, too. This bodiless snake-head was STILL scanning the area with it’s eyes, then opened it’s mouth to bite… as if it’s body was still intact. I mean… it didn’t know it was dead, or something. It was scary as heck! Guess who had nightmares about snakes last night??? I needed my mommy!!

There are many Latin crew members on the Carnival Victory… so this means we get to watch baseball together. How about my Braves being good?! They won a double-header against the Rockies yesterday. Win or lose, I like the Braves and Orioles…. but it’s always nice to see them win. Many of the Latin people here LOVE Albert Pujols and the Angels. Looks like they are starting to play well…. after adding Josh Hamilton in the off-season, to go with Trout, Pujols, and Trumbo. Back home, very few of my friends follow baseball closely. Oh, they’ll go to a game, but won’t watch on TV or read about it in the paper. So, that’s one of the fun things we do to pass time on the ship.

I think I’m going to go now. The ship is starting to gently rock back and forth…. and that makes me sleepy. Won’t hit the gym until about 7 PM tonight. On “sea days”, the gym is always full with guests. It’s difficult to get on the machines or get a treadmill. I’m doing the chatroom with Wild Bill in Texas at 8. After that, around 11:30, I’ll meet up with some of the other musicians for a cheeseburger. It’s the ritual. But now is nap time…. oh, and American Dad is coming on TBS, too…. gotta go.

Peace and love!

Arch

Greetings from somewhere at sea!

It’s Friday, April 19^th and I’m counting down the days until May 13^th…. the day I come home. It’s not that I don’t like playing music on the Briny Blue, it’s been eight months since I’ve seen Jan Archer, man! I do have many friends here that I will miss, but I want to sleep in my own bed. In fact, the last three or four nights, when I woke up, I thought I was home. Most mornings are like that…. I’m not sure where I am for several seconds. Then, it all comes back.

Today is my day off, so I’m taking time to write. It’s one minute after noon-o’clock (LOL) and just finished lunch. Flossed my teeth, brushed, rinsed with fluoride, and here I sit. TV is on, but satellite isn’t picking up cable channels, for some reason. At 1 PM, I like to watch TBS for back-to-back episodes of American Dad. That show is becoming my favorite animated satirical TV show…. overtaking the Simpsons and Family Guy. I, also, like Bob’s Burgers. H. Jon Benjamin does the voice for Bob… and also, FX’s “Archer” TV show. LOVE that one, too…. but we don’t get FX. Have them DVR’ed back home, so I get to see them soon.

This cruise was particularly good, music-wise. I say, “was”, because my work is finished until the next cruise. Played on the Lido deck Wednesday afternoon and had a thousand people singing and dancing. Last night, the folks made me play 20 extra minutes because they liked what I was doing so well. Bottom line: I’m improving!

Since I’ll be home soon, I’ve contacted some places about playing and booking agents, too. So eager to get back to working with Terry! I know he’s been chomping at the bit to get me home. Trust me, Terry, if the money wasn’t so good here, I’d be there right now. People tend to invest in the Stock Market, despite the fact that it’s set up for people much smarter than me, but not in a musician. So, I must do this on a shoe-string budget. For that, I am proud to have gotten this far. Not done, yet!

I never want you to think I’m not grateful for the help YOU give. Buying music, forwarding my info along to possible venues, nice e-mails to keep me company… etc. Not sure my vocabulary is broad enough to give an adequate “Thanks”. Sometimes, as I play for all these people, my mind wanders. I forget about what song I’m playing and think, “I play music for a living!”  In talking to a long-time friend this week via Facebook, he said I am a “self made man.” I don’t know about THAT… but I’m so glad he sees me that way. I’ll take it as a compliment.

The truth is, I’m like everyone else. I suffer from fear, too. So many of us are afraid to chase our dreams, for one reason or another. Some think it’s fear of failure, but I think it’s fear of success! We tend to see ourselves in a poor light. Poor self-esteem. I do, too. Some combat that fear by trying to drag others down. These people are obvious…. they make fun of others who are “different”. Looks, profession, belief…. whatever. If you attempt something similar to what I’m doing, people will be mean and say nasty things. I will face this head on and, hopefully, inspire YOU to chase your dreams. Please, don’t let the fear inhibit you from “living”.

I know, I’ve spoken about this before, but it’s very important that I share this with you. If you like, sometime I can tell you stories. Successes and failures. The thing about failing is….. it’s ONLY a failure if you don’t learn from it. You must know this so you don’t just accept less than what you deserve.

Back to music: It’s funny, but I’ve been doing a great job playing ballads lately. The reason this is interesting to me is because… in order to pull off a successful ballad (Love song, usually.), the audience MUST like your voice. I can’t stand my own voice. John Lennon didn’t like his. I’m sure you don’t like yours, either. “And I Love Her (Beatles), Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison, Rod Stewart), I Just Fall in Love (Anne Murray), and Everything I Own (Bread) all get a fantastic response…. among others. This leads me to believe that my voice is getting better and better. Plus, the STYLE that I play is pleasant for the listener. Acoustic guitar and vocals ONLY is the most difficult way to do this job. Very few people can pull it off… and that is INCREDIBLY rewarding. All the practice is paying off.

I am a terrible songwriter! I will not share my stuff. My goal is to work with another songwriter(s) to harness what I want to say. My messages are good, but I can’t seem to get it down as I would like. Based on some of the CRAP I hear on the radio, it shouldn’t be this difficult. You know me…. I don’t like doing it like everyone else. Has anyone ever actually listened to the lyrics of Katy Perry, Kesha, Justin Timberlake or Usher’s music? Good thing they’re so cute and can dance, I guess. Not to suggest they aren’t talented. But the music doesn’t SAY anything…. other than women should be “easy”. How does this stuff get so popular? My strength is taking a mediocre song and rearranging it to be better. I will continue to work on it. My goal is to work with Ashley Gorely someday. He’s fantastic!

OK, that’s enough of my lecture for this week. I really really miss you all and look forward to seeing you soon. I miss Jan Archer more that words can express. I really wished I would’ve been a better son when I was younger, but I will do my best, now. Love ya, Ma!

Peace and love to all!!!

Arch

Greetings from Miami!

We left a little bit ago, heading to Key West. Unfortunately, I am on “port manning” this cruise and can’t get off the ship. It’s Thursday, April 11^th, 9:40 PM. I’m watching Piers Morgan on CNN. They’re talking about foods around the World and the fact that Americans don’t travel abroad very often. Less than 30% of Americans own a passport. Why do you think that is? Is it because we are afraid? Money? What?? I promise you, should you travel outside the USA, it will change you perspective on the Country and the World. For the better.

Speaking of food, have you noticed that there are many people who will only eat a few things…. and never venture out to try things they’ve never had? I’m shocked at how much fast food we consume, given the information on how harmful it is to our health. Certainly, people are free to choose what goes into their bodies….. so why would someone choose to eat fast food on a regular basis? Our bodies use the food we eat to develop. It is a proven fact that people who eat proper foods growing up develop better physically, emotionally, and intellectually. So, why do people feed this stuff to their kids? Is it child abuse, in a way? I would think people would want their kids to have every advantage possible and food would be an easy thing to fix. Don’t believe me, watch the documentary, “Supersize Me” by Morgan Spurlock. Just thinking out loud…..

Got a nice e-mail from a DJ in Mt. Vernon, IL yesterday. Robin sent him my CD to play on the air and he said the album “made it’s way on to his iPod.” How cool is that? Sure, we get a number of DJ’s playing my music, but to write back such a pleasant e-mail telling me how much he liked “Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda”…. that’s classy!

I tried last night to get into a chat room at http://wildbillradio.net/ in Schertz, TX  but the net wasn’t cooperating. I could log in for a few minutes, then it kicked me off. This went on for a while, then the net just quit on me, altogether. My apologies to Wild Bill and his group. Thank you so much for having me and was told he played three of my songs. That is so awesome!!! Thank you!

Tony Bennett is now on Piers Morgan and someone just used the word “literally”. AAAAHHHH!!! It’s like nails down a chalkboard to my ears! And, yes, the guy used it incorrectly… but, even used correctly, it’s unnecessary. Please, let’s start a campaign to eliminate this word for overuse.

I did get a chance to see very little of the NCAA Championship on Monday. Louisville won and most sports people were talking about how poorly officiated the game was. Been that way for years….. so, shut up! I did see, when Trey Burke was on the bench in the first half, and the kid from Indiana was lighting up the arena from three, an assistant coach was giving him a little “pep talk” to assure him he was going back in soon. The assistant coach looked familiar, so I went online the next day to see if was someone I played against. It wasn’t. But, I noticed the Director of Basketball Operations for the University of Michigan was Travis Conlon.

Who is Travis Conlon, you ask? Well, years ago, I had an opportunity to tryout for a professional team in Manchester, England. I was offered a contract, but it was less money than I was making at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and I just didn’t like it….. I had lost my passion to live the “basketball life” by that time in my life. At least, in dreary-old England. So, I came home. But, my roommate was none other than Travis Conlon. He was so nice to me…. had Michigan stuff all over the place. In fact, it was he who told me that, if in my shoes, he would go back home to Indiana with such a great job at the IMS and not struggle with the other guys who go from year-to-year with crappy contracts. So, I packed my stuff and came home. I think I gave the practice gear to my friend, Mike Mulcahy. Mike, is that right? My memory is a little fuzzy on who I gave my gear.

Anyway, that brought back some nice memories. Would love an opportunity to go back to England someday as a tourist. England was quite chilly. It was August and the high temp was about 55-60. Rained every day I was there…. not quite a month. Porter Roberts and Ian Stainback were on that team, for those of you who remember them from Purdue. The British guys were not very good players, but really good guys…. and very educated. Our conversations were awesome! The American guys, all they talked about was sports, girls, and video games. Had I went there after finishing up at IUPUI, I would’ve stayed. I had grown up by that time. I was, however, interested in being the General Manager of the team, but to no avail. Lacked experience.

We’re down to one month and two days left until I come home. I STILL don’t know about my music video yet. Robin is calling the director soon, so news should be coming in subsequent blogs and/or Facebook. That’s all I can say about that, for now.

Been reading the most recent Esquire Magazine with Robert Redford on the cover and there’s an interview with Patton Oswalt in there. So funny and insightful. If you have time, look him up on youtube or whatever. He, Louis CK, Jim Norton, and Chuck Mignanelli are my favorite LIVING comedians. George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Greg Girlaldo are my favorite NON living comedians. Give them a shot. It takes a lot to make me laugh and these guys can do it!

On that note, I’m going to go watch American Dad and hit the sack.

Thanks for reading my blog and listening to my music. Peace and love!

Arch

Greetings from Miami!

Well, we’re not quite to Miami, but will be there very shortly. It’s currently 11:18 PM on Friday the 5^th of April. Inching closer and closer to coming home on May 13^th. I’ve been told the weather is getting better up North….. not Miami weather, but better than the snow and bitter cold. I guess it was a rough winter up there. To that I say, “Ha!”

When you’re on a ship for as long as I have been, you make some good friends. I mean, you see them every single day for months. It’s really tough when they go home. At least, some of them. I’m sure you can imagine back to when you graduated high school…. or something along those lines. The friendships you made and then, bam, all gone. With the ship life, it’s like that more often than you’d think. As they say, “life goes on”.

As usual, I have background noise as I write this and Family Guy is on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. It’s the one when Lois had an affair with Bill Clinton. Pretty funny. “And now, Conway Twitty.” If you’ve seen this before, you know what I’m talking about here.

The internet has been really, really slow the last couple of days. In fact, I tried to get online about two hours ago and was unsuccessful. Sorry to those who have pending e-mails. It’s like that from time to time. So, with all my spare time, I’ve been working on some different songs to play and watched “Django Unchained” today. It’s not bad. Tarrantino is wise to have Christoph Woltz as his lead character, as he did in “Inglorious Basterds” (Yes, spelled like the movie.). That guy is the best actor out there! He’s a “good guy” in “Django”, but the best “bad guy” EVER in “Basterds”!! The thing I love about Tarantino movies is that there lots of dialogue. So, the actors get to ACT. It’s fun to watch talented people work their craft.

I know the Final Four is going on tomorrow, but I just don’t care anymore. Sure, I watch passively. It’s impossible to spend your whole life playing/coaching/officiating a game and just stop watching. But, it’s just not the same anymore. It’s become a TV show. They’re exploiting the heck out of the guy from Louisville that broke his leg and he won’t see a penny of the millions made off TV, radio, and t-shirt sales. There’s a 30 for 30 documentary on ESPN about Jim Valvano and the 1983 NCAA championship. If you get a chance to watch the actual game on ESPN Classic, check it out and we can discuss whether it’s better now or then.

The reason it bothers me so much is, ideally, it’s about fair competition. My team versus your team may the best team win. Part of the strategy could be to use superior conditioning to fatigue the opponent, but that’s nearly impossible with four TV timeouts each half. (BIG Money.) Or getting the other team’s best player in foul trouble, but that’s nearly impossible because refs won’t call too many fouls on the best players. (Affects ratings if best players are on the bench.) And coaches must be salesmen or women. (Must be TV friendly.) As the game changes for the worse, so does my childhood, to some degree. If the players are so much better now, then why is scoring and shooting percentages down….. even compared to the pre-three point shot??? Can you think of another business where billions are made, but the participants make nothing? Well, you could argue an education… but they give scholarships to many students who do not generate that kind of cash. So, it must not be much of a stretch to give away an education….. or in many cases….. part of an education. Let’s move on….

It’s been fun watching the first week of baseball. There are many Latino crew members and we like to discuss the games. Edwin, the new bass player in the show band, is a big Yankees fan. I met Edwin last year on the Carnival Legend ship. He’s from Puerto Rico, but lives in Miami. I’m not sure I know a person who knows more about Major League Baseball. He seems to think my beloved Atlanta Braves are going to win the National League pennant this season. Hope he’s right. I think I like the Braves, too…. but interested in Baltimore, Toronto, LA Angels, and Detroit fighting it out in the American League. It’s a long season, but I love the game and how slow-paced it is. Baseball is loaded with strategy and that’s the appeal for me.

As I’ve mentioned in past blogs, music is going well. Audience still seems to like what I do with an acoustic guitar and vocals, only. Many acts these days, on ships and off, rely on tracks and effects. Truth is: I’m too stupid to know how to do it. So, I just bang away and sing. Fortunately, I do OK because I get plenty of positive feedback. Nice to know people still like the sound of an acoustic guitar. Right now, my most popular cover song is the Anne Murray song I mentioned last week. But, I get a lot of compliments on the Beatles, “And I Love Her”, too.

I did a live chat room from the ship the other day. The station is (http://wildbillradio.net/) in Schertz, TX.   That was so fun! Cost me some cash on my internet card, but it’s always nice meeting folks who play my music and listeners. I’m still in awe that Mike Archer plays music for a living!!!! How is that possible?

Still have no definite plans of when or where we’re shooting the music video when I get home. We really need to iron that out because it’s getting closer and closer my return. I’m excited to see you all again. I like playing on the ships, but I want to sleep in my own bed for a change. I want to see Jan Archer. I want to go jogging with Larry Vaught again. I want to play music with Terry McDonough!!! When I know more about the video, we will share. Promise.

OK, I’m out. Robot Chicken is on now…. so I’ll fade off to sleep watching.

Peace and love.

Arch

Greetings from…. well…. not sure.

We’re on our way back to Miami. Our last port was Freeport, Jamaica and we’d never been there before, so I’m not 100% sure where we are now. We added it to our itinerary in lieu of Grand Turk. Apparently, there is something wrong with the food in Grand Turk and guests on every ship that ported the last couple weeks had gotten severe cases of GI. So, we are steering clear. Just so you know, I had no issues. It’s 10:17 PM on Friday the 22^nd and I’m watching American Dad on Adult Swim.

Yeah, yeah, yeah…. I know the NCAA tourney is on. But it’s so difficult to watch. There are so many commercials….. so much money involved…. the referees have no control of the game…. I guess I’m just an old man. Yes, I once was a player, but it was a time long ago, in a galaxy far away…. when it was alleged to be honest competition. Now, it’s just a billion-dollar TV show. If I want to watch a TV show, I’ll watch Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network. Animated satire amuses me. Just as “staged” as American athletics, but funnier.

Tomorrow is the 23^rd, obviously, but it’s Jan Archer’s birthday. I will get an opportunity to call and wish her a happy birthday, but I’ve always wondered why that’s such a big deal. Would her day be worse if I didn’t say the words, “Happy Birthday”? If so, why? Most of you didn’t wish me a “Happy Birthday” and I couldn’t care less. It’s just another day. But, we’re conditioned to behave certain ways…. say certain things at certain times…. and I will oblige with a call to my mom. Does anyone else wonder why we do the things we do?

I took my first Salsa dance lesson today. Nicholas, a guest services rep from Mexico, is a very good dancer and showed me a couple steps today. When I was growing up, you were called names if you were male and practiced dancing. Guys, for some reason, must always behave in some overly-macho fashion not to seem effeminate. Well, trust me, dancing with girls is anything but. And, if you are effeminate, so what? Be true to yourself and be happy. Shame on those of you who bully people to behave in ways that suit yourself. I digress. Sorry. I will practice what Nicholas taught me and take another lesson in a few days. Pretty soon, I’ll be a regular Denny Terrio! (Google that if you don’t get it.)

For those of you who saw on Facebook, “The ‘L’ Word” is moving up the International Country Music Airplay singles charts (#12)  and I am moving up the Top Artists charts (#19). Very flattered and it’s rewarding as Robin and I work hard to get my music out there. And… don’t think I’ve forgotten how important YOU are to any and all success I have. It’s a team effort and you are an important part of the team. So, THANK YOU!!!

American Dad is really funny! I need to take a break and watch this episode. OK, back. Got back from the gym a little while ago and think I need a shower. If you can smell me right now, sorry about that. There’s a TV on the treadmill so it’s easy to distract me from the torture that is running. If there was an easier way to stay in shape, I’d do it. Need to look as good as possible when I get home because we will be shooting a new music video. As soon as we get things ironed out, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, I’ll just keep jammin’ on the Carnival Victory.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading again, but nothing different than things I’ve touched upon in earlier blogs. Had an awesome conversation over dinner last night with some folks from Mexico, Peru, Montenegro, and Serbia about our cultures. Similarities and differences. One thing that all those countries have in common is that the people who live in the respective places ALL believe their country is the best in the World. Truth is: Everywhere has good things and bad. It’s usually the people who have never been out of their country that are the most stubborn in their patriotism. So, we share that with the rest of the World, for the most part. I encourage you all to learn about other cultures. It will change your outlook on life, I assure you.

Baseball season is starting very soon. Been catching some of the Spring Training games on TV. I think my Braves are going to be good this season…. and hoping the Orioles can have another good season. Upon returning home, I plan to go to Cincy to root against the Reds. It’s the closest MLB stadium… what can I say? I don’t like rooting for the team that everyone else likes, for some reason. Even when I went to Atlanta to watch the Braves, I felt uncomfortable being part of the “mob mentality”. It’s not that I’m fanatical about my sports…. I can live with it or without it. I just hate how nutsy people get over their teams. Whichever team it is. For example, my buddy from Pittsburgh will not talk on the phone during a Steelers’ game. That’s nuts. Perhaps even a cry for help. If your life revolves around a sports team winning…. seek Dr. Phil immediately!

OK, that’s all for my lecture of the week. Well, let me add: Please stop using the word “literally”. Most of the time people use it wrong, the other times it’s just unnecessary. There. Done. Peace and love.

Arch

Greetings from Key West!

It’s kinda chilly today in the Keys of Florida. Somewhere in the 60′s, allegedly peaking in the mid-70′s. Most people are wearing jeans and a light sweater. Not exactly the attire you most often relate with the beaches down here. Bikinis, flip-flops, and sunglasses are more the image. I slept until nearly 11, so I just stayed on the ship. Ate lunch, practiced my guitar, and hit the gym. In fact, I just got out of the shower and my hair is still wet right now. Thought I might reach out to you as it dries.

Well, the great news of the week is that I was awarded Carnival Victory Team Member of the Month for February. An incredible honor, to say the least! I’m not trying to feign humility, but I honestly do not feel I deserve this honor. Well, I feel a little better after it was explained to me WHY I won.

You see, I complained quite a bit about working 23 straight days of singing 4+ hours a night. It’s just too much on the vocal chords. However, I did not complain to guests and/or officers. Oh, I wanted to, but didn’t. What I did was play the best I possibly could and put on a smile in guest areas… despite an aching throat. I referred back to acting classes I took…. as an entertainer, you CANNOT have a bad day. You must be “in character” on stage, to some extent. I told my mom that I was so happy that the bosses here love what I do, but it was too tough to perform that much. Part of me wanted to “phone it in”, but how would that help me as I have an opportunity to get my name out  in front of thousands of guests? See my conundrum? I chose to do my very best. It paid off.

The Housekeeping Director, Ulrich, nominated me for this honor. The reason, as he wrote on the nomination form that hung in the Crew Area, was that I “always had a smile. Was always engaging to guests and crew, alike. Michael will take time to ask people about their families and lives away from the ship. His attention is genuine.” Flattering, huh? So, if the criteria is based on personality and attitude, I’ll take it as a HUGE compliment! The Hotel Director, Renil, also told a story after he read my name as the winner….. pulling the result out of an envelope, similar to the Oscars. He talked of how, on several occasions, he’s seen me sitting and pleasantly chatting with guests. A simple gesture, but huge when it comes to the hospitality business. I feel better about winning, now, but still feel guilty for the others.

I see on a daily basis how hard everyone on this ship works. We are trained well. When you heard about the awful events that occurred last month in the Gulf of Mexico, the stories of the crew’s efforts were all positive. We all work hard and are competent. Many are deserving of this recognition and, allegedly, I won $500, too. Have not seen a penny, yet. Maybe it’s being sent directly into my account with my other checks….. but $500 in the Philippines and Indonesia in a HUGE sum of money. Most crew members are here supporting a family back there. Me? I’m just trying to get my next music video shot upon return home. And I have the nerve to complain about working 23 straight days! What’s wrong with me? Someone always has it worse, huh?

My point of telling this tale is that there is a lesson here. No matter what your job is, do it as well as you can. Sooner or later, your efforts will be rewarded. And, heaven forbid, if they aren’t…. at least you have pride in your work. You have character. That’s the thing about life… I learned it while playing basketball all those years…. nothing is certain. Some people work hard all the time and barely make ends meet. Some people are born into situations where they can’t possibly fail. For the rest of us, we can move up with good work ethics. What you must know is that, if you do the things necessary to get ahead, you MIGHT. Your percentages are better, but it’s not 100%. If you choose not to do those things, you’re almost guaranteed you’re going nowhere. In basketball, even a dunk is missed from time to time. Conversely, there are times you throw the ball over your head and it may find the basket. I choose to do the things in life that give me more opportunities for “dunks”. I suggest you do the same.

Please don’t take this as a lecture. Merely an observation from a guy who has made more than his share of mistakes. Based on the feedback on Facebook and Twitter, you all have been so supportive of this award. Sometimes companies give meaningless awards to keep the work force focused. I, personally, don’t need any awards because I have many of you pushing me along with your kind words. At the same time, I feel I may not be doing enough to help support you, in return. I’ve said before that I don’t need people telling me I sing well… I just need to keep being hired for that reassurance. In this case, I don’t need some framed certificate to tell me I work hard…. I have your support. Every download of my songs, hit on my website, and/or people wearing clothes with my name on them is all the award I need.

Hope this finds you well. Take care of yourselves, but, moreover, take care of someone else. Peace and love.

Arch

Greetings from South of Florida!

It’s Friday, March 8^th and I’m happy to announce I’ve got the day off!! The time is 1:33 PM and American Dad is on TBS. So funny! It’s been since February 15^th that I’ve been off. Not sure exactly why it’s taken so long, but try to imagine singing an average of 4.5 hours a night for 22 straight nights. It’s fair to say that your vocal chords would be raw. That’s my description. You don’t feel like talking…. let alone working out, going to the different islands, and/or hanging out in the crew bar. I did, however, go to the crew party last night… for 15 minutes. The Latin band was playing for us and they are fantastic! It was too much to attempt to talk over the music with a sore voice. So, I turned in early.

The weather this week has been sunny and pleasant. The sea is a bit “angry” today. “Like an old man trying to return soup at a deli.”, as George Costanza said on Seinfeld. Speaking of Seniors: I was thinking today in the shower about my grandparents. Despite the fact that they barely knew each other. They lived almost exactly the same lifestyle. Why did eat supper at 3 PM? Why did they go to bed and wake up so early? What is so fascinating about watching the Weather Channel? What is so interesting about Westerns? (They all end the same way and, thanks to Mythbusters, we know the fancy shooting was impossible.) I’m not saying that people are wrong for doing any of these things. I’m not saying that ONLY Seniors do these things…. I just want to understand why these two families seemed to behave the exact same way. It seems in a free society there would be more of a variety of routines.

On a much happier note, I have been nominated for Employee of the Month! A letter telling me so was delivered yesterday as I was talking to a friend, one of the bartenders, in a crew area. I was stunned, to say the least. In order to be up for such an honor, you must be nominated by a supervisor or superior officer. The officer that nominated me is no longer on the ship…. he went back home to South Africa for vacation. His name is Ulrich (Not sure of his last name.) and he was the Director of Housekeeping. Such a nice guy…. and that’s beside the fact that he nominated me for such an honor. Marko, the gentleman that replaced him, told me this morning over coffee that he’d been wanting to tell me Ulrich did this, but decided to wait until I was notified, officially. He said that Ulrich really appreciated how hard I work and my interaction with guests. He wanted to do something nice for me.

I’m nominated among others, not sure how many, and we have a dinner next week with the Captain and officers to learn who is the lucky winner. I’ll let you know how it goes. Needless to say, I’m flattered. Ulrich will be back before I come home. I’m eager to shake his hand and thank him, face to face. It’s unusual for someone to be nominated by an officer in a different department. Obviously, my department is Entertainment.

As I mentioned, I’ve been so worn-out, I’ve not gotten off the ship lately. So, there’s been ample time to read. I just finished an article in Esquire Magazine describing the assassination of Osama bin Laden, as told by the shooter, himself. VERY intense. It’s amazing the training these Navy SEALS, among other military specialists, go through. It’s unfathomable, to civilians like me, the things they’ve seen. I highly recommend you read this yourself. My thought process is: It’s awesome he did his, but, still, a man is dead. Several people died that day…. and all the days leading up to it…. and after. People are STILL dying! Not just Americans. I just don’t know how people can just be so blasé about it. Why does it bother me? I’m certainly not in the military as was my father, uncle, and grandfather. It should not bother me, but it does.

I, also, worry about their lives after service. We reflexively call these people “heroes”, then give no thought to these men and women as they struggle to put their civilian lives together. As Terry and I would volunteer to play at the Kentucky Veterans hospital, we heard some of the stories of these people. All I could think is how lucky I am to NOT have seen things they had. PTSD is all too real in their lives… and I complain about singing for 22 straight nights? How dare I?!

This is why, as I lay down to sleep at night, that I must have the TV or radio on. It distracts me from worry. Sure, I read about success stories of famous people. I read “positive” things all the time. However, what sticks with me in the things I read about military personnel that struggle…. the number of women in the military that are sexually abused (Google THAT, sometime. These women are daughters, sisters, and wives.)… kids that are bullied… kids sold into human trafficking. The thoughts that go through my mind are, “What can I do to help?” “Why isn’t this a bigger deal to everyone?” The negative sticks with me because I feel like WE should be doing more to help… rather than complaining about singing 22 straight nights.

My point is: Ignoring the ugly part of our World is almost as bad as the ones who actively participate. Am I wrong? We all know right from wrong. It’s scary what we believe versus what we don’t. We are, somehow, able to justify ANY behavior. I worry that I don’t make much of a difference in the World because I just “sing songs on a ship.” Someone else may say, “Yeah, but you bring joy to the lives of people.” Do I? I love my job, but as I bang away on the guitar, the guy who shot bin Laden is struggling to keep his life together. He and his family will forever be targets of terrorists willing to blow themselves up for their religion and militia. It’s not fair.

So, do I read too much? Any suggestions of how I can quit feeling guilt for things I have little-to-no control over? I think we all should put ourselves in other people’s shoes before we make a decision or have an opinion. When you learn more about the struggles of others, things like fashion, LeBron, and Jersey Shore don’t seem very important. The only thing that keeps me going is the idea that maybe if I have any REAL success, I will use that power to help those who struggle. I do feel their pain. I know what struggling feels like, to some degree. Can’t STAND to watch others struggle….

Hope you’re making a difference somewhere in your life. Peace and love, as always.

Arch

Greetings from Key West!

It’s 4:30 PM on Friday and it’s been a week or so since I’ve written. The reason is I’ve been too lazy because I’ve worked 15 straight nights. My voice is so tired and my body is so worn out, the last thing I want to do is write. But, here I sit. Dr. Phil is on TV. Just finished a crossword puzzle from the February 13^th issue of the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader and a cup of coffee. Tonight, I start playing at 7:30 in the Atrium and must wear my suit. I think I’ll wear a vest tonight. What do you think?

Dr. Phil is pretty damn annoying. That voice and accent is so grating. CNN it is! I would say Dr. Phil does good for his guests, but he exploits their stories (if they are true.) for him own monetary gain and ratings. I know…. the guests agree to be on there…. but people do the dumbest things for attention. (See: Jerry Springer Show.) I would struggle with the moral issue of exploitation for personal gain. It’s a fine line… but most people wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep over it. I would.

Man, there’s just nothing on! CNN is just a huge argument. I’d put on ESPN, but I really don’t like the NFL, Kobe, and/or LeBron…. and that’s ALL ESPN has as subjects. Why not turn off the TV? I need background noise. AHA! My iPod!! Shambala by Three Dog Night is the first tune on. Whew! Now I can continue…

Been reading a lot lately. I have about 6 issues of TIME Magazine, an issue of Esquire and Rolling Stone. You must sift through the crappy articles about fashion, Rhianna, Justin Beiber, and American Idol and you’ll find some insightful stuff. Thought provoking items. I love to read about things I know little about… like the Higgs Boson Particle. These scientists are beyond intelligent to discover the things they do… while the rest of us worry about whether our sports teams won… or play video games. I wish I had studied harder in school!!!

I read an article the other day about the “Illusion of Freedom”. It was so thought provoking, we had a great chat about it in the Staff Mess (cafeteria). I was the only American in the group of five. The article talked about how we see ourselves as free, yet we are “slaves” to money and our job. If we were truly free, we could quit our job and still exist. Ideally, we should be able to “exist” without working. The working class would STILL be able to get ahead and have more… without calling for the harm of the lazy. But that’s a utopian ideal.

Truth is: If I quit my job, I would probably starve. If not, I would be a pariah and shunned by society. Interesting because I never looked at it that way until I read the article. How many people are in jobs they hate, but can’t afford to leave? Owners of companies call themselves “job creators”, but the jobs they create are incidental. If they could NOT use or pay labor, they would. They “create” the fewest possible jobs they can get by on…. or just move the business to countries that allows slave labor. It’s all about the “bottom line”.

Needless to say, it made for an interesting conversation to look at that subject in different cultures. I mean, we all know it exists, just never really thought of it that way. The beauty of reading articles like this and discussing it is that we can try to poke holes in it. Do people who start businesses do so with the thought, “I’m going to create jobs for Americans!” or “I want to be rich!”?? I don’t have an answer… I just like talking about it, forming an opinion, then applying it to my life. Would love to discuss it with you, too.

Reading as much as I do helps me understand…. and it’s embarrassing…. all the mistakes I’ve made in my life. The key is learning from them and evolving. I don’t make the same mistakes I made when I was 15. I hope you don’t, either. Learning helps us to change our thinking when it’s wrong. Kids out there need to understand that fact. It was met with great resistance, at one time in World history, that the Earth moved around the Sun, despite the evidence. Silly, huh? Happens today, too. Just different ways.

Hope this wasn’t too deep, but I do want you to think. I love to discuss ideas and research subjects of interest. What do YOU want to talk about? I’m game.

As always, peace and love.

Arch

 

 

Greetings from Nassau!

Hope all is well in your part of the World. I know there’s a Winter storm blowing through the Midwest… up into Indiana, Michigan and on into Canada… where it belongs! I guess Kentucky and the South are getting cold rain. Well, I tell you, it’s sunny and warm in Nassau today as I was working on my tan. It’s days like today that I really appreciate my job.

Today is February 22^nd, which probably means very little to you. It’s the 63^rd birthday of one of my heroes from childhood, Julius “Dr. J” Erving. Hard to believe “The Doctor” is that old! If you’ve never heard of him, look him up on youtube…. right after you look up Mike Archer playing music. Ha! I always admired “Doc” because he was certainly great, but, more importantly, ALWAYS a professional. Very classy. Some of you might point to the time he punched Larry Bird, but everyone wanted to punch Bird!! Just kidding. I do think, as great as he was and as much as I liked him, Bird was overrated and “Doc” was underrated…. but we can argue that another day. I just want to say “Happy Birthday” to Julius “The Doctor” ERRRRVING! (That’s how the announcer for the Sixers said his name during the starting line-ups. It was really sad, in “Doc’s” last game, when the announcer’s voice cracked as he chocked up. Very touching. It’s all on youtube.)

OK, moving on. Music is going well. Talked with JK Coltrain, President of Colt Records, as I had the idea of possibly shooting our next music video on one of Carnival’s ships. JK was having trouble reaching the proper person at Carnival headquarters, so I talked to our cruise director, Goose, here on the Victory. Goose (Real name: Gustav) was open to the idea and asked me to write an e-mail with all pertinent information so he could forward along. I did and he did. Keep your fingers crossed!

The TV here is driving me mad! First off, there’s only a couple of channels I watch. ESPN (barely), TBS (Seinfeld, American Dad, and Family Guy), CNN, and Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim (American Dad, Family Guy, and Robot Chicken). I watch Adult Swim as I go to sleep. So, the other day, TBS, CNN,, and Cartoon Network were blank. AAAAH!!! I’m a creature of habit! What was I to watch? Fox TV has a crap show called “Blind Date”. What a horrible, horrible idea for a show… let alone AIRING it. What idiots are watching this? Jimmy Kimmel is pretty good. Jay Leno…. just quit already. Jimmy Fallon isn’t too bad, I guess. Problem is: the guests weren’t very interesting that night. I need noise to help me NOT worry about music, work, missing home… just life. Yes, I am a worrier like my grandma Nellie. And commercials, I hate all of them. They irritate me while I’m laying in bed trying to sleep. I get it… you’re trying to sell us something….. leave me alone while I try to drift off to sleep….

The guests on this cruise and the last one were really, really into my music. One of the comedians on the Victory, James Silbey, stopped me in the Staff Mess today to tell me how much he enjoyed my music. Since I’ve gotten over being sick, my voice is very strong right now. One guest called me, “The best kept secret on Carnival Cruise Lines”…. his words, not mine. Such kind words, even if untrue. ESPECIALLY if untrue! They seem to like my ballads really well, but they also seem to like my ability to “rock out”, too. I prefer the ballads because it’s easier on the voice. Spend less energy and able to use more finesse. Either way, I just can’t believe I’m a professional entertainer!!!! And all the positive feedback I get is mind-boggling to me… because, as you know, I HATE my voice. Thank goodness I don’t play for an audience of Mike Archers!

OK, I’m done. As I type, I’m sitting in the Caribbean Lounge, watching the Sound and Lighting Techs set up for the show tonight. I play at 5:30 in the Black and Red Seas bar and the Atrium later in the night. Just got out of the shower, so my hair is wet and I’m wearing a white Hooter’s T-Shirt from St. Thomas. I get a lot of comments on this shirt, for some reason. Nothing special about it. Weird.

Take care of yourselves. Thanks for reading and listening to my music!!! Peace and love!

Arch