I've got a lot to do but find myself being really lazy lately. My dad and his wife spent the night downtown last night, went dancing and to a football game today. I'm supposed to find the sewer pipe and I've already dug 3+ feet and cannot find it. He's going to hook up the sewer pipe to his new added on apartments to the current pipe coming from the main house. His wife studies all the time for college and he's got a bad back, and works full time, so it's good that I can help. But I'm a bit useless and lazy at times. I'll go out later to avoid trick-or-treaters, since I cannot afford CANDY!
Wanna hear about Low Budget Living? Listen to this: I've made about 3 thousand dollars from working this year, and yet I've sailed on a few boats and lived in the Caribbean for 2 months (although I admit I was miserable and hungry much of that time AND living and working in the British Virgin Islands illegally). I always come back to my friend Nan's or my Dad's near Seattle in between trips, or as a place to live while I get settled, but my dad wants me to stick around a bit to help him with some heavy labor, so that's (somewhat) free room and board. I have a whole new office wardrobe for under $75, between Goodwill, free stuff, and last night I dyed two button-down shirts to hide stains and bleach marks from cooking aboard the Lady. I have to have collars on my shirts to hide the part of my largest tattoo that looks like a tentacle crawling up my neck. I dyed my hair last night. Right now the only thing that looks REALLY low budget is my haircut - it's awful. I got the best short cut last June and couldn't afford to get it trimmed. The hair in back was irritating as hell so I SHAVED the back half of my head, but it didn't matter at the time - I was on the boat and we all look silly and homeless anyway. But now it looks so bad! I'll have to go to my favorite cheap barbershop "Scream" sometime this week. Oh! I'm also excited because with this new job I'll get a free pass that gets me on 3 counties' worth of transit systems, including the train! How cool is that?
All this is nothing compared to my friend Sparkle, though. He lives on $1000 a year and hops trains to Massachussetts to visit friends and families twice a year. He has his own treehouse and land, and is fixing up a little sailboat. But even he had to donate his body to science for awhile to avoid full time work. I know this other woman who makes PLENTY of money, working for the government and as a bartender, and has 4 kids, and still goes through all the hormone injections to donate her eggs for an extra couple thousand. All that seems so not worth it.
Later on I'll post some really profound stuff. Promise!
Crests of Waves w/links
Got all coffeed up late tonight and wasted my time linking stuff to this post...
Below are some pics taken today and yesterday on my cheap little $30 digital toy from Target. It overexposes everything and washes out the finer points (like all the background or far off scenery) but it's doubtful that I'll spend any money in the future on a better camera. It's more likely that I'd just get another tattoo instead.
Thank god for Landon, who has told me what book to read next. "Devil's Apocrypha" (after reading this interview though, I believe it is much more fictional than Brown's novel). After quickly finishing Da Vinci Code the TV has been pulling me closer and closer. It doesn't help that it's right next to the wood stove, either. It's the only warm place in the house. So what was on tonight, you ask? No you don't ask, but I tell you anyway - I hover between #55 TBS (O Brother Where Art Thou and Sex & The City commercials), #60 Comedy Central (Mad TV, Daily Show), #66 Bravo (Ewan MacGregor on a long distance BMW motorcycle trip across Russia) and the channels in between, which offered bits and pieces of Bride of Chucky and Purple Rain. This Brain Drain lasted about 2 hours.
So I got a job and searched ALL OVER SEATTLE for shoes today. I started out very specific: medium brown high boots with a low heel. (of course I can't afford the $160 for the ones on the link, but I'd thought I could find a cheap imitation) By the end of the day I settled for the free shoes that my sister's mom gave me last weekend. If you want to wear boots around here you have no choice but to gain an extra 3 inches and look like an uncomfortable hooker. Low heels do not exist in the boot world right now. In fact cool shoes do not exist in the shoe world right now either. I'm trying to make the rainboot trendy but it might make a bad impression at this new job. I bought some turtlenecks at Goodwill and a cute pink flowered button up shirt for my first day.
This post sounds really lame. TV shows and shopping. In the words of Bobby Darin, "So long sailing, good-bye sailing..."
Give me a month and I'll be quoting the first paragraph of Moby Dick.
The quote that motivates/inspires me lately is simple, and from a Coldplay song- "nothing matters except life and the love you make". Plus I can't stop thinking about that theory presented to me through that movie "Waking Life" regarding the belief that we are all inexplicably mentally connected and virtually all learning new things at the same time.
My latest blog development, besides posting pics here instead of the reference page, is my idea to write stories and experiences from my past. I've always wanted to write the stuff down, because interesting details get lost the older I get. But I hate hand writing anything. And since I won't be popping out any little kimbos to share the stories with, why not let total strangers happen upon them?
Those are my Thoughts For The Day :)
Below are some pics taken today and yesterday on my cheap little $30 digital toy from Target. It overexposes everything and washes out the finer points (like all the background or far off scenery) but it's doubtful that I'll spend any money in the future on a better camera. It's more likely that I'd just get another tattoo instead.
Thank god for Landon, who has told me what book to read next. "Devil's Apocrypha" (after reading this interview though, I believe it is much more fictional than Brown's novel). After quickly finishing Da Vinci Code the TV has been pulling me closer and closer. It doesn't help that it's right next to the wood stove, either. It's the only warm place in the house. So what was on tonight, you ask? No you don't ask, but I tell you anyway - I hover between #55 TBS (O Brother Where Art Thou and Sex & The City commercials), #60 Comedy Central (Mad TV, Daily Show), #66 Bravo (Ewan MacGregor on a long distance BMW motorcycle trip across Russia) and the channels in between, which offered bits and pieces of Bride of Chucky and Purple Rain. This Brain Drain lasted about 2 hours.
So I got a job and searched ALL OVER SEATTLE for shoes today. I started out very specific: medium brown high boots with a low heel. (of course I can't afford the $160 for the ones on the link, but I'd thought I could find a cheap imitation) By the end of the day I settled for the free shoes that my sister's mom gave me last weekend. If you want to wear boots around here you have no choice but to gain an extra 3 inches and look like an uncomfortable hooker. Low heels do not exist in the boot world right now. In fact cool shoes do not exist in the shoe world right now either. I'm trying to make the rainboot trendy but it might make a bad impression at this new job. I bought some turtlenecks at Goodwill and a cute pink flowered button up shirt for my first day.
This post sounds really lame. TV shows and shopping. In the words of Bobby Darin, "So long sailing, good-bye sailing..."
Give me a month and I'll be quoting the first paragraph of Moby Dick.
The quote that motivates/inspires me lately is simple, and from a Coldplay song- "nothing matters except life and the love you make". Plus I can't stop thinking about that theory presented to me through that movie "Waking Life" regarding the belief that we are all inexplicably mentally connected and virtually all learning new things at the same time.
My latest blog development, besides posting pics here instead of the reference page, is my idea to write stories and experiences from my past. I've always wanted to write the stuff down, because interesting details get lost the older I get. But I hate hand writing anything. And since I won't be popping out any little kimbos to share the stories with, why not let total strangers happen upon them?
Those are my Thoughts For The Day :)
Second Half
Not as exciting. I predicted a lot of the things that happened. But all in all, a great book.
I got a job! It's clerical work but I'll survive fine at $12 per hour. Today's list of things to do includes shopping for decent shoes, tights, shirts at the fine establishments known as JC Penney, Sears, and Goodwill.
My dad killed a deer last weekend. On purpose. He and his wife went hunting and he happened upon a 3-pointer and shot him in the neck. I've eaten very little venison in my life; last night was my first venison steak. It was really good! It was just like an expensive beef steak but with that venison-y flavor instead. And with all the utter crap they feed and inject into storebought meat, it felt better for me to eat an animal that's been running around happy and eating wild berries and grass all it's life.
The Red Sox won the world series, which was neat to watch, even though I'm not into sports. Babe Ruth put a curse on the team's owner when he died 86 years ago and they haven't won the world series since, so the curse is lifted and everyone is ecstatic. Apparently the owner at the time had traded Ruth because he bought a movie star instead.
There was a full eclipse of the moon last night. I saw the tail end of it. The news said the moon was going to shine red but it looked gray to me. Saw some funny stuff on TV - Steve-O and sexy Chris Pontius from Jackass did a show called WildBoyz where they get bit and chased by exotic animals (grizzly bears, emus, wildebeest). They were showing their best hits from the season in a really cheesy format, wearing banana hammocks and playing by a pool in Hollywood. Then I watched about 5 minutes of "Drawn Together", a "real world" for cartoon characters. There was some good writing in that. Saw a very creepy commercial for trident Meltaways with all these kids sticking their tongues out. Made me feel like I was Johnny Depp when he arrives at the Vegas hotel, tripping hard with all those lizard people around. Mostly I think Comedy Central is the only channel worth watching. I love the Daily Show.
I got a job! It's clerical work but I'll survive fine at $12 per hour. Today's list of things to do includes shopping for decent shoes, tights, shirts at the fine establishments known as JC Penney, Sears, and Goodwill.
My dad killed a deer last weekend. On purpose. He and his wife went hunting and he happened upon a 3-pointer and shot him in the neck. I've eaten very little venison in my life; last night was my first venison steak. It was really good! It was just like an expensive beef steak but with that venison-y flavor instead. And with all the utter crap they feed and inject into storebought meat, it felt better for me to eat an animal that's been running around happy and eating wild berries and grass all it's life.
The Red Sox won the world series, which was neat to watch, even though I'm not into sports. Babe Ruth put a curse on the team's owner when he died 86 years ago and they haven't won the world series since, so the curse is lifted and everyone is ecstatic. Apparently the owner at the time had traded Ruth because he bought a movie star instead.
There was a full eclipse of the moon last night. I saw the tail end of it. The news said the moon was going to shine red but it looked gray to me. Saw some funny stuff on TV - Steve-O and sexy Chris Pontius from Jackass did a show called WildBoyz where they get bit and chased by exotic animals (grizzly bears, emus, wildebeest). They were showing their best hits from the season in a really cheesy format, wearing banana hammocks and playing by a pool in Hollywood. Then I watched about 5 minutes of "Drawn Together", a "real world" for cartoon characters. There was some good writing in that. Saw a very creepy commercial for trident Meltaways with all these kids sticking their tongues out. Made me feel like I was Johnny Depp when he arrives at the Vegas hotel, tripping hard with all those lizard people around. Mostly I think Comedy Central is the only channel worth watching. I love the Daily Show.
First Half of The Da Vinci Code
I'm only halfway through Da Vinci Code - but I started getting all excited. Hasn't anyone read Another Roadside Attraction? Plucky Purcell finding the goods in the Vatican basement and all that? If only Tom Robbins could capture readers like this author Dan Brown! None of this would be new! Except of course this part I'm getting into about Mary Magdalene - but I'm talking about the stuff that really opens people's eyes - the pagan symbolism EVERYWHERE... the questioning of the whole history of the bible and christianity. Dan Brown backs his words up with facts from history and uses a suspenseful plot to inform the public of these facts. If hardcore christians who read this react in no other way but to at least be more tolerant of other beliefs, then that's good enough for me.
When the book gets into the symbolic breakdown of Da Vinci's "Last Supper" I had to get online and look for myself. Conspiracy theorists or not, it sure as hell does look like that's a woman. Then I found the Opus Dei website, where they try to negate the book, but admit to the use of "mortification". They do not qualify the book's claim that women and men are physically and visually separated at their facility. Throughout the website they quote the founder and other notable figures who support them, one being Elizabeth Fox-Genovese. I thought, what woman would support these guys? So I ran a search on her, and she's widely published. I didn't read everything on her but she's basically very catholic, anti abortion, and is a professor of history. I'm going to go back to reading, but I was online and needed to put these thoughts down before I got too lazy.
When the book gets into the symbolic breakdown of Da Vinci's "Last Supper" I had to get online and look for myself. Conspiracy theorists or not, it sure as hell does look like that's a woman. Then I found the Opus Dei website, where they try to negate the book, but admit to the use of "mortification". They do not qualify the book's claim that women and men are physically and visually separated at their facility. Throughout the website they quote the founder and other notable figures who support them, one being Elizabeth Fox-Genovese. I thought, what woman would support these guys? So I ran a search on her, and she's widely published. I didn't read everything on her but she's basically very catholic, anti abortion, and is a professor of history. I'm going to go back to reading, but I was online and needed to put these thoughts down before I got too lazy.
Double Cream Chocolate Cheesecake!
Long time no blog.
Good company in Seattle and emails with Haida Bob have satisfied my need to bounce thoughts off others lately.
Had some quality time with the sis on friday. Her mom, stepdad, 6 friends and I went to see a comedy show with the contestants from "Last Comic Standing", a show I watched with her once several months ago. John Heffron is a 34 year old comedian, and jokes about how 21 year old guys get all amped to score at the bars, and guys in their 30-somethings walk into a bar with a gaggle of young guys and know that it isn't going to be any fun. He joked about how now that he's in his 30's, he gets "mystery bruises", which I can totally relate to, and how he gets sore from just blow drying his hair. Tammy Pescatelli, another comedienne, told this great, very politically incorrect joke about how she was in the Bon and watched a teenage girl screaming at her mother, ending with a big "Fuck You". She said she walked over and wanted to say to the mom "Go get her! I've got your back!" but the mom just looked at her sheepishly and said "teens these days!". The whole audience groaned. Tammy then ended the joke by saying she should give the teenager girl a "homemade hysterectomy" via a big boot to the crotch and tell the mom it's because "your genes aren't no good!" I'm retelling it pretty badly here but it was pretty funny and most of her stuff made you laugh and want to yell "Yeah!"
After the show we hit The Cheesecake Factory, then it was out to Alderwood for a big all night slumber party in a hotel room. We ate a lot of Uncle Seth's cookies and watched a terrible movie - The Hangman's Curse. Don't ever watch it. It was more of a comedy to us. The girls went swimming in the morning and I spent the rest of the day vegetating at my sister's place.
Fluffz and I had some fun and excitement this weekend. Except for the movie Primer which is a super-indie attempt at the movie stylings previously brought to us by The Butterfly Effect, 21 Grams and Memento. I forget - do I italicize movies and put quotations around books? Or is it the other way around? The excitement mostly involved treading through and almost getting caught in the "Hot Zone" - an area near downtown where violence and torture beyond belief awaits me, and the fun... well I always have a fun and interesting time hanging out with Fluffz. He's pretty darn cute.
My job interview today went well- I'd like to say I'm quite sure they'll call, but this will probably jinx me. It's $10 per hour and only lasts 2 months, but that might work out perfectly.
I'm reading the Da Vinci Code. It quickly dawned on me that this is a theme I've chosen to read many times before, but how great is it that this book became so popular?!? Really fucking great, I tell ya. That means millions of other people have the same ideas (questions! answers!) floating around in their heads now too. Jitterbug Perfume is my favorite book. Tom Robbins has been discussing the same things for years in his books. He's the most notable author that tries to get these ideas out there. I've also read books like Mysts of Avalon and Valley of the Horses but for obvious reasons these books have not been respected enough nor convincing enough to tweak hundreds of years of forced patriarchal society. It's entirely possible that this new popular book could inspire more interest in true paganism; paganism without the stigma it has held for so long.
At my job interview today, the interviewer asked if I could handle working closely with people of varied sexual orientation and religious beliefs. The product they deal with is based on paganism so I had no qualms telling her that I'm quite tolerant, and if I had to label myself I would say that I am pagan, though not so much "practicing" besides just living well.
My realistic, minimalist attitude isn't conducive to organized ritual or collecting spiritual paraphrenalia. At one time I sought community with pagans by attending the Universalist Unitarian church. After two visits I became finicky and decided that the ritual events in the brochure sounded too hippie-ish and yet the sermon was like a philosophy lecture and held no spiritual excitement for me at all. Organized religion has never been for me. I think I go in very skeptical and with a negative attitude in general.
I really like Jesus Christ. He probably existed and had some healing powers too. But christianity and big religions overall have been extremely destructive. I think I used to argue with christians about how so many of them don't act like good old Jesus. They always came back with some garble from the bible that justified their actions. Christianity, like astrology, has an explanation for everything. You gotta just take the good stuff and leave the bad.
Good company in Seattle and emails with Haida Bob have satisfied my need to bounce thoughts off others lately.
Had some quality time with the sis on friday. Her mom, stepdad, 6 friends and I went to see a comedy show with the contestants from "Last Comic Standing", a show I watched with her once several months ago. John Heffron is a 34 year old comedian, and jokes about how 21 year old guys get all amped to score at the bars, and guys in their 30-somethings walk into a bar with a gaggle of young guys and know that it isn't going to be any fun. He joked about how now that he's in his 30's, he gets "mystery bruises", which I can totally relate to, and how he gets sore from just blow drying his hair. Tammy Pescatelli, another comedienne, told this great, very politically incorrect joke about how she was in the Bon and watched a teenage girl screaming at her mother, ending with a big "Fuck You". She said she walked over and wanted to say to the mom "Go get her! I've got your back!" but the mom just looked at her sheepishly and said "teens these days!". The whole audience groaned. Tammy then ended the joke by saying she should give the teenager girl a "homemade hysterectomy" via a big boot to the crotch and tell the mom it's because "your genes aren't no good!" I'm retelling it pretty badly here but it was pretty funny and most of her stuff made you laugh and want to yell "Yeah!"
After the show we hit The Cheesecake Factory, then it was out to Alderwood for a big all night slumber party in a hotel room. We ate a lot of Uncle Seth's cookies and watched a terrible movie - The Hangman's Curse. Don't ever watch it. It was more of a comedy to us. The girls went swimming in the morning and I spent the rest of the day vegetating at my sister's place.
Fluffz and I had some fun and excitement this weekend. Except for the movie Primer which is a super-indie attempt at the movie stylings previously brought to us by The Butterfly Effect, 21 Grams and Memento. I forget - do I italicize movies and put quotations around books? Or is it the other way around? The excitement mostly involved treading through and almost getting caught in the "Hot Zone" - an area near downtown where violence and torture beyond belief awaits me, and the fun... well I always have a fun and interesting time hanging out with Fluffz. He's pretty darn cute.
My job interview today went well- I'd like to say I'm quite sure they'll call, but this will probably jinx me. It's $10 per hour and only lasts 2 months, but that might work out perfectly.
I'm reading the Da Vinci Code. It quickly dawned on me that this is a theme I've chosen to read many times before, but how great is it that this book became so popular?!? Really fucking great, I tell ya. That means millions of other people have the same ideas (questions! answers!) floating around in their heads now too. Jitterbug Perfume is my favorite book. Tom Robbins has been discussing the same things for years in his books. He's the most notable author that tries to get these ideas out there. I've also read books like Mysts of Avalon and Valley of the Horses but for obvious reasons these books have not been respected enough nor convincing enough to tweak hundreds of years of forced patriarchal society. It's entirely possible that this new popular book could inspire more interest in true paganism; paganism without the stigma it has held for so long.
At my job interview today, the interviewer asked if I could handle working closely with people of varied sexual orientation and religious beliefs. The product they deal with is based on paganism so I had no qualms telling her that I'm quite tolerant, and if I had to label myself I would say that I am pagan, though not so much "practicing" besides just living well.
My realistic, minimalist attitude isn't conducive to organized ritual or collecting spiritual paraphrenalia. At one time I sought community with pagans by attending the Universalist Unitarian church. After two visits I became finicky and decided that the ritual events in the brochure sounded too hippie-ish and yet the sermon was like a philosophy lecture and held no spiritual excitement for me at all. Organized religion has never been for me. I think I go in very skeptical and with a negative attitude in general.
I really like Jesus Christ. He probably existed and had some healing powers too. But christianity and big religions overall have been extremely destructive. I think I used to argue with christians about how so many of them don't act like good old Jesus. They always came back with some garble from the bible that justified their actions. Christianity, like astrology, has an explanation for everything. You gotta just take the good stuff and leave the bad.
Pickin' Rocks
Meals for today: Breakfast - piece of bread with cheese, emergen-c, coffee and any vitamins I could find in my dad's house. Lunch - piece of turkey jerky, water. Snack - peanut butter crackers. Dinner - can of soup, scoop of ice cream.
Back to singledom! This is my normal diet when I'm not on the boat. No wonder my nails and hair grow like crazy on the Lady. Feed us so we can grow! It must be too that we are healthier when we eat plenty of good food. If it makes my nails and hair grow so much, it probably makes all cells regenerate more.
As is typical when I arrive at my father's giant empty house in the dark, I got on the phone with my sister and walked all around the house with a sharp knife, checking for thieves and weirdos that might hide in the crannies. There's never been one found, but it eases my paranoid mind. The woman who raised me works in the criminal justice system and has been telling me stories equivalent to the worst of the local news for years. "It doesn't take anything to set off a killer!" she said just days ago. Between growing up hearing about the Green River Killer, watching TV & movies, and knowing women that were raped or molested and being followed by a few wackos myself, there's some unneeded anxiety in me. My dad lives in the boonies compared to Seattle. This summer I was getting a lot of hang-up calls, like I would walk in the front door and immediately the phone would ring. Creepy, since it hardly ever rings and the house is almost surrounded by apartment buildings. But nobody has shoved me in a dark hole and threatened to make an outfit out of my skin yet, so things are looking up.
The house was freezing last night. Of course Dad disengaged the central heating, knowing I'd be here. So I had to make a fire, but that didn't help much. The wool socks, sweater and terrycloth bathrobe barely warmed me for the hours I sat looking for jobs online. Then today there was this big ditch to dig for my dad. Digging ditches is something I've ever done, and it was quickly learned that swinging a pick at rocks can result in painful hands and wrists. I started a fire in the wood stove early, so the house is nice and warm tonight. So far I've yet to turn on the TV. Just listening to KEXP, talking to my gramma, and tending the fire in between shoveling and picking. There's big fat hot coals now, and I've got a series of fans set up to circulate their warmth around the house.
Tomorrow I have a job interview! Yippee! It's for a non-profit, and it's flexible so that's even better. The guy says "We start at $12 an hour. Is that going to work out for you?" Hmm... let me think... how much money have I made this year? Three thousand dollars, maybe? "Yes that's fine" I responded, trying not to sound too eager. I'm not whipping out the 48 degrees north boat sales classifieds right yet. Have some more resumes to send/email tonight.
Back to singledom! This is my normal diet when I'm not on the boat. No wonder my nails and hair grow like crazy on the Lady. Feed us so we can grow! It must be too that we are healthier when we eat plenty of good food. If it makes my nails and hair grow so much, it probably makes all cells regenerate more.
As is typical when I arrive at my father's giant empty house in the dark, I got on the phone with my sister and walked all around the house with a sharp knife, checking for thieves and weirdos that might hide in the crannies. There's never been one found, but it eases my paranoid mind. The woman who raised me works in the criminal justice system and has been telling me stories equivalent to the worst of the local news for years. "It doesn't take anything to set off a killer!" she said just days ago. Between growing up hearing about the Green River Killer, watching TV & movies, and knowing women that were raped or molested and being followed by a few wackos myself, there's some unneeded anxiety in me. My dad lives in the boonies compared to Seattle. This summer I was getting a lot of hang-up calls, like I would walk in the front door and immediately the phone would ring. Creepy, since it hardly ever rings and the house is almost surrounded by apartment buildings. But nobody has shoved me in a dark hole and threatened to make an outfit out of my skin yet, so things are looking up.
The house was freezing last night. Of course Dad disengaged the central heating, knowing I'd be here. So I had to make a fire, but that didn't help much. The wool socks, sweater and terrycloth bathrobe barely warmed me for the hours I sat looking for jobs online. Then today there was this big ditch to dig for my dad. Digging ditches is something I've ever done, and it was quickly learned that swinging a pick at rocks can result in painful hands and wrists. I started a fire in the wood stove early, so the house is nice and warm tonight. So far I've yet to turn on the TV. Just listening to KEXP, talking to my gramma, and tending the fire in between shoveling and picking. There's big fat hot coals now, and I've got a series of fans set up to circulate their warmth around the house.
Tomorrow I have a job interview! Yippee! It's for a non-profit, and it's flexible so that's even better. The guy says "We start at $12 an hour. Is that going to work out for you?" Hmm... let me think... how much money have I made this year? Three thousand dollars, maybe? "Yes that's fine" I responded, trying not to sound too eager. I'm not whipping out the 48 degrees north boat sales classifieds right yet. Have some more resumes to send/email tonight.
Memory vs. Hardcopy
Hey well the two jobs I assumed were going to take me back at a moment's notice both turned me away. Sorry! We wanted you a month ago! So was this quick stint aboard Lady Wa. worth it in the long run? Of course it was. I'd be worse off without the friendship and wise words gleaned from Bob, Brian, Eric and Noelle. People might not guess how brilliant Noelle is. Aggressive folks don't pay her much attention, but christ could they learn a lesson from her. I'm better off having spent even a little time with these crewmembers.
And today was excellent anyway. The one place that I have sent my resume to has already called back for a phone interview. The weather was clear, cold, sunny and gorgeous. I can smell the leaves, and after being dropped off at the ferry terminal, I could see and smell the ocean up close again. Years ago I used to commute via ferry and motorcycle, and I had a journal and a polaroid camera to record the look and feel of all the different colors, moods, thoughts going through my head while sitting on the ferry.
After a while I began to dislike the fact that instead of basking in the beauty around me, I had to record it with pictures and words. Why? The instinct is still there. All day long now I think of things to write about and wish I had a camera to record things. Other people's photos are excellent to view. I got my first camera when I was nine, and took 48 pictures of my cat Snickelfritz creeping in the tall grass. My stepmother got back with the processed prints and yelled at me for wasting her money. My minimalism and lack of cash for not only a decent camera but any means of printing them made my photography habit easy to give up. That, and although I've patiently apprenticed to three different professional photographers, I have the least technically minded brain in the universe and no short term memory, which makes learning apertures and f-stops futile. I can develop my own film, use an enlarger and process prints, but it all got too cumbersome. Looking for cheap enlargers and having nowhere to set up was disheartening. I appreciate Fluffz's stuff. He just carries a small digital camera and sometimes doesn't even frame what he's shooting. Some of his best pictures are almost accidental. This style is attractive to my way of thinking.
OH GOD I wrote a poem today. I haven't written a poem in FOREVER. In junior high I wrote a poem about a bird who begs for food all day then falls out of it's nest and gets picked up by a taxidermist. That's my disclaimer if you choose to read further. Excuse the cliches if you can.
Ferry Night
Pictures of memories all around but I don't believe in cameras
My pretty face in the window
prettier, perfect against the waves
Ocean feels like home
I cry when I return
(waited too long again)
I always go back
Others go forward
This place is cold, quiet, natural
Not restrained
Not charismatic
It's a long winter, like a dark Alaskan winter maybe
But it embraces me, inspires consciousness
I want to capture it all and share it with you.
I don't care if it's dumb. I was really feelin' it. I'm exploring my creative side here so don't give me any crap. Surely I have a creative side...
And today was excellent anyway. The one place that I have sent my resume to has already called back for a phone interview. The weather was clear, cold, sunny and gorgeous. I can smell the leaves, and after being dropped off at the ferry terminal, I could see and smell the ocean up close again. Years ago I used to commute via ferry and motorcycle, and I had a journal and a polaroid camera to record the look and feel of all the different colors, moods, thoughts going through my head while sitting on the ferry.
After a while I began to dislike the fact that instead of basking in the beauty around me, I had to record it with pictures and words. Why? The instinct is still there. All day long now I think of things to write about and wish I had a camera to record things. Other people's photos are excellent to view. I got my first camera when I was nine, and took 48 pictures of my cat Snickelfritz creeping in the tall grass. My stepmother got back with the processed prints and yelled at me for wasting her money. My minimalism and lack of cash for not only a decent camera but any means of printing them made my photography habit easy to give up. That, and although I've patiently apprenticed to three different professional photographers, I have the least technically minded brain in the universe and no short term memory, which makes learning apertures and f-stops futile. I can develop my own film, use an enlarger and process prints, but it all got too cumbersome. Looking for cheap enlargers and having nowhere to set up was disheartening. I appreciate Fluffz's stuff. He just carries a small digital camera and sometimes doesn't even frame what he's shooting. Some of his best pictures are almost accidental. This style is attractive to my way of thinking.
OH GOD I wrote a poem today. I haven't written a poem in FOREVER. In junior high I wrote a poem about a bird who begs for food all day then falls out of it's nest and gets picked up by a taxidermist. That's my disclaimer if you choose to read further. Excuse the cliches if you can.
Ferry Night
Pictures of memories all around but I don't believe in cameras
My pretty face in the window
prettier, perfect against the waves
Ocean feels like home
I cry when I return
(waited too long again)
I always go back
Others go forward
This place is cold, quiet, natural
Not restrained
Not charismatic
It's a long winter, like a dark Alaskan winter maybe
But it embraces me, inspires consciousness
I want to capture it all and share it with you.
I don't care if it's dumb. I was really feelin' it. I'm exploring my creative side here so don't give me any crap. Surely I have a creative side...
Between Jobs
NOT the ones we call "blow"
My little sis went with me last night to see if we could get into the Bright Eyes show at the Moore Theater. We were 4th back in line when they sold out. Ah vell... another time. We went to Dick's instead. After watching the movie SuperSize Me all the fast food joints seem even more disgusting, but Dick's will always bring me back. My mom and dad used to frequent Dick's when they were teens. Maybe I should go over there and look for a job...
I'm working on my resume today, doing a little job searching, and doing some work for a family member. My sister's mom was nice enough to lend me their car, so besides the fact that it's an SUV and gas costs $2.19 (!!!!!) per gallon, it should be a productive day. This morning I woke up and my hair was curly. Or is it just really messy? I'll have to take a closer look. Yesterday Wells Fargo eagerly took my pittance of a paycheck, processed it, then mentioned nonchalantly "did you know you were $35 overdrawn?". See, I thought you couldn't overdraw on a debit card, but not so. The 15 year old teller with over curled and mascara'd eyelashes tells me that ATM's not owned by Wells Fargo don't know your balance. Apparently they will only let you overdraft a little (enough to charge a huge fee). My overdraft was 99 cents before the fee. There's a clear reason why I don't have credit cards. I'm terrible with money, and it's important to avoid stuff like this. Looks like I may have to start keeping track, because the debit card they gave me with the visa logo on it is a lifesaver when buying plane tickets online.
Mikey Pru emailed me, which is great because I have missed him. As usual he's got a flurry of women trying to jump his bones down in Austin. Not much else besides that... it's time for me to hunt down some food and escape the suburbs that I've been holed up in overnight. Richmond Beach Foods up the street beckons, tempts with their $1 mexican mochas. If only the luxury of having people's houses to myself while they are at work or school wasn't so attractive. It's hard to deny the blissful quiet and privacy that my friends and family too often allow me. Wearing out my welcome ain't too cute, though. Time to focus!
My little sis went with me last night to see if we could get into the Bright Eyes show at the Moore Theater. We were 4th back in line when they sold out. Ah vell... another time. We went to Dick's instead. After watching the movie SuperSize Me all the fast food joints seem even more disgusting, but Dick's will always bring me back. My mom and dad used to frequent Dick's when they were teens. Maybe I should go over there and look for a job...
I'm working on my resume today, doing a little job searching, and doing some work for a family member. My sister's mom was nice enough to lend me their car, so besides the fact that it's an SUV and gas costs $2.19 (!!!!!) per gallon, it should be a productive day. This morning I woke up and my hair was curly. Or is it just really messy? I'll have to take a closer look. Yesterday Wells Fargo eagerly took my pittance of a paycheck, processed it, then mentioned nonchalantly "did you know you were $35 overdrawn?". See, I thought you couldn't overdraw on a debit card, but not so. The 15 year old teller with over curled and mascara'd eyelashes tells me that ATM's not owned by Wells Fargo don't know your balance. Apparently they will only let you overdraft a little (enough to charge a huge fee). My overdraft was 99 cents before the fee. There's a clear reason why I don't have credit cards. I'm terrible with money, and it's important to avoid stuff like this. Looks like I may have to start keeping track, because the debit card they gave me with the visa logo on it is a lifesaver when buying plane tickets online.
Mikey Pru emailed me, which is great because I have missed him. As usual he's got a flurry of women trying to jump his bones down in Austin. Not much else besides that... it's time for me to hunt down some food and escape the suburbs that I've been holed up in overnight. Richmond Beach Foods up the street beckons, tempts with their $1 mexican mochas. If only the luxury of having people's houses to myself while they are at work or school wasn't so attractive. It's hard to deny the blissful quiet and privacy that my friends and family too often allow me. Wearing out my welcome ain't too cute, though. Time to focus!
Little Bites!
Fluffz called me an optimist. It's apparently why I try to deny the existence of sociopaths. It really gives the sociopath a leg up on me, because they take advantage of my optimism, thinking I'm just dumb or vulnerable, I guess, and go on manipulating me. Maybe optimism makes me dumb and vulnerable. It's shocking when I realize that another person is purposely hurting or manipulating others. Haven't I been shocked enough?
Today my goal was to look for jobs in the sunday paper. Eventually that happened, but not until after the movie "Saved" and a walk to Fred Meyer. That movie was cute - it's a pretty well scripted comedy about kids at an over the top christian high school coming to terms with homosexuality, teen pregnancy, and religion. The walk was very nice. Autumn in the Northwest is quiet and cold and beautiful. The railroad tracks were littered with red maple leaves, and the dusky blue cloud blanket blocked out the sun until the sun reached the horizon and shone on everything underneath the clouds for only an hour or so. My ears were frozen and painful. It must have looked a little odd - holding a coffee cup up to them. Ah! The ancient philosopher Juan Valdez is being channeled through my short drip! There was a woman with a little boy at the coffee shop. All throughout their visit she repeated anxiously "Little bites! Little bites! Little bites!". I looked over to see him taking a large bite and her grabbing it out of his mouth, resulting in screams and cries from him. She kept repeating "Little bites!" frantically, then she'd reward him, like a dog "Now there's a good boy! There's my big boy! My big boy takes little bites!".
Fred Meyer put me in a daze. There were no sneakers for under $30. I walked through, looking at everyone in line or shopping. They importantly buy stuff, stand in line, walk out to their car looking straight ahead or at their feet. I thought I was the zombie, feeling out of place, or as though I was an invisible observer. But actually I may be more connected and aware than some who think buying stuff and going to work is their life.
Buying stuff is surely tempting though. With only $100 in my pocket I still think it's OK to buy beer, coffee, skirts at Goodwill. That walk through Freddies today cured me of my 24 hour consumerism trance.
Today my goal was to look for jobs in the sunday paper. Eventually that happened, but not until after the movie "Saved" and a walk to Fred Meyer. That movie was cute - it's a pretty well scripted comedy about kids at an over the top christian high school coming to terms with homosexuality, teen pregnancy, and religion. The walk was very nice. Autumn in the Northwest is quiet and cold and beautiful. The railroad tracks were littered with red maple leaves, and the dusky blue cloud blanket blocked out the sun until the sun reached the horizon and shone on everything underneath the clouds for only an hour or so. My ears were frozen and painful. It must have looked a little odd - holding a coffee cup up to them. Ah! The ancient philosopher Juan Valdez is being channeled through my short drip! There was a woman with a little boy at the coffee shop. All throughout their visit she repeated anxiously "Little bites! Little bites! Little bites!". I looked over to see him taking a large bite and her grabbing it out of his mouth, resulting in screams and cries from him. She kept repeating "Little bites!" frantically, then she'd reward him, like a dog "Now there's a good boy! There's my big boy! My big boy takes little bites!".
Fred Meyer put me in a daze. There were no sneakers for under $30. I walked through, looking at everyone in line or shopping. They importantly buy stuff, stand in line, walk out to their car looking straight ahead or at their feet. I thought I was the zombie, feeling out of place, or as though I was an invisible observer. But actually I may be more connected and aware than some who think buying stuff and going to work is their life.
Buying stuff is surely tempting though. With only $100 in my pocket I still think it's OK to buy beer, coffee, skirts at Goodwill. That walk through Freddies today cured me of my 24 hour consumerism trance.
Big Tizzy
Thursday was fun - we had a barbecue at Drew's house and watched a creepy movie. On Friday I was stoked to finish up my business on the boat and go to a show in Seattle with 3 other crew, but there were a few incidents that marred the day. I tried quietly tell the new human resources person at the Seaport how important it is to many Lady alumni and crew that they make people volunteer before getting a paid position. Those two weeks are vital, because nobody is going to make much money anyway, and volunteering creates a sense of selfless commitment, helping a person feel like it's a family and a home, not a job. You have to achieve this in order to really succeed on the Lady. Two higher up crew interrupted my conversation to tell me how much they disagreed with me, and it turned into a pissing contest where they attempted to establish their educated opinions and authority. It doesn't bother me that they disagree, but if they felt strongly about it they could speak to Janet on their own time, like I was. Later, one of them tried to half-heartedly apologize. After shaking my head a bit I escaped whatever tedious conversation might follow. It wasn't meant to be a big deal in the first place. On the dock Drew tells me how he totally supports me, but didn't need to speak up when he observed the interruption because he knows I kick ass on my own. It's not uncommon for crew to let me stand alone in defense of fair treatment. Makes me wish Mason was around.
The other incident was with Kanaka, of course. I of course cannot leave the boat without having a run-in with her! She argued with the captain over MY seatime letter, trying to say that he was giving me too much. Then tried to pass herself off as a beacon of justice (which she will always do unless fairness does not further her gains). And THAT is where I fuck up with her all the time. She makes up some innocent explanation for her malicious behavior and I go ahead and acknowledge whatever bunk excuse she gives. When deep down I know that she's not on the up-and-up. She pushes my buttons and I may very well have ended up beating the shit out of her had I continued crewing. Nanette was surprised to hear that because she knows someone has to be really fucking awful to drive me to say that, though I have enough restraint to never do it. Of course it's OK for guys to make comments like that, but there'd be a big tizzy if I'd said that on board.
Haida Bob, ever aware of angst in his crewmembers, complied readily when I joked about how I needed a native american "smudging" to exorcise all this negative energy. He got one of his sage smudge bundles and we smudged ourselves up on the hardstand. It seemed to have cleansed me more of my guilt rather than my negative output, though. Then Eric, Cass, Kanaka, Myuh and I all jumped into the rez car and trucked on up to Seattle for the Dillinger Escape Plan show downtown. The rez car crapped out on us in Tacoma, overheating like crazy. Luckily you're never stuck when you have 2 engineers and a physics major in the car. I dropped them off downtown and went to leave my gear at Nanette's, then went back downtown to see the rest of the show. Dillinger Escape Plan has such a stage presence that I couldn't not like them. True, I may never buy any of their cd's, but I'll go see their show anytime. Their energy is contagious. It's been awhile since I've been to a show, especially in Seattle. People aren't as "grungy" as they were 10 years ago. For the type of music this band played, the audience was remarkably calm. Myuh pointed out that things get crazier in Boise, which I know is true from living there and going to shows there in '93. But I always feel a little more confident and unrestrained when I leave my hometown. But I'm not much of a dancer lately.
So now I'm at Nanette's. We went to breakfast at Salmon Bay Cafe this morning, and I have to figure out a way to transport myself to other family member's houses this weekend. Then I saw that Bright Eyes is playing downtown Monday night! I want to go, but spending money on shows is definitely not in my budget. Had I known they were coming I would have forgone Dillinger for Bright Eyes. My next week will be about gathering info on where I should work and how soon I can sign up for the AB class, buying a bike and possibly finding a place to live. The other day I sent a letter of interest to some people searching for crew during a long voyage - but that doesn't begin for several months.
The other incident was with Kanaka, of course. I of course cannot leave the boat without having a run-in with her! She argued with the captain over MY seatime letter, trying to say that he was giving me too much. Then tried to pass herself off as a beacon of justice (which she will always do unless fairness does not further her gains). And THAT is where I fuck up with her all the time. She makes up some innocent explanation for her malicious behavior and I go ahead and acknowledge whatever bunk excuse she gives. When deep down I know that she's not on the up-and-up. She pushes my buttons and I may very well have ended up beating the shit out of her had I continued crewing. Nanette was surprised to hear that because she knows someone has to be really fucking awful to drive me to say that, though I have enough restraint to never do it. Of course it's OK for guys to make comments like that, but there'd be a big tizzy if I'd said that on board.
Haida Bob, ever aware of angst in his crewmembers, complied readily when I joked about how I needed a native american "smudging" to exorcise all this negative energy. He got one of his sage smudge bundles and we smudged ourselves up on the hardstand. It seemed to have cleansed me more of my guilt rather than my negative output, though. Then Eric, Cass, Kanaka, Myuh and I all jumped into the rez car and trucked on up to Seattle for the Dillinger Escape Plan show downtown. The rez car crapped out on us in Tacoma, overheating like crazy. Luckily you're never stuck when you have 2 engineers and a physics major in the car. I dropped them off downtown and went to leave my gear at Nanette's, then went back downtown to see the rest of the show. Dillinger Escape Plan has such a stage presence that I couldn't not like them. True, I may never buy any of their cd's, but I'll go see their show anytime. Their energy is contagious. It's been awhile since I've been to a show, especially in Seattle. People aren't as "grungy" as they were 10 years ago. For the type of music this band played, the audience was remarkably calm. Myuh pointed out that things get crazier in Boise, which I know is true from living there and going to shows there in '93. But I always feel a little more confident and unrestrained when I leave my hometown. But I'm not much of a dancer lately.
So now I'm at Nanette's. We went to breakfast at Salmon Bay Cafe this morning, and I have to figure out a way to transport myself to other family member's houses this weekend. Then I saw that Bright Eyes is playing downtown Monday night! I want to go, but spending money on shows is definitely not in my budget. Had I known they were coming I would have forgone Dillinger for Bright Eyes. My next week will be about gathering info on where I should work and how soon I can sign up for the AB class, buying a bike and possibly finding a place to live. The other day I sent a letter of interest to some people searching for crew during a long voyage - but that doesn't begin for several months.
Superfluous Chaos
Captain Ben once commented on how a tall ship crew is "really like a litter of puppies". We snuggle, preen each other, nip both playfully and also to keep one another in line, beg for treats, lay in the sun, run around and bump into things. Emmet VanDriesche wrote us a great letter after he got off the boat this summer - about how people on land are in general lacking the human warmth we get to experience in our little commune. Some of it is exclusive to our particular boat, too. Other boats have tables that sit around at mealtime. We have 15 crew crammed into enough sitting space for 9, our plates on our laps, almost in our neighbors' lap. Last night while watching the last debate, and other cable programs at the hotel, we had at least 4 people on each queen sized bed. Hallie kicked my ass while wrestling, and Erin almost beat me at Indian Leg Wrestling - but she was working hard and jogging all day so I got the best of her. Got her back for pelting me with cream puffs on the dock! With my current job aboard coming to an end, I realized how much I've come to appreciate this completely different crew now, and how they will be missed. Last year was an interesting crew, and after many months of watching loved ones leave, and new cool crew come and go, I got a little tired of devoting energy to connecting with new crew. Especially the 2 week volunteers. They would leave soon anyway. It's hard to get so attached to a person you live and work with, then see them constantly leave. When John Boy, Ozzie and Nate left last year I cried and felt very depressed at the loss. John Boy was very firm when he told me that I would be fine, and there was no other option than to be OK with this part of the life I'd chosen. But once again it feels as though I'm going to leave and "miss out" on all the experiences that this family will share.
Today I am burning cd's, pictures and video to take with me, I'm packing, doing laundry, baking bread and meals and prepping the galley for the new cook. Before I leave I'll have to get email addresses - maybe to crew on another boat with some of these great people, or to conjer up some other great adventure like a hike or a road trip.
Today I am burning cd's, pictures and video to take with me, I'm packing, doing laundry, baking bread and meals and prepping the galley for the new cook. Before I leave I'll have to get email addresses - maybe to crew on another boat with some of these great people, or to conjer up some other great adventure like a hike or a road trip.
Chips Ahoy!
This morning after breakfast burritos and apple-cinnamon muffins Hallie joined me on my run to Costco & WestMarine in Olympia. We drove all over Olympia and I still barely know that town. We found an entire neighborhood/valley of just new car lots. It was frightening. Even though I'd brought us lunch we bought cream puffs and Odwalla at Costco and sucked a bunch down before we even hit the checkstand. I felt gross from overeating. I made a decent dinner when we returned - burritos and chicken tortilla soup with salad and Sun Chips. It looked so good I had to have some, but now I'm committed to buying some cheap sneakers at Payless or WalMart so I can go running tomorrow. I'm not getting the workout that I usually get on this boat.
I've become closer with several of the crew, even though I didn't expect to in such a short time. Over the past week I've gotten to know Brian, Eric, Hallie and Bob a little better. Brian is close to my age, and has led a fun outdoorsy live involving wilderness survival - including work as an Outward Bound guide and a kayaking guide. We have good talks when he comes into the galley for one of his many coffee fixes. Yesterday we were talking about all the options that people are faced with these days, and how life might be a lot easier without them. He said that peoples' ideas nowadays of what society deems proper are based on a time when there were no other options. It was simpler 150 years ago. To not get married, not have kids or not have to always work to survive was rare. But now we're all searching for our purpose in life instead.
Eric is 23, from Bellingham, and likes music, computers, sailing and snowboarding, and I always hear him talk about "Fixies" - some kind of hybrid mountain bike I think. He graduated Whitman recently with a degree in physics, and he has some really stretched out earlobes. Sometimes you get the impression that he's kind of geeky, but more often he speaks with humor and intelligence to the point that you almost believe he's older, with more life experience. He's a cool kid. He likes to go off and get in trouble with Drew and Myuh, both a little younger than Eric, but about 3 times the size of him.
Hallie is a beautiful 18 year old from Oregon. She looks like she sprung to life from a renaissance painting, with her perfect body, smooth white skin and long wavy blond hair and narrow face. Hallie makes for perfect crew: she is quiet and does not complain, she works hard and doesn't sweat the small stuff. It's interesting to see the reactions of other females (including my own at times) when a more beautiful, younger woman joins the crew. It does not create intense drama - that's not what I'm saying at all. Less social people remain completely unaffected. Every new crew presents a different dynamic. Communal living is psychologically fascinating, as most of us, being sailors, are strong willed characters. There evolves a pecking order among the group, and among both gender groups, even though we'd like to deny however un-politically correct that may be. You don't have to take it too seriously nor let it hinder you, but it's always there in small ways. We're still animals and can't get away from it. Were Hallie more immature, insecure and hungry for attention, she could probably get it, and the change in crew dynamic as far as gender relations would be more obvious.
And then there's Bob. He's from Ballard, gives great massages, is very comforting to talk with, and I think he's past his early 40's but I'm bad with age so who knows. Bob is Haida and is a wealth of information regarding all things Native American, Historical and Computerish. So far. There's more in there for sure. Bob doesn't need to prove to everyone that he's the shit. He just IS.
I feel fortunate that even though I can be a tyrant in the galley, these and the other crewmembers value my company and enjoy sharing their thoughts and stories with me.
Tonight we all watched Hedwig & The Angry Inch, otherwise known as Headrig & The Angry Windlass. It was my first time seeing this movie and it was very good. I liked everything about it, but I'm too tired to rave on and on about it. Looking forward to the next few days...
I've become closer with several of the crew, even though I didn't expect to in such a short time. Over the past week I've gotten to know Brian, Eric, Hallie and Bob a little better. Brian is close to my age, and has led a fun outdoorsy live involving wilderness survival - including work as an Outward Bound guide and a kayaking guide. We have good talks when he comes into the galley for one of his many coffee fixes. Yesterday we were talking about all the options that people are faced with these days, and how life might be a lot easier without them. He said that peoples' ideas nowadays of what society deems proper are based on a time when there were no other options. It was simpler 150 years ago. To not get married, not have kids or not have to always work to survive was rare. But now we're all searching for our purpose in life instead.
Eric is 23, from Bellingham, and likes music, computers, sailing and snowboarding, and I always hear him talk about "Fixies" - some kind of hybrid mountain bike I think. He graduated Whitman recently with a degree in physics, and he has some really stretched out earlobes. Sometimes you get the impression that he's kind of geeky, but more often he speaks with humor and intelligence to the point that you almost believe he's older, with more life experience. He's a cool kid. He likes to go off and get in trouble with Drew and Myuh, both a little younger than Eric, but about 3 times the size of him.
Hallie is a beautiful 18 year old from Oregon. She looks like she sprung to life from a renaissance painting, with her perfect body, smooth white skin and long wavy blond hair and narrow face. Hallie makes for perfect crew: she is quiet and does not complain, she works hard and doesn't sweat the small stuff. It's interesting to see the reactions of other females (including my own at times) when a more beautiful, younger woman joins the crew. It does not create intense drama - that's not what I'm saying at all. Less social people remain completely unaffected. Every new crew presents a different dynamic. Communal living is psychologically fascinating, as most of us, being sailors, are strong willed characters. There evolves a pecking order among the group, and among both gender groups, even though we'd like to deny however un-politically correct that may be. You don't have to take it too seriously nor let it hinder you, but it's always there in small ways. We're still animals and can't get away from it. Were Hallie more immature, insecure and hungry for attention, she could probably get it, and the change in crew dynamic as far as gender relations would be more obvious.
And then there's Bob. He's from Ballard, gives great massages, is very comforting to talk with, and I think he's past his early 40's but I'm bad with age so who knows. Bob is Haida and is a wealth of information regarding all things Native American, Historical and Computerish. So far. There's more in there for sure. Bob doesn't need to prove to everyone that he's the shit. He just IS.
I feel fortunate that even though I can be a tyrant in the galley, these and the other crewmembers value my company and enjoy sharing their thoughts and stories with me.
Tonight we all watched Hedwig & The Angry Inch, otherwise known as Headrig & The Angry Windlass. It was my first time seeing this movie and it was very good. I liked everything about it, but I'm too tired to rave on and on about it. Looking forward to the next few days...
Sunset
A few of us went to the Aberdeen Blockbuster tonight and rented 21 Grams, then went and bought ice cream bars and soda on the cook's credit card. I had to leave the room because I was getting totally annoyed with two crew sitting in the corner talking over their computer about some celestial navigation program. I've seen it before though, so no big deal. It's just not a movie that allows for distraction.
I served pizza and pasta salad for dinner. Everyone loves barbecue chicken pizza. Today I bought 40 dollars worth of organic coffee, and got to take the "flagon wagon" to the thrift store too. Within the next few days I'll have to drive to Olympia to provision for the new cook.
I served pizza and pasta salad for dinner. Everyone loves barbecue chicken pizza. Today I bought 40 dollars worth of organic coffee, and got to take the "flagon wagon" to the thrift store too. Within the next few days I'll have to drive to Olympia to provision for the new cook.
warm yellow light
More than anyone else I loved last night's dinner best. Even more than Eric, and it was supposed to be his birthday dinner. It was 3 new recipes for me: sauteed beets w/olive oil, salt and pepper; salmon, julienned orange peppers, capers, olive oil and lemon juice and garlic on a bed of spinach; and black beans and rice with onions and diced tomatoes. Beets are awesome. I was unaware until now. And they turn your pee pink. After dinner they all waited around for me to finish the applesauce cake, which wasn't that big of a deal, but everyone ate it.
I have a new favorite band/artist! Starr burned 4 Bright Eyes' cd's for Eric for his birthday. I've been listening to Fevers & Mirrors all morning. It's been awhile since I have instantly enjoyed a record so much. So far I'm imagining the lead singer of Violent Femmes, wandering around like Bjork in the musical parts of Dancer in the Dark - wandering into homes, schools, radio stations, around the city and through the country and desert - singing innocently and sorrowfully about all the shit going through his head and all the things he sees around him. I don't know what the lead singer of V.F. looks like, but Collin Oberst has a similar voice with a sometimes sad, shaky vibrato. It's at times annoying, but if he were rico suave smooth then it might feel more produced. The last time a record really got to me was when I was driving through this same part of the state on a solo RV trip of the Oregon/Washington coast, and I bought the Elliot Smith cd "XO". It couldn't have been safe, me driving a big old RV through the country, bawling my eyes out. He was a lot more depressing than Bright Eyes, though. I don't get the really down-with-no-hope-in-sight feeling that XO gave me. Oberst doesn't seem ready to stab himself in the heart with a knife anytime soon. He really mixes up the styles and sounds in his songs, and he sounds like even though he puts his emotions into his art, he still doesn't take himself so seriously that it becomes disgusting.
The crew is getting leftovers and my favorite sandwiches - fresh red bell peppers with goat cheese on toasted sourdough bread! If only I could afford to eat like this in my life on land! I'm even buying organic coffee today.
What else... oh I had a very interesting conversation with Todd Silver, the Cal Maritime guy who is one of our new crew. He was going on and on about all his experiences and life lessons (he's 23) and it wasn't as bad as it sounds. He has done alot and seems intelligent. I had to tell him he was cocky, though. He agreed, and said that they actually breed that into the Cal Maritime guys. Seems like a cool kid. I did try to point out that even if a person has been all over the world, they will get more perspective and life skills if they actually spend a fair amount of time in different cultures and social groups, rather than just stopping in a port for a few days. We have the same views about structure and hierarchy on board vessels, which is more strict than what others are used to. Probably comes from my small military background and his current militaristic schooling.
Off to make sandwiches!
I have a new favorite band/artist! Starr burned 4 Bright Eyes' cd's for Eric for his birthday. I've been listening to Fevers & Mirrors all morning. It's been awhile since I have instantly enjoyed a record so much. So far I'm imagining the lead singer of Violent Femmes, wandering around like Bjork in the musical parts of Dancer in the Dark - wandering into homes, schools, radio stations, around the city and through the country and desert - singing innocently and sorrowfully about all the shit going through his head and all the things he sees around him. I don't know what the lead singer of V.F. looks like, but Collin Oberst has a similar voice with a sometimes sad, shaky vibrato. It's at times annoying, but if he were rico suave smooth then it might feel more produced. The last time a record really got to me was when I was driving through this same part of the state on a solo RV trip of the Oregon/Washington coast, and I bought the Elliot Smith cd "XO". It couldn't have been safe, me driving a big old RV through the country, bawling my eyes out. He was a lot more depressing than Bright Eyes, though. I don't get the really down-with-no-hope-in-sight feeling that XO gave me. Oberst doesn't seem ready to stab himself in the heart with a knife anytime soon. He really mixes up the styles and sounds in his songs, and he sounds like even though he puts his emotions into his art, he still doesn't take himself so seriously that it becomes disgusting.
The crew is getting leftovers and my favorite sandwiches - fresh red bell peppers with goat cheese on toasted sourdough bread! If only I could afford to eat like this in my life on land! I'm even buying organic coffee today.
What else... oh I had a very interesting conversation with Todd Silver, the Cal Maritime guy who is one of our new crew. He was going on and on about all his experiences and life lessons (he's 23) and it wasn't as bad as it sounds. He has done alot and seems intelligent. I had to tell him he was cocky, though. He agreed, and said that they actually breed that into the Cal Maritime guys. Seems like a cool kid. I did try to point out that even if a person has been all over the world, they will get more perspective and life skills if they actually spend a fair amount of time in different cultures and social groups, rather than just stopping in a port for a few days. We have the same views about structure and hierarchy on board vessels, which is more strict than what others are used to. Probably comes from my small military background and his current militaristic schooling.
Off to make sandwiches!
Beyond the Sea
That's my old standby for karaoke nights. Last night most of the crew, plus the oft spoke of tall ship sailor Justin Cathcart, Diane S. and Swilley all joined us at the Elks Club Karaoke in Aberdeen. Our longtime crew Drew has two fun loving parents who own a foundry in town and run the karaoke night every other Saturday. It was Jello shots all around, plus lots of beer and hard liquor. A perfect night for sailors. Except for the ones who threw up over the cap rail for hours afterwards. Oh wait, that's a typical night for partying sailors too. Especially when friends come to town. Thankfully, I did not drink enough to get sick or hungover, which is good because it's Eric's birthday today, and I promised to make a lot of his favorite foods; applesauce cake, beets, rice & beans. For lunch I set out a great green salad with raspberries and toasted chopped nuts. Tried my hand at sauteed beet greens too, which were just OK.
We watched Boondock Saints at the hotel last night too. Overall I had a great day yesterday. We have a new crew named John who just came from schooner Maple Leaf. That's the schooner that wanted to hire Yuri last spring, but he wouldn't take the job because there was no space for me onboard. It's a beautiful boat with a fun summer program of charters and sea cadets. Yuri would have had a great time. We worked on the boat during their haulout instead. I would never do bottompaint for that master again, though. He didn't buy us tyvek suits or masks or any protective gear for working with copper paint.
The new cook gets here on Thursday! I'm shopping for her, and I'll be in Aberdeen until Friday or Saturday. Then back to Seattle.
We watched Boondock Saints at the hotel last night too. Overall I had a great day yesterday. We have a new crew named John who just came from schooner Maple Leaf. That's the schooner that wanted to hire Yuri last spring, but he wouldn't take the job because there was no space for me onboard. It's a beautiful boat with a fun summer program of charters and sea cadets. Yuri would have had a great time. We worked on the boat during their haulout instead. I would never do bottompaint for that master again, though. He didn't buy us tyvek suits or masks or any protective gear for working with copper paint.
The new cook gets here on Thursday! I'm shopping for her, and I'll be in Aberdeen until Friday or Saturday. Then back to Seattle.
Sea-Ya Cook
I'm Free! Ben has found another cook, and I vow to NEVER BE A SEACOOK on the Lady again! Please keel-haul me, flog me, give me a swift kick off the main truck if you ever hear me debating this issue again. Maybe next year I will volunteer for a bit - I'm sure I'll be back eventually. But for now, it's onwards and upwards to achieving more important goals.
Apparently there was a big rant over me leaving for a day, even though I got an OK from the mate and the galley slave only had to put out sandwiches for lunch and I hadn't had even one day off even though the rest of the crew were getting into their second days off. I tell ya, fussing over little things that don't need to be fussed over is something I'm NOT going to miss. Since the mate inadvertently made me look bad by failing to tell the captain that I hadn't had a day off, and that I'd already discussed this one day off with her - he took the task of finding another cook more seriously. So it all worked out to my benefit!
Old Dirty Swilley stopped by yesterday. He proceeded to get me completely blotto with gin and tonics at the Pourhouse last night. We talked about sailing and boats, of course. And I got all sentimental and told him how happy I am that we have a good friendship, and that we are like family. We lived on the boat together for 4 months last year, had a lot of ups and downs and were both in leadership positions, and came out understanding each other pretty well. We know each other's good and bad qualities and accept one another regardless. I would rather have a friend that I could communicate with personally and honestly, and fight with, rather than a friend that I cannot truly connect with. The people in my life who are only comfortable with small talk and who don't speak their mind for fear of offending, including NOT telling me when they disagree with something I've said or done - I call these people Acquaintances. Not friends. When Swilley isn't trying to get laid, he'll always point out flaws about me that I haven't realized. But he's equally forthcoming with pointing out my good traits, too. Swilley has a lot of potential and someday he's going to make a good captain.
So pretty soon I'll be back in Seattle, hopefully to work and save money. Maybe live in Ballard and hang out with the boat trash there. I'm strangely in the mood for a Seattle winter. How long will that last? Oh look, on this desk there's a businees card for the sailing vessel Sunderland down in Cabo...
Apparently there was a big rant over me leaving for a day, even though I got an OK from the mate and the galley slave only had to put out sandwiches for lunch and I hadn't had even one day off even though the rest of the crew were getting into their second days off. I tell ya, fussing over little things that don't need to be fussed over is something I'm NOT going to miss. Since the mate inadvertently made me look bad by failing to tell the captain that I hadn't had a day off, and that I'd already discussed this one day off with her - he took the task of finding another cook more seriously. So it all worked out to my benefit!
Old Dirty Swilley stopped by yesterday. He proceeded to get me completely blotto with gin and tonics at the Pourhouse last night. We talked about sailing and boats, of course. And I got all sentimental and told him how happy I am that we have a good friendship, and that we are like family. We lived on the boat together for 4 months last year, had a lot of ups and downs and were both in leadership positions, and came out understanding each other pretty well. We know each other's good and bad qualities and accept one another regardless. I would rather have a friend that I could communicate with personally and honestly, and fight with, rather than a friend that I cannot truly connect with. The people in my life who are only comfortable with small talk and who don't speak their mind for fear of offending, including NOT telling me when they disagree with something I've said or done - I call these people Acquaintances. Not friends. When Swilley isn't trying to get laid, he'll always point out flaws about me that I haven't realized. But he's equally forthcoming with pointing out my good traits, too. Swilley has a lot of potential and someday he's going to make a good captain.
So pretty soon I'll be back in Seattle, hopefully to work and save money. Maybe live in Ballard and hang out with the boat trash there. I'm strangely in the mood for a Seattle winter. How long will that last? Oh look, on this desk there's a businees card for the sailing vessel Sunderland down in Cabo...
The Trees
After typing a huge post the other day, the hotel computer erased it. So it has taken a few days to get the motivation to post again. Yogi stopped by the boat today! He was asking me questions about things I've written here and until now nobody has done that. I explained that I tend to blab on and on, and often quickly forget what I spoke of just days before. For years I have written long drawn out emails to my friends, with disclaimers like "read this when you have time" or "ignore the last half because I'm just rambling" or "no need to respond". Some of them felt like they had to respond out of courtesy, but I just like to ramble and type, so the blog is perfect because now if they are interested, then can check out my posts on their own terms. Of course, I never hear from them anymore because they get my updates and don't always email me to say what's going on with them (POLLY!). Anyway, Yogi said the font was too small, so I've remedied that.
My last post, that got accidentally lost, was all about how if I have this much energy to get all amped about community support and fairness, then I should probably direct it into a more worthwhile endeavor, like working or volunteering with big projects that encourage community involvement and support. So when I return to Seattle in November I will see what kind of projects I can get involved in.
Noelle has left, and I miss her! She has such a great attitude, and life is more dull and boring without her. Yesterday morning I drove Haida Bob's "Rez Car" up to my dad's place to help him pour concrete again. My dad was surprised and happy to see me. I did some laundry, took a shower, ate a lot of Anna's Apple Kuchen and watched the netflix dvd "Laws of Attraction", which started out witty and cute, and ended as cliche as all the other romantic comedies. Including the car barreling towards the airport to catch her true love before he flew to New York. Is Julianne Moore lowering her standards now that she has kids to support?
The drive back to Aberdeen was at times surreal. It could have been, anyway. I love driving at night. The unknown is all around you, and quiet and still, and you are plummeting into the darkness - like when a hill comes up and the white and yellow lines disappear into the black of whatever is beyond it. There could be a sharp turn, a deer or another car right in front of you and you wouldn't know, and if you drive like me you just maintain your speed and hope for the best. Often there's no streetlights, and oncoming traffic blinds you, and all you can do is look at that white line off to the right, just like we were taught in driver's ed. Maybe I get a bit of an adrenaline rush from the slight danger of it. When my vision returns or I get over that hill, I get a boost knowing that I cheated death yet again. The surreal part was listening to dark, slow music and driving through 100 yards of the tallest, most sweet smelling cedars that I've ever seen outside of the rainforest. These huge trees were right next to the road, with only black night beyond the reflection of headlights on their trunks. I tried to look up and see how tall they were, but there was just more treetrunk and shadows. This place was 20 minutes north of a town called Mcleary - not too far from Olympic Nat'l Park, actually.
I brought some Kahlil Gilbran (sp?) back to the boat with me. I'm going to read that, along with poems from Captain Ben's book "In Praise of Sailors". Plus there's a copy of The DaVinci Code in the focsl that I might check out. We'll be going out to sea again in a week. For seasickness I have Emergen-C, some Nutella that Fluffz sent me, and my camelbak to suck on in bed. It's a challenge to combat dehydration and low blood sugar while seasick, but after more and more transits I am figuring it out. I get more seasick than many people, but I've learned more and more how to take care of myself and as a result I am as useful as all the other people on board.
My last post, that got accidentally lost, was all about how if I have this much energy to get all amped about community support and fairness, then I should probably direct it into a more worthwhile endeavor, like working or volunteering with big projects that encourage community involvement and support. So when I return to Seattle in November I will see what kind of projects I can get involved in.
Noelle has left, and I miss her! She has such a great attitude, and life is more dull and boring without her. Yesterday morning I drove Haida Bob's "Rez Car" up to my dad's place to help him pour concrete again. My dad was surprised and happy to see me. I did some laundry, took a shower, ate a lot of Anna's Apple Kuchen and watched the netflix dvd "Laws of Attraction", which started out witty and cute, and ended as cliche as all the other romantic comedies. Including the car barreling towards the airport to catch her true love before he flew to New York. Is Julianne Moore lowering her standards now that she has kids to support?
The drive back to Aberdeen was at times surreal. It could have been, anyway. I love driving at night. The unknown is all around you, and quiet and still, and you are plummeting into the darkness - like when a hill comes up and the white and yellow lines disappear into the black of whatever is beyond it. There could be a sharp turn, a deer or another car right in front of you and you wouldn't know, and if you drive like me you just maintain your speed and hope for the best. Often there's no streetlights, and oncoming traffic blinds you, and all you can do is look at that white line off to the right, just like we were taught in driver's ed. Maybe I get a bit of an adrenaline rush from the slight danger of it. When my vision returns or I get over that hill, I get a boost knowing that I cheated death yet again. The surreal part was listening to dark, slow music and driving through 100 yards of the tallest, most sweet smelling cedars that I've ever seen outside of the rainforest. These huge trees were right next to the road, with only black night beyond the reflection of headlights on their trunks. I tried to look up and see how tall they were, but there was just more treetrunk and shadows. This place was 20 minutes north of a town called Mcleary - not too far from Olympic Nat'l Park, actually.
I brought some Kahlil Gilbran (sp?) back to the boat with me. I'm going to read that, along with poems from Captain Ben's book "In Praise of Sailors". Plus there's a copy of The DaVinci Code in the focsl that I might check out. We'll be going out to sea again in a week. For seasickness I have Emergen-C, some Nutella that Fluffz sent me, and my camelbak to suck on in bed. It's a challenge to combat dehydration and low blood sugar while seasick, but after more and more transits I am figuring it out. I get more seasick than many people, but I've learned more and more how to take care of myself and as a result I am as useful as all the other people on board.
Meatballs & Hydrogen Sulfide
The thought crossed my mind that my passion for community support would be better directed towards a greater cause rather than stressing over Who Did What To Whom on our little boat. Like getting involved in programs that promote community involvement in Seattle neighborhoods. It's one thing to volunteer and inform visitors that come to you, it's another thing to reach out to people who aren't necessarily motivated to seek out volunteer programs on their own. I'll have to think on that one and research it a bit. See where there's something going that can be tied in with boats.
I made some kick ass pizza yesterday. Shipwright Scotty brought tomatoes, onions and chanterelle mushrooms from his garden, plus some wheat pizza dough. I made 3 different pizzas. The best one had sauce, mozzarella, salami, seasoned ground turkey, bacon, mushrooms and onions on it. The one with olive oil, multi colored tomatoes, basil and feta was pretty damn good too. Dinner sucked though. I put more energy into lunch. It's the big refueling break in the middle of the workday. Nobody truly needs all the protein and carbs during dinner, because they are done working. For lunch today I made a very tasty linguine with olive oil, basil and fresh red peppers, plus homemade seasoned turkey meatballs. Dinner was just gardenburgers.
Noelle (Bendy) is leaving tomorrow, which is depressing. She's going to miss the big shit-tank extravaganza. HazMat team and all. Eric has made an awesome stencil for the "This Brig Is A Pipe Bomb" tee shirts. Part of our tip fund will go to getting plain tee shirts and Eric will paint them. At the hotel yet again tonight, we watched the movie Coffee & Cigarettes. My favorite characters were Meg White, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits and Bill Murray. Tomorrow morning after breakfast we have to evacuate the boat so the Tank Removal Team can come in. Apparently the same gasses erupting from Mt. St. Helens are trapped in our wastewater tank.
My tentative plan for the next few months is to sail down the coast to Sausalito, then return to Seattle around the 8th of November. I'll take my class, then start working. There's two places near downtown that will hire me straightaway. That work will carry me for a few months until more lucrative offshore work becomes available. At that point I can start the cycle of working a few months, then going on vacation and going back to work whenever money is needed. This is typical of professional sailors. If I don't go to sea then I will buy a liveaboard and get a job like Starr (at a donut shop) or like Captain B's friend Dylan (scooping ice cream). And I'll buy a cute little dog and go to movies at the Crest and teach my sister and my dad and my friends how to sail. And I'll volunteer at CWB and learn more bosunry. That'd all be fine. But it doesn't really make a career. Do I need one of those? I can still work towards bigger licenses and go to sea a few months of each year. Of course someone else would have to take care of my dog. But getting away for January through March would be great. Those are my least favorite months in Seattle. I figure as long as health insurance is covered, plus a little put away for future projects and general savings, then all is well.
I think aKIMbo would be a good name for my boat.
I made some kick ass pizza yesterday. Shipwright Scotty brought tomatoes, onions and chanterelle mushrooms from his garden, plus some wheat pizza dough. I made 3 different pizzas. The best one had sauce, mozzarella, salami, seasoned ground turkey, bacon, mushrooms and onions on it. The one with olive oil, multi colored tomatoes, basil and feta was pretty damn good too. Dinner sucked though. I put more energy into lunch. It's the big refueling break in the middle of the workday. Nobody truly needs all the protein and carbs during dinner, because they are done working. For lunch today I made a very tasty linguine with olive oil, basil and fresh red peppers, plus homemade seasoned turkey meatballs. Dinner was just gardenburgers.
Noelle (Bendy) is leaving tomorrow, which is depressing. She's going to miss the big shit-tank extravaganza. HazMat team and all. Eric has made an awesome stencil for the "This Brig Is A Pipe Bomb" tee shirts. Part of our tip fund will go to getting plain tee shirts and Eric will paint them. At the hotel yet again tonight, we watched the movie Coffee & Cigarettes. My favorite characters were Meg White, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits and Bill Murray. Tomorrow morning after breakfast we have to evacuate the boat so the Tank Removal Team can come in. Apparently the same gasses erupting from Mt. St. Helens are trapped in our wastewater tank.
My tentative plan for the next few months is to sail down the coast to Sausalito, then return to Seattle around the 8th of November. I'll take my class, then start working. There's two places near downtown that will hire me straightaway. That work will carry me for a few months until more lucrative offshore work becomes available. At that point I can start the cycle of working a few months, then going on vacation and going back to work whenever money is needed. This is typical of professional sailors. If I don't go to sea then I will buy a liveaboard and get a job like Starr (at a donut shop) or like Captain B's friend Dylan (scooping ice cream). And I'll buy a cute little dog and go to movies at the Crest and teach my sister and my dad and my friends how to sail. And I'll volunteer at CWB and learn more bosunry. That'd all be fine. But it doesn't really make a career. Do I need one of those? I can still work towards bigger licenses and go to sea a few months of each year. Of course someone else would have to take care of my dog. But getting away for January through March would be great. Those are my least favorite months in Seattle. I figure as long as health insurance is covered, plus a little put away for future projects and general savings, then all is well.
I think aKIMbo would be a good name for my boat.
Community Living - final draft
I should have fine tuned this post before publishing it.
heh hem.... stepping onto soapbox....
Crewing on the Lady Washington is not a job, nor a vacation. More than anything, even the sailing and bosunry, it is an exercise in Community Living. The physical work is a piece of cake compared to the challenges of cohabiting 3 small rooms and a deck with 12 to 20 people. There is a distinct hierarchy when it comes to certain responsibilities, including who delegates work and enforces the basic principles of Community Living. At it's best, this communal lifestyle can be very smooth and effective, and nobody feels a sense of unfairness.
The saying goes like this: First comes the boat. Then comes the crew. Last comes yourself.
The boat comes first, because if you take good care of the boat, it will keep you and the crew alive. The crew comes next because if you put your shipmates before yourself (for the good of the community) then they will take care of you, and trust you.
To quote a line from my favorite poem, Desiderata - "be kind to all persons, without surrender", which I interpret as the necessity to be as kind as possible without sacrificing your values, beliefs and dignity. On top of that, there's another cliche that comes to mind: "It's better to be kind than to always be right".
The above listed "morals"/values are milling about in my brain today because I've gotten into an argument with a shipmate who wants to take a thing that belongs to the crew and use it for private purposes. I know that my argument is valid, but I hate that we have a crewmember who does not share the basic beliefs of Community Living. Many times I tried to convince myself that this person was just immature when they acted self serving or constantly complained to me about anyone and everything. Nobody will stand up to this attitude, and now I feel self-righteous and as though the energy I'm exerting to prove my point is stupid. So is everyone just supposed to say "Whatever." ??? And let one member of the community "run roughshod" over the others, in support of Avoiding Confrontation? What bullshit! My confrontational ways definitely aren't the most effective. But I choose doing Something over Bending Over and Grabbing My Ankles.
I don't think the world should be communistic. I just think this crew should be. It's why some of us prefer this boat to the outside world.
heh hem.... stepping onto soapbox....
Crewing on the Lady Washington is not a job, nor a vacation. More than anything, even the sailing and bosunry, it is an exercise in Community Living. The physical work is a piece of cake compared to the challenges of cohabiting 3 small rooms and a deck with 12 to 20 people. There is a distinct hierarchy when it comes to certain responsibilities, including who delegates work and enforces the basic principles of Community Living. At it's best, this communal lifestyle can be very smooth and effective, and nobody feels a sense of unfairness.
The saying goes like this: First comes the boat. Then comes the crew. Last comes yourself.
The boat comes first, because if you take good care of the boat, it will keep you and the crew alive. The crew comes next because if you put your shipmates before yourself (for the good of the community) then they will take care of you, and trust you.
To quote a line from my favorite poem, Desiderata - "be kind to all persons, without surrender", which I interpret as the necessity to be as kind as possible without sacrificing your values, beliefs and dignity. On top of that, there's another cliche that comes to mind: "It's better to be kind than to always be right".
I don't think the world should be communistic. I just think this crew should be. It's why some of us prefer this boat to the outside world.
Faces All Aglow
Today was boring. I served sausage for breakfast, burritos for lunch, and curry for dinner. The food pretty much sucked all day long. The workday took forever to get through because everyone was trying to find stuff to keep them busy. Noelle and Hallie swamped the dory again. Drew and Myuh sang "Climbin' up sunshine mountain" until they drove the rest of us crazy. Captain Ben gets back tonight, and John Boy shows up tomorrow, so maybe they will find more stuff to do, or just give everyone time off.
The FNG (Todd) says he has a friend who wants to cook for us. I said to get him here ASAP! I need to go make some real money.
The FNG (Todd) says he has a friend who wants to cook for us. I said to get him here ASAP! I need to go make some real money.
This Brig Is A Pipe Bomb
Ho hum, what happened today? Actually yesterday was more exciting. Yesterday was the captain's birthday, and as a birthday surprise he and the rest of us learned that our blackwater tank (the one that holds poo and pee) is a toxic bomb. It's 15 years old (the boat was built around it) and holds MANY pounds of calcified poo. The calcified poo has made the pumps that we use to pump out the smelly stuff not very effective. For a while now we've only been pumping 20% of this 400 gallon tank. Our plan was to punch some more holes in it, then have a pump truck come siphon the rest out. Then we were to lift the tank onto the dock and replace it with a shiny new one. As soon as we arrived in Aberdeen shipwrights got to work at ripping out our toilets, sinks, shower, floorboards, plus the wall that it has to be lifted through, and the large pieces of framing that were built on top of it. Yesterday I tarped off the galley and the bunks that store food, and the rest of the crew removed the large hatch, and prepped tackle to help with the lifting.
But before the big lift we had to get clearance from a chemist who specializes in explosives. He arrived at two and did his first test - for the highly combustible gas Hydrogen Sulfide. 250ppm is the dangerous level of this gas. With his sensor 1 foot away from the tank's opening, he read 295ppm, and stopped his inspection there. We learned that a hazmat team will need to come in and take care of this for us, because what we had was equivalent to a very large pipe bomb. Homeland Security had no idea what they were really dealing with when they confronted us in Stockton last year! We avasted on the preparations and ended the day with cake and a card for Ben.
Did I mention that we have two new crew? Hallie, who is 18, tall and beautiful with long blonde hair (Noelle and I are plotting her demise already) and Todd, who went to Cal Maritime school and has plenty of ocean experience, but no license. Hallie has a great sense of humor. She hangs out with Noelle and I at the hotel. Today she fell into the Wishkah River off of the dory while painting the hull.
Noelle and I dyed our hair with Copper Craze last night. We tried to dye Eric's eyebrows orange but he wouldn't have it. Eric just graduated with a degree in physics and admits to being slightly geeky. He is a bit reserved when it comes to crew "affection" so Noelle and I like to test his boundaries by flirting with him and trying to cuddle with him. He has huge piercings in his ear, and has pretty good musical tastes. He was my galley slave today so I got to listen to his CD's. He's got a lot of Radiohead and Ben Folds; both of which I enjoy.
This morning I "accidentally" slept in. Captain Ben was gone and I knew that the crew would be grateful. It's my job to wake everybody up when breakfast is done, and today they got to sleep in an extra 45 minutes. Everyone including the mate was happy about this. I made eggs to order for breakfast, pasta fagioli soup and salad with feta, green leaf, swiss chard, orange and yellow tomatoes and my own croutons for lunch, then for dinner fruit salad and those gross dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets that the crew insists on having once a week. Plus some squash from shipwright Scotty's garden. The galley is getting pretty warm with the sun shining into the main hold and the clear plastic still covering most of the galley openings. The captain returns late tomorrow night so it looks like we can swing another late wake-up.
After dinner tonight most of us came over to the hotel to shower and watch TV. We watched a bunch of reality TV crap. I'm bummed because Noelle is leaving soon. Usually there's one or two people I enjoy hanging out with onboard, and it sucks when one leaves. I suppose I will hang out with Eric or Hallie now, since the rest of the crew is made up of couples or more polite company. With the exception of Kanaka, I like everyone very much, but prefer to spend time with people who don't have to talk all the time, are easygoing and have a similar sense of humor. Small talk has become a pet peeve of mine. The personalities that I connect with most don't feel the need to engage in it. At some point last week I became a lot more of my natural goofy and stupid self, which I prefer much more to the Uptight Kim. Though this crew is less publicly emotional (happy or sad) compared to the crew last year, so whenever I get giddy-happy or depressed or angry the effect on the group is more noticeable. Any one person can turn the mood of a group temporarily. Last year that person was never me, though I acted the same. Since my last stint on the Lady the only person I've been consistently my version of normal with is my sister. But she's 15 years old and loves me unconditionally, so there's no intimidation for me to keep up appearances. I like that after a few weeks back on board I can still completely let down my guard, even with new people who come to the boat. This must all be about a level of insecurity, and feeling comfortable on my own territory. But I'll enjoy it rather than overanalyze it. ALTHOUGH... I must say that I do regret not acting more naturally around other friends, even though I don't see them often. Like Fluffz and Richard. It would make some friendships better if I didn't feel intimidated. I put them on a pedestal sometimes, but they're pretty normal, with plenty of faults of their own. We've all got strengths and weaknesses.
Gotta go watch more cable TV. It feels like I live at this hotel.
But before the big lift we had to get clearance from a chemist who specializes in explosives. He arrived at two and did his first test - for the highly combustible gas Hydrogen Sulfide. 250ppm is the dangerous level of this gas. With his sensor 1 foot away from the tank's opening, he read 295ppm, and stopped his inspection there. We learned that a hazmat team will need to come in and take care of this for us, because what we had was equivalent to a very large pipe bomb. Homeland Security had no idea what they were really dealing with when they confronted us in Stockton last year! We avasted on the preparations and ended the day with cake and a card for Ben.
Did I mention that we have two new crew? Hallie, who is 18, tall and beautiful with long blonde hair (Noelle and I are plotting her demise already) and Todd, who went to Cal Maritime school and has plenty of ocean experience, but no license. Hallie has a great sense of humor. She hangs out with Noelle and I at the hotel. Today she fell into the Wishkah River off of the dory while painting the hull.
Noelle and I dyed our hair with Copper Craze last night. We tried to dye Eric's eyebrows orange but he wouldn't have it. Eric just graduated with a degree in physics and admits to being slightly geeky. He is a bit reserved when it comes to crew "affection" so Noelle and I like to test his boundaries by flirting with him and trying to cuddle with him. He has huge piercings in his ear, and has pretty good musical tastes. He was my galley slave today so I got to listen to his CD's. He's got a lot of Radiohead and Ben Folds; both of which I enjoy.
This morning I "accidentally" slept in. Captain Ben was gone and I knew that the crew would be grateful. It's my job to wake everybody up when breakfast is done, and today they got to sleep in an extra 45 minutes. Everyone including the mate was happy about this. I made eggs to order for breakfast, pasta fagioli soup and salad with feta, green leaf, swiss chard, orange and yellow tomatoes and my own croutons for lunch, then for dinner fruit salad and those gross dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets that the crew insists on having once a week. Plus some squash from shipwright Scotty's garden. The galley is getting pretty warm with the sun shining into the main hold and the clear plastic still covering most of the galley openings. The captain returns late tomorrow night so it looks like we can swing another late wake-up.
After dinner tonight most of us came over to the hotel to shower and watch TV. We watched a bunch of reality TV crap. I'm bummed because Noelle is leaving soon. Usually there's one or two people I enjoy hanging out with onboard, and it sucks when one leaves. I suppose I will hang out with Eric or Hallie now, since the rest of the crew is made up of couples or more polite company. With the exception of Kanaka, I like everyone very much, but prefer to spend time with people who don't have to talk all the time, are easygoing and have a similar sense of humor. Small talk has become a pet peeve of mine. The personalities that I connect with most don't feel the need to engage in it. At some point last week I became a lot more of my natural goofy and stupid self, which I prefer much more to the Uptight Kim. Though this crew is less publicly emotional (happy or sad) compared to the crew last year, so whenever I get giddy-happy or depressed or angry the effect on the group is more noticeable. Any one person can turn the mood of a group temporarily. Last year that person was never me, though I acted the same. Since my last stint on the Lady the only person I've been consistently my version of normal with is my sister. But she's 15 years old and loves me unconditionally, so there's no intimidation for me to keep up appearances. I like that after a few weeks back on board I can still completely let down my guard, even with new people who come to the boat. This must all be about a level of insecurity, and feeling comfortable on my own territory. But I'll enjoy it rather than overanalyze it. ALTHOUGH... I must say that I do regret not acting more naturally around other friends, even though I don't see them often. Like Fluffz and Richard. It would make some friendships better if I didn't feel intimidated. I put them on a pedestal sometimes, but they're pretty normal, with plenty of faults of their own. We've all got strengths and weaknesses.
Gotta go watch more cable TV. It feels like I live at this hotel.
