We left San Francisco on February 10, 2010 with a plan to head south to Mexico and then make the innocently named "puddle jump" to the South Pacific (!!) this spring. From there, who knows?!?!?!? Maybe Fiji? Australia? New Zealand? For now, we're just thrilled to finally be out at sea! 
Matt is out of town for work and so boat projects have come to a grinding halt. The projects these days now involve stuff that really only Matt can take care of – electrical wiring, etc. So, in an effort to pretty up Syzygy and make her a bit more comfy and cozy for us, I decided to invite my mom up for the weekend to help me make slip covers for the boat cushions. We sewed covers for the 6 settee cushions (4 back rest cushions and 2 seat cushions) and the back rest and seat cushions for the nav table. I could not be more THRILLED with how they’ve turned out!!! The only thing left to do is add some velcro to close up the one open end. I love love love love them!!!!
Spoken like a true American.
December 4th, 2009 · Life Lessons, Words to Cling to
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
~ Mark Twain
(photo of Syzygy by J5)
30 Day Notice
December 2nd, 2009 · First Mates, Preparing for the trip, The beginning
Today I sent in our rent along with our 30-day notice that we’ll be moving out at the end of the month! We are no longer counting down months, we’re counting the DAYS!
Updating my resume – a different approach
December 1st, 2009 · Introspection, What I'm Reading
I’ve been reading a book called “The Right to Write” by Julia Cameron. It’s a FABULOUS book for those, like me, who have been, can be and are undeniably driven to write. The book is not about writing for money or publishing or fame or anything material – it simply talks about writing for the fun of it, because you simply need to, or just writing for writing’s sake. In that way, it can be a little “artsy-fartsy” if you will, but for me, who assesses my world via pen and paper (or keyboard/computer), so much of it truly resonates with me.
Anyway, at the end of each chapter, she gives a little assignment. It’s generally something to encourage you to write, to think about your approach to writing, your understanding of what being a “writer” means, etc. I haven’t actually done any of the exercises yet, but the one I read this afternoon struck me as particularly appropriate seeing as how all I did today was read resumes for people looking to take over my position.
The intention of the exercise is to strengthen your sense of self. Why? “[I]n order to do self-expression, we need to have a self to express.” A little esoteric, perhaps, but play along for a second… She suggests that you set aside a couple of hours and make a list numbered 1-100. Once you’ve finished numbering, go back and write down 100 things you are proud of. From the smallest, silliest thing, to the biggest, grandiose honor.
She comments, “Think of this tool as a private resume.”
And that’s when I paused and wondered:
What would my PERSONAL resume look like? What qualities would I highlight? What personality features and character strengths would I advertise for myself? What personal accomplishments would I focus on? Would I still have the same categories as my professional resume – education, experience, skills? What would I put under them? Would I have different categories? What would they be?
How would I break down my personal life – the *real* me – if I only had one page on which to summarize, and “sell” myself?
→ No CommentsTags: accomplishments·Introspection·passion & purpose·personal resume·self-worth·soul empowerment·The Right to Write·who i am·writing
Change is in the air, and I’m thankful for it!
November 28th, 2009 · Introspection, Life Lessons, On Faith, Preparing for the trip, The beginning
Among the thousands of things I have to be thankful for, the one that is standing out a bit more right now is – CHANGE. Of course, most of the time, I only like change when there is a “guaranteed” benefit for me, but I would also say that, in general, I just like it when things get stirred up. When I lived in places bigger than a shoebox, I would move my furniture around every couple of months. My bedroom was regularly turned topsy-turvy as I pushed and pulled to get each piece just a few feet from where it had previously been. When I lived with my parents, my dad would get especially frustrated when he woke up in the middle of the night to find me quietly shoving my dresser across the room, all the drawers stacked on my bed, non-apologetically explaining that I didn’t need his help, I could do it myself, no – I don’t want to wait until tomorrow. You don’t know how much it bothers me that I have NO options for rearranging stuff in our little studio. (Ok, there was that time I re-organized our silverware/tupperware drawers.)
Even if change is not necessarily positive (or negative) sometimes I crave it.
For this last year, our lives have been so focused, so routine. Get up at the same time, take the same route to work, work (the same sh*t, different day), take the same route home, do more work/work on the boat/waste time staring aimlessly at the computer, go to bed, get up and do it all over again. I know it’s basically what everyone else does, but the repetitiveness has really started to wear on me. If anything were to make me ask – Is this all there is?!?!!? – in some ways, 2009 would be it.
I am so thankful that, one way or another, our lives are in for a major change in these next few weeks. I need new challenges, new struggles, new highs, new lows. I remember once reading that the opposite of love is not hate but apathy, the lack of passion, the loss of interest. And I’ve certainly lost all passion for this current life. We have been in a holding pattern for so long and I’m looking forward to finally moving on to something different. I desperately hope and pray that the changes are all positive, but I know that life is full of the unexpected and we just have to be open to whatever comes our way. I am grateful for so much, for the people in my life, the love I experience everyday, the tangible and intangible gifts bestowed upon me by generous, kind people – most I know and some I don’t… And I am grateful and ecstatic for this crazy life we have, where big dreams can become reality (I hope!) and where leaps of faith can bring bold new changes to our worlds. And I am thankful for change itself – the changes we are capable of making, the changes that simply occur all on their own (hello winter!), the changes that are sometimes forced upon us…
I am looking forward to December, where the pages of this chapter of our life will undoubtedly swiftly fly by, ending with intimidation and wonder, and we’ll be left anticipating what will happen next? and not quite know the answer 🙂
Happy Belated Thanksgiving and *here’s to 2010!!
→ No CommentsTags: Faith·happiness·Introspection·passion & purpose·thankful
In a Funk
November 23rd, 2009 · Introspection, Life Lessons, The beginning, Thoughts on Family
To say that I have spring fever at work is an understatement! To say that I have it at home also makes me laugh. I just cannot focus on anything these days. The reality that our life is about to change significantly feels too overwhelming sometimes. I’m excited about the change, but also sad and confused when I think back to what we’ve given up these last couple of years in order to make this trip happen. Actually, the worst part is that we’ve given up so much that wasn’t necessary for us to give up. Several friendships fall into that category.
Our life is becoming more and more one-dimensional, yet it’s funny how we still seem busy as usual and have too many conflicting priorities to really feel productive when doing anything. If we can’t even allow ourselves a break when we only have ONE BIG THING going on, how are we going to manage when life starts overflowing?? I try to remind myself that it’s ok for now – we have a big goal, big tasks to accomplish, a big journey to begin. Therefore, it’s ok that we haven’t spent weekends out with friends or making sure parents get birthday gifts on-time… it’s ok that I don’t call people to say a real “hello” and instead simply rely on facebook updates to see how they’re doing… it’s ok that I have no friends (outside of work) other than those I knew when I first moved back here two and a half years ago…
On the eve of an incredible opportunity that has such great potential to be amazing in every way, there is part of me that wonders whether I’ve truly lived these last three years. I talk about and think about how I really want to live life to the fullest and not take my time here on earth for granted, but what have I *we* been doing?? I assume that those friendships I’ve let fall by the wayside will still somehow be there when I return. I assume that our friends and family will continue to support us and love us without getting any tangible returns on their generosity. I assume that all those things we’ve missed out on here will still be part of our future somewhere else.
Matt and I have talked about this before – how much present happiness do you sacrifice for a future reward? We are taught as children to appreciate delayed gratification and that, most of the time, delayed gratification is so much better than grabbing the experience immediately. But, as you get older, I think the stakes get higher… You realize that your reward is not as “guaranteed” as it once seemed to feel. The consequences of delaying can be far more harmful to you than partaking in the reward as soon as the moment presents itself.
There are days when I am so excited about the adventures that lie ahead, and then there are days when I miss what could have been… today is one of those days.
→ No CommentsTags: friendships·happiness·Introspection·regrets?·sacrifice
From the Hope Collection :)
November 20th, 2009 · Words to Cling to
Each of us is here to give something only we can offer…
~ Dawna Marko, I will not die an unlived life
→ No CommentsTags: Anchor for the soul·Faith·Inspiration·Introspection·passion & purpose·Spirituality
We have a crew!
November 19th, 2009 · First Mates, Preparing for the trip, The beginning, The Crew
I haven’t gone into too many details about WHO will be going on the sailing trip with us other than me and Matt because, honestly, that question brings up so many complicated issues and we didn’t really know and we still sort of don’t know who the crew will be for the majority of the trip. Matt and I can handle the boat ourselves but it would be a lot easier if we had some help! For the last 6 months, the only people 100% committed to the trip have been Matt and me, so we’ve acted on the assumption that we would be the crew. (and, yes, this is how I’d rather have it 🙂 )
See, the crew was originally going to be the three guys (the owners), then it became the three guys and me, then it was going to be two guys and me, and then just Matt and me, and well, who knows now. The social dynamics of the sailing gig kind of exploded this summer and if you see a suspiciously familiar storyline show up soon on Days of Our Lives or All My Children, don’t be too surprised because this crap would make for an awesome soap opera. It’s been such a drama these past six months, but we think things are finally beginning to work themselves out…..???
Anyway, because Matt and I weren’t sure what was going to happen and we would just feel so much more comfortable if we had help when first starting out, we asked our friends P & R to join us. P & R, are some of the friendliest, kindest people you could ever know, but Lord have mercy the plans they make are not exactly reliable. They live their lives so they have few obligations and nothing really to tie them down. They go where they want to when they want to and are creative and determined enough to find jobs wherever they are and somehow make it all work out. For example, last year, they decided to move to the Bay Area for 6 months “just to try it out.” R was also thinking about grad school programs. With no plan whatsoever other than to live with some friends for a month or so, they showed up in San Francisco last January. The friend’s house ended up being sold and they were kicked out, so they found a house-sitting gig in Oakland, worked three or four jobs each, lived here for three months, then turned around and went back east to get married and work on a farm. It’s not so much that they can’t be depended on – they can! – but one never knows what they’ll be doing at any given time. So, when we first asked them to start the trip with us, they seemed very enthusiastic, but we weren’t all that hopeful.
A few months later, they still seemed enthusiastic and were asking us for details, but even so, knowing how they can change plans at a moment’s notice, we had our doubts.
At our wedding in October, P & R said they were going to come with us but could probably only afford to sail for about a month. Matt told them to plan on coming out around the 3rd week of January because we should be ready to leave by then and we could probably make it down to Mexico where they could catch a return flight. Even still, Matt and I were secretly preparing for them to back out…
Last night, Matt got an email from P – with their flight information. The reality immediately sunk in. They’re flying out for the sole purpose of sailing with us.
They’ll be here January 14, all ready to leave the dock and head out.
But will WE be ready!??!?!!? Oy! 🙂
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Sometimes we’re brilliant…
November 16th, 2009 · First Mates, Funny, Life Lessons, Stupid Ideas
and sometimes we’re not. For a lawyer and a physicist, the decision to put pizza dough onto a manila folder and load it with toppings before attempting to slide it onto a 450 degree hot pizza stone was certainly not the brightest idea we’ve ever had. I’m even creating a “stupid ideas” category just for this (and because I’m sure there will be more…)
We didn’t know if we would be able to recover from this disaster…
But the end result wasn’t tooooooooo bad…
and the cheese alone cost $6.00 so, yes, we still ate it.
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Domestic Goddess In-Training & Certified Boat Slave
November 15th, 2009 · Boat Work
Hmmm… if I had to pick one, I think Domestic Goddess is more my kind of gig. Granted, the only thing I’m really any good at is cooking and I think Matt might also prefer me to focus more on skills like doing the dishes or sweeping the floor than my half-hearted attempts at knitting, crafting, or painting. BUT – look what I got this weekend, as a wedding present!!!!
The story behind all of this, of course, relates to Boat Work. Back in Colorado, Jon, one of the 3 boat owners, decided last year that he was going to sew us a new light-air sail. The sail was only one of several sewing projects for the boat. We also want to sew lee-cloths (these prevent us from falling out of bed when the boat is heeled over and we are sleeping), a new sail bag, and perhaps mattress and settee covers so we can toss out the nasty pea-green sheets we’ve been using on them for the last year and a half. Determined and desperate to truly become a D.G., I initially thrilled at the idea of learning to sew, only to realize that a full-time job and a sort-of-f/t job would make getting anything (enjoyable) done very very difficult. So, Jon rose to the occasion and is almost finished with our beautiful new sail!
But – the lee-cloths and other projects remain. So, guess what Jon got me as a wedding gift?? Yep. He is the one looking to pass the needle, er, torch.
Tonight Matt and I went to Michaels to purchase the basic sewing needs. (Apologies for all the blurry photos!!)
Then I spent the rest of the evening playing with my sewing machine. I was SO intimidated and I still feel a little confused by all the technical stuff, but I am hoping that I can figure it out and become more comfortable with it because Borders had some books with REALLY REALLY cute patterns that would be *fabulous* to make 🙂 (scroll down on the link)
I have very humble beginnings, but my first attempt at something is not too bad, right?
(These are two pieces of fabric cut from a couple of our ratty t-shirts)
All I can say so far is that this sewing thing is proving WAY more fun than the other stuff we’ve been doing in the evenings….