Here's to Scribblers

TrailBoss gave me an award as a Superior Scribbler. She said that I was cool because I wrote about boat things. Well, yeah, I guess I do write quite a bit about boat stuff. It's a happy part of my life. And then sometimes I have those moments when I get serious and write about my experience, strength and hope. I've always enjoyed scribbling. So thanks for the award. I'll keep scribbling away at whatever comes to mind. I'm not sure how superior it all is but it's an honest go at sharing.

I'm supposed to pass this award along to five others who I think scribble a lot in a superior manner. Ha! Just kidding on that. There are so many of us who scribble away on blogs that it's hard to pick five. How am I supposed to do that? After losing sleep over this, I made a decision to nominate the following who I think scribble in a diverse and superior manner:

1. Michael across the pond who writes about his work, his life, his bowling, his brick toting mates, and his sobriety. Michael has a lot of talents when it comes to writing: blog, newsletters, programming code, etc.

2. Findon, another fellow from England, who expresses himself eloquently. His posts make me think about so much. He writes about his sobriety and how life is for him with his lovely wife. His writing is often poignant and intellectual.

3. Steve is a superior scribbler for sure. He writes blogs and blongs. (I had never heard the word blong until Steve wrote about it). In his writing, suffice to say that he has some great information to share about his sobriety and his long-time experience with music, people, motorcycles, and his lovely wife.

4. Mrs. Hen is a stream of consciousness scribbler. She writes about what is going on with her heart and her head. She has many interesting things to write about including her experience in Al-Anon.

5. Judith is a professional scribbler. She has written a couple of novels and is working to publish one. Her writing is intelligent, thought-provoking and honest.

As with much of life, there are a few rules. But I don't much like rules and I'm not an enforcer so you can play if you want. If you do play, nominate 5 other scribblers. Tell them about the award and link to them. I think that's about it.

Happy scribbling everyone.

The Interview

Shadow sent me five questions to answer as part of an online interview. She answered those that had been sent to her on her site . It's interesting to be asked questions out of the blue, so here are mine and my answers:

1. has a dream or goal you’ve had come true? tell me about it. if not, what are you doing to get it?

My career was actually a goal. I knew when I was a child that I wanted to work in marine science. I was always fascinated by the sea and sea critters. I went fishing with my father who taught me a lot. My mother was also a great teacher of natural history. I worked summers at a nearby marine lab and then went on to graduate school for a master's degree and Ph.D. in oceanography. I've published over 85 manuscripts, been on many national committees, been to fantastic places in the ocean, and have enjoyed a full career in my chosen field. So the goal was fulfilled.

2. you have just turned 21, and you have a picture in your mind of what you want, where you want to go, what you want to become. as your life stands now, has it pretty much realized or is it completely different?

I've pretty much always known what I wanted. And as far as my life now, it has been realized many times over what I thought I would be or do at age 21. I suppose in many ways, my life now has surpassed what I envisioned at age 21. I didn't think that I'd have the great job that I've had, have the "things" in life that I have, or be married for as long as I have. I didn't envision getting married at age 21. I was going to be more of a "free spirit". I suppose in many ways, I'm still that free spirit.

3. do you prefer long hair or short hair, for yourself and your so.
Definitely long hair.

4. you’ve learned to skipper a boat. tell me about one thing you learnt that has been the most helpful.
It's hard to name any one thing. I would have to say that one has to be vigilant and always be mindful of the weather and it's changes. And always have a good engine as a backup.

5. describe your dream girl.
Hmmm....This isn't like buying a car. But I would say that the important traits are being intelligent, compassionate, not afraid of expressing feelings, honest, adventuresome, positive in thought and deed, physically fit, good personal hygiene, and having a sense of self that makes her light up those around her. I think that I've found that.

The Rules

• leave me a comment saying: interview me
• comments with e-mail addresses will not be published to preserve privacy
• i will e-mail you five questions. i get to pick the questions
• you can then answer the questions on your blog
• you should also post these rules along with an offer to interview anyone else who e-mails you wanting to be interviewed
• anyone who asks to be interviewed should be sent 5 questions to answer on their blog
• it would be nice if the questions were individualized for each blogger

Christmas spirit

Shadow graciously gave me this award about Christmas Spirit. Thanks Shadow! I do like Christmas.

I'm posting the "rules":
*the person to whom you give the award must also be in love with christmas
* you must link back to the person who gave you the award
* you must list 5 things that you love about christmas. if you can’t limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space!
* pass the award along to as many people as you like. that can be 1 or 50. it’s up to you. but, you must pass it one to at least one person in order to keep the christmas cheer going!
* let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment


So I'm going to post some things that I like about Christmas.

1. I like the candles in the windows and the lights on the trees. Because it's a dreary time of year, it's nice to come home to see the tree lights on and the candles lit.

2. I like the idea of having time off to relax and be lazy. We can snuggle, watch movies, read books, and do just what we want to do.

3. I like the feeling of doing something special for others. It's what it's all about: to surprise others with something nice, to say I care, to give without expectations. It's just a warm feeling inside about everything.

4. I like the food and preparing a good meal. Turkey, cranberry sauce, oyster stew, ham, cornbread stuffing, crab casserole, shrimp and grits--all are staples for a Christmas dinner that incorporates foods from Virginia and those from the Lowcountry.

5. I like the music and the parades. Christmas music is special and reminds me of my grandmother singing to me. And the parades are just plain fun. Everyone loves a parade.

I'm going to pass this on to:
Jess--http://christianchickblog.blogspot.com/
Trailboss--http://ilovehorses-trailboss.blogspot.com/
Pam--http://sobriety-is-exhausting.blogspot.com/
Mary Christine--http://marychristineg.blogspot.com/
Findon--http://therapaciouscreditor.blogspot.com/

Some unremarkable facts

I'm not sure who tagged me but I think that it was Kathy Lynne. Anyway, I'm posting some unremarkable things about me. These are things that make me so unremarkable that they might be considered extraordinary.

1. I enjoy reading and usually have 2-3 different books that I'm reading. I have had a run recently on sailing books, especially those of single handed sailing around the world. But I'm also listening to an audio book on Tudor England. Go figure.
2. I drive a BMW that is a secret hotrod. It is a five speed and I like to wind up the rpm's as I go through the gears. I took auto mechanics but what I learned didn't apply to BMW's.
3. I like to watch the news and movies. I could care less about reality TV. I've never watched Survivor.
   
4. I have several dogs whose company I enjoy more than that of most people.
5. I can't think of many foods that I don't like, although I'm not particularly fond of chocolate.
   
6. I've been married to the same person for a number of years, and there is no secret to longevity in marriage. It's about patience, compromise, misery, happiness, respect and love all rolled together.
   

I've been out on the water all day again. I'm tired and am going to try to sleep better tonight than I did last night. I think that bouncing in the boat did a number on my lower back. But I'm still happy as a clam to be on the water. A few ibuprofen and I'll be A-okay. Have a good evening.

Stuff about Me

Judith of Vicarious Rising tagged me to fill out this list. I had to try to remember what I was doing those years ago. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering much about last week! Now I keep a journal so if this question comes up again, I'll be ready.

As far as the books and movies go, I have a lot of ones that I like. I tend to read everything by certain authors.

I don't watch much TV--mostly news and weather. Anyway, here's what I put together.

What I was doing:

10 years ago -- I was working at the same place and had just returned from a scientific meeting in Florida. I was in the midst of putting together a big proposal to work with oceanographers in the area. Both my wife and I were working too much. And we were getting on each other's nerves. My mother was still alive, and my wife and I were responsible for making sure that she got to her doctor's appointments. I was frequently irritable about having to be responsible for her. I took on way too much. Felt the pressure of work, home, life.

5 years ago--Still working at the same place but am now department head. Working on proposals and projects to keep people employed. Beginning to feel run down, tired and generally dissatisfied with work and home life. My mother was in a nursing home. She was starting to get frail but was happy. Exercising like a fiend. Trying to stave off the demons and look for a purpose to keep going.

1 year ago--Still working at the same place. I was involved with preparation for a research cruise. Marriage not going well. Not sure that I'm going to stay in the marriage. In Al-Anon and working the steps. Starting to see that there is hope. Maybe I can be happy with who I am.

Yesterday--Worked all day, went to a noon Al-Anon meeting. Dropped off car at auto dealership but it got crunched (see yesterday's post). Read in the evening. Feeling tired but peaceful. Lots to be thankful for.

5 snacks I enjoy
1) Boiled peanuts
2) Popcorn--any kind
3) Terayaki beef jerky
4) Tangerines
5) Wasabi peas

5 books I like (there are many that I could list here--so I'm going with Fiction and then non-fiction)
Fiction
1) Cannery Row
2) Lonesome Dove
3) All the King's Men
4) Moby Dick
5) Chesapeake

Non-Fiction
1) Einstein
2) A New Earth
3) And The Band Played On
4) Beautiful Swimmers
5)Log from the Sea of Cortez

What I would do with 100 million dollars
1) Buy a 43 foot sail boat.
2) Pay off the mortgage on the house
3) Add to investment portfolio and include more real estate
4) Make larger contributions to organizations and charities that I contribute to currently
5) Set up an ecotour business

5 places I'd love to visit (not run away to)
1) Egypt
2) Rome, Italy
3) The Amazon
4) Ethiopia and a few other stops in Africa
5) The Galapagos Islands

5 bad habits and pet peeves I have

Pet Peeves
1) poor grammar
2) stubbornness
3) arrogance
4) bad manners
5) smoking

Bad Habits
1) staying up late
2) leaving dishes in the sink
3) using my cell phone in the car
4) pulling on hangnails
5) snoring

5 things I like doing
1) Reading
2) sailing
3) listening to music
4) rowing
5) photography and art collecting

5 things I would never wear
1) Pink anything
2) 100 % wool
3) heavy cologne
4) clothing with logos
5) Hawaiian shirts

5 TV shows I like
1) 60 minutes
2) CBS Sunday morning
3) Hardball on MSNBC
4) Oddball with Keith Oberman
5) Any local news

5 movies I like (there are a lot that I like)
1) Out of Africa
2) The Shawshank Redemption
3) Lawrence of Arabia
4) No Country for Old Men
5) The Piano

5 famous people I'd like to meet
1) Albert Einstein
2) Mother Theresa
3) Abraham Lincoln
4) Martin Luther King
5) Bob Dylan

I'll tag the following five bloggers to do this if you'd like:
1)Johno of Hand in Hand
2)Dave of Higher Powered
3)Mary Christine of Anonymous Alcoholic
4)Joe of Al-Anon Diary
5)Irish of Recovery Archive

Busy world

Today's meeting topic was how best to keep your serenity in a busy stressful world. It's easy to lose track of things because there is so much that is overwhelming. Even choices in the grocery store are enough to baffle me. And if I have to go to someplace like Wal-Mart, I can't wait to get out because there is just so much "stuff".

What I decided this past year is that I'm not going to make lists of what needs to be done. I used to make a list of what I wanted to accomplishment in a day. And I'd worry if I didn't get everything done. I have a mental idea of what I want to do but I don't stress out if I don't get it done. I've also decided not to take on too much at once. I want to have time to take it easy and not become overwhelmed with task after task.

And then there is meditation. I do prayers in the morning and when I'm on the boat, there is a lot of time to let my mind unwind from the work week. It's one of the best investments I've ever made. And how good it feels just to be rocked to sleep on the water.

So if I can pay attention to what my body and mind are telling me, take time to exercise and meditate, and not get caught up in trying to do too many things, I think that I'll have a good strategy for coping with this busy world.

First Footing

Today is a work day for me. The first one in over a week. I can't say that I was chomping at the bit to get back in the harness but here I am.

I received a card from some Scottish friends who wrote about Hogmanay. I had forgotten some of the curious New Year customs but thought they might be appropriate on this day after New Year's day.

The Hogmanay customs include cleaning the house, paying off debts and being sure to clean all the ashes out the fireplace (it was believed by some that you could read the future revealed in the old ashes) -- all symbolic of starting anew. I would like to say that I did these but not a one was done at my house. We did observe the southern tradition of eating Hoppin' John and collard greens yesterday. Those represent Luck and Money, both of which are welcome on any given day.

And there wasn't a "first footer" on New Year's Day at our house either. For this tradition, it is believed to bring luck for the rest of the year if the first person to cross the threshold of your home is a tall dark handsome man. This person, known as a "first footer" arrives after midnight bearing gifts which include a lump of coal, black bun, shortbread and, of course, an ample supply of whiskey...

Well, no one outside the household came in and instead of coal, a black bun and whiskey, we had Hoppin' John and collard greens with cornbread. I think that a "first footer" bringing whiskey isn't my idea of good luck. But it's an interesting old tradition nonetheless.

Hope that your Wednesday is going well. And that the tall, dark and handsome man who crosses your threshold brings suitable gifts for your luck in the New Year.

Lessons in recovery

Shadow tagged me to list 7 things that I've learned in recovery. I've learned a lot of things since coming to Al-Anon but here are the ones that immediately come to mind:

1. I am much more relaxed and comfortable with who I am and with other people.

2. I do the things that I enjoy now and don't kick myself or feel guilty about doing those things.

3. I don't feel obligated to pretend about much of anything anymore

4. That being honest in sharing and doing my inventory was not a big deal and I actually enjoyed it.

5. That I don't have to try to figure everything out but can just accept that sometimes things just are.

6. That one of the most important things that I could do was to find a sponsor to be my guide in the program and that person is fair, thorough and knowledgeable

7. That if you go to meetings, do the steps, read conference literature, do service work and talk with your sponsor, you'll find out how the program works. If you are willing, you'll actually work the program.

Random things

Mark tagged me for 8 random things about myself. It seems like I've done this before on here. I'm not sure how random these are but I'll try to do them rapidly so they might be somewhat random:
1. My first job was working at a marine institute where I dumped dead oysters out of jars. And I did it for free, volunteering for the summer.
2. My favorite car that I've owned was a red 1968 Mustang.
3. I would really like to visit exotic places like Cairo, Calcutta, and the Amazon and others that I've read about.
4. I've been down to over 2000 meters in a submersible.
5. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday
6. I used to do oil and acrylic painting and took private art lessons for 5 years.
7. I have volunteered at homeless shelters and at a halfway house for the mentally ill.
8. I used to own a thoroughbred horse who raced at Pimlico.

Okay, I'm supposed to tag others so I guess that I'll tag Mary Christine, dAAve, Tab, Lash, Kel, Shannon, Matty, and Pat. Sorry guys....

Six weird things and a bunch of other facts

Okay, I've been tagged to write six weird things about myself. Here are the rules: People who get tagged need to write a blog entry of their own 6 weird things. In the end, I will choose 3 people to be tagged and list their names. I'm supposed to leave a comment on their blog that says they have been tagged and to tell them to read my blog!

I don't know what defines weird but I'll do my best:
1. I have 10 piercings in one ear
2. I have six other piercings
3. I once photographed a suspension party and a friend getting branded
4. I have a simian crease on one hand
5. I have Morton's toe
6. I think that leaving the toilet seat up is a sign of bad manners.

Okay after I've revealed all those weird things about myself (there are a few more that I can't mention), I guess that I'll tag Shannon, Mary Christine, and Christine.

After the six weird things, then I'm going to post another list I put together quite a while ago. It is 110 things about me:

1. I have no children
2. I have wished many times to have had a daughter
3. I was too fearful that I was too messed up to have a child
4. I would die for the people that I love
5. I am in recovery
6. From the effects of alcoholism
7. I have a mental list of things that I want to do before I die
8. One of those things is to live on a boat

9. I have a bunch of piercings
10. I am a Capricorn
11. I don't put much stock in organized religion
12. My father drank heavily when I was young
13. He also hit me on several occasions
14. I always believe in the wonderful fantasy of love
15. I take photos for they are my memory and my sentiment
16. I am pretty good at taking photos
17. I like to drive fast
18. I wear my seatbelt
19. I am right handed
20. I would like to be really good at photography and painting
21. I've met some pretty self-important people over the years
22. I’m not easily impressed
23. I love the ocean
24. I want to live on a boat with someone I love
25. I have worked on the ocean as a career
26. I could never live far from the ocean
27. I do not like to cook
28. I love music of all kinds
29. I own a home
30. I have a maid
31. I get easily bored and need mental stimuli
32. I have traveled quite a bit to some interesting places
33. I don't bullshit, mindfuck, or play with people
34. I don’t like people who try to bullshit, mindfuck or play with me
35. I once had sex 8 times in one night
36. I was never a truly wild person but I wanted to be
37. I had a horse that I loved
38. I was a good rider
39. I used to do long-distance cycling
40. I believe the full moon really does mess with people
41. If you go to Google and key in my real name you will get quite a few hits
42. I never liked my nickname
43. I once went to an all nude strip club
44. I sing sometimes but I sing badly
45. I have all my original teeth
46. I watch very little T.V.
47. When I watch TV it is generally news or the weather channel.
48. I spend too much time on the computer
49. For both work and play
50. I have no siblings
51. My parents had me after 16 years of marriage
52. My parents are deceased
53. I smoked cigarettes when I was 6 years old
54. I hate cigarettes and cigarette smoke
55. I love antiques
56. I will eat just about anything or at least try it.
57. I have an adventuresome spirit
58. I like all forms of exercise
59. I think that I will live to be old
60. I feel younger than my years
61. I have been to one X rated movie
62. I like deep long kisses
63. I sleep in a fetal position
64. I think that all forms of sex are okay
65. I believe in the idea of a soul mate
66. I don’t have any addictions
67. I don’t take myself too seriously
68. I believe you are never too old to learn something
69. I believe in the downtrodden
70. I wanted to work with Mother Theresa
71. I have never been arrested
72. I have never been in a jail
73. I am fearless
74. I love to laugh
75. I have way too much STUFF
76. I feel happy most of the time
77. I do not like to pick favorites
78. I do not like to use the word "hate" - it is such a strong word
79. I like to go camping and roughing it
80. My father told me that I should “cut the garment according to the cloth” which I seldom do
81. I like the finer things in life but could do without them if I had to
82. I am not a snob
83. I think I'm nice looking
84. I miss my mother and father
85. I hope that they were proud of me
86. I have learned to tie knots and do marlinspike seamanship
87. I like comfortable clothes but appreciate style
88. I like to sleep naked
89. My favorite color is black
90. I love animals
91. I have too many dogs
92. I don’t like gaudy jewelry on men or women
93. I can curse a blue streak but generally only around people that I know really well
94. I don’t like to kill anything
95. I once was slapped by a friend
96. I had wine thrown in my face by a woman
97. I am a Democrat
98. I don’t like things that smell bad including people
99. I believe in reincarnation
100. I would like to be reincarnated as a dog
101. I have contemplated suicide
102. I prefer to live and see what happens in the end
103. I wish that I weren’t so serious
104. I have few close friends
105. I enjoy parties but after I’ve had enough I want to leave
106. I’ve had to be tough in my job but am really a kind person
107. I want to build a small boat
108. I would like to visit Africa and the Amazon
109. I would like to see the pyramids before I die
110. I don't believe that marriage is a good idea
     

There you have it. It's a day of things about me.