Photo Op

On our way home from happy hour/laundry, we cruised by Tater for a photo shoot:

Looks like Tater got a little crinkled

Full Circle

Ben, Lola and I ran into a dear old friend yesterday...

Tater!

He was parked on the street less than a block from our old apartment in Ocean Beach! Just goes to show things really do come back full circle! It was great to see an old friend who took care of us so well for eight months. We miss you, Tater!

The Power of Solar

In honor of Earth Day, I thought I'd share these pictures of my "office". As many of you know, I work online, from the boat. I use a laptop, an additional flat panel monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. (I need the flat panel to read information that I then enter into the laptop. I use the extra keyboard because I need a number pad. The mouse is really just for ergonomics... so I don't have to reach across the keyboard to use the one on the laptop.) I use an AT&T 3G Wireless card, which I would not recommend to anyone but a desperate soul like myself. It's expensive, bulky, and moody. But it was my best option for internet. And I work entirely off of solar energy. Those of you who followed us in Tater have seen pictures of the solar setup on that blog. I usually work for 8 or 10 hours at a time (even after dark) using energy generated from two 6-volt deep cycle batteries and a 134-watt solar panel. And it's completely free (with the exception of the initial purchase price)! The whole system cost somewhere around $1000 and we've been using it for a year and a half already. Solar is really a cool concept. In the near future, we'll be revamping the system- adding more batteries and panels in order to run the reefer (that's refrigerator in "Pirate Speak"). But for now, we have enough power to live and work off of.

I also hooked up my new 5-watt solar panel on my dinghy on Earth Day. Here are some pics:

Earth Day 2009

Hope everyone has a Happy Earth Day tomorrow! Normally, Earth Day prompts me to take a look at my conservation habits and see where I can improve. Unfortunately, this year (week), I've been busy with school work and I haven't had time to consider anything but this research paper I've been writing. :(

I have determined that the 1.5 watt solar panel that I've been using for my trolling motor isn't producing enough energy, so I've been rowing a lot lately. I ordered a larger (5 watt) panel and it should arrive by UPS this afternoon. So... hopefully by tomorrow I can rest my oars (and my arms!) again!

*****

I've been in a sort of forced silence the past couple of days, as I have been the victim of a "spirit crusher." I use this blog as a place to let friends and family know what we're up to, but also as a sort of online journal of my life... a place to collect pictures, poems, facts, memories, etc. that are interesting and important to me. I realize by publishing a blog I am opening myself up for criticism and judgment. I guess I just never realized how critical and judgmental some people can be, and for no good reason but to hear themselves talk. To be honest, it saddens me. I know misery loves company, but I just don't understand it.

"The more you know,
the less you understand...

...Those who know don't talk.

Those who talk don't know."

~Lao-Tzu

Tao Te Ching

Motherhood

by Georgia Douglas Johnson (1922)

Don't knock on my door, little child,
I cannot let you in;
You know not what a world this is
Of cruelty and sin.
Wait in the still eternity
Until I come to you.
The world is cruel, cruel, child,
I cannot let you through.

Don't knock at my heart, little one,
I cannot bear the pain
Of turning deaf ears to your call,
Time and time again.
You do not know the monster men
Inhabiting the earth.
Be still, be still, my precious child,
I cannot give you birth.

Silence is Golden

I think most of us have heard of the Golden Rule:

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Religion aside, it is a logical statement. I do my best to live by the Golden Rule in the hopes that if I treat people well, I will be treated well in return. The tricky part is that everyone has a different idea about what it means to be treated well. For me, it means not having to listen to negativity. I don't need a Devil's Advocate in my life. Believe it or not, each of the decisions I make are very well thought out. Just short of sinking to the level of the Debbie (or Dick) Downers of the World, I wanted to share some things I've come to understand in my short 32 years on Earth:

If you want people to respect you and remain in your life:

Don’t try to teach them lessons. Don’t try to burst their bubble. Don’t speak negatively about their life choices. Don’t assume you know better because you’re older or wiser. Wisdom doesn’t come with age, but rather with experience, and that is precisely why people need to live and learn for themselves. Think before you speak... and even more importantly, think before you write. Writers have the invaluable ability to proofread and edit their thoughts before they present them to their audience.

And lastly, if you don't have anything positive to say to someone, it's probably best to say nothing at all.

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Boating News

The Log is California's Boating & Fishing newspaper.

The Harbor Blotter is my favorite section of the paper. It's fun to read the Harbor Police briefs from around the area (in particular San Diego Bay and the Laurel Street Anchorage).

I also like the Dog Aboard Gallery. Maybe one day I'll submit a picture of Lola.