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Putting your Ship first

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Priorities in the Maritime Environment "I've got an idea, why don't we knock that wall out, widen the kitchen, move the sink onto an island, add bar seating, and.." If a general contractor heard the above words, two months would be added to the project and costs would soar by an appropriate percentage, but a  vessel designer  would, quite literally, need to start over. Homebuilding is somewhat  linear; maritime designs are spiral - with every decision impacting everything  before and after. This spiral echoes through all aspects of maritime culture - including crewing and operating a vessel. Putting your Ship first - Humans are not adapted to the marine environment. Without a vessel we would quickly perish on river, lake, sea, or ocean. Therefore our vessel is our first priority. Without her in good health, we are in great peril – all of us: passengers, crew, and self. Mission is the second priority - Any vessel you ship aboard has
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Borrowed Tragedy

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We all have our own pain, solitary, and heartfelt. It is human nature to wish to bridge the divide between souls and share the result: how we feel - what is left.  What is left is a person forever altered; perhaps more wary, or jaded, or shy, distrustful, or a combination of these and so many other things. I have actually been accused of murder, (really - me personally - in published print) and in trying to understand why someone would do that, I stumbled across something profound, something that has seen a resurgence as of late: personal agony undergoing a metamorphosis into borrowed tragedy. A woman (successfully sober a number of years) who's opinion I value highly articulated this very well when she said (and here I must paraphrase), "Imagine having something occur that is so completely awful that you are crushed into a new form - something unrecognizable even to yourself. The outcome of this are emotions you didn't know were possible, but are forced to e
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     These are uncertain times in a complex world. People are looking for easy answers, headlines that they can grab hold of and call their own thoughts. Often it really isn't about thoughts, but feelings - the kind that hit you deep in the gut and can't be shaken loose with another person's list of headlines. This blog is not a list of headlines. It will require some deep reading. The opinions expressed here are based on research, life experience, and first-hand knowledge. Come to question; stay to debate. The rules are simple: Know what you are talking about. I'll hold you to that.
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