June 18, 2003
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Oh, You Mean *That* Left!
Matt and I went sailing again yesterday, and he’s getting really good at it. Except for a minor mishap at the dock, where I tried hoisting the mainsail without cleating the outhaul (OOPS!), we had a great time.
Our tiller also broke off. That was interesting. It was while we were still trying to get out of the harbor, so I was trying to tack to avoid this powerboat, when I heard this horrible “CRRRACCK!” I looked down and I was holding this amputated tiller. So, while holding the stub of tiller, I tried tying rope around it to fix it at the same time. Matt was yelling at me saying, “What are you doing? We’re heading toward that houseboat!” I said, “I’m FIXING THE *bleep* *bleep* TILLER, *bleep*IT!” He goes, “Oh. Okay.”
These boats are old.
When I was done tying the rope around the rudder and the tiller, it looked like some kind of cave-man battle axe I saw in a museum once. But it held. So we were able to sail! I just didn’t point too close to the wind, because I was worried my ropes wouldn’t stay.
This time, I decided we’d just use the mainsail and let Matt practice figuring out how to sheet in a sail and let it out. He grudgingly agreed, but he picked it up really fast. Then we traded places, and he steered while I did the mainsheet. He is so big! And this dinghy has a really low boom. So, when we jibe, he has to lean out the back of the boat to keep the boom from hitting him. On his first jibe, he made a weird grunt, and I looked back to see if he was okay. He said, “I’m fine! I was just worried about it hitting me in the balls!”
Anyway, next time we might add the jibsail. And then try the spinnaker! Whee!
Jso has made a nice Mission Statement. I do that a lot too. I think it’s a very good practice to keep one focused on what is important in one’s life. There are always lots of people telling me what they think is important, but it only is important to them. Reminding myself of what I want and need keeps me from being distracted by others who are trying to get me to do things I don’t need or want to do.
I used to think all I wanted to do was help people. Yah, cliche, I know. So I went into research and medicine. Now I realize, lots of people don’t want my help, or need my help. And sometimes when you help people, they hurt you. I can take a little of that shit, but not a lot. And so, I spend more of my time helping myself.
My Old Mission Statement:
1. To graduate with my M.D.-Ph.D. and do excellent research on cystic fibrosis and cell signal transduction.
2. To meet someone with an M.D.-Ph.D. like me and get married.
3. To have one kid and only one kid.
4. To have a house on a mountain top next to large body of water.
My New-Improved Mission Statement:
1. To finish medical school.
2. To have at least one kid, and maybe more.
3. To have a house where Matt can watch his tornadoes, where Buddy can run around without a leash on and without getting run over, and where the cats can sun and not get stepped on.
4. To sail in the Pacific with Matt and Buddy.
5. To work in countries where medical care is really needed and appreciated, and where I don’t necessarily have to be paid to survive.
Comments (4)
what kind of boat were you sailing? that’s happened to me before, my tiller coming off. once my entire rudder came off in the middle of a race. talk about complicated! by the way, what kind of boats do you like to sail?
My boss is really big into Mission Statements and writing down things so that your goals are more easily attainalbe. I wrote my first one yesterday. Have to say that I see what he means now.
damnit, i thought i subscribed to you the other day! sometimes, i swear i am losing my mind…
zil4dictAtoR666, I was sailing a boat called a Rhodes Bantam. It’s a 14 foot dinghy that isn’t made anymore. I’m told people use to race them, but they’re not nearly as fast as your Laser!
I like to sail all kinds of boats. Slow ones, fast ones, monohulls, catamarans! I’ve yet to sail a trimaran though.