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Sunday 21 December 2014

List of Rules & Duties for being 48

I've been enjoying reading the writings of the prolific Maria Popvov, and happened upon her writings on Susan Sontag Rules for being 24.

I thought I'd come us with a few rules for being 48:

  • Eat Les
  • Drink less
  • Do core and/or strength training twice a week
  • Don't complain - Don't explain
  • Be direct and firm with 'getting to be adult' children. Support and Love them. Provide guidance, but let them choose
  • Spend more time fostering old and new hobbies with bride
  • Listen more. Criticize Less.

Monday 8 December 2014

Chatuchat Market - Values & Why We do What We do - Home in 4 hours

Getting fitted -
2 New Suits, 8 Shirts, & 1 Shorts.
Bangkok – Tipei to Vancouver. In 4 hours I’ll be home in 
YYC!


Had 24 hours in Bangkok after an amazing 7 days off Yatch racing in Phuket. Got my 2 new suits fitted & did some shopping for the family.

Enjoyed Chatuchak market. Here's a Link to a video of my stroll through animal section of the market. 

Thinking quite a lot about values & how they determine who we are. Just over 2 years ago I discovered a chart of values, and was asked to order those values in my own priority. (I forget where I got this list of values.)

I posted my list in order of priority in "Notes" on my iPhone. Without effort, I would occasionally happen along this list.  I probably seen the list about 6 times since developing it on Nov 23, 2013 (It’s date stamped by my freaking smart iphone!)

Since doing this, I found it very helpful in understanding why I am - what I am & why I do what I do.  (It helps with the pain!)

My list is below. I encourage you to do the exercise yourself. If you wish - it would be fun to discuss how our lists are similar and different. Lets go for a coffee. Bring it up. I will forget. The list is on my phone … so easy to access at a moments notice.

FYI … as I think about sharing this list – I think the instructions were ‘not to spend too much time thinking about it. Just do what comes to ‘top of mind’.  Pretty sure that it was how I did it on Nov 23, 2013 … and I have not made any changes to the list since.

Values Most important to me:
Fish at Chatuchak Market
1 health
2 adventure
3 freedom
4 love
5 success
6 intimacy
7 comfort
8 passion
9 security
10 power

Value I would do the most to avoid having to feel;
1 depression
2 guilt
3 loneliness
4 anger
5 frustration
6 humiliation
7 failure
8 rejection

//
I feel that this ‘forced’ 90 day sabbatical combined ‘mid-life crisis’ is a bit of a defining moment in my life. Perhaps a gift.?
Perhaps a bit like being in jail.?
I suppose time may tell.

I’m happy that instead of buying a red sports car, I got Yellow Panniers for my bike.  (Besides, I plan to live until 116 years … so I’m not REALLY allowed to have a mid life crisis until I’m 58. Perhaps I’ll get the red sports car then. (However, planning it to be  a 40’-55’ Catamaran to be moored at Granville Island, Vancouver.)

The above value exercise is interesting to me.
I doubt much if my values have changed much since before Dad died. (They were formed by the time I was 14 years old – I think.)

Although as I reconsider the above comment, and look at “Rejection” being the Value that I would do the LEAST to avoid having to feel … I doubt if that was the case in my teens and throughout my 20’s. 
Realizing the world is a pretty harsh place and “you get what you negotiate … I don’t mind getting rejected these days”.

//
Note to Younger People (and Older too):
Do this exercise … and post it as a ‘note’ on your phone … and monitor it every few years as a check in.  I think it would be a bit like having an annual school photo – but waay better!





Saturday 6 December 2014

Last day at Kings Cup

From Back Left  - Oscar, Andy, Tim, Ollie, Rob Tanner (from PEI!), Captain Peter Creamers, Nigel, Martin
Bonita, Oscar, Me, Panda (Paul), & Graeme
Finished racing today.
Learned quite alot on this cushy 75' boat ... and learnt a bit more about myself ... and the kind of sailor I am ... and the kind that I would like to become.

Here's a video of Day 4.
http://youtu.be/DzQ42ubHtQ8

Just booked a flight to Bangkok tomorrow ... and changed flights to fly home on Monday!
Excited to be returning home.



The Warwick Designed 75' Cruising Shahtoosh ... had a Mele Espresso Machine!

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Kings Cup

Shahtoosh, Kings Cup Regatta, Kata Beach, Thailand - 2014
The wind has been very bad ... little wind ... and the days are busy.
It's a great crew of 12 guys from Hong Kong (via Ireland, England, Belgium, Canada), London, and Auckland and me.
All are very experienced - except me.

We meet each day on the beach at 7am ... and are often on the water until 4 or 5pm.  Then then we meet for supper.  I'm the light drinker in this crew!



I made a video of Day 2 activities: Day 2 on Shahtoosh - Kings Cup

We are a heavy 'cruising' boat. Not really built to be fast. However, Captain Peter, did hope to have better results this week.  The very light wind is not doing him any favours. The boat would be more competitive in stronger wind.