Read Skip's dissertation on the SSCA's commodores bulletin Jan edition.
Gordon

On Mon, 03 Jan 2011 23:44:24 -0800, Gordon wrote:

Read Skip's dissertation on the SSCA's commodores bulletin Jan edition.
Gordon

Do you have a link?

"Gordon" wrote in message
m...
Read Skip's dissertation on the SSCA's commodores bulletin Jan edition.
Gordon

Actually, _Lydia's_, from HER (the google group in my sig) log. Appended
below...

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog

"Believe me, my young friend, there is *nothing*-absolutely nothing-half so
much worth doing as simply messing, messing-about-in-boats; messing about in
boats-or *with* boats.

In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that's
the charm of it.

Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your
destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get
anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in
particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and
you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not."

"Hedonic Adaptation," def: a phenomenon in which people quickly become
used to changes, great or terrible, in order to maintain a stable level of
happiness.

Think about this. Hedonic Adaptation affects every single one of us who are
reading this log; it applies to mankind as a whole. It affects those of us
who are going through a financial crisis and are being forced, like it or
not, to painfully downsize in every way imaginable. (The good news for you
folks, is that you're going to get used to this new discomfort soon, so that
it will no longer leave you emotionally aching). It affects those of us who
have reached a happy state of keeping-up-with-the-Joneses, except that we're
not so happy about it anymore. It affects people who are living their
passion, but three years into it, are looking for more. Like me.

I'm not dissatisfied; I'm grateful. In fact, I'm grateful on a daily
basis - truly. But I'm missing my "Wow!"s.

Wouldn't you think that retiring early, following my dream, living on our
sailboat with a man that I adore, who brings out the very best in me
(because, as my children will testify, there's definitely a not-so-pretty,
worst-of-me too) - wouldn't you think that would be enough? Wouldn't you
think that the freedom that this lifestyle affords, the opportunity to move
your home on a whim and a wind shift, sailing amid exquisite beauty and
experiencing different cultures, is more than any human being could ask for?
Yeah - you'd think so. I thought so, too.

Remember when I first started this log, when I was worried that my
anticipated Paradise would become routine? That perhaps the grass was
always greener? Sadly, it's true. It's called Hedonic Adaptation.
Evidently, I'm always looking for the Wow .. and when it's not there
anymore, I have to keep looking.

Don't get me wrong. Wild horses couldn't drag me off this boat. I feel I've
reached an equilibrium in my life, which I suppose is unique to each one of
us, where I'm finally comfortable and at peace with what I have, what I don't
have, and what's around me. This is It, for me. This is the culmination of
my Life. But then, there's that other fact - that it's gone on for 3 years
now, and I'm not having to fight for it. The anticipation of seeing
something new is gone, because I've already seen it. At the risk of
sounding crass and ungrateful (although I know it does, anyway), "been
there, done that".

Back to the definition of Hedonic Adaptation. One quickly gets used to one's
circumstances, good or bad, in order to maintain a stable level of
happiness. OK - I'm happy. I'm very happy, but I still want the thrill of
the New. I want to maintain the daily awe that my grandson, Harrison,
experiences at just two years old. He says, "Wow! That's amazing!" nearly
every day, and means it. There was never a truer expression than, "there's
never a time like the first time."

Maybe this is what drives cruisers through the Panama Canal and on around
the world in their little boats, seeking the new experience of each
different island and culture, dropping anchor off a country that only makes
National Geographic, and never the World News. It sounds good to me - very
good. But then, there's all that ocean between the islands and those long,
long passages. And the fear . let's not forget the fear, of the storms.

I reflect on what it must be like to have done a circumnavigation, not as a
racer or record breaker, but as a real journey, savoring one's way around.
I can't imagine having that experience tucked under my belt; I'd have to
wonder what you do after that for your Wows. But what about the cruisers
who report that they had to sail through the Great Garbage Patch, hundreds
of miles of garbage out in the middle of the Pacific ocean - great piles of
plastic reputedly the size of the state of Texas, and growing? How would it
make me feel to witness something so destructive, so devastating to our
marine life, so utterly man-made? Would I want to kill myself, or would
Hedonic Adaptation set in, and I'd become used to the idea?

I think it's time to plan a trip to the Caribbean next year, after Emily's
wedding is behind us. Time to move on and explore new horizons.

Our month ashore in July with the kids and grand-kids was, at my end, pretty
hectic for the first couple of weeks as we got things readied for Emily and
Patrick's engagement party, which Jessica and Peter were hosting. Jessica
had done all the leg work before I got there, bless her weary heart, and the
party was a huge success and enjoyed by all. All my children were there
except Oliver, who was in school in Florida at the time. It was especially
lovely for me to see all the young kids - now nearing 30 years old - who
used to frequent our house when my children were growing up. It was really
a fun and memorable evening.

Art, the kid's dad, was visiting from England too. After the party was
over, he and I drove to Charleston to visit Emily and Patrick in their new
apartment in West Ashley, and did the historic district together. Such a
cool city, and so full of young people. Emily and I had an amazing day
shopping for her wedding dress. I never imagined how emotional I'd feel
when she found, (and quickly, I might add), the perfect dress. It was a
fantastic day to store in my Precious Memories bank.

Then it was back to Jessica's in the mountains, for snatched time with
Oliver who had driven up from Florida, and Jessica, who had been too busy to
blow her nose before the party, and my last few days with Harrison. What a
funny little guy he is, and so fun to be with. I miss him terribly.

Re-entry from our boat life to the States gets more and more dramatic each
time we go, and in direct proportion to the growing technological world. I'm
so far behind what's become ordinary, day-to-day tech stuff now, that I feel
like a complete idiot. I can barely answer a phone lest I press the wrong
button and lose the call, or worse still, take the call and be holding the
phone upside down so that Skip, who was on the other end, can't understand
why he can't hear me, despite my resorting to yelling in the earpiece! I
was tempted to ask Harrison how to change the channel on the TV to avoid
utter Direct TV chaos as a result. I'm getting an appreciation for how my
mother, or Skip's dad must have felt when they were being gently urged by
their children to get with the PC program, or else be left behind for good.
I suppose when you're living in the exponential growth of technology, you
assimilate it as it comes. When you're approaching it from the outside, the
rate of growth is staggering. I can't help wondering what Harrison will see
and experience at the turn of the next century when he's 92, which medical
scientists would assure me is nearly a given. These days of iPhones, iPads
and satellite TV will likely become the dark ages to him. The mind boggles.

Portia, as usual, was a compliant (if not appreciative) traveler during all
this, and figured out the new doggy door at Jessica's after one
demonstration. She had a lovely vacation of her own, spending the nights
outside and showing up with a face full of cobwebs in the mornings, evidence
that she was having fun exploring. I managed to find the Clemastine
anti-histamine pills I'd been recommended to try for her itchiness, and one
dose seemed to break the cycle after six months of relentless scratching.
Now 10 days later, all her bald patches are nearly grown in, and she's a
happy kitty. We had a great sail here yesterday to our current anchorage
just outside Great Guana Harbour in 15-23 knots. She'd been sleeping in the
cockpit when we unfurled the sails, and while she didn't move, she gave me a
notable dirty look as if to say, "**** - do we really have to do this
again?" Aside from the fact that she doesn't like sailing, per se, she
seems to be a very content boat kitty, and all the angst I felt a few months
back about her not having any quality of life has dissipated.

Since we're about to enter peak hurricane season, there are few cruisers
still around. But those who are take turns keeping the morning Cruisers Net
on the VHF radio up and running, and check in with each other daily. Dick
and Carol (and kitty, Annie) are here on their boat Gusto - a testament to
living the life of simplicity aboard as full time cruisers. They are both
in their mid-70's, and are still enjoying the lifestyle. I admire their
stamina, and pray that we, too, will still be able-bodied and appreciating
life on Flying Pig when we reach their ages. They are remarkable.

OK. Time for boat chores. Hope this finds you safe, well and happy.


--
Love, Lydia

S/V Flying Pig
Morgan 46 #2
"The only way to live is to have a dream green and growing in your life -
anything else is just existing and is a waste of breath."
Ann Davison


--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Flying Pig Log" mailing list. It is Lydia's "warm-fuzzy" posting site for
updates on our adventures. You'll only see brief messages of a non-technical
nature here.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to (click this link)

For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog
Email to this group (or a reply to this posting) will go only to Skip and
Lydia. For an interactive, more in-depth discussion of what's happening
aboard, you may wish to join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog/

On Tue, 4 Jan 2011 10:34:25 -0500, "Flying Pig"
wrote:

I think it's time to plan a trip to the Caribbean next year, after Emily's
wedding is behind us. Time to move on and explore new horizons.

That's a good plan and you'll enjoy it. The scenery is much
different than the Bahamas, very lush and mountainous in most places.
Every island has its own atmosphere and culture. There are new
customs quirks and procedures to be learned, lots of places to
explore, and fellow cruisers from all over the world. There are some
challenges also but on balance it is an experience you'll never
forget.