For the first time ever, I watched a Presidential inauguration.
So, I have nothing to compare to, but I thought that everyone …. everyone!! …. Democrat, Republican … EVERYONE, behaved beautifully and looked stunning and happy and peaceful as well as adhering to COVID precautions.
I hope that my perception is correct.
Maybe just words, but I thought there were some excellent ones:
From President Biden: “Here’s my message to those beyond our borders… we will repair our alliances… and we’ll lead not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”
By the power of our example!
Also from President Biden: “Politics does not have to be a raging fire” – which does not mean that we will not disagree and that we will all have to negotiate and compromise and listen and learn. But, it does not have to be mean or bullying or blaming or many of the other incredibly juvenile behaviors that were part of the previous administration.
By the power of our example!
If the leaders … any leaders … lead with an example of dignity and civility and respect, we have a much better chance of overall success and greatness.
I doubt that I will agree with everything that happens in this administration, but I do believe, with my whole heart and soul, that the ultimate outcome of the future will be positive and good for the many and for the world.
We are a global community. We need global involvement and a voice in global issues.
Ultimately, I feel very hopeful and also very grateful that dignity and civility have returned to the White House … to the leadership of the United States of America. I hope to once again, be able to be proud to be an American.
God Bless and God Speed to President Biden and Vice-President Harris, the Senate and the House as they lead us forward.
Sometimes, I scroll through my blog or my Instagram and remind myself that I am a most fortunate person…
I hope that at this time next week, we (as in the U.S.) is on it’s way to being a more kind, more thoughtful, more caring country.
I know … that might be too much, too soon to ask, but I truly hope that the true spirit of this country will be for working together, no matter what “party” … to work together on all of the issues that we face. It sounds a little trite, but we really should be able to do more together … if we focus on what we have in common, what we want for our children and grandchildren, on clean air and a healthy planet.
There is a plethora of abhorrent rhetoric about each “side”. DROP IT! and focus on real progress toward a peaceful, sustainable world.
So.
Meanwhile, YES, I am crazy following the Vendee Globe! As of this writing, 8 boats have crossed the Equator back into the Northern Hemisphere. There are only 3 boats still to round Cape Horn. It looks to be the equivalent of a photo finish, which is UNHEARD of in the history of the Vendee Globe!
I watch the Vendee Globe on YouTube and Instagram and in my watching and also watching various cooking channels, I happened on Refika!
Good grief! I am hooked. I love the spices and the recipes and I love Refika. She has marvelous energy and enthusiasm, plus she explains the why of things.
I am off to make Lavash Bread this Sunday Evening.
Cheers to all, I hope you all have reasons to hope for better times.
Andi Robertson is the presenter of the Vendee Live YouTube that I have been watching daily since the November 8 start of the Vendee Globe.
He brings the race alive as well as conducts superb and genuine interviews with guests, skippers (via Satellite phone/Zoom/Visio, etc. … which often means delays for speach… it is NOT easy!)
From the start, I have appreciated that when he asks a question, he allows the person asked, time to formulate an answer. This is such a wonderful change from many U.S. anchors/newscasters that seem more interested in hearing their own voices, than allowing their interviewees time to answer the question.
Anyway.
Andi gets out of the way and I LOVE that. He has been criticized in comments for not being “emotive” enough. HAH! I am guessing that the critics are fellow Americans. I have the opposite view and am so grateful that he acts like a REAL journalist.
BUT, he does share in the joy of circumstance … reaction to many guests and comments and in particular to Pip Hare and her perfomance. And my favorite guests: Marcus Hutchison (Thursday) and Mike Golding (various appearances and a 4 time Vendee participant). And honestly, every single guest on Vendee Live has contributed to my understanding of the race as well as been insightful in life metaphors.
Honestly, have YOU NOT yet been entranced? So sorry if not.
Vendee Globe is so much more than a sailing race.
But as for Auggie and me … we LOVE Andi Robertson and we LOVE Vendee Globe.
The weekly recaps have been so incredible. Friday is always something to look forward to, but during this Vendee Globe, they bring JOY to my heart and soul.
This past week, 14 of the remaining (not retired) 27 sailors, rounded Cape Horn.
I will not rest completely easy until all are around.
The recap, above, features a meteorologist who explains some of what makes Cape Horn often a “mariner’s nightmare”.
Cape Horn is the 3rd and final Cape in the Vendee Globe.
Too late to be featured in the recap, but Pip Hare, who I mentioned in my January 3: Perspective changed post, had yet another glitch: a crack in her port rudder stock. She replaced the rudder … in the southern ocean and there is no follower of the Vendee Globe who is not incredibly impressed, proud and just “over the top” happy that Pip accomplished this … as well as she set things up to film it to share!!!
This weeks recap and Pip Hare’s recovery from a devastating breakage … Holy Cow!
There are some inspiring messages and articles on the subject of the United States and it’s citizens (I am one) regaining peace, stability, sanity!, and decorum. I try to focus on that as well as hoping the next 13 days pass without further mayhem.
I also stay focused on the Vendee Globe 2020, which has provided a look at so many people, all over the world, who are incredible examples of stellar humanity. From the skippers, to their teams, to those reporting on the race, and all of the many suppliers of items for the boats, men and women who have raced around the world and offer their perspective … I know, none are perfect and they are human like the rest of us, but I truly believe that they are the best of the best and I have learned so much by watching, reading and listening.
Vendee Globe is a race around the world. It started (starts) in Les Sables d’Olonee France and finishes there.
It is non stop (vs legs like the Ocean Race formerly the Whitbread). No assistance is allowed, meaning each skipper must repair any breakages or retire from the race if they cannot.
One skipper, Samantha Davies, sailing her third Vendee Globe, repaired in Cape Town, South Africa after hitting a UFO (unidentified floating object) that damaged her keel. She had just gybed (a 30-45-90 minute maneuver) and was fixing a hot meal, just at sunset, when she hit something that brought the boat to a dead stop from 18 Knots of speed. The collision threw her into a bulkhead kind of thing, bruised/cracked ribs and whiplash after affects … BUT, she had to deal with the boat and damage and ultimately limped back to Cape Town.
She repaired in Cape Town, which officially retires her from the race.
But, she continues the ’round the world trip for several reasons: the children that benefit from the charity supported by her sponsors (Initiatives Coeur), to deal with some fear demons following the collision (no idea what it was per public info) and to complete what she started … in the footsteps of other sailors who had somewhat similar experiences: Isabelle Autisier, but also Enda O’Coineen, Nick Moloney,
It cannot be easy to continue on and not be part of the race and be far behind. But as of today, Sam has overtaken the three last of the fleet and will likely overtake others.
Sam finished 4th in her last Vendee Globe and was in the top 10 when she had to retire from this race. She had an excellent chance to finish on the podium (1st 3).
While it had to be heart breaking, her decision to continue … for the children first and herself second … HOO RAH!!!
And today, this video says it all: (the video is in French, but if you turn on CC and select AutoTranslate to English in Settings, you will get English subtitles … but even if you don’t/can’t … the images tell the story)
Go Sam!!
And maybe my small band of readers will head to Instagram or Facebook and like/subscribe, thus contributing to more children being saved. Every like and subscribe adds up to sponsor contribution to Initiatives Coeur.
Initiatives Coeur brings children needing heart surgery, from poor countries, to French host families. The children get life saving operations, recover and return to their families. The vast majority, need no other assistance to lead normal, healthy lives.
In this time of pandemic, of political unrest and poor behavior re both … let us focus on all of the good things, the beautiful things, the people who are giving and living joyfully.
***I hate to give time and words to this, but maybe looking back, I will wonder … what was the ugly thing? Yesterday, January 6, 2021, President Trump and some of the Republican Party (MT Senator Daines among them as well as Rep Rosendale) were complicit in promoting the idea that there was doubt in the outcome of the 2020 election and in the case of the President … of actually inciting violence by a group of thugs that believed all of the above and descended on the U.S. Capitol … armed and doing violence as well as vandalism. The world and most of the U.S. is appalled.
It has been a frustrating several days trying to solve the issue with my primary computer, along with getting my backup computer up to speed. It has not been a constant “at the computer” thing … for the primary computer, I had off and on thoughts of things to try, but yesterday (Saturday 1/2) realized it needed to go to the shop.
Meanwhile, getting the backup up to speed … Fortunately, I had had “the shop” do a clean reset and update to current Windows, not long ago. And I had started the process of getting the backup laptop to actually being a backup, as in all of the tools that I need to work on the backup. But, it is not all that fun and so I had not made huge progress. The primary hurdle is downloading the software, which just takes time on my sometimes marginal internet.
BUT, I made a list of the order of things and was working away at it. Again, not constant, it is a “start a download”, keep an eye on it and then configure at the finish. Still, I had planned other things … fun, hobby kind of things for these last days of the holiday break as well as some house cleaning.
Meanwhile, as noted in the previous post, I have been continually keeping an eye on the Vendee Globe sailing race and kind of holding my breath as the fleet approaches and rounds Cape Horn. Two have rounded and are in the quiet of the lee of South America in the southern Atlantic.
The race is in it’s 9th week. Both boats and skippers have taken a pretty good beating at this point.
I found out about the race and started watching via an Instagram post by Nikki Henderson sending encouragement to Pip Hare.
Nikki Henderson is a British professional yachtswoman who at 25 (2-3 years ago) was the youngest skipper in the Clipper Round the World Yacht race. In addition to sailing, she is a motivational speaker and writer: storyteller extraordinaire. So, when she mentioned the Vendee and Pip Hare in her Instagram story, I looked!! And I will be forever grateful for her introduction to both!
Pip Hare is also a professional British yachtswoman, writer and sailing coach. She has dreamt of sailing in the Vendee Globe for 30 years, since she was 16. She took the start of the Vendee Globe 2020 with an almost last minute acquisition of a sponsor: Medallia.
From her website: “When asked why she wants to race in the Vendee Globe Pip says, ‘Because it is one of the toughest sporting events on the planet, and men and women of all ages and backgrounds compete on equal terms. Because racing one of these immense boats alone at sea forces me to be the best person I possibly could on every level. Because I love the ocean, I love the challenge, I want always to improve.’”
“Is there a job on the boat that you have to do, that people would be surprised at?
I’m not sure there is one job that is particularly suprising; but the variety of things I have to be good at might. I need to be an engineer, electrician, IT expert, boat builder, rigger, navigator, camera woman and producer, nurse, nutritionist, my own phsycologist, problem solver, risk assessor….. oh and a sailor!”
The above is no exaggeration. As I have followed the race, I have watched skippers: climb the mast (at sea), fabricate structural members, repair hydraulics, repair hydrogenerators, sew sails, repair lines, repair/troubleshoot autopilot issues, etc., etc., etc. And they all have to be up to snuff on the I.T. part of getting their weather info, communicating, posting blogs and videos and taking part in Visio/Zoom/satellite phone and video sessions to promote their sponsors, themselves and the Vendee Globe. All of this while sailing around the world in a 60 foot racing machine with few comforts.
It makes my little computer glitch inconsequential to say the least!
Pip Hare is sailing the oldest boat in the fleet with a lot of things that make single-handed operation extremely challenging. She has worked her way from 23rd place to 15th. And then … she lost some critical functionality in her autopilot. She has been working the last several days on troubleshooting and trying to fix her backup. And all the while, the weather is becoming more challenging and will remain that way for a week until she rounds the ‘Horn.
Right then.
There is SO.MUCH.WISDOM in the words that Pip speaks in the above video. It is her journey and challenges, but also much that I heard is relevant to my life and my choices … and I think to most people’s.
Perspective changed.
No whining about my little computer glitch.
Go Pip GO!!! Sail fast, sail safe. Love and Prayers from Northwest Montana, USA.
