At my house, it has alternated between “winter” and almost winter and today, Sunday (11/15) it is approaching 40F so an ugly melt-down.
C’est la vie (that’s life) !! I am thinking about a crash course in French as I continue to follow Vendee Globe 2020 and many of the skippers are French … Vendee Globe is a FRENCH thing!!! … so their videos are in French and I would LOVE to understand what they are saying.
But, despite my inadequate French, I do get a taste of personality from inflection, facial expression and what they choose to share.
The official Vendee Globe 2020 website has an English version of everything and some of the videos get updated with English subtitles so all is not lost in what skippers are saying.
To date, it has been very exciting [to me] … slower progress and 3 fronts … one which was TD Theta. The first week was intense and low on rest/sleep/meals/downtime for ALL of the skippers. There is a great video wrap of the first week:
At home … work, walks, play, teach … some family stuff, ya know … life!
Sunday evening … a good work week, a good “get outside and play” week, a good “interact with the world” week.
The Vendee Globe is so worth exploring … IMHO :) Many of the skippers are sponsored by organizations that are involved in ocean health, climate change, children’s health charities, and other planetary improvements. It always brings me close to tears when I read the stories behind why each of the 33 skippers are participating in a physically/mentally grueling challenge. Yes, they would LOVE to win as would their sponsors. But there is more behind all of the participants.
To me, it is some of the best people (skippers and their entire teams) vs as well as FOR the environment.
This week: some “normal”, some challenges, some learning … a good week!
I think blog friend/reader Margaret said it best in her comment: “…. the baby in the White House…” And the GOP senators, house members are generally (there are some great exceptions) being complicit (Ivanka might not know that word, but I’m guessing most of the GOP does!!!) in enabling/humoring Trump while the election process and America’s reputation is further diminished.
And President-elect Biden/Vice-President-elect Harris wishes to unite us become much harder.
So far, the good news is that the -elect are moving forward with not much attention to the bad news, i.e. they are getting on with the job. And I was encouraged by the choice of Chief of Staff: Rob Klain. I watched Mr. Klain speak about the bipartisan effort of stimulus and he was complimentary of the process on both sides. Hoo-rah!! It seems as if he is on the path of “let’s work together to solve problems” … I hope so.
Enough politics. I hope and pray that all moves forward peacefully. Hopefully … eventually, most will be open-minded enough to work together, to compromise to work for the best for all.
Meanwhile … it is Winter again at my house:
The morning walk. Hard to see, but it is snowing. That blue band is Emmett’s LED collar :).
Morning snow.
To date (11/12), I think about 6 inches of snow fell and that has settled at 4 inches, but it warmed up this afternoon and we had some melting.
It is a bit early for “cabin fever”, but so far, Auggie does not seem so inclined to go out in inclement weather as he was previous years. He was 7 in July, but … we’ll see as Fall/Winter progresses!
My new obsession: Vendee Globe 2020.
Vendee Globe is an ocean sailing race: around the world, solo, non-stop, no assistance. Vendee Globe happens every 4 years.
I grew up sailing and did some small boat/lake & river racing. Over the last year, I have been following some “’round the world” cruising vlogs on YouTube. By virtue of those connections, I happened to see info on the Vendee Globe race and got hooked!
Aside from the sailing, there is a fascinating technical aspect of this race. Because of COVID-19 as well as technical advancements, this race was designed to be “consumed” via the internet. The boats are wired for input: video, text … and every skipper has some social media people digesting and editing … as well as the Vendee Globe site…
Above is an early image of the tracking map showing the position of every boat. The tracking map is updated every several hours.
Onboard videos are updated from each skipper as they have opportunity.
There are skipper cards with info about each skipper, their boat, their experience and how/why they are competing.
The individual stories as well as the entire history of the Vendee Globe race is incredible: 28,000 miles (plus/minus), non stop, 1 person-1 boat with no help. The current record is 74 days. Yes, 74 days!
As I said, I am hooked on following the race. I started with a focus on Pip Hare: 46 years old, sailing a 20 year old boat, British, a LOT of ocean racing experience (Medallia sponsorship). I added Alex Thomson: 46 years old, sailing a brand new boat, 5th Vendee Globe and a super high tech site (Hugo Boss and Nokia sponsorship). And since I have been following, I am getting to know the other skippers, their boats and sponsors and reasons for racing.
It is GOOD NEWS.
It is stuff that has passion and requires super-human dedication. It allows me to reject that crappy political stuff.
So. Alex Thomson racing/Hugo Boss/Nokia … their technical info is incredible:
Skipper Alex is wired for health and well being info.
I didn’t include, but there are also inputs for the boat and the environment. I think other skippers have similar, but Alex’s info is the most readily available to me.
The Vendee Globe 2020 main site above.
It is well done! I wish I had better French as many of the skippers are sailing for France and their posts/videos are in French … Still, the visuals are incredible. Honestly … these boats are in the middle of whichever ocean and I am getting real time updates!!
Tomorrow will be nerve wracking as the group heads into/around Theta:
YIKES.
This will be the 3rd “low” with high winds/high seas.
I will be watching.
The political bad news … GAHH … NOTHING compared to the good news of the 33 skippers challenging the oceans of the world.
Do you know that Trump is the first President in 100 years that has not had a dog???
Now, Clintons were more cat people, but they had a dog also.
Obama’s had allergy issues but they DID find a breed to fit in.
I am HIGHLY suspicious of people who have NEVER had pets.
Joe and Jill Biden have two German Shepard rescues: Champ and Major. And honestly, I was not a great Biden fan until reading … before Joe Biden declared his candidacy, that they had these dogs.
Joe Biden and Major
I am beyond grateful that the Biden-Harris ticket are President-Vice-President Elect.
I hope things go smoothly in the transition.
Per social media, both Biden and Harris are both celebrating as well as extending an olive branch of let’s move foreward … ALL of us.
Does having a dog (or cat or pet) matter?
I kind of think it does as it shows an inclination to care about all others.
I am writing this post before resolution to the U.S. Presidential election.
I do, however, know some of the U.S. State of Montana election results.
I am not happy with Montana and when I saw results this morning, my first thought was to call a realtor and “get the hell out of Dodge!” And I had a long, angry, ugly, head rant. I felt horrible about my horrible thoughts and it spurred me to really examine how I wanted to move forward.
And there it is. We all have to move forward. I don’t know how things will play out nationally. And while I am not happy about how they played out in my state … we have to move forward. We have several crises: pandemic, economy, climate change, racism. But maybe the real crisis is how do we come together, stop the name calling and the blaming (I’ve done my fair share in my head :( ) and move forward.
Whatever the national and other regional outcomes, how do we stop the meanness and work together on solving problems.
I believe we need to take the high road. I believe we need to put aside “sides” and look at options to resolving problems and issues. It will not be easy at all. But, I firmly believe that until we stop being on “sides” and start looking at compromise and listening to one another … we will be lost.
Let’s not be lost! Let’s all take the high road!! Let’s work together, whatever/whoever and THAT, THAT (not who) is what will make the U.S. and the entire world great.
This moon is called a blue moon because it is the second full moon of October.
The weather has cooperated the last several evenings and mornings … mornings particularly … with clear skies!
The trick with moon rise and moon set is getting a photo when there is enough light to get moon detail AND landscape detail.
I would have loved just a bit more light for this, but … to my eye, there was plenty … for the camera … not quite and I did not want to ‘shop this beyond “dark room” adjustments.
For me, in the Jeep, at the end of “the road home”, it was a beautiful morning and I enjoyed the changing light as the moon set … on Halloween morning.
