Megan the Nautie Mermate
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A LADY SAILOR
Nautie Friends, this is called Soup Tea. Yes. Soup Tea. It was purchased in Korea and had all the promising of a tasty shipboard treat – instant soup if you felt like skipping a meal.
It basically tasted like pureed Corn Pops mixed with Kix…with some corn flakes thrown in there for texture.
It was strange. I ate it all.
I'm keeping things light and fluffy around here until I get my head back in the game. I know you understand!
I woke up this morning and headed to the bridge – it felt good. Nothing beats a pastel morning sky.
Nautie Friends, this good vessel has been in port for 18 of the last 21 days. To say there was an audible sigh of relief as we cast our lines off yesterday would be an understatement.
Granted, gearing up for 20+ days of open ocean brings a whole new set of challenges. Especially, when said sea time comes when the entire crew has over 90 days aboard. The number one way to not go crazy during a long sea passage is to mentally gear up….and then stay busy.
I’m mentally gearing up. I’m building to do lists. I’m not letting myself make any plans at home (normally, by this time in the rotation I have my whole vacation planned). I’m listening to music I enjoy. I’m organizing photos. I’m reading a good book. I’m trying to motivate myself to resume my evening walks. I’m dodging fishing gear in the Sea of Japan.
I'm eating persimmons on the bridge wing.
You know that feeling when you find something you love and you want to buy many, much, more? You want to use it all the time and you want everyone else to know how much you love it. More importantly you want everyone else to have it and love it too!
I had been oohing and aahing over Ash & Anchor scarves for a long time. I would look at all the pretty designs and think, 'I think this is a need not a want, right?'. I've actually talked about them on the blog a lot too! (See here and here and here.)
When my Pavo Scarf arrived in the mail it was packaged beautifully - with a hand written note - which my Grandmother would have majorly approved of.
I immediately took it on a few trips. Vegas, Austin, Seattle and, Vancouver were all just slightly more enjoyable with Pavo along. On my Seattle / Vancouver trip the weather was a strange mix of warm and cold - sunny and drizzly - Pavo was perfect for this.
Listen, when you have a scarf that looks good in a bag you know you've found a winner!
We talk a lot about travel accessories around here. What our travel 'must-haves' consist of. Where we like to go and what we like to wear when we go there. We talk about looking fancy when we feel anything but. We also talk about things that just make sense....and are lovely at the same time.
Traveling with Pavo was lovely...and made sense. It rolled right up into my purse. I wrapped Big Bertha up in it and threw her in my bag. I pulled it up over my head when I was freezing on the plane. I cleaned my sunglasses lenses with it. I zipped my jacket up over it when I was freezing in Vancouver. Lovely I tell you, Lovely.
Here's the good news:
Here's what you can do to make this lovely yours:
One week from now (that would be 09 Aug) I'll pull a name from a hat. Posted a comment? That's a slip in the hat. Sent a tweet out into the twitterverse? That's a slip in the hat. Invited a new reader to the blog who is sly enough to drop your name? That's a slip in the hat!
Was I right, or was I right?
Can't wait to read about where you've been and what kind of shenanigans you've gotten up to! Can't wait to see you kicking around the interwebz! Can't wait to meet some new friends!
You can find me on Instagram @nautiemermate (sorry can't link up to Instagram on the ship) - I tweet away @nautiemermate - I'm alive and well at Megan the NautieMermate on Facebook.
...but it's soon to be no more, okay? Now, if you're like me, Google Reader managed your blog readin' life and you're a little bit cranky. I get it. Change is hard. As with most things in life however; a little change is sometimes necessary.
Here are some Google Reader alternatives that aren't so bad!
The Old Reader. I like this one because it is very similar to the original Google Reader. This means that it's kind of a change but not really. This one gets 3.5 stars because it doesn't have an app.
Blog Lovin'. Bloggers like this one because it allows you to view the original post as it was intended to look. Sometimes my photos look a little different in Google Reader - especially if it's an album. When you make a site change a reader can instantly see it. Unfortunately, this one didn't work too well for me on the ship because it took along time for some posts to load. I seriously don't think that would be an issue for most. This one gets 4 stars (and most people would give it a 5 star rating).
Feedly. People love this one. I've never used it because it's blocked on the ship. Darnit Barracuda Filter! Why do you call this one a game?! (we're not allowed to play games...they get blocked...lame) I can't give this a rating but like I said, many love it.
News Blur. I signed up for News Blur while I was on the ship and it was the best alternative I could find at the time. That being said, I had to pay for a monthly subscription. I do like it's app and the app is available for android and apple - which is a plus, right?! 4 stars.
There you have it Nautie Friends, we all have options.
On Sunday, I stood up in front of all the BiSCuits and cried. I had no idea why I was standing up to let out all of the feelings.....or why I was crying....until I was up there. Somewhere between going into the ugly cry and starting to talk I knew.
I was lonely. I wanted to tell everyone how lonely I had been.
Here's how it all began:
I had been following a particular blog for years...eventually I clicked through some of her links...and then I was following other blogs that I lurved. I mean, really and truly lurved. These blogs were the icing on my cake.
I'd stumble into my room late at night after cargo ops. I'd be wound up not able to sleep...knowing I needed to trust the Junior Mate on Watch....and I'd read these blogs until I could take a cat nap....knowing that I'd get at least one call before o'dark thirty and that my alarm would sound well before I was rested.
I learned things important like: Screaming Nicki Minaj was totally allowed or, who got kicked of The Bachelorette. I stayed in touch with the world. What was hip? What were people listening to on the radio? What everyone was eating.
As I read these other blogs I learned more about myself. I was capable, competent, and in Charge of My Reality. I started calling the shots at work - and in my own life.
Except, somewhere along the way...
I got tired of doing things by myself all the time.
I'm an only child. I'm programmed to do things solo. Going to the beach with friends? Megan's packed her coloring book, crayons and, head phones. She would like to lie here in silence please... Between being a lady sailor, being on the go constantly and being naturally comfortable flying solo I was constantly on my own.
Things got a little more complicated when I promoted to Chief Mate. I hate to say something this cliche but, 'it's lonely at the top'.
People don't really want to hang out with their boss. Not when they're signing their overtime sheets. I don't want to have to deal with the ramifications of becoming 'overly friendly'. When I need someone to go do something I don't want to explain myself - or be in a situation where I feel obligated to explain myself.
Plus, I'm standoffish.
Very. I really don't mean to be. But listen, you can only stand so many midnight watches with weirdos...there comes a time where 'polite chit-chat' is no longer in your vocabulary. I have stood in complete silence other than to issue directions for hours. Hours. In awkward silence that I can 100% ignore. Tell me that doesn't make you slightly jaded?
When I signed up for Bloggers in Sin City it was a whim. I was in the Middle of the Atlantic and I thought, 'maybe they'll be my friends...'. Seriously. That's what I thought.
I was looking for something, and I didn't know what it was.
Now I know. I now know that out on the interwebz exists a Community. a Tribe. a People....like me....or not like me...which makes it even better. Fuller - Warmer - More.
There were times where I wanted to silently slip away and hope no one noticed. There were times I was convinced no one would notice. I was nervous. Anxious. Cautious. I didn't introduce myself to everyone. I didn't talk to nearly as many people as I wanted to. I could have put myself out there a little more. Here's the BUT. Every single person I had the pleasure of chatting with at BiSC blew my mind with their coolness. They were genuinely good people who want good things for other people. Sometimes I feel like I live in a dog eat dog world but, at BiSC I could slowly feel my guard get let down.
Thank you all for that. Big. HUGE. Mahalo's.
I heard people say BiSC has changed their lives. I think for me it's too soon to know. What I will say is that BiSC has heightened my awareness. It's made me realize that a 'more' is there. I can do more, be more, share more, laugh more, cry more and love more. I am more of a Mermate than I ever have been before.
The next time loneliness sneaks up on me I'm going to say, 'Don't be such a mermaid!'....then I'm going to tweet some BiSCuits.
US Flag vessels don't typically have a 'poop deck' but, this vessel was built overseas so indeedy, we have a poop deck. This is glorious because then one of my shipmates can put a sticker above it's sign....
I love this.
First of all, it's funny.
Second of all, it loosely translates to, 'give a shit'.
Honestly, I give a shit. About almost everything.
I enjoy sailing with people who give a shit because, I give a shit and there is nothing more annoying than a shipmate who doesn't give a shit.
As I wrap up my rotation (the Pilot should be boarding shortly and I'll be docked this afternoon) I feel grateful for several things - being surrounded by people who give a shit is probably the top of my list.
Here's to giving a shit!