Category Archives: Adventure

The world becomes more glorious

Little about conventional sailing prepares one to sail a 300-ton replica of a 17th century armed merchant vessel. For starters, rather than having one or two masts and a handful of sheets and halyards, such a ship has four masts, … Continue reading

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Embarking on a whole new life

Since I was 10-years-old, I quietly held a dream, which began to speak ever more loudly about a decade ago. In response to a question about which of two political aspirations I might have had, I blurted out, “Neither! I … Continue reading

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The flow of kindness

June 26th was a night of people helping people. After enjoying delicious food, drink, and the company of tall ship sailors at the gala event for Tall Ships Philadelphia-Camden, I headed back to my hosts’ apartment. I asked a young … Continue reading

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Adventure has a name

Eight years ago I wrote the following, a portent of today. Something big struck me as I pedaled my bicycle along in the steady wind beneath the glorious sky this morning. Several streams of recent thought and discussion flowed together … Continue reading

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Soul like an inner activist

“What if the soul is like an inner activist, disrupting your status quo, creating imbalance, finding nourishment in illness, moving you not only into light but also the dark, and leaving you unsure of your most cherished beliefs?” These are … Continue reading

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Spinning in the Gulf of Mexico

When you have wanted to learn how to fly a spinnaker since you were a kid, and you finally have the chance in mid-life, you do whatever is necessary to take that opportunity. That is how I ended up sailing … Continue reading

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No title? No problem!

In my previous period of unemployment, which was a hell that lasted 14 months, I was struck by how much my identity was tied to my job/title/function. I found that “what do you do?” defined me almost entirely, to the point that … Continue reading

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Resisting the deadness and coming alive

Recently, I remembered a day in 2005, in which I was standing on a busy corner during morning rush, participating in “Morning Viz” with a local political campaign–“Morning Viz” being short for “morning visibility,” a gathering of volunteers with signs, in … Continue reading

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Front page news: Police neutralize active shooter during exercise scenario

Imagine sprinting in front of a team of storming federal police, the sound of gunshots echoing in the darkened hallway, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder, and  bloody “victims” screaming and running the other way. I found myself in … Continue reading

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Another dream to live

At exactly this moment three years and three months ago, I was heading on a night-long trip down the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal aboard the 125′ schooner LIBERTY CLIPPER. This was the first leg of what would become a two-week … Continue reading

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