Tag Archives: Learning

The catamaran from hell, continued

The US Coast Guard tow should have been a happy ending to the catamaran from hell story, but the travail continued. This was rooted in skipper Dave’s sympathy for the owners, John and Kat, who had cited a family medical emergency … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure, Kindness, sailing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The flying fish of fate

A year ago today I met a delightful elderly woman on the train when I traveled from Wilmington DE to Wilmington NC on my way to help with a private yacht transit to East Greenrich RI, over 800 miles away. … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure, Community, Fun & Magic, Kindness, sailing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to recognize a pervert

Unfortunately, there is no simple way to determine who is a pervert.  I’m talking about the kind of perverts who sexually assault other people. They don’t come from any given ethnic or socioeconomic background and they rarely look like a … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 18 Comments

That time the Coast Guard towed us

So therrre I wuzzz*,  unaware of what would soon begin as I stood my 4 a.m.- 8 a.m. watch aboard a 42’ catamaran that was 24’ wide. Two fellow crew, our skipper and I were charged to deliver the boat … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure, sailing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Homeschooling as a UU Journey

Delivered August 8, 2004 at Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church, Burke, VA Take a moment to think on a time, maybe not too long ago, when you were excited about learning something that interests you—perhaps a new hobby or a craft, … Continue reading

Posted in Education | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The great give-away

In some Native American cultures, people perform a ceremony called a “give-away” as a public recognition of a new personal status–such as through a wedding, or the naming of a baby–or to express thanks for blessings received. Last year, I … Continue reading

Posted in Kindness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The 4th grade lesson for all

With an increase in hateful behavior in America, apparently inspired by presidential candidate vitriol known as “the Drumpf Effect,” perhaps it is time to change our schools’ curriculum in response, and bring back the exercise that my 4th grade teacher used … Continue reading

Posted in Kindness | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Adventure, Education, sailing | Tagged , | 2 Comments

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

Posted in Adventure, Thriving | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dancing with strangers

Recently I danced with 27 strangers in one night. All at the same time. This was a special Sacred Circle Dance event in the St. Joseph’s Chapel of the Washington National Cathedral, to which I was invited by my dear friend, Jean. To … Continue reading

Posted in Community | Tagged , , | Leave a comment