“Hey, Nic: don’t lean on that safety line!” I flinched back. “Why not?” The answer was short: “We cut the lashings.”
Conflict Resolution, Pirate Style
Nic Gardner’s Proust Questionnaire
Since the 1800s, writers, interviewers, and others use the Proust Questionnaire to get to know people. Do the answers provide insight into the answerer’s personality, or are they just for fun? Whatever you believe, here are my answers.
Death: A Slow Voyage of Acceptance
“I don’t know how to tell you this… [your brother] passed away this morning.” I had to read the message several times before I processed it. Then my legs stopped holding me up.
Writing is terrifying
Some writers fear the blank page, the pressure to find words; I’m just afraid of the consequences. It’s not the social stigma, it’s the threat of being sued for defamation. The threat of violence.
Is it okay to be not okay?
It could be worse. I have somewhere safe to stay, I have enough food. Objectively, I’m doing well — it could be worse.
What do fishing boats have to do with #metoo?
“I hate this,” he said. “I know most of them are just fishing boats, but because I know at least a few of them are pirates, I have to treat them all as if they’re going to attack us. And I can’t stay away from all of them or we’ll never get home.”
Finding Control in a COVID World
It’s okay to stop fighting. If I can’t breathe, I choose to stop trying. When it's my choice, there’s no need to panic: I’m in control. That pause, that absence of panic, gives me a chance to deal with the problem. That applies to the rest of life as well.
The COVID Crew Change Crisis
There’s never a good time to hear that your brother has died. I’m on a ship, but he was in Australia. My crew can't go home because of COVID. Should I go?
How to Format Files for Self-Publishing on Linux
In lockdown, I decided to write and self-publish a book. As a Linux-user, that was harder than it sounds. Here's what I learned.
The Freedom of Constraints
I like plans. In January I wrote my 2020 plan; in March, I got stuck in the wrong country. There's freedom in having limited choices: here's why.
Nic Gardner 