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.
What can sailors teach us about lockdown?
There’s a strange phenomenon that happens on ships; it’s called “Channel Fever.”
No means … I’d like a cup of tea
Photo of cups of tea by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash “I’ll just make you a cup of tea,” she smiled. “No thanks, I don’t drink tea.” “Of course you drink tea,” she laughed. “I’ll make you a cuppa.” “Thanks, but I don’t drink tea.” I shifted, looking for somewhere to put the cup of tea that... Continue Reading →
Do you really know your friends?
People silhouetted against sunset. Photo by Hudson Hintze on Unsplash “Can’t do pizza: visiting Bill at hospice b4 session.” I stared blankly at the message on my phone for several seconds before I typed a reply: “Why is Bill at hospice?” The reply took a few minutes. “Throat cancer. Cya at session.” I’d only been away... Continue Reading →