Leap Day 2020

That title suggests a jumping-off point. But are we jumping off into something we look forward to or jumping off into an abyss? Feels more and more like the latter this year.

Somehow, even though it's only February, 2020 does not feel like it deserves an extra day. After all, fires ravaged Australia, named storms are hitting Europe every weekend, horridly destructive Democratic debates and corrupt and convicted Republicans on the loose in America, deadly coronavirus outbreak in Asia, atrocities in the Middle East, and locust plagues in Africa. Oh, and Antarctica hit a record 70F, Brexit looms, and global stock markets had their worst week since the economic collapse of 2008. But hey, it all bounced back last time, right? Perhaps we need a little inspiration this time around.

Here's a haiku from this week.

The US bungled

Coronavirus testing

Mistake or hush-up?

And one from a couple of weeks ago.

Today the wind howls

Creating uneasiness

Yesterday flat calm

Given the rarity of February 29 as a date, one can perhaps assume that energy vibrations would not be 'usual' on such a day. The vibrations of the date could help us to take that leap, perhaps a leap of faith. It may involve completing something you’ve been working on for a long time but you haven’t had the focus to realize it. Right now, when you have an extra day on hand, why not take advantage of it? An extra day is useful for getting things in order.

If you don't know where to begin, sit down and assess your current situation in life. What do you want in the coming days, months and years? When you’ve decided what you want, what you need, write it down, and send it out into the universe. 

Then, continue on to live in the present moment to achieve your goals within each day. There is only the here and now. Everything is just this moment of awareness, and your quest is to live in that awareness not to pursue it for eternity. The universe has no notion of time – no future, no past –  only eternity. The universe has always been and always will be, but we are fleeting. Make the best of every moment, and especially the extra day granted to us today. 

Live life proactively, don’t just let it happen. Then perhaps you can exert a vibrational impact on the space-time continuum of the universe, like the wings of a butterfly. You'll never know unless you try. 

Award-winning writing

Receiving the Award after the ICC AGM from Pat Adair

As a member of the Irish Cruising Club, I am now expected to contribute to the Annual and ICC Newsletter from time to time, which I have done. My first contribution to the Annual technically did not qualify for any awards because it was about sailing over to Ireland which was too long ago to qualify.

This year, I wrote about our return to Ireland from Galicia. I was totally taken aback to open the hefty tome of the Annual when it arrived and to see my article as the first in the book and labelled as having won the Wild Goose Cup. The award is not for a cruise per se but for the literary merit of the story that was written. The adjudicator thought mine was the best-written log in the book!

Happy Daria!

Coming from the Irish, who hold literary ability most sacred, I have never felt more honoured. The Awards were presented on Friday evening after the AGM. To hear the adjudicator's reasons for selecting my work almost brought tears, followed by joy and gratitude.

The silver cup is a hefty one and very shiny. It stays with me for a year of bragging rights, then is returned for the next year's awards. I am the first female recipient and several women members pointed that out and congratulated me wholeheartedly. Perhaps it will encourage more of them to pick up the pen or start 'pshticking' the keyboard as my mom used to say. Yes, I think she'd be proud.

The next day, Winkie Nixon wrote up the AGM and awards in Afloat magazine, which made it even more poignant. I was chuffed yet again to get praise from Winkie, an amazing Irish journalist who I admire greatly.

The story I wrote was about our trip across the Bay of Biscay this past summer when we lost our engine to a disintegrated flexible coupling. There is nothing better than adversity to provide the basis of a good story. Everyone loves to read how people deal with problems - or not. As one magazine publisher likes to say, "Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure." On this voyage, we had some of both.

Now, I can say that I am an award-winning author. Tomorrow I will write about the conscious attempt to write for the purpose of winning an award.

Clarity in writing

And now for a poignant example of brilliant creativity that is judged incorrectly by the teachers whose questions were not clearly phrased.  These kids answers were brilliant. I wouldn't fail them. I'd spend time nurturing them, and go back to fix my questions. Click on the link and enjoy.