Living through 2023

NYC during Canada's forest fires

It's hard to know if this was the best year of the coming decade, but if it was, beware. What did it do for us? High anxiety. Climate anxiety or eco-anxiety is a new human condition, and it's real and pervasive. 

Weather weirdness and climate breakdown. Drought, fires, and floods. So sad for the forests of Canada and the beautiful historic Lahaina. Records broken for air and sea temperature anomalies, ice formation, and more. Floods after drought. Extreme weather causing massive devastation, crop failures, mass migration, and starvation. Food and water insecurity. The extinction rebellion. COP28 in the UAE led by an oil CEO Sultan. 

Wars on many fronts: Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Palestine, Sudan, Ethiopia, Maghreb. 

The Barbenheimer phenomenon. What was that?  A bit of escapism in a tug-of-war with weapons of mass destruction. 

Trump and Guiliani would be jokes if they weren't so dangerous. This signals the downfall of democracy in America. Stress on so many fronts. The states warring with each other. The US passing a point of no return. 

Humanity at war with the earth, and with each other. 

Were there any high points? Of course. We rekindled relationships post-Covid, including with our cousins in Florida. But there are a few positives to which we can point for hope. 

• Renewables have been picking up steam
• Phasing out of fossil fuels made it into the COP28 agreements
• Reduction in the rate of release of methane
• Surge in sales of EVs
• Reduction in deforestation of Brazil
• The ozone layer is healing well

But on that last point, a study has been published that indicates that global warming is accelerating due to one simple fact: we have been cleaning up particulate matter from the air which unbeknownst to us had a cooling effect on the earth. Now that the air is cleaner, more sunlight is getting through to warm the earth even faster. 

So we are f*^%ed ... we can die either from pollution-related respiratory disease or from melanoma or heat stroke. Charming thoughts. 

While there's much to be worried about the climate and nature crises, we must not lose hope, because hopelessness breeds apathy. Hope alone won't change anything but actions do. We built a big shed. We've contracted to install solar panels, batteries, and an eV charging point early in the new year. An eV will follow shortly thereafter. Hey, it's a start. We've planted hundreds of trees, and we don't use chemicals on the land. We encourage biodiversity and provide wildlife with habitat. Perhaps we can encourage others to do the same. 

Caroling at the Dali Museum, Tampa FL

 

Христос рождается!

The world’s gone mad

The world’s gone mad

by Daria Blackwell

We fight a daily battle against prejudice

With wars on many fronts taking lives

That might have been the ones to solve

The other problems we are facing.

Like climate weirdness, fire and flood,

And food insecurity for all those masses. 

Humanity has reached its life expectancy

And we will soon outlive our resources.

I wonder if God foresaw this issue.

I wonder if it matters that the world’s gone mad?

The River

The River

We can't blame the river for flowing

We can't hate the wild wind blowing

We can't stop time from advancing

And we can't prevent what's coming. 

The end. 

Planning for the future

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

-Albus Dumbledore

Four songs for the final scenes. 

Landslide

by Stevie Nicks

I took my love, I took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills
'Til the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too

Well, I've been afraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too

Oh! I'm getting older too

Oh-oh, take my love, take it down
Oh-oh, climb a mountain and you turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well, the landslide'l bring it down
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well, the landslide'l bring it down

Oh-ohh, the landslide bring it down

Spirit in the sky

by Norman Greenbaum

When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best
When I lay me down to die
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best


Prepare yourself you know it's a must
Gotta have a friend in Jesus
So you know that when you die
He's gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
Gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
That's where you're gonna go when you die
When you die and they lay you to rest
You're gonna go to the place that's the best


Never been a sinner I never sinned
I got a friend in Jesus
So you know that when I die
He's gonna set me up with
The spirit in the sky
Oh set me up with the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place that's the best
Go to the place that's the best

Here Beside Me

by the Henry Girls
with Inishowen Gospel Choir

You with me, here beside me

Is all I really need
I'm asking one thing only
That you will always stay close to me

I will be true, in sunshine and shade
Troubles behind no longer dismayed
I'm going back to the mountain
It's where I long to be

You with me, here beside me
Is all I really need
I'm asking one thing only
That you will always stay close to me

I will be true, in sunshine and shade
Troubles behind no longer dismayed
I'm going back to the mountain
Where I long to be

I'm going back to the ocean
To put my mind at ease

I’ll Fly Away

by Alan Jackson

• 
  

Some glad morning when this life is over
I'll fly away
To a home on God's celestial shore
I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh, Glory
I'll fly away
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away

Just a few more weary days and then
I'll fly away
To a land where joy shall never end
I'll fly away

I'll fly away, oh, Glory
I'll fly away
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away

Yeah, when I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away

The Kossoy Sisters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juHtN7hjtc4 

Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz-0C2dhKlg 

On Turning 69

On Turning 69

 

By Daria Blackwell

29 June 2023

 

Today is my day to reflect on the number

That, in my youth, induced smirks and blushes

But in my new age means something

Altogether different, finite and surreal.

I never thought I’d live this long –

Flower children of the ‘70s never did.

 

But as I sit here on top of my world,

I can see beyond the hills in both directions

And beyond the sea to my humble beginning.

I look up and view the future in the clouds

And look down to see the imprint of this day.

 

What have I accomplished, where have I been?

Who have I touched, what have I learned?

Does it matter in the end to amass achievements?

Material things: a house, a boat, a life well-lived?

 

Do adventures matter, should I pursue more?

Is there still more to learn from that yet to come?

Questions I’d have thought would’ve been answered by now. 

 

But no, I find only more questions about questions,

Until I can rest and collect my thoughts in patterns.

 

This satisfies my soul and sets my mind finally to rest. 

Reflections of an introvert

My last day as OCC Vice Commodore, receiving the OCC Award

It's interesting that I haven't written anything in 2023 yet and it is already 3 May. I haven't been writing much. I have been gardening quite a bit lately, and working with the Ukrainian community.

What I have been doing mostly is figuring out how I can rid myself of all these responsibilities I have taken on. I started with the Ocean Cruising Club Vice Commodore's spot, which I gave up at the AGM in Poole UK last month. I had reached a point where I had little interest (much like happened with HBA), after having done a lot during the pandemic years. For which I was honoured with the OCC Award (much like the STAR award with HBA). I seem to be following a pattern. 

I wonder what interest the next decade will bring? I'm betting on viticulture and winemaking. 

We have finally reached close to the end of cleaning out Ross House, for which I am grateful as that took a lot of time and effort. Every Monday for almost a year, Kirsten and I have been clearing out 170 years of family stuff, room by room. The piles -- goes with house, one of us keeps, goes to charity, goes to the dump. We've taken truckloads to charity and more truckloads to the dump. We've also distributed some stuff among our homes, which are now brimming with stuff in turn. But as probate is not yet concluded, we cannot move on. It's very frustrating that it's all dragging. 

Chris and Marika and Aileen and Sheila were here briefly to finalise some things. It was good seeing them and getting to know their partners. Everyone is getting up there in age.

I now have to figure out how to get my introvert life back from the Ukrainians. I have helped several families all of whom want to thank me profusely. I took on the more difficult cases because I could help with language and maneuvering through the systems. But now, its time to move on and they do not understand. 

I seem to be getting more introverted as I get older, perhaps because there's little I need to achieve at this point. I am comfortable in my own skin, I do not need conversation, I am happy with my life. What more is there? More wisdom? More awards? No, time to go spend some money while I still can. At least then, I will learn finally, if money can buy happiness. Until now, I haven't allowed that to happen.