"Stonados", "The Business Trip" and other Cameos by the S/V Triumph

Most people carry around pictures and videos of their children and/or pets and bore you to tears with their adorable antics.  I do the same, only with my sailboat, the Triumph.

She's a grand lady -- a CT-56 Ta Chiao, Cutter-Rigged Ketch.  Fully appointed with three state rooms, a pilot house configuration, two heads, a full sized washer and dryer, dinette, main salon, galley, you get the picture. Oh, and here's one of her at a mooring:

Given her elegant lines and ladylike demeanor, it stands to reason that she would be sought out. 

Unfortunately, as with any celebrity, what seeks her out isn't always the best of the best.  A truly bad movie called Stonados (shown on the SyFy channel) has a gratuitous picture of her at 15:08 into this schlock-fest.  Terrible movie; beautiful boat!   If you click on this link, Stonados, it will take you to a full upload of the movie.  In my comment, clicking on the time link will take you right to the Triumph.  That way you don't have to watch the entire movie.  Unless you want to.  Go ahead.  You know you do...  Oh, and I have no idea what language the subtitles are in.  Hey, whadya want for free???

Another movie filmed in our location and specifically asked to get a shot of the Triumph in front of the wharf.  A 1939 Sloop was brought in to round out the shot.  Lights with about a gazillion footcandles were set up all around the dock, turning night into day.  Here's a shot looking over the bow of the Triumph during this day-night.  The move is The Business Trip with Vince Vaughn.  Really, really hope it's better than Stonados or we're going to have to sue somebody for defamation of character :(

Paper or Plastic? and other Supermarket Rants

This is a rant.  It is only a rant.  In the event of a real crisis, you will be instructed where to go to take action...

Here goes...

I hate the plastic bags that are inundating our landscape.  They float here and there, in the water, on the land, in yards, on beaches, in the woods and anywhere else you can imagine.



They are killing wildlife and making our planet a mess.

So....  I refuse to take them.  I have built up an impressive array of reusable bags that I keep in my car, in my briefcase, in my desk at work and at home.  There is rarely a time when I don't have a bag handy to whip out and fill with my latest purchases and acquisitions.  As a plus, they're stronger than either paper or plastic, which means my life is easier.

On several occasions, I've handed my reusable bags to the bagger.

Well and good.

However, because of the borderline neurosis with germs and hygiene in this country, the bagger then proceeds to take lunch meat or whatever I've bought, which is double and triple bagged with plastic, and puts it in a plastic bag, which is then placed in my reusable bag.

See any problem with this?

Today, I had to (almost) forcibly take the plastic bag out of my reusable bag, remove the contents, put them in the reusable bag and give the plastic bag back to the bagger.  Who responded with a harrumph and a disgusted look.

Boy, when they ask if you want paper or plastic, they mean it...

Writer's Contests and other Wastes of Time

To keep my goals fresh in the light of a gazillion rejections from agents, my husband suggested I enter as many writing contests as possible.  In addition to following his advice, I shared it with an online Writer's Group.  The reaction was mixed, from "That's fantastic!  Let's do it!"  to "Waste of time -- too many big publishers competing..."

Huh.

Once questioned, it turned out that the most negative responders had entered the contests and lost.  A close acquaintance entered a contest and won the grand prize.  $700 and one-on-one with numerous agents.  She's young and a recent college graduate; to her, the money was a fortune.  But she also recognizes the real prize was rising above the crowd and being presented to the agents.   She's now signed and is on track to realizing a publishing contract.  Very, very cool.

Much like a lottery ticket, if you don't play, you can't win.  And somebody does win.

So I'll continue entering and see what falls out.  I've listed a couple below - there are many more out there...  Google 'em!

Wish me luck!

Writer's Digest, Writing Competition

Association of Writers & Writing Programs - Contests

Dynamic Women in Business and Other Conferences

Today I attended the Harvard Business School Dynamic Women in Business Conference.  I don't attend a lot of conferences.  Okay, I don't attend ANY conferences.  But I do like this one.  They provide a decent lunch, breakfast and goody bags.  I get to network with other women in business and I hang out with one of my Holly Golightly friends.  And there are plenty of young, innocent women with big hopes and inane questions What can I do to succeed in business without any failures? that make me feel superior and happy.  And there are women who are leaders in industry that make me realize that anything is possible.

And...

On the way home, we stopped at Russell House Tavern, to charge an iPhone.  This restaurant/bar has an A/V room where you drop off your dead phones and they bring them back to life while you're dining and/or imbibing.  We had:

Maine Family Farms Steak Tartare

Toasted Caper Brioche, Quail Egg Yolk

Braised Beef Tongue Toast

Taleggio, Crispy Soft Poached Farm Egg

Old Monk 7yr (nice and caramel-ly)

Cannonball, Merlot

Sonoma County, CA — 2011

Then on to B&G Oysters (we weren't being pigs - another friend joined us):
Jonah Crab Fra Diavolo with homemade pasta
Dayboat Striped Bass with Za'tar
Seafood Cioppino with lobster broth - probably the best I've ever had...
A bottle of Austrian Red wine - I know, I know...  Don't get upset.  Two of the three dishes were in a tomato sauce.  Majority rules!

Cab ride home.

Conversation, hot buttered rum and a movie...

Good friends.  Good conference. Good day.  Good night!

Writing Motivation and Other Ways to Stay Sane (and out of Jail)

Big topic.  Seems that most writers, especially newbies, are looking for the silver bullet.  To borrow a phrase from Nike, Just Do It.












And, the conferences, writing groups and other organized units are going to scream to the high heavens, but if you're sitting in an auditorium, conference room, class room or various and sundry other meeting places talking to people about writing, you're not writing.  This isn't just my idea -- Stephen King writes about this extensively.  Just like exercise, talking about it isn't producing results.




Now we're past that.  You're ready to stretch your literary muscles.  How do you convince yourself to do it?

I find that when I'm mad, frustrated, depressed or otherwise conflicted, it's much easier for me to write than when I'm content/happy.  I guess there's a HUGE revenge tone to my writing.  If I write this and it's published and I makes a gazillion dollars off it, I can sail away and never have to answer to anyone ever again in my life.  Ever.  Again.

Then reality kicks in when I get my umpteenth rejection.  At least I feel better for having written something down, killed off my latest frustration--usually they die in a fiery crash or by monster attack or get sent to jail because they were bad.



Hey, it's cheaper than a psychiatrist!



But I digress...  One thing that works for me is a look-ahead attitude.  If I write for a half an hour right now, in a half hour I can do anything I want; cruise Facebook, play Candy Crush, write on my blog, have a drink.  Once I get into it, a half hour usually turns into an hour, two, three, and on.

Works for exercise as well.

We're writers; we express ourselves through solidifying our visions.  Use that.  It's powerful when we turn it on ourselves.

As a final note, I use it for dieting, too.  When there's a huge plate of decadent, completely unhealthy donuts calling to me, I visualize having already eaten one.  That's all that's left fifteen minutes after you snarf one down anyway, so make it useful!