Hold me closer, Tony Danza

I’ve been singing that ol’ Elton John ditty for years, and I just don’t care that they aren’t the right words. I do it out of love for life’s little misnomers. So what if it’s not a mute point? Who cares if it’s not a chester drawer (which I still SWEAR exist, by the way). It’s okay to misinterpret things every now and again….like the time we were playing flip cup and I told the lady next to me that she couldn’t play (while touching her stomach and insinuating that she would hurt her nonexistent baby).

Misinterpretation is cool, I guess. Or maybe it’s not as cool for potential employers when they’re looking at my resume. Now let’s be honest, everybody fudges a little bit. But was I dishonest to say that I majored in Finance and Spanish? No. Those were, in fact, my two undergraduate majors. Buuuuut when the HR rep from Venezuela called the other day, it was a little difficult to recapitulate the rigors of my last job…considering that, after two years of not speaking a lick of Spanish, I very inconveniently forgot the words for audit, system data, tax implications, and Cost Center accrual process. And was I dishonest to say that I studied in a Masters Program (programme if we’re being really picky) in South Africa? No! I did study there, and I worked like a mad man learning the things I cared to learn. But did I finish? Well, who has to know*!

*(apparently potential employers)

So...yeah, employers don’t take too kindly to that kind of fudgery. Where do we go from here, then? My best friend suggests that I walk into a corporation, slam my resume on HR’s counter, and say: “I just sailed across the Atlantic in a tiny sailboat. It took two months. Give me a job.” There’s not much to misinterpret there, but unfortunately the entry level job market for retired sailors is a little slim these days. But who am I kidding, you just want the stories of the boat, don’t you? Well fine. Touch me in the morning, and then just walk away. Here's the update by month...

July
It's the month that precedes August. I'm just kidding, but there really isn't much information to give for July. It was a cool month (literally and figuratively), but it was a holiday more than anything else. I threw myself a 4th of July party, and it was pretty much the coolest 4th of July South Africa had ever seen. Soon thereafter, I was picking the route home. Since I’d placed my advertisement to sail home (for free of course…feel free to be jealous) on the job board at the Royal Cape Yacht Club, I’d received 5 calls, all of which were to different parts of the States. In the end, I chose South Africa to Brazil to Puerto Rico to Key West.

The boat – August and September

So it was me and two others as we made our way across the salty pond. The captain was a total jerk and had a condemption fit (see the title of this post if you think I spelled that incorrectly) at the slightest error in course. He was, however, an excellent sailor; he had a 5th sense on those seas. The 1st mate was a definite free spirit, and had traveled all over this green earth of ours. He taught me about navigation through the stars, how to fillet a fish, how volcanic islands were formed, as well as about marine life, wind patterns, ocean currents, and quite obviously, how to sail. It was a great experience…all 50 some odd days of it. I learned so much and had plenty of time to reflect on life. It’s safe to say that I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world. And it’s also safe to say that you should be jealous of me. Pics are on the website (in the blog below, I have a link to my webshots page). I’m off to drown my sorrows (no job yet) in a pint of ice cream. I’m an emotional eater. Lay off!