Roxy - Homework Assignment - I won’t be at Thursday Night’s class

Hey all, sorry I will miss Thursday night’s class. I enjoyed this assignment more than I thought I would - especially since David recommended Jimmy Chin’s book. So many parallels to ocean sailing.

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#1 - from an esteemed artist

“In your journey, there will be “in between times” of transition. You may feel lost, confused, angry, unseen or empty. Don’t confuse these times of transition as forever states of being; or being broken. You are breaking away from what was creating space to welcome what will be.” Larry moore - Nationally renowned artist and purveyor of techniques in creativity. Fishing for Elephants

• This is reassuring as all creatives transit these phases. I enter this cloud periodically at times of transition. I am going through one now. I paint landscapes best en plein air while the features are bathed with dramatic morning or evening light. I’m struggling to find the light and landscape. And then one day, a painting will just pop out with no effort.

#2 Jimmy Chin - Renowned photographer and mountain climber

“The unknowns seem greater. The stakes feel higher. The dread, more acute, and the awe, more profound. Traveling to the Charakusa Valley of Pakistan in the summer of 1999 was a turning point for me. It led me away from pursuing any sensible career and toward a life spent scaling big mountains instead……We abandoned Everest and headed for home. Although our two months of anticipation culminated in failure, the expedition was revelatory nonetheless. This attempt at Everest’s direct north face made every other mountain I’ve visited since feel a little less daunting.” Jimmy Chin - There and Back, Photographs from the Edge.

• The descriptions of the ‘unknowns’ is exactly how I felt prior to every ocean passage. Oh, the gut wrenching dread - and then the ‘awe’ at Land Ho! made it worthwhile. BTW, you can smell the scent of the hot soil of Australia from far out into the South China Sea days before you see any indication of the continent.

• And, similar to Everest, if you’ve sailed the “Roaring 40s” which is the 40 latitude south between New Zealand and Tahiti (which I have twice) ever other passage is a patch of boredom - not a streek of terror as the ‘Roaring 40s’ are.

#3

I tried the dreaming the story thing. My brain started spinning - I woke up to make a list. Then didn’t fall asleep for hours. Not sure this technique is for me. But I smiled thinking of you all doing it!