First off - there's been a reschedule of the final Tribeca Boathouse Redesign Group meeting. That was originally scheduled for tonight, now it's next week Monday (the 30th).
Secondly - I'm hoping I manage to get an evening to write down some thoughts about the 1000 Days at Sea. Let's just say that I'm not planning on putting down any amount of money I'd actually miss on their completing it. I can see as many reasons as anyone that they might not succeed.
But if they somehow beat the odds & pull this crazy thing off - I think one of the great things would be watching the sneerers eat their words.
I personally tend to have deeply ambivalent feelings about some of your more far-out expeditions. And this one is far-out to da max, yeah? But in the end, I can't find it in my heart to condemn these people. It's primarily themselves who they are putting in danger (not forgetting of course rescue personnel - I have problems with people who set out on adventures with any hint of an assumption that if something goes wrong, they'll just use their cell phone to call for help, but generally I think that's more the weekend-warrior set that tends to fall into that mindset) - if they've made peace with themselves & with their families & friends, and understand the risks - then what's the point of belittling them?
There've always been risk-takers out there. At worst, they mostly hurt themselves. At best, they inspire, and I think the human race is the richer for their existence.
Of course the Internet makes it easy to be a begrudger (like in that old Irish thing about "and may the begrudgers be drinking bogwater when we're all drinking tea"). Easy to say nasty stuff when you think no one will know who you are. I know I've watched some of my favorite bloggers deal with that - first, way back when, I watched Pia at Courting Destiny fight some very nasty right-wing smearing. Last year I watched Francis at FH20 Kayak Kuching get some real nastiness in his comments (and in fact today it looks like that wasn't over & they are still at it). More recently, Derrick, Canadian CKayaker Michael, and lovely goat-raising cocker-spaniel-rescuing Rosie have all had to go to moderated comments.
I guess in a way I'm lucky - I've had some disagreements with a couple of people over the last few months, but they all had the integrity to actually argue with me directly, openly, and generally privately, or within a smaller circle. Looking at all the weird nastiness all these other folks are dealing with, I really appreciate that.
Anyways. Wow. Only nine-hundred ninety-eight days and one hour left to go.
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