The RIDE!

 

Nautie Friends,

Do you know that my cousin Rhiannon has participated (as in rode a bike) in The Ride To Conquer Cancer three times and is gearing up for her fourth ride?!  Two years ago I wrote about my cousin Rhiannon riding.  The fact that she's gearing up for her fourth ride leaves me awe struck.

Cancer means something in almost everyone's lives.  We all know someone who has been affected by cancer.  In my family it means the loss of a Grandmother, Aunt, and Uncle.  It means that my Dad is a survivor of Bad Ass proportions.  For me, it means that sunscreen is no joke.

This year is extra special because I'm flying to Seattle and will be watching her cross the finish line this weekend!  Yippee!  It's not lost on me that this year she'll be crossing the finish line for her Dad on Fathers Day.  (oh golly, I just teared up...)  I'm just feel so honored to be there cheering her on!

I'm proud to announce that Rhiannon has reached 100% of her fundraising goal!  That being said, I'm here to ask you to consider donating to such a noble cause.  The cliche is true:  Every Dollar Does Count.

By visiting her personal page you'll be able to donate online.

Thank you in advance!

Best,

Megan the Nautie Mermate

I'm SO Excited To Tell You This!

I was interviewed by Callies Mariner!

Remember a ways back I blogged about my new internet friend?  That was her!

Since somehow finding her in the crazy world of twitter I've since become a loyal blog follower of hers.

I think what she's doing for Merchant Marine families by sharing the trials and tribulations - as well as the joys - is so incredibly important.

I also think that if I met her in real life we'd be friends.  Isn't that a nice feeling?

I can't say enough good things about her.  The amount of respect I have for her is astronomical in proportions.

Please head over and check out the interview! 

Some other favorite posts of hers:  gollum, the mariners wife  ::  pirates  ::  the question

She also rocks on The Twitter.

Sidenote:

We were just finishing up dinner when I got her tweet that the interview was posted.  I immediately ran and got my laptop to write this post.  My Mom says, 'what are you doing?'.  I reply, 'I have to blog so I can direct some traffic to her site!'.  Hilarious.  Callie, I'm officially directing alllll my traffic to your site.  Heh heh.

Flirty.Thirty.

I had plans for what Thirty would look like on this blog. There would be some sort of this much i know is true post - maybe there would be a photo montage - maybe a letter to myself...that I could read later in life...

None of that seemed like enough.

I.was.really.excited.about.turning.thirty.

I mean, really, really excited.

I think there are quite a few people who worried that I wasn't excited so much as flipped out but, I'm here to set the story straight.

I was ready to not be in my twenties.  Majorly.  Buh-bye.

I remember years ago my Cousin K up in Canada said, 'being in your thirties is awesome...it's like you can finally just be yourself...'.  Amen Sister.

What I knew about turning Thirty was that I was not going to let it slip by unnoticed.  I was going to do something, damnit!

At first I started planning a trip abroad.  It's been awhile since I went abroad as a tourist....who could leisurely sip her coffee at a sidewalk cafe.

Then I decided I was going to Napa.  I had never been.  I like wine.  Like, a lot.

Then I invited my Cousin (she doesn't have a code name but, I love her thiiiis much!!!!!), and the trip just came together.  Girl Cousin's birthday was on the 4th the day after my own so it was a birthday extravaganza.

(I should say, the trip just came together with a little help from my friends....Ari, you get an A+.)

The day before yesterday I wrote about how epic Napa was.  What I should have said was:

Turning Thirty Was Epic.

It was such a lovely day.  Such.

I woke up at The Waterfront Hotel at Jack London Square in Oakland.  It's all kinds of nautical goodness...if you're a Lady Sailor this is a fun place to pass some time.

I woke up really early - I'm sure it had something to do with jet lag - and decided that an early morning photo safari was a must on the first day of my thirtieth year.

Then it was off to breakfast at The Cock-A-Doodle Cafe.  There were crepes and graham cracker french toast.  Delish.

A stroll through a farmers market?  Flowers?  Yes please.

Of course no city tour is complete without admiring some local architecture.  Pictures looking up at buildings....check.

You can't cruise the Bay Area and not check out the Golden Gate Bridge.  amiright or amiright?

I got to visit with a long lost Auntie.  It was amazing.  Silly me hadn't been to her house since I was a kid.  Apparently, I was geographically challenged as a youth because I didn't know she lived in the Bay Area.  I totally thought she lived in SoCal.  I know, right?  Who doesn't know where their Aunties live?!

Said Auntie had a pack of Chihuahuas.  It was awesome.  Can you see George?

After a full afternoon of visiting we got in the car and took off for Napa.  Aaaah.  Deep sigh.  This meant we needed a coffee to go.  Clearly.

First stop Napa?  The Andaz Hotel.  Oooh La La!

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Birthday Dinner.  One Word.  Bottega.  It came highly recommended.  It didn't disappoint.  There was a personalized Birthday Greeting....and beet raviolis with fennel.  Just Sayin'.

Want to know how I ended the evening?  Food Porn.  Panna Cotta with winter citrus, micro basil, mint syrup and a wheat cigar stuffed with sweet lemon ricotta.

Happy Flirty Thirty To Me!

Nautie Friends Ask :: Ummm...what's wrong with you?!

Dear Nautie, I am confused as to why, when you have just finished a demanding rotation at sea, that you come home and immediately step into an office job. Seems that you would be ready to kick back and relax for a bit once ashore. Is the office job with the same shipping company? Is it leading towards a land based job? Sorry to be nosy, it’s just that I get whip lash following you going from shipping out to sitting pretty. I can’t even imagine how it must be to LIVE such a sharp shift- which you seem to manage quite gracefully. Thanks for any insight. One of your faithful readers. :>) Bridget, everything you've said in the above paragraph is true. I am ready to kick back, it is with the same shipping company, I hope it leads to a shore based job, I also have whip lash and lastly, the beauty of a blog means I can make it look as graceful as I want (*wink*). I didn't exactly plan on going directly from the vessel to the office but, they were short handed and asked me to come in. I fit it into my schedule - even though I knew it was going to be a bit rough - because I actually really love working in the office. Here's the thing. I feel as a Lady Sailor that I only have X amount of years. Please note: I said I feel. The rational part of my brain knows that what will be will be and that most likely everything is working out just fine. I've been working hard - particularly in the last year to get myself 'set up'. When I transition shoreside I want it to go smoothly. I don't want to take a huge pay cut. I don't want to be sitting at a desk job I hate. I don't want to be living in a city that I don't love. I'm making sacrifices now so I don't have to make them later. I realize this could blow up in my face. I mean, what if I'm making too many sacrifices now. The other thing I'm doing with all this 'off-ship work' is figuring out what I like. Do I like vessel management? Do I like chartering? Do I like Port Captaining? Right now, honestly, I don't know. All I know is I want to put myself in a situation where there is flexibility in my schedule. Where there is room for growth. Where I can keep my house in Hawaii and not eat PB&Js all month. I'm exploring my options - actively. All that aside - Bridget I know that you know that I know that it's important to BE STILL. I will be. Soon. In the meantime, I'll wrap up my work in the office on Wednesday and fly to Napa on Thursday! I'm superduper excited about Napa. Going to Napa for a getaway is kind of like being still....right?! Bridget, I know what you're up to. You're subtly telling me to stop and smell the roses. I am smelling them. I swear! Strangely, sometimes it takes Mettle to stop working. I'm going to consider this a Mettle Maker of sorts. I'll find the Mettle to BE STILL. Soon...ish. Via

also, I wrote this on my phone...and didn't proofread....apologies.