Roget's Thesaurus & Other Dinosaurs

According to many sources, today is Thesaurus Day, an unofficial holiday commemorating the birthday of Peter Mark Roget, best known for Roget's Thesaurus. I still have a battered, dog-eared hard copy of Roget's aboard … 1977 pub date. I knew you'd be impressed. We don't always have internet and I never know when I'll need just the right word and Roget's is chockablock full of them. I admit, however, that having a hard copy of any book aboard makes it a dinosaur..

When we have internet, I do use thesaurus.com and love it, but on the boat, we do not have the luxury of staying on-line all the time … nor even keeping our laptops plugged in and on continuously for that matter. I use an off-line dictionary/thesaurus, Artha, on occasion, but I find pulling the thesaurus from the bookshelf and thumbing through the pages is just as easy and probably more satisfying.

Some thesaurus trivia for you (because you know how I am). The word thesaurus comes from the Greek word, thesauros, meaning treasure or storehouse. First published in 1852 with 15,000 words, Roget's is still one of the most widely used reference books in the English language around the world. Since 1852, the book has never gone out of publication. It is believed that Roget worked on making word lists as a way to combat depression and mental illness, much like Word Find and crossword puzzles are encouraged to ward off (or at least delay) the onset of dementia

Roget is also known for inventing the log slide rule in 1814. Talk about dinosaurs! Just as an aside, I asked David if he'd still be able to use a slide rule and he said “Of course, I would. It's easy!” Anyone out there remember taking a trig class in high school and having to figure out how to use a slide rule? Not one of my favorite memories. I'll stick with the thesaurus. By the way, when I located this slide rule pic on Wikopedia Commons, it's listed as an “artifact”.

The topic of dinosaurs aboard, however, stirred up a conversation with the captain. We started listing techno-dinosaurs like dial telephones, pay phones, dial-up internet, tube tvs and typewriters. Then there were those we think are near extinction like landline phones, fax machines, telephone books, travel agents, hard copy newspapers and magazines and brick and mortar bookstores. We kind of mourn the fact that kids no longer have to learn cursive writing nor the multiplication tables nor how to tell time on an analog clock or count back change. Are we sounding like old curmudgeons?

We wondered just how many items we might have aboard that are extinct or on the verge. Our paper charts, for sure, though we find ourselves relying on them less and less. We've still got CDs and DVDs aboard, too. Our chartplotter (2008) requires us to turn knobs and dials instead of using a touchscreen. Yikes … nine years old and a dinosaur already.

Don't get us wrong. We really do try to embrace new technology. ATMs, GPSs, Wifi and on-line banking allow us to live the life we lead pretty-much hassle-free. Amazon Prime, now that we're back in the USA, has been a godsend.

Yet technological advances are coming so fast and furiously and there are so many things out there that seem superfluous, we have to sit back and wonder if we need all the extra gear, aka “stuff”, that's available and we're encouraged to buy. There's something to be said for a simpler life with fewer toys and a bit more expended effort. Perhaps, we're dinosaurs?

Warming Up & Staying Busy in Chesapeake

“If you don't like the weather … wait a moment, it'll change” is a quote attributed to Mark Twain about New England, but it seems to fit here in Virginia, as well ... except for the “moment” part. The bitter cold weather we recently experienced is history now. It was 17F / -8C outside a week ago today (and 49F/ 9C inside!) and 70F/21C by last Thursday. The temps have been hovering primarily in the 50s and 60s (10-15C). Needless to say, we appreciated watching the river ice melt away. We have definitely embraced the change.

Keeping warm a week ago was a matter of triple and quadruple layering, wearing a scarf, mittens, heavy socks and hat … indoors! Our flannel sheets and bed warmer kept us comfy at night, except our ears and noses always seemed cold. We groused over morning walks up the dock. We had three small electric heaters on timers churning out BTUs day and night. It was uncomfortable, but not untenable. We ate bowls of hot oatmeal for breakfast and homemade soups for lunch and dinner. I happily baked a lot … and at times seriously contemplated jumping into the oven myself.

All bundled up on the saloon settee with a heater at our feet, we busied ourselves with writing and reading. David fixed the old alternator that had crapped out last autumn. He removed the forward head and began sanding the sole in preparation for varnishing when it warmed up and the installation of a new head. He's also involved in an alternator evaluation study and worked on test jigs and protocols. I got an article or two sent off to SSCA. We climbed into our bunk early in the evenings and stayed in our warm bed as long as we could in the mornings.

Now the heaters are off, the temps are mild and our spirits have warmed up accordingly. The gentle sound of melting snow trickling from the boat and wharf into the river below was music to our ears till finally the snow and ice was all gone. David has continued work on his alternator project, but much of it now entails working outside on the dock … a bit easier with no snow and non-frigid temps. I should be working on either the book I'm writing or the website and, of course, I'm doing neither. Instead I've been doing some sewing. Awhile ago I made some curtains for the aft bunk and bought enough extra fabric to cover some pillows which I've never done. This week, I ferreted out the fabric (that took a couple hours since it was well stowed … read that “lost”) and made the pillow covers.

We also needed some replacement fender covers. I searched on-line for either a pattern or instructions and David found one on a sailing forum that made so much sense and was so easy, I'm sorry I didn't think of it myself. A how-to blog will follow in a few days. In the meantime, the fender covers are done and on the fenders and look great.

We hadn't been walking much lately, neither in Boston nor here, due to cold temps and inclement weather and I've regretted it. With the return to reasonable weather, we've been walking daily and feeling all the better for it. We're energized! Having no car handy to get to the supermarket or hardware store and having to walk to the toilet several times a day facilitates our achieving the goal of 10,000 steps a day, believe me.

There's been a bit of social interaction. A few cruisers have passed through on their way south and stopped for the night at AYB. One couple came aboard for drinks and we've chatted with others. A Canadian couple has been living aboard here since late last autumn trying to sort out multiple engine issues. We see them quite regularly and empathize with them about their boat problems. Otherwise, we are pretty much left to our own devices at the far end of the dock and, quite honestly, it suits us just fine.

New Year's Resolutions 2017

I just looked back at my 2016 New Year's Resolutions and 2015, and 2014, and 2013. They're all suspiciously similar which means I rarely keep my resolutions. So … why make them? Well, for one thing it forces me to decide what self-improving aspects of my life are important and even if I don't actually accomplish them, I'm at least cognizant of them.

I'm pleased to report that I did manage one important resolution this year. I ate healthier and lost weight and now weigh much closer to my “ideal” body weight (whatever that really is), have lost two full sizes in jeans (very important) and I do not qualify as obese using the AHA website scale (what a relief!).

No secret diet … I've been eating less carbs which means I've pretty much eliminated junk food and sweets (but not wine!). I also bought a Fitbit last June and have used it fairly religiously (until this holiday season). I've found it to be an excellent incentive for walking and exercise.

On the other hand … I did NOT finish writing a book. I've made absolutely NO progress on the new website. We've actually reduced the daily blog to 3x per week instead of daily, mostly because we didn't do as much sailing/traveling this past year. And as for being kinder, gentler and better-natured … man, this is the hardest one of all. David is the patient, kind, gentle one and I need to counter-balance him, I think.

Nevertheless, looking ahead at 2017, I resolve to ...

1. Finish writing a freakin' book, for heaven sakes!
2. Maintain a healthy diet and exercise
3. Spend less and enjoy more
4. Stay in better touch with friends
5. Be kinder, more patient, less judgmental (maybe impossible, but worth another try)
6. Learn something new … perhaps #5 above??

I encouraged David to make his resolutions and share them, but no dice. The Captain doesn't resolve!

So … did you make any New Year's Resolutions? Will you keep them?

Remember, January 17th is Ditch Your New Year's Resolutions Day, so there's still plenty of time.