Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hey guys,
Hope you all had a great Christmas! I had planned on writing a Christmas blog, but with my leaving Christmas shopping till the last minute, and also having to be working on the book right up until a few days before, I didn't get around to it. Seeing as I didn't get out a Christmas blog, I'm going to have to make this one extra good. :)

I was down in the marina the other day, don't worry, I wasn't looking for a boat, I'll make sure to let you know if that happens. But there does happen to be a shiny new red and white Open 60 sitting in the yard over in Marina del Rey and I have to say I'm a little (little is a bit of an understatement) jealous of the people who are going to be sailing her. The Open 60, O Canada, is a very different design from Wild Eyes, but none the less, I have to say that all open style boats are absolutely amazing!

O Canada just got off the ship last month and she's over here for the Transpac, of course that's not for a while so her crew won't be over here till February... maybe I could stow away on board before they leave! Well, it was quite exciting to see a boat like that in Marina del Rey. We don't often get to see boats like that around there. Alright, well enough about the boat now.

We all had a great Christmas over here. A bit smaller then previous Christmases, but a great day all the same. I'm sad to say I did not get a boat for Christmas, but there is always next year! I did, however, get a new water-proof camera, a little bit rinky dinky compared to my big 7D Cannon, but I cant wait to get it rigged up on the bow of the next boat I'm on, or get down to the beach with it.

So, now that the first manuscript is in to the publishers I have quite a bit of free time on my hands lately, a little too much in fact, enough to come up with the idea to get a bagpipe... Yep, I am proud owner of a "practice Chanter". Its what you learn to play before moving on to a real bagpipe. You may wonder how such an odd idea came about. Well, I was sitting in church one day thinking about something new I could do, something that would be fun and take up some of my free time, and the most off the wall, oddest thing I could possibly think up was learning to play the bagpipe, and so that is how it all began.

I also have some plans in the works for possibly getting into smaller boat sailing. At first I laughed at the very thought of me sailing a small boat, but as time went on the idea seemed more and more like something that could be a lot of fun. Of course, there is that ever-present problem of not having a boat, but a friend and I are working on that and are hoping to be able to get one by summer.

And so there you have the happenings of the past week of my life, definitely a bit more exciting than the week before this one! Well, hope you all have a great New Years! As Paul Wellstone said, "The future will not belong to those who sit on the sidelines. The future will not belong to the cynics. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

A new year is coming and we're all going to make New Years resolutions, and I have to say, when I think of a New Years resolution, I think more of wishes, it seems that so many people want to do things but just don't get around to it (like me writing my blog). Lets do something different this year, don't be afraid to make some big goals, and to have big dreams, but lets be the people who believe in our dreams. The people who make their future their own.

Dreams are great, but they're no good unless you're going to fight to make them come true. Happy New Year to you all!!
Yours always,
<3>

Saturday, December 11, 2010

A Normal Life

Not a whole lot has happened around here lately. I'm working on school, and planning to take my driving permit test next week. Can you believe its taken this long for me to get around to going to get my permit!? I have to say that life at home isn't all that exciting. I miss sailing and wish that I still had a boat to get away every now and then.

I am working hard on my book right now. Its been a lot of fun having that to work on. Its going to be out in mid April and once the books out I'll probably be out doing a lot more public speaking and things like that which I'm really looking forward to. My first few speaking engagements were a little rough, which was to be expected as a slightly shy 16 year old just winging it. But I've done a bit of work and got a good collection of tips going from everyone around me so I'm really looking forward to getting back out and into public speaking a little more.

My baby brother, Paul-Louis (aka. Chuck, Charlie, Louie, or whatever else comes to mind, whether or not it can be related to his name at all) is five months old now. Its hard to imagine I have been home for that long, almost half a year! Watching Charlie grow up has been a good reminder of how long I have been home.

I keep thinking about what to do now. Of course I have planned on finishing high school before setting out on any new trips or adventures. But its been too long, and I've got that feeling you get as a sailor when you've been on land too long - life with all the easiness of being on land becomes uncomfortable and you feel almost trapped.

I know its not long before I'll have finished high school and I'll have found something new to stir up the lives of those around me.

Until then, I'd like to thank all you guys reading this for following my blog, and for continuing to support me. It means the world to know I've got you guys still faithfully following and supporting me!

Abby