I wish I could paint a picture of tonight. A beautiful sailboat anchored under a million stars. The sound of the jungle and a good solid wind blowing from the east. The smell of fire, sea, and earth fills the air and my ipod is playing in the background. As usual I’m being introspective while gazing at the night sky.
I’ve been really stressed out the last few weeks with the root canal, and now more complications. I just don’t feel very well or have much energy. I don’t think the dentist got all of the infection and this thing is really kicking my ass. I was sitting on the foredeck tonight feeling pretty bad and stressing about all these things when Mr. Bob Dylan came along and put a smile on my face. “Blowin’ in the wind” never really hit me over the head as being such an awesome song but it did tonight, it’s my new favorite. Dylan was a poet, philosopher, and a personal hero. Here are the lyrics:
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man ?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand ?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned ?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea ?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free ?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn’t see ?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky ?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry ?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died ?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
I saw a bit of the news (CNN) earlier tonight at Hanz’s place, I found it quite disturbing. I don’t understand much the world around me. I think the television is really poisonous and I want to start a movement of people who throw them away! I think I’ve learned enough over the years on my travels to know I don’t know anything about anything, but I do know that we all shouldn’t be focusing on all the negative crap in the world.
What really got me down is the body of a sailor was found in Portobello tied to an anchor in about 10 feet of water. I don’t know much more about the story, who it was, or why it happened. I think he was French. His boat was gone, the question is who took it and why?
What motivates some people is so far beyond what I can comprehend.
I really want to go sailing, I just don’t know to where? I’m supposed to pick up a charter in the San Blas on the 10th. I’m a bit worried about leaving the possibility of medical attention if I need it. I met these people here at Hanz’s place, they have been visiting Panama for the last month.
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
Peace, Love, and Mr. Bob Dylan
FTV
Cheers.
Alex
Alex
I just want to give you a heads up about the shit in EGYPT Everbody sucks!!
I was in Panama and Dominican Republic and I just want to talk cause my dad has a heath care setup in Colorado and I think that you just dig people and maybe we set up a health care gig. I tried skype but we will talk…..Stewart
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Stewart,
You must be a mind reader. I didn’t sleep well last night as my brain was on hyper-drive. I always think about freedom and what it actually means. “Autonomy at sea, a free mans guide to the world” (my book) keeps me up many nights. Autonomy is the absence of fear (control), and the ability to wake up and choose your day. I like to use the word Autonomy and not “freedom” because it rings of “personal” freedom and responsibility, and not social responsibilities. I.E. providing your family with healthy nourishment, not working for money and sending them out for fast-food, educating your own children, not working so you can pay someone else to do it and raising them on video games and television. This “system” just doesn’t make sense to me.
Health care is the only thing I’m really “afraid” of not having. And I’m not so afraid that I’ll go back to work full time. I don’t want to be controlled by the idea that I need to work full time in order to receive care when I need it from someone who knows more about the human body than I do. Do I think I need to pay for it in some way, of course.
If I could give away Project BlueSphere to someone to cover my expenses and provide me with health care I’d do it. That way I could finish my days in peace taking pictures, sailing, and living off of the sea. Well actually I wouldn’t because I don’t want anyone plastering corporate junk all over it, but you get the idea. I need to figure out a way to get health care so I can continue my path in peace and not worry about someone not helping me when I need it….. That’s a funny thing to say. I shouldn’t live in a world where I was worried about someone not helping me when I needed it, kind of makes you think about what “we” have become accustomed to accepting in our world ???
My friend Roger told me a horror story about his brother that had a root canal go bad. He lost all his teeth and nearly died as the bone infection was reaching his brain and spine. I guess it can be a serious thing. I don’t think I’m about to die but when I do know that I went out living by my convictions and died a free man. I do think I’m about to have a tooth or two pulled and may end up a toothless sailor sooner than expected :)
Is there not one man out there that will vow to toss the television? If you do I’ll make it my personal responsibility to keep you in projects (learning how to make bread, wine, cheese), maybe building a sailing dinghy. Sell the flat screen and order a CLC boat kit:
http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boat-plans/
Better to build a boat than wallow in the negativity of the world, or dream of being a rock star. I want to build the passage maker take apart (nesting) boat.
Come on…, there must be one guy out there that will vow to get rid of the TV?
Check this out:
kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html
Read the whole thing, press “continue” at the bottom.
Does this sound like something that may have crept into our adulthood? TV programs innate fear into us, what we should fear is the television. Take some responsibility and toss it! Bake bread with your few hours at night, study charts, read, ferment, build, communicate with your family and friends, pick your nose, contemplate your navel, anything but open your mind to corporate programming (programming!!!).
I’m looking for the first one to step up to the plate, post a comment and commit what do you say? :)
Hope this finds you feeling better or at least finding some ‘steerage’ about that tooth.
I couldn’t agree more about the poison of television. Check out a John Prine song, you’ll love the chorus. If your bandwidth is narrow, google the lyrics to Spanish Pipedream.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9RBgfUvymM
Peace, Love and Dentistry,
Todd
Alex –
I’ve followed you for about four years now, and this is the first time you’ve sounded like a fearful old man blathering on about doctors and health insurance ;-). I certainly understand the concern you have about your infection and in no way do I want this to sound as if I’m not empathetic – but you’ve gotta’ get a hold of yourself, man!
Fear is the enemy in your head. Fear is the reason most refuse to give up their cubicle for a boat. Fear and faith are incapable of coexisting in the mind at the same time. And fear, when you get right down to it, is the reason why most of us are reading about your adventures instead of living our own!
Fear is natural, but it should be your counselor, never your jailer! F.E.A.R = False Evidence Appearing Real.
Fear is irrational. According to a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the #2 cause of death in North America is doctors – medical errors, wrong prescriptions, wrong diagnosis, etc. You are far safer and better off on your boat in the middle of the Pacific than anywhere near a medical clinic or hospital.
I wonder how many folks over the age of 45-50 yrs trade their freedom and for easy access to health care?
Alex, don’t let an old man move into your body – and don’t let fear drive your choices! Your faith and your dreams have taken you this far … they will take you the rest of the way, my friend!
Peace, Love, and No Fear!
– Contrarian
Get some antibiotics for your Jaw before you fo get a really bad infectioin! when do you see the dentist again? is there any muck couing out of the wound? get it sorted Alex we need you and you need your teeth :o)) Rob
Contrarian,
Are you responding to the blog at the top of the page? “Fearful old man blathering on about doctors and health insurance”?
I thought I wrote ” I don’t want to be controlled by the idea that I need to work full time in order to receive care when I need it from someone who knows more about the human body than I do”. Trust me brother, you don’t have to preach the bondage of fear to me. What makes you think I’d pack it in for a cubicle? I don’t think you’ll be reading about me trading Splendid for a cubicle any time soon : )
That being said I found some relief. I built a neti pot with Sam about 8 months ago I heard about it in my yoga book. Try filling your sinus cavity with hot salt water, wow, kind of like bad LSD. Man it opened everything up and I can hear again (ears popped) and my headache is scaled back to something manageable, talk about a brain burn, feels like snorting tequila! I think I made the water too salty : (
Rob, I’m on antibiotics, Augmenten 500 every 12 hrs. Going to see the dentist again on Monday, ARRRGGGG
I found out about the sailor in Portobello. I knew the guy, JP on Levante. WTF! They found him tied to an anchor with a bullet hole in him. They have a guy in custody but his catamaran is missing.
Goozefraba!
Been listening to Dylan all day, man, you got to love that guy!
Hi Alex,
A very old relative used to recommend sinus rinsing as a cure to sinus issues, and overall achieving a zen state. A pinch of baking soda actually reduces the burning. When I used to need it, I would add the pinch to salt water. Hadn’t thought about it in a long time until youre post, but its online too. allergies.about.com/od/noseandsinusallergies/a/nasalsalineirr.htm
Glad to hear that helped.
Cheers,
Mark
Alex,
I cant believe the naieve, ignorant words I’m reading! Most of us have someone and something/s in our lives that prevent us from “Autonomy”. Its unrealistic to think that everybody is going to throw out their tv’s just because there is some bad programing on it! How about ‘be your own person and censor what you watch! When Sam and Guin were with you, we all saw your outlook slowly deteriorating until they left and you are now stuck in the same spot with a different dream every week, but not acting on those dreams. It would be very unrealistic to think that many of us could give our children a decent education, thats why we pay someone else, (a specialist) to do it! Why do you buy beer and burgers instead of ALWAYS making your own? Because it is unrealistic to think you could do that all the time when thats not what you want to do with your life. Why conform to society and pay a dentist? Just grab dive tank powered angle grinder and take care of it your self!… You get my point!
Augmentin should do the job til you get further attention. Sounds like it’s time to yank ’em.
Warren,
You know the old saying, “it’s good everybody doesn’t like the same thing, otherwise everyone would want my wife”.
Obviously you and I have different opinions on what is acceptable, and I won’t try to put you down for protecting the television or “standardized” education. Most of the readers at Project BlueSphere are super-consumers, burn lots of fossil fuels, watch television every day, and send their children to public schools. I’d like to believe that many of them are looking for an alternative way of life and that is why they read/watch what I write and record. I’m not trying to cater to everyone, or entertain. I have opinions and want to create an environment where we can all discuss the world around us. What I’m saying is there is another way and I really believe raising our children, and ourselves in front of a television and in a video gaming, fast food environment is not a healthy one. We should aspire for more. If you think that is “naieve”, or “ignorant” more power to you, you get to raise your children and yourself any way you want, I don’t know why you would be so offended about throwing out the television that you would try and put me down?
I spent a lot of my life coming home and burning the few hours I had in front of the television and wish I could have all that time back.
From my perspective the television makes us fear the world around us and I find that very offensive. Sure there is some good programming out there, and I love the medium, but soooo much of it is destructive.
And I don’t agree that autonomy is unrealistic.
Cheers
alex….it is hard for people to understand life in central america on a boat (ignorance)….you have to live it to understand. you your self have morphed from a 28′ to a 40′ ketch with rollerfurling,generator,and watermaker. 60 knots at anchor in los perles….remember…you had to be there or it is just a story. i had a wife property, job, bills, but just like you realized that i am the only thing holding me back from “autonomy”or the adventure of my dreams. three times i have made a change in my life, and people have often said “i wish i could up and do that”. to which i reply you can…..jo do it. portabello is a distant memory, make it the same for yourself……………….g
People often ask me what I’ll do when I find the perfect island; my response is always the same. I tell them I’ll start a television station, buy all the natives televisions, sell them a bunch of shit they don’t need, control what they aspire to become, and get rich, rich, rich! You know the sad thing is that’s exactly what has happened.
Warren, if you must know I asked Sam not to return from her trip to the states. She broke my trust by not getting a divorce in nearly three years of our relationship, and I broke her trust by not trusting her to do the right thing, sadly I was wrong! That’s what happens when a relationship fails; we loose trust and make mistakes. I acted in ways I’m not proud of, and I’m sure she would say the same. That being said Sam is the most amazing woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. She is graceful, intelligent, and can not only bake great bread, make pasta, wine, but raise a healthy daughter and take full responsibility for her education while taking care of a guy like me, and a home like Splendid, and all on about $300-$400 a month. She is the only “real” woman I’ve ever known and my world is a much, much, smaller place without her. Guinevere was also the only child I’ve ever loved as my own and I dreadfully miss them every day.
Let me ask you a question. What kind of guy would try to kick my failed relationship in my face to protect the television or standardized education? It sounds to me that you have been watching too much television as you think treating your fellow man in this manner is appropriate, shame on you! You get my point?
I don’t want everyone to throw out their televisions, only the ones who aspire to find what they are looking for. The television is a big fat negative voice in our heads and if you think that’s “ignorant” keep on keep’n on brother. I wish you only a bigger, brighter, louder, flatter television with the best surround system money can buy.
The people here are poor; most don’t have televisions or often electricity for that matter. I guess in your world they are uneducated, barbaric, stupid people, and you are much better than them. I was a “latch key” kid growing up in New York” city in front of the TV and in the public school system. I wish I was one of these kids that go fishing with his father every day of the year in a dug out canoe. But then I guess all I’d become is a fisherman and that wouldn’t be good? You might want to read the story of the Mexican fisherman my buddy David turned me on to:
http://www.bemorewithless.com/2010/the-story-of-the-mexican-fisherman/
Want to know a big reason why I’m “stuck” and not in the San Blas. It breaks me heart to see what has happened to the Kuna culture in just the last 5 years. There are some televisions there now, and a nation of independent, self-sufficient, indigenous people are disappearing at the speed of light. The culture is still there, but for how long?
I’m also bummed about the “regulations” to visit Palmyra, Polynesia, and most of the rest of the world. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’m exactly where I want to be for the moment, doing exactly what I want to be doing while devising my plan. It doesn’t sound to me that you are as you have “something/someone” in your life that prevents you from freedom. For that I’m sorry. I had something (someone) in my life when I was with the girls that prevented me from it so I know where you’re coming from, it’s painful.
I find it really refreshing to have beers with many of the backpackers that flow through Hanz’s place. They are young and just pre, or post University, and many of them are not following a standard education. Most of their parents have bought them these “round the world” airline tickets and something that I would invest in my child’s education far before I’d buy them a car or plug them into the work place at an early age. Sadly not so many of them are American. There are some great young American role models out there like Everett Bogue:
http://www.farbeyondthestars.com
If you have kids you might want to turn them on to his story, movement, and what he is doing.
I like it when discussions get mixed up, I hope we all learn from it. I’d like to think Project BlueSphere is comprised of somewhat “like-minded” people who are not afraid to speak their minds. What ever you do, don’t worry about offending me, bring it on, this is a place where we can all shout for what we believe it, dream of, and if you need to let off some steam I’ll take the brunt of it.
Cheers
Alex,
I am sorry you are offended, I was not “kicking a failed relationship” in your face. Just trying to point out that if it’s almost impossible to make it work with an amazing woman like Sam and a great kid like Guin, what hope do most “normal” people have of living the dream? Anyone can change for a short time and do things different but in the long run their true selves will shine through. I’m sorry I spoke out of my place.
Warren,
No harm no fowl.
“normal” isn’t something I consider myself, nor aspire to be, and I think that’s part of the problem. Accepting people who are outside of what “we” consider normal is imperative to a healthy world society (humanity). I don’t have a problem with rationally discussing things but you seem to have a bit of an aggressive nature and I think its counterproductive.
A man washing a window on a skyscraper will see things that most people don’t. It doesn’t make him smarter or wiser, he just sees the world from a different perspective. I just wish to share my perspective with people who want to hear about it. What I see is a world of people controlled by the media and by fear. Fear of terrorists, fear of not being “normal” or accepted, fear of poverty. The television is a weapon of mass distraction and “normal” societies the target.
When I first got back to the states from Tokyo I was a bit shocked by all the homeland security, news, and police. I was in the car with a close friend and I made the comment that I thought Americans were becoming afraid of the world. My buddy looked at me and said “nonsense”, Showing me a handgun under his seat “we are fighters, I have an AR-15 in my closet at home with over 3000 rounds of ammunition, bring it on”. Sadly I thought to myself “What is becoming of my home, the terrorists are winning and accomplishing exactly what they are trying to”.
The world is not a dangerous place and we should seek refuge in nature, not a synthetic environment, created by advertisers for the sole purpose of selling us shit we don’t need.
Anyway, I’m going to pass on grinding out my tooth with an angle grinder. I’m off to the dentist. I’m planning on sailing for the San Blas in the morning. I should have internet there and will try to post, If not I’ll be back in a week as my charter wants to sail back to Linton.
Cheers.
G’Day Alex
interesting blog if you dont like tvs what about computors…people play on computers more than watch tv face book,games,porn..you said americans were afraid of the world,l think Americans are afraid of Americans
with the amount of guns you have there.In Australia they took our guns off us some years ago..only the
crims have guns ..go figure anyway Alex good luck with the tooth and happy sailing
Mount Egerton Australia
About the augmetin deal. If you weigh 200lbs, you should be on 3 per day to maintain proper blood levels.
And, that pcn product only kills half of the different type of possible bacteria which could be causing the
infection, so would want to try bactrim or doxcycline if not improving; over 1/2 of all bacterial cultures
now days are resistant forms of staph, so pcn doesnt work. Its from us docs over-using abx’s.; so have the
doc culture the pus, if available. No culture, dont know what the bacteria is….assuming its not improving. Abcess
needs to be opened to allow drainage, keep on steaming those sinus’s, 3-4 x/day.
Oh, you may want to eat yogurt, about 20 min after each abx dose. Augmentin is classic for causing diarrhea,
or c. Difficele, which is from the abx eating the “good bacteria” in your gut up, so the c. diff overgrows
and causes bad diarrhea. Trust me, you dont want this. High dose probiotic pills work too, but yogurt cheaper.
FYI, If you start getting bad diarrhea, stop the augmentin before you dehydrate.
Dancing feet
I’m making and eating yoghurt every day now :) It’s good to have doc friends out there for some advice. Does the same hold for a sinus infection as opposed to a bone infection?
Alex