I’ve been a bit hesitant to post updates that seem routine and unexciting. However, two different people encouraged me to post more as they and perhaps others have enjoyed following. So I’m going to try and be a little more frequent.
First, up. Photography. I’ve continued to learn and I’ve been enjoying the process. The first goal is to have a better skill set for the November Patagonia and Antarctica trip. The long term goal is for world travel via the MV Narrative and perhaps use that travel to sell stock or artistic photos. I have no expectations of making a living or anything much with that, but perhaps I can at least offset the cost of storing so many raw format photos, which is already problematic. I may even put up a store soon.
The third update is that I went to the Brevard Zoo for my birthday. I’d read somewhere that it was on a list of best zoos and yeah, it’s a nice one. It was an interesting day and for some reason a lot of people interacted with me out of the blue. Perhaps it was the camera?
Fourth, I had my first visitor here in Florida. My good friend Karine (a.k.a BOB) came for a week and we rented a house on the beach. It was a beautiful week with a calm ocean. We relaxed, had many good conversations, maybe drank a bit much and had a nerdy day at the Kennedy Space Center.
Lastly, progress towards my life on the MV Narrative in a few years continues. It has now been a year since I started this journey and it becomes more real all the time. The big news is that the long awaited contract is expected soon. Which is equivalent to committing to buying a house. Once signing that I’ll be truly committed, so I’ve had a lot of introspection and planning going on. There are ways out, but once signed I can’t get out of it without at least some financial losses.
I’ve partnered with a group of future neighbors to have the contract legally reviewed and some due diligence done. How weird is it that I have lawyers in Malta now?!?
The ship engineering and final design is completed and the financial struggles at the shipyard are resolving. Unrelated to us, but the war in the Ukraine mucked up some of their other projects, but I belive we are still on schedule to “cut steel” in Q2. I don’t know if I’m allowed to share them, so I’m not. But I even have the detailed deck plans stuck to my wall now.
I was briefly concerned that in the thumbnail BoB’s swimsuit looked red – and you may have spent a week with an imposter. However, once enlarged I see pink and all is well with the world.
Great to see an update. And tomorrow is Saggy Man 2023 🙂
Stay healthy, and please do post. Are you using a DSLR or some fancy camera phone?
My love for you deepens, Ruvi, as I witness your mission to ensure the BOBs of the world are properly adorned in pink!
Ruvi, you’re right. I need to go adjust that photo. That hat is absolutely pink too 🙂 I’m using a Mirrorless camera rather than DSLR(but same difference). For practice all photos are done using manual shutter speed, aperture, ISO and white balance, so I’m getting there….
Smart moves all around. Apropos of nothing, does the ship have a dive platform?
Very best of luck, Mike!
It has 3 platforms in the marina. I don’t know what qualifies one as a diving platform, but there is a scuba gear room next to them. Plus intentions of anchoring various places. Apropos of something, there will be residences for rent, including mine after a while. 🙂 I’ll even have a good discount for friends and family…. Thank you, the slow path continues.
So happy to see you happy! And living the life you deserve. Pink Bob is the happy piece de resistance to any occasion. Awesome sauce.