Dictated by Roz and transcribed by her mother Rita Savage.
Position at local time 20.55 on 7th May: -03.64156S 160.18750E
My jar of plum jam is speaking to me. No, this is not conclusive evidence that I have spent too much time alone on my rowboat. I mean that there are some words printed on the label that resonate with me. My lemon lady, Karen Morss, very kindly gave me several jars of homemade preserve and has handwritten an inspiring quote on the side of each For the last ten days I have been enjoying a dollop of plum jam with my food crackers and cheese (the cheese is suffering a bit in the extreme heat but I keep hacking the moldy bits off and the rest is fine) and while I munch my lunch contemplate the words of Gertrude Stein written on the label: “Let me listen to me, not to them.”
Wise words, and ones that Karen evidently lives by. She ran a software company for many years before embarking upon her second career as owner of a flying school. Now she has an orchard of lemon trees which she has named after women who have inspired her. Yes, there is a lemon tree called Rosalind of which I am very proud. This is a woman with little time for conventional career moves.
I hope that I too, now, live by Gertrude Stein’s advice. For most of my life I didn’t. I did what I thought I was expected to do, trying to win approval and it led me astray, doing a job I didn’t like to buy be stuff I didn’t need – all for the sake of “them”. Or, in fact, not what they actually wanted me to do, but what I THOUGHT they wanted me to do.
When I woke up and realized that I wasn’t getting any younger, and that if I wanted to do something worthwhile with my life, then I had better get on with it. It was one of the most liberating things I have ever done, to totally give up caring what other people think about what I am doing with my life. I respect my younger sister for having realized this at a much younger age than I did. She actually got a better degree that I did but rather than following me into the city of London, she chose to work anywhere where she could get into the great outdoors to indulge her love of hiking, climbing and caving. I really respect her for that.
After all, it really doesn’t matter what other people think. If they love me, they will support me. If they try to discourage me, that says more about them than it does about me. It is my life, not theirs.
Ultimately nobody is better at being me than I am. So I might as well take that unique talent of being me and do it to the best of my ability.
Other stuff: I saw a fishing vessel today. I think it is the same vessel that I could see last night. I would rather that they weren’t around. I haven’t even had three weeks of me-time yet and I definitely want some more.
Alf was spotted running across the life raft today. Conditions were very hot and still for most of the day. The upside was good progress south, the downside was trying to avoid heatstroke.
Recorded a podcast with Dr Kiki at Twit.tv today, and gave some more clues to help with guessing my arrival date and location. Check it out at Rozrows.tv. Enjoy! http://twit.tv/roz
Nova’s Newsletter:
Hello Roz Fans,
Nova Lee here, Roz’s Fundraising coordinator. Like you I have been inspired to support Roz in her epic adventure. In this piece I will be reflecting on the things that I have learned from Roz. It has been a pleasure knowing her in this way and perhaps in hearing these stories you will see how much Roz’s journey has made a positive impact on my life and others, understand the challenges we are facing and further understand why we are needing support for Roz Savage’s Ripple Effect Foundation.
I met Roz during what will hopefully be the most inactive period of my life, my recovery from knee surgery. Working with a person who is perhaps in the most active time of her life possessed an interesting combination of irony and purpose. I have now begun the physical therapy portion of my recovery. In the past a $50 gym membership was an expense that hindered me from joining but fundraising to cover the expenses of open ocean rowing has certainly given me a new perspective. Entering the gym I soon found myself at the rowing machine. The discomfort of the scar tissue and swelling was tempered by thoughts of Roz out in the middle of the Pacific ocean; I pushed a little harder. Fans today I am going to ask: Have any of you have been inspired to get in shape or take up rowing? Share your stories on this topic and please chip in to support Roz and others who have big oceans to cross and dreams to fulfill.
Share your stories of how Roz has inspired you here: https://www.rozsavage.com/contents/bet-on-roz/
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Grateful thanks to latest donors: Theresa Law and Charles Pell
Remember to vote for Roz and Margo every day!
http://www.refresheverything.com/oceanexplorers
“Also vote for our coalition partner Project Kaisei to help remove tons of floating plastic debris in our Ocean! Vote here: http://pep.si/alxXp”
(Request from Blue Frontier Campaign.)
My Dearest Roz, I am so very happy that you are enjoying the Plum Jam and the quotes! You are such an inspiration to so many around the world. But most of all, you are living the life you were meant to!
I think the podcast link in Roz’s post should be http://twit.tv/roz and that the new episode is not up yet. Looking forward to it, though.
I ordered some of Karen’s organic lemons a few months ago, and turned them into a fabulous lemonade (for a party) that people still rave about. Rozlings, if you haven’t tried some of these lemons, you need to. And I’m delighted that Roz is fueled by this kind of organic sustenence during her row. Maybe “this” is why she has such interesting thoughts … you are what you eat.
Hi Nova,
Yes, rowing is a part of my life, 30 minutes 5 days a week. After knee surgery it became very important to get in great shape so that obstacles in life become bumps in the road.