(And no, we’re not talking about my backside again – this is about posterity, not posteriors!)
Thursdays are my multimedia day. I record my segment for the regular weekly RozCast and email it to my editor in California for her to slot into our prepared recording, and I record my live podcast with Leo Laporte. It takes time and a considerable amount of money (my satellite phone doubles as my data modem for uploading content, and I expect the bill to be over $10,000 for this stage of my row) but to me it’s worth it. I can’t imagine doing my adventure without the support and participation of my wonderful Rozlings!
So today, with matters multimedia in mind, I’d like to put out a plea for help. It may seem a little premature, but we are optimistically starting to think about plans for my arrival on Island X – either Tuvalu or Tarawa. And we’d like to make sure that the event is recorded for posterity. It’s not something we can come back and recapture at a later date!
There is a talented young filmmaker in Hawaii, called Conrad, who did some work with us before my departure. He is willing to come out to Island X to film my arrival, and has generously offered to donate his time and use of his expensive pro camera equipment free of charge if we can just manage to cover his flights and accommodation.
We have received an offer of $2,500 from an individual in the US, but only if we can match it with fundraising of our own. The resulting $5,000 total would cover Conrad’s costs, and would also help towards Nicole’s flights – oh, and mine, so I can get off Island X in time for my book tour!
So there is $2,500 there for the taking, IF we can find contributions to match it. Some of you are already contributing, either occasionally or on a regular basis – which I appreciate HUGELY – but I hope that if you have enjoyed my blogs, Tweets, videos and/or podcasts, you might feel moved to make a donation, whether you are a regular donor or not. I am very much looking forward to making landfall, and I’d love to be able to share this special moment with you.
Also, Conrad and Nicole have been discussing a shooting schedule, and in addition to my arrival they are planning interviews with government officials, adults and children on the island to capture eyewitness evidence about how they are coping with the effects of climate change. We plan to share this footage with officials at the United Nations Environment Programme, so that they can share these important testimonials with world leaders at the upcoming climate change summit in Copenhagen this December.
So, much as we Brits hate to talk about money, I’m holding out my sun-bleached, seawater-stained baseball cap and asking if you would please chip in with a few dollars to help me out. No contribution is too small – it all adds up!
Thank you!!
(To donate, please go to rozsavage.com and click on the PayPal button in the top right. All donations received from now until we reach our target, and/or the end of my row, will be counted towards the gift match.)
[photo: Distant dolphins – see below]
Other Stuff:
Just when we thought I might have broken free of the ITCZ… Today has been dismal. Weather-wise and mileage-wise. Even the appearance of several dozen dolphins failed to lift spirits much – they were too far away for me to see them properly.
I woke this morning to find my world grey and dank, and all around the horizon I could see big black clouds with legs of rain. As the sun set the view was much the same. The only variation during the day has been the occasional thunderclap and flash of lightning, and the wind, which has been blowing intermittently from the southeast (not good) and south (even more not good). The dolphins seemed to catch the mood of the day. They surfaced briefly and slowly, showing none of the joie de vivre that sometimes makes them leap and cavort like at Sea World. I filmed them for a while but they didn’t come close so most of my footage will be of grey sullen sea, and grey sullen sky. As I write the south wind is strengthening and eroding some of the progress towards the Equator I made yesterday.
Here’s to a brighter day tomorrow – or some donations would cheer me up too! 😉
Speaking of being cheered up, thanks to Roz’s Rowsters for a bumper crop of great comments! I’m glad you enjoyed my Austen-ish dialogue yesterday – I had fun writing it, so I hoped you’d have as much fun reading it!
Thanks also to Richard in Austin, TX, for the update on Johnny Depp. Ah, to be on a chat show sofa with JD… sigh! Fuel for happy rowing daydreams!
Rozta’ Bill – hope you enjoy the Larabars! And I suppose I do get a kind of commission, as they generously provide me with my supplies of bars for my voyages. But yes, for sure, I do mention Larabars on a very regular basis and I know I’ve won over a lot of converts!
Kristen – lovely to hear from you. Thanks for the link about Tuvalu – we were actually talking about that on the Roz Rows The Pacific podcast this morning. It would be ideal if I could make it to Tuvalu – but even Tarawa will be seriously impacted by climate change, as will all the islands of the south Pacific – and Australia, which is the most likely destination for displaced islanders. So wherever I land up, I’m sure I’ll have some stories to take to the climate change conference in Copenhagen this December.
Serendipity/Law of Attraction – so I stand corrected, but will use my lack of a ship’s dictionary as an excuse! But I still hold that they are not opposites, because with the Law of Attraction I don’t think you can EXPECT to bring these things into your life. It’s more creative than that. You wish for them, you form the intention of receiving them, but then you let it go, and trust to the Universe to provide. As someone once said to me, you don’t take your broken watch to the watchmaker and then tell him how to fix it. Likewise, you take your intention to the Universe and then trust it to figure out the best delivery mechanism – so the end result may often appear serendipitous. IMHO.
Weather report:
Position at 2130 HST: 02 15.317N, 176 31.523W
Wind: 0-15kts, E-S
Seas: 1-4 ft, E-S
Weather: totally overcast, no sunshine. Frequent rain, occasional
thunderstorms.
Weather forecast courtesy of weatherguy.com
Latest tracker reported your position as: 02 16N 176 22W as of 06Aug 1107HST.
As of Thursday morning 6 Aug 2009. According to measured data, there have been Eerly winds up to 20kts and rainshowers in your area, which might help explain your gain in westward longitude. Eerly winds extends to the Equator then shift to SEerly 0-12kts. Winds will be very shifty next couple of days becoming Serly 0-15kts by 1600HST 06Aug. Then shifting back to Eerly 0-12kts by 08Aug 0000HST. Forecast aids indicate Eerly winds 0-15kts persist for remainder of the forecast period. Uncertainty remains in the forecast, as previously discussed.
According to satellite imagery, there remains moderate convection with rainshowers and squalls overhead and to your north. Minimal cloud activity south of 01 00N.
Sky conditions: Partly to mostly cloudy. Scattered moderate rainshowers, squalls, and possible thunderstorms.
Forecast (low confidence due to extreme variability in equatorial regions and naturally occurring small scale fluctuations in direction/speed in the Doldrums) Date/Time HST Wind kts Seas (ft) est 06/1800-08/0000 S 0-15 2-5 08/0000-11/0000 E 0-15 2-5
Next Update: Monday, 10 August
Roz,
Sorry that you’ve had a rough day. I hope that the knowledge that many of us pull with you on each stroke of the oars. Your work for yourself, the Rozlings and our planet is making a difference every day, even when the rowing doesn’t go as well as you hope. Keep your spirits up. 🙂
Fair wind and following seas,
Amy
The saying goes “April showers bring May flowers”: out of everything good can be found. I see that you are in showery weather right now but every week you make good progress! Nearing 2 degrees, wow!
John H
So I was reading the Roz Savage blog when she mentioned the book Getting Stoned with Savages. Then I traveled to North Carolina and was in a used book store. Serindiptously I found said stoned savages book as I browsed. Not consciously looking for it just popped into my vision and it was bought. Read it and enjoyed it.
For those and other reasons I’ve donated. Row on Roz!
Everyone knows I much appreciate the vicarious adventure and the fantastic influence you’ve been on me and others. So I’ve put a little something extra in your salt-stained cap.
Roz – Since you need to raise money – how bout considering auctioning off an oar or 2, used on the trip on Ebay. That could help out a lot.
May you have the wind at your back and smooth seas to bring you home.
Roz, glad you had an enjoyable row under the corona moon — if only it were in a more desirable direction. Heavens-Above.com shows at your latitude the moon directly over head at 3AM. With your back to Luna from 11PM, it must have been an interesting view of the reflections on the waves. Please describe that experience some time: the moon high and behind, looking over your shoulder, moon beams bouncing back, sparkles surrounding you on the crests of waves in every direction.
Oh, btw, since I have been so focused on GPS backward-looking “breadcrumbs”, I have decided to switch to carrots — forward-looking GPS “breadcrumbs.” I just now donated an advance on your next 100 miles of “carrots”. That will get you to Howland Island. Each 100 miles from Howland to Tuvalu (or Tarawa) will trigger another donation in the amount of your favorite number. Maybe Evan et al can find a way to post “carrots” on the RozTracker ;-D
Hi Roz,
tomorrow I’ll start on Rowpro/Oarbits a daily online rowing challenge to support your mission. Everyone who breaks personal record and the winner are asked to support you. No promise that it works, but rowers are friendly people you can trust. Good luck for you and take care.
Jo
Hawk, I don’t think she wants the wind on her back, considering she sits facing aft 🙂
So I know it sounds strange, but Roz, may the wind be in your face!
Hi Roz, went to The Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach last night. The theme was The Muse. This is a production of the creation of artworks with live people, backdrops, and with a flatlight on it – Voila! a recreation of the painting or sculpture. There was a Monet there with his wife (muse) posing. There were some paintings by Frida, and fantastic sculptures by Camille Claudel (Rodin’s muse). All were gorgeous! They did some original (old) hollywood movie posters: Tarzan & his mate; King Kong & that blonde; Creature from the Black Lagoon & his scared woman….. Pretty funny, those were. -Sindy
Okay Roz, I understand what you are saying. I suppose that anything that you find through serendipity is by definition something positive, so as long as you’re living your life in a positive fashion, you could say that you’ve attracted into your life.
My only problem with that is that it’s bordering on a faith-based belief system, and having a very scientific mind, I’ve never found it easy to believe in anything faith based. Please feel free to ignore me if you don’t feel comfortable with this question, but are you a religious and/or spiritual person? (I think one can be spiritual without being religious)
Crap, UncaDoug. Now you’ve got me trying to remember Roz’s favorite number, which I remember reading earlier in the trip and have now forgotten. Grrrr.
Always good to hear about you. I wish I had an idea for how you could get dome money out for your uploading, but all of my idea seem very unfeasible. Bring a dictionary next time, it might help you with your terms.
Joan … remember the first podcast with Nicole? It was my time estimate when Roz would hit 1,000 miles. Totally serendipitous — I had no idea until I heard it on air. Now your assignment is to go back and find out why.
Hi Roz!
Just a gut feeling here, but hoping you pass to the leeward rather than the windward side of Howland and Baker Islands. No matter which way the current flows, your southing would easier – especially if the wind is in your face (thank you Grim Jon).
-achates
Unca Doug … seems YOU did a beautiful job of describing the moon glow: “With your back to Luna … it must have been an interesting view of the reflections on the waves. Please describe that experience some time: the moon high and behind, looking over your shoulder, moon beams bouncing back, sparkles surrounding you on the crests of waves in every direction.” By the way, UncaDoug, are you Roz’s actual uncle? Crazy of me to ask … but you’re just so faithful here … wondered.
Roz … I’ve been absent for a few days here and missed one of your entries, but I’m about to catch up — lucky me; I love how you write and feel so privileged to vicariously experience your mad and glorious adventure — albeit without the toil and pain!
Roz … I got the thought today to select an angel card for you and so I did — it’s from Doreen Virtue’s “Angel Therapy Oracle Cards. (Yeah, folks may think it’s hokey … but sometimes inspiration comes in the most unexpected — and to the eyes of some, wacky — ways.) Anyway, here’s the card that came up when I asked God/Spirit/Life/Love to let me pick one for you: It was “Earth Angel” … and I immediately thought of LAND! But it gets even better, ’cause it’s all about love.
Here’s what the card reads: “You are a light worker who has come to Earth to teach about love.” The expanded text of the card: “This card comes to you in response to the question about your life’s purpose. The answer is: Teach about love. You fulfill this task whenever you’re centered, serene, and loving, as that’s when you’re a role model of Divine peace. You needn’t say a word, write a book, or work as a healer in order to positively affect others. You merely need to be loving and compassionate in your interactions with others. Those who are peaceful teach about peace, which is the expression of Divine love on Earth.
You also received this card to help you cope with alienation issues, which means feeling different from others or that you don’t belong. As an Earth angel, this may be one of your first human incarnations. But don’t worry, for you’re never truly alone. The angels are always with you, guiding, loving and unconditionally accepting you as you are. There are also other Earth angels living among you, who have similar backgrounds and experiences to your own. Ask your guardian angels to connect you with like-minded friends, and they will.”
Under “Action Steps” for this card, it says: “The key to teaching about love is to first feel it for yourself and your life. Take a pad of paper (or a blank computer screen) and write down everything you can think of under the heading ‘What I Like about Myself.’ Include every major and minor trait you can think of that you find positive about yourself. It’s a private list, so admit characteristics that you might normally feel shy about revealing. Then erase or cross out the word LIKE in the paper’s headline, and replace it with the word LOVE. Frequently review and add to this list of reasons why you love yourself. It will help you teach others to love themselves as well, through the process of self-acceptance.”
Do you think I’m nutz, Roz? 🙂 Perhaps, but lately I’m endeavoring to walk by inspiration as best as I can … and this is how it played out today — selecting an angel card for Roz!
Thank you once again for this ‘labor of love’ that is your voyage. It blesses so many on so many levels. For me, it’s keeping me focused on my fitness regime so that I can walk across England a fit woman … fit for the first time in many, many years! 🙂
Until next time … peace to you, Earth Angel!
PS: I just placed a wee bit of dosh in your saltspray-encrusted cap … hope to be able to do a bit more as you row on.