By the way, I bought a boat yesterday. It's an old 17 foot Boston Whaler Harpoon 5.2. It just needs a few things like a touch up of the fiberglass on the bow, and I think I'm missing a few small things for the standing rigging. If I have time tomorrow I'm going to rig it and see just what I need. The teak needs to be refinished, but that's nothing major. I think I'm missing the reefing lines though. And the spare tire. For the trailer. :P That needs most of the work. I got an email from the man I bought her from saying he forgot to give me the tire yesterday, but it's no big deal. I'll have to put the boat in the water and dock her and get the trailer sanded and repainted. The wiring isn't the best either. But it's all worth it.

How are you? :)

When's the last time you saw a journal title that said that? I actually don't have any good news. Wait, yes I do, the registration fees and state tax is much lower than I thought it would be when I buy this boat. And the sails don't have to be taxed separately. :3 Now if all you bums lived closer to me I can cheer you all up with free boat rides! I don't have a license to charge you. |3

I should probably know better than to say commissions are open, buuut I do trades too. You just have to pay for shipping if I make you a sculpture, but it's like $3 and change most of the time. Unless you do traditional art, then just send the original and that will be fine. :)

I can't sleep so I decided to nuts around on FA. It's very frustrating. I don't have to go to work until the afternoon but I still want to do things in the morning. Like work on my sculpture that's coming along very slowly. I'm just not feeling it. Hopefully when I get a little more detail I'll build up some momentum. I've also got to call somewhere and see if sails themselves have to be taxed. Which would be silly if they did, but hey this is Pennsylvania.

I'm going to see and hopefully pay for the boat I'm looking at. It's in another state so all that registration and tax stuff was confusing me for a minute but I think I understand it now. The owner has to get some paper work notorized for the boat and the trailer and then I have to take that to the title and tag place so I can register my new boat in PA. That's where they collect the tax. Both on the trailer and boat, but in New Jersey the sails don't have to be registered or taxed. Or whatever. Bottom line is I don't have to cough up the extra couple hundred for tax and registration right away, which is good because I won't have it. I'm also thinking of more things I'll have to buy before the start of the season, like a trailer hitch for my jeep if that's possible, a rigging knife with a fid, a sailmakers palm, waxed twine, various sailmaker's needles, oars (I can't afford the outboard but I didn't want it anyway), manila rope for docking or extra line if it's not included (running rigging is made of dacron and has minimal stretch, manila stretches so it's used for things like docking and towing. He says he has new running lines and a spare tire) fenders, friends, and probably other things as I think of them like shackles and clevis pins. I'm glad small boats don't need winches. A good winch on a 40 footer costs more than what I'm paying for this boat and the boat I was just on had four.

I should really try to sleep, I'm aproaching the point of no return. I suppose this is where I say commissions are open, but I probably won't get around to starting anything for a week or two. But if you're interested I'd appreciate it. :3

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/16485

When I came back from the West Indies the Sidewinder I was looking at had been sold, or at least she was no longer listed. Which is OK because this is much nicer and even a little closer, regardless of being in a different state. :P I was deciding weather I wanted a daysailor with a cuddy cabin or a one-cabin cruiser. I think this is the right choice. I can sail her single handed, I can winter her much easier and everything is less expensive. I saw a cruiser for less than this price, but I can tell from the pictures that it would cost triple the price to make her sea worthy. The main sheet looked like yarn after a cat was done with it.

I sent a message with my interest. The problem is that its just out of my price range when you consider registration and all those other hidden fees. But I'll think of something. I hope he gets it, but I didn't want to call before I knew how I was going to pay for it. X3

Also commissions are open. I'm going to do a little less trades, but they are open too, because that's the only business I get.

So I'm opening trades and commissions again untill I can go sailing again. I'm Going to charge 25 USD for a sculpture including shipping regardless of destination. If it is a trade you are interested in (and I have a feeling you are) I usually ask for postage if I don't get a traditional work in return. I don't get asked for drawings so I don't have prices for those. If you are interested in one just say so and we'll work something out. :) I prefur paypal and my address is phano42[at]gmail.com

I don't do anything adult, but I'm always willing to do something new so original ideas are welcome and encouraged. :)

Who missed me?
I'm sitting in Newark at the moment waiting for my flight home. Back to a world of snow, solid ground and nobody knows the difference between a halyard and a jib sheet.

When I first started out, saturday I guess it was, that mother of a snow storm was still raging on and my flights were cancelled. It took almost an hour to work out a way to get to St. Thomas, and we eventually got a schedule worked out. Unfortunately the only time I could get there was ten at night. Atlantic time. I got up at 2:30 that morning. :P but I called the school and told them about my situation and he said it was fine and Captain Francis will call and work out provisions and stuff. The funny thing is, I had that captain last time, and if I knew him, he wouldn't call until last minute. That's what he did. X3

I'm glad I got that captain again, he's very committed to his job. I didn't get the same boat, but it's OK we kept making jokes about how slow it was. There was a lot of other students this time. There were 7 people on board all together. They were all much older than me. I asked the captain later how many young people took these classes and he said only about ten percent.

I have lots of stories to tell, but I can't tell them all here. I will tell you where we traveled though. We sailed out of Redhook St. Thomas to Francis Bay St. John. My first national park by the way. We did a little snorkeling. Some people said they saw some sea turtles and a stingray, but I looked in all the wrong places. :P after that we sailed back to water island by St. Thomas. I didn't like it very much really. After that we took a long passage to Culebra in the spanish virgin islands. We stayed there two days to take our navigation tests. Only two of us passed. I got the highest score of 86 or so. It was a hard test. I want to return to Culebra someday. Took some pictures, but my phone got wet and had to be rebooted. Only two survived. I'll post the nicer one later. After two days sitting on an anchor in Ensenata honda, Culebra, we sailed to a fantastic little island called culabrita. It was trecherous going in, unmarked reefs, breakers and lee shores, but it was totally worth it. The only man made object was a lighthouse at the top of the hill we took turning bearings off of to get us past the dangerous rocks. It was fun. We didn't stay long on culebrita. Some of us snorkled, but I got tired of that and swam ashore. Another ship mate and I found some turtle tracks and then just bummed around on the sand. There was only a handfull of other boats anchored in the cove. Each from another country. Eventually we had to sail all night home that evening, so I decided I had to return to my boat and swam off the beach toward it. In the middle of plotting a course out we were attacked by killer bees so we had to save the rest of the plotting underway. It was all changed around anyway of course. :P as soon as we left, all the other boats did too, probably for the same reason. We made excelent time back to redhook on a nice beam reach going at a lovely 7 knots. We actually got there too early for the night sailing lessons, so we got ourselves lost doing night time man overboard drills. (More nerve wracking than you'd think.) So we took danger bearings off light houses and navigated our way back to safety. Some people probably had too much, but I thought it was one of the best parts of the trip. After 12 straight hours at sea, we eventually made it back to home port where we find that another fairwind boat took our mooring, so we had to anchor. Which wouldn't be so bad if the windlass didn't give out at that moment. But all was well, untill the ferries started flooring it back and forth creating hurricane like wakes that tossed our little boat like a pancake. When we got up this morning our feet were wet. (Not a good thing to wake up to on a boat) that was from all the ferry wakes coming through the lower ports that the bilge pump couldn't keep up. But we took car of it.

Eventually we went ashore to take our last test. I got a 98 I think. I had to leave right afterwards though, but I'm on the captains mailing list if he ever needs crew for a delivery, and I'm also invited to sail with him in Boston. :)

I still don't have my land legs. I'm sitting here in the airport and I still feel like I'm rocking. It's not so bad untill I walk down narrow halways and slam into the wall. X3 it will go away in about two or three day.

So, I'm going to the Caribbean sea tomorrow, or at least that's when I'm scheduled to depart. The snow storm is still doing it's thing and I'm right on the edge of it. It has stopped today, but it starts again every few hours. I guess another wave of it is supposed to hit us tonight which isn't exciting news. I probably won't come on here all week, not that anyone will miss me. So that's what's up.

So, I'm going to the Caribbean sea tomorrow, or at least that's when I'm scheduled to depart. The snow storm is still doing it's thing and I'm right on the edge of it. It has stopped today, but it starts again every few hours. I guess another wave of it is supposed to hit us tonight which isn't exciting news. I probably won't come on here all week, not that anyone will miss me. So that's what's up.

Snow days are boring, hit me up. :3


● I died:

● I kissed you:

● I fell:

● I lived next door to you:

● I showed up at your house unexpectedly:

● I stole something:

● I was murdered:

● I cried:

● I asked you to marry me:

● I was hospitalized:


~Would you~

● Trust me enough to sleep in the same bed as me?:

● Keep a secret if i told you one?:

● Hold my hand?:

● Study with me?:

● Cook for me?:

● Love me?:

● Date me?:

● Have sex with me?:



~More ~



● When and how did we meet?:

● Describe me in three words:

● What was your first impression of me?:

● What do you think of me now?:

● What reminds you of me?:

● Could you see us together forever?:

● Whens the last time you saw me?:

● Are you gonna re-post this to see what I say about you?

Another journal you should read. :)

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/...../#cid:10237738

So I came across this journal, and thought everyone else should see it too. :)

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/1223619/

People who know me know I've been looking for a small sail boat of my very own to practice and, well, to have a boat. I have decided that I will not survive another summer of not being on the water, but was concerned that if I bought one soon, I might not be able to take more. lessons in the fall. A little before I came home from work tonight I was surfing the web on my hand computer and saw an old boat for sail- uh sale. http://www.sailboatlistings.com/cgi.....14665&mh=1 I was really excited, but then I started thinking. It's probably too big. >.< I'm confident I can sail her single handed, I'm just worried how hard she would be to launch. My friends are landlubbers so they won't sail with me. Also, I forgot my car doesn't have a trailer hitch. My old one did. All boats have to be scrutinized before buying, but I'd love to have a boat this old. It's kind of my style. My antique jeep (the one with the trailer hitch) was always fun to drive. The only problem was everyone knew where I was. But I guess if I found this I'll find a smaller car topable boat. Of course then if some one did want to go sailing, I'd love to take them but my boat would be too small for too many people. :P I'll think about it. I don't want to make any huge decisions untill I come back from my class in less than two weeks.

So I went to walmart after work. Nothing exciting. I put my change on the table to deal with in the morning. When I looked again, one of them caught my eye. It's a penny with a fierce looking native fellow on the heads side and "urraca" above hIm and 1996 below. On the tails it has "republica de Panama" on the top and "Un centesimo de Balboa" in large letters in the center and nothing else. It's neat, but I don't collect coins so I'll give it to my brother or something. :P

I kind of wish we got more snow than we did. It all went just south of us. We have some, but there are brown patches here and there. Not very pretty.

I think I'm going to draw something with a penguin in it. I used to really like a flash game that has to be ten years old by now. I think it used to be on newgrounds. It had a penguin in it with a red head tie on and I guess he had some type of power but when he died a little angle came out. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

So I got a new phone. It's pretty nifty. In fact, I'm using it at this very moment.

After a months time I'll be sailing out of the country, for which I am psyched. I hope it rains at least once I bought some new oil skins and classic canvas deck shoes. AND I can take pictures without luggin' an old camera around and then I feel like I might as well throw on a hawaiian shirt and a fanny pack. Hard to say if I will anyway though, I always feel like I'm bragging.

Babar: "There's nothing like the open sea!"
Pom/Alexander: "But this is a lake"
Babar: "Then thereks nothing like the open lake."

My boat casts off from St. Thomas in just about a month from now and I'm very excited about it. That would make it 8 months since I was last on the water and somewhere around 8 or so years since I last smelled the surf and I'm feelin' it.

There is always some anxietey that comes with adventures like this. But it wouldn't be a true adventure if I was in my comfort zone the whole time. The last time I was on a plane I was but a wee lad and don't remember it. But all nervosness passes when I'm finally underway.

I ordered a fancy new phone, but for some reason I've been running into trouble actually getting them to send it. But I don't care, it comes when it comes, and I can, for the moment, afford whatever they feel like charging me. I just hope I can buy a small sailing dinghy this summer, like a sunfish or something. That would help immensly. I don't know how many more summers I can weather with this job.

I've been trying my hardest to get my head around the science of weather, which is part of the advanced sailing class I'm taking. I know the cloud types and the theory behind fronts and things, but I'm terrible at making predictions. But I know more about it than any teacher I talk to at work which creates some cause for concern when a janitor outsmarts a teacher. :P But if it wasn't for them no one else would listen to me ramble on about basic seamanship skills that boost my self confidence.

They just think I'm facinating. I've showed them a few of my sculptures when I opened my big mouth and said I'm kind of artsy. I met a few people at walmart last week , and when we got talking I mentioned I'm a sailor so they invited me over for a few hours. They thaought I looked like John Lennon. ^_^ I told them they could add me on facebox. They never did.


Well, I guess I better go home and eat lunch.
"I thought it'd be a great oppertunity to get into the south seas, which must be everyone's dream at one time or another." - Hugh Boyd (sp)

I has a pair of pants that have a tiny hole in one pocket. For the past few weeks my cellphone antena has been falling out. It's not the most spectacular phone in the world and hardly worked with the antenna. But one day I decided to wear said pants and put said phone in that particular pocket. THere was a snow storm ablowin' and I walked out to my car to go to work and lo and behold, I lost my antenna in the snow. Now I don't get any service. In never really called anyone but that's the number my boss calls. (May or may not be a bad thing) Anyway, I was thinking of getting a newer more expensive phone, that has all sorts of bells and whistles. But I have noe idea where to begin. So I turn to you, dear watchers, what sort of tips do you have, or what are some of your dissapointing or uplifting(?) experiences with such devices?

But not ice fishing, it's too boring.

50,000 points to whoever knows where that quote comes from.


I got my passport. It's pretty much awesome. I've been watching Babar. That's pretty much awesome too. Still don't have any methods of sharing my artworkz with the world. That isn't very awesome. So I'll just write a bunch of journals and spam your messages.

I was trying to draw a picture. I like the lines, but then I started coloring it and didn't like it anymore. It's a desert oasis scene with a squirrel and one of those cool hats with the cloth in the back. I don't have access to a scanner anyway.

I wanted to see Fantastic Mr. Fox this weekend but it's not playing in a theater near me. Our middle of no where town has a theater but only plays a handful of films and only dreck like Twilight. I guess I'll have to drive a few hours.

Trades and stuff are closed untill after december. I've got to work on presents. :P

Anyway, how are you?

For some reason the chapter on anchoring in my text book sent all the memories of my last class back to me. Dropping the hook, for some reason, is the quintessential seaman act. That's probably why the yacth club emblem is a fouled kedge anchor. But It made me want to go sailing again even more. Last time our windlass didn't work (or anything else for that matter) but like all well equiped boats, we had another anchor with an all rope rode instead of all chain. It is intersting how many people in a crowded anchorage are drunk. Which brings me to the title. When the skipper and I were wandering the streets of Annapolis we stopped in a pizzaria where a drunk man was trying to take the pizza from behind the glass. :P

The title is an inside joke with a friend of mine when we watched the Star Trek cartoons on You tube. (Episode 3 "One of Our Planets is Missing"... Uh >.>) Where the Enterprise was eaten by a giant antimatter cloud and there was only one way out. :P The animation has some Scooby Do-esque problems but the backdrop paintings are beautiful and it's fun to watch. ^_^

Anyway, I was thinking about another cartoon, or rather analogy or whatever the other day called O Canada. It was a bunch of independent animation shorts that used to air late at night. They ranged form childish to mind corrupting. I miss them. :P You can find two or three of them on youtube as well. I recomend "The Cat Came Back." There is one in particular that had no dialogue, just a couple of chameleons fighting over a fly. But it was in a style that I have desperatly tried for years to find elsewhere. It was a black background or dark but the foreground animation had vivid colors and almost a chalky apearance. If you've ever seen the Rugrats cartoon, the episode where they were all drawing stories, that style was there too. And aslo the end titles to Mission Hill (another unheard of cartoon I used to enjoy) gave the dsame effect. And while I think about it, the Mystic Caves 2 Player BGM is a very lovely peice that goes along the lines of whatever it is I'm talking about. And Angry Beavers. I don't have anything to say about. But I liked that too.

I'm aslo looking for some free artz. :3

I don't have the money for commissions or the technology to show you my half of a trade. (unless maybe it's a scupture, I may know someone else's camera I can commandeer...)

Just want something colorful and spacy to cheer me up. :)

Here are the rules.

If you reply here...

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you which song or movie you remind me of.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle you in.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something I've always wondered about you.
8. I'll tell you my favorite thing about you.
9. I'll tell you my least favorite thing about you.
10. If you play, you MUST post this on yours.

Things are getting better. My g-pa appologized, and if you knew him you'd know how much that means. I guess he really screwed up that computer, but I'm talkimg to you know with an antique computer.

My new enemy of the week, as it were, is someone at work. She's gotten herself in troulbe for stalking and smoking on school grounds before.

I'm working on getting other things back online as well. If all three of my watchers missed me. :P