6 Months At Sea / Everything In It's Right Place

Tapping into the journey. Seafaring is what you make it.

The opening pages of Cloud Atlas begin sometime in the 1800s in the South Pacific. I was reading the book this fall (and still am). It’s a big one. But given the influence of the film on me and my life I shall persist with it.

The idea of sailing from Plymouth, England to an island a couple thousand kilometres from New Zealand like Thomas Cook bewilders me.

Just, imagine.

I know today, we are impressed and awe-inspired by the actions of adventurers in many sense. Equally bewildered and lost for words we can be. Whether it’s the guy who just did 100 Iron Mans in 100 days or the record amount of satellites launched to space last year it’s all pretty nuts!

The person doing the Iron Man, could just decide one day not to do another one, and then his streak is done. But if you were on a ship a some centuries ago, at sea, with no port of call, and months before you saw land, there was real life or death consequence for if you wanted to stop the journey before it’s completion.

Suppose the only thing left today like a South Pacific journey is Space. But even there I think you can watch TikTok!

I am back in Stockholm. Like back, back. This issue was going to be titled 6 Things from 6 Months at sea, and maybe still will be, but let’s see.

I had been slowly chipping away at discovering the learnings of this journey I have been on. Not taking any notes, they tend to be ephemeral in nature. Last night, catching up with a friend and former colleague who asked a lot of great questions, the lessons and experience of it was brought to front of mind.

While it was 6 months for me, it felt much much longer.

Some things…

1. Even though you know what you have is fantastic, you sometimes still need to leave it. Resonance can’t be forced.

2. It’s more than ok to come back. Even if you don’t feel you have transformed or slayed the dragon. Maybe the dragon didn’t need to be slayed?

3. When I left town I was moving to somewhere staying put. What was to be one specific moved turned into a 6 month journey. Even though you can expect twists and turns, they can still surprise you.

4. Like the first lesson, the new thing you receive or get can also be great, but that doesn’t mean it’s for you.

5. You don’t always have to go through everything alone. Sometimes you need to voice it out loud to move through it.

6. As shared in my 40 Rules for Life, “As my friend Johan once said, "No one regrets a jump in a cold lake".

*Cook’s First Voyage

Stranded on a Desert Island...

The author of Cloud Atlas is David Mitchell and thought would be fun to include his appearance on BBC’s Dessert Island Discs, where guests identify the items that would accompany them if they were ever found themselves on a deserted island. .

The format of the show is as follows. Guests are given Shakespeare complete works and the Bible (which is great as I do want to read them in full in this life). And from there, they asked to share their 8 discs (tracks), a book and a luxury item. I have only listened to episodes with personalities I know but recommend it highly.

Unless I make a significant impact in the world of arts & culture I don’t suspect I’ll be invited on that show. But, hey! Maybe one day, right?

In the spirit of playing along and putting something out there. Here’s what I would bring or have with me.

Discs

Radiohead - Everything In It’s Right Place - Kid A

Andrew WK - I Get Wet - I Get Wet

Fucked Up - Turn The Seasons - David Comes To Life

The Clash - Safe European Home - Give Em’ Enough Rope

Pryda - Joyous - Pryda 15. Vol III

The War On Drugs - Under The Pressure - Lost In the Dream

Matt Mays - Tall Trees - From the Burnside with Love

Frightened Rabbit - The Loneliness and the Scream - A Winter of Mixed Drinks

*Imperfectly, perfect. What comes to mind in the moment. Perhaps a bit heavy/hard and not enough instrumental. Probably countless iterations of what this could be. This being said, ‘Everything In It’s Right Place’ I would bet makes every list of mine.

Book

I think it’s Cloud Atlas, mainly because I am still not finished and the film has gripped me like few others. And even when I am done the book. I will still be confused and it would require me to read it again, and maybe again.

Luxury

Hmmm. Tough one if I am honest. Perhaps my hair and beard trimmer? Gotta stay well groomed you know. Or a hat! Or if we really wanted to dial up the luxury, then I’d say the reversible shearling vest from Our Legacy. Especially for those cool nights in the tropics. Lol.

We Want More!

I have put out a few weekly newsletter so far this year. I really enjoyed writing this one titled ‘We Want Fun’. A bit of a case for optimism. Check it out below.

We Want Fun

This Month And A Bit

That’s all everyone. See you next time. Oh, and Happy New Year!