Boat Name!!!

There are many of you out there who have been wondering what I was going to name the boat. I've been giving it a lot of thought, and needless to say have weighed the many suggestions offerred by all of my well intending friends. Most of you know that perhaps my favorite musical artist is Jimmy Buffett, and that one of my goals on this trip is to learn to play "Margaritaville" on a guitar. Well, Jimmy has a song which he cut in 1973 which just happens to be before several of you were born called "He went to Paris"; the opening lines of the song are: "He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bother him so...." The third week in Florida was coming to an end, I had finished the "Guests of the Ayatollah", a Book on CD given to me by Russ and Johanna at Christmas, I couldn't find a radio station which would give me a steady signal, and was beginning to have serious conversations with "Wilson the volleyball". I popped in the Buffett CD and here was this song. I realized that a big part of the trip was a personal search for some answers to some pretty heavy questions, and here was this song, and the phrase jumped out at me, "Looking for Answers", let's face it that's what a lot of us are doing as we enjoy this journey called life anyway. Yeah, you guessed it her name will be "Looking for Answers". I think that this name will serve her well.

With all of that said, let me bring you up to date on the job search. Sunday's paper had only one new job in it which I hadn't contacted to that point. It was for a doorman at a gentlemen's club which was located just a couple hundred yards from where the boat was docked. I had turned down delivering phone books for a dime a piece, figuring that wouldn't even pay for the diesel fuel. I call the 800 number and talk to a guy who let's me know about the responsibilities of the job, they sounded kind of interesting. I basically would have to just open the door for guest at the club and greet them. This was sounding a lot like a Wal-Mart greeter, a job I've always found interesting, but it certainly would have some benefits which would be attractive to any red-blooded American male, I won't go into the details. He then asked me how big I was, I replied 6'5" and 200lbs., he said that sometimes incidents occurred which might require me to help separate a patron from one of the dancers, etc.,etc. ... I was going to be a bouncer. He then asked how old I was and I replied TOO!!!, yeah too old to be a bouncer at a titty-bar in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. Clint Eastwood said in one of those Dirty Harry movies, " Sometimes a man has to know his limitations", this job surpassed my limitations.

It's noon on Sunday morning in Florida, I have no prospects for finding employment, I have to continue to spend money to exist, spending a lot of time on the boat doing nothing because I have been tweaking her for the last three weeks, literally talking to that stupid volleyball and myself about my options, a pretty weird situation. I realize that my business is suffering because I am not in Missouri to guide it, and that there are financial obligations which need to be met, that won't be met unless I do something about the situation. It was at this point that I loaded up my personal belongings, locked up the boat, and started driving back to Missouri. Thirteen hours later I showed up in Troy, IL and got 5 hours sleep at Nick's house, got up we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and a two-hour chat, then headed on to Fulton. What did I learn?

I found out that I am a very social animal and that being by yourself for an exxxxxtennnnnnded period of time can be a very LONELY situation. It allows you the opportunity to "look for answers to all of those questions that bother you so", but it also allows you to take an honest look at yourself and find out where you are at in your life and decide what direction the rest of life will take. I plan on addressing those issues over the coming weeks and months, stay tuned!!!

Thanks to all of you for your continued support, the phone calls while I was down there, the outstanding texts sent by some of you, and most of all your friendship. A special thank you to the person who didn't return my message on Sunday, you were a big part of my inspiration for this trip. I'll be at the Lumber Yard one night next week! Carl

I will be going back to Florida in late March to pickup the boat and bring her home! Now the big decision, Carlyle Lake in Illinois or Stockton Lake in Missouri. Your input as always is appreciated.