nearly one year later...

it's been nearly one year since i left NY for FL (and bothered to write on this here blog too, now that i come to think of it) in pursuit of a job in yachting. and now, i'm here in Mass, at my mama's, which i've been using as a base for the past month while taking some time off from the industry. after that much needed lil' sojourn, i'm gearing up to head back down to the sunshine state, but this time to pursue... not so much yachting, but something of my own. i'll speak more on that, though, when the day comes to tell it. for now, it's just get my butt down there, start working again & generating income, and... i digress.

the past year in review: well, it was many things, with ups and downs and all sorts of extremes and challenges. mostly it was an exploration with lots of beautiful and rare moments spent in one exclusive tropical island paradise another, aboard various private yachts of the ultra wealthy. that, and also working way too fucking much. yep, i said it. way too muthereffin' much, but... it gave me the financial means to support myself and do some cool things in between the work (travel to france and spain for one), and certainly, certainly was not boring! some day i'll share some of those stories too. perhaps in chick lit form which i will unscrupulously promote to the sensation-hungry public. anyway, back to my year...yes, the year. along the way i met so many wonderful people from all over the world (hello south africa! hello australia!); formed fast friendships that actually stuck. spent too much $ living in crewhousing, but hey that's where you meet all the people and it's good training for living on boats with all the sharing in close quarters that goes in. and as so many yachties have said before, i learned a lot about what i do and do not want, my own strength and needs, and now.. now a year later and just a couple weeks before i turn 33 (the year that jesus died for his sins y'all!), and i'm ready for change.

like a butterfly emerging from her chrysallis, i'm ready to spread my wings and surprise the world with my colors! ok ok, maybe that's a bit much, but what a beautiful metaphorical image, right? the writer in me can't help it! but yes. it's time for something that's more representative of my whole self- a job where i can be candidly me WHILE working hard, enjoy what i do, and look forward to getting up and starting another day on that grind! work, work, workedy work, it's what we 99%ers do here right? some crazy percentage of our lives is spent working in this country, and at this point i realize you better love, or at the very least, like, what you do if you're gonna be spending all that gahtdamn time doing it! i mean, i tried working for the $ and it's just doesn't pay.

so yeah, off i go back to floridizzle, but this time to miami which is more my speed than ft. lauderdale - more to get into, more cosmopolitan, more diverse, with latino flare (hello salsa dancing and cutie boys). also i get to practice mi espanol. i mean it's an actual world class city, with people from all over, and there's substantial wealth there driving things which i think lends a hand in terms of offerings, opportunities and such. it's more vivid architecturally (art deco ooh la la) and fashionwise too -- nevermind the whole fake south beach situation-- i sure don't at least-- ppl complain of it all the time and for me, it's a non-issue, don't even really notice. so yeah, more au curant, whereas ft. lauderdale, bless its' heart, is just still so stuck in the past... almost verging on the jimmy buffet florida days of yore...like 70s-90s. just not with the times, but let me not hate. i still love me some laudie. feels a lil' like the outer parts of portland at times, even. like foster or places on sandy. no sophistication whatsoever, nor any real aesthetic except BEACH to speak of, but comfortable and easy. kitsch, if you will.

so yeah, back i go but this time not to submerge myself fully in the pot of would be yachtie hopefuls, but just to dip a toe in it and see what i can garner for temp work while i piece together my ideas for my next enterprise. until next time... xo, p.

1 week and 2 days in

temporary dock built for upcoming boat show

so far, so good. 1 week and 2 days ago i packed up all of what was left of my belongings (crammed tightly into 2 suitcases), said goodbye to NY, and hailed a one way down to Ft. Lauderdale to embark on my new life as a hopeful yachtie. for most of you reading this, you know that i'm looking into working as a yacht stewardess. some may balk, yacht stewardess?! on a boat? won't you get seasick? how will you stand being away for so long? or even worse, you're going to pretty much be a servant! and yes, admittedly, one way to look at the profession is as a glorified maid to the ultrarich aboard a yacht, but all i see is opportunity! hello $, travel, adventure! hello no living expenses! oh, yeah, and did i mention and endless stream of new, adventuresome people to meet? plus, we get time off, have schedules, all of that. it's just like any other job,
difference being you're living where you work. so yeah, considering all the perks, it doesn't faze me that part of the job will be cleaning toilets and turning down beds. big deal! housewives without help are doing it regularly without pay, so whatevs.

anyway, let the naysayers naysay. this is the first plan in a long time that's really spoken to me. checking off the boxes: it satisfies my love of travel/wanderlust, provides some serious earning potential, and gets me out of good ol'-i-love-and-hate-you NY. also, i've always been drawn to nautical life. my dad sailed boats (all the way to new zealand/south pacific from new england), his dad taught him how to do carpentry on them, and grampy jacobsen on my mom's side was a fishermen, so it's in my blood (hence the title of this blog, SALT IN THE BLOOD). anyway, so yeah, even with whatever drawbacks, i'm glad i made the choice!

so here's how it's been so far:
day 1- i arrive in fort lauderdale at around midnight. cab it over to my new temporary stay at a yacht crew house. no one's home, and i scare myself upon entering looking at my own reflection in the wall to wall mirorrs. next i choose a bed in the room i feel best about which despite having oddly masculine articles of clothing neatly piled in the center of the room, i ignore given i'd confirmed i'd be living in a girls' house. wake up the next morning to my (surprise) 24 y.o. south african MALE roomate, ayanda and figure i'll give it a go.

room #1 with Ayanda

 that doesn't work so well since he gets all cling-on with me and starts following me around,  telling me all his innermost feelings. NEXT! so as soon as a bed opens up in the other room, with a girl, i hop on it.

room #2, upgraded accommodations

the abode

get a bike for transportation. a bit of a rip at $160 for 2 weeks, given you can buy your own, used, on craig's list for just a lil' more. but hey, with limited time to set up before school started, i needed something STAT.
there's no getting around FTLw/out a vehicle! city buses? puhlease. you'll be adding hours to your commute!

the ride

day 2- start 5 day certification safety on the water course and meet a nice friend, ellis (girl), from indiana. speed through way too much information 8 hours each day, wishing i could just do it all online. feel like i'm back in school again, taking scantron tests with a #2 pencil.

 have 2 practical days- one for water, one for fire- and feel like i might die at least 4 times with all the crazy things we're made to do with heavy, hard-to-maneuver-in suits.

day 7- complete class, go out and celebrate with everyone at some local bars. make it down to the beach for the first time, to hit up the "strip" of local haunts, and learn firsthand why they call it Ft . Liquordale (Snort Liquordale if you're really going for it).

Ft. Liquordale, y'all!

then beach weekend. meet up with old friend through whom i learned of yacht work. we worked together in Portland, and she came down here a few years ago to pursue the industry. haven't seen her since, so 'twas a nice reunion.

and since then it's just been getting the ball rolling on finding jobs: yacht crew placement agencies, captain and crew networking parties, getting biz cards printed up, you name it!

more to come soon...time to get some shuteye!