Becalmed

It is the nemisis of many a sailor.

And, of many a blogger, too.

The state of motionlessness, in the face of every preperation, action and effort to the contrary.

Becalmed.

Whether it be upon the Sargasso Sea, or on the waveless, windless blogosphere, the accursed langour besets the finest of vessels and sailors.

And, bloggers.

Such has been my state, lo, these past few weeks.

And, while my ship has layed dormant, rocking imperceptably with the groundswell of distant storms, she has made no distance-made-good o'er the seabed below.

In reality, I lie here tied to the pier, powerless, motionless; I make no way under nether power or sail. Yet, my voyages through the net range far, and wide.

Yet, there lies no wake behind my boat, nor, my blog.

I see this in the calmness of water 'round my keel, and in the stillness of the stats and referers on my site.

Such is the state of vessels on the hard.

Upon land, the graceful sloop stands awkward on her tripods, awaiting the scathing attention of scrapers, water-blasters and other such crudities to be applied to her hull.

Similarly, this blog, recovering from laptop-ness, languishes upon the rocks of a sixty-hour week, the slumbers of the weary; the sleep of the just.

As with a ship upon a windless sea, the Sloop New Dawn has ridden upon the waters of the internet. Becalmed; a mere passenger on the waves of distant storms and squalls.

Yet, the faintest breath of wind ruffles her sails. Hope, aboard this frail craft, is as strong as a Dacron sail and a Nylon line....and that fresh wind brings new life to the sails, the heart...... to my very soul.

Ships, writers, and blogs, ride proud upon tempestuous seas. Yet, the Sloop New Dawn carves her course.

Though she may founder, she will not sink.

Nor, will I.

Comments

[loiq]

Damn.Just, damn.

I filed this one.

[Mollbot]

That was almost hypnotic, Jim... urg, urg, him write good! Glad to hear that wind will fill your sails again... I'll be back to see where it takes you, you can bet.

[Sam]

Very smooth Jim, very smooth.

[Key]

Wow...how poetic. (*swoon*)

I'm having to steal time for blogging as well. Summers are BUSY in real estate!

[Indigo]

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!
And it's "recovering from laptop-ness", huh?
How definitively you have described my malaise of the last two weeks while I've been learning a laptop and trying not to sink.

[Valerie]

Jim, just contemplate the word for a moment, becalmed.
Be calm.

Maybe this is not so much a dry spell but a chance to rest and recharge your batteries. This has been a tough couple of months. Just, be calm for a little while. It really is ok to do that from time to time.

Besides, any one capable of writing something this evocative and beautiful is in danger of losing his touch.

[IXLNXS]

If you don't cast off the ropes you'll never find adventure. Sure the dock is sfe and everything, but isn't it time to set sail to somewhere you have never been before.

Just like the sea, let the currents and tides carry you.

[Denita TwoDragons]

You're a poet and a sermon-writer at heart, Jim! I love reading what you write, whether you're posting every five minutes or only every five weeks. Anyways, it's not the quantity that counts--it's the quality!

--TwoDragons

[Geoffrey]

Since I've been busy at work for the last month, I've been a foundering fool.

[MM]

Very nice. All you're doing is recharging your batteries.

I must admit, I'm very jealous of you. I'm at a point in my life where I can do just about anything and what I want to do is sail and I daily curse my lack of sailing knowledge and location. Both can be remedied and I should get off my butt.

Have you ever sailed across an ocean? That's what I dream of.

[Velociman]

The doldrums are not necessarily a bad thing, negative publicity notwithstanding. A good time to repair sails, and rigging, and paint those weathered spots. Scrape the hull. Also an opportunity to regroup, and replot that course. Eventually, of course, one hopes to drift into the trades, or the westerlies. Nature's version of a jump start. Good luck, and following seas.

[Dana Matthies]

Jim,
Again, we are in the same boat. It has been two months since my last post...

Now that I have relocated and calmed myself, I am planning my re-entry back into the college environment. That, surely, will give me fuel to write with. If nothing else, lots of laughs.

Hang in there. Something will come along to spark your words...

Until next time,
Dana