I’ve never slept on a boat before. The Washington state ferry from Anacortes to Orcas Island was the longest I’d ever ridden on a boat before. Despite dozing off during The Hobbit, Wreck It Ralph raced me wide awake and I can’t fathom falling back asleep before taking an inventory of outside.
Like standing on the banks of the Willamette in a city of a million, I stand alone near the lifesaver at the aft of this floating city sleeping 2,000. What I just learned is that the back of the boat is warm and sheltered from the cold, ocean spray. The pool is heated. And I’ve seen too many movies to feel comfortable standing this close to the only barrier between myself and the Pacific Ocean.
The sea foam, while not phosphorescent, sines a bright white with no moon and I find myself mesmerized by it. I can watch it as I watch my fish eat: with a quiet mind, no impatience nor purpose.
I suddenly can’t wait for morning. To curl up around a warm cup of anything and a sweater jacket I didn’t bring. And breathe an early sunrise through a fog. I’m tempted to set an alarm as our room has no access to real morning light and I know I can sleep through morning.
As I finish my lap (1/3 mi) back to my room, I think of the 5th Element and how ‘like every other hotel’ this ship is decorated. A little remodel would be cool. A hint of Battlestar Galactica’s Cloud 9 could transform the stale into paradise.
I’ve been in software or webware (or virtualwares) my entire adult life. Change is cheap here. As much as I dream of building cities and remodeling spaces and rewiring cultures, I wonder if I can persist through the snail’s pace and astronomical cost and effort of change in the physical world. Hm, is it the lack of persistence and patience needed to spark and support change in the virtual world why I love it here? I follow this 80’s themed carpet back to my dorm to sleep.
Extra: Today* is Day 25, Post 21 of my 30 day blog challenge. Click ‘Follow’ at the bottom of the page to receive weekly updates in your inbox or follow me on Tumblr if that’s your scene.
* Living on a boat for 10 days, I have limited access to the internet so will be posting as I dock and time allows. Date written is what’s marked as posted.
