Sailboat

I bought a sailboat.

I've sailed small boats most of my life.  But, during these last six months of light-living, I've spent night-times reading every book I could about the design, construction, and maintenance of larger, fiberglass, lead-keel sailboats.

I took the money I had saved renting out my condo, and last week, with my old friends Ross Gerber, and Dan Monico, I bought a 27 foot Canadian-made boat called a C&C.  It was made 1987 and owned by a 66 year old tool & die maker who took excellent care of it.  He actually teared up a little while he was showing Ross and I how to rig the boat, and run the diesel engine.  I plan to invite him out sailing with us.

The boat is rigged with crisp, white, racing sails.  The teak-lined cabin is small, but modestly includes four bunks, a propane stove, and a private head.  We have yet to settle on a name.

A crane hauled the 4700 pound boat into the water in Winthrop Harbor, on the Wisconsin border.  On Sunday, we three climbed aboard, hoisted the sails and pointed towards Chicago.  The wind was favorable - we averaged about 6 knots.  The journey south took us nine hours.






Now home in downtown Chicago, the sailboat lives at my mooring in Monroe Harbor.  I've already spent a few nights aboard.  It is cool, but comfortable, and serene.  This morning I made a cup of tea and stood in the companionway looking at the sunrise on the city skyline.  Then, I rowed ashore and walked to work through Millenium Park.  All is well.

the view from our mooring

A special thanks to my folks for their support with this year-long project, and to my friends and co-workers for the words of encouragement.

my car was stolen

My car was stolen off the street last Thursday night.  I was asleep on the couch at my friend Jeff's.

I woke up in the morning, and walked outside to find that my red Honda, fondly named "Kyoki,"  had been abducted by car thieves, who by now, have taken her back to a shady garage and cut her into pieces.

(To some peoples confusion,) I have not been sleeping in my car.  However, Kyoki was very accommodating.  I drove a lot of miles in that little red hatchback.  Last year Kyoki and I spent 28 days traveling to California and back, driving through mountains and camping along the way.

Kyoki, is gone, and the winter weather here is a grueling tragedy of shit.
But soon it will be warmer.  Soon the carbon colored slush covering Chicago will melt, and I will launch the Sailboat -soon to be christened - "Time Ghost."

My car is dead, but my boat is about to be born.  I only hope that "Time Ghost" will be as true as its trusty predecessor.

Bon Voyage Kyoki.

Mitch, Brook, Kyoki, and I, at a Phish concert in Upstate New York.

Kyoki and campsite in the Utah High Desert

Ross and Kyoki, after we put her in ditch driving and laughing through a Wisconsin Snowstorm

Zion National Park.  Bon Voyage Kyoki

Watering Plants in Wonderful Apartments

My friends have wonderful apartments.  I feel so privileged and pretend-rich that i get to stay in them. 
My friend Nicky is earthly and she keeps her spaces adorned with plants, terrariums and greenery.
My friend Jeff is an automobile engineer.  His apartment looks out upon the steel and concrete Chicago skyline.

I would love to branch out into some weirder neighborhoods.  Spend a week on Goose Island, or maybe a weekend in the center of the loop.  Does anyone know of a spare bedroom in Chinatown?

For now, I'm writing from the jet fuel-scented, tessellated fabric of window seat 20F.  AA flight 86 is firing up its giant engines to Bernoulli me off to the California desert faster than the planet turns below.
I'm headed to Los Angeles to produce some timeless beer commercials.  Its cathartic to be purposefully engaged and occupied by dense work.  Also, viscerally, its good to be changing climates for a little while. Chicago's winter has been industrial, and it will be good to exercise outside.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about what it will be like to sleep in the harbor this summer.  While I'm in Southern California I'm going to pay a visit to my friend Webb.  He fundamentally understands the value of simplicity.  He has been living his way and writing about life since before I was on the planet.
Webb has long maintained an online journal of his own.

Duffel Bag

This is the Duffel bag that I've been carrying around Chicago these last fifty days.  It has leather straps and feels substantial.   It has been to Tom's loft, Lisa's Apartment, and Jason's condo.  I have taken it with me to work, and aboard an airplane to Utah.  It contains clean clothes, my Doppelt kit,  a small sleeping bag, and a book about sailboat-repair.

The name 'Duffel' comes from the eponymous town in Belgium.  But I don't know where my Duffel came from.  I found it in a closet when I was moving out of my house.  

Holiday Lasagna

The Holiday couch-surfing season is upon me.
I took the Union Pacific North Line train up to Winnetka.  My mom made some vegetable lasagna and I ate it and played the piano in my parents family-room.  Playing a piano feels like home.
I hugged Rooster (dog) and packed Kyoki (car) with clothes for the week and weekend.  Two pairs of slacks, three shirts, two cardigans, a plaid tie, socks, underwear, toothbrush.  My company christmas party is Friday, so I made sure to pack some 'Festive Attire' that was described in the emailed invitation.

helped Lisa decorate her Christmas tree

A few weeks ago, my friend Lisa told me that if I needed and wanted, I should stay at her place.

Lisa likes to cook and she has the same name as my Mom.  She is sort-of in the same place in her life as I am in mine, and I think she and I consider things in the same way.  I'm looking forward to waking up on her couch.

Catsitting

About a week after I had set out into my Chicago safari, I got an email from my Art Director friend Jason.  He told me that he had a freelance job for the month of November at an Ad Agency in Seattle.  While he is traveling, Jason offered me his place, and the use of his record player/jazz records in exchange for feeding his sixteen year-old cat named 'SuperCargo.'

'SuperCargo'

So I have a place to stay this month.  And it has been a pleasant month.
Jason drives a pristine 1989 Honda Prelude  His apartment is a Bucktown bachelor-pad full of vintage modern furniture.  I feel cool waking up there.   I bought a pound of coffee beans from Dark Matter coffee down the street.  I have been grinding and pouring myself a cup most mornings, while waking up on the Balcony.  My friend Alisa told me that guy who opened Dark Matter, started his coffee roasting business with money he saved by living simply for many years.

Couchsurfing

The first night it was raining, and I drove across-town to meet my friends: Tom, Simon, and Esteban in an old gas-station that serves tacos.

When I arrived, Simon asked me where I was staying that night.  I said I didn't know, and Tom said that I could stay at his place.

Tom's apartment is a great place to be at night.  A big modern space in the familiar-middle of a favorite Chicago neighborhood.  He is a friend I'm proud to have.

I'm spending a lot of time walking and waiting for trains.  Unfamiliar stations in new neighborhoods, during different daylight.  Taking a different route to work each morning is a new adventure.
I'm feeling very present.  Like, when you first walk out on the pier of a lake-cottage at sunrise, after having arrived in the dark the night before.

P.S.

Tom specifically wanted me to explain that: "I'm fine, that I'm choosing to live with less, and be more mobile."

He suggested that some 'people' thought  that maybe something was wrong with me.  Don't worry people.  I'm good.  I'm not quitting my job, or leaving town.

I'm just trying to reduce the things in my life down to work and travel.  To just be present for the wonder of my day-to-day.  I'll keep you posted.

Landlordsmanship

I  transferred custody of my condominium to two 23 year old kids, recently graduated from The University of Iowa.  They own mismatched couches, and a white plastic jar of protein powder.
When they came to sign the lease, I ordered them beer and pizza, which I think they liked because they smiled the whole time.  Also, they invited their new landlord to their "little house-warming shindig" (date to be announced.)

Landlordsmanship makes me feel like a pragmatic dad.
I went to Home Depot to buy paint and lightbulbs.  I made an appointment with my attorney: Kevin Morphew J.D.   Kevin impressed me with his office, and imparted to me his vast knowledge of leases, security deposits and paperwork.