Superman goes bald for '07

In a startling new years resolution, Superman reportedly has vowed to remain without hair through the year of 2007. Although his reasons for this change in appearance are not clear, he has confirmed that "it will not have any effect on my ability to fly or see through textiles, and that's all that really matters". Asked about the sudden presence of facial hair, he said only "well, I don't want people confusing me with Sinead O'connor".

Wonder Woman, who had "no comment" on the issue, was seen yet again accompanying superman, casting new doubt on her rumored engagement to the green lantern. While the green lantern could not be reached for comment, this new sighting in downtown metropolis adds fuel to the speculation that surfaced when the infamous "superfriends" video was posted on the internet by an unknown source. The invisible man, also reported to be in the risque video circulating the web, has categoricaly denied any connection, saying "Can you see me in the video? No. because I wasn't IN the video. I don't even know those people."

Vidographer and self styled sceptic Michael Moore, the first to call attention to the presence of the Invisible Man in the video, was quoted as saying "No one can tell me that there isn't an invisible man, standing right there.. see it? Yeah, right there where it looks like no one is standing, but there's just enough room. Right there is where he is standing, just watching." Mr Moore is said to be nearing completion of his controversial documentary film "Fahrenheit 912: the invisible menace"

Merry Christmast

Mr J represents from before the mast.

Happy Birthday!

In the midst of the holiday sales events and the mad rush that has become our commercial Christmas (c), we should all take a bit to reflect on a Man some 2000 years past who gave us the philosophical and spiritual underpinnings for the civilization that we take for granted.

Regardless of your spiritual orientation, it is easy to see that those nations that were seeded under Christian rule have fared generally better than those which were not, and that the western world enjoys a higher standard of liberty and life than the east. The influence of a philosophy that teaches (if not practices) active kindness and love of all mankind, even of ones enemies, creates a far different environment than we see in countries dominated by less compassionate theologies.

Even though we typically aspire to this meme in vain or only in appearance, our efforts drive us closer to the goal of harmony despite our manifold failures and cruelties.

For all of you then, Christian or not, that are glad not to be living in Afghanistan or Mogadishu, allow me to suggest a moment of gratitude for the J-man, and for others such as Ghandi who have been inspired by his example.

In columbus...

We're in Columbus, OH now, our next to the last stop before we get to the boat. We'll be here about 10 days, then south!

Leaving Cleveland soon.....

We will soon be headed to Columbus for Christmas, then on to the boat. I am very Anxious to get to work.... I'm not very good at being idle.

Here is some "claymation" (waxmation?) the boys have been working on. I can't wait to see what they come up with next! You can see more of their work, some a bit gorey, at http://www.youtube.com/user/laurasmyth

More soon....

SV Feng Shui - Chapman Family website launched

Raoul at the helm, broad reaching on a misty day in Knight Island Passage

Our good friends Raoul and Shawna Chapman have put up their voyaging website!!!

For those of you who may not already be aware, Raoul and I go all the way back to childhood. He is a brother to me, and his wife Shawna and their beautiful children are well anchored in our hearts.

I count his successes with mine, and often find more pleasure in his victories than my own. I'm sure that this later fact is a source of much torment to him, as my selfish eagerness for his progress prompts me to prod him at times - doubtlessly he could do without my impatience.

It is, then, with special pleasure that I watch their cruising plans unfold before them. I can remember some 20 years ago when Raoul and I were daydreaming, discussing our nebulous fantasies of the times to come. We talked of sailing the world, he added writing as well, and so now we teeter on the precipice, having both taken steps that have comitted us to our voyaging dreams.

We plan to collaborate and help each other on our refits, so I look forward to enjoying their company again soon. If nothing else, we will be seeing each other on the east coast this summer as we will be cruising the same areas.

See you soon, good friends, and bon voyage!

The Crest Of The Fleet

Around the seal is the Ouroboros, signifying the cycle of life, eternity, order from chaos, parent and child, the continuity of man and god.

The star atop the anchor is leadership, wisdom, and foresight.

The stars below to the left are courage, valor, and to the right are discretion, caution

The two smaller stars buttress the foundation of the first.

Veritas : Truth, Libertas: Liberty – Together: the truth precedes freedom

The anchor, crossed for the guidance of the teachings of Christ. The shank pierces the seal; it is stuck fast to represent steadfast determination in our faith, ideals and actions.

The two (gold) bands on the cross symbolize faith and action, respectively

The Quickening

Welcome, Gentlereader, and come in. My apologies for my brief absence – my humble scrawl is at the mercy of the tides of creative flow. For those not yet aware, my writing is in plain font, while Laura’s is in italics. She has been diligently keeping the blog up during my creative hiatus – thank you Laura.

Foolish is the man who entrusts that which he cannot afford to lose to the roll of the bones, but poor is the man who ventures nothing. The wise man knows exactly how much to leave to chance, so this is my study.

Soon we will begin the final stage of the refit, and there is much to be done. The tasks ahead fall generally into three categories: those which I know are required, those that I know that I do not know of, and those which are entirely unanticipated. That which can be anticipated can be accommodated easily, but as in most worthwhile endeavors, there is also the element of pure chance.

Where chance is unavoidable or desirable, one can only parry faith, so faith it is. In these cases, it of great value to have basis and fortification for your faith. Basis in your preparations, mental and physical, and fortification from your Spirit. Without basis and fortification, faith is only a wish, the fates as fickle as the toss of the die.

The Time is drawing near. I am now endlessly preoccupied with the coming months, and can bear the burden of the present only with measured difficulty. My mind swims with the preparations, repairs, arrangements, logistics, and the nagging doubts that haunt the minds of those who bear responsibility for great undertakings.

My vision precedes my steps, and I exist mostly in the time to come. My body yearns to be reconciled with my sight in the tasks ahead; my hands ache to grasp the tools with which I will chip away at the domain of fortuna, plowing chance asunder where the stones allow the planting of favorable crops.

These anxious thoughts bring me to ponder their roots. It is the domain of life to be an organizing force in a world of essential entropy. It is from the chaos that our power is drawn, focused by all life forms to create and maintain order. Without entropy, there can be no life, no energy, yet entropy itself is the nemesis of all life, forever bound in a circle of order and chaos, the Ouroboros. (Or-O-bOr-Os) More depth into this subject here on the Bogon Flux blog

.....back to the here and now......

We are in Cleveland, Ohio. We have stored our rolling home in Knoxville,TN, and are being generously hosted by Laura's Aunt Pat and Uncle John. We are grateful for their warm hospitality, and for the ease at which they put us - it is often difficult to be a houseguest, especially with a family, but we feel no such stress here. More gracious hosts I cannot imagine - we feel truly at home. Soon we depart for Columbus, southward to recover our little hut on wheels, then southeast towards Free Spirit. We may stop and see my nephew Trygg if the opportunity presents itself.

Our love goes out to all those friends, family, and supporters out there who we will miss this holiday season, may you have much joy and be surrounded by good friends and loved ones.

Fare thee well, gentlereader.