Solo Ventures

 Okay, its nearly 9am and it's still very quiet.  Not only is traffic noise down but that "hum" is not there.  I can't explain "the hum", I grew up near the sea and apart from calm offshore days when rail and industry noise was heard,  the sound of the sea was a constant. Nowadays,  that same suburb echoes with the sounds of electric saws, nail guns and swearing men.  I hate it,  but I will always appreciate what my parents gave me as a child.   But there in the hinterland,  early on a Sunday or public holiday, you can often have full on silence.  But today is a work day and it's here now.   Could it be "seismic noise"? But what is causing it? I absolutely love it.  The birds seem to enjoy it and sit very quietly,  only occasionally chatting away.  It is deeply relaxing, but also it gives me heart that other people have dismounted the treadmill and may be appreciating the nothingness.  La dolce a niente!

  Well,  I  seem to have a habit of biting off big challenges. To try and determine which one is actually the biggest.  One that took the most time,  effort and money was to build and sail a small boat along the east coast of Australia. The most amazing aspect of this challenge,  in hindsight,  was that I no direct experience or mentor to check over my shoulder.  I did it all from books and personal endeavour.   Decades later I shudder with embarrassment and wonder how I survived. How did a total novice take to sea in an untried boat,  install solo in all kinds of weather and negotiate potentially risky river bars and tricky anchorages? I not only survived, I thrived! And had a heap of fun.  Now I feel so proud of this package of  achievements and I have some great memories.   Upon rereading the Writing Prompt I note it asked for the "hardest" personal challenge, not the biggest. But you know I am going to stay with what i've described.  Apart from the challenges mentione

  Mmm! For a long time I've  considered how my entry into the world flavored my personality.   Depending on what occasion you ask my mum,  I was born either 7 or 9 weeks premature.  That was in 1961 and apparently treatment considered of placing these tiny bubs in a glass humidicrib and keep them isolated and warm,  and pray.  I was a "blue baby" and "not expected to live", my parents did pray,  but hope was almost non existent.  I was given the Last Rites as I was expected to die  Well obviously I didn't and in fact live life to the full.  My biggest strengths are an ability to isolate and fight. 

This actually occupies my mind a lot.  Everyday, as I see people driving carelessly or aggressively or hear of people acting out sexually or ripping others off, I do wonder.  This being Easter Monday brings morals to focus and for the first time since child sex scandals ran rampant,  I have noticed churches making public statements against immoral behaviour.  This is more often something to do with government level behaviour. Well, can a government can have morals?  As a child I was forced to take moral cues from my parents,  Catholic teachers and the church. Later,  from my peers and larger social group,  surfers mainly. From around this time sex, drugs and criminal behavior became a daily choice.  Though I am not as heavily influenced by peers any more,  this is pretty much how it remains today.   In fact I would say that I have few friends due to other people's moral codes. I cannot abide greed, theft,  sexual misconduct and basic rudeness. After witnessing my wife of 30 years h