Last Minute Things

Oh my, there are a ton of last minute things to do for this race. I mean big important last minute things. Stuff that really takes a toll on a sailor.

Just this morning, I had to buy tickets to three different parties, buy a 1-way ticket, coordinate an outing of my fans and supporters to the Marin Headlands to see me off, answer a few questions on the upcoming party, and answer the question, "when the h3ll do you leave again?" four times.

I contemplated the exact wording of my out of office message. I'm thinking: "I'm sailing to Hawaii and couldn't get email even if I wanted to. But I don't want to. Be back in August. Mahalo." I'll think about that one.

Ah, but back to the parties. I have a situation there. The family and I all want to go to the Luau on Wednesday and the Awards Ceremony on Friday. But on Thursday there's a rum bash...we don't want to go to that. But I really want a Mt. Gay Hat from the event. I know that will generate snickers from the Sailing Anarchy crowd but I'm not one of those big-shot racers who goes to all the events that have them. I don't have a closet full of the red hats that I'm too cool to wear. I want one. But I don't drink rum so I figure I'll have to broker a backroom deal with someone too cool to wear one but wants the rum, maybe I'll split their ticket with them for the hat.

Anyway, these are the decisions I'm going to have to be dealing with for the next 2 weeks. Then, "poof", they're all gone and all I have to worry about is sail trim and remembering to put on sunscreen.