"Friendship at first sight, like love at first sight, is said to be the only truth."

-Herman Melville

Okay, so it's not REALLY an audition for that famed Reality TV show... And it won't be until they start accepting old sea shanties and whaling tunes as acceptable entries.

Well, in case any of you who haven't spoken to me over facebook message, iChat, telephone, or who know me or have met me in real life were curious as to what my voice sounded like...

[link]

That was me singing "The Coat of Peru," a whaling song that dates from the middle part of the first half of the nineteenth century.
I'm standing on a half-scale replica of the Lagoda, a full-rigged whaling ship at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, in New Bedford Massachusetts.

... That's really about all I have for this particular entry.

And I am very obviously aware that valentines day is today, and I pass this one, as always, in solitude.

... But you know what? For some strange reason, this year, I don't care. I'm not perturbed or put out at all.
Yesterday I had a jolly good time with both of my parents at the Whaling Museum, neither of whom had ever seen it before, and it was overall a marvelous time.

Plus, my mom's MRI results came back negative, and it turns out she does NOT have a brain tumor... i don't care what Holiday it is, that is the best present or gift EVER!

Well, I hope all if you are enjoying your respective Valentines days, or "Single Awareness Days" as the case may be.

Take care everybody.
I can be happy today... And by that virtue alone, you should be able to be too.

Happy Valentines Day!




The Diamond is a ship, my lads
For the Davis Strait we're bound
The quay it is all garnished
With bonnie lasses 'round
Captain Thompson gives the order
To sail the ocean wide
Where the sun it never sets, my lads
Nor darkness dims the sky

For it's cheer up my lads
Let your hearts never fail
For the bonnie ship the Diamond
Goes a-hunting for the whale

Along the quay at Peterhead
The lasses stand aroon
Wi' their shawls all pulled around them
And the saut tears runnin' doon
Don't you weep, my bonnie wee lass
Though you be left behind
For the rose will grow on Greenland's ice
Before we change our mind

For it's cheer up my lads
Let your hearts never fail
For the bonnie ship the Diamond
Goes a-hunting for the whale

Here's a health to the Resolution
Likewise the Eliza Swan
Three cheers for the Battler of Montrose
And the Diamond, ship of fame
We wear the trousers o' the white
The jackets o' the blue
When we get back to Peterhead
We'll hae sweethearts enou'

For it's cheer up my lads
Let your hearts never fail
For the bonnie ship the Diamond
Goes a-hunting for the whale

It will be bright both day and night
When the Greenland lads come hame
Our ship full up with oil, my lads
And money to our name
We'll make the cradles for to rock
And the blankets for to tear
And every lass in Peterhead sing
"Hushabye, my dear"

For it's cheer up my lads
Let your hearts never fail
For the bonnie ship the Diamond
Goes a-hunting for the whale

For it's cheer up my lads
Let your hearts never fail
For the bonnie ship the Diamond
Goes a-hunting for the whale