It's a casual Friday (not that Monday through Thursday were any sort of formal) and I'm updating my iMpact resume for the Ross. At the moment, though, I'm adjusting to the fact that it could be the last afternoon of my NAME career. A blogging seemed a worthwhile way to mark that, but Jenelle and I are also heading to Gelato di Roma, a new Ann Arbor pizza- and gelato- ria, for dinner this evening.
I suppose there's always the possibility that something in the marine field will pop up again in the future (and I think I'll push for that) but there is also the distinct possibility that the SNSSDP may mark the end of my yacht and ship days. There are, of course, times when I know I'll be back at it: my GSRA research this semester has already been accepted as a paper for next May's International Marine Design Conference, IMDC, here in Michigan. Boats and boating, through shows, monitoring the shipping news, and actually being on the water, will always be part of my life but it's a little strange to think that they might not be part of my workdays.
A few months back I postulated that naval architects are a more sensitive breed of engineer and this is why...boats, yachts, and ships are simply a more romantic feat of engineering than the rear door hinges of a Ford Escape. When ships glide by, magicly powered by a great well within themselves, they conjure the awe of the Seven Wonders - then disappear to cover the earth's waterways and seaways in anonymity, leaving nothing but roiling water and a sense of wonder.
Friday, August 12, 2005