i love when people prev tags me. it feels like I got a good grade in tumblr tags, a thing which is normal to want and possible to achieve

what is the second to last letter of your first name? ”I.” how bout the last letter of your last name? -- 5th letter of your middle name? -- what time was it 17 minutes ago? 6:09AM. when was the last time you ate your favorite food? I had ramen a few hours ago, which is one of my favorite foods.

what food is that? ^^^ describe the shoes you wore today I haven’t worn any so far and have no plans to. do you drink coffee? I sure do. what song are you currently listening to? I’m not listening to music; I’m listening to an ASMR video. tell me a line from that song -- how long has your favorite animal been your favorite animal? I’ve loved giraffes and dogs since I was a kid. when was the last time you spoke to your mom? Last night before she went to bed. tell me about something interesting you did today It’s only 6:28AM so not much. I dozed off around 230ish and woke up at like 5:45 needing pain medicine and then decided to scroll through Tumblr and do some surveys for a bit in hopes that I’ll be able to fall back asleep soon. do you have a job? where? Nope. what is your pet (if you have one) doing right this second? She’s in the living room so I can’t see her at the moment, but I’m going to assume she’s on her couch asleep. what kind of pet is that? She’s a doggo. what is/was your favorite subject in school? English. do you have an instagram? Yes. if so how many posts do you have? *shrug* I don’t feel like checking. have you ever been to Europe? No, but hopefully someday. if so, what country(ies)? -- what's your favorite number? The number 8. does that number have any particular significance to you? Yes. what did you buy the last time you went to the mall? Christmas gifts. what battery percent is your phone at right now? 59%. can you juggle? Nope. what do you expect to be doing in 3 hours from now? Sleeping, hopefully. have you ever done any acting/theater? I actually took a couple acting classes for electives at community college. I’m still surprised I did that. how is your hair currently styled? It’s up in its usual messy bun. do you have a pinterest? I do. if so are you addicted to it like me? No, but I do like spending some time on it. do you know anyone who lives in Massachusetts? No. what's the last movie you saw in theaters? I saw A Quiet Place 2 a few days ago. It was nice being at the movies again and finally getting my movie theater popcorn I had been craving. did you enjoy it? Yeah. what's your favorite color combination? I love pastel combos. can you speak any foreign languages? if so, which one(s)? I can speak a little Spanish. say something in said language: (and its translation) ”Estoy cansada pero no puedo dormir.” --> “I’m tired, but I can’t sleep.” what are your plans for tomorrow? I don’t have any. have you ever visited the location of your favorite movie? I haven’t visited any movie locations, but I think that’s cool and would love to do that with several locations. ever read The Book Thief? (if not you should, it's really good) Nope. what's been the best part of your summer so far? Nothing so far. I hope to make a few beach trips, though. do you know what boomwhackers are? Uhh, no. how about a vibraslap? Nope. what's the last thing you took a picture of? **starting this at a later time* I think it was a screenshot. what's your computer's wallpaper? Alexander Skarsgard. how about your phone? I have a Grumpy Bear Care Bear theme going on currently. what's the last thing you watched on youtube? I’m currently watching a YouTube video. how many facebook friends do you have? (if you have facebook) 100 and something. do you use vsco? I have the app, but I’ve hardly used it. what kind of phone do you have? An iPhone 12 Pro Max. are you musically inclined? No, unfortunately. if so, in what way(s)? -- do you prefer to type in word or google docs? I used Google Docs throughout university. what color is your water bottle? I don’t have a reusable water bottle. are you smart?? I feel I’m just very average. besides basic human nessecities what's one thing you can't live without?: I’d really like to always have my coffee, ha. what religion are you? Christian. have you ever seen your favorite animal in real life? Yes. tell me about a song that has personal significance to you. The acoustic version of “Everlong” by Foo Fighters. what are your opinions on Hamilton? The play or the person? does your cat purr really loud? (if you have a cat) -- does your cat have major mood swings? -- who do you admire? My mom. last time you went to starbucks, what did you order? A venti peppermint white chocolate mocha. have you ever gotten a really good grade on a test you didn't study for? Not a test, but essays and assignments that I may have BS’ed a little. how about a bad grade when you studied really hard? Yes. what's your favorite book you had to read for school? One of them is A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. how about your favorite book in general? I couldn’t choose just one. ever heard of the musical Honk!? (the ! goes with the title) No. have you ever met your favorite celebrity? No. who is that person? Alexander Skarsgard. how many times have you seen your favorite movie? I have many favorite movies. can you count to 100 in any languages other than English? Spanish. when was the last time you went to the beach? September 2019 aka waaaay too long ago. what's your dream concert? Hmm. what state do you live in? California. have you ever been in a youtube video? Yes. I’ve uploaded some vidoes before a longgg time ago, but those will remain private now forever. I don’t know wth I was thinking lol they’re so lame. A friend and I uploaded a few as well that are just like...why. how about in the newspaper? Yes. on TV? Yes, on my local news. on the radio? To request a song back in the day. do you prefer to call, text, or email people? Text. what's your dream job? I don’t have one. :/ last time you were in a theater/concert hall/auditorium what was it for? I saw The Phantom of the Opera a few years ago with my aunt. do you have pierced ears? Yeah, my earlobes are pierced. what's your favorite grocery store? We do our grocery shopping at Walmart and it works out fine. tell me a line from a song you particularly love I have many favorite songs. do you like elephants? Sure. how about giraffes? I love giraffes. describe the shirt you're wearing? I’m wearing an Adidas dress shirt. It’s quite comfortable. what did you have for lunch? I haven’t had lunch, yet, it’s only 6:57AM. is it sunny outside? Not yet. can you stand on your head? No. what's your favorite restaurant? I don’t have one. would you rather travel to the past or the future? The past. what's the best gift you've ever received? I couldn’t possibly choose. describe your perfect day. A nice, relaxing day at the beach. did you have chicks in your class in elementary school? Yes, I went to co-ed schools. I’m also a “chick.” Or are you referring to baby chickens? That would be odd, but *shrug* maybe that was the norm where you’re from lol. do you doodle in your notebooks? Yeah. what month is your birthday in? July. how many times a day do you brush your teeth? At least once, but I try for twice. when did you last change a lightbulb? I don’t remember. what's the last song you sang? I don’t recall at the moment. do you know anyone who had a baby recently? Someone on my Facebook did. do you avoid the cracks on the sidewalk? Yes. name 3 things in your refridgerator. Creamer, soda, leftover pesto pasta from last night. have you ever won an award? Honor roll awards and club stuff.

last time you had ice cream, what flavor? I had a homemade chocolate banana milkshake last night that was made with vanilla ice cream. what other tabs do you currently have open? Pinterest, Bzoink, YouTube, and Google. what's the 4th song in your iTunes under letter S? *shrug* I haven’t used iTunes since like 2012. the 2nd song under letter M? -- do you prefer to travel by car or plane? Depends how far I’m going. what internet browser do you use? Chrome. what's your favorite kitchen utensil? Forks and spoons are pretty great. how do you feel about ducks? They’re cute. ever ridden a horse? No. can you eat with chopsticks? I haven’t given them much of a try, but when I have I was flimsy and just gave up quite quickly. do you know what imbakwa moyo means? (without looking it up)? No. tell me a line from the song you're currently listening to. I’m not listening to music. have you ever been to a u-pick berry farm? No. are you good at dancing? Nope. would you like to swing on a star? That sounds terrifying. have you ever forgotten to do your homework? I was good on staying on top of that because I worried about that happening. do you like Shakespeare? No. if so, which play is your favorite? -- are there certain words/phrases that trigger songs in your brain? Yeah. would you rather read a book or watch a movie? Depends on my mood. who sent the last text message you received? My dad. don't you hate that rainbow spinning wheel on the computer? It’s quite annoying. how many minutes are in a year? 525, 600 minutes. do you only know that from Seasons of Love? Yep. what's your favorite article of clothing? My oversized grahic tees and leggings. Although, these shirt dresses I recently got are very comfortable and convenient. do you prefer even or odd numbers? I don’t have a preference. ever heard a hammer dulcimer? No. do you enjoy going to the library? I loved going to the library as a kid. I went all the time. when did you last write someone an actual letter? I have no idea. what's the last gift you received? A new pair of Beats wireless earbuds. did you know that strawberries and raspberries are not actually berries? I did know that. I still say they are anyway. are you good at spelling? I think so. can you roll your r's Nope. can you lick your elbow? Nope. do you have a twitter? I do. do you recycle? Yeah, cans and plastic bottles. when's the last time you rode the bus? Like 5 years ago. I used to have to take it sometimes in college. what's the longest vacation you've been on? A week. what's your favorite kind of donut? Glazed and maple.  do you own anything from Vera Bradley? No. when you go in a pool do you jump in or use the ladder? I don’t do either. I can’t swim, so if I’m going to get into the pool I have to be helped into an inner tube. do you have perfect pitch? Uh, no. I have no athletic abilities. what's your mom's name? I don’t know if she wants me sharing that. do you have an uncle called Steve? Nope. do you have multiple friends with the same name? I don’t have any friends. do you play neko atsume? No. I don’t even know what it is. what did you think of The Fault In Our Stars? I liked the book and the movie. did you prefer the book or the movie? ^^^ The movie actually had me really crying, though. do you like yogurt? Nah. do you like riding on carousels? Nah. ever played with a pinwheel? Yes. do you like museums? I do. if so, what type is your favorite? I like historical ones. is your bedroom a mess? It’s a little cluttered at the moment. Things have been hectic and I have all these medical supplles spread out right now. what's your favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving? Turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, my brother’s homemade baked mac and cheese, rolls, appetizers... ever had a treehouse? No. have you ever seen a kangaroo in real life? No. a year ago today, what were you doing? I could check my Timehop app again and see, but nah. are you procrastinating on something? Not at the moment. do you have a brother? I have two. a sister? No. do you know what a pandereta is? No. are you currently reading a book? I am. what book is it? ”The Girl and the Unlucky 13″ by AJ Rivers. how are you today?? Eh, alright. when's the last time you used a dictionary? I don’t recall. which do you dislike more, doctor or dentist? The dentist. what's the last thing you searched on google? About a movie. do you ever have conversations via text/email with people in the same room? I have. what was your favorite book when you were a little kid? I had many. I’ve always loved to read. ever owned a pet bunny? Nope. how about a goldfish? Yes. what color hair do you have? Naturally, it’s dark brown, but I dye it red. what did you eat for dinner? I haven’t had dinner, yet, but probably just some leftover pesto pasta from last night. what song, if any, is currently stuck in your head? None at the moment. are you right handed or left handed? Right handed. what website did you last visit? (besides this one) Google. what time do you usually go to bed? When the sun is coming up. Sigh. have you seen the movie Miracles From Heaven? No. what is your opinion on muffins? I love muffins. do you remember your locker combination? I don’t have a locker. do you listen to classical music? I haven’t in a long time. ever take buzzfeed quizzes? Yeah. what's your favorite store? Boxlunch and Hot Topic. when's the last time you were onstage? My UC graduation back in 2015. does it snow where you live? No. :( do you like pasta? I loveee pasta. how about chinese food? Yeah. do you prefer to color with markers or colored pencils? Colored pencils for sure. do you usually look good in pictures? Ha, no. I never do. describe the case on your phone It’s a Winnie the Pooh one. what kind of shoes did you wear today? I didn’t. have you seen any plays/musicals recently? No. what's your favorite thing you've been for Halloween? Eh, I don’t really have a favorite. what do you like to eat at the movies? I have to get popcorn. It’s a must. what was your favorite TV show when you were 10? Whatever was on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel basically. do you have neat handwriting? No, my handwriting is shit. what's your favorite quote? I have several. when did you last have a glass of water? Like an hour ago. what's your shoe size? 6 in women’s US. do you wish you were older or younger? Younger. I’d even be fine if I just stayed this age. do you have more than one best friend? No. when did you last brush your teeth? This afternoon. are you wearing socks? Yep. Always. are your nails painted? Nope. I haven’t painted my nails in years. why do people park in a driveway and drive on a parkway? It is what it is. is the glass half empty or half full? Mine is empty. where was the last beach you went to? About 2 hours away. why does the dentist talk to you when they have stuff in your mouth? I never understood that either. when did you last get a haircut? Over a year ago. how many lights are on in the room you're in? Three. do you like wolves? They’re beautiful animals. what are the first 3 digits of your phone number? --- how long is the song you're currently listening to? I’m not listening to music. have you ever bought anything on etsy? Yeah, a lot of things. do you prefer breakfast or dinner? Dinner. have you ever experienced a tornado? No. a hurricane? No. an earthquake? No. do you like sushi? Ew, nooo. are you registered to vote? I am. when did you last eat waffles? A couple days ago. do you wear glasses? Yes. do you like spicy food? I loved spicy food, but I can’t have it anymore. :( do you like your neighbors? I don’t know them. do you play 2048? No. what's your dream college? I already went and graduated from college. have you ever been to Africa? No. have you seen your favorite movie more than 5 times? I have many favorite movies and a lot of them I’ve seen countless times. what did you last post on facebook? I shared some meme thing.

do you use a mouse or a trackpad? Trackpad. what's your favorite word? *shrug*

what voice part are you? Huh?

how is your hair currently styled? In a messy bun. how much caffeine have you had today? Just coffee this morning so far. where do you typically do your grocery shopping? Walmart. do you know anyone who has a birthday soon? One of my cousins. when did you last receive mail? Recently. what was it? Bills, of course. are you sitting on a chair? Yeah. what did you last watch on youtube? An ASMR video. is your bedroom upstairs or downstairs? I live in a single story house. are you wearing any jewelry? No. do you prefer sunrises or sunsets? Both are nice. have you ever seen Wicked? No. (if you have) what's your favorite song from it? -- what's your favorite game on your phone? I like to play murder mystery games sometimes. do you take surveys a lot? I’d say so. do you wear a watch? Nope. what was your biggest accomplishment of the day? Getting out of bed. did you ever have an American Girl doll? Nah. how about webkinz? No. have you ever seen the awesome fountain in the detroit airport? I’ve never been. ever thought you saw someone you know but it turned out to be a stranger? Ha, yeah. what web browser do you use? Chrome. are you wearing shorts? No. what do you wish you could do this summer? Beach vacays. have you ever skipped school? In college sometimes. has a song ever freaked you out cause the volume was up too loud? Yeah, I’ve jumped many times because of that. I’m so jumpy. do you have an ipad? No. is there anyone who you miss even though you don't know them very well? No. what's your favorite time period in history? I find various times in history interesting.  when's the last time you were in a church? It’s been five years since I’ve been in an actual church, but I’ve been attending the live streams to a local church for over a year now. how do you typically watch movies? Certain movies, like the ones I’m really into and excited about or just think looks really good, I like to go see in theaters for the first time. I also watch through some streaming service or on TV. besides money, what would you like a lifetime supply of? My favorite foods. do you like rain? I love it. do you shop at thrift stores? No. look behind you! what's there? My back pillow is right behind me. who did you last talk to outside the family? My doctor.

can you touch your tongue to your nose? No. what/who do you fangirl/boy over? Alexander Skarsgard. where does your dad work? A car repair shop. have you ever caught a fish? No. do you play candy crush? Nope. Never got into those games. flappy bird? No. do you have an ipod? Yeah, but it’s been stored away and unused since 2012. do you celebrate christmas? Yes. I love Christmas. how many songs do you know all the words to? Many. when did you last eat a donut? A few days ago. what's your favorite ride at the fair/amusement park? My favorite amusement park is Disneyland and I enjoy majority of the rides. what are 3 things you want to do before you die? Get my shit together, do something with my life, and travel. have you ever shopped on redbubble? Yes. what is on the walls of your bedroom? Some canvases and framed photos. what brand of toothpaste do you use? Sensodyne. what do you wear to bed? Clothes. do you eat seafood? Nopee. who do you admire? My mom. what color is your computer? Silver. do you do your own laundry? I need help with that, which my mom does. ever broken a bone? yes. what restaurant did you last go to? The last one I physically went to and ate at was Denny’s last year before the pandemic hit. I get takeout regularly, though, from various restaurants and fast food places. what do you spend most of your money on? Food. when did you last see your cousins? It’s been awhile. when's the last time you saw a rainbow? I don’t remember.  when's the last time you were on a boat? Years ago. what time do you usually get up? Between like 9 and 11 lately. do you like fluffy cats? Sure. what's your favorite time of year? Fall, Halloween, winter, and Christmastime. what's the most beautiful song you know? Hmm. what's your favorite stuffed animal? All my many, many giraffes and my two Baby Yoda plushies. what do you put in your ice cream sundae? Strawberry syrup. any plans for the weekend? No. is it sunny outside? No, it’s 11:40PM. have you read the hunger games? Yep, I read the series. can you speak Spanish? Very little. do you like enchiladas? Sure.

Murder in paradise: is cruising dangerous?

A few days ago we learned that a cruising family was attacked on their boat in Guna Yala (aka San Blas), Panama, with the tragic outcome of death aboard. We met the New Zealanders in the Bahamas in 2017: their uncommon boat (a sky-blue trawler) and friendly crew made for memorable anchorage neighbors during a brief overlap at Stocking Island. What happened? The bigger question: what is the risk to personal safety when cruising?

The initial facts are thin, but consistent. The boat was anchored near a small island in a remote area; three men boarded the boat; Al was shot and killed, Derryn and one of their two children aboard were injured; a dinghy and 15hp outboard were stolen. (image at top: our kids at play on idyllic islands near where the attack occurred.)

Jamie and I have given more than 40 seminars so far this year, in four countries, to cruisers spanning from the hopeful to the salty. Several of these sessions dive into common fears about cruising, provide context and reality for those fears, and address how to overcome them. After one event I was taken aside and asked by a nervous parent for help understanding how we keep our family safe as cruisers. Probing to better understand (security fears come in different shades and sources): genuine distress stemmed from being boarded with violent intent, and their children attacked in their beds. Asked what they do to keep their kids from being attacked in their beds at home, I got a puzzled look back. Why is this fear attached to cruising, and not at home? I mentioned that the probability of kids being attacked in their bunks by armed marauders was less likely than getting bitten by a shark after being struck by lightning, but felt the doubt. Why is cruising perceived to carry higher personal risk?

Totem and Aqua Lobo anchored off Stocking Island, Bahamas; May 2017

Is cruising dangerous?

An event like this may prompt some to question their cruising plans. That’s an unfortunate outcome. It’s also not a rational one. Even without clarity on cruiser fatalities (count them on one hand?) consider there are about 10,000 active cruising boats (and nearly 330,000,000 Americans) for a dose of relative perspective. Dying from a car accident is many multiples the risk. My everyday cruising life is much safer than my prior everyday land life: I have no doubt of this.

On land or at sea, we makes decisions about where to go and how to comport ourselves, and most of us—at home or abroad—aren’t wrapping ourselves cotton wool or raising kids in locked-down safe houses. After stepping outside the norm, it’s the norm that scares me more. Yet the very real risks in everyday life on land earn a blind eye when lined up against our life on the water. People are accustomed to allowing the dangers around them to fade into white noise through acceptance of their existence. Cruising not without risk, of course, but feels safer than suburbia to me. A look at hometown rates of property and violent crime might be surprising.

How do you avoid dangerous places?

On land, unsafe areas aren’t hard to avoid. In the cruising life, hotspots for violent crime are also easy to identify, as are those for piracy. On land or at sea, our basic rule is “don’t go there,” and destinations (as well as the routes to reach them) are researched in advance. We occasionally make exceptions to that rule, but it is a choice: to understand the risks, decide they are relevant for us, and mitigate those risks as we see appropriate.

This data visualization is one of many tools for piracy risk evaluation

How do we learn about security concerns for an area? There is no secret handshake for sources to determine risk. Each place is researched independently, and sources may vary by region and security nuance. For example, situation analyses published by security firms providing kidnap & ransom relief services was valuable for researching Indian Ocean piracy and deciding our route. That’s not at all helpful for the Caribbean coast of Panama. There, primary resources we used include:

The Caribbean Safety & Security Net, an excellent tool for cruiser-specific crime reports (their report on the attack includes external media links, and will be updated as more information is available)

Noonsite’s country report (scroll for security details)

Regional Facebook Groups like San Blas Cruisers

US State Department’s country-specific report (interpretation is needed… for example, there’s currently an advisory for travel to the Bahamas, which is overwhelmingly safe)

Screenshot of Caribbean Safety & Security Net‘s spot-check tool, with approximate location

Did Aqua Lobo take unnecessary risks?

Just over a year ago, we – like Aqua Lobo and others – chose to cruise along less traveled stretches of the Guna Yala coast. We anchored near the place they were attacked. Our choice, and theirs, did not involve calculated risks or an exception to our safety standards: it is a safe area with no pattern of violent crime against cruising boats. Zero. There’s occasional petty theft, like anywhere. There are isolated incidents, like anywhere.

There are other places with real risk in the Caribbean. They lie hundreds of miles to the north, offshore from the Honduras/Nicaragua border, or hundreds of miles to the east, off the coast of Venezuela, and elsewhere. This was not one of those places with elevated risk. We tend to skip those.

Evening conversation with Guna paddler, while anchored near Isla Mono

Of course, random crime can still occur; as much as I want to believe the best in everyone, the world isn’t that way. That’s what’s chilling about the attack on Aqua Lobo. For cruisers learning about the event, based on the few facts we have: it is catastrophic event that could happen to any of us. This family should have been safer in that anchorage than if they’d driven out for a night at the movie theater in their home town. I truly hope that their friends, and family, and loved ones at home can appreciate this, and not heap upon their tragedy by suggesting that they chose the wrong place to be. They categorically did not!

Why does everyday cruising life – making informed decisions to follow safe routes – have the taint of risk? I think it’s a mix of bad information (or lack of information), coupled by media hyperbole, sprinkled with a pervasive culture of fear. When we planned to depart Australia for Papua New Guinea, a lot of Aussies thought we were nuts. When we shared plans to sail to Mexico from the US, some reactions were similar. Media sells an extreme view that doesn’t represent the whole story.

Selection of Australian media headlines

Papua New Guinea did have very real safety factors to consider, but we developed an approach based on that country’s situation which we felt mitigated the risk and put us on a safe path. Mexico has very real safety factors too, but they do not impact us as cruisers. I feel safer here in Mexico than I do in the USA. Researching Panama gave us a few ticklers on places to be prepared; nothing unusual.

Back to the question: how dangerous is cruising? I think the presumptive concern that this is a dangerous lifestyle says more about the culture of fear at home. During visits back to the US the last few years, we were startled at how fears are inflated and preyed upon for the purpose of gain (selling advertising in media, crafting click bait headlines, convincing consumers they need ____ to be safe/healthy/whatever). It is everywhere. Let’s be honest: I did it with this post title. Cruising isn’t dangerous. I know the assumption is based ignorance, so I’ll try not to let it bother me that the presumption suggests I’d deliberately raise a family in dangerous circumstances.

Being smart about safety involves more than getting informed on a destination, but the destination is by far the most important factor and it’s the major piece of information we have about Aqua Lobo right now. There’s chatter in cruising circles about growing discord between the “have” and “have nots” of the world; not sure I buy into that here. Details later may help us better understand the dynamics and if they inform new precautions for the area, and if there’s interest I may pursue other aspects of personal safety aboard in a later post. Meanwhile, for further reading: this article about Guns and Cruising which covers similar big picture concerns along with that very specific topic: arms aboard.

It’s going to be a long road for Derryn and the kids. If you’d like to help make it easier for them to face the myriad of challenges ahead without their husband/father, consider a donation to the fundraiser set up for the family: https://www.gofundme.com/help-for-the-culverwell-family-on-aqua-lobo

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