No word for three months... But that just means lots to talk about!
At the end of April, I participated in a YAG weekend. Members of my Naval Reserve unit, HMCS Malahat, and I sailed aboard three Yard Auxiliary General vessels from Victoria to Sidney, B.C. and back. On the Saturday, it was sea state 2 or 3, which is quite an experience in a 75 foot, wooden-hulled vessel. Each time the ship rolled to port, all the signal flags fell onto the deck. Not too helpful when you're in the middle of a flaghoist exercise.
The next day, it was smooth as glass. I had the chance to steer the YAG for a while, and also to drive one of the RHIBs (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat) - under supervision, of course. We drove the RHIB into the wake of a passing yacht and got some decent air time. :)
Earlier this month, I landed a summer contract with the University of Victoria, upgrading a database I created for the Co-op Program during my 2000/01 work term. The new implementation will be a MySQL/PHP solution, a popular choice these days. Lots of on-line support for developers.
Nice to be doing degree-related work again.
And perhaps my biggest news: I'm going to be published! In March, Big Finish Productions commissioned my story for Short Trips 9: Monsters, an anthology based on the popular British sci-fi series, Doctor Who. This hardcover book will be out in August.
The story went through several rewrites, and editor Ian Farrington and fellow Who fan fiction author Jeri Massi provided me with valuable comments and suggestions.
Meanwhile, I have a few ideas in mind for original stories, plus I recently submitted poems to several Canadian literary review magazines.
Well, ….. who knew !
Might you consider applying your witing talent toward something nautical for the Naval Reserve LINK magazine ?
I see a shoe in for sure.
Cheers,… CPO2 Bob Bartlett