This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

If I used the word “boat” to describe where I am, I would probably be thrown overboard.

What I am on is a “ship” – a Viking cruise ship traveling the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionic Seas.

Yes, a “ship.”

Here are a few statistics about our boat – er, “ship:”

• Guests:  930

• Crew:  About 700

• Length:  745 feet

• Beam:  94.5 feet

• Class:  “Small ship”

• Restaurants:  Seven

• Flag:  Norwegian

• Registration:  Malta

I would not call myself a “fully dedicated cruiser,” at least compared to some folks who have been on hundreds of voyages. 

My wife and I have been on several on the Mediterranean, as well as several on European Rivers.

It’s a great way to see new parts of the world, especially as you get situated in your cabin and leave your stuff there for the daily adventures when your ship is in port.

Better than packing up every day and, say, getting on a bus or driving a car.

So, here we go on with stops in Greece and Croatia, and ending in Venice.  From there, we fly home to Oregon direct from Amsterdam.

And, oh yeah, I thought of another job I don’t want – washing dishes on a cruise ship.  It would seem to be never-ending.  So, I guess what I’ll do instead is eat more and make more dishes to wash.