This Blogger is a small time, (like really small...like barely any...) share holder in OMEX. That is, Odyessey Marine Exploration.



I know, you expected a juicy tidbit or some skeleton from my closet. None here. But I do have a reason for bringing this up. It seems that they will be announcing tomorrow officially that they have discovered and begun excavating the wreck of the H.M.S Victory.

Nope, not THAT H.M.S Victory, the famous flagship of Admiral Horatio Nelson. That one is still with us.

This H.M.S Victory is quite famous in it's own right. It was actually the fourth ship of the line bearing the name. And sank in the English Channel near the Island of Guernsey on October 4th, 1744. Tragically she went down with her entire crew of 1,150. Let that hit you for a moment. That is a huge number. Certainly a deep and heartfelt tragedy for the country and it's people. She was the first of her kind to ever be outfitted entirely with brass cannons, and also took to the bottom a treasure of 100,000 gold coins. Only a small bit of wreckage washed ashore on the islands, and the location of her resting place remained a mystery...that is until Odyssey Marine team showed up.

This commercial salvage operation is the one who has been the subject of the Discovery Channel show, Treasure Quest, which, oddly enough, we haven't seen yet. They have also been the subject of some controversy. Their are legitimate concerns about ocean salvage and treasure hunters in general. However, I personally am firmly in the camp that the artifacts and stories are best preserved ashore. The seas will keep what they keep. But what we bring back from the depths, and what they tell us about those who fell, well, that is important. OMEX has shown again and again that it is very dedicated to their salvage program with archaeology in mind, if keeping profit a firm goal.

They haven't actually shown any real profit yet. We bought our little portion of stock when they first went publicly traded, back in 2003, on a lark really, times were less tight then and it was prior to kids in the home. I think this discovery shows that a profit motivated salvage operation, with a sense of ethics and history, can really add to the wonderful tale that is mankind's epic adventure on the seas.

I am glad to play my small part of it.

For a further exploration of the stock and it's possibilities, take a look at this blog, Stock Treasure At The Bottom Of The Ocean

So off we go!

Headed for Arkansas, to spend a wonderful New Years in "The Natural State", digging for amazing quartz crystals and enjoying the state. And what a state. We like Arkansas and they have a great sign at their welcome center. Carved in native stone of the state, which was appropriate to our visit there!



( For some more rocks, and I mean some seriously cool rocks, hit the clicky... )

When last we left our travelers, they were heading out from the realms of Mammoth Cave into the beauties of the Kentucky sunset. Off we went over the river (The Mississippi!) and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go! But first we had to get through Tennessee.

We knew we were destined for a good trip and the country music muses were smiling upon us, when Leah woke up singing Johnny Cash. It may be a little known fact that Leah and I are crazy about bluegrass, old time, old country, and other mountain folk music. One of our country play list shuffles on the MP3 player is the Bob Dylan/Johnny Cash sessions. Two of our favorite men in black, singing some of our favorite songs together. So what was really a surprise was the first rest stop we paused at that morning was the "Johnny Cash Rest Stop". We had forgotten that Tennessee names its rest stops for the musicians that have made it famous. Leah was immensely tickled by this.



( Travels, A Very Texas Christmas, Family, and Memories, behind the cut... )

Oh boy, that was some drive. We went to Texas.

After much deliberation on flying, versus driving, versus not going, finally the decision was clarified by the gas prices and plane tickets. It turned out that to drive the 19+ hours was MUCH cheaper than flying. Like under a grand. So we decided to have a family adventure that we haven't had in a while. Let me show you it...



( Some silliness, lots of road pictures, we went to Mammoth Cave, had great Christmas, Santa left footprints and more...all behind the cut... )

Well that was interesting. The test seems, as these so often are, geared toward the teen and twentys crowd and not the...ahem...late thirties rapidly approaching middle age crowd.

(I should make a point here that I resist the term old in people with out much grey and less than 60 years of life. So I wasn't really thinking of myself as middle aged and until some recent math got it across to me that the average male lifespan in the US is 71.83, therefor at 37...well, you do the math)

Many of the questions are events those that many middle aged folks have experienced. Of course when it came to the Crime & Disarray, and Relationships, well, I am a bit embarrassed by my actions there. Misspent youth. And you'll see my deficit in Education.

The quiz was really missing out on asking me about some of life experiences. There was no questions about going on cattle drives, or breaking horses, or being struck by a rattlesnake, or participating in a Joust, or traveled across the country on a busload of hippies, or fought a grass fire, or being chased by a bear, or hopped a freight train,......

Anyway, I am just bragging now, but I have had a rather colorful life and it seems to keep going on. Maybe not as wild as it used to me, (Thank goodness!) but I look forward to many adventures to come.

The Life Experience Test

Overall, you have partaken in 127 out of 174 possible life experiences. Your average life experience score is therefore 73%. The average score is 50%, making your experiences more than 97% of the people who have taken this test. The average for your age group (36-55) is 55%. Broken down by category: Art: 11/17 (65%) Career & Work: 12/13 (92%) Civics & Technology: 7/7 (100%) Crime & Disarray: 9/11 (82%) Education: 7/18 (39%) Fashion: 10/15 (67%) Fitness, Health and Sports: 5/7 (71%) Life in General: 12/14 (86%) Relationships: 12/14 (86%) Religion & Politics: 4/4 (100%) Social: 19/22 (86%) Travel: 8/20 (40%) Vices: 11/12 (92%)

Take the test and see how YOU compare

My states thus far, fully illustrated my desire to get up into New England and out to the West Coast. Leah and I have both done this and she has few more than me. That would be from Dead Tour.


visited 33 states (66%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or try another Douwe Osinga project

This was the 2nd Annual FaerieCon in Philadelphia, PA. And it once again was an exploration into the deepest realms of Mythic Arts and Faerie Realms. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many awesome artists and inspirational to say the least. And that word, inspiration, to inspire, that is, "To Breathe Life Into" became a word of the weekend.

So follow the piping Green Woman....



( Click here to visit the enchantment and become inspired... )