So
One recent day I was sitting by the pool enjoying the sun - it was perfect weather.
All of a sudden, I got this email from Bonati!!!
Uh oh. What does he want now? He is ALWAYS calling me, emailing me. Day in and day out.
I called him and found out some interesting news: Evidently there is a boat race coming up in Newport....
Well, Bonati says the captain ate some bad Carpaccio and is ill. He would like me to fill in. I explain I have NEVER sailed before - he said it's all good and give it a shot. Fine. For you I will Mr. Bonati. Well, race day I report to...
I immediately am nervous - these is NO Engine!! Ok - I chill a bit in the sun. Then I smoke a Camel Light and have my crew get her going out of port to sea...let's give this a try..nice day in Newport, RI - not a cloud in the sky.
And the race begins. We are in First!
Well, I jibbed when I should have jabbed. Or Tucked when I should have Ticked. One way or another - I get lost
All of a sudden...the sky gets dark. Then the sea gets choppier.
THEN
A WALL of Water - the Perfect Storm...
The mast breaks off, hits me on the head and I am knocked out cold. But, I wake up here....
And - ALL I have is this...
2 watches
2 songs
1 book
1 movie
1 photograph
1 memory
1 meal
1 person
Well, what did I bring??
2 watches:
First up is my 24A - for many reasons. It is an A. It came from a friend, who got it from another friend who is also a friend. THAT is RISTI. They are my friends and treated me well. Enough said there. And, the watch is perfect on me. Really, what else is there?
Second is my DREAM - the 203. The ultimate Panerai for me. OR a 201/A. But, if I had to choose only one it would be the 203. Not my watch below - it is a pic I took of Davie's in Montreal..
2 Songs:
Man, this one was hard - I am music nut for sure. I probably have 500 cd's - and that was before about 2 years ago when I started to burn my own. Every genre you can think of. Ok - IF I had to, here are my 2 favorites. First up is Hendrix..."There are many people here among us who feel that life is but a joke..."
Next is the Dave Matthews Band..Two Step. Amazing live. Amazing. BIG DMB guy..."Celebrate for life is short but sweet for sure...."
1 Book:
You had to ask?
Ok - that is narrow minded...how about these?
What can I say? I am focused
1 Movie:
Once again - hard!!!!!!!!! Big movie guy. So many. But - when push comes to shove, the original Rocky has to be it. He does not win. But - he does better that he or anyone else ever thought he would. All because he had it "Inside" - where it counts. Very cool. When this came out - I am going to be 42 so there is an age reference - it was major - major for me. Bigger than Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark combined. How can you not watch this and get a little fired up??
1 Photograph
This one was HARD as well - if you really believe you are on an island and will be there forever. I chose the pic below of me and the family last summer from our vacation at Sesame Place. At the time I thought I was in hell - 95 degress, 95% humidity, spent the cost of a Fiddy on God know what, kids where so excited they didn't sleep the night before which translates into one tired RichM-RI. But - looking back today - It was a GR8 day
Look at the yougest 2 boys faces - they really think it was the Cookie Monster! Priceless...
I also scanned in the following 2 photos - I never responded to that "wedding pic" post as I did not have anything on the computer. Yes gents - I HAD hair. AND - it was BLACK
Age 29....
1 Memory
The birth of my first son - Samuel. He was born one month early - technically prematurely. He was extremely small for 36 months - just a small boy. On April 29th, 1999 my wife woke me up at 6:30am saying it was time. I said no way - way to early. I was wrong.
Long story short but the Doctor never made it to the delivery room until AFTER he was born - he was occupied with another crisis down the hall and could not make it. My wife went extremely fast at the end. I remember the nurse saying "Richard, WE are going to deliver this baby - now. I need your help. Are you ready?" Well, I had to be. And I delivered him. Talk about a RUSH like you have never felt unless you have done it - amazing. As I was cutting the cord - in came running the Doctor - "Are we ready to go?" he says - lol - we are DONE. I have never cried so hard as I did that night. Not too manly a comment to a bunch of guys (and ladies) wearing at minimum 44mm watches I must admit - but it is the truth. This all has a way of staying with a man. Here is a scanned pic of the nurse with us...
Note - my old and sold Rolex GMT Pepsi
Realized last night I really - really - miss this little, no-crystal watch. Uh oh
This pic is of a regular sized diaper on Sam on day two I think. He was 5 pounds when he left the hospital...
1 Meal:
Tough - I am a foodie
Thought it over long & hard - HAS to be one AMAZING pile of raw fish (read: Sushi) at Morimoto's in NYC...for those who do not know - Morimoto is Iron Chef Morimoto of FoodTV fame.
1 Person:
Whoa!! Tough! Ok - NOT my wife - she needs to take care of the boys and let them know everything is going to be alright and Dad is coming home. So...
If I don't have them...
OR my wife.
AND - I don't have this...
OR These... (Sorry gents - it's the way it is.. I am trying to quit..just not now)...
I think a GREAT person to help me would be the Dalai Lama...How else am I not going to go crazy???
OK - that is it. Done. This was harder than I thought but definitely a cool journey and a valuable exercise.
Thank you for staying and coming on my D.I.D. journey...and Wait Till you see who I pick
Cheers!
RichM
