You’re undoubtedly wondering what this title has to do with serving our seas. Actually, I’m trying to make a point: you don’t have to be a naval architect, shipwreck diver, shipbuilder, or anything related to the sea in order to serve it. In fact, my training is a foreign language education; specifically, I taught French and Spanish for 37 years.

Somehow, I mustered the courage to relearn the Italian language, learned from scratch naval architecture, and how to write autobiography, technical material, and interview sea survivors and scientists. To what do I attribute this?

PASSION– passion to share my survival story. As an extension of this, I’ve developed a passion to help others save, serve and enjoy one of the planet’s greatest assets: our oceans.

I think Helen Keller would approve of this blog post. (see preceding blog post about apathy, the opposite of passion.) If she were alive, she would  probably say, “Regardless of your training,  get on your lifeboat and row with passion!  The quality of your life is dependent on the quality of our seas.”

15 Famous Authors With Surprising College Majors

Here is the Writers in the Sky blogpost, published by a writer with metaphysical training, Yvonne Perry.
“You may have been told that it doesn’t really matter what you major in, because you may not ever get a job that pertains to your major. Case in point: These famous authors didn’t major in writing, or literature, or even journalism. Instead, they enriched their minds taking other, equally challenging classes, and used their experiences to become successful writers. In fact, several of them have won the Pulitzer Prize, considered one of the world’s greatest honors in literature.”

1. After growing up in several different Quaker communities as a child, Anne Tyler, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Accidental Tourist and Breathing Lessons, graduated from Duke at the young age of 19 and completed graduate work in Russian Studies at Columbia.

2. Larry Niven, author of “hard,” or extremely technical, science fiction novels set in the “Known Space” universe, is famed for his creation of the “Ringworld” concept. This is the idea of a band approximately the diameter of Earth’s orbit rotating around a star, and has been used in several other science fiction works, including the video game Halo. He has been a prolific writer since the 1960s but didn’t study writing in college. He was a mathematics major at Washburn University in Kansas and also did graduate work in math at UCLA.

3. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. majored in chemistry and engineering before being sent to fight in World War II. His experience as a POW in a German camp gave him the inspiration for Slaughterhouse-Five, his most famous work. His books and short stories included elements of science fiction and satire.

To read about other authors and their non-authorial training:

http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2010/08/15-famous-authors-with-surprising.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WritersInTheSkyBlog+%28Writers+in+the+Sky+Blog%29

I do work hard at living my dreams and I hope that I’m
taking  appropriate action in alignig them with my beliefs; but I can always do better. There is so much we can do to change our world. One of my dreams is to bring about increased safety and survival on our seas.

If we want to cure apathy, we just have to keep dreaming and taking action–action propelled by passion and love.

The dream team of Expedition Titanic is making a great effort to preserve a legacy– one that most of us will be able to enjoy virtually. The three-week long mission will reveal the debris field scanned by side scan sonar. It gives us a map (like the map of a city) of the gigantic ill-fated liner which sank off the coast of Newfoundland.

We will also come to understand the human tragedy of that tragic night in 1912. One example cited by the dream team is that first Officer William Murdoch did not commit suicide; rather, he was washed overboard attempting to launch a lifeboat.

The expedition is filled with challenges: a grueling 36 hour trip from the coast, hurricane weather, technological challenges, etc. But the team led by David Davino seems to be thrilled at every moment. In fact, two scientists who met on an expedition five years ago held a wedding ceremony on board the research vessel.

If only Leonardo and Kate would have had the same good fortune!

For  videos, mission, photos (even of a wedding on board), check out Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rmstitanicinc?v=wall

During this radio interview, my fellow author Katana Abbott and I discuss the value of gratitude for any situation.

Please click on the Smart Women Talk Radio link below. It may  you the way you see your life.

 mms://contacttalkradio.soundwaves2000.com/ctr/katanaabbott071310.mp3

Andy (12), Ardith (7) and I woke up when the Stockholm plowed into the side of their ship, just a few cabins forward from our cabin as we later learned. The sensation was what one might feel sitting in a row boat as it bumped several times against a dock. Andy instinctively slammed shut the porthole cover beside him, as he saw lights flash by. We were instantly aware that our cabin floor was tilting. My mind was sort of blank. I just knew that something very serious was wrong. I went to the row of four metal lockers, in the bottom of which the life jackets were stowed, and I yank them out, one after the other, throwing them on the floor and noting with alarm that they slid across the tilted floor toward the outer wall, as I did so.

Our steward was in the hall, calling “Signore, signori, andate fuori! Signore, signori, andate su!” Essentially, “Ladies and gentlemen, come out of your cabins and go up on deck.”  There seemed to be a smoky haze in the hall. (I believe now that it was exhaust from an engine that must have ruptured by the Stockholm). All I wanted to do was to get my kids and myself above deck. It didn’t occur to me to get dressed, although and he had the presence of mind to slip on his shorts. I put Ardith’s  life jacket on her over her slip, but I forgot to tie it. I sent her and Andy out in the hall to go above deck. Then, I had to awaken Donnie (10). A sound sleeper, he had slept through it all! I had to urge and urge him to come right away. I got his life jacket on him, but he was conservative and wanted to get dressed.

In retrospect, there would have been plenty of time for him to address. But all I knew then, the ship could sync with us trapped below deck. I urged him, “You have to come now. Your life may depend on it.”

Dr. Gallow emphasizes that this project  is not an exploration but a marine forensic examination to create the first deepwater archaeological site map. It will be done virtually and digitally using robots and sonars to create a model of the titanic ship–the one lost on its maiden voyage and only seen by its unfortunate travelers, designers, and builders. Finally, it will be available to a voracious public who can’t seem to satiate its appetite for the Titanic.

As for the man, who brought Titanic’s fame to the surface, will James Cameron be part of the investigation? My friend Bill Garzke,  Cameron’s consultant for the  movie Titanic and chairman of marine forensics for SNAME, explained:

        “The marine forensics investigation is not being conducted by Jim Cameron but one of our Committee members, P. H. Nargeolet who is leaving today from St. Johns, Newfoundland to map the Titanic wreck site. I have asked him to locate any parts of the main reciprocating engines.”

You’ll receive updates in future blogs.

The most traumatic moments are indelible from my mind: the loud crash, praying for a merciful death, being dangled over the dark Atlantic with a rope around my waist, the packed lifeboat ride from hell, climbing a ’skyscraper’ rescue ship on a Jacob’s ladder, and more.

I have learned that on the other side of tragedy, there is always a lifeline–gratitude! The catastrophe gave me the opportunity to be grateful for:

*documenting the human and scientific facts in a book, “Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History. www.pierettesimpson.com

*thanking my grandparents for bringing me to America by dedicating my book to them

*vindicating our captain, crew, and the Italian maritime industry

*becoming a proponent of safety at sea along with the national chairman of marine forensics (James Cameron’s consultant)

My view of life is that we have two choices when faced with survival: sink or swin. I’ve been swimming to safe harbors in spite of several major trials–my husband’s passing at 33, severance from family ties in Italy and the U.S., loneliness, and personal illness. I’m grateful for all of these experiences as they have made me stronger.

I’ve learned to live my life to the brim: writing, speaking, advocating marine safety, etc. (after 37 years of teaching.) As a result, I’ve been honored with many life-achievement awards. I’ve also learned that in order to survive, we must constantly adapt—even if it means re-inventing ourselves.

I believe in the wisdom of Charles Darwin: in order to survive we must be “most responsive to change.”

Quote:

“Challenge is the core and the mainspring of all human activity. If there’s an ocean, we cross it; if there’s a disease, we cure it; if there’s a wrong, we right it; if there’s a record, we break it; and finally, if there’s a mountain, we climb it.”
~James Ramesy Ullman

We must be thankful for situations and circumstances that challenge and stretch us. We must  see these as opportunities to discover what we are made of; to test how far we can grow.

Without growing we atrophy, and atrophy is the opposite of survival.

Pierette, thank you for your prompt answer – I have just posted my postcard with the Andrea Doria Stamp, you will receive it within the next 8 days. Although I was the only German aboard, many North Europeans (Austrians, Swiss, and even Dutch) were also on the ship and the Rescue became well known in Germany as well (remember I had written my eyewitness report while on the “Stockholm” that was printed by 48 German newspapers after 8 days). Also, there was a popular pop song about the Andrea Doria later on and the writer (Udo Lindenberg) apparently painted the picture that was used now for the stamp! I will look into it and if I find more details I´ll let you know. Besides – in 2006 the German dpa-Press Service published an interview with me (and Hilly) that also was reprinted in many newspapers across the nation! Of course, “Lostliners.de” even printed excerpts from my old Doria Diary in 2006. I think I have sent all that to you, although most of it was in German. Let me know if something is missing.

Before I forget – thank you also for the Newsletter! After Antony´s (Grillo) sudden death there was not much communication among the survivors, so your new efforts will certainly be appreciated by the public.

Perhaps you can use some of this information in you newsletter (correcting my English)? And thanks for your interest – I hope the stamp gets to you soon. Affectually, Klaus and Hilly

I believe Einstein’s words are telling us that we must realize we are  an intrinsic part of the whole.
No matter what our designations: age, gender, background, and community, we must think beyond borders and stop thinking our self-focused and self-important point-of-view.

My conclusion: if we love and respect our planet and our fellow human beings we will rid ourselves of misery caused by wars, greed, and destruction.  Einstein’s wisdom is the foundation of survival and creation.

A message from Renaissance Unity Church, Michigan