Alright, this is my first post here, and I figure an undertaking like sailing around the world deserves a somewhat thoughtful introduction.  Here it goes...

     After I recovered from finals weeks last month (recovery meaning hanging out with friends into the early morning and feeling awful during normal waking hours), I decided to read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.  That book sat on my bookshelf waiting to be read all fall and it was high time to rescue it's dignity from books like Human Anatomy and Schaum's Guide to French Grammar.  So, I picked it up and read all the way from Kentucky to Illinois (plus a little extra) on the way to my grandparents'.

     Do you know what I found?  An adventure; the kind that completely changes the character involved because it brings out the parts of them they never quite understood.  Bilbo Baggins, the main character, doesn't become a thief in The Hobbit.  He finds out that he already was one (the noble kind, of course). Bilbo just needed the right opportunities and a sense of adventure.  The adventure wasn't easy. Bilbo fights trolls, out-riddles a creepy cave dweller, converses with a dragon (with a few burns), and survives a battle between five armies.

     What I'm trying to say is, Tolkien knew that adventure is a risk. But, he also knew that blazing a path into lands only heard of is a chance to become more yourself.  Spending a semester at sea will be a chance to see the world like I can never imagine.  It shouldn't be too risky (breathe Mom), but I could learn a couple things about who God made me to be, and what I can do here.  That's why it's an adventure...

P.S. Because thoughtfulness needs cheesy symbolism, here is the front door of Bag End open to the world.  BTW, Bag End is super swank!