The world has kept moving and I have fallen off

Getting married in Venice.


You have probably never heard of Brian Caldwell, David Dicks, Jesse Martin, Zac Sunderland and Michael Perham. These are all young people who - when they were aged less that 21 - sailed around the world solo. All - in a profile sense - have sunk without trace. 

But you may have heard of Jessica Watson who at age 16 recently became the youngest person to sail solo around the globe.

As you well know - there are many things that are way beyond my comprehension. The latest to  baffle me is that Jessica’s autobiography has become the biggest selling book in Australia this week. The publishers say that more than 10,000 copies of the book True Spirit sold in 10 days. 


OK 


Now I understand that it was a mighty feat for a 16 year old girl to sail around the globe solo. And I do understand that an appropriate return on investment is expected by Jessica and her 41 (yes I counted them) sponsors. 

And I know that the TV documentary and DVDs will follow the book and that there will be many speaking engagements and reality travel shows and sailing schools and possibly ‘Dance Your Sails Off’ or ‘Australia’s Biggest Sailing Loser’ and maybe a singing career and movies and politics and all that sort of stuff. Then there is the boyfriend, the wedding, the children and this and much more will be plastered over magazine covers during the next few years.

I am in awe of the girl. In a crowded market place she has found a Unique Selling Point - which absolutely no one else has - and will make the best use of it she can.

I get all that. 

What I do not understand is 10,000 people buying her book. I am sure it is well written and probably a lovely read but it is based on her blog and I have read parts of that and I can tell you it is about a young girl sailing SOLO around the world. 

Not much happens. 

She did not capsize, there are no battles with sea monsters, she was not squashed by a whale or kidnapped by pirates. The boat did not collide with an oil tanker, she did not rescue any castaways, she did not collide with a giant shark or a massive turtle. She saw no giant meteors, was not kidnapped by aliens, did not break any bones and her iPod worked just fine. 

Now while that is at least as interesting as my blog - I am sure no one would buy a book based on my blog - so I am at a bit of a loss. 

But then, Justin Bieber has 4.5 Million Twitter followers and Jersey Shore is a very popular show on MTV, young people line up to see Will Ferrell movies and some people think that Gwyneth Paltrow is a good actor.
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But then - in the Home of the Brave 1 in 5 Americans now believes that President Obama is a Muslim. Up from 1 in 10 when he was elected. This is about the same number who things he was not born in the USA - and coincidentally about the same number who say that they have been kidnapped by aliens for a genital examination.


I would not mind so much but I fear that it might not be the same bunch who believe all this stuff - there could be three separate groups. Think about that for a while you are lying in bed tonight. 

It has finally happened. The world has kept moving and I have fallen off. Help. How do I get back on? 

Let's go and meet the new neighbors!