Nanepashemet Peep of the Year - 2006

I know that I've created a monster.
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In a light hearted process of acknowledging the triumphs and foibles of various Peeps every week, I have caused a strange and invective cult to emerge, filled with hundreds of mindless drones whose only life function is to anguish and obsess over the merits or inequities of the Nanepashemet Peep of the Week selection.
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If only I could turn back time, I never would have set this juggernaut in motion. Woe that I have lifted the lid on this Pandora's Box.
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What's done is done. I will have to live with this burden of my own making, trying to make the best of a whirlpool of bad karma.
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There can only be one Nanepashemet Peep of the Year 2006.
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I have selected the one Peep among you who has solved the riddle of the shroud.
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Only one of the multitudes has found the truth... that the shroud is not linen wrappings of antiquity, but a sheet of Big Brawny brand paper towel.
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Announcing....

The NANEPASHEMET PEEP OF THE YEAR 2006 - TOM McMAHON






To those of you who know McMahon, it cannot come as a surprise.

Matinicus Island

We'll be spending a little time researching this island since we have decided to build the Maine Matinicus Peapod for the next project.
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This is an antique 1906 USGS map.
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Click on the map for greater detail.

Competition to Shroud of Turin

In the midst of all the controversy regarding the visage of Christ on the Shroud of Turin, a new mystery arises.
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This one is especially baffling.
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Don't be distracted by the devastatingly good looking image on this ancient shroud of antiquity.
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Some say it's not a man at all... but some sort of a Greek God. I don't think he is Greek though. In fact, nix the Greek idea altogether.
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To me, this man exudes deep knowledge, and animal sexuality. His piercing, intelligent gaze, and confident smile portend superiority, yet ultimate humility.
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Please help us find the truth! If you have any idea of his identity, please email me at this special address that will support the mountain of mail that this mystery will generate.

Send to stupid@whatamoron.com

Cure the Common Cold

Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer with Aloe, Moisturizers & Vitamin E
8 fl oz (236 ml)

If only everybody had a bottle of this. We would send the rhino virus to a much deserved extinction.

Shaping up to a Happy New Year

Best Wishes of the New Year to the Peeps! I had mentioned earlier to you that I had good vibes for 2007. I still do, and it is starting to become clear why.
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There really are some great things to look forward to.
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Ryan and Courtney's gift to the world,
Michael and Katelyn's great emerging careers,
Joanne's new Sundance location,
WiMax wireless technology deployment,
Launching the Herreshoff Columbia Yacht Tender,
Building the Maine Matinicus Peapod,
Publishing the Nanepashemet Boatbuilding book,
Fishing for Tuna on Stellwagen,
Remodeling the basement,
Kicking back with Joanne, Izzy and Ronick,
Fly Fishing the Saco River and NH Lakes,
Getting rid of this Wicked Head Cold,
Weddings for Murph, Tina, Stacy and Brian,
Selecting the Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week,
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Man, I've got to stop before I get emotional. Too many good thoughts at the same time can even make a rough, tough, hard to bluff, mountain of a man like me break down and cry like a baby.
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Not a pretty sight.
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Why don't you make your own list of great things to look forward to, and stop bugging me about mine??? Obviously, 2007 will also have some annoying segments to it.

Jill and Thomas

Congradulations to Matt and Sue on the birth of their twins. Welcome Jill and Thomas Peabody to the exclusive club of human earthdwellers, alive during the greatest period in history.... here and now.

Resolved

The last day of the year. A day for reflection and resolution. Obviously, a central resolution is to finish the Tender and begin the work on your Peapod. But I do have some other concerns.

Next year, I resolve to open my mail, everyday, even the bills. I resolve to pay attention to the details, so that things don’t end up looming so big that is seems like a tsunami of stress engulfs me.

I resolve to pay attention to what I eat, and get an exercise burn in every day. I can’t predict weight loss here, because I’m sick of worrying about the number of lbs. that show up on the scale when I step on. I just want to feel good and move easier.

I resolve to clean up after me… everyday…everywhere. This means my truck, my bedrooms, the kitchen, the garage, my office…. everywhere. Keep the decks shipshape for action.

That’s it. Pretty simple. Build the boats, workout, eat right, check the details, and clean up afterward.

In past years for New Year’s resolution, I’ve tried to outline detailed economic and career results that I would like to attain. A lot of that stuff was out of my control… and hardly ever occurred the way I was resolving. This year, I’m going to be more of a receiver of the big stuff, and less of a controller. My resolutions are designed to deal with what life flows my way, not direct the flow.

Courtney's Cupcakes

For somebody who doesn't like to eat, Courtney certainly can bake.
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Awesome cupcakes.

Pruning

Did I say a little pruning in the last post? After four truckloads of cutting brush and trucking it to the Marblehead Town Dump, in the snow, I was freaking exhausted. Coming out of the dump on the fourth load, I saw Greg Bruett, and asked him if he wanted to see the new school site.
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Big mistake for progress on the Tender.
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Greg stopped home and came by Sundance with two Coors Light Beers.
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A classy move.
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Beer always is the perfect refreshment following some physical work. After showing him around the place, I asked if he wanted to join me for a beer at Maddies. I had a pass since Joanne was going to Boston with her mother and sisters, so Greg called Nancy, got permission, and we were headed for Old Town.
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We could'nt find a parking space at Maddies, so we headed for the Landing. Fine with me since I belong to the Dark and Stormy Club at the Landing and needed to add some stamps to my card. Ten stamps, and you get a free Dark and Stormy.
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The only problem is that the Dark and Stormies at the Landing suck. They are all ginger beer, and hardly any Black Seal Rum.
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Whatever... Three stamps later, and lot of man talk under the bridge, we were headed for home, but it was 5:30 PM and there was no boatbuilding energy in sight.
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Tomorrow is another day.

Tender Neglect

You may have noticed that I haven't done much work on the Herreshoff-Columbia Yacht Tender recently. With the Sundance project, It has taken a back seat. I never dreamed that I would be launching in 07, but that's where we are.
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Today though, I'm planning to rev it up again. I'm going to the Sundance site with my reciprocating saw to prune some of the tree limbs and open up the area to give us better insight into the location of parking spaces. That will get my rhino-virus-wracked body back in motion.
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Then I'm going to resume sanding the interior of the Tender.

Take It Easy

To the couple hundred or so Peeps who have emailed me recently to see if I felt better, I really appreciate the sentiment. But really, calm down.... it's just a head cold. Not the Bubonic Plague.
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Some people always seem to overreact.

Permission Granted

Thanks to Bob Ives, Marblehead Building Commissioner. Took a big step in the Sundance project today because of his insight and consideration. Many hurdles remain, but at least the race has started.

Dave Bruett, Paul Lynch, Sparky Spillane and Eric "International Man of Mystery" Rumpf can all take a bow. Their contributions will be duly noted for future Nanepashemet Honors.