LIVING OUTSIDE THE BOX
For the past seven decades I have unsuccessfully searched for a box into which I could comfortably fit. I have given up the search and decided it’s ok to live outside the box.
There are lots of boxes from which to choose. Family, culture, ethnicity, race, religion, and country all have their own boxes. Millions of people jump into those boxes and seem to have a great time.
There are a plethora of boxes out there and finding a box is easy. Fitting in the box is an entirely different matter.
I have tried dozens of different boxes, and so far, none of them fit. I have given each of them a good try - I even spent years trying to get into some of them - but in the end, boxes don’t work for me.
The purveyors of boxes assault me on a daily basis trying to sell me another box, or to convince me that the box they are selling is better than all the rest. Surely the latest and greatest box would be a good fit.
Ancient wisdom tells me to stay out of boxes.
A passage in the Bible advises that I should not let the world compress me into its mold.
That’s good advice.
There are so many molds out there, and with the advent of social media, the forces of compression increase on a daily basis.
It’s hard to believe how easy it is to compress a politician with a simple tweet. We live in a time when our leaders bow and scrape to the tweet.
When the twitter box controls our national destiny we are in real trouble. Our boxes are not working.
On social media people put themselves into the right box or the left box, the alternate right box, or the extreme left box. It would be laughable were it not so serious. It is amazing that any intelligent human being would jump into any box and start parroting the talking points of everyone else inside of the box.
I just don’t fit into a box.
My entire life has been a headlong rush into obscurity. With considerable effort I have succeeded in not becoming rich and famous. Such is the destiny of those who live outside the box.
I practiced medicine in for sixteen years in Saudi Arabia outside the box.
I was a Flying Doctor treating Native American on Indian Reservations for ten years outside the box.
I sailed around the world for eleven years on my catamaran outside the box.
I created the Positive Thinking Network and The Positive Channel outside the box.
I put 200 podcasts on Positive Thinking Radio and Positive Christian Radio outside the box.
I kitted out three Land Rover Defenders ready to drive around the world outside the box.
I am sailing around the world for a second time on my catamaran outside the box.
I write two newsletters outside the box: Positive Newsletter and Dr. Dave's Eclectic Blog.
So if you are looking for me, don’t bother looking inside the box. I won’t be there.
You can find me outside the box at:
PositiveThinkingDoctor.com
MaxingOut.com
SailingUni.com
OverlandUni.com
ThePositiveChannel.com
Meet me on facebook at Positive Thinking Doctor or Positive Thinking Sailor
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
