My office wall is festooned with the flotsam and jetsam of my life—artifacts and souvenirs: original art by a friend, a Doxa poster I worked on, a clipping of a story about me in the New York Times, an engineering sketch of HMS Hermes, as well as a few mementoes from past escapades and adventures. There’s my ice axe from climbing Mount Rainier in 2013 for example, and a commemorative medal from crewing in a Pro-Am in-shore regatta as part of the Volvo Ocean Race. The most recent additions came from my participation in the Fan Dance event this past June. There’s the course map printed on water- and tear-proof paper, my completion medal, and my event race number. Look closely at this last item and you’ll see something peculiar. It’s my blackened toenail.
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