Just a short note on the eve of my 81st year. We left New York harbor on Sunday.

On the way out, we passed the Statue of Liberty. How far we have fallen from the ideals chiseled on this monument. We no longer are the beacon of hope and liberty. We are a mockery of such noble sentiments. A tear formed in my eyes at the sight of this forelorn lady, and the memory of what we have lost recently.

Today was spent on the high seas. I marvel at the North Atlantic … cold, grey, and somewhat angry. I marvel at the thought of how many Mariners risked their lives confronting all the possible dangers and challenges imposed by the eternal seas. So many found watery graves as final resting places.

Our journey will be marked by learning experiences and over indulgence at the dinner table. All has been prepared to provide for our hedonistic comforts. Good thing, I am not one to face mortal dangers nor minor inconveniences for that matter.

After another stop in Newfoundland, it is off to Greenland and then Iceland. Trump has asked me to claim these lands on behalf of the United States. I think not. As I understand it, they are civilized peoples, unlike what Americans appear to be. Better that these good folk remain in charge of their own destinies and their lands.