Rick Tarbill
I met Rick through rowing slender racing boats. We fell in love with the sport and trained together after college. We have also done some ocean rowing. Rick and I rowed around Vancouver Island as part of OAR Northwest. He's always been a steady friend, and the best part of that is that our friendship has been tested as we got ready to go to sea and while we were on it. He's a classically trained violinist, flight test engineer, and perfectionist. That meant that he needed some arm-twisting to play some songs in tinyboats without much rehearsal, but I think he played some gems. I ask all of Tinyboatsession, Season 1 to share their thoughts about this moment in March of 2020.
“A long time ago I was a classically trained violinist, and I really enjoy rowing, like Clarabelle (the cute-little-rowboat we were in)! Reflecting, I realize I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to work from home, and that my older parents are safely tucked away isolating, while so many have instantly seen the bottom fall out from under them. I'm not afraid for myself, but concerned for our fellow citizens of the world. And I'm pretty steamed about how some have just ignored pleas for social distancing (6 feet, like on this boat!) and basic hygiene.
I sincerely hope that people can activate themselves going forward from this experience. We have this opportunity to juxtapose people's sudden "proximity empathy" with the old saying "never let a catastrophe go to waste." Will we act?” At the end of the day, no matter how much you think your actions don't affect others or theirs don't affect you, people are (and will soon) receive another object lesson; our own individual well-being and success is leveraged upon the foundation of many.” -Rick, March 2020