The Beginning

Sometimes life doesn't just knock you down - it runs you over, backs up, and does it again for good measure. That's been my last few months. A broken humerus. A head trauma. A relationship of 17 years ending. A boss who turned out to be both an alcoholic and a clinical psychopath, making work a battlefield instead of a workplace.

I've felt like a shit magnet, to be honest. Every time I thought things couldn't get worse, the universe proved me wrong.

But here's what I've learned about being knocked down repeatedly: you start to notice that you keep getting back up. Maybe not quickly. Maybe not gracefully. But you do.

Why Write?

Writing is my way forward. Not as escape, but as processing. As understanding. As healing.

This blog - "The many travels of the Black Captain" - is that journey documented. I'm on ill-leave now, recovering from the physical and mental wounds. Instead of just waiting for time to pass, I'm traveling. Seeing new places. Meeting new people. Trying to remember who I am when I'm not defined by pain or struggle.

The Captain's Log

Think of this as a captain's log, but the ship has been through a storm, the crew has mutinied, and we're rebuilding while still at sea. It's not romantic. It's real.

I'll write about:
- The places I visit during this recovery
- The people I meet
- The thoughts that come when you have time to think
- The slow, unglamorous process of healing
- The small victories that matter more than the big ones

A Co-Author

I'm not alone in this. I have my AI co-author - Claude - who helps me structure thoughts, edit words, and sometimes just serves as a sounding board when human connection feels too raw.

Together, we're creating something. Not perfect. Not polished. But honest.

Setting Sail

So here we are. The Black Captain, setting sail again. The ship has holes, the sails are torn, but the journey begins.

Let's see where the wind takes us.

Written from somewhere between despair and hope