Saturday, February 14, 2015

Rambling Thoughts on Valentine's Day 2015



I got a great and touching surprise today. 

Stephen and Victoria brought "Pops" (that would be me) a few special treats for Valentine's Day.

I got a box of Godiva chocolate, definitely a first for me as a Valentine's gift.

I also got a very cool looking DVD movie that they both say I will love and I intend to watch it tonight while sitting with the dogs and cats. 




I have never heard of it but it is animation (which I love) and has Christian Bale, Lauren Bacall, Josh Hutchinson, Emily Mortimer, and Billy Crystal, to name but a few, doing the voices so I have no doubt it will be awesome. 

Victoria also gave me her favorite book (which I have not read)  from one of my favorite authors. 

The book, entitled, "ORYX and CRAKE" by Margaret Atwood. It is already in my carry on bag for my flight to TCI tomorrow.




I remember reading "The HandMaid's Tale" by Atwood years ago, along with "The Robber Guide" The Blind Assassin" and many other works by this enduring Canadian literary icon.

In any case, it was for me a lovely and unexpected host of treasures for Valentine's Day and made me feel very special, that two busy young people took the time and thought to find such unique presents for their old man. 

I am excited to finally (voluntarily) be formally removed from any and all oversight of the Taft GBT site. The team there under the direction of Eduardo Figueras and with the construction oversight by Steve Groe is going to make this a break through year for the Texas operation. 

As I said, now that Eduardo has told everyone in Texas we have an operational hatchery, take a look at this sample of one our brood stock from our line that Eduardo is holding. (Our genetic lines were transferred to our hatchery yesterday.)




Been a long hard few years and  lot of hard work by a great team but we are about there.

Stephen will be heading to Japan in early March and the design, bid, and construction phase, for the first Asian GBT system will be underway. A big task and project for him, but I am sure he can and will handle it.

This of course, leaves me free to focus on the next GBT system outside the USA. On future blogs I will post progress updates on that subject and those efforts.

Sometimes, I think I should just count my blessings and grow out production here in Texas and develop the Japan project and call it a day. 

But the truth is, given everything the GBT system offers may not just a better way of producing marine protein in the decades ahead, it may be the "only truly sustainable and profitable way." 

I will write more on that later.

For now, I will focus on the positive and not allow myself to slip into a tad bit of melancholy as I remember that this is my first Valentine's day in 20 years without Lori. 

She really loved Valentine's Day and the gifts that came with it. 

The book from Margaret Atwood has a quote from another one of my favorite authors Virginia Woolf which seems very appropriate at this moment. 

The following is a quote from "To The Lighthouse."

"Was there no safety ? No learning by heart of the ways of the world? No guide, no shelter, but all was miracle and leaping from the pinnacle of a tower into the air ?









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