Launch Party

Lessons on flexibility from the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.

The last week has reminded me of a storyline from the hit TV comedy The Office.

This storyline follows the bumbling but kindhearted staff of a regional paper company as they attempt to modernize by launching a website. On the day the website is scheduled to go live, the staff plan a “Launch Party” to celebrate. Phyllis, a gentle saleswoman and member of the party planning committee, is in charge of the party decorations, including a banner that is supposed to read “Launch Party.” Upon revealing the sign to Angela, the highly critical head of the committee, Phyllis realizes the sign mistakenly says “Lunch Party.” Angela is furious that the party decor is not going to plan. Michael Scott, the office’s good-hearted yet awkward manager, is thrilled that lunch will now be part of the party. The remainder of the episode follows subsequent mishaps related to the website launch and other office tomfoolery.

September 2 was our planned “Launch Party.” But it has turned into a “Lunch Party.” We are trying our best to respond like Michael Scott, and not like Angela.

While our original plan was to “set sail” on September 2, we always knew there was a possibility of delay.

Boatyard Delays:
In July, we hauled Osprey out of the water and sent her to a local boatyard for some regular maintenance and a few upgrades. The original timeline had Osprey back in the water and ready for us to move aboard by the end of August. However, as we’ve frequently experienced over the years, there have been delays. We are currently waiting on a few parts that need to be replaced before Osprey is ready for prime time.

Weather Delays:
The first adventure we planned after our original launch day was a circumnavigation of the Delmarva Peninsula. We were going to take this trip with several other boats from our marina. Michael and I were really looking forward to it, as it would be our first time sailing offshore (in the ocean), and we could do so with the safety and comfort of a group. When it became clear that Osprey would not be ready in time, we made arrangements to tag along with two of our friends on their boat.

However, as our group tracked the weather over the past week, it became clear that the wind conditions were not favorable for the trip. As of today, the circumnavigation has been canceled.

So, here we sit—without a boat and without a first adventure. A launch party that has turned into a lunch party. But we are choosing to respond to the changes and hiccups like Michael Scott, and not like Angela.

We’re excited about the progress we’ve made so far—packing up the entire house and moving all our furniture into storage, purchasing the supplies we need to live full-time on the boat, and managing all the logistics that go into transitioning from land life to boat life. We know that delays and changes are all part of boat life. It's an opportunity to learn how to be flexible, adaptable, and patient.

We’re hoping Osprey is back in the water very soon. In the meantime, we’re happily relaxing in a very cozy cottage on the Chesapeake Bay after a grueling two weeks of moving out of our house.

So, cheers to flexibility, adaptability, and patience!

-Jen, Michael and Maisie