Finding my way

This beauty is a 9" brass sextant, which I just bought for the purpose of teaching myself celestial navigation, because my narrator can't learn navigation if I don't. Mind you, Vivian ends up better at it than I'll ever be, and does it faster, but I need to know what she's talking about.

The fact that it's also handsome decor is a bonus.

The sextant goes along with the book and the DVD and the diagrams and a couple of downloads. Unfortunately, the sextant is heavy enough that I won't be hauling it around me everywhere--the printed or online materials will have to do some days. I don't need much more than a rough idea of how to do this, really, and I don't plan to volunteer my navigational services on anyone's ship any time soon. I just need to know what I'm talking about, and presumably all this will provide enough basics for me to do so.

I have the impression writers are prone to developing odd hobbies. Collecting odd decor too, perhaps. Thank goodness nautical props and art and instruments are pretty.