Saturday, April 6, 2013

"F" is for Fishing

Anyone meeting me today would never know it, but I grew up as a country boy. We rode horses, played in the creek, went muddin', had pigs, rode four-wheelers, and had high school keg parties in fields. I was proud to identify myself as a redneck. However, I don't know that I was always sold on all the stuff that goes with it.

Today, and even as a child, I hate camping. I know a lot of people that just can't wait to pull their camper or tent out to the woods, cook over a fire, and fall asleep under the stars. WHY? Centuries of technological research and advancement have gone into making our lives more comfortable. Why would anyone choose to go backwards. We now have air conditioning, sealed homes to keep the bugs out, cable television, microwave ovens, protection from wild animals, and overhead lights. Sleeping under the stars is something homeless people do…and they don't even want to do it. I worked hard and paid a lot of money for my house and the things that are in it. I am not going to drop even more money to go sleep in the woods as though I didn't have a better place to stay.

Like most other country boys, I am an avid supporter of the 2nd Amendment. I am against excessive gun control legislation and enjoy my guns. However, unlike the stereotypical country boy, I do not enjoy hunting. I never really have. I remember doing it a few times when younger, but never really got into it. It's not because I am worried about the animals. I support hunting. I just don't want to do it myself. I have friends who love to go and have invited me hundreds of times, but I have and always will turn them down.Take duck hunting, for example. I can't think of any reason a man would want to get up at 4 o' clock in the morning to load up a boat, drag themselves out onto a lake, put on waders to stand in 40 degree water and wait for the sun to come up unless he was doing it to get away from his wife. It's a similar situation with deer hunting. It sounds miserable.

Lastly, is the ultimate redneck/country boy pastime that I want nothing to do with. FISHING! This is an activity that I have participated in many, many times. I just don't understand it. Fishing is boring!!! Every time I bring up this argument, I am told that fishing is relaxing.

How?

After all the preparation involved with going, I am already missing the relaxing part. Even sitting on the side of a pond on even in a boat, I get bored very quickly. Staring at a bobber, waiting for it to sink is not relaxing. I can sit in my air conditioned house and stare at the wall with the advantage of being able to open a book or turn on the tv when it gets tedious. Which, it will.

Plus, if I happen to catch a fish it means even more work. Now, it has to be cleaned and cooked. I have stores and restaurants within blocks of me on all sides that will easily allow me to skip those steps and go right to the eating, which is the only part I actually enjoy.

Once I grew up, I moved into town. I wasn't trying to get away from the country life. It is just the way things worked out, but looking back, maybe I'm not as country as I thought I was.



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58 comments:

  1. When I was little, my dad would take me fishing... And then one day I set all the bait and fish he caught free whilst singing We are the Champions.

    He didn't take me much after that.

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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    1. I think that would kill the mood for most fathers.

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  2. I come from fishing stock, my Mum and uncles used to make their own fishing nets on their back fence, but I've never been a fisherwoman myself. I'm sure I bring shame on my fishing ancestors.

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    1. I have plenty in my family who love to fish. My dad is retired in Florida and I believe he spends about 75% of his waking hours fishing. It just didn't rub off on me.

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  3. It seems we are on the same page here. I grew up in the countrytand have many wonderful memories of it and I like to visit in from the comfort of my heated/air conditioned car and I love to take pictures of it and then......I like to go home to the city.

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    1. I believe we are. I loved my days in the country, but I am a city boy now.

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  4. I don't want to live in a big city like San Francisco, but in the countryside I'd like that just fine. I'm pretty much on the same page as you. Just put me on the outskirts of town on a tiny piece of land and I'm a happy camper.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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    1. I can live anywhere. I'm just not into all the county stuff. I had plenty of exposure to it, but it just wasn't me.

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  5. Haha! Every Sunday, my brothers and their friends, would get up at the crack of dawn and go fishing and all I could think was "why??" Back then if the fish didn't come coated in batter, then I wasn't interested. :)

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    1. I would have stayed at the house with you. More than happy to tell them how happy I was they went fishing as we enjoy the spoils later.

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  6. Maybe it is because we have so many creature comforts and technology that people are interested in camping and sleeping under the stars. It reminds them how much they love their comforts!

    As for me, I actually really love camping and one of my biggest dreams is to move deep into the country and homestead!

    As for fishing...Meh. I could take it our leave it. If I'm going to eat something from the water then I'll stick with shellfish!

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    1. I enjoy living in the country. I like the privacy and the quiet. However, I want to be close enough to society that I can run into town for the things I need. I am not one to be self-sufficient.

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  7. My husband LOVES fishing and I absolutely don't understand it. But I guess that's what people who live in the country grow up doing in their spare time, since there's no "night life." I'd far rather stay at home with a book!

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    1. I had a friend as a teenager, who always wanted to go. I went every ow and then, but always came to regret it.

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  8. My son loves fishing! Unfortunately, I'm the one who ends up taking the fish off the hook.

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    1. For a while we had a pond out behind our house. Once the kids got old enough, I told them they could fish any time they wanted, but they were on their own.

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  9. Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of fishing. I am a huge fan of camping though! I just like being outside a lot.

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    1. I can enjoy being outside. I even like sitting around a fire, but when it comes time to go to bed, I want my own bed, temperature control and freedom from bugs.

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  10. Unlike you, I love going fishing. It's catching fish that I hate.

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    1. You can have it. If it is not a terribly hot day, I might go with someone to sit under a tree and read a book while they fish.

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  11. I 'hear' you on the camping bit. If I can be in an RV or trailer with comfy bed, then the outdoors is on my terms and fun. I even posted a Pinterest poster the other day--an old fashioned drawing of a woman in comfy bed with caption "I love not camping". lol.

    I think the hunting bit could well have a corollary drawn to "Didn't we give up having to do that a long time ago with modern 'comforts'" , as you state it.

    Fishing has a tranquil quality to it, though the preparing of the fish afterwards is not something I relish.

    Thanks for the fun post, Brett

    Regards,
    Christine London

    Author of 100 Romance's Best of the Year - When We Were Amazing

    PINTEREST page: http://pinterest.com/christinelondon/

    Christine on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-London/71009389201

    Christine At Amazon Author Central https://www.amazon.com/author/christinelondon

    Latest A-Zed post: "F" is for Fiction http://christinelondon.com/f-is-for-fiction

    ReplyDelete
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    1. It's just not me. I am perfectly comfortable with the idea that if there was ever a total power grid failure or a zombie apocalypse, I would be one of the first to die. I just wasn't built to rough it.

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  12. What I enjoy about camping is sleeping outside under the stars... Growing up in eastern Washington State, my sis and I would sleep in the backyard for the entire month of August and revel in the sky show that is/was the Perseid Meteor shower.

    I went on plenty of fishing trips with family as a kid, but I could never get into it. I'd bait my hook, then... I'd get bored with fishing and just start goofing around.

    As an adult, I finally realized the appeal of fishing... but only when I went crabbing. Here's the deal: When fishing/crabbing you have no other adult concerns to nag you. No bills to pay. No house to clean or maintain.

    Fishing/crabbing leaves you free to read a book with *absolutely* no guilt involved! I mean, hey, you're "fishing" which means that YOU could be the one bringing home dinner, so what else could you do at that particular moment?

    Tui
    visiting from the #AtoZchallenge
    Twitter: @mentalmosaic
    Blog: http://www.mentalmosaic.com/blog

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    1. That's how my father always explained camping. At home, he had the worries of life and was always thinking about his business. At a campsite, it was like all that stuff just got left at home and he was actually able to rest and relax. It's awesome that it worked for him. I just like other things.

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  13. Hallelujah, brother. I agree right down the list. As my father's only child I was raised a tomboy and we did a lot of fishing. Only later in life did I come to understand it wasn't the fishing my father enjoyed so much as it was being close to the ocean, river, lake, etc.

    Happy A to Z!

    lillian888.wordpress.com

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    1. I think my dad loves all of it.I do really enjoy living by the water, but the fishing is lost on me.

      I lived by the ocean for a while and loved it.

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  14. Hi Brett, I love your style. I had to laugh. I had Rockfish for dinner and liked it much better skipping all the steps and going right to the restaurant. And camping, I agree, is best done from a cabin. I guess I am a suburban girl, no matter how country I want to dream myself to be. God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living

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    1. Thank you. It's the eating at the end that is the good part. I'll let the rest go.

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  15. Ok I am so glad I clicked on your blog. It reminds me of me:) So how do you feel about frog gigging?

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    1. I have been gigging a few times and really enjoyed it. I think it was mainly from the novelty of it. Like most outdoor things, I can't see myself doing it often, but it had a lot more action than fishing.

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  16. Being a city girl, I never have really experienced the country :(
    Its on my wishlist to go and experience these things like fishing!

    sia
    -www.vevisia.com

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    1. I hope that you enjoy it. It's not a bad thing. I just find it boring.

      Thanks for visiting.

      Delete
  17. I completely agree. No AC or central heating? No wifi? No indoor plumbing? Not interested. I'd prefer to stay in a nice hotel in a big city.

    I've actually never gone hunting or fishing before, and I don't really get the appeal either. It just seems like something guys do to pretend that they're more manly or overcompensate for various physical deficiencies.

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    1. I understand why they do and support them. I just don't find it to be fun. Plus, not being an outdoors type, I guess it makes sense that I wouldn't enjoy it.

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  18. Oh how I totally agree! When my kids were young they said why don't we ever go camping, like it was a punishment. I bought all the stuff (ridiculous) and off we went. It was awful. So dirty and NO real bathroom!
    I do like going to the shooting range in one of our state parks to target practice. For protection only, I enjoy getting my food at the supermarket:)
    Good luck with the rest of the challenge!
    doreenmcgettigan.com

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    1. We camped a lot as a kid. We definitely had our good times, but I would much rather have dome something else. It is not anything I opt for today.

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  19. I'm not a huge fan of camping either. I grew up in a town that was very "country," though now it's grown up into a good-sized suburb. Did the whole play in the creek, ride horses, hiking, fishing, etc thing... but I agree with you on most counts. I love being outdoors, and I love going hiking and boating and horseback riding... but I like there to be a nice, bug-free, air conditioned room surrounding a real bed at the end of all that!

    I do love being in a boat, though. I even like sitting there, holding a fishing pole. It's soothing. (I always use a lure though... so as to have the least possible chance of actually catching a fish... and so I don't have to touch a worm... lol some country girl, huh?)

    Happy a-zing! (http://jenelleschmidt.com/blog)

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    1. I can enjoy the boat ride. I just don't care for the fishing part. Or anything else where I just sit there.

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  20. What a really good post! Being an Alabama girl, I know all about fishing and camping...and hunting. Not that I fish or hunt, but I do eat fish and (some) wild game. Camping? Why, it's getting to be perfect weather for camping and roasting hot dog and marshmallows (not together) over an open fire. Oh, yeah, I love spring time.

    Fishing I understand. Golf? Now, that's boring! haha

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    1. I love wild game and all the spoils that go along with being as hunter. I just don't want to do it myself. I imagine soon I will be getting invited places to sit around a fire and roast hot dogs. I will go, but I will head back home at the end of the evening.

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  21. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

    The whole hunting and fishing thing leaves me cold, too, though I can understand the interest for some people.

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    1. Thank you for returning. I could just never get into it.

      Delete
  22. I'm a country (mountain actually) turned city girl...there are many things I miss but so many I don't- like how far away everything was. But then I get sick of all the busyness and want to escape back. I agree with the fishing...when I go I just want to row the boat all over the place- forget about the fish! :)

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    1. I can definitely appreciate the peace that goes with living in the country and not having neighbors. I love it, but often have to trade the luxury of high speed internet to get it. It's not a fair trade off.

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  23. Hhahahaha very fun post! Will be coming back for more. I actually like fishing, it's so relaxing to me and I love being out in the sun and on the water. I also get satisfaction from catching my own dinner! I saw you are getting a Masters in ESL teaching, good for you too! I will be graduating with the same come December. Good luck!

    AtoZ Challenge blogger www.katkatravels.com

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    1. I hear the same from a lot of people about the relaxing. Everyone needs the thing that relaxes them. I am happy that it works for them. I, for some reason, feel stressed when I do it.

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    2. I hear from a lot of people about how relaxing it is for them and I am glad they have that to help them relax. Everyone needs that. I, for some reason, experience stress when I try it.

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  24. My dad has always tried to make me a country girl. 4-wheelers are fun and I absolutely love riding horses, or just generally being out in the country or around farm animals. That's basically where it ends. I really like being on a boat but the fishing itself is boring and I'm always scared we're going to be faced with snakes. I know my dad would kill them but I'm not a fan of watching anything die. Except spiders.

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    1. Snakes don't bother me, but boredom does. I like to think I don't get bored easily, but it is because I always find something to do. So, I would never choose an activity that I know will bore me.

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  25. ::snort:: Everything you just said...yes. I'm so with you. lol Okay, well not the first bit about all the nature-y bits as a kid because hello nature is so not touching me. ::shudder:: I'm such a girl when it comes to nature and like it on the other side of glass/steel/concrete where it can be properly appreciated from afar.

    My mom signed me up for girl scouts as a kid and I promptly quit after our first camping outing. Yeah. There were bugs and sleeping on the ground and fish swimming around our ankles in the pond. Gah. No. Just. No. lol

    Very nice post :)

    ~Anna
    herding cats & burning soup

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    1. I was never a Boy Scout and had no desire to be one. For many of the same reasons.

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  26. I grew up hunting and fishing! Last year was the first time I'd been camping in 25 years and I have to say I'm excited to go again this year!!
    Connie
    A to Z buddy
    Peanut Butter and Whine

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    1. More power to you. I hope you have fun.

      We need people who enjoy doing that stuff. Otherwise, all our campgrounds are going to waste.

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  27. I've never been fishing, hunting or camping, but I agree, why in the world would anyone want to go camping?!

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  28. I do like camping, but would never hunt and don't like fishing. I remember when I was little, my dad would take us out on the boat fishing him when we were at the cottage. He was so serious about fishing, we weren't allowed to talk, cause it might scare the fish! It was pure torture.

    I do like to go out on boats, but only when I'm allowed to talk.

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    1. We walked over to a neighbor's house once and they were all fishing in the back yard and demanding we be quiet. I had never experienced that (having to be quiet) before and didn't get it. I especially did not like being a kid and having to remain silent.

      We avoided their house when they were fishing after that.

      Delete
  29. I might go to sleep a night or two in a camper if I am someone's guest, but would not be interested in doing all the set up for myself. Once again, I can just sleep in my own bed.

    ReplyDelete

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