It is only the end of January but I am feeling a little burned out, moving through the week in a fog-like creative vacuum – which is a really bad thing when you are in a creative field. It’s time to break loose from my daily patterns and recharge the batteries and get my creative juices flowing. Err, that sounds super nasty but I don’t mean it that way. At the end of this week I am taking a short holiday and doing something that is definitely outside my normal pattern.
I am going trout fishing … with my wife and 7 year old daughter…
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and it was my daughters idea.
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First let me start off by saying that I am not a fisherman, I don’t even own any equipment. I’m also not a camper … only slept in a tent on like 3 occasions in my life. But I have to say that I am looking forward to this trip because on a scale of 1 to 100, my daughter’s excitement level is approximately 437,000 (which doesn’t even make sense). We just got back from the sporting goods store where we picked up fishing poles, lures, etc. and I had a great time teaching my daughter how to cast a line out in the backyard.
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“… walk down the hill about 60 yards, look for the tree that looks like a one legged lumberjack, and turn left”.
When I was in the sporting goods store, I was chatting up one of the clerks so that I could make sure I was getting the right sort of “grub lubers” and “xtreme” filament casting line. I told him where I was going and he shared with me that he had been going to this lake for over 20 years and had a honey hole … “the” honey hole. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s basically a really good fishing spot and people tend to keep them to themselves. He drew me a “secret map” that was almost impossible to decipher but I have attempted to recreate it here. The written directions are full of “look for the tree that looks like a one legged lumberjack, walk 20 steps and turn left”.
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We are going to drive 3 1/2 hours up to Broken Bow lake in Southern Oklahoma this Friday after work where we have rented a cabin for the weekend. I was all for sleeping in a tent but thought we should take baby steps and just start with the fishing and hiking.
Taking trips like this are important although I don’t do them anywhere near often enough. I can’t help but think that periodically getting away to do anything other than what you normally do is really good for you, helps to recharge your batteries a bit and get your creative juices flowing (again, not gross).
Please look for the big announcement I have coming out tomorrow, try and have a great week.
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Outstanding!! I totally agree with you. So much that i am going to go rock hunting this weekend with my family somewhere in New Mexico.
Heading to Hawaii Saturday morning with my fiancé and who knows, we might just tie the knot!
Nothing better for a father to do than to spend time with his daughter. I remember fondly the weekends spent camping with my girl when she was five thru eight with the Indian Princesses from our local YMCA. She still talks about the great times she had with her Papa……..and that makes me very happy!
That’s great….nature, a child, her dad, bonding…a perfect recipe for MEMORIES. Don’t forget to take your camera to record it! Do something with enough frequency and I’ll tell you what can happen…after taking our kids to Cape Cod on vacation every year, now, as adults, they insist on doing it all over again, after a respite of some years. Just booked the house for 10 this weekend, lol! Have a good time!
Sometimes kids key in on what we need before we do! I was just thinking of setting up something similar for next month! Enjoy and know the rest of us are jealous
Fantastic idea!! Can’t wait to hear the stories of the ‘ones you caught’ when you get back.
And smart move on the cabin in lieu of the tent. If you need some humor for the trip you should check out Jim Gaffigan’s spiel on camping – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdqIpYhM6PE – very funny!
Hope you have a wonderful time relaxing with your family.
You going to wear Jody’s “Architects do not* fish” T-Shirt when you’re in the middle of the river?
Have a great time!
Doug
I did but one of Jody’s shirts but unfortunately it wasn’t THAT one…
I am now re-evaluating my life.
for so many reasons
Have a great trip. RELAX, Enjoy! Sometime kids have great ideas.