For the Fifth consecutive year--2007's Missive is Here, 2008's Follow Up is Here, 2009's is here, and 2010 is here.
7 Things tot be Thankful For Today (Part V)
1) Endurance. Last year my number one thankful thing was patience; this year it is endurance, as in the human ability to endure difficult times and difficult circumstances. The past sixteen months brought a termendous amount of stress into the Larson household, including one very, very frightening cancer scare. It has reminded me that the phrase, "This, too, shall pass" is meaningful on multiple levels.
2) Loyalty. In times of stress, you find out who your friends really are. In 2011, it was never made more apparent to me that loyalty is perhaps the single most prized character trait of all. There are many who will stand by you in good times, but those who offer friendship, advice, and amity in hard times are those worth spending time with.
3) Daughters. You could easily substitute sons for daughters here, or children if you have multiple kids. My daughter is turning 12 and she is a downright blast to be around. Funny, inquisitive, smart, sensitive, and caring, she is a wonder and a joy in my life. When I look at her I think only of how proud she makes me every day.
4) Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines. I recently had the great honor of completing a book about a gentleman named Lt. Commander Joel Stewart, who went to Iraq in 2005 and founded the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing and Angler's Club. Delving into the book, it continually reminded me of the many freedoms we have here -- freedoms that are protected by American men and women (all volunteers) against implacable enemies who seek to undo everything the nation stands for. Some, like local Cincinnati area Soldier Matt Maupin, gave their lives. We shouldn't wait until Memorial Day to remember their sacrifices.
5) Terminal Tackle. The older I get, the more that "bottom of the tackle box" items intrigue me. Sure, certain items of terminal tackle like bobbers, line spools and fish hooks are widely popular, but a whole host of other items--sinkers, swivels, scalers, stringers, tackle boxes, priests, nets, etc.--are fascinating and a virtually virgin world for collectors and researchers. So much fun!
6) Historically Important Fishing Ephemera. I've really gotten into historically important fishing ephemera lately. It's one of the finest sources of information on the many companies that made and sold tackle. It's been great watching fishing ephemera become more and more popular of late. For a long time, it was only catalogs that got interest, but with some letterheads going for $200 or more, it's really attracted a lot of attention to the whole ephemera field.
7) The Readers of this Blog. I can't thank you -- YES YOU, who's reading this right now -- enough for stopping by every now and then and reading what we have to say on the subject of fishing and fishing history. We take that obligation seriously. Now, I can't say that it's easy to provide content every day -- some days its downright brutal -- but with the help of Bill Sonnett and the occasional guest writer, we've managed to provide ORIGINAL content for over 1000 consecutive days without a break. That's pretty impressive. We've also turned down several hundred (unsolicited) opportunities for advertising. Not that we're against making money, but the fact is I never saw this as a way to make money, but rather wanted it to be a place where we could share information without being bombarded by pop-up ads and links to spam sites.
So, for our fifth Thanksgiving, we are thankful for many things, but above all else, for the readers of our humble blog.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and as always, be good to each other -- and most of all, be good to yourself.
-- Dr. Todd
Showing posts with label Reasons to be Thankful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reasons to be Thankful. Show all posts
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Thursday, November 25, 2010
7 Things to Be Thankful For Today (Part IV)
7 Things to Be Thankful For Today (Part IV)
For the Fourth consecutive year--2007's Missive is Here, 2008's Follow Up is Here, and 2009's is here
--I present to you the 7 Things to be Thankful For Today.
1) Patience. It has been a trying time around the Larson household of late. Surgery on my mouth, three operations on my foot, a wife in the hospital with pneumonia, a family with the flu all at once...it's been as rough of a four month span as I can ever remember from a health standpoint. But I've rediscovered the lost art of patience. I am behind on virtually everything in my life, from grading term papers to books, but rather than stress out over this and produce less than adequate work, I've come to the realization that all things will come with time. I can't make up for eight lost weeks of work in one day, or one week, or one month. But it will be made up for, with patience.
2) Books. I love books. That goes without saying, considering I spend virtually all my non-teaching time editing, laying out, preflighting, stocking, shipping, and promoting books for the Whitefish Press. But I do this because of my deep and unabiding love of books themselves. Every week I seem to discover hidden gems, from the writings of Irish novelist Maurice Walsh to the wonderfully hand-written work of John Betts. So many books, so little time. But without an hour snatched here or there to read, I would go insane.
3) Kindness. I was overwhelmed with the number of people who wrote me after my little missive about my father was published. I was so happy that other people enjoyed it, and took time write me about their own experiences with their own fathers. Many of these people I did not know, but were kind enough to take time to tell me their stores. Kindness, the most underrated of all human actions.
4) ORCA. I've been a member of ORCA about a decade, but in that time it has grown to become a part of my life. I love the NFLCC (as those who've read my previous missives know) but I also love ORCA and fishing reels. I am not one who believes you have to have allegiance to one or the other. They both, in their own way, promote our hobby and heritage in the same way. But ORCA's primary focus is fishing reels, and there is no other place quite like it. So many intelligent, analytical minds, it is a great organization and one that I recommend highly to anyone who has even a passing interest in reels and fishing history.
5) Vintage Rods. I love old rods of all kinds. I started collecting 19th century non-bamboo wooden rods a long time ago, then naturally moved into the realm of the split cane rod, which has become a passion. I enjoy researching the history of metal rods, too. Lately I've taken a deep interest in something I fished my whole life, which is fiberglass fly rods. Maybe some day I'll be interested in graphite and composite rods, too. But regardless, I encourage everyone to take an old rod fishing. It was what it was built for...which brings me to my next point.
6) Fishing with Vintage Tackle. I've become more and more interested in fishing with vintage tackle, something I've done since my childhood. In fact, I rarely fish any other way any more. I encourage everyone in 2011 to rig up an inexpensive vintage rod and reel, tie on a beater plug, and give it a shot. You'd be surprised how gratifying your first fish on vintage gear can be!
7) Family. Although I cannot be with all my family this Thanksgiving, I give thanks for having a mother, father, and five brothers and sisters and their families in my life. Family is the rock upon which we build our lives, and I could not be more thankful for my own family, as I hope you are for yours, too.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
-- Dr. Todd
For the Fourth consecutive year--2007's Missive is Here, 2008's Follow Up is Here, and 2009's is here
--I present to you the 7 Things to be Thankful For Today.
1) Patience. It has been a trying time around the Larson household of late. Surgery on my mouth, three operations on my foot, a wife in the hospital with pneumonia, a family with the flu all at once...it's been as rough of a four month span as I can ever remember from a health standpoint. But I've rediscovered the lost art of patience. I am behind on virtually everything in my life, from grading term papers to books, but rather than stress out over this and produce less than adequate work, I've come to the realization that all things will come with time. I can't make up for eight lost weeks of work in one day, or one week, or one month. But it will be made up for, with patience.
2) Books. I love books. That goes without saying, considering I spend virtually all my non-teaching time editing, laying out, preflighting, stocking, shipping, and promoting books for the Whitefish Press. But I do this because of my deep and unabiding love of books themselves. Every week I seem to discover hidden gems, from the writings of Irish novelist Maurice Walsh to the wonderfully hand-written work of John Betts. So many books, so little time. But without an hour snatched here or there to read, I would go insane.
3) Kindness. I was overwhelmed with the number of people who wrote me after my little missive about my father was published. I was so happy that other people enjoyed it, and took time write me about their own experiences with their own fathers. Many of these people I did not know, but were kind enough to take time to tell me their stores. Kindness, the most underrated of all human actions.
4) ORCA. I've been a member of ORCA about a decade, but in that time it has grown to become a part of my life. I love the NFLCC (as those who've read my previous missives know) but I also love ORCA and fishing reels. I am not one who believes you have to have allegiance to one or the other. They both, in their own way, promote our hobby and heritage in the same way. But ORCA's primary focus is fishing reels, and there is no other place quite like it. So many intelligent, analytical minds, it is a great organization and one that I recommend highly to anyone who has even a passing interest in reels and fishing history.
5) Vintage Rods. I love old rods of all kinds. I started collecting 19th century non-bamboo wooden rods a long time ago, then naturally moved into the realm of the split cane rod, which has become a passion. I enjoy researching the history of metal rods, too. Lately I've taken a deep interest in something I fished my whole life, which is fiberglass fly rods. Maybe some day I'll be interested in graphite and composite rods, too. But regardless, I encourage everyone to take an old rod fishing. It was what it was built for...which brings me to my next point.
6) Fishing with Vintage Tackle. I've become more and more interested in fishing with vintage tackle, something I've done since my childhood. In fact, I rarely fish any other way any more. I encourage everyone in 2011 to rig up an inexpensive vintage rod and reel, tie on a beater plug, and give it a shot. You'd be surprised how gratifying your first fish on vintage gear can be!
7) Family. Although I cannot be with all my family this Thanksgiving, I give thanks for having a mother, father, and five brothers and sisters and their families in my life. Family is the rock upon which we build our lives, and I could not be more thankful for my own family, as I hope you are for yours, too.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
-- Dr. Todd
Thursday, November 26, 2009
7 Things to be Thankful For Today (Once Again)
7 Things to be Thankful For Today (Once Again)
For the third consecutive year--2007's Missive is Here and 2008's Follow Up is Here--I present to you the 7 Things to be Thankful For Today.
1) Health. It's been a really terrible couple of months around here, which reinforces a salient fact about life: nothing else matters if you do not have your health. Seriously. I was once told by a theologian that the one thing in the world we cannot truly comprehend is our own mortality. In our minds, we are all going to live forever. Well, no one lives forever, but while you're here on earth, you better start taking care of yourself or you'll be checking out sooner rather than later. As men, we are accustomed to living through aches and pains, but there are some things (lumps, for examples), that need to be checked out immediately by a qualified physician. Putting this off may very well mean the difference between living and dying. Without your health, you have nothing...
2) Vintage Magazines. I've developed an unhealthy obsession with old sporting magazines. I just can't get enough of them. The layout, the writing, the ads, the photos--all of it is fuel for my addiction. Problem is, they take up a ton of room. But every time I've been stressed out this year, I was able to lose myself (and my cares) inside the pages of great magazines. So I continue buying them, and I continue to get lost in their pages.
3) Wild Bill Sonnett.. There have been many people who've helped out with the blog over the years, but no one has contributed as much or as high a quality of stuff as our own Wild Bill Sonnett. My God folks. I hope you realize every one of the "Deconstructing Old Ads" that Bill does is like sitting in on a graduate lecture on old tackle. Bill didn't learn this stuff staring at eBay photos. He built up his knowledge over decades of research and writing -- he was writing articles about Heddon before anyone knew what the internet was. So when you see Bill, give him a big thank you for taking the time to educate the rest of us from his seemingly limitless font of information (and ads).
4) Fishing With Daughters. I can't speak to having sons, but I do know about having daughters. And very little on earth beats fishing with your daughter. In fact, almost nothing at all. It is one of the joys of my year when I can get out on the lake with my nine-year old daughter and share with her my love of the outdoors.
5) Dogs. This year we welcomed a dog into our humble abode for the first time--a rescue dog at that. He's half long-haired dachsund and half Australian cattle dog, which basically makes him a cartoon character come to life. He's ridiculous, in a good way. He was basically bred to be abused in a pit bull fighting ring, and when we got him, he was emaciated and incredibly skeptical of humans in general. He has slowly come to trust us, and now I can't believe I lived so long without a dog. We named him "Gandhi" because he simply would not hurt a fly. He has enriched all of our lives.
6) Collector Friends. I've made friends in many areas of life -- school, church, work, etc. But the best people I know are anglers, and the best anglers I know study and appreciate old tackle. Through my 25+ years of collecting tackle and writing about fishing, I've been blessed to meet some of the greatest people on earth. I've also met a few jackasses, but that goes without saying. They are, after all, just about everywhere. The vast majority of anglers and collectors are salt of the earth.
7) A REALLY, REALLY Patient Wife. It is not easy to be married to an angler (there's a reason why the term "Weekend Widow" became popular), but when an angler becomes a collector...well, I probably don't have to tell you about that. Try explaining a $500 (or more) antique fishing tackle purchase to someone who isn't married to a collector and they will look at you like you sprouted horns. It isn't reasonable, or even sane, to the rest of the world. But my wife is patient beyond words with me, and for that, I am now and forever grateful. You see, like all angler's (and collector's) wives, she gets me. She understands why I can get so excited just by seeing something on the internet I have to call 10 people. She doesn't blink an eye when the mailman has to make special stops to drop off all the packages. She doesn't even get that angry when I leave empty boxes and packaging material lying on the floor. Strike that. She does get angry when I do that. But you get the point. Patient, forgiving partners--I wish one for all of you.
This is what I'm thankful for. How about you?
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
-- Dr. Todd
For the third consecutive year--2007's Missive is Here and 2008's Follow Up is Here--I present to you the 7 Things to be Thankful For Today.
1) Health. It's been a really terrible couple of months around here, which reinforces a salient fact about life: nothing else matters if you do not have your health. Seriously. I was once told by a theologian that the one thing in the world we cannot truly comprehend is our own mortality. In our minds, we are all going to live forever. Well, no one lives forever, but while you're here on earth, you better start taking care of yourself or you'll be checking out sooner rather than later. As men, we are accustomed to living through aches and pains, but there are some things (lumps, for examples), that need to be checked out immediately by a qualified physician. Putting this off may very well mean the difference between living and dying. Without your health, you have nothing...
2) Vintage Magazines. I've developed an unhealthy obsession with old sporting magazines. I just can't get enough of them. The layout, the writing, the ads, the photos--all of it is fuel for my addiction. Problem is, they take up a ton of room. But every time I've been stressed out this year, I was able to lose myself (and my cares) inside the pages of great magazines. So I continue buying them, and I continue to get lost in their pages.
3) Wild Bill Sonnett.. There have been many people who've helped out with the blog over the years, but no one has contributed as much or as high a quality of stuff as our own Wild Bill Sonnett. My God folks. I hope you realize every one of the "Deconstructing Old Ads" that Bill does is like sitting in on a graduate lecture on old tackle. Bill didn't learn this stuff staring at eBay photos. He built up his knowledge over decades of research and writing -- he was writing articles about Heddon before anyone knew what the internet was. So when you see Bill, give him a big thank you for taking the time to educate the rest of us from his seemingly limitless font of information (and ads).
4) Fishing With Daughters. I can't speak to having sons, but I do know about having daughters. And very little on earth beats fishing with your daughter. In fact, almost nothing at all. It is one of the joys of my year when I can get out on the lake with my nine-year old daughter and share with her my love of the outdoors.
5) Dogs. This year we welcomed a dog into our humble abode for the first time--a rescue dog at that. He's half long-haired dachsund and half Australian cattle dog, which basically makes him a cartoon character come to life. He's ridiculous, in a good way. He was basically bred to be abused in a pit bull fighting ring, and when we got him, he was emaciated and incredibly skeptical of humans in general. He has slowly come to trust us, and now I can't believe I lived so long without a dog. We named him "Gandhi" because he simply would not hurt a fly. He has enriched all of our lives.
6) Collector Friends. I've made friends in many areas of life -- school, church, work, etc. But the best people I know are anglers, and the best anglers I know study and appreciate old tackle. Through my 25+ years of collecting tackle and writing about fishing, I've been blessed to meet some of the greatest people on earth. I've also met a few jackasses, but that goes without saying. They are, after all, just about everywhere. The vast majority of anglers and collectors are salt of the earth.
7) A REALLY, REALLY Patient Wife. It is not easy to be married to an angler (there's a reason why the term "Weekend Widow" became popular), but when an angler becomes a collector...well, I probably don't have to tell you about that. Try explaining a $500 (or more) antique fishing tackle purchase to someone who isn't married to a collector and they will look at you like you sprouted horns. It isn't reasonable, or even sane, to the rest of the world. But my wife is patient beyond words with me, and for that, I am now and forever grateful. You see, like all angler's (and collector's) wives, she gets me. She understands why I can get so excited just by seeing something on the internet I have to call 10 people. She doesn't blink an eye when the mailman has to make special stops to drop off all the packages. She doesn't even get that angry when I leave empty boxes and packaging material lying on the floor. Strike that. She does get angry when I do that. But you get the point. Patient, forgiving partners--I wish one for all of you.
This is what I'm thankful for. How about you?
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
-- Dr. Todd
Thursday, November 22, 2007
7 Things to be Thankful For Today
As many of you know, I have a great deal to be thankful for this year. It got me thinking that some of our blessings are shared things, even if we don't always recognize it. So in the spirit of the holiday season, here is a list of seven things we should all be thankful for, in no particular order.
1) The Woods and Waters. I don't think we acknowledge the work done by so many early conservation and environmental organizations--almost all of them founded by outdoorsmen and women--who worked tirelessly to educate Americans about the importance of preserving their natural heritage. That you even have fish and game today is a testament to their largely anonymous work.
2) Joe Yates. Let me issue a disclaimer: I have never met Joe Yates. I interviewed him once (briefly) for an article several years ago in The NFLCC Gazette, but other than an occasional friendly email (usually when I use a word that is on the official banned list) we have almost no contact. So I can say I write this with the balance and impartiality of an outside observer: Joe's web site is not just one of the most important things to happen in the history of collecting, it is an important cog in the history of fishing itself. So much information not just on collecting but on general fishing history passes through the message board every week that it is astounding. All of it starts and ends with the man whose name is emblazoned on the masthead.
3) Perspective. We've all done it--you lose an eBay auction at the last minute, someone nabs a bait off a chat board, or you just miss out in room trading or a show. Frustration, bitterness, and anger set in. That bait or reel should be yours and not someone else who won't appreciate it. At this point, you should be thankful that (eventually) you can put it all into perspective. It isn't the end of the world. The one piece of advice I can offer is that in my 20+ years of collecting, I can truly say another one will come down the pike, and if it doesn't, the sun will still come up tomorrow. Seriously. Other people are battling cancer or grieving over the loss of a loved one, and you want the world to believe you have the right to be upset because you didn't get a chance to buy ANOTHER fishing lure? Perspective, perspective, perpective.
4) The NFLCC. The National Fishing Lure Collector's Club is a flawed organization. Its attitude on certain issues is often difficult to fathom. The list of people with grievances--legitimate and otherwise--against the organization grows every year. But for all its flaws, we should all be grateful for the NFLCC and all of the work it has done to promote collecting and fishing history. It has the best fishing history publication in the world--The NFLCC Magazine. The largely volunteer efforts of hundreds of people are required to make the various shows, auctions, etc. work. Is the NFLCC flawed? Yes. Is it still the most important organization in the world for promoting collecting? Yes. And for that, and for all the work it does, we should be thankful.
5) eBay. Even more than the NFLCC, eBay is a lightning rod for controversy. Everyone has an opinion on eBay, and it seems most of them are negative. Are the fees too high? Yes. Are their too many fraudulent listings? Certainly. Is eBay Live basically a joke? Affirmative. Is it responsible for driving down prices on some tackle? Guilty. Yet, from the perspective of the average collector, eBay is a blessing. For many collectors who live too far from shows, or who can't make them for any number of reasons, their only chance to acquire various items for their collection comes via internet auction. It gives a general idea at any given time what fishing tackle is worth. In addition, we have the ability to watch and view items we would never have had the opportunity to see in our lives, which helps both educate and promote the hobby. For good and bad, without eBay there could be no long-term growth for the hobby.
6 ) Friends and Family. A no-brainer. When in doubt, remember what is truly important to you: loved ones. Reach out to them in this holiday season. Bury old grudges, strike up dying friendships, reach out to lost companions of yore. Be thankful for every minute you get to spend with the people most important to you.
7) Fishing. Behind every Leonard fly rod, Haskell Minnow, or Kentucky Reel there is a dream of fishing. All of the tackle we covet so greatly was purchased with the thought that it might bring a fish to the table. How often do we forget this? Why are we constantly lamenting the fact that our Pagen Scale Bass Oreno has a hook drag, or that the Vom Hofe we got in the mail shows brassing from wear? Fishing tackle was meant to be used. No one ever bought a Talbot reel with the thought that it might be worth more to some stranger 100 years in the future if he didn't take it bass fishing in the rain. Now, I'm not here to tell you that a mint lure or reel is not a beautiful thing--it is. But we can get so condition-crazy sometimes that we miss the point of the whole thing. Maybe if we all fished more often we might better appreciate what we have, and find a little beauty in blemishes.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
-- Dr. Todd
1) The Woods and Waters. I don't think we acknowledge the work done by so many early conservation and environmental organizations--almost all of them founded by outdoorsmen and women--who worked tirelessly to educate Americans about the importance of preserving their natural heritage. That you even have fish and game today is a testament to their largely anonymous work.
2) Joe Yates. Let me issue a disclaimer: I have never met Joe Yates. I interviewed him once (briefly) for an article several years ago in The NFLCC Gazette, but other than an occasional friendly email (usually when I use a word that is on the official banned list) we have almost no contact. So I can say I write this with the balance and impartiality of an outside observer: Joe's web site is not just one of the most important things to happen in the history of collecting, it is an important cog in the history of fishing itself. So much information not just on collecting but on general fishing history passes through the message board every week that it is astounding. All of it starts and ends with the man whose name is emblazoned on the masthead.
3) Perspective. We've all done it--you lose an eBay auction at the last minute, someone nabs a bait off a chat board, or you just miss out in room trading or a show. Frustration, bitterness, and anger set in. That bait or reel should be yours and not someone else who won't appreciate it. At this point, you should be thankful that (eventually) you can put it all into perspective. It isn't the end of the world. The one piece of advice I can offer is that in my 20+ years of collecting, I can truly say another one will come down the pike, and if it doesn't, the sun will still come up tomorrow. Seriously. Other people are battling cancer or grieving over the loss of a loved one, and you want the world to believe you have the right to be upset because you didn't get a chance to buy ANOTHER fishing lure? Perspective, perspective, perpective.
4) The NFLCC. The National Fishing Lure Collector's Club is a flawed organization. Its attitude on certain issues is often difficult to fathom. The list of people with grievances--legitimate and otherwise--against the organization grows every year. But for all its flaws, we should all be grateful for the NFLCC and all of the work it has done to promote collecting and fishing history. It has the best fishing history publication in the world--The NFLCC Magazine. The largely volunteer efforts of hundreds of people are required to make the various shows, auctions, etc. work. Is the NFLCC flawed? Yes. Is it still the most important organization in the world for promoting collecting? Yes. And for that, and for all the work it does, we should be thankful.
5) eBay. Even more than the NFLCC, eBay is a lightning rod for controversy. Everyone has an opinion on eBay, and it seems most of them are negative. Are the fees too high? Yes. Are their too many fraudulent listings? Certainly. Is eBay Live basically a joke? Affirmative. Is it responsible for driving down prices on some tackle? Guilty. Yet, from the perspective of the average collector, eBay is a blessing. For many collectors who live too far from shows, or who can't make them for any number of reasons, their only chance to acquire various items for their collection comes via internet auction. It gives a general idea at any given time what fishing tackle is worth. In addition, we have the ability to watch and view items we would never have had the opportunity to see in our lives, which helps both educate and promote the hobby. For good and bad, without eBay there could be no long-term growth for the hobby.
6 ) Friends and Family. A no-brainer. When in doubt, remember what is truly important to you: loved ones. Reach out to them in this holiday season. Bury old grudges, strike up dying friendships, reach out to lost companions of yore. Be thankful for every minute you get to spend with the people most important to you.
7) Fishing. Behind every Leonard fly rod, Haskell Minnow, or Kentucky Reel there is a dream of fishing. All of the tackle we covet so greatly was purchased with the thought that it might bring a fish to the table. How often do we forget this? Why are we constantly lamenting the fact that our Pagen Scale Bass Oreno has a hook drag, or that the Vom Hofe we got in the mail shows brassing from wear? Fishing tackle was meant to be used. No one ever bought a Talbot reel with the thought that it might be worth more to some stranger 100 years in the future if he didn't take it bass fishing in the rain. Now, I'm not here to tell you that a mint lure or reel is not a beautiful thing--it is. But we can get so condition-crazy sometimes that we miss the point of the whole thing. Maybe if we all fished more often we might better appreciate what we have, and find a little beauty in blemishes.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday!
-- Dr. Todd
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