I started keeping a fishing calendar this past year.My thinking was that I would somehow get tofish more. I was applying the business proverb of"that which gets measured gets done".Apparently this doesn't work as well on the homefront. Actually, MOST of the leadership tactics Ibring home from work become useless whenthey pass between my lot lines. Kind of aBermuda Triangle of management principles I'dsay. I'll share more on this once I fully understandthe phenomenon. In the meantime, I've learned it's best to just go with the flow most of the time andtry not to get underfoot of the wonderful women in my life.
Sometimes the vehicle we call life can drive pretty fast and we're not necessarily at the wheel.Although I love that my daughters stay busy, it does make me ponder what the heck empty nestersdo with their time. The endless stream of sleepovers, homework projects, ball games, and the like -easily displace the time that "coulda" been spent on a stream of a different sort. It's "all good"though. I am happy they are busy well-adjusted kids that basically stay out of trouble. However, itsure is nice to have some "alone time" once in awhile to slow the pace.
Friday Evening
Every once in a while though, I get a gift of time. Yesterday I found out that the softball tournamentthis weekend was somehow going to go on without the Stampede, my youngest daughter's team. Asif they didn't spend enough time together every previous weekend, they decided to do a movie daywith the whole team. Great! Have at it. Just give me my free kitchen pass and I'm outa here. It's themiddle of July. Darn hot in my part of the country, but I bet I can find a coldwater tailrace with a fewleftover stockers in it even in these dog days. Maybe four hours drive, at best, but it'd be worth it.
I mentioned it to the boss. When she said, "just go", she sort of looked at me funny. So, apparentlythe vote (or veto) is still out on this one. I am smart enough to know actions-speak-louder-than-words and did not confuse her yes with a Yes - more negotiations to resume in the morning. Hmm,it'd probably be good to leverage some other activity that she is interested in. I may have to get outthe massage table again. Worked for my last fishing trip - though my hands were too tired to cast.Oh, the sacrifices I whilst make for ye li'l trout. Hmm, maybe if she comes up with independent plansof her own for Saturday night, then I could throw the tent in the jeep and head for the mountains.
Sounds like a beer commercial doesn't it. Well, shoot, I'm just hopeless enough of a romantic tobelieve there SHOULD be moments that are beer-commercial-ish. Maybe not with the athletes andbikini girls, but at the very least something more noble than the day-to-day grind of improving thewidget making processes at work. I guess I'm searching for some adventure, something that forcesone to say, "It don't get no better'n this."