Centered Self (not self absorbed). No outward persona to play the foolish ‘bum’. No seeking the secret anything. It doesn’t exist or last more than a short time anyway. Shallow pals, self abuse, dead ends, same old newness. Get back to what you always come back to anyway…the basics. Bored too soon with that? Then probably the rest of you life is boring too (save all that drama you get into).
Slow down. Truly take it in. Re-center yourself. Spend this Summer truly enjoying the simple to the complex without a hint of competition (even the self imposed fish count). Don’t brag about where you have been or where you are headed. Just do it and smile that you are fortunate enough to do it at this stage of your life. If you are teaching someone new to the sport then it tasks you with sharing the essence of the sport. Ego, trappings, next fix? Or, something simpler and more pure.
Well, ok, it’s my attention grabbing lead in. But, you know I am right.
SwittersB & Exploring 
we’d gone down to KCMO to see our kids and our new grandson.
we camped at a park nearby. while out walking and birdwatching we ran across a sartorially resplendent couple. actually they were prettier than the birds we’d seen to that point.
in the course of our conversation they mentioned that they had seen only sparrows.
“ONLY” sparrows!!! if it wasn’t a robin, it was probably a sparrow that got them started watching in the first place. i thought that when it gets to “only” whatever it is time to change games.
only sparrows, only bluegill, only…hell!
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Well, a multi layered response, I spose…I am mostly inspired by the following: inspirational material by others, for the beginner/intermediate, that I share. I know there is a big issue for some re this (just read the admonitions at Global Fly Fisher about originality and sharing their efforts) but my mission is to bring as much good to excellent material to the beginner so they enjoy and maintain the pursuit of tying and fishing. I am not concerned about my originality or some standard (beyond copyright infringement) other snobbish types have constructed. I try to offer my own with patterns and outings.
Which brings me to the second part, the image of the past time, especially the fishing part, has become so stifled with sameness: fish porn, trophy shots, exotica locales, obligatory eco drivel. I am always mindful that fly fishing takes a bad rap for appearing elitist and stuffy. It continues to be that way despite the participants all feeling they are unique individuals pursuing with their own style. In fact, there is a sameness, a repetitive sameness that still smacks of spoiled, monied, elitism despite the ‘bumism’ touch….kind of like a guy with long hair, scraggily face, and a Rolex on the French Rivera. He gives the pretense of casual and rough, but he is what he is, spoiled, pretentious and a poser.
No, jealousy is not the issue nor bragging. I have been to nice places and remarked about them. I tend to adopt the same look as other FFers, I have my trophy shots and will again. No, it is the industry, the bloggers, the media mechanism that does what all media does….steer us and manipulate us.
The sameness needs to be split apart for the beginner to see the special qualities of the sport. Otherwise they will settle into the same ruts of those steering the wagon…And, the sameness needs to be challenged for others to not get bored with the sport and steer us toward more hype and visual over kill.
It was just my offering for some to recognize the chipmunk on the log in life. Clever huh?
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