(Been out several times lately - note pics).

For me it was a leap.  A big jump.  A dedication would have to be made.  I never just did anything "part-time".  My father went all out in everything he did - moose hunting, coaching, fishing.  He made me a part of those things.  In one way or another.  He tried to teach me a lot.  He read up on things or learned from seasoned vets.  I tagged along and either got along with his friends or got chewed out for "not doing it right".

The move from the office to the stream wasn't going to be easy.  I had been sitting behind a desk for quite some time.  I had made earning money my top priority - taking care of the family.  In becoming a desk jockey, I had gained quite a few pounds.  Most of that was while the wife was pregnant.  Or, so that was the excuse.  Previous to that, I had dropped quite a bit of weight.  Comfort in riding the chair and the solace of a proper daily routine - other than travelling several times a year was important to getting through a 10 hour day.

I grew up in a middle class family.  My parents paid for both my sisters' education.  They went away to school while I stayed home to decide what the heck to do with myself.  I paid for my own education.  Working in steel mills, restaurants and other odd jobs, I saved up during each summer.  It took my 7 years to make my mind up and graduate college.

(the first three paragraphs were written a week ago).  I'm just gonna wing the rest of it.  So, in as far as dedication goes, I really like to feel like I am immersed in something.  My father coached football.  I would help out the equipment managers, hold a dummy for someone to block, etc.  I would even be on the sidelines during the games wrangling the wire between the coache's headsets - obviously, pre-wireless.  I played football for 7 years.  I had been involved in football for at least 10 or so years.  I love the "locker room" feel.  An immersion of football.  I didn't always start the game but loved the bus trips, pep rallies, etc.

So - immersion - being a larger part of something . . . wading . . . in the stream and feeling the water flow, the water temperature, rocks in the shoes, hard stream bed, mushy stream bed . . . . wondering if you can wade across or through an area, etc.  I want to be a part of the outdoors.  I grew up living on the edge of the Lac Du Bois Provincial Park or "protected area".  I would step out the back door and there it would be.   had a fort, there were trails, I would take my air rifle, ride my bike . . .  My father and I went hunting and fishing there.

I feel better about the outing that I have when I feel immersed.  When I almost become placed in a trance - yet, aware of those things around me.  It's much more relaxing for me to wade than to take out the boat.  I almost don't care about landing big smallmouth bass and large fish.  I know something will be caught but I have to enjoy myself or it's just not worth going out and getting worked up about catching a lunker and becoming disappointed when it doesn't happen.