Florida 2014 Participation! II

A continuation of my summary of our week in Marathon, Florida...

Wednesday "Altar Ego II" or "Adrift"

Unfortunately, the wind continued and intensified.  Some white water was washing over my aptly-named shoal area, but there was a fair amount of action making bait.   When I landed a nice bonnethead shark of about 3 feet, which provided a single run followed by a dogged, if unspectacular fight, I thought maybe my luck had turned for the better.   But as I completed my photo session with her, I noticed the angle of the boat had changed relative to the seas; and then I realized I was adrift.  At first I thought the anchor had simply lost its hold, but in fact I had lost the anchor. I was unable to determine whether the splice had untied or if the line had sawn through on rough bottom, but it was simply too rough to stay; and while Father J had not shown himself on time to make bait, I got the call that he was interested in going fishing again. And, on the way in I was fortunate enough to see the only manatee of the trip within a few hundred feet of our house.

My first ever Bonnethead Shark ate a free-lined live ballyhoo in the morning.

Shortly thereafter I returned to the Atlantic side with Father J and Mom for some high speed (to me) trolling. I explained that we were "Going Big" and that we might get skunked; but that we had a legitimate shot at some mackerel; and if we found some Kings, they could get up to 60 pounds.  It was too rough to go outside Hawk's Channel, but by concentrating on the edges we pretty quickly went 2 for 2 on nice Spanish Macks.   It's pretty cool when the rod goes at 5 mph; the macks would provide  a screaming run before coming to the boat pretty compliantly.  Each hit a Rapala X-Rap 15 bonito  trolled on my Shimano Cardiff with 50-pound braid on a planer board rod along the 30-foot edge.  After an hour or more of "nothing" else happening, we tried drifting and power trolling live ballyhoo around edges and shoals, but (surprisingly) to no avail.

Father J tightens up on our first trolling fish...

...a Hawk's Channel Spanish Mackerel.  Another first!

This Spanish hit a Rapala X-Rap 15 trolled at about 5 mph.

More choppers!

Seas continued to build, and so we returned to get a new anchor and totally reset for the next day.  I knew it was simply too rough for me to fish on the Atlantic side alone. I needed to formulate a game plan on the Gulf side, and I knew I had to get away from the bridge.

I saw a pod of dolphins working a school of mullet in Boot Key Harbor on my way to get $100 of gas. That was pretty cool.  And upon my return, we all enjoyed a very nice family dinner at a fine local restaurant.


Thursday  "Sweet 16" or "Marathon Marathon"

Red 16 Marker

I had chosen Marathon as a destination in part because of the diverse fisheries and the opportunities it afforded to fish safely/comfortably in most conditions.  At this point of the trip, I'd rather have been building on experience than seeking new venues; but with the continued wind, I knew I shouldn't continue to fight it, but rather embrace the bay-side opportunities.  Although I'm more interested in, and comfortable with, the Atlantic side, even I realize I can only beat myself up so much. Plus, I had to admit  real safety concerns about being alone in considerable seas.  Fortunately, this day pretty much validated my choice of Marathon.  I picked my way offshore to marker "Red 16" spot by spot.  Despite the wind, seas were only a foot or so, and quite manageable.   I first tried trolling shallow cranks to locate some Spanish,  but it was quickly obvious that there was simply too much grass to continue doing this.  There was virtually nobody else out here except crabbers and dive boats going offshore; maybe it had been a waste of gas to come out here.  But when I anchored up near the current-washed marker and started chumming, I was greeted with almost immediate action.  At first it was pin-fish, leatherjacks and tiny yellowtails, but soon there were mangroves to be caught, small sharks in and around the chum bag,  and visible mackerel activity.  Other visitors included sharksucker remoras and hardheaded catfish.  I was clearly building a visible food chain with great potential for surprises.  With visible sharks, I swam a live pin-fish behind the boat for a couple of hours while I free-lined shrimp or ballyhoo chunks back to snappers and Spanish.  Surprised not to have any action on the livey, I cut the pin-fish in half and trimmed her spikey fins; and quickly found out that a 1/2 pin-fish is better than a whole.   Within a couple of minutes my bait rod bent over and the drag started screaming.  Several surface commotions and long runs interspersed with determined bottom hugging finally brought an approximate 4-foot Caribbean Reef Shark (I believe) to the boat's side.  I was super pleased with the performance of my SaltStriker/Penn  SSV 4500 spinning combo in handling/whuppin' this fish.  And I was even more pleased when a succession of smaller sharks and big Spanish continued to eat pin-fish heads, all while I continued to pound mangroves, yellowtails and Spanish on the shrimp/ballyhoo rods, too.

4-footer subdued; plus, I got the hook out, too!

Selfie with a 3-footer.

Another shark falls to the old half-pin-fish ploy.

Unbelievably strong jaws on these mangroves!

A perfectly- (if only through luck) hooked Spanish Mackerel.

After about 5 hours at anchor in the same spot, I was out of chum and almost out of bait.  I had a confident take on the last pin-fish head as I was cleaning up the boat and storing gear, and I was shocked when I led an approximate 8-foot (what had to have been a bull) shark to within leadering distance of the boat.  When this fish sensed the boat, it took off like crazy!  There was no way to stop it with 40-pound braid, and so when it appeared as though I was about to get totally spooled (with the fish having barely slowed, if at all), I locked down the drag and broke her off.  I saved all my line and I was further pleased to see that the leader had parted at the fluoro/wire connection; everything else had held against the biggest fish I'd ever "caught."

It was, in retrospect, one of the best fishing sessions I've ever enjoyed.  I'd have limited out on mangroves and Spanish (had I chosen to do so), I'd found the spot myself, made some proper decisions, had recorded several Firsts and Bests, and technically, I'd caught my largest fish ever.  Biggest aside, I'd have to say that my favorites were the Spanish on light tackle, free-lining fresh shrimp mixed with chunked ballyhoo.  Their cut-offs were a bit irksome, but simply part of the game.   (The cut-offs were somewhat minimized by bumping up to 20 and 25-pound fluorocarbon leaders.)  Given the amount of action, I was willing to tolerate these interruptions.  I also enjoyed noting, and taking advantage off, the fact that the better fish were biting further back in the slick.   Finally, I'd like to note that my Loomis steelhead spinner rod paired with my Abu Revo 40 Inshore spinning reel and 12-pound Trilene XL made a light, powerful, effective stick that was a joy to fish with.   My Shimano/Pfleuger President combo (so awesome for drop-shotting) was just a little too slow and soft; still fun, but a bit less effective.

I kept a couple of Spanish Mackerel for potential shark bait.

Of course, I chose to push things by continuing on the Atlantic side with some more  trolling cranks in 5-plus seas.   I may have had one momentary hit, but it could have been a crab pot.  As the afternoon wore on, I realized I was alone, in green water with no real offshore prospects.   But trolling with the wind was pretty pleasant,  and I was "doing it."  And, you just never know...


Friday "What Have You Done for me Lately?"

With one last day of fishing, I tried to repeat Thursday's success on Friday morning with A and M.   Conditions were very similar, but the day offered only a fraction of the success and excitement of the previous day.  And yet the girls didn't know that, and they were totally happy with the fish we encountered.  Wrasse? Mangrove? Pin-fish?  Yellowtail?  It didn't much matter, and while they enjoyed success with these smaller fish, we got sharked, 'cuda'd and macked enough to keep it exciting for all.  We had trouble staying on spot and in our slick (my bad; I need to pay more attention to specific anchoring details, especially when it's not my equipment!) and so the great fishing just never really materialized.   While I was mildly disappointed (I'd love to share an awesome fishing day!), they liked it, we stayed comfortable, and we didn't push it.

M caught this legal mangrove all by herself!

Mangrove action was divided about equally between shrimp and ballyhoo chunks.

M really wanted a shark, but we fell just a bit short several times, this day.

(Important Note to self; why do I have the least patience with those I love most?) 

After a nice ride back in, it was time for another $120 in gas; and to clean up/return AmyBaby 22.  I couldn't help but notice that the wind was now clearly fading; that my body was a wreck between lack of sleep, pin-cushion hands, 1000 cuts and bruises; that I was sun-drained, dehydrated and truly malodorous; and that I knew I needed a fuel efficient center console with a T-top in my future.  I also knew I'd had a heck of a week, even without the pelagics that had originally drawn my attention.  This was all more than good enough for me.

Florida 2014 Participation! I

I'd have to say that our week in Marathon, Florida (February 16 to 22, 2014) treated us pretty darn well.



Sunday  "Bearings Straight"

After a full but relatively smooth day of traveling on Saturday, Sunday was about getting my local bearings straight.  My first order of business was to pick up our rental boat, the AmyBaby22.  She was ready and waiting for me at 8 AM, and after a quick and pleasant exchange with the guys at Vacation Boat Rentals LLC (http://www.vacationboatrentals.com) , I was using the color Garmin GPS mapping system to navigate my way "home" through the maze of canals to my dock.  There was some life in the main canal system, lots of mangroves and birds.  It looked to provide a sanctuary from the wind (should I need it) with the possibilities for snook, reds or jacks.  It also provided access to the Atlantic or Gulf-side water!  M was waiting for me at the dock, and I had all the equipment necessary for secure docking.  With her safely docked, I could now turn my attention to fishing preparations!

The AmyBaby22

Next up was bait, chum and ice; the folks at Marathon Bait and Tackle would get to see me quite a bit for the next six days.  I noticed lots of "captain" activity here, and this shop had excellent bait and everything you need for local fishing; and probably nothing you wouldn't need eventually.  I kept it simple at first with live shrimp, frozen chum and Yellowtail Candy jigs for free-lining.  I then returned home to rig some rods, tie some knots, down some lunch and watch the girls having fun in our pool.

I was ready for school with Captain Kevin Johnsen (FloridaKeysReelAdventures.com)  when he arrived at 1PM; we started with a quick review of my expectations and desires for the afternoon and for the week.  I wanted safe fun; and I was more interested in fun fish than food fish.  Today's session was simply about learning the local ropes and getting me on course for the rest of the week; and to give me an idea of what was realistic and what was not.

Captain Kevin, in all honesty, provided a kinda goofy fishing report. Winds for the most part recently had been strong and northerly.  The Atlantic water was super clear, and we were coming off the full moon. Tons of reef bait and lots of loose bay grass meant that the best fishing was generally close in (bridges and patch reefs), or way out in bay.  Hawks Channel Macks (Spanish, Cero and Kings) should be solid, and whatever, wherever, might want to eat a shrimp or live-lined fresh bait.   In general, there was not much offshore within reach of a 22-footer with heavy seas and too much bay grass on the surface.

We reviewed the best available/reachable patterns for this time.  My rental map (which corresponded to the Garmin GPS very well) was pretty good for my likely radius, but I reportedly need to get a Hot SPots map for the middle keys.  Here's what rose to the top of the list over a half hour of map review and discussion.

• Deeper Channels and Cuts for Mangrove Snapper; pretty much a sure thing; provides good eats and a good option for windy conditions.
• Old 7 Mile Bridge pilings when over 8 feet deep and swept with moving water.
• Bay-side Mangroves and Spanish Mackerel, either way out, or near obvious bridge flows.
• Live ballyhoo on reef edges, either free-lined or power-drifted.
• Delta Shoals Grouper and macks; speed trolling with chartreuse cranks.
• Clark Squid-spoon trolling at 5 mph.
• Dropping baits or speed spoons on deep wrecks.
• Power Drifting Live baits from outrigger on surface, or weighted.
• Sharks, especially in the shallows.

He reviewed my tackle and chose to bring only my heaviest spinner and my bait rod! My other stuff was fine, but perhaps just a little light for his taste.  His rods of choice were 7-foot fast action (up to 20-30 pound) spinners with about 12 lb. line and a fluorocarbon leader.  Of course, wire was necessary when toothy critters were around.  He's currently using Shimano Saros 5000 reels.  These combos were perhaps a bit much for the typical snapper, but would be ready for the grouper, mutton, shark, jack or other surprise opportunities. The bottom line seems to be; "He with most line and chum wins!"

He was reportedly pretty impressed with the boat, especially for a rental. He had some bad stories about some local rental agencies.   He noted that the Garmin GPS provided matched well with known locations and observations; AmyBaby22 was a good choice for the week.  While I was getting a feel for the boat (this was my first time with her outside the channels), he shared some local spots and options.  Color changes, light sand rings around rocky outcrops, edges and moving water; these would combine to provide the constant parade of options within reach for the week.

Based on my food chain interests and concerns about making bait, we decided to catch some ballyhoo at the East Washerwoman Shoal marker.  Seas were were about 1 foot and very fishable.  Ballyhoo and small yellowtails appeared almost instantly upon anchoring after a quick power chum.

Making bait proved to be easy and fun (as well as reportedly reliable) with ultralight spinning gear and tiny jigs tipped with bits of shrimp, and so with a live-well full of ballyhoo, it was time to Go Big!   We went wreck fishing both east and west of the Sombrero Reef marker with ballyhoo, but other than a pair of disinterested cobias spotted, there was very little current or life observed. We were constantly watching for bait, birds and current, as well as observing what others were doing.   Despite the lack of fish activity, it was awesome to be out in deep, purple-blue water, in charge of my own boat!  Our general tactic (which proved useful throughout the week) was to give a spot a shot and some time,  and then either leave it for greener pastures, or choose to build on it.

With about an hour of fishable light left, we tried to get some fish in the boat by anchoring and chumming in about 24 to 30 feet of water on the edge of Hawks Channel. Some yellowtail showed up immediately, and we noted some moving birds and ballyhoo showers.  Things seemed a bit fishier here.  After a quick run and cutoff, I did land a nice 6.5 pound Cero Mackerel (my first; it came on an awesome surface strike and showed some speed, for sure) some yellowtails, and a stubborn Atlantic Sharpnose Shark. This guy put up a surprisingly nice fight!

My first game fish of the trip was my first ever Cero Mackerel.  It provided an awesome surface strike and a couple of nice runs.

Check out those teeth!  My first biter had cut through wire!

This Atlantic Sharpnose Shark ate a live ballyhoo and fought very well.

My circle hook did its job and all my knots held!

With light running out for a safe passage home, our fishing time was over, but I was ready for the morning with food-chain action on my mind! My investment with Captain Kevin was money well spent. I should also add that he was prompt, clean, pleasant, and provided a good effort to ensure my success.



Monday   "On My Own"

Monday morning was a bit windier but provided beautiful initial conditions. I set up by the East Washerwoman Shoal marker for bait and was quickly assaulted by leatherjacks and small yellowtails. Ballyhoo were visibly present but generally tough to land, and mackerel were periodically attacking the baits in and around the chum slick.  Some of these assaults were incredible skyrockets from above, and most of my live 'hoo didn't last long before being halved.

This happened way too often!

I was encouraged that local charters were also here to make bait. Today exemplified the need for a cast net!  One would have made quick work of making bait, but I was happy with pecking away at it.  I was barely able to keep a few baits in the well, as they were being used up about as fast as I was catching them.  A couple of the assaults were particularly impressive, with one king (?; or perhaps a barracuda?) soaring across over 30 feet, landing right on top of my bait.  But despite several pops and runs, no game fish were landed. Either my 'hoos were halved right behind the hook, or the entire leader engulfed.  My knots, when tested, were holding though!

When the visible mackerel action slowed, I picked up and moved out to the shoals ("Delta Shoals") east of the Sombrero Reef Marker. Conditions were getting windier and rougher, but I anchored on the south edge of Hawk's Channel and immediately chummed up ballyhoo and yellowtail; and I saw triggers, blue doctors, and such. Again there was lots of showering 'hoo and mackerel action, but none hooked for long or landed. Still, I had some screaming runs, and I'll need to return to this! This area seemed to have a lot of life; but, it was getting rougher by the minute,  and I was a bit nervous about anchoring alone. Plus, it was getting to be time to go get the family and share some of this.

(At this point the wind was swinging around to ESE, where it pretty much stayed for the rest of the week, at a solid 15 - 20 knots.  My best weather resource turned out to be the Sombrero Reef Weather Station in combination with local observation.  Check out 
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=smkf1)

Due to the wind, we decided to try the Seven Mile Bridge area. We circumnavigated Boot Key to complete my local reconnaissance. We anchored up near an old bridge piling in lots of current, but couldn't get much going; just a leatherjack came aboard.   I think we glimpsed a sea turtle here, but it was a fleeting glimpse, if that.  We tried a couple of other spots nearby, but problems with aggressive birds (including a frigate, a hungry pelican, and a fouled seagull)  forced us off the water.  A day and a half of fishing;  $111 in gas; but it was now time to go home, clean up, and welcome my Mom and her friend, Father J, to dinner and a couple of days stay.

This is M's idea of fishing!

A perfect bait.

Yellowtail Candy with live, pinched shrimp.

Beware the Leatherjack!  Check out those ventral spines; others located dorsally, too.

Steve's free-lining form.

M's free-lining form.

Steve's post-free-lining form.

Upon my return, I had my first opportunity to complete a good deed for the week; I found Captain Kevin's hand-held GPS in my console box.  I called him and he picked it up later that afternoon; his secret spots were safe with me.



Tuesday "Altar Ego" or "Fishing with Mom"

Another beautiful start to the day, but still with wind.

I started my day at my bait spot again, and found it to be it rougher than I'd like, but with plentiful ballyhoo. After some more mackerel action and cut offs (although the general activity level was less than the previous day's), I got the call that Mom and Father J were ready to go fishing, so I came in to pick them up with about a dozen ballyhoo in the well.  First though, A. found his "lost" wallet, and I found his misplaced dough (which was more than I'd ever found before!)  I was rightly concerned that this might have pretty much used up all of his good luck for the day. It still looked to be pretty rough, and so we took the inshore route to the Seven Mile Bridge and again anchored up in some pretty heavy current.  Fish showed up in the slick almost immediately, and they were pretty good at stealing bait.  When we finally hooked one, it turned out to be a Bermuda Chub.  I was pretty impressed with this fish's pulling power.  I'd fish for them, they pull hard. But we chose to move to a second spot, looking for some drag pullers or eaters.  There was nothing but a small snapper there, and the third spot (the edge of a shoal; I was now searching for sharks) yielded nothing.   I wasn't really "feeling the love" at the bridge.   While most folks seemed to concentrate their efforts here, it just didn't excite me like the Atlantic side.  Dinner with my niece and her husband (whom I'd never yet met) called; I had a date with my Cheeseburger in Paradise.

I could tell Father J wanted to catch a real fish and so I mentioned making bait early the next morning, with a shot at speedy mackerel.

Father J; no deep sea fishing today; instead, we tried near the bridge.

Do I sense another nick name?  Or is that just Mom's Bermuda Chub?

Restaurant harbor at sunset.

Resident tarpon in the lights.

Samuel, Kronk and Southern Richard

As a father, of course I want to impart wisdom to my daughters.  And of course, my daughters are not always likely to listen to me.  Somewhere along the line, I chose to share my thoughts and experiences with my youngest through the voice and character of “Samuel”, who is my embodiment of a wise, old, man.*   Somehow, Samuel could say some things that I couldn’t; and somehow, she could be captivated by Samuel in a way that I couldn’t quite reach.  Our conversations were fun; usually goofy and occasionally of importance; but memorable; and I think I was occasionally getting through to her, in a relaxed and accepted manner.

Several years ago my girls were away at summer camp.  I missed them.  (They’re simply fun to have around, especially in the summer!)  I had the opportunity to communicate with them only through a communal email address.  Whatever I wrote would be seen by many.  The anonymity of another voice was attractive, plus, they probably didn’t need to hear from me or my mundane days.  But another voice from the outside might be welcomed.  All of a sudden Samuel was sending emails.  And so did “Kronk”** and “Southern Richard”.***  A few others have subsequently appeared on these pages.

Each has had something to say, and it has been oddly easier to share thoughts through their voices. This ease may have been aided by the back-pain-reduction narcotics I was on at the time of Samuel’s first appearance, but I’ll still claim responsibility/credit for anything they have shared.  At the very least, The Positive Inquirer within me will recognize the calming effect of simply writing and capturing my thoughts.  I’ve became an active post-card correspondent.  My daughters encouraged me to start this blog.  I feel more connected to those I love; and I have greater appreciation for my daily efforts.

Who’d have thunk any of this?

*Samuel is derived from Old Sam.   Old Sam is actually a fictitious, wily old carp in fictitious Lake Mayberry.  So there is a fishing connection to all this; but that’s a totally different story.

**Kronk is from Disney’s “Emperor’s New Groove”, but also encompasses other characters having been portrayed by Kronk’s voice, Patrick Warburton.

***Southern Richard is simply my amalgam for The Indecisive.

Survivin’, Thrivin’, or Jivin’?

I’m often asking myself, and wondering about others, “Are you Survivin’, Thrivin’, or Jivin’?”  Are you simply getting through the day, or maybe progressing towards a desired goal/contributing to society, or are you struggling to keep your head above water, but bull-sh**ing about your real status?

I’m probably doing all three at once, 24/7.  Well, maybe not jivin’ while I’m sleeping, because when are we more honest than when we’re asleep?  But which of these conditions rises to the top at any given moment?  And where is this leading?

Let’s start with Survivin’.  It’s the necessary foundation for the possibility of anything better and more fulfilling for oneself, but who wants to live in the basement?  We all want to move on up!  Perhaps my first philosophical insight was my recognition and acceptance of (perhaps my own version of) Maslow’s Hierarch of Needs.  First things first, take care of one’s need to survive.  Eat, sleep, reproduce; hopefully in a context of some comfort and safety.  Then consider interacting with, and caring about, others.  Fun and Love aren’t really possible until basic survival has been addressed to a fairly compassionate level.

What percent of a given day/week/year/life is spent on simple survival issues?  Probably 100% if you’re a cave man, orphan, refugee or hostage; but in this day and age, I’d like to think that we should all aspire to, and have opportunity for, a condition beyond simple survival.

I think those (positive) conditions encompass what I mean when I mention Thrivin’.  Thrivin’ is probably a totally individualized concept, different for each of us at any given time, but basically,  What do you want to accomplish?  What do you enjoy?  What do you want?  What keeps you going?  These pursuits provide individual meaning and purpose while providing collective benefits.  Keep your eyes on the prize, and practice Relentless Positive Action. 

But what percent of a given day/week/year/life is available to nurture thrivin’?   I’m an extremely fortunate individual; my value here is pretty high.  Some readers might be thinking, “Too high; distract this guy with some time-consuming problems!”  Can we simply recognize that this is the Good Part of Life; but that it’s only possible to sustain^ when our survivin’ has already been taken care of?  And that we have to be honest with ourselves here, and not dismiss any costs of our selfish pursuits?

Because Jivin’ is simply being dishonest, whether it’s with oneself or publicly.  The source of this dishonesty is either blind pursuit of our desires, or simple pride.  Either can get in the way of a true assessment of our condition, or take away from our Thrivin’.  Jivin’ encompasses all the negative conditions that can threaten our ability to thrive.

Be honest with yourself (if you can*); what percent of a given day/week/year/life has been wasted on jivin’?

So, am I Survivin’, Thrivin’, or Jivin’?  It depends on when the question is asked, but if I’m awake, I’m undoubtedly doing all three.  I do promise to try to Minimize the Jive and Maximize the Thrive.  I’ll keep Jackie Darwin’s Thrivin’ of the Survivin’est and Jackie Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in mind.  I wish the same for you, too.

^And here’s the rub.  If it’s not sustainable, it’s probably not good in the long run.  Or, it’s at somebody else’s cost.

*Because I probably can’t.  I suspect we are all partially blind to our subtle dishonesties.  But that’s probably part of our genetic code; not getting bogged down in considering the consequences of all our actions is likely a key to our survival.  And that’s where it all starts.

Rappin’ and Leadership*

One of the things I do best at my primary work is seasonal, educational outreach for the efficient implementation of a specific data collection program.  This program has been an integral part of my “career”, and I know I can unabashedly and indisputably claim to be “The World’s Foremost Provider” for this particular endeavor.

This outreach effort requires a bit of concentrated state-wide travel, and as I recently prepared to embark on my first trip of this season, I grabbed some music CDs for the truck.   Early into the trip, I was reminded about (awakened to?) the power and genius of (insert the hip/hop rap star of your choice; but I’m referencing a particular artist.)

I’ve never been a huge fan, and I suspect that we are different types of guys, from two worlds apart.  At the very least, I’ve had a strong Father Figure in my life, and I’m sure I’ve had other advantages (if only stability!) along the way.  I’m not angry, nor do I have reason to be.  But the guy is a Gifted Wordsmith; and he has been (and might be, again) at the pinnacle of his craft.  Who am I to discredit that gift through dismissive contempt, simple unawareness or naked oblivion?  He’s truly got a rare and unique talent.  No doubt.  He has been a good companion for most of my work-related travels, and he laid down the beat for my personal, silent sound-track which has been playing on “loop mode” for most of my recent conscious hours.

About 30 years ago, at a sort of leadership training symposium for a position I held in college, I was introduced to, but chose to quickly dismiss, rap as legitimate art.  This introduction was from perhaps “The World’s Foremost Student and Legitimate Professor of Rap” at the time.   To add salt to my wounds, I’ll also admit to dismissing aerobics as actual, worthwhile exercise on the same day.  After all, where were the horns, melodies, weights and bulky muscles?

Well, time has shown that I was simply wrong on both counts. 

I don’t mind being wrong (after all, I’ve enjoyed plenty of music and exercise, mostly without rap and aerobics in the last thirty years), but I now know I should not necessarily be quite so quick to form an opinion, close the door, or feel comfortably smug about my presumed correctness.

So; “Cheers!” to Champions of Diversity and to other Voices, Crying out in the Wilderness!  At the very least, these folks make things interesting; and to their credit, they can be a source of new ideas, tools and perspectives, any of which one might choose to adopt for one’s comfort, effectiveness, sanity or betterment.  And one never knows, who might be That Voice for oneself?

*Please keep in mind that this entry could easily have to do with the use of Rattlin’ Raps for impressive catches of pre-spawn smallies; but that’s another story.