So, There I Am...

Show Notes:

57 – Pranks at Work and Other Fun Stuff

I love pranks and tend to do a lot of them on friends and family. One of my favorite targets is my friend “Wis”. I probably pick on him a little too much but it just shows how much I love him. He is a great guy and a good sport. In this episode I talk about some of the pranks I have pulled at work and with coworkers. I am fortunate that I work for a smaller company where such things are still sort of tolerated to a point. Many of the places I have worked in the past would have fired me and the staff for some of the pranks we have pulled so I am thankful I work in a place that still has a sense of humor. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

56 Find the Adventures Wherever You Go – Off the Beaten Path

From my personal experiences I believe that everyone likes things for different reasons. Just because someone we know had a good experience at a restaurant or business or adventure doesn't mean you will. You may have the exact same experience and not enjoy it because of your personal tastes and preferences. Does it mean that it is a bad thing or just bad for you. Sometimes we go on adventures that don’t turn out the way we want but you can still find joy and fun in the little things. This podcast talks about some tips and tricks I like to use when traveling and I urge you to do the same. Find the little mom and pop places, support the local business, and avoid the cliché experience for the one that leaves a lasting impression on you and those you are around!

Our Recommendation for fishing around Bradenton and Anna Marie Island:

https://www.onamissionfishing.com/ Capt. Taylor Cowieson

Our Recommendation for fossil hunting:

https://fossilhuntingtours.com/  with Fred Mazza

Place we finally were able to buy a 3 day fishing license: 

Academy Sports & Outdoors #363
7125 SR 64 E
BRADENTON, FL 34212
(941) 9419510

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

55 Being an Adventure Grandpa – Adventures with Kane

While I could not have any children, I have been blessed to have 5 amazing step-kids from 2 different marriages. In turn they have all gotten married and/or moved on in life. I currently have 5 grandchildren with one on the way. While I wish that they all lived close enough to spend more time with them, I do have 2 that live here in town with me. Kane is 4.5 years old and is my little partner in crime. We get into some trouble, but I love sharing things with him and teaching him about the world around us. We have a lot of fun adventures and I hope that he continues to have adventures throughout his life and with his own kids/grandkids someday. 

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

Mistakes are made; Changes happen. Some lose hope, others push forward a sense of purpose. Be the change and the hope you want to see in the world. Do not let things beyond your control change the person you want to become. Find the joys in life and be happy where you are with what you have. I am not saying to be content if you don’t want to be, but avoid the thought that your happiness is dependent on others, things, or when “blank” happens.

Here are some of the quotes from this podcast:

"We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope." - Martin Luther King Jr. (attributed) 

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning." - Albert Einstein 

"But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Norman Schwarzkopf was a Commander-in-Chief of the US Central Command during the Gulf War. He told a story about an early mentor of his, a general in the Army.

There was a decision in regard to the politics of the war that had to be made. The importance of this decision was 10 years of history going back and forth with the pentagon to decide which direction the Army would take. This decision would affect the structure of the Army and there was a meeting of some of the highest-ranking officials. In this meeting there were stacks of documents and technical explanations on the probable outcomes of the two directions the Army was choosing between. In the meeting the general stated, “The answer is obvious, gentlemen”

And he told them the way they would proceed.

Afterwards, Schwarzkopf was confused. He knew there was no way that this general could have read or understood all the information. 

Schwarzkopf, who was a lower ranking officer at this time asked his mentor, “There is so much information here, there’s so much to consider, no one’s really going to know for sure. How the hell could you just make that decision like that?”

The general replied, “This has been a decision that no one’s been willing to make for 10 years. The best minds have been on it and they can’t decide, so you know what? We need to pick one and do it. Decisions are power and I’m here to make them. That’s what I’m in this position for. That’s why I’m a leader.”

Schwarzkopf asked, “What if your wrong?”

The General replied, “If I’m wrong, we’ll find out quicker, and if I’m right the job will be done”

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Support the show

Show Notes:

I’ll never understand how the youth can have the same girlfriend or boyfriend for the entire time they are in school. I always used dating as a means to meet new people and learn what you like and dislike and to find a compatible person to marry. In today’s society, to go out on multiple dates each time with a different person, is not the norm. All the youth I interact with through the youth I teach in church to those I hire in the retail industry all think it is weird. They do however ask for dating ideas. This podcast gives you a couple. I think dating adventures and fun experiences should be normalized again. Meet more people and learn about yourself. Learn what excites you and find that perfect person to create your team and partner. This needs to continue when you are in a relationship or married. Remember it isn’t just for dating but to continue to do forever. 

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

52 New Year and New Fish to be Caught

Crazy how fast we age and life moves on. In this episode I discuss breaking down and buying a pair of reading glasses. Things change and so do all of us. I love spending time on the water and in the garden. I like working hard and spending time chasing new fish. Tying flies has always been something I enjoy. One of my favorite authors is John Gierach, his books are favorites of mine. If you have a minute listen or read a couple of them. 

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

51 Teaching Youth and Critical Thinking to Form Your Own Opinions

The youth are still amazing, and I look forward to seeing what they are able to accomplish. As a Gen Xer I was able to live during a time of no internet and mass information, through the transition and I continue to live in this new world where everything is at our fingertips. Many lament the life of the children of today while I am excited. In this podcast I share my feelings about screen time for the youth and what I feel we have lost as a society. Some of the hardest lessons I have learned in life have been in the out of doors. Learning and using the internet and all the media we have is wonderful, but it still doesn’t replace spending time with the youth and children outside. I have been blessed in my life to teach many people in outdoor situations. Some things just can’t be understood until you are in the moment. 

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

I started to see a trend the last couple weeks while guiding this summer. Sometimes People are so intent on forcing the experience to happen a certain way that when it doesn’t, they feel like they have failed. Bad casts catch fish, not paying attention to the fly losses fish, not rolling with punches steals the joy. Embrace the chaos and enjoy the day. And when someone tries to help you, let them. If you don’t then you are denying the person, the ability to be helpful. But if you want to do things on your own, that is fine. Just be prepared for the consequences 

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

It has been a great start to the summer fly fishing season. I absolutely love to fish the high mountain streams for trout. This podcast I talk about fly fishing and why the high mountains are some of my favorite places to fish and enjoy. 

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show

Show Notes:

Nancy and I just recently returned home from our 10th anniversary trip to North Carolina. We fished at some great places and had an amazing time visiting with friends and exploring a place we had not been to yet. 

We stayed in Maggie Valley near Asheville and had a wonderful time fly fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, some local waters, and the Cherokee Nation. We both caught our first Southern Appalachian brook trout. It was a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend going out and fishing around Asheville! 

The guys at the Rivers Edge Outfitters shop got us all set up to fish around Cherokee. 

https://www.wncfishing.com/ 

The team at Tuckaseegee Fly Shop (Tuck Fly Shop) were also outstanding and gave Nancy and I all the info we needed. Remember to always buy stuff when getting information at fly shops. I tend to get a dozen flies and some local fly shop stickers! 

https://www.tuckflyshop.com/

Feel free to reach out when you have questions about my gear or items. I will be honest with a good, bad, or ugly review. Again, my way isn’t the only way. Lots of companies make great gear. I use what I like to use. I change if I think something is better. I just want to have the best chance to succeed in the jobs and hobbies I love. Thank you for letting me be a part of your listening and watching.

If you are enjoying the stories and the podcast, I would really appreciate a 5 star review and please subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. 

I would love to connect with you all at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube! 

Thank you and go live your stories!

Original episode artwork created by Scott Simkins.

Music Courtesy  of Unicorn Heads and used with Permission:

Sunshine on Sand; Performed by Unicorn Heads

Support the show