NUMENON |
PONDERING CORE ESSENCE
NUMENON |
On June 4, 2024, I became Maine's newest Registered Guide! Something of a daydream of mine for many years, this became my 2024 Winter's Quest when the long-term forecast in December looked bleak for ice-fishing prospects. Rather than frustrate myself with uncertain conditions, I decided to dedicate my efforts and time to capture some desired credentials and build a potentially interesting future. I enrolled in courses with the Maine Outdoor Learning Center (for Registered Maine Guide certification prep) and the Atlantic Captain's Academy (for required U.S. Coast Guard endorsement as a Six-Pack Captain/Operator of an Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV)). I enjoyed the course-work, have passed all the tests, and now am free-and-clear to charter clients for freshwater adventures in Maine! Meanwhile, my OUPV application is basically complete (one more simple box to check); when that is submitted and approved, I will return to Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to sit for Tidewater examinations. Then, I'll have accomplished my true goal of being a guide for stripers on Casco Bay. In the meantime, I will simply enjoy my time out there fishing! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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I recently enjoyed my third Spring as a Maine resident, and I was fortunately able to hit the trout harder, more consistently, and with expanded range and methods in 2024. In fact, I fished from coast to coast, as I was able to score a long weekend in Northern California with my oldest daughter, K. I shared the boat with other friends and family as schedules allowed, and I enjoyed many hours of serenity and wildness. The fish aren't as big as on the Great Lakes, but when paired with lighter tackle and considered within the frameworks of Simplicity and Quality of Experience, they are worthy quarry! I caught plenty and missed several that will have me thinking through next winter. I'll be pleased to try again in 2025! The stripers are approaching and amybaby22 will soon be moored in the salt; this part of my 2024 Fishing Calendar is coming to a close. Here's a simple summary and celebration of my 2024 Spring Trout Season... Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways What a three day stretch! I kind of miss Lake St. Clair! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways Such a lucky guy to have a daughter like K! (For so many reasons, beyond but including the particulars of this account). She'd arranged a trip for me to visit her in the San Francisco area and share some camping and fishing. After a long Maine Winter, I was more than ready to do so! After just a bit of back and forth, we settled on an itinerary that offered convenient and pleasant fun. We could relax and enjoy each other's company for a few days within an easy drive from her Bay-area home, with the prospect of catching some nice trout! And that we did! Lodging and fishing were available at Collins Lake, and Captains CK and W at FHS.com provided a stable and comfortable platform in our quest for some trout. It was a low-stress approach all the way around, and we appreciated it! Campfires, eagles, ospreys, blacktail deer, nice gear, clean beds, hot showers, ice cream and each other's company; all enhanced by plenty of trout reaching six pounds. It was a "hella" long weekend! Such a lucky guy to have shared not just this, but several decades of shared outdoor experiences with my kids. Somehow, I thought K was all grown up and ready to serve as First Mate aboard Mrs. Paul, my first vessel, 25 years ago. I wasn't quite right about that, but we still spent plenty of time on the water and we had more than our share of fun and success. We got safely home every time, too! It was an awesome gift to share these current moments, but especially so in the reflection of our previously shared experiences. Thanks, K! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways While I didn't publish a specific set of fishing goals for 2023, the season has ended and I can't help but reflect back on what was a fantastic fishing year. I could easily start and end my summary with a simple reference to capturing my largest-ever striper on July 6; but there were so many other good aspects to the season! For instance:
While I missed out on the perennial goals of catching a false albacore and landing a four-pound bass, I have to admit that I didn't even attempt to fulfill these. I was too busy chasing other dreams. I did fulfill the following typical goals:
These last five are less empirical, but certainly more meaningful. "New water" was a primary focus for the entire season. I greatly expanded my reach within Casco Bay and found many new, productive nooks and crannies. I am now pretty comfortable from Portland Head Light to the Bustins outside of Freeport. I also had some success on Square Pond, different parts of Sebago, and Narragansett Bay! I was perhaps light on new techniques, but the Minn Kota trolling motor added new dimensions to my fishing and presentations. I also captured a Personal Best Striper on the Fly in very shallow water on a shrimp pattern; this general experience, and this particular fish were highlights of the season! I also introduced the frantic "Bayman Bounce" to Broad Cove and turned some difficult fish into biters! Finally, I resurrected Great Lakes gear and techniques (long cores, copper lines and downriggers) to successfully contact Sebago's lakers. New buddies PP, CG and nephew J all joined me for pleasant sessions and stripers landed. I was also happy to host the next generation of striper stewards on both sides of my family. My travel within Maine was limited, but I found new water and lost memorable fish in both fresh and salt water across the lower part of the state. And, A and I enjoyed a non-fishing long weekend Down East and somehow landed at the Fryeburg Fair, too! My (fishing) travel outside the state was even more limited, but I was very pleased with my targeted day-trip to Narragansett Bay. I didn't find the big bait and fish I'd expected and hoped for, but fell back on small baits and estuaries to make the day and find my first stripers of the year. I'd even consider starting future seasons in Little Rhody, if only as a salute to my youth. Finally, if I award myself the extra point for NOT falling overboard (not once, all season!), I feel pretty comfortable rating this season at 9 out of 10 possible points. Overall improvement is still possible; just not especially likely! I am especially grateful for the support I've received from loved ones. Even if they cannot understand how important this is to me, they somehow still afford me the opportunity to fully participate in these pursuits. 2024 awaits; I have plans and ideas... Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways The Maritime skiff got pulled from her mooring on Columbus Day, and so that meant she could live in the garage and start fishing in fresh water for the remainder of Fall. My interest in larger trout, ease of access, driving range, and open fishing opportunities per fall regulation led me back to Lake Sebago. I enjoyed several increasingly productive trips in a row under a range of conditions varying from downright beautiful to equally as miserable. Quite often I had the State Park boating access site to myself, and I was usually miles from the nearest boat. I was seemingly always around bait and interesting structure, and I worked hard at honing my presentations to elicit more bites from the wild, resident lake trout, locally known as "togue". I mixed local intel and favored techniques with my history of trout fishing on Lake Michigan and Michigan's inland trout lakes. I resurrected a Big Jon downrigger that I had saved from Numenon and mounted it aboard amybaby22. I deployed long sections of lead core and copper wire to get my spoons down to depth, and found fairly consistent patterns of biters suspended at 45 feet and near bottom in about 75 feet of water. I'd heard that the local "bite goes white" in the fall, and I can't really argue against that point. I'd say "white glow" is even better! Equipped with excellent sonar/mapping, flexible rod holders, multiple rigged rods, the bow-mounted trolling motor, and now the downrigger, amybaby22 proved herself once again to be extremely fishy! My increased ability to troll down to speed (1.5 mph or even a bit less) kept my spoons in the zone and attractive. While none of the trout would have raised an eyebrow on Lake Michigan, I found some very decent local togue. Sebago has more of a reputation for numbers than size, but also pumps out the occasional outsized laker, so I might as well be there when it decides to eat! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways All good things come to an end, and I recently said farewell to Numenon. Two homes, two jobs, two boats, too much! The last few years of lack of use and outdoor storage have been tough on her, and with no real prospect of getting her back into shape, on the road and fishing the way I want her to fish, I simply donated her to a charitable cause. It was a quiet end to an important aspect of my life, but there should be good things to move on to when I am ready. Meanwhile, amybaby22 (perhaps the second best purchase of my life) is fishy, agile and doing it for 2023! I'd like to thank all the family, friends and acquaintances that joined me on adventures over the years. From familiar, small bass ponds to the wondrous, open expanses of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair, we had a lot of fun and shared some beautiful experiences. I grew as an angler, but more importantly, I think I grew as a companion, and Numenon was a common thread that held us together. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways The Maritime skiff had enjoyed a long winter of pampered self-improvement. Her bottom was painted and a Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor was installed on her bow. Even the trailer was in tip-top shape as I topped off the tire pressure and verified full lighting functionality. By Easter Sunday 2023, she was ready to go, as was I! The weather was clear and bright, and A chose to join me. We were joined on Mousam Lake by at least one bald eagle and a couple of pairs of loons. We had the lake mostly to ourselves, and I even convinced four trout to eat, landing a couple of pretty browns to about 15 inches. We were surprised by some ice remaining on the lake. Fortunately, the ice bridge confining us to the southernmost portion of the lake broke up with some late-morning wind and sunshine. The north end was still totally locked in, and so I didn't get to fish the water I had thought about all winter. We still ended up having plenty of water to explore. Water temperatures were just 38 - 40 degrees F, and so the bite was marginal. Still, it was a rewarding trip to start the season, and pretty much problem-free. There's a lot to look forward to, and based on the performance of the trolling motor (including Spot-Lock), I've got a lot to look forward to in 2023. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways On January 8, 2002, I offered my modest 2022 Goals and Daydreams. It's all about fishing and as such, inconsequential in the bigger scheme of things, but you can find them at (link) if of interest. At year's end, here's my assessment for my modest 2022 fishing endeavors. 1. 250 Stripers for the season. (1/2) I struggled with numbers for much of the season, but quality prevailed over quantity with over 30 "keepers" (between 28 and 35 inches) and a pair of over-slot fish measuring 36 inches. For me, that's a lot of nice fish! But once again, I missed out on catching a truly large striper. Perhaps I am too committed to daylight fishing, and perhaps the stock numbers really are down. Still, I am looking forward to 2023. I've been watching the same year-class of fish grow over the last few years, and next year they will be high-slot sized and bigger. These fish offer great sport on my favored light tackle. With some additional good fortune, there will be a recruitment of smaller fish to provide action and secure the future. At season's end, I'd landed 203 stripers, a bit short of my stated goal. But I am not going to complain; the abundance of "keepers" easily offset my somewhat arbitrary numeric goal. And, I barely fished on Cape Cod, where high landings and quick catch rates are common for me. Let's face it, I was just a couple of sessions of hot schoolie fishing away from landing 250, and I'll gladly forgo those fish in exchange for quality. I'll consider this goal to be one-half accomplished, and I'll carry this goal over to 2023. It's a realistic reach for me, and it frames a fun, year-long quest, whether I get there or not. 2. Catch my biggest ever striper (1/2) While I had no encounters with confirmed big fish (well, I did lose a couple of very strong fish to a lobster pot along Peaks Island, and there was that single gargantuan crash on a live pogy at Clapboard...), I landed plenty of very nice stripers, with two taping out at a confirmed 36 inches. I didn't achieve the explicitly stated goal, but I certainly exceeded my overall expectations for the season with consistent action from very nice fish. And these 36-inchers represented the largest stripers ever landed on amybaby22, so I made progress of a sort. What do I have to do if I really want to catch a big, local striper (let's say 40 inches or larger)? Do I need to simply Fish More, or do I need to Fish Different? Should I be casting plugs and Hogy's along the rocks? Should I rely more on live bunkers? Reports from friends and social media do indicate a lot of big fish locally; regardless of presentation, these were generally caught at night. I placed my faith in macks as bait, and I didn't explore too many other presentations as the clock ran out on my season. Perhaps next season I will deviate from this plan and Go Big in certain ways or under certain circumstances. And recall, I did land friend DV's mid-day June hog for him with a well-timed, firm lip grasp. I was taking a break from painting the porch while he was worm fishing from the float. It's the biggest striper I've ever touched! I'll say this; the tide was right, even if it was the middle of a bright day! Congrats, D! I'll consider this goal to be one-half accomplished, and of course I will carry it over to 2023. 3. Catch a false albacore! (0) For much of the season, the question was "Will I even try?" It's so difficult to leave Maine in the late summer and fall; it's such a seductive place. Still, I shared a Cape Cod Weekend with A, and that gave me portions of two September mornings for my 2022 shore-based Albie Effort. The first day was cursed with wind and sun and offered just a shot or two, but the second was gray and fishy. The bass and albies were active, but they sure were finicky. Despite their obvious presence, all my presentations were ignored (even by the bass). That happens, but with my limited attempts, this obliterated my entire Albie season. In the future, should I heed my own advice and Go Early? The first funny fish of the year are reportedly a bit more reckless when you find them. With a boat and less windy weather, given some time I could probably generate a few productive shots in late August or early September. Or, in a season such as this year, Go Late?!? Cape Cod fish were still biting into November 2022. Or, thinking outside the box, Go Elsewhere? The albies are brutes in the Carolinas in November, and these same Little Tunny are considered to be pesky bait fish in Florida... I could simply find another way to target these fast tunoids. Probably, the real cure for my fever would be to Go Often! I'll try to remember that, while also remembering to add the following to my repertoire with confidence; more Egg/fly (and/or Egg/bucktail?) and burning a 3-inch Al Gags Whip-it! The former appeals, while I witnessed the effectiveness of that latter when a single angler (out of a dozen or more anglers) caught all the albies for the Woods Hole pier for the day. I fell short here in 2022; no credit given. But I look forward to physically holding an Albie in 2023. 4. Catch a 4-pound "bass" (green, brown or sea-) (0) Did I EVEN TRY? NO! Trailer problems and my inability to pull the trigger on any solution kept Numenon off the water for the entire season. And I don't really know what I'll do next year. But someday, I'll have a stable casting platform under my feet, precisely controlled with an electric motor. Then, I will start bass fishing again! I fell embarrassingly short here; absolutely no credit earned. At least I have all the upside of future explorations in this arena to look forward to. 5. Catch a 20-inch trout! (1) I am simply going to declare my late April Mousam Lake Brown to be "Close enough!" I ran into decent numbers of trout during my Spring and late Fall efforts, just no bigger ones. These shoulder-of-the-season efforts enhanced my overall experience this year. This may be overly generous (I didn't measure this fish), but it was a nice enough fish and I am giving myself this one. 6. Successfully fish new water (1) With my "recent" relocation to Maine, just about every trip forces me to expand in this area. Certainly, I am confronted with this for every ice-fishing trip, but I especially enjoyed Little Sebago Lake and a beautiful pickerel. I also explored and revisited a variety of new trout ponds including Trickey, Megunticook, Mousam, Worthley, Crystal and Middle Range. These were variously generous, but all offered quality experiences and I caught enough trout. Meanwhile in the salt, I expanded my range in Casco Bay, adding Sturdivant and Basket Islands to my local Milk Runs. I explored and caught good numbers of fish seasonally in Broad Cove. I also worked hard while increasing my understanding and success by expanding my range in previously known areas such as College and Clapboard Islands. However, the clear find of season for me was the Hussey Sound shoreline of Peaks Island. Initially drawn here by some white water under otherwise tough conditions, I immediately found a productive eddy and some nice fish, and they were present every time I went back. I kept expanding my stretch of shoreline while learning the nuances of newfound, productive spots. It was all live bait fishing (mackerel), but there's certainly potential for lures or flies in the future. I look forward to sharing this productive and scenic stretch with others, even if it's with bait under floats. My week in Florida was all new-to-me water. Whether I can claim success here is debatable, but pretty much everything I tried worked to a certain extent and I enjoyed some good experiences and pleasant times. Details for this trip are available at (www.numenonfunfishing.com/numenonfunfishing/florida-2022-middle-keys), but note beforehand that I landed only small fish, and all the big ones got away. I think these successful explorations were the most satisfying aspect of the season, and I earned full credit towards this goal! 7. Successfully implement a new technique (1) New Hampshire cusk fishing with simple baited traps set for overnight soaks was a fun, new and satisfying experience, even if it's a super old technique. I also added the long wand to my arsenal from amybaby22 and caught some nice stripers to 28 inches on flies in clear, shallow water. And while using short sections of lead-core line with small spoons for trout isn't entirely new to me either, downsizing to super-light tackle is! All of these "new" approaches turned out to be productive in their own times. Perhaps the most significant "new" approach that I implemented was shoulder-hooking my macks and carefully tending a single, hand-held rod when swimming them. Last year I had fallen into the habit of running two lines from rod holders at once. In 2022, my conversion rate from strikes to landed stripers sky-rocketed! I had a lot fewer frustrating tangles, too. Florida fly-fishing brought a half dozen barracudas to hand, and a live-lined pinfish was inhaled by a probable shark. While I didn't incorporate anything "cutting-edge" new or glamorous, I am still claiming complete success in this category. 8. Somebody new in the boat (1) I put my daughter's friend, D, on his first fish ever, even if they were just mackerel. My good friend from graduate school, Dr. C, with whom I had not fished in 13 years or so, joined me for an extended weekend during the toughest stretch of the season and caught several very nice fish on a variety of presentations. To celebrate, we harvested one 32-inch striper and shared a meal. It was good, but I have to admit, I still prefer steak or chicken! But the treat of the year was sharing a few hours with my niece and her young twins. We saw seals, porpoises, and lots of mackerel! They did great, we all had a good time, and I was proud to share my little skiff with them. I hope they want to join me again in 2023, and beyond! Finally, I'll mention an afternoon session with K and her new husband, A. It was A's first fishing experience, and he got hooked quickly. His action was fast and furious behind a chum bag and he kept me in a steady supply of bait (pinfish and blue runners) while sorting through juvenile snappers and trying to land the elusive needlefish. This was a truly satisfying experience as I got to experience the simple joy of fishing through another set of eyes. I claim full, satisfying credit towards this goal! 9. Fishing Travel - Maine (1) Pretty much everywhere I go still represents travel, because everything local is still pretty new to me. Whether ice fishing or just poking around for trout on the shoulders of striper season, simply being out there looking for some fish applied to fulfillment of this goal. A and I stole a couple of days to day-visit some more distant destinations in the Moosehead and Rangeley Lakes regions. Both have plenty of potential for when I get Numenon's situation figured out. I wish I had more time! But meanwhile, I'll take a point for everything that I learned this year. 10. Fishing Travel - Elsewhere (1) A and I shared a long winter weekend in New Hampshire. Our destination, Newfound Lake, was not exactly new to us, but our cusk experience certainly was. It was a little bit like Christmas as I approached each hole after a long night's soak and wondered what I might find. Other destinations included Cape Cod for a weekend; Yosemite National Park, which was an absolutely awesome experience, albeit offering very tough fishing conditions; and the Florida Keys, from which I just returned. Wind and weather were the challenge there, but I still put together some good experiences, even if I did lose all the big fish I hooked. With licenses from five states, I'll have to admit that these travels gave me just enough of a taste of something different to scratch this itch. *** So, my Preliminary Total of 7/10 rates as a firm PASS for the season! Some points were obviously stronger than others, but this was a solid and satisfying effort with corresponding results. I've no real complaints for my 2022 fishing season. I have a lot to build from, and areas in which to look forward to improvement. That's a powerful combination of circumstances; one that is worth appreciation and celebration! Specific Thoughts from the Season Despite limitations on my time, I was on the water as much a feasible and I tried to make the most of it. The season did lack diversity of effort; with the exception of my week in Florida, I really only targeted trout and stripers. Whether it was the pressure of limited time and trying to squeeze the most out of it, or just the arrival of some overdue seasoning with age and finally getting a bit smarter, here are some worthwhile themes that emerged from 2022. Simplicity and Flexibility This is something I noticed long ago, even if it took me quite a while to fully appreciate; the most prolific fishermen I've been exposed to have a consistently simple approach to their craft. Pro Guides: they keep their systems simple! I thought it was because they were gearing towards their customers' abilities and familiarity, but it's actually about efficiencies and faith in what they know produces results. Guides I have fished with have consistently relied heavily on their local expertise while avoiding anything too complicated in their presentations:
This is certainly overly simplified, but it's a good start to just about any new situation. One has to key in on specifically important details, maintain boat control, and to know what to do with the gear and presentation. But with things simplified, a lack of distractions and a committed focus on a proven approach, full of confidence and with faith in one's experience... good things are likely to happen. But the counterbalance to simplicity is flexibility. If the current approach is not working, something has to change! With the clock ticking and available time the most valuable, non-renewable commodity, knowing when to change things up is the other key to consistent success. The change might be a small tweak, a grand reconstruction, or something in-between, but I think the combination of not losing time to simple waste while efficiently using productive windows when they open is a powerful approach. With Dr. C aboard, I couldn't help but think that our weekend's quest was just our current version of Optimal Foraging. We had to keep our intake of fish at or above the average rate afforded by the local environment. And if that was too low to keep us going, we had to change and/or move! Being in tune with the local environment allowed us to have established an expected catch rate; and when our results threatened to fall below expectations, it was time to make a change. Believe me, we did, several times over the weekend, and all ended well, despite the tough, mid-summer conditions. Plans vs. Planning How does one cultivate flexibility? I am thinking about some aspect of fishing all the time, whether it is reviewing my experiences and considering alternative approaches, preparing and fine-tuning equipment, or actively targeting a specific quarry/equipment/time/location. This all can be categorized as "Planning", and I always have a "Plan" in mind when I approach the water. That "Plan" is my best starting guide to success under the given circumstances. But per above, an important aspect of success is reacting to conditions and changing accordingly, and in a timely fashion, too! Having Planned, one has to be willing to scrap the current Plan. Rarely have I correctly anticipated the full path for the day. But having planned thoroughly, I've been able to scrap or tweak initial plans, recognize available options, make better decisions, and ultimately create better outings. Of course, these outings then inform my plans for future sessions. Executing Smart This is certainly related, because decisions should rely on the best use of available information. The better the info, and the better the utilization of that information, the better the likely outcome. A couple of changes I made this season that turned out to be "smart" were simply fishing one rod in hand (efficiently) vs. deploying two baits in holders and trying to maximize my offerings; and maximizing my bite:landing ratio by shoulder-hooking my live macks. While these were prompted by periodic scarcity of bait relative to other seasons, these changes certainly produced better overall results. But there are other, less tangible ways to be smart. By simply accepting each session for what it has to offer and not forcing my expectations (dreams?) onto the conditions, I've been able to relax, enjoy myself, and appreciate each day. Occasionally, I may specifically choose to force my desires onto the conditions. I may elect to restrict myself to fly fishing, or perhaps top-water or vertical jigging presentations when other options might be more productive. But it's my choice after all, and I guarantee you I am learning when I force these restrictions upon my time. I may be giving up a few fish, but I am enjoying the moment while also cultivating future flexibility. I was once deeply into the perfect execution of a planned technique for a specific target (jigging walleye, offshore steelhead, precision trolling, etc.) I would make it work or just about die trying to do so in the allotted timeframe! Now, you're more likely to find me enjoying what's in front of me with a simplified approach for the conditions at hand... and constantly reacting and changing. Has this come about because of my increased time on salt water? After all, the salt environment has a certain, frantic urgency, and the quarry a greater sense of forgiveness in less-than-perfect presentation. Or, has this change for the better simply come with experience? *** My weekly commute allows for more than ample time to consume podcasts. My tastes for these have grown from news, true crime and comedy, to now include discussions of fishing. Fishermen talking about fishing can be tough to listen to, in all honesty, but a couple have found their way into my rotation. These particularly include Rhode Island's Saltwater Edge and Cape Cod's On the Water. I've been developing my thoughts here for a long while, but am pleased to say that these interwoven themes are not only strong, but commonly shared! They seem to be re-iterated in some form in each conversation. They must be valuable! P.S. Do I get an extra point for having NOT fallen overboard all season? I've been told that's a mandatory goal for every season. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways (I started this entry quite a while ago and so the timing in some of the references is a bit off, but the ideas remain the same.) Right now, it's kind of difficult for me to foresee what things might be like next Tuesday. That's just the nature of these times. Looking further ahead than a few days and expecting any semblance of certainty seems insane. Still, I was recently trying to envision what life might be like in, say, ... four years. So much has changed in the last four years, and the rate of change seems to be increasing. How could I possibly anticipate aspects my life in 2026 with any accuracy? Well, to do so, I first had to look back four years. A timely reminder from Facebook prompted me to revisit the archives of my Original Blogging, above. From a fishing perspective, I was apparently on top of it four years ago, and enjoyed some of the most picturesque, varied and rewarding fishing that I can remember. Fortunately, I can look back and recreate my experiences with some accuracy because of this journaling. Feel free to check out the trip I was recalling at numenonthewater.blogspot.com/2017/09/ . The point I am trying to make is this; that particular weekend seems both incredibly remote and from several lifetimes ago, while also being just an instant ago. I can distinctly remember my Lake Bellaire quest, the giant bass silhouetted against the lilly and reed shoreline in its escaping jump, and the drag slipping from the reel as I tightened up on the Clam Lake muskie. Maybe 2026 will be here in a flash. Maybe it will seem eternally elusive. I don't know. Meanwhile, I recently made a professional life choice that solidifies (or at the very least, gels) my work expectations for this period. It wasn't necessarily the choice I wanted to make for my present self, but rather for my future with A. By early 2026, I should be able to choose to comfortably retire. That should free up some time for some more rewarding aspects of my life. Until then, I will give thanks for the benefits of my current position and recognize what they will enable for our future. A lot of fish can come over the gunwale in four years, even when I am stretched pretty thin. My current endeavors should help me appreciate each and every one, while helping me look forward to a future that I will be proud to share with A. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways |
Steve LachanceVia Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Michigan and now, back to New England! Archives
June 2024
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