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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Coming Clean
This is for Fishbuck.
Coming Clean
It won't be necessary to name names. You know who you are. We sure as hell know who you are; we know everything about you. Perhaps this is the
perfect time for somebody to speak up, tell the truth, even if it hurts.
We see the silent little shudders you make when you see beach sand all over the bottom of our boats. We feel the hair going up on your neck when you
spy some dried fish blood on the transom that somebody missed. You feel so superior when you notice that some of our rods, reels show some corrosion.
It's the same way at the house, the garage, when you look at our tools, our yard, trucks, and cars. That sort of "isn't that awful" look and posture
of disdain. You can't help it. You can't help being neat, fastidious any more than you can keep from breathing. Some of you may even think being
neat is a kind of "manly" thing. Most of us think it's a feminine trait; we see you as being sensitive and subjective, sometimes judgmental. Usually
you're quiet about your disrespect, your pity.
You hate us. Admit it, you think we're "slobs". You're thinking "that guy really doesn't care about his equipment/truck/fishing gear. Maybe he
doesn't even see the dirt, the rust. Maybe to him it's invisible. God, I couldn't live like that."
We are Hate Free. We exist to make you feel superior. And we DO know the difference, we see everything. We just don't go all to pieces about it.
We see it. That black/purple spot in the bed of my truck is some marlin blood from a big striper I caught two years ago. Oh, I could really get down,
pick at it, scrape it up but I haven't because when I see it I can almost relive the day. There's a little black thing that looks like part of a big
spring lodged in the hinge of the tailgate of the old Ford. It's not a piece of metal, it's part of a tentacle of the biggest damned squid I ever
caught; more than six feet long, probably 70 pounds; 1997 or 98 I think it was. These are not just spots, they're memory markers....wash them away
and you lose all the precious memories of the adventure.
While you're watching the DIY channel on TV, we're watching Offshore Saltwater Adventures. While we're kickin back, relaxing, you're on a tear. You
have somehow hooked your self-esteem up to just how clean and neat your things are, your life is. You hustle about keeping things shipshape still
carrying all that hate, disdain around with you.
All your spotless trucks (you washed the paint off them), your polished reels, gleaming lacquered rods, your shining boats and motors set us apart,
draw a deep line in the sand that you can feel good about. You can fail in business, be a failure as a parent, a husband, a neighbor, fail to find
the freedom and joy of retirement, BUT, as long as all your stuff shines you can feel good about yourself --- all because of us.
On the economic front, you spend more money on cleaning solvents, soap, wire brushes, etc. We hold up our end at a higher level, forced to buy new
things, the old ones fall into disuse because of deferred maintenance. In fact, we are more likely to have two of the same tools; neither one works
well because they are rusty -- you have only purchased one and it still shines -- there's a whole world of merchandising out there that we alone
created. We are undoubtedly the inspiration for all "two for one", "buy one, get one free", and "bonus" sales.
So there you have it. Our sanity is intact, our leisure hours are each, a full sixty minutes. Our knives are not quite as sharp as yours but can
cut bait and line. We'll thank you to remember that, if and when your frustrations overboil. You couldn't mount much of an organized military
campaign against us -- too busy putting everything in slots, neat little rows, codifying, color-coding, sealing, establishing re-order protocols.
As a piece of friendly advice, (long overdue, if you ask me), when you have everything you own sealed, tagged, filed and lined up; when you can't
find one more solitary thing that needs de-rusting, painting or polishing, when your anxiety is at its all-time peak, spill a little something on the
floor (some blood from a big old marlin, if you've got it).....then just leave it.
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bledito
Nomad
Posts: 420
Registered: 7-6-2013
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Once apon a time I kept things neat, in place, clean. as I aged it mattered less. the only thing is that now it takes a bit longer to find what I need
or I wind up buying anouther because I can't find it. It is always a surprise when it is found, an aha moment, there it is, a moment of joy. the neat
freak never experiances this moment what a shame.
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Martyman
Super Nomad
Posts: 1904
Registered: 9-10-2004
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I laughed more than once reading your great story. I'm a slob too and now that I know the neat freaks need me to be a slob...I'll continue.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18114
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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Dont you hate it when other people leave the sink/counter full of dirty dishes?
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cliffh
Nomad
Posts: 325
Registered: 1-23-2010
Location: buena vista, BCS
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I am voting for Osprey in Nov.
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dizzyspots
Senior Nomad
Posts: 603
Registered: 9-22-2008
Location: Mescal AZ
Member Is Offline
Mood: rather be on the beach at Gonzaga
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Thank you!
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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LOL------some of you may never know the rapture we feel by keeping things repaired and in good condition, ready to go. But like you, we are happy,
doing what we love to do. It takes all kinds to make the world of man go around. How boring if it was not so. 
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24baja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 951
Registered: 2-3-2009
Location: Grants Pass Oregon/Bahia de Los Angeles
Member Is Offline
Mood: Wishing we were in BOLA
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People look down their noses and act superior for many reasons, I think they are just unhappy and cant imagine why slobs like us are happy! Thanks
Osprey
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Lobsterman
Super Nomad
Posts: 1682
Registered: 10-7-2008
Member Is Offline
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Quote: Originally posted by bledito  | | Once apon a time I kept things neat, in place, clean. as I aged it mattered less. the only thing is that now it takes a bit longer to find what I need
or I wind up buying anouther because I can't find it. It is always a surprise when it is found, an aha moment, there it is, a moment of joy. the neat
freak never experiances this moment what a shame. |
This fits me to a tee except I was never a "neat freak". I can not ever remember cleaning a reel or rod except with WD-40 and always put them away
uncleaned or unwashed. Most just seem to work every time for my weekly ocean fishing adventures for the past 50 plus years. Some rods are missing
eyelets but who really needs 10 eyelets on a 6' pole anyway? Some rod tips are taped on or glued on with JB Weld. The fish do not care if your tackle
is in disrepair only the neat freak next to me does.
Also finding a treasure misplaced in my garage that has been missing for years is always a case for a good laugh. I either did not need it in the 1st
place or just bought another one usually on EBay. Now I have a backup until I misplace the one I'm not using. This scenario seems to repeat itself
over and over again. I just plan on leaving my collection of stuff to the kids when I move on in this world any way. Let them shine them up if they
care to.
Below is a sample of my collection of rods and reels, all this pile work just fine. I was also going to show you a large grocery bag of reels that
have a problem or two (mainly TLDs 10, 15 and 20s) I was going to take to Squidco to refurbish a few years ago but I can not seems to locate them in
the garage at the moment. I just take another reel off the good pile when one has a problem and add it to the grocery bag. Newells seem to be the most
error free due to my years of misuse and abuse behavior.
Thanks for sharing your view of the world that mirrors the views of many others like me.
 
[Edited on 10-29-2016 by Lobsterman]
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Sweetwater
Senior Nomad
Posts: 915
Registered: 11-26-2010
Member Is Offline
Mood: chilly today hot tomale
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Where is that confounded like button?
Everbody\'s preachin\' at me that we all wanna git to heaven, trouble is, nobody wants to die to git there.-BB King
Reality is what does not go away when you stop believing in it. -Philip K Dick
Nothing is worse than active ignorance. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832, German writer, artist and politician)
When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I\'ve never tried before. - Mae West
Experience is what keeps a man who makes the same mistake twice from admitting it the third time around.
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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That does it! I am going to clean up my bodega. I know, I know I have been saying that for several years but I really mean it this time! I'll get to
it as soon as I clean up my junk drawer.
When I do see an organized garage I get extremely jealous, make my vow to do it and you know the rest.....
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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BornFisher
Super Nomad
Posts: 2107
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
Member Is Offline
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Just found one of my missing phone chargers a few minutes ago. It was the one I took out of my car and forgot. Had to replace it in Ridgecrest. So now
I can account for 4 of them and only have one missing!!!
"When you catch a fish, you open the door of happiness."
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pauldavidmena
Super Nomad
Posts: 1712
Registered: 5-23-2013
Location: Centerville, MA, USA
Member Is Offline
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I'm pretty tidy and organized most of the time, but I've noticed that I have a high tolerance for dust. In fact, I'll let dust accumulate to the point
that I can no longer find the things that I've meticulously organized.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13195
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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I used to be a clean freak but those days are loooooooooooooong gone.
Been there, done that. I now let everything pile up and then one day as the spirit grabs me (or my mom comes to visit), I organize away for
days.....and love the look while it lasts!
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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Osprey, what gets me going is how everyone needs to know the latest details. I spend time in Baja to leave the 5th grade gossip behind, back in 5th
grade! It must be traceable to human nature. That feeling of superiority. I know I'm guilty when it comes to surf, but I digress.
Thanks for the reminder!
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Kgryfon
Senior Nomad
Posts: 624
Registered: 1-27-2009
Location: East Bay, CA
Member Is Offline
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Love this...
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3495
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
Member Is Offline
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Don't know anyone in either camp. Use to be neater than now and take longer getting around to things. Think people are in the middle.
Not one extreme or the other. I wouldn't want to know, much less be around, either attitudes described in this story. I'll die O/C and
obsess about fish gear and surfboards. Don't like it or got some judgment about it....... best to stear clear....
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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BajaDanD
Senior Nomad
Posts: 745
Registered: 8-30-2003
Member Is Offline
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Don't look in my work van or my garage
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
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My rule is, if people don't like what they see, they don't have to look twice.
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
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My mother was a neat freak. She kept the house spic and span. We never appreciated that but now that I've left I do. I don't think she ever judged us
(me and dad) or looked down upon us. I wish I had some of that gene in me and I've tried, but a mess doesn't bother me until it reaches a certain
level.
Generally, though, I don't get along with super fussy people. They're often compulsive obsessive and sometimes have allergies. Writers have centered
entire comedies around people with this personality type. The TV series 'Monk' has been a smash hit for years. And everyone loved Jack Lemmon as Felix
Unger. Actually, that's the extreme of the spectrum.
They used to call people like that 'anal'. It's supposed to be a trait of the German people. The Italians are supposed to be slovenly. That's why the
Germans held out for 5 years against the odds.
I'm straying ...
P.S. My mother lived to be 94 years old. At the end the arthritis was so bad that her fingers were like hooks and she walked stooped over. Yet when it
was time to go to the dining hall she put on her lipstick and her jewelry and a scarf around her neck and walked out with her cane. The caretakers
told me how impressed they were. People with this personality type are often very strong individuals IMO.
[Edited on 10-31-2016 by Skipjack Joe]
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