Tuesday, August 23, 2022
The Devils to Pay
Talking about Pop Culture!!
Sad to say that I am reminded by my wife that I missed a lot of terrific music from the 1980's, and the 90's and 2000's. Oblivious to what my ears may or mayn't of heard and dismissed by me at the time as just background noise, I absorb such comments. Lately I have rediscovered a phenomena of pop culture, yes that trendy stuff that people talk about. So guilty as charged, from 1979 to 2022 1/2, I ignored my surroundings immersed in the day to day of work, fly fishing and other pursuits. Successfully avoiding the trendy stuff, carefully side stepping the gauche displays of Kim, Courtney and what's his name. Caring not for ridiculous tip tock videos and Instagram influencers. Suddenly I see barely talented and poorly aimed "experts" on YOUTUBE telling me that my fly tying is so wrong, my casting is poor and showing me the proper way of hiking, setting up a tent, paddling a canoe or handling my iPhone. Crazy?
So maybe I did miss a few interesting things in those forty +/- years and maybe I could be branded as a failure in the culture wars, but I did win a few battles. Contributing on the way to enriching a couple of miss guided folks that fell into my sphere of less than accurate influence. This business of living your own life is a full time job in itself. Nowhere is it written that it must be completely filled 24/7 with no time to reflect, recharge and reassess. It seems to me I like it when I live, work and play in streaks of five years or so focusing on a couple of things. Growing bored and tired, reassessing and moving on to something new or returning to something old. Sabbatical is the word I am looking for. Nice word!
Experts, that's another word I now find offensive. Wow, expert but when pressed, nothing of substance behind the title. I belong and not for long a group of experts, in a professional group. After close to 18 years of paying dues, collecting browny points and attending meetings, seminars and other gathers I have reached the end of my rope. Overtime I have been carefully and skillfully sent to the certification sidelines by the need of organizations to dilute the gene pool and increase membership and revenue. Yes, dumbing down of credentials back from prominence to entry level after 45 years of hard work, study and experience. Only to be pointed to a new updated credential, sort of like that carrot being dragged along trying to grab my wallet. Enough I say, be gone. I have worked for many billionaires and celebrates over my work years, safe to say not one of them reached in their pocket and actually point a dime in my pocket. Only after excruciating negotiations did I ever secure an order and once executed I entered in further pursuit of that elusive dime from whatever employer held it tightly in their pocket. Seems I worked twice as hard for that dime. A few dimes were never recovered, so be it. It was only a dime and maybe they needed it for their ego. Sort of like fetch the pebble from my hand stuff. No dude, its a worthless rock and the beach is full of them, not playing that game any more.
Enough I say. I will be back to post some entertaining commentary, fun videos of the non expert that I am soon. In the meantime, I will be spending some time with Finn and discussing with him the dangers of the 21st century and how not to become jaded by it. still working on that 2021 best flies video and gear review once I buy some new gear (could use that dime).
Tight line for now,
Art