Archive for October, 2005
Posted by derrick on
October 31, 2005
Don’t let us get sick
Don’t let us get old
Don’t let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight - zevonThe world is a serious place. An elderly woman was murdered by the hurricane victims she was trying to help. Six more young men were killed in Iraq. Children are staving in nations with names we recognize and in places we try to forget. A young girl had her head hacked off in Indonesia while on her way to school. Homelessness reaches into every corner of America. People all over the country are holding “feeds” to raise money for their loved ones cancer treatments. The brutality of selling “potluck” dinners to try save your father or mother is just too terrible to contemplate. I often feel that darkness soaking in from every wall. I’m one who often falters under the weight of it all. We have to be schizophrenic to survive. I found in the water a place to escape, if only for moments at a time. We’re lucky that we can enjoy what ultimately is a frivolous endeavor. A recent post about my certification warned, “don’t let it go to your head.”. Me? Somedays, I’m just wondering why I get out of bed.
Posted by derrick on
October 30, 2005
And we’re glad glad glad that you’re aliveAnd we’re glad glad glad that you’ll arriveAnd we’re glad glad glad glad glad glad gladAnd we’re glad glad glad that you’re a glide - phish
Time for a technique post again. It’s been a bit since I’ve given you some actually useful information. Luckily after the recent symposium I have all sorts of information I can steal from really good kayakers. In many ways kayak instructors are just like poets. Poets as you know, are thieves.
Posted by derrick on
October 29, 2005
Well, it’s Saturday and I think I’m starting to come back to life. I have a new photo gallery up now from the symposium. The layout is a little different so I could get the pictures a bit bigger. You can click that little “enlarge” tab on the window to fill the screen now. Neeto!
http://www.kayakwisconsin.net/kayaking-pictures.html
So, my favorite British phrase at the moment is “Nappy Cream”, which I’ve needed by the gallon to sooth the blistering rash I got from my hydro skins. By day two I was raw. Day 3 I had blisters. I didn’t mention that below, but during my Assessment my under arms were raw meat and it burned like hell to paddle. Thank God for adrenaline and fear. Even covering the raw skin did not help much. Now I have to pay for it. . more nappy cream please! Preferably Burt’s Bee’s Baby Bee!
Posted by derrick on
October 28, 2005
Catch a falling star an’ put it in your pocket, Never let it fade away! Catch a falling star an’ put it in your pocket, Save it for a rainy day! - perry como
prologue
I’m still tired and spacy. Please forgive the typos. But here is my very long report.
Posted by derrick on
October 27, 2005
All your life you’ve never seen a womanTaken by the windWould you stay if she promised you heavenWill you ever win - fleetwood mac
We arrived back home at about 4 am this morning after about 20 hours on the road. Funny how you’re doing everything you can to NOT fall asleep when your driving but as soon as you get home you’re wide awake. So we sat in our living room feeling like strangers in someone else’s house and watched an episode of “Keeping Up Appearances” until the caffeine and exhaustion jitters faded and allowed us to sleep.
Posted by derrick on
October 17, 2005
Well, I’m packed up and ready to head to Georgia, but before I go I have to share something fun. This evening we posted the new preview of Justine Curgenven’s This Is The Sea 2 which will be going on sale in the next month. See, it does pay off occasionally to check this darn blog! Of course I’m bias, but what I’ve seen looks pretty exciting. The new preview is at http://www.cackletv.com/this-is-the-sea2.html. There is also a higher resolution QuickTime video on the multi-media page. The new preview included a nice bit of Michigan traditional Kayaker Doug VanDoren. So Keith W, you’ll have to point Doug over to it as well. (thanks) I was privileged to spend some time with Doug this summer and have a lot of respect for him. A great guy. Oh, and I hear he’s a good paddler as well. Ha!So that’s about it. Thanks everyone for the emails today. It’s been really nice to hear from you. See you again in a couple weeks.
Posted by derrick on
October 17, 2005
Said you took a big trip
They said you moved away
Happened oh, so quietly
They say
Shoulda took a picture
Something I could keep
Buy a little frame
Something cheap
For you
Everyone says hi - bowie
The final day opens with cloud and rain. I crawled out of bed and made the long death row walk to the kitchen to start the coffee. Normally coffee is a good thing to me. The last of my addictions. However since we ran out last night, we had to use the Folgers that’s been sitting under the cupboard for the better part of a decade. Yes, I use coffee as a drug, and it’s never a good thing to change suppliers. You never know what you’re going to get. Youch, and this first sip only supports that concussion!
Don’t let us get sick
