Archive for the ‘Random Thoughts’ Category

I saw her bus come down a little subway street
She played a gypsy song with a 3/4 beat
And when I heard her voice
She gave me vertigo
– fastball

Time to head out to the “big city” and join the party! It’s almost 6 am and I’ve wrapped up what bits of work I still needed to get done before we head off to Madison for the big show.  We’ll be exploring the show floor most of the day today (and sneaking off to the bike show next door).  I have to take back that bit about not needing anything.. other than a kayak.. I also need to find some new paddling shoes since mine seem to have disappeared.  Always something…    Oh, and if you’re wondering why Wenonah got the big feature pic today even though I don’t even own a canoe… I have no idea.. things were just going that way.

One day I fell under her spell
She showed me both heaven and hell
She made it shine, she made it rain
Now she’s gone, gone, gone, gone
Gone just like a train

Now wait.. no there’s more..
KayakQuixotica Declares today
“Wenonah Canoe” Love Day!

(I mean, come’on only 8 followers on their new twitter??  Let’s show ‘em some love

Pewitt’s Nest – Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Now here’s the thing.  Spring is coming on here in Wisconsin in a mad rush.  I should of course have my heart all a-flutter about spending the next 2 days at Canoecopia, the world’s largest paddle-sports expo. Yet, what I find myself thinking is that I’m going to spend most of my time indoors pining for the rain, the trails, and the rivers outdoors.  What the hell is wrong with me eh? Read the rest of this entry »

She’s Breaking Up Captain!

So I’ve not been paddling in awhile. It’s not easy to do when the ice is 10 inches thick on the local waterways! Normally I would spend this time of year on the blog going off into weird corners and endlessly rehashing warmed over paddling topics.  I mean if you want to know why I wear a Kokatat MSFit or paddle this kayak over that one.. just search the site.  I’ve written on this subjects ad nauseum over the years. This year I’m dedicated to staying off that treadmill and spending my time writing on a more diverse list of topics over on my Skillet Creek Journal.  So if you don’t see anything here on a give day, feel free to come over and see what’s going on there.  Right now I’m on about preservation of the Lower Wisconsin River Waterway.  A bit of a paddler topic too if you think about it.  But then there’s that whole rant about the new Stratego! That’s the thing after all.  We’re not all about one subject and as much as we can try to be we’ll find ourselves losing containment…

I’ll be back to all things paddling soon enough mind you.. when the ice starts to melt and air as well as the topic, are once again fresh!!

I wish the world was flat like the old days
Then i could travel just by folding a map
No more airplanes, or speedtrains, or freeways
There’d be no distance that can hold us back.
– death cab for cutie

You can’t get there from here.  But you can a get nice e-card from Body, Boat, Blade.  Yeah, I want to go live with Shawna and Leon for awhile..  ( But doesn’t everybody? )

Eat your parsnips.

Once in Royal David’s City stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby.
You’d do well to remember the things He later said.
When you’re stuffing yourselves at the Christmas parties,
you’ll laugh when I tell you to take a running jump.
You’re missing the point I’m sure does not need making;
that Christmas spirit is not what you drink.

So how can you laugh when your own mother’s hungry
and how can you smile when the reasons for smiling are wrong?
And if I messed up your thoughtless pleasures,

remember, if you wish, this is just a Christmas song.
– Tull

Happy Holidays one and all.  Well, at least to all you NICE people.  I mean, I know we’re supposed to wish everyone happy holidays and all that (even the jerks), but I think the jerks can have a darn miserable holiday as far as I’m concerned.  I mean why should we wish a happy holiday to those of us who benefit from the suffering of others? Why should we say “Merry Christmas” to those who use their self-righteous sense of moral superiority as a justification for hatred and violence? Why should I give a care about people have who ignore the poor and the homeless in their own communities?  Why should we love the neighbor who doesn’t bother to tip an under paid waitress?  What about people who toss their trash out the car window, people who are STILL bigoted and racist in every town and every street…You know.. pick one, it goes on and on.  There are a lot of jerks out there. So Happy Holidays to everyone of you good, decent caring people.  You know who you are… ( And you deserve chocolate cake and a foot rub!)  The rest of you can get stuffed!!  

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I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I’m teeming with a lot o’ news – With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypoten- potenuse!!!!

My black & purple Rockpool Alaw Bach is sitting quietly in the shed behind an old wooden door blocked by a snow drift about as high as the recent waves have been in Hawaii. Meanwhile the clock is ticking away. Normally this time of year I feel at a bit of a loose end. I’d find myself simply digging to find something fresh to write about. Not this year though. No, this year I’m just trying to get caught up and I just don’t think it’s going to happen.

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Nothing remains
We could run /  when the rain slows / Look for the cars or signs of life / Where the heat goes
Look for the drifters / We should crawl under the bracken
Look for the shafts of light on the road
Where the heat goes
– bowie

Sometimes when you wake up in the middle of the night you’re not really sure why. Still you get out of your warm cozy bed and begin your day. You have to. If you just lay there, all those worrisome thoughts start creeping into your head like, “Why does my toe suddenly hurt?”, “What if I lose my job tomorrow?”, or “Why doesn’t Valley ever finish their website?”

Read the rest of this entry »