Remember that woman I told you about, the one over the internet?

Well my birthday is coming up so she told me she is going to get me new waders. I told her about my rubber ones falling apart. Thinking it's going to be another disasterous pair, I told her not to get me waders.

You know how women are. You can't change their minds. So I had her promise me that if I showed her the ones I was going to buy, that she wouldn't buy them. As it turns out, they were the same pair she was looking at. Orvis Clearwater breathables. What a gal huh? ;) Knows good fishing stuff when she sees it!

I told her to pick out anything she wants for her birthday and she can get me the waders if she wants. She wants a stand mixer. You know, one of those professional beaters that the cooks like Emeril uses. She loves cooking. What a coincidence, I love eating :)


I'm selling a blank and partially completed blank to help offset the cost. Check out the for sale board here. Allright?

Thanks

Make sure she's not eighty years old... Not too many younger ladies yurning for a proffessional grade mixer at your age.... But, uh, good luck ;D

If it comes through, and as John said she's not 80 y/o, congrats!

Though I will say I think I hit the Jackpot with Lisa. Not only does she get me tackle for birthday, holiday etc. but goes with me on many fishing trips (can't get her into waders - yet! ;) ) and doesn't gripe when I'm gone all weekend fishing.

ps- Tell her to get Orvis Breathables for you. ;)

Eighty is still in my dating range :o She isn't 80 though. My age or maybe a little older :p

She likes fishing too. She mostly does the freshwater thing which is fine with me.

If this goes any further though, I'll have her hooked on the saltwater and I'll have to make her a fishing rod. The problem is, she's 5'. I figure she'll be able to handle a 9 footer or even a 10 footer though if I cut the butt (the rod's) so she'll be able to handle it. She likes how fluke taste and that's what we are targeting when she comes down. She actually is the one that said we should go fishing. Really likes the idea of catch and release. And if things go further, she wants to go on a vacation to Costa Rica and go big game fishing. Then we'll have a shot at maybe some roosterfish too! She was afraid to go big game fishing until I told her that catch and release is the preferred fishing of captains. You know, preseving their market and what have you.

The funny thing is, I can remember telling people how great fishing is and they said, "How are you ever going to get a girlfriend. You should play football or baseball." I think this is called having your cake and eating it too.

Is she self inflating or manual, just curious.....

Ah, Patrick.

Before you run off with this lady to Costa Rica, don't you think it might be a good idea to meet her locally first? (amoung other things)

Patrick, weren't you spending all your cash from your new job a month or so ago... then the job didn't quite work out.

Well, don't start putting in orders for sunday morning steak and eggs courtesy of the Mrs. after a hard night in the surf.

Patience young grasshopper... maybe you should start with a beer, oops, a glass of lemonade and meet her first. Ya know, see what she looks like, gauge her personality... make sure she's not in prison.

You never know, she may be buying your waders with packs of marlboro's.

Honey...the BEST woman in your world right now is the one that scrubs the skids from you skivvies!!!!!

Jenn LMAO!

HAHAHA Jenn. That truly got me laughing.

Costa Rica is a lonnnnnng way off.

That's a riot!! :)

COSTA RICA? Is that where she lives? You can't have a long distance relationship with someone the next town over, how the heck can you manage one in Costa Rica?

But on a positive note - get a job so you meet the woman of your dreams. It just so happens that some of the best surfcasting in the world is for Rooster fish on the beaches of CR!!! You won't need your tuna stick but a mombo Breakaway, a used Calcutta 700 (older but better model) and some Robert's Rangers like you would use for Bluefish and BOOM 80-100+ pound screamers from shore.... And you won't need waders... (just be wary of the local militia)

"want some candy little boy"???



alll kidding aside Patrick, if you're gonna do it, you're gonna do it and no one will stop you ......just be careful......"she" could be some kind of pervert.


Just remember to wear your waders and ....um....raingear :O

ITS A GUY !!!!!! in drag with rotten teeth

... and she answers to the name of Tequila....

Patrick - have you at least talked to her on the phone? And she's really from Costa Rica, eh?

Just another reason why I feel we'll hear about you on Dateline tonight...

No, she's very much a woman. 22 years old. From NY. Not LI but upstate.

She has a taste for world traveling and wants to drag me all over the world with her. She's been to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Nepal and all the countries you have to stopover to get there. Loves freshwater fishing but she'll like the salt too.

I'll post some pictures of her when I can. She's a good looking woman. Better than what my ugly mug could ever get. She likes my personality so you know she must be messed up. ;)

OOOPS - I guess I should have paid more attention to the thread - and here I was thinking that she was from Costa Rica and that I was giving you good advice for chasing rooster from Central America - but you've already read about that before, eh?

There is a guy around the net by the name of Sergio. Fishes in Mexico for roosters and all sorts of pacific species. Even has 1 or 2 IGFA records. Genuinely nice guy. You probably know him but for the guys who don't get around the net too much, he's definitely a good guy to know. I'm not ashamed to say I aspire to be like him.

This is her during graduation. You can tell she's bawling her eyes out. She kept crying and crying she said. But take away the crying eyes, she's one heck of a babe. I have some pictures of her not crying or just getting off a plane but ummm, they are more of a private thing. ;)

Very nice! College graduation I assume?

Patrick , did you know that colleges everywhere are full of pretty girls between the ages of 17 and 22? In fact , college is about the last chance you have in life to be seperated in a protected community with people your own age with the school footing the bill for all kinds of activities and reasons for young people to gather and have fun. Forget about preparing for a career or expanding your horizons...just think about 4000 babes like that all over any large college campus. Just think about it!! :) My personal experience was that college was the best time of my life.

Anyway , I digress. She's a pretty girl. After she meets you and decides to run the other way , please send me her email address. }>

I have to agree with saltheart college is full of very pretty scantilly clad ladies ( too bad Im old enough to be their father ) running here and there all over campus . Its tough going into the dorms for repairs they is sometimes not clothed . Man I wish I was 17 again just for one night . Im one of the dirty old men on campus . never mind the parties they have if this wasnt a family channel I could tell some stories .

If when I was in college, if I knew then what I know now - Mothers, lock up your daughters! }>

Patrick, see all the fun stuff you're missing not going to college right now? Even if you do go in a few years you'll be too old for these things.

"There's a time for everything. And that time is in college!" ;D

I'm not into all that stuff. Not to sound elitist, but I look at how the guys my age act and it disgusts me. Women are referred to like a piece of meat. Not only that, most of the women allow it. As if it's the cool thing to do! A lot of them use drugs, drink like fish and make total fools of themselves doing so. I'm in Fairfield, we have two universities for such a small town, Fairfield U and Sacred Heart. Parties are rampant. There is a bar right by Penfield Reef. When I leave the reef, I see what quality time some of these people spend. Why bother go to college when you're killing just as many brain cells with liquor? Count me out.

I don't know. I'm pretty happy so far with this woman. She's a good woman. Who knows how far it will go. We seem to have that spark. Hard to explain. The long distance thing is hard but we have made it work for 10+ months. I figure that's a pretty good start.

That was highschool graduation. She is in college finishing up her dual major. She wants to teach the special needs kids. She only has a little more to do, then who knows what will happen. Maybe I will take some continuing education classes. Maybe take a career aptitude test to see what I'm good at. Then see where I'll go from there.

But the mainstream, normal, frat house, beer swilling scene isn't for me. I'm more of a live off campus, show up, do my work, go home, do my work and go fishing kind of guy.

...and now is the time for it Patrick. I did not go and I really wish that I had gone, full time, had all of the fun AND gotten it out of the way. Now, in my current situation, I will need to go nights (unless I hit PowerBall or Da Wife gets a KICK-BUTTT Job - Go Wifey)... I also don't want my son to feel that he can be successful NOT getting a degree. You can still be successfull but it ain't as easy and that "success" can be struggle in itself...

Costa Rica, huh? I can't think of a better place to visit for you, Patrick. You and Grandmaster Angler certainly should hook up down there--I think he also is a big fan of the "dog run" ;)

Mike,

Please, PLEASE, never put me in the same boat as that guy. Ya know, there are other peopled on the net where English is a second language and none of them come off nearly as insulting as him.

Patrick,

I'm not suggesting you should join the most party fraternity on campus and go drinking, smoking and tail chasing every night. I'm certainly not advocating or advising that!

NTL, the full-time on campus college experience does give you the best chance to meet many different kinds of people in a more or less casual setting. You'll never find another situation like that in life. Not on vacation, not on the beach and certainly not in the work place (especially with today's harassement rules and laws, but I digress).

And, as John eludes to, there is also the education as well. Infact, I really should put that as point #1 for going to college, not the meeting and socializing. My boo-boo.

BTW, if your cyber-girlfriend is going to be a special ed. teacher in NYS she's going to have to go for a Masters degree and probably special state certification. Not easy or quick stuff.

You know, I kinda disagree about the college thing as far as the timeline. I don't think its fair for 17-18 year olds to try and pick what you're gonna do for the rest of your life. How can you really know? I also don't think that an 18 year old is mature enough nor has the desire to LEARN.

I remember alot more about parties, football games, and skipping class than I do about any topic the professor's covered. I've taken classes since and had alot of training and I enjoy learning now... I want to be there. Heck, all I watch on tv is Discovery, TLC, the weather channel, and any history documentary that I stumble across... I hated history in school.

Did any of you want to be in class? Did you want to learn? Or were you supposed to go to college and attend class to get a grade and a degree. If you could do it again, wouldn't your choices and grades be different?

Unfortunately, without the degree, your opportunities are very limited. And it does fit more neatly into life to do it at 18... Its a catch-22. I just think that as a 18 year old, college is 4 more years of BS and a chance to act like a nut. As an adult, it would be seen as an opportunity to learn and improve yourself... which is what I thought the point was.

Schoolie - Yes and no.

Yes, I agree it's hard at 18-19 to make a decision about what you want to do for the rest of your life. And you'd certainly like to be having "fun" (defined anyway you'd like) instead of being in a class room.

No, in that what would someone do otherwise? If we say wait a couple of years first then that person has to do something in the mean time. They can't bum around (no names mentioned :) ), have to get a job (ah-hem), and probably can't live at home any more (*cough*, *cough*). So what are they qualified to do? Or even qualified for entry level? As much as an 18-19 y/o may not be eager to be in a class room I'm sure the idea of working in Burger King for a couple of years is less appealing. A few may do some service in the military but not many.

Then there's also the rythm loss. At least going from HS to college you're still in the rythm of school. It's very hard to get back into the rythm of school if you've been out for sometime.

And then there's the matter of life going on. Very likely many of those young people will get married and start having kids in the next few years. Bye bye any thought of college! (for the most part anyway). Most parents either send or at least provide a good portion of the money to pay for college so that helps the kids too.

I agree it's an imperfect solution, but I think if you did a statisical study you'd see those who go straight on to complete a 4 year degree vs. those who take some time off first, the former are better off in the intermediate and longer term than the latter.

It is interesting that the decisions that we make before we are twenty have the greatest impact on our life. Just does't seem fair. hopfully you have your ducks in a row.

In most 4 year colleges , you take a general curriculum til about your Junior year. So you get til you are about 20 to decide what carreer you might want to persue. In the meantime , you get all the basic requirements out of the way . I think Jaiems thoughts about getting out of the rythm is true. Its a lot easier if you just keep going. Yes , going in the service , especially if you can get some good training , is a good way to kill a few years before college. You may also get some money for college from the military too.

Sometimes the service is good to move you out on your own and still have a support system. Any of the branches are a good place to learn independence and develop a work ethic.

Fishpart,

Do you really feel comfortable with the idea of ME running around with an M-16? If you do, maybe you're the crazy one. :p

You would be surprised at what a Drill Sergeant could accomplish with you (if you were willing to learn :( ). It's kind of like what the guys we have here are trying to accomplish, but with a little more stress.

Fishpart,

So true except that drill instructor's are far less tolerant and far more persuasive then most of the folks here.

Seriously Patrick, have you entertained the idea of going in the service? It's really not a bad deal, especially if you're not going to college yet, or you don't want to go. If you change your mind afterward, they will even give you some money for it. If there is something you like to do and they have a need for it, they will formally train you and make you even better at it. Think about it, if you enjoy working on small boat motors as a hobby, maybe the Navy or Coast Guard has a need and a progrm for something like that. It might be worth looking into.

If not the service, then maybe a trade school or college. You can make as much or as little of college as you want. You can learn in spite of the immature people that are wasting Daddy's money. In a few years, this world will not be as kind to you.

There are a lot of people giving you good advice. I hope it doesn't fall on deaf ears.


Carl

The service isn't for me. In most cases, I'm anti-military. To me, taking a life is taking a life regardless of the context. Of course there are times when this is necessary and I understand that. In simpler words, I have a fine line of when I support the war and when I don't. For example, WWII. Sure we murdered plenty of Germans but it was for a greater good. Anyways, not looking to start a beliefs battle here and I'm not putting the military down at all, it's just not for me. Just believe me when I say I'm not joining the military. If I could pick what battles to fight, fine but I just don't picture fighting without personal reasons.

I did want to be a lawyer. I really thought it was smooth sailing after school but it's not. I got the chance to meet some lawyers and they have a pretty stressful life.

I think I'd rather do something with my hands. Some sort of craftsman ship. Electrician work or carpentry. Probably the former. Ever watch these shows like This Old House and shows like that? Everything is electric now and networked. There's probably more wire in those houses then there are nails. And since I'm always going to live by the ocean, saltwater means corrosion, corrosion means I'll have a constant supply of work. :)

I absolutely agree about the rhythm part. That's what I meant about "fitting" into life. If you add factors such as wanting a family, a house, a boat, etc. You really need to get it done and get a job.

I just think it would be more ideal to be able to go out and experience different jobs and working environments before making decisions about these things.

I've always been pretty down to earth and logical, but at 27 or 28, I was light years ahead of myself when I graduated college. I was capable of making better decisions. Your awareness of yourself and your environment goes way up.

I was really speaking from an idealistic point of view, not really a reality point of view. It is an imperfect system, but if you look at all factors, unless you really have no aspirations of family and a homestead before your 35 or 40, you really need to go that route. Get that piece of paper and get out there. I mean, it ain't like you can't or won't change. I completely changed careers two years ago. But, I wish I could have made this decision in school, but I'm happy now.

And I don't discount the fun aspect. I think we get alot of things out of our system during those years.

Maybe we are looking at it from the wrong perspective. Maybe the failure isn't in the system, but in guidance we recieve. A little bit from the school systems, but MOST of all, from our parents. I know that I plan to be much more involved in my daughter's (and any other kids I have) planning than my parents were with mine. They were borderline worthless when I was undertaking that process. I think the two questions to ask are what do you really enjoy and in what type of environment would you be comfortable.

Sure, money is important, but enjoying your work is more important. If you hate your job, what kind of life is that. You look toward the end of the day, the end of the week, to vacation... no wonder life seems to go so fast.

I debated marine biology, but 12 years ago, going to Penn State and taking on a business major was the easy route. My years at PSU are very special to me. I met my wife, alot of great friends, and I learned and did alot of cool things.

But on a day to day basis, I'd be way more happy being on the discovery channel, than watching it. Talk about a great office.

I guess that's a pang of regret. But I be pretty young yet...

Anyway, sorry for the autobiography. I really dig this philosophical stuff, as you can see.

Honestly Patrick, if you have a passion about the ocean as you claim, go that route. Whether its fixing motors or building boats, or whatever... you'll be that much closer to that which you enjoy. And the notion of don't mix business with pleasure is complete and utter BS. In the 21st century, it is OK to enjoy your job.

Patrick (08-17-2001 11:58):
I did want to be a lawyer. I really thought it was smooth sailing after school but it's not. I got the chance to meet some lawyers and they have a pretty stressful life.

FYI - Nobody's life is without stress! Some at times more than others, some fields/professions more than others, some places more than others. But all jobs have an element of stress. That's why it's called "work" and they pay you! :)

About choosing your future at a "young age", is 18/19 really all that young? Yes, I agree someone that age lacks a great deal of experience (Patrick, hint-hint) but unfortunately we can't live 30-40 years without making a decision about the direction of our lives. And in most states, 18/19 is pretty much a legal adult anyway. An 18/19 y/o can drive, get married, go into the service, enter legal contracts, be arrested/tried as an adult, run for most public offices, etc etc. And it's only a mere 2-3 years from the big "21" where most of the other age restrictions are gone. IOW, if we as a society say an 18/19-21 y/o is old enough to be trusted with most adult privilages and be held to adult standards, why not then expect an 18/19-21 y/o to also be able to start in a direction for thier lives too?

One other point - Age is no guarantee of having direction as well. There are many 30-somethings who still don't have any clue, direction or goals as to what they "want to do with" or "want to accomplish in" thier lives. Being directionless isn't a sin, but even while you're looking you need to provide for yourself. Even if you decide to change paths later everyone has to start somewhere.

That's where going to a good school, being in a realistic program (not a do-nothing program like Nordic Folk Lore or Egyptology), applying yourself to your studies and making good use of your elective credits becomes important. Even if you decide later in life the major you took isn't for you, odds are more general courses in things like math, computers, finance, marketing, accounting (the #1 best business subject IMO!), english writing and presentation skills, etc will do you well in just about any endeavor in life.

(Pardon the long winded post.)