JohnF

Congratulations. You get the best of both worlds - a new teaching job, but with a contract (a rarity here in Ontario), and an opportunity to see some new parts of the world, with pay. JF

It wouldn't have mattered, except you were scaring the muskies away. They are averse either to coffee gas, or incoherent mumbling. JF

Of course it's a business venture in the same way that personal market investments are business. Prudent individuals try to maximize the return on any investment. In this case the return will be mainly a reasonable amount of control over a personal holiday getaway spot for a minimal capital outlay. In these days of large dollar amounts being an integral part of our lives it's pretty darned hard to say none of the money management is business. I spent 1 1/2 hours of my life one morning last week with one of my financial advisors. It sure felt like business to me. And how can we know if this investment might not just show an excellent return down the road? I don't think we can neatly compartmentalize our lives into personal and business these days. It's our personal business acumen and earning ability that affords us the opportunity to have comfortable homes, reliable autos, nice holidays & big-assed bass boats. We live in an expensive world and the people who recognize that we need to be business-like about our personal money habits are the ones who will maximize the pleasure they get out of life in the long run. YMMV JF

Lately the question would be "Where do you wash lures?" and I'd say "The Thames". I think one should be catching something to call it fishing. JF

I don't buy that. I admit it's not the usual way, but the theory behind the idea is sound. Why is this any different than a business partnership? We don't bat an eye at the idea of a commercial joint venture, why should this worry us? If the participants go in with the same due diligence that commercial partnership enterprises do, they should be able to avoid the rocks and shoals. It's just that anything that's out of the norm tends to make us twitchy. I say go for it, but go slowly, and go wisely. JF

Wait. I do have some video of HTHM rolling on the floor, with the dogs. He was still there when we got up in the morning as I remember, munching on fresh coffee grounds. Garry and I had to drink tea for breakfast. We talked like a pair of pommy poofters all morning on the boat, fer cryin' out loud. HTHM just lay in the back and burped coffee gas. JF

No I can't. He made me drink too much beer. JF

When I started I assumed that it was more sporting to use very low test line and puny rods. The more I fish, and talk to other fishermen, the more I realize the fallacy in that thinking. I can cast 35# braid at least as well as 4# mono, get almost as much length on the same reel, drag lures (and fish) through much thicker weeds, and get the fish I catch in quicker so they can put back into the water sooner and with a lot less stress on them. There's no arguing that there's a high degree of skill involved in using light line well, but I just don't see now where the advantage is in it for the fish, only bragging rights for me. JF

Show him "A River Runs Through It" and if he's got any romance in his soul he'll be hooked, or else he'll become a degenerate newspaperman. JF

This isn't really a timeshare, just a limited partnership. The smaller the membership, the more control each member has. JF

I thought it was pretty durned pricey until I learned that you can buy replacement plastics and re-use the liquid. JF

Wasn't it pretty well muddied up and running high? I looked at the Avon overflowing it's banks in Stratford and figured the Thames would be a mess all the way down. JF

She doesn't fall for much. The only one I ever got away with was when I assured her I stood to inherit millions, the day I proposed. JF

Nah. That was diving. Did I really post that? She'll kill me. JF

You're right. We had to let the boys find the things they wanted to do and then encourage them in those things. If I wanted to spend time with them I had to take an interest in those activities. That's how my wife and I came to play golf, and really like it. It was just a way in the beginning for us to do something with the boys, but it was their idea first. Truth of the matter is that the kids don't always want us doing everything they do. They want a life of their own, something that's exclusively theirs. As much as we'd love to spend more time with them, it ain't gonna happen naturally. Those who are lucky enough to have their kid want to share an activity should just be thankful and get the max enjoyment while they still can. If your kids don't want to play games with you then respect their privacy and let them do their own thing. Too often the reason the kids are doing the things we hate is because they know we hate it and won't likely try to share the fun. JF

I was hoping my wife would see it. JF

I hope he at least cleans them off before he shows them to anyone. It's not yer fault any more if they're all rusty. JF

Hey, I'm no parenting paragon, but if I learned anything it's that every kid wants some space. We can best lead by example, not by force, and hope our example helps steer them in the right direction. When they're younger we've gotta exercise some restraint, on them and on ourselves, but as they get more independent we have to let 'em have their head and hope the lessons we taught 'em work. I doubt there's ever been a parent who was thrilled with everything their kid did, but the important thing is how they turn out in the end, right? Yer smart to bite yer tongue, at least until you see him really screwing up, and I mean way beyond just ticking you off. Then speak out, but tread softly even then. When there's no time left for gentle guidance it's probably too late. Then the system will have to sort out his problems. It's amazing how resilient kids can be. By that I mean how much deep doodoo they can get themselves into and still make the turn before it's too late. The trick for us as parents is to keep our sanity while the kids try to drive us round the bend with their shenanigans. It's really tough to maintain a sense of objectivity when our own kids are involved. I can point to several guys my age who have had very successful lives, in every sense of the word, yet when they were teenagers I'd have sworn they were hellbent on self-destruction - booze, drugs or petty crime. Boy, did I read them wrong. And some of those who screwed up the worst were the least likely looking candidates for failed lives when we were kids. Just because someone lives differently than we do ourselves doesn't mean they're all wrong. Keep the faith, Dad JF

Recreation is important to the mind, body and soul. If you weren't spending it on fishing, how much would golf cost you. I promise that, other than the cost of running a boat, golf would make fishing look like a cheapskate's recreation. Golf for a day is at least $30 to $50 but usually lots more. If you join a club it'll seldom be less than $1,000 per year plus cart rentals. A decent set of sticks will run at least $750 and that's low, and most of us aren't content with one set for more than 3 or 4 years before we want to trade up. I can tell you from experience that scuba diving for instance costs at least $60 to $75 per person per day for the boat charter, plus $20 - 30 for air fills, plus travel expenses because the diving is never just around the corner. The gear needed makes fishing look cheap. If you go away on fishing holidays are they in place of other forms of holiday? Again, money you'd spend on something. The point is there's no reason in tearing yourself up fussing about what your fishing costs you. If you get your money's worth out of the equipment, the family's not doing without the essentials because of your spending, and you're able to combine family holidays with your fishing, is it really that expensive. On the other hand, if you refuse to share your fishing holidays with your family (or vice versa) and spend an inordinate portion of the family fun money on stuff for you alone, then perhaps you need to re-assess. Fishing is one of the least expensive forms of gear-centric recreation we have available with the best bang for the buck ratio of just about anything fun I know. JF

Well, if you don't think rev.psych. will work, what about taking some cute young teenaged girls out fishing with you. They tend to draw teenaged boys like flies to rotting fish. Seriously though, I think it's one of those "Build it, they will come." deals with kids and their activities. Keep doing what you do, and let him know clearly that it's okay if he wants to join you, but don't twist his arm. That will just push him away from it. Be cool and one day he may just surprise you by asking if you'll take him out and show him the ropes. And I was only half joking when I said to tell him he can't do it. You don't have to actually tell him he can't, but if you just ignore the subject of him and fishing, eventually he may well decide that it's not a bad idea, and as long as it's his idea, he may come around. There's every likelihood that some of his friends at school will be getting into it, with or without their parents, and if he can score some gear from you he's gonna go for it just to be like his buddies. Then you have to refrain from gloating. Just carry on as if you are doing it for him, not for you. Do your crowing in the privacy of your own room. Kids tend to be defiant, and selfish, often in a very gentle and innocent way. It's just the nature of the beast, finding their own identity. So let them think they're initiating the new things, that they're manipulating you a bit. Soon the respect will come when they start to realize that you're already a master of this thing that they really want to do well. Good parenting is a tough job, but the rewards are incredible. JF

Use reverse psychology. Tell him he's not allowed to fish. JF

Barrett 50's are for sissies. That's a manly piece. JF

Hey. I've heard guys refer to the old ball and chain, but using her for a downrigger - sheesh! JF

See Cliff's link. That's a good explanation. Basically it amounts to one partner offering to buy out another for a certain price. The one receiving the offer has the option of either accepting and selling, or turning the tables and paying the guy who made the offer the same amount for his share. It makes for pretty reasonable offers. JF

Mebbe she'd like to see 'em in action. JF