So how about we take a break from politcs for a bit?

What were some of the things that you have done that have helped you to discover who you really are inside?

For me a few things that have helped to make me who I am are as follows:

1. Hunt big game and butcher it yourself. (for 20 years now)

2. Teach someone else to hunt, and take a back seat while they learn. (5 kids to date, and hopefully more to follow.) Had a real hard time not taking charge and taking over, but helping these guys through the process was a treat, and I have some lifelong friends/partners because of it.

3. Build a house, either as the builder, or as a spectator. (in process) Makes you appreciate the process. Much better if you get dirty.

4. Tell a boss to f-off, and walk out the door. (many years ago) One of the guys in the dorm who worked in food service with me told me I was his hero after that scene. I had just gotten a job with Red Robin and was working out my two weeks, but she was such a bitch decided I had to take a break. Sometimes a job referrence isn't all that important, after you use it to get another job.

5. Raise children (in process as well). What a fun and terrifying ride this is.

6. Run a political campaign or run for office. (BTDT, got the t-shirt).

7. Learn how to run heavy equipment. (So much easier than running the dumb stick, aka D-1 dozer)

8. Teach someone how to drive. (Early stages, but moving along)


What else do I need to do before I die?

Good post Dogfish

I can't find fault with any one of the eight items posted. Revel in it and enjoy every second of it as life's to short.

The two pieces of advice that I have given to those behind me is:

1. First get all the education you get and remember life is an never ending learning experience.

2. Second if you ever get to the point where you think you know every thing there is to know about anything you are doing and no one can teach you something new it's time to start doing something else as then you will either hurt or kill yourself or someone else. You never know everything there is to know on any subject.

Sometimes it's the best therapy to just take time off and go fishing.

There's one thing that I want to do and that's to do the Alaska thing either by the Alaska Ferry System and fly back or do it by way of the Alcan Highway. Either way I want to do it.

1. Fish or hunt as much as you can possibly get out.

2. Learn something new every single day that you do.

3. If you learn something useful, share it with the next generation.

I'd like to see my grandchild catch a wild steelhead.

Build a boat.

A lot of really great ones so far. Here's the one's off the top my my addled head:


Ride the train from coast to coast-- on more than one continent.

Learn to ski.

Learn to surf.

Learn another language and go where it's used long enough to realize how bad you've been butchering it.

See the elephant.

Set foot on every continent.

Start a conversation on world politics with a foreigner-- in his own country.

Take dancing lessons.

Have akee, bammy, and saltfish for breakfast with coffee from beans grown out back and sweetened with cane syrup from sugar cane grown in the same garden.

Climb a tree.

Teach a kid to ride a bike.

Stay up all night watching stars.

Climb a mountain.

Go sailing.

Save a life.

Learn to play a musical instrument.

Habst ein bier an Oktoberfest---im München.

Visit Mexico during The Day of the Dead.

Try to explain to some cracker from back east about salmon fishing, clam digging, backtail hunting, and then listen to him shoot you down so he can tell you about sitting in a heated blind getting schitty on Yuenglings and waiting for white tail to come to the automatic broadcast feeder he has set up in his front yard year-round.

Dog fish,
I am not sure if this is what you meant, but I am looking at your post a little different then everyone else.
1. When I was young I picked a lot of strawberries for money. I remember one day talking to an older cambodian in the next row that started telling me in broken english, how just 7 days earlier he was pushing a plow in a rice patty somewhere in Cambodia and now was in America. It was obvious how happy he was to be here, but even at 12 or so, I really felt he was lying. The story made no sense, how did he reallly get here and how did he learn english so fast. The more I talked to people, the more I have realized that a lot of them really lived amazing lives. My gardner was a mobster (no lie). My father thought he had the greatest girlfreind until he learned 45 years later that she was a CIA operative. My freinds father, a meek nurse, who in another life was a doctor and barely escaped out of Cambodia with his family, sliding through mine fields and swimming through alligator infested waters with his children on his back to get his family out. Another quiet, meek freind of mine went bezerk one night and killed his wife, pratically decapitating her. Experience has taught me that you can never judge a book by its cover, but unfortunately we all seem to.

2. Had a chance to be a hero once. To me there is nothing more scarier then knowing it up to you to save someone's life. Found out that I can get the job done, but also found out that I was not cut out to be a fireman, cop or doctor.

On the to do list... Write a book. Spend a year traveling Europe on foot and train. Invent something. Pull a stunt that fools the nation.

Ahhh, the bucket list. This is a great post. Be right back......

Watch the Huskies win a football game........

Mine seem to be mostly hunting/fishing stuff.
1. catch my daughter a wild steelie.
2. Raft the yukon to the ocean. (from the border all the way)
3. hunt Africa (the cape buf and kudo)
4. Revive a river (the duck or does)
5. Never walk past trash in the woods
6. Live with nothing and be happy with that.
7. Biuld a cabin from scratch (peel the logs and make everything)
8. Be remembered for making a difference (for the better)

Awesome post. I'll have to think about it.

The other night I caught a 20#+ chinook with my 2 y.o. daughter on my back in one of those kid-packs cheering me on. That was a huge thrill, something that has always been on my list, and I finally had it happen. I was super stoked by that.

When he first thrashed in front of us, she was like "oooooh, dat's a big one Dad!" Then when we were releasing him she was like "You catch 'im Dad? You catch 'im?" Then she patted me on my head for doing a good job.

That was such a great moment.

Geeze, these are some tough ones. I actually read all the posts here, since it seemed like a good one to learn something about someone without actually meeting them. Some things were confirmed and others were a surprise.

See my kids be successful good people. Biggest one by far.

Showing them atleast two third world countries and one new continent. I think that the world travels beyond our country is a huge advantage to life experiences and learning how to apreciate what we have. I know it changed my outlook on things greatly.

For me learning a second langauge is a big one. Carrying a conversation with someone in the native tongue is even bigger. Going to another country and having a local come to ecstatic to use your langauge to speak is interesting. Having them tell you how great your country is while doing it, a learning experience to say the least.

Calling in a Bull (elk) for someone else and have them actually get a kill shot on it is huge one also. Called in a fair amount for others, but never had them get the shot off (archery).

Travel the world and see all the continents. So far I am at two, N America and S. America. Peru was one of the best experiences of my life. Not the canned Machu Pichu experience either.
Mountain bikes and a local guide through the mountains to 3000 year old cities with bones and skulls layin all about. Through peoples front and back yards full of chickens and various farm animals, one spare chain, one spare tube and a cliffside. Priceless in my book.

By the way Dogfish, good topic to break the strain of the political gabage. Good call.

Thanks DF. We needed the break.

I have been so unbeleivably ucky that my "Bucket list" is now pretty shotr.. I have soem I wnat to do and might yert do and a few that are just dreams.

I want to, and have a shot at:

See my grandson catch his first steelhead on a fly.

See my grandaughter enter an Ivy league school.

Celebrate my 50th anniversaty with my wonderful wife. BTW Today is 36th.

Catch a BIG GT on a fly.

See the Northern Lights.

Catch a steelhead on my 80th birthday.

Before I die I'd like to have the opportunity to take 1 solid week devoted to fishing in AK.

I had the chance when I was younger and squandered it. Now with 2 kids and another on the way it seems like a far off notion.

Another one is to have a son. I love my 2 girls but c'mon. There's already enough estrogen in the house with the 3.

I'd like to be in the 10% that catches 90% of the fish. (I'm a long way off there but I work hard at it)

Everything else that comes to mind on this topic relates to of course seeing my kids grow up to be good people, paying off my house, getting back to being self-employed yet having the security that my family needs, stuff like that.

Things I DON'T want to do before I die:
Get a divorce
Bury a child
Get too busy to not be involved with my kids
Lose my mind (no comment needed here)
Lose my motor skills (I don't think anyone wants to wipe my butt for me)

I've spent most of the last 30+ years hunting & fishing and have taken great pride in that.

All of my accomplishments pale when I am able to see my son succeed at those things that I have such a passion for.
When he succeeds it is a huge accomplishment for me.

Caught some nice fish, taken some nice animals, but in the grand scheme of life those hobbies are less important than relationships with family.

I only hope I can teach my son to be a good human being and to be there for him if he needs me.

When I'm on my deathbed all of the fish & wildlife trophies will be unimportant.

Having my son there to hold my hand and tell me I was a good dad is all I could wish for.

I challenge anyone to top that one.

Happy anniversary Dave!
Great idea for a thread DF.
I've taken almost a year off work. I recommend it.
I'd like to hunt for sheep in Alaska.
Of course I'd like to see my son find something to do in life when he grows up that makes him happy....I'd like the same thing for myself.
I'd like to have a hobby farm or ranch.
I think Rodney King was a loser but if "we could all just get along" that wouldn't be a bad deal.
I'd like my new puppy to be house broken now.
I'd like to fall in love with a really cool chick that will never go psycho.
I'd like to do that Russia trip that Dave went on with big trout and helos.
New Zealand would be cool.
I'd like to shoot a machine gun. I don't need to own one...just shoot one some time.
I think owning your own float plane would be pretty cool.
I'd like to surf Indonesia.
Catching some big ole trophy fish on my own wouldn't hurt the old ego.
Teaching the boy to hunt over the dog next year should be higher on the list. After watching DF's oldest with a gun walking around I see that is a reality that will soon be accomplished. I'm not looking forward to him driving.
I too would like to make a difference. I'm going to have to work on that one. I do the feed the homeless thing at the soup kitchen and write checks but I need to figure out how to give back to our water and land resources that have made a huge positive impact in my life so that the little ones and their little ones can enjoy what gives the posters here joy. I do pick up garbage but I don't as I read before "never walk by litter" ..I shouldn't put that in quotes beacause I first read this thread this morning and I'm sure I got it wrong.
That's it for now.

Great thread! It's made me realize just how lucky I am. I have lived a very carefree life so far and have been lucky enough to enjoy most of what I have wanted to accomplish in life.

So far I have....

Skydived ( did it, but never again )
Saw the Northern Lights
Heli fished Alaska
Raced MX, cross country and cars, and won
Harvested a trophy Blacktail
Caught a 20lb Steelhead
Caught a 50lb King
Had a son ( greatest accomplishment of my life )
Watch my son take his first deer

May not seem like much to some, but I am a simple person. I dont have a lot of wants in life.

My bucket list as of today....

Grow old with my wife
Watch our son graduate College
Have grandchildren
Watch my son take his first elk
Harvest a trophy Rosevelt elk
Take a trophy Mule Deer
Teach my grandkids to hunt and fish

Watch the Huskies lose every Apple cup........

Mf

"You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." -unknown

Saw this quote on a sign this week at our local hardware store.

It stung when I read it.

I have a few things that you can do for me so you can start feeling better about yourself.

My life goals are pretty simple. In regards to the outdoors, I really don't have any big aspirations. I just want to take it as it comes, and would really like it if at least one of my 3 girls enjoys doing that stuff with me.

Other than that I want them to be successful in their lives, and get along with each other after they move out.

For me, my blood runs with muddy, weedy, cow-sh!t laden Chehalis river water. I hope that in my time I can make a positive difference on the watershed in some way, because most of my greatest outdoor memories have happened somewhere in that valley between the beach break at north jetty and Rainbow Falls campground.

Go to Nevada and pick the one out.

Yeah or do business with FASTFISH from that "other" board.

"What were some of the things that you have done that have helped you to discover who you really are inside?"

As a teen graduating from high school I had no plans, no ambition, and almost as little direction in my life. I attended a community college for a year because I didn't know what else to do before joining the Navy to see the world. That spring I attended a campaign speech by Bobby Kennedy at UW and decided to attend the U, scrap joining the Navy, become part of the anti-war movement, and major in archetecture or engineering. When the purple haze of the 60s and early 70s lifted, I had a degree in Fisheries, a wife, and had discovered fly fishing.

Life soon revolved around raising two daughters, working, remodeling and renovating an old house, and being a weekend angler on the Skagit. I moved and changed jobs, put both kids through private universities, in part by driving a beater soccer mom van well beyond its useful life, etc. I turned 50 and reflected that for a guy who had no plans or ambitions, life was pretty good in that I had a rewarding career, raised outstanding kids, had a great wife, and a nice home. Of course my marriage was over, but I wouldn't know that for several more months.

I learned that making it from 40 to 50 without having a mid-life crisis doesn't mean you won't have a mid-life crisis. If your spouse has a mid-life crisis, you automatically have it too. I learned more about surprise, shock, disappointment, and betrayal than I ever wanted to know as I became separated and divorced. In the process I learned more about myself, and some others, than I ever thought I could know. Then I set about rebuilding the part of me that was broken.

I lived on my own for the first time in my life. I highly recommend it, and should have done it myself 30-some years sooner. I was almost paranoid about spending any money because I thought I was always broke. (My ex did our household bookkeeping.) I learned I wasn't broke and had money to spare now that my kids graduated from college. So I made my bucket list:

1. I went fishing in Kamchatka, one of the last best unspoiled places.
2. I went fishing in Alaska, for similar reasons & 1/3 the cost.
3. I went on a cycling tour in Italy because Italy is a cornerstone of western civilization and because the Italian Leonardo da Vinci invented the bicycle, and Italy is one of the best places in the world to ride.
4. I went bonefishing in Mexico. I liked it and intend to try it again there or in Belize or the Bahamas.
5. I want to travel to Greece because it's another part of the foundation of western civilization. Iraq and Iran would have been on this travel list for being the roots of human civilization, but world events caused me to change my mind. I might go fishing in Chile instead since fishing is at the root of my civilization.

I've wanted to build a house from scratch since I was 12. I've remodeled and renovated, but never built up from the bare ground. I'll soon turn 60 and am doing that now, but given my age, job, and the bank's financing schedule, I'm hiring contractors to do most of the work. But I'm going to do enough to satisfy my need to have an active hand in its completion. Along the way I met a wonderful woman who makes me feel more appreciated than I've ever felt in my life. So I intend to live out my days with her in the new house. This is a thumbnail sketch of who I am and how I got here, inside and out.

Sg

Mine are pretty much all fishing related except for one.
1. Catch a tarpon on a fly.
2. Spend a week or two on the east coast chasing stripers, blues and albies.
3. Catch a grande Roosterfish on a fly. I've only caught small ones so far.
4. Catch a 20 lb coho and winterrun steelie.
5. Flyfish in New Zealand
6. Never get married again.

Jesus Salmo--- what a life.

I think that I am discovering what the reality of a mid life crisis is. My wife being ten years older, actually 9 1/2 yrs., is going through one right now as I speak. Some days are the best we have ever had and the rest, well, they suck. Hopefully she doesn't go down the same way as yours Salmo. One can hope. But I have a lot in common thus far with your story. Except I satyed in the service, did not get my BA (yet, in progress) and my kids are too young to put through College yet. We'll see what happens.

NICE. I'll see if I can squeeze you onto my short list.

I'll send you a few ideas.

I've had a pretty interesting life, some tell me I should write a book, but with four ex-wives, they would probably want all the royalties.

I'd like to climb Mt. Rainier.
Have waterfront property again on Lake Chelan.(3rd divorce took that).
Coach varsity highschool basketball, currently coaching both select and freshman teams.
Have vacation property "off the grid", real Dick Proenekke stuff.
Own a small vineyard.
Be a good grandfather someday.
Never get married again.
Continue to break my personal record for Xmas lights up, this year probably 22,000. Hey, my community expects them!
Do things for people they never expect. The other day I noticed that an elderly widow down the street from me had a huge overgrown ditch full of weeds in front of her house. I stopped by, knocked on her door and asked her if I could use my weedeater and remove the weeds for her just because I wanted to. No $, no cookies in return, just because I could. She had tears in her eyes when I left.

Or maybe, I might be selfish and try this.........go to 1:48 of the clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj1SyWntdo4

Snake

Dick is the MAN! I watch that every time it somes on KCTS, and I own the video. I tell my wife that if I ever win the lottery, she is free to come and visit me any time she wants at my own Twin Lakes. I'd also buy a backhoe and 40 acres somewhere warm. Always something to do, and the tool to do it with.

Hey Dogfish, I own the video and the book, too. I think in the heart of most men is the thirst to be a "pioneer", a man on his own. I spent 23 nights one summer (most of the time alone) on Lake Chelan seven miles by boat to the nearest road or cabin eating packed in foods, trout, etc. Did all of my cooking on a wood-burning antique stove, read books by candle light at night, awesome memories. I slept many nights outside and the stars were absolutely amazing, northern lights, too. Hope to do it again someday.