Still and quiet in the woods: On becoming a deer hunter

On November 21st, at about 5 pm, this forty-something former vegetarian killed his first deer.

I was sitting in a homemade stand next to the driveway. Something appeared on the right in my peripheral vision, and at first I thought it might be a dog or fox.

It was a mature doe, and after many hours sitting in the woods, still and quiet, it was the first deer to come within range of my 20 gauge single shot.

She was crossing the yard, as they often do, and stopped to nibble some tasty weed. I raised my gun partway and she lifted her head. I froze. I think she saw me, but she didn't bolt. I raised my gun the rest of the way, and the movement must have convinced her it was time to leave. But she didn't run, just walked purposefully toward the woods.

Was she really in range? Yes, I thought so, based on many practice shots and lots of advice from my mentors.

I had a good shot, and was thankful for the practice rounds and the shooting lesson from a trusted friend. The mechanics of aiming felt natural.

I hesitated and my hand trembled. Was I really going to shoot to kill this majestic animal standing in front of me?

Ultimately, I knew in my heart and head that my path to this moment was long and intentional. I pulled the trigger.

How I Built a Library of Great Music for Almost Nothing

I clearly remember my first efforts to build a music library.  I must have been eight years old, listening to the year-end countdown on the local AM radio station. When they reached number one, my dreams came true as they started playing "Silly Love Songs" by Paul McCartney. I hit the record button on the cassette recorder, put the microphone up to the radio speaker, and I was in business!

Now almost forty years later, I have my first iPod and am working on building a mostly new music collection from scratch, without spending loads of cash on iTunes. Doing so takes a fair amount of effort.  It also requires being satisfied with a lot of unknown artists. Nonetheless, I've found some great tunes and my collection has surpassed 1500 songs. And no, it's not just sitar music. Here are my sources and methods:

• Classical music - Kate and I enjoy classical music, especially on long road trips.  On Amazon you can pick up "albums" containing dozens of pieces for two or three dollars.  We have enough to last us through a trip to Iowa, and I've spent less than ten bucks.
• Free songs of the day - Several sites offer a free song each day, including Google Play, KEXP radio, and Rolling Stone Magazine.  
• Free stuff on Amazon - Amazon has thousands of free songs and adds new stuff on a regular basis. I check it daily.  Here's a link (note you have various sort options and can browse by category):   Amazon Free Music.  They also have a "Free Music from Rising Artists" feature which is updated monthly with a dozen or so new songs.
• iTunes - Every Tuesday iTunes posts a couple of free songs.  Not as generous as Amazon or Google, but I've found some stand out selections.
• More from Google Play - In addition to their free song of the day, Google will occasionally have other free song offers and special deals.  I've found some great songs for 25 cents a piece, for example.
• Other deals from Amazon - Amazon frequently runs sales, such as 25 cent songs, or albums for a buck or three.  Again, I check daily.
• Dealnews - I regularly peruse the Dealnews website (because I'm a little obsessive about that!), and often find free music deals from other sites not mentioned above.  They also post special Amazon offers where you can enter a coupon code for a free song or two. 
• Used compact discs - I've recently discovered that my local pawn shop carries a huge selection of completely disorganized CDs for a buck a piece.

For more ideas, here's a link to a great article from Lifehacker (be sure to peruse the comments, as well):

http://lifehacker.com/5928183/how-to-legally-boost-your-music-library-without-spending-a-dime

Kate & Paul's Crappie Chowder

Ingredients:
Crappie filets
Potatoes
Frozen peas
Frozen corn
Broccoli, chopped
Celery
Onions
Skim milk (approx. 1.5 to 2 qts.)
Half & half (1/4 cup)
Butter (1/4 stick)
Seasonings to taste (e.g. Old Bay, salt/pepper, thyme, rosemary, dill, curry, paprika, fennel, coriander)

Directions:
Go to a nearby lake, bay, ocean, or river.  Catch a mess of crappie or other mild-tasting fish like whiting, bream or flounder (although I have also used catfish).

Peel and cut up potatoes into 1/2" to 3/4" pieces.  Place in large soup pot and cover with water.  Cook until almost tender.  Add broccoli, onions, celery and fish filets (I usually lay the filets on top so they steam).  Continue cooking until potatoes are done and filets flake easily.  Drain most of the water.  Add peas and corn.  Add milk, half & half and butter and cook over medium to medium-low heat.  Season as preferred.  Stir frequently and monitor closely or milk will scald.  Cook just until milk begins to steam (but NOT to boiling point).  Serve with crackers or cheesy biscuits.

How to Take a Picture of a Man Holding a Fish

You could probably argue that there's really no compelling reason to take a picture of a man holding a fish in the first place.  But assuming that's your goal, you want it to be the best such picture possible.  Here are my thoughts on the subject, my qualifications being that I've taken a lot of bad pictures of a man (me) holding a fish.

1.  Get a man (a woman works just as well).

2.  Have man or woman catch a fish.  This, depending on the man or woman, could involve a substantial wait time.

3.  Get a camera.  Actually, this might should be number one.  Having the man or woman wait around while you go home to get the camera could be problematic.  A cell phone camera could work in a pinch, but if you're hoping to make a 4x6 print, then 2 megapixels is a bare minimum.  It's also nice to have a flash, as I'll explain shortly.

Decent fish,
lousy background

4.  Have man or woman hold the fish.  This is best done shortly after said fish has been caught.  A fish that's been sitting around in the cooler for a while (or say, lying on the bank for a couple of days) likely won't make as good a photo.  The fish will look better if it's fresh and lively.  You might dip it in the water just before you take the picture.  Try not to let the fish go when you dip it in the water.  Otherwise, you'll just have a picture of the man or woman.  It's also nice to take the picture in the natural setting where the fish was caught.  The back of a pickup truck is not a natural setting, even if the pickup is painted in camo.

5.  Pay attention to how the fish is held.  I've taken plenty of pictures where my hand was covering part of the fish, or where there was some extraneous object in front of or next to the fish, detracting from the picture.  A side view is normally best.

Hand in front of fish.  Oops.

6.  Have the man or woman holding the fish face the sun.

7.  Fill the frame with the man and the fish.  If they hold the fish higher, you can get more of their face and the fish, and less of the extraneous stuff.

8.  Decide whether you want them to wear a hat and/or sunglasses for the photo.  It's fine if they do, but make sure you use the flash (even during the day) to take the shadows off their face.  The flash can also bring out the detail in the fish, and make it bright and sparkly, especially if you dipped it in the water first and didn't let go.  If they wear a hat, try to make it the dorkiest fishing hat possible.

9.  Take the picture from a level even with or slightly above the subject's face.  If you're taking a picture of yourself holding a fish and using the camera's timer, set the camera on something high to get it at the right level.

10.  You can also try taking a picture of just the fish.  Try putting the fish on a surface that has an interesting texture or contrasting color.  Try using the flash to make the fish sparkle.

Insights from a Book by David Allen

This post is about insights I gained from reading Getting Things Done, the Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen.

COLLECT EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE

One of the key suggestions in the book is to create a system (e.g. a notebook or electronic organizer) that collects ALL of your tasks and responsibilities.  If you have EVERYTHING recorded in a place that is easy to review on a regular basis, it frees your mind to stop worrying about them.

That regular review (could be daily, weekly, whatever) helps you prioritize tasks so you know you're working on what you need to be working on at the current moment given current available resources.  For me that review tends to happen whenever I realize I've got a few minutes at my desk between scheduled activities.

Allen also observes that many of us are not good at writing task lists.  A task should be a single specific item.  For example, "Plan staff retreat" is not a task, but rather a project that requires multiple steps.  So in your organizer, you would have a page for the project "Plan staff retreat" that had several tasks underneath, such as "Set up poll to choose lunch menu" and "Call John to see if he can speak on time management".  This also helps reduce stress, as "plan staff retreat" sounds like something onerous that would be tempting to put off.  But "set up lunch poll" can be accomplished in short order, giving you a sense of productivity and getting the project closer to completion.

Of course, that process of "collecting all of your tasks and responsibilities" is on-going, and you need techniques to accomplish that.  Many times we remember we need to do something at a time when we're in no position to do it.  For example, I'll be at home and remember something I need to look for in a file at work.  So I've started keeping a small notepad in my pocket to record those things.  At the end of the day, when I empty my pockets, I check that notepad and transfer those reminders to the appropriate place in my organizer notebook.

YOUR PLANNER/ORGANIZER

Allen's book is about much more than reorganizing your planner.  In fact, he doesn't even specifically address how you SHOULD organize your planner, or whether you should use a hard copy or electronic system.  He leaves that up to the individual.  I decided on a notebook (although I would use an iPad if I had one).  Mine is arranged as follows.  I have three major sections:  projects, notes, and planning.

• The Projects section is where I keep task lists for each project.  The pages are numbered and there is a table of contents in front.  
• Notes is where I can jot down, well, notes, from conversations, meetings, etc. After the meeting or conversation, I review the notes and transfer any tasks to the appropriate page in the Projects section.
• The Planning section is where I keep my Someday/Maybe list (see below), as well as those big picture items like a yearly plan or a list of my major responsibilities.  

I also have some "minor" sections, like a list of phone calls to return and some reference materials.  My calendar is on my iPod, which syncs with my on-line calendar.

WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS!

One profound insight for me was the realization that everyone has numerous projects to handle.  For years I've harbored this secret feeling that Extension Agents (and me in particular!) were unique in having so many diverse projects and responsibilities.  Hogwash!  We're all in the same boat, we're all stretched thin.  There was something comforting to me about that realization (although my delusions of self-importance started crumbling and I'm having to do some repair work on the foundation).

Allen's idea of a "someday/maybe" list is a great one.  We all have great project ideas that percolate to the surface at odd times, but we don't always have the resources to execute them.  But they might be things we could tackle in the future.  So they go on the "someday/maybe" list and that also gets reviewed periodically to see if anything is ready to become an active project.

MANAGING THE "IN-BOX"

I have also changed how I perceive and manage my "in-box". Of course, it's impossible to immediately handle everything that arrives in your in-box.  But I find that I can almost ALWAYS make a decision about each item within a couple of minutes.  So if I receive an e-mail or a phone call or a letter or a fax or have a conversation with someone (which are all various forms of "in-boxes") that requires some task from me, I record that task in my planner/organizer.  Even more satisfying is if I can take a minute or two and decide that NO action is required, which means I can discard or file the e-mail or letter.  So it's not that I have to immediately handle everything.  But as much as possible, I try to make a DECISION on WHAT action is required, and either do it or put it on a task list.

EFFECTIVE FILING SYSTEMS

One of the things I've never been particularly good at is developing effective paper filing systems.  Allen's book helped.  If papers arrive that need filing, I have a stack of folders and a sharpie handy (he prefers a label maker).  So I grab a folder, write the contents on the tab, and file it.  Items go into one of the following places:

1. A drawer of "Reference" files (things I may need to refer to occasionally)
2. A drawer of "Records" files (things I need to keep but probably won't need to refer back to)
3. A drawer of "Supplies" (e.g. forms I keep multiple copies of, although these could probably go in "reference" instead)
4. Project files, for those larger projects that require multiple folders.
5. Desktop project files to hold items for current active projects to which I need quick/convenient access.

One of the amazing results of using this technique is that papers don't pile up.  I have a place to put things where I can find them later.  And if something requires an action, a note goes into my planner/organizer.

Of course, implementing these changes required me to first clean up and organize my office.  Kind of a drag, but the result is amazing, and now I'm KEEPING it organized.  Allen's book has great suggestions on how to start.

If these ideas seem intriguing, recognize that I've only scratched the surface of what David Allen covers in his excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Rigging a Small Boat for Reservoir Fishing

You don't need a big boat to have a good time on a big lake.  Even a 12 or 14 foot jon gives you a lot of fishing options.  Here are some thoughts on how to rig it.

Here are the main things you will probably want to add to your boat:  electric trolling motor, depth finder, seating, fish box or live well, and rod holders. There are also lots of incidentals, like cup holders, places to store/hold small items, etc., but you want to get the big pieces situated first.  I would also consider an anchor and handheld VHF radio to be "must-haves".

Next you need to figure out where on the boat to install or place each item.  It's a good idea to leave things flexible until you take the boat out for quite a few times.  For example, you will probably need to make changes to balance the boat fore and aft, and/or port to starboard.  Battery placement, for example, can really alter the way a small boat sits and rides in the water.  Remember, the battery can be placed at some distance from the fish finder and trolling motor, just use heavy gauge wire to run power where you need it.  You also will find you like things organized a certain way based on how you move in the boat and the type of fishing you do.

My Tech Gear

The writers at the Lifehacker website (which, I might add, is well worth checking out…every few minutes…just in case there’s something new…not that I’m compulsive about it) have each written an article about all the tech gear they use.  Seemed like a cool idea, so here’s my version.

HARDWARE

My home computer is a Dell Dimension 2400 desktop PC running Windows XP.  I bought it in July of 2003, so it’s ancient, but it does everything I ask of it (Pandora, Facebook, e-mail, iTunes, photo management, and the occasional “yard sale” flyer) without complaint.  I have even used it for simple video editing.  I have made several upgrades, including beefing up the memory (now 1.5 GB), DVD burner, and an external 80 GB hard drive (which gives me a total of 120 GB).  Moving all my media files (music, video, photos) to the extra hard drive did wonders for the speed of the machine.  There is a scanner, deskjet printer, and photo printer on my desktop (it would be nice to have an “all in one” but that won’t happen until something breaks).  I found a used small flatscreen monitor on Craigslist for cheap and since I don’t do games or watch movies on it, it’s quite sufficient.  The keyboard is the original Dell, and the mouse is a standard three-button Logitech.  Both have (gasp!) wires.

At work I have a Macbook Pro laptop (13”), which I love.  It is sleek and portable and non-intrusive when I set it on the table at a meeting.  It is a wonderful presentation tool, automatically detecting whatever projector I plug it into, and came with its own remote.  I like the operating system just fine, but don’t have a strong preference for it over the Windows XP I use at home.  The touchpad is fantastic, and I have probably only learned a third of its capabilities.  At my desk, I plug in an external monitor which allows me to view some windows on the laptop screen, and other windows on the external monitor, shifting them around at will.  Very cool if you’ve never seen it.  I also plug in an external keyboard, and standard PC mouse.

OPERATING SYSTEM

I have pretty extensively tweaked Windows XP on my home PC.  I have, of course, deleted a bunch of the extraneous “crapware” that came with it.  The desktop is organized exactly to my liking, with nary an unnecessary icon.  I downloaded Powertoys for Windows XP from Microsoft, which gives you additional customization options.  The ClearType Tuning download from Microsoft makes the fonts on your screen more crisp.  I run CCleaner occasionally to delete unnecessary files.  I also used CCleaner to clean up my registry files, but there seems to be some debate as to whether that’s really necessary, and there’s also some risk that you’ll screw things up and have to reinstall your operating system.  Regular defrags, file cleanups, and keeping my hard drives at 50 percent capacity or less seems to keep things running smoothly and with adequate speed.  I am very selective about what goes into the system tray (tiny icons on lower right) and startup folder, and absolutely NOTHING is given “quick launch” privileges.

MOBILE DEVICES

I have a 2^nd generation iPod Touch, which does 75 percent of what your smartphone does, with no monthly fee for a data plan.  I get a little shaky if my iPod is more than a few feet away, and use it for numerous critical functions, including storing contacts, lists (to-dos and shopping), reading news, and scheduling (syncs automatically with Google calendar so co-workers are up-to-date).  I also use it for several entertainment functions, including reading (Kindle app), music (both downloaded and Pandora), and videos.

In the truck, I have a basic MP3 player that I keep loaded with my favorite podcasts (plays through stereo with an FM tuner).  I haven’t figured out a good music solution for the truck, but I’m going to try using a second MP3 player loaded with music only (and different than the music on my iPod).

For work, I use a backpack style laptop bag from Walmart, which I love.  It was cheap, but has held up very well.  It carries my laptop, work camera, phone chargers, memory sticks, and a notebook.  Using a backpack instead of a more conventional bag also helps me maintain my "young and hip" image.

DESKTOP SOFTWARE

Very glad I switched to Google Chrome for web browsing, after a long and happy relationship with Mozilla Firefox.  I vaguely remember a troubled time years ago with some other browser (maybe starts with an E??), but maybe things are better now.

For e-mail we use Thunderbird.  Just discovered you can use it to manage multiple addresses, so I’m switching all my on-line accounts and newsletters (e.g. on-line stores, Clark Howard, etc.) to a different address.  I would probably go whole hog with the Gmail interface, but Kate and I share an address and she is comfortable with Thunderbird.

iTunes is my primary media management tool, and I like it just fine.  The writers on Lifehacker seem enamored of Winamp, which I tried, but it kept crashing which I don’t have time for.  So now I’m using Windows Media Player as a secondary tool to manage my non-Apple MP3 players.  I also have VLC Media Player so I can watch DVDs (although I never do), and DVD Flick to burn DVDs (there’s no built-in for tool for either function in XP).

WHAT’S NEXT?

My next project is to find an inexpensive used laptop or PC that I can connect to the TV.  Between Hulu, iTunes, Amazon, and the network websites, there is a ton of free or cheap programming available.  I will also get a kick out of playing with new hardware (VGA converter, remote) and software (maybe XBMC) to make it all work seamlessly.  And my secret agenda is to wean Kate off of satellite, which would save us a few hundred dollars a year.