I’m guessing something is in order as Singlebarbed turns “one” today.
Blogging is hellish enough and a niche subject like fly fishing reminds me of a High School English assignment, “write 200 words on the appearance of a spoon.” “Round and shiny” comes easily enough but there’s still 198 more words left and you’re dry.
428 posts in 365 days is a lot of practice. I’d always been taught that writing is like a muscle and must be exercised to keep tone. The slow evolution of stilted, unfriendly prose to labored and ponderous – suggests something’s changing. It appears I require a lot more “reps” before the “Ghosts of English Teacher’s Past” will stop rattling those chains each night.
Maybe cutting those classes was a bad idea..
1000 valid comments and 4000 attempts to sell you Viagra. I’m not sure whether the fishing fraternity has a problem with tumescence, but the spam ‘bots think you do. This is strictly, “don’t ask, don’t tell” from my perspective, but if you’re interested in offshore Viagra made from Kitty litter and Agent Orange, I’ll send you some links.
The Contest That Was Never Announced
The winner of the Singlebarbed “Contest That was Never Announced” is Singlebarbed reader, San Mateo Joe. SMJ commented about twice as often as other readers, on 40 pieces total, and has earned his choice of 40 dozen trout flies – or a new Orvis T3 9′ #4 rod (with a prominent “R” on the cork), and 20 dozen flies of his choosing.
Knowing he sat on the last one and may have nothing to wave in anger, requires us to assist. It should prove a sturdy backup should his arse get a taste for more graphite. Comments are as rare as 20″ trout, and even bad writing is a lot of work, it’s nice to know someone reads this stuff besides my Mom me.
SMJ, you let me know what’s needed, but you can forget about the #18 married-wing Silver Doctor’s …
My thanks to all of you for enduring the last 12 months of split infinitives, outright made up words, and dangling participles, and I’m looking forward to some serious misspellings, crazed hyphenation, and outright lies next year.
Bare Bear Bayer with me.
Congratulations, but please no birthday candles. We’ve got enough smoke for now.
“Round and shiny” is 3 words….leaving 197. Back to math class for you! But I two look forwaard to the miss-splellings and hy-phanny-nations.
Happy Birthday! Nothing beats flies or a rod in your “Thanks for coming to MY birthday party” gift bag! Congrats SMJ
Happy Birthday SingleBarbed.
I may have been a late-comer to the scene, but I think I already helped degrade the quality of your site.
Brownliners rule.
– the roughfisher
Congratulations, although from today’s TU it appears that Tom might be in need of a new rod, also. You still haven’t convinced me to fish for squawfish/pikeminnow, but you’ve certainly provided a dependable source of entertainment and information. It’s great to see a blogger who has something worth reading pretty much every day. Keep up the good work.
Congratulations on a job well done. 428 posts in a year’s time – including weekends and holidays – is something I can’t even imagine trying to accomplish.
Since I don’t fish very often, it’s always a pleasure hearing about the exploits of those that do, and reading about what “Singlebarbed” has been up to is something I look forward to every day.
As for the unofficial contest: right now I’m at a loss for words. Your offer is generous to a fault, and about all I can muster is a very heartfelt “Thank you.”
NOTE: The usual snide/crude/vulgar/cynical tone of my comments will resume tomorrow, once the shock wears off.
Thanks for participating, and the above “rogue’s gallery” is ample proof that Fly Fisherman magazine has a lot to fear…
Oatka: I cut them classes with equal verve, now I pay the price publicly.
Jean-Paul: anyone that wipes rock snot off his tuna fish sandwich, then takes another bite is welcome in our book. There is too many syllables in your name though – so we’ll keep an eye on you.
SMJ: I’m going to recind the offer and award the rod to Lou if you don’t insult me quickly. We don’t do emotional, unless it’s the last beer.
I’ve lurked this site for one year, had I known there would be a prize in it, I’d have commented earlier! Is the T-3 the one you recently won on E-bay? Couldn’t you get over the “R” on the handle? Just kidding, love this blog!
Welcome to the vocal minority Jim, we’re glad to have you … then again, now you’ve made yourself a target.
Insults are particularly welcome – the hard part being the anonymity piece, it’s hard to see who’s smaller than you – until then use me as the recipient.
Until a few months ago I couldn’t even spell blogg and now I are one.
I can neither be as prolific nor as prose-full as you, but I will continue to strive for at least a modicum of miss-adventures to be told.
Can I buy you a bottle of expensive single malt for the big occasion? Or help you drink one…
7/1
A slightly belated happy birthday to you singlebarbed. I call you the “Good Humor Man” KB10. Thanks for keeping life in perspective for all of us by your use of humor.
When are you going to come out with your patent pending infinitive splitter so it makes it easier on the rest of us?
Does that offshore Viagra cure arthritis as well?
Give Jean-Paul a break. If I survived an upbringing where my friends and neighbors were named Jim Bob, Joe Bob, Joe Bill, Billy Bob, and the like, you can handle a couple of syllables, too. It’s no more syllables than “Kevin” or “Bubba”, just requires contorting your mouth a bit differently to pronounce it correctly.
Jim B: The T3 is the one I recently broke and sent to Orvis. Someone pulled it out of the dumpster, put a new grip on it, and listed it on Ebay. Singlebarbed thought I should have it back, so he bought it and made up this “unannounced contest” idea.
As for the flies, a few months back I unloaded close to 500 yards of poly yarn onto him in various muted colors, and I suspect he’s now trying to give it back. That or he picked up a case of those Big5 Dial-a-Fly boxes and plans to pass them off on me.
SMJ is nearly correct, I took his shattered T3 added some willow branches as splints – then wrapped the entire broken area with florescent pink poly yarn.
Good for another 25 years..
Congratulations.
I wonder what the viagra spammers complain about finding in their in-boxes. Offers to buy hand-tied flies from Nigeria?
Cheers
Congratulations on your milestone. I can assure you that for every post you make, I have put off at least 2 dozen good ideas for articles. What you have in industry I more than make up for with laziness.
Once again congrats and keep up the good work.