Conflicted

Got the chance today, to throw the corporate thing away. Phone wrang,

"Aaron, my name is "X".... I've been watching your stuff for the last couple years. What do you think about chasing Y-Fish for Z number of days with me and two other guys? We have a film crew from Warren Miller going to follow us around for the summer."

This was the call, for me, the one I have been waiting for since before I knew it, and.....

I turned them down.

Do I put the gun in my mouth now, or wait until after I pay $29.95 for a copy from the local fly fishing store, who's folks have made a sales pitch out of destroying my name second nature?

Who Fuck'n Knows - that's all I can say. I can tell you right now, if Justin or someone from his crew told me three years ago, "A, we want you to go chase fish with us in NZ" I would have quite corporate right then and there, but they didn't.

Now two kids later, and no more AEG, not sure I'll ever get to swing at the video plate again... God I hope it's not the last time I get the offer... is all I can think.

My blog is named Sleeping in the Dirt for a Reason... I thought and still do think.. fly fishing has stepped off the path. It has become corporate. People who run the companies we buy from left what we do in the dust and are depending on market studies and pie charts more than the heartbeat of anglers, like you and me.

Now when I speak with reps, they give away their real goals too easily... and give-up their dirty little secret... they don't Fish~!

I have to ask you, WTF is a guy doing selling gear to fly shops who doesn't fish?

Hence: my frustrations lead to my blog and its name. You don't know a river until you sleep next to it. Smell, taste, and feel what it has to offer. The babble, sooths the soul, and the earth cradles Thu body, while the hum of life puts fish to your feet. If you don't follow, well then you're most likely a product rep.

I've let loose on my duel-lifestyle before, but come-freek'n-on! I work 60 hours per week, manage a family and still put a buck plus days on the water per year.

I'm sick of corporate running how we fish, designing what we wear, and not standing behind what we use.

I don't have all the answers, and maybe I've snapped. Here I go over the deep-end. When do fly-fisherman get to take back their "Quiet-Sport?"

I don't know do you? Somebody help me see......