Living in Florida: It’s always something.
This one is new: Florida woman steals lobster from Red Lobster tank, tells deputies she was ‘blacked out drunk’
- So I didn’t buy her drinks. But I might have gone out with her another time…
Still, to this day, I haven’t been arrested. Sheriff deputies came up on me this week. Same result as the previous 100 times: One of them figured out that I am “Neil Taylor.” I’m still slightly mystified by it but I guess I earned it. I am pro law enforcement, which those guys obviously like, but moreover I am pro “not being an idiot” and my actions are what these guys have heard about. I made some new friends. No question. And these are the right kind of friends to have. I lamented that I hadn’t been in on thumping a criminal in a while. The youngest deputy there said “Well. Have you seen a crime in that time?” I said “Shuddup.” Everyone laughed. I told them “I don’t want to have to do anything but if I see something, I’ll do something about it. It is in my blood. My father couldn’t stop me. There isn’t anyone on Earth that can stop me.” Every one of them patted me on the shoulder at goodbye time. Every one of them. I told every one of them “Don’t get killed. Don’t get killed. Don’t get killed. Don’t get killed. Don’t get killed. Don’t get killed. “ And let me tell you: Those guys liked that too. Thoose guys are more likely to get killed at work than anyone else in town. I’ll leave it at that. Those guys are my guys. Even the ones I haven’t met yet. Sadly, there are people who don’t mind seeing them dead. I think that’s sick.
The election results are actually now final. The people in charge of that debacle are worth a look. It’s politics. Trying to change an election. Integrity apparently doesn’t matter so much anymore. A cheater: There is no integrity.
What is there in the world that isn’t yet known? Something that will one day be common knowledge. Something any one of us could think up? It is kind of an amazing time. You phone gives you access to the internet and knowledge of everything. I’m still amazed of the things that don’t work right. Traffic signals: My county, has to be the worst in the country. On the way fishing today, sat at a light with 40 other cars for three minutes with no cars going the other way. Didn’t see a single car going the other way. I sit at that light five days a week, scratching my head.
Pretty close to being a thief. These situations are the kind of thing that can poison your mind. I can tell you: I’m not happy with some of the thoughts I have. But I understand how that came to be. More and more, I keep it all to myself anyway. I did run into a girlfriend from 16 years ago. I didn’t see her. She saw me. Of course, I recognized her. No problem coming up with her name on the spot. I always have to search the memory archive: Was it a bad breakup? This one wasn’t bad. She broke up with me, always better. She said it only took her family five years to stop talking about me. I made the mistake of asking. Half of them are dead. So it goes.
Most days I feel really good. Once in a while I feel like Tom Hanks alone with his volleyball on an island.
Thanksgiving again. It seems like it should be three weeks away. Anyway, for those of us in Florida it is celebration time. For the past five days: Not soaked in sweat. After seven months of extremes, it is really pretty nice. And there are months of this weather ahead before it all starts over again. I like the heat. But these months are the reward. Time passes fast, next it will be Christmas.
The final stages, publishing a book. Now it is just waiting on people. Banned from the Pub, I got the second book finished. My plan is to publish that one in January. The third book: Time for development, that will be the one where I make some money. That one will have a much wider appeal. The first book, the narrowest. “Kayak fishing” is a limited audience. The second book is Fishing Tampa Bay, a wider audience. The third book is the Humor book. I have done some work on that but put most of my effort into Fishing Tampa Bay. That one is basically to choosing pictures and it is ready to go. The next 24 hours I hope to be developing the relationship with the publisher where the process on books 2 and 3 is simple.
Owning a house, one of the best decisions I have ever had. I got things how I want them. This week: The fire pit. The deck under the fire pit. Nice to have that done. I’m really getting a kick out of making this place better. Of course, every place I have ever lived was better when I left than when I got there. First time for some of this stuff. It isn’t hard but it is a skill. I learned some things. The refrigerator and all the cabinets are full. I have enjoyed stocking the place. It took a while but I got there: Nuts, spices-everything you could possibly want to have in a house, I have it here.
Finally people who want to go fishing again. It isn’t busy, but it’s better than it was. We have had good trips. We have had bad trips. The bad trips were when the tides weren’t how I wanted them. The good trips were very good. 30 trout over 18 inches: That is a good outing. John, Terry and Mark come from Maryland in under three weeks. They choose good tides. I’m hoping to get them on some epic bites. Those guys don’t care but it is always good when I get them on that action that is stronger.
“Neil, your articles starting in the last year: The freestyle writing, I like it better than your structured stuff. Maybe I’m shallow. I think. I laugh. I hope they keep coming. You say stuff other people won’t say. You find things humorous other people never really thought about. It has lightened up my life.”
Well, as long as someone likes it. I have felt recently my writing to be a failure. There are all these people I know that haven’t read a thing I have put out in years. Is that my fault? I actually don’t dwell on it. I figure, the people who want to read what I put out there will find a way. The people who don’t: Whatever.
The new book: If you want to know what I know, get the book. It is pretty complete. The next one is more generic: How to catch the fish around Tampa Bay. The third book is the big one. The Neil Humor book.
Fishing is strong. They moved around but I know where they are. According to the news today: Red Tide is ending. I hope they are right.
Neil Taylor
“Instructional Kayak Fishing”
Strike Three Kayak Fishing
www.strikethreekayakfishing.com
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023
