Lot's of good advice here, most of it pretty sound.
2 months is nowhere near long enough - For some people. Then again, for some folks 2 years isn't long enough.
What applies to some does not necessarily apply to others.
Seems to me that if it's going to work then 2 months or even 2 weeks is plenty long enough - If it's not, then 2 decades wouldn't be long enough.
You are your own person and ultimately YOU and your guy are the ones who have to live with your decision(s). (And each other!)
If you think it'll work, (and it seems like you do!) then go for it! If it was meant to be, it will work and you'll cherish the extra time together. If not, then you'll discover it sooner rather than later and still have time to move on without the baggage that accrues with time.
Personally, I thank God each and every day that I made the "rash decision" to just up and leave everything I'd known and move 1,100 miles to the hills of East Tennessee. Oh sure, it was way too soon - I'd only known her for 2 1/2 months - But what's the time limit on playing the lottery before you hit the jackpot? I took a chance, spun the wheel and was rewarded with more love, happiness and peace of mind than I ever knew could exist!
Step up and spin the wheel, I say! True, you might go bust, but you might also hit the greatest jackpot life has to offer - Peace of mind, love, contentment... Happiness!
I honestly hope no one is offended by this - It's all in fun!
The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” Londoners have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to a “Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was during the great fire of 1666.
Also, the French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Surrender” and “Collaborate.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France’s white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country’s military capability.
It’s not only the English and French that are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”
The Germans also increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbor” and “Lose.”
Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.
The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.
Ah, Armas! You missed an absolutely beautiful day on the river! Like I told my lovely wife; "My butt hurts from sitting, my arms and shoulders ache from paddling and it feel like my back is killing me from constantly twisting around to cast in the opposite direction... And I feel fantastic!"
Caught several beautiful fish and kept 2 rainbows - one nice and the other exceptionally nice (about 2 pounds) - and a fair sized brown. They will go on the grill in about 45 minutes. I cannot remember when I've had a more relaxing day!
And yes, after I caught the big rainbow I said out loud, "Aw doggone, sure wish Armas & Robert were here to see this! It'd prove that not all fisherman are liars!"
Yes, my friends, you sure missed out on a lovely day... But not really... I was thinking about you and wishing you were there and, in a way, I reckon you were.
Well, time to go fire up the smoker grill and get the fish ready. You fellers rest easy and I'll handle things on this end. Supper'll be ready in just over an hour...
Sounds like you've summed up the way quite a few of us feel. Granted, I've been lucky enough to find the gal I was looking for, but still I understand perfectly what you're saying.
To tell the absolute truth, in my case at least, these feelings also apply to real life. In fact, I can't remember a time when I couldn't have applied the exact same scenario - in varying degrees - to all of existance. There are times, it seems, when we're surrounded by friends and support and things just couldn't get any better. Then, a week later, you wake up and realize that something's just a little different and it gradually occurs to you that your friends, job, family, favorite pasttimes, etc... aren't quite as close and dear as they were. And you can't quite figure out if you've changed, or they have.
The heck of it is that there's not a whole lot that you can do about this whole "river of life" thing except somehow muddle through until things begin to get on an even keel. Of course you could look for "smoother waters" but even that is only a temporary fix and it seems best just to paddle a little harder or a little less hard or work on thickening your hull or maybe even pull into the mouth of a creek and rest a bit.
I wish you luck, Bettis, and I apologize for the corny sailing metaphor, but I've got canoeing on the brain this morning. It'll sort it'self out eventually!
Sometimes it feels kinda' neat to feel like a teenager again, don't it?
Best of luck to you, friend!
BTW - I'll be launching the canoe in about 2 1/2 hours for a float/fishing trip down the Clinch. Still looking forward to taking you with me some day, but now that you got a gal, I reckon I'll be waitin' for quite a while!
Again, good luck! I have first hand knowledge of just exactly how rewarding it is when you finally find "the one."
Since we haven't heard otherwise, I trust that you are continuing the good fight?
It's been a rough week - two nights in a four day week where I got less than 4 hours sleep - between a sick truck and a slow shipper, I am ready for the weekend!
And I know I should sleep in tomorrow morning, but once again I feel the Clinch River calling my name and my heart and I've already decided to launch the canoe just about daybreak and spend a goodly amount of time fishing as much of the river as I can during low water before they fire up the generators at Norris Dam. I'm guessing that the trout fishing will be quite good as I'll be able to reach low water pools not otherwise easily accessed and there's a chance that I'll hang into some good smallmouth bass as well.
There will, of course, be an empty seat in the canoe, but it's only because you haven't yet told the hospital folks that you've had your fill of them and are on your way to East Tennessee to go fishing!
I'll be thinking of both you and Robert tomorrow as well as a few others and thanking God for the opportunity of - if not guiding you personally - at least making the trip and reporting back!
We continue to wish you well down here and look forward to the time when we'll be able to meet up and swap fishing stories and share a cup of coffee -- If not in this realm, then certainly in the next!
Take care my friend and I'll do my best to catch a big one for you. (And if not, then I at least promise to lie about it convincingly! )
First off, I think the thread title was an interesting (albeit accidental) choice of words. Mr. Bush is a Republican, so therefore most everything he's done has been "right." (As opposed to his "left" wing opponents.)
Having said that, here's something good and 'right' that he's done: With his many and various faux pas, he singlehandedly made folks forget all about Jimmy Carter's brush with the infamous man-eating swamp rabbit!
(Unfortunately we still haven't been able to forget about Clinton's BJ in the oval office!)
Well, down here in East Tennessee, Row vs. Wade is something of a conumdrum - I've even heard it referred to as the great Southeastern Fishing Controversy!
On one hand you have the fisherman (and women!) who consider themselves purists (and don't own boats!) who prefer wading and casting to individual trout. On the other hand you have those who, like me, aren't quite so pure and own drift boats and canoes (but don't own a pair of chest waders!).
Each side has valid points. For instance, some actually claim to enjoy tripping and slipping over rocks the size of a hall closet and wading in freezing water up to their b....ait pails. And others of us prefer to trip over roots and slide down banks in order to then enjoy a peaceful float trip down the river - provided of course that we don't crash into unseen snags or get wiped out of the boat by a low limb!
"Waders" have the advantage of leaving by more or less the same route they came by, while "Rowers" get to see considerably more scenery. (Both sometimes have days when we couldn't catch a fish if someone tossed it in our laps!)
Sadly, the debate has gone on for decades and will likely continue as long as there are trout in the river!
Now, as to the real O.P.: I have absolutely no opinion on this, one way or the other. It simply is none of my business. Not being female, I can't get pregnant and sadly, owing to injuries incurred many years ago, I am incapable of getting anyone pregnant. It simply does not concern me and I have absolutely no business telling others what they should or should not do with their bodies.
Hmmm... Might be I can dig up a few more of the river from last summer and send 'em along.
Speaking of the Clinch, I'm back from my float. Caught a couple of beautiful rainbows and then lost 'em when my fish basket got hung up on a submerged log and broke away from the canoe. Paddled back over the same area several times, but the water - besides being only about 40-42 degrees - is quite deep and very swift where I lost them. I am somewhat consoled by knowing that a wade-fisherman will probably find them in the morning when the water is low and either release them or take them home for his own meal. And still, it was another beautiful outing and the only thing missing was somebody in the front seat of the canoe to share it with.
So Armas, you missed out on a beautiful float trip, but - on the bright side - you also missed out on the profane syllables I uttered when I lost my dadblamed fish and brand new fish basket.
Tell Robert that I'll send along some pictures this evening of the Clinch in summer as well as some more fall pictures taken around our home.
In the mean time, keep working on gettin' better and I'll keep the front seat of the canoe dusted off for ya'.
Well, Armas, looks to be that we've all made it through another night. (Given the day I had yesterday, I wasn't terribly sure about my own chances.)
The coffee'll be on in just a few minutes and in an hour or so I'll be heading for the Clinch River for an 8 or 9 mile float in the canoe. Sure wish you guys were down here to go with me because - like I mentioned to Indy a few weeks ago - as much as I love the country down here, I love sharing it with friends even more!
I'm guessing that I probably won't catch every trout in the river, but I'm figuring that I won't come home empty handed either. Truth to tell, my friend, I may very well be fishing the Clinch River wrong every time I go out and just countin' on there being 5 or 6 nice fat trout that don't realize that I'm fishing it wrong!
This evening I'll fire up the smoker grill, put a pat of butter, a chunk of bacon and some minced garlic inside the body cavities of my trout then wrap 'em in foil and broil 'em over the coals. MMmm... I can almost taste 'em already! Sure wish you guys could be down here to share 'em with us! Oh well, there are plenty more days and plenty more trout, so maybe another time?
You might mention to Robert that if he'll send me his regular e-mail address, I'd be happy to share a few pictures of my beloved Clinch River that were taken last fall - might give both of you some incentive to get outta' that darned hospital and come down and see us!
Well Sir, smells like the coffee's ready, so I'll let you rest your eyes while I pour us a cup and start gettin ready for the river. You take care and give my best to your son - He's a pretty good guy for a Democrat - and remind him that God and the fish care more about your heart than your politics.
Oh, and I've got an empty seat in my canoe and a couple extra coffee cups and I'm looking forward to the time when you two can come down and help me fill 'em!
No need. I already own a book of famous quotations.
Ok, I'll quit picking on you now! I've got a floor to finish building and a storage structure to put up and, like the man said, "It ain't gonna' finish it'self!"
You must like using them a helluva' lot, because I seldom see anything original from you.
Firstly, if you don't have to, then why do you? Secondly, I will be swayed by the content of your argument if/when the words are yours, every bit as much as I would be swayed by the person you are quoting if I were debating with them. Otherwise, I'm not debating with you, but whomever you choose to quote. To answer the question "Why should I agree with you?" with "Because of something that Ben Franklin (Einstein, Wordsworth, etc...) said that I agree with!" is not an answer, but an evasion.
Indeed, as is the vast majority of the fluff on these forums. (That's one of the reasons I come here - life get's way too flat if not "fluffed" a bit from time to time!)
I'm envious Ken! I could barely even spell algebra - and I was good with English lit. and contest public speaking!
BTW, good to see you back! You're one of those special few whose friendship and input I truly value! Some day I hope to have the chance to buy you a cup of your beverage of choice and converse awhile, eyeball to eyeball.
RE: So what would you say if someone you met had a scar?
Or fists to knife fights!Scars? Hmmm... Seems to me like they're just reminders of where we've been and what we've done.