A paddlewiser writes: "[another Passdlewise member] pokes fun at folks who certificate their walls but do not regularly "test the envelope" of their skills and preparation on the water. He makes a valid point,...." I don't agree completely. The whole idea with an outdoors sport, for most of us, is to have fun - not necessarily to test our strenght, endurance, or emergency response. Taking courses is fun. Achieving a certain level of competence through those courses is also fun, and it imbues most of us with a little insight into what we can reasonably do, and what we ought to avoid. If I go around bragging about a course I've taken or an award I've won (or "posting certificates on my wall"), that's a sign of insecurity in me. It also makes me look like a damn fool, because in any given group there are going to be people who have done more and *will* do more than I've done. But if I pass my ACA ICE (which, by the way, I'd never be able to do in a million years) and then choose to paddle around my duck pond for the rest of my life, that's just me having fun. You might not enjoy paddling in around my pond, but that doesn't make it a character flaw. Bill Hansen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Bhansen97_at_aol.com wrote: > Taking courses is fun. Achieving a certain level of competence through those > courses is also fun, and it imbues most of us with a little insight into what > we can reasonably do, and what we ought to avoid. Good point. In adition, some courses can assist in "exploring the envelope" **safely** so when you encounter similar conditions in the rough, you are more ready for them. Thanks for the contribution, Bill. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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