This week’s guest post in the Writing After Kids Series is by Andre Jackson, the father of four very intelligent children. He is also a twenty-year Active Duty Navy Veteran and finally a reader that loves to write and occasionally perform. He and I worked together for the 2007 National Poetry Slam in Austin, Texas. He was tireless, cheerful, and absolutely dedicated to providing support for the writers, performers, and organizers in our extended slam family.

Go Fish

Nopalitos blended with a little honey nectar:  I have two girls in Yukon, Oklahoma; one girl in Long Beach, and my son who is in San Diego with me.  During the week I am most often detached and away from my family and working on San Nicolas Island. (January 2nd 2010, will mark my 20th, year of active duty service in the United States Navy). In preparation for my retirement, I am also trying to finish up a psychology degree, throw in family time, working out, and flag/fantasy football leagues. Now maybe the first sentence makes for a halfway decent visual reference point.

I love writing but most importantly I love to perform using what I’ve written.  The stage is out of the question nowadays. Logistically it’s kind of hard to perform during the week when I’m working.  On the weekends I could perform but my wife, children and professors would probably all divorce me at the same time and that might make for a big mess outside of the blender.

So what is a guy to do when there’s not enough room in the blender?

I go fishing:

1.  Writing makes me feel like I am fishing. Fishing  makes me feel like ‘what if’ and if I do hook a fish what kind will it be?  How big will it be? What kind of bait did I use?

2.  Sometimes what I write allows others a good day on the lake, because they get lost in the ‘what if’ with me.

3.  Finally presentation is so important when setting up a rig.  It’s like painting a picture. Sometimes it’s sloppy but other times it’s hook, line and sinker neat.

Granted you’ll never see me on television with the biggest fish or the most poundage caught in a day, but I keep coming back for more just because of the ‘what if’ feeling.  Since I’m only going for the feeling associated with fishing I don’t need the flashy bass boat, nor the commercial endorsements.

I fish most often on my school discussion board.  I’ve become something of the fisherman on that lake.  I Carolina Rig essay’s for school as well.  Nothing like catching an ‘A’ with 10 pound line and a deep yellow gold flaked rubber worm.

I fish with fresh bait on my iPhone.  There are book outlines there as well as poems, and maybe one day I might actually finish my own design for a man made lake fully stocked with an assortment of fish that I chose.

I know I’m not complicated, I don’t even think my vocabulary is that dense, but I’m still learning the topography of the lake most often with no  navigational device and that’s a good feeling.

I make time for fishing because I love fried rainbow trout with buttered white rice especially with a glass of blended Nopalitos and honey nectar.  This is all part of a healthy diet, I suppose.  It definitely keeps my blood pressure at par, and helps to lower my stress level when coping with the fact that I’m just a guy who will probably will never meet all his expectations but both Olga Silverstein and Peggy Papp would agree that this too is o.k. as long as I enjoy each moment within the moment and realize that even on those days when I go fishless, I can still consider myself at least healthy.

Photo Blender Fish by Nic Anzal