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Messages - mdcesq

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1
General Board / Re: Got a date
« on: February 29, 2024, 05:16:59 AM »
Hey Mike!  Great seeing you still coming on to visit with us now and again!
Plus one day I'll have enough posts elevate from Mud Marlin status to what, Leopard Shark?

More like a Shovelnose I think.  I can't remember the order anymore. lol

Lol. I liked those freaky-looking shovelnose, so I have something to aspire to.

Hope you are well, Tom.

2
General Board / Re: Got a date
« on: February 24, 2024, 10:12:07 AM »
Hey Mike!  Great seeing you still coming on to visit with us now and again!

I like checking in here because I never know what I'll find, from fishing reports to recipes to knee surgery, lol.

Plus one day I'll have enough posts elevate from Mud Marlin status to what, Leopard Shark?


3
General Board / Re: Got a date
« on: February 19, 2024, 06:10:42 AM »

Glad you got a date pinned down. Good luck with the surgery, Verne. I had my right re-done years ago and they said I'll need the left worked on at some point. I walked with a cane for a long time. It was humbling, but I got through it. You will too.

4
General Board / Re: Blood Pressure
« on: October 28, 2023, 05:34:23 AM »

It's a relief to hear that I'm not the only one battling this, although I'm not happy to learn so many of us have to struggle with BP.

Congrats on the workout regime, Tom. I think that coupled with weight loss is probably the best way to reduce BP.

I take readings 2x a day, and they started creeping to 130/90. Not terrible, but not great either. So, doc gave me a small dose of another med and now I'm 113-ish/76-ish. I don't feel lightheaded but sleepy in the afternoon. I hope it doesn't get too low because one time it did when I was driving, I almost passed out, and had to pull over.

I lost 4 pounds as well, and if I can knock out another 10 pounds I think my numbers will zero out.

Like you, Tom, I've had incredible stress at work since January. Seriously considering going part-time or reduced schedule that because I think it's the source of my elevated numbers. I'm too old to put up with bullsh!t at work anymore.

Good luck to all with this.


5
General Board / Re: A Couple of Fools
« on: April 14, 2023, 05:08:13 AM »

To this day I laugh out loud when I see that pic of Cav and Bing on the motorcycle.  ;D

6
General Board / Re: Reflection and Projection
« on: April 11, 2023, 06:08:54 AM »
I had a few glasses (not bottles) of wine last weekend and a few 2.8% "Ultra-Light" Michelob beers this weekend.  7 weeks in and finally have control!

It was weird seeing and being around some inebriated family this weekend.  It made them almost mad at me that I wasn't drinking.  LOL

Well done, Tom. Control is key, I think.

I had a family member over the holidays give me a hard time for cutting back. WTF? And I thought he'd be happy.

This has been a motivational post for me, Tom. According to DrinkControl I'm down 43% in the last 30 days! Some things just take a little teamwork.

7
General Board / Re: Reflection and Projection
« on: April 02, 2023, 02:05:51 PM »
4 weeks completed...  Wow, I never would have guessed I would have made it this far, but super glad I did.

Excellent, Tom! Congrats!

8
That looks gorgeous Mike! The last time I was up in those parts I was fishing the Clark-Fork River and the trout fishing was insane! Pike Minnows, Pike, Rainbows, Cutthroat, and whitefish were the common one's we caught there. 
I hope you post some catches when you finally get out and start whipping around the fly rod on the shores this spring. I could use some fresh mountain air fishing posts. 8)

Thanks, Tom! I have yet to fish the Clark Fork but have driven over it many times. I've fished Rock Creek, a Clark Fork tributary, and it was excellent!

I'm going to make an effort to fish more this year. My outings went way down after a back injury, but I think I have things under control enough to flick flies on a more consistent basis. Will post some reports!

Beautiful territory, I would love to fish that area, you are lucky 8)

Thank you, Tim. I need to remind myself of that more often.

That's gorgeous Mike!   8)

It is! I suspect you'll be getting out on Priest River or  Pend Oreille soon?

9
Wow that’s beautiful. What kind of fishery is the lower madison?

It's a good fishery. Mostly brown and rainbow trout in this section. The Upper, coming out of the Park, has more cutthroat and other species, like arctic grayling, etc.

10
With the roads dry and an extra hour of light in the evening, I took a quick drive down to the Lower Madison the other day.

Looks great and highly fishable (you should be able to play this as a video):

Madison031623

11
General Board / Re: Reflection and Projection
« on: March 15, 2023, 06:15:48 AM »

Coincidentally, I came to the same realization last year and cut back significantly. Two observations: (1) I was the guy at the bar/restaurant who got really loud and annoying, and I'm simply too old to keep doing that sh!t and looking like a fool; and (2) I have my mornings back.


Tomorrow will be 3 weeks and I still have an urge to drink, but quelling it with a zero beer helps a little.  I don't really want to give it up entirely as I love a glass of wine with a good dinner, but I just have to limit it to a glass and not a bottle, or two.  Just mentally knowing I can stop if needed is a HUGE step for me and your two observations are spot on! lol

Good work, Tom. Three weeks is a great accomplishment. The longest I made it since high school was eight months and that was after I had knee surgery, was taking all these meds, and had PT at 7am four days a week. Best I ever felt.

Yeah, outright abstinence is tough. It took me most of my life to realize that the moderation folks were right all along. Another trick I play with myself at restaurants is I order a 12 oz. can instead of a 16 oz. draft pint. The 4 oz. difference seems insignificant, but it's noticeable (and usually cheaper), especially for drinkers like me who enjoy the higher ABVs.





12
General Board / Re: Reflection and Projection
« on: March 12, 2023, 10:51:50 AM »
Props to you Tom. Keep on rollin'.

Coincidentally, I came to the same realization last year and cut back significantly. Two observations: (1) I was the guy at the bar/restaurant who got really loud and annoying, and I'm simply too old to keep doing that sh!t and looking like a fool; and (2) I have my mornings back.

Also, two tools: (1) I hate the phones but there's an app called Drink Control that probably saved my life and really puts into perspective how much I was drinking; and (2) Athletic Brewery (right there in SD) has some of the best NAs you can drink. I love the taste of hops but nearbeers never had enough or tasted right to me. Now they can brew with engineered yeast that doesn't produce alcohol, so it's really the same as the real thing taste-wise. No more boiling the beer or other techniques like O'Douls and some of the others had to use which basically ruined the taste. They have IPAs, hazies, stouts, just about everything and I can't tell the difference between them and those infused with alcohol.

I still drink most Friday and Saturday nights, but instead of four 7-9% IPAs I'll have one or two 5% pales ales or 4.3% Guinness. If I have something going on Saturday or Sunday morning, I can take the night off no sweat and could probably go cold turkey any time if I wanted. I just don't need it anymore.

Anyway, I encourage your journey and I hope I can keep my head on straight enough to stay the course on mine. So far, so good.


13
General Board / Re: A little KFC for the Fire
« on: March 05, 2023, 09:03:33 AM »

Holy smokes! That's a real thing? Looks good . . . I think.

14
General Board / Re: Montana Popsicles
« on: January 28, 2023, 05:27:01 AM »
Great pictures Mike!  Man, it's nice to see real trout and not ones that are grown in test tubes like the slugs they make out here.

;D I remember catching some of those at LNL!

I need to get up to Hyalite Creek again. So far, those trout have had the most vibrant colors. I haven’t been in a while mostly because it’s thick with bush and Griz. But, I recently bought some . . . protection, so maybe it’s time to return.

Gorgeous pictures and beautiful trout Mike!

Thanks, Chad. I bet you’ve got some killer pics of the Lake. I never used to drive the east side because I was always coming from Spokane, but the last time I was through there (pre-pandemic), I noticed the majestic views from the 90 on the east side. Wow, and some of those homes!

15
General Board / Re: Montana Popsicles
« on: January 22, 2023, 08:41:15 AM »
I want to see some of those famous Montana Trout! (That or maybe some fossils) lol

Every year I say I'm going to put up a report here, but then I don't get around to it. I mostly don't take pics of the fish anymore. I try not to handle them and just get them back in the water as quickly as possible. I know, it's no fun, but the freshwater models are not as hardy as most of the saltwater species.

I mainly just take pics of landscapes and some of my fav fishing holes.













There's a fossil dig class you can take in Yellowstone. I gotta do it!



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