By Brian G. Schommer

I had a great chat with a regular reader the other day about “holding back” on certain things that may offend people. He reminded me that in today’s world, no matter what you say, there will always be somebody that is offended and that he gave up worrying about that. Then he also reminded me that the pen is mightier than the sword and I should throw caution into the wind and see how it goes. While I am always up for a challenge, that one will be sitting on the backburner for a long time, if not forever. The only feathers I want to ruffle are those on a turkey, duck, or pheasant while hunting.

He made a good point though and agree, disagree, or agree to disagree, which is generally the path I usually take when confronted with differing viewpoints, finding someone who’s backside is easily chaffed seems easy in today’s culture. Phrases like “buck up, suck it up” and one I heard a lot growing up, “you’re wrong” tend to carry a lot of extra weight nowadays. It does not matter one iota what situation created the use of any of these expressions, “them’s be fightin’ words.” The path of least resistance is to agree to disagree, yet it seems to be a path less travelled by so many.

“Outdoor Adventures” is a column that generally comes from my perspective and experience of various outdoor activities within my life. Personal reflections by a columnist are vital to content of said column. While there are often ulterior motives to my madness, such as promoting events such as the “Ice Fishing Adventure” on February 12th from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM at Lake Rebecca Park sponsored by Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center, in partnership with the City of Hastings and other organizations, the focus on any column is columnist perspective, also known as opinion. As a reader, you need not agree or disagree with anything written here. My only hope, which is shared by the publisher of this fine literary collaboration is that you are entertained a little bit, at least from time to time.

A new mantra for me as of late has been “Attitude is Gratitude.” There are so many things to take for granted. Great things. Positive and often, life altering things that we may not take or make the time to “smell the roses.” Okay, maybe smelling roses is not a good choice at this time of the year as cold as it has been. Couple that with the fact that their price will be seeing a significant hike due to that special day of love right around the corner. Whatever smell you find pleasurable, insert it for roses and we should be back on track. Taking the time to be thankful is one thing and making the time to be thankful is another. Who are the people in your life that you are thankful for? Now might be a good time to let them know, even if it takes a little effort to pick up the phone and call them. If you are looking for an “Outdoor Adventure,” remember that they are always fun when you share them with people you care about. This brings me back to the ice fishing event.

Participants will learn about ice safety, fish species, habitat, and fishing techniques. Bait, tackle, and instruction will be provided if you are new to the sport. This free event is recommended for all ages and fishing license is not required. There will even be door prizes provided. You need to pre-register and timeslots are limited. For more information and to register, please contact Paige Marschall Bigler with Hastings Parks & Recreation at 651-480-6182. If you do not want to take part, that is okay too. Just because I think it would be a great time and that our City Parks & Recreation department along with the Carpenter Nature Center rocks for hosting this event, it is okay that we agree to disagree. If you do agree, maybe you and a friend can “Get Out and Enjoy the Great Outdoors” while catching a few fish. That is up to you.