The robins are starting to appear everywhere. I spied with my little eye a total of eight of them in one tree alone in the Eagle Bluff area of Hastings. This alone is a sure sign that spring has made its official arrival. The white stuff is disappearing at a rapid pace and if that isn’t enough to solidify hopes that winter is truly and finally behind us, how about the temps as of late. The sight of grown men wearing shorts at the grocery store has also been noticed a couple of times and once, it was even me. That all said, let SPRING begin, and what says spring more than anything when it comes to “Outdoor Adventures?” I guess that really depends on who you are talking to, right? Just because you like a certain activity does not mean the next person does AND even if you like the same things as others does not mean that you like them for the same reason.  Should you voice your opinion however, and especially on social media, those who don’t agree with you feel better about themselves once they call you a “Karen” which is probably most offensive to the people who are really named “Karen.”  How it was decided to use “Karen” in this manner is beyond me, and to be truly honest, I have no desire to find out.  I know a lot of people who answer to “Karen” because that is the name they were given, and I believe them all to be very nice, genuine, and awesome individuals.  I also have read that the male version of a ”Karen” is “Todd” and every guy I know named “Todd” are pretty cool as well. 

                With the weather becoming nicer, more and more kids will be outdoors playing and taking part in activities that they enjoy.  For example, if there happens to be a basketball hoop in your neighbor’s driveway, it is a safe bet that there will be games of basketball played in said driveway.  Those contests will most likely feature kids from your neighborhood and beyond.  The sounds of laughter, the ball being dribbled on the pavement, maybe a few temper flare-ups depending on the age of the kids, and yes, much more laughter will be prevalent.  All the sounds of kids having fun while playing a game will be heard and, depending on the stamina of the kids, it may happen from sunrise to sunset.  You are probably wondering how this all fits into the whole “Karen” thing from above.  Let me explain.

                On a recent visit to social media, I read a post put out by one of my very good friends about a situation in White Bear Lake where a woman posted how upset she was because of her neighbor kids dribbling the ball all day long outside her window.  They were on their family’s property, so there was no trespassing nor was there any malicious intent.  The weather was nice, and the kids were playing basketball.  Soon the name calling began… specifically “Karen.”  The woman also stated that she and I assume her husband, significant other, partner, or someone else living in the house (it was not fully shared) left the house for a time and when they came back, a basketball hoop had appeared.  I know, GASP… right?  She was quite distraught that the basketball frolics were continuing, and right outside her window.  While I have never totally got the whole “Karen” thing and feel name calling is quite juvenile, I agree with almost every post basically telling the lady that she was out of line.  She opened the can of worms by sharing her frustration on social media, so a little bit of blowback should be expected.  The kids were playing a game.  This is a good thing.  The kids were not doing anything illegal, immoral, or abnormal to what kids do when the weather is warm and there is a basketball and hoop available.  Why the lady felt it necessary to complain on social media on a page where it quickly became obvious that she had zero sympathizers is beyond me, as it seemed to be beyond most of the people on the page who were responding?  There is a lot of this sort of activity out there and, while it is just my opinion, if more people would just hold their tong… well, in this case, fingers and keep it to themselves, I fully believe not only would there be less and less “Karen” calling, but our lives would also be much happier due to the reduction of negativity.

                Here is a fishing analogy which, by the way is also a hint for next week’s “Outdoor Adventures.”  “Mind Your Own Bobber.”  I am not saying this to be rude and please, do not take it to be an offensive comment.  There is no reason to throw the “Karen” or even a “Todd” my way.  There are things in life that bug some people more than others.  Just because something bugs you or you have specific thoughts are what is right, wrong, or otherwise does mean the person next to you feels the same way.  If you feel a six-inch crappie is big enough for your freezer, go ahead but be careful not to cut yourself trying to filet that little thing.  I try to keep them at eight, but hey, that is just me.  We both like fishing and have a different view on what a keeper is.  No judgement here because sadly, there is more than enough of that to go around.  Now “Get Out and Enjoy the Great Outdoors.”