Author Archives: canoelover

I’m never quite sure why or when or how, but at some point a ganglion is activated in my limbic system*, the reptilian part of my brain over which I have no control.  Once that little cluster of nerves goes … Continue reading →

Jeeves is a wonder.  A marvel. What a brain. Size nine-and-a-quarter, I should say. He eats a lot of fish. – Bertie Wooster, in P.G. Wodehouse’s Thank You, Jeeves. Outdoor Foundation Board of Directors.  We all wore cool shades. Last … Continue reading →

Kicking around in rural Appalachia is a treat. It requires a different mindset, especially for Yankees. If you’re in a hurry, go to New Jersey. They expect that, and you’ll fit right in.  Sorry, New Jersey. There are significant problems … Continue reading →

To say that I am a bit of a gear junkie is sort of like an alcoholic saying he likes an occasional nip of brandy. I am incorrigible.  Those who have seem my garage are appalled, while I am simply palled.  I am … Continue reading →

So I get this phone call from a guy who says he has this great new technology that can run a live chat during off hours, so no one has to staff the website overnight.   I am skeptical.   … Continue reading →

grat·i·tude [grat-i-tood, -tyood]  – noun. The quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful: He expressed his gratitude to everyone on the staff. When I opened the doors to the main hall on the Friday afternoon of Canoecopia, this is what I … Continue reading →

Oh, sure, the Society of Uncreative Sticklers for Exact Equinoxes will dispute my claim.  “It’s Winter,” they say.  “It won’t be Spring until March 20th.” At which point, a second, less creative person will say, “Exactly.  March 20th.  At 17:32 … Continue reading →

Spring is coming soon, but winter does have one last hurrah. Last weekend was Winter Fest, an amazing event wherein Yuriy Gusev, an amazing event planner and promoter, turns the Capitol Square into a nordic ski course. Over 20,000 people … Continue reading →

Tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of pages have been written about the horrors of the Nazi party’s concentration camps.  I feel like adding words to the tens of millions already written is a waste of your time.  But I must … Continue reading →

I received a phone call a few weeks ago from Bill, the Executive Director of the Alliant Energy Center, the campus of buildings where we put on Canoecopia. He calls once a year or so, has tickets for some event, … Continue reading →