Day 41 - Technology

I am of the opinion, which many people believe is false, that the world is flat. I know that many great people in this world believe that our world is round (slightly egg-shaped from what I understand), but I humbly disagree with them: the world is unequivocally flat, and by flat I mean connected.

There is a book that I've been meaning to read. I don't own it, and when I go to reach for it in the bookstore, I usually end up grabbing something else. But, I'd still like to read it. It is written by Thomas L. Friedman, a futurist (another job that I thought I'd be good at), and it is aptly called "The World is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the 21st Century". If I understand his a priori correctly, it is that the world is very interconnected and that it is possible to relay information almost instantaneously.

Hmmm...

Maybe you haven't thought of this in terms of fly fishing. Or maybe you have, because you're reading my blog on the Internet which is about fly fishing. Either way, it seems to me that we're on the brink of something here.

I can go fishing on a stream, catch a monster brookie, take a picture of it with my iPhone, send it on Twitter, blog about how I expertly outwitted the beast, and do this all within a manner of moments of releasing the trout (OK char). If I were to ever purchase the iPhone 3G/S I could even post video. I can get stream reports instantly from friends fishing other nearby streams.

Lately, I've had the habit of cruising YouTube for fly fishing videos. I usually end up watching some guy tie a Stimulator, or Claret Dream, or Bead Head Pheasant Tail Nymph. These videos have upped my fly tying game. I'm now learning secret master skills, that normally would be hidden to the general public. When I tie my midge patterns now, I spin the bobbin counter clockwise direction before wrapping. This allows the thread to unravel and lay down flatter on the hook, giving a better smoother body. Thanks YouTube.

Yet out of all this, I think the one thing that I love the most about technology is the ability to meet new anglers. Since the inception of this blog, I've connected with anglers all over the world: Lithuania, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Singapore, France, United Kingdom, all over the United States, and even Canada.

Some of these folks I will probably meet (like hopefully this upcoming week in North Carolina), others I wish I had met in states that I've lived in (like Minnesota), and still there are others that I may never meet (like those in Lithuania). Regardless of where you live, I'm honored to have at least met you in this flat cyber world. You are a part of a unique tribe of men and women who like to live "a good life wasted". And for that, I'm sure God won't hold that against you.