Over several years of regular participation at OLO, I've noticed that lots of people seem far more stressed out about various issues than I am. I have strong opinions about some topics, but I'm rarely bothered personally by stuff that people who disagree post here, even when it's egregiously personal or offensive. I have quite a thick skin.

Because I live in the bush, I undoubtedly spend more time online than I would if I lived in a city, or even a large town. We have a small business that by its nature keeps us acquainted with local events and pretty well the entire gamut of human transitions, foibles and tragedies as they occur in our community. I know everybody from the local MPs, Mayor and councillors to the cops, teachers, farmers, firies, and to the the kids, elderly, disabled and mentally ill in our community. Not to mention the dogs and horses.

Between the local papers, the Weekend Australian, the Internet, TV and radio, I think I'm reasonably conversant with most of the salient issues that confront us all, notwithstanding my relative isolation.

However, even in my fortunate situation, I need to 'chill out' regularly and create personal space in which to relax, reflect and recharge. By luck and design I am able to do so quite often. My usual means of doing so is to go fishing. Fortunately, I live in a particularly nice part of Australia where the opportunities to do so abound.

I'm interested to know - what do others do to 'chill out'?

[TBC]

[cont]

On Saturday I drove about 25km to a 'secret' fishing hole on a beautiful creek. I threw a line in, baited with a yabby from my dam, and settled back in the shade of the casuarinas with a cold beer and the Weekend Oz. The weather was hot, but there was a brisk breeze whistling through the trees as the thunderstorms began to build in the west. I had my bird and butterfly bibles with me, and my binoculars - and of course I was rewarded by the company of some gorgeous little creatures, a couple of whom I hadn't seen before. I didn't see a person all afternoon.

Unusually, I was distracted from these pleasures and the more dubious joys of the Murdoch press by a fish improbably worrying my line. It was mid-afternoon, which is the time of day when fish are least likely to bite. My partner says that I'm a good Buddhist fisherman, because I rarely actually kill anything.

Anyway, contrary to her assessment, I had sacrificed a couple of yabbies to this fish before I finally hooked him. He was a gorgeous eel-tailed catfish of about 60cm, looking as prehistorically ugly as any fish can. They are actually very good eating, but because I'd caught him in a westward-flowing inland stream I had to put him back. Great fun anyway.

During the course of this epic man vs beast encounter, a small storm had developed and blown through, bypassing where I was. However, over the next hour or so the clouds to the west started to mass very darkly, and the thunder began to rumble around the mountains on either side of the valley. Prudently, I decided that we were in for a rip-snorter, so I pulled my line in, packed my gear and hightailed it out of there.

The storm followed me home and hit just after I'd got inside. As I thought, it was a beauty that continued for an hour or so - much snap, crackle and pop and about 30mm of much needed rain. It literally chilled us out beautifully.

OLO is my means of chilling out!

Ah yes, to just sit down at the ‘puter and read CJ Morgan’s posts. Endlessly relaxing and entertaining!

Boy, I was in a complete frazzle over the weekend while OLO was offline. Pfff, I was like a drug addict unable to get his fix!

I was just soooo pleased to see OLO spring back into life this morning....complete with a new thread by my favourite poster!

Pure bliss!! ( :>)

All sorts of things can work for me but the most accessable in my normal week is tinkering in the shed. I've got a smallish lathe with a milling attachment and there can be something remarkably satisfying about transforming a block of metal into a more complex shape.

R0bert

Great description, CJ.

Man vs fish.

Two mighty forces competing for physical supremacy, the contest enhanced by the inherent clash of intellects.

Never understood it.

Never will.

Ah but Pericles, it's not the catching of the fish, it's where you go to catch them. A "keeper" is a bonus.

I get the impression that you rarely leave urban environs, no? Each to his own, I guess - but what do you do to 'chill out'?