Product Testing on Badfish Creek

A lot of people tell me I have the perfect job.

This could be offensive to me if I felt the person saying that had a clue as to what my job really entails.  Truth is, a lot of the time what I do for work is what everyone else does for work too—the basics of running a business.  Opening and sorting bills (a lot of them), being creative on demand (exhausting), dealing with HR issues (luckily I have a fairly low-maintenance staff), and planning what is coming down the road to make sure we're on target to get stuff done.

I write orders for stuff we're out of.  I clean off my desk and answer voicemails.  I tell 5-8 people a week I'm not interested in "sponsoring" their "expedition" to raise "awareness" for "[insert a specific disease here]."  N.B.: If you want to receive sponsorship, write a proposal and show you've done your homework.  99% of people do not do this.  Otherwise, expect to pay for your own vacation.

What I love about my industry is that the people, irrespective of whether or not I carry their product, are really good, smart, interesting people.  Example: Marty Cronin of  Jackson Kayak.  We are not a Jackson Kayak dealer (yet), but Marty spent a good day and a half with me, and we did some product testing.  The product testing is the thing I like most, besides the people.

We took a few boats, the new Allwater series, designed for both flat and moving water.  They performed quite admirably, and Marty was able to get a few pictures, the first of this boat in conditions for which it was designed.

So Marty got some good pictures (I think he did).  I got a little sun.  I paddled a good boat, and I strengthened a friendship.  I'd call that a good day.  Not a perfect day, but I like to save a degree of freedom just in case a perfect day does come along.

Respectfully submitted,

    Canoelover

P.S.  No, I don't know why it's called that. Maybe the redhorse that are so prevalent are not considered goodfish. Maybe someone got skunked on a day they played hooky from work.  Whatever the reason behind the name, the Badfish is a sweet little creek.  If you know how to make your boat go where you want it to go in pushy water, I highly recommend it.