About eleven months ago, I started writing the “Dispatches from Craig” series here on Chi Wulff. To my surprise, people seemed to like it, and I began to get regular feedback; chiding if I missed a week, offers of drinks if someone was passing through Craig. The series created a weird little community.
If there is one thing I have learned in the past several years, it is the simple fact that you never, ever know what is coming around the corner. And if you try to guess, try to reason it out, you will drive yourself crazy. Just go along for the ride, pushing limits when you can, rattling a few cages.
The rattling has paid off, and this fall and coming spring more Fire Girl work has been / will be published than ever before. (Next issue of American Angler… don’t miss it – this feature is a firecracker.)
And on the subject of rattling: as of 7 January, I have been working for The Orvis Company in their Vermont headquarters. I never, ever in my wildest imaginings saw myself living in the northeast. Just goes to show that life is pretty damn weird sometimes.
It has been a fantastic move so far. I am the outdoor copywriter for Orvis, meaning I write everything to do with the hunting and fishing categories – product copy, headlines, captions, press releases, signage… you name it. The job has enough variance to keep the boredom at bay, and I am working with an incredible group of people doing some pretty awesome things in the industry.
And, hey, writing for a living. Makes the soul happy.
The transition to Vermont has been a bit of an odd one. I’m settling in, but have the itch to get out and explore, to wet a line in some of these little rivers I see every day on the way to work. Cabin fever always strikes in February, and this year is no exception. I still wake up every morning not quite sure where I am, and it’s beyond odd to look at a map and realize I am physically standing in a part of the world where I have not spent much time.
That, really, has been the past three or four years. Just don’t think too much about it, put your head down and get the job done. It’s been working so far.
A few weeks ago I joined some of the Orvis team and trekked to the Somerset Fly Fishing Show in New Jersey. It was an interesting introduction to eastern fishing, and I was able to catch up with friends – some old, some new – and network like mad. Nothing like setting up short-notice business meetings via text while standing at the casting lane. Great to catch up with the Patagonia team and finally meet folks like Tom Sadler and Nate Schweber. That’s the funny thing about this industry – we all interact so much (at least on the media side) via phone and the web – and it’s pretty damn awesome to finally meet folks in person.
I just booked ticket for the Orvis Guide Rendezvous in April in Missoula, and am planning a day of fishing back in Craig while I am in home country. If you’re in the area, shoot me an email and let’s catch up. Lots of free beer and some pretty legitimate swag at the event… come hang!
At any rate, this new series will be somewhat along the lines of “Dispatches from Craig.” Expect a lull until the fishing season really hits its swing here… I’m so ready. I’m involved in a plethora of events this season – the Orvis guys have been awesome about helping me get the lay of the land – including an East Coast version of a one fly tournament. (Never fished competitively before – except for who is picking up the bar tab that night. I plan on kicking back and enjoying it.) So don’t worry if you don’t see overtly fishy content on here right off the bat – it’ll come.
So cheers, guys. It’s good to be back.
