When I was a kid, I was absolutely fascinated by my dad fishing tackle box. It seemed to me that he had the most magnificent and varied fishing supplies imaginable. With his fishing tackle, he could trick any fish there was, or so I thought. He had many different flies and lures, most of them hand tied and custom made by him. Except for the basics like fishing line, no one bought their own fishing supply equipment in those days. If you were a good fisherman, you made your own. It wasn’t just a matter of quality, but of pride.

It seems like, with the rapid advance of fishing supplies, a lot of the sport has been taken out of it these days. I went on a fishing trip with a good friend of mine, a fairly wealthy individual who owns his own motor yacht. He actually has a GPS fishfinder, weather radar gear and many other different kind of sophisticated equipment to find the schools of fish. Finding fish with him isn’t an art anymore. It is not a matter of instincts, of sport or luck. It is simply a matter of cold hard science, following the manual and letting the technology do that work. To me, this takes all the fun out of it.

I talked to him about this and he said it was just a matter of him owning more sophisticated fishing supplies than my father had. He claimed that, had they sold GPS fishfinders in fly fishing stores in my father’s day, everyone would have bought them. They wouldn’t have wasted time with hand tying their own fishing lures if they could instantly know where to get the fish. I see things differently, however.

In my mind, what my father loved so much about fishing, and what my friend and people like him miss, is the opportunity to commune with nature. Yes he was out there to catch fish, but in the process he had to know everything about a stretch of river. He had to know every ripple and what is signified, what time of day the fish came out, how precisely to land the line, and which fishing supplies to use in which season. It was a meditative activity that involved his whole being. In order for him to succeed at it, everything had to be done perfectly. It wasn’t simply a matter of looking at the radar and dropping a line.

As we get older, it becomes harder and harder to do all the things that we want.  On the one hand, we are no longer satisfied as easily as we were as kids.  We are not happy to simply play, hang out and do a little bit of schoolwork.  We have professional lives, serious hobbies, vacations, retirement funds and kids of our own.  This is why it is important to save time whenever we can.

My jogging stroller lets me do just that.  You see, I’ve been a longtime jogger and when I first had my kids it was difficult for me to give it up.  I used to go running for two hours every morning, but being a father has certain obligations that seriously cut into my time.  I had never even thought about a jogger stroller, I figured that I would just have to permanently give up one of my favorite hobbies.

Soon after my daughter had her first birthday, I ran into an old friend training for a marathon.  He had had twins and I thought he’d given up running like I had, but there he was pushing a baby jogger double stroller.  He was happy as can be and as athletic as ever.  I realized that I needed to get a jogging stroller of my very own.

The first few times out with jogging strollers can be a bit disconcerting.  When I first used my jogging stroller, I was terrified that I would tip it over with the baby in it.  Fortunately, I had little to worry about.  My jogging stroller was one of the best ones on the market.  It had smooth, frictionless wheels, good suspension and a wide frame that made spills almost impossible.  I would never take my kid along on a bike seat, but a jogging stroller seems like a very safe bet.  I would be surprised if a jogging stroller is any more dangerous than any other kind.  It seems perfectly safe to me.

Best of all, my daughter absolutely loves the jogging stroller.  Although the first time she used it, she was a little bit scared, now she is excited to go on a jog with me.  The speed of the jog stroller is simply exhilarating to her and the gentle bounce is a thrill as well.  And best of all, I get to exercise while spending time with my daughter.  There is nothing better for a new dad.

I have been using binocular telescopes ever since middle school. Of course, when I first got into it, they were pretty low powered. I could see the moon in great detail, occasionally catch Venus when it was close, and get a brighter picture of a few nearby stars. That was about it. When I got a high powered telescope, it really opened up the night sky for me. The sites were beautiful and it further enhance the wonder that I had always felt while gazing up at the heavens at night. I would spend hours during long summer evenings, gazing up at the Milky Way and just wondering about what might lie out there for the human race.

When one of my friends suggested that I try getting an astronomical binocular set, I figured that it would be a step down. Astronomical binoculars, after all, are rarely as powerful as a telescope. There are a couple reasons for this. The main one is that, at a high rate of magnification, it is much easier to look through one lens than two. Properly calibrating and adjusting an astronomical binocular can be a very difficult task. This is why your average set is pretty low powered. It certainly won’t compare with a high powered telescope, but it does have some great advantages over one.

One of the greatest advantages is the sense of perspective. I had thought that an astronomical binocular would not allow you to see faraway objects in three dimensions, but it does seem to make things pop out a little bit more.  The resolution is not bad and my telescope binoculars are more portable than my telescope. In addition, I can also use them for looking at things at ground level, where having a three dimensional view is more useful.

The greatest thing about the astronomical binocular set is the feeling of immersion that it gives. After you have been using a telescope for a while, you often forget that you have one eye closed. Everything feels very natural, and your perspective becomes firmly immersed in the heavens. When you put down your telescope for an astronomical binocular pair, you realize immediately the advantages of being able to see with both the eyes. Because your entire visual field is engaged, it is easier for your brain to process the information in front of it, resulting in sharper, more memorable viewings.

Sometimes pretending is the key. The countless hours we spend in front of the television and movie screens just goes to prove that we humans love to live vicariously. The things we can’t do in life, at least not while still obeying the law, are played out in our minds. But what if you could take that one step further? Maybe get together with some buddies and do a little role playing with airsoft paintball guns? Wouldn’t that be the BOMB? Of course it would. If you’re one of the few who haven’t given paintball wars a shot yet, you’re seriously missing out on a great time. Strap on your gear and load up. It’s time for war.

It was the summer of 1997 and my best friend and I were bored to death. After 20 years in the same town, there is only so much exciting left to do. It was time for a change. This is when I suggested airsoft paintball guns. I told him we should find the nearest paintball range and have a blast. After a quick flip through the yellow pages, it was done. This was going to be a day we would never forget. After arriving at the site and paying the dues, we received padding to wear for protection and sweet airsoft paintball guns. You’ve got to love the fully automatic ones. These are outstanding even in pretend combat. But be sure you have plenty of back-up ammo, because these airsoft paintball guns spray bullets like a water hose. Anyway, after playing with a variety of other people, many of which who were much better than us, we called it a day and headed out. Although we wore protective gear and helmets with face shields, we still left with some bruises. Dang, those airsoft paintball guns pack a punch! Regardless of the fact, it was still well worth it. I recommend that everyone give this game a shot at some point. It will get your adrenaline pumping.

It’s cool how airsoft paintball guns are available to anyone looking for some outdoor recreational fun. Just a word of caution, don’t play these games with children, don’t play without protective gear and never shoot someone as a joke. Trust me, it’s not a joke. These powerful airsoft paintball guns can leave some nasty bruises behind. Other than that, have a blast battling it out!

Most of us have groups of friends that we’d like to see more often, but we just don’t get a chance to get together as much as we’d like to.  Though it may sound strange, most people need or want some sort of an excuse to get together, from planning an event to having dinner together.  One great way to get together with friends is to host a book club, where a group of friends gets together to discuss a book they’ve all read.

Book clubs aren’t the stodgy, dry gatherings that they’re sometimes stereotyped to be.  Often it’s the highlight of the month for lots of people.  Book clubs are especially good for groups of friends who either love to read or want to read more, since it encourages people to at least finish one book between each meeting.  Which, for most clubs, is around once a month.  Though it may sound silly, some of the best book club meetings are those where the book is hardly discussed.  This varies some from club to club.  In some book clubs the book is the primary and sometimes sole source of discussion.  While in other book clubs the book itself is only a way to get people together to have a good time.

It’s always nice to have some book club recommendations, especially if it you’re hosting a book club for the first time.  The fact of the matter is that there are a lot of books out there and it’s tough to know what sort of book to pick for the book club.  One of the best book club recommendations is to let each member of the book club pick a book one month until everyone’s had a chance to choose.  This allows the club to sample from the literary tastes of all of the members and often results in exposing members to a wider variety of literature than they would read if they were on their own or if one member chose all of the books.  If you’re just kicking off the club, you may want a few books to start off with to get things going.

One of the best book club recommendations I’ve heard is to choose books that are relatively easy to read and most importantly somewhat provocative.  The first criterion comes from the fact that if a book is tough to read, there’s a good chance people won’t finish enough of the book to talk about it.  Granted, the best book club recommendations will depend on the people in your book club, but most clubs do best with contemporary novels.  The discussion about the book won’t be very interesting if the material is relatively cut-and-dried.  Try to find topics that are either brand new or provocative and applicable to contemporary issues.

The Internet has really introduced our world to a spectrum of new possibilities. Many things that we dreaded taking care of in the past, we can now simply solve online. Those irksome trips to the bank, ordering a pizza over the phone, sending letters via snail mail and looking up information in the library have all become unnecessary. Our home computers can handle all of these common tasks and much more. These days you don’t even have to venture out of your home in order to meet others like you. In fact, meeting people online is becoming quite the trend. Ever check out a chat room or maybe post some messages in a forum? These are new age ways to build relationships with others no matter where they reside.

Who’d have ever guessed that by the 90s we’d be meeting people online? This is such a bizarre concept. I think up until it actually happened, people would have had a difficult time trying to fathom the phenomenon. The first time that I decided to try meeting people online was in college. I have a passion for martial arts, so why not try and locate others who share that interest. After some surfing I had discovered a cool site called Kung Fu Forums. This website was amazing. I could actually converse, debate, and argue with others who shared my passion for martial arts. They are even broken down into chat rooms that pertain to different styles. This way you can obtain all kinds of new information concerning whatever style you wish. You truly can learn a lot from others. I still post in that forum today and have met several individuals.

The great thing about meeting people online is the option of meeting in person. If you don’t feel comfortable meeting someone in person, then you don’t have to. The freedom is yours. You can exchange info or photos, chat it up with someone in another country and make friends who actually live nearby. Meeting people online has never been easier. With the high-speed connections we have today and our constant access to computers, it’s easy to make a new buddy via the Internet. While this new form of socializing can be ideal, you always want to be careful with who you’re conversing. If it feels wrong, then bail. You computer allows you a great deal of freedom and access. You have the power to decide. If you’re interested in meeting people online, then jump on your laptop and check out the abundance of websites that will cater to your every interest. It is now possible to meet others like you.

I have been on a mission – no a quest. It has lasted me years, but now I believe that it is drawing to a close. I have been looking for the world’s finest chocolates since I was 16 and first discovered this delicious confection. I was raised in a strict religious family which disdained sweets as an unhealthy and indulgent treat. When I first had a Reeses on my 16th  birthday, I though that I would die. This must be the finest chocolate in the world, I thought. I could not imagine that anything could exist that would taste any better at all. Boy was I mistaken. The world’s finest chocolates are not sold out of some drug store, unless perhaps you live in Bavaria. To find the world’s finest chocolates, you have to search far and wide, but the search is worth it.

I live in San Francisco, when I am not working as an international chocolate investigator, my spare time hobby. Many people around here like Ghiradelli chocolates. They think that they are the world’s finest chocolates and I have to admit that they are really quite tasty. Nevertheless, these people are all mistaken, as there  are far better chocolates. The world’s finest chocolate is not made in the bay area, although many good and great things do come from here. But the world’s finest chocolates lay, I believe, across the oceans.

I have eaten Aztec chocolates and I have to admit that they have something that other chocolates do not. I have not yet made up my mind if they are the world’s finest chocolates or not, but they are certainly in the running. Many of these traditional style chocolates have hot pepper in them. The cocoa is pounded by hand, making it stronger, and giving it a crumbly texture that is fascinating and yummy. Compared to many of the European chocolates, the chocolates of Mexico, although they are far older, still get very little attention at all. But, I have not yet decided. Some nights I lie in bed and wonder and am almost convinced that they are truly the world’s finest chocolates.

Still, there are other chocolates that are less complex, more immediately gratifying to the palette. These might be the world’s finest chocolates, because they immediately make you smile huge, and your head starts to float free from your body when you eat them. Complexity or sweetness, you decide.

There are a lot of different motocross clothing companies out there flooding the market with gear, apparel and accessories.  That can make choosing a set of gear a bit difficult, especially if you are new to the sport.  The key for beginners is to go with something affordable yet highly durable.  Because unlike the pros, you’re not going to have brand new jerseys and pants for each practice motor race that you enter.  You’ll just have one or two sets of gear that will have to last the entire season.  That’s why you should choose Answer Racing.

Answer Racing has been involved in the sport of motocross for more than 30  years, so you can bet that they know what it takes to produce some great gear.  They’ve got a reputation within the industry as one of the most innovative clothing companies out there.  Each year they come out with cool new styles that are sure to get you noticed at the starting gate.  For example, the Alpha line of jersey and pants is the best they have to offer.  In fact, it’s the same stuff that Factory Honda rider Ernesto Fonseca wears when he competes on the professional Supercross and Motocross circuit.  The Alpha Air, Ion, Synchron and Mode gear lines are also very trick, so you’ve definitely got a lot of choices to help you come up with a look that suits your personality.  In keeping with it’s reputation for innovation, Answer Racing is one of the few gear companies out there that produces a line of clothing specifically for female motocrossers - Ion Girl.

Most motocrossers are of the die hard variety, who live and breathe the sport 24/7.  If you fall into that category, then you’re probably going to want some sweet threads to wear when you’re away from the track too.  Fortunately, Answer Racing also offers casual wear.  You can find jackets, t-shirts, collared shirts, hoodies, hats and beanies splashed with that familiar Answer logo that will immediately identify you as a motocross rider.  Be sure to stock up on casual wear so you’ll always have some motocross related items that you can throw on for school, work, or just hanging out.

Finally, we all know how expensive it is to ride.  You’ve to keep your bike in tip-top shape, maintain your AMA membership and also pay for your track time.  So it only makes sense to try to save a few bucks whenever you can, which is another reason to go with gear from Answer Racing.  They’ve got some of the lowest prices you’ll find, and that means you’ll have more money left over for riding.  In the end, that’s what motocross is all about anyway.

One of my favorite field trips in school was to the southeastern part of Pennsylvania. We did a lot of things in a short time and I remember each one of them. We went to see a wax museum, saw a pretzel factory, went on a tour of Hershey chocolate and visited a museum where we viewed a model railroad. Though I was only in fourth grade at the time, I remember much of the day in detail. I learned a lot about the state in which I was born and I hope to someday go visit those in places again.

Though I wasn’t fascinated with the model for a road at the time, I looked forward to seeing it again.  Seeing many of these on television and I know how intricate they can be. There is a lot more to a model railroad than just the train. When you think of all the hard work that has to go into one of these, you have to realize that people spend hours and hours of their time doing very minor details. In order to end up with a truly brilliant model railroad, you have to invest in lot of time and money into your project.

Besides the railroad, you have things like the train station, commercial buildings, residential buildings and all of the natural things like trees, grass and water. A truly great model railroad will have every detail imaginable and will be done so well that you could film it as a mini town and have great results. A good model railroad also has an interesting layout for the train and works flawlessly.

Those who have a model railroad in their home have probably spent their lifetime building it. Though there are some women who have them, it seems to be a male hobby. Whatever the case may be, you can bet there’s a spouse who claims that their husband or wife spends more time with the model railroad than with them. Perhaps the most intriguing thing you got a good model railroad is the fact that it looks like a miniature world all it’s own.  Only you have the power to control what it looks like and how it works. Imagine building a tiny town exactly the way you would like to see it and adding a railroad as the centerpiece. It evokes the romance of a time gone by.

When I was in college, some of my favorite days in school were the ones that included a movie camera. I took a lot of film and video classes, and we had a lot of projects we had to do. I always had fun when we did these projects.  More than once I would give up my weekend of parties and friends in order to get projects done. I found playing around and filming to be more fun and also a better use of my time.

Itchy to film things, you may want to get a movie camera. The great thing is that even though there is the traditional and very expensive type of movie camera that is used in big movie making, you can use just about anything to make videos. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make something just for you. If you want make something to present to others, you may have to spend more money to get a quality item. Look for something professional.

If you just want to make home movies, you may be able to use your digital camera, though it’s not always practical. This can be a movie camera.  You take your clips and upload them to your computer and you can edit them together if you have video editing software.  Then save them on a CD to share with family and friends. If you want something that takes longer clips, you can buy a digital camcorder to use as a home movie camera. These movies can also be uploaded to your computer.

Want something more expensive to make better home movies or presentations, you have to do some research into what movie camera you may want. It will be up to what you want in a movie camera and what you want to do with it. Find out what features you can get, and decide which ones you need and which ones you can live without.  You can find a great prices on eBay, but make sure you are not bidding on an item that does not exist. If the seller won’t accept PayPal or a credit card, and then asks you to wire money to them via Western Union, they are trying to scam you, and you won’t get anything for your money. There are great deals there on real cameras, you just have to take your time and make sure they are the real thing.