Spend Your Time in Your Kayak

I'm becoming more and more aware of how fast the hours pass when sitting at my computer, reading my favorite blogs, participating on paddling (or other) forums, and communicating through email. In fact, I'm finding it's taking up just too many hours of my daily life.

I'm a pretty early riser, always before 5am. I usually start each morning with a cup of coffee, while watching 30 minutes of news, and responding to personal emails. Then I'm up and moving, either going for a run or a bike ride before getting ready for work. There used to be a time I even went for an early morning paddle once a week.

But lately, and all too often, I've looked up from the computer to find I've wasted away hours on my laptop, there's more email than ever, more interesting blogs, and so many forums. Before I even realize it, I've lost all my free time, and need to rush around to get ready for work.

And don't you just hate it when someone sends you an email through a forum, and you respond in a personal way, without realizing you have replied to the whole forum group.

So.... a new personal challenge, limiting my computer time. Limiting blogging to my favorites, and including forums, possibly even scheduling my daily computer time. It's just too addictive, and way too much "sitting-on-my-butt" time.

Some of this really hit home when a friend sent me a link to something called Paddle Spin, a social network for kayakers. This I do not need. Luckily for me, I hate the term "social network".

So I'm off to Jordan lake, I expect it's overflowing after all our rain yesterday as tropical storm Hannah came through. I'm meeting up with a large group this morning for a 20 mile training paddle. Our annual marathon paddle (26.2 miles) on Falls Lake is next Saturday.

Then this afternoon/evening I'm meeting up with a local skin-on-frame club, for a meeting and barbecue. My SOF is skinned, the cockpit is in, and I'll be painting it in a few days. I'm looking for some advice on how to build a combing lip on my cockpit.

I don't need any electronic social networking, I need to get in my boat!

Time to go!