Foxtrot Lima 14 - Archery From Another Perspective

1987. I can still remember the day.  As a keen year 11 student at Lithgow HS, still confused as to whether or not I actually wanted to be at school anymore (it was a different time) I took some advice from a mate of mine and chose Physics as one of my elective subjects.  I'm not a complete dumbass, but I found out very quickly that I was well out of my league in this class. The first lesson, Mr Broadhead (his real name) came in, smiled as he picked up the chalk and wrote in large capital letters on the board " Those who procrastinate are doomed" he placed the chalk down, turned around and smiled again.  Two weeks later I was in history class.  Two months after that I was in Navy recruit school @ HMAS Cerberus. That one sentence has always stuck with me though, always.  I remember nothing of the history class except laughing a lot and some bloke called Squizzy Taylor. Geelong two day shoot was what seems like a life ago, 18-19 November 2023. I have been procrastinating fin

Straight into it this time. 30/09 - I was bedding in a new string I made, 66 arrows @ home. Freshly mown lane was too attractive for the chooks to resist so I had to wait at times. 01/10 - Outdoor range - 53 arrows. Three third arrows, three second arrows and nine overall washes, still need to lift the game. I have to really start hitting 500+ for the day to be competitive with the best of them. 02/10 - Home Range - 31 arrows. Had another go with the new 450 spines, they need a dob of glue to stop the points rattling and the first one I shot busted the fletch as it went over the rest and cut my hand. It was getting dark so I pulled the pin. 04/10 - Home Range - 24 arrows.  Thought it would be a good idea to try the new glove this time. It's so stiff I can't really bend my fingers that well and I'll need to work on the anchor as well until I get used to how it feels.  It w as going ok walking back until I got to about 40 and just missed the butt low left and lost my arrow. I

August is a low motivation month for me for a few reasons, some of which have only really dawned on me recently, thankfully there was a bit going on archery wise.  Seasonal affective disorder is the official name for it or the winter blues as it is more commonly called.  A wise man once said if you say to your significant other that they look fresh and alive like the first day of spring, you'll be in notching up a few points. Just a day earlier though, likening them to the last day of a long cold winter....another story.  By the end of winter I have had enough of it, my birthday is also in August so the reminder that none of us will ever be as young as we are today is like a slap in the face with an Atlantic salmon. Cue long pause and thoughtful stare into nowhere. Now that navel gazing session over it is time to get back into it. There are three two-day competitions left as well as the club stuff so plenty to look forward to. Still rounding off the month break but have hit the ran

I didn't end up practicing during the week leading into Donald, I rested the elbow instead. Indoors was on a break due to school holidays, crappy weather and motivation was low. 07/ 07 - By Friday I was keen to get going. I had packed the car, gathered all my supplies on Thursday afternoon and packed the car with all but the last few daily items. I punched the destination into the phone, whacked on the audio book and I was off for the three plus a bit hrs. I spend a little bit of time in the car with work and I use that time to listen to stuff, I try to educate myself or at least look at how I can improve my life, the lives of those around me, my health and other things that are a conversation for another time. I also, like most people, have a playlist of songs from events and times in my life that evoke nostalgia, which isn't what it used to be btw, and some awesome tunes to pump me up, level me out, turn me around and put my left foot in. I save that list for these kinds of t