I’m in the office working today. I was going to call this column “Stuff and Thanksgiving,” but that would imply there’s a limit to what I have to do so I decided to create a new word that’ll describe how far behind I am — stuffs. It means stuff that never ends.
Regardless of all that, I have to say that when I reflect on things I really do have a lot to be thankful for, and the most important ones have absolutely nothing to do with bass fishing.
The most obvious one is Becky. I can’t imagine how I functioned, or how empty my life must have been without her. She loves me and looks after me better than I ever could have imagined. And she has given me two wonderful kids to add to the two wonderful kids I already had.
Add to that the fact that everyone is healthy and I realize I live a darn good life.
It’s easy to lose sight of all that good stuff when you’re out on the road competing at every turn, worrying about points and thinking about your career. If you aren’t careful, you can get caught up in the moment and lose sight of the things that really matter.
Another thing that I’m really thankful for is that no one was hurt in my accident on the Sabine River, especially my Marshal. I’m not sure how I would have handled anything different. Can you imagine the regrets if someone besides me got hurt in my accident? It wouldn’t be pretty. I can tell you that.
To a lesser extent I’m thankful that I managed to win on Lake Erie and qualify for next year’s Bassmaster Classic. If you’re a professional angler, and if you fish B.A.S.S., nothing short of a Classic appearance is acceptable. I dodged the bullet on that one. I enjoy working for my sponsors and interacting with our fans but not during the Bassmaster Classic. The water’s where it’s at during Classic week.
I’m also thankful that Becky and I have figured out a way to celebrate Thanksgiving with both families and take a lot of the hassle out of it. We did our big dinner up here on Sunday with my people, and we’ll head to Richmond in a day or so to eat another dinner with Becky’s family. That schedule makes for a busy, but relaxing and fulfilling, holiday.
Next week we’re going to talk about physical conditioning. I’m currently working with a trainer to see if I can get myself in better shape for 2014. In the past, I’ve been able to do this myself and hang in there pretty well all year long. Unfortunately, Father Time catches up with all of us. I need an upgrade.
But that upgrade isn’t going to happen until after I eat like a pig this week. All the women in both of our families can cook. I intend to take full advantage of that. There’ll be plenty of time to feel sorry later.
Mike Iaconelli’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website, MikeIaconelli.com.
