Fishing is such a relief from the world, it really is. I've never fully understood why it of all things had such a powerful draw and effect. As a kid it kept me

Fishing is such a relief from the world, it really is. I've never fully understood why it of all things had such a powerful draw and effect. As a kid it kept me away from the things that tend to trouble you as a kid. Deep in the woods on a river bank, digging through the stones to see what's hatching, tying knots, whittling while your bobber whirls in an eddy. It's an escape. As an adult I've turned to spearfishing as well. It's an even more immersive escape, loaded with all of its own techniques, tricks, wonders, surprises, and challenges. Getting in the wetsuit is a hassle but no worse than hooking up a boat and getting it in the water. Really, once you spend your first comfortable moments 10-20 meters under water you might wish you never had to come out. I've always thoroughly enjoyed reading about the satisfaction and joy others get from fishing as well. I guess it's a mix of vicarious experience and a sense of belonging or familiarity. As for the unemployment... I don't envy anyone for having time away from work due to not having work. It's the worst, and hard to handle if you have a family when it happens. As a developer I've been incredibly fortunate due to work being so readily available, but 2 brief layoffs are probably the most stressful work related experiences I've had. It just feels terrible. I wish I went fishing when it happened, haha.