Higher vs. Lower Maintenance

From the movie, "When Harry Met Sally"... Harry Burns: There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance. Sally Albright: Which one am I? Harry Burns: You're the worst kind; you're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance. Sally Albright: I don't see that. Harry Burns: You don't see that? Waiter, I'll begin with a house salad, but I don't want the regular dressing. I'll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but on the side. And then the salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce on the side. "On the side" is a very big thing for you. Sally Albright: Well, I just want it the way I want it. Harry Burns: I know; high maintenance. For Sunday Tippets...I thought that we would talk a little about high and low maintenance... I have often wondered what the big hoo-ha is all about when men talk about high maintenance in women.  Do women talk about high maintenance in men?  I've never really thought about it to tell you the truth.  And does this whole maintenance issue also apply to fly fishing?  Hmmm...  I asked a few blogger friends to give me some feed back on these topics.  The bloggers are going to remain anonymous...but, they are those that you read every day on the fishing blog circuit.  So here we go!! (Now, remember...this is to be light hearted and ONLY opinions!!) High Maintenance Women Not ok with the guy being gone for more than 50% of the time fishing...iffy about being gone for more than 25%   Takes it personally when the guy uses the word gorgeous only about Brookies (all Brookies are) Takes offense when he's more "tempted" by Browns at night than...other stuff at night (N/C) Long manicured nails (Now, we don't want RD to rip her natural nails...do we? Ok...-1) The need to shower every day Needs to have someone tie their fly on (I might not be Speedy Gonzales, but I have this one down) 5 Star accomodations (Super 8...how many stars??) You make it, she spends it.  Always name brand, never on sale, worn/used/tried a few times then it gets lost in the walk-in abyss or donated.  It's even more of a bother when she fusses at you for spending anything (Call me the sale guru...and I usually wear things out) If she camps, is a tent, or worse a camper, a requirement?  Then my friend, you have a higher maintenance woman. (Can I have a inflatable mattress?...that's all I ask...-1 darn it!) Her personal appearance falls into this category as well; does she wear make-up to the gym? (Nope, gonna sweat it off anyway...if you are there to work out!) Does she always dress as if some lone paparazzo will jump out to take her picture unawares? The grass is always greener to her and when you fail to be the best she can imagine, she will start to hunt for that greener grass. (The only green grass that I care about is around a body of water) Men can be low maintenance, until we get involved with a woman, at which point at least 67% of us become high maintenance.  (You don't have to clip your nose hairs for her if you don't want to!) The fact that women have to pee like every five minutes   Cortland machines hard at work! High Maintenance Fishing Silk lines--have to dry them after every fishing? I fish too hard to have the energy for that! (Me too!) Rods that are so high modulus that you get one--and one--clouser impact before it shatters on the next fish Sorry...but dry flies that I have to add floatant to after every dang cast (Maybe that is why I am a nymph fly fisher!) It may be of interest to you ladies that fly fishing is inherently high maintenance (Yes, this is true...but, I wouldn't change a thing about it) I've never mended a spinner, but I absolutely must know how to tie a blood knot to be a fly fisher.  And the latin names of mayflies I don't know what's high maintenance about fishing...maybe keeping up with the hourly posts on Owl Jones' blog. (hahahaha) If I carry more than 1 fly rod, a half dozen flies, and a spool of tippet, I consider that a burden.  Excessive materials basically.  (Yesterday...I tried this for the first time...and it was nice!  I am definitely scaling down with the "necessities"!) Low Maintenance Women A girl who can laugh about forgetting her man's name because he's always out fishing (Who??) Don't have to pee every 30 minutes (Oh, now we are up to 30 min!!) Can build their own campfire Can unhook their own fish (I can unhook fish, just can't unhook a finger! -1) Don't complain how cold they are  (I have never been cold...fleece is wonderful!) Low maintenance women are those that don't require constant attention. (The only attention that I need is for that fish to take that fly at the end of my line!) A little independence is nice in women as well as fishing, like independence from carrying too much down to the creek Low maintenance...in women...if somebody tells you, let me know because I've got nothing Low Maintenance Fishing Fiberglass rods that can be left on top of the car on the trip back to the campground...and actually fish better afterwards (yes...I can prove it) (Just don't drive too fast...) Lamson reels that don't give a rip if you rinse them off after playing in the salty water Furled leaders that don't change weight or length no matter how many flies you change/lose/tie on wrong and have flick off at the end of a long cast (yes, I can prove that too)   In fishing...Tenkara baby...rod, line, fly...that's it (Can I get a rice hat to wear?...just sayin'!) Very limited equipment is best for me.  I'll even pass on the waders until the water is absolutely unbearably cold

A final quote and the tippet of the day...regarding relationships..."Imagine a lazy river.  The river is moving and changing, it flows at a steady pace, and it adapts to the terrain around it.  It constantly moves forward, but it isn't in such a rush to get there that it gurgles and churns against the landscape.  That to me is what a relationship should be like.  Slow and steady wins everytime." Anonymous  Blogger

Thanks to all of those who contributed to this post.  It doesn't really matter which "maintenance" level you are at or if you even have one!  Just enjoy whatever it is that makes you happy and stay in your comfort zone.  The only stress you have is the stress that you put on yourself.  That is what I firmly believe in.  Life is too short to worry and fuss too much!