Danny January: Blog

As I write this chronicle, I can enjoy reminiscing, and a bit of nostalgia. I can also compare my current abilities with those of days gone by.

I swam a bit of distance the other day. I'm not as fast as I once was and I wear out a bit easier. I spent a day on the mat with a bunch of other black belts and we had a great time, but by the end of the day, I was done.

I'm stronger and hopefully, smarter than I was at 16. I also tire more quickly and recover more slowly. Perhaps one or two of my readers can relate to that.

I'll never see the energy, quickness, speed, or endurance I had at 16 or 20 again.

However, I can be the best me at this age today. One day, I might look back at the good old days when I was only 50 something, or 60 something.

The weather is beautiful, the pool is a crystal clear 87 and there's no reason I shouldn't swim a mile, then go for a bike ride.

Thanks for all the feedback on previous stories. After enough nudges, I contacted SOL admin and figured out how to put my stories in a series so they'd be numbered for easy navigation.

Several people have asked about my stories on pay-to-read sites. I take that as a compliment but they're free to read and will stay that way. If you're feeling appreciative or generous, make a donation to davethomasfoundation.org to help those struggling through the adoption process. Since the first Beach House story, quite a few people have donated and I appreciate that. It's truly a worthy cause.

I hope you enjoy Centerfield.

Female recreational equestrians outnumber men by a large percentage in the US. It's the same in most European countries. There are plenty of working cowboys but I'm talking about recreational riders. How did that happen?

There are a lot of theories but one stands out. Up until the invention of the tank, cavalry soldiers rode horses. Horses are vulnerable in battle and need armor, just like their rider. When the tank showed up on the battlefield of WWI, the horse's days in battle were numbered. Interestingly enough, they were used again in Afghanistan because of the rough terrain, so they haven't completely left the battlefield.

When Americans and Europeans switched to tanks, there were a lot of horses suddenly unemployed. Women, exploring new territory, started to ride. Women started doing other crazy men-only things as well, like smoking, and wearing pants.

By the time WWII rolled around, the majority of recreational equestrians had become women and it is still that way.

I'm outnumbered by women when we go on horseback safari to Africa. The majority of riders are from England, Germany, and France with a smattering of other countries represented as well. Once in a while, there will be a man from Germany or England but rarely any other country.

I enjoy the company. It's just a little weird. Okay by me. It seems that many men would rather ride a Harley than a horse and I get that.

I'm not sure why I thought my readers might find this interesting, but I do, so there. Guys, you're missing out. Winston Churchill said, "There is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse" and I think he's right.

I’m just finishing up Jack Pierce’s Spring semester story and will publish it shortly after Something Fishy is done.

When I started this, I did it to practice writing dialog but it has morphed. First of all, I didn’t expect a lot of people to like it and am surprised I even wrote Summertime, let alone Fishy. A bit of reminiscing and nostalgia have sort of taken over. I’ve listened to a lot of music I hadn’t heard in years. I’ve also been to the batting cage and done a lot more swimming than I had. A five-mile ocean swim is a lot farther than it used to be, so I only swam two. I’m not as fast as I used to be and a sports massage isn’t just nice, it’s necessary at my age.

I’ve done more riding than Jack Pierce does but I have the opportunity so, why not? Years ago, on my first trip to Africa, I was outnumbered by women riders ten to one. I hadn’t really thought about it before, and the numbers haven’t changed over the years. I recently went into a tack shop on Daniel Island – Bits and Pieces. I asked the proprietor what percentage of their customers were men. She asked if I was going to buy something for myself. I said ‘no’ and she said it’s pretty close to 100% women, then, but if I bought something I’d dramatically change that. Why is that? Why are there a lot more women equestrians than men? There are plenty of men that ride in places like Texas or Montana, but they’re working cowboys and that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about recreational riders.
I did some research and the answer is surprising and fascinating.

I’ll give you a chance to guess before I post the answer. The change started about 100 years ago. Send me an email if you think you know.

I've received a lot of great responses and feedback from my stories. I've asked for it and you responded. Here's a sampling:

The school newspaper - One reader noticed I said we didn't have one and later we did. I corrected that to say it was published inconsistently, which is more accurate.

Corpulent is a nine letter word. Sometimes, I miss the obvious. Corrected.

I spelled Mrs. Diedrich's name incorrectly throughout Summertime and the Living is Easy. I corrected that.

Rum is not the national drink of Puerto Rick. It is, however, the national drink of Puerto Rico.

A few others:

I have used several restaurants that are currently open rather than those that were open at the time and have since closed. Some of my readers have visited Charleston and gone to locations I've mentioned. Rather than have them look for a great restaurant that no longer exists, I've used the name of one that does.

Loran C was used rather than GPS at the time of these stories. I used GPS rather than Loran C since everyone knows what it is.

Rarely have I used song or album titles outside their proper time. Coney Island by Van Morrison is a rare exception. It fit too well not to use it.

I do my best and have a couple of great editors but readers help and I appreciate it. If you find an error, send me an email with the story title, chapter # and the error and I'll address it.

Thanks for the input and feedback.