Posted by mike on February 12, 2001 at 12:50:44:
In Reply to: Because it's THERE!! NOT!! posted by JRM on February 12, 2001 at 10:17:36:
for explaining everything from why i dive to climb to shoot. I am getting so tired of explaining myself to tube-raised couch potatoes (or is that potatos?) who avoid the least bit of fear, pain or discomfort like a vampire avoids the sunlight, that i am veering toward a new response "for the same reason that a dog licks its balls; because it can")
no, i've never felt i had to justify my practices to anyone on this planet by formulating a rationale and putting it into words. Perhaps it's a genetic propensity to seek that adrenaline rush (FYI Seahunt, increasing evidence for this is mounting by the way). I will say additionally that diving is easy on my retinas (which are about to detach), my lumbar vertebrae (which almost went bye bye about 12 years ago) and my knee (which blew out in a big way 10 years ago) so as Seahunt mentioned in another post, diving is the ultimate low impact (on the joints and tendons) excitement and it gives me a very strong reason to keep working out at the gym 4-5 nights a week (i gotta stay in shape for diving).
As for hunting, peak-bagging, doing certain climbs by certain routes, paintball or most of all UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY, perhaps its the thrill of the chase, the careful stalk, the moment of truth when the trigger is squeezed or the film exposed (with perfect focus, lighting, composition) the hard pitch cleanly climbed or the summit attained that keeps me out there when others are slumping on the living room sofa in front of their daytime soap operas and insipid talk shows.
well, ok, thats my lame attempt at justifying why i do what i do.