So, pretty much a totally crazy weekend!
Seems like the longer we're around, the more insane it gets every time we have a sale...I always said I'd never want to be "that guy" who is a hardcore reefer, then starts a company, and gets "too busy" to do the things he likes to do- like interacting with fellow reef geeks...Well, some days, I must admit, it feels like I've become "that guy..." I mean, there literally aren't enough hours in the day sometimes to do everything that you want. Between setting up orders, taking orders, answering customer questions, dealing with personnel needs, and all of the other minutiae of running a company, it CAN get a little hectic. I guess it's a good problem to have. But I think it's a problem nonetheless. Self help gurus will tell you that not being able to do the things you want to do is a function of "poor time management" or "not being kind to yourself", or...whatever!
"Scott- you could unleash unimaginable personal power by managing your time better!" Shut up, dork.
Anyways, I'm happy to be here to interact with you cool people- as you're what it's all about. In the mad frenzy of a busy sales weekend, I remembered to acknowledge the things that really make me love this hobby- an exercise we should all do from time to time. And one of the things I enjoy ruminating on is the fact that we as reefers are into the most obscure stuff! Think about it. If you've entertained the idea of playing with, say, propagating Indophyllia- there's probably some reefer out there who's not only had the idea, but who's but out a propagation system just for that purpose in her basement! Want to breed rotifers and create an automatic feeder? There are actually "experts" on that. Creating a system for sponges? "Mr. LE", Steve Tyree himself, literally wrote the book on that a decade ago! I mean, there are so many cool things that you can do in the hobby, and so many cool resources at our disposal! Our "tribe" has insanely good knowledge of many, many things, ranging from the basic to the downright obscure.
That's totally cool.
Sponges, huh? You're not alone in this geeky endeavour!
To some folks, a bucket of phytoplankton in culture is Nirvana. Gotta love these people!
Thanks to the internet and the general geekiness of hobbyists worldwide, this stuff doesn't stay obscure that long. We talk, brag, share, assist, and just generally let the information we've gleaned percolate into our culture, which enriches us all. And it's fun to get into these seemingly obscure things, isn't it?
Lately, I've been getting really back into my long term love affair (sounds sordid, doesn't it?) with macroalage. I used to play with all different types, but just kinda ran out of time and resources to keep going. Well, flash forward a few years and I have a 16,000 gallon saltwater facility with all kinds of toys to play with! So, when the opportunity came up to acquire some cool macros algae from an awesome propagator and curate the collection I've been dreaming of for over a decade, I jumped on it. So, much to the chagrin of some of my colleagues, on any given day you'll find me doling over my little section of one of our raceways, packed with little containers of macro algae of all sorts. In a edition to a geeky "cottage industry", it's been just fun doing something that I sort of lost track of over the years...the fun and excitement of doing something that's interesting, "new", and weekly obsessive is a sublime delight for the reefer!
It may be just a clump of algae to you....
Okay, so the point of all of this rambling is quite simple: If you have one of those geeky and obscure obsessions, indulge yourself and play! Do the geeky stuff to your heart's content...and remember to share your passion for it with other reefers. It's the kind of stuff that makes things really fun. The kind of stuff that makes a hobby more than just a pleasant diversion...It becomes a lifelong obsession- a rich and rewarding passion. Find your geeky bliss.
Perhaps you want to breed 'em. And why not?
Of course, in the opinion of my warehouse employees, I'm just "the owner coming out from the office, playing with his algae collection, stealing our nets, and getting in the way."
Sigh.
What geeky hobby obsession do YOU indulge in?
Stay tuned for lots more of the usual absurdity from yours truly.
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Seems like the longer we're around, the more insane it gets every time we have a sale...I always said I'd never want to be "that guy" who is a hardcore reefer, then starts a company, and gets "too busy" to do the things he likes to do- like interacting with fellow reef geeks...Well, some days, I must admit, it feels like I've become "that guy..." I mean, there literally aren't enough hours in the day sometimes to do everything that you want. Between setting up orders, taking orders, answering customer questions, dealing with personnel needs, and all of the other minutiae of running a company, it CAN get a little hectic. I guess it's a good problem to have. But I think it's a problem nonetheless. Self help gurus will tell you that not being able to do the things you want to do is a function of "poor time management" or "not being kind to yourself", or...whatever!
"Scott- you could unleash unimaginable personal power by managing your time better!" Shut up, dork.
Anyways, I'm happy to be here to interact with you cool people- as you're what it's all about. In the mad frenzy of a busy sales weekend, I remembered to acknowledge the things that really make me love this hobby- an exercise we should all do from time to time. And one of the things I enjoy ruminating on is the fact that we as reefers are into the most obscure stuff! Think about it. If you've entertained the idea of playing with, say, propagating Indophyllia- there's probably some reefer out there who's not only had the idea, but who's but out a propagation system just for that purpose in her basement! Want to breed rotifers and create an automatic feeder? There are actually "experts" on that. Creating a system for sponges? "Mr. LE", Steve Tyree himself, literally wrote the book on that a decade ago! I mean, there are so many cool things that you can do in the hobby, and so many cool resources at our disposal! Our "tribe" has insanely good knowledge of many, many things, ranging from the basic to the downright obscure.
That's totally cool.
Sponges, huh? You're not alone in this geeky endeavour!
To some folks, a bucket of phytoplankton in culture is Nirvana. Gotta love these people!
Thanks to the internet and the general geekiness of hobbyists worldwide, this stuff doesn't stay obscure that long. We talk, brag, share, assist, and just generally let the information we've gleaned percolate into our culture, which enriches us all. And it's fun to get into these seemingly obscure things, isn't it?
Lately, I've been getting really back into my long term love affair (sounds sordid, doesn't it?) with macroalage. I used to play with all different types, but just kinda ran out of time and resources to keep going. Well, flash forward a few years and I have a 16,000 gallon saltwater facility with all kinds of toys to play with! So, when the opportunity came up to acquire some cool macros algae from an awesome propagator and curate the collection I've been dreaming of for over a decade, I jumped on it. So, much to the chagrin of some of my colleagues, on any given day you'll find me doling over my little section of one of our raceways, packed with little containers of macro algae of all sorts. In a edition to a geeky "cottage industry", it's been just fun doing something that I sort of lost track of over the years...the fun and excitement of doing something that's interesting, "new", and weekly obsessive is a sublime delight for the reefer!
It may be just a clump of algae to you....
Okay, so the point of all of this rambling is quite simple: If you have one of those geeky and obscure obsessions, indulge yourself and play! Do the geeky stuff to your heart's content...and remember to share your passion for it with other reefers. It's the kind of stuff that makes things really fun. The kind of stuff that makes a hobby more than just a pleasant diversion...It becomes a lifelong obsession- a rich and rewarding passion. Find your geeky bliss.
Perhaps you want to breed 'em. And why not?
Of course, in the opinion of my warehouse employees, I'm just "the owner coming out from the office, playing with his algae collection, stealing our nets, and getting in the way."
Sigh.
What geeky hobby obsession do YOU indulge in?
Stay tuned for lots more of the usual absurdity from yours truly.
Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
