NANFA-- Have a fish Happy New Year

Bob Bock (bockhouse_at_earthlink.net)
Tue, 1 Jan 2002 10:35:20 -0500

Hello, NANFAns and lurkers. I hope the dawning of 2002 finds you happy and
well, especially after the terrible events of latter 2001.

Like just about everyone else, I've turned inward a little, and re-examined
my life. More than ever, I've got a renewed appreciation, for life itself,
of course, given its fragility. For my family and friends, too, because
life would be pretty boring without them.

And also, yes, for my fish and fish tanks. With growing kids, it gets
harder and harder to go out and collect like I used to. But on bright, sunny
mornings like this--even though it's freezing cold outside, just looking at
my 65 gallon planted tank makes me happy. Right now, I'm having trouble
getting the plants to grow--I treated it with a copper solution awhile back
to get rid of some parasites, and the valisneria just doesn't look the same,
growing too low and the leaves getting brown when they start to get tall.

The sailfin mollies, though, are big and happy, and the big, blue, alpha
male is chasing his reflection in the glass as I write this.

Anyway, I hope everyone else on the list can find some kind of solace in the
simple things this year. For me, it's with my childhood attraction to these
fascinating creatures I've collected in ponds, streams, lakes, rivers,
ditches, and yes, pet shops.

And I'm also grateful to be a member of such a great club. American
Currents is the best magazine of its kind out there. We're really lucky to
have Chris as it's editor (for free, yet.) Thanks are in order, too, for
the gung ho people who put on NANFA's annual meeting each year. In 2002,
the torch passes to Bob and Leo, and in 2003, we can all meet to stomp
around the bayous in Louisiana. (Hey, B.G., how's by you in the bayou?) At
the helm, we have a NANFA president who's a real pro, who proudly represents
our organization in a stately way and got us federal not for profit status.

And don't forget to drop by the BOD list, for a fired up discussion on
creating a series of educational booklets, led by our gung ho board members.
I'm sure this will be a great step toward bringing up the next generation of
fish heads. And last but not least, thanks go to our loyal and faithful
webmaster, J.D. Long, for giving us an information intensive, extremely
generous website.

There's more, too, like our breeders award program, and new member packets.

And if you've followed my ramblings this far, have a fish happy healthy safe
and prosperous New Year, fellow fish heads.

Bob

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