Success burger.

I ate a bacon cheeseburger at 10:30am this morning, and I couldn’t be happier.

This is not in keeping with my daily intermittent fasting routine. Normally, I don’t eat anything till at least 5pm, except perhaps a handful of nuts. I do this because this intermittent fasting ‘regime’ has been a great success for me; I now have a full afternoon, whereas before I would either have a nap after lunch or would have to fight to avoid napping.

So I’m going to type this quickly in case I need to nap soon!

When we first started Fish And Bear, we had no idea where it was going. It began as things often begin. Lynn “had an idea.”

I always roll my eyes and say, “Oh shit,” to make her laugh when she says the, “I’ve had an idea”, because generally it means an adventure is about to begin.

Sometimes, it’s just an idea, like the chickens could use the piano we are struggling to get rid of. Other times it’s a whole new multi-year obsession like Fish And Bear.

Now that Fish And Bear has landed on solid ground, we’re enjoying the ride. Curiously looking at what works and what doesn’t. As it all appeared from just ‘an idea’, it's interesting to decide what success looks like.

Obviously, people returning week after week is a success. Attendance growing each week feels like a good indicator, too. And at each event, listening to the increase in the noise level at the start compared to the break feels like success too.

At each event, we start with the nervous, ‘muttering to strangers’ level as folks arrive, and then increase to the ‘crowded bar hubbub’ level by the time we stop for a break.

But for me, the latest indicator of success was this morning’s bacon cheeseburger. Friendships are made and grow at Fish And Bear. Our mid-morning slice of cheesy meaty deliciousness happened because after Thursday’s event, Jeremy, Monte, and I happened to talk about our shared appreciation of Bill’s Burgers, and so we arranged to meet up.

That to me is success. It is exactly what I want to see from this Fish And Bear journey. Stories told. Friendships made.

And what did we do while we ate those magical burgers? We did what we do at Fish And Bear; we told and listened to our stories. But this time without a timer (or Lynn slamming her hand down on that noisy reception bell). It was glorious and silly and meaningful all at once.

As well as chatting about Bill’s Burgers at Fish And Bear last week, we learned how eyesight is surprisingly important when going skydiving, that being bored and boar-ed are very different experiences, and that it can be heavenly to be revived by a gorgeous, blue-eyed, one-legged barman.

Hope to see you at MacLeod’s this Thursday.

Mark

xo

Fish and Bear is held every Thursday at 7pm.

Check out our WEBSITE: https://fishandbear.net

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If you fancy reading some of Lynn’s writing, then check out her weekly Notes From The Valley at lynnfergy.com