ON BEING A MISFIT

 I feel  many of us are really misfits but we come to it too late to do anything about it.I knew I was misfit at an early age though I didn't have a name for what it was. My first day of kindergarten I left the class room and went home. I told my mom I didn't like it and I don't do naps. I do recall I felt trapped. My mom was horrified I crossed two very busy blvd's and walked almost a mile home . She took me back to school and went nutz on the teacher for letting me leave  . The teacher had no idea I was even gone. So  my education had started and things went down hill from that point on. Mostly I was bored out of my brain  and ditched or spent my time looking out of a widow . I felt boxed in 

Later on I would read a book in class . More later, enough of that for now . On escaping from the horrors of High school I was so smart I joined the Marine Corps looking back I have no idea why  I did but it was a bonehead move . I remember the DI yelling at me private dipshit you are walking not marching , well damn I thought I was marching but he didn't . I never did get it right. What I did get was I could do more push
ups than anyone  and more pull ups plus a few other things like run forever miles and miles . Not boxed in anymore when I ran . But boxed in the Corps I didn't fit the program . A misfit. I did my job but that was it no extra effort on my part . Bored again.

  It is a small wonder I got out after four years with an honorable discharge but came close to the brig more than a few times. So okay now genius what now 'i got a crappy job working in a warehouse on the loading docks .now I was married and had a little girl one of my best moves ever .But I in a box at work with a jerk for a boss . Everyone else seemed happy with the job not me though. I was the misfit .

Then followed a bunch of jobs never fit in those either... bored again. but primitive skills  were out there plus I was interested in the music biz  ended up as a music publisher and a sometimes songwriter did that for about 40 years  and it gave me the time I needed for the outdoors skills  I craved but during all of this I knew I was a misfit but by now I was proud of it  Now at almost 82  I'm still a misfit , don't like senior centers  or the so called activities I don't like games  don't play cards etc.  And those places are jammed with old farts that I never have a thing in common with. Writing and the study of primitive skills and the study of  primitive tribes from all over the world are a subject I love to  gather info about those that know me know that I have a passion for the Apache peoples  so you don't have to leave the states to study these fine examples of how to live.

 Being a misfit at times has been tough on me and my family but being a misfit is not a choice it just is . You might try and change but it will last only for a short time and then you you will relapse to the misfit monster and walk off another job. Misfits just fit in any old place as there is not a place to fit in.  Unless you get lucky like I did but you take a lot of lumps along the way so you gotta be tough and bite the well known bullet. I like being a misfit  sometimes its just fun but ya cant be worried about what others think about you its your path and at times you are the pathfinder cutting away the crap of life and creating your own life that is satisfying to you. So embrace it you misfits  I love ya.




 by Dude  McLean

ON MEETING WITH BAREFOOT TED

                                                                

   So early one evening I get a phone call from my friend Paul Campbell he is requesting me to drop whatever I'm doing and come up to his place and  meet the myth in person that is Barefoot Ted . Paul said to get my butt up to his house right now and save him as  he is being bulldozed by Ted and  he needed my help and as I would find out just a short time later the Barefoot Ted is not a big man but he is larger than life its his personality that is large .Well of course I said I would be right over as Paul lived only about 20 minutes away . Barefoot Ted is featured in Christopher  McDougalls classic book "Born to Run" . I was excited to meet the legend in person and it was a pleasure we spent a long and pleasant evening together and Paul was right Ted is a true force of nature. Looking back I think Paul was not intimidated at all but just wanted me to meet Ted

   We talked of primitive skills and barefoot running staying in good shape as we age and many other very important issues that seemed very important at the time but it was an evening I will carry with me as long as my brain functions with any clarity .  Ted has a company that makes primitive sandals called Luna based on the sandals of the copper canyon Tarahumra people. Any time one was invited to Paul's home you were expected to eat all the wonderful goodies served up by Paul and his lovely wife even after begging that you could not eat one bite more was set in front of you. 

    I found that  Ted and I had a lot in common  the three of us laughed and joked  had a great time sitting out in Paul's patio . WE traded adventure stories and one upsmanship  This was in late 2013 or early 2014  my friend Paul died in Sept of 2014 from a brain tumor. Ted and I have remained friends. 

    If you are not aware who Paul was he wrote a few books that were instant classics Survival skills of native Californians  ... the universal tool kit . and Earth pigments and paint of the California Indians  a respected primitive skills practitioner and spokesman at many museums on the early native lifeways. Barefoot Ted can be reached through his website at...https://www.barefootted.com/

       by  Dude McLean 

PREHISTORIC SURVIVAL SKILLS

                                                        PREHISTORIC SURVIVAL SKILLS 

                                                                            by DUDE MCLEAN

 

We live in a remarkable age ,for at our finger tips is an ancient world for us to discover . what took a lifetime of some of our ancestors to figure out, and perfect we can learn about it about it in a few hours of googling the subject giving us access to various methods of say, starting a fire or building a shelter and then if we go into the wild and practice what we just read about or saw on Youtube we might master the skill in a few months of intense work so what took our prehistoric ancestor a lifetime to learn and perfect we  capture the skill in far less time if we are dedicated to learning the technology . 

  In addition never before have so many skilled teachers been available to the average person . Schools are all over the world and are all over this country and many fine teachers are out there . Where in the past if a skill was shared at all it was kept within the family or within the tribe not to be shared with anyone , the information was was too important to share. Also if a new method of say starting fire was discovered one did not run out and tell others about it for it could mean life or death but in today's culture most teachers and other skilled practitioners are very generous with their knowledge . I have never run into anyone who was not willing to share any skill and some of hard won nuance that comes with the skill set.

  What we have as of now or until the internet fails is a rare ability never seen before in the known history of the world and all you have to do is take advantage of it. I do know that some are intimidated by primitive skills but believe me it is not a big deal to begin learning one step and one day at a time. after you have learned a few skills all the rest  seem to come eaiser  not that are all that hard in the first place . At first you might feel like the swell known klutz  but thats okay it will pass . However it is best if you can find a teacher as one on one works very well and you have someone right there who can guide you through some of the skills . Most important is to keep it fun and light .

  If you do decide to go prehistoric welcome to the tribe 

      by DUDE MCLEAN

THE PREHISTORIC SKILLS

  Over the years I have heard many folks say they would like to get closer to the earth. But they don't know how. Well it is right under your feet . All you need to do is take some time off from TV and watching sports and step into the desert or the mountains and woods. Very little effort on your part . Now that doesn't mean you can run naked into the wilderness and nature will take care of you cuz it can kill you, also  without the knowledge of some basic skills you could be just another victim that would get you closer to the earth but not in the way you might like. 

  As a naturalist and a practitioner of primitive skills I urge you to seek out some classes , instructors are all over the country . I feel one of the best ways to start is by learning the wild edible plants from

a qualified and known instructor , most are easy to track down and you might be surprised just how fast you can learn many wild plants but it will take some effort on your part meaning dedication . You will be out in the wild and having a good time while learning and gathering some wild food. Some of the best salads and meals I have had have  been in the wild . Not only are you  eating healthy  it is really good as well. Now you are getting closer to to the earth by partaking in a class and the ancient practice of a tribe.

    Please dont be intimidated by taking a wild plant class most I have been involved with have been fun and mostly a great bunch of people all interested in the plants , you will learn  plants that you might have seen over the years but had no clue what it was now your reaction will be hell I can  eat that. After a while you will ID plants from your car at 65 miles an hour and drive everyone with you nutz. And you will  find those sports don't give a damn that you are not sitting at home watching them because at this point they will seem tame and mundane, now you are living your life and not theirs . I call that freedom .

  From the plant classes you might move onto learning how to make fire by friction  how to construct a primitive shelter  learn to track critters and many other skills . Pointing out here that your age wont matter much. I feel that we all should be students and learn right up until we die .  Soon you will be a prehistoric critter stalking through the bush .  

 by Dude  McLean