Publisher's Note
Musings from Carmel Magazine Publisher Steve Snider
Like Father, Like Son
As I scroll through my memory bank for highlights of my youth, the standouts are mostly holiday times and camping trips. My parents said we camped because we didn't have money. They earned a modest living and were able to provide us kids a good life but nothing extra, as in college funds or vacations to foreign lands. We didn't complain as we always had food on the table and other necessities. Our vacations were always camping trips to California destinations and usually with other families.
The fact that my memories of these trips are so vivid made me think my young but rapidly growing children are missing out on something that could provide equally long lasting memories. Those times were always positive. With just enough time to plan a quick camping trip before the snow comes and for only $20 a night plus some food and gas, it recently seemed like a great oppor tunity to revive a Snider family tradition. reflecting on all the time in our family being spent on electronics made it seem like an even better idea.
So a few weeks ago on a Friday just before lunch, I picked up my 10- year-old son Evan at school and headed for the hills for some fatherand- son camping action. We drove up to the Sierras to a place called Pinecrest Lake. As we got further up in the mountains, Evan grew increasingly silent then asked, "How much longer?" I should have recognized what was happening as like clockwork on every camping trip in my youth, when we hit the winding roads I started to feel something rumbling out of control in my stomach and eventually erupted like Mount Kilauea. like father like son, just before we arrived at our campsite, evan erupted. Minutes later he felt great, and we pitched our tent and proceeded to have an amazing weekend that neither of us will ever forget. We went kayaking, hiking, made campfires and all that great stuff you can do on such trips. It was absolutely beautiful.
On that Saturday morning, we cooked up our breakfast and then walked down to the lake so we could try and catch some fish. Two hours later, we put six of them on ice for a feast later that night. Evan made some statements to me that day which I found very interesting. One was, "This was the best day of my life," and the other was the very encouraging remark, "Dad, if we caught 10 fish a day and sold them to the other campers, we could live here for free." That is the entrepreneurial spirit, which let me know he will always be OK.
Carmel Magazine is now heading into year 13, and I cannot thank our advertisers and readers enough. It is you who have kept us going, especially through these past few difficult years. I am truly appreciative.
My staff and contributors have really brought their efforts to another level as well and manage to put out a great magazine in this sputtering economy. I commend you all.
Things get very busy over these next few months. There are so many fundraisers, holiday parties and family gatherings, as well as some great events to attend. There is no better time to donate to any of the various charity organizations around who provide assistance to those less fortunate. More than ever, people are in need of help and giving your time or any level of financial support, will not only improve lives but it will have a positive impact on your own emotional state.
Please keep the e-mails and letters coming. We welcome your feedback of any kind as it helps us measure how we're doing and what we could improve upon.
Steve Snider
Publisher, Carmel Magazine