I started caving a bit later in life than many people and promptly became too busy to cave even though I had fallen in love with the peace and beauty of the caves I had visited. I have not been in a cave in 4 years, but almost no day goes by that I don’t think about caving. It is my choices that have kept me from caving. That doesn’t keep from missing it any less.
As I was wading through the massive number of issues associated with a go-live (the ultimate goal of my projects) that was in too short a time span and with too little information, I found myself thinking yet again of caving and how I would so much prefer to be underground with a bunch of fun folks than getting my butt kicked by issues. About this same time, the emails from Mark began. I agreed with the assessment of the publications becoming very scientific. I’m an accountant. I have no scientific knowledge in the realm of speleological studies. I don’t read those articles because they make my eyes roll back in my head and that just makes my eyes hurt. So, in an effort to give Mark an article and to give us laypeople something to read, I came up with 10 reasons I would rather be caving. I thought maybe you could send Mark YOUR 10 reasons you would rather be caving. Knowing the Texas caving community as I do, I think that the articles would be fascinating. Here are my 10: 1. The snakes are only at the entrance of a cave and look like snakes. 2. A traffic jam is just a good way to rest in a cave. 3. The people who annoy me most would never be able to find me in a cave. 4. My laptop cannot get a signal in a cave. That is my story and I am sticking to it no matter what. 5. My cell phone cannot get a signal in a cave. Ditto sticking to it. 6. Saying you have been mapping a cave sounds more interesting than saying you have been mapping a chart of accounts. 7. Mapping a cave IS more interesting than mapping a chart of accounts. 8. When I am in the dark in a cave that is the way it is supposed to be. 9. I have met some interesting, entertaining, and/or incredibly odd people on caving trips and that is just fun. 10. I am usually not the strangest person in the group. I cannot wait to see what others’ 10 reasons are that they would rather be caving. I have read some truly amazing words from so many of you. You are verbose, imaginative, and clever people and I think your 10 reasons would be worth a read. Disclaimer: Not all submissions will be published and you know why.
