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Saturday, November 17, 2007

More chaser drama...and ego fueling?


I had this posted as a reply to Tony Perkins' comment but I'm going to throw it up here...or maybe just throw up. From my reply to Tony:

Yep...I knew the double standard issue would be brought up at some point on that thread. Surprise, surprise. FWIW, the "elite" Minnesota list has been dying a slow death for years. Maybe 6 or 7 of the CFDGer's are on MN-CFDG. Yeah, both are kind of a think tank but speaking from being on mn-cfdg (and recently resigned)that "elite group" spiraled into being mn-pcrg (post chase report group) Once in a while there would be a discussion but once Woelm left and Conzemius went on a hiatus while doing his doctorate, it slid into a death grip where there was talk of disbanding it. I thought it was funny Conzemius was listed as "Bruce Lee" on the CFDG list which was published on ST. Regardless, the old regime is obviously being targeted and put on the run now. Should be a good show. Me? I can still walk outside and look up at the sky without guilt any time I want without being part of anything resembling an "elite group" again. Just not for me...


So what is the deal with the egos and the need for peer acceptance/approval? Straight up I have more respect for a chaser who REALLY doesn't give a sh!t about what other chasers think. Prior to 2001 I stayed out of the mainstream and am seriously considering going back to be totally reclusive. It worked for Woelm and Kelly.

On a related note, here is a question for you guys. Does running a website and producing videos cause a chaser to be arrogant and self promotional? Where does one cross the line from wanting to share to bragging? This is another thing which I still just don't get. It's the sky. We all the the same opportunity to tilt our heads back and look up.

Last rant of the day. Ready? I am so annoyed with young chasers who think there are gazillions of dollars to be made in chasing and being a professional means making your sole living off the clouds. Pleeeeease. It has taken me years to get to the point where I *usually* break even every year. Some of my closest (former) chaser friends labeled me as a sell out for getting into the business side of the clouds. Excuse me...I still chase anything which produces thunder and a lot of other crap for the fun of it. Quit bugging the stringers about how to "get in" on the action. Figure it out on your own. The rest of us did.

5 comments:

CloudStalker said...

You know i would of never would have thought being a chaser held so much drama It sounds like high school all over again. Who's better, who's seen the most.
Is it really like that?

Unknown said...

It's worse. With the "competition" comes scrutiny. Some of the old timers on CFDG allegedly wished death upon some of the younger chasers. The reason why I use the term "allegedly" is the statement in question was made by Dr. Charles Doswell. Several others joined in b adding the first letter of the "yahoo chaser's" first name to their websites with a slash mark through it. It goes waaay deeper than that with some chasers not wanting to appear to be either on the same level or on a project with others they perceive to be "yahoos". Google "yahoo chaser" sometime and you will find the article with has boiled the blood of some.

DM said...

Hey, I contributed to that whole fiasco, because of the constant scrutiny my friends are in.

Do you care, Bill, what someone else does? I know I don't. I just want to chase, without reading the same death wishes over and over on the Big D's or Mr. SPC's website. It gets old, and they are fighting for a lost cause. No one cares how someone chases. I'll do whatever the hell I want, and accept full responsibility for my actions.

I think it's hilarious how they talk about Reed like that, but a producer for Storms of 2007 said Reed's footage is a "must have." And if "anyone" was "friends" with him, to ask! LOL. He donated to 6 freaking days this year. SIX. And all incredible stuff.

These guys aren't yahoos, they're meteorologists, Reed has had to hang his head in the hallways since 99'. Couldn't be easy walking next to Doswell all the time, knowing he is praying for your death every day. I really don't know how he does it, or how some "teacher" hasn't failed him yet, because of it. But he's gonna get his master's/doctorate fairly soon, and these guys will be able to say even more.

LOL, Reed always says hello to Chuckie and "others" and they never say a word to him. Sad, really.

Unknown said...

I'm not going to lie and tell you I have never cared. I don't think "care or cared" is the right choice or words. Was I opinionated? Hell yes. During my brush with "elitism" (at least defined as such up here), I was VERY critical of some chasers (such as Timmer). Live and let live. I thought Dos' writings were the way it had to be. Welllll, time changed that and as I started to push the envelope (by my own personal standards) that began to change. I began to chase for me and what I liked...screw the rest of them. I dunno, seems chaser progression can be likened to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in a lot of ways. Look at different chasers' careers and see how they line up to Maslow. Spooky huh?

Anonymous said...

What I think is funny is this all started over a stupid charity bull shit topic. To think that it all started with a bunghole from OU saying someone needed to give away profits to feel good but has no business sense

If you want to feel good about yourself, do some sit up's, eat some fruit, maybe take a walk and get some exercise but to donate to make yourself feel good should be your choice, not the choice of others making you do.

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