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Zaphod

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Everything posted by Zaphod

  1. I think people just have no idea how long things actually take and don't plan or practice them in advance to know any better. A couple days ago my son was invited along with 17 other kids to talk to an astronaut on the International Space Station at our public library. We were told that we would have a 20 minute window in which the space station would be in range so timing was crucial. They had the kids practice ahead of time walking up to the mic, handing it off to the next person, and then exiting the platform quickly. All good. The day of the event, the person invited to open and introd
  2. Another vet here and I concur -- I wouldn't take offense. Plus, from what I've read, the scout uniform is specifically not meant to emulate the military uniform. So the rules military members must observe during flag ceremonies should not be used as a guide. Taking off your hat when the flag passes by is a courtesy that is considered appropriate for everyone (in or out of uniform). So my only concern is that once the bandanna is removed (when the flag is being brought out) it is not quickly or easily put back on. So if it's going to come off anyway and you are concerned it won't be conside
  3. He's home and still alive! He had a good time and had lots of stories to tell. Some things he thought he'd hate (horseback riding) he loved. When asked if he wanted to do it again next year he said, "ummmm probably." lol That's pretty good from him. Oh and he is doing his best to catch up with his missed electronics time today! Especially since their bus was 5 hours late picking them up yesterday and then had to make an extra stop putting him home at 9pm instead of 1pm. I'll give him today....
  4. I agree with that! I am not really a picture/video person... other than taking close-ups of plants or wildlife I want to look up more about later. After I kayaked yesterday we took my 9 year old out on my dad's motorboat to teach him how to boogie board. He managed to get up on his knees the very first time and stayed on quite awhile! My dad wanted to film every second of it and since he was driving, I got stuck with the camera. For me, one picture is all it takes to remember the moment and then I can just watch and enjoy.... I can't imagine ever wanting to go back and watch that video! Unless
  5. I also love having the phone along to identify wildlife. I had a little bird book but it's at the bottom of the river after I dumped my kayak leaning over too far to pick up trash. My phone is still usable through it's waterproof pouch. Book... not so much! Plus I only need one little phone and I can look up birds, their eggs, animals, flowers, and fish and narrow searches down to my exact area. I can also listen to samples of bird calls. The more I go out on the river, the more curious I become about these things but forget exactly what I was seeing or hearing by the time I get home.
  6. Yesterday I was out kayaking by myself and saw a blue heron. I thought to myself, "Is that really a blue heron? Or is it a crane? How can I tell?" So I said, "Okay Google, what is the difference between a heron and a crane." Then Google told me and now I know. I think that made my outdoor experience better in the moment. On the other hand, I was paddling up a creek and got a text from my dad. It was not time sensitive but I took the time to reply anyway and dropped my paddle... NO just kidding! [Get it.... Up a creek without a.... okay sorry, bad joke, never mind]. But I did look up just
  7. For those of you who asked I am hoping "no news is good news." We'll be picking him up tomorrow and I'll report back after I talk to him. As far as tech use... yes, he loves electronics no doubt about it. But we have been camping at least once a year as a family since he could toddle. Electronics are always verboten on those trips so it's not his first experience with withdrawal. My real reason for bringing it up is my boy has a really heightened sense of fairness (perhaps all 11 year olds do?). Of course he is going to learn that life is not fair in the cruel, hard world, but having that
  8. It seems like every conversation turns controversial at some point, so by all means follow those rabbit trails! Besides, I have not been here that long, but long enough to know mentioning tech use at camp would not be completely benign....
  9. I just realized there's a separate summer camp forum... this should probably be there. So many forums!
  10. There's a reading MB?! Well that will make him happy. He's covered as far as the wilderness Kindle though -- he brought about 1,500 pages of reading material and 3 mini-flashlights. I think his back-pack was heavier than him. He just has to figure out the old fashioned pleasure of hiding your light under your sleeping bag.
  11. I told him that... it would be a short lived pleasure. But he said there were places to charge things after all. I didn't quite understand how that worked but I didn't think it was wise to dwell on it....
  12. My boy is NOT enjoying camp! Tried to comfort him and told him to hang in there. Here's to hoping it gets better for him. His biggest complaint is a little frustrating though.... All the other boys have electronic devices that they use in bed at night. The paperwork and emails all said devices were strictly forbidden and phones would be kept by the SM for emergencies only. But I guess at a planning meeting before he crossed over the boys were told they could bring something that was only to be used before bed. My son always reads on his Kindle every night and wanted to bring it. Of
  13. They be like, "Oh, that Gucci - that's hella tight." I'm like, "Yo - that's fifty dollars for a T-shirt."
  14. We had a large percentage of homeschoolers in our Pack and this caused issues sometimes. Grades are very fluid in homeschooling and parents sometimes think because their 6 year old is doing 3rd grade math and reading that makes them able to skip ahead. This is most common for Tigers when parents decide it's easier to skip to Wolf than have to attend every den meeting. I homeschool myself so I know it's very often the case that these kids are advanced for their grade level, but it doesn't automatically make them a good fit maturity-wise. Plus, homeschoolers often have very different motivations
  15. Looks like that opened up waaaay after my time! If I ever make it back out that way, I'll check it out. I see there's a Macado's across the street from there now. I loved eating at the one in Radford... great sandwiches.
  16. I went to school in Christiansburg. Love that area and the Blue Ridge Mountains! I am originally from the Midwest so being in such beautiful country for several years was wonderful.... I sure do miss it.
  17. $20 is for the standard cotton Gildan variety... they are offering all kinds of other options but the prices only go up from there. Also kid sizes weren't even an option, only adult. My 11 year old still wears a youth M! That was another reason I decided to pass this time around. Makes me wonder though if they are only ordering exact amounts what they do for new troops when they ask that these shirts be worn at lots of events. Our Pack always kept some of every size on hand and re-ordered when common sizes ran out. This Troop orders new shirts every year and only for those that request one. So
  18. So my son recently crossed over to Boy Scouts and I have to say we are experiencing a bit of sticker shock. But I can't bring myself to pay $20 for a class-B T-shirt. I have 4 boys so as a rule I don't pay more than $10 for a t-shirt. Plus, I was the one who designed and ordered our Cub Scout shirts so I know what's possible (I got very nice ones for only $8.50/ea locally). I think if you want to go above and beyond (multiple colors, print on both sides, etc.) you really ought to do a special fund-raiser so it stays affordable for all families. Am I being stingy? I am okay with getting re
  19. I couldn't agree more! My son was really dragging his feet this last year about going to meetings and Pack events. He had always loved scouts so I couldn't figure out why. He did NOT want to join Boy Scouts but we convinced him to just give it a try. He went to one meeting and came out saying, "It's so much quieter than Cub Scouts!" Turns out scouting had just gotten too rambunctious and childish for him. We just didn't realize it because he didn't know how to articulate why he stopped liking it.
  20. We have a district scouter who makes a habit of getting judge-y with parents/adult volunteers if she thinks they are violating the scout oath/law even in personal matters. Personally, I am teaching my kids how to recognize bad rules and laws, make informed choices, and be prepared to face consequences (slowly as they are old enough to recognize these difficult concepts, of course). I think that lesson will serve them better than an obey-all-laws-without-question stance. I don't need some ASM or district rep getting all up in my business about Social Media and website TOS's. Plus I guarant
  21. We started using closed group Facebook as a tool to share pics and last minute event info. I wouldn't want to share pics of the kids along with event info. on a public page. I suppose a Scout could join this group, but it is not like we have to be FB friends for them to do it. If the kid sees our announcements and reminders and stuff then that's probably a good thing. Facebook is not perfect, but it's the best tool we have access to. Scoutlander is waaaaaay too slow with pics, file sharing software has space limitations (as I found out the hard way when another group completely hosed my D
  22. That played a big factor in me sending my brand new scout. He joined a Troop of 12 boys and ALL 12 of them are going to camp! It's hard enough being new, but imagine being new and missing the biggest bonding experience of the year? I didn't want that for him so even though he is pensive about it, he is going.
  23. That's good advice... makes sense. My son is probably too young right now but best to get in the habit. Thanks.
  24. I am working on this now too.... for regular boy scout camps (Ma-ka-ja-wan in WI), do we need to print and carry around the part D and/or bring it to the doctor's office? Thanks!
  25. You are right, that is not the way to go. The certificate is not there. And the results you get are the ones that I got (a place that only verifies the date completed). The problem is that the certificate is not at myscouting.org it is at my.scouting.org. See the extra period in there? Is that not the dumbest thing in the history of web addressing? If you start there then my instructions above will get you a certificate. I realize by now you have it... but now you can help someone else!
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