Just plain silly - But fun !

[Eamonn 61]

Maybe it's because I grew up a long way away, but I like the stuff that we do that has no real aim, purpose or meaning!!

A lot of it is just plain silly.

All of the Sea Scouts know that if I'm driving we are at some stage going to get a little lost.

We got a little lost in Maryland. I blamed the poor use of road signs. (State Route 5 is hard to follow) We stopped and asked a fellow who looked like he might be a local. He was very helpful, but chastised me for being in the wrong county!! Heck! Most times I'm unsure which county I'm in when I'm in PA!!

The kindly gent gave us directions using local landmarks. The landmark we needed was a store called Wawa.

For some reason Wawa struck us as being funny.

When we found the store we stopped and took photos of it and for the entire weekend if Wawa could be included in a sentence it was, that along with Scouts reminding me that I was in the wrong county: "Get your Wawas out Skipper is in the wrong county!!"

Summer camp this year. The theme song which no one seems to know why? Or how come? Was "Ring of Fire" by Johnnie Cash. The Scouts and when they were paddling along would sing it or use the lyrics for any situation.

One weekend they chose to add "You know what I mean" to the end of every sentence." What's for breakfast if you know what I mean?" - "Eggs. -If you know what I mean."

Most of these things don't last very long, rarely if ever do they cause any harm and are never planned.

I'm sure some people must think we are nuts!! But the Scouts seem to get a charge out of it and it does seem to bring them closer together as a group.

Eamonn.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Why Eamonn, being a transplanted midwesterner when I moved to eastern PA, I soon learned Wa Wa was east coast speak for 7-11 or White Hen Pantry (Midwest humor)

 

Anyway, there are plenty of Wa Wa's in eastern PA and NJ.

 

On one camp out the catch phrase was "Smokin' Joe" though no one ever did explain what it meant and why repeating it was so funny. Another one it was "holla back", again no explanation nor did those using it know what it meant.

 

Actually no matter. The main idea is the kids were out and having a good time and making memories and that has to be worth something

[gwd-scouter 11]

A while back I started a thread about getting the guys to "unlock their inner silliness." It's working too! The troop is preparing for the District Camporee in October - theme is Highland games.

 

Last Monday, the guys designed a troop flag for the event. Everyone had a different idea and they eventually made a sort of coat of arms that includes all the different pictures. They plan to start painting it at next Monday's meeting.

 

Also, they are making plaid sashes and plan to paint their faces to match. I also overhead them discussing coming up with some kind of chant or cheer. Interesting plan they have for affixing the bottoms of the sashes - they were practicing to see how well a stapler works.

 

One of our new adult leaders asked me (we thought out of ear shot of the boys) about them wearing the sashes during flag ceremonies when we are all being asked to wear full uniform. I said, why not? We can wear our full uniform with the sashes and still be respectful while raising the flags, can't we? After all, it is a themed weekend.

 

Now, realizing some of you out there may not agree with that, the scouts overheard our conversation and thought it was very cool.

 

Oh yes, the silliness is growing and I'm loving every minute of it.

 

[Eamonn 61]

As a rule I try and call people what they like to be called.

As I have posted before I do tend to use nicknames if they don't fall under the heading of being unkind.

A few months back OJ introduced to a girl who later joined the Ship, he said her name was Bruce.

I thought it was a little odd. But I know that Americans can be odd!! I also remembered that when I was in my late teens we used to poke fun at the Australians (We had a lot of young Australians living around Earl's Court in London) All the Australian men were Bruce and the women were Sheila.

It turns out the real name of the young Lady that OJ introduced me to is Pat.

Of course everyone in the Ship uses Bruce.

We get some strange looks.

(She is fine with Bruce and thinks it's funny. If she didn't we would stop.)

Eamonn.