Birdsong-n-Bud

ROFL!! :::wipes tears from laughing::: Man, that was a HOOT! Best logs ever! (wish I'd thought of it first!). Great lookin' cache, Cap'n Chaos! Brilliant! I have to follow that one. It's just way too funny not to get updates!

Oh, jeez. I dunno...comparing people to wasps...I just don't see the connection. (Would you let the termites stay in your house if they were there first, too?)

Now, see, THAT made my day today! lol

There is a public park in the area where we have a cache placed. A log (see July 20) notes that there is reportedly a wasp's nest about 15' from the container. I don't want families getting stung. What would the suggestion be? Temporarily archive it? Just let them read the logs and figure out the risks? Or would it be bad form for me to get the wasp spray out and just spray it? It isn't a nature sanctuary, but there is a lot of pretty nature in the area. I won't be able to move the location of the box, as there was a LOT of preparation with several hand-drawn maps to this particular location. Would appreciate some perspectives.

Aw, what a terrific idea! I love this thread. I have a few to share. This picture was posted by WaldenRun...something he saw in the rocks he visited at one of our caches: Totally awesome! I always thought that should win some sort of prize. Also, when someone says that your cache is one of the best they've ever done or among the very best, a cut above the rest, , man, that sends chills down the ole arms. We were deeply honored that WR also mentioned a very nice comment like that at our Last Dinosaur cache, and his note was one of my biggest inspirations (that I was "okay" with how I was doing it), as he had over 2,000 caches under his belt and had surely seen some remarkable things along the way. Also, it has really made me laugh the way folks have written logs in complete keeping with the theme at our Alien cache. The creativity of cachers really is hilarious. There are so many good logs we've enjoyed that it is really tough to pick just a few logs that made my day, as so many of them inspire me to keep placing caches. The best part of it is just watching people have fun with it and showing excitement in their logs. It is really a good time watching others' similar postive logs, and some of those caches...man I wish I lived closer! The logs are an inspiration to visit them!

ROFL!!! Well, they've got me pegged right!

Thank you! That site was wonderful. I was googling "anagram decoder." Your suggestion was much better. Thank you! Omigosh, there are literally 100's++++ of solutions to the puzzle I'm doing. Ack!

Does anyone know if there is any such thing as an online anagram decoder? One where I can type in a word or phrase, and possible anagrams will be listed? I googled it and didn't come up with anything. But with all the language decoders, I would think maybe that type of software would exist? THanks in advance.

Nope. Why don't you make each leg an individual cache? (edited to add question)

Glue sticks won't melt and get all hooie in the hot weather?

Thanks, Robert. I truthfully felt that how she was trading was more out of naïveté/newness about the game than being either selfish or greedy, and I had hoped my email would show a positive nature. I do think she was embarrassed. She did find this thread here, and I have to say that I was not morbidly embarrassed that she did, as I tried to be as adult and honest and kind as possible when I posted, and that if she ever did find it, that she wouldn't feel misrepresented. I knew from the start that there may be a chance she may find it. I also tried to keep her name under wraps, but because of her unique log trading style at the time, I guess she was found out. I can't control what other people write, but I can control my own words (pffft, well, most of the time). I would like to say this to clear the air for her: she does seem very decent and fun-loving and fair now that all is said and done. She did try to right her mistake, and was very worried about "righting her wrongs," and I felt very badly for having caused her any embarrassment and that she felt she had to revisiti previous caches to add swag. I really felt badly about that. I do like to think of myself as a friendly and giving cacher, and hope that if I do see her at a geo-event someday that I can look her in the eye because I do feel like I've spoiled the game for her. We work so hard to "kick the sport up a notch" to make it more fun for others. Making it anything other than fun is what I was trying so hard to avoid. I guess some things just cannot be done well in email format no matter how careful one tries to be. I'm not sure if there is a 100% tactful way of telling someone straight out that trading down might be compromising the sport; even if we just want to keep it alive for future cachers to enjoy. The box's contents needn't be perfect, just there and available (and Lord knows, we do a **ton** of cache maintenance without swag even coming into the picture -- sometimes THAT can consume all our time, but that's a whole 'nuther topic). I honestly don't care if someone just leaves McToys, as I feel the box is really for the kids anyway. I do remember someone saying here on the forums that caching shouldn't be considered the equivalent to going shopping, and that has always stuck with me. LOL Milestone! I surely needn't worry about you. You and KD give SO much to the sport. Although....I do have one of your highy valued, home-made FTF Bookmarks here, and there ain't NO WAY I'm giving that golden baby up! It's mine! Mine! All mine! (evil grin). P.S. KD&MS: Arrrrrrrrrrgh, ye gotta come up and do Patch-eye Pete's Plunder someday, me maties, if ye wants t' see a unique swag box! I thank everyone here for the support in trying to help me get this communication done tactfully.

It's not *her* I'm watching. It's my caches (we have nearly 30 in the area). As you know, if you have a cache, you automatically receive the logs the minute they are sent. I also have watch many of the caches that are near ours or also in the area. Of course, what happens is a person typically visits 3 or 4 caches in an area on the same day, so you can see trends in their logging styles and personalities. I did email her, tried to do my best, and failed miserably, as she was deeply offended, much to my dismay. Just what I'd hoped wouldn't happen. She went back and replaced swag at all the caches she felt she offended (also not my intent, I was just forward-thinking), so I think I'll have to rethink how I do this again in the future, and I hope I won't have to. It sure is a touchy subject, and things can be interpreted so much differently in email than in real life when you have body language and tone to help. I truly just wanted to be sure she knew about the rule to keep the sport going. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I feel badly about it. It took her fun away from the game, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

I really like the way you worded that. That I could manage to do. Thank you!

Okay, there is a new cacher in the area, and she has 20 caches under her belt. It's been fun for me to watch her go through our caches and the ones in the area while "finding herself" and learning the ropes. She's obviously very sweet and enthusiastic and having a ball with her kids, and that's what it's all about. I like her comments in the logs, and I can see her growing as she continues to find new caches. However, she obviously does not realize there is a "trade even or trade up" preference in geocaching. I'm watching her write her logs in the area, and always writing logs like, "my kids took a ______ and a _____ and I took a ________ and my husband took _____. Left our signature charm." There are always multiple "takes" in her logs, and she leaves the charm. I know for one, I spend a LOT of money on my caches to keep them well-stocked, and when caching we always try to "leave the boxes better'n we find'em." And I know I am not alone in this concern of boxes potentially lessening in booty-loot as more people visit. I don't want to dampen her fun, but wish there was a way to help new cachers understand the difficulties of keeping a box stocked if people keep taking without replacing. Is there anything written specifically on trading guidelines or etiquette? Where is that form we all put together some time ago on caching ethics? Perhaps that has a suggestion? Any ideas on how to politely make this happen? Is there a site somewhere that already addresses such rules? Helping her understand trading rules without lessening her enthusiasm is my goal. Halp?

A couple of things I always carry: my plastic tick remover a couple of pens/markers world coins, our signature wooden nickels chap stick small swag things from Oriental Trading post

Holy crow, WH....you've got, like, fractions and stuff in there! If it takes more than 5 fingers, I lose count. I don't know if my college calculator even turns on anymore, heh! It looks like a pretty strong challenge! I remember feeling that worry with the DNF after DNF when I put out the Grizzly Grave cache. It is such a relief when someone finally finds it. It took a couple of days for us, too, and I didn't feel comfortable until I saw that someone got a smiley. Glad to see the finds are coming in for you. I don't expect one of them will be me with all the math and stuff, unfortunately. Play a word game with me, though, and I am SO there. Pretty unique concept you developed! Wait a sec. BV has an ex?

We left a TB as a prize for the FTF in our Johnson Massacresite, but they had to contact me to get it, as I ordered the tag the same day I placed the cache, so there was a lag between when they found it and when they got it (I mailed it out the day it came in). The funny part was: one was a PREfind FTF, and one was a legit, after-approved FTF. So which one gets the TB?? Lol They worked it out great: they shared it! Terrrific teamwork! We have a new cache series coming out that will take some work for me to do. For the first person to complete all 5 of the hides in the series, we will put a brand new, sealed, NiMH battery charger with 4 NiMH batteries in it, valued at over $50 retail. That one will go right in the box. Like Auntie Weasel mentioned, though. No need to put in any FTF prize at all, as those amazing FTF hounds will skillfully sniff out a new cache box in no time flat, prize or no prize.

I would be curious to know the responses to this. The only way I know of doing that is to use HTML in the log and link to the pictures from the other page. I always end up uploading twice.

I have to strongly disagree with this. TB's are not trade for swag. They are a unity unto themselves, a different part of the game. There is swag, and then there are TB's. Just like most TB tags say, "This is no ordinary cache trading item...this is a travel bug!" They move, but the only time they are "trading items" is if a TB hotel won't take swag and requires a TB-for-TB trade.

That happened to me recently, too. I was bummed I couldn't move one of the 5-or-so sitting TB's along. But it's a place that I may not be able to visit again unless I can get someone to go in with me, as I didn't feel safe going in alone. It was at a rest stop off the highway, in a spot right next to where all the truckers park and rest. As a woman going in alone, I wasn't sure if anyone was going to follow. That said, I think everyone has the right to make the rules for their own cache (trade "one for one" if they ask), and if we don't like it, we log and move along. All caches are not created equal (thank goodness, as we have some good variety). Travel bug hotels seemed like such a clever idea to me when I first started caching, but at this point, I'd personally prefer to find them in a traditional cache. Most TB tags do state that they are not trading items, so it is surprising to me that so many cachers here noted they didn't realize this.

Oops, that was SO easy! I figured that was the same as the other state search. Thank you, Hermit Crabs! I fell like I have my "fix" again. Ahh.

Yesterday my AOL crashed, so I had to reload and upgrade it. Glad to be back online, but all my bookmarked favorites vanished as a result. The one I miss the most that I can't seem to find again on my own is where the recent cache releases and events are listed by state. I did the "search by state," but I can't save that page, as when I click on what I bookmarked, it will only bring me back to the search page, not the state. The one I remembered listed the state's upcoming events at the top, and then cache releases just below it (maybe up to 8 or 10). There were no icons pictured, and no mileage/distance...it only listed the actual caches and the dates released. I could then see the latest caches without having to wait for the weekly update to come in the mail. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I'm going through withdrawal not knowing how to peek at the new ones around me! Thanks in advance.

The picture you have looks lumpy, but it might be an artifact of the lighting in the photo. It sounds like mica you are describing. YOu can almost peel it like paper, and when you peel a layer, you can almost see through it. Some pictures of mica are here As for the tree, it sounds as if you are describing a drying sap. Sometimes birds will bore into trees for insects, and the sap will come out of those small holes. Does that sound like it might meet the description? I'll know sap from touching its texture and the fragrance from it as well.

Thanks for the help, everyone. Figured it out. It all came down to the expiration date running out on the credit card. Easy to fix. WHEW! Thanks!

It is a lot of work to place decent caches and maintain them. Not to mention the cost of materials to place one. We have one cache that cost about $70 to create. I'd now have to pay a listing fee? Not a good idea, in my opinion. I'd stop placing caches if this ever happened. I like it the way it is.