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Autograph Bug


MtnLion

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I'm preparing a travel bug to go across the country to the area of Los Angeles, CA for an autograph of a favorite geocacher celeb. I wouldn't ask this guy for an autograph except I think he's awesome and it's cool that someone famous is a geocacher.

 

Just curious if anyone ever sent a TB on an autograph mission.

 

If so, tell me about how you set it up, especially how did you get it back if you did.

 

(WWDN is wilwheaton.net)

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quote:
Originally posted by Riverwind:

Ok, I think I must have missed it, but I was wondering who the person is you were wanting the autograph from? Just curious icon_smile.gif


 

The person is Wil Wheaton. He is an author and web programmer (also may be known from his TV & movie acting in Stand By Me and Star Trek NG)

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Hey MtnLion... icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

 

Wil Wheaton just made an appearance in Portland, Oregon.

 

So during the booksigning, I waited in line just to tell him (among other positive things) that "Someone just released a travel bug whose mission is to find you and get your autograph. I read it in the forums."

 

The response from The Man Himself was one VERY enthusiastic and happy response: "AWESOME!!!!"

 

jump.gif

 

MtnLion, you are kicking some serious gluteus maximus!!! And not just in Latin medical terms, either!

 

Good luck on that travel bug! ylsuper.gif

 

-Elana (a.k.a. "Sparrowhawk")

peepwall.gif

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Sparrowhawk,

 

Just wanted to say you are the best! I am thoroughly amused! This is exactly why I love geeks and geocachers! So cool!

 

I haven't actually released the bug yet, but will do so this weekend.

 

Your are so cool! You made my whole week. I can't wait for Uncle Willie to go geocaching to find my bug!

 

Thanks again, and thanks for sharing the animated smiley throwing the goat. ROTFLMAO!! I intend to put it on this bugs page.

 

Any suggestions for a good name for the bug?

 

Thanks! SO MUCH!!!!!

 

Your friend for life! MtnLion (David)

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quote:
Originally posted by MtnLion:

Any suggestions for a good name for the bug?


How about something simple?

 

"Finding Wil."

 

Then, not only will it be able ot find Wil Wheaton, but any other person named Wil as well, so there's more of a connection.

 

_________________________________

 

Webfoot frog.gif

 

Tromping through the underbrush looking for Ammo cans, Tupperware containers, & little round disks.

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Very nice...very nice...

 

I thought of another good one that I really like. Wil is very much liking that people are starting to know him as an author first, TV personality second. His big thing right now is a book he wrote called "Dancing Barefoot". So, the name I thought would be good for this TB is "Caching Barefoot (to Wil)"

 

Perhaps I'll include a request that the bug bump into as many references to "Wil" or "Wheaton" that it can along the way-I like that...

 

Thanks! I think this is going to be fun...

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Something I gotta confess on how the great boost to this travel bug all came to be...

 

Went to Wil's presentation and book reading at Powell's in Beaverton. I never had any opinion, positive or negative about Wil or his various roles... never really thought about it. But reading his website, I gained a lot of real respect for the guy. And he inspired me for geocaching, and so it was time to add one more to the crowd.

 

He was very cool. The crowd was very appreciative. I was very appreciative. Insert lots of positive words here. icon_wink.gif

 

Soooooo... wouldn't ya know, I fully expected to just be all anonymous in the crowd, show up, appreciate the presentation, then quietly disappear again. I didn't have my internal "don't say anything stupid" monitor switched on. Didn't know I HAD to have the darn thing switched on...

 

Just so happened that Will reacted to me when I applauding to a rather obscure reference he spoke of; non-Trek. I was caught off-guard by being noticed - instantly it was too late.

 

Outta my mouth came out something that sounded like me being just a BIT too self-bragging or arrogant or something along those lines... i.e. STOOOPID. In front of the whole crowd! Couldn't believe it.

 

I spent the next several minutes mentally mistaking my own self for a kickball.

 

OK... 2 choices, slink outta there and hope no one would notice, or buy a book and apologize to The Man Himself.

 

Took the second choice. Decided the best thing to do was to tell him of how he went from no opinion to high opinion from my just reading his website and then I'd kinda mumble thru my apology, and add "I guess you aren't really a geek unless you've made a fool of yourself at least once!"

 

So I did... and he was quite gracious about it. Because he was so darn gracious about it (whatta guy!) I just HAD to add the positive travel bug news. The rest is positive history. icon_smile.gif

 

So it turned a negative thing ("OHMIGOD, I can't believe I SAID that!") into a positive thing overall, which is nice.

 

It made Wil happy, and a fellow geocacher happy. I'll accept two positives helping to cancel a negative like that anytime. icon_smile.gif

 

-Elana (a.k.a. "Sparrowhawk")

peepwall.gif

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HOLY SPIT!!

 

Looks like this Caching Barefoot bug is about to hit SEATTLE!

 

And... I live in PORTLAND!!

 

AND...! icon_biggrin.gif

 

I am going to Los Angeles NEXT MONTH!!!

 

Man, if I end up being the one to carry this thing to it's final destination, my gasted is gonna be COMPLETELY and utterly flabbered!!!

 

-Elana (a.k.a. "Sparrowhawk")

peepwall.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by drinkprimus3:

I don't know if you noticed but that guy hasn't loged a cache in over a year what if it gets to him and he never knows it because he doesn't frequent the site. The bugs a cool idea though and worth a shot


 

Good point. We have a thread going on Wil's website about the bug. He knows it's coming because Sparrowhawk told him face to face that it was. And when it actually hits Pasadena, a number of us will email him and let him know where it is.

 

Thanks for the concern! This bug Wil work.

 

"Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

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MtLion wanted me to post this, so I am.

 

Basically I had a bright idea. It hinges, of course, on me getting that bug in my hands first. So I HOPE that Fate is willing and helpful on this! icon_smile.gif

 

Anyway, I was wondering how to guarantee that the bug will be 100% safe at it's final destination? Guarantee it's delivery? No TB Exterminators to scare away this bug?

 

Well, I schemed this idea below. I wrote it in this email to a Southern California cacher who has agreed to be something resembling a Secret Agent Cacher in all this.

 

Here's the email:

 

******

 

Subject: A Creative Proposal:

 

Check this out:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/track/track_detail.asp?ID=48396

 

Now... pretending as if I got my paws on that bug in time for flying to LA, and everything works out... icon_smile.gif

 

What if some random, creative Los Angeles geocacher (gee, I wonder who that could be?!) did the following:

 

- created a Pasadena-area cache specifically for this bug to land in (it becomes a general cache afterwards)

 

- Makes a point of NOT submitting said cache for approval at geocaching.com quite yet

 

- I place bug in cache.

 

- The coords are emailed to you-guess-who

 

- You-guess-who gets to be first finder - bug is thus protected and guarantees it's delivery (no grab by wrong cacher)

 

- cache is then submitted to geocaching.com for general findage by everyone. icon_smile.gif

 

As they used to say on Mystery Science Theatre 3000: "What do you think sir(s)?" ;-)

 

***********

 

To the rest of you folks... hope this idea is cool with you. Just my thought du jour... icon_cool.gif

 

-Elana (a.k.a. "Sparrowhawk")

peepwall.gif

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Gadget Girl logged the bug into a cache in Seattle. We're getting close! If anyone can get it to the Portland area in the next week or two, that'd be great! Sparrowhawk is planning a trip to Pasadena (home of Wil) next month and would like to take the bug in with her.

 

Thanks!

 

"Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain." -Mark Twain

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This is the right forum thread...

 

Sunday, November 16, 2003

Note from Sparrowhawk:

The bug is now safely in the hands of a very delighted Wil Wheaton. We handed it to him personally at a local Starbucks to make sure it was safely delivered. Watch this space for lots of pictures and details!! (Give it a few days because hey, I gotta fly home to Portland and my own computer first!!)

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He probably likes geocaching because it's the only time he can get outdoors with his family and not get bugged for an autograph or answer yet another question about ST:TNG. Can you imagine getting bugged all the time for an autograph, when the only thing you want to do is simply go grocery shopping or out to the mall?

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This is the right forum thread...

 

Sunday, November 16, 2003

Note from Sparrowhawk:

The bug is now safely in the hands of a very delighted Wil Wheaton. We handed it to him personally at a local Starbucks to make sure it was safely delivered. Watch this space for lots of pictures and details!! (Give it a few days because hey, I gotta fly home to Portland and my own computer first!!)

That is most excellent. I've been watching this bug since its inception and it's very cool when one finally reaches its destination. Is Wil going to log it? As of the moment, it's still in the cache.

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