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goldfishy

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:bad: I have several questions regarding logs. The first one that is baffling me to pieces right now...why are logs delayed? I have figured out that some people go on vacation, might not have access to a computer, and that stuff comes up that oen can't log things immediately after finding them. But, with the watchlist I have created, with one person in particular, I am getting logs posted willy nilly, some from November, then January, then December. What is going on?! From what I know, this person has been in the area, but for what other reasons might this be happening? I agree with logging as opposed to not logging at all, but this seems odd to me. I know of many places that one can gain access to a computer if their own is not working...the library, the mall, schools, friend's house...so what am I missing?

My other question is why people list how many caches they set out to find. For example, why do people insist on saying '15 of 15 for me today on this afternoon'. I, personally, do not care for knowing how many you did in one day, let alone one afternoon or couple of hours! OR, worse, why must one say 'I found it within SECONDS!' I have read others posts where they agree with me. If one takes a long time to carefully set up, arrange, and post a new cache, and someone goes and finds it right quick, they aren't so happy about it. I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but it makes me feel inadequate, because usually I end up searching for hours. I am trying to follow a few people's advice of enjoying the scenery and the experience, but I can't completely focus on that alone. It does seem to me that if one does 15 (or more) in one day, they are only exhausting their resources, and then will have to travel elsewhere to be able to find more. OR what about those logs that just say 'Yup, found it.' What is that? I know some people aren't writers, but say something about the experience! Was it fun? Worthwhile? Scary? Did you see something special that others should be sure to catch when they go there?

AND finally, on those locationless caches. Why must one have a picture of their GPS in the picture? I have taken some neat pictures, but can't use them for anything else because the stupid GPS is in it! Many of the locationless caches are really eye catching, which deserve simple pictures, without a GPS! If coordinates are given, should that not suffice? I am an honest person, I am not going to just log false finds. I don't have a digital camera, and would prefer not to waste my film for a pic with GPS, a pic of just the cache, a pic of me and the cache...etc.

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1) Why are logs delayed? I don't know, I imagine that in most cases it is that the person was on vaction, but in your case, I guess they just are really behind on logging. I don't really know the answer.

 

2) Why list the number set out to find or the time it took to find? That is part of the story. If I set out to find 15, I will note it in the log for my own personal reference. Same thing on if I found the cache quickly or if it took hours. The log is not just for the cache owner, it is for the finder's records too. Don't take it personally if a cache is found quickly. It is not a comment on you, it is just a comment about what happed.

 

3) Why have a GPS in the pic on locationless? This is to verify that you were there. Without the GPS, a pic could possibly be found on the internet. It is meant to avoid cheating.

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ditto what carleenp said. For Q1 I'd like to add that some people cache under a team name for a while, then get their own account. When they do they normally retro log the finds they did as a team so they have an accurate list of what they have done already, their find count is accurate.

 

On the "Yup, found it" or "TNLNSL" logs. If their personal experience was "Yep, found it. Just another run of the mill ammo can hidden under a log. Nothing interesting to see here." I'd rather just see TNLNSL or "Yup, found it" if it was my cache.

Edited by geckoee
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1) I think I might know who you are alluding to, and although their logs are uaually delayed they take the time to write entertaining and complimentary logs. I enjoy that more than just a TNLNSL.

2) Carleen covered this pretty well.

3) As Carleen said, this is to avoid cheating. Although you might not cheat, there are enough people who would (and HAVE) that this is important. Why don’t you just take one picture with your GPS and then take as many more as you like without it? EDIT: sorry...just noticed that you do not use a digital camera...that would answer my question.

Edited by Stunod
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I tell it like it is in my logs, and if I searched for 15 seconds I say that, and if I looked for several hours (which has happened) I'll say that. Should I omit or sugar-coat this information? I don't feel like it is an editorial about the cache, simply a statement of my experience.

 

Although I often post editorials of the cache, too. :bad: I usually try to stick to the good stuff, but not always. You'll never see a TFTC or TNLN log from me!

 

Jamie

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The logs could be delayed because the person might have just gotten their own account. Sometimes, people cache as a group or go with cachers that are new to the sport and don't have a gc.com name yet. When those people get their own gc.com name, they will start logging finds they found as a group under their individual account and adjust the date so it is accurate. I've seen that happen a few times.

 

As for people that give their number for the day, sometimes they like to show they went on a huge cache hunt that day and like to show in what order they found them.

 

On the topic of the 'found in seconds' people, I have never done that in a log...even when I did find it in seconds. I guess maybe they just like to show how experienced they are? I really don't know.

 

The people that write almost nothing on their logs, well a lot of people aren't too wordy. It's just the way they are. I'm just happy they logged it at all. I don't really care what people write on their log when they find my caches....just as long as they log it.

 

I do have a digital camera so on the locationless ones, I will take one picture of the item alone and one picture with my GPS. The reason they want a GPS in the photo is to prevent people from using old vacation photos or photos they find on the web.

Edited by Imajika
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An answer to your number three about having GPSr's in pictures. It's needed for verification.

 

But you said you have some cool pictures from locationlesses that are useless because they have a GPSr in them. So if you don't want a GPS in the picture, take one with the GPS for logging the cache and take another without the GPS for your own uses.

 

That's not so hard is it? Take the pictures you need and have another one if you want..

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Just because they found it in seconds is no reflection how well you hid the cache. Maybe they got lucky. Maybe it just makes them feel better to tell people that they found it in secounds. No big deal either way.

True. I found a cache that was skunking people right and left and I found it quickly. Meanwhile the sister cache to this one everyone found easily. So I posted my "gee I found it quick" log then went and got skunked 4 times on the other cache. It all evens out in the end.

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OR, worse, why must one say 'I found it within SECONDS!'  I have read others posts where they agree with me.  If one takes a long time to carefully set up, arrange, and post a new cache, and someone goes and finds it right quick, they aren't so happy about it.  I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but it makes me feel inadequate, because usually I end up searching for hours.

I agree that it sometimes seems like they're boasting when cachers proclaim that they found it easily, but keep in mind that written communication is often difficult to accurately interpret. Perhaps they were just as surprised as the cache owner might be when they found it quickly. Perhaps they are letting others know that the cache might make for a good lunch-time hunt. I don't know... could be anything, but I prefer to assume that, more often than not, the offending log is just being misinterpreted.

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I agree that it sometimes seems like they're boasting when cachers proclaim that they found it easily, but keep in mind that written communication is often difficult to accurately interpret. Perhaps they were just as surprised as the cache owner might be when they found it quickly. Perhaps they are letting others know that the cache might make for a good lunch-time hunt. I don't know... could be anything, but I prefer to assume that, more often than not, the offending log is just being misinterpreted.

 

Another thing that was left out is that what if the finder was SUPER EXCITED! to find the cache so fast! I tend to be somewhat vocal in my logs. I elaborate a bit, and use exclamation marks and happy faces. Sometimes it may seem like I am boasting, but in fact, it's just me getting a kick out of finding caches! :bad:

 

It's fun! And I think it should come accross in people's logs. They should be as expressive and emotional as possible, to really convey what the people experience, positive or negative (of course, some people having a bad day should refrain from going to insane...)

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I know some people who write down notes on paper about the cache hunt, then wait until they have time to write a decent log. Some prolific finders can have significant backlogs. Other reasons are people who are on vacation and don't have a computer available. Also there are people who are, or were part of a team and decided to log finds under their own account. My wife was logging 2 year old finds when she got her own account. Personally, I log my finds as soon as possible. I want to make sure my counts are up to date in case I get hit by a bus.

 

Regarding people who say "I found it in seconds", they're just stating facts. I do that myself. How long I take to find the cache is part of the story of the hunt and you do want interesting logs, don't you?. If it takes me an hour to find the cache, I mention that and the same goes if I find it in a minute. As a cache owner I like when people mention how long it took to find the cache. If I rated the difficulty at 3 stars and everybody says "found it in seconds", I know to adjust the rating. I don't take it personally. The more info the better!

 

As far as the locationless photos, there is nothing keeping you from taking two shots. One with the GPS and one without. That's what I do if the location makes for a nice picture.

Edited by briansnat
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It's fun! And I think it should come accross in people's logs. They should be as expressive and emotional as possible, to really convey what the people experience, positive or negative (of course, some people having a bad day should refrain from going to insane...)

You mean like this?

 

This was my most "wordy" log but I wrote all of that because my friend owns the cache and I wanted her to see what I went through to get the darn thing! ;)

 

Typically, I will just write a note like:

 

"Great day for caching today! I found this one (alone/with Team Yatta). (I/We) took (whatever) and left (whatever). TFTC!"

 

Unless something really weird/odd/funny happened, I don't go into all the details. It's just the way I am. Everyone is different...I'm just happy they log at all. :bad:

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Personally, I kinda like the "found # 257 of 301 on this trip" stuff that people put in logs - and no, I didn't make that one up.. TPrints and a few other local (to me) cachers did a car trip down to Nashville and back and found 301 caches in the process.

 

A lot of times, it's kinda neat to see that stuff... I like to know people's motivations, so for me, it's really cool to know that Tprints logged this cache because it was planned and the group thought it would be fun as opposed to "MIT showed me this cache because it was easy and close and I don't know what I'm doing" which is what I could have put in every cache log from the first day caching that I did. (Note that I said could have. lol)

 

It also serves as motivation. If someone says they went away for a day and got 15 finds, which is more than I have right now (lol!), then I'm motivated to get off my butt (okay, once the rain stops! lol) and go find more. I saw today that someone did a five state trip in one day, and that makes me want to go out and find more caches.

 

As for the pictures... You do know you're allowed to take more pictures than are just required for the cache log, right? You don't have to stop when you get the cords from the gps in the pic! :rolleyes:

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Why are logs delayed, or written out of finding order? - I read with interest the various speculations from people who don't write delayed logs, and note that some of their guesses are valid. But, I actually do write delayed logs - in fact, I'm pretty notorious for that practice (I guess you may even be referring to my logs). Since you express curiosity, here are my thoughts on the matter:

 

First of all, although most are, not ALL of my logs are delayed. There are many good reasons to log a cache immediately, and some caches MUST be logged right away. If the cache needs maintenance, if there is a travel bug issue, if it looks like the cache may be archived very soon, if I meet some other cachers at the cache who will be looking for their names in my logs, if there is some continuing issue that's being reported by finders (or no finders), if I get inspired by a cache (I love that), if I find a million dollars in the cache, etc., etc., etc. In any of those cases I'll log the cache online quickly (usually within a few days of finding).

 

When I go hunting, I keep a list of the caches I've found (and not found) in notebooks. Then, I log them online (roughly) in the order of when I found them, using my notebooks for reference. I do have a 'backlog' of caches that I need to log online, for two basic reasons: 1. I like to hunt caches and I get out as often as I can, though I don't have a lot of spare time. I work a full-time as well as a part-time job, and actually getting out on a cache hunt takes priority for my spare time. 2. As Stunod suspected, I like to write a 'special' log for as many caches as I can. That takes longer than just a quick note.

 

I'm not about to postpone my cache hunting so I can spend all my spare time catching up on my online logs; this is supposed to be a fun game, not a chore! So, I prioritize, saving my log writing time for when I can't go out hunting. But don't get me wrong - writing those online logs is DEFINITELY part of the fun! Especially if you take the time to enjoy writing them!

 

Sometimes I really like a cache, and I feel obligated to give the cache placer the greatest compliments I can in the online log. That really takes extra time and care.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...92-42b382d763d1

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...12-0752170925b5

 

I like to savor writing online logs - sometimes, writing the online log is almost as good as finding the cache itself (or BETTER). In fact, it often takes me longer to write the online log than it did to actually find the cache.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...20-933bb1c14a74

 

Sometimes, I just flip open my notebooks of found but unlogged caches, and write up a few online logs from random finds. It's my way of 'going caching' when I can't go caching, and I love it. I get double the pleasure of every cache I hunt; once when I find it, once again when I relive my visit while writing the online log! Those things account for caches being logged in a strange order.

 

Late logging also gives me the perspective of time when looking at a cache. If I'm logging a cache a few months after I found it (not unusual for me) I'm always fascinated to see what's happened in the meantime. I find it interesting to see if the cache has survived, if the placer is still active, and what has happened since my visit. I know you don't need to log late to do it, but how many of you go back to caches you found earlier, to see what's been happening with them? By the way, there is a certain nostalgic irony in writing a log for a cache that's already been archived, knowing your log will probably never be read by anyone other than (perhaps) the original cache placer.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...9e-11e93379f82e

 

I'm sorry if my late logging (or logging out of order) seems rude to the cache placers, and I sincerely apologize to them for it. But consider that the record of my visit - my signature - is in the physical cache log the moment I find the cache. If a cache owner wants to know who has found their cache, they can look in the physical logbook.

 

I guess I might log all my caches immediately if I were into this game strictly for the 'numbers'. My official number of finds would jump by quite a few; but, that's not how I enjoy the game. Every cache I visit gives me a unique, special experience, and I long to give each a unique, special log in return. If I succeed in that, it doesn't really seem to matter how late it is.

 

In the depths of the forest, there is an oak; it has been here since before my father's father's father was born. Suddenly, deep in it's rotten belly, it holds a geocache; and that is perhaps the most significant human event of it's lifespan. But the lifespan of an oak is more fittingly measured in centuries than in nanoseconds, so be patient, my friend.

I will visit your cache; expect my online log sometime after. It WILL come. - Genius Loci ('the Guardian Spirit of a Place')

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<_< I have several questions regarding logs. The first one that is baffling me to pieces right now...why are logs delayed? I have figured out that some people go on vacation, might not have access to a computer, and that stuff comes up that oen can't log things immediately after finding them. But, with the watchlist I have created, with one person in particular, I am getting logs posted willy nilly, some from November, then January, then December. What is going on?! From what I know, this person has been in the area, but for what other reasons might this be happening? I agree with logging as opposed to not logging at all, but this seems odd to me. I know of many places that one can gain access to a computer if their own is not working...the library, the mall, schools, friend's house...so what am I missing?

My other question is why people list how many caches they set out to find. For example, why do people insist on saying '15 of 15 for me today on this afternoon'. I, personally, do not care for knowing how many you did in one day, let alone one afternoon or couple of hours! OR, worse, why must one say 'I found it within SECONDS!' I have read others posts where they agree with me. If one takes a long time to carefully set up, arrange, and post a new cache, and someone goes and finds it right quick, they aren't so happy about it. I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but it makes me feel inadequate, because usually I end up searching for hours. I am trying to follow a few people's advice of enjoying the scenery and the experience, but I can't completely focus on that alone. It does seem to me that if one does 15 (or more) in one day, they are only exhausting their resources, and then will have to travel elsewhere to be able to find more. OR what about those logs that just say 'Yup, found it.' What is that? I know some people aren't writers, but say something about the experience! Was it fun? Worthwhile? Scary? Did you see something special that others should be sure to catch when they go there?

AND finally, on those locationless caches. Why must one have a picture of their GPS in the picture? I have taken some neat pictures, but can't use them for anything else because the stupid GPS is in it! Many of the locationless caches are really eye catching, which deserve simple pictures, without a GPS! If coordinates are given, should that not suffice? I am an honest person, I am not going to just log false finds. I don't have a digital camera, and would prefer not to waste my film for a pic with GPS, a pic of just the cache, a pic of me and the cache...etc.

Relax. Not everyone plays the same way. Go out and find a cache instead of worrying about all this. Life's too short and there's way too many other, more important, things to be stressing about, like the webserver that just crashed and that I should be restoring instead of posting here. :rolleyes::o:lol:

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