I Just Have To Vent!!

June 27, 2004

I know this topic has been covered several times here, but now it has affected me and I need to blow off some steam about it.

I have placed four caches in the last few months. Our area is sadly lacking in caches, in fact, I have placed 40% of all the caches in our COUNTY. There is a certain cacher that has visited not only my caches, but many others in the surrounding area. The thing he leaves when he takes something is a game card. Not a common game, in fact, I'd never heard of it before, and still don't know what it's about. But then, I'd never heard of geocaching before February of this year, either. But I digress.

I placed my fourth cache this week. He found it. He took a new package of 4 AA batteries and a travel bug I had brought back from Arkansas. He left one of the 'cards.' I feel like I should now go put a couple of decent things in the cache, since the batteries were the best thing in the cache and the travel bug took up a lot of room. But that's no problem, I can do that. I still think he could have left better than he did.

On the same day, he visited one of my other caches that he'd already found, in order to take a travel bug that was in it. Not only did he not leave anything, but he TOOK THE 'CARD' THAT HE'D LEFT THE FIRST TIME HE FOUND THE CACHE! (He said it looked like nobody wanted it.) Well, I've found plenty of caches long after he did, and ALWAYS those stupid cards are still there. Apparently no one DOES want them.

It just bothers me a LOT. Taking good stuff and leaving a game card. <_<

There. I feel better now.

Sort of.

1.4k · June 27, 2004

Valid ! <_< I think you have the right to aire a beef on this. This is not a game to profit on. How new is he?

1.5k · June 27, 2004

Couldn't agree more. What's that line... "Trade up or ...." I suppose he might genuninely think that these 'cards' are valuable, but it sounds unlikely. Personally, I would start with an e-mail asking "What's up?" and maybe linking to some references on trading equal/up and that sort of thing. Hopefully this problem can be resolved without geocides, mail wars or other stuff. Hopefully, as soon as the concept is explained to him, he will see the error of his ways. Failing that you could always get Criminal to come over and sort him out! <_< Good Luck!!

June 27, 2004

November of last year. And I'm newer than he is. I found my first cache at the end of March. He's found 171 and hidden 3.

I don't want to sound like a bitch, but geez! It's starting to wear on me!

I HATE THOSE STUPID CARDS!!! (What the heck is Magic the Gathering anyway??)

24.7k · June 27, 2004

It's a very popular game.

Any rare card is worth at least a buck. Uncommon cards 25-50 cents, and commons, well... you could use most of them for target practice and not change the value. That's most, some are worth some money.

On the newer cards the way to tell is there is a symbol on the right. It's in the space below the picture and above the text. If it's gold it's a rare, if it's silver it's an uncommon and if it's black it's common. If the card is a foil it's ulra rare no matter what color the symbol.

Older sets don't use the color in the symbol to tell you rarity.

Best I've found in caches is packs (didn't have a worthy trade so I left it) and a card worth about 5 bucks (didn't have a worthy trade so the person I was with found it). Odds are though he's leaving commons and even people who play the game won't take them. It's like picking up a penny out of a fountain. You just don't do it.

That won't help you feel any better but now you know a little about the value of the cards. <_<

June 27, 2004

If the cards are valuable, you'd think he would at least have them in plastic instead of just leaving them. And an little explanation with the card might help, for those who aren't in the know.

Thanks for the explanation, but you're right. I don't feel any better. <_<

Oh, and why oh why couldn't he have placed the Jeep TB he has, in one of the caches where he took one out??????

Edited June 27, 2004 by Pipanella

1.2k · June 27, 2004

Why don't you just update your cache pages, and leave a note that cards are welcome in your caches, but not as trade items, unless they're gold? You still couldn't control what he does, but he might get the point.

June 27, 2004

They aren't that valuable, except for rarer ones. I doubt he is leaving those like RK said.

anyhow, I had a funny observation yesterday caching. We went north to an area that I hadn't cached in yet, and I noticed the same items in almost every cache, and I was just laughing so hard the 5th time I pulled a beer coaster (yeah, little cardboard disc or square with beer advert to put drink on) out of a cache, along with a CDF sticker, and a Toyota pin, etc. It was just sooo funny after awhile. I almost fell over when I grabbed a little wooden bird ornament out of one cache.

I put it in another later. All day I was dropping off geoCaching buttons, and a bug or too. I didn't take anything...except the cute bird.

Although I don't always trade, I recently made an effort to buy a few things that would be different, and maybe interesting. Like some cool old postcards, with handwritten notes and the geoCaching buttons. Everything I got was inexpensive, but something I thought people might enjoy, especially kids. It was easy enough to do, and it is actually kinda fun putting stuff into caches. Feels like handing out candy on Halloween in a way.

oh, and I think I would prefer a MtG card with interesting art, over a beer coaster anyday. <_<

June 27, 2004

Interesting art? They all look the same to me! LOL!!

4.1k · June 27, 2004

There is one other alternative you might wish to consider.

If you have any more of his cards you can visit his caches and trade them back to him!

He might need more trading stock.... <_<

John

June 27, 2004

Magic cards are of some value for those in the game - and there is a bunch of kids and grownups in it. It's not just have many cents an individual card is worth. There is some story and some recollections behind each card, so the players in my family take the cards from the cache, and study each one ... the point is, it's meaningful swag which cachers will peruse and exchange.

Cards are sold in nearly random sets, so every player has some duplicate or unnnecessary cards which came in a bundle. Few of those who still play Magic will leave really rare and powerfull cards, but we left and took some fairly desirable cards at times ... not something super, but something pretty good.

But to the general points.

1) Why vent because of swag exchanges? Especially if there was nothing valuable in the first place?

2) Many cachers do not consider TBs a swag, and grab rather than exchange TBs. The question has been discussed at length before, and there was no conclusion, except that we should keep in mind that opinions on this do differ.

24.7k · June 27, 2004

I always liked the art on this card.

June 27, 2004

But to the general points.
1) Why vent because of swag exchanges? Especially if there was nothing valuable in the first place?

2) Many cachers do not consider TBs a swag, and grab rather than exchange TBs. The question has been discussed at length before, and there was no conclusion, except that we should keep in mind that opinions on this do differ.

I'm venting because it gripes me. I already said that. And I already mentioned this had been posted many times before. And I didn't say there was anything VALUABLE in the cache. But give me a pack of 4 AA batteries anyday over a card that the majority of people wouldn't want. Show me a cacher with a GPSr that can't use new batteries?

I agree about the TBs. I feel the same way about them, since the purpose of them is to move them from place to place, not just to use as swag. I wasn't griping about him taking the TB, I even said that was FINE. I just couldn't believe he took OUT the card he placed as SWAG at his 'find' visit, and didn't replace it. Why not leave it there?

Most of the time, I don't leave anything or take anything. The thrill for me is the hunt. But for others, they do enjoy the swag. So I'm just saying if you're going to trade out, why not leave something that a majority of people would like? It's not THAT hard. Otherwise, why even bother with the trading thing?

I like norbu's spirit. Think of others.......

1.4k · June 27, 2004

Perception is everything..

Some of those cards may well have a real cash value of $5.00 or more. To other gathering players, those rare cards would be great swag. As RK pointed out, common cards don't even make good firestarter.

I keep a small pouch of Roman coins in my swagbag for the better caches I find. They are all authentic relics and have a bigtime cool factor. My cost? $0.50 to $1.00 each on ebay (uncleaned). They have a perceived value of something much greater to most, but a collector of roman coins wouldn't even consider them in his collection. They're just too common.

Granted I get alot of slugs buying uncleaned coins, about 2 slugs for every attributable coin and I don't use those 1900 year old slugs as swag. As long as he's using rare cards and not common cards (slugs), I'd say he's trading good swag.

Golf balls are another good example. Used balls as swag stinks. A 3pack of new balls is Primo swag in my book.

June 27, 2004

Okay, I get it about those MtG cards. But still........if he considers it good SWAG, then why REMOVE it and not leave anything on the return visit? Something not right about THAT!

I won't gripe about 'those' cards anymore. Apparently there are some people who like them. Thanks for the education.

24.7k · June 27, 2004

Okay, I get it about those MtG cards. But still........if he considers it good SWAG, then why REMOVE it and not leave anything on the return visit? Something not right about THAT!

I won't gripe about 'those' cards anymore. Apparently there are some people who like them. Thanks for the education.

Nobody said he wasn't a dippy cacher. You have to make allowances sometimes. <_<

June 27, 2004

Nobody said he wasn't a dippy cacher. You have to make allowances sometimes.

LOLOLOL. Yeah, I know...........

Can I plead PMS?? JUST KIDDING!!! I've never used that for an 'excuse' in 32 years. I'm not about to start now! Sometimes I'm just bitchy for the heck of it! <_<

2k · June 27, 2004

I only have a couple caches hide, but I don't really care what people trade.

I would never email another geocacher or bring it up in the forums that so and so always trades and leaves something of less value.

but then again, it's only a game. <_<

3k · June 27, 2004

So the card is his "signature item." Some signature items are high-quality, and some are very, very low quality. Many cachers want to collect the former; few cachers (including cache owners) want to be bothered by the latter. That's why most older caches are full of nothing more than soggy, home computer-printed calling cards.

Edited June 27, 2004 by BassoonPilot

June 28, 2004

I would never email another geocacher or bring it up in the forums that so and so always trades and leaves something of less value.

but then again, it's only a game.

So you think it's okay that he went back and took what he originally left and then left nothing in its place? That's not how 'the game' is played.

I don't care a whole lot if someone leaves something of lesser value either, NOW and THEN. It's happened to all of us one time or another. But I don't really like it when it's a newly placed cache, and probably the second to find wasn't real happy either. Travel Bugs draw people to caches (sometimes), and well, I do think it's just considerate to at least leave it in as good a shape as you found it. If you can't do that, then don't trade.

But as was said before, and I do realize this, you'll have those that won't. But it still is irritating when you see it happen again and again.

2k · June 28, 2004

So you think it's okay that he went back and took what he originally left and then left nothing in its place?

Ok or not, I would not let it bother me.

That's just me. <_<

June 28, 2004

Two days from now, I'll be over it, but for right now, I just had to gripe. Thus, the title for this thread. LOL.

In fact, I'm over it NOW! <_<

2k · June 28, 2004

lol, venting is good <_<

BTW: Love the photo's in your profile, nice.

June 28, 2004

lol, venting is good

BTW: Love the photo's in your profile, nice.

Thanks! I want to do a physical scrapbook of our caching adventures, so I try to take pics of each cache I/we find. I've missed a few, but not many! I just love all the neat places geocaching takes me!

June 28, 2004

I wouldn't mind finding a decent Magic card, although that'll probably not happen <_<

2.8k · June 28, 2004

Have you contacted him via email and asked him that in the future he trade up or at least trade even. A single card doesn't seem to have much value and if he wants to leave it as a sig item in your caches that is fine, but to use it to trade for more valuable items is not how things work.

Also, a TB isn't necessarily a trade item. You don't need to leave something in place of it, though I sometimes do, and there's really nothing wrong with going to a cache (even if you've been there) and take a TB to move them along. After all, TBs are meant to be moved from cache to cache.

June 28, 2004

Have you contacted him via email and asked him that in the future he trade up or at least trade even. A single card doesn't seem to have much value and if he wants to leave it as a sig item in your caches that is fine, but to use it to trade for more valuable items is not how things work.

Also, a TB isn't necessarily a trade item. You don't need to leave something in place of it, though I sometimes do, and there's really nothing wrong with going to a cache (even if you've been there) and take a TB to move them along. After all, TBs are meant to be moved from cache to cache.

No, I'm not going to e-mail him. I don't want to create any hard feelings. I really don't. I still feel the same way, but I'm not going to let it bother me anymore. Like I said, I just needed to vent. It did help. Me, anyway. LOL.

I agree about the TB. I think I said that already. Pretty much the way you just said it. The purpose of TBs is to move them around, and I've done that myself. And you'd better believe if I know there's a Jeep TB in a cache I've already found, I'll be all over it, and may or may not leave anything in its place! <_<

1.8k · June 28, 2004

So you think it's okay that he went back and took what he originally left and then left nothing in its place? That's not how 'the game' is played.

May I make a distinction, please? Let's call it "tacky" verses "moral." I've a lot of experience in Fast Food. What some people do with coupon offers, etc. Not illegal, not usually a moral issue....but sometimes just plain tacky. If you were raised in a family where you squeezed every pinch out of the restaurant...well, you'd probably think that was just smart. But I call it tacky. I got "taken" on some trades recently, but the things I put in the cache are "gone" in my mentality. I squelch the desire to respond, and I'm happier for it. And I can't afford $10 items anyway, so I use small toys, larger toys,etc. I have a new cache going in soon - 15 Ty small beanies. If you don't want one, you can TNLNSL. If you put a joker in...OK. <_<

June 28, 2004

I braced myself for the inevitable and set this cache out:

This cache

2.1k · June 28, 2004

Hey Pipanella - we both got an education - I used to be into D&D and I never heard of these cards before.

Milbank beat me to it - you got a right to vent - but then you gotta expect some 'venting' back from those who don't agree - And I agree - great photo -

<_<

June 28, 2004

I braced myself for the inevitable and set this cache out:

This cache

OOOOH!!! I want to do this one! My daughter is teaching for the summer at a Junior Golf Academy at The Legends Golf Course in Franklin. I'll be going down there for a visit soon, and I'm putting this one on my list. Thanks for bringing my attention to it!

June 28, 2004

Hey Pipanella - we both got an education - I used to be into D&D and I never heard of these cards before.

Milbank beat me to it - you got a right to vent - but then you gotta expect some 'venting' back from those who don't agree - And I agree - great photo -

Hey! I actually KNOW what D&D stands for! I've never played, but at least I know what it is! LOL!!

Yeah, can't expect everyone to agree......... that's okay. I've loved to read the responses, even those that disagree with me.

2.1k · June 28, 2004

well you got one on me then - never heard of the cards - D&D is still big out here in some areas. Have not played for years but still have my books, and dice, etc.

I only have one cache out - still waiting for the OK - must be the weekend - hope it does not take a really long time all the time - I went over a block the the Dollar Store (everything is a dollar or less!!!) Fun place to shop (and that's from a guy how don't like to shop! ) - and nice for building a cache -- HINT GUYS and GALS -- the Dollar store is a great place for the container and contents for a cache. Toys - little goodies - play money - I think I might do one called The Kitchen - with a bunch of little kitchen goodies in it.

<_<

June 28, 2004

And I agree - great photo -

Which one??

June 28, 2004

My 2 cents: I love MTG and would trade for commons, you can use them in actual play better than rares a lot of times. But I would TRADE for them <_<

2.1k · June 28, 2004

the photo I refer to is the one on your profile page <_<

June 28, 2004

the photo I refer to is the one on your profile page

Well, as I too quickly approach 50.....I'll take that as a compliment.

ooooo man.......50..............there was a day when I considered that to be getting 'up there.' LOL!!!

Edited June 28, 2004 by Pipanella

2.1k · June 28, 2004

if that is a recent photo - you carry it very well <_<

June 28, 2004

if that is a recent photo - you carry it very well

Yep, pretty recent, as in the last few months. THANKS!

1.1k · June 28, 2004

I think it's all a matter of perception...given the choice of the batteries or the Magic Card, I am sure that both me and my son would choose the magic card over the batteries without hesitation...and we have, although with other trading cards as we have never found a magic card in a cache and have never played magic either. Batteries just serve no purpose to us as we always use rechargables. A lot of the times people take the cards because of the cool graphics. We try to leave items that we think others will be interested in trading for, and leave many trading cards and hockey cards in caches...looking at peoples logs, they trade for the items that we leave, so we know we are leaving something desireable.

If the guy that made the trade went away with a smile on his face, then that is what counts...the trade made him happy. And going to some neat new area is worth a lot more to us than any item that we may find in a cache.

1.6k · June 28, 2004

November of last year. And I'm newer than he is. I found my first cache at the end of March. He's found 171 and hidden 3.

I don't want to sound like a bitch, but geez! It's starting to wear on me!

I HATE THOSE STUPID CARDS!!! (What the heck is Magic the Gathering anyway??)

Talk about a blast from the past! This guy needs a 12 step program to a hardware store where he can purchase some inexpensive tools or keychains and a calendar that says 2004. :mad:

Trade up or trade equal.

I suppose there are people that still play this game and find these cards to be cool, but it was never popular in its hey day (in a true sense like football, that is) and its even less so now. Taking a 4 pack of batteries and leaving a card is not OK. The cache owner has every right to be upset. This behavior is worse than TNLN because it actively worsens a cache. If you come across a cache with nothing much in it, and you trade up or leave something new, its better for you having been there, if you TNLN, its no different for you having been there and is a crappy assortment for the next cacher. If you take useful things and leave some card to a game that was never that popular, you are making the cache worse for the next person. That's a bad thing.

Edited June 28, 2004 by bigredmed

June 28, 2004

Pipanella - side note. I had opened your profile last night on the computer when my son (17 years old) walked by and saw it. He said "Huh. She's kinda cute". Wait till I tell him what you said about your age! Pretty good, you're still getting teenage boys to turn their heads!

June 28, 2004

Pipanella - side note. I had opened your profile last night on the computer when my son (17 years old) walked by and saw it. He said "Huh. She's kinda cute". Wait till I tell him what you said about your age! Pretty good, you're still getting teenage boys to turn their heads!

Oh man, that just made my day!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually, my 21 and 24 year old daughters get rather perturbed whenever any of their guy friends make comments about their mom. But I'll take it! That could change any day!!

Thanks for sharing! :mad:

2.8k · June 28, 2004

Pipanella - side note. I had opened your profile last night on the computer when my son (17 years old) walked by and saw it. He said "Huh. She's kinda cute". Wait till I tell him what you said about your age! Pretty good, you're still getting teenage boys to turn their heads!

Not taking anything away from Pipanella, but for a 17 yr old boy, anything that moves could be a possible target

I understand the comments about "mom" though. Just last week a 4th grader in one of my girls classes told my daughter that she has the prettiest mom in town. As long as their dad's just look and don't touch, I won't have a problem

June 28, 2004

Going by some of the things I see left in caches, some people think anything that they can get cheap (meaning mainly free) and in huge quantities would make good cache swag. Usually that ends up being alot of stuff made out of some sort of paper. Business cards, drink coasters, playing cards, etc. Others think other cheap items are ok like used hotwheels, used or broken McToys, the list goes on and on. It would be ok with me if people left this kind of stuff in a cache but only if they didn't trade them for something else out of the cache. I have yet to find anything of great value made out of paper in a cache, except signature cards. Signature cards are good but that's about the extent of paper items that seem acceptable to me.

This guy taking his own trade item out of a cache that he visited earlier just makes me laugh. I'd say he doesn't have much to trade with and is recycling those cards to use in other caches. He gets out of having to come up with something better to use as swag. It gets pretty bad when you have to do CITO on your own caches to keep out the trash.

**TRADE UP, TRADE EQUAL OR DON'T TRADE**

21.9k · June 28, 2004

Pipanella - side note. I had opened your profile last night on the computer when my son (17 years old) walked by and saw it. He said "Huh. She's kinda cute". Wait till I tell him what you said about your age! Pretty good, you're still getting teenage boys to turn their heads!

If anyone hunts Pipanella's next cache and discovers that the "Fireworks are Fun" cache is buried under the railroad bridge that crosses the dam in the National Recreation Area, please understand that I am the cache reviewer for Ohio, and I am obligated to check each hider's profile and statistics to make sure that the new cache is placed within a maintainable distance of their home.

Signed,

A 43-year old Divorced Guy who reviews geocaches

June 28, 2004

HAHAHAHA!!

I've known Pip for a long time and we've always told her she was cute as a bug! See Pip..we're not the only ones that think so! LOL

June 28, 2004

21.9k · June 28, 2004

Now see that? You came in all needing to vent, and now you've got a pocket full of compliments and you're blushing. The forums don't HAVE to be a negative place!!!

June 28, 2004

Now see that? You came in all needing to vent, and now you've got a pocket full of compliments and you're blushing. The forums don't HAVE to be a negative place!!!

OMG, now I am laughing, and people in the office are staring. hehehehee.

I still hate beer coasters in caches!

I Just Have To Vent!!

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