Author: Paurian

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Geokarma

While on a business trip to CA, I introduced several people to Geocaching. At one point I headed out to Geocache with some free time we had. I had only prepared for finding microcaches. Microcaches are generally small containers that hide in the landscape and contain only a small slip of paper to sign. In this case, however, I happened across an actual cache box. Cache boxes give geocachers the added bonus of trading an item. The item you put in the box should be of equal or greater value of the trinket you take out. As a bonus, it should represent something about your character and/or augment the theme of the geocache. I pulled out a trinket then looked over the possessions in my arsenal to trade. Other than my ID, credit card and pen I had a Scooby-Doo band-aid. “Cool enough” I thought (trying to convince myself that this was an even trade… which is wasn’t).

Coworkers teased, and I kept saying “but it was a cool bandaid” (again trying to rationalize the bad trade).

A week later, while I was home working, my wife and kids went geocaching in Angelfire, NM and came across what promised to be a big cache. When they opened the box it was filled with business cards and bandages! They were all so disappointed. I then told my kids about what I did in CA to which my eldest said (without any prompting) “at least you left a cool bandaid. These weren’t like that. They were boring.”

Nevertheless, I vowed never to leave something like a bandaid in a Geocache again. And certainly wouldn’t leave a business card. (What type of person does that?! If I find your business card in a cache, I’ll call you to find out!!!)

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Geocaching 101

Adventurer

Geocaching is amazing fun! Combine book-smarts, an eye for detail, a trek off someplace you wouldn’t normally go, a treasure box and tagging … all with a GPS and that’s Geocaching. For those getting started, here are some pointers. First, you need to sign up at Geocaching.com then you need to look at the caches near your area by clicking on “Hide and Seek a Cache” then plugging in an address in the “Seek A Cache” section where it says “by Address”.

I suggest your maiden voyage is with a fellow Geocacher. If not, remember the following:


  1. Wear clothes appropriate for walking in the brush, mud, sand, etc.

  2. GPS can only get you so close. Sometimes it’s spot on, but most times it’s within 6 to 30 feet.

  3. Look in spots where *you* would hide small bottles or containers. (for example: hanging on treelimbs, under piles of rocks, etc)

  4. Don’t dig through garbage. When I started, I would find tons of trash. Remember that trash is temporary and usually more recent than a cache. Caches are hidden for permanence.

  5. Bring a pen and some trinkets to trade.

  6. Keep it safe. Don’t go for the cliff. It’s not there.

  7. Get seasoned on a few regular sized caches before your first nano, if possible.

  8. read descriptions, hints and look at photos BEFORE searching a cache. I’ve gone gung-ho to a GPS location a couple of times before reading and finding out it was a puzzle cache at some other undisclosed location.

  9. Flashlights are helpful even in the daylight

  10. Have fun.


-Paurian

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Reducing Halloween Sugar for Kids

Ahhh Halloween. Candy candy candy! It surpasses Christmas and Thanksgiving combined in empty calories being passed around. At least the pies and cookies over the holidays have some nutritional value, but the candy over Halloween has replaced the rice crispies and candy apples of yesteryear.

Speaking of Yesteryear, the whole don’t-trust-your-neighbor-because-they’re-psychopathic-needle-hiding-maniacs just got way out of hand in the 1980’s despite the fact that any such incident was never reported. As a result, candy took over the more natural harvest foods of Halloween – cookies, cakes and candy apples wrapped in colorful cellophane and handed out by loving hands throughout the neighborhood.

Parents across the nation cringe with every chomp of a Jolly Rancher, every sticky chew of Laffy Taffy and, though they may appreciate the toothbrushes and floss that were handed out by the dentist down the block, it doesn’t tone down the sugar induced hyperactive blast or the moody downhill slide that happens soon after.

Last year I tried something out that was incredibly successful in reducing the sugar intake to a minimum while pleasing my kids. I bought a ton of little trinkets and toys and separated them into two piles – little toys and better toys – and a cashbox full of dollar bills, quarters, dimes and pennies.

Then I wrote up a chart and opened shop. The kids traded in their candy voluntarily. If they wanted to keep the candy, that was fine, but bigger and better prizes awaited those who traded, and I made the points diminish slightly percentage-wise to encourage higher trades. For example, 2 points would get you a penny while 45 (instead of 50) got you a quarter. The candy-to-point chart was also designed with the children’s allergies in mind to offset how bummed they get when someone hands them a wheat product. Suddenly, that bag of pretzels is a coveted treat because it’s worth a quarter!

Let me know if you find the idea (and the chart) useful. Thanks!

Trading in Candy