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Read Thread: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project

Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Feb 25, 2007 2:28pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I have been watching this board with interest. I, for one, do not like
to receive cooties. I think they are fun, the kids love them,
if I get one I handle it with grace. But in the long run, for me personally,
I do not like cooties.

Herein lies my problem. If I get to 2 events in a YEAR, I consider
myself lucky. Very very lucky. If I end up going home with cooties,
they may very well sit for an entire *year* before getting to another
gathering. That's why I shy away from cooties so much.

Before cooties hit the Northeast, at gatherings we'd usually slip a
hitchhiker into someone's unsuspecting pocket, jacket, or bag. A
hitchhiker is easily moved along by planting it in the next letterbox
you find. My ultra-responsible nature is comfortable with this,
because I know I *can* move it along.

But if I understand cootie etiquette, cooties can only be passed from
person to person, usually at an event. For this reason, I avoid
cooties when at all possible. Why? Because my ultra-responsible
nature rebels at the thought of "holding" these cooties hostage until
the next event I attend, which could be a *year* from now. Is that
what the creator of the cootie wants? I don't think so. Heck, if I
hang onto a hitchhiker for more than two weeks, my conscious wakes me
up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat of guilt! Well, not
really, but you know what I mean.

So, you see, I don't *hate* cooties because I feel they invade my
personal space (or whatever), I *avoid* cooties at all costs so that
I don't wind up with a cootie gulag at home, staring at me in the
face.

Does that make any sense to you all?

Now, having said that -

Yes, I do know that I will be cootied at the NH event. It's all part
of the fun for everyone!

So I hereby announce -

Operation Rescue the Cooties Project!

Many of us go to a LOT of events. Some of us (like me) do
not. I'd be thrilled to death to get a hundred cooties IF I had some
way to redistribute them in a timely manner.

(sound of plaintive, mournful music)

"Look at this wretched sight. Peering into Warrior Woman's home, we
see this box, collecting dust. Not even any airholes. We double
check that Warrior Woman is indeed out on the trails, and we sneak
inside. The first thing that assaults our senses is the tiny,
pitiful cries coming from that box. Cries of despair, cries of
loneliness for children, cries for freedom. We inch toward the box
quietly, not wanting to startle the miserable inhabitants.
Carefully, our team leader pulls out the hand carved cootie caller
and proceeds to make cooing sounds. The box suddenly becomes
silent. With extreme caution, we open the top of the box, where
hundreds of pairs of cootie eyes look up in bewilderment.

Yes, folks, this is indeed a true tale. Hundreds of cooties, all
caged together in a single box - for MONTHS. Starving for attention,
needing to give glee and delight. Sheer horror.

But YOU! can save these poor pitiful cooties! With postage less than
a cup of coffee a day for a week, these cooties can be rescued and
released into the wild once again, to enjoy the contact from hand to
hand, basking in the sounds of squeals and laughter, drinking in the
scent of fresh pigment ink!

But it takes YOU! to make it happen. Solemnly consider becoming a
foster parent for these loveable cooties. Let them enter your home,
your life, your next event attendance!

If you feel that you have what it takes in your heart to receive this
precious bundle to bring to the next gathering you attend, don't
wait. Email Warrior Woman at warrioringilead@yahoo.com right now
with a snail mail address and the package will be sent to you!

Just think. You have it in your power to do something important in
your life. Email now.

This has been a public service announcement from Operation Rescue the
Cooties Project. Email lines are open now."

Warrior Woman
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74563 by Warrior Woman
Feb 25, 2007 3:24pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I kind of like your idea... for those who go home with cooties and do not have many opportunities (if any) to pass them on to others, maybe they can be shipped to a nearby event to continue on their way?

Rhea
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74563 by Warrior Woman
Feb 25, 2007 5:23pm
Thread (disabled) Board
There is always the round file!! :) ;)
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74563 by Warrior Woman
Feb 25, 2007 5:37pm
Thread (disabled) Board
what a great idea Warrior Woman....I know Gweny would personally be devasted if someone chose the "round file" as an option for her first carvings, so I discourage that choice....we did note on the last batch of cooties carved that if someone wanted to convert them to HH, and didn't mind creating a log, to go for it.....and LW had a "Cootie" box/catcher on the front table for people to place cooties if they ended up with some they did not want...which the kids raided often to redistribute during DSS. If you have not found a home for your abundance of cooties we will gladly redistribute them at our next event in May, please AQmail us if you have had no other offers. Catherine (mom to two of the cootie crew) BTW if you bring them to Salmon Falls and hand them to the boys of TeamNewHampshire they will be gone in an instant......Catherine (speaking from experience)
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74605 by T REX
Feb 25, 2007 6:48pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote There is always the round file!!


I'd recommend any other option besides that!!! Better to give them away, leave them behind or refuse them in the first place..............how would you feel if YOU carved a few clever Hitchhikers (or traditional stamps) and they were simply discarded like trash? Please don't forget that these are hand carved by fellow letterboxers.

Sounds like it's time to have the "NO COOTIES" patch made up for some backpacks! :o)

The Merry Pranksters
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74613 by The Merry Pranksters
Feb 25, 2007 7:19pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote how would you feel if YOU carved a few clever Hitchhikers (or traditional stamps) and they were simply discarded like trash? Please don't forget that these are hand carved by fellow letterboxers


I certainly agree. People put time and effort into them and they should be respected.

Lady Lilac
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74563 by Warrior Woman
Feb 26, 2007 4:34am
Thread (disabled) Board
Wow!

I am overwhelmed by the response to my post!

I already have at least 10 boxers who have contacted me who would *LOVE* to receive any cooties I get.

I am SO doing the happy dance. I can FINALLY now go to gatherings, enjoy getting cootied, not have to deal with them during the actual event, admire and stamp at leisure at a later date, and have SEVERAL foster homes with foster parents who go to LOTS of gatherings who are GLAD and HAPPY to receive the cooties!

So don, T rex - if you get cootied, don't despair! Operation Rescue the Cooties is already well underway and is being embraced with enthusiasm!

Warrior Woman
who now proudly proclaims "Cooties? Bring 'em on!"
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74670 by Warrior Woman
Feb 26, 2007 6:57am
Thread (disabled) Board
Salmon Falls.....
Cootie Crew Target #1.......
Warrior Women!

david (team new hampshire)
http://teamnewhampshire.blogspot.com
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74693 by Team New Hampshire
Feb 26, 2007 7:07am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Salmon Falls.....
Cootie Crew Target #1.......
Warrior Women!



Not if you want them to circulate during the event!
from Warrior Woman
Quote I am SO doing the happy dance. I can FINALLY now go to gatherings, enjoy getting cootied, not have to deal with them during the actual event, admire and stamp at leisure at a later date,


Maybe pass them to her at the end of the event!

six stars
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74693 by Team New Hampshire
Feb 26, 2007 1:59pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Warrior Woman sounds like a "Cootie Keeper," jailed until she feels like releasing them again... they'll be stuck in indentured servitude! Run the other direction!
Re: Operation Rescue the Cooties Project
Board: Hitchhikers, Cooties, and Fleas
Reply to: #74803 by mudflinginfools
Feb 27, 2007 7:08am
Thread (disabled) Board
I got a cootie at the last gather I went to. I was able to pass it along.

I can't remember his trail name. But it was done by a little boy. It was his "Elephante" cootie.
It was the cutest thing.

It had been to a few events too. So looking at the log was like looking at a well traveled HH

I hope he gets it back someday

I also remember a potato bug cootie. It had traveled from Idaho to Florida!