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Read Thread: Just a few reminders

Re: No COOTIES
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #54090 by kitten without mittens
Nov 30, 2006 9:00pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote i guess i never associated cooties with more stamps....i just figure it was "oh i wasnt apying attention, grr people embarass me" kinda thing...


I used to think of cooties like HHs...they were cool because you rarely found them. I really liked getting more stamps in such a clandestine kind of way. Then there was this cootie explosion (points to the still smoking hole in the side of CQ's house) and suddenly, they were all over. I found at least 6 in may bag once, which I think kinda killed the excitement of discovering just one and going "Oh, you sly boots what put stuff in my BAG!". Plus, it's hard to get rid of them, since as a gathering host, I tend to get the lion's share and all the people I usually box with are the same folks giving the cooties in the first place. So, inevitably, they just take up bag space.

Mostly, I head off most cootie givers at the pass the way my Ithaca couterpart does...I tell everyone that I am a cootie black hole and any given to me may never see the light of day again. :-) That discourages most would be cootie assassins right there! However, the kids I know LOVE them because of the stealth factor and I definitely can respect the fact that some adults really dig them, too. I tried sticking to my guns with the "black hole" thing for a while, but in reality, if I find one, I just give it to a kid, then steer them toward folks who I know will like them so I don't have to worry about dealing with it. I also will just put it in plain view on the table so someone who wants to play can have it.

The S & H
Re: No COOTIES
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #54252 by Sprite and Highlander
Dec 1, 2006 3:59am
Thread (disabled) Board
Cooties were "invented" to keep the kids busy and happy at events. After all, children are too bright to sit around and burn daylight debating blue diamonds or PZ Cut versus the pink stuff. They are smart enough to shrug and just say "whatever."

It is because of this wisdom that I admire them so. And why I make so many kid friendly boxes and bring so many cooties to gatherings. I pass them off to CHILDREN and NEW PEOPLE who haven't experienced them yet, and people that I know are COOTIE MANIACS and people who have COOTIED ME TO DEATH IN THE PAST. I've carved almost 50 cooties, and using this formula, I have only had ONE person tell me that they don't want to bother with them, and I offered to take it back off his hands by sending him a self-addressed paid envelope to be rid of them. That's a pretty darn good ratio, in my book.

Of course, if one does not stay in the cootie-less zone, or wear something that does not say NO COOTIES PLEASE, or make their preference known, should not complain about children who are having fun nailing them with cooties. Frankly, once I told a certain sneaky cootie planter that I was done for the day, as I wanted to concentrate on getting some exchanges, he smiled and cheerfully said, "Ok!" It wasn't this huge deal or anything.

Therefore, I have decided that I will have stick-on badges at Desperately Seeking Sun. This way, anyone who nails someone wearing one of these will have to sit in the corner and miss some of the fun. I will set up a cootie-less zone so people can enjoy themselves away from the fervor of cootie-planting, and I will make a large bin available for anyone who gets inadvertently hit with a cootie they do not want, or think they can't replant at the end of the day. Drop it in the bin.....no questions asked. People who actually WANT to have a cootie can help themselves from this bin..no questions asked, as well. If you find some when you get home, contact me and I'll give you an address you can mail them to.

But the BEST thing to do is for parents to explain gently to children that there are cootie lovers...and cootie haters..and it's best to try to identify which a person is. I think it's easiest to be forward and upfront and just ask. "Do you play the cootie game?" If they say yes..just bide your time to slip one on them. If they say no, then control yourself and leave them alone.

And by the way, I will provide the NO COOTIES badges, but if you decide halfway through that you'd like to switch sides...no harm done. Just peel if off. If you decide you'd rather wear it as you're tired of being nailed, then you can put it back on, too.

That's as much as I can do, and I think that's more then most planners would agree to do. No complaints about cooties at SUN...as there are a lot of new people who want to play. And I will advertise this new policy all over the place. I think the "problem" at the CNY Mini Thanksgiving gathering was.....there was a wealth of new people at their first gathering, there was a high ratio of clever kids there, there were tons of cootie lovers, and there into our midst walked a non-cootie lover, but experienced boxer who had no idea what he was walking into when he showed up late. :)

LW PhD
Re: No COOTIES
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #54300 by Lock Wench
Dec 2, 2006 5:12am
Thread (disabled) Board
AMEN!!!!

Karensport