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Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882073 by The Wolf Family
Jan 1, 2015 7:31am
Thread (disabled) Board
100 finds or more in a day (timeframe seems questionable)

That depends where you are. I've found 50 boxes in a day several times, and that was only a 6 hour walk in the woods. I quit because I was sick of boxing, not because I ran out of boxes or daylight.

A park near me has 250 boxes in it. A series near me has 51 boxes on a 6 mile hike.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882358 by RIclimber
Jan 1, 2015 8:45am
Thread (disabled) Board
That depends where you are.

No matter where you are there is still only 24 hrs in a day. :)
I'm not saying that it's not possible, just that it's mathematically unlikely: 100 boxes in a day = a box every 15 minutes in a 24 hr period with no sleeping or stopping to eat (unless I've not done the math right?).

BUT what I've seen is that with boxes packed that close together, you have a group where people all branch off and fetch boxes. Only one member of the group is actually following the clue and seeing the location and oftentimes it's series with no logbooks.

I've NEVER done 100 in a day myself so it might be possible, but I have no intention of finding out. The most I did was 42 in a day and the boxes were literally within a couple of feet of each other (the majority of them in someone's backyard) and I just found it to be tedious after a while. Later, someone just gathered them all up, put them on a picnic table, everyone stamped, and they weren't put back because they were temp boxes. I guess they weren't into stamping every 2 feet either. *shrug* But their "finds" counted the same as mine (they got even more, in fact, since they got all of the boxes when I just got tired of unpacking and repacking and rehiding -- a step, they didn't have to do).

But I've seen enough people say they have done it over the years to just shrug it off. And if Eidolon has, I'd believe it. I KNOW he doesn't sleep or eat on a boxing frenzy. LOL! I guess I just don't have that level of endurance to do it legitimately!
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882355 by The Wolf Family
Jan 1, 2015 8:56am
Thread (disabled) Board
UNLESS it's in a shop... or so it seems to be with other boxes...

It's not so much that you're looking for a particular person in a shop, though--it's still a "location-based search" and not a "person-based search." All indoor boxes require people to open a shop for you, but it doesn't mean that you have to find a specific person to get the box either.

When you're searching for a person, it's a personal traveler.

-- Ryan
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882380 by Green Tortuga
Jan 1, 2015 9:08am
Thread (disabled) Board
It's not so much that you're looking for a particular person in a shop, though--it's still a "location-based search" and not a "person-based search."

So that box DOES meet the definition on AQ of a traditional and not a PT, right? If so, it's incorrectly listed as a PT now.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882384 by The Wolf Family
Jan 1, 2015 9:23am
Thread (disabled) Board
So that box DOES meet the definition on AQ of a traditional and not a PT, right? If so, it's incorrectly listed as a PT now.

For the X's boxes that I'm aware of.... those were always person-based searches. You just had to find the person who had the box. It wasn't in a static location in a business. (At least none of the ones I've found were!) A box at a business is a "location-based" search. A box with a person is a "person-based" search. A box at a business behind a counter that you have to ask a person for.... that's still more of a location-based search. I just ask for the box because it's polite, but I could still find the box on my own. ;o)

-- Ryan
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882386 by Green Tortuga
Jan 1, 2015 9:29am
Thread (disabled) Board
What if it is a hybrid of the two?
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882386 by Green Tortuga
Jan 1, 2015 9:33am
Thread (disabled) Board
For the X's boxes that I'm aware of.... those were always person-based searches.

Then you must have never found the 2nd of Five. It's been in Dixie's store for many years. But if my word isn't enough, perhaps photos and references? :)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=936410799708584&set=a.196439690372369.62308.100000190171410&type=3&theater

It is identical to every box I have ever found in an store (except that it's more difficult since there's an additional clue to get into that actual box itself).
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882389 by The Wolf Family
Jan 1, 2015 10:09am
Thread (disabled) Board
I'm your evidence. LOL
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882392 by koalacat
Jan 1, 2015 10:37am
Thread (disabled) Board
You are my Exhibit A! LOL!
But I have a few more photos with other people somewhere too...
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882395 by The Wolf Family
Jan 1, 2015 11:42am
Thread (disabled) Board
It was my thousandth find (and a mighty superb traditional find at that!) The box was most certainly connected to the location, or at least as much as any other indoor box.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882389 by The Wolf Family
Jan 1, 2015 6:04pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Then you must have never found the 2nd of Five.

No, I haven't. It's possible it could have been swept up the "purge" when the rest of the boxes were changed not realizing it was different. I have vague memories of Dixie saying something about the box she had, but it was so long ago, I don't really remember the details. I remember sending out a message to everyone who was in possession about the boxes to ask about them, but I don't really remember much about that anymore.

But I'd be willing to consider changing it back to a traditional if that's what it really is. The catch might be if someone had it before Dixie or Dixie used to carry it around to events or something in which case some of the finds on the box aren't of a traditional box. Sometimes a box starts as one type of box and it changes at some point, but it really confuses things when the owner doesn't retire the original listing and create a new one of the correct type.

-- Ryan
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #881977 by System
Jan 1, 2015 6:34pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Chill peeps ! Why list what you're heard if you're not concerned about how others find, list their finds, or how many they find in a day?

i was at an event where i probably found 200 boxes in a 3 day weekend. Started early and went all day and half the night. There was one series that didn't have written clues only hints like a wreath hanging from a tree, fairy dust on the leaves, fire tacks for nightboxing, but most had written clues,none was WOM, none that i found was piled on a table, I walked to each and every box. I loved every box i found and was proud to stamp such awesome images into my logbook.

It was one of the best events I've ever been to n one i will not forget, fun, fun , happy memories.

Finding lots of boxes may bore some and may thrill others.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882473 by Green Tortuga
Jan 1, 2015 7:39pm
Thread (disabled) Board
But I'd be willing to consider changing it back to a traditional if that's what it really is. The catch might be if someone had it before Dixie or Dixie used to carry it around to events or something in which case some of the finds on the box aren't of a traditional box.

That would be awesome! Thanks! It will show up in searches again! :)
It's been in her shop from the beginning. Her last event was prior to the launch of that box so it was never even at an event. It's been a traditional from day one.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882080 by System
Jan 10, 2015 2:35pm
Thread (disabled) Board
As others have said, it doesn't seem like a fun way to play the game. It seems, instead, like a way for people to pad their numbers without actually planting or finding anything.

Yup. I agree. However, unless you're willing to run around, with a big sheriff's badge, 24/7, playing Letterbox Police, not quite sure how you're going to stop the cheaters. It's not worth worrying about.

Like Wolfie, I've seen all those things happen. I've been part of a wandering group of boxers (one finder, many slack boxers) although most probably I was the finder because I am a crazy person with ants in my pants. I have found over 100 boxes in one day (the OMG Halloween event in NH? ME? somewhere up there) and frankly, it was exhausting and kind of a pain. Haven't done it again since 2011. I choose not to participate in the "here's the boxes if you want to stamp in before I plant them" kind of events. At the event hosted by my sister and I, we do indeed deliberately both plant different series - so both of us have something to hunt on the day of the event. And we hunt them. We don't do it beforehand. *shrug* it's what we do. YMMV.

And - here's the biggie: THIS IS A HOBBY. The whole thing really amounts to a hill o beans. In the long run, when I go to meet my Maker, i do not get "extra brownie points" for finding the most tupperware in the woods.

~tigs
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882386 by Green Tortuga
Jan 10, 2015 2:46pm
Thread (disabled) Board
The 2nd of Five Orders is definitely a traditional. You don't look for Dixie - you look for the shop. (now that we've solved the clue for everyone). It's hidden in the shop. You ask out of courtesy, but it's there to be found.

~tigs
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882080 by System
Jan 11, 2015 12:06am
Thread (disabled) Board
the "boxes" that people are "finding" are in fact stamps lying on a table. As others have said, it doesn't seem like a fun way to play the game.

Have you ever watched these people? I once went to a meet and took along my jar full of retired stamps -- most of which were retired for good reason, they're really lousy. I just dumped them out on the table, and you'da thunk these people were having orgasms. Not one of those stamps was loggable, they weren't even listed as "other", you'd have to wait for Hat Day and log them as an other, but the unabashed glee that resulted was astonishing to behold.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #883947 by Kirbert
Jan 11, 2015 8:50am
Thread (disabled) Board
I am one of those people that enjoys madly stamping images into my logbook. I enjoy flipping through my logbooks after the event to appreciate the artwork--loggable or not. I don't blame "those people" for feeling like they won the stamping lottery. I'm sure what you consider your lousy stamps are amazing.

Mosaic Butterfly
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #883947 by Kirbert
Jan 11, 2015 8:53am
Thread (disabled) Board
Have you ever watched these people? . . . you'da thunk these people were having orgasms

which makes you. . . a voyeur? Looks like a win-win to me.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #883968 by Mosaic Butterfly
Jan 11, 2015 9:20am
Thread (disabled) Board
Yes, I'm always surprised at the assumption that people are stamping just to "pad their numbers." Maybe people just like stamps, and then they log them to keep organized about what they have stamped and also to give feedback to the carvers. It's not necessarily to run up numbers.

(This comment is from someone who frequently forgets to log stamps, so I'm not defending myself here.)
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #881977 by System
Jan 11, 2015 4:43pm
Thread (disabled) Board
So why did you dump the jar of stamps onto the table?

I also like the images just for the artwork

and people sometimes assumes that you want the image just to up find count.
Sad for them.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #884041 by airstream dreams
Jan 11, 2015 5:36pm
Thread (disabled) Board
The dumping of stamps on a table was posted by Kirbert. He was the one doing the dumping. You are responding to the wrong person and post.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #884050 by MissMoon
Jan 12, 2015 12:07am
Thread (disabled) Board
To answer the question: The first time I did this I was asked to demonstrate some of my carving skills at the meet, so I thought I'd take along my jar of retired stamps to show my progress and development. The jar actually has my first carve in it, my first sig stamp, cut from a piece of foam. Anyhow, I mentioned I have this jar of old stamps to show how I've improved over the years, and just about got mugged. Everyone wanted to stamp them into their log books, so I just dumped the jar out on the table and let everyone have at them. I don't recall if I ever got to discuss carving any further! Since then, though, if I know I'm going to be meeting letterboxers, I try to remember to take that jar along.

More recently I carried it along to a mini-meet where I met three boxers on the trail who were passing through. They didn't gush, but they didn't turn down the opportunity to stamp each one in each of their log books either. They even wanted me to tell them a bit about each stamp, what box it was originally used in, etc.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #884079 by Kirbert
Jan 12, 2015 7:05am
Thread (disabled) Board
Almost begs for a stamp called "Kribert's Jar" - If you have already pillaged Kirbert's Jar you get to get said stamp ;-)

Viva la feeding frenzy!
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #884050 by MissMoon
Jan 12, 2015 7:36am
Thread (disabled) Board
Thank you! I see my error now. lol
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #884046 by System
Jan 12, 2015 7:40am
Thread (disabled) Board
oops! my bad . I meant the post to go to Kirbert.
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882071 by DS
Jan 13, 2015 5:07am
Thread (disabled) Board
Now I'm very curious as to the definition of this word, my dictionary does not have the word h a r f
Re: WOM questions
Board: Letterbox Chatter
Reply to: #882071 by DS
Jan 13, 2015 5:09am
Thread (disabled) Board
Oooooh, The urban dictionary told me what it was, I called that "barf"