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in Entertainment Weekly I saw that Stephen King had written his top 10 favorite reads in 2006.

Yes. that is where I read that Stephen King enjoyed it.

-Amanda from Seattle

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Another thing is, not all bad decisions are made because of peer pressure. Kids do stupid stuff for a lot of reasons--sometimes for reasons they can't even articulate.

Agreed. A very common reason -- we've all been there -- is they didn't think at all, they just went ahead and did something. There's not a whole lot you can do about that; you just have to bear with it and do your best to encourage thought before action. The child should be punished for the negative outcomes of acting without thinking, as encouragement to do more thinking first next time, but errors of this sort don't reflect bad parenting, they're just a part of growing up.

But writing obscenities in a log book doesn't qualify here. That is a sign of bad parenting, period.

As a reason to do something, I would do everything in my power to discourage children or adults from doing anything because of peer pressure. IMHO, peer pressure is never a good reason to do anything. And I think it'd be a good idea to instill that lesson into children as soon and as strongly as possible.

-- Kirbert

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I started smoking when I was 18...

Old enough to know better. So why didn't you?

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...it wasn't because my parents didn't try to teach me not to. All of my friends smoked so I hid from my parents and smoked as well. It was me who messed up and it was my fault.

It was your fault, agreed. But why did you make that bad decision to do what your friends were doing rather than making an intelligent (and easy) decision not to smoke? What was it about you that prevented you from making the right decision? What could have been done differently that would have resulted in you making the right decision?

-- Kirbert

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The trick is, how do you expose boxers to geocaching when they don't own a GPSr and aren't sure whether or not they want to buy one?

Perhaps this is the wrong board for this, but i thought about having a hybrid Geocaching Event / Letterboxing Gathering where people from both sides could educate each other about the two hobbies. I mentioned this on the NC board and someone noted that such an event had been held somewhere in TN, with great success.

The beauty of an event is that you'll have people there with a GPS who will be more than happy to run a potential new geocacher through a cache hunt. And vice versa for the letterboxers, although there it would probably be more about a stamp-carving tutorial than anything to do with clue-following.

Speaking as a kid whose parents were gnarly but loving. I finally decided I would just be up front with what and where I was and ask prior to the "evenings events" what the consequence would be and then I would weigh the value of them both....peers had very little to do with my life choices. I was just curious and extremely bold in the way I approach things...i still am interstingly enough. I would sometimes stay home , sometimes NOT but everyone was at least on the same page and I wasn't being dishonest....my dad gave me that much. Curfew and the phone were the tickets to my life and they knew it. But they also knew I was where I said I was , maybe not always doing what they both wanted , mom's and dad's rules differed , Dad wanted me in a bottle....you know the little girl deal....mom knew I could make choices and be responsible , she taught me well!!!

Now as a mom, my boys get enough rope to hang themselves, but not enough to snap their necks. Independence is important for us to instill in all of them! I hope that we have employed the tools we valued from our parents homes and our kids will keep the lines open. I am not stupid enough to think my kids to be the exception to any rule but I hope we are raising strong independent kids, who know who they are. I do know that they want to be liked and have friends and be "a part" of something jsut like anyone , I jsut hope they choose to lead instead of follow. I exspect the worst because of the gene pool actually, but then so far the 4 of them are great. I believe they had to come out that way to survive me as a mom...; ) If I haven't done it I have thought about it and they will be caught!!! And that will be bad!! I know that kids (I ) tried things out of plain old curiosity and boredom ....it was a way to push the limits with loving parents watching but not condesending ...until they knew it was NOT a good idea thent he foot came down.

Our families don't exsist in vaccums and for every great Karate instrutor out there ....there is a terrible dance instructor that would curl even the most jaded persons toes....do you tell mom & dad? or do you become a star? the star right....btw I can't even point my toes...that gift was given to another . So was the lovely instructor who taught her all about the REAL world...YIKES!!! There is a story we can all tell about how we got where we are and it is all based on choices...good ones bad ones , but choices....I wish sometimes I could make ones again but then I don't because NOW I love my life. Ask me tomorrow .....but for NOW I am content in where my choices have brought me.

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Just noticed your anniversary. Party with the AQ chick before it's too late.

Why thank you Speedsquare. I had a fine burger at Ruby T's with my forever friend. We watched a movie at her house, and I'm home with my DH to watch in the new year. I'ts lovely to have another celebration in my life.

Eaglewatcher

That is a great question. I still struggle with that one, but I can assure you that it was not something that my folks did or even could have done. I moved out at 18 and picked up that nasty habit hanging around the people I worked with. It is an ongoing struggle. I typically do not smoke, but from time to time even though I have had physical trouble which I attribute to substance abuse I will still smoke. Children are influenced the most by their parents, but the bad decisions they make, unless taught by their parents, are not the parents fault. Everyone goes through bad decisions. I don't think the kids that acted on the letterbox the way they did made the decision to do so on their own. Their part in it was their decision, but I am almost certain it was a group effort. It almost always is.
At any rate, this has been a great debate, but I am going to bed. It is 10:00 PM here and 1/1/2007 will be here when I wake up. I am not going to wait up for it. Happy New Year to you, Kirbert, and to everyone else. Perhaps a resolution to make better decisions is in order for all of us. IrishRef, for instance picked Nevada over Miami. Go figure! Good night, all.

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i thought about having a hybrid Geocaching Event / Letterboxing Gathering where people from both sides could educate each other about the two hobbies

I think it's a great idea. :)
Lone R

any help in how to do this? I did a search but came up empty. We have about 5 pictures for the clues.

Mama Phoenix (11:23pm and on AQ!! Someone needs a life...)

Plumbean did a link to another page for "Catch That Elephant"

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But writing obscenities in a log book doesn't qualify here. That is a sign of bad parenting, period.

I don't know what to think about that log book! I think it's possible it was muggled by some people who invented the family of rotten children and their powerless parent. I recall being on a trail with my little doxie one day when some young people walked by. My dog thinks walks are for meeting friends and looked at these people for her usual and expected petting and tricks. (She does the tricks, the people do the petting). These people raised my hackles by their dress and body language. When they passed me, my dog stopped and looked around expectantly. Those people stopped too and began to discuss loudly what they liked to do to little dogs. I scooped her up and high tailed it back to a part of the trail with more people. I suppose I gave them the reaction they were looking for, but i couldn't take a chance that it was all talk.

This is the long way of saying that there are those on trails that are bad people who may say or do bad things. Just as folks go on line to My Space and other places, and misrepresent who they are by age, or sex, or physical attributes, I can imagine people like the ones I met up with, inventing children's identities to write mean things in a logbook.

When you folks developed this fantastic family friendly hobby, you created a wholesome activity so youngsters and parents have quality time together. This is how you raise great kids. you give of yourself. Even when they go off trail they find their way back because they know the general heading!
Eaglewatcher -Mentor a child- it's the best job you can't get paid for.

<<We've been able to put 6 images on 1 photo with the photo editor>>

Where is the photo editor?

Mama Phoenix

I haven't seen one here at AQ, but I have done something similar using my home editing software for scrapbooking purposes. With my program you download the pictures then copmose a new project. You can do all kinds of cool things with photo edit software....add text, change color, etc.

intrigued.....have you done this?

Pretty computer illiterate unfortunately... I don't think we have it :(

I'll need to find some other way of doing this.

Mama PHoenix

Wow, a blast from the past, the guy who planted the "in and around stone mountain" letterboxes just emailed me with a new clue! So I have updated the clues with this new letterbox, the Locomotive. That is all the information I got from him. No word yet on if he is going to update the previous boxes.

-Amanda from Seattle

Happy New Year to everyone :)

May your year be filled with peace, joy, health, happiness, and of course, lots of 'boxin!

I wonder who will plant the first 2007 box? - My guess is either Lock Wench or The Yorkshire Tortoise!

Watchin' the ball drop in Times Square while sitting in front of a cracklin' fire in our living room :)

SunFleur & The Michigan Patriot

yeah there it goes HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Happy New Year to everyone :)

Eaglewatcher

Happy New Year to All,

Still have 3 hours on the WC until New Year's, but I probably won't be up then;)

Trish;)

God bless you this new year!
six stars

Happy New Years,

Wife made it til 12:00. Hurray. Hope all have a great 2007. Happy planting and hunting.

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope this year brings you health, happiness and many, many boxes!!! Live it up, people!!!!!

Jaxx and family

Oh, that's really cool! I always thought those old boxes were interesting and wondered how many still exist (especially being in a NC State park), and now a new one surfaces!

I have two airborne containers that I was going to put in a bucket of water and see what happens. Well, I quess I'll go do it right now and stop procrastinating. I'll let you know.

Sahalie PhD

May God Bless your New Year too!

D5 Mama

Happy New Years, May God bless you mightly.

Yellsalot

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Thanks CQ for sharing, any chance that monster manual is up? if not that's okay too....I will just have to take a trip to Barnes and Noble and hold the book for ransom until I see good grades from the little geek, um boy :0)

Hehehe...i'll do you one...no, wait...two better! :D
Monster Manual, Monster Manual II, AND Monster Manual III are all up. (or, if you're reading this within ten minutes of my posting this message, give it about fifteen minutes, and they'll all be up :D)

the links are as follows:
http://www.wwq3.where-buffalo-roams.com/otherstuff/mm35.pdf
http://www.wwq3.where-buffalo-roams.com/otherstuff/mmii35.pdf
http://www.wwq3.where-buffalo-roams.com/otherstuff/mmiii35.pdf

So, PLENTY of monsters to choose from.
Enjoy! :D

CQ

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Oy! CQ! Where ya BEEN, lad??? Been online all dae and not haird a pip from ye! (boy, I gotta stop reading Pratchett over the holidays...little Scotsmans running all through my haid...er, HEAD!)

I was insanely busy all day :D
Spend the last day of 2006 working from 10:30 to 5:45, then came home in time to be picked up by Kitten and Falling Leaves to go to their house, change and shower, then we all watched the rest of an episode of Gilmore Girls before heading down to the Buffalo Irish Center for the new year's party there, featuring our local favorite irish band, Penny Whiskey. :P

CQ