Inspired by Thebitchycacher & her Rants
We have reader named Thebitchycacher and when I went to her blog she has a “Rant” section, I loved it. She tells it how it is and I read every entry she made. So, I am wondering what to call my “RANT.” I am thinking…”Some caching advise that will help you not be a jerk face cacher. “ Yes I think that will be the name. So post #1 of
Some caching advise that will help you not be a jerk face cacher.
Ok I have a huge beef with those cachers that act like giving a favorite point is like giving up your first born. Are you kidding me? I know cachers that have hundreds of favorite points and will not award any. WHY?
Hello cachers, this game is made possible by volunteers and no one is paid to make and hide a cache and spend their own money to bring smileys to people. Wish those people would part with their favorite points as easily as the people making the awesome caches.
We will continue to hide cool caches like CSI #5 NEWSFLASH, your favorite points don’t collect interest, they don’t make you popular, they can’t kiss you good night or pay your bills. SO STOP BEING GREEDY! The person with the most favorite points when they die does not win anything! GIVE THEM. I give points for caches that have good FTF prizes, caches that have a great description, caches from a new cacher, caches in unique containers basically anything out of the ordinary. DO IT, GIVE FAVORITE POINTS!
I just get upset when I see a cool cache and cachers finding it and writing TFTC? WHAT? Are you kidding me, give something back to the game with a simple thanks with a favorite point.
End of rant. Hope all of the winners got your stones and loved them. Please send Pictures. A cache a day is killing me, kind of feel like it takes the fun out of caching kind of like a chore, I am re-thinking this, help with advice!
Happy Caching!
3 comments:
First a bit about favorites....then some advise on cache-a-day.
We have the Musical Hwy, Guitar, Sun and Moon and Horse alley out our back door. Our cache logs add up pretty quickly as well as favorite points. While I think it is great, (actually I'm not a fan of power trails...we get them to get the caches off our pocket query) I don't think they are 'favorite cache' quality. I wouldn't mind awarding one or two to the series. So I have ended up with a stash of favorite points. I try to give them as often as I can, I too love a well hidden, themed or intriguing cache and will award it a favorite. Wish I could award more then one point per cache sometimes. :) And...those who log a TFTC and nothing else on a great cache...gees...really?! I have only copy/pasted logs for the power trails when I really can't remember one cache from the next.
So you can add another rant -- of log entries....Unless one is after a power trail, isn't it polite to really add something unique to your log for that cache? Even if it is, "I saw an Eagle out here today." I think that helps give a feel for the cache/area.
Now Cache-a-day.
Today is our 260th day. Sometimes I could scream. Caching should be fun...but this challenge we decided on is really wearing on us. So we have decided to take it all in stride.
We Chose to do this challenge.
We committed ourselves, no one else.
We wanted to do it.
So why, do we not somedays? Well, it is really hard to want to strap on the boots, hats, gloves and coat to tromp through the field to see if we can find a cache that is above the snow level. This winter is hard. Now we know why we hardly had any finds through out Dec, Jan and Feb.
We then remind ourselves that winter doesn't last forever.
We also just take one day at a time. I have been known to stop and make sure a cache is there, (when I'm passing by) but not getting it or sign in...saving it for the next day. That way, when I have the time, I can verify a few...so when those days come and caching is just not working out, I can grab a quick find.
We also cache as a family, which has helped us a bit. When my schedule is too busy, or I am sick. My husband has made the cache run with out me. and vise-versa.
So I think it does take a little planning.
If you can stay awake in the wee hours of night...getting a cache at 11:50 p.m. and then one at 12:00 a.m. has been a life saver for us. however, I really can't function too many times doing that. :)
Finding a cache-a-day can be fun, but it is also scheduling, planning, and following through on a commitment.
Also, think about the challenge is steps. Throw a party, celebrate, go for a treat (whatever) after making it a month, 50 days, 100 days, etc... Taking small goals is a little easier.
Being on the downhill side of the year is becoming exhilarating. There will be a party in this house when we have 100 days left! Then a party when the winter is over! Then a party when May ends!!!! We are in this together and we are all pulling for it.
Then we can return the FUN to caching and hopefully look back on this as a "I did it...remember when...and everyone should try it for at least a year." :)
When I come across a cache where I am surprised, entertained, amused, befuddled but finally figure it out, amazed at the creativity, or when a lot of time and thought went into the placement of the cache I give a favorite point. I like to keep a few favorite points on hand so that when I come across these caches I have points to give.
I really appreciate all the caches and the cachers who placed them. I like the simple easy ones, like the LPC caches, because I can find them quickly and easily and be on my way to the next one. I don't usually give these kind my favorite points unless the cache is unique or unusual, or tickled my fancy somehow.
Favorite points are a great way to tell cachers that you appreciate their time and effort.
When I first started geocaching I thought that you had to use the acronyms, "tftc" "sl" etc. But I soon tired of that and stopped using acronyms. I do try to write out an appreciative comment. I am trying to get better at writing comments.
Thanks for your blog, it is very fun to read.
I know the feeling of working hard on a really cool, well thought out, camouflaged, hard to find cache, (or so I thought) only to have the first few finders say "Quick find, TFTC!" Really?!! That's all you're going to give me?!! You are right, give up the favorite points people! If you haven't found a cache by now worthy of your precious favorite points, you probably will not ever. Makes me wonder what it would take to impress cachers these days.
As for your cache a day challenge, you are right, you have sucked all the fun out of it, and turned it into a chore rather than a fun distraction from day to day tedious life. You could always pick it up again next year on the day you left off on, or change it to a cache a day for a month. Remember: The Bitchy Cacher advocates quality over quantity in caching, it's not the numbers, it's the experience you will remember years from now, and the cache a day challenge you will remember as being a chore. Go back to making it fun for yourself, set new goals of giving up the favorite points and leaving fun log entries for cache owners to read. You deserve it!
Thanks so much for the Honor.
love--
Bitchy.
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