just razzing ya! Honestly I've had back bacon that was sliced 1/2" thick and it tasted like reg bacon. I've also had the same and it tastes like ham.....
I earned mine last year, about 2 days before I turned 18. My project was building an exhibit for a local children's museum Actually, I'm currently serving as an assistant scoutmaster, as well as being a brotherhood member and part of my lodges ceremony team.
My service project was redoing the fire pits at a state park back in '89. I actually learned how to swim as a scout even though we had a pond on our property. Crazy to think I didn't know how to swim until I was twelve. Now if I could find some water somewhere!
I've got more water around here than I'd care for, give ya some haha! Summer camp taught me I couldn't swim as well as I thought when I took lifesaving merit badge, ended up taking the alternate badge for that requirement. Glad to see you made the switch man, you were definitely one of the old members I was sad to not see here initially!
I only made it to Life before sports got too busy. My 3 oldest boys are all Life Scouts and on track for Eagle...Oldest is working on his Eagle Project right now.
Yah, I bet you got plenty of water still. Swimming and Lifesaving merit badges turned me into a pretty good swimmer. Thanks, brother. Took me a bit, then I figured I'd just go to the ESEE site to find where everybody was hiding. You're too kind, sir. Wait, did you call me old?! I'm breakin' out my sticks, you whippersnapper! Mike's the old one around here.
Old as in longterm member! I'm glad you still bust my balls, like when I called someones knife straight sexy HAHA! Dave, I never attempted the mile swim back then. I think not finishing lifesaving caused me to doubt myself, later in life it pushed me to try things like that to know I could them.
Congratulations to you guys who made it, I never did, quit at 15 got into cars, older girls, and drinking. Returned at 18 to be an Assistant Scoutmaster to help our old Scoutmaster out for a year, always regretted not going for it. I'll have to dig out some old Scouts stuff I have you guys might get a kick out of and post it up. I never forgot the Boy Scout Motto of "Be Prepared", that motto is a large part of why I EDC what I do today.
That's why I do the same with my edc and field pack, it's ingrained from then. My dad did the same as you and always said how he regretted not getting his, he became an assistant Scoutmaster and helped keep me on track as best he could, but never stooped to the level of some parents and do the work for me. I was lucky to also have an childhood mentor who was like an extra grandpaw to me that was and Eagle Scout and encouraged me to complete mine, same man got me started in YHEC/NRA shooting competitions. All those influences I give full credit to keeping me out of trouble in my youth and shaping me into who I am today.
Especially after just learning to swim at 12! I had serious motivation, though. Getting jabbed by brothers the rest of your life can be quite motivating. Well, straight sexy is so non-inclusive! It might actually be a micro-aggression. No matter what anybody says, Mike in his jumpsuit is all-inclusive sexy. Same with cricket in his ESEE apparel. Anybody post those yet?!
Maybe coincidental maybe not...but my son just started his boy scout journey last night. Citizenship of the World....not exactly my favorite wording but it's good to know about the world.
This reminds me of a story about my dad. We were out on a trip working on one of the merit badges or check off of some kind, and one requirement was to hike in, set up camp, and hike out. We were at a state park with roads and campsites, but my dad made us all get out at the entrance of the park, and carry our gear in to the campsite and set up camp. When we went to leave, one of the other dads suggested just throwing all the packs in the back of the truck and having all the boys just walk to the entrance. My dad's reply was, "You can have them do what you want, but my son is carrying his pack out like the book says he has to, and I won't sign off on anyone else that doesn't carry their gear out." That got him and me both some great looks, but you can believe every boy carried his gear out.
That's how it should be. I can't count the number of time we got got to our camp and this kids parents set up the tent while they go off and mess around d
That's how our troop was, over time it was like we divided into momma's boys and do it yourselfers. The do it yourselfers formed our own patrols and won most of the camporee competitions and races during canoe trips. We were the ones that got the full experience of scouting.
My kids have gone on some really awesome trips. They have camped at West Point for 3 years, which is a really rare opportunity. They hiked and camped Mount Washington last Spring, and seem to go on campouts at least once a month. If you pick a good troop, it can be an awesome experience.
