"Why isn't it RIGHT HERE?!" - Harwell5

Popcorn Anyone?

2009-09-23T00:27:00.004-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Boy Scouts have begun selling popcorn again and my youngest two sons are hard at work. One is selling for his Boy Scout Troop 501, of which all sales he makes will help send him to Boy Scout camp during the summer. The other is selling for Cub Scout Pack 501, of which all sales he makes will go to the pack to offset costs for pack outings. 70% of your purchases will be returned to them, their unit and their council. This is huge in helping their unit.

There are many ways to support this great cause in the items available. Two ways are in donation form of either $25 or $40. If you would like to contribute a donation and don't want popcorn, your donation will be used towards sending popcorn to our men and women in the military here in the states and overseas.

To view the items online and order in my sons name, you can support by clicking either:
A) Boy Scout Troop 501 (you should see "Supporting Scout Ryan H. in the upper right.)
B) Cub Scout Pack 501 (you should see "Supporting Scout Jamie C. in the upper right.)
If you don't see the correct name, a quick click of "change > find a scout" and inserting their name with zip code 28056 will bring it up, then choose them and click "select".

These make GREAT Christmas gifts and you can knock everyone off your list at one time. Remember, 70% of your purchases supports our local scouting.

My sons (and I) thank you in advance,
Robert

OK! I Figured out how to ......

2009-06-25T13:07:00.003-04:00

..... make myself post a blog more frequently since it seems I am geocaching and focusing my open time to that. I am going to start posting here monthly to begin with and then after I get in the custom of that, hopefully I will change to bi-weekly and then weekly and maybe eventually I will be able to post daily. I gotta start some where and that's what I am going to do.

My first "official" "monthly" post will begin for July and subsequently will run the first of the month. I have set my calendar reminder to help me remember.

So be looking for July's post to come soon. (I hope)

Tutorial.....HMMMMM?

2009-04-03T12:23:00.003-04:00

After viewing my gc.com profile page (here), a reader wondered (in a comment) if I was going to post a tutorial on how to set up a profile page like mine because he really liked my concept. I responded in the fact that I taught myself html writing and that my profile was built with a combination of things. The basic "tab-clicking" feature was borrowed from another cacher (with permission) and then changed to meet my style and likes. I then used a combination of GSAK, Cachestats, itsnotaboutthenumbers site, and ideas of my own to create what you see. The creation of what you see is the culmination of the time spent teaching myself. To teach others would be entirely different and as much as I would like too, the amount of time and space it would take to post a tutorial by blog would be mind-boggling.

It did bring up an interesting thought though. What ideas do you have or have you seen that you would like to see on your profile page, but just don't know how to do it?

Since I am an unemployed (right now) Structural Engineer and have plenty of time on my hands during the day, I would be willing to write your profile page as a supplement for lost income to help pay some bills. I don't actually work as a web designer and have no clue as to compensation for format writing, but if you read this and would like for me to write your profile page and help make it stand out, send me an email and we can work something out.

I'M BACK!

2009-04-01T16:27:00.007-04:00

Hello cachers, cacherettes, and cachlings:

I am finally back to blog again after a little hiatus in trying to get my profile page just right and then having to wait on the good folks at Groundspeak to get the updates right for my page to work. Needless to say, I'm back and hope to be blogging here more. If you would like to see my profile page, you can view it anytime at www.geocaching.com/profile/?u=harwell5

Only time will tell now how often I will be blogging. Hopefully more frequently now that my page is set the way I want it.

In the meantime, I would like to mention that since my last post, I became unemployed. So if there is anyone out there who reads this and knows of an Engineering Firm looking for a Civil/Structural Engineer with 2.5+ years experience in steel and concrete foundation design, please let me know and give me a heads up about contact information. I live in the Charlotte, NC area and would prefer not to have to relocate, but if the right position presents itself, then that would be possible. But I digress, NOW........

On to caching........

Is there a reason?

2008-12-18T17:36:00.002-05:00

There must be a reason I keep neglecting this blog. Oh yeah, I am still working on writing the html code for my geocaching profile page (here). I had some issues with it and have had to change some things around. It is almost to where I want it, but there are still some glitches. I work on it when I have a free moment or two and that keeps me from writing here. As soon as I get that code working correctly, I should be posting here more often.

Until then, be looking for a new post later, titled:

"Monster, What Monster? I think I've created a VIRUS!"

You won't believe what I've created.

I've been so BUSY!

2008-11-24T00:14:00.004-05:00

I've been so busy trying to write html codes for my GC profile page and trying to get it fine tuned that I have neglected this blogsite. That should change now that I have got my page close to where I want it. There are some minor issue that I need to resolve, but overall, the main objective is complete. Please take a look and see what I mean by visiting my profile page for Harwell5 here. I hope that you like what I have done to it.

Also, I would love to hear your comments on my page. Tell me things you like or dislike. What I could add, what might look good to add to the page. What things are too much, what should be removed. Please send in your comments. I would love to hear any and all ideas and thoughts.

Thank you for your patience. I will be blogging more often now, I hope!

I think I've created a Monster!

2008-10-13T16:25:00.006-04:00

About a week and a half ago, a colleague and I had a business day trip which put us in a car for several hours together. We spent a lot of time talking, as you can imagine, but what was talked about most was Geocaching. We talked about several different subjects, but it seemed as if it always redirected back towards Gecaching. He was so intrigued by the idea (which he had never heard of before) that he just kept asking question after question. Now I didn't mind answering them, mind you, because GCg is something I could talk about day and night to whomever would listen, so you can imagine my joy in answering his questions and more.

.....Fast forward to end of the day trip back home.....

We started down the road for our return trip and conversations began again. It didn't take long for them to turn toward GCg again. During our conversations, he started naming family members and friends he knew that would be VERY interested in this sport. He was still intrigued and asked after our return for me to forward him an email with the website and information on it. I did and the rest is History.

Since we have been back, he has talked to me on several occassions about GCg at the office. I had informed him that there were two outside our building's backdoor within walking distance during our trip. He laughed and just couldn't believe that this has been around him all this time and he didn't know. (Sounds about like I was and still am today, I can't get enough)

.....Fast forward to today.....

Today's events lead to this post. He came to me with with the news that during this past weekend's mountain biking ride he and a fellow rider took detours along their path of travel and picked up FIVE caches. (He was excited to say the least because when he walked in my office all he did at first was just hold up a hand with his five fingers stretched out) I knew by that sign, he had found five and he began to tell me about them. He also told me about the other muggles that he has "pulled over to our side" as well, namely one of his daughters, who was thrilled at this concept and didn't know it existed. That makes two. There are a few others he has told me about as well and I am sure they are definitely going to get into the sport.

Is it just me or did I do something wrong. I don't know, but I THINK I HAVE CREATED A MONSTER! (maybe more)

Slinkies & People!

2008-10-01T15:05:00.010-04:00

This has to be the funniest thing I have read lately and I thought I would share it with others.....

"SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES, NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS."
-MrsParrothead (ncfoothills-geocachers forums)

Now tell me you didn't laugh at that. I had to absolutely LOL at that one when I read it. I think I will use that for my new slogan.

Thanks goes to MrsParrothead on the http://www.ncfoothills-geocachers.com/ forums website. She has this as her signature to posts made by her. I loved the quote and give her full credit.

Out of Town

2008-09-26T11:52:00.002-04:00

FYI - to the only few people that MAY read my blog right now. I will be out of town for the weekend and won't be posting anything. However, while I am out, I will definitely be CACHING and hopefully will have a story to tell.

See you when I get back.

Happy Caching!

Andy's Other Cache

2008-09-24T23:39:00.003-04:00

This cache post occurred today and I wanted to share it with you. It's a really funny story and I thought I would post it here for those who wouldn't normally see my posts. You can find the actual cache at Andy's Other Cache and read the story there, as well as MH's (Money Hunter) FTF log.

Todays post:
You're Welcome for the FTF! You owe me the same MH!

Don’t mind the narrative rambling below, but it’s a funny story. Skip to the end for my info on this find.

OK, I'm sitting at the eye docs last night (they have late hours Tuesdays) and halfway through my eyes dilating for the doc I get the message that this and another cache have been published. I look at the phone and of course all the text is fuzzy and I can't read a FREAKIN' thing. AAAHHHHHH! WHY NOW!! NOT NOW!! There is NO WAY I can leave and snag this one for FTF. Had I been home, this would have been a no-brainer to grab, seeing is how it is less than a mile from my house. UGH! Of all times to come out, WHY NOW?! I sit there for a few minutes contemplating calling my wife, SchweeyPi (I love you honey!), to ask her to get the cords for me, but I knew she wasn’t feeling the best and was trying to finish dinner for us, so I left her alone. Dealing with the heartache and anguish (and head banging on the wall, OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!), I reluctantly concede that this one is a no go for FTF. So knowing I couldn't get it, I thought I would let the next fastest cacher I know try for it if she hadn’t already started (sorry MH, you ARE second :-). I then ask a nurse for a phonebook (WHAT AM I THINKING? I can't read a freakin’ phonebook NOW!), but I riffle the pages, holding it near and far from my eyes because they are so blurred now, I couldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth if I tried. I’m trying to look for MH’s number because I don't have it. Find what I think may be it and give it a ringy dingy. Sure nuff' she answers (can you believe that, first one) and I proceed to fill her in. She's glad I called too because she didn't know about them yet and hadn't even got the message about this one by the time I called (man I wish I had been at the house, AAAHHH!) I told her about the two publishings. She looks up the first and says, “nah, that’s too far for tonight. You can have it.” (Told her about eye doc and couldn’t), then she looks up the second (had to give her the GCCode) and I can hear the mad rush take form. Have you ever heard the sound of a mad rush take form? I have now and have probably had those moments as well (ask my wife). Anywho, MH’s in a rush to get out the door telling her kids to get their shoes on because “husbands not home yet.” No wait, I specifically heard “bring them with you, you can put them on in the car”. At this time, I’m LMBO because had I not called, she would not have known. She goes, “what are you laughing at?” I say, “you, because had I been home you wouldn’t have known and I would have gotten the FTF doing the same thing.” We hung up, but I had to LOL again because I could just imagine the after burners from her car trying to get there.

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. I just thought it was hilarious and had to share. BTW, my eyes are fine.

Needless to say: Found this one at 7:45 am on the way in to work this morning. TN / L: George Teddy Bear TB (Left this one especially for ANDY, so if you read this log before you try it and the TB is still there, could you leave it for Andy? THANKS!) / SL

TFTC! And the experience it provided.

This part was encrypted:
You know, thinking back on it now, I REALLY don’t think MH believed my story about the eye doc because she was in such a hurry to get there before me. I could be wrong though, maybe it's because she is the second fastest cacher I know! :-) LOL!

I will be periodically posting different cache logs because we all have experiences finding a cache that something was funny about it. I hope you laugh at mine like I did. Check back often.

Welcome and Hello

2008-09-22T12:48:00.001-04:00

I thought I would start by saying Hello to everyone who sees this site. I haven't actually announced it to anyone, but when I do and you get here, I shall say.......

WELCOME!

I am just beginning to get this started along with another site as well. So please excuse the mess as I get things organized.

Thank you for coming!