the nicest and most enthusiastic letterboxers I have ever had the
pleasure of meeting. Their website is one of my fave boxing sites.
Their contributions to letterboxing have been nothing but positive.
Thanks for all you have done.
The onion metaphor is right on.
I happen to be familiar with an area where there are very few
letterboxes and letterboxers though I live in boxious CT. I'll pass
along my experience with giving and getting WOM clues that concerns
some boxes in that area.
If any boxer wishes to play the game this way in an area similar to
the type of place I mentioned above, the effort starts with YOU. YOU
must plant the boxes and reach out to people who might want to find
your boxes. Regional talk lists are perfect for this endeavor. You
can post that you have planted a box or a series whose clues are not
on the LbNA site and invite people to respond. You can email people
in your state off list and spread the word that you have WOM boxes.
You can place clues or a link to WOM boxes in another box. It does
take time and imagination. You must be patient. The fewer the boxes
and boxers there are in your area/state, the longer it takes.
I planted a series of WOM boxes that were snail mail only. I got many
requests from locals and from passers-through for the clues. I kept
all the snail mail addresses and am getting ready to plant another
series and will send the new clues to everyone I sent the first set
to. This takes time and patience. In return, I have gotten some juicy
hard-to-come-by WOM clues.
WOM clues open up countless places for boxes that publicly posted
clues can not as Ryan stated earlier. You may have less finders but I
can tell you the victories for both finder and placer are sweeter. If
you snail mail your clues, the opportunities for artfulness, if you
are so inclined, are endless. I have opened my mailbox and have found
hand bound books with WOM clues. What letterboxer would not love that
surprise? Minimally, well concealed boxes with well written WOM clues
are likely safer. There are urban WOM boxes out there that have
survived far longer than if they had been published on the LbNA site.
Some may argue that they are deprived of some letterboxes if they
can't go to the LbNA site and print off the clues. As Mark said,
there are indeed layers of the onion that are not for everyone.
Seeking out WOM clues takes time and effort to be sure. For as many
boxers as there are, there are also varying degrees of effort and
skill involved. There are beautifully made artistic gems or clever
mystery box clues or straightforward clues that are published and
some that are not.
There is no reason why new boxers cannot play the game this way if
they choose to do so. Take a chance, be creative and do it your way.
As Mark said, "we encourage and support you all." And like Mark, I
will also offer to help anyone anytime with your questions and
concerns. Just email me off list.
The bottom line is that there is something here for everyone and that
is what makes letterboxing so interesting. Kinda like the peeling the
layers of an onion.
Mark, do boxers from the south have to peel sweet Vidalia's and
likewise, Texans, those monster 1015's? Are scallions and shallots
an acceptable substitute for those gourmet type boxers? ;o)
Alafair
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Pepe"
wrote:
> Kerri and other new boxers:
>
>
> We all appreciate new boxers. After all, new boxers perpetuate the
work
> of veterans... I see letterboxing as an onion [pardon the
metaphor]... The website and talk lists are just the surface.
> Warning - not all of these layers of the letterboxing onion are for
> everyone...We encourage and support you all.
>
> If I can ever be of help to anyone - don't hesitate to email me.
>
> Have fun and just get out there & box!!! [And start peeling away the
> letterboxing onion!]
>
> Mark Pepe
> http://markandsuepepe.blogspot.com/
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]