--- gwendontoo wrote:

> >
> > What does everyone think?
> >
> > Morgun
> >
> Why not keep a record in your logbook? Every time
> you find a letterbox or plant one just mark down >
the number next to the stamp image. That way you >
will know exactly how many you have found, planted, >
exchanged, Hitch Hikers, and event stamps you have >
gathered if that is your goal.

I have to agree with Don (but then, I usually do)-a
pencil system is probably the most effective way to
keep a count. Of course, there may be folks here who
aren't totally techno-dependent and slightly OCD like
I am, so they might disagree with me.

I don't keep a count of my finds at all (okay, I get a
wild hair about every six months that I'm going to see
where I stand, so I start counting and I get so wound
up over how to count all my stamps that it isn't worth
the stress of it to me and I quit trying - for another
six months). But if I were to keep count, I know that
if I relied entirely on the computer count, I would
then make myself completely nuts trying to find a way
to verify the count, audit its accuracy, and refine my
system. I'm an accountant by trade, so maybe that has
something to do with my manic approach to counting
(picture me as a female version of The Count on Sesame
Street - "Onnnnne lovely stamp - twoooooo lovely
stamps....999 lovely stamps - hahahahaha!!!). So I
don't count. But IF I did, I would make a simple
little penciled in number/letter combination next to
each stamp, or possibly a hash mark system at the
bottom of each page.

One reason I know I would count that way is because I
letterbox instead of geocache because it takes me a
little further out of the high-tech world. True, I
have to go on the internet to get my clues (Hey! Maybe
that's one reason I like the idea of WOM clues!), but
beyond that, the carving is by my own hand, the making
of the box is mine, following the clues involves using
only the (debatably) good senses and minimal equipment
I can carry with me. Letterboxing is my own little
corner of the world that technology only touches
minimally - otherwise I live and survive by the
computer, the cell phone, and the fax machine. But we
are now down to only four computers in the house, I
quit the job that required I carry one pager and
sometimes two, I've given my Palm Pilot away, and I've
learned to do math using a slide rule - just to prove
I can. Life is just too good to be dictated by
technology.

And uhhh...I had better go - I just got a pop-up to
remind me to pick up my son!

Lucy





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I'm not a counter either. My focus in letterboxing has generally been the search. I love all the interesting places I've found through the letterboxing experience that I would never have otherwise known about. The stamp is definitely icing on the cake. I just love interesting clues and a really great stamp. I think I may have a character flaw that would cause me to focus too much on the count if I really started paying attention to that, then I would lose the enjoyment I have of the experience! Recently when there was discussion of the 100+ box, I did a quick count and found I had well exceeded the requirement, but then found the box was not available anyway.... so now I'm back to my "no count world". It works for me.
Puddle Splasher

----- Original Message -----
From: Barefoot Lucy
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: 10/28/2005 8:57:19 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Re: LbNA Find Counters - do we need another one?-NO!




--- gwendontoo wrote:

> >
> > What does everyone think?
> >
> > Morgun
> >
> Why not keep a record in your logbook? Every time
> you find a letterbox or plant one just mark down >
the number next to the stamp image. That way you >
will know exactly how many you have found, planted, >
exchanged, Hitch Hikers, and event stamps you have >
gathered if that is your goal.

I have to agree with Don (but then, I usually do)-a
pencil system is probably the most effective way to
keep a count. Of course, there may be folks here who
aren't totally techno-dependent and slightly OCD like
I am, so they might disagree with me.

I don't keep a count of my finds at all (okay, I get a
wild hair about every six months that I'm going to see
where I stand, so I start counting and I get so wound
up over how to count all my stamps that it isn't worth
the stress of it to me and I quit trying - for another
six months). But if I were to keep count, I know that
if I relied entirely on the computer count, I would
then make myself completely nuts trying to find a way
to verify the count, audit its accuracy, and refine my
system. I'm an accountant by trade, so maybe that has
something to do with my manic approach to counting
(picture me as a female version of The Count on Sesame
Street - "Onnnnne lovely stamp - twoooooo lovely
stamps....999 lovely stamps - hahahahaha!!!). So I
don't count. But IF I did, I would make a simple
little penciled in number/letter combination next to
each stamp, or possibly a hash mark system at the
bottom of each page.

One reason I know I would count that way is because I
letterbox instead of geocache because it takes me a
little further out of the high-tech world. True, I
have to go on the internet to get my clues (Hey! Maybe
that's one reason I like the idea of WOM clues!), but
beyond that, the carving is by my own hand, the making
of the box is mine, following the clues involves using
only the (debatably) good senses and minimal equipment
I can carry with me. Letterboxing is my own little
corner of the world that technology only touches
minimally - otherwise I live and survive by the
computer, the cell phone, and the fax machine. But we
are now down to only four computers in the house, I
quit the job that required I carry one pager and
sometimes two, I've given my Palm Pilot away, and I've
learned to do math using a slide rule - just to prove
I can. Life is just too good to be dictated by
technology.

And uhhh...I had better go - I just got a pop-up to
remind me to pick up my son!

Lucy





__________________________________
Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click.
http://farechase.yahoo.com


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I wouldn't bother with such a thing. In fact, I don't think the
find-counters on LbNA and AtlasQuest make much sense. There are so many
boxes listed on one and not the other, so many boxes that aren't listed at
all, WOM boxes, unregistered postal boxes, boxers to exchange with who don't
have AQ profiles, event stamps that never get listed anywhere, etc etc etc.

I keep track of my own count and that's the only one i care about.

JMO.


--
Rachel E. Pollock
Costumer - Artisan - Bricoleur - Letterboxer [F43 X23 E13]


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

OK, now I'm impressed....

Barefoot Lucy wrote:I've learned to do math using a slide rule - just to prove
I can.


---------------------------------
Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A long, long time ago, before there were CDs, MP3s, or PCs, there were LPs,
8-Tracks and, yes...... slide rules! At my high school, a student who had
learned to perform calculations by hand was permitted to use a slide rule.
This usually happened senior year, and not everyone made the grade. There
were no hand-held calculators; we did ALL math with a pencil, some paper,
and brain power!

While still in high school, I worked at McDonald's as a cashier. I wanted to
work the grill, but we didn't have Equal Rights then, and the grill was
considered "a man's job". So, I was provisionally hired as a cashier. In
order to keep my job, I had to memorize a price chart for each menu item ( 1
burger .39; 2 burgers .78, etc.); the chart went from 1 to 20 for each item.
I also had to take a test to prove I could add. When I took an order, I
added up the order in my head while I was bagging it. I then entered the
total on the cash register, added in the sales tax from the tax chart taped
on my machine, and totaled the order. I counted out the change (the machine
did not calculate how much to give back).

Anybody else remember "the good old days"?

JOY





-------Original Message-------

From: Suzanne Coe
Date: 10/29/05 14:16:49
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Re: LbNA Find Counters - do we need another one?-NO!

OK, now I'm impressed....

Barefoot Lucy wrote:I've learned to do math using a
slide rule - just to prove
I can.


---------------------------------
Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

Visit your group "letterbox-usa" on the web.

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

the grill was
> considered "a man's job". >
>
>
> -------Original Message-------

That was the 'easy' job! Thinking on your feet and giving exact
change before the 'Electronic Age' was an 'Art'


>the power went out and
the registers didn't work. Talk about the look of deer-in-the-
headlights!
>
>
The 'Deer-in-the-headlights' look, unfortunatley, happens more than
you see the creatures on the road. The power goes out and everybody
looks confused.... hummmm... no machines to 'think' for
you ......and every thing shuts down!

Yes, I remember the 'good old days' of paper and ink....and
thinking on your feet..


Chunna

--- JOY wrote:
> When I took an order, I added up the order in my >
head while I was bagging it. I then entered the
> total on the cash register, added in the sales tax
> from the tax chart taped on my machine, and totaled
> the order. I counted out the change (the machine
> did not calculate how much to give back).
>
> Anybody else remember "the good old days"?
>
> JOY
>


When I was in high school, I worked in my parents'
garden center and we sold seed to farmers. We had at
least 50 varieties of seed that we regularly sold and
many more types that weren't so common. With the
common seed, I knew how much a small, medium, and
large scoop of each cost (based on knowing how much
each weighed, since they were sold either by the ounce
or by the pound). I could usually wait on two or
three farmers at a time and keep their orders
straight, and give them an accurate total, throwing in
whatever plants and chemicals they might also
purchase, and I would calculate sales tax on the
taxable portion to boot (of course, that was when it
was an even 5%!). In this day of "multi-tasking", I
could not begin to do the same thing, but back then it
was just good service! I guess I've burned a few too
many brain cells at this point in my life because I
know I couldn't begin to do it now ... fortunately, it
isn't something I would have to do in letterboxing
these days.

The other thing my dad taught me to do that has come
in really handy in letterboxing is to judge rise and
slope without equipment. That's pretty cool to know!

Lucy




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