Switzerland is Coming!

The World Scout Jamboree is one year passed, from 2011 in Sweden. I have made mention of a lot of my Finnish friends, but my unsung Swiss friend is coming! Mirjam is a great friend and I will be seeing her very soon in San Francisco. We have talked via Email forever (since jamboree) and now she is coming!

How do you say goodbye?

Does a simple word suffice?
"Goodbye?"
Can you end a year of friendship with just
"Goodbye?"

What is the point of saying it
"Goodbye"
To someone you loved
"Goodbye"

and why is it, while strong enough to say it
"Goodbye"
I'm now weak enough to cry?

Upcoming Breaks

I am so sorry, my dearly sporadic readership, but I will be going to Boy Scout camp this week, leaving tomorrow. Not to worry, I will have lots of stories and Pictures to talk about next week. Good night Y'all, thanks for being in the hat box!

License to Drive

It is a right of passage in America, that some time during your 17th year, you go down and take a test to get your driver's license. And yesterday I passed that test. The State of California believes I can drive a car, drive a car well enough to be out there with the rest. At the moment I have a small piece of paper in lui of my true plastic license. I will take a picture of that for you all later (But I will block out most of the information; nice try!)  I am simply elated, and frankly scared as hell. But hey, whatever, I can drive!

Why do I like hats?

Because they can give you friends:

Paper woven into straw
Staw woven to a shape
Shape molded to fit the head
and that allowed me to make many friends

It's your choice

Sometimes you come to a block in the trail...

You can get through it!

What exactly is camping, (numero kolme ;)

I am a Boy Scout, and I LOVE to camp! It is fun, exciting and adventurous. But what is it exactly? At what point are you being "too much of a city slick" I know of a few people who would argue that unless you reached your campsite by foot or horse, you are not truly camping, whereas some people argue that driving a motorcoach and parking it in a rustic locale constitutes perfectly acceptable camping. Some even believe that staying in a summer-cottage, providing certain conditions are met, is also camping. So no I give my say on the subject, in a three-part series. Two days ago were the rules of camping, today are the camping DQ's, and the third day will deal with Trailers, RV's and Summer-cottage.


One must first note two things about these disciplines. They are not in themselves, "Camping" per se, however they do endorse and often times resemble a camping or at least a rustic experience. However, there are some things that must be avoided at all costs when using a trailer.

This first instance looks reasonably acceptable:

However, upon closer inspection:



Satellite TV!!!! ARE YOU FOR REAL????

















Though  the attempt was noble, a TV that gets more channels in the woods than I get at home is simply absurd. COME ON PEOPLE!

As far as a summer-cottage is concerned it does not count as camping, however they are totally cool and if you or someone you know owns one please do not hesitate to invite me along!

This song says all

You' got to stand for something...

...What do you stand for?

What exactly is camping? (part 2)

I am a Boy Scout, and I LOVE to camp! It is fun, exciting and adventurous. But what is it exactly? At what point are you being "too much of a city slick" I know of a few people who would argue that unless you reached your campsite by foot or horse, you are not truly camping, whereas some people argue that driving a motorcoach and parking it in a rustic locale constitutes perfectly acceptable camping. Some even believe that staying in a summer-cottage, providing certain conditions are met, is also camping. So no I give my say on the subject, in a three-part series. Two days ago were the rules of camping, today are the camping DQ's, and the third day will deal with Trailers, RV's and Summer-cottage.

Sorry readers! I did not mean to skip a day, but I went to my grandparents' house for the night and could not post. (But I had a great time with my relatives)

So these are Roney's camping DQ's, a set of guidelines which nullify a "Camping Trip" and relegate it to an "Outdoor getaway":

1. You sleep in your car. Under the car counts as camping, but in it? No spirit!
2. You bring an air mattress
3. You inflate your air mattress with an electric compressor
4. You bring a kitchen sink (It's been done)
5. You bring a shower (it's also been done)

I am sorry I do not have any pictures of these DQs, but I do not commit them very often, and do not want it remembered when I do!

What exactly is Camping? (Part one)

I am a Boy Scout, and I LOVE to camp! It is fun, exciting and adventurous. But what is it exactly? At what point are you being "too much of a city slick" I know of a few people who would argue that unless you reached your campsite by foot or horse, you are not truly camping, whereas some people argue that driving a motorcoach and parking it in a rustic locale constitutes perfectly acceptable camping. Some even believe that staying in a summer-cottage, providing certain conditions are met, is also camping. So no I give my say on the subject, in a three-part series. Today are the rules of camping, tomorrow are the camping DQ's, and the third day will deal with Trailers, RV's and Summer-cottage.

Tent, with a flag and BBQ. Camping esse

Roney's rules of camping are:

1. You must be in a tent.
2. no electricity is allowed except for a car for transportation, and a flashlight. A radio may be used if portable, cameras are certainly allowed.
3. There is no distance the tent must be from a car or from a serviceable restroom (a W.C. for my international readers) Though some question pitching a tent right next to a car, see rule one, which trumps any distance rule. (see classic image of tent dog and truck in American folklore and blue-jean  commercials)
4. Cooking is to be of a gas stove or propane variety, with extra points for open fire.
5. The location must be rustic-ish. That being said, your backyard counts. Your living room, if you put a tent up, it counts. Your local park counts. That vacant lot at the corner of Third and Columbus in midtown? Sorry.

There you have it, the basic, what makes a camping trip a camping trip. Tomorrow we will see what doesn't

Happy Birthday!

My country, tis of thee; sweet land of liberty:

I know I am a few days late with this, but America please forgive me. Congratulations on another year, you are now a young and fresh 236 years old! I truely am greatful for the privilige of being able to have resided within you for these 16 years. Though a lot has happened since this time last year, and I know the future is hard to predict, I am certain you will be able to pull through as you have always pulled through: Proudly with the triumphs of liberty and freedom. Other nations may scoff at you, they may blame you for the world's problems, they may openly attack you, but we know better. You are as great as you have ever been, and I am sure will be even greater tomorrow! Perhaps you are sad that you are not as old as other nations, but we know you will endure. You have already grown as rich as the other nations, and have been steadily polished and perfected over the years. I know sometimes I complain about you, and criticize you, but believe me, I would not want to live anywhere else. God bless you USA, may for an eternity you endure!