Monday, September 22, 2014

Not all Who Wander Are Lost

January of 2014 TBF & I were doing what we normally do on a Saturday night....
sitting up in bed with our lap tops surfing the net and sharing funny gifs of cats riding hotdogs through space..... same as everybody else.
Little did I know that an innocent viewing of a YouTube clip would send our happy lazy family spiralling into a secret world of adventure, nature, danger and Tupperware.

"Check out this clip" TBF motioned to me. "It's a thing called Geocaching."

After watching this clip we looked at each other and in unison cooed "Cooooooooooool".

"I wonder if there are any of these geocaches near us?" I wondered.

"I'm already on it". TBF excitedly downloaded the free app.

"Holy Shit!" He exclaimed "There's one just up the road! Let's go find it tomorrow!"

"Fuck yeah!" I exclaimed back.



OK.

Here is where I will interrupt my tale to explain to you what the hell GEOCACHING is.

I might just let this video explain:






In a nutshell..... it is a treasure hunt that is WORLDWIDE.  There are 2 million 498 thousand 340 caches (cache is the name given to the thing) hidden all around the world.
You download the app & sign up as a member (about $30/year).
Then, using the GPS in your phone you try to find the cache.
When you do find the cache,  you LOG IT on the paper log that is in the cache and online on the app and then you put it back EXACTLY how you found it.
 
NO THERE IS NO PRIZE OR MONEY INVOLVED.
 
The excitement is in the hunt.  
 
The idea behind geocaching is to
TAKE YOU TO PLACES YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT TO GO. 



How do you know what to look for?  Well... you don't. The app will give you an indication of size and terrain. Some caches are evil tricky little fuckers. They can be as simple as a Sistema container hidden under a tree or as messed up as a fake rock hidden in a dry creek bed of rocks.
It could be a fake stick or a huge ammo tin.
 
The other thing you have to know about geocaching is this................. it's a secret.

When you are trying to find the hidden cache you are to do it very very sneaky.
The object is to find and log the cache without anybody seeing you.
 The geocaching community calls anyone who isn't a geocacher a .... MUGGLE.
Yes I groaned outwardly too.....I know it's totally nerdy.
 




SO BACK TO JANUARY.

We found the approximate location of the cache and of course, had no idea what the hell we were even looking for.  After 15 minutes of scrounging through bushes & trees and being eaten alive by 50 million mozzies we saw a flash of blue under some sticks. I cannot explain the rush of exhilaration & joy of finding this stupid bloody Tupperware container! For Gawds sake we even HIGH-FIVED!
We quickly signed the log book & logged the find on the app and put it back again.

Itching like crazy, scratched & bleeding we flopped into the car. 
 
TBF looked at me. 
 
I looked at TBF.
 
"Want to try & find another one?" He smiled.
 
"Fuck yes!" I screamed.
=========================================

NINE MONTHS LATER


I have found 109 caches. I have a 'GO' bag in my car boot at all times (a GO bag is a backpack with everything you might need to find a cache... pen, Aeroguard, tweezers, magnet, band aides, etc)
If you would have told me a year ago I would be spending my weekends trudging up hills, screaming "Where the fuck is it?!!!" in the middle of the bush and getting on my hands and knees crawling under bushes in front of public toilets (geocaching is not a glamorous hobby).... I would have spat my latte out in your face with laughter.

Some people might scratch their heads and say incredulously "Why would you want to traipse through the bush, climb up (and nearly fall down) embankments, climb up trees and stick your hand into tree stumps just to find a stupid container???"

For me I think it is a few things.



 I really like the idea that all around us are hidden things. Hidden treasures that people walk by everyday. Hidden goodies way out in the middle of nowhere just waiting to be found.
I am also attracted to discovering new interesting places.  When I was young I loved exploring. I loved reading books about hidden worlds like "The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Folk of the Faraway Tree".
Geocaching brings out the child in you.
You have to climb trees, sneak through grass, and work out puzzles.
Already geocaching has taken me to some incredible places that never in a million years would I have ever gone and seen.

AND IT'S EXERCISE.

Some of the more interesting (read: bloody frustrating) caches I've found are;
A fake pine cone hanging in a tree
A fake stick hanging on a tree
A fake bolt in a fence
A fake SNAIL that had the log book coiled up inside the shell.
The "Mission Impossible" cache at Dakabin.

If you are the sort of person who likes adventure, getting out and about, learning new things and are a wee bit crazy then you will love GEOCACHING.



BUT BE WARNED
 
IT IS ADDICTIVE.


The official geocaching website is:  www.geocaching.com
 
You can download the INTRO app for free or the full Premium member app.
 
NOTE:  You must be very conscious of not spoiling the hide for others.
You will see that even though I have posted photos of us with some caches that we have found,  there is no indication of where they are or what the actual cache name is .
Yes I know I've put Redcliffe Showgrounds but this cache has since been removed.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Are you Crazy? - JD .. No Just a Pirate - Janitor (Scrubs)

"Vicki get out on the floor. It's time for all the 5 years to show their costumes."
"Vicki why are you crying? Go out there. Wipe away those tears you're a big girl now. Look you're a PRINCESS."
"Vicki. Get out there now. I didn't spend the last month slaving over your Princess outfit to have you hide under a chair crying! I'm your Mother and I said get out from there!"

You would never think that years later dressing up in weird and funny costumes would be one of my all time favourite things to do.

What is it about a fancy dress party that really makes me happy?

Over the years I have been to and held some fantastic CRAZY costume parties.
At one stage there was almost a competition between myself and a girlfriend of who could hold the most unreal party. We would go ALL OUT. It would take months & months of planning.

You see, when I throw a costume party it's not just about whacking on some hired outfit and then just sitting around sinking piss and talking shit.

Nup.

The setting must also be in theme.
The music must be in theme.
The food must be in theme.
I will spend months putting together the PERFECT outfit.

Alas, to protect the (not so) innocent I cannot disclose any actual details about any of my parties as most of them contained quite a significant amount of debauchery, nudie runs, pole humping and virgin swimwear initiation ceremonies. If you had the (mis)fortune to be at one of my events I'm sure you are right now wiping your brow and exclaiming "PHEW"... Don't worry your secrets are safe with me. (Thank the Lawd that Facebook, Iphones, The Cloud & digital cameras didn't exist then)

Some of my favourite fancy dress moments are:

The "What's That Honky Smell" competition.
Almost burning my eyebrows off on some fondue at the Alpine Ski Party.
Being part of a complete re-enactment of the Rocky Horror Picture Show movie.
Walking into the Australiana party where we didn't know anyone & yelling "He's Micko & I'm Vicko and this party is gunna be SICKOOOOOOOO"


These are some of the following themes that I have been a part of:
UK/BRIT PARTY - Chav & Amy Winehouse

TRUCKSTOP DINER

ROCKY HORROR

ZOMBIE BRIDESMAID

SCI FI

SCHOOL DAYS

JUNGLE SAFARI

FETISH PARTY

BAD KNITWEAR ALPINE SKI LODGE PARTY

ARMY MILITARY PARTY

PIRATE PARTY

FETISH PARTY

SAFARI PARTY

TRUCK STOP DINER

HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR

1980S RAD PARTY

AUSTRALIANA PARTY

SWINGIN' SIXTIES PARTY

40th BIRTHDAY TRUCKSTOP PARTY

40th BIRTHDAY TRUCKSTOP PARTY

4BC UNDERBELLY RAZOR 1930s PARTY

BAD KNITWEAR PARTY

FANCY DRESS DAY - BONNIE & CLYDE - TREASUREY CASINO 1994

TRASHY TROLLOPS & DIRTY OLD GEEZERS PARTY

ROCKY HORROR PARTY

DRAG QUEEN PARTY (NUTELLA VERSACE)

FUGLY PARTY

HALLOWEEN PARTY

MY 30th BIRTHDAY HILLBILLY REDNECK PARTY

PIMPS & HOs PARTY

SCHOOL SOCIAL - FAMOUS PEOPLE THEME - MARILYN MONROE

1980S PARTY

TREASURY CASINO AUSTRALIA DAY 1995

COWGIRL 9 YEARS OLD

1960s PARTY

DEATH / EVIL WEDDING PARTY

COMIC BOOKS / SUPER HERO PARTY

SO as you can see I am a sucker for any excuse to bung on a funny outfit and act like a total goose.

This is why I've decided to put on one for everyone to come to!!!!!!!

There is no theme (this time) as it's just an excuse for people to get dressed up and dance.
I have created a playlist of my all time favourite danceable tunes that the awesome DJ Nephthys will be playing. (DJ Nephthys is partial to a bit of dressing up too because she is only the DJ for the incredible annual Bloodlust Ball!!).
Music playlist includes a blended up mix of Rockabilly, Ska, Pyschobilly, 1980s, crap one hit wonders, Disco and some good old fashioned early 80s pub rock.

DJ NEPHTHYS

There will also be a TROPHY for the best costume! (please no gory or bad taste stuff)
This trophy is going to be made by the amazing Black Lagoon Designs!!!  https://www.facebook.com/BlackLagoonDesigns


I am hoping that the night will be a major success and will become an annual event. (fingers crossed)

The entry is only a MENTAL  $10 !!! and can be bought from here:

http://www.eventfinder.com.au/2014/hifallutin-fancy-dress-dance/brisbane/greenslopes

 




As for the question.....   What is it about a fancy dress party that really makes me happy?

I think that dressing up in silly outfits is really bloody childish.  In a good way.

It takes me back to my childhood where I was ruled only by my imagination. 
I could escape out of who I was and put on cape and I would become Super Girl.
As adults we get caught up in all the shit that being a grown up entails.
Stupid work. Stupid bills, Stupid acting mature.
Whacking on a freaky big green afro wig or a sexy nurse outfit or a giant hot dog costumes allows us to ESCAPE just for a while and leave behind the stress of ADULTHOOD.

With costumes we can be silly, fun and crazy.

And not be ourselves for a while

And not give a stuff.

The Princess outfit that never made it to the parade.