Training Log Archive: barb

Some NEOC and CSU maps. Does this work?
I'm trying to get a handle on where all the maps are, prompted most recently by a query from a 6th grade teacher in Boston.
Trying this google docs gadget.
It would be helpful if we put addresses and geo-location numbers on the NEOC web site maps list. Sometimes people program their GPS devices in their cars with the number and I've gotten requests for them.
So far these are only the MA maps.
There is a lot of information missing from the NEOC maps information page, like who made the maps, and when, in many cases.
Hm, it seems to only display 19 places, and I entered around 50.
... google ...
OK, so I also am trying batchgeo.
That didn't work.
Out of time... Sigh...
Oh. I just had to change the gadget settings on my original google doc. Now I can see them all.

C • maps 4

Spent the day with the kids & my ex-mother-in-law Jan Bryant. We had about 3.5 hours in 4 Smithsonian museums: Air & Space (flight simulator, planet exploration), Moden Art, Natural History (Hope diamond, insects), and American History (engines, light bulbs). The kids really wanted to go, and because we had so little time, I told them we'd come back another time, soon.

We attended the One Nation Working Together march; big presence by the NAACP and unions. We enjoyed watching all the people: nurses, teachers, socialists ("Obama's not socialist! We are! We are!"), etc etc etc... We caught about an hour of speeches, and then Jan suggested leaving and finding food, because she didn't want the kids to get tired and remember the march as a drag. She's hoping they grow up to be left-wing rabble-rousers.

The kids and I took a pedicab back to the hotel.

I left them with Jan and headed to the train station. I love how Jan finds a way to subtly insert guidance into most of her conversations. For example, she was telling me about her brother's career and how she wants him to go on motorcycle trips (he has a motorcycle) with his wife, so the wife can pursue her love of photography in different places. Jan talked about the fact that he doesn't like his job and how outside of work he does nothing but play online computer games. And then I realize she's editorializing and I'm glad the kids are listening. It's like that with much of what she talks about in front of the kids. And she's probably doing it to me too but it doesn't seem annoying.

More processing of kids' reflections from the orienteering field trip.

Oddly, I haven't lost any weight since I started keeping track again.

right knee a little sore from running yesterday

More from the kids' reflections:

My favorite part of the orienteering was in the beginning when we went the wrong way and got lost. oops. We ran around for a long time not really knowing where we were going, eating fruit roll ups. We also had Red Bull, so we were really energetic. Then we found a big rock and sat and ate lunch. I think once we actually figured out where we were and where we were going, it wasn't as fun, because we were rushing to find controls.

My best high point on this trip was when we got kinda lost. The reason why that is, is because it was the most exciting part. But then this guy named Dave helped us out and we got back on the right track.

One situation that we weren't prepared for were the steep hills. We faced them bravely and helped each other when necessary.

C • We faced the steep hills bravely... 3

home to FP, FP to school, school to FP, FP to work, work to home.

Setting controls.
Probably 1:30 would be appropriate to allocate, for future reference.

Great post-mortem meeting with the jr high teachers. Would like to write more when I have some time.

Today was the 5th grade orienteering trip. It is a miniature version of the junior high trip. It has many of the same components: route planning ahead of time with the team, and working on team dynamics (role playing possible problems). Role assignment is more formal and specific.

I could not believe how well it went - at least up until the point where they started orienteering and I left for work. Would like to write more about that.

Prep for post-mortem with teachers. Mostly going over more of the kids' reflections.

Some of the kids' reflections from the junior high orienteering project:

I think my personal high point was when we came to a great picnic spot by the reservoir. There was a nice breeze, and the rocks had a great view of the water. It was so peaceful! Unfortunately, we didn't stop here for more than a few minutes.

My personal high point was when we found our way after taking a wrong turn by finding a landmark control. After feeling the anxiety and nervousness of being lost, we felt the reassurance of knowing where we are.

I think our preparations allowed us to follow where we had to go, and we did it efficiently and as a team. For example, Henok and I led the group, but we patiently waited for Enikitha and Zedal who had kept open eyes and looked for trash.

My team made preparations of marking a master map, which was vital. We also made a pact for the trip that we would only run if everyone wanted to run, which made sure we were being inclusive and didn't leave anyone behind.

My personal high point was getting all the team controls and all the landmark controls that we had wanted to get. I think this was my personal high point because lats year we were almost late, and the map was incorrect. This year, the map was right, and so we had enough time to get a lot of landmark controls. Also, I felt that the controls were harder to get, so when we got them, it had more satisfaction.

I think my personal low point was when we couldn't find K1. We thought we were heading to the right place, but we overshot and spent a long time looking around for the control. We couldn't find it (obviously) and we thought that we weren't going to. After looking around for a while we figured out that we were in the wrong place and backtracked.

My personal high point was when we saw the reservoir. The exact location of the moment's happening was around 115. The group was at a cliff pigmentated white, all pretty and slightly sparkling. The H2O was very, very clear, so pretty pretty-pretty in the bright sunlight.

A low point to the orienteering trip was when we reached the Finish. This was merely a semi-clearing! It should have been the magnificent sort. Such would have marked the end of the trip, the start of the school year. The clearing, though, was merely a clearing.

We had little disagreements when we got lost/confused, but those were easily solved.

My team worked really well together. We all agreed on which way to go and there were absolutely no disagreements. We worked so well and so fast that we were able to get 5 more landmark controls than we had planned for! Even with those extra 5 landmark controls, we still got to the finish a half an hour early. I think we did amazing and we never once didn't know where we were or where go to!

I felt great when my leg of the journey was successful. I felt that I had helped my group. If my leg hadn't been successful we might have lost time and then lost tickets. [Each team member planned one section of the route for homework and then they discussed it together in class.]

Food: 9am rice, beans, fish, egg, veggies, oj.
9pm: rice, beans, fish, egg, veggies
Sugar: 9am 3 cookies; 4pm granola bar; 7pm 2 pieces candy
Caffeine: 9am tea, 11am tea, 4pm decaf coffee

Copied and read some of the reflections by the students.

to school & back

Checking on the street-O controls for tomorrow's 5th grade field trip

home to work

Fixing and printing the answer sheets and street-O maps for tomorrow's field trip

work to home

print and prep punch cards; make puzzle & put pieces in envelopes; label & attach flagging tape to envelopes; put in order for hanging. Dave prepped the regular controls.

to work

RIP David's bike
Stolen from in front of the high school where he'd left it unlocked (he was running late and was planning to come and lock it later, but forgot). (Arg.)

C • :( 2

work, home, school, work, home.

NEOC members out there:
Please take a moment to fill out this online poll about posting of NEOC documents on our website. And pass it on to others you think would have an opinion, but might not visit my log.

This is mainly aimed at the Board members, who will make the decision. But I would very much like to get input from interested NEOC members.

My position is in favor of openness & transparency. (Another reason, as a NEOC Board member, and not the most organized person, is the convenience of having ready access to this information instead of having to find the physical notebook in which I have the [possibly out of date] hardcopy...) As an FYI, there are other orienteering organizations that put information such as their budget, board meeting minutes and policies online. Google gives me a few examples at various levels: BAOC, USOF, IOF, BOC (British). I know there are valid arguments against posting some of this information; it's not a straightforward decision.

The purpose of this poll is to get a feeling for where there is agreement and where there is disagreement on this topic. Hopefully, where we all agree, we can move forward with action quickly. Where there is disagreement, we can have further discussion.

C • IRS 1023 11

C • Scroll to the right to answer all the questions 1