WORDSWords are super important to a writer. On Saturday I realized just how much I delight in them. I went to the Midwest Geobash. This is supposed to be the largest mega-event for geocaching in the WORLD. And it's right here in little ole Indiana. It was a fabulous day! I met Donna and Gary Scrambling. Gary is the president of
MIGO, the Michigan Geocaching group. They did a ton of work putting together a geocaching series in Michigan that everyone has been raving about. Super fun people!
Anyway, on to the words thing. Geocachers have a language all their own, and I was just fascinated. Dave and I have gone geocaching a few times but always by ourselves. This was our first time being around experts. It was like attending a Star Trek convention only the language was all about caching. We heard things like muggle, (a non geocacher--taken from the Harry Potter books) travel bug, (an item that has a destination and people help by taking it to another cache closer to the destination) FTF, (First to find, something to be desired because you get first pick of the items in the cache) and reviewer (but not of books. LOL Of caches before they're logged on the site.) I'd heard of some of these words but never heard them in real conversation before Saturday.
But my favorite word this weekend was SWAG. It was the first time I'd heard the word. It refers to all the things in the cache that can be taken and something else left in its place. Where did it come from? No one seemed to know. But I liked the word a lot. It was mysterious and interesting. Curtain tie-backs? LOL Nothing like that at all.
The cachers came from all walks of life from middle class folks like me and Dave to doctors, lawyers and other professional people. And they were all mingling and sharing stories. And wearing this year's "bird" emblem, a duck. Some wore duck hats and decorated their tents with ducks. Lots were wearing beads (I never figured out this mysterious phenomena but I got a lanyard made of beads from a sweet lady that I later found out was a professor. And here she was happily stringing beads together. Everyone was swapping geocoins, and I got a coveted lackey coin from one of the Groundspeak folks. Everyone was jealous! I gave all four of the Groundspeak lackeys a copy of
Abomination. Some of them had already heard of it. And everyone I talked to was thrilled there was a book out with a geocaching theme. And I got interviewed by
podcacher.com! Sonnie and Sandy were really fun! So it was a very fun day.
I loved it! And came away with some great ideas for more books. LOL As well as fabulous words to roll off my tongue. So what's the best new word you've heard recently?
Delicious
12 Comments:
geocaching seems like an interesting word. I just heard it today for the first time.
that is my way of asking what in the world are you talking about? :)
I'm laughing, Kay. Geocaching is a sport where outdoor enthusiasts use GPS units to find "caches" other enthusiasts have hidden. There are all kinds of fun things in them. My new book, Abomination, has a geocaching theme.
How fun, Colleen!
I had no idea this event was going on and we missed it! This summer has been hectic (Our son is completing his Eagle Scout rank requirements) Our family has geocached for years, sometimes taking our scout troop for outings. A travel bug that we placed in WV during the "Rally for America" in 2003 has been all over the country since then. :)
There's a great Tshirt on cafepress that says "I use billion-dollar satellites to find tupperware in the woods. What's your hobby?"
Well, I may not know what geocaching is but I certainly know Swag!! At least in Australia, a swagman was a wanderer who went from job to job especially during the Great Depression in the '30's. His swag was a sack or pack he carried on his back with all his belongings!!! Sounds like there might be a bit of link :)
Another geocacher in our midst? I can't believe it, Nan! How cool is that??? And I love the T-shirt!
Rel, how interesting about the swag. I wondered where it had come from. Thanks for that info!
I learned about SWAG from Ugly Betty! LOL! I think it stands for Something We All Get--or something like that. Basically, it's free stuff or giveaways. I could be wrong though. That was my impression when they discussed it on the show. Hehe, the things you learn from TV.
C, your books are always educational because you take your readers on out-of-the-ordinary adventures. That's what sets your books apart. Can't wait to read this one!
Something we all get. What a great meaning behind the word. LOL I love it. Thanks, Lisa!
Teen Daughter and her friends are quite fluent in what they call, gibberish. Yes, it's a real language. I'm thinking of having her read this post so she can translate, lol (kidding. sort of :)
Colleen, this has got me worried!
I haven't picked up Abomination yet, but can you give me a spoiler about if geocachers have horrible things happen to them in the woods?
:::::shivers in fright:::::
LOL Nan! The most horrible thing that happen to geocachers is that they discover a few dead bodies as the cache. LOL
Best new word:
ginormous
Loved it in the movie Elf
Interesting how two of those words are also used in the knitting world. Muggle (a non-knitter) and swag. Both used the same way.
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