View Full Version : just have to brag :)
I've been preparing for my section hike (from Fontana to Springer later this week) since Thanksgiving. Originally, it was to be me & my cousin's wife, then the husbands decided to join us for three days. Now, my fourteen year old son and his girlfriend will be going with us for three days.
It's the girlfriend who I am so proud of. My son has been backpacking since he was two - this is nothing new to him. His girlfriend is from a non-outdoorsy family, but she has been on several hikes with us in the last six months (most recently, Springer to Hightower). She is so excited about this upcoming hike that she had her grandmother take her to rei to get a new osprey pack for her birthday - which she is having the lid monogrammed. Today, she is practicing hanging her hammock so that she doesn't have to ask for help. When we did our last hike, it rained 85% of the time... and she kept smiling.
I love when girls this age are excited about outdoor pursuits rather than shopping & texting!!!
rocketsocks
05-19-2013, 16:09
Mine is all about the shopeene...ugh! I tell her I like shopping, for backpacks tents, food, doodads.....she's not impressed.
The boy's girlfriend spent FOUR hours with me in TWO over spring break. It was so cool. She is awesome.
fredmugs
05-19-2013, 16:56
That's something to brag about?
Feral Bill
05-19-2013, 17:20
That's something to brag about?
An on top of it teen that you are helping to get outdoors in a serious way? Heck yeah!
Water Rat
05-19-2013, 17:44
I've been preparing for my section hike (from Fontana to Springer later this week) since Thanksgiving. Originally, it was to be me & my cousin's wife, then the husbands decided to join us for three days. Now, my fourteen year old son and his girlfriend will be going with us for three days.
It's the girlfriend who I am so proud of. My son has been backpacking since he was two - this is nothing new to him. His girlfriend is from a non-outdoorsy family, but she has been on several hikes with us in the last six months (most recently, Springer to Hightower). She is so excited about this upcoming hike that she had her grandmother take her to rei to get a new osprey pack for her birthday - which she is having the lid monogrammed. Today, she is practicing hanging her hammock so that she doesn't have to ask for help. When we did our last hike, it rained 85% of the time... and she kept smiling.
I love when girls this age are excited about outdoor pursuits rather than shopping & texting!!!
I love that she is practicing on her own, so she doesn't have to ask for help. That tells me she is loving her time in the outdoors and is eager to increase her personal knowledge. Congratulations to both of you! That is definitely something to brag about.
Sorry, Fredmugs. I'm no hero (that's my husband); I teach school. When I brag, it's about kids -either mine or someone else's - who does something awesome. And, yes, a kid who was never in the outdoors before last December enjoying it so much that she's practicing skills on her own? Yup, in my world, that IS something to brag about.
"I believe that children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way."
The boy's girlfriend spent FOUR hours with me in TWO over spring break. It was so cool. She is awesome.
Stupid autocorrect. We spent FOUR hours at REI.
fredmugs
05-20-2013, 07:06
Sorry, Fredmugs. I'm no hero (that's my husband); I teach school. When I brag, it's about kids -either mine or someone else's - who does something awesome. And, yes, a kid who was never in the outdoors before last December enjoying it so much that she's practicing skills on her own? Yup, in my world, that IS something to brag about.
"I believe that children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way."
I keep forgetting that we live in an Every Kid Wins a Medal society where we reward them for anything they do. You can be proud (I guess) but it's definitely nothing to brag about.
Tuckahoe
05-20-2013, 08:21
I keep forgetting that we live in an Every Kid Wins a Medal society where we reward them for anything they do. You can be proud (I guess) but it's definitely nothing to brag about.
I keep forgetting that we live in a society where everyone gets to be a dick.
All she was doing was bragging on her son's girlfriend about how the kid has taken to the outdoors, had nothing to do with every kid wins a medal... but you just had to be a badass and crap on her thread.
Kerosene
05-20-2013, 08:26
Oh, stop being such a curmudgeon Fred. It's her thread and you don't have to read it. After finally getting my girlie-girl daughter on the trail at age 20, I certainly understand how great it is to see someone enjoy the experience.
Now, having a full-time girlfriend at age 14 -- that's a lot earlier than when I was growing up!
Good job, Minda! It's such a joy to open the door to a new world (the real world of Nature!) for someone, and watch them walk through with pleasure.
And Fred, this is definitely NOT about every kid winning a medal. I sincerely doubt the girl did this in order to be mentioned on WB, if she even has any idea what that is. She might have started off doing it to please her boyfriend, but what Minda is saying is that she enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment learning to do something new gave her, and then ended up enjoying the whole experience for its own sake. THAT is what Minda was sharing with us.
The bragging part of the story is that her son picked a great girlfriend. :-)
Hate to be a downer, but I fear you may have triggered an addiction that will cost that poor girl, and perhaps your son if he's smart, a lifetime of spending money to support this habit you are bragging about so much. Enablers - all of you!!!! :D
fredmugs
05-20-2013, 10:07
brag (brhttp://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/abreve.gifg) v. bragged, brag·ging, brags
v.intr. To talk boastfully. See Synonyms at boast (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/boast)1.
v.tr. To assert boastfully.
n. 1. A boast.
2. Arrogant or boastful speech or manner.
3. Something boasted of.
4. A braggart; a boaster.
coach lou
05-20-2013, 10:08
brag (brhttp://img.tfd.com/hm/GIF/abreve.gifg) v. bragged, brag·ging, brags
v.intr. To talk boastfully. See Synonyms at boast (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/boast)1.
v.tr. To assert boastfully.
n. 1. A boast.
2. Arrogant or boastful speech or manner.
3. Something boasted of.
4. A braggart; a boaster.
Let it go Fred:)
minda,
Nothing wrong with being proud of her. Feel free to brag all you want.
Seeing kids grow and learn is always worth bragging about :)
slbirdnerd
05-20-2013, 12:30
I enjoyed the story, minda, made me smile! Love it when kids get outside and begin to experience living!
Wow.
Thanks to those of you who understood my reason for posting. I enjoy seeing the excitement on the face of a young person who is experiencing the outdoors for the first time. A whole new world has opened up to her - and, yes, she's been bitten by the gear addiction. It's pretty awesome.
As for the vocabulary lesson, thank you for being such a kind teacher. I have learned so much...
Sorry, Fredmugs. I'm no hero (that's my husband); I teach school. When I brag, it's about kids -either mine or someone else's - who does something awesome. And, yes, a kid who was never in the outdoors before last December enjoying it so much that she's practicing skills on her own? Yup, in my world, that IS something to brag about.
"I believe that children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way."
Brag on! It IS something to celebrate when a child learns something new, and enjoys it!
Deer Hunter
05-20-2013, 16:41
Let it go Fred:)
Ditto.................
FredMugs can shove it one time. So glad that you are introducing more people to the wonderful trail we all love!
Stupid Autobuzzkill.
What Fred meant to say was, "That's great, and its ok to boast a little when you want to share good news."
I hate that Autobuzzkill. It needs a lot of work.
Autobuzzkill. Very embarrassing. Been there done that.
srestrepo
05-23-2013, 17:02
from a kid, who got introduced to the woods by someone who loved to brag about us, i want to say thank you. its a completely different world from the inner city we come from some times or the sheltered families who wont take us to the woods because well, "there are bugs and stuff out there". people loved taking me outside because of my amused and often bewildered stares at the sights, souds and smells. it really helped rejuvenate their perspective on how cool being outside really was. and vice versa, i took my suburban friends to the mall sometimes... what a sight that was.
good on you getting your sons girlfriend out there and be proud of stuff like that. we're the stewards of our beloved outdoors. and to the dick who has to piss in someones cheerios to validate themselves, i'll stoop to your level. quit being a douche and get a life.