InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "every day i'm shufflin'"

Ernest Hemingway (papahemingway) wrote in compass_network,
@ 2022-02-17 23:39:00

Entry tags:

dddddeeeeaaaaaaannnn!!!!, ~ernest hemingway 2, ~katarin tal-kordala, ~sirius black (1845)

Tomorrow's scouts activity will be learning morse code. Robert Langdon is going to join us, because he has some crazy memory trick for it, and he's going to show us some other codes and ciphers we can use to write top secret messages.

Don't worry if your kid can't read / write yet, we'll use a buddy system.

If it goes well, we can create some coded 'clues' for a big scavenger hunt next week.

(Post a new comment)

	katarinmiri 2022-02-18 08:32 am UTC (link)
	What kind of a code is it? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-18 06:19 pm UTC (link)
	It's a telecommunication code made up of a series of dots and dashes. We used it to communicate during the world wars, particularly for sending encrypted messages. For the purposes of scouts, it's just because it's fun and quick to learn. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

katarinmiri
2022-02-18 08:25 pm UTC (link)

I hoped it might be something like that!

[Private]

I used to send coded radio messages from operations back home, so I think that if it is easy enough for the children to pick up, I'll have it in very little time.

What if for one of their clues next week, they had to listen to and decipher a message? You could tell me when they were getting close, and I'd send it out on the radio here. Very slowly, not like a real field message.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Private papahemingway 2022-02-18 08:36 pm UTC (link)
	Fantastic, then I'm sure you'd get the hang of it in no time at all. I doubt you'll want to learn with the kids, but if you like I can bring round the material and talk you through it. I think they would love that, it'd make it feel like it was the real deal to them. Great idea. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Private katarinmiri 2022-02-18 08:42 pm UTC (link)
	That's a good idea. It might spoil the surprise if I was there when they are to learn it, anyway. Bring it by whenever you can. I'll make spiced tea and we can go through it. It's good for them to learn. You never know when it will be useful for them, and if it's enjoyable to learn, they will remember. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Private papahemingway 2022-02-18 11:14 pm UTC (link)
	Exactly, they'll really love the mystery of it all. That sounds great, I'll do that. It is a useful skill to have. You can broadcast morse code using a flashlight, tapping on a wall... hey, I hope they never need to, but it could save them someday. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Private katarinmiri 2022-02-19 09:05 am UTC (link)
	That's it. We all hope they will never need it for anything more than fun, but it does no harm to be prepared. What other skills do you teach them? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Private papahemingway 2022-02-24 09:00 pm UTC (link)
	You know, it's mostly the sort of stuff I taught my own boys. Camping, cooking on an open fire, setting traps for small animals, identifying insects and plants (which gets crazy around here, compared to the Midwest, I'll tell you!) (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Private katarinmiri 2022-02-24 10:02 pm UTC (link)
	All very useful! If you ever need help with other mystery activities for them, do let me know. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	littlesirius 2022-02-18 08:36 am UTC (link)
	I can write secret messages with secret ink or a speshal quill. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-18 06:12 pm UTC (link)
	Awesome! You're welcome to come along and show us it, if it's okay with your uncle. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-18 08:19 pm UTC (link)
	It is not extreemely impressive like that but yes I will ask my uncle if I can. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-18 08:37 pm UTC (link)
	Hey, I know a few kids who will think it's extremely impressive. Great. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-18 08:50 pm UTC (link)
	I'm sorry I asked and he said I'm not allowed to go because he said the other children might be a bad influence and you do muggle things at scouts not magic. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-18 08:52 pm UTC (link)
	~~A bad influence in what~~ Alright, well if he ever changes his mind, you're always welcome. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-18 08:57 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you sir. I think he would change his mind if you did gentlemanly wizard things maybe. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-18 11:20 pm UTC (link)
	I have no magic, unfortunately. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-19 09:09 am UTC (link)
	Did somebody curse you, or did evil people make you lose your magic? I am very sorry. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-19 09:11 am UTC (link)
	No, I'm what you guys call a muggle. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-19 09:52 am UTC (link)
	Really and truly? Maybe you are an Exceptional Muggle. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-19 09:53 am UTC (link)
	Really and truly. I doubt it. What's an exceptional muggle? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-19 10:05 am UTC (link)
	It's a speshal muggle I am allowed to talk to, like Miss Astrid or Mr Crawley or the Queen. I haven't talked to the Queen before really but I would be allowed. It's because they are good and not going to hurt me or be a bad influence or make me do muggle things from the future. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-24 09:02 pm UTC (link)
	Well, I don't know how special I am, but I wouldn't hurt you, or force you to do anything you didn't want to, if that helps? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-24 10:07 pm UTC (link)
	I told my uncle what you wrote and he said 'that is the right answer' and he said I'm allowed if you want me to go and show you how the ink works. But just that and then he will take me home after I finished showing it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-24 10:23 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, well that is great news! We'll see you and your uncle tomorrow then. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	littlesirius 2022-02-24 11:11 pm UTC (link)
	Yes thank you it will be nice to meet you! My name is Sirius Alexius Black. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-24 11:14 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, if we're doing middle names too, then I'm Ernest Miller Hemingway. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ddddeeeeaaaannn 2022-02-18 01:57 pm UTC (link)
	Dean wants to help! How can Dean help? .... Though Dean does not want to scare the children. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	papahemingway 2022-02-18 07:16 pm UTC (link)
	I don't know, what sort of skills do you have that are child-friendly? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ddddeeeeaaaannn 2022-02-19 03:57 am UTC (link)
	Dean does. But Dean is afraid Dean will scare the children. (Reply to this) (Parent)