InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Easy on the goods darlin'"

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.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

	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)

(Read comments) -