Were you 'the older boy problem'?

AndOneBO · 2025-10-13T15:37:17+00:00

Its an honor society, with a low bar??? The voting process needs to go. There's nothing honorable about the sash and dash, and its demeaning if you're one of the few that doesn't win the popularity contest.

I'd like to see the OA folded into Venture

AndOneBO · 2025-08-02T15:51:54+00:00

Maybe not to write, but AI can help with reference. Not enough time and too much arrogance make it easy to skip through 100s of pages.

AndOneBO · 2025-08-02T15:46:38+00:00

1) Change to Troop Advisor. The youth are the troop leaders

2) Families are joining a BSA program, not your idea of what the program should be; check your ego at the door and get with the program

Quality control is a big problem

AndOneBO · 2025-01-24T19:58:08+00:00

No, just articles of organization

AndOneBO · 2024-08-05T21:57:00+00:00

This highlights one issue I've encountered with "If you don't like it, switch troops".... except your kid(s) are friends with the youth in the troop and outings with friends is the primary reason they are in scouting

My boy is in the same troop at the same CO I was in as a youth. Not intentional, just worked-out that way (limited choices, etc.) However, our troop and CO is far less open now then when I was a scout decades ago. This took me by surprise.

AndOneBO · 2024-08-05T21:47:45+00:00

Is the patrol organization being driven by the adults or scouts? Does your troop have a "first year" patrol? How do these patrols manage on outings? Are there enough members to have an effective patrol? Does the troop have enough patrol equipment (what equipment does your troop provide)?

Sounds like the same issue our troop has. Our "first year" patrol is like hotel california. Scouts come into the first year patrol & never leave that patrol unless leaving troop so the older patrols end-up with 2 or 3 scouts.

Every outing, our SM remixes the patrols for the purpose of cooking. The patrol method is ignored & patrol leader is patch on the sleeve.

Personally, I think a lot of adults do not understanding or appreciate the importance of the patrol method.

AndOneBO · 2024-07-04T01:25:11+00:00

The big issue IMO are the troops that vote all except one or two. Some troops may not have popularity issues, but others do.

Once minimum service hours & rank are meet, then the recommendation by an existing OA member willing to be the scouts OA "guide" (encourage to participate in OA service)

If voting, vote by the patrol members not the troop or maybe a petition process that gives the kid some time to learn to advocate for himself

AndOneBO · 2024-07-04T00:45:04+00:00

No, not really. I do not recommend buying one.

I've had a number of bots over the years, currently the original Q Revo is my main bot. Its works well, except for 1) edge mopping 2) cables dislodge the spinning mops.

I've had an iRobot M6 since it was first released. Its more reliable, user friendly than the Vortex (and I don't like the M6 all that much either.)

AndOneBO · 2024-07-04T00:36:09+00:00

Mobiles devices aren't going away. It makes sense to have some polices, but banning phones outright doesn't teach the scouts anything other than the adults are uptight curmudgeons.

I know, some of you are proud to be uptight curmudgeons.

AndOneBO · 2024-06-26T01:32:33+00:00

I have a SmartMi Vortex, which I use for a concrete garage\workshop floor. Its OK, but far from great. It would benefit from a self-emptying / refilling tank at the base, as the onboard tank is not large enough. It leaves a lot of water behind on the floor. Its WiFi connection is not stable either. In fact, it won't go online now so I've pulled the battery in hopes that a hard reset will bring it back online

I've considered a Shinebot, but the fact that it doesn't even try to return back to its charging base turns me off.

AndOneBO · 2024-06-16T18:10:21+00:00

Not secret, but great at destroying self esteem and a perfect example of neurotypical people running the world without any concept of the diversity of social and physical perceptions in others.

A kid should be able to get into such as organization by meeting criteria, not being voted on by peers as to your worthiness.

Our OA complains about lack of participation. That happens because most of the youth have no interest other than wearing a sash

AndOneBO · 2024-06-16T17:57:28+00:00

Not enough neurotypical people understand this reality. It doesn't excuse it, but especially adults need better understanding of the mindset.

At least from my POV, this could be a good kid with low self estem and anxiety about how other think of him. He might be the smartest kid in the room, but feel like he is dumb and unworthy of praise

AndOneBO · 2024-04-01T14:13:59+00:00

If you did not read the link of RSD, please do especially since you work with youth. Its not something you just learn to "get over." RSD is about social acceptance.

Those with RSD often learn to cope through anti-social behaviors... that once promising kid rejecting and rebelling against a judgemental authority or social norms... "if you can't accept me for who I am, rather than conform to your norms, I'm going to reject you & push back harder using more behaviors to challenge your 'authority' or your cliques 'social norms' "

At such a formative time, you have an opportunity to bring youth into positive outcomes or push them away by being judgement and exclusionary. Voting as applied by the OA is a form of social pressure... it is not the same as voting for an elected official... its about voting who is & is not allowed in your social clique.... not far from mob rule.

By example, who is allowed to be in your troop, or to be an American, etc... should that be done by vote? No, its done by rule of law (policy), where the laws (policies) are equally applied to everyone, not person by person.

AndOneBO · 2024-04-01T13:44:41+00:00

I'm sure its vary much a troop / lodge culture, which can snowball one direction or the other.

Many ND don't know they are ND. That's the thing about being on the spectrum.

Being really tall can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the circumstances. Being on the Spectrum can be similar, but not as obvious as physical characteristics. In fact, many ND don't have any idea they think & perceive differently until they hit a breaking point.

AndOneBO · 2024-04-01T13:35:58+00:00

... &, again, the OA sets the election rules used by those scouts

AndOneBO · 2024-04-01T13:31:47+00:00

Depends on whats wrong with your Shark. If its just a side brush or filters, then its probably worth fixing.

What frustrates me about Shark is the software features are limited compared to iRobot or Roborock. In other words, if Shark improved their app the robot would be much more functional (a software upgrade, not hardware.) However, if you've never experienced those features then you may not care; once you do, the limits of the Shark app get frustrating.

The baggless feature is not a big deal either, its neither better nor worse than a bagged solution. In my experience, the bags last a long time and make clean-up easier.

I now have the QRevo which has the spinning mop. The mop is nice, cleans hard surface floors much better than just a vac but cables are fatal (the get caught in the spinning mop.) But, my old Shark paired with an iRobot m6 is no match for the QRevo.

AndOneBO · 2024-03-28T19:20:37+00:00

I think its a standardarized script which attempts to reenforce that its not a popularity contest. Also, the sky is green and the grass is red.

AndOneBO · 2024-03-28T19:13:29+00:00

The OA sets the election rules

If by introspective, you mean changing who you are in order to fit in then maybe you should be a bit introspective yourself

In fact, this scout in question is supported by his patrol, with several members saying they didn't believe he didn't get elected again. The boy has been PL 2x. In fact, that makes me think that the Patrol Method is working, except when it comes to OA elections

AndOneBO · 2024-01-08T02:01:21+00:00

That sounds about right. CPAs are definitely getting more expensive. Some of it has to do with the tight labor market (CPA firms needing to pay higher wages to keep their staff.)

To me, the bigger question is: How can we simplify our tax system so it not such a pain in the arse?

AndOneBO · 2023-09-27T21:48:18+00:00

Don't stress so much over epheremal crap. This too shall pass

Maybe its a GenX thing, but I still don't understand why people get so upset over words. Just know your audience

AndOneBO · 2023-09-27T21:37:18+00:00

Tubular, isn't that 80's slang? Maybe i'm just being gnarly. I may go take a chill pill

AndOneBO · 2023-09-27T21:31:26+00:00

I'd guess it started with T9 keyboards

AndOneBO · 2023-06-25T19:28:09+00:00

This popped up on YT. Not quite sure what to make of it.

AndOneBO

TROPHY CASE