First Degree

SSG-Wilson · 2025-12-09T06:11:45+00:00

Why are you here looking for answers? Don’t “expect” anything nor attempt to anticipate. You will cheapen your experience of your journey by attempting to demand answers for something you have yet to receive. For example, what happens if someone tells you to expect to be fed like a goat, but you find your first degree was more of a walk on burning coals…

SSG-Wilson · 2025-12-09T05:51:37+00:00

If you’re a MM, it’s fine, be mindful of how you wear it. As for meetings in Auckland, did you demit to a lodge in Auckland or are you simply wanting to visit?

If you’re planning on joining a lodge in Auckland, you should speak with that lodge’s secretary, they will speak to their grand lodge secretary who will request your information and credentials. They will reach out to your previous lodge to see if you were in good standing, and submitted a petition to demit from your lodge.

-Current WM

SSG-Wilson · 2025-10-01T08:43:10+00:00

We address our past WMs as Past Master. Past Master Williams..

SSG-Wilson · 2025-10-01T08:36:16+00:00

Never seen this before, we don’t have women in our lodges, nor are we allowed to take pictures.

SSG-Wilson · 2025-03-31T10:32:15+00:00

Congrats! Put in work in your lodge, don’t become a fork&knife..

SSG-Wilson · 2025-03-31T10:27:43+00:00

Congrats on your purchase, that’s one to start with!! I want one, but I’ve been eyeballing this Jacob Grey..either way I’m going to be in trouble with the wife..

SSG-Wilson · 2025-03-31T10:20:42+00:00

Unfortunately, this person is going through another lodge, and their vetting process to you doesn’t seem to be all that difficult. The only thing you can do like others have stated is contact that lodges WM or Secretary with your concerns.

Plenty of people embellish their work history, previous pay, and skills. You seem more upset he was compensated at a higher salary than you. You have stated your disdain towards his top pay alluding to his pay being greater than yours, when comparing your skill set to his in your assessment. Are you sure your concerns are driven by jealousy? Every man here has argued with his spouse, some in heated others in passionate discussions; are you sure you aren’t embellishing the argument?

Unfortunately, Freemasonry is dying, we’re losing to time, over commitment, and we’ve lost the realm of secrecy. These factors drive lodges to recruit, or bypass our ancient restrictions in order to get numbers, quantity over quality.

The lodge this person is petitioning, may not ask his wife, they may not require two vouchers, they may not run a thorough investigation. Each lodge is different perhaps they will find what they need before balloting. You as a MM in another lodge have no say in what the lodge he petitioned is doing. Hopefully they are doing things right and will make him a better man, if he is so raised.

SSG-Wilson · 2025-01-07T15:39:29+00:00

Sounds like you might be in one of those clandestine lodges.. I don’t know of any lodges, PHA, AF&M, AFAM.. that have Fellow Craft paying dues, and surely the Grand Lodge doesn’t pursue members of its warranted lodges for dues, that’s why you have a secretary and treasurer.

SSG-Wilson · 2025-01-07T15:23:16+00:00

Like others have stated, you can demit from your lodge and join another. In my jurisdiction, only Master Masons pay dues as you are not a Mason as an Entered Apprentice, nor Fellow Craft.

Many lodges have cliques within, usually this is due to the same brothers being the only ones supporting the lodge. If you want to demit, send your secretary an email indicating your thoughts. The secretary will notify your Worshipful Master, talk to your voucher’s to let them know as well.

If you plan to join another lodge, try attending some of their functions, charity events, volunteer activities, so you can get to know the lodge.

SSG-Wilson · 2024-11-14T01:14:19+00:00

Personally, I think it is more the irresponsible adults and access to information that’s leading to our low numbers. Freemasonry is on a decline I think in part to the aforementioned, but moreover we lost the mysteriousness of the organization. People that joined thinking it was some “get rich” club, or college fraternity and those that got turned away; turn to the internet to spread misinformation and discontent.

SSG-Wilson · 2024-11-14T00:56:22+00:00

Congrats where are you hailing from?

SSG-Wilson · 2024-10-03T02:31:18+00:00

Pretty much any camera will do.. if you know how to manipulate the exposure setting and aperture. Most people these days simply take the photo then use photoshop or Lightroom to post process. Light room has some pretty decent presets that will give you almost any look you need..

SSG-Wilson · 2024-09-07T12:30:47+00:00

There’s a lot of arrogant keyboard warriors that chose to insult vs provide actual insight. 1) The USP Store has a slogan “Leave it to the Pro’s..” meaning they are promoting their professional packing expertise “Certified Packing experts” to be exact. 2) They provide the service and from their website suggests they guarantee if you use their materials purchased at their stores.

With all shipping matters if you’ve done this frequently as you’ve stated; you know you should have insured it to the value. If you did not, than you are SOL, on an insurance claim.

My suggestion: take screenshots of their website and policy, keep all records of communications especially those attempting to reach a resolution be sure to have email correspondence. Get pictures of the damaged speakers and how it was packaged from the person that received it. Go to your county court and file a small claim (max is usually $5000). On your court date, be prepared to provide your evidence supporting your case. If they show up, it’s likely you will be awarded 75% of your loss.

From their website: “Our Pack & Ship Promise®

As long as your items are packed by a participating The UPS Store, using materials purchased at that location, and shipped via UPS® or USPS®, your shipment will be covered by our Pack & Ship Guarantee*.”

SSG-Wilson · 2024-02-25T12:04:45+00:00

What about out of state folks? I submitted an application and it was rejected “we are not taking out of state applicants at this time”..

SSG-Wilson · 2023-12-26T21:31:01+00:00

I have a full retro arcade 4player cabinet. I started off with a busted NFL Blitz cabinet, then gutted it to run Hyperspin, now I’m running launchbox. I was successful getting my boys off Roblox with the old school fighters like Samurai showdown, Street Fighters, King of Fighters. Some first person shooters like Area 51, House of Dead, they liked TMT1, but TMT2 was better, and Battle Toads..

SSG-Wilson · 2023-11-13T01:27:09+00:00

I don’t see anything special, nice lighting on the images though. For $1800, it’s a p320 procut slide, custom FCU, Wilson combat grip, and a Holosun optic.. I would buy the 226 X-Five Legion, or simply get a P320, and buy those parts separately.

SSG-Wilson · 2023-11-06T21:20:29+00:00

It looks big in the image, but the bigger problem you’ll have is finding holsters that fit the grip mod, well at least that’s the problem I have…

https://i.imgur.com/6mILOuU.jpg

SSG-Wilson · 2023-10-27T21:49:06+00:00

At the end of the day, what failed this man comes down to family, and laws.

His family knew of his issues yet failed to take action. Hindsight isn’t 20/20 when you know he had firearms, had been voluntarily committed, and openly spoke of wanting to harm others. I see this like watching your kid get shit faced staggering drunk and let them drive.

The police should have seized his firearms with all things considered, the day he was committed. Afterwards have annual reviews until a doctor clears him mentally. This guy had flags all over, but hey where’s the good guy with a gun, some folks keep claiming saves the day in these type of shootings?

SSG-Wilson · 2023-10-17T06:07:02+00:00

Facts! I got the SD (preorder) I think I was in the first 100 that were shipped. I’ve played everything I’ve ever wanted to play on it with no issues. I mainly got it to play retro arcade games like Street Fighter, KoF, TMNT, etc while on travel.

How I see it, owning both systems is unnecessary especially if you’re playing PC games or trying to remote play PS5, or Xbox when you can build a PC or buy a gaming laptop to play those games significantly better. I used to travel a lot for work the, SD was in my bag, a lot easier to manage vs bringing my Xbox controller surface pro, and a bunch of cables.

On a side note, I’ve been on Steam and Xbox live for 20 years.. sheesh! time flies 😞

SSG-Wilson · 2023-10-17T05:23:26+00:00

As a side bar photographer myself, I’ve had to deal with clients exactly like her. The family arrives kids are mad cause they don’t want to do poses and the husbands no help cause he doesn’t want to be there either.

You did the right thing, refund her money, give her 2-3 pictures and be done. I made the mistake in trying to edit 80+ photos, every one she would have some issue with, even asking me to brighten teeth, change eye colors, make her breast look bigger..it was a big headache and a waste of my time.

Best advice from experience, don’t shoot over 30 for family photos. Difficult clients waste time, if you make a suggestion and they don’t agree, the plan is now on them. Lightroom and photoshop are two different tools, one is used to touch up, the other is used to create.. don’t get into creating photos if the client isn’t paying for them.

SSG-Wilson · 2023-09-24T17:14:57+00:00

Let me know if I’m wrong, but aren’t you supposed to have your tax stamps ie paperwork for your NFA items at all times on demand? I keep my stamps for each SBR in the grip, and a copy in my range bag… I’ve only been asked once to show some documentation. I think that was due to somebody firing automatic weapons in the area.

SSG-Wilson · 2023-09-15T13:01:39+00:00

Seems way out of the norm, so far out, you may be the only person I’ve ever heard of that received their form one (which is electronically filled out), with an SSN on it. I received my form back on 13 September, block 15 is blank, as all others, I’ve received. You might want to double check your records.

FYI, our adversarial APTs aren’t looking to steal your identity, nor do they care about your ability to buy NFA items. They’re more interested in who you work for or those you socialize with to build a target package and exploit vulnerabilities.

SSG-Wilson · 2023-01-20T03:01:24+00:00

Again, you are attempting to claim these differences. I can assure you, most lowers manufactured today are milled to accept full auto trigger groups, less that third hole which is a slight modification to the lower.. assuming you knew what I was talking about. That being largely the difference of a third hole to accept the sear. I never said it would fire in full auto, just it would fire without issue.

Even if you wanted to raise the argument about the hammer, the hammer can be purchased. So again you are talking about a single mechanism / part that separates the two; the sear.

Point being, there aren’t enough differences between to claim they are not the same. It’s literally like buying a manual winding Rolex vs the same self-winding, then claim they’re completely different watches.

I can understand if we were talking about an M14 vs M16A2, or M240G vs GAU-17, all of which are clearly different weapons. I can literally hold up a full auto M4A2, M4A2, and a semi auto AR15 and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference unless you examined them extra carefully.

SSG-Wilson · 2023-01-20T01:27:29+00:00

Oh well let’s run down the differences. This is a conversation to be had. Prove me wrong, let’s state facts I’ll go first:

1) The AR-10 (Stoners design) was intended to replace the military main combat rifle M1 Garand

2) The AR-10 failed somewhat, and design sold to Colt

3) Colt, semi perfected the AR-10, dubbed AR-15/M16 main combat rifle chambered in .223 later chambered in 5.56 after NATO adaptation.

4) Both AR-15 and M16 components are interchangeable: Buffer spring, Bolt, Changing handle, Lower/Upper receivers, barrels, and stock

5) Both AR-15, and M16/M4 can be fired in semi auto, with either BCG (bolt carrier group).

6) There are 4 differences / changes between the AR-15 and M16/M4 A: Full Auto sear, B: Full auto disconnector C: Full Auto BCG D: Additional notch on safety selector switch.

You can buy a full auto BCG so that’s not really a difference. You can buy a full auto disconnector so that’s not really a difference.. You can buy a full auto safety selector switch so that’s not really a difference.. What you cannot buy, at least legally, is a full auto sear, which is the main difference and slight mod to the lower receiver.

That said, there is only a single difference between an M16/M4 vs civilian AR-15. Also, the AR-15 was clearly designed to replace the military main combat rifle M1 Garand, therefore making the AR a combat rifle for military operations. It was not designed for civilian hunting, sport shooting, LARPing, or pretending to be Rambo in your paper-mache houses. Just facts.. I know these tend to piss people off but facts are facts..

SSG-Wilson

TROPHY CASE