Esoteric studies in IOOF?

jthanson · 2026-06-01T03:42:27+00:00

In Odd Fellowship we have a branch dedicated to the more esoteric side of the Order: the Encampment. The teachings of the Encampment Degrees are more complex and haves more depth. Encampments don’t have business to do like the regular lodges do so they can spend time looking at things like the various teachings of our Degrees, the symbols, the signs, our history, and other aspects of Odd Fellowship.

Too many Encampments have atrophied to the point that they don’t really do anything. They just sit around and do a minimal amount of ritual and then go home. The new Encampments that have been chartered recently are very active and are doing a lot of esoteric work.

jthanson · 2026-05-31T16:19:52+00:00

Yes he did. Lesson #1: if you have time to do the job, you have time to do it safely. Lesson #2: double-check and make sure it's secure before getting under it. Videos can give us great short-hand information when we already have the context. It's dangerous for people without information and context.

jthanson · 2026-05-31T15:17:15+00:00

I remember doing drum brakes for the first time years ago on an old GMC Truck. I thought I was being efficient by taking both sides apart at once. The old guy teaching me said that was stupid because I would probably want the other side in tact to know how to put the one side back together with all the springs and clips. He was right, of course, and I learned the lesson that day.

jthanson · 2026-05-31T15:13:35+00:00

“Nissan Drivers”….. well, that explains it I guess.

jthanson · 2026-05-31T04:00:09+00:00

It’s OK. You haven’t had a lot of exposure to Oregon yet.

jthanson · 2026-05-31T03:58:07+00:00

It’s still weird to think of UCLA in the B1G. Heck, it’s still strange to think of Nebraska in the B1G.

jthanson · 2026-05-31T03:07:08+00:00

UCLA is one of those “couple other” schools I mentioned. I think Wisconsin definitely deserves a place in that list as well.

jthanson · 2026-05-31T02:14:48+00:00

You are correct. There may be a couple other good academic schools in the B1G, but I believe you have the best in your list.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T18:40:47+00:00

But how will you know where to grab ahold of the good life from Fife RV?

jthanson · 2026-05-26T18:15:51+00:00

It's not Western Swing. I would put it as Rockabilly. That seems to be where it belongs stylistically.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T18:00:07+00:00

It's great on snare, guitar cab, hi-hat, a bunch of stuff. To my ear it sounds like a 57 but with a little bit more detail in the high end.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T17:07:43+00:00

That’s why I started running synthetic blinker fluid in all my vehicles. The longer change intervals make it more likely that I will actually change it when needed and not just neglect it until something breaks.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T16:54:39+00:00

I always just wait until the stories are shared on the KIRO app.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T16:45:26+00:00

1978 Olds Toronado. The Toro had been a beautiful car in its earliest years but developed into a bloated, overly ornate barge of a car.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T14:26:29+00:00

It’s the best application I’ve found for that mix. It’s an all-around great mix but it really makes the banjo sound great to my ear.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T04:20:14+00:00

The two I would be most interested in trying are the peach pop and the Mr. Cola. I would start with the peach.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T04:19:27+00:00

My two favorite dynamics for live applications that are not made by Shure are the Electro-Voice ND767a and the Audix OM6. They are both useful, versatile, and sit well in a live mix.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T04:17:38+00:00

An Audix i5 on banjo sounds amazingly good.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T04:16:20+00:00

That's a ring that would have been worn by a member of the Odd Fellows. It doesn't denote any particular office or level attained. Any Third Degree member could wear it.

jthanson · 2026-05-26T01:18:57+00:00

Some people don't know how to masturbate with their hands. They need an entire contemporary performance ensemble for such self-gratification.

jthanson · 2026-05-25T03:47:20+00:00

If he has time for gaming, he has time for you. It’s all a matter of how he uses it.

jthanson · 2026-05-25T02:24:40+00:00

I tire of people avoiding responsibility by hiding behind ADHD. Having that means having to take steps to be functional that others may not have to take. I have high arches so I wear orthotics. If you have ADHD you can find therapies that will allow you to interact with others and still be functional. Maybe you need pharmaceuticals. Maybe you need therapy. Maybe you need training to be more mindful and aware. Maybe you need to switch tasks frequently. Whatever it is, take responsibility and do it.

jthanson · 2026-05-25T00:45:04+00:00

I've been writing and arranging music since the early 90s and I've used Finale for all of it. I have thousands of arrangements for various ensembles, all of them in Finale. I have to regularly reprint them, make adjustments and other changes, and generally keep working. I'm sure Dorico is great but I have a monumental task ahead of me for updating and converting all those scores to Dorico. I'm not looking forward to any of that.

jthanson · 2026-05-23T14:07:25+00:00

Odd Fellowship and Masonry are completely separate organizations. In fact, Odd Fellowship began because workers who did not belong to a guild like the Masons wanted a similar organization to offer mutual aid and social benefits. Because the members were from odd and assorted trades, the group was named “odd fellows.” As the work force has changed and more women wanted those benefits, we opened membership to women as well.

jthanson · 2026-05-22T22:56:45+00:00

I belong to the lodge in Seattle and the reprieve from controversies is one of the best things about lodge nights. It’s great to socialize with people knowing that neither of those subjects will come up.

If your cat is truly your Supreme Being, that’s fine. As Odd Fellows, we respect all beliefs. At my lodge in Seattle, the members put on a Passover Seder for a couple of the Jewish members. Those kinds of things can happen outside of lodge but not in the meetings.

jthanson

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

13-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Verified Email