The Never Ending Story Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

GeoCrater: I am regretfully archiving this cache since there's been no word from the owner in the month or more since the last reviewer note was posted. If you want to re-activate the cache during the next couple of months, please contact GeoCrater to see if that's possible. If the cache meets current guidelines, consideration will given to the circumstances surrounding the original archival.

GeoCrater
Geocaching.com Volunteer Cache Reviewer

NOTE: do not select reply in your e-mail program if you wish to respond to this message from the geocaching.com mail bot. Go to your cache page and e-mail GeoCrater from the log there or email me directly at geocrater@gmail.com, referencing the cache URL, or waypoint number.

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Hidden : 10/21/2010
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


This cache is located at the published coordinates. However, there are special logging requirements which you must follow in order to successfully log it.

First, a little personal story. When I first started geocaching, like many people I never really enjoyed taking the time to post my logs. I just wanted to log that I found a particular cache and move on as quickly as possible. That led to lots of "TFTC" posts.

As I became a cache owner, I enjoyed reading people's logs when they found my caches. But seeing those "TFTC" logs from the owner's perspective made me realize just how annoying they were. (To all cache owners who suffered through my "TFTC" logs, please accept my apologies.) Now I try to take a little more time and put a story into most of my posts. I consider this my way of giving a smiley back to the cache owner.

Which leads us to this cache: You may have seen the Tandem Story in your email or elsewhere on the Internet. That is the principle behind this cache! The two optional logging requirements for your "FOUND IT" log are:

1. It should contain at least three sentences, and none of them should be single word sentences.

2. It should continue the story from the previous log. You can use imagination and artistic license with the story license, but there should be at least some form of continuity between your log and the previous log. Your log should not be a total "non sequitur".

3.Logs that do not advance the story will be encrypted so as not to interfere with the plot line.

(If you are the FTF, you have the added -- and probably dubious -- honor of STARTING the story.)

Have fun with your post. Also, I highly encourage you to add this cache to your watch list after you have found it so that you can continue to read the story as it evolves and mutates.

********************************************

English 44A
SMU
Creative Writing
Prof. Miller

In-Class Assignment for Wednesday:
Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person sitting to his or her immediate right. One of you will then write the first paragraph of a short story. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story. The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back and forth.

Remember to re-read what has been written each time in order to keep the story coherent. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached.

And now, the Assignment as submitted by Rebecca & Gary:

Rebecca starts:
At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The camomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked camomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much her asthma started acting up again. So camomile was out of the question.

Gary:
Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air-headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. "A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. "Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far...". But before he could sign off a bluish particle beam flashed out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit.

Rebecca:
He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel." Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth -- when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspapers to read, no television to distract her from her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. "Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?" she pondered wistfully.

Gary:
Little did she know, but she had less than 10 seconds to live. Thousands of miles above the city, the Anu'udrian mothership launched the first of its lithium fusion missiles. The dim-witted wimpy peaceniks who pushed the Unilateral Aerospace Disarmament Treaty through Congress had left earth a defenseless target for the hostile alien empires who were determined to destroy the human race. Within two hours after the passage of the treaty the Anu'udrian ships were on course for Earth, carrying enough firepower to pulverize the entire planet. With no one to stop them, they swiftly initiated their diabolical plan. The lithium fusion missile entered the atmosphere unimpeded. The President, in his top-secret mobile submarine headquarters on the ocean floor off the coast of Guam, felt the inconceivably massive explosion which vaporized Laurie and 85 million other Americans. The President slammed his fist on the conference table. "We can't allow this! I'm going to veto that treaty! Let's blow 'em out of the sky!"

Rebecca:
This is absurd. I refuse to continue this mockery of literature. My writing partner is a violent, chauvinistic, semi-literate adolescent.

Gary:
Yeah? Well, you're a self-centered tedious neurotic whose attempts at writing are the literary equivalent of Valium.

Rebecca:
@#$%@#%.

Gary:
!#$!@#%.

************************************************
I was surprised to learn that this is REAL! (visit link)

For the FTF, I am giving up one of my favorite books. In my opinion, the best stories are those that are at least 10% fact. Along those lines I'm giving you my copy of "Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter".

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Haqre sreaf. Nobhg svir srrg bss gur genvy

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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