Bill Harris is one of the coolest dads EVER.
How cool would it be to grow up as Eli? If it wasn't 1:30am and I didn't have to wake up at 6, I would try to think up a puzzle to send to Bill.
The Big AdventureEli 6.7 is on spring break.
Spring break is different than when I was a kid. When I was a kid, your mom handed you a stick with spikes on it and told you to play with it all week, and you better not lacerate your kidneys. And we liked it.
Now, it seems like spring break is a failure unless a kid goes to Colorado or Outer Space or The Future.
We've had a great week playing Super Mario Brothers, rock climbing at Main Event, recreating the wreck of the Titanic with a paper boat, and just hanging out. At some point, we were talking about treasure and pirates, and Eli said "I wish we could have a big adventure."
Noted.
So I got an idea.
On Friday, Federal Express is going to deliver an overnight envelope to our house, addressed to me. I'll tell Eli I'm busy in the kitchen and ask him to read it to me. It's going to be "from" someone I haven't talked to in years, but they're going to say that I helped them out once, and they knew I was "clever," so they're giving me the last will and testament of a notorious scoundrel.
This scoundrel's will is going to be written on faux-parchment, and it's going to include a series of riddles and clues that will lead us all over the place--eventually, to a park in Wells Branch, where I'm going to bury a small wooden pirate's chest (about 6"x4"x4" ) inside a simple wooden box. Inside that box will be some pyrite, a one million gold doubloon bill, replica pieces of eight, and other shiny pirate things.
What I'm hoping is that Eli will be so convinced this is real that he'll demand to start on the hunt immediately, but I'll tell him it's too late and that we'll start Saturday morning.
Like Christmas Eve, but with pirates.
Saturday morning, it should take us several hours to work through the puzzles and clues (which I haven't written yet), and by the time we dig up the chest, I'm hoping it will qualify as the big adventure he was hoping to have.
So if you have any ideas about what the puzzles or clues should be like, or any ideas in general, please let me know. When we're done, I'll write up what happened, so if you want to do this with your kids, you'll have a head start.
posted by Bill Harris @ 6:50 PM
AnimeJ wrote:
Yea, I had the slipping problem too, and I just find I enjoy the thwack better anyway, so it all works out well in the end.
Xbox Live: TheWalt2
They used to have a DIY kit that accomplished about the same goal. some of the puzzles became boring after awhile.
*Legion* wrote:
How cool is that!
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That is fantastic! What a great idea.
Xbox Live : Aries GWJ PSN : AriesGWJ
When I was a kid and spring break rolled around, my dad would hand me the tv remote and say,"Here, I've got work to do."
It does sound like a very fun idea and I'm quite envious, I want to go on a big adventure.
Elysium wrote:
XBL: elliottxW
Wow!
The closest I ever came to this was the old man letting me dig a hole in the backyard when I was 8. And that was only because he was fed up with me hounding him about it for a day and a half.
Bill Harris truly is, the greatest dad ever.
LiquidMantis wrote:
Agreed, Walt, I read that and was blown away. I also love the posts he makes about them playing video games together, or watching Avatar or some awfully great monster movie. A #1 Dad.
XBox Live / PSN: jonnypolite | WoW: Cait (Warlock) on Blackhand | AoC: Johnepolite (Guardian) on Deathwisper
You know, there's one kink in the plan; what if his son reads his blog?
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My parents did this kind of thing for my sister and I when we were kids (usually on birthdays or special occasions) and it was awesome. In our case it usually consisted of a series of clues and riddles that led us to different locations untuil we finally found the "treasure," which was our birthday present or something. My dad even employed a map & compass once.
I've put together treasure hunts, complete with maps & puzzles, for my daughter, and they've been a lot of fun. It's been a while, though. I'm thinking a GPS-enabled geocaching-style hunt would be very cool.
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Don't be sad, we all are Bill Harris' children.
"We prefer to be called the swarm of his dark lord, the thief in the night Boogle." - Boogle
Some of my favorite Bill Harris posts are those related to Eli. I have a son of similar age and I can really relate to many of the details Bill presents in those posts.
I'm looking forward to reading his updates on the puzzles and Eli's reaction to the "adventure". Definitely a great Dad and nice to see him share this part of his personal life online.
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PSN: Dirtier
I've been estranged from my Dad for almost 10 years so I'm free. Can I be one of Bill's other sons?
"Just because something's popular, that sure doesn't make it right." -Penn Gilette
"You can't fix stupid." -Ron White
blog.digital-lifeline.ca
That does sound pretty cool and I may have to steal the idea. The one thing I am proud of doing with my boys is the game Monster Hunter. We spend a morning cutting out and gluing together a bunch of monsters out of colored paper. Then the boys go pick out some suitable armament (plastic lightsabers, wooden swords, plastic gladiator armor, ..etc) and wait for my signal. I go around the house taping our monster creations in somewhat hidden spots and then let the boys run around the house tracking down and whacking monsters. They do love it so ...
"An inglorious peace is better than a dishonorable war." Twain
Y'all obviously didn't read the post about Eli's penis.
Quote:
- Legion, taking "keeping it in the family" to a whole new level.
Xbox Live: Fedaykin98
My family used to do this kind of thing with me. It was a treasure hunt, I'd get a clue which would lead to the next clue and so on to the "treasure." The best part was the family (mom, dad, grandparents) arguing over who's clues were stupid.
We shall grapple with the ineffable, and see if we may not eff it after all.
Bill Harris is the reason I first came to GWJ. He's awesome.
Souldaddy, get him to come to one of your shindigs. I command it!
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That would be pretty awesome.
Quote:
- Legion, taking "keeping it in the family" to a whole new level.
Xbox Live: Fedaykin98
Jumping puzzles!
McChuck wrote:
The treasure hunt begins tomorrow! He's got the outline of his plan up on his page....
AnimeJ wrote:
Xbox Live: TheWalt2
I'm SOoo jealous of both his creativity and his son. This is the best thing ever. I've done a few smaller things like this, mostly around fairies, which was a big deal for my daughter when she was six. Leaving notes around, etc. But this, this is elaborate. He made a box and everything.
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"Think of it as 'grinding SO rep in the Kitchen instance.' " - Montalban
Yea, I can't help but feel like a lame Dad compared to this. I guess the hours I spend playing Pokemon games and tea parties with my daughter and baseball or football with my son just don't seem quite as creative.
This "adventure" is just so fun to follow. I tried explaining it to my wife last night and she didn't seem to get it. The detail and imagination is excellent. He posted a picture of Eli holding the treasure this morning with a big smile. You know this is a memory Eli will be talking about into adulthood.
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PSN: Dirtier
The closest thing to a treasure hunt we had was digging in the back of the fridge to find our dad another beer. ; )