that is one of the new rules... must have 3 years at bonfire to be on stack... limits the idiots that tend to abound when stack starts

There are not that many people actually ON stack anyway. Though 3 years sounds good. Though since only a few got to work on Bonfire in '02 that means most of us still need another year.

i'm a girl and i would like to be involed with student bonfire this year (it'd be my first year even though i'm a senior and i graduate in dec). i have a group of friends that want to do the same as well (not all girls) if we're all welcome out there. i care what kind of work i have to do, i just want to help out this year. reading all of the above posts do give me a bit of reassurance about girls being involved because that was one thing i was unsure of.

So...swamping logs for three years qualifies you to wire? How so?

And what exactly is 3 years? Showing up to a couple cuts each year, or every single function for 3 years? And finally, you are going to have junior grey pots who have never wired logs? That doesn't make any sense folks.

I think a person who busts @ss for one year and shows a willingness to learn and do things safely is more than qualified to learn how to wire logs.

I applaud all the safety efforts y'all have put in so far. This is an excellent fire and safety is obviously the first concern. I brought my son out one night last year and was not the least bit worried about his safety and was impressed with the behavior as well.

However, 3 years is just too damn long to make people wait to get on stack. You're going to have people lose interest long before that...getting on stack should be a reachable incentive.

go for it, bean - y'all will be more than welcome out there.

Barney, but you have to consider the fact that they can only have a very few number of people on stack at any paticular time (8 if I understand y'all correctly). Back with our fires, you could have more than 50. While it is a long time to make someone wait, they also don't have the need and/or room to have lots of sophmores and such running around on stack (and certainly don't need any freshmen on stack).

Having done every single job out at Bonfire, I can be 100% certain that both men and women are fully capeable of doing everything involved with Bonfire. Know your limitations and be safe.

Having been in a swing in '03 and '04, I can testify that it is not the "greatest job in the world." It is not really a job to be coveted because it requires a great deal of knowledge about Stack and involves a whole bunch of liability.

If you want to work on a swing, study Stack carefully and ask a lot of questions your first year. Practice wireing and get good at it your second year. Lead a crew and step up your third year and let it show that you know what you are doing. There may be time during that third year for a "3+ Bonfire Veteran" to take you under his (or her) wing and invite you to wire alongside them.

Keep it safe and I'll see y'all in a few months.

Bob, I know that there are much fewer swings than before. I've been out there.

I just don't see how you can have folks in leadership positions in charge of safety (ie junior greys, baby brown pots) who haven't wired logs...which is what you'll have if you have to be a senior (3+ years) to get on stack.

Again, I think everyone involved is doing a great job and this is a great fire. Chunks and Burger will back me up on that. I just don't think wiring logs is rocket science, and 2 years is more than enough. If that's the way it has to be then fine, but I think it's overkill.

When you really break it down, it sounds to me like senior greys and browns will be doing most of the wiring on stack.

there is a big difference between being on swing, and wiring logs on the ground crew. I think it will be a great idea to have the least inexperienced on the ground wiring there. Then after a year of that you can get on swing and be "on stack". There is a little more forgiveness on ground than there is on the swing.

Agree with the above 100%. A year wiring on the ground is mandatory. I think that year on the ground should be sophomore year, and on stack junior and senior year.

That way you build an experience base that you'll have around for an extra year.

my thoughts exactly

I feel confident that this issue has or will be discussed and resolved before stack. From the looks of things, the standing criteria is 3 years of Bonfire work to sit in a swing. Pending a change in policy or concensus of Greys, it will stay that way. I am sure that if there is a shortage of 3-year veterans, exceptions will be made. Prove yourself and you may be that exception.

If you don't like it, go work your tail off at Bonfire, get chosen as a Grey (or elected to a Board position), and change it. Until then, rely on the wisdom and experience of those who have come before you and heed their advice. If anything, this year's leadership is going to err on the side of caution.

quote:

---

i'm a girl and i would like to be involed with student bonfire this year (it'd be my first year even though i'm a senior and i graduate in dec). i have a group of friends that want to do the same as well (not all girls) if we're all welcome out there.

---

There are lots of girls at Bonfire and they're all welcome as long as they are safe. The same rules apply to the girls as to the guys. If you want more info on how to get involved with a crew, there are plenty of people who read here that would be happy to give you that info and get you connected with people in advance so you'll feel more comfortable when first cut rolls around.

that'd be great, any info that could be provided would be awesome

I assume you're off-campus, yes?

you assume correct

If you send an email to (removed) we can add your address to all the info emails that are sent. It's not a list serve, it's more of "hey, we're gonna have dinner and play bones at (place) around (time)," and when cut rolls around all the pre-cut meeting info will be sent that way, too.

[This message has been edited by brown eyes (edited 7/8/2005 11:42a).]

Woo Hoo Brown Eyes, keep that recruiting up!!!

The Hogs need more people! We need to have at least 15 to 20 people there every cut!

thanks, there's about 15 of us interested!

Bring em on Bean, the more the better!!!

The only thing that makes me mad is when people...and this is any person feels that they have been slighted because they were allowed to wire or they were let into a swing or whatever it is.

These things are not a right, they are a priviledge and if the greys see that you are busting ass you will be rewarded.

My dad(HMFIC '74) once asked one of his best friends if he was ever on stack before his senior year. He said no Griff I've never been on stack, I didn't think it was my right. My dad said he felt about one inch tall because this was one of his best friends and one of the most workingest SOB's out there at the stack site.

Point is this guy put 4 years into Bonfire and never made it onto stack. He realized that his job of picking out logs to put on stack was just as important as the swing monkeys. He just did his job and didn't ask for anything.

Sorry this got so long winded, but the main thing is go go early stay late and bust your ass in between. Don't do this if you want the glory, do it for the fire. Be a student out there and watch the people that have experience. Ask the greys and Will and Seth questions. That is what they are out there for.

BUILD THE HELL!!!

IDMA

the bean - you remember who I am on facebook? Send me a message, please.

quote:

---

Sorry this got so long winded, but the main thing is go go early stay late and bust your ass in between. Don't do this if you want the glory, do it for the fire. Be a student out there and watch the people that have experience.

---

who are you waltonloads08?

nsg, my facebook stuff got messed up for a while so i don't think i have any messages from you still. can you shoot me one if you remember who i am?

quote:

---

At Load in '99, there was this girl (and I use the term loosley) from DG that could whip any guy out there, and proved it in the grode pit.

---

Wasn't that every girl in DG???

I was a CT, and a fish at the time; so that was the only time I really was able to identify a particularly husky woman with a specific dorm. If my memory serves me correctly, I think she also kept a can of Copenhagen long cut in her back pocket too...

No girl from DG that year dipped.

That didn't keep them from carrying it around...

As I've said before, I'm good friends with that girl and I know that she didn't carry around a can of snuff.

Just RAAAAAIIINNN on my parade. Thanks.

jerk

No problem. She actually just got married recently. She's a real sweet girl once you get to know her. She just happens to be a sweet girl that could kick most guys asses.

bean - yes, if I can't remember, I will find out through macks because I know he always remembers stuff