Something For All Members To Get Involved With!

How about we start sending this hat around the country and posting pictures of FAOL’ers wearing it? We could autograph it and then mail it to the next person for their 15 minutes of fame. I’m game for this if anyone else is. We could start a thread in Sound Off and see how many miles this hat can put on in the next year. We could arrange to have it show up at all the Fish-Ins to get maximum mileage out of it, then donate it to the FAOL Museum in Poulsbo, Washington. I’ll bet we could get it to all 50 states in the next 12 months with no problem.

What say y’all?

Joe

Happy [COLOR=red]Holidays,[COLOR=blue]Every [COLOR=plum]One![/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]

The above, (DOH!), is Joe V.'s excellent idea, stemming from a recent post on the “Things for Sale” link, by Gardenfish. (read about how this all got started… there, under the “Berkely Bag For Sale”, thread!).

Anyway, I’m moving Joe’s idea, HERE, since not everyone reads the Things For Sale link of course, and I’d like to see Joe’s idea take off and work the way he describes it!! I currently, own the hat, because being so dog-gone CLASSY, as I am, I was sucker… I was the one that purchased it from Gardenfish to begin with and currently have it in my possession.

So, on the 24th or 26th, depending… I’ll be signing it and then posting a pic, (be forewarned!), then mailing it to Joe V. for him to repeat the process. After that, I think it’s headed over to The Terror Tubber’s, (Mike-Ohiotuber) for HIS priceless autograph, then possibly a short homecoming visit to Gardenfisher’s, after that!?!

But from Gardenfisher’s I think it’s then open to the first member that contacts HIM, to have it sent along for them to sign, take a picture and post it!??!

This could be a really fun and very interesting project, for all members of FAOL to get involved in!! BUT… PLEASE, if you DO request the hat, KEEP IT MOVING, QUICKLY, ONTO THE NEXT MEMBER THAT’S REQUESTED IT FROM YOU!! That’s the ONLY WAY, this whole idea will “work as planned”!!

I, think, as Joe does that by the 15th, or 20th, member this hat’s going to “look a little strange”, with all the autographs on it, not to mention “who KNOWS where it’ll be”??

Paul,

At the end of its journey, we might ultimately turn this into a silent auction for this “Gold Mine” of FAOL signatures, with the proceeds going towards the operational costs of FAOL, or another charity (not that FAOL is a charity, but you know what I mean). Something to think about while the cap travels.

Also, while the cap travels, you could throw a special treasure in the box for the next recipient. That could be fun and interesting.

[b]Here is the “circuit” as I have deciphered it. Forgive me if I misspell your screen name. I will add names and locations as they come in.

flybinder - Oregon - SHIPPED
Joe Valencic - Ohio - RECEIVED ~ Taking it to the Northern Ohio Fly Tying Expo on January 5, 2008 to be signed by:

  • ohiotuber - Ohio -SIGNED
    
  • Fly Tyer CC - Ohio -SIGNED
    
  • fishbum - Indiana - SIGNED
    
  • flyfishmichigan - Michigan - SIGNED
    
  • Jerry Polen - Ohio - SIGNED
    
  • usedflies - Ohio - SIGNED
    
  • MAC inNEOhio - SIGNED
    
  • Al Thomas - SIGNED
    
  • Jim Mertz - SIGNED
    

Kaboom1 - SIGNED
Fat Bill - SIGNED

cholcomb13 - SIGNED & SHIPPED
DDRRedneck500 - SIGNED & SHIPPED
Sagittarius - SIGNED & SHIPPED
bdesavage - ADDED SUN SHADE - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO HRH BETTY
Betty Hiner - Kansas - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO RICK Z
Rick Z - Iowa - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO BIOT MIDGE
Biot Midge - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO OL’ BLUE
Ol’ Blue - Kansas - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO GIGMASTER
Gigmaster - Georgia - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO JACK
Jack Hise - Tennessee - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO BYRON
Byron Zuehlsdorff - Wyoming - SHIPPED TO MODOCDAN 4-28[/b]
modocdan - Oregon - SIGNED & SHIPPED TO TYRONEFLY
TyroneFly - RECEIVED & SIGNED. WAITING FOR MNBRANDY’S ADDRESS
mnbandy - Minnesota - BYPASSED ~ NO RESPONSE ~ AWAITING ZIMRX17
Ohiofly - Ohio - Signed & Shipped
zimrx17 - Missouri - Signed & Shipped to MIFI
popperfly - Tennessee - Signed
J Castwell & Ladyfisher - Washington - Signed at MIFI 08
mnklagoon - Mississippi
hugefish 80 _ Nebraska

Joe

Joe, you sure, you shouldn’t run for PRESIDENT?? ANOTHER, great EYE-DEER!!
Okay, fellow members!!.. Along with the hat, when I send it to Joe, I’ll include a random fly pattern. Joe, will add one to that. Terror Tubber, will hopefully make it three and Gardenfisher will make it four flies, when he sends it to the next requesting member!!!
So, following Joe’s idea, if each person keeps the hat going as planned, by the time we end this “adventure”… we should have not ONLY the very valuable HAT, but also SOMEONE winning the auction, SHOULD receive about 3 or 4 DOZEN flies, to add to their collection!
In fact, to make this thing get off to a good start,(and, also, because lately MY OWN TYING looks like a 3 year old tied them)… I’m kicking in a “Hoffman Chickabou Stonefly Nymph”, tied BY, Henry Hoffman, on one of his signed business cards. The same fly, (but, an obviously, better tie of it), pictured recently in the fly tying threads, I’d posted on Stone Flies.

(Seriously, since all the shipping and mixing with other flies, may damage the fly and card, since others will simply be stuck into the hat, probably, maybe Joe V, can hold onto this one, fly, until such time we auction off the hat!?)

There will also be a simple “list” included with the hat, that lists “who sent, what fly” so,please be sure this stays WITH the hat when you send it along to the next person!!

And, above all, this is for FUN ONLY and a possible good funds raiser, so don’t sweat it, if you don’t tie flies, it doesn’t matter what so ever!! Just sign the hat, post your pic and send the hat to the next person!! (if you feel REALLY guilty, about not tying and not throwing in a fly, then to ease your tortured feelings merely send ME a new fly rod or even just a new reel and I’m sure, you’ll feel much better for doing so!?!).

I really don’t think, that “shipping costs” are going to be an issue as this thing grows even with a bunch of flies added to it, eventually. If it DOES, please just contact me and I’ll back whatever postage it takes to keep the hat moving smoothly, around the country. After I mail it to Joe V. on Monday or Wednesday, I’ll post a note, here, letting everyone know what it actually cost to send it to him!!

I think that’s a wonderful idea and would add that it be sent to someone who is going to be attending the next fish-in. That way everyone there could get a shot at it. Then it would go via individuals again till the next fish in. etc . Probably would get maximum exposure that way. If you can Make the deadline the next mini fish in is at rocky Ford Creek In Ephrata Washington. You probably could get 10 guys to wear the hat at that one. Just a brilliant Idea I had.

He said modestly… tink tink

Fishing hats, if left unwashed, collect good fishing karma. Try to imagine the incredible karma this hat will gather after 100 faol heads have worn it.
Not to mention giving a kabillion cooties a free trip around the Continent.

As for shipping couldn’t Superman just fly it around free? Whats the good of having faol slaves if you don’t use them. ( just another brilliant idea I had. )

Sometimes I just sit and admire how brilliant I have become.

I have PM’ed Gardenfish so the hat makes another visit to Ohio. I guess the drill is for the next person to PM me so I know where to sent the treasure?

Brad

kaboom gets it after me.

We have created a monster here…

gardenfish…sent PM

If there are other FAOL Members in your area, try to get then to participate as well. When I get the cap I’ll try to get Fly Tyer CC to sign the cap and have his picture taken. The more the merrier.

Joe

kaboom, I send it to you and you send it to cholcomb13.

We gotta list this like we do swap participants.

im in. i might throw in a few flies though…

Paul received a question about out International Members participating in this. While it would be nice to include as many people as possible, to ask people to bear the additional costs of international postage and customs paperwork is carrying this a bit far. We appreciate your willingness to support this endeavor, but we have to draw the line somewhere.

If some of our International Members will be in the States on Holiday or business, perhaps we could arrange to have you intercept the cap and participate. Other than that, I have to apologize for not thinking of you. I guess it’s like any other family, it’s difficult to accommodate everyone all the time, and sometimes someone is going to feel slighted. Just ask my kids while they were growing up! At any given moment I was the world’s worst father or their best friend; just depended which way the wind was blowing that day. Sorry if it’s blowing the wrong way for you today. Just remember, you Down-Under folks are basking in the sun while we have blowing snow and sub freezing temps up here. That’s not fair, but the tables will turn in three months.

Joe

DDRRedneck500 I’ll get in line behind you. Check your PM.

A couple of “notes”, on this great idea…
First, Joe, I agree a 100%, at least this go around, on having to keep the hat “here in the states”. My offer, still stands… “that I’ll help with postage to anyone, here in the states, that can’t handle it when perhaps the number of flies, (and, according to GNU BEE TYER, the number of cooties), maybe drives postage up a hair.
But neither will I ask… any of our members, here or overseas, to spend 20 some odd bucks and fill out customs forms”, just to keep things moving along.
Just, as I, as a “USA member”: can’t join in, on say… “Australian based fish ins”, due to logistics, this hat thing, will have to stay stateside. And even tho’, I can’t go to the overseas, fish ins, I STILL very much enjoy reading about how they went, when posted on the BB!!

I SURELY HOPE, that our "International" members understand. It's certainly, not a slight in any way, or in any way "an attempt to exclude members, based on their location".

In fact, the more I think about it… and the fact that the likes of "GNU BEE and ME and even JOE V, will have worn this hat, even for a short time… we’d PROBABLY run into something like; “Livestock quarantine rules”… if we tried to import certain “cooties” onto foreign soil!?!

Anyway, it sounds as if, this fun idea is off and running and has a good start!!?!
Lastly Joe, as “president” of this thing… have you perhaps, notified GNU BEE, Jack H. and DShock,even DDRRedneck, pertaining to the rules of; “NO… naked hat wearing pictures, can be allowed”? (oh, crap! I just had this “image” and I forgot I haven’t eaten yet, darn it!)

Thanks, to all that have “signed up” so far and got this thing rolling!! I’ll get the hat and Henry’s fly in the mail ASAP, to Joe!

Ooops!! Sorry!! One more thing…
IF, for any reason, someone as a member of this great site, DOES become upset over ANY aspect of this entire venture, REMEMBER… "THIS ENTIRE PROJECT, START TO FINISH, WAS THOUGHT UP, CONTRIVED, PUT INTO PLAY, ETC. AND WILL BE CONDUCTED BY, STRICTLY JOE V.(HIS, BRILLIANT AND FUN IDEA!), AND MYSELF AND IS ((((NOT))), IN ANY WAY, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF J.C., L.F. OR ANYONE ASSOCIATED DIRECTLY WITH OR IN PART, OF FLY ANGLER’S ONLINE!! THIS IS (((NOT))) A PROJECT ENDORSED BY, OR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, FAOL IN ANY WAY!!

Paul, you are one sick puppy. I knew there was something I liked about you from the git go. Livestock quarantine rules? LMAO

Joe

=Ooops!! Sorry!! One more thing…
IF, for any reason, someone as a member of this great site, DOES become upset over ANY aspect of this entire venture, REMEMBER… "THIS ENTIRE PROJECT, START TO FINISH, WAS THOUGHT UP, CONTRIVED, PUT INTO PLAY, ETC. AND WILL BE CONDUCTED BY, STRICTLY JOE V.(HIS, BRILLIANT AND FUN IDEA!), AND MYSELF AND IS ((((NOT))), IN ANY WAY, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF J.C., L.F. OR ANYONE ASSOCIATED DIRECTLY WITH OR IN PART, OF FLY ANGLER’S ONLINE!! THIS IS (((NOT))) A PROJECT ENDORSED BY, OR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, FAOL IN ANY WAY!!

at least untill it goes well anyway :wink:

Godzilla got nothin’ on this monster.

Sniff!.. Sniff!..

Gringo!!
PLEASEEEEE, stop crying!!!
Tell, ya’ what Mate… if YOU pay for the “Livestock Transportation Release and Import Form” as well as pay all duty taxes, how about I send you a nice jar of “GNU BEE Cooties”, you can love and raise on your own?
In fact, if you ACT NOW, through this “Special NBOF offer”, I’ll include, FREE… a matching jar of “JOE V.Cooties”, AND, the Ron Popeil “One Touch Cootie Jar Opener” at NO additional charge!?!
“Raising your own cooties, can be FUN!! Mix and match breeds, cross breed colors!!
Male to Male, Female to Female, cooties… just like, seahorses, DON’T CARE! They’re VERY, liberal, when it comes to such things!!
Share these cooties, with friends and family!! Have your own “Cooties Races”!! “Cooties Roundups”! (Small round up ropes and 1” real, iron, branding tools sold separately).
All GNU BEE and JOE V. cooties are guaranteed to be delivered to your door, ALIVE! (and, VERY, VERY, hungry)
ACT NOW! Our operators are sleeping is off, nearby, so call anytime to get in on this rare offer!
Okay, call me CRAZY, but if you call within the next 10 nanoseconds, I’ll ALSO THROW IN FREE… "DDREDNECKS 2 page, hard bound book, on “Raising Cooties For Fun And Profit”!! PLUS…his own, personal, story entitled “Ohiotuber’s Cooties and How I Got Mine”, a complete and very intimate look at the life of a cootie owner.
ALL of this, FREE if you ACT NOW!

Paul,
I’m sorry to interrupt, but I found this photo that reminded me of what you might be doing ; http://www.flyfisherman.com/skills/dgwading/index1.html
Just pull the cord on your CO2 vest.
Doug

Doug - I went for an inpromptu swim in the freezing Tongariro in NZ recently - not hard to do!

As for cooties - I am sold!!! I want some!!! They sound really great fun, I can’t wait till they arrive… (wonder what they are… )