An example of a different type. The events recounted here are true. ...From a certain point of view.
Not an Entry:
Prompt: Humor/journaling
Title:
"Field Study notes: July 2014."
Day 1:
Arrived at our research target area and found a suitable location to set up camp. Initial reconnaissance of the area indicates that it's very different from our home base and should provide an excellent amount of research data. Aside from setting up, little will be accomplished today due to time constraints.
Day 2:
First full day in this strange place. There are many very tall things with green tops, and it smells like pine air fresheners. Not as hot here, but windy.
The locals are small and wear some kind of uniform clothing. You can distinguish between groups though based on their festive neckwear and what appears to be some kind of numbers on one shoulder. Many of them are incredibly filthy after one day in the wild. Still no power, but there must be a cell tower nearby as I have service.
Day 3:
Windy yesterday. Probably the food the natives fed us. Walked endlessly for miles with no trace of an outlet. Phone dying, soda supplies low. This may be the en-
(Transmission lost)
Day 3 (update):
Posting from a secret location. Discovered that the natives are secretly worshiping some sort of dirt deity. They're constantly filthy and get irate when you try and make them clean up. Managed to find an old car battery and some jumper wire hidden in a storeroom and an old bicycle headlamp generator. Trapped 2 squirrels and have them running in a wheel to turn the generator and charge the battery to charge my phone. Squirrels like marshmallows.
More wind in the forecast. Lunch and dinner were brutal with pasta and chili beans on the menu.
Send Pepsi.
Day 4:
The natives have discovered ranged weapons and have been blasting away at targets, attempting to improve their skills. They seem to have discovered both fire and steel as well, I've seen cooking pots, and some of the smaller ones have been whittling spear points.
They sometimes come near the camp, and we must chase them off with improvised weapons or creativity.
Going out later to find someplace to get clean.
Day 4 (update):
Managed to find a makeshift shower. Unfortunately, the water appears to be coming from the magma chamber in a subterranean volcano. Pretty sure I lost several layers of skin to flash boiling and now know what a lobster feels like in its final seconds.
Found some magic seeds that when heated over a flame, make a tasty treat. Also was able to send a search party for supplies, and now have Pepsi and Dr. Pepper.
Observed some kind of mystical ceremony this evening. The locals put on funny clothes and pulled members of the crowd out to meet what I believe to be their chieftain. He was wearing a lot of feathers. They captured one of my fellows and he was also taken before their leader. We're not sure what happened, but it was evidently so traumatic that he is not able to speak at present. Hopefully tomorrow after some rest we can get some info from him.
They're coming. Must hide.
Day 5:
My colleague was able to talk again after a night's sleep but can tell us very little about what happened to him. He's talking in riddles about ordeals and an order of some kind. We'll have to keep an eye on him and hope he isn't some kind of planted spy.
Lunch today was some kind of local meat in a sauce that vaguely resembled BBQ, with more beans. I'm certain we'll be under a red flag warning later from the wind.
The group of "dirtlings" (as I have come to call them) that have adopted us continue to show progress in crafting, cooking, survival, and marksmanship. They still steadfastly refuse to bathe unless forced, and some of them are quite pungent.
One of my squirrels got away so I must trap another one to charge my phone. More later if I'm successful.
Day 6:
The dirtlings have surrounded us at this point. There seem to be several tribes of them. On our Eastern flank, we have the "swinging squealers", who have tied tires in the trees and spend their days playing on them. To our East are the "tree beaters", who spend their days hitting trees with sticks. To our North are the "tree climbers", who remind us of the jungle cruise at Disneyland where the rhinos chase the guys up the tree. Further to our west are the "tether-dirtlings", who think it's a good idea to swing on an old flagpole and rope. They must all be related, one of the words we have deciphered is "brother", mostly because they call each other that a lot. There's another word we think might be "elder", some sort of term for the older leaders of the dirtling bands.
We are having a campfire tonight and many of the dirtling tribes will attend. Tensions are running a bit high, as we do not know how aggressive they may become.
We've lost a member of our group. He went on a scouting mission this morning and has not been seen since. We heard a helicopter and suspect he may have deserted.
Morale is low, he may only be the first.
Day 6 (update):
The campfire program was unexpectedly entertaining. We had another team arrive early with their dirtlings and when comparing notes, we saw a lot of common behaviors emerge, which validates our research somewhat.
Many of the dirtling tribes arrived at about the same time (approximately 15 minutes late) and offered no real reasons why. Some of the tribes performed little entertainments for us, and then we were invited for a frozen treat at their food hall to cap the evening.
We will be loading up tomorrow and returning home. We are planning on returning with 18 of the more advanced and skilled dirtlings and will observe them further over time to see how their skills increase.
(End of the journal)
Not an Entry:
Prompt: Humor/journaling
Title:
"Field Study notes: July 2014."
Day 1:
Arrived at our research target area and found a suitable location to set up camp. Initial reconnaissance of the area indicates that it's very different from our home base and should provide an excellent amount of research data. Aside from setting up, little will be accomplished today due to time constraints.
Day 2:
First full day in this strange place. There are many very tall things with green tops, and it smells like pine air fresheners. Not as hot here, but windy.
The locals are small and wear some kind of uniform clothing. You can distinguish between groups though based on their festive neckwear and what appears to be some kind of numbers on one shoulder. Many of them are incredibly filthy after one day in the wild. Still no power, but there must be a cell tower nearby as I have service.
Day 3:
Windy yesterday. Probably the food the natives fed us. Walked endlessly for miles with no trace of an outlet. Phone dying, soda supplies low. This may be the en-
(Transmission lost)
Day 3 (update):
Posting from a secret location. Discovered that the natives are secretly worshiping some sort of dirt deity. They're constantly filthy and get irate when you try and make them clean up. Managed to find an old car battery and some jumper wire hidden in a storeroom and an old bicycle headlamp generator. Trapped 2 squirrels and have them running in a wheel to turn the generator and charge the battery to charge my phone. Squirrels like marshmallows.
More wind in the forecast. Lunch and dinner were brutal with pasta and chili beans on the menu.
Send Pepsi.
Day 4:
The natives have discovered ranged weapons and have been blasting away at targets, attempting to improve their skills. They seem to have discovered both fire and steel as well, I've seen cooking pots, and some of the smaller ones have been whittling spear points.
They sometimes come near the camp, and we must chase them off with improvised weapons or creativity.
Going out later to find someplace to get clean.
Day 4 (update):
Managed to find a makeshift shower. Unfortunately, the water appears to be coming from the magma chamber in a subterranean volcano. Pretty sure I lost several layers of skin to flash boiling and now know what a lobster feels like in its final seconds.
Found some magic seeds that when heated over a flame, make a tasty treat. Also was able to send a search party for supplies, and now have Pepsi and Dr. Pepper.
Observed some kind of mystical ceremony this evening. The locals put on funny clothes and pulled members of the crowd out to meet what I believe to be their chieftain. He was wearing a lot of feathers. They captured one of my fellows and he was also taken before their leader. We're not sure what happened, but it was evidently so traumatic that he is not able to speak at present. Hopefully tomorrow after some rest we can get some info from him.
They're coming. Must hide.
Day 5:
My colleague was able to talk again after a night's sleep but can tell us very little about what happened to him. He's talking in riddles about ordeals and an order of some kind. We'll have to keep an eye on him and hope he isn't some kind of planted spy.
Lunch today was some kind of local meat in a sauce that vaguely resembled BBQ, with more beans. I'm certain we'll be under a red flag warning later from the wind.
The group of "dirtlings" (as I have come to call them) that have adopted us continue to show progress in crafting, cooking, survival, and marksmanship. They still steadfastly refuse to bathe unless forced, and some of them are quite pungent.
One of my squirrels got away so I must trap another one to charge my phone. More later if I'm successful.
Day 6:
The dirtlings have surrounded us at this point. There seem to be several tribes of them. On our Eastern flank, we have the "swinging squealers", who have tied tires in the trees and spend their days playing on them. To our East are the "tree beaters", who spend their days hitting trees with sticks. To our North are the "tree climbers", who remind us of the jungle cruise at Disneyland where the rhinos chase the guys up the tree. Further to our west are the "tether-dirtlings", who think it's a good idea to swing on an old flagpole and rope. They must all be related, one of the words we have deciphered is "brother", mostly because they call each other that a lot. There's another word we think might be "elder", some sort of term for the older leaders of the dirtling bands.
We are having a campfire tonight and many of the dirtling tribes will attend. Tensions are running a bit high, as we do not know how aggressive they may become.
We've lost a member of our group. He went on a scouting mission this morning and has not been seen since. We heard a helicopter and suspect he may have deserted.
Morale is low, he may only be the first.
Day 6 (update):
The campfire program was unexpectedly entertaining. We had another team arrive early with their dirtlings and when comparing notes, we saw a lot of common behaviors emerge, which validates our research somewhat.
Many of the dirtling tribes arrived at about the same time (approximately 15 minutes late) and offered no real reasons why. Some of the tribes performed little entertainments for us, and then we were invited for a frozen treat at their food hall to cap the evening.
We will be loading up tomorrow and returning home. We are planning on returning with 18 of the more advanced and skilled dirtlings and will observe them further over time to see how their skills increase.
(End of the journal)
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