Let's Try Something New for 2015

Since I am currently between jobs (something that seems to plague many in the country these days) I've been sitting here contemplating how to improve the way things are with Troop 101; more specifically, how this blog could help current members, future members and their families. 

Since this blog was started, it has pretty much been about what we we've been doing as a troop; meetings, events and camping trips. I plan to continue keeping everyone up-to-date on that front - it is the backbone of everything we do after all. However, if you are regular reader, you'll notice that many of our trips come back around every year, and unless something really off-the-wall happens, its pretty much the same trip. So, in the spirit of making a new and helpful blog, I plan to start writing a few series of posts that I'll label so that they can be referenced at any time.

1. Troop Calendar Updates: This will be the posts related to what we've been doing. Hopefully I can keep this up-to-date.

2. Gear & Gadgets: This is a series where I will be discussing the pros and cons of various equipment that we use in the troop, as well as what you should be using as a Scout (or looking for for your Scout). Hopefully it will be pretty in depth on various topics, like sleeping bags, foot wear, flashlights, etc., etc.

3. Navigating BSA Policies & Procedures: This is where I'll be talking about various policies and procedures that the BSA uses to help your Scout on his path to Eagle. Items like uniforms, paperwork, merit badges and rank advancement will fall into this series.

4. Troop 101 Tips & Tricks: Okay, this may not exactly be tips & tricks, but it will cover how T101 handles certain items, such as purchasing food for a camping trip, or summer camp procedures.

5. Our History: I am an amateur student of history. It was one of the few non-art related classes that I took in high school that I was really good at. I've discovered this year marks quite a few key milestones in America history, and since many of the hikes we go on are history related, I felt it was a good idea to occasionally remember where we came from - and possibly where we are going. 

So, with that said, I hope to have a much more well rounded blog. Hopefully most of what I write about will help out in the long run. So keep an eye out for new posts as I intend to do them on a weekly basis - and if they going longer than that, I pray that it won't be a year.