A Scoutmaster's Blog

It is time for the fourth episode of Around The Scouting Campfire, a podcast about Boy Scouting with a bit of fun thrown in for good measure. Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, have put together a full show for you.

Show #4 begins with Steve and Buttons talking about the troop’s latest fundraiser, a pancake and sausage breakfast. Steve then tells a story about a campfire skit that did not go as well as the patrol was hoping it would. Next, the Buckskin staff of Many Point Scout Camp sings the Many Point Ballad. During Buttons’ Corner, the radical Scout reads a couple letters he has received before trying to learn the Cub Scout Promise from Michael, the Bear Scout. As the show comes to an end we hear the Scout Leader’s Minute, How To Catch A Monkey.

Steve and Buttons would like to thank everyone who have sent emails about how they have enjoyed the shows. Please leave a comment at the iTunes store or at PTC Media forums.
You can contact Buttons at buttonst68@yahoo.com. You may contact Scoutmaster Steve at stevejb68@yahoo.com. We appreciate your emails and letters.

RSS Feed – http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast
Download episode – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/podcastaudio/MSAPE4.mp3

This podcast is found on iTunes at
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=307979159
and has joined the family of Scouting themed podcasts at PTC Media at
http://www.ptcmedia.net/

Here it is, the third episode of the Around The Scouting Campfire podcast. There is a lot happening in this show. It begins with Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons discussing a new (fictional) video game based on the adventure of Scouting. Then Steve reads an email he received six years ago about how things have changed being a kid, and how we as parents have changed raising our children. The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 try to teach us the Dirty Sock Song, and expect you to sing along. Buttons talks about how you know when you are a real Boy Scout. And Steve wraps up the show with a Scout leader’s minute about what really make a troop a good troop. All of this in a show that is less than 18 minutes long!

Steve and Buttons would like to thank everyone who have sent emails about how they enjoyed the shows. Don’t forget to leave a comment at the iTunes store or at PTC Media.
You can contact Buttons at buttonst68@yahoo.com. You may contact Scoutmaster Steve at stevejb68@yahoo.com. We appreciate your emails and letters.

The podcast is found on iTunes at
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=307979159
and has joined the family of Scouting themed podcast at PTC Media at
http://www.ptcmedia.net/

Show notes:
The Dirty Socks Song – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/2008/12/mspp-57-dirty-sock-song.html
You Know You Are A Boy Scout When… – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/2007/09/mmspp-21-you-know-you-are-boy-scout.html

RSS Feed – http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast
Download episode – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/podcastaudio/MSAPE3.mp3

It is time for the second episode of the new Scouting-themed podcast, previously known as the Melrose Scouting Audio Podcast, but starting today will be known as Around The Scouting Campfire. Unfortunately, this episode was created before the new name so it still refers to itself as the Melrose Scouting Audio Podcast. Are you as confused as I am?

During this show Steve and Buttons talk about how famous Buttons really is (in his own mind), a father’s rules about dating his daughter (like you have to be an Eagle Scout), and talk about Life With Dad. Buttons talks about the Scout Motto, “Be Prepared”. And Steve introduces the rap version of the campfire favorite Little Bunny Foo Foo.

Steve and Buttons would like to thank everyone who have sent an email about how they enjoyed the first show. You may also leave a comment at the iTunes store and at PTC Media.
Buttons now has an email address. You can contact him at buttonst68@yahoo.com. You may contact Steve at stevejb68@yahoo.com. We appreciate your emails and letters.

The podcast may now be found on iTunes at
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=307979159
and has joined the family of Scouting themed podcast at PTC Media at
http://www.ptcmedia.net/

Show notes:
Dating my daughter – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/2007/04/fathers-daughters-and-dating-scouts.html
Little Bunny Foo Foo – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/2008/12/mspp-58-rapping-bunny-foo-foo.html
Buttons and the Scout Motto – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/2007/04/mspp-5-and-6.html

RSS Feed – http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast
Download episode – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/podcastaudio/MSAPE2.mp3

It has been a long time in the making, but the first Melrose Scouting Audio Podcast (MSAP) is done and ready to be heard. This new podcast will be hosted by me, Scoutmaster Steve, and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout. Current plan are to have four parts to the podcast: the opening monologue, “Around the Campfire”, Buttons’ Corner, and the scout leader minute.

The opening monologue will be a quick discussion between Buttons and myself about what will be coming up in the show. Nothing too fancy here because Buttons can be a handful when trying to carry one a conversation.

The second portion, “Around the Campfire”, will feature a campfire-style song from one of the Melrose Scouting Productions video podcasts. If I run out of videos to take songs from I guess I may have to start singing them myself. Or maybe I could even feature other troops performing their favorite songs if they send me a mp3 file. This first episode contains the Hole In The Ground song.

“Buttons Corner” is the part of the podcast where Buttons gets to do his thing. Maybe he will talk about something Scouting, or have a couple jokes to tell, or audio portions of his videos will be played. In this episode, Buttons talks about the Outdoor Code and what it means to him.

As the podcast comes to an end it will be time for the scout leader minute. This is my time to share a story, or viewpoint, or a couple of stray thoughts about Scouting. In this episode I read John Wayne’s explanation of the Scout Law.

As more episodes are created I may add more parts to the podcast. One thing I would like to add is “Buttons’ Shout Out!” during which Buttons would recognize those packs and troops that write to him through this site. This could even turn into a feedback forum in which Buttons tries to answer some questions sent to him by the listeners.

I am also looking for a title for this podcast. At the moment I am simply calling it the Melrose Scouting Audio Podcast. I have also been tossing around the idea of calling it the “Around The Scouting Campfire” podcast. Do you like either of those titles, or do yoou have a suggestion of your own? Drop me an email with your thoughts at stevejb68@yahoo.com .

Anyway (as Buttons would say), it is time for you to download and listen to this first audio podcast. The normal feed will contain an mp3 file, but through this blog you can download either the mp3 or a AAC file, at least for now. The feed can be found at
http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MelroseScoutingAudioPodcast

Thanks for listening. I hope to hear (read) from you soon.
Download the:
mp3 file – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/podcastaudio/MSAPE1.mp3
AAC file – http://www.melrosetroop68.org/podcastaudio/MSAPE1.m4a

Up until now, Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, has always been about the Boy Scouting program. He has talked about the Scout Oath and Law, being physically fit, how to tell when you know you are a Boy Scout, and has interviewed a Cub Scout and an assistant scoutmaster. Today, he begins to expand his Scouting knowledge into something he has never talked about before – Girl Scouting!

In the United States, boys and girls have separate Scouting programs (except for Exploring). Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting are very different programs even though they share many of the same goals. In both programs the members may chose to earn the highest award available to them. In Boy Scouting that would be the rank of Eagle Scout. In Girl Scouting it is the Gold Award.

I recently had the honor of attending the Gold Award ceremony of my niece and two other Girl Scouts. It was very impressive, and I learned a few things about Girl Scouting that I did not know. I video recorded the ceremony at the request of my sister, and we plan to broadcast it over our local community television station.

After the ceremony, I had the chance to congratulate each of the girls, and ask them if they would be willing to be interviewed by Buttons, the radical Scout. They had all seen a Buttons video or two so they knew what I was asking. To my pleasant surprise, they all said yes to the idea.

This video posting to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast is the first of these videos. Ali Kociemba, one of the Gold Award recipients, is the first Girl Scout to be interviewed by Buttons. They discuss the different age groups of Girl Scouting, what some of the awards are, service projects, what Ali did for her Gold award, and what her favorite troop activities were. It turned out to be a nice introduction to Girl Scouting.

You are invited to leave a comment using the link below, or at the iTunes Music Store, or at the PTC Media forums. Drop me an email at webmaster@melrosetroop68.org. It really is great to hear what you think about the podcast videos.

Click here to DOWNLOAD this Podcast
Subscribe to Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast through iTunes.
or at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/melrosescoutingproductions
Check out other Scouting podcasts at PTC Media.

They are back! Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, and his friends Randall and Bones return in another video with more terrible jokes, more one liners, and more “Yo, dude”s. A fourth puppet joins the group and gives a quick little take on the thoughts of a wise man.

I want to thank Josh for helping me out this this one (and the next one). We spent over three hours filming the puppets last Saturday to end up with about 90 minutes of video. That footage will then be editing down to two shows, each taking about two to three hours per show to edit. Each show will end up being about 5-6 minutes long.

We had fun filming with the puppets and trying to come up with ways for Randall to be interrupted for each show. I was afraid that I might not find my voice back that I used for Randall, but I think I got pretty close. We spent more time filming scenes with Randall because my voice kept trying to slip back into doing Buttons, which I find much easier to do.

I hope you enjoy watching these shows. (We have one more planned. In fact, it has already been filmed. It just needs to be edited.) If you do enjoy them I ask that you go to iTunes, if you have an account, and leave a review for Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast. Or, go to PTC Media and leave a comment on the forums.

Or drop me an email at webmaster@ melrosetroop68.org
Thanks for watching.

Click here to DOWNLOAD this Podcast
Subscribe to Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast through iTunes.
Check out the other Scouting podcasts at PTC Media.

The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 have been performing a little skit/song called Star Trekking since the mid-eighties. (See blog post from August 2, 2006) It has been quite popular with most campfire audiences. In 1990 (wow, eighteen years ago) the troop performed this skit on a local television station station. This video was taped by one of the parents, luckily. Two and a half years ago I placed the video online at YouTube for the world to see. Since then, the video has received over 39,000 views, and averages somewhere around 50-60 views per day.

Well, it seems that several of this year’s Buckskin staff at Many Point Scout Camp has seen the video. Some more then once. One Friday, the last full day of camp, our camp commissioner visited our campsite and asked me if I was the one in the video that was on YouTube. I said I was and gave him a quick explanation how that all came about. He was grinning from ear to ear when he asked me to sign his cap, and then asked me if I would perform the skit with some of the camp’s staff during the Friday night closing campfire program. I agreed, but wondered when we would have time to practice. After all, the staff would be busy all day. He replied that I should meet them at the camp lodge at 9:00 that evening.

The campfire was scheduled to start at 9:30 pm. Not much time to practice.

I was at the lodge at 9:00, which was a one minute walk from our troop’s campsite. Only half of the staff that were to be a part of the skit were there. The rest showed up as they arrived from their program areas. Unfortunately, we did not really have much time to practice. In fact, all we had time to do was to choose who would play what roles, go over each person’s lines once, and practice the refrain. We did not even get to run through the song one time. This could be interesting, I thought to myself as I walked back to my campsite. Luckily, most of the participants had viewed the skit on YouTube and had a good idea how it was done.

I brought my camcorder along to the campfire program and was able to find another staff member to record the skit. When the time came, I left my seat in the audience to join the staff at the side. As we walked out to center stage I could not help but think of the possibility of the train wreck that was about to occur. After all, we really had not practiced together.

I did not have to worry. The staff came through with flying colors. And better yet, the hundreds of Scouts and adult leaders in the audience loved it. The cheering at the end of the skit was overwhelming. We had pulled it off, and pulled it off well.

Once I returned home from summer camp I had a problem with the camcorder. It began eating my tapes. One of the tapes it tried eating was the one that had the footage of Star Trekking. I had promised the staff that I would put this video online for them to see. I needed that footage. I bought a new camcorder, and luckily was able to retrieve the video from the campfire program. In fact, I should be able to get a few podcasts from the footage. Unfortunately, the footage is pretty dark since it was filmed after sunset.

So here is that video of Star Trekking, performed at the Many Point Scout Camp closing campfire program on July 18, 2008. This video is dedicated to the 2008 Buckskin camp staff, and to the camp’s Ranger Scott, who appears in that YouTube video.

Please leave a comment here using the link below, at the iTunes Music Store, or at the PTC Media forums. Or drop me an email at webmaster@melrosetroop68.org. It really is great to hear what you think about the podcast videos.

Click here to DOWNLOAD this Podcast
Subscribe to Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast throughiTunes.
or at http://feeds.feedburner.com/melrosescoutingproductions
Check out the other Scouting podcasts at PTC Media.

I place my first video on the YouTube video website on January 8, 2006. It was a video made by one of my Boy Scouts as a project for a class project. He knew that video work was a hobby of mine and that I had the equipment needed to produce a simple film, so he asked me to help him with making it. Since it was a class project I told him he had to do the planning, directing, and editing. I would film it for him and provide the equipment to use after showing him how to use it.

Nathan did a great job producing and editing the video. We were both pleased how it turned out. So was his teacher. Nathan received an A as his grade. I had started watching videos on YouTube about that time so I asked Nathan if we should post it online for others to watch. He agreed, we posted it, and my channel on Youtube began.

There are now 67 videos found on my Youtube channel, which can be seen HERE. Most of the videos are Scouting related. The videos include videos produced by the BSA and videos made by the Scouts of Troop 68 and myself. I also started a Youtube group called Boy Scout Stuff which people have joined to share and watch Scouting videos from around the world.

My YouTube channel hit a milestone today sometime between 2:00 and 3:00 pm. The total “video views” of the videos I have posted has reached 250,000. Wow! The videos have been watched a quarter of a million times. I guess it goes to show that there are people out there who do want to watch videos and films about Scouting. (Are you reading this National?)

When I began posting videos on YouTube there were only a few hundred Scouting related films. Today, there seem to be thousands of them. Many packs and troops have been posting videos online for families members and friends to see. I think it is great, as long as we all follow the safety guidelines set by the National Office to keep our kids safe.

Earlier this year I took the online video thing to the next level by starting the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast (MSPP). The podcast allows people to easily download the videos to their computers to watch at any time. It can even be subscribed to on the iTunes music store. The videos found on MSPP are videos produced within our troop. Videos by the National Office can not be found there, at least not yet. I have been hoping that the National Office would start their own podcast that would feature those videos.

I would like to thank all of you who have watched the videos and brought my YouTube channel to the 250,000 landmark. I have some ideas for more videos and hope you enjoy them as well. Happy Scouting!