Cancer? I hardly know her!

Hopefully we’ve all recovered from the Chase. (I’ve decided to return as more of a brain dump than the adoration I usually get here.)

 I think we all thought it would go on forever. Almost literally.  But just months before Forrest passes, it’s found.   Interesting.

So, what do you do when you’re going along relatively smoothly with a (semblance of a) goal down the road apiece and get a wake up in the shape of bad news?  You keep going, that’s what the fuck you do.

 I’m now a little more than a year out from a leukemia diagnosis. I’ve got Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, and I feel great.  Seriously.  But, I’m one infection or respiratory disease from having a real bad time. And, other cancers are aware that there’s a white cell party in my tubing.

_jesus, where’s he going with this?

The chase (lowercase “c” intentional) is going to end, always.  But, holy shit, how much fun was it?  We were ENGAGED. We fought (if you were in a forum or two) we agreed, we tolerated, we mapped, we decoded, we read, we googled, we traveled, we hiked, we saw the mountains, we saw the desert, we did dangerous stuff, we found a 6,000-year-old atlatl point (ok, that was just me).  And you know something?  WE CAN STILL DO ALL THAT.   Seems obvious, but it’s REALLLL easy to forget it. I certainly did.

The dudes from Iowa have moved out of the Chase limelight (no more major magazine articles, no more emails from a very famous tv news host, no more visiting famous art dealers homes, no more calls from the local paper, no more kids asking if we ever “found that one thing we looked for”.  But we haven’t given up.  We banter back and forth. I’ll send a group text here in a few.  They don’t read this.

If you’re still subscribed to this blog, engage!  Tell me what you’re looking for, tangible or not.  I know you have something… it’s in us all.

Metaphors, metaphives, and metasixes

I’ve thought about this for, literally a couple years.  I’ve paused the blog for almost that amount of time.  But, now, I think I get it.  It’s not a cryptic code, cipher, or anagram.  It’s a metaphor, and it’s brilliant.

 

What if we look at the poem as a metaphor for life/death as well as instructions on how to find what we want to find?

 

Consider this…

 

As I have gone alone in there and with my treasures bold, I can keep my secret where, and hint of riches new and old.

-We enter the world, ultimately, alone. Is ff reminiscing, pondering, (or something else, here) about life and memories made?

 

Begin it where warm waters halt and take it in the canyon down, not far, but too far to walk. Put in below the home of Brown.

-Canyon, can, and has been a symbol of, among other things, fertility, mother earth, and even the female genitalia where life (outside the womb) starts.

 

From there it’s no place for the meek, the end is ever drawing nigh; there’ll be no paddle up your creek, just heavy loads and water high.

-Life isn’t for the faint of heart, you’re, literally, dying from the beginning, and it isn’t going to be easy.

 

If you’ve been wise and found the blaze, look quickly down, your quest to cease.

-Found your meaning, your calling, or your mission? Embrace your humility and be grateful.

But tarry scant with marvel gaze, just take the chest and go in peace.

-Take a look, reminisce for a short time, but don’t dwell. You’ve got your reward, it’s ok to go.

 

So why is it that I must go and leave my trove for all to seek? The answers I already know, I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak.

-(More of Forrest reminiscing and contemplating life. I’m doing this for myself. I’ve accomplished what I could have expected to and I’m nearing the end.

 

So hear me all and listen good, your effort will be worth the cold.

-I’ve been through life, and it’s worth it. It’s tough, trying, and with tribulations.  And it’s worthy of death.

 

If you are brave and in the wood I give you title to the gold.

-As an aside, if you’ve gotten here, you’ve earned it.

Does grammar matter?

Try reading the poem as sentences.  Does it change your view?  Obviously it “softens” the natural literary “stops” we use when we read it as a poem. 
In my opinion it loosens up the clues a little bit and, instead of checking off the clues akin to a grocery list, they’re more of a narrative or guideline. Apply your current solve to this method, is it still legitimate?  I’m not sure if Forrest designed this to apply but, in theory, your solve should fit nicely into this format as well.  
As I have gone alone in there and with my treasures bold, I can keep my secret where,

And hint of riches new and old.

 

Begin it where warm waters halt and take it in the canyon down, not far, but too far to walk.

Put in below the home of Brown.

 

From there it’s no place for the meek, the end is ever drawing nigh; there’ll be no paddle up your creek, just heavy loads and water high.

 

If you’ve been wise and found the blaze, look quickly down, your quest to cease,

but tarry scant with marvel gaze, just take the chest and go in peace.

 

So why is it that I must go and leave my trove for all to seek?

 

The answers I already know, I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak.

 

So hear me all and listen good, your effort will be worth the cold.

 

If you are brave and in the wood I give you title to the gold.

 

Be careful.  Happy hunting.   
-mark 

I’m curious as to why…

I’m curious as to why there are so many Fenners thinking the poem is a cipher.   There’s no evidence for such a thought and the author has said not to mess with the poem.  I’m not saying  it’s not, just wondering where the idea came from or why it would pop into your head.  

I’m curious as to why Fenners would think the poem is a mathematical “formula” for the same reason.  

I’m curious as to why anybody would say where (or even IF) they found it.  Pick it up and be on your happy way.   Give mr Fenn his bracelet back and relish.   

Getting hung up on distractions is easy.  Too easy.  

Sucked. Back. In.

I find myself back “in”.  Excitement refueled due to a new confidant who has amazing information.     He’s the kind that’s gonna find it.  I think he just may.

I’m not back in to steal clues. I’m reinvigorated because it’s good.   It’s good to be engaged. It’s good to converse. Its good for everything.

I’ve read some old posts of mine and I disagree with myself.  I do that.

Where do I think it is now?   In the mountains North of Santa Fe, like we’ve been told.   Very simply.  Don’t read more into it.   I walked away from my stack of info when the Today show got involved. It made it commercial to me. But looking back, it was gamesmanship and it was fantastic.   Read the clues we were given on the Today Show.   Non starters.  All of em.   I didn’t even write them down.   We were given clues every Fenner (yes, I came up with the term) should already know.   Use the poem it’s all you “need”.    But other info helps.  Probably.

Get in his head.   One of you out there is camped in his head.   How does the gamer game?  Figure that out and, well, you know.

Mutt…and Geoffrey

They once made a comfortable living taking common items and turning them into quite valuable items.  After the passage of time he seems to grow a little reserved about his accomplishments.  He knows of tales involving jolly and mirth and is sure that all would be wonderful upon knowing him.

Exchanging the fake item and swapping it for real money, he makes it seem as tho it was the real deal.

These two enter our “world” swiftly and without any announcement and suddenly, they make their way into the fore.   I like to think of the two, as one.   Both are proud and jovial and, possibly even brash as they enter.  Maybe a revelation occurs or simply just a mild awakening to the reality of the status of his life and he maybe splits in two.  The old alchemist drifts away, and the new yeoman remains renouncing the alchemy that raised them high.

The vehicle that gets you from A to B is the one that keeps you alive.

In part 1 an intelligent man’s sharp, unreasonable self delusion leads him into deceiving other men.

Part 2 seems to be a sort of repentance and condemnation of such a life, when, in reality, there’s not shame to be had.

An alchemist in those days was purported to be able to lay semi precious metals in the ground and have them purified with time and “magically” transmogrified into a valuable. But those semi preciouses were fully legitimate materials all the while.

I recently revisited the Canterbury Tales.  The Canon’s Yeoman’s tale struck a chord in me.

Chad nails it…

A team member clarifies what this whole thing is supposed to be about.

Sure, the money would ease pressures on everyone’s life.  I can’t discount that.  But, if your counting on “winning” and cashing in…you’ve already missed it.

 

From Chad…

 

Questing for a thrilling chase…

OK.  I don’t know what it means, either.  But the boys from Iowa are westward ho-ing, toot sweet.

Well, most of us.  We’re placed (only temporarily) the medic with an 11 year old linebacker/catcher. 

As I’ve said, we’re going west, so that should give you a hint.

We’ve got a brown…or two, and the water thingy, and the other stuff, too. 

Also on board will be, as you may have heard, is our gem of a top secret, closely guarded, 100% lock, guaranteed to satisfy bit of inside information.

We’re giving up the rulebook everyone receives when they decide to take on hunting for a lost/hidden/stashed/ cached/secreted treasure and taking full advantage of a tip given solely to us clearly in an act of favoritism. 

We promise to post photos and I will be working on a little something to leave behind at “our spots” for the slower of you to let us know you were there after the fact. 

Leonard Cohen, banter, and firestone…

Everybody knows…where it is until they don’t find it.   Myself included.   The “noobs” to the chase are tossing around lots of ideas (most have been visited) some interesting…some…well…

Our first spot was dashed upon the stones within approximately 7 minutes.  Go with several.  Go with adventure in mind. Go with a few bucks in your pocket…just in case.   Take pictures and grab a souvenir.  Remember the reason.

I think the larger amount of banter lately could lead to epiphanies for some and quash illusions for others.  Read, talk, then go.  Anywhere.  May I suggest Wisconsin?  Dal thinks that’s where you should start.  😉

Get the tires on the road when the weather breaks and go see stuff.     Cant get out west?  Go 50 miles in your direction of choice.  I GUARANTEE there’s stuff there, I heard about it on the internet.

Happy hunting.

Today, a turnoff, and a token text…

So, Forrest has taken his story to the tv.  Ugh…
For some reason this pushes me more and more into the “disinterested” camp instead of the “New Mexico” or “Yellowstone ” camp.   Its akin to the Ovaltine decoder ring nonsense.

The lore and romance of any story is never aided by the Today Show.  Ever. 

In a hundred years we’ll all be dead, but this story had a chance to live.  Until it’s comicalized (dibs on the word), commercialized, overexposed, and circussed (you can have that one). 

Im inclined to give up my spot for a very small percentage and look for something more interesting.

Somebody text me when you find it.