Now to be fair, I'm only doing this for the badge - points and all that. When did acheivements begin to rule our lives?
I remember when just doing something was an achievement, completing your first circuit, fixing your first tv, kissing your first girl (or boy, whichever was your preference), stabbing yourself for the first time with the lethal screwdriver that came with Meccano . . . . .
We didn't have badges (unless you were a Scout - I was, my mother kept my old shirt - my wife now has it!! Please God WHY? Just throw it out)! But we didn't have to 'prove' much back then, no 'Pics or it didn't happen', just good old trust. You believed your mate when he said he's made that epic jump over the local stream on his trusty Raleigh Chopper, why wouldn't you?
Now everyone wants video evidence, the thrill of the story isn't enough. I had a 12 string guitar once (couldn't play it). But the girl I got it off told me it was converted from a right handed to left handed (or the other way 'round) by the guitarist from Marillion, and I believe her, why wouldn't I?
It's gone now, I'm not sad, and the lack of provenance never bothered me either. The point is, I didn't need validation then and I don't now . . . . . . . . . . just so you know, I'm not doing this for anything other than a relatively pointless achievement . . . . . . and you'll never read this either, after all, it's getting deleted as soon as I have that damned badge!
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