The Paranormalist has become a Crow Scout (and you can too.)

“I pledge to believe,

and study,

and protect our monster friends.”

Yep. I’ve joined the Crow Scouts (or, as I prefer to think of them, the Monster Scouts … or the Monster-Nerd Scouts.) I won’t be a REAL card-carrying member, until December, when my equipment is expected to arrive. I know it’s coming though, because I just backed the organization.

Right now there is a Kickstarter running for an organization called the Steam Crow Scouts. It has already more than doubled its goal and it will be funded  on Fri, Aug 7 2015 9:00 PM CDT. By the time you read this, it will probably be in its last 24 hours, (if it’s not already over.)

View The Crow Scouts’ Kickstarter Page Here 

To learn more about the Crow Scouts visit scouts.steamcrow.com.

Even if you miss the Kickstarter, or choose not to fund them in that way, you can still join the program.

FULL DISCLOSURE:

For weeks, I’ve been dithering about whether or not to join the Crow Scouts. (In my mind, from the very beginning, joining would mean contributing to the kickstarter and getting goodies … though folks can join for free at scouts.steamcrow.com.)

When I dug into the details, however, I found a couple of little things I didn’t like about the origin and purpose of the group. There is a phrase in one place that hits me wrong: “They (the “Crows”) also conveniently love, support, and help our little company, Steam Crow.” Also, on the login screen for the scout homepage, the words “Steam Crow Fan Club” arc across the top.

As much as I do enjoy the talent and artistic sensibility on view at the Steam Crow shop, I didn’t want to join the Crow Scouts as a way to show my support for a retail business … I wanted to support the concept of this peculiar scouting program itself. This overt connection made me hesitate, even though I REALLY wanted to be involved.

Then I took a deep breath and got down off my high-horse. I admitted to myself that what I really wanted was to be able to carry that Satchel of Holding around with me. I wanted to be able to buy badges I feel I have “earned,” and sew them onto the bag. I wanted to put together a uniform (using pieces from the Goodwill and my own creativity) that looks a bit like the senior uniform I coveted back when I was a Brownie:

What I’m really doing here is buying some nostalgia and some cool monster-lover gear. I’m pretty sure that most of the others who have joined Crow Scouts (and/or backed the Kickstarter) did so for the same reasons. And THAT tells me there’s a real community of quirky, retro-minded, monster-lovers out there … and that they are now connected by Crow Scouts. I can get into that.

Besides, I can’t help but think, Wouldn’t it be grand fun to wear the uniform to a con and be greeted by a Caw Claw?