Over at his Bedrock Dreams blog, Jim Rocher has recently had an interesting series up about knowing who you are dealing with. Parts one and two are well worth looking at, in particular about being careful who you share information with.
But part three has some interesting discussion about the characteristics of your prospecting mates, or Pard's in the American lingo.
An extract:
What do I look for in a pard? Here are a few things:
Honesty and integrity (without these in a pard you're just asking for trouble and rest assured trouble will rear its ugly head somewhere along the way).
Sense of humor (mining is a grind and being able to joke and laugh lightens that load. Sometimes you just need to laugh about how bad the gold take is!).
Willingness and ability to work hard (lazy asses need not apply in my camp. I don't need any bird watchers, nature hikers, or deep thinkers sitting on a boulder meditating. I need help and that involves someone who works their tail off).
Doesn't whine or complain much, if at all (there's nothing worse to listening to a whiner or complainer all day...it's like dealing with a small child and when I'm out there I don't need or want that sort of crapola).
Knows his or her chit (a pard must have a modicum of mining and prospecting experience and equipment knowledge. I'm not big on starting from ground zero when I'm doing serious mining, nor should you be. However, if I run across a greenhorn who shows the right aptitude and can hump it, I'll give that person a chance).
Isn't a heavy drinker or uses drugs of any sort (as a reformed addict/alcoholic myself with over 21 years of being clean, I know the score with these poisons. I don't mind someone having a few beers or a shot or two around me, but I won't tolerate drunks in camp. Drugs? I have zero tolerance for drug users and that includes smoking mota. I like having sharp people around me, not the "Hey dude, let's fire one up" types whose brains always run in low gear).
Loves gold mining no matter what (these are the true color-in-their-veins types of individuals who love every aspect of small-scale mining and exude that love, no matter how frustrating things get).
Shares the load equally (helps around camp, pays for his or her share of the travel and operating costs, and just generally mans or womans up).
He sums up "Like they say, "Character counts." In small-scale gold mining, that trite little phrase becomes paramount."
Your mileage might vary, for example I like a drink, but don't play up, and I don't use recreational drugs, but am relaxed about others use, as long as it is discreet and does not get out of hand. But, overall, not a bad list to start with.
http://www.bedrockdreams.com/2016/07/know-who-youre-dealing-with-part-3.html#more
But part three has some interesting discussion about the characteristics of your prospecting mates, or Pard's in the American lingo.
An extract:
What do I look for in a pard? Here are a few things:
Honesty and integrity (without these in a pard you're just asking for trouble and rest assured trouble will rear its ugly head somewhere along the way).
Sense of humor (mining is a grind and being able to joke and laugh lightens that load. Sometimes you just need to laugh about how bad the gold take is!).
Willingness and ability to work hard (lazy asses need not apply in my camp. I don't need any bird watchers, nature hikers, or deep thinkers sitting on a boulder meditating. I need help and that involves someone who works their tail off).
Doesn't whine or complain much, if at all (there's nothing worse to listening to a whiner or complainer all day...it's like dealing with a small child and when I'm out there I don't need or want that sort of crapola).
Knows his or her chit (a pard must have a modicum of mining and prospecting experience and equipment knowledge. I'm not big on starting from ground zero when I'm doing serious mining, nor should you be. However, if I run across a greenhorn who shows the right aptitude and can hump it, I'll give that person a chance).
Isn't a heavy drinker or uses drugs of any sort (as a reformed addict/alcoholic myself with over 21 years of being clean, I know the score with these poisons. I don't mind someone having a few beers or a shot or two around me, but I won't tolerate drunks in camp. Drugs? I have zero tolerance for drug users and that includes smoking mota. I like having sharp people around me, not the "Hey dude, let's fire one up" types whose brains always run in low gear).
Loves gold mining no matter what (these are the true color-in-their-veins types of individuals who love every aspect of small-scale mining and exude that love, no matter how frustrating things get).
Shares the load equally (helps around camp, pays for his or her share of the travel and operating costs, and just generally mans or womans up).
He sums up "Like they say, "Character counts." In small-scale gold mining, that trite little phrase becomes paramount."
Your mileage might vary, for example I like a drink, but don't play up, and I don't use recreational drugs, but am relaxed about others use, as long as it is discreet and does not get out of hand. But, overall, not a bad list to start with.
http://www.bedrockdreams.com/2016/07/know-who-youre-dealing-with-part-3.html#more
