Getting gooned and living in the desert

6 years ago, my parents hired a man to come at 3am and transport me to Utah. Lived in the desert for 3 months. No phones, good group of delinquents and interesting staff.

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  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    still think about it a lot. Now I'm a wagie and I don't PrepHole as much as I'd like.

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Where's the desert supposed to be

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Federal land, Southern Utah

  3. 2 years ago
    PianoRoomAnon

    Holy frick op, you brought back some memories. My uncle used to have a bunch of businesses (shooting range, personal protection etc..) one of them used to be showing up to delinquent kids houses and taking them to camps, like you went to, because their parents wanted them to be set straight. What are those camps like? What did you all do?

  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    That's not what getting gooned means but go off I guess.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      In that world, it was. I was over 18 at the time, but those under get hired men to come and basically detain and transport them.

      Holy frick op, you brought back some memories. My uncle used to have a bunch of businesses (shooting range, personal protection etc..) one of them used to be showing up to delinquent kids houses and taking them to camps, like you went to, because their parents wanted them to be set straight. What are those camps like? What did you all do?

      It was basically learning primitive skills and backpacking, huge native influence although many of the staff were mormon. real therapists would come out once a week.

      Lost a ton of weight, got into shape, felt strong camaraderie. Some of the staff were combat vets too.

      • 2 years ago
        PianoRoomAnon

        That's pretty cool and sounds fun. I'm 35 and still live at home, you think I can get my mom to hire them and come kidnap me? What did you do to piss off your parents? Do you get along with them now?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Hey I was just checking out your micro-adventure thread!

          The oldest guy there was late 20s. The staff were around your age. You could look into being field guides if you want to live out there for a while.

          They probably have adult wilderness programs..

          They weren't pissed, they were just scared. I think my Pediatrician recommended an 'educational consultant' who roped them into these programs.

          Were you kidnapped? What was the background story. I’m incredibly jealous though. I think everyone should do something like this.

          Forgot to mention-- I got the ultimatum. This or GTFO and I had no skills or knowledge so I had to go along with it.

          • 2 years ago
            PianoRoomAnon

            Sounds like your parents were worried about you. Do you resent them for it? Honestly, it sounds like an awesome experience. That time of your life is really rough you are at a crossroads sort of and it can be very stressful. You okay now?

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              I couldn't comprehend it at the time, and I was pretty pissed until a year into it..

              I still hold that the second program, a whole different story, was misguided and a mistake.

              I don't fault them for it at all. My siblings were high achieving and had direction out of high school. I was super depressed and they knew I was dealing with suicidal ideation.

              Being out there changed my life, lost weight, and later found a love for exercise, which has kept me sane in the years since.

              It hasn't been easy, and I haven't really found what they wanted me to do out there.

              Finished a year of college, but I ended up at this country club liberal arts school, another mistake, so I quit and started working.

              Still live with them, 25 now, but I have a full time job and they don't fear for my mental health, largely because I just know to shut up about it now and can cope better.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                I never knew how bright the night sky could be. No light pollution out there. We could faintly see the milky way. It was unreal.

                We'd spend our days hiking, chilling around campsites, building primitive tools, etc. We'd carry food for 4-5 days, and received coordinates to our next campsite--often we'd know we were there when we'd see huge Jerrys of water dropped off the road.

                One of the most beautiful places I've been too, and to live and breath it for 3 months, I'll cherish that time for the rest of my life.

                I wanted to move down there afterwards, but ended back up in the NE.

              • 2 years ago
                PianoRoomAnon

                I had a lot of suicidal ideation at the end of college. I didn't know what the next right move was and sort of just freaked out. Life's hard man, don't let it get you down. Also, don't stress about not going to college, a good work ethic and learning stuff via Google opens a lot of doors.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                I appreciate it anon. You're right. Definitely want to make my way into a field with advancement. Not making enough to be independent long term.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Or you could just move out yourself big guy

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >mormon
        >native influence
        I'm guessing that wasn't very traditional native influence then

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Were you kidnapped? What was the background story. I’m incredibly jealous though. I think everyone should do something like this.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      I was 19 at the time, no direction, dropped out of CC so I wasn't mad at my parents. They panicked.

      They get you in your room because you're contained and usually unaware of whats happening.

      Ended up being gone for two years.

      Such a crazy experience, I love getting to talk about it now, because I rarely do irl.

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    We'd make sarcastic faces at the camera, because they only sent photos where we looked happy

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Is this like Elan Boarding school? Why did they do this? Were you smoking weed bc that's like the worst thing you can do as someone's kid.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      The other 1.5 years were at a boarding school, lmao. I was just depressed and didn't have any direction--and yes. smoked a lot of weed.

      ye it was pretty "traumatic" as much as I hate using that word. It was a living nightmare for about a year.

      >Underachieving loser child
      >Parents have them fricking kidnapped from their room and sent away for two years.

      Just what the frick is wrong with Americans? Couldn’t they have simply just spoke to you and guided you like normal people? Wow

      I agree, they tried. My other siblings were easy, I didn't really cause much trouble but they were panicked.

      Dad worked on one of these in the 1980s. Had rapists as young as 7 there as well as a few 15 year olds if they weren't too violent.

      First month he was there a big crowd of boys were seen screaming and yelling and chasing something with sticks in a group. And then some fat man in a sheriff hat starts hauling ass with a revolver in one hand.

      There was some yelling and a few gunshots. And then squealing.
      They had caught a hog and the Dept in charge had decided to be sporting about it.

      Apparently it later got shut down, but that fat man could bench 500 lbs and was nice as could be. Apparently the place got shut down because of diddlers though.
      Tallahassee Florida, I can't remember the name of the place.

      Yessir the industry has a horrible reputation--the place I went to afterwards the dude settled in court for sexual assault for minors (in the program) in the 90s and shit. It had chilled out a little by the time I got there, and it's now closed.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Take a hard look at the aboriculture trades. Becoming a certified arborist can open up a lot of opportunities. Doing private forestry work can be one of the most rewarding jobs.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Thanks anon, definitely seems up my alley--I don't want to drive full time for work anymore

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Do you hate your parents now? How old are you? I hate my parents for the child abuse they did to me because now I have my own kids and it reminded me of what they did to me at very young ages.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          No, I don't hate them. By the end of my two year stint I came to terms and realized that they were at odds with me, panicked, got roped into a predatory system that takes advantage of parents and kids alike. My dad was against it apparently they almost split up over it

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          mid 20s.

          Still think about this shit most days, but I try not to use it as an excuse. Feels like a dream at this point

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      is that pic ironic or is it for real

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        It's fake. A liberal arts degree isn't that much unless you're going to a prestigious private film school or something similar. Boomers and millennials have conned each other into thinking that college is expensive and worthless, when neither is absolute. College can be expensive, and your degree can be worthless, but both of those are on you - those are your failings. If you cannot successfully apply your degree, or you hemorrhage money on classes that you don't need, that's your problem. In any case, pic is fake and that degree is fake.

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >Underachieving loser child
    >Parents have them fricking kidnapped from their room and sent away for two years.

    Just what the frick is wrong with Americans? Couldn’t they have simply just spoke to you and guided you like normal people? Wow

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Dad worked on one of these in the 1980s. Had rapists as young as 7 there as well as a few 15 year olds if they weren't too violent.

    First month he was there a big crowd of boys were seen screaming and yelling and chasing something with sticks in a group. And then some fat man in a sheriff hat starts hauling ass with a revolver in one hand.

    There was some yelling and a few gunshots. And then squealing.
    They had caught a hog and the Dept in charge had decided to be sporting about it.

    Apparently it later got shut down, but that fat man could bench 500 lbs and was nice as could be. Apparently the place got shut down because of diddlers though.
    Tallahassee Florida, I can't remember the name of the place.

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Remember to do the same when they need to go to a nursing home.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Seeing my grandma go through that system, I hope they have better options. Personally I'm gonna take a long walk off a short pier before I'm warehoused anywhere in my final years

  11. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    What kind of gay allows themselves to be "detained" by anything other than a cop?

    At your age I would have fought that man to the death. But the fact you didn't I guess lines up with the described lack of motivation.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Fresh out of high school, sitting on my ass, no skills, still a child. I wasn't detained but I would've been homeless if I refused. (At least that's what I was told). Plus it being 3am, total surprise, etc.

      I worked as a field staff for this very dame program for a year. Loved it or hated it depending on the group I was assigned to. Amazing location. Learning to bow drill was pretty cool too.

      figures, small world and recognizable gear when you've been there.

      I met some crazy frickers out there, and I remember the staff saying just that--if people got with the program you're having a good time, but my god some people were bratty as hell, or would try to run out of the field, etc.

      Yeah the bow drill thing was pretty neat in hindsight. The rest of the activities were kind of contrived though some kids made cool things.

      What years were you working there?

      >mormon
      >native influence
      I'm guessing that wasn't very traditional native influence then

      right, felt very appropriation-esque

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        2019-2020
        The cliffs in the background gave it away for me. Yeah, sometimes there was constant whining, defiance, testing boundaries, running, fighting etc. Other times it was just chilling in the wilderness with some pretty cool kids. The young adult 'failure-to-launch' type groups were my favorite and they seemed to benefit the most from the program. Some of the younger teens needed more help than we could offer and it was like the parents just got tired of dealing with them. Glad you had a good experience! They love hiring former students, you should go back and guide for a bit. I do miss those night skies and 14 day 'weekends'.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Exactly. The latter was my group, and I met some really cool guys out there. Some of the staff as well.

          I'm not sure I want to condone or work for them though I did reach out a few years ago to no response from my therapist there. S. (middle aged/older guy, larping as a cowboy).

          Those nights were unreal, indescribably beautiful. Would love to experience it again. Who knows.

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I worked as a field staff for this very dame program for a year. Loved it or hated it depending on the group I was assigned to. Amazing location. Learning to bow drill was pretty cool too.

  13. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Thought this said getting groomed. Accurate.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      You're not wrong...

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        OP definitely went to a groomer camp. He mentions still being suicidal, probably has some super issues from that.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          I'd say more so lost than suicidal. The whole industry is pretty fricked, and seeded a deep mistrust for therapy and psychology in general.

          Don't think I have the screws loose necessary to actually harm myself physically, let alone follow through with an actual attempt. It's just the fantasizing and ideation. It's a sick addiction once you crave that easy exit, always in the back of your head, etc.

          Things feel harder to change once you experience a few failures, don't 'launch', etc. The time starts ticking by and agency seems more and more like a foreign concept

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          I don't think it's groomer camps (Except that abuse comes hand in hand with the power over people like that) but that shit is right fricked for what it involves.

          I'd say more so lost than suicidal. The whole industry is pretty fricked, and seeded a deep mistrust for therapy and psychology in general.

          Don't think I have the screws loose necessary to actually harm myself physically, let alone follow through with an actual attempt. It's just the fantasizing and ideation. It's a sick addiction once you crave that easy exit, always in the back of your head, etc.

          Things feel harder to change once you experience a few failures, don't 'launch', etc. The time starts ticking by and agency seems more and more like a foreign concept

          I can sympathize with the failures. Confidence is continued success or just the persistence of success. So if you rack up more failures than accomplishments (and I don't mean valedictorian I mean not cataclysmic failures) you start to get frozen in fear.

          That's a bit of where I am. Unironically while that canadian kermit guy is a nutjob high off his own farts the idea of 'clean your room' as a starting step is right in that it gives you a first success to build off.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            JBP is now a shill and culture war frickhead, but he had a lot of great points earlier on before the fame ruined him. I totally agree with the simplicity of caring for your space, and working up from there.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            JBP is now a shill and culture war frickhead, but he had a lot of great points earlier on before the fame ruined him. I totally agree with the simplicity of caring for your space, and working up from there.

            I don't think "start small" was an original thought of that trainwreck.

            Far superior Canadian psychologist, coming through. Tim Pychyl.
            https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9O34Cz6TQqd9uJltoKD0sy7NIIFMZq_f

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              I'll check him out, thanks anon. And yeah ofc most of these self development grifters are pillaging age old wisdom.

              like that stoicism cuck guy, he's been on Joe rogan and shit, literally just peddling shit you can find in a million other books.

              Cant be mad, those frickers make careers out of it.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                >stoicism cuck guy
                lol jorden petersen, cringe

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