Hunger Can't Wait

When I was younger I used to wonder how my parents could go out to dinner with friends and be out for 3 hours. Even now, when I go to the diner with friends, we very very rarely spend that much time there.

Tonight I was joining some old co-workers to celebrate the 40th birthday of my manager from a past job I had. We were going out to the Rose Tattoo in Philadelphia which is only blocks from where I work. Dinner was at 6.

Today I woke up hungry, was hungry for lunch by 11:30 and wanted to eat again by 5. Well they all hit traffic and we were not seated until 6:30. We put our orders in at 7:20 and were not eating until 7:45. When you wait to eat a meal that long, conversation, and even the meal itself, are not enjoyed. The food tasted great, and once I finished eating and my stomach stopped hurting from hunger I was glad to be there. But the hour long conversation and indicision prior to ordering our food was a struggle to get through. Even some other people were complaining of hunger before the waiter returned to finally take our order. Note to self, when the waiter asks if you need more time, say no and think quickly. Otherwise, you could be there awhile.

As such, I am postponing the Go Mississippi blogging. Those entries take awhile and it is too late to get started. Friday of that week was a big day and I don't want to cut it short because of the time I am writing it. I will resume those tomorrow.

Tuesdays Are Tough

A long time ago when I was a teenager I had a class where our final grade was to write an argument of sorts. This argument would have to be then explained to the class in a presentation. You could choose whatever you wanted. The only requirement was that your evidence and your writing be convincing enough that the class agreed with your point. I am not sure how but I decided to argue about the days of the week. In the end I ranked the days or at least explained the best day of the week, the worst, and how the others generally felt.

The general principle behind my decision for best day of the week holds for many things and situations. It has to do with anticipation being almost always greater than the result. More importantly, I explained why Tuesday is in fact the worst day of the week. I won't bore you with my argument here, but I use this as my preface to present day. At work, Tuesdays are lab meeting days. These means everyone (or at least 14 of the 18 students) are in the office that day. It means overcrowding, it means prepping for and presenting at the meeting, it means listening to everyone, taking notes, and then drafting the notes and sending them to everyone. It is also that time when I am supposed to tell everyone the progress on everything over the past week. It will disipate a bit as things progress but right now, the all eyes on you - tell us everything is done and going smoothly - bit is stressful. Combine that with lab meetings always ending with me somehow gaining 10-15 new tasks and there is my Tuesday mornings.

I love my job and I am more than pleased with my co-workers. That is not to say that certain days can be overwhelming. Tuesday, if there weren't enough holding it back already, is the day where these meetings fall. Today was an exceptional Tuesday and it must have shown because my undergrads told me at the end of the day that they better see me tomorrow and they were concerned for me because I just looked a combination of lost and worried. There is a big project I have been coordinating for a few weeks that is due into our review board by July 1st. We found out today that there is another major part that we need everyone involved (including past researchers who are still being credited) to complete and get to me. With only 48 hours the dread of not only asking them to do this, but have it back to me in time definitely was all over my face.

Things will work out, I hope. And if not, we'll figure something else out. On the bright side - three day weekend coming up! I am anxiously anticipating my return to the Big Apple.

Go Mississippi Day 6

Winding Up, Winding Down

Thursday, June 17th - Things started to run a little differently on Thursday.

Instead of everyone singing Rise and Shine, The Little Rascals were asked to sing in front of everyone. Since it was passed the middle of the week, Ms. Patti decided the groups should know it enough to be able to lead it, and so we were chosen to showcase our moves and voices. I'll blame the half-hearted attempt on the time of day. Breakfast was pancakes and Mass found me as a Eucharistic Minister again. I was asked to do a reading, but before I could think about that option I had responded with a "uhmmm". Apparently that was loud and clear and I was off that task. After mass it was back to the dorms before the start of another day.

Today would be our last day of rotations. I had hoped today we would be paired with GR8. Today's Rec activity was Ultimate Frisbee. Jason, the counselor for GR8 and our chaperone, is quite good at Ultimate and the two of us have played in the past. We brought discs with us and even got the campers into playing during some free time over the course of the week. Unfortunately, due to the weather canceling tent night, and the rule that teams don't have Red first the morning after tent night, things got changed around. Instead of playing GR8, we ended up getting paired with our rivals - Hamburger Helpers of the Future. We beat the two other teams in Rec this week, but our first day of Rec which was against HHOTF was our only loss. They were just better at "steal the bacon" and "sideline soccer". Today would be no different. The crew that was undefeated coming into the day, also left that way. They just had a lot of athletic kids.

Catholic Corner was moved to the Arts & Crafts building because Arts & Crafts was down in the pavilion today. Yesterday (Wednesday) was the end of regular Arts & Crafts. Today we would be using Arts & Crafts time to make our tye dye t-shirts. All of the kids were drawing and writing and myself, being as much of a kid, was sitting right there doing it too. Counselors could do theirs after the campers went to bed, but I was too excited about it. You could choose 2 of the 4 colors - blue, green, red, purple. I went with Blue and Green. I really like mine. I wrote "The Little Rascals" on the back real big and had all my campers sign it. It's a great shirt.

I was forced to wear a regular t-shirt today due to the painful sunburn. After each shower I put on aloe and I even (despite the discomfort and annoyance) wore a plain white shirt into the water. Needless to say, after coming out of the water it was no longer white. The waterway was just as fun albeit a bit different. I took it easier due to the sunburn and stayed in the shallow water. I started tossing a dodgeball back and forth with one of the boys and he started diving for it. This attracted attention and before I knew it I had 10 boys each taking turns pointing out an area, just out of reach, to throw it to. Each of them would charge and make a diving grab for it. I am not going to lie - I have played this from the other side before and it never gets old.

After returning from the waterway we returned for what was to be a difficult situation. On the way back from the waterway, on the bus, someone had brought up what was to be for dinner. Sloppy Joes. As expected, this was met with a lot of excitement - its a mess, so kids love it. One boy, however, was not interested. He told me he hates sloppy joes and wouldn't eat them. To back up, this boy was a handful, but in the best way. Ever meet a kid who is not easy but on the whole they're just really great. So much so that in their moments of frustration, you are less harsh. This boy was definitely that. He had become pretty known amongst all of the staff - he just stood out. Early on in the week he was acting out alot. Monday night Tim, Jason and Zach all hung behind after dismissing everyone for dinner to talk with him. He was being extra stubborn about something and was not bugging. After this talking to he 180'd. The rest of the week he was great, totally enthusiastic, and really someone we all became fond of.

Thursday, the sloppy joe thing was back to square one. Another thing to note about this boy. He was very religious. Not in a very noticeable way at all. Frankly, if you spent 90% of the day with him you wouldn't really know. But, at night he would ask permission for a flashlight so he could read some of his Bible. He was reading it like a book, cover to cover. He had also been promised by Father Tim that he could act as the alter boy on the last mass at camp, Friday morning. Well, flash to dinner on Thursday and he, as he said, is not bugging on the food. He is getting so upset that he puts his head down and stops responding to his counselors. His table was directly behind mine and he sat right at the end so I could hear and was right next to the whole thing. Finally, the male counselor, Mauro, had had enough of the boy's antics and told him that unless he ate, he was not allowed to alter serve. Well, the boy still had no intention of eating, noticed the hopelessness of the situation and lost it. He started crying at the table and just shut down. I had gotten closer with him than Mauro had because I was not his counselor, so I didn't have to see or fix or handle these outburts during the week. I was more patient as a result and had had some luck in some smaller issues throughout the week and had a pretty good rapport with him. Even so, he would not comply.

As an aside to this, I totally saw where the boy is coming from. There are plenty of foods I do not like and some that no matter what I will not eat. Certain things are not for everyone and it is unfair to force someone to eat. On the other hand, it is out of the question to expect the cook to take these preferences into account at every meal for 65 kids and staff. Sometimes you are going to make something that a boy or girl or adult won't want and that's just how it goes. It was a poor situation which left me sympathizing with both and struggling to help because I was upset both for my friend, the counselor who was frustrated, and the boy who was in tears over being forced into this meal and losing this one element that he was looking forward to all week.

After dinner it was back to the dorms to wash up and then onto skit practices. This boy, however, was done. He had lost the thing he wanted most and was so upset that he got in bed, buried himself in his sleeping bag and would not respond. Tim and I, the two who had gotten closest with him, tried to talk to him and Tim eventually said, look you have been great since Monday but if you don't come with us I have to get Father Tim. We cannot leave you in here and that's our only choice. He just teared up more and stayed retreated. Tim walked out the door, I stood on the porch and I waited for Father Tim. The two of us, Tim leaving to go to his group, talked to the boy. He explained to Father Tim that Mr. Mauro had told him he could not alter serve and so he wasn't going to do the 'stupid skits for anyone' because there was no point. Father Tim convinced him that he says the mass and he calls the shots and so as long as the boy came outside, Father Tim would see to it that he could still alter serve. As with anyone, he didn't react right away, but slowly came out of his sleeping bag like a turtle hesitantly coming out of a shell, and got his shoes on. He reached the front porch and sat down. To him, he came outside, and that was that. He had no intention of going to his group because he was still upset with his counselor and would not be in the skit. Father Tim told him that we could not leave him here and that he could come sit with him and his dog instead but had to move. The boy looked like he was retreating and I quickly jumped in and helped out adding an encouraging few words to which he smiled, even for half a second, and got up.

Father Tim must have talked with him more because by the time we had reached the pavilion he was all smiles. Backing up a second, though, I had to get to my group. They were losing time on rehearsing and with only one counselor there, the kids were acting a bit crazy. Skit night was less than an hour away and we really needed to buckle down on everyone's roles and such. Practice went pretty well and everyone felt ready. It was one last trip back to the dorms and then on to the pavilion for the show.

The skits went well. For some reason my kids volunteered to go first. We were ok. Once they got up there the skit went from 5 minutes to 2 minutes. Each kid only stayed on stage for one judge to comment before retreating. The judges never mentioned the originality, and one of the girls may have said one line. None of that mattered, though. They had a blast, the rest of the campers enjoyed it, and I was so thrilled for them. I still couldn't believe they wanted to go right away. The rest of the skits followed in silliness. There were some dances, there was some aliens and there was a joke about "Royal Papers".

The last skit was by the CITs. These indivudals are not old enough to be counselors but help out at the different rotations, in the dining hall, and several other things. Their skit was a mock date where two people were being set up together. They asked for one of the counselors to come up and act as the table. Andrew Gorman half volunteered and half was picked. He got on all fours, and they put a sheet over him. One of the CITs came up and asked if the two wanted water. She had a pitcher in her hand and there were two cups placed on the makeshift table. Naturally, she missed a bit and spilled the ice cold water on the back of Andrew. When reaching for the cup, one of the people on the "date" bmuped their cup and it spilled down his side. The waitress came bag with a bowl and a rag. She said "you need to be more careful" as she soaked the rag and proceeded to wipe down the table. By the end of the skit, his back was drenched, and we were all in tears. We found out later, they had planned to choose him all along. Brilliant.

At the end of skit night everyone was exhausted but smiling. I will be honest, I don't think at 10 I would have gotten up in front of 80 or so people and sung or danced or acted and I give all of the campers a ton of credit for that.

After the skits we played a very strange version of Rock Paper Sissors. It was a full body version and it was Surfer Dude, Giant Wave, and Hula Girl. You stood back to back like a western duel and on three you both spun around and performed the motions for one of those. The pecking order was: Surfer dude rides the wave, the wave washes out the hula girl, and the hula girl distracts the surfer dude. Like I said, it was strange, but the kids loved acting out the moves and making the sounds.

We brought the kids back and tonight there was no dorm duty counselors. Instead, we were all releived by other staff members as we had to report to the dining hall all together. Friday was to be a totally different day from the end of mass until bed time. As such, they wanted to run through everything with us, ask us if we had any thoughts going into the last day, etc. Afterwards we were asked to fill out awards. Each pair of counselors would award each of their kids, individually, with whatever award you felt fit them the best. After spending all week together, we had to think about what stands out about each of these campers and what do we appreciate about them. I had promised the boys of Swamp Left I would be back shortly to read them some Pinocchio before bed and I knew that if I did not get back soon they would already be asleep. As I stated before, I loved this part of the day and so I may have been slightly impatient in working with my co-counselor on the awards. I, apparently, caused her to mess up two of the certificates because I was stressing her out. I was also really tired and wanted to get in bed. Between working out the issues with that boy, the heat that day, and just the week possibly catching up a bit, I was ready for bed. We finally finished the awards and I walked back to the cabin.

Too late. The two CITs were not putting up with any bonus time for the older boys or reading time for the younger ones. I got back to the dorm about 10 minutes after we typically shut the lights out and the place was silent. I hung out for a bit with them, then told them they could go to bed or do whatever because I was crashing myself, and walked inside. I think I was in bed by 930 that night. I knew tomorrow was going to be exhausting and I wanted to make sure that I did not miss out on anything or be any less enthusiastic. Tomorrow would be the last day of camp and I wanted to be ready for it.

(tye-dye on display)

(some of the counselors at the lookout)

(Sheriff Timbeaux Hartnett)

(Andrew after getting soaked)

Learning Patience

Today I missed my train. But to leave it at that is to allow you to assume I was late. It is true that I left my house a minute or two later than usual. On my trip there, the back road I take to avoid a busy intersection ended up being blocked off due to a tree that fell during last week's storm and has yet to be removed. This was something I only realized after turning down this street and rounding a bend. After backtracking and continuing to the station I parked with 7 minutes to spare. I walked to the parking meter, paid my 4 quarters and headed into the station to buy my weekly pass.

It is the change of month as well as it being Monday. As such, there are many people who need to do the same thing as I do. Finally, there is one person between me and the cashier and the train pulls in. Luckily there are a lot of people who take the train at this time and so I have that as my time buffer. What is working against me, however, is the woman in front of me who is reading out her request as if she is at the drive-thru window of a fast food restaurant:

"Yes I am going to need a weekly pass. I also need, um, well, make it 10 tokens. Then..."

I finally get to the cashier, hastily say "I need a weekly" and hand him my card. As is typicaly with me, I had no cash and was unable to just bite the bullet on paying extra by getting the ticket on the train. I was forced to pay at the window, and by card. I finally get the receipt, sign it, get my pass and my card and head out the door.

"Chhhhhh"

The train released. It had yet to move and I flashed to old movies where people would jump onto a train already in motion. It's a pretty slick and cool maneuver and it was my turn to try it out.

"The train is in motion! Step back!"

A platform security worker was briskly walking towards me, ending all dreams of hoping on to the train. My train. It was in front of me, still stationary. The next one would not come for 40 minutes. And yet, I was unable to do anything. Instead of bucking the system, leaping onto the train, and making it to work when I had hoped, I moved away, retreated to a bench, and waited for 45 minutes. I kept pacing in my head, debating if I should just get in the car and drive to work. I was so annoyed at how close I had been, and how little had separated me from being where I needed to be. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that none of that mattered. I did not make it, I already bought my pass and I needed to relax. I would get to work eventually. Nothing needed to be done right away, and no one needed me to be there immediately.

Sometimes we get so hung up on our timelines and dead lines, even if there is no consequence to them, that we get all worked up. To balance this unnecessary stress, I slowed my walk to work, stopped for breakfast, and just took a second to appreciate some things. We are too easily upset and too easily convinced that if things change and do not go according to the mental plan we had, that the world might end. Freeing yourself of that is one of the most important things you can do.

Go Mississippi Day 5

Mid Week Is When It Hits You

There were definitely points in the week, especially following tent night, where I felt a little worn. I don't remember another time in my adult life where for a week I was in bed before 10 so many times. I think part of this had to do with the lack of watch. Once the kids settled in between 9:15 and 9:30 the place was dark and quiet. With how active you have to be all day long, there is little else you need to convince you to also lie down.

Wednesday progressed as most of the other days. We woke up, had our morning song, breakfast, mass, and then rotations. Something I have neglected to bring up to you until now is the two "problem" campers. Somehow I got lucky enough to interact with both. We had one boy and one girl camper who, more than the typical homesick kid, wanted to leave. The boy was not participating pretty quickly. The first day of the waterway, Monday, I spent the first portion on the beach trying to convince him to come in. It was a lost cause for that day as he had worn jeans in protest of the activity. I was just trying to engage him in hopes that maybe tomorrow he would come in a bathing suit. By Tuesday he was getting more vocal about wanting to go home. He was living in Swamp Right, where the only counselor was myself. His bunk was right above mine. I am not sure why, but even though he was not in my group, and for a large part of the day I did not interact with him, Father Tim told this boy that it was my call about keeping him here or obliging and sending him home. I was determined to turn his week around and make him happy to be there.

Wednesday morning he had explicity told me and some of the other boys that he was going to leave his bunk and bags a mess so as to prevent the other boys from getting the bonus they qualify for. Every day the "secret inspector" checks out each wing of each dorm. The cleanest wing wins a prize for all of its memebers. These means beds made, clothes away, bathrooms tidy, etc. It's not boot camp, but it shouldn't be unlivable either. This system is a way of keeping that in check. Well, my boys of Swamp Right were really into the bonus and made sure to keep their side of the dorm in perfect condition without me having to say a word. This boy, however, decided that he was so upset about being forced to stay that he would mess with the other campers. That is when I drew the line. I decided that despite my efforts, I was not going to have him affecting the rest of the kids because he was unhappy. I took off my first rotation that day and spoke with Father Tim. We went and got this boy and called his family with him present. Father Tim spoke with his mother and explained the situation, expressing his desire to keep the boy and turn his week around. His mother agreed but when we delivered this news, he refused to speak, look at us, or react in anyway. To benefit the max we convinced his mother to come pick him up. Father Tim explained that it was unfair to the boys and his counselor to have to cater to him. So on Wednesday we lost a boy.

All week long, a girl in my group was equally displeased with camp. She slept less than 2 hours the first night, dressed herself and sat up in bed until morning. On tent night, she stood up in the middle of the tent all night, still standing when the campers awoke. In addition, she would frequently cry in the middle of activities about being homesick. Only once did she come across as pleasant and that was an hour after getting to call home. She was 11, the oldest you can be in this week, and had been the previous year. Regardless, she was miserable. It was worse that she upset another girl in my group every time she would cry. Often times, this one girl would start balling and then the other girl in my group would to as a reaction to it. When they were apart, the younger girl was fine. So Wednesday, after dinner, and she also went home.

Wednesday was not a loss at all however. As sad as it was to see two campers I was involved with go home it also made things much easier. Sometimes things just aren't going to work out. Wednesday was another day of capture the flag. This day we were up against The Underdogs. They had some scrappy players, but we won by a narrow margin. Arts and crafts was a bit hectic. This would be the last day of normal Arts and Crafts. Tomorrow (thursday) we would be making our camp tie dye shirts. I hurriedly finished my pillow and then had all the campers in Arts and Crafts that day sign it for me. It's my favorite thing I have from the trip.

Before lunch that day we played a massive game of Simon Says on Field A. All week I had been wearing sleeveless shirts but I definitely recall feeling my shoulders during that game and in Rec. Sure enough, by the time we reached the waterway my shoulders were bright red. I put on a ton of sun screen but the damage was done. I was to be burnt the rest of the week. The boys thought it was a lot of fun to torture me and hang on my shoulders that day and the rest of the week.

At the waterway, Sergio - one of the CTs, mentioned to the kids that there would be a dance on Friday. This was the beginning of the end. For the next two days, at any given time, someone was talking about who they were asking to the dance. How much did it end up mattering - almost not at all. Only a few of the boys actually danced one on one with another girl. I mean they're 9-11 years old. Some of the boys actually got so upset by the apparent pressure that they didn't want to go at all. The damage had been done. All the campers wanted to do was talk about who they would ask, and who the counselors would go with. So much drama!

Wednesday was a day we knew about in advance. Why? Because Wednesday was that day that some of those nice people we met at mass on Sunday would come to the camp and cook all day. Dinner on Wednesday was an event. Dinner was fried food. We had fried chicken, french fries, fried zucchini and fried okra. It was absolutely amazing. It was the most legitimate Southern meal I have eaten and I have never enjoyed fried food quiet like I did that day. I had never even had okra before but I didn't hesitate one second before chowing down. Tonight was also parents night. Parents who were local enough or who wanted could come see their kids. For many of these kids, this is the longest they have ever been from home. At 8 and 9 years old, that isn't easy on them. So, after dinner, we walked around and met some of our kids parents. This was a pretty cool event too. Many of them brought their families and you got to see a glimpse of their home lives.

The night before (Tuesday) the campers were told that just like their counselors did on Monday, they too would have a skit night. Wednesday night after dinner we all broke off and worked on our individual skits. My kids loved the American Idol rendition and decided they would all do camp songs. The final decision was to have them all do the same camp song, each with their own spin on it. The judges would continue to mock but comment on how original the song was despite it being the same thing four times in a row. It was tough to get a few of them to loosen up to it, but surprisingly, most of them went at it - singing or filling their roll as a rude judge. It was a lot of fun.

Finally, the night would end with the camp fire. This should have been a lot more fun than it was. We all gathered around the camp fire and we were told that if you wanted to tell a scary story, tale, or joke, you should raise your hand. When it was your turn you would stand up in the middle of the circle and tell it. To keep form things getting out of hand, no one else was allowed to speak. After each story, there was no cheering or clapping. Even at jokes, there was no laughing. I am not sure what the point of all of this was. Patti really killed what should have been the most enjoyable night for the campers. If someone was to tell you that you were going to have a night around the camp fire, I would imagine you would have different expectations than how ours turned out to be. I walked back to the dorms a bit annoyed at how things played out.

It was once again tent night for Toad Camp J. Due to the poor weather the night prior, Tim was back on the floor for Pinocchio. Tonight I was back on duty and it was great. I really think this activity was one of my favorite aspects of the week.

Tuxes By Generation

Today, my grandpop, my dad, and myself all went to have our tuxes fitted for my sister's wedding in the fall. I always enjoy when the three of us go somewhere. I don't know why, but the idea of seeing, at once, the progression, the three generations all standing in a row - it's interesting to me.

Also, my grandpop is great. He was wearing a golf shirt and that was causing issue with trying out the dress shirt. They suggest he go change in the dressing room so that he is not trying to button a dress shirt over a polo. He liked that because he thought it was too public to change where he was. He walks over to the dressing room, and proceeds to take off his shirt. With the door still open. For the whole store to watch. So much for privacy.

Go Mississippi Day 4

Bad Weather is no Bad Thing

Tuesday, June 15th - It was definitely a bitter sweet walk back to the cabins form tent night. I had known about tent night from one of our last Go! Meetings at some point in April. I had mixed feelings about it. I was not so concerned with the heat, or the poor night of sleep. What I was concerned about was making it a fun night for the boys. I don't know any ghost stories and I am not typically the most outgoing/theatrical person. Tent night came and went and there was not a single moment where I felt the need to entertain them. They took care of it on their own, and just the same, they all fell asleep on their own. I never had to tell them to settle in, I never had to do anything except hang out and goof around like they did.

The day after tent night is typically the worst for the counselor. As such, Father Tim asks that the counselors who were in the tents stay back from the waterway, as well as take full advantage of all of the down time you can have in a day. What he didn't know is that I am just as much of a kid at heart as the campers and there was no way I was missing the waterway. I did, however, take off the a rotation to shower and collect myself. Later, I found Father Tim and due to my enthusiasm he was more than happy to allow me to go to the waterway.

Rec is never first for the group who had tent night the night before as a way of letting you fully wake up before running around. After a calm morning at Arts and Crafts, where I continued to perfect my awesome looking pillow case, it was time for Rec. Rec today was capture the flag. Here, it was on Field B and there was no hiding the flag. It was just who could dodge the other team, outsmart them, and reach the "flag" and get back. The flag was a sponge, a wet sponge. This made it difficult to grab it as you were running. There were many a time where people, while being chased, attempted to grab the sponge without losing momentum but could not grip it. It was a cool added challenge.

We won Rec handily against Toad Camp J. After returning to from Rec we had one station left. This would be my time to relax. Although I never got a chance to actually rest, it was nice to just move at a slightly slower pace and not be responsible for a group of kids for about 40 minutes. Towards the end of my break I walked over to the dining hall to see what was for lunch. No more than 30 seconds after getting inside, the skies opened up. The rain only lasted about 40 minutes but it was enough to end Rec early, and leave the rest of the campers to walk back from their respective stations in the storm. After lunch we all retreated to the dorms and waited to see if we would go to the waterway. I was hoping we would because otherwise, my going to Father Tim for permission to go would have been a waste. Luckily, the storm looked like it was breaking and we loaded into the bus.

We reached the waterway and it was bright behind us. As long as the storm kept moving east, we would see blue skies shortly. Unfortunately, the storm was moving west. Before we even lined up to go in the water, thunder broke out and we retreated to the hut next to the water. We never got in the water that day. It never let up. Between the thunder and lightening and then the rain, we waited for about 90 minutes before calling the bus back to pick us up. It was not a waste, though. This was the coolest it was all week. The breeze coming off the water and the cool rain were so refreshing. On top of that, Tim told a few long jokes, did a few magic tricks, and everyone just hung out. I was really glad, despite not getting to swim, that I fought to go that day. I definitely didn't regret not taking the day to sleep.

When we got back to camp there was no need to shower but dinner would not be ready for a while. We had time to just hang out and play some games. We even went over to the pavilion and Ms Holly led us in even more night time games later on. Aside from Poop Deck and a massive game of Simon Says, I don't remember what we played. Regardless, everyone had fun with it.

Dinner that night had been corn dogs and this was the first time I had to speak up. Before reaching camp, Patti had asked us if anyone had a special diet so she could let the cook know. I was in the back of the van, half asleep, and half thinking to myself - there will always be something for me at a meal - no need to say anything. Wrong! Unless I was planning on only eating Pringles from 6 pm until 8 am the next day, I needed to say something. Mr. Ron was more than accommodating and made me a delicious PB+J. I don't typically like these, but for some reason, it was really enjoyable.

After dinner that night myself and Andrew Gorman (the two leaders who had tent night the night before) were on Dorm duty. Every night, two male counselors and two female counselors are dismissed from the last evening activity first. The go to the dining hall, get some water, and maybe a snack, before heading to the dorms. These people are responsible for the kids that night. The rest of the counselors bring the kids back to the dorm, are relieved by the dorm duty counselors, and can do what they want. They can go down to Field B to look at the stars, go to the overlook, or just hang out in the dining hall, eating ice cream and talking with everyone.

I found out, since Toad Camp J was heading to the tents that night, that Tim (their leader) had been reading Swamp Left Pinocchio before bed. Not the Disney tale, but the original story of Pinocchio. He asked me, since I was there for dorm duty, if I minded taking over for him in his absence. I was thrilled. I used to hate reading out loud. After working at the day care for a year, and reading to the kids there, I had gotten really good at it. Some things you pick up on are when to change words for the age group, when to add in a "he said" if there has been a lot of back and forth dialogue but nothing written to keep the kids aware of who is saying what, and just the overall delivery. I grabbed the books, told my Swamp Right boys to behave since I would be in the other side and couldn't watch both, and settled in. No more than 1 page in, and Tim had returned. Because it was still ugly outside, he was not going to the tents - Father Tim deemed it too dangerous. He did not take the book back, and instead sat and listened to me reading. I was fascinated at how interested the boys were. They were all hanging over the edges of their bunks, listening to every word. It didn't matter that this version is totally different and much much darker, or that they were nearing the age where they don't need to or want to be read to before bed. They were on the end of their bunks from start to finish.

I read 3 chapters and said it was time for bed. That was all I needed to do. They all curled up and closed their eyes. It was magical and so easy. I took the job the rest of the week (at least all the nights I could).

I had given the older boys 15 minutes extra. I remembered that was something I always treasured as a kid - as I got older I got to stay up later. I let them stay up, on the condition that they were not loud. Instead of horsing around or being obnoxious, they all got together and played a game of simon says. Well, several games, but still. I was impressed that they chose this over just being boys and screwing around. When the time was up, I walked in and told them so. Because they had gotten this privilege over the younger boys, they were grateful and didn't ask questions when it was their turn for bed. I never had to say it twice. Within 20 minutes of telling them to go to bed the entire dorm was quiet. It was the fastest and calmest the boys went to sleep all week. I was pretty impressed and gave myself a little credit on how I handled it.

Since Andrew and myself were on dorm duty, we had to stay within earshot of the cabin. We sat outside and played chess and Stratego. The other counselors, knowing we had to stay there, brought us cake and ice cream. After about 45 minutes of sitting outside, with how quiet the boys were, I was getting really tired. It had been a long day and I got into bed. None of the other counselors complained because once one counselor goes into the dorm for the night, everyone else is free to go hang out. I think I was asleep in 5 minutes. At least it felt like it had only been five minutes and then all of a sudden my alarm was going off.

Debris

A few days ago I could not make a legitimate post because we had no power. I had to post using my phone instead. Driving around over the past few days, it is really become apparent how bad this storm was. I heard on the radio, damage wise, this is the worst storm to his the Philadelphia area since 2006. People are still without power, and we are really fortunate to not be in that position.

I took some pictures today of some of the damage at a friend's house. Some places are much worse than others, but his front yard is pretty bad. Incredibly, last I heard, there were no serious injuries despite all of the damage. That's unbelievable considering how some places look.

Go Mississippi Day 3

Rise and shine - today starts the real deal.

Day 3 in Mississippi was Day 1 of actual camp in the sense of scheduled activities with our groups. Up until now things were just kind of ice breakers and such. Monday morning came quickly and I was so ready for it. Maybe I just love working with kids and being outside or maybe it's because I have never really gone to summer camp, but I was full of enthusiasm from Day 1 to the end. I never took a day off the waterway, I rarely took my rotation break, and I never slept during 'rest-time' (although that could be due to my bed acting as the location of the Stratego board/ongoing tournament.)

From Monday to Friday I set my alarm for 6:30. I like to have some time in the morning to wake up and get my day going before going into the plans set out. Kids needed to be up by 7:15 and this gave me enough time to get up, shower, get a cup of coffee, and sit for a bit before kicking into the day. By 7:45 we were all out the door, and in front of the flag. Here we all would sing "Rise and Shine", say the pledge of allegiance and then be dismissed, one group at a time, to go to the dining hall for breakfast. Dismissal order was based on "straightest and quietest". We lost this the first two days, but nailed it the rest of the week. My kids were incredible at being perfectly in line.

Breakfast was nothing terribly special. It rotated every-other-day between Rice Krispies and Pancakes. After breakfast, we headed back to SWAMP, cleaned up, and headed to the pavilion for mass. Every day this was the morning routine, and so every day from Sunday (mass in town) to Friday, I went to mass. It was strange, but never felt off-putting. Actually, the first day I was a eucharistic minister. Definitely strange.

After mass we would line up at the bell tower in our groups, be paired with another team, and be dismissed to one of three rotations. We had Catholic Corner, where kids would learn something or do some sort of activity that reinforced the reading from mass (it was never really religious and was always engaging), Arts & Crafts, where kids could decorate pillow cases, sun catchers, duct tape flowers, frisbees, or make pot holders, and Rec, which was with Miss Holly and was some different competition setting the partnered groups against each other.

We had Rec first and we played Steal the Bacon against the Hamburger Helpers of the Future. I learned after this day that having Rec first is the way to go. Having Rec last is almost unhealthy. It would get so hot, that even at 10 am, after 5 minutes your shirt was wet from sweat. So, even though you would think that Catholic Corner would be the station counselors would want to take off most, it turned out that people would fight over having Rec off just to save energy/have to shower one less time a day.

At Catholic Corner we tried to guess closest to the number of drops of water you could fit on the face of a penny, and then talked about some benefits of water and light. Finally, in Arts and Crafts, I decided to decorate a pillow case. Since we had bought our pillows in MS we had no pillow cases on them. This seemed to be the smartest way to spend that time.

After the three rotations it was back to the dorms to wash up and then lunch. After lunch was 'rest time'. At this point the kids had been up and active for about 6 hours and it was also the hottest part of the day. So, we would stay in the dorms. The point was to recoupperate and stay out of the sun. Most of the kids would just run around or play some of the games we had grabbed for them. After seeing myself and another counselor play Stratego, they all wanted to play. Because we played on my bed initially, this is where the board/battles would be every day at 'rest time' the entire week. This meant I never got to nap. I probably would not have anyway, but now I had no choice. It was cool to see 9-11 year old kids want to play strategic/logic based games like this and Chess. I had little interest in thinking games when I was that age. I really loved that they were so passionate about playing these.

After 'rest time' we got into our swim suits and loaded into the school bus. It was time to go to the waterway. This place was awesome. I had been warned that it was gross, murky water and that we should suck it up because the kids love it and we can't just sit on the beach all week. I think the waterway ended up being one of my favorite things that week. I was in from the time we got there until it was time to go. Yeah the water was gross, and the ground was oddly squishy, but I didn't care. The kids had to pass a swim test to get to go out to the deeper area and that is how most of that first day was spent.

We returned from the waterway and all showered because everyone felt especially gross coming out of that water. After showers it was dinner time. Dinner tonight was tacos. They were delicious. Then, Miss Patti and Sergio took the kids to Field A while we, the counselors, were informed we had 45 minutes to plan out and rehearse an hour of skits to perform later that night for all of the kids. And by later that night, I mean in 45 minutes. A little more notice may have been helpful, but we pulled it off.

Skit night was awesome. The first skit was our very own rendition of American Idol with everyone singing a song using their name. We had four performances - all intentionally awful- with extra critical judges. The kids liked it.

Other skits included some 1 minute challenges, a strange J. C. Penny skit, and ATM skit, a mock rendition of Poop Deck which was quoted for most of the week, and then the invisible arms skit. If you have ever seen the Invisible Arms skit on Whose Line is it anyway, we stole it from them. Essentially, you have one counselor sit at a table, and he or she is getting all ready for a date. But, another counselor, positioned behind them, acts as their arms. The arms cannot see anything, and so brushing your hair, teeth, putting on shaving cream, eating, and drinking get very messy, very fast. This is how we ended skit night and they were dying of laughter. I was the arms and despite not seeing a thing, I could hear the reactions and knew it was a success. If you doubt me, check out the picture below of the end result.

Tonight was my group's tent night. We left first from the pavilion and got our things and headed out into the woods. the 5 boys and myself tried as best we could to get comfortable, but when it is 80 degrees outside, you are all sleeping side by side in a tent, and there are bugs all over, it's not easy. I awoke at sunrise (roughly 530am) and was wide awake until it was time to get them up at 7 am. It was not a great night of sleep. I broke a sweat just trying to spread my blanket out over the little mattress they put in the tent. I pulled 3 ticks off of me, and had to fight off a giant grasshopper to keep it from getting in the tent. Regardless, it was a lot of fun. The boys were so silly and we all walked back, still tired but all having had a good time.

Finally Official

Today I was added to Drexel's system, given an ID number, logged my hours, and got my ID picture taken. I just have to enroll in my healthcare and I am all set.

Tomorrow is going to so nice. I have a full day of relaxing planned. It'll be nice.

Night.

Go Mississippi Day 2

All week long I got made fun of for Day 2. We were told before we went to bed that breakfast would be at 8:15. It would be brief because we had to hit the road and head to the next town over to make it to mass on time.

I set my alarm for 7 am. They had told us to be up between 7 and 8. I then tried to wake everyone else up. I thought I was doing them a favor. They, the rest of the week, decided to mock me for being 'too ready' or 'too anxious'.

Anyway, showers were interesting, breakfast was brief, and then off into town to go to mass. I have not gone to mass regularly in a very long time. Every year my parents still convince me to come with them on Christmas and Easter. We were told that after mass we would be meeting some people from the town including some of those who would be coming to the camp on Wednesday. At one point in my life this would make me anxious. Some how that faded and I was pretty excited to meet everyone.

Mass was pretty standard. Afterwards I met the priest who not only knew the pastor to my grade school but is a Phillies fan and wanted to talk Philly sports. The meet and greet in the rectory was also pretty great. We filed back in the car and headed back to camp. Next we had to grab lunch, knock out the job jar, and get a run down of our 'stations' before the kids showed up. Well my job ended up being - try to fix the camps internet problem. Everyone else had to check the toilet paper in the dorms and other such things. I think I won that one. No points were awarded, however.

Before we knew it kids were arriving. I was stationed as a runner. We had a few counselors directing traffic. Two meeting the families as they came in. A few in each dorm to help the kids get settled and then runners. Runners got the kids after they registered in the dinning hall and brought them to the dorms. Got them situated with the dorm counselors and ran back. It was the most active role. It also helped later with remembering names because I introduced myself/had a conversation with everyone I 'ran'.

After everyone had arrived, picked a bed, settled in, and played some four square we all changed into bathing suits and headed to Field A. Here the camp had created their own 40 Foot slip and slide. We had the kids on this for at least an hour or more. It was awesome. A rare few made it to the end.

Next we dried off, got changed and then headed to the pavilion with Ms. Holly. This lady has the most positive energy I have seen in a person. She was so lively and so great all week. She got everyone active by playing a game called corners. Simple enough - when the 'it' camper said go - everyone else would run to another corner and sit. The 'it' camper had his or her eyes closed and once they finished counting to 10 they would listen to hear movement or sound. The corner that made noise was out.

Next we played a game directed by the one non-Fordham counselor, Zach. The game is called Poop Deck. The pavilion floor is evenly divided into thirds by cracks in the cement. Zach would stand in the front with the kids lined up in the middle section, otherwise known as the middle deck. The section to the left was the upper deck, to the right - the poop deck. He would call out a section and the last person to get there is out. If he called out the section you were in already and you moved - you were out. He could call out 'boom' which meant - hit the deck. This became a camper favorite quickly and really helped get all of them excited to be there.

Afterwards we went back to our respective dorms, washed up, and headed to the Bell tower, which is the center of camp. This is where we'd meet the rest of the week between stations, before meals, etc. Here Ms. Patti announced which kids would be in which groups and which counselors were the respective leaders. It felt a bit like the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter. We then filed into the dining hall and sat with our groups are our own tables. After we finished eating, we began discussing a group or team name.

When dinner ended, we would break to the dorms briefly and return to name ourselves and then create a banner to hang over our table for the remainder of the week. Many names had been tossed around. Fire Ants, The Vipers, among others. Ultimately we settled on a classic. We would be known as The Little Rascals. I loved this particularly because all week when I needed to get everyone's attention I would just shout "Rascals!" It was fun. Other group names were: Toad Camp J (initials of everyone in the group), GR8, Hamburger Helpers Of The Future, The Underdogs, and Monkey See Monkey Do.

This concluded activities for the night. We headed back to our dorms, got the kids in bed, and hung out outside for a bit before turning in ourselves. I never had a way of telling time all week and it was amazing. I never thought about what time it was in relation to being tired. I think I was in bed most nights by 10 PM or earlier. At home, I'd never have laid down that early, even if I was tired. Here, once I felt tired, I just got in bed.

I would occupy Swamp right myself, as far as counselors go, for the week. It turned out that they had more kids than they had space for with all of us counselors. As such, they moved the other counselor, Andrew Gorman, from right into a counselors bunk named Spear. I was a bit nervous having to handle the room myself. I have experience working with kids, but 4-5 year olds. Swamp right turned out to be the older kids. Most were 11, with a few still at 10. I expected most of them to just ignore me when I told them to be quiet or go to sleep, but I had almost no troubles. Things really went smoothly that first day. Tomorrow (Monday) would being the regular schedule, rotations, and the lake. I was more than ready.

I may have gone to bed sweating that night, and the rest of them. But I was ecstatic, too. I remember laying there, just elated to be where I was. I was in the south for the next several days. It was 97 for a high and at best 78 for a low. No air, bugs all over, and I was absolutely thrilled. That never faded.

No power no post

So tonight was a mess. Thanks to that crazy storm I was stranded in the city and then came home to no power. I am updating from my phone and as such am unable to post a picture. I also am suspending the Mississippi blogging because I am not typing the next entry out on my phone. Regular blogging will return tomorrow.

I also was hoping to work from home tomorrow. Unless we get power back by morning, I will have to go in. Bummer.

*edit: I wanted to post this picture because despite the city being totally thrown off by this storm, it was a beautiful night.

The Morning Commute

Go! Mississippi Day 1 (and the night before)

So here it is. The first entry about Mississippi.

Friday, June 11th - I was testing this day and that means that I was off site and in Bordentown, NJ. I finished testing around 2 pm and was about 1.5 hours away from a friend's house where I would be parking my car for the next week. Unfortunately, the testing materials needed to be brought back to my office, and so I drove (what is normally 40 minutes without traffic) 90 minutes back to the office to put down a briefcase, walk out and head back the exact way I came.

I reached my destination in NJ around 630 and finally was picked up by another GO! team member (Jason) around 11. I got back to the Bronx close to midnight to find out that the head of the GO! office wanted to see us off so we had to be up about 40 minutes earlier so he could meet us, give us a pep talk of sorts and then be on our way. This would mean we needed to be up by 3. Did I mention it was after midnight?

Needless to say very few of us actually slept, keeping ourselves occupied in various ways. Around 2 am we received a message from said GO! president saying he wasnt going to make it. Regardless we were going through as planned so as to make sure we had enough time at the airport. We got to Laguardia around 4 am for our 630 flight. Checking in went smoothly, we grabbed buffet/airport scrambled eggs (so soggy) and prepped for travel.

The flight from NY to CHI was not bad. A lot of people slept for parts of it, if not all, and with the loss of an hour it felt even quicker. We reached O'Hare airport around 7:50 CT with our flight to Memphis scheduled for 9:25 am. Everyone hit the bathrooms, grabbed Cinnabon and waited to board. O'Hare was packed and we quickly found ourselves in a long line on the runway (about 14th in line). After about 30 or 40 minutes of waiting (its now after 10) we are told we are 2nd in line, everyone needs to return to their seats. Then it happened. Rain!

They quickly froze all flights and we sat there. On the runway. In a 55 person plane. For the next 90 minutes. Nearing the 3 hours mark where airlines are required to let everyone off the plane, cancel the flight, and strand you - we were given clearance and took off. We took off right around when we were due in in Memphis, not actually landing until about 1:30 pm (CT).

Our ride back was captained by Ms. Patti. Our ship - a very large blue van that almost fit everyone (had one person on the floor). We stopped at Sonic, to everyone's delight, and finally reached GlenMary camp around 4:30. The boys would be in Swamp while the girls where in Spring. How fitting.

Swamp is exactly what a boys bunk in the woods would be. About 15-18 metal bunk beds, cement floors, brick walls. It was hot, there were bugs, it was ugly. We all loved it. We settled in (as much as you can), claimed our bunks, and found Candy Land in a box of supplies and games left behind by the previous week's counselors. Thus started the points system. For any competitions, whether it be board games or our kids versing each other in a sport, the 5 guys had a scoreboard.

We got dinner, had some orientation, and headed to Walmart. Most of us needed some things. On the list was packs of sleeveless shirts (beaters) for the guys, pillows for everyone, communal shampoo and soap for the guys, waterbottles for everyone, and some other things. We got out of there around 9 that night and headed back to the camp. Other than going to the waterway (soon enough) and a few people returning to Walmart later that week, we were at camp from this point on.

Everyone hung out, there was an abs work out session (Tim, our leader, told us the focus of the trip was abs back in NY. Apparently he was serious and some of the counselors had an intensive ab work out a few times that week), and later we hit the hay. We were told we had a busy day a head of us. There was much to do before the kids would arrive between 1 and 2pm the next day.

I went to bed sweating. This would happen most nights. I found out later why you don't hope for rain in the south. Here, in the north - when it is that hot and humid - rain means relief. In Mississippi - not so.

Getting Better

Today was much better than yesterday. Camp, MS, the kids - they're all still on my mind constantly. But things picked up a bit. I was more motivated, it was a nicer day and I just felt better.

Today Alex and Maria were back and to make up for yesterday I went to them for breakfast and lunch. Total bill - 6.60. Where else are you going to get a freshly made egg sandwich and coffee and later a freshly made chicken parmesan for that cheap? I actually think it might be cheaper than eating at home and bringing lunch. This part of my day definitely was helpful. Also the commute in the morning, as I had to drive, went well. They day of work was filled and positive and meeting up with old co-workers afterwards was a really nice close.

I got to spend some time with a good friend and my sister, picked up a bookshelf as part of the basement transformation that will hopefully be occurring soon, and I got to talk with some of my GO! team members.

Nothing overly special really happened, but I still felt like today was a big improvement over yesterday. Let's hope tomorrow continues that progression. If all goes well, the Thank You cards will be finished tomorrow and I will post about camp.

Goodnight.

A Delay To Thank Some People

My original plan was to start posting my notes/journals from camp today. What I forgot about was the 25 Thank You cards that needed to be written to the individuals who came to my graduation party and helped me, essentially, pay for my lovely new computer. So, before I can sit down and type up everything I want to say about camp, I need to spend today and tomorrow getting all of those written and mailed out.

I also really miss the place. It was really hard being at work today. Last week was bliss - despite the difficulties, the challenges, the sweat, and the sunburn (all in time, people), I loved every second of it and new right from the start that it was going to be something that I would never forget. As such, looking at the pictures and just typing this are difficult things. I realize it was only a week, but to me and the rest of us from the team - it felt like a so much longer. One person actually remarked saying we got as immersed and it felt as long as her semester abroad. To sit here now realizing that I may never see any of those kids again is really difficult. It't different from a college friend who moves home because you talk to them still - there is some contact. With both the kids and the staff - that won't happen and the 'cold turkey' is harsh.

(a glimpse at our team's banner. I need to find somewhere to hang this.)

Need More Sleep!

So I thought to myself - one night of good rest will get me back in the swing of things.

Then I woke up at 10 am after only 6 hours of sleep. I was too excited to talk all about the week with my family to realize I had not slept enough. Needless to say, by 3 pm I was already feeling it. We had our father's day party today and I was nodding off the whole time.

I was able to get through all of the emails in prep for work tomorrow, resulting in a 20 item To Do list. Looks like I will be jumping right back into things.

The trip:

I was asked how the trip was not long after turning my phone by on. It was absolutely amazing to be so disconnected and so non-dependent on technology, texting, etc for a week. I understand the irony of writing that on a blog post. I digress.

Before really considering much, I had typed back that it was one of the best weeks of my life. I plan to write up a summary of each day, some thoughts, etc. I jotted down some things in a notebook over a couple of days that I will type up as well. Regardless, I do not think there is anyway to put into words what the experience was like. To tell you how saddened I am at the thought that I may never see any of the people I got to spend the past week of my life with does not come close. It's hard to reflect on. I know it was only 1 week, but it felt like one year. I really go to know those kids, and the staff there, and it is heartbreaking to reflect on. I hope with all my might that I can find a way to go back next year. It was simply incredible and I am so so so grateful that I was able to do it.

Goodnight.

He rested

I am back home. Blogging will resume tomorrow.

Hope all is well.

Namaste

This is it folks. Signing off.

Prep

I have spent almost every moment since I got home working on this next week. Actually, I spent most of today doing that. It's not just prepping myself, making sure my things are in order, my bags are packed, etc. I also, now, have a lab that I am in charge of. There are 6-10 RAs (depending on how soon some of them come back from finals) who need things to do next week and 8 grad students who typically look to the person in my position for updates, for coordinating their groups and other things and my boss who relies on me to relay everything from her to them and vice versa.

I know it has only been a few weeks since I started and only a few days of working on my own, but prepping for a week off is exhausting. There is so much to keep in mind, organize, assign, etc. On top of it, I am leaving from work to go to NY which is where the flight leaves from. That means goodbyes to my family, packing, etc - all have to be done before I leave for work in the morning. I don't know why but I always have had difficulty feeling comfortable or at ease when packing for something in advance. I like to pack right before I leave for what I am packing for. Packing in advance and having things in between despite not returning home always makes me more worrisome that I have forgotten something.

For the most part, very little cannot be gotten even if I forget it. Regardless, until I am standing on the camp grounds in Mississippi, I am going to worry that I am missing something. I am bringing my computer to NY with me in hopes of making one last blog entry. If not, I plan to journal every night before bed (like I do know) in a note book and I will post this stuff when I get back along with pictures I take there.

So if this is it - have a nice week, be safe, eat your vitamins, and see you soon.

A Little Routine, A Little Warning

One of my goals when I got my job in the city was to become a regular somewhere. I like the idea of being able to walk into a restaurant, coffee shop, or bar and the people know you and know what you are there for. In high school, my friends and I were frequent customers at the Llanerch Diner. Some of us still go there to this day. But back then, despite our frequency, we were never recognized; no one knew our orders or names.

Having only been at my new job for a little over two weeks, and not establishing the routine I have right away, I have already reached my goal. There is a breakfast cart outside of the building I work in that is run by a man and woman named Alex and Maria. The cart is appropriately named "Alex and Maria's". The place is so busy in the morning. I don't know how they do for lunch but suffice it to say, I am no more than another face in the morning rush. Somehow, despite the number of customers, after just one week, they learned my order. Now, when I walk up I am greeted with a good morning and a reciting of my usual order. It happened so quickly and I love it. Downside: I am afraid to try anything else on the menu just for fear of damaging it.

I sometimes consider myself completely against routine. I hate the idea of a 9-5 career, I hate the idea of doing the same thing for a long period of time. I think there is too much to see and too much excitement to just fall into that. That being said, when I have no structure, I long for something like it. In the school year, when I had multiple days off, classes two days a week, the day care, etc - I struggled to adapt, to set aside time on a regular basis for school or other things. In that moment, I longed for a more structure life, one that would allow me the ability to get used to things. So maybe I don't know what I want, or maybe I just get bored and even change to a routine is change enough to feel fresh. What I do know, is that (for now) I love my morning routine.

Finally - my short notice warning. I am going to Mississippi for a week. When? Saturday. Yes as in 2 days from now. It is for my GO trip. One of the major pillars of GO is simple living. What that means is no technology for the entirety of the trip. So, as of Saturday, until the following Saturday, I will be offline and will be unable to update my blog. I am upset by this because other than one brief trip early on in my Breadcrumb project, I have been able to keep this thing going. Closing in on one year (only 7 weeks to go) and I have to miss 7 straight days. I am bringing my camera and hope to take a bunch of pictures which I will use as my make-up for this lapse. Please forgive me (if you are reading this) for my leave. I promise I will have tons of fun and love every second I am there. Deal?

(my daily funds for Alex and Maria. I am going to aim for exact change to perfect the routine. weird?)

Troubles

Today, while continuously boasting the new features of my brand new MBP, my mom's computer did just the opposite. Without moving, without touching anything, she was faced with the infamous Blue-Screen-Of-Death. After running several diagnostics, the computer found nothing wrong. We shut it off, and came back to it a bit later. Restarting apparently was all it needed. Maybe it was a temporary glitch in how it started up. Hopefully it is nothing more. Regardless, she now has made several mentions about how it would be nice if she could afford to buy herself something like I have.

I do not pity a woman who is able to support a family, own a car, own a house, and put food on the table. This is especially true after her remark yesterday of, "once you pay for the train, and health care, you won't be making anything. What are you going to do?" I'm going to enjoy my job, and take advantage of my opportunities within it. I love going to work, and I love what I am doing. It' so much and it is absolutely overwhelming, but I wouldn't trade it. I was added to a paper being submitted for review today. This means I am getting co-authored, aka published. It's my third week. I was just asked to co-author a manuscript that I will begin working on at the end of the summer. These are in addition to getting credit for writing a grant later this year, and speaking at a national psych conference next March. So - that's what I am going to do. And I cannot wait!

Delivery

What Finale?

Just because there are no more episodes of Lost does not mean Lost is over. Sorry to the millions of people who have been tormented for years by conversations they don't understand - the show ending will not end these conversations.

Yesterday I got a package in the mail - a shirt I ordered from Ronnie Midfew. It's awesome. And just like Mike said - people came up to me about it.

Concerts, Records, Cheesesteaks

It's too late to write a full blog tonight. The title sums up today in the most bullet-pointed fashion. It was a fantastic day. Really glad Mike came this weekend. My wallet says otherwise - we compromised and decided Mike has to come back again, but not for a month.

Goodnight.

2 Down

Today completed my training, my cushion, my safety net. Today we said good bye to Meghann. She was an incredible help and guide and made my first two weeks at this job amazing. We really got along well and I loved the natural feeling to it all - it was as if we'd always worked together. Unfortunately, for both of us as we admitted, the only reason I was even there was because she inevitably would not be.

That time has come. When the work week starts again things get real. The entire department - the undergrads and the experiences they'll gain, need and use for their careers, as well as the grad students and the studies, the treatment, and the research they are conducting, and the overall product for Naomi all fall into my hands.

I don't think it has hit me yet, and I don't know if being there alone Tuesday will do that or not. What I do know is I am, in theory, ready and excited. Let's see how it goes.

Mississippi in 1 week!!!

Aaaand ...SOLD!

I made my mac purchase today. Due in sometime next week. I cannot wait.

In other news, my RAs set off the fire alarm today causing the entire 13 story office building to evacuate. I was out to lunch with the person I am replacing. When we came back we walked in and were immediately told to close the door behind us. Then came the story.

"We had a fire alarm"

"Well that's the whole story, way to ruin it."

(false- only 1 small part of the story)

"Well, while she was in the bathroom, I decided to make my Mac & Cheese. When mine finished, I started to make hers. As I was putting it in the microwave she came back. About one minute in, something started to smell terrible. When I looked back to the microwave I notice it was all cloudy. I opened it and...well...it was filled with smoke. I took the easy mac container out and put it in the sink and filled it with water - this caused even more smoke, and then the alarm went of. We all had to evacuate the building. The firemen and police came- they questioned a bunch of people. At one point I overheard someone say 'I heard it was girls on the 10th floor' and just started to laugh."

Turns out, in being distracted with the other girl coming back, the first did not remember to fill the easy mac bowl with water. The seasoning lit on fire and that is that. A building full of faculty and other staff, 13 stories tall, on a 90 degree day, was forced to evacuate - meaning taking the stairs. This cuased me to remember being annoyed at a firetruck driving by during lunch (we ate outside). Yes, this truck was on it way to our building because of my RAs.

We laughed about it most of the afternoon.

Oh, and our floor is now without a microwave. Maybe because its broken. I think its punishment. The old - if you can't use it properly, you don't deserve to have it.

(courtesy of the 10th floor psychology lab)