Wednesday, July 23, 2008

jada

Jada is the Church of God's Director's daughter. Jada is three. Jada is as independent as a 13 year old thinks they should be. It is not uncommon to find her in random areas around camp, parentless. Just the other day she happened upon Dottie and her dog Missy and just took off down the hill after them. Missy was just too thrilling to keep her staying where she was supposed to.

Friday afternoon I was sitting in the office/store when I turned around to find Jada just standing in the doorway staring at me. "well hi jada. What are you up to?" "Candy!" she said. When I asked her mother if this was ok Tina's response was, absolutely not! Jada was undaunted. 5 minutes later she comes wandering in the store holding the hand of one of the campers, pointing to all the candy she would like. Suddenly more campers jumped in trying to buy jada something. Yeah she knew she was working the system and was grinning from ear to ear. Unfortunately for her, I was still there. I told the campers that Tina had said no to which Jada became rather frustrated but oh well. two minutes later she was back again with another victim camper. This happend 3 or 4 times before Jada got smart. She went and found Allie, one of the staff members whom I affectionately call rambo, because if she wants it, she gets it, end of story. It was at this point that I held up my hands in surrender.

But Jada wasn't finished. While Alli bought her candy, Jada became very interested in one of the small stuffed animals. I watched as she picked it up, put it under her arm, and headed for the door. "Hey jada, that stays here honey." I said. "Yes, I'm jada" she replied matter of factly and kept walking. "I know you're jada. You can't take that animal with you." She looked down at it as if in surprise, thought about it for a moment, then reluctantly put it back on the shelf, took her candy in triumph, and left.

Monday, July 21, 2008

the wheat factor

Ok...so I just need to know from the masses, am I just hyper aware of what has wheat in it because of my disease or are people just incredibly UNknowledgable about life? A few people I work with found it rather odd that I couldn't eat their pasta with them. They couldn't figure out what it was I couldn't eat! Totally shocked I went to somebody else and point blank asked them, "knowing my disease, if we were to eat mac n cheese, what couldn't I eat?" they didn't know either. so I made it easier.. "ok it's the pasta. why can't I eat the pasta ?" "I don't know, but I'm guessing it has wheat in it since you're asking?" "what is pasta made out of?" "ummm, I don't know. Never watched them make it." "fine, what is anything bready my out of? what is FLOUR made out of?" "I have no idea. but I guess i make bread out of wheat flour... wait, so you can't eat bread?" *bottom jaw thumps my big toe" NO! NO, I CAN'T EAT BREAD!

What really gets me is the general consensus that I am a vegan instead. I tell them I can't eat wheat, they automatically assume I won't eat dairy or eggs. For instance, we had grill cheese sandwiches and one of the servers said, "would you like a sandwich? oh wait, you can't eat the cheese. we have some vegan in the back, let me go get one." and here Stephanie goes into a 30 minute speal about WHEAT! WHEAT WHEAT WHEAT WHEAT!!!! BREEEEEAD!

I am willing to say that I am wrong. maybe people really don't know these things. But I swear I knew this before I even turned five. I honestly do not mean to offend by this blog, I just don't understand. If this is really the way the world thinks, I concede, please tell me how horrible I'm being.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

differences

First let me give you a little background...

Tween and Teen campers are allowed to chose the activities that they would like to do for afternoon rotations. Once they sign up all of that information is run through the computer, checked, rechecked, and multiple lists made. Rosters go to activity directors who are instructed to take role at each session. If for some reason a camper goes missing he administrative staff begin searching every possible area. If the camper is found they are given a stern talking to, along with the counselor that didn't get them out on time. If they are not found then we go into lost camper mode which means everybody must come to line call and be accounted for. It's serious business.

Now... you have Church of God. They bring in 130 kids and have a camp similar to ours. We just drive boats, lifeguard, take horse rides, etc. I was in a pool chair waiting to rotate in for my turn lifeguarding and listening to the conversation. 10 minutes into the activity Bob (the counselor on duty) wakes up enough to open one eye and say, "hey larry, we're missing three girls. Don't know if they're coming." to which larry replies, "do we know which cabin they are from?" Bob had no idea. They discuss names and then Larry says "Well I know her, she probably wouldn't want to come anyway and that other girl and her are attached at the hip, so they probably just aren't coming. just don't worry about it" Bob went back to sleep and Larry jumped in. Problem solved.

HA! woooow.......

Swimmin

Last night after supper a bunch of us went swimming with the horses.














Friday, July 11, 2008

Day off

Wednesday we all took our day off at home.
Jodi, Jennifer, Kenny, Me, Desmond

At Nascar Racetrack
Laser tag!!! I won by the way. Although that may be because I kept shooting myself. hmmm

Waiting


I won this too. :)




Until Desmond decided to plow through us.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Overload

When I first heard our numbers for teen camp I was thrilled. Then the numbers kept growing and growing and growing and I started to become scared. Walking into the cafeteria this evening I decided that I was definitely not feeling it. Yeah 160 is double what we usually have and should be great but I can't move once I get in the cafeteria, much less breathe. Forget getting seconds, it may take hours to get firsts.

Brent and I have to sign up all of these kids for four activites per day, plus put it in the computer. It required an hour of kids pushing the table into me, screaming what they wanted, grabbing for their stickers, whining about their choices and basically making me lose my mind. Then add certain staff that felt like their need needed to be taken care of NOW!

Coming in to the office to put all of it in the computer I found tons of staff hanging out and being very loud about it. So my dilemma would be to scream back at them to shut up? or take it. I was boiling inside. Finally between Brent giving them a clue and isaac seeing the pleading in my eyes to help me get them to leave they left.

I'm feeling very overwhelmed. I don't want to be around anybody. I'm on person overload. I've seen way too many of them today. Let me tell you, it's hard for me to have too much of people, but I've had it. Whatever happened to peaceful calm Nosoca, away from the pressures of the world?

Ad staff have now gathered in the office and are having a delightful little talk but every added decibel of noise is making me cringe. I'm going to go take a long hot shower.

Character

I'm sorry but does anybody else find this in the least bit entertaining?

Seen before/during the friday night pageant:

~An angel, holding a soldier costume, flying around in a golf cart.
~A demon and an angel playing a heated game of ping pong
~ A roman soldier playing computer games
~ Adam putting on bronzer for a fake tan
~ An angel telling a roman soldier to be careful sitting in his skirt
~ God giving the roman soldier a sheet to help him sit in his skirt
~ Pilot listening to an Ipod