WILAC S2 P6

This job cannot be done with one Maintenance worker
Joe needs a JC
"Why did the cow jump over the moon?"
"My mom is very poor, and..." (Actually from last week)
"Everyone has a gorilla
Joe is not a DJ
Jitterbuging cannot be made-up
Broken soda canisters explode
There are too many people at meals
"Burn the rope to drop the box"
"I'm one-cheeking it here"
Compy did it
Only Joe's cabin can keep quiet in the night game
"My name's Tony Petreli; I can fix yer car."
"Thankful for the rain and the rainbows"

*Don't always ask why

So this week was Junior High Week One, also known as the best-kept secret of the summer. I was the only mantenance worker on staff (besides my boss), but the kitchen crew and male life guards were very helpful this week. Well, everyone was helpful this week in one way or another, from pitching in to clean the bathrooms to making sure their tables were actually cleaned off. In addition to my daily maintenance rountine, I also helped out with the Reader's Theater production, which carved out two hours of my day to trying to keep Junior Highers quiet. Nothing bad happened, and everything was completed as it should. The fires were fine, bathrooms were clean, games were played, and tables were moved.

I learned two major things this week: 1) I can't do it all by myself, and 2) You don't always need to ask why. The first one is pretty straightforward. although you could go all existential about it and extrapolate it into a huge, universe-encompassing moral lesson. The second one was taught to me in two different ways. First, we had a volunteer who would always ask, "why?" even when the answer was obvious or the question didn't need to be asked. It ended up becoming so ridiculous that it just became tiring after the first day. Second, I saw certain staffers second-guessing both their actions and the events that were happening to them. It drove them (and, as the one who has constantly hearing about it, me) nuts. Without going into too much depth, all I can say is that sometimes, it pays to not worry and let everything cause bumps along the way. Sometimes, it's okay to let it roll over you and just relax. Trust me, I've worried about enough nonsense over the years to be able to say that worrying too much is hazardous to one's health.

So, next week is Junior High 2, the Best Week of the Summer, and I actually go back to camp in a little more than an hour. This is the last week for the counseling staff, apart from a few who will stay on for the Family Weeks, and it is the week with the most campers of any week. It also has some of the most fun activities of any week, but it will still be a challenge to everyone.

WILAC S2 P3

Ty wears his sunglasses at night

Never offer to make out with someone to prove you're straight

Lauren shouldn't huff sugar

$5

You'll find work if you look for it, and if you don't

"QUIET!!!"

Tony doesn't drive on diesel

Seniors like to shower

"Do it on the weekend"

Camp is bad when the water's out

Seth can shoot 4 clay pigeons with one BB

"Ow...you shot me in the chin"

Tom was the skunk

Danielle M. is evil

Chelsea is a marks(wo)man

Stephen is a pyromaniac

It's always good to have someone to talk to

Well, this week I didn't really have any big revelations or major changes to my life. I'm really tired this weekend, so much so that I'm misspelling about every third word as I type. I did learn, however, that being the "nice guy" can simultaneously be wonderful and horrible at the same time.

Anyhow, I'm really sorry to my readers (all 4 of you as far as I know), but I'm really tired and our of energy for the day since I had an awesome day hanging out with one of the best people in the world. I may update this one later in the week, but it seems unlikely.

Next weeks starts the beginning of three easier week, Junior Weeks 1&2, and Junior High 1 (the best-kept secret of the summer.). Remember, there's still space available to anyone who wants to join.

Goodnight New York~!

WILAC, S.2, P.2

What I learned during Precious Jewels Week:

(N.B. As I was typing, I realized some of these sound rude, but were originally said in innocent context, which I have included at the end of the quote)

"Anyone need a hoe?"

"Drive it like it's stolen"

'Barzelfarf"

"If you wanna get wet then go roll in a puddle"

"That's how we do it BaYouCa style: freeze 'em and beat 'em" (referring to chicken)

"Lemme put my pants on" (referring to my pants that zip off into shorts)

"I will hip check you into next week"

"We don't slap, we grab" (referring to being the first to grab a ball away from the opponent to win a round of Electricity)

When it rains, it pours

My car is for sale for a dollar

I'm a hetero version of a gay best friend

A pawpaw is a small tree/shrub with sweet berries

Hypocrisy

The benches on the left side of the dinning hall are lower than the right

• Don't ever judge a book by it's cover.

That last one is what I want to focus on this week as I was on both the receiving and giving side of this cliché. Surprisingly, this has nothing to do with the actual Precious Jewels, who are, for hose of you who don't know, mentally handicapped campers that the camp hosts for a single week. This year, I did not have any campers in my cabin (which is good since my counselor was having health problems), instead I had a cabin full of volunteers from a youth group in Michigan. It could have gone better...

Long story short, their youth leader, when respectfully approached on the matter of a miscommunication that left us without beds, completely shut us down because we were younger than him. (yes, this will be a bit of a rant. I'm trying to get over it, but I need to spew for a bit) Have I mentioned yet that he was probably only five years older than me? I'm not over-exaggerating either; he literally said we were too young to talk to adults about this stuff. Us, who are entrusted with the safety and leadership of preteens, teens, and mentally handicapped adults. and this man, who was in charge (barely) of a group of adolescents encouraged his group to break rules and made more inappropriate jokes than the entire group combined.

I'm trying to follow 1 timothy 4:12, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" (NIV), especially the last part, but I am having trouble. On of the things that really gets on my nerves (among being interrupted and when people ask me for advice and then completely ignore it) is being criticized for my age, especially since I'm young for my grade level (Sophomore at college and only 18). Deep breath...they're gone. I just have to forget about them.

I know that's kind of off-topic for cover-judging, but it fits well-enough. I'll also admit (without giving away too many details) that I judged someone unfairly this past week, and I was dramatically proven wrong. It wasn't so much an age thing, but not knowing someone's background fully, which is next to impossible to know upon meeting someone (Hi, my name's ___ and my life story begins when...). So, it just proves once again that I'm not even close to being a good role model yet, but I think I managed to save the situation.

Well, I think that's the gist of it for this week. Next week is Precious Jewels Two--I mean, Senior High Week, which is the end of the "hard" weeks. Keep all of us in prayer.

What I Learned At Camp, season 2, pt 1

"You don't like pancakes? What are you, the devil?"

"Remember guys: professionalism-" "Pants on the ground!"

PD

"Freedom!"

Christian can't lead in the dark

"Whuh?"

"Or you'll die"

A weatherman-preacher can solve all problems

Someone stole the bat video

"Can I sit on your roof?"

"If you're with me, clap your hands! / Slap your knees! / Stomp your feet!"

We must always wait for the bell

I am a lionotter

Longer the hair, the closer the shave

I can't get along with someone of the opposite sex without starting rumors that we're in a relationship

So, if you're new to my little blog here, after every week I post a list of amusing quotes and facts from camp, along with a deeper evaluation of the week as a whole. This past week was the beginning of my second summer working at BaYouCa (Baptist Youth Camp): staff training week. If you were following me last year, you might remember the struggles I had adjusting to the working. for those of you who weren't following me, the week last year challenged me so much that I almost quit, which is not something I ever do.

This year, however, staff training went, well, swimmingly except for two injuries and an asthma attack. The weather wasn't the best (I poured Wed-Friday), but we still got everything done that needed to be done since Boss sent us home Friday night instead of Saturday noon. (Well, there are still some logs that need to be cut but still). I don't actually have much to report this time around.

It was really great to see some old friends from last year and making new ones since most of the staff was new to me. I really think this year is going to be great given the people we have on staff. (But man, employing all these 16-year-olds who are still in high school makes me feel old.) Everyone seems to work really well together, and there are so many unique personalities that nothing will ever get old. I know everyone's nervous about how the summer will turn out, especially the first-time staff and counselors, but I'm sure that by the grace of God, everything will be fine.

WILAC VI

-Not everyone knows what Converse are
-Mouthwash can make even trash smell good
-When I say "eyeballs," you say "click"
-"Elbow it!"
-It's Christmas in July
-Rolling mean constant contact with the table!
-Ish is too strong for shovels
-I'm laughing at the situation
-Wicked jams in the kitchen are awesome
-As the gas goes down, the fish goes up
-Grocery stores don't sell nails
-Hand-squeezed juice
-All of Ish's troubles could have been avoided with two blue slushies
-Mowers can go up 45 degree hills without tipping
-Sodium hyopchlorate > bleach
-"It's like I'm taking a bath in a cough drop"
-"Jesus be tripping"
-Can I-Maaaaay I?
-"I'm still all sudsy!"
-"ROY *clapclap, clapclap* G *clapclap, clapclap* BIV *clapclap, clapclap* ROYGBIV, Noah built the ark so the animals could live"
-"It's like spiders went crazy and had a war in your hair"
-And somewhere in the distance, a cow moo'd
-Boating in the shower
-"That's a creepy hole"

So, this week was the first of the Junior High weeks, with a total of 88 campers (50-50 guy-girl), which is good because the low numbers were easier to deal with. next week...*gulp* has 221 campers signed up (220 is about the camp limit) and we accept walk-ins. Soooo Monday will be an interesting day seeing as how we're going to have to park all those cars, find beds for all the campers, and set up almost 300 chairs along with all our other tasks....oi...
So yes, prayer will be greatly appreciated
Anyways, I don't really have any super-special, dramatic epiphany or anything this week. The week was long, hard, fun, crazy, and all-around awesome, but nothing spectacular (although that means that nothing catastrophic happened either). Oh, we had a reader's/dinner theater, which for those of you who don't know is just like a normal dinner theater, except the cast is always reading from a script, even when on stage. It went off really well, and I can't wait to see it again this week.
This Sunday we're in for a treat. The board is giving us a special dinner (steak) tonight, and we have some other special things going on.
...which reminds me, I have to go pack;
Caio!

WILAC V

-If there's enough, you can sweep water
-Cabin 19 has had a leaky roof
-A frayed knot
-1, 2, 3, eyes on me
-Nursey can rock it on the guitar
-I need a belt
-"Flood" is spelled with an "i"
-1, 2, eyes on you! (yes, sometimes it takes just that long)
-Glow sticks can explode
-So can pipes
-Every week is unique (+5 rhyming points)
-Puddle jumping is fun
-Skirts can be used to hide water balloons
-I know where something hidden is
-Mud sliding is dirty
-Tar is hard to get off your hands
-If I ever do have kids, I hope they're girls
-The song game is fun
-Shaylem and Emily are deathly afraid (knot) of snakes
-Something bad was supposed to happen on Friday
-I love drama
-Next best thing to candles: bubbles
-When it rains, it pours

So, this week was junior week two, same ages as last week but with over 140 kids this time (max capacity is a little over 200). It rained most of the week with showers hitting all days except Thursday, which allowed for splash games to still take place. Wednesday evening was the worst of the storm, with the water coming down in sheets with wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour (and me, Doug, Adam, Christian, and Emily D were all standing in the gazebo taking it head-on (someone was too scared to come out of her cabin)). The other days, it just kind of drizzled for most of the day. Personally, I love the rain, the sight, the sound, the thunder and lightning, the smell afterwords, pretty much anything to do with rain. The management staff did a great job working around/through the weather though, and the counselors must have loved it since they got to spend more time with their campers (hopefully it was love). The only really bad parts about the rain were the fact that the basement of the Tab flooded, and the fires for s'mores wouldn't light right. So, yeah, that's the first part of the "rains/pours" I have.
The second part is centered around the fact that this was the second hardest week of my life, the first being fishing camp, which I'm sure a few of you have heard about. Anyhow, given the intense weather, drama which both involved me directly and not, and a few complications I don't want to share publicly until I deal with it privately (isn't there a verse in Matthew that says to deal with the person responsible first?). Nevertheless, this was a long, hard, tiring week, not only for me but for all of the staff. What set this week apart from all the other lousy weeks in my life was the fact that it was worth the struggle. I grew closer to my friends at camp, and even those who I don't normally talk to. I lost another 3 pounds (making the summer total 21-blackjack!) even though I was eating more this week than normal (care package from my aunt). I also learned how to replace sinks.
Today, or it might have been yesterday... I was reading another staffer's weekly update (she has so much more detail than I do) and in it was the phrase "Life's not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain." That phrase really called out to me this week (not just because of the literal rain and all the fun we had in it) and it encouraged me. I'm a sort-of opportunist; if I see a time to do something and have the ability, I will do it (sort of like kleptomania). However, this phrase takes it to a bigger picture aspect. I realized I need to take it a little bit more relaxed and just enjoy the moments as they come, no worrying about college, romance, stories, or anything like that untill after camp, and even then I'll still take it slow. Thank you Mariah (and as a thanks, I spelled your name right)
So yeah, next week is Jr. High Week I, with a total of 85 campers so far. This week will definitely be easier. Can't wait to give you guys an update. Oh-and I'm now past the half-way point for the camp season! Only four more weeks to go...four weeks? oi...

What I learned at camp II

What I learned at camp, this week:
-Never sand towards yourself
-Anything can be fixed with bailing twine, bleach, or ducttape
-What we have here is a failure to communicate
-If it ain't dirty, don't fix it
-Three ingredients to a BYC BBQ: Gas, a match, and lots of running distance
-Apparently, tornadoes can happen in central NY
-Every kitchen member freezes momentarily under a code blue (safety inspector)
-Tuesday is apparently random singing day
-Maria shouldn't drive the EZGo (just kidding)
-I shouldn't be allowed on failblog because I just wasted a half hour when I was supposed to be writing this...
-Mentally handicapped people are no different than the rest of us

So another week has gone by, and another lesson has been learned (I think). Well, I'm not sure; this week didn't leave me with as great an impression as last week. Anyway, this week was Precious Jewels week, the mentally handicapped week at camp (actually, it was the 40th anniversary of when the PJ program started) and it went off without any major hitches. Well, there was a tornado Monday (no damage done), and our assistant cook, who majorly runs the kitchen, has his dominant arm in a sling and isn't supposed to be in the kitchen anymore. My cabin's campers were fine. We had no problems with missing or belligerent campers, no bed wetting (sorry cabin 3!), and there was only one mess in the lav, and even that wasn't really bad. All in all, it was a fairly mellow week, just draining (we moved a lot of tables and chairs).
Every camper there seemed to be pretty coherent. When I was sitting through the training, i was picturing people who could barely function, but they seemed fine, just limited. A few of them couldn't talk well, others had motor skill problems, but only a handful (if that) seemed actually "disabled." I guess that's how it is in the real world.
Why are people so ignorant?
Anyhow, next week is the single Senior High week, dubbed "Precious Jewels Week II" by most of the staff, and I'm only semi-looking forward to it. Apparently, the campers don't respect the facilities, and I'm not crazy about reffing paintball as a guy... Well, it should be an experience nonetheless. Drop me a line if you need, no promises on a response though.