Re-App

There's nothing like filling out a Re-App to the greatest job ever! No, it's not Resort Waterslide Tester, which I admit would be pretty sick. That can be my back up job. What I'm talking about is Summer Camp Counselor.

Filling out the Re-App is Step One in my preparation for next summer. Yes, I spend 8 months anticipating and preparing for 9 weeks. Call me crazy, but you wouldn't be the first. And I don't work at just your average summer camp. At Deer Creek Camp [( www.deercreekcamp.com ) (that just happened)] we have "interdenominational Christ-Centered Adventure Programming". That's just a fancy way of saying "we love God and will teach you all about Him, as well as help you conquer our Climbing Wall with 1,000 ft. Dual Zip Line".

I can't see myself doing any other job and being this joyful and over eager to get back to it. Being able to witness the Holy Spirit work in these campers lives is just beyond me. And my job doesn't end when the summer is over. I mean, yeah I stop getting paid and don't have to belay anyone up the rock wall, but my job isn't about making money or the physical work. I am forever my campers counselor. I have to be there for them when they call on me; to give advice, comfort them through loss, laugh with them about their joys, etc. I am never off the clock, and I absolutely love it.

The memories made during those 9 weeks are enough to get me through these 8 months. I seriously can't wait to get back to killing scorpions, late night rave/pool parties, hourly trips to the nurse, writing certs, teaching specialties, itchy face paint, and much much more.

Here are some pictures to help illustrate my point.

Procrastination

It's funny how all my classes this semester are writing based and I despise doing any of the work, but yet, I turn back to my blog. Even though I don't think 2 posts constitutes as a blog... but whatever. I'm documenting my thoughts and that's all that matters, right?

Okay the Kooks have been playing the same three songs over and over again on Spotify and it's starting to get to me. Time to switch it up. Phantom Planet, there we go.

Now back to my funny realization. I love writing. Unless it's graded. Or structured. Or has a deadline. Which explains why I'd much rather be on here than working on my news story about the V-Day Campaign. Or writing my reflection on certain women rhetors. My computer doesn't even recognize that as a real word so it shouldn't be taught as a class in college. Is that a valid enough reason? Yeah, I didn't think so either. Poop.

I was working on a Shakespeare paper the other day, at the last minute, as usual. When writing about any of Shakespeare's works for more than 2 pages (double spaced), you kind of forget what your point is. You get so lost in how does this change of character influence the play as a whole or the underlying themes, that you somehow find yourself talking about how great Heath Ledger was in 10 Things I Hate About You and that you wish he wasn't dead. I guess I'm not cut out to be a Shakespeare scholar, but the man still holds my fascination. Shakes, not Heath Ledger.

I do enjoy my poetry class. Writing about my lack of a relational life in poetic form doesn't make it sound so pathetic. Oh, who am I kidding, no amount of fluffy language will make that sound less depressing. But still, I enjoy that class. I just have to find a new focus. How about my parents divorce? Well I guess that would only work if my parents were actually divorced. Too bad they are happily married. Man, I lack instances for years of pent up emotions that would lead to some great poetry. Oh well. I'll just write about sunsets in Hawaii.

Okay I have killed about 45 minutes and this playlist on Spotify is getting old. I should probably buckle down and get some news stories written. HA! Okay we all know that's not going to happen. I'm going to go watch some Friends now. So until next time. Stay classy San Diego.

Consistency

Change in my life doesn't happen very often. It hit me during my dentist appointment the other morning.

I'm just chilling in the chair while Ronnie, my oral hygienist, is skimming over my dental records. They just took x-rays of my teeth and I assume she was filing them. Ronnie turns to me and says, "Can you believe, you started coming here when you were 4?" WHAT?! For 16 years I have been with the same dentist! And Ronnie has always been my main oral hygienist. Her and Dr. Roger Macias have seen my teeth through so many stages of life. Baby teeth, missing teeth, awkward adult teeth growing stage, braces, no braces, no wisdom teeth. These people have been in my life only 4 years less than my parents have. Maybe I'm the only one that thinks this is crazy.

This little realization lead to me examining other consistencies in my life.
1. I've never had to switch schools. I have always been enrolled in the same school for the max number of years. Pre-K through 8th grade was St. Luke's Catholic School. All 4 years of my high school career were spent at Providence High School. And all 4 years of my college career will be spent at TCU. I've never had to deal with being the "new girl". This is probably a reason why I had such a hard time with graduations. I cried for my 8th grade and high school graduation thinking this was the last time I was going to see any of my friends again. At that point in life I didn't realize how small the world actually was. I still run into people from St. Luke's when I'm home. This leads me to my next consistency.

2. I've lived in San Antonio all my life. Okay maybe not ALL my life. We will take out the few months where I lived in Iowa after I was born and the past 2 years I have been away at school. So the majority of my life has been spent in this city. I still can't navigate worth crap around SAtown but that's just me being directionally challenged. Anyways, being rooted in the same city for most of your life is interesting. Almost every Whataburger has a memory attached to it. I drive past Wizard Sno-Cones and remember the several trips my Grandma would make with me and A.J., my brother, during the summers. Or I pass Fuddruckers off of I-10 and remember the lunch date I had with Megan Smith and Sam before I went off to TCU and the surprise birthday dinner Sam threw for me when I turned 19. It's a fun time.

3. I've had the same Best Friend for 16 years now. Her name is Samantha Hamilton, or Sam as referred to above. We became "acquaintances" when I told her it was rude to point. We were 4. I don't really remember the exact moment we became best friends but it happened before 1st grade because I remember being upset that she was not in my homeroom class. Well we have been through everything together. She had glasses, I got glasses. I had braces, she got braces. We took dance classes together but she was and still is a heck of a lot better than me. We were in piano lessons together. I learned how to drive with this girl! Every single class and drive we did together. When I learned we were going to different high schools I was devastated, thinking that this was the end of our friendship. HA! We became even BETTER best friends! So I wasn't too concerned when we didn't attend the same college. I have other best friends but Sam, she's my Best Friend. We have already decided we are going to be each others Maid of Honors at our weddings. Sam is closer to having a wedding than I am at the moment.

4. Lastly, I have lived in the same house all my life. Well, okay, going back to the SAtown thing, minus the 2 months I was in Iowa and 2 years I have been away at school. The house that I am sitting in right now has been my home since I can remember. The bathroom I was potty trained in is the same bathroom I used 10 minutes ago. It's fun to look back at old pictures and videos and point out the things that are different. My room now was my parents old room before we had the upstairs added. I told my parents to never sell this house because it has been a part of our lives for way too long. Again, all of my memories are here in this building.

For those of you that are like me and don’t do well with change, we have to toughen up! There’s nothing you can do to avoid it. Change is going to happen whether we like it or not. I’m not going to be living in the same house or town forever. I will switch dentists eventually. I’m not going to keep all the friends I made in high school or while working at camp. I could try my best to keep things the same but hell, that is WAY too much work and effort for something that will eventually win. It’s like trying to stop a river from flowing. You alone can find big rocks and carry them to the river in an attempt to build a dam. It may even work for a period of time, but there will always be something, whether it be a storm or animal, that comes through and knocks down all those rocks. So why waste your time? I’d much rather raft down the river seeing different sights and experiencing different things than just wading in a pond, being comfortable yet bored.

Well that’s just something to think about. I have to get back to cleaning the endless disaster that is my room. So until next time. Stay classy San Diego.

First Time For Everything

Don't judge me, please. I write how I talk and this is my first blog ever. Okay now that we got that covered, let me explain how this little blogity blog came to be.

I'm a journaler. That doesn't make being a journalism major any easier. You'd think that because it has the word "journal" in it, the writing would be similar. HA! Yeah right. Writing in a journal is so much more free and relaxing. Writing for my journalism classes sucks. There is so much structure to it and it's being graded. It annoys me, yet I stick with it. Don't ask me why. So anyways back to the birth of this blog. My dear friend Hannah Shelburne knows I love to journal and said I should give blogging a try. I laughed and said "Heck no! I don't want complete strangers reading my personal thoughts. That's creepy. And plus who would care enough to read what I wrote?" Her answer was simple and went along the lines of "you never know who could benefit from reading your blog. Maybe they are struggling with the same thing you are and knowing that they aren't alone would make all the difference." or something inspirational like that. Then a couple days later I got a fortune cookie that said "You have the ability to touch the lives of many people" and boom I was sold. For once I got a good fortune, even though that really was more of a statement than a predictor of my future. I honestly don't think this blog will do much, let alone touch lives! But hey, there is a first time for everything. I can now check this off my bucket list. "We can check watching The Bucket List off our bucket list." - Easy A.

Okay, so now a little bit about myself. I'm sure y'all are DYING to know. Well I'm not going to reveal everything on the first go around. You will slowly find out more about me as I post on here. I cant tell you how frequent that will be because I suck at keeping up with things. So if this turns out to be my only post, you will leave knowing these five things about me.
1. I've been living and breathing for two decades already
2. I have a strong dislike for buttons
3. I've been working at a Christian summer camp for 4 years now
4. I go to the best school in the wonderful state of Texas, coughcough go frogs coughcough
5. My socks never match
Interesting stuff huh?

Well the Terminex guy just showed up at our house and I have to direct him to our ant infested kitchen. Oh the joys of life. So until next time. Stay classy San Diego.