What is that they say about turning into your parents?
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Its the break now. I am pretty excited. I mean I still have my evaluation, but that is like half and hour. And I have to do my editions for my print making class, but that doesn't really count as work. I am kinda nervous about the eval, but I hope it will go okay.
I am really liking my school. My work feels a lot more academic and I feel like I am learning a lot, more than I did the first three years I was at college, which makes me really sad. But I did learn a lot at UW, it was just a different kind of learning, one that used a different part of my brain, one where the home work involved drawing and taking photos. When you have a class with a few hundred other students you are more a consumer of knowledge rather than an active participant.
I have a lot of plans for the break, I want to:
read a lot
write a lot
photography
walk and hike
find out more about how to publish my book
get that last drive-in
play the banjo
I feel like I am in a good place right now. I never saw myself as having a business plan, but I do now.
I am really liking my school. My work feels a lot more academic and I feel like I am learning a lot, more than I did the first three years I was at college, which makes me really sad. But I did learn a lot at UW, it was just a different kind of learning, one that used a different part of my brain, one where the home work involved drawing and taking photos. When you have a class with a few hundred other students you are more a consumer of knowledge rather than an active participant.
I have a lot of plans for the break, I want to:
read a lot
write a lot
photography
walk and hike
find out more about how to publish my book
get that last drive-in
play the banjo
I feel like I am in a good place right now. I never saw myself as having a business plan, but I do now.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Summer of Awesome: Part Three- WFA
The first couple days that I was there were for Wilderness First Aid. I can't remember who was there for it and when people arrived. I can't remember when I first meet a lot of people although I have tried and would like to. I wish I could remeet them, knowing them like I do now, but I guess that is just not possible.
Spending all day learning about first aid gets really tiring, even if you do have rad instructors. We spent a lot of time talking about different scenarios and role playing getting hurt. It was pretty fun and an interesting way to meet people.
It was a pretty low key time, meals were real relaxed, we all set up and cleaned up. After dinner we had time off so I wandered around the island with some others, trying to get a feel for where was were and what was what. It was pretty confusing and took a while to learn my way around.
The island is largely woods with a few fields. On the boys side of the camp there is an airstrip and a marsh, all the units are off it. Also over there is the ropes course, garden, archery and Chapel Rock. The girls units are along the water on the other side. In the middle is the lodge, health center, craft shop and water front. On the complete other side is the Big House and the spots most of the overnights take place. All of it is drop dead gorgeous. The view from the lodge (which only has three walls) is of the water and the mountains on the peninsula. It always made me happy to look out and see the mountains right by PA.
Spending all day learning about first aid gets really tiring, even if you do have rad instructors. We spent a lot of time talking about different scenarios and role playing getting hurt. It was pretty fun and an interesting way to meet people.
It was a pretty low key time, meals were real relaxed, we all set up and cleaned up. After dinner we had time off so I wandered around the island with some others, trying to get a feel for where was were and what was what. It was pretty confusing and took a while to learn my way around.
The island is largely woods with a few fields. On the boys side of the camp there is an airstrip and a marsh, all the units are off it. Also over there is the ropes course, garden, archery and Chapel Rock. The girls units are along the water on the other side. In the middle is the lodge, health center, craft shop and water front. On the complete other side is the Big House and the spots most of the overnights take place. All of it is drop dead gorgeous. The view from the lodge (which only has three walls) is of the water and the mountains on the peninsula. It always made me happy to look out and see the mountains right by PA.
Summer of Awesome: Part Two- Arrival
First impressions are always interesting. When I got to the ferry it was pretty easy to tell who was heading to the camp. Already there (do I use names or not?) was a dishwasher who had been a camper for years and liked to talk a lot, and another unit leader who spent her time on her phone. A waterfront guy showed up as I got there, his parents told me about him while he scowled on his trunk. A couple more dishwashers, so young looking, and two more unit leaders showed up. One was stressing about leaving her phone in her friends car, the other said she was from Vermont and stood there coolly in her sunglasses, surveying the scene. I wondered what the people where going to be like there and what I was getting myself into.
I often try to remember how I became friends with the people I know. I can never remember. I often worry that I am not going to be able to make anymore, it always seems to take a long time, but I don't think that I really does, there just isn't any specific moment when it happens. I was apprehensive about going somewhere that I did not know anyone, but I think that it is good practice to do every once in a while. I tend to move every three years, so I guess to that I do it pretty often.
Getting on the ferry took some effort because we all had so much gear. I had a trunk that probably weighted over sixty pounds and a backpack that had my banjo in it (everyone kept asking me if I had a guitar). Luckily my trunk has detachable wheels so I was able to move it myself, but we must of looked kinda weird, I mean how many people do you know that have trunks and use them as suitcases?
When we got on the ferry we get split up; I wound up sitting with the two unit leaders that showed up after me. We talked a little bit, sort of forced getting to know each other talk. None of us knew what units we were going to be with and little did we know that later two of us would be co-unit leaders. I found out that I had knew some of the same people as one of them, she went to college with a bunch of people from my hometown. The ferry was an hour long, we spent a lot of looking out the window at the amazing scenery. In the booth next to us there was a girl scout troop and a little way away was a bunch of men playing guitars and mandolins. It was a good prep for the summer.
When we came off the ferry the camp skipper was there to meet us. He got us to throw all our gear in the back of a van and then walked us up to the old grey fifteen passenger van we were to ride to the other side of the island on so we could get a whalered over to our island. It took us about 5 minutes to figure out how to shut to the door and at some point we picked up another unit leader, this time a guy.
The island the camp is on is a pretty small one and only accessible by private boats. The camp owns half of the island, the state owns a little and the rest is houses, mostly summer ones. I love the fact that you have to take a boat to get on or off the island. You can't use drive up or walk in. My first ride over was driven by one of the camp director's whose philosophy is that there are two speeds, full and stop. It was a fun ride, about twenty minutes long and the first of many that summer.
When we got to the island it was after dinner so they just let us take what we wanted for sandwiches from the walk-in. They told us where we were going to be living, loaded our gear in a van that looked the same as the one on the other side, and took us to our tipis, only hitting one tree on the way. My tipi mates had arrived earlier that day or a couple before and so were already moved in.
That night most everyone hung out in the lodge, singing camp songs around the fire. The songs that we sing at camp were mainly old folk songs mixed in with some from the 60s and 70s. Not the lame songs that we sang at the camp I went to, these were actually good songs that you wanted to sing. I tried to notice when my tipi mates went to bed but since I can never recognize people when I meet them I didn't see them leave and almost got lost on the way back to my unit, but luckily someone nice showed me the way.
I often try to remember how I became friends with the people I know. I can never remember. I often worry that I am not going to be able to make anymore, it always seems to take a long time, but I don't think that I really does, there just isn't any specific moment when it happens. I was apprehensive about going somewhere that I did not know anyone, but I think that it is good practice to do every once in a while. I tend to move every three years, so I guess to that I do it pretty often.
Getting on the ferry took some effort because we all had so much gear. I had a trunk that probably weighted over sixty pounds and a backpack that had my banjo in it (everyone kept asking me if I had a guitar). Luckily my trunk has detachable wheels so I was able to move it myself, but we must of looked kinda weird, I mean how many people do you know that have trunks and use them as suitcases?
When we got on the ferry we get split up; I wound up sitting with the two unit leaders that showed up after me. We talked a little bit, sort of forced getting to know each other talk. None of us knew what units we were going to be with and little did we know that later two of us would be co-unit leaders. I found out that I had knew some of the same people as one of them, she went to college with a bunch of people from my hometown. The ferry was an hour long, we spent a lot of looking out the window at the amazing scenery. In the booth next to us there was a girl scout troop and a little way away was a bunch of men playing guitars and mandolins. It was a good prep for the summer.
When we came off the ferry the camp skipper was there to meet us. He got us to throw all our gear in the back of a van and then walked us up to the old grey fifteen passenger van we were to ride to the other side of the island on so we could get a whalered over to our island. It took us about 5 minutes to figure out how to shut to the door and at some point we picked up another unit leader, this time a guy.
The island the camp is on is a pretty small one and only accessible by private boats. The camp owns half of the island, the state owns a little and the rest is houses, mostly summer ones. I love the fact that you have to take a boat to get on or off the island. You can't use drive up or walk in. My first ride over was driven by one of the camp director's whose philosophy is that there are two speeds, full and stop. It was a fun ride, about twenty minutes long and the first of many that summer.
When we got to the island it was after dinner so they just let us take what we wanted for sandwiches from the walk-in. They told us where we were going to be living, loaded our gear in a van that looked the same as the one on the other side, and took us to our tipis, only hitting one tree on the way. My tipi mates had arrived earlier that day or a couple before and so were already moved in.
That night most everyone hung out in the lodge, singing camp songs around the fire. The songs that we sing at camp were mainly old folk songs mixed in with some from the 60s and 70s. Not the lame songs that we sang at the camp I went to, these were actually good songs that you wanted to sing. I tried to notice when my tipi mates went to bed but since I can never recognize people when I meet them I didn't see them leave and almost got lost on the way back to my unit, but luckily someone nice showed me the way.
Summer of Awesome: Part One- Before
I feel like I have to write about the ridiculously awesome summer I had. Chances are I am going to ramble a lot and this is going to be pretty long so I am going to break it up. I make a lot of typos but don't want to check it over right now. I apologize. Here is part one.
That was pretty much the best summer of my life. I know that I still have another few weeks before classes start, and I still have a trip to Michigan, but for the most part I feel like the summer is over. Damn, it was a good one.
I had been feeling like I was spending too much time in the city, I really needed to get out. Summer has always been one of my favourite times, I usually go somewhere and do something rad. Last year I decided to stay in the city and take summer classes so I could double major and still graduate on time. A week or so into the classes I decided that was stupid and I did not want to spend my summer sitting in a lab learning about plants when I could be outside. However, since I was already in the city, taking other classes and working I didn't really spend anytime outside but I did decide to transfer colleges so I wouldn't have to take classes I didn't want to and I could be get out of the city. I hardly remember that summer, or at least as a summer. People talk about what the weather was like and I remember it as being really hot, but apparently it rained for 30 days strait. I just remember the times it was really uncomfortable in our brick apartment and staying inside all day to try and escape the heat. I sort of remember the rain, but really only headlines from the papers since I was working all the time in MicNews.
But this story isn't about the failure of last summer, but the great success of this.
I have wanted to be a camp counselor for a long time. I have always loved the idea of camp, even if I didn't really like it when I was there. Well I did like it, I as just homesicker than hell. But in any case its an idea I have had for a long time, it just took me a long time to find time. Its a big commitment, to give up your whole summer. But I didn't really have any other plans and I really needed to get out of the city.
I applied to three camps, one on an island up north I had seen while on a week long sailing trip, a farm camp in California and Camp Waziyatah, up in Maine, just for old times sake in honour of Bung Juice and Gina. I only heard back from the one on the island and luckily also got hired there.
Before I left I was super nervous. The only time I had ever worked with kids was in Thailand and I wasn't all that great at it. But then they did mostly speak Thai, a language I had tried to learn but failed at, like most I have tried. I thought that things would probably be easier with kids that spoke English, but still, I was soon to be in charge of preteen girls and the thought scared me real bad. My friends reassured me that I would do great, but my mind was still filled with doubts as I packed up my room.
Going camp also coincided with leaving the city for good. I had to pack up all my stuff, say good bye to my house and friends. It was strange. I felt like I should be real sad to say bye, chances are I won't see a lot of them again, even if we said we would. Some you just know that you won't. There were a lot of people that had a big impact on my life and they don't know it, some in small ways, others in big. And they have no clue. I sort of like that, but in a lot of ways I wish I could get over my shyness and let them know about the love I have for them.
It felt pretty good to be leaving that university, my old job, the art major that I felt I was faking my way through. It was real nice to leave behind the things and people that were holding me back and keeping me from really achieving what I want, not that I really know what that is yet.
I packed up my car early that Sunday morning and left with out saying goodbye to anyone- my roommates were still asleep. I took a ferry home, my first of five boat rides that day, met up with my dad and dropped off some more of my stuff. My dad and I caught a midday ferry out of town and drove up to the next ferry I had to get.
That was pretty much the best summer of my life. I know that I still have another few weeks before classes start, and I still have a trip to Michigan, but for the most part I feel like the summer is over. Damn, it was a good one.
I had been feeling like I was spending too much time in the city, I really needed to get out. Summer has always been one of my favourite times, I usually go somewhere and do something rad. Last year I decided to stay in the city and take summer classes so I could double major and still graduate on time. A week or so into the classes I decided that was stupid and I did not want to spend my summer sitting in a lab learning about plants when I could be outside. However, since I was already in the city, taking other classes and working I didn't really spend anytime outside but I did decide to transfer colleges so I wouldn't have to take classes I didn't want to and I could be get out of the city. I hardly remember that summer, or at least as a summer. People talk about what the weather was like and I remember it as being really hot, but apparently it rained for 30 days strait. I just remember the times it was really uncomfortable in our brick apartment and staying inside all day to try and escape the heat. I sort of remember the rain, but really only headlines from the papers since I was working all the time in MicNews.
But this story isn't about the failure of last summer, but the great success of this.
I have wanted to be a camp counselor for a long time. I have always loved the idea of camp, even if I didn't really like it when I was there. Well I did like it, I as just homesicker than hell. But in any case its an idea I have had for a long time, it just took me a long time to find time. Its a big commitment, to give up your whole summer. But I didn't really have any other plans and I really needed to get out of the city.
I applied to three camps, one on an island up north I had seen while on a week long sailing trip, a farm camp in California and Camp Waziyatah, up in Maine, just for old times sake in honour of Bung Juice and Gina. I only heard back from the one on the island and luckily also got hired there.
Before I left I was super nervous. The only time I had ever worked with kids was in Thailand and I wasn't all that great at it. But then they did mostly speak Thai, a language I had tried to learn but failed at, like most I have tried. I thought that things would probably be easier with kids that spoke English, but still, I was soon to be in charge of preteen girls and the thought scared me real bad. My friends reassured me that I would do great, but my mind was still filled with doubts as I packed up my room.
Going camp also coincided with leaving the city for good. I had to pack up all my stuff, say good bye to my house and friends. It was strange. I felt like I should be real sad to say bye, chances are I won't see a lot of them again, even if we said we would. Some you just know that you won't. There were a lot of people that had a big impact on my life and they don't know it, some in small ways, others in big. And they have no clue. I sort of like that, but in a lot of ways I wish I could get over my shyness and let them know about the love I have for them.
It felt pretty good to be leaving that university, my old job, the art major that I felt I was faking my way through. It was real nice to leave behind the things and people that were holding me back and keeping me from really achieving what I want, not that I really know what that is yet.
I packed up my car early that Sunday morning and left with out saying goodbye to anyone- my roommates were still asleep. I took a ferry home, my first of five boat rides that day, met up with my dad and dropped off some more of my stuff. My dad and I caught a midday ferry out of town and drove up to the next ferry I had to get.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
No more art!
I just had my last photography thing with the school of art. I am kinda sad. I am going to miss all those people but I am kinda relieved to take a break from art. Now its time for agriculture.
But I can't really leave it behind. I am already really excited about having access to a colour darkroom and am coming up with ideas.
I got rid of most of my stuff today. Well, moved it out of my house. Still need to find a subletter....
But I can't really leave it behind. I am already really excited about having access to a colour darkroom and am coming up with ideas.
I got rid of most of my stuff today. Well, moved it out of my house. Still need to find a subletter....
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