Cell Phones

I love cellphones but they are kind of an enemy you can't help but love. Mainly I feel like we get suckered into a phone plan for two years with outrageous fees if you want to cancel. Also they are always bringing out new phones but you have to wait for your plan to come up again. I feel like a baby who is having a sucker waved in front of my face to torment me.

Getting Stoned with Savages

This book was selected obviously enough by its funny title. The book does keep things on the humorous side. The main thing I got from reading is the contrast from island life to comfy American living. He had to deal with things like typhoons that I never could imagine dealing with. Also the tribesmen he hung out with were for the least bit well...odd. Either way you have to admire him because he was willing to take the risk to leave comfort and travel into the unknown.

American Nomads

To be honest I didn't think of posting about my reading of this book, it's been a few weeks but I remember things well enough I do believe. This is mostly because I like this book. The writer does well at keeping me intrigued. I love how he asks such deep questions and even more who he asks them too. I like the fact he hung out at a truck stop because that was my last job. I even worked the overnight shift as a cashier. Truckers and travelers are interesting people and often have a story to tell. A lot of them are really smart too, not are all smart but if you talk mechanic speak they'll run circles around you. The fact I could relate somewhat helped be stay intrigued and helped me to overall enjoy this book more.

Cobert vs. Canton

I was watching the Colbert Report on comedy central last week and I saw this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEbrt-Gpzpc (follow link). It's a video of Colbert making fun of Canton, SD my hometown of which I still live in. Being a fan of the show I thought this had to be the coolest thing ever, Colbert talking about my town on national television. It was obviously a joke so their's nothing to get worked up about. My favorite part is during the song it says "What's up Canton, South Dakota...Not a D*** thing!" I like this because there is definitely truth to be found within it. Also there is a game on the internet called Colbert vs. Canton, Google search it and give it a try.

Facebook

Facebook, what a wonderful site where friends can greet each other. However I hate it!!!! It is stupid. You sit there and stalk unknowing people for absolutely no reason at all. Worse of all people get addicted to it. They sit on it all day logged in. It becomes their homepage. Worse yet they get text messages saying if something happened on it. This craze has turned into a problem, an addiction for college students elsewhere. I think its unhealthy and pretty much boycott (so its not a very good way to contact me).

Mustard Sucks

I hate mustard with a passion. I always have and always will hate mustard. One time I was reading an ingredient label for barbecue sauce and saw mustard as an ingredient. I love barbecue sauce so I figured I might like mustard. I was wrong!!! It tasted awful and I hated it. I scraped my tongue off with my fingernails and then continued to wash my tongue and smother it with barbecue sauce in order to rid of my mouth the evil taste of mustard. Just a thought, why is there something called mustard gas that can kill you? I mean nobody ever says hey look out for ketchup gas. I rest my case.

Ketchup

America, world please stop using crappy ketchup. This should be considered a sin. Heinz is by far the best ketchup but there are others that are acceptable. At summer camp we were given Chef brand ketchup. It was awful, I longed for something tasteful that does not suck. I like my fries (or about anything) with ketchup so no matter how good a cook you are, by giving me a packet of crap you have ruined my meal and your cooking.

Funny Joke

I heard a funny joke yesterday and wanted to pass it on. A man walks into a doctor's office for a checkup. The man asks how's he doing and the doctor says not good. The man asks how long he's got to live and the doctor says "10". The man asked ten years, months, weeks, what is it? The doctor replied "10, 9, 8, 7..."

Engagement

I have been engaged for over a year now and still have a while to go. I have heard grief about this but it doesn't overly bother me. While engaged I feel my relationship has become much closer, we have a much closer relationship. I stand in support of long engagements so that when you get married you are accustomed to the idea of being married and still think its a good idea. If you only wait six months or so you may still be in ring shock and not take in the idea of the finality of marriage.

Olympics

I have been watching the Olympics and have decided that the winter Olympics are about one thousand times more fun than the summer Olympics. There are actually contact sports in the winter games. The summer Olympics have some too but they never show it. Winter has hockey and wrestling, enough to make it better than the summer Olympics. My main beef with the summer Olympics is that the television coverage has only been on swimming and gymnastics, leaving the good stuff televised.

Funny Moment

We all have our moments of stupidity in life. I am no different and have my share of them. One involved reading travel novels for my online class. I read Getting Stoned with Savages and American Nomads. The problem is that after I completed this task I went back and glimpsed at the syllabus and thought that it said write to travel journals. I was worried!!! I had done some traveling but definitely didn't keep a journal. Finally after a few hours of worrying I decided to go back and read, not just glimpse at the syllabus. Upon doing so I found out that I had to read two novels, which was already done.

Ethnic Restaurant 2

Guadalahara is a Mexican restaurant located in Aberdeen, SD. When you walk in you are greeting with native Mexican music. There are fiesta like decorations including a parrot, which I always seem to notice. The restaurant has friendly waiters and great food. I personally like the fajitas. There are many side options to try on them but I chickened out and which with basic toppings like cheese. I'm not a bean person but I am a fan of their refried beans. They do have pop and water like normal restaurants but they have a special menu insert advertising their selection of imported Mexican alcoholic beverages. This place is good and just like Indian food make yourself an appointment with your friendly neighborhood toilet for about whatever time you finish your meal.

Motorcycle

I am thinking about getting a motorcycle. Personally it would be fun to ride a motorcycle plus rising gas prices it would be kind to my billfold. I also learned to buy a smaller cheaper model, most likely something from the 80's. I am going to look at one next week and hopefully learn to ride.

Ethnic Restaurant 1

The first of my ethnic restaurants is called Moguls. It is an Indian restaurant as in it has food native of India. Upon entering the restaurant I was immediately greeted by an intense, almost overwhelming smell of incense. The restaurant was set in quite a fancy way, which was nice for a meal that was only ten dollars. I was not overly appreciated of the funky videos and weird music that was played. It would not have bothered me so much but they played it a little too loud. I had a hotdish looking meal made of chicken and an orange sauce on top of rice. They also have a really good flat bread that tasted somewhat sweet. I ate a lot of this bread because I enjoyed it. Instead of just one waiter we had probably five and they insisted on filling my already full water glass. My main lesson learned is that Indian food is like Chinese food, plan a half hour open time afterwards within range of a restroom.

Plunger Ball

Plunger ball is basically a game circles around pulling flags off other people to get them out. It gets its name because there is a ball on an extended plunger and if your team knocks the ball off by hitting it with a dodge ball, then your team gets a jail break and therefor now has the advantage. The games is simple but strategy is huge. The best one I have seen is to guard our plunger but yet attack there's and hold them off until we need to know the plunger down. There's probably a better way but this way worked just fine for us.

Ultimate Monkey Ball

Ultimate monkey ball has the same rules as monkey ball but with a twist. If the person who gets you out gets out then you may reenter the game. The game does end because after a while a poison ball enters where if you get out with that ball you are out for the rest of the game. For an extra twist try this with the lights low for dramatic effect.

Monkey Ball

Monkey ball is a camp game played at Inspiration Hills. The rules are similar to that of dodge ball except it is a total free for all. If you get hit you are down for the rest of the game, however you can still get other people out. Head shots don't count and the last man standing wins.

Hawker

Hawker is a fun game I played at camp this weekend. Its kind of like soccer except you can use both you feet and a fist to hit the ball. Also the goals go up forever. A lower goal is worth one point, a really high one is worth two, the middle target is worth five (it is like 20 feet in the air) and on either side of that target is worth three points. This games kind of odd but once you try it you will most definitely fall in love with it.

Excursion 5

Excursion 5 for me was a trip to a different camp than the one I was at all summer. I found this extremely refreshing because I was no a camper and not a counselor. The camp was an adult weekend and gave us a reasonable amount of freedom, unlike what happens when you have younger campers. I enjoyed this experience because I learned new, fun camp games and I got to enjoy camp instead of work it.

The camp I went to was the special forces camp at Shetek Baptist Camp. This was a lot of fun for me and I was able to see an entirely new ideology when it comes to camp. Instead of breaking up into bunk groups we broke into teams. These teams were placed in competition with one another with a points tally, giving more reason to continue being competitive. I enjoyed this camp and am glad that I went.

Excursion 4

After my trip described in excursion 3 I was very worried I would not find a bike. I started looking on ebay, but I wasn't ready to trust something that I could not see in person. How would I know if the bike would fit me? That path was risky, especially when you add on the cost of shipping.

Now I decided to spend another day in Sioux Falls and hopefully I would finally find a bicycle. I decided actual bike shops would be best for me. I knew of only two, two wheeler dealer and spoke and sport. I was looking for a used bike and neither of these places delivered. The story was the same for both, I walked in and was immediately found by a salesman. They offered to assist me in finding a bike. I asked if they had any used bicycles and they said no. Then they pretty much just walked away. A new one here would cost at least $450, a whole lot more than I wanted to spend.

I called someone and they said that they had a good experience with Harlan's Bike and Tour. I went there and talked to them about getting a used bike. They do accept trades and then rent them out. They did have one that they said would fit me well, however it was rented out to someone for a couple more hours. At this point I had invested too much time into finding a bike to give up now. So I wasted a couple of hours getting lost and "unlost" in Sioux Falls. It was worth the wait. The bike fit me perfectly and was exactly what I needed. It was a hybrid meaning it rides similar to a road bike but with the durability of a mountain bike. I also got a good deal on it because it was used, so good of a deal I am obligated by law not to share...or not so much.

Excursion 3

My third excursion was quite an odd one. It was actually a two day travel affair but actually took up more than a week. This excursion was one in search of a bicycle. I wanted a bike to ride to and from class this fall because I will be about four blocks away from my class. Walking would be alright, however that might take more time than I would like seeing how one of my classes starts at eight-thirty in the morning. I really don't feel it would be worth driving to class everyday. This leaves me with one option, a bike.

The first place I went to look was Wal-mart. They had a couple cheap bikes and some more expensive ones as well. All they had was mountain bikes, which aren't ideal. Also I know that some of the other counselors have boughten Wal-mart bikes that don't last very long.

My next bright idea was to try a pawn shop. What I forgot is that pawn shops are evil and try to rip people off by under paying people who sell things to them and vastly overpricing everything. Essentially I would have to pay over a hundred dollars for a rusty old bike. I bet they paid the seller under twenty dollar for it, what a rip off! Upon given up that idea I decided that I may have to pay more than I originally hoped. I knew that my only chance was to try a bike shop.

My first stop was Scheels which surprisingly only had one type of mountain bike, which was $200 and had hybrids starting at $350 dollars. I debated getting the mountain bike just because I had spent two days in Sioux Falls looking in Sioux Falls looking for a bike and had nothing to show. I met up with six other counselors and we ate at the Olive Garden together and then headed back to camp, me without a bicycle.

Excursion 2

My second excursion of the summer occured at the end of camp. Inspiration Hills was kind enough to take the summer staff out for a glorious last night together. After all of the normal cleanup from the week we cleaned up and loaded up on the bus. We rode the bus up to Thunder Road in Sioux Falls. Here we were catered by Famous Dave's.

Famous Dave's catering consisted of barbeque pork, barbeque chicken, potatoes and apple desert. After the completion of our meal we played a rousing game of human fooseball. Actually is was more like three or four games. I scored around four goals and played goalie for a while. Human fooseball was fun but turned out to be very dangerous. One of the guys got hit where guys would most like not to. Also a girl was hit in the face by the ball causing her to bleed.

After human fooseball we were each giving three activity tickets. The tickets could be used either for the gokarts or mini golf. My first ticket was used for mini golf. I had a slow kart for that time around and would definately like to forget it. My next ticket was used for mini golf. I started out pretty well. Our summer camp director Cal is amazing at mini golf. It seemed as if every hole he made in one or two hits. Eventually I fell apart and went from hitting shots in three hits to making them in six. Later it was time again for the gokarts. This time I had a good gokart and it made all the difference. I had alot of fun and when everyone was done we hopped on the bus and headed back to Inspiration Hills for the last time of the summer.

Devos

Here a bunk group is sitting on the fireplace before a meal. Each meal a bunk group is designated to do devotions beforehand. These ladies are waiting for all of the other groups to arrive so they may start devotions. The bunk group who does devotions also earns the task of setting the tables, which could be for as much as over 100 campers.

Here is another bunk groups having a good time taking their bunk group photo. They are on the playground over by the campground. That playground comes in very handy during day camp. Campers who finish their crafts early get to go play on it until all the others finish theirs.

Initiatives

At camp we do something called initiatives. These are little challenges the campers do to develop teamwork and problem solving skills. Though the campers do these initiatives don't take them lightly, they're not easy and I'm sure most adults would struggle with them.

Steve-o

Here is Uncle Steve-o and one of his bunk groups having fun with their group photo. They are standing next to a disc golf basket. The camp offers disc gold for those camping at the campground, however they are seldom used.

Before the campers get to ride the horses they have to learn how to control the horses. They lead them around the pen and show dominance to the horse. They also learn to be calming to the horse. The campers also get led around the pen on the horse to get accustomed to the height and shear size of the beast before they get to ride on their own.

HORSES!!!

Newly started this year was a test run of a horse program. Here day campers get led around for a ride. The older campers get to ride around in the corral. If the group is advanced enough they can go trail riding. I got to ride horses a little this summer and loved it.

Tony the Tiger

Here some of our staff is standing next to the freshly painted bus. During journey week there wasn't enough campers for each counselor to have a group so the remaining counselors are put on Buildings and Grounds (B&G) for the week. The main goal for the week was to take an yellow school bus the camp purchased and turn it into an orange tiger.

"Uncle Dan"

Here is Daniel, one of my fellow counselors. I knew him a little before camp started but at camp you get to know everyone. Here he is hold his guitar. The funny thing about camp is that everyone has a guitar, that is except for me of course.

Here Dave and Mike are preparing a fire for Chapel on the "soccer field". By the end of chapel the sun will be setting and makes for a beautiful sighting. Also pictured are a number of our campers waiting for other groups to arrive so that chapel may begin. Once chapel begins they will no longer be sitting but instead singing and dancing.

Summer Staff

This is the Inspiration hills summer staff. This are the 24 people I hung out with all summer. One may quickly notice that our hands are positioned in a peculiar way. What is actually happening is that we are showing the correct spotting technique used for your hands. You are supposed to use spoons (fingers together) not forks (fingers apart) or else you'll break your fingers.

Overheard Conversation of the Summer

I had an “assistant counselor” last week. He was there to observe and somewhat experience what being a counselor was like. After having our groups nightly devotions around a camp fire, we started hiking back to wilder, which is slang for wilderness camp. About half way there one of my campers says that they’re afraid of bats. Then the assistant counselor says, “That’s okay I’m afraid of Bob Barker.” Then there was a couple of seconds of laughter followed by my assistant going on, “Cuz he’s a giant d**chebag.” Everyone went quiet. I asked him to not repeat that in front of campers ever again and we had a perfectly silent hike the rest of the way back to wilder.

Excursion 1

The weekend of the 4^th of July was staff development weekend. This was to be a fun weekend to be spent as a summer staff in order to make sure that we continue to get along. Friday night after battling the dust bunnies attempting to infiltrate the lodge, we all got ready and hopped on the bus. Cal drove us to Inwood, IA so we could go to the demolition derby. Upon arriving in Inwood we walked to the park in order to have supper. We had brought a cooler full of sandwiches, chips and cookies to enjoy. About halfway through our meal a muscular gentleman walked over to us, flexing his muscles the entire way, and said, “There are no coolers in the park today.” Then he walked about thirty feet away and watched us to ensure that we would indeed bring the coolers out of the park. All of us already had our food and started to eat it so all the coolers had in them was no longer needed ice. So we carried the coolers out of the park in order to appease the oversized man who felt as if he had won some kind of victory.

Next it was time for the demolition derby. I hadn’t been to a demo derby for at least 8 or 10 years and was therefore very excited. The derby was a ton of fun. Cars were smashing into each other, and we were picking favorites for no apparent reason. Of all the things I could have learned from such an event there is one thing that I walked away with; the station wagon is always a safe bet when it comes to predicting a demo derby winner.

After the derby we stayed around for fireworks. These I thoroughly enjoyed. My new favorite fireworks are the ones which blow up and make a loud noise like a cannon exploding. This annoyed some of the people around me but I absolutely loved it. For me the noise of fireworks is more impressive than the sounds they make.

While on our weekend excursion we realized many things about the outside world. I say this because being at camp is like being n a bubble without contact with the outside world. We learned that gas was “uber” expensive, it was Obama vs. McCain for president and that East Iowa had undergone some major flooding. From this I came to the realization that being at camp cuts you off from the outside world, however it is a safe haven from all evil of the world.

Day Camp

My first week of camp I was assigned to day camp. Day camp is composed of kindergarten to third graders. The campers arrived between 8 and 8:30 A.M. We keep them active with such activities as Bible stories, games, crafts and swimming. The same kids come every day for a week (Mon.-Fri.). It was not long into my first week that I realized that day camp is nothing more than organized chaos. These children have an unbelievable amount of energy. There are five counselors to look over thirty children. The kids are a ton of fun but can be a hassle to watch after. Every once in a while one will try to run away just for the sake of running away. This is a tiring week but we do get some free time in the afternoon. Also since our campers leave at 3:30 we are able to play night games with lodge and wilderness camps. These are a lot of fun and include Romans and Christians, Bible Smugglers, Capture the Glow Stick and Bonkers. These are a lot of fun and the lodge campers love us because we play with them.

Days of Elijah's Major Flaw

Days of Elijah ranked in on my list at tenth. It made the list largely because of its fun actions. It would have made it higher on the list if the song didn't anger me. I still have fun singing it but I am angry with the writer for an obvious misrepresentation of the Bible. There is the a line that reads. "These are the day of your servant David, rebuilding the Temple of praise." David?!?!?! David didn't build the temple; in fact he was ordered not to build the Temple. Instead the building of the Temple was left for David's son Solomon. However I don't let this ruin the song for me. Instead I make a point of it to sing "...of your servant Solomon, building the Temple of praise". I also suggest that other do same in order to not teach children falsely about the Bible. I hate to think about how many children walk around thinking David built the Temple just because of this song.

Top 10 Summer Camp Songs

At camp we have Chapel at least once if not twice a day. At Chapel we always sing a number of songs and I have compiled my own top 10.

10. Days of Elijah
9. Blessed Be Your Name
8. Mighty to Save
7. Freedom
6. Love
5. Awesome God
4. Give Us Clean Hands
3. Amazing Grace-any of the several versions we sing
2. Better is One Day
1. Pharaoh, Pharaoh

Pharaoh, Pharaoh wins because of how fun it is to sing. The actions that go along with the song are amazing and it usually winds up being the campers' favorite song.

Summer Camp

I am working at Inspirations Hills Summer Camp which is in rural Inwood, IA. In all actuality it is much closer to both Fairview and Canton, SD. It lies right on the Iowa, South Dakota border. I could literally shoot a BB gun from here and have it land in South Dakota. Inspiration Hills is a Christian camp which features lodge, wilderness and day camps. Other offerings include canoing, hiking and biking adventures. At this camp I am a counselor meaning I get to experience two weeks of training and eight weeks of counseling campers. Age groups of campers vary from early elementary school to Junior High.