31 days

I'm back from my 31 day wilderness course. It was an amazing learning experience. Just to give a brief overview: 11 youth between 12-18 years of age are force to complete 31 days of community living in the wilderness. They sleep under tarps, cook for each other, do challenging wilderness things, and learn to share their feelings with the group (my favorite part) I was one of three instructors who facilitated their experience.

My biggest struggle was coming to grips with the effectiveness of my work. At times I felt like I wasn't making a difference and the kids were just going to go back to their lives that had gotten them in trouble. About half way through I watched the movie "Freedom Writers" on an evening off. Its a feel good movie where a school teacher gives it her all and a class of diverse gangster thugs became kind, caring, and respectful by the end of two school years. When I went back in the field the next morning I realized that real life is much different. I had given a lot to my students and attitudes were still centered on selfishness and disrespect. Even up until graduation I had kids tell me "f--- you", "you can't tell me what to do"

But those were the worst kids. Some students had a true desire to change. The recognized their bad attitudes and made significant steps toward curbing them. Those were the cases that gave me energy to get up each day.

During my training I shadowed a course for five days. They just happened to be the group that was being filmed by a Japanese film crew. You can read more at the links below:
indianagazette.com
Diakon

Putting meat on the table

Words on a page (punctuation optional)

I am typing what comes to my mind in chronological order: Sarah, the socket that previously had my lower right wisdom tooth hurts, time for another sip of coffee, I’m tired, mom is grumpy, starting work at 6am is nice but I’m tired, I need to go dumpster diving again, I miss it. I miss Sarah. Crocs are better that Chacos. I should get the lumber out of my car and do some building. Is my camera dead or just the batteries? Does anyone read this? Tomorrow is my last day of landscaping, then I go to Diakon. What will that be like? I hope I’m in the field a lot and don’t have days off. Sarah says Carlisle is good town to hang out in. I need to order new hiking boots, I bet I’ll get them at the end of my trip. I’m hungry.

...dealing with troubled youth in the woods

This past week was a contrast between the joys of beach going with Sarah and the struggles of dealing with troubled youth in the woods.

Last weekend Sarah and I were in Del. on our way to a MD wedding. So far it has been the highlight of my summer. She is so much fun. We went for a long walk on the beach before it got busy and then built a little sand castle. The wedding reception was a ritzy event at an upper class country club. Sarah has never looked so beautiful.

Most of my week was spent observing/assisting with 11 kids as they dealt with the realities of days 1-4 of a 31 day wilderness experience. Some came in shackles, a few came from residential placement, and one came from a detention center where he hadn’t seen daylight in 20+ days. I learned as much about their world (and language) as they did about mine. I’ll try to take my camera the next time I’m out.

Anyone know what is going on in this description: “My dawgs were postin up by the crib with blunts and 40s when my P.O. rolled by. I wanted to pop the cracker in the cabbage.”

Post your guesses.

...we saw the light.

Caving was awsome! I had never been before. When we reached the farthest corner of the cave our instructor made us turn out our lights. Darkness was defined. Then he told us that we could find our way out without lights. After an hour of crawling through holes and wading through mud and water we saw the light.

...folks who have a thing for Bob Marley

Sorry, no pictures this time. If I can get my camera out here I could post some spectacular shots.

I’ve begun my internship at the wilderness center. After a few weeks I’ll be a wilderness instructor and take kids into the woods for 31 days. A job like this attracts a certain crowd: outdoorsy, tough, independent folks who have a thing for Bob Marley, a good time, and a carefree lifestyle. The girl who will be the lead instructor on my course has done almost 9 months straight in the field. The group isn’t your normal church camp folks, but their experience makes church camp look like preschool.

Yesterday we all got trained on some new epinephrine procedures. The auto injector pens are out and we now use syringes and vials. Apparently it was less expensive and wasn’t as prone to temperature extremes. Today we discussed low ropes and did a very brief walk through of the elements. Tomorrow will be spent in a mucky 52 degree cave (exploring its therapeutic possibilities).

73 days until our wedding.

...and a blinking light

Four miles from school is Filmore NY. It has a dollar store, a bar, a Jubilee foods, and a blinking light. It’s a slow town. The wide streets have small clusters of old houses that have their clapboard siding brightly painted. It is the archetypal small town.

Something unusual showed up in the Jube this week: a 16 lb strip steak. I’ve been eyeing it for the last few days. $52 of bloody goodness. And so it sat there, until Gabe came by and took it home. This evening it turned into one and a half inch thick slabs of supper. And so we feasted.

Follow the directions...

So here it is. I’m finally done with the mixer. It looks really nice from a distance, but if you look closely it has some flaws. I guess if there is ever a next time I’ll do things differently-like follow the directions on the back of the spray paint, or find a dust free room instead of the college lawn. I guess I’ll live and learn. I really need to learn to do lettering better.

School is out, but I am not. I am spending this week closing the dorm. Then this weekend my family is going to the Good’s cabin with Sarah’s family. It should be fun.

I am just a head bobbing through white caps

The mixer pictures have been long overdue. I wanted to have a finished shot, but it is taking a bit longer to finish. I'll put up a before and after shot when it's done.

Mixer story: Sarah's parents had an old mixer that broke. They got a new one. Eventually the old one was fixed by Sarah's Grandpa who fixes everything. Unfortunately the mixer was dropped coming back from Grandpa's shop. Fortunately I was able to JB weld a marble in place of the broken lever/knob. Now the mixer works fine. But who wants a cream/almond mixer? Not Sarah, she wants a brightly colored one with "Sarah's mixer" on the side. And so I have become the "mixer fixer" (and painter).

This is the original plus the JB welded marble as a replacement lever

Here it is with a coat of primer

White water kayaking comes with the warmer weather. I hadn’t been in a year. The last time I went I was scared most of the time. I was rigid and stiff, avoiding the big waves. But after a year of pool practicing I thought this trip would be different.

The first few waves were ok. Then my boat sliced through one and I could feel the cold water wash over my spray skirt. Wow! It was an amazing feeling. My mouth was still open when the next wave filled it.

There is something absolutely terrifying and yet fulfilling about being hidden in the trough of the rapids. From the shore I am just a head bobbing through white caps, but inside that bobbing head is the biggest rush I’ve ever known. By becoming part of the river I feel its power. The river’s power is something that really can’t be seen or explained or understood from the river bank. There is a beauty that is hidden in the waves, it can only be experienced.

I wish none of this had happened

Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened

Gandolf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us

I was iPod free for almost a week. Sarah was adjusting to her new vice and my life was finding new freedoms that were not possible with the previous confines of the white wires. And now all of my progress has been thrown through the fan and shredded. This evening Sarah won another iPod and might be returning my old vice. In my heart I want it back. I miss its power, but know that I will be destroyed by its evil.

You can't stop the twins!

Its a scary world out there. Knowing the right people is everything.

I would have boycotted the dumb Bon-Ton

Sarah and I have been registering for gifts. This past week was break so we made several trips to Sears and then Bon-Ton to register. The last time I was in the Bon-Ton I was lost. And this time was scary. Every time I leaned back in a chair, made a large hand gesture, or walked quickly down an isle I was almost breaking a pretty little something that cost hundreds of dollars. Sarah and I both agreed that I was lucky to not have smashed something valueable.

Sears has some really nice stuff. We registered for some quality kettles that cost so much that Sarah spent the next 3 days wondering if she could live with herself.

About the time she was feeling ok about the $179 kettle set we visited the store I shop at: Kmart. It’s shelves were lined with really great stuff and priced at half of what the Bon-Ton charges.

In 8^th grade we had stop signs on the walls that said “stop and think”. This week I did just that.

Question: Who am I and what am I asking other people to do? Answer: I am a Goodwill/Kmart person asking others to be Bon-Ton people.

Question #2: Why am I asking people to be Bon-Ton people instead of Kmart people? Answer: Its not because I want to, it’s because of outside pressure. It’s commonly accepted that the Bon-Ton is a reasonable place to register.

So what have I learned from this whole ordeal? It’s time to be myself and grow a spine so I can stand up to the pressures of the outside world. If the outside world thinks its tacky to register on Amazon for snowshoes (which I did) then the outside world thinks I’m a tacky person. What’s wrong with being me? If you want to give a gift you got from a dumpster, go right ahead.

If I had the whole thing to do over again, I would have boycotted the dumb Bon-Ton and Sears and spent my time at Target or Kmart.

What have I done? (and how do I undo it?)

The ipod has become property of Sarah. It could be a bad decision. Why would I give such an evil thing to the one I love the most? She brought it home for break and Boni is borrowing it. Now she has white wires coming out of her ears and is humming a tune only she knows and trying to talk to me.

I try to talk to her and she says: “WHAT?”

I give up. Maybe I should have sent it to Africa where it will never come back. Maybe I should smash it and save Africa.

Stay tuned for the story on how I’m resurrecting a Kitchen Aid Mixer.

I detest the iPod culture

(me with the downfall of society)

I’ve always prided myself in being able to find really cool stuff for free. When I was home schooled we would go “junking” on our bikes during trash day to find treasures. My mom is constantly trying to trade for my desk that I got from a dumpster. A while ago I found an iPod in a snow bank. It looked like someone had dropped it in the parking lot and the plow had pushed it to the side. As the snow melted I spotted its emerging headphones. With a little time on the heater the fellow was up and singing. I posted signs around campus and no one came forward for it. Now I have an iPod.

I detest the iPod culture because it promotes a faster information rate and anti social behavior. People walk around with white wires sticking out of their ears. They ignore me when I talk to them or answer with WHAT DID YOU SAY!

The iPod is a response to society’s demands for a faster information rate. Watching the squirrels and talking to other students isn’t enough to keep people occupied in the two minuets (you can’t even listen to a song in that much time) it takes to walk from the dorm to class. We need music, video, and now internet streaming from our handheld devices. Society seems to have a never quenchable desire for more of everything faster. Ever watch an old movie? They have camera shots that last for a whole 60 seconds!

So I don’t know what I’ll do with my evil device. I would throw it out my 4^th floor window (see last post) but the screen won’t allow me. Maybe I’ll give it away to some deserving person who promises not to ignore people and become addicted to high information rates.

Windows

My room has a window. I like windows, especially big ones. I like to look out my window and see the things that happen. My window has a creek, several large cottonwoods, and a 4^th floor view of the local village. At night I can leave it open just a wee bit and listen to the creek gargle (or the delivery truck at the Chinese restaurant). The following are pictures of my window and what I see.

My window just now

A man on a lift going past my window

Gabe grilling outside my window


A big window in the house I'm living in next year

Me and the girl I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.
She likes windows too.

I just need a decent place to live

Western New York is different than Lancaster. The culture, language and expectations are vastly different. Shopping for a place to live has put me deeper into the local scene than I’ve ever been. It is rich. Everything is laid back and non-professional. I talked to the realtor today and felt completely at home in my jeans and sweat shirt. He gave me the three names of people who rent in the area. I’ve checked the classifieds. There must be something about the word “decent” it keeps showing up in the adds:

“Decent 2^nd floor 2 bedroom apartment. Includes1/2 garage & big yard...”

"Decent houses/Owner finacing/Low payments..."

We had a good time most of the time

Yes, there is music playing. I figured out how to do it and I'm not sure if I like it or not. Leave your vote. This song always runs through my head when I hike the rolling hills of the Appalachian Trail.

I'm back from backpacking. It was my job to safely escort The Gambia team over 30 miles of snowy AT. No-one died, and the injuries were minor. I am proud to report that I am not sore and have not experienced caffeine withdraw. They can be an ugly combination. On the first day we walked on the snow, on the second day we began to break through about every fifth step which made walking exhausting. The next day it got warm (my GPS said 68 degrees) and the snow became four inches of mush that found every hole in my gore-tex boots. All that melted slop froze, and this morning at 4:45am the mountain was an icy slope. It's a good thing I hike with ski poles.

The Gambia team decided to hike as early as possible. We ate, packed, and hiked in the dark. When the sun came up I was standing on the summit of Center Point Knob waiting for it. (The Gambia team was somewhere below looking for their directions). We had a good time most of the time and I learned once again that dried fruit causes very, very unpleasant things to happen.

"the moral of the story is...

I’ve been thinking about what Donald Miller (wrote blue like jazz) said when he visited the other week. He said that God gives up the Bible in narrative form and we turn it into propositions, statements of faith, and bulleted sermons. He says that we as people connect with stories better than we connect with statements, that’s why God gave us the Bible filled with narrative. Have you ever gone to a movie and after it was all over asked your friends “guys, what can we learn from this movie?” I don’t. When Jesus told stories (parables) he didn’t conclude by saying “the moral of the story is…” He left people wondering what it meant.

Donald Millers said that we all want to be part of a good story. We want our lives to count for something. The problem is that all good stories go like this. Protagonist wants something. Protagonist faces conflict. Protagonist preservers through and a conclusion is reached. Lord of the Rings would have been a flop if Froto had given up and pawned the ring off on some unknowing soul headed to mount doom.

I’m wondering about my own life. I don’t want to live a lame, or boring life. I am also fearful of the consequences that come from living a life that involves me in a greater plot.

And this is the end of my very disjointed thoughts.

Can I copyright my actions?

Sometimes I don’t know what to do. Can I copyright my actions? I think I’ll sue my brother for copying me.

First I go to Rosedale, then he comes. I wait until the last day of classes and ask out Sarah. Then he waits and asks another Sarah. Then I give my Sarah a diamond ring and ask her to spend the rest of her life with me. Would you believe that he asked her the same thing using his own diamond? Unbelievable!

Welcome to the family Sarah.

Maybe I'll have a cup of Good Earth Tea to make me feel better

I snuck a few little buggers...

For years I was allergic to bananas. More than half of that peeled sweet goodness and I would be begging to vomit my sick stomach away. In Africa I snuck a few little buggers and nothing happened. Could it have been the chemicals in western food?

This week at lunch I’ve been snaging a few bites here and there to see what happens. And nothing did. Today I put down two whole bananas over the lunch hour, with no ill effects. I guess God wants me to start eating bananas again. Wooo Hoooo!