We'll be playmates and lovers...

I really like going to Wal-mart, where I spend an hour picking out the freshest organic vegetables, buy only 100% juice, get organic milk and free-range eggs, and maybe a block of extra-firm tofu, before going to through the check out and grabbing a bag a Doritos and a Dr. Pepper.

Oh, it's so amazing here...

"No matter how upside-down it all may temporarily appear, we will have no fear because we know this secret: Life is crazily in love with us—wildly and innocently in love with us. The universe always gives us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it."

Jonathan asked me the other day if I would be such a positive person if I didn't surround myself with positive things all the time; we had been reviewing some recent Notes from the Universe (introduced to me by Jess). It was a passing query, but something I've thought about a lot recently, and I suppose it's a chicken-or-the-egg sort of thing. I suppose it must have eventually started with one or the other, but now it is a process with two steps dependent on one another. Anyway, if you're reading this, I probably consider you one of those positives with which I prefer to be surrounded. So, thank you.

Could you do me a favor and re-read the quote above? Now, if you saw the italics and didn't read it the first time, this means you need to read it twice in order to re-read it as I asked. I suggest reading out-loud, but to each his or her own. I suppose you may become tired of this positive-thinking mumbo-jumbo that seems to appear periodically on this web log of mine, but I want you to know that I really believe that the whole world is conspiring to shower us with blessings. I want you to know that.

Over the summer, I lost a hundred dollars towards the middle of July, I believe it was. Lindsey and I had been packing for the staff trip to Fort Morgan, and were wildly tired and insanely ready to be away from our cabins for a bit, having just been ousted for the third time that summer. I had a hundred dollars from a check cashed weeks ago that I planned to use on the trip. Once we got in the car, though, that beautiful little bill was gone gone. It wasn't a really big deal (I mean, I know it should have been, but spilled milk and all that, right?); Graham and Lindsey pitched in to get me food and what not and I paid them back later. I even told them that the money was either going to be found by someone else who could really use the extra money right then (we were leaving our cabins to Camp Kaleidoscope) or it was going to be found by me when I really needed it.

Well, tonight, I found it. I found it in an old cardboard box that has been moved from three different places, starting at camp and ending, yesterday, in my current apartment. I've dug through this box a dozen times or more, many of them actually looking for the money because it was the most likely place for it to have landed. How I managed to miss it, I've no idea, but I'm glad I did, because right now I need it.

Little things like this seem to happen a lot, and I hope I never forget to be thankful. There have been several times where I've needed the rend money and the next day Rosario would call to ask me to work for a long weekend. Last year at a time when I really wanted/needed to go to Birmingham, I found the $25 gas coupon my parents had given me for Christmas that had been unseen for months; it was under a couch I moved looking for a dime I had dropped. As early as a couple weeks ago, Aunt Alice came to visit and offered a boost that allowed me to fill our fridge and pantry for the first time in months! (Not that I had been starving... I notice that sounds a wee bit pathetic. However, I had eating off dollar menus and Mexican carry-out and dine-in meals taken home in two doggy bags to last for 3 meals more.)

It's not always money, of course... I promise that your calls, texts, and emails are always timed perfectly. YOU are timed perfectly.

I caught a trucker out of Philly, and he told a good joke.

Oh Dr. Mario, why did I just waste three hours playing you online?

And Rob says you love, love, love, then you die...

It's been to long since I posted, yet again. One day I will look at October 2007 entries and be sad that I didn't post more. Or maybe I'll laugh at how sentimental I was at 22. We'll see.

I'm at the Tomlinson's, waking up early to take the boys to school. I had to come tonight so I could have the car; Stephen and Rosario are going out of town tomorrow morning and I have William and Harris until Sunday afternoon. Yay! I'm excited about this.

I've been at Bookland for over a week now; things are okay. I love being around the books, and I wants to read everything, jeez. It's pretty boring, though. I'd rather do almost any menial task that just stand in one place for hours. We aren't supposed to do anything but straighten where we're standing. No food, drink, gum. No music. No reading. No reading at a bookstore? Yes, folks. No reading. Which would be understandable at, say, Books-a-Million. We have next to nobody in our store, though... oh, well.

Saturday after work I partied it up at J-Rob's, wOOt! I went as a country gal and Jeff went as Euro-trash. Meaghan was a gypsy and T.J. was a knight. We caravaned from the house in Sheffield, and on the way I blew out my tire, so Teej and Jeff changed it in the parking lot of Florence High School. It set a rather poor tone for the night, as I am below broke. I'm in debted to Jeff up to my ears with all these apartment bills. Man. Anyway, we finally made it (after splitting up and just looking for the place), where we were greeted by Mario (Thomas) and the sexy vixen cop Jennifer and the lovely queen Jennifer, as well as roommate Mandy and lamo Lance and Tyler, who weren't dressed up. ;)

We had a jolly good time, drinking and playing beer pong and flip cups and whatnot, then off to bed and wake up late and then to work! I don't remember what I did Sunday night... Monday I had a test in Women's Studies which I did not do well on. I knew the stuff, but I spent way too much time on the second essay question and nowhere near enough on the third, which was worth more points. Drat.

Oh, also Monday Jeff and I were approved for a townhouse in Florence! We've been moving stuff in since then, and we're almost completely there now. I'm really excited about our new home; come visit!!!

Umm.... backtracking... Tuesday was my momma's birthday! I didn't get to see her, but we talked on the phone a couple times. Wednesday was Halloween, and work was great because we had hundreds of children come to the store because the mall does store-to-store trick-or-treating. There were so many beautiful children; it made me miss day cares a lot. I also saw Jordan, who's applying at Gamestop. That'd be funtastic. Anyway, Jeff picked me up and we went to Christian's for just a little bit; it was late and we're kinda lame so we didn't stay, but it looked like a really fun party; we also got to see Louise, which was a super-pleasant suprise!

Alrighty... I'm gonna head to bed... I have too much to say right now to continue this post. So, to go over the highlights: my friends are amazing, I have a new apartment, I love you very very very much.

We could be daytime drunks if we wanted. We'd never get anything done that way, baby. And we'd still be ruled by our dueling perspectives... and I'm not my perpective... or the lies I'll tell you... everytime...

One must have chaos within oneself if one is to be a dancing star...

I got glasses again (finally).

I just got a job at Bookland (I start on the 22nd).

I'm going to Birmingham this afternoon (with Jeff).

I may be working Saturday (but I may be working Sunday instead).

I'm broke, but I'm happy.

I'm poor, but I'm kind.

Hipster Olympics!!!

If the days aren't easy, and the nights are rough...

Say yes we live uncertainty
And disappointments have to be
And everyday we might be facing more
And yes we live in desperate times
But fading words and shaking rhymes
There’s only one thing here worth hoping for
With Lucifer beneath you and God above
If either one of them asks you what your living of
Say love, say for me love
Say love, say for me love

Note to Self

damn this quicksand

hungry sucking sounds make
bile rise in my stomach

throw me a goddamn rope

or would you rather watch
this slow-motion train wreck?

you know how dangerous it is to be born with breasts

We just watched a film about sexism in advertising, and I almost started weeping in class. Not crying, not bawling, but weeping... the tears of a dull ache that can't be fixed with a kiss and a band-aid. I know this sounds melodramatic to some of you, but I'm about done being apologetic about my budding passion for women's studies. It's more than a new interest or a temporary hobby. These things are so important, so very real, and they affect everyone.

We saw ad after ad where women were made into objects... literally, objects. They were beer cans and cars. We saw tons with women objectified and sexualized, where they were tied up and gagged, where they covered their mouths and bit their lips. And the women... 100% of the women in advertising represent a body type that describes 5% of our culture. In addition, the women are flawless to the point of obscurity, now more so than ever as computers reshape chins, delete wrinkles, erase necklines, broaden eyes, whiten teeth...

This particular video dealt with their sexualization, but it's more than that... My current least favorite commercial is a LeanCuisine commercial, I believe. It features a line of women discussing the bland dinners they suffered through the night before, expect one lady who details her succulent meal. What gets me about this advertisement, what drives me absolutely mad, is that no one questions why the hell five perfectly fit women are on a diet!!! It didn't occur to me until last week to question it, and I've seen the damn thing a million times!

They are not just eating healthily. To maintain their tiny figures (and the women on these commercials are incredibly thin), they must starve themselves? That's ridiculous!!! If you can't keep a size 2 waist while eating healthy, balanced meals, you are not meant to have a size 2 waist! Now, I'm all for feeling good about yourself and treating your body right, but I think this goes beyond that. Skipping meals or going to the gym five times a week to maintain a figure you weren't born to have is unnatural and unhealthy for both body and mind.

And it starts so young! Which reminds me, I am boycotting Calvin Klein, as the ads we saw today made me vomit in my mouth. More than any other company, this brand sexualizes children. It was disgusting, and I've never felt so gross as when I saw a mostly naked fifteen year old trying to sell jeans. I felt dirty for even seeing the commercial.

Maybe the worse thing for me right now, though, is my inability to separate what I want and what I'm told to want. I've been on and off diets since I was 12 years old, long before anyone, ANYONE, should be dieting. Now, I'm trying to loose some weight. And I don't eat badly!!! I have a diet full of vegetables and fruits and whole grains and protein! I walk around campus and around my neighborhood and the mall! I drink water, lots of water, and I've cut things like corn syrup out of my diet almost completely! So... why do I struggle to shed inches, and squeeze myself into pants a size to small? I don't have an entirely organic meal plan, but I don't eat fast food with any sort of regularity, nor any other product equally unhealthy. I'm taking care of my body.

This probably needs cleaning up, as there is infinitely more to say and plenty more intelligent ways to say it, but I wanted to get this out before I exploded...

Crazy- what are you, then?

Most people associate innocence with naiveté. Conventional wisdom regards it as belonging to children and fools and rookies who lack the sophistication or experience to know the tough truths about life. But the Beauty and Truth Laboratory recognizes a different kind of innocence. It's based on an understanding that the world is always changing, and therefore deserves to be seen fresh every day. This alternative brand of innocence is fueled by an aggressive determination to empty one's imagination of all preconceptions. "Ignorance is not knowing anything and being attracted to the good," wrote Clarissa Pinkola-Estes in Women Who Run With the Wolves. "Innocence is knowing everything and still being attracted to the good."

And the sky opened up with the soil of the sun...

Hello, cyber-friends, and welcome to the much anticipated return of Grace's Random Ramblings. While updates are infrequent and often times incomprehensible, you can always count on complete sentences and accurate punctuation.*

*No representation is made that the quality of blogging services is greater than the quality of blogging services offered elsewhere.

So... we're headed to the Quest tonight, and maybe the Yacht Club (which I have never attended). We just went from having no place to sleep to three offers, which is fantastic and means we won't have to crash someone's pad with just a grin and a guilt trip. Yay!

In other news... I've been spending a lot of time with my Little, and it's been fantastic. We're meeting once a week to work on homework. We might be going to Chuck E. Cheese on Tuesday. I watched her play soccer last weekend, and she did a great job.

I'm applying for jobs around town next week. I'm also going to keep Harris a couple times a week; they're pulling him out of day care. I'm not sure how that's going to work.

The fair is this weekend, but I don't think I'm going. Sad day. Big Spring Jam is next weekend, and I am going to that. I'm very excited. Hmm... apartment shopping is going well, I suppose. We have a list of places, but we haven't toured any yet. On that note, though, we're going to stay where we are until they sell-- you can't beat the rent we're paying.

In closing, I'll be updating this thing much more frequently, starting now.

The people thought that they were just being rewarded...

Guess who is playing house? That's right, yours truly. I've got the boys for five days. It's rather intimidating, but I'm still excited. I took them to school this morning, and I'll pick them up again around 2:30. I have class from 10 to 12 today. I really like both of my classes. In "Intro to Women's Studies," we have a speaker coming today from Rape Response. It should be interesting.

I have a lot I need to do, starting with calling my Little, Jessica. I talked to her some last week, but plans went ary when I had to schedule a doctor's appointment. I'm going to ask her grandmother if I can pick her up every Monday after school and take her to the library, where we can do homework together. Lametastic, right? Maybe not, though. I think I would have thought homework less atrocious if I got to break the routine of it sometimes. We'll see how it goes.

Life is busy busy busy! I still need to find a job before I let myself get to comfortable working for the Tomlinsons again. I need to get my oil changed. I need to find a new apartment. Ahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a little nostalgic about camp last night, and I'm not sure why. Maybe I was dreaming about it in my sporadic sleep. I started missing some of you folks muchly. I was also thinking about how quickly we adjust from situation to situation. Anyway, I'm ready to play sometime soon.

I also have a message from Lindsey on facebook, but I can't check it from here because they've blocked that and myspace. Saaaad day. Oh, I have a reminder for everyone. Check it out. It can't hurt.

Umm, let's see. I spent a fantastic weekend in Florida with Lance and Jeff at dear Jessica's. The drive down wasn't bad, I guess. I slept for a good bit of it as I tried to ward of a stomach bug I had. I think it may have been something I ate. It was decidedly unpleasant. I vomited at this one tiny gas station, and I'm pretty sure the whole store was listening. It was crazy loud. Eww. Once we got there the weather was beautiful and the company pleasant. We saw dolphins up close and went out for sea food once and watched a lot of television. It was great. The drive back was... tiring. We probably should have left earlier. I wish I'd gone back home early Monday morning, but we didn't. I didn't know my sisters would be in town. Blah! We did eat lunch with Jeff's parents, though, and that was nice.

Tuesday Jeff and I went to the lake for a bit, then we met the fam (Mom, Dad, Graham, Aunt Alice, Uncle Jim, and Grandmomma) at Ricatoni's for dinner. It was fantastic. We had a good time, and Jeff and I got lots of leftovers! Yay!

I said, "Do ya speak-a my language?"

Big Spring Jam is Friday, September 28, through Sunday, September 30. Bands I'm super excited about? Foreigner and the Avett Brothers. Other bands I'd like to see: Sawyer Brown, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic, Pat Greene, Los Lonely Boys and the Commodores. I'm not really into Breaking Benjamin, but I know some of you fine folk are, and they'll be there as well! Also, I'm going to St. Thomas that Sunday. I'm gonna call Rosemary and see if I (and whoever wants to come with) can sleep at her house. If for some reason that weekends no good for her, I'm pretty sure someone in Huntsville will let me crash there. Yay for lots of friends!

In the next month or two I'm going to get a Net Flix account. I'm pretty pumped about that. Recently Jeff and I have been plowing steadily through Avatar and Nip/Tuck. Soon I would like to begin The Sopranos (my parents have that) and maybe the O.C. (because Lance demands it).

There are so many people I need to call and see and visit and invite. I miss several people from camp, and I still haven't recconnected with a lot of people here that I'd really like to see. I need to hang out with Jessica, my Little, who I haven't seen in forever, as well as my grandmother, who I miss a lot. Wahhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You like to put jelly on ladies?

Meagan left for Birmingham this morning. Man oh man. It is official, I suppose. We're all in college. Crazy! I'm doing the normal nostalgic nosedive into depression, but it's nothing new and nothing serious. I love my family. I love this house.

Tonight I'm going to babysit for the Tomlinsons. I saw them Thursday. They've definitely grown in the last three months! Harris is speaking in full sentences. They were both so wonderful; it was great to see Rosario, too, although she was sick, and I hope she's feeling better now. Next month I'll be staying with them five days in a row. I'll be taking them to day care and everything... I get to play house! And at a gorgeous home, too... it's amazing what the desolate little mountain lot has become.

This semester I have Intro to Women's Studies, The Bible as Literature, Geography II, and Personality. I'm really excited about my schedule, aside from the Geography, but even it should be okay.

All of us are crazy good in one way or another.

I must get back into the habit of updating this thing.

So. So so so.

Classes start tomorrow! I have a potential schedule, but I can't register until my advisor gets back in town (tomorrow) and releases my hold. Classes should be fun and interesting. I can't graduate by December. Also, I was just told yesterday that I have to have a minor. While I was interested in obtaining one in Women's Studies anyway, I'm a little floored that I've met with three or more teachers about my degree and have never been told this bit of information. Jeez.

Jeff and I are renting/house sitting? at a little place on Gordon Avenue in Sheffield. It's precious. We did fondu there last week with Meaghan, Moony, Graham, O'Brian, and Jessica. Jessica? Yes, Jessica! She was in town for a while.

Time to backtrack and give a rundown of my life since the last post:

~ Camp ended. The last session was fun and tiring and right on time. I had a groovy cabin.
~ I road with Ryan to Birmingham, where I was dropped off at Tyler and Brittney's apartment.
~ Tyler, Lance, Brittney, Rachel, Bailey, Jennifer, Thomas, and I went to eat at P.F. Chang's
~ In celebration of Tyler's 21st, we headed to Loco's.
~ Daniel came, too, along with Lauren Banks, Miller and Jack (who I hadn't met before)
~ We had a rip-roaring good time, then went back to Tyler's to celebrate some more
~ Jeff got me and we went back home to look at the house mentioned above.
~ Meaghan, O'Brian, and I went to Fort Walton to visit Jessica.
~ We spent two different days on the beach, and saw some huge jelly fish.
~ We went to Howl at the Moon, one of Jessica's hang-out spots.
~ O'Brian and Meaghan left early Monday morning; Jessica and I left shortly after.
~ J-Money and I stayed the night in Birmingham with Lance, Tyler, and Brittney.

Since being home, Jessica, Jeff, Jonathan, Mooney, Meagan, Melissa, and I went bowling, and aftwards Jessica and Jonathan came to the house to watch The Labrynth. Funtimes. Jessica and I also hung out a lot this week; she went home yesterday.

Now Jeff and I are at the UNA library working on his resume/playing on facebook. This afternoon we're going to move my bed to the house. Yay! Yesterday we moved some other randomness (and a lot of clothes) in. I'm about to do some serious cleaning and ditching of useless knickknacks.

Tomorrow we're going to Loui Loui's, at the invitation of Louise. I'm sure there's more to record, but for now, I'm going to do a crossword. Hurrah!

When the sun shines, we'll shine together...

Here it comes... the last session of the summer. Despite the waves of stomach turning nostalgia that hit every time I move from any temporary home, I'm excited about being back in Sheffield soon.

The plan for now... pre-camp starts at 3 today. We'll have campers tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday morning. They leave Sunday afternoon, and we spend the pm hours cleaning and whatnot, and I assume hanging out around camp. There's talk of staying Monday night as well, but if we don't I'll probably head to Birmingham for Tyler's birthday!

I leave for Fort Walton again on the 9th with Mdawg and my main man O'Brian Gunn (haven't spent time with them in ages, looking forward to the seven hour drive, believe it or not!), then we get back on the 12th or so, and I move into Jeff's apartment (Chris is moving to Birmingham!). Man, so much, so much. Back to camp for the last time as an employee this summer... love to all of you.

And Max the king of all wild things was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all.

Life as of late has been quite the roller coaster. Last session was stressful for me, and I got super irritated at several people, but other parts were great. The last night, I took my cabin stargazing. We went up the hill and spread out a few blankets, and we read the last two chapters of Hope for the Flowers, which I've read to every cabin I've had thus far. They really loved it. Then we all lay with our heads in the middle and talked about a lot of different things, from Napoleon Dynamite to alcoholism. It was intense. Around 11 we headed back towards the cabin, but before we could get there Carpenter, the cabin of Mr. Wil Heflin, jumped out of the woods and scared the bejesus out of my seven campers (I originally had 9, but two had to leave early, which was a major bummer... also, Lauren Maggart was co-leader of the cabin this past session, as she was my fabulous CIT). Almost to bed when Ed's Cabin, lead by Kathryn, jumped out of the dark to frightene the girls again (they were laying in wait for Carol Smith, but alas, CS were late getting back). Once in our cabin, we prepared for bed before yet another scare as John Michael led Advent in a rousing game of "bang on the windows and scare the crap out of Barnwell." It was a fabulous night.

Also noteworthy of last session: At one of the staff meetings, the lovely male counselors decided to have a cue word (it happened to be "Amen") on which they would remove their clothing, so at the end of the opening prayer, a handful of counselors were suddenly half-naked as the rest of us proceeded to gaze from face to face making sure we weren't the sole outsiders on this inside joke. With our boss, two priests, and all the bewildered people in the room, it made for one of the most hilarious things I've ever been privileged to witness.

Before Junior High II (the session I described above), the staff went to the beach house of the Kendrick family in Fort Morgan for our two day break!!! It was amazing, despite early feelings of unease on my part. On the way down, Graham, Lindsey, and I listened to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon. It was absolutely incredible. I highly reccommend it to anyone, especially though who wish a better understanding of autism, specifially in regard to the way they process information and their feelings on being touched. Anyway, we walked down to the water where most of the folks were hanging out already; I was wearing a glow bracelet which Ryan took with his teeth, bursting the plastic and dribbling a glowing green galaxy on the wet sand under our feet. Chris and Worth played guitar on and off and on again throughout out our breif stay, giving a specific memory to the song "At the Beach." Lindsey, Graham, and I spent the morning making spaghetti and meatballs and sausage for everyone, as well as key lime pie and jello! It was so fun to cook with them, and I love the satisfied feeling of feeding a hungry crowd.

Speaking of the beach- I just got back from Fort Walton! The siblings and I left camp around 12:30 (I think) Monday and returned home, where we visited with the parents and sister and did various errands and such. Soon, Emily (who traveled with us, hurray!) and Lindsey left for Birmingham and then the lakehouse where the staff decided to get together this break (sans me, this time), and soon afterward Jeff came over and he and I began our journey down to Birmingham as well, where we met Lance and Britni at Tyler and Britney's apartment. We moved our stuff to Lance's vehicle and got on our way to Jessica's! Five-ish hours later we found ourselves on her doorstep, tired but otherwise jolly, and happy, of course, to be there. We awoke early the next morning and enjoyed a lovely french toast breakfast before making a be-line for the shore, where we idled away most of the day, loosening our tongues and baking in the sun and rolling around in the cool cool ocean. Eventually we packed up and headed home, stopping first to enjoy dinner at a lovely local restaurant and meandering about the neat little shopping center it called home. We also stopped at Baskin Robin's, where Britni re-discovered bubble gum ice cream (with chiclets!), a long lost part of her childhood. Back at Jessica's, we popped the cork on a bottle of champagne, put Closer on the telly, and promptly fell asleep and the devilish hour of 11.

Yesterday we lounged about the apartment for most of the morning, cursing Books-a-Million for calling Jessica into work and bemoaning our various and uncomfortable sunburns before hitting the sands again (lathered in SPF 35, of course). From the get-go it was a nature kind of day; I caught a tiny fish in my cupped hands with 10 minutes of arriving. Later Jeff and I observed various schools of fish, from a small group looking for protection in the shade of their dear savior Jeff to a larger commune attempting (we believe) to eat said smaller group. My feet were also bombarded by little sand colored fish later in the day, and we witnessed several rather largish jelly fish, including one who felt inclined to hug my leg from the back of my knee to the top of my ankle. I confess, that particular brush with sea life I could have done without. We left that night a bit before nine, caravanning this time with Tyler, who had been with his family in Destin for the week.

This break was what I needed, I think. I'm quite refreshed, please and thank you, and looking forward to Elementary II. I rather like this age group (entering 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, I believe), and I'm excited about being back at camp. The summer is quickly coming to a close. I know this is a long update, but I suppose it's rather more for my fading memory than for your viewing pleasure, though if you do happen to scan these paragraphs, I hope you find it quite informative and at least mildly entertaining. Love!

I am crying in the bathroom.

Hello, folks.

How's life? Going well, I hope.

Things are good here. We've had many sessions since we last talked, including Special Session, which is by far the best (but who didn't expect that?). I just love that staff so much. As they were arriving I felt like the Grinch when his heart expands, increasing a size with every wonderful person to show up. I do wish I'd been less tired, because I think I missed out on a lot of staff bonding time, but I like that we're close enough that it's okay. Dewayne Handley is my life. Britni coming made the whole week 1234 times better than it would otherwise have been. Lance, Mark, and Jeff dropping made for a fantastic dance, and did the engagement of the beautiful beautiful (inside and out) Anne and Blake; I don't think I've ever had so much confidence in a life-long partnership as I do in the two of them.

Other things... staph! That's right, lots of the staff had staph, although I believe the worst of it is over. Apparently, it's not contagious, despite spreading to 4 different people (a coincidence, we were assured). Crazy.

Umm... my birthday! Amazing. The entire camp woke me up by yelling "good morning, Grace" outside my cabin door at 7ish in the morning. I don't think I've had a better wake up call in my entire life. I got to wear a fun crown all day (which I still wear from time to time), and Meagan came for a surprise visit around rest time! After doing compline with my family (siblings and Katie (Morgan was at camp that week, too, but she went on the overnight)), I got back to my cabin to find a Lance and a Britni and a Tyler and a Cooper! Granted, I had to immediately send them home because we can't have surprise visitors during the session, but they brought me a chocolate cake and made the day perfect.

Oh! I got a new phone! I don't really like it, but I'm sure I will... anyway, I don't have any of your numbers, so call me and leave me a voicemail so I can get in contact with you at some point, kthanks. Also, a letter? Anyone? O'Brian sent me a letter, and it was amazing, and I felt super loved. I'll be writing you back soooon, love. My address:

105 Delong Road
Nauvoo, Alabama 35578

Last week Nancy was at camp and in my cabin; it was great spending time with her. I've also gotten to see Aunt Laura a couple times this summer, which is nice, because I miss her. Grandmomma picked Nancy up Thursday after some mishaps, and brought with her Morgan, so yay for seeing them, as well!

God knows there's so much more to tell you, Reader. Camp is just full of mind-blowing experiences, all of which I need to record. For now, I'm tired, and ready for breakfast, and then church with the fam. I may update again before I leave in a few hours, but I make no promises.

Untrue. I make you this promise:

You have changed my life by your presence in mine, and I love you for that.

"Love is being stupid together," said French poet Paul Valéry.

To celebrate your ramble through the most wildly independent phase of your astrological cycle, I'm offering you three inspirational quotes. The first is from poet e.e. cummings: "To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle that any human being can fight." Your second shot of motivation is from Clarissa Pinkola Estes: "If you have ever been called defiant, incorrigible, forward, cunning, insurgent, unruly, or rebellious, you're on the right track. If you have never been called these things, there is yet time." Lastly, here's a Hindu proverb: "There is nothing noble in being superior to some other person. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self."

The angels sang when you were born.

Soooo... I'm feeling pretty homesick right now. I miss you guys a lot. Jessica was in town last week, and I couldn't see her, and I hate hate hate that. I haven't spent real quality time, like no schedule, just us time, with Lance probably all year. I got to see Jeff a week ago or so, which I think made me miss him that much more. I miss O'Brian and Jonathan a lot, too, not to mention all my other wonderful friends (and I'm not going to try and list you all).

So much to tell you! But no time. Ever. I have a sheet of memory cues in my cabin, but I'll need to take time to actually read each one and let the memories sink back in before I type it all out.

Last night was fun. I'm finally clicking with a lot of the staff. Lee left last week; we was one of the first people I got close to. That blows. The staff is cool as shit, though. No lie. We just ended Junior High I; before that was Senior Camp (which BLEW MY MIND), and before that Elemtary I. Next is Sophomore Camp, and Katie and Morgan will be here! Hurray!

Some random things... we played Laser Tag the other day, and I was the top scorer in my game! Woohoo!

And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be. Love always, Charlie