I had much more fun at the Playgrounds overnighter at Ardenwood farm than I thought I would. So how do I classify fun? Like this...

- Wandering around the spooky, dark Patterson mansion at 4am. Getting creeped out by freaky looking dolls. Sitting in the attic telling ghost stories.

- Stuffing apricots into volunteer shoes at 1am.

- Dressing up as Wyclef Jean and lip syncing to "Hips Don't Lie" alongside the sexiest Shakira ever, Samir.

- Burning spicy cheetos in the campfire.

- Scaring people with stories about little girls in the haystacks.

- Campfire songs! CHIQUITA BANANAS UNITE! Peel banana, peel peel banana...

- Glow sticks...and attempting to learn from Stephen how to rave

- All the guys "going Brokeback"

- Piggyback rides through cornfields

- Applying scary movie stories to real life

- And of course having fun with the kids!

I've really come to love my job. When I first started, I wasn't that excited about it. It was just a summer job I needed for money. But as the weeks pass, I've come to enjoy it a lot. Sure, kids don't always listen, and there are a couple that are constantly acting up, but despite that I love it all. I've learned how to be more patient and understanding. Whenever I feel myself getting annoyed or frustrated with them, I put myself in their shoes; I remember what I felt and I what I thought about when I was in elementary school and it just washes away. (Blessing from God, no?). I don't think we get paid enough for what we do because it really is more than just playing games with the kids. Working with kids isn't easy, and it would be so easy for me to come home every day and just bitch and whine about how much I hate my job...but I don't. And I can't exactly explain it. But I've come to the point where I become so happy and proud when a kid who hasn't been able to make lanyards all summer finally gets it right and wants to keep working on it.

David always used to talk to me about his job. He would always tell me stories about his kids, but it's one of those things where if you're not there and you're not part of it the stories aren't as fun. They're really great for the people telling them but the people receiving the story just don't delight in it as much. But now I wonder if I'm not boring people to death because these days I'm always talking about my kids.

And I'm having great fun with the staff also. Never a dull moment with Playgrounds people =]. I slept a total of one hour last night, but it was well worth it. We all got really loopy in the morning. One of my volunteers brought SAT stuff to study, and she fell asleep with her binder open in front of her. So Samir and I put it on a tree stump next to her and spelled out DEATH with grass and weeds. Wtheck, I don't know why we did that. But anyways, it got blown away by the time she woke up.

Oh I also love the movie High School Musical. It's kinda crazy how obsessive I'm becoming about that.

We're all in this together
Once we know
That we are
We're all stars
And we see that
We're all in this together
And it shows
When we stand
Hand in hand
Make our dreams come true

What a happy song. Swim time!