For those of you who don’t know (namely, everyone but Erica), I have just returned from a 6 day adventure in the middle of the woods. I was asked at the last minute to serve as faculty for a leadership retreat and thought it sounded like a good idea. I had heard good things about this program and thought, at the very least, that it would be good teaching experience. A part of me was sad about losing 6 of my remaining days of winter break… but I figured I packed about 3 months of fun into the 2 weeks I spent in SF and Berkeley, so I could make the sacrifice.
So, I flew back to Maryland, worked four 12-hour days (packing in all of the work I wouldn’t be able to do in the woods), purchased my very first set of long-underwear (I swear I’d only heard of long underwear in storybooks that involved dwarves and lumberjacks…but real live people really do wear the stuff), and head off for the woods. When I arrived, I was told that all of my leadership sessions would take place HERE. Well, not exactly. Take this picture and add a layer of snow that has hardened in the cold and turned into ice. Yes, cabin 7 was to be my classroom for the next week, and I was going to like it!
The crazy thing is, that I actually DID like it! The students arrived and they were amazing. They were brilliant and hilarious and thoughtful and everything I could have hoped for. They almost made me forget about the bone-chilling cold.
I returned last night weak and weary from sleep deprivation and an oncoming cold. My throat hurt from breathing in cold air for a solid week. My head hurt from dehydration. And my stomach muscles hurt from the almost constant laughter that being stuck in a cabin with 10 witty college students for 6 days can induce. I can’t really explain it, but I’m sold for life. If I could sign up to do it all over again tomorrow, I would be there in a heartbeat.
Instead, I’ve been bumming around my house, sucking down Dayquil. I was supposed to start class today, but we got 6 inches of snow last night, so campus is closed. More snow is expected tonight, so I don’t know if I have class or work tomorrow either.
In the end, it turns out that I get both fun times in the woods AND an extended vacation. Sometimes everything just falls into place.
Well, my time in beautiful California was crazy fantastic, but I’m back in Maryland where it’s currently snowing and the wind-chill is below zero. Before a left the east coast, I made a list of the things I needed to accomplish. Filled with glee, I’m happy to report that I fulfilled almost all of my objectives and then some. Here’s the rundown.
Original Bay Area To Do List:
· get ears stretched, make out with William in the process. or maybe before or
after the process. Whatever
· go to suriya
· New Year’s Eve with Fairy Butch!
o Play kissing games on stage
o Dance the night away with hotness
o Watch beautiful women take their clothes off
· take naked pictures with Erica, Rachel, and Laura.
· possibly have a lesbian makeout party
· Have 6 feet under marathon
· Watch reality dating shows on tv (preferably bind date, elimidate, or 5th wheel)
· Get together with the gang
· Work on my play
· Make sure to get in some QT with Tanya
· Make sure to get in some QT with Jason Shamai
List of Accomplishments
· Got ear’s stretched…. Made out with William (in my mind), and got dizzy when he caressed my shoulder and back as Erica and I walked out of the back room.
· Went to Suriya and gorged myself on tasty basil goodness and mango with sweet, sticky rice
· Went to Fairy Butch TWICE.
· Played kissing games on stage
· Danced the night away with hotness
· Watched beautiful women take their clothes off
· Blushed as one of the dancers through a chair out of the way to give me a lapdance
· Giggled as I watched Erica make out with a hot soft butch on stage
· Took naked pictures with the girls
· Followed it up with two days of naked body painting
· No lesbian makeout party… but there was a party and it was attended by many lesbians… does that count?
· No six feet under marathon, but I returned to Maryland with HBO on demand, which means that I can watch the current season of Six Feet Under whenever I want! Not too shabby
· Watched Elimidate and enjoyed every sleazy second
· Got together with the gang to record the final group scenes for the musical
I also got to work on my play and spend lots of quality time with Jason Shamai and Tanya – including attending a drag king fund raiser for PISSR (People in Search of Safer Restrooms)
Really, I had an incredible time. After 8 months on the east coast, it was amazing to see everyone and catch up and soak in everything that the bay area has to offer. Upon my return, I immediately started working on getting a summer internship in Oakland or SF. I already have one interview set up and I’m pretty sure there will be more.
Thanks to everyone who made my break amazing. I love you guys. We’ll have to do it again sometime soon. Mwah!