Back to...Real Life?

This first week back from Senior High Conference is always an adjustment. I have boxes of materials to re-sort, re-stock and then put away. I have to figure out what got lost versus what has merely been misplaced. And I have to start thinking about next year.

Yes, I'm still focused on Junior High and Sleep Away but planning for 2011 has to begin now. What worked this year? What didn't? What do we need to change? What can stay the same? The process takes a long time and I need to get some of it written down before I forget it.

This year's conference went pretty well. There's always some memorable things going on and usually a catch phrase or story that will be told over and over again. This year we had three phrases that seemed to catch on. They were:

• Fish Vomit (from the story of Jonah)
• God knows what you do in your bedroom (actually from that same teaching session)
• The Front Fell Off - Rowland and Andrew did a great sketch at the Talent Show that was a re-enactment of this YouTube video. They did a great job. The video is NOT of a real politician but a couple of Australian TV comics (Check the Snopes.com story on the video)
  

The theme this year was "Shout to the Lord" and we looked at different ways of shouting, including Shouting in Anger, Shouting for Justice and Shout for Joy.

Evening activities included game night (with Bingo and prizes!), a picnic with the Kinda Sorta Beach Party (and ninja ducks!), the Talent Show, the Dance and Movie Night. The days were filled with classes (Sex Under a Tree with Mother Ellen - a salacious name for an excellent class, The Pickle class with Father John Paul, Rapping/Napping with the Bish with Bishop Michael and something brand new this year, the Poverty Game with Liz Brauza.) and swimming and free time and worship.

This probably explains why I slept for 13 hours when I got home.

We tried some new music this year. As always with new things it was a struggle sometimes and some folks didn't like it and some of it was pretty good. We also tried to lessen our garbage output this year by eliminating tons of plastic water bottles with 20 oz stainless steel re-usable bottles with the EYouthWNY logo on them. They were pretty popular.

Things still to do? Post some photos, including the Conference photo. Sort through video to see what we can post. Find the notes from our Journalists on Friday. I know they were given to me but I can't seem to find where I put them. Reclaim a few things that the rest of the staff picked up when I left them behind (maybe the notes too?)

Plus Junior High preparation and Sleep Away preparation. And planning for 2011.

Real life is a lot of work. When can I go back to camp?

Peace