Well, it is June and because I am not a consistent blogger I don't expect that too many people will be reading this. I have a few minutes that are my own right now which is rare at camp. Usually the only time that is my own is when I am asleep and I could possibly be called on then. In fact, I am supposed to be asleep right now and so I suppose that is why I have some time.
The more I think about what I just said, the more I should just laugh. While I am writing this I am also laminating something in the office pertaining to camp. I guess that I think when I am not laminating and answering a phone call or laminating and typing a lesson at the same time that I am having "free time." I have time of my own because I am laminating and BLOGGING.
I am not writing to say anything in particular right now. I am simply writing because it has been a few months and because I need to write. Things are pretty crazy during the summer when you work at a camp and they are crazy in the months prior to camp as well which is why I guess I haven't written in awhile. I get pretty stressed and it nice to punch the keys on this keyboard.
It is funny when you have a leadership role at a camp. A lot less campers know you. They also wonder what you actually do. Every week I have campers tell me that I am lucky because I get to ride in a golf cart (this is actually the first year I have, but they also said I was lucky when I 'got to ride a bike'). What they don't know is that in the time that I saw them at their activity, left, and came back to their activity I may have done two things in the office, talked with their counselor about pertinent information, had a meeting, and spent time with them all in their 40 minute activity. Last week at camp there was camper who said "Your lucky you get to ride in a golf cart...it's like doing go-karts all day long." Bobby said I should have replied "yeah, and I get paid for it, too!" Anyway, if I get any more free time I will write about some funny camp stories. Most of them are inside jokes and aren't nearly as funny written, but I will see what I can do.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Women
I am reading a book about women in World War II and have found it very interesting even though I am only in the second chapter. One of the books major premises is that standards for women are changed during war.
War created circumstances that allowed women to do things that were against social norms-even encouraged them to do things against the social norm.
Even though it was often taken away after the war was over, women's role had been stretched and would never completely fit back into the shape it had been. War was an oxymoron for the women of those days-sad, but liberating- they longed for their sweethearts return but they had a chance to show the world that they are beyond capable.
That books like these have to come out for many to know what women did during the fight is sad. Some people in the forties did not even realize what fronts women were on because they were never reported in the newspaper as being there. It is recorded that the Army nurses were there right along with the men. The nurses suffered the same kind of malnutrition and gunfire as the soldiers. In fact, when the government realized that nurses who were in the same zones as soldiers might need to know something about war, they created a program to train them for it. In training, they had to learn to crawl on their stomachs through mud while a live machine gun was being fired, make stretchers out of coveralls and bedpans out of newspaper. They took 30 mile hikes with a thirty-pound backpack and a four pound helmet to prepare them physically. While on the battlefield all of these things came in handy. It didn't always prepare them for digging foxholes, caring for men with their faces blown off, sleeping in mud, or giving their own blood to the soldiers who needed it. But they did it.
They kept going in spite of their own injuries, one nurse hurt her back and kept serving, eventually severing her spinal cord because she had to make a jump out of a plane with a fifty pound pack.
After sleeping in the mud, carrying heavy backpacks, jumping out of planes, struggling with lifeboats while enemy submarines roamed the waters, and eating rats and frogs when rations ran out they got to go home to ads like this one:
War created circumstances that allowed women to do things that were against social norms-even encouraged them to do things against the social norm.
Even though it was often taken away after the war was over, women's role had been stretched and would never completely fit back into the shape it had been. War was an oxymoron for the women of those days-sad, but liberating- they longed for their sweethearts return but they had a chance to show the world that they are beyond capable.
That books like these have to come out for many to know what women did during the fight is sad. Some people in the forties did not even realize what fronts women were on because they were never reported in the newspaper as being there. It is recorded that the Army nurses were there right along with the men. The nurses suffered the same kind of malnutrition and gunfire as the soldiers. In fact, when the government realized that nurses who were in the same zones as soldiers might need to know something about war, they created a program to train them for it. In training, they had to learn to crawl on their stomachs through mud while a live machine gun was being fired, make stretchers out of coveralls and bedpans out of newspaper. They took 30 mile hikes with a thirty-pound backpack and a four pound helmet to prepare them physically. While on the battlefield all of these things came in handy. It didn't always prepare them for digging foxholes, caring for men with their faces blown off, sleeping in mud, or giving their own blood to the soldiers who needed it. But they did it.
They kept going in spite of their own injuries, one nurse hurt her back and kept serving, eventually severing her spinal cord because she had to make a jump out of a plane with a fifty pound pack.
After sleeping in the mud, carrying heavy backpacks, jumping out of planes, struggling with lifeboats while enemy submarines roamed the waters, and eating rats and frogs when rations ran out they got to go home to ads like this one:
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Uncanny
Two days ago I was going to make "extreme" nachos (homeade salsa, nachos with bell pepper, zuchinni, cilantro, ground beef, tomatoes, a minute amount of onions, and lots of cheese) and watch a movie ("Get Smart" to be exact). I went to Baywood Foods which is the closest grocery store and is right next to First Choice where we rent movies. The grocery store did not have cilantro (which I consider the most important element in extreme nachos) and the movie store did not have "Get Smart." I called Bobby to let him know that I was going to have to go to Wal-mart. This was our conversation:
Emily: I am going to be a little later because Baywood didn't have cilantro and First Choice didn't have "Get Smart."
Bobby: That's a bummer
E: I guess I will have to go to Wal-mart (sigh). Do you know of any grocery stores that are closer?
B: John Hitchens said that Big Chief has the best and cheapest produce
E: But Wal-mart is closer than Big Chief. Big Chief is 5 miles away.
B: But I thought you said Wal-mart was 6 miles away.
E: No, I said Wal-mart was 3.5 to 4 miles away.
I recorded this conversation merely to open for the rest of the story of my weird habit/talent. My weird habit is calculating the number of miles to various frequented locations. Also calculating the average number of minutes it takes to drive or walk or run somewhere. I also calculate landmarks along the way so that I know how good my time is, etc. For example, I knew that to get back and forth from Wal-mart to where I was would take about 8.25 minutes or so. I could go through all the reasons why, but I won't.
My talent is calculating how long it will take to get somewhere. When I go to work I know that it takes me 6 minutes driving, 1-2 minutes in the parking lot, and less than 1 minute to walk through the mall to Mastercuts. Therefore, I leave 10-15 minutes before I need to be at work. I have never bought a stopwatch because that would drive me crazy. I would be timing to the second.
I honed this ability playing a game with my brother on our way to church. Houston Church was quite a distance from our house (19 miles) and so Joseph and I would play a game trying to see who could guess the most accurately what time we would arrive at church. I knew that the average was about 22 minutes when the church was on Woodridge and 27 minutes when it moved to Eldridge. So, I would guess based on landmarks (like whether we were on the freeway or not or whether we had passed a certain exit or not). I usually won. I knew how many exits there were and that they were about a mile apart each which meant about 1 minute per exit. So, that usually helped. If there was traffic, I timed how long it took on average for certain flows of traffic and used that in my guessing the next time. I know for a fact that if you are going at least 20 miles an hour on the freeway you should not get off. It isn't faster.
Somehow I calculate when we will arrive somewhere pretty well. When I cooked meals this past weekend one of our staff commented that the food finishes right before it is time to ring the bell. "I time it that way" I said.
With all of this ability, knowing how to calculate time, I usually put about ten more things on my 'to do' list than I can actually do. Well, more like 3 things to be exact.
Emily: I am going to be a little later because Baywood didn't have cilantro and First Choice didn't have "Get Smart."
Bobby: That's a bummer
E: I guess I will have to go to Wal-mart (sigh). Do you know of any grocery stores that are closer?
B: John Hitchens said that Big Chief has the best and cheapest produce
E: But Wal-mart is closer than Big Chief. Big Chief is 5 miles away.
B: But I thought you said Wal-mart was 6 miles away.
E: No, I said Wal-mart was 3.5 to 4 miles away.
I recorded this conversation merely to open for the rest of the story of my weird habit/talent. My weird habit is calculating the number of miles to various frequented locations. Also calculating the average number of minutes it takes to drive or walk or run somewhere. I also calculate landmarks along the way so that I know how good my time is, etc. For example, I knew that to get back and forth from Wal-mart to where I was would take about 8.25 minutes or so. I could go through all the reasons why, but I won't.
My talent is calculating how long it will take to get somewhere. When I go to work I know that it takes me 6 minutes driving, 1-2 minutes in the parking lot, and less than 1 minute to walk through the mall to Mastercuts. Therefore, I leave 10-15 minutes before I need to be at work. I have never bought a stopwatch because that would drive me crazy. I would be timing to the second.
I honed this ability playing a game with my brother on our way to church. Houston Church was quite a distance from our house (19 miles) and so Joseph and I would play a game trying to see who could guess the most accurately what time we would arrive at church. I knew that the average was about 22 minutes when the church was on Woodridge and 27 minutes when it moved to Eldridge. So, I would guess based on landmarks (like whether we were on the freeway or not or whether we had passed a certain exit or not). I usually won. I knew how many exits there were and that they were about a mile apart each which meant about 1 minute per exit. So, that usually helped. If there was traffic, I timed how long it took on average for certain flows of traffic and used that in my guessing the next time. I know for a fact that if you are going at least 20 miles an hour on the freeway you should not get off. It isn't faster.
Somehow I calculate when we will arrive somewhere pretty well. When I cooked meals this past weekend one of our staff commented that the food finishes right before it is time to ring the bell. "I time it that way" I said.
With all of this ability, knowing how to calculate time, I usually put about ten more things on my 'to do' list than I can actually do. Well, more like 3 things to be exact.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Fighting
I feel like writing but don't know what to write about. What is on my mind, however, is how much I love my husband.
Marriage is an interesting thing. After five years my husband can make me more mad than anyone else, but when we are mad at each other it is the worst feeling in the world. I would rather forgive him than be at odds. It doesn't mean that I don't act the martyr once in a while or almost every time we fight but our fighting doesn't last for long. In fact, the longer we are married the less time it takes us to make up.
A fight could last all night when we first got married. In fact, one memorable night we started close to after dinner, we yelled and slammed doors and walked off and came back and did it again. We ended up being so tired that we tried to go to bed but we kept each other up fighting. So, we turned on the lights and fought some more. Finally we were so exhausted we decided to go to Denny's because maybe we needed to get out of the house. We hadn't exactly made up, I think we might have bickered in the car, but as we sat there, in Denny's, we began to talk normally and it was better. I think we went to bed around 3. We were so tired when we got to Denny's that we didn't stay long. That was all night and I can't even remember what it was about!
After five years some fights last longer than others but they generally are not more than 30 minutes. Last night we fought when we were playing darts and started fighting. I know I started it and he fueled the fire and we argued, but after only a half hour or so we ended up on the couch together with his arms around me and my head on his chest.
So, this is a tribute to marriage and my husband. I love him so much! Some days I want to be married and some days I don't. But when I feel like I don't want to be married anymore I imagine life without Bobby and it makes me cry and I still don't...but only for a little while and I run out to find him.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sylvia
Ever since I had to write a paper on Sylvia Plath's poem "Lady Lazarus" I have had an interest in her. I had a desire to read "The Bell Jar" by her but have always forgotten once I step into Half Price Books and am completely surrounded by them. What was I looking for again? So many books to meet and so little time! Then I end up with another book, not completely satisfied, because I know I came for something else! That also happened with "The Handmaiden" by Margaret Atwood but I ended up getting it for Christmas a couple of years ago from my husband who did remember (only because he had it written down, mind you. That is not normal.)
Anyway, I am not completely sure why but my sister-in-law, Jenny, and I ended up talking about "The Bell Jar" this weekend. I mentioned that I wanted to read "The Bell Jar" and she said she did too. That, in fact, she had just finished reading "The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath" because she had heard "The Bell Jar" was largely autobiographical and she wanted to understand it better when she did read it. Well, I ended up borrowing "The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath" and will read "The Bell Jar" soon. I have also decided that I will buy it. I mean as opposed to checking it out of the library.
The library in Hitchcock, TX not only has hours that make me wonder "who beside that same kid on the computer makes it to the library before they close?" I, myself, have never been there earlier than 30 minutes before it was scheduled to close. Except the time I had to post fliers for camp. I was tempted to stay but I had to work. Beside the hours, the selection reminds me that I never should have been tempted in the first place. I believe their library is made up of all the thrift store books in the neighbouring areas. You know what I mean. Like ten copies of a science book from the sixties. Bobby and I had an excellent thrift store we used to go to in Spring Branch called MAM and it had an awesome book selection, but I have never been in another like it. Most thrift stores have the books that Half Price wouldn't give you any money for. Half Price employees probably take them in the back and chunk them for you, muttering: "You should be paying me to chunk these for you." Thrift stores only take them to fill up space. Anyway. The La Marque library is better. Not great, but significantly better. To sum it up, soon will come a Half Price Book/Jamba Juice smoothie night!
I also thought I would include in this post a poem I wrote a little over a year ago simply because I feel like making this post longer. It has been too long since I added to this blog!
Anyway, I am not completely sure why but my sister-in-law, Jenny, and I ended up talking about "The Bell Jar" this weekend. I mentioned that I wanted to read "The Bell Jar" and she said she did too. That, in fact, she had just finished reading "The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath" because she had heard "The Bell Jar" was largely autobiographical and she wanted to understand it better when she did read it. Well, I ended up borrowing "The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath" and will read "The Bell Jar" soon. I have also decided that I will buy it. I mean as opposed to checking it out of the library.
The library in Hitchcock, TX not only has hours that make me wonder "who beside that same kid on the computer makes it to the library before they close?" I, myself, have never been there earlier than 30 minutes before it was scheduled to close. Except the time I had to post fliers for camp. I was tempted to stay but I had to work. Beside the hours, the selection reminds me that I never should have been tempted in the first place. I believe their library is made up of all the thrift store books in the neighbouring areas. You know what I mean. Like ten copies of a science book from the sixties. Bobby and I had an excellent thrift store we used to go to in Spring Branch called MAM and it had an awesome book selection, but I have never been in another like it. Most thrift stores have the books that Half Price wouldn't give you any money for. Half Price employees probably take them in the back and chunk them for you, muttering: "You should be paying me to chunk these for you." Thrift stores only take them to fill up space. Anyway. The La Marque library is better. Not great, but significantly better. To sum it up, soon will come a Half Price Book/Jamba Juice smoothie night!
I also thought I would include in this post a poem I wrote a little over a year ago simply because I feel like making this post longer. It has been too long since I added to this blog!
GOOD MANNERS
Her petticoat covers
The red-blooded maiden legs
Underneath.
Ladylike, she crosses them
So they are incarcerated,
And strapping legs
Grow weak and womanly.
One hand hides the other
While they sit
Powerful and still in her lap
Gentle and refined,
Her polished poise
Is two-fisted now.
Sloping shoulders
Cloak well-built bones
Gallant, they hold up her girlish
And whimsical burdens.
All the while
Sensitive, soft, and shy
Her smile is all three
She has learned
To flex those muscles well.
They are her honor
A vigorous attempt at being deferential
This smile can be reproduced
Over and over.
Once a month she submits
To its pains
And bears a child-
Like resemblance
To women stouthearted,
Gone before her.
-Emily Chumchal Andrews
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Hunted
I have never wondered what it felt like to be a deer. Specifically a deer who was hunted. This Saturday I did not wonder either I just instinctively felt that I knew.
All week we have been preparing for camp to start, we have trained counselors hoping to equip them with all they will need this summer. Before this week, we worked most days and didn't have days off and we would stay inside our house or go off of camp. This was to ensure that we rested at least a little. Sometimes people would call us and sometimes we wouldn't answer. If sometimes we didn't answer then sometimes people came knocking on our door on our day off. This Saturday I wanted to make sure I had a "real" day off.
I decided to knead the stress out of myself by getting a massage. My appointment was in the morning. Well, I left with plenty of time to get there but did not realize that my truck was 30 acres away. That is, on the other side of camp from my house. I knew that people were on the other side of camp. People that might want to talk to me. However, there was nothing else to do but walk over there.
I walked leisurely at first looking around as I crossed most of the acreage, but knew that as soon as I crossed the bridge I was more likely to be seen. There is a usual path that I take when I walk to the other side, but if I were to cross where I usually do it would not be closest to my truck. Therefore, I purposefully took the smaller bridge that would lead me closer to my truck before I crossed over and would also provide an additional building to cover me for awhile. After I passed the building that covered me I looked this way and the other way and ran for my life while I was in open territory. That is, the territory where I could be seen.
I made it to my car safely and realized that what I did was very well thought out and weird if not for the circumstances. It makes me smile. It makes me realize even more the importance of what I do and also the need to do whatever it takes to rest when I get the chance.
All week we have been preparing for camp to start, we have trained counselors hoping to equip them with all they will need this summer. Before this week, we worked most days and didn't have days off and we would stay inside our house or go off of camp. This was to ensure that we rested at least a little. Sometimes people would call us and sometimes we wouldn't answer. If sometimes we didn't answer then sometimes people came knocking on our door on our day off. This Saturday I wanted to make sure I had a "real" day off.
I decided to knead the stress out of myself by getting a massage. My appointment was in the morning. Well, I left with plenty of time to get there but did not realize that my truck was 30 acres away. That is, on the other side of camp from my house. I knew that people were on the other side of camp. People that might want to talk to me. However, there was nothing else to do but walk over there.
I walked leisurely at first looking around as I crossed most of the acreage, but knew that as soon as I crossed the bridge I was more likely to be seen. There is a usual path that I take when I walk to the other side, but if I were to cross where I usually do it would not be closest to my truck. Therefore, I purposefully took the smaller bridge that would lead me closer to my truck before I crossed over and would also provide an additional building to cover me for awhile. After I passed the building that covered me I looked this way and the other way and ran for my life while I was in open territory. That is, the territory where I could be seen.
I made it to my car safely and realized that what I did was very well thought out and weird if not for the circumstances. It makes me smile. It makes me realize even more the importance of what I do and also the need to do whatever it takes to rest when I get the chance.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Family
My brother Noah recorded this video using all of the family members still in the household (I was kind of jealous not being in it). Anyway, you get a chance to see the goofiness I was born in to and the family I absolutely love and am super proud of. I love my family and I will share them with you for 3 minutes and 52 seconds. (By the way, this video is even funnier if you like Moby). Enjoy!
Camille is my youngest sibling- she babysits, is way involved in her youth group, and is excited about working at Camp Good News this summer as a volunteer.
Noah is my youngest brother (older than Camille)- he likes to make videos, draw, create masks out of all sorts of materials, and is going to be a counselor at Camp Peniel this summer. His newest thing is mountain biking, but he has also played Ultimate Frisbee.
Joseph is the one right after me (yes, I am the oldest-can't you tell by my personality alone?)- he makes handcrafted jewelry and works with the Junior High at his church. He is a super fast runner and awesome climber of trees. He used to hang upside down hands free on our rope swing in the backyard and climb the tallest pines.
Mom- is a mentor for MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) and works with the Women's Ministry at her church. She is an avid reader, National Spelling Bee champ, and super smart.
Dad- plays the drums at church (used to play in a band called "Loveshine" in the 70's), is on the church building comittee, and does Land Surverying for a living. He is 54 and has snowboarded and will go down the black diamond slopes everytime he gets a chance to ski.
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