vacation

I'm in the middle of vacation planning and day dreaming.

New places.

Brand new sights.

I'm already mentally making a list of the cameras I want to bring.

(yes, I always bring multiple cameras)

When I started my planning my trip, my traveling partner said, "well where do you want to go?"

My answer: "somewhere I can take pretty photos."

That answer pretty much sums up every trip I want to take.

I think in cameras and scenery.

This time, it's a new place and one that I have wanted to see for pretty much my entire life.  I can not wait.  Truly.  Not only will it be a much needed break after months of stress, but it will hopefully fill up my creative tank, which has been woefully empty for a long time.

It will be sunsets and golden hours and the ocean.  It will be cool Fall weather and long car rides by the sea side.  And I get to do it with one of my favorite people on the planet.

Oh, vacation...

You wonderful, long awaited friend.

I can't wait to enjoy your company in just 2 short weeks!

Whale shows in the pool...wait, what?

It's break time for the campers during their 1.5 hour swim in the middle of the day.  15 minutes.  Might as well be an hour in their mind.  Sitting there while the cool, inviting crystal blue water mocks them.  

"We have to do something.  Something fun to entertain the kids."  

(It is a quite a thing to think of others on the 15 minutes you have to yourself for the entire day.  I must admit, it melted my heart when I heard this)

"Like what?"

Turning to the campers, some of them sitting on the sides of the pool with their feet dangling in the water, some sitting at tables around the pool, he yells out…

"Campers!  Let me introduce you to Shabu!."

And that was the creation of the Shabu (Sh-aaa-booo) show at Day Camp pool time.  One counselor with a crazy idea and a few others who happily played along.  Completely improvised.  There was a whale trainer and, of course, a whale, plus the trainer-in-training.  They performed 10 minute shows once a week during Day Camp pool break.  

The kids went berzerk, screaming, rejoicing, oohing, ahhhhing, chanting "Shabu, Shabu, Shabu."  It was a thing to behold, let me tell you.  They were in kid heaven.

There were tricks.  There were giant splashes onto glee-filled children.  There were a few whale attacks.  I wouldn't have thought it possible, but the "whale" really did sound, act, seem like a whale.  Hilarious.    

These are the reasons that other jobs just seem like "jobs".  Camp life lends itself to an over abundance of imagination.  You can make up silly things and no one thinks you are crazy.  You can act goofy and dress up in crazy outfits and speak with an accents just because it's Tuesday or you are bored.  No one even bats an eye at you.  

And at the same time, you can be showing kids that it's okay to have fun and be yourself and act crazy.  Jesus laughed and enjoyed life.  He wasn't serious 100% of the time.  I think that's how the world views Christians at times though, which makes me sad.  Shouldn't we be the most joyful, happy people?  Knowing the grace and mercy that is granted to us daily?  

The Shabu show.  It was a highlight of my summer.  I miss those afternoon shows.  I sure do.