Anglican Youth Retreat

Finally got the Youth Retreat video done.  Check it out!!!  (My video programming software is a moody little PITA!  But it spit out a result at last.)  I am getting used to using my video camera again after the first one broke - I forgot how much time it takes to sort and edit footage!

So, on to ANGLICAN YOUTH RETREAT 2012!

The camp this year was great.  Instead of Sacramento area we were up in Washington, at Warm Beach, which is a false, slanderous name, not only because it was indeed not warm but because it poured rain on us Monday.  Bah!  The green of everything was great though, and I was ecstatic to have an actual grassy long sports field, as well as an amazing view of the ocean and the distant islands that are so quintessential to Washington.

The students contemplated some ancient and modern arguments for the existence of God, heard a bit of ways in which Christ is revealed in the Old Testament, and discussed their personal struggles with having their faith questioned and attacked in their lives.  It was interesting to hear that for the most part many of them struggle more with learning how to appreciate and accept (not "tolerate") the other faiths and beliefs of their friends, family, classmates, etc.  The group bonded very quickly, and though I spent a pathetic amount of time recovering from paddling by taking cat naps, I was very happy I was there.  A huge ropes course was a new element we have never seen, which was by far one of my own highlights since I looooove playing up in the trees.

The students were incredible diverse for such a small group, full of unstoppable energy and smiles.  As usual, summer retreat more than anything makes me wish everyone lived closer.  Praise the Lord for email and social networking. :)

Paintball!

I know, right? Pffft ... studs.

Something else fun recently: PAINTBALL!  Okay, so we've played a few times, but there is a field that opened up in Oxnard that made for an especially exciting day.  This was the second time Chris and I were able to try out our guns, which worked great.  (Though I totally forgot to turn my hopper feeder on ... oops.)  I shot some guy in the hand who apparently didn't think a girl with a gun was much of a threat.  Uhm... yeah that was silly of him.  There were quite a few folks there, including some itty bitty kids that made me smile.  Most of them seemed to know each other and no one was hyper competitive, which added to a pleasant atmosphere.  The one thing that was a negative against the Oxnard field was it did not have a burrito truck to service the hungry players in the middle of the day.  (We got spoiled by one of the giant fields out near Six Flags.... we are suckers for food!)

I am looking forward to going and playing again maybe next month.  I could see it being a very addictive activity, especially when you get a group of friends together who work well together and talk to one another. It makes the game easier to win, and when you win, you don't get hit.  (At least, that's what I keep telling the girls who are too scared to play.)  At some point we are all thinking about doing a round in some abandoned field or something nearby with friends only.  That seems to be less intimidating to the other folks I know who just aren't quite ready to commit to the activity. Pew pew!!

Outrigger Iron Season

Normally I'm so good about updating after a race, but life has just been nutty.  So instead of a race post, I'm going to do a "season thus far" recap.  First, I went into this season thinking it was just going to be fun, and not so competitive.  I was excited to meet new people, train hard, and play on the beach.  I was so wrong... turns out we had more folks return than I had ever imagined, and we were all ready to work hard, so we got pushed, and pushed, and pushed.  The competition among teams has been fierce, especially against one behemoth club down South.  (Maybe the only huge club in SoCal this year... but they are monsters.)

Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was delighted when our ladies boat won 1st in short course in the first race in San Diego.  (Complete with 2 newbies.)  I doubled a couple races after (paddling both short course followed immediately by long) and got a 4th place mug for short course in the 3rd race.  At our home race, the Rig Run (of which I had the honor of being chairman) the ladies short course boat took 3rd, open co-ed took 2nd.  That was kind of mind blowing ... double races and double places!  I was grateful when that event was over - it was a ton of work and I was tired of getting called by the city of Santa Barbara. :P

Then the REAL work started.  Coaches decided to beat the living snot out of us for the month of June, gearing up for the Iron Championships.  We won the co-ed open race last year, but we knew it was going to be much much harder to even place this year.  In the past big clubs have gone gender, but "the enemy" was openly, unabashedly placing crews in every division with the intention of taking 1st and 2nd in everything.  It's a little nuts... but whatever.  We were getting up for 5 AM practiced on M, W, F and in the evenings on T, TH.  Then distance on Saturdays.  Correct.... six days a week of paddling.  I was not allowed to cross train (my road bike whimpered at me daily) and I slept like some kind of rotting dead log every night.  It was stressful and exhausting.  Tensions among the team were a little high, and the great unknowns of the future were looming - the pressure was really on.

I didn't know how the championship race went, even when it was over.  It was hard; very hard.  The start was a little wonky and a bunch of boats jumped out early on us when the line was not straight.  The swells were enormous.  We caught the women's pack so fast it was hard to keep track of what boat was what.  It was hot.  We had a great glide at the finish, but I knew we didn't take 1st.  I was so grateful to hit the water when it was all over that didn't even bother me.  I didn't think we had 2nd.  I was convinced at the end at best we had 4th or 5th place.  (Still nothing to sneeze at.)  I had to catch a plane that night for Seattle, so my mind was wandering a bit and I was just happy it was all over.  Then I got a text message from a teammate who stayed behind at the race site.

2nd place.  Wow!!  So great when hard work is rewarded... :)

I also just have to add that it has been fun having Eric on the crew this year.  He has such a great epic face in all his race pictures!!!

Rawr! The face of a champion!

Overall the team has been great.  Wonderful new energy, and I can't wait to hit the island with everyone and dive into change season.  Huzzah!