Okay so it's almost actually over for real but still not quite yet.

It feels like recently I've been on a string of not quite endings. Yesterday was another big one. Almost all the staff left except for the full time staff, 3 staff that are staying to do work crews for two weeks, and me. Yesterday was the second day of work crews. It was a great day. I did more pick up in the morning and in the afternoon was the leader of brush pickup. This meant that we went through the forested areas through camp and picked up large sticks/branches and small fallen trees and through them into the dumptruck and dumped them. There are reasons for doing this but from the prespective of most staff it seems rather meaningless. However, the group got really into it. I knew it would be a little tough to motivate people, it being hours before they would leave and doing a seemingly pointless job that you can never finish, no to mention the other group leader was a bit negative at the start. So I just overcompensated and kept talking about how sweet brush crew was. Eventually Luke, an awesome staff member and I started this elaborate conversation where we pretended that brush collecting was a sport. We talked about levels of competition, rules, issues with performance enhancing substances and technology, stradegy, training and anything else. The other staff got involved as well and despite it being tough plodding work everyone legitimatly had fun. That is really what makes camp work, a conscious effort to stay positive. One of the most important things I've learned at camp is that your attitude is up to you; you can make yourself and those around you happy just by commiting to being happy. In the end it was a great way to wrap up the summer for the group.

There was another round of goodbyes, more tears, and more good feelings. This was almost entirely international staff and many of them are going to travel now. They seemed so excited. Perhaps the only thing better then a great trip is a great trip that you feel like you've earned. Blake and I both drove down vans to hotels/bus depot/ airport last night. Andre drove another this morning. Blake, Wig, and I all stayed at Blakes appt last night before dropping off Wig in the morning. It was nice to see Blake's new place and talk to his girlfriend, Beth. It's weird because I know a great deal about Beth but I've spent almost no time with her so it was nice to put some personality to the stories and face.

I'm back at camp now, I've moved cabins again for just the last two nights. This summer I've been in 5 different cabins at different times. I realized that although I already sent a box of stuff home it wasn't enough and I need to send another. I don't want to bring too much to Europe. I am a bit dissapointed about one thing though. I thought that I was going to get to see the Republican convention in St. Paul but it starts the day that I leave. I'm pretty dissenchanted with presidential politics but it would have been cool to see all the hoopla and protests. Eh, another time.

Joey