Well, I apologize for not posting yesterday. (Forgive me Shayna!) I actually was trying to get some work done...figures, right? At least I think I did work...I really can't remember much. But I did watch Life is Beautifull (La Vita E Bello) which is great, if you haven't seen it. I now own it, if you want to borrow it. Cried like a baby. But of course, freakin' What About Bob pretty much made me teary-eyed. So much for being tough.
This weekend I attended a retreat with a group I'm in at school. We went to Rockbridge, which is owned/operated by Young Life. Ok, so I realize that WAMAVA is definitely a camping site...more like roughing it than living in the lap of luxury (which must be a lap of a huge lady for how many people chill there), but this camp I went to was ridiculous. Hardwood floors in the dorms, hardwood closets, zip line, water slides, the blob (aka the movie Fat Camp or whatever it's called) and carpeted, beautiful, resort-style dining halls and meeting halls. It was spectacular. I'd like to say I felt closer to God because of the speaking, but I really think it was just the pure joy of going to a camp and not leaving with nine hundred bug bites (some by unidentifiable insects that take hunks of skin). But I did have a great time, and although I didn't necessarily accomplish the things I wanted to accomplish, I definitely grew a lot spiritually, which is exactly what I needed. God is good.
I realize that my posts of late have been about car troubles. Well, I have yet another interesting story to tell...but this one does not end in my car being damaged...it just ends in a story that probably shouldn't be public, but I'll go ahead and leave myself open for the mocking that is going to ensue. So...I drove to the retreat this weekend, even though I'd never been there and didn't know enough people to fit in my car. So I knew I'd be forging ahead into the unknown that is western Virginia. I was randomly assigned three lovely ladies to my car, with whom I ended rooming and getting to know very well. My (now) friend who is in ROTC took on the roll of navigator, which was great since I couldn't read directions and drive at the same time. We got to 64 west after 81 perfectly fine, stopped off in Lexington (So that's where W and L and VMI are!! The things you learn.) to eat at Burger king with my fellow Christian Campers. I got back onto 64 after eating fast food (which is soooo gross to me now after not eating it for a looooong time...I can't believe I actually thought french fries were good) and I managed to not spill my drink on the floormat while reversing out of the parking lot (that's why I get sprite now...an unfortunate accident with Dr. Pepper has left me embittered with dark colored soda). I was totally psyched about getting there since things had been going well so far. So ROTC-girl continues to play navigator, telling me that we need to get off on exit 43. Well, she stops paying attention to the exit signs. I don't know this, so I think she's going to catch it when we get up on it. (An assumption I won't make again.) So I see a sign I think may be 43, but my contacts and allergies don't mix so it looked like a number that morphed into an astigmatic blob. I get closer and closer...going 70...and I realize that it is exit 43. I have a decision to make right here. I could a) pass the exit, drive an indeterminate distance to another exit, drive another indeterminate distance to a town, turn around, and get back on and risk the chance of exit 43 only being on the West side of the road, or b) slam on the brakes and skid into the on ramp at 50 miles an hour, causing the two girls in the back to go flying into my headrest and/or windshield or c) pull the car over onto the shoulder beside the ramp and reverse it. Not being the most intelligent person in the world, I chose option C.
Now, I think that there have to be two main rules of driving that are not stated in Driver's Ed, and they are not mentioned because it should be glaringly obvious to any half-wit that a driver should never perform these stunts. These rules are:
1. Don't drive with your head out the window.
2. Don't ever put your car in reverse on a major interstate.
Well, if they did mention these rules, I was asleep (which did happen, actually, for 5 minutes...until my instructor yelled at me to wake up...he was so boring he took off points for falling asleep in class because it was such a common occurence). Or maybe they just assumed that I'd be smart enough not to try it. Well, no cars were coming, and I was able to stop only like 50 yards from the on ramp. So, I popped the baby in reverse, and backwards we went on a main interstate. Luckily there were no cars coming and I couldn't see anyone within miles. I backed up, put her in drive, and went along my merry way. I think I actually was freaking out more than the girls in my car, which was good considering they didin't know me from anyone, and here I am, a year older than them, apparently not able to drive a car, taking them to meet their Maker about 80 years too soon (hey, its just another kind of retreat...instead of talking about God, we'll just meet him!). But they didn't freak out, and actually calmed me down, so that was good. We got there safely, and had an event-free trip back to the 'Ville (or so I learned it is called). God is good.
I realize here that my parents probably having either epileptic seizures or heart failure at this point. Don't worry, guys, I haven't gotten a ticket yet. And that's what matters, right?
Have a great week everybody! Goodnight and God Bless!