Camp Schodack, boiiii

I have no voice. My feet are filthy. There is a tan line in the shape of a watermelon on my right cheek. My wrists are covered in friendship bracelets. And, there is also a Camp Schodack shape sized hole in my heart. I had the greatest weekend of my life. As my bestie, Becca Girlay said to me, I always say that-- I am the girl who cried fun. Well, I'll take that huge compliment--and also say this: I really do mean it this time. This weekend was so incredible on so many different levels. It is going to be difficult for me-- to try and conjure up the words to explain why this weekend was so amazing, and why camp has completely changed me, and my life forever. I'll give it my best shot...

I began writing this blog last night, but was too emotionally exhausted to finish. I cried myself to sleep. I can't remember the last time that I did that, or even the last time that I cried. I guess I needed that release. Entering my "grown-up" apartment alone, it felt like the last day of camp for me. I came home, a huge lump in my throat, and I didn't want to talk to, or see anyone. The rational part of my brain knows that by technical standards, I am grown up. I have grown up. Could anything sound more frightening? My brain also knows that my time at camp is over. I know that it wouldn't feel right being there this summer, as a 25 year old,(without my best friends) while all of my former campers are staff members, (and were born in 1992). I do know this: Being with MY friends, on camp, the place where we all met, fell in love, and made some of the greatest and strongest relationships in our lives is fucking powerful, and I don't want to give that up, ever. We are the luckiest people to have found each other, and to have almost all of us, found our homes in NYC together.We always have a good time. But our amazing times together in NY, do not seem to compare to the way we have fun at Camp. Camp has made us confident, daring, carefree, bold with our actions/songs/dances and words, witty, hilarious and kook-ay.

My non-Schodack friends and family all know that when I'm at camp--I literally fall off the face of the planet for two months. Weeks will go by without any sign of life from me. It's not that I don't care about my non-Schodack friends and family--but there is something in the air there--that is literally paralyzing. Camp makes you forget that you have another life. It makes you lose track of time, makes you forget your problems, your worries and your cares. Have you ever felt completely carefree? There is no greater liberation. At Schodack--I am carefree. What a rare thing to feel after the age of thirteen. The past two days that were spent there, I didn't look at my cell phone once. I didn't check my e-mail. I did not need to. I had everything that I needed right there.

As my first experience, as a visitor to camp, on alumni weekend, I was unfathomably excited. I was driving to camp with my best girlays, BGBabe (Becky), Amelierannebabi-boo (Amelia) and Brookie2000. (Brooke). The journey started early Saturday morning, Brooke picked each one of us up at our respective apartments. An excellent playlist provided by Becca Girl was ready to go. The trip took a total of 2 hours and 45 minutes. For 2 hours and 42 minutes, there was screaming, clapping and cheering. The energy in that car was amazing. We could not wait to step foot onto our favorite place in the entire world. The really awesome thing is that all of the current staff have been my campers at some point or another. From the youngest staff members who I shared my first three staff summers with, to the older counselors, both guys and girls, who I worked with as teenagers. I had every single counselor that grew up at camp, as one of my campers. This makes my connection to camp feel that much richer.

From the minute we stepped foot on camp, we were so warmly welcomed. It was completely heart warming. Every time I turned around, there was another face to see and body to hug. It was amazing and overwhelming all at the same time. From that point on, the weekend brought nothing less than hilarity and perfection. Here are just a few of the mildly to moderately hilarious moments that made my weekend. Disclaimer: Most of these are "you had to be there moments." To those that were there, I hope you enjoy.

1. The Knights Inn (our beautiful motel) had a red, heart shaped bathtub in the room. (The honeymoon suite, if you will). Naturally, Brooke had to get naked and sit in the tub, in front of all former Camp Schodack goers. Don't worry, there are pictures.

2. Meelzy and I got our faces painted at the carnival which was going on in the well on Sunday afternoon. I asked for a watermelon. Amelia asked for a football. (When do you not see Amelia carrying a football around?) Nope. These girls did not get our humor, but whatever. (Side note: Amelia's "football" resembled a brown mole with black hair attached). We were wearing name tags that said our years spent at camp. Mine said, 1995-2008. Amelia's said, 1996-2006. One of the girls painting our faces noted that she never overlapped at camp with Amelia. Getting excited at the chance to share that I had been there when she was, I said--Look! (pointing to my nametag)I was there when you were there! She said, "I know. You were my counselor."

Oh. My. God.

3. The Holt's family dog is called JON QUILL. (pronounced with a French accent). Are you laughing yet? Who has a fucking dog named JON QUILL? Her family recently got a new dog. They named it Spot. No, just kidding--they named it Vanilla. But can you imagine, if Jon Quill and SPOT were their names?

4. Moo-Moo--this Farm Goo! Jang/Limb, (former asian camp beauty) JonQuill (Jamie Holt's dog)--(all sung to the tune of Jai Ho!)

5. Sitting on a field of grass with Andy, Justy, Nate, Ryan, Meelz, Noaayer, Emilay, and Becca, singing, permutations (to the tune of na-na-na, hey, hey hey, goodbye), and then making impromptu pryamids with our bodies.

6. So, Sioux us if we're little douchebags.


7. My former counselor, Finkle--telling me that in her gut of guts, she is pretty sure that I am a slut.

8. Having the chance to shimmy the shit out of my tits. There aren't many opportunities to shimmy at strangers walking down 3rd avenue.

9. Brooke showing her tits, upon hearing "show us your tits." at any given moment.

10. 1, 2, 3...It's Opposite Day.

There are so many more noteworthy things that happened throughout the course of the weekend. I just know this: my abs got a great workout. And, I haven't had such stomach hurting laughter like that in a good long while. I can't wait to go back and visit in August...Below, you will find an excerpt from an e-mail that I recieved from Ryan late last night...

Why are there so many cool people at camp? well, have a great night, week, life, and always remember: blood is thicker than water and use that blood to get your friends drunk so we can all never remember the time with our friends that we will never always mostly forget.
Love, Ryan