Entry 5: Picture(s) that makes you Laugh

 Unable to choose only 1 picture to share that makes me laugh, I decided to narrow it down to 1 location that holds a plethera of funny memories for me: CAMP! Having spent 5 summers on a wilderness island in Northwestern Ontario, first as a staff/cabin leader, and then as a full-time director, I have anthologies worth of pictures and stories of the things we got into. Though I was not usually the instigator of the funny events, I was definitely around to laugh to the point of losing my voice. Here is a tiny sampling of some of the pictures that make me remember and laugh over and over again.

 

One of this past summer's highlights was filming and photographing the "Espresso Bomb" documentary. This picture was during a warm afternoon of "espresso competitions," that included playgrounds, large boats, Russian accents and our "sunday  best" outfits.

August 2007. The first summer starting as a Director at camp, I got to work with an incredible female leadership team to run the "Cash Island Girls Camps." Before this opportunity, I did not really know any of these women but a remote wilderness island, with only girls, makes people go a little crazy and really show their true selves. This was our "Directors Picture" at the end of the camp session.

After spending a couple of weeks directing the "Cash Island Camps," in 2007 where we began to know each other, I learned that Caitlin really liked hip-waders. Perhaps because they are so stinkin' cute and fashionable, but she was always the very first person to volunteer for any job, no matter how disgusting, as long as hip-waders were involved. This is one of the qualities that made me want to be best friends with her. We are never without adventure or a reason to laugh.

I am not at liberty to say what we were up to, what the situation was that we were by the lagoon, or why Caitlin needed to be in giant hip-waders, but it was definitely necessary, and definitely memorable.

 

Here is another set of pictures that are difficult to find words to describe; I just shake my head now and laugh. There was lots of cardboard, epic music, warriors and spectators. This was also one of the first things that helped Graeme and I become friends, as he was the inventor of both of our costumes/armor, which he proceeded to destroy in the course of the battle, almost taking my arm off with "Bang-ga-lore." I came out of it with all my limbs, thankfully, but a giant bruise that eventually took over most of my arm.

 

Besides the obvious enthusiasm in this picture, this captures one of the many times throughout the past three summers that Caitlin and I retreated to my office on time off to release some stress and over-tired energy by making crazy videos. Again, I am not at liberty to say what all happened, but these moments usually ended with me straining my vocal chords from laughing so much.