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WE’RE BACK!
(Where did we go?) Well, I don’t know all about the other cats, campers and counselors, and what they have done during their break, but I can tell you about how I’ve been faring (which is why you clicked here- isn’t it?). My name hasn’t changed; it’s still Robert O. Lester, and I have been looking forward to, been waiting patiently for, been building up to this moment: Spring is here and Camp is right around the corner! But before we completely cover each other with oatmeal, sing songs and tell stories around the campfire, build and create with arts and crafts, and perfect our overhead sword fighting technique, I think it best that you get to know me just a little bit (I hope to hear all about You, whoever you may be, and I may not know you now –maybe I do!- but I’m looking forward to fixing all that)
I live locally here in Sacramento, CA going to school at a little college with lots of trees called American River College. I am studying to get into the nursing program, so maybe in a few years time I can bandage you up after a rough clinic at stained glass. (Believe it! Stained glass is the new Camp Augusta danger zone. Arts and crafts is not for the feint of heart.) I share an apartment with two out of my three (older) brothers where we all get along and none of our couches are broken (lie.). But really, it is tons of fun living with family; we go play tennis or throw a Frisbee in the park, make day trips out of things like recently we went to an exhibition called “bodies revealed,” and try to keep the kitchen clean. I like to take my time outside whether that is reading a book in the sun (Kurt Vonnegut is my author of choice right now), socializing, taking a stroll, or just enjoying some good ol’ fashion screaming toads (never has screaming when you make eye contact been so fun). I really enjoy traveling whenever and wherever I can. I made it out to Germany a few years ago, went on a road trip up the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, and recently went to Australia to visit some friends (who are also returning to camp!). Australia is an incredible place that is covered with tons of treasure called “BIG THINGS”!! No joke, people spend years building these huge things like a shoe, or a piece of fruit, or an instrument, or an animal. While I was there I saw a BANANA and a GUITAR (capitalized to emphasize its bigness). Apparently we also drove by an APPLE, but I was busy concentrating on driving on the right side of the car (and the road. which I wasn’t always successful at). When I’m not doing any of the mentioned above you’d probably find me working in this little tennis shop where I fix tennis racquets and pontificate over universal dilemmas like “will Novak Djokovich win back to back slams?” I know I know- these questions need answers, but I’m just too interested in seeing the next Camp Augusta t-shirts, the first water fight of the summer, the blackberries growing thick on the bushes (don’t pick them when you’re crossing the road!), and YOU!!!!
Ok, so what am I going to be doing when I get to camp? I’m heading back to the fantastical land of Cedar where I’ll be a counselor for all seven (count them seven!) sessions of summer. It’ll be round three for me and there are still so many more places I haven’t seen, people I haven’t met, knives and axes I haven’t thrown (not to mention the new bull whip clinic I heard is coming our way), that I just couldn’t resist coming back again. Tea pagoda? Chickens? Even if it were my tenth year I wouldn’t know about that- just like you and me who are constantly changing and growing so is Camp constantly constantly moving (forward). So how about it? With staff coming in from all over the world (Africa, Hungary, Canada, Europe, England(not to be confused with Europe), the USA, and still counting) all you’re gonna need is a water bottle (better bring some sun block too) and we’ll have all the makings for another wonder at Camp Augusta.
In the mean time, before you’re 50ft in the air, let’s see if you can cralmbesun these words to reveal some age old remedies:
1. ont lal ttah tslirteg si oldg
2. teh alyer idrb steg het owrm
3. mohe si ehewr eht ahtre si
(ready for this one?)
4. No a ekal cllade eVar etehes’r a cepal ew oknw delcal mCap sutAsga…
Alright? Easy or hard we’ve got plenty more to challenge you with and smile about once you’re back in the forests of Pine, Manzi, Cedar, Oak.
So take care! Eat veggies! And until we meet (with song and accompanied hand jive) here’s some thoughts from a poet who was both unusual and beautiful:
“I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance”
“Do you believe in always, the wind
said to the rain
I am too busy with
my flowers to believe, the rain answered”
“The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.”
-ee cummings
Always,
Robert O. Lester
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