Pinewoods!
Jul. 18th, 2011 12:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sorcyressSo behind on everything. If you had adventures this week you'd like me to know about, please link or explain in comments (or e-mail if they're that sort of exciting.)
Pinewoods was Truly Excellent. It felt wonderful and homey and kept me busy enough that I didn't even notice that I wasn't online. (Seriously, it wasn't until I got home and realized I was missing a week of "what are people up to" that it hit me.)
Monday was arrival and the first ball. I toured the camp with jere7my, did some swimming, hugged lots of people (Alex! Mog!!) and went to the first ball all excited and ready to dance with any number of exceptional and wonderful people. Which I certainly did --I kept track of who I danced with each night (except for a couple dances on Thursday I forgot to mark down) but that's probably not of any interest except to me.
Tuesday was the first full day of camp, and after being awakened by the piper at too-fucking-early in the morning, I decided I wasn't having any of it. I slept straight through the first class and breakfast, but woke up about an hour before the alarm that was planned to get me to second class --Highland, and what I most wanted to do. I acquired quick-breakfast at the camp store, and went on a wander, ending at an empty dance pavilion with some time to sketch. This turned out to be about the only time I had to sketch, which was not at all a bad thing.
Highland was very fun -more on that later- and I spent the after lunch hours canoeing with jere7my. We went through a hidden passage quite remniscent of the Columbia creeks, and saw many many dragon and damsel flies, a couple turtles swimming among lily pads, four utterly unimpressed ducks (that I could've reached over and petted), and a half flock each of swans and geese. Two of the geese decided to get into a fight, starting with a wailing and splashing that sounded uncomfortably like a drowning swimmer, and startling both j7y and I.
After the canoeing, I wound up being enticed back into the water by Alex and Neil, which led to about an hour and a half of the three of us plus crew-Matt playing various "attack each other" games on the raft. Viking football is a lovely raft game.
The ball was lovely, besides the bit where I felt a muscle in my leg to be slightly pulled --possibly due to the earlier swimming. Post the ball was a games night, where I played Zendo with Peter and Alex and someone (Dan?), and stayed up much too late. Determined to make it to at least *some* of the other classes, I set my alarm for earlier, and crawled into bed.
I again didn't spring from bed at the piper's call, but I did at least make it up in time for breakfast. This meant I made it to both the morning classes, and got to spend some time dancing with the high impact experienced group --something that felt rather like a good teacher at Springstep, as we are so spoiled. More Highland, then a lazy afternoon helping jere7my and Terry with the auction stuff, doodling, and playing Dominion. Clouds started threatening during dinner, and as people mingled outside, the first big drops fell. I rushed off to the cabin, and spent the length of time one normally uses to get ready for the ball fast asleep. I shimmied into my ball clothes quickly, and ventured out into the rain, just in time to miss the first dance -oh well.
The auction followed, and was raucous and ridiculous, featuring (among other things), a six foot cardboard TARDIS, a lovely woman donating her hair to be cut in any which way (which I bidded on and lost, which is TOTALLY JUST AS WELL, for obvious reasons and not), two kangeroo scrotums, and an exceptionally tasteful nude suit, worn by an exceptionally tasteless model. Much money was gathered for the camp, and laughter was had by all. Afterwards, several of the younger dancers began an impromptu dance session, going through some wonderful energetic dances --encouraged by the dozen plus musicians we had jamming for us (thanks j7y!)
Thursday I again slept in, through the bagpiper, and right up against the start of Highland, arriving a little late. I only missed a bit of warm-ups, though, and was able to properly join in and practise the steps we were doing. Due to the chill, I opted out of swimming, mostly to go to the Minnesota party with Alex --both of us earned a half-Minnesotan credit through our parents. Then came lunch, and relaxing for hours --by which I mean more Dominion, but also a bit of writing postcards. Next year, I will have to learn addresses beforehand.
At dinner, we learned the results of the silent auction. I did *not* succeed in spending seventy-five dollars on a first edition of Mrs. Milligan's "Won't You Join The Dance", which is really just as well in terms of fiscal responsibility, but oh dear gods, I covet. (Mary Ellen claims to have two copies, my new goal is to do _everything in my power to get one_). I *did* win a trio of Cherry Ripes, meaning I have much delicious Australian candy, with in-jokes attached.
The dance that night was the Black and White/Film Noir ball, which pushed many of my buttons, as I was A) not suitably black and white (oh for my half-blacks when I need them) and B) wearing a dress I don't at all think looks good on me, which fucks up my already fragile insecurities. I had to bail before the last waltz, which was a shame, and an all-male set of Reel of the 51st, which was a damn shame, in order to help set up for the Ceilidh.
The Ceilidh (pronounced "Kaylee") was a talent show, and ridiculously fun. It was music and dancing and humour and one ridiculous magic trick, and a Just Brilliant parody of "Bad Romance" about being caught in a Scottish Dance1. (Everyone go harass jere7my to put the lyrics in his livejournal, it's really that good.) Plus, we were treated to a darkened room and recitation of "The Highwayman", which was just the right spooky (and _weird_ since that was totally a "oh hey I deconstructed that poem in school and therefore can never think of it in real terms") and some Minnesotan performance mad libs of their time at camp. Oh, and upside-down step dancers.
After the Ceilidh, I got to dance a round of Australian Ladies with the same sort of super-bouncy dancers as the previous night, then jere7my and I went and sat on the dock a while, and I got weepy about not fitting in and hating my body and other useless things, while he petted my hair and told me I was being ridiculous. This is a big part of why jere7my is one of my best friends in the world right now.
As more people filtered out to the dock, I cheered up some, and many a terrible joke was told. Huzzah! I went to bed happy, and determined not to sleep too late the following day.
Of course I did. Piece of bread for breakfast (dear crew, thank you for letting me steal food) and off to Highland, then a wine and cheese party and lunch and lounging about through the classes. I believe this is when jere7my and I went on a lovely long hike --either Friday or Thursday-- and I encountered the fact that, no really, he stops every five minutes to take pictures of mushrooms. Which is okay, as I bounce and point out every time I see a dragonfly (or a damselfly, but I kinda call them all dragonflies). At any rate, we tracked alongside a little brook, and wound up at a cranberry bog, and some beehives. A quick walk brought us back to camp, amidst discussion of
how to turn Queen Anne's Lace pretty colours and what my favourite flower is, and then it was the usual afternoon of Dominion and lounging in the sunshine.
Dinner was a candlelit affair, which I mostly ignored, and then it was the big fancy ball, where everyone dressed up very pretty and much ooing and aahing was had. I think this may have been the first and only dance event I've ever been at where I was in an entirely unbifurcated room --all the gents in kilts and ladies in skirts. It was exceptionally swishy, and a very good dance program, with an acceptable grand march beforehand and a perfect last waltz after. (Followed by an almost as perfect "fling myself at Alex because POLKA dammit" polka.)
During the intermission of the ball, the highland and step classes got to go up and demonstrate what they had learned. My need for the spotlight outweighed my desire to not look like a complete fool, and so I gave it a jolly good showing, with people later telling me that I was just fine, and that they had not noticed the bit where I nearly fell over. jere7my supposedly has pictures --I'll link them if there were any good ones.
After the ball was last night party, at which I curled up with j7y and Mog and some of the crew girls (includingonetwo who I have a massive crush on) and I drifted asleep amongst entertaining gossip and stories. j7y walked me up the hill to bed when I just couldn't stay awake any more, mostly because having to get from Pinecones to C# (where I left my sweater) to home without getting lost was going to be nigh impossible. Pinewoods is *dark* at night!
Sleep, forcing myself out of bed at the bagpiper, breakfast and goodbyes, and packing and getting on the road. I was back in Somerville by about noon, and promptly slept for fourteen of the next twenty-four hours. It was a lovely time.
And yes, I will be doing everything in my power to make sure I go back next year.
~Sor
MOOP!
(Pee-Ess: You'll notice I didn't bother to explain any of the SCD terminology or nothin'. Just ask if you really want to know, and I will try to give examples!)
1: Rah rah rah-ah-ah; Alle-Allemande; Pas-Pas Pas-de-bas; That's a Scottish Dance!
Pinewoods was Truly Excellent. It felt wonderful and homey and kept me busy enough that I didn't even notice that I wasn't online. (Seriously, it wasn't until I got home and realized I was missing a week of "what are people up to" that it hit me.)
Monday was arrival and the first ball. I toured the camp with jere7my, did some swimming, hugged lots of people (Alex! Mog!!) and went to the first ball all excited and ready to dance with any number of exceptional and wonderful people. Which I certainly did --I kept track of who I danced with each night (except for a couple dances on Thursday I forgot to mark down) but that's probably not of any interest except to me.
Tuesday was the first full day of camp, and after being awakened by the piper at too-fucking-early in the morning, I decided I wasn't having any of it. I slept straight through the first class and breakfast, but woke up about an hour before the alarm that was planned to get me to second class --Highland, and what I most wanted to do. I acquired quick-breakfast at the camp store, and went on a wander, ending at an empty dance pavilion with some time to sketch. This turned out to be about the only time I had to sketch, which was not at all a bad thing.
Highland was very fun -more on that later- and I spent the after lunch hours canoeing with jere7my. We went through a hidden passage quite remniscent of the Columbia creeks, and saw many many dragon and damsel flies, a couple turtles swimming among lily pads, four utterly unimpressed ducks (that I could've reached over and petted), and a half flock each of swans and geese. Two of the geese decided to get into a fight, starting with a wailing and splashing that sounded uncomfortably like a drowning swimmer, and startling both j7y and I.
After the canoeing, I wound up being enticed back into the water by Alex and Neil, which led to about an hour and a half of the three of us plus crew-Matt playing various "attack each other" games on the raft. Viking football is a lovely raft game.
The ball was lovely, besides the bit where I felt a muscle in my leg to be slightly pulled --possibly due to the earlier swimming. Post the ball was a games night, where I played Zendo with Peter and Alex and someone (Dan?), and stayed up much too late. Determined to make it to at least *some* of the other classes, I set my alarm for earlier, and crawled into bed.
I again didn't spring from bed at the piper's call, but I did at least make it up in time for breakfast. This meant I made it to both the morning classes, and got to spend some time dancing with the high impact experienced group --something that felt rather like a good teacher at Springstep, as we are so spoiled. More Highland, then a lazy afternoon helping jere7my and Terry with the auction stuff, doodling, and playing Dominion. Clouds started threatening during dinner, and as people mingled outside, the first big drops fell. I rushed off to the cabin, and spent the length of time one normally uses to get ready for the ball fast asleep. I shimmied into my ball clothes quickly, and ventured out into the rain, just in time to miss the first dance -oh well.
The auction followed, and was raucous and ridiculous, featuring (among other things), a six foot cardboard TARDIS, a lovely woman donating her hair to be cut in any which way (which I bidded on and lost, which is TOTALLY JUST AS WELL, for obvious reasons and not), two kangeroo scrotums, and an exceptionally tasteful nude suit, worn by an exceptionally tasteless model. Much money was gathered for the camp, and laughter was had by all. Afterwards, several of the younger dancers began an impromptu dance session, going through some wonderful energetic dances --encouraged by the dozen plus musicians we had jamming for us (thanks j7y!)
Thursday I again slept in, through the bagpiper, and right up against the start of Highland, arriving a little late. I only missed a bit of warm-ups, though, and was able to properly join in and practise the steps we were doing. Due to the chill, I opted out of swimming, mostly to go to the Minnesota party with Alex --both of us earned a half-Minnesotan credit through our parents. Then came lunch, and relaxing for hours --by which I mean more Dominion, but also a bit of writing postcards. Next year, I will have to learn addresses beforehand.
At dinner, we learned the results of the silent auction. I did *not* succeed in spending seventy-five dollars on a first edition of Mrs. Milligan's "Won't You Join The Dance", which is really just as well in terms of fiscal responsibility, but oh dear gods, I covet. (Mary Ellen claims to have two copies, my new goal is to do _everything in my power to get one_). I *did* win a trio of Cherry Ripes, meaning I have much delicious Australian candy, with in-jokes attached.
The dance that night was the Black and White/Film Noir ball, which pushed many of my buttons, as I was A) not suitably black and white (oh for my half-blacks when I need them) and B) wearing a dress I don't at all think looks good on me, which fucks up my already fragile insecurities. I had to bail before the last waltz, which was a shame, and an all-male set of Reel of the 51st, which was a damn shame, in order to help set up for the Ceilidh.
The Ceilidh (pronounced "Kaylee") was a talent show, and ridiculously fun. It was music and dancing and humour and one ridiculous magic trick, and a Just Brilliant parody of "Bad Romance" about being caught in a Scottish Dance1. (Everyone go harass jere7my to put the lyrics in his livejournal, it's really that good.) Plus, we were treated to a darkened room and recitation of "The Highwayman", which was just the right spooky (and _weird_ since that was totally a "oh hey I deconstructed that poem in school and therefore can never think of it in real terms") and some Minnesotan performance mad libs of their time at camp. Oh, and upside-down step dancers.
After the Ceilidh, I got to dance a round of Australian Ladies with the same sort of super-bouncy dancers as the previous night, then jere7my and I went and sat on the dock a while, and I got weepy about not fitting in and hating my body and other useless things, while he petted my hair and told me I was being ridiculous. This is a big part of why jere7my is one of my best friends in the world right now.
As more people filtered out to the dock, I cheered up some, and many a terrible joke was told. Huzzah! I went to bed happy, and determined not to sleep too late the following day.
Of course I did. Piece of bread for breakfast (dear crew, thank you for letting me steal food) and off to Highland, then a wine and cheese party and lunch and lounging about through the classes. I believe this is when jere7my and I went on a lovely long hike --either Friday or Thursday-- and I encountered the fact that, no really, he stops every five minutes to take pictures of mushrooms. Which is okay, as I bounce and point out every time I see a dragonfly (or a damselfly, but I kinda call them all dragonflies). At any rate, we tracked alongside a little brook, and wound up at a cranberry bog, and some beehives. A quick walk brought us back to camp, amidst discussion of
how to turn Queen Anne's Lace pretty colours and what my favourite flower is, and then it was the usual afternoon of Dominion and lounging in the sunshine.
Dinner was a candlelit affair, which I mostly ignored, and then it was the big fancy ball, where everyone dressed up very pretty and much ooing and aahing was had. I think this may have been the first and only dance event I've ever been at where I was in an entirely unbifurcated room --all the gents in kilts and ladies in skirts. It was exceptionally swishy, and a very good dance program, with an acceptable grand march beforehand and a perfect last waltz after. (Followed by an almost as perfect "fling myself at Alex because POLKA dammit" polka.)
During the intermission of the ball, the highland and step classes got to go up and demonstrate what they had learned. My need for the spotlight outweighed my desire to not look like a complete fool, and so I gave it a jolly good showing, with people later telling me that I was just fine, and that they had not noticed the bit where I nearly fell over. jere7my supposedly has pictures --I'll link them if there were any good ones.
After the ball was last night party, at which I curled up with j7y and Mog and some of the crew girls (including
Sleep, forcing myself out of bed at the bagpiper, breakfast and goodbyes, and packing and getting on the road. I was back in Somerville by about noon, and promptly slept for fourteen of the next twenty-four hours. It was a lovely time.
And yes, I will be doing everything in my power to make sure I go back next year.
~Sor
MOOP!
(Pee-Ess: You'll notice I didn't bother to explain any of the SCD terminology or nothin'. Just ask if you really want to know, and I will try to give examples!)
1: Rah rah rah-ah-ah; Alle-Allemande; Pas-Pas Pas-de-bas; That's a Scottish Dance!
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no subject
on 2011-07-18 09:41 am (UTC)Adventures: You did see this, right? Good Clean Adventure, that. ;)
And, of course, there was the whole beach adventure ^_^
Canoeing: Ooooo, that sounded loverly! i haven't been canoeing in forever... i should find someone to take me again.. the kids have expressed interest in it too (well, Z did, anyway) and it's not like NC has any shortage of waterways to canoe in!
And heh, re: Not Afraid Ducks, not that i need to go to the Wilds for such things around here sometimes, but perhaps you remember the parking lot goose what decided that they wanted to be Friends?
Ceilidh (pronounced "Kaylee"): One of my once best friends (sadly, she is way too bipolar and ended up Born Again and yeah, i lost a best friend forever to Christ... Very Depressing (also happy to tell the Rest of that Story if you are interested)), had a daughter and when she first named her, she totally wanted to spell it like that 'cause i remember her carefully explaining to me how it was spelled that way but pronounced
Throat Warbler MangroveKaylee... later i noticed she was spelling it Cayley. Ah well.jere7my supposedly has pictures --I'll link them if there were any good ones: i still wanna see 'em even if there aren't any "good ones" *big sad ferret eyes*
Overall: i am really really really really glad you had a good time ♥ (and i was impressed with myself what with not having all my usual
stalkeeshyperfamily peoples online for the most part during this time but i seem to have gotten through it myself (one more week!), how about that.)!Wait, here have more ♥♥♥♥♥♥
no subject
on 2011-07-18 02:25 pm (UTC)Now I want to know on whom you have crushes...
no subject
on 2011-07-24 06:41 pm (UTC)Laura, which is probably obvious, from how stupid I got around her. She is just totally pretty and pushes all my "geeky!" buttons, andyeah.
Also Robin, who is spectacularly gorgeous, and who I had a very good time chatting with at the Pinecones party, about sex positivity and burlesque and other nice things like that.
Yep.
~Sor