Adventures in leadership

Have you ever been bone-crushing, wearing tired? There's that feeling, and then there's that feeling plus two days of physical and mental exertion on the "adventure learning course" and late nights of watching the Olympics and visiting with people you just met who feel like friends you've known forever. I am exhausted.

On Thursday and Friday I had Leadership Benton County retreat, which I totally had a bad attitude about, and I loved. We spent the mornings getting to know more about ourselves and each other and the afternoons sweating at Base Camp. I was lucky enough to discover that there were plenty of climbers (those crazy enough to climb straight up 25 feet on a ladder, then strap themselves to someone else do go down the zip line, aiming for a tarp while dropping a small cushioned brain... long story), so I got to stay on the ground and attempt to catch the brains, which was much harder than it sounds. But just as weird.

Our last challenge was to balance on a large platform that had some sort of teeter-totter function. Imagine 38 adults who've known each other for 36 hours and have been sweating like fiends bunching up on a big platform all the while keeping it from getting unbalanced. Oh, and someone started singing "Rock the Boat." It could have been me. Then, after talking about our feelings and what we've learned, I booked it home to shower, put on makeup, and change for dinner on Beaver Lake. And since I was not counting on needing to shower nor getting lost in my time plan, I was a few minutes late.

The lake house used to be privately owned, but is now owned by a foundation that uses it for leadership retreats. It's gorgeous, with a beautiful, relaxing view of Beaver Lake outside of the dining room windows. We got a tour of the house, including the bomb shelter and extensive tunnel system underneath. Evidently the man who built it was a bit paranoid. How sad to live in such a beautiful place and not be able to enjoy it.

On the way home I talked to Hope on the phone, who was at Dad's watching a movie. She wouldn't say her ABC's for me, but she was trying to count to 100 very slowly. When my dad told her she skipped 15, she yelled, "Grandpa, I'm talking to Arney!" I laughed and said, "Sister, you did miss 15." She then said, "Well, Grandpa messed me up." Hmmm.. only four and already with the excuses. I was kind of glad she messed up, since the rate she was going we'd only be to 80 or so by now.

So I had a great, if tiring, couple of days. I spent yesterday napping and noshing on the Krispy Kreme donuts I bought because the hot light was on when I drove by Friday night. Now I'm watching the men win basketball gold at the Olympics and getting ready for church. But I'm sure there's another nap in my future.

Tomorrow I'm heading up one of the Day of Caring events in town. It involves manual labor. I haven't exercised in nearly two months, but I choose to get over that in a mere five days. Thankfully I have another massage scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

Four more days, then I'll be on my way to Temple. The Texas kind, not the Jewish kind. :)

Late night dinner and early breakfast

While I like to fancy myself quite metropolitan, sometimes I realize just how small town I can be. Tonight, I'm going out to dinner at 10:15. On a Monday. I've usually been asleep for an hour by then.

The craziest part is that I got little sleep last night since I got sucked into Olympics mania. I swore it wouldn't happen. I hate those sappy human interest stories and forced patriotism. But last night I caught the end of the USA gold-winning 4x100 meter race, and I was hooked. I cried through the National Anthem along with the President and 8 billion other people. Now I'm watching Chinese men tumble. And how about that synchronized diving? That's a trip.

I left for work at 7:10 a.m. I am so tired, but don't want to lose out on the chance to see my bro. And yes, I have to be at work at 7:15 again tomorrow morning.

Something tells me I'll be missing prime time Olympic action tomorrow night when I go to bed at 7 p.m.