[2337] in APO News
AfterFinals January 1997
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (vector@MIT.EDU)
Sun Jan 19 16:12:17 1997
From: vector@MIT.EDU
To: apo-news@MIT.EDU, apocrypha@MIT.EDU
Cc: ccrazy@world.std.com, donovr@netcom.com
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 16:11:21 EST
AfterFinals January 1997
With sleeping bags and several gallons of milk, Grant Emery
(Manpower PC), Michael Spitznagel and I, (Elaine, multiple PC for
AfterFinals: Head PC, Food PC, Fellowship PC) piled into Chris
Falling's car and headed off to Camp Resolute for a weekend of service
and fellowship. Upon arrival at the Camp, the Ranger, Jim Chessna,
directed us to a different building than the Dining Hall where we had
stayed before (this place would have heat and all the amenities). Then,
Jim's wife, Sandy, carried out a huge water container and told us that
the water from the well had failed a standards test and that we should
not drink water from the faucet. Well, we could not let this small
problem put a damper on our weekend. Chris drops us off and returns to
MIT to play in Yendi <the Assassin's game>. The three of us who stayed,
unpack and notice an "OUT OF ORDER" sign above the fireplace. "It's
not the same without a fire. How can a fireplace be out of order? No fair.
We can't make s'mores." (per Grant) Well, at least we have heat.
The next car arrived with Brian Perrin (Fellowship Facilitator #1)
and Jeffrey Poore (Fellowship Facilitator #2). Dale Worley was the driver.
I finally get to meet the titian-haired Alum. He promises to return for
breakfast on Sunday. When Brian arrives the juggling demonstration begins.
"We should have a conclave. We can do a juggling demo." (per Jeffrey)
I try to juggle. "Try with two, first" (per Grant)
Throw, Throw, Catch, PLUNK! Throw, Throw, Catch, PLUNK!
Throw, Throw, Catch, PLUNK! Throw, Throw, Catch, PLUNK!
(Jeffrey sets up a target on the table) "Come on, you can get it
to go PLUNK on the table."
Throw, Throw, Catch, PLUNK! Throw, Throw, Catch, PLUNK!
I won't quit my day job.
Shortly after, Richard "Sparky" Donovan drove up with Melissa
Dullea, Bani Azari and Bob Macke (a visiting Alum '96). All were
disappointed about the fireplace, but then card games were started and
the power of hot chocolate was utilized. But, people are still cold.
They need something to do that will warm their bodies and their spirits.
I think it is time for the fellowship event. It's physical and fun.
"Ok, everybody has played charades before, and everyone has played
telephone before. I have a game that combines the two. Telephone charades.
Everyone has to line up. Only one person gets to see the cue card. Everyone
else is turned around until it is their turn to pass on the charade. Even
if the person receiving the charade has not gotten the correct concept, they
have to 'telephone' their understanding to the next person. The point is
not to get the cue. It's more fun to see how severely the charade can be
altered by passing the charade through all the people. Each person will
have a minute to relay their version of the charade to the next person.
The last person in the line makes the guess." We play for two hours.
Everyone is warmer now. Time for bed.
At 7:30am, I feel a tug on my sleeping bag. It's Jeffrey. "Are
you going to cook breakfast?" I stumble out of bed and cook breakfast.
Grant, Michael, Jeffrey, Brian, Sparky, Melissa, Bani, Bob and I are
present for breakfast. After cleanup, we head over to the camp sites
to collect damaged trees from the December 11th snowstorm and to repair
tent platforms. Along the way, we meet up with Heather Drake, Richard
Barbalace, and Gina Nicholls in Joe Kuchta's car. An hour later, six
BU people arrive. Apparently, there was some confusion about rides.
I guess the most important thing is that they arrived and not *how* they
arrived. After being out in the cold for several hours, brothers returned
to hot pots of soup and sandwiches. Grant, Michael, Jeffrey, Brian, Sparky,
Melissa, Bani, Bob, Heather, Richard, Gina, six BU people, Ron, Ezra, Junko,
Tuhneka and I have lunch, then it's back to work.
Around 4:30pm, as the sun disappeared, a group of icicles filed
into the house. Ranger Jim informed us of the misplaced sign above the
fireplace so a fire was promptly started. At 6pm, the Guiness Book of
records was contacted. Why? Well, for the first time in history, dinner
at an APO event was served on time. A pasta dinner with garlic bread
and salad was prepared and gobbled down by all present. Clean-up, on
the other hand, did not receive as ready of a response. In fact, I think
I needed to blow a whistle to get *any* response. As a consequence of
the lack of response, all were treated like disobedient children and
denied treats of cookies and s'mores.
*DING!* an egg timer goes off. What's this? Everyone looks up.
"I sense a fellowship event" (per Grant). It looks like the bear has
gone to rest and the cub has come out to play. The s'mores and cookies
are made available and telephone charades is played again.
I must have fallen asleep soon after because the next thing
I heard was Dale Worley's voice. "I was promised breakfast before 9am".
As promised, Dale returned for breakfast on Sunday. Breakfast was prepared
and everything was packed up and brought back. Thank you to all who
attended.
-------> Elaine
