I Care

If you're going to teach you have to pass a test called the CBEST. It is very easy. It is good that there is some sort of standard set for deciding who should be a teacher, but it bothers me that it is so low a standard. So when the subject of that test would come up I would say something like, "It's so easy a monkey could pass it." Invariably, someone would say, " I didn't pass it," or something like that. I guess they should've had a monkey take it for them. The point is, I critique stuff, sometimes in a not so gentle way. Because of this, sometimes people think I'm a jerk (remember I said I would mention that?). I mentioned previously my experience with the camp speaker as being one of the worst... Maybe the worst. It's hard to say, one year there was a mime, he was pretty bad... Anyway, I really tried to be gracious and quiet with my criticism of his presentation. I tend to find that other people enjoy or find useful things I don't. Sometimes that's okay- somebody's got to keep food on Jerry Bruckheimer's table; it's not going to be me. Even when it has to do with spiritual or theological issues, I realize not everyone has the same needs. Sometimes- okay a lot of times- it is not okay. So I say something. I try to be mindful of the difference between being a malcontent and the need to point out the superficiality of so much in the church so that people don't settle for nonsense. I do it because I care and there are a few things I take seriously- like the opportunity a thing like "camp" can be. So the speaker... I didn't go around pointing out the flaws in his presentation or his misuses of various scriptures... well I didn't go around pointing it out to everybody. I shared my criticisms in very specific and constructive ways with few people. But here's the thing: during his talk I was taking notes. I generally do that, but I guess it looked like I was writing like a madman. I was noting things that I thought could be improved and things that were just plain wrong. Long story short- people were expecting me to say something. People wanted to know what I was writing and wondering when I was going to blow up at the speaker. So that's what people expect me to do. They expect me to be a jerk. Drag.
As for the ultimate foursquare, imagine playing foursquare with two people in each square and each square is about 25 feet by 25 feet. Each team gets two hits and can only hit after the ball bounces in their square. So your teammate can set it and then you slam it into your opponent's square or you can let it bounce once and hit it immediately into an opponent's square. It was the hit of camp.
As for the dog food- Booda Co. makes a dog snack that is packaged like your generic cheese puff type snack. They're called Dos Amigos Chicken Fiesta Flavor Cheese Puffs. People will eat them.