Teachers at the Center

Hello everyone, this is Marie again. Last week I talked some about field trips to the Eastern 4-H Center that students can take. This week I am going to focus more on the teachers. I may be a new teacher since I recently graduated, but I have been around the education system my entire life because my mom is a high school math teacher. Each day after school I would go to my mom's room and wait for her to finish tutoring, planning lessons, or whatever she might have to do. In that time, I also met and became fairly close to many of the other teachers that she works with. My sister and I would always help several of the teachers set up their classrooms at the beginning of the year while the teachers would stay busy with the hundreds of other things they would have to do. Anyone that knows a teacher or that is a teacher realizes that the majority of teachers love their job and for the most part enjoys it, but they also realize that it is a very stressful job. My mom has been teaching for almost thirty years and she still stays at school everyday until at least 5 o'clock and then she comes home and grades papers. What better way to help reduce some of that stress then to come here and stay for a weekend! Teachers have to complete so many workshops over a certain number of years so, why not have one of those workshops in a conference center like this one where you could spend you free time from the workshop rock climbing, or testing yourself on the hi-ropes course?

Last week we had a group of leaders, several of which were principals from Wilson, NC. These leaders completed the teambuilding activities as well as the hi-ropes course. Some of the principals kept commenting on how great it would be if there teachers knew all the teambuilding activities that they were shown. Well then, why not have a group of teachers come and learn some of these teambuilding activities?! They could learn how to show their students ways to properly communicate with each other, to show leadership, and to make the students more comfortable and trusting around each other. These teambuilding strategies can be changed from simple activities to more advanced ones for older students.

This Center could also be used as an orientation for new teachers. The activities that we can provide here would give new teachers more leadership confidence as well as overall confidence in themselves to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. They can then take that confidence back to the classroom and be a better teacher by trying new lessons that will make the students think more and learn more. I have been working here for the past two summers and I have learned a lot about teambuilding activities. I feel that any teacher that comes here to try and learn something new about teambuilding will walk away with a positive way to bring their students closer together through communication and trust.

Have a great day everyone…

Teambuilding Tuesday

Hello there! Joe here again and it’s time for what I’m going to call “Teamwork Tuesday.” Last week I talked about the importance of teamwork and gave some defining characteristics. And while that’s all important, the most important facet of teambuilding is the facilitator. The individual leading the activities and discussions must have an understanding of how newly formed and existing groups tend to operate.

No matter what age or level of group that a facilitator is working with, the basic teambuilding outline or sequence, is the same. You always start with the “icebreakers.” This is done to introduce the group to each other and get them making connections with other people. Depending on the group, this can be activities such as name games, simple fun tag games, etc.

Stage 2 is what’s called “deinhibitizer” activities. These are activities where participants are asked to play outrageous and crazy games that make group members act goofy or silly in front of the entire group to get everyone comfortable with each other and not afraid to fully participate no matter what the task.

Stage 3 is the all important “initiative” phase where groups are presented with situations and problems that they must figure out together. From passing a tin can filled with water around a circle with nothing but the use of feet to making a square with an extremely long rope while blindfolded, initiatives are the meat of teambuilding. They are what get the group thinking about and using all of the defining characteristics of teambuilding.

The 4th stage of teambuilding is, of course, the challenge course elements. Here groups are put to the test and must effectively use all of the skills that they have been building to get to this point.

This sequence is recognized by most all facilitators in the teambuilding world and cannot be skirted around. If a facilitator does activities in an order that differs from the one presented, disaster can in sue within the group. Presenting the group with an initiative or problem that they are not ready for will result in the group breaking down instead of becoming more functional. So, all of you readers out there in cyberland who have been trying to get groups to work together, keep these things in mind and use them next time. And to start you off, here’s a fun name game.

Nametag Swap

Have the group decide on two or three questions that they would like to know about each other. The questions can be simple or outrageous and funny, depending on the group. Each participant will meet and ask different members of the group these questions. Once they have asked the questions to a particular person, they will swap nametags and become that person, therefore their responses to the questions will be those of the person whose nametag they have on. This part of the game continues for about five minutes, or until everyone has met each other. The group then sits in a circle and each person stands up and introduces themselves (as the person whose nametag they have on) to the rest of the group. The person whose nametag it is says whether or not the facts are correct and then they introduce themselves as the person whose nametag they have on, and so on. Ensure that all nametags are returned to the correct person and it’s fun to then test people on how well they know names.

Enjoy the day...

Pcocsin Wildlife

I have been living and working here at the Eastern 4-H Center now for almost two years, over this time, I have adopted Tyrrell County as home. Because it reminds me a lot of where I grew up, in Gates County living in a swamp is nothing new to me, because my family homestead is within 500 yard of the Dismal Swamp Refuge. But Tyrrell County has one of the most unique ecosystems the - is a Pocosin Wetland.

The term Pocosin is an Algonquian Indian word meaning "swamp on a hill." Though there are no obvious hills, the land is slightly elevated compared to the surrounding landscape. Pocosin wetlands are extremely flat and the natural drainage is poor. The top layer of soil is comprised mostly of organic material, more commonly referred to as peat, varying in thickness throughout the refuge. This organic matter is made up of leaves, sticks and other organic debris that was once submerged in water and decomposed slowly. Once lost, it takes over 100 years to create one inch of peat soil. The pocosin habitat is unique in that it is a fire tolerant shrub/scrub complex with a pond pine over story growing on organic soils with depths up to 12 feet. A large portion of the land that is now refuge had been ditched and drained for farming and mining of the peat soils by previous owners.
The Pocosin is more than just a swamp - it is also habitat for many wildlife. Here are just a few examples of what you my see: Amphibians, Salamanders, Toads and Frogs. Reptiles, Alligators - yes, that's right - including snakes can be found throughout. Mammals that call the Pocosin home include Virginia Opossum. Southeastern Shrew, Least Shrew, Shorttail Shrew, Dismal Swamp Southeastern Shrew, Star-nosed Mole, and Eastern Mole. Bats like the Southeastern Myotis, Silver-haired Bat, Eastern Pipistrel, ect can be seen at dusk. The Carnivores you may get to see, this if you get lucky, are Black Bear, Red Wolf , and also a Raccoon. Rodents that call the Posocin home include Gray Squirrel, Southern Flying Squirrel, Golden Mouse, Rabbits like the Eastern Cottontail and Marsh Rabbit. Then there my favorite Mammals that call this place home - the White-tailed Deer.
Then there also the waterfowl the pocosin provides wintering habitat for - thousands of ducks, geese and swans. Throughout the year over 200 species of birds occur in the abundant habitats found in the Pocosin. For the tundra swan, 90% of their population winter in the eastern North Carolina so there is a large number that find there way to this area.

Enjoy the day...

Ecology 102

This week, fall started on Tuesday September 22, 2009. It will end on December 21, 2009. I love this season along with spring for a variety of different reasons. I like autumn because the temperatures are cooler. I like the mourning are cool and the afternoons are warm because I really hate being hot or cold. Another thing I like about autumn is leaves on the trees are starting to change color. I really like going to the scenic overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway and look at varying colors of the leaves. The range of colors the leaves have are reds, oranges, and browns. Another thing I like to about autumn is the football. My favorite college team is East Carolina University. My favorite NFL team is the Carolina Panthers. I hate raking leaves, but playing with a huge pile of leaves is always a good time.

Another thing I love about autumn are the fairs and festivals. I loved going on the rides, watching the entertainment, eating a funnel cake, and looking at the livestock. Another thing I love about autumn is the holidays. I love Halloween because of the decorations. I like carving the jack o’lanterns faces. I love to dress up for Halloween. I always enjoying Treat or Treating because of all the candy you get. I love going to Haunted Houses, too.

The other major holiday I love is Thanksgiving. I love to get up and watch the parades on television. I like having the family in the kitchen making a breakfast by having eggs, biscuits, toast, grits, and ham. I enjoy going to my cousins to have lunch and/or dinner with my cousins. There is usually a lot of food on the counters. I know I eat too much on Thanksgiving. I enjoy watching footfall. Another thing about autumn is Marie's birthday - this Sunday. Happy Birthday Marie.

Field Trips

Today's Staff Musing is from Marie Vaughan, resident educator-at-large. She is great with children! She's also a "calming" factor between intelligent arguments that break out during Staff house Jeopardy night...

The past four years I have been completing my education with a degree in elementary education. As a result of this,I have been in several different classrooms around eastern N.C. Most of these classrooms had one thing in common; when it came to field trips, the students loved them but the teachers were never excited for them. Part of this reason is because of the number of safety issues, and overall chaos that comes with taking a large group of children anywhere. While I can understand these concerns, I also realize that there are many more reasons why field trips are so important to students. When students are on a field trip they can learn and see new things in a way that they never have before.

At the Eastern 4H Center, we give students the opportunity to work together to solve a problem. While they are here they have to communicate with each other and start to build leadership skills that they can use wherever they go. We also have something here that most students have probably never done before, which is our rock wall. When the students first arrive they might seem wary of the rock wal,l but after reaching the top a couple of times their confidence has soared.

In today’s world where T.V., the Internet, and the many other technologies out there are so distracting to students, they need something that will bring them back to the outdoors. What better way to do this than in a small rural county in eastern N.C. that is filled with woods and teambuilding activities. Being on a trip like this gives the students a chance to step away from all the worries of school and home. They come to a place where there are very few people and a whole lot of trees. After they finish the teambuilding exercises or the rock wall, their confidence and happiness will show. They will be able to go back to school with a better and more positive attitude for learning.

Enjoy the day...

Team Work Joe

Today's "Staff Musing" is from Joe Herbert, our Lead Team Challenge Course Facilitator, Lead Counselor, and future director of a lucky camp. Joe was born in a camp and was raised by camp counselors.

Teamwork. A word that conjures images of people doing things together. But teamwork is much more than this. I believe the ability to work with others is a skill that is necessary for all of us, no matter what our profession. In fact, I am sure that at some point everyone will be in a situation where they will need to work with others to reach some sort of common goal. This is why so many outdoor centers offer team building as a core curriculum for those seeking to teach our kids how to work together, and to reteach those adults who sometimes forget what it means to work together.

Working here at the Eastern 4-H Center, one of my responsibilities is to facilitate teambuilding

...and I am always amazed at how hard many of our youth find it to work with others. When they finish an activity and are asked what helped them reach their goal, they almost always respond “Teamwork!” but are unable to define what exactly teamwork is. It sometimes takes awhile before they come up with some defining words such as cooperation, communication, trust, etc. And while these are large concepts in themselves, they’re easier to grasp than the idea of “teamwork.” When you think about it, sitting in a classroom doing your school work doesn’t exactly scream “work together.” In fact, students are usually encouraged to do their own work away from others. So then, where do they learn this skill that I feel is so important? Besides the occasional group project or sport environment, I feel teamwork must be learned outside of the traditional school atmosphere.

This is where facilities such as the Eastern 4-H Center come into play. With facilities and staff who are trained to stimulate this growth, kids and adults alike are exposed to intense challenges and issues that force them to work together to better understand all the different facets of what it means to truly be a team. While each team operates slightly differently, the core concepts are the same. Groups learn about effective communication, cooperation and collaboration, trust, leadership, and innumerable others. The great thing is that all of this knowledge doesn’t just end when they leave the challenge course presented to them. All of these skills can be transferred back to a school or work environment if effort is put in to maintaining the learning that took place. So ask yourself, “Am I good team member?” “Would I want to work with me?” and depending on your answer, keep an eye on the blog. There are sure to be more tips and specific ideas on how to build an effective team.

Enjoy the day...

WAW (What A Weekend)

The only thing that can be said about my weekend is that it started with a bang...as in "BANG" - the sound that happens when a deer leaps to the road inches from your car. My day and bumper were wrecked.

Saturday morning came with an omen - Me, Lee, and Jonathn were all set to go hunting in Gull Rock...my alaram went off an hour early (2:00 am instead of 3:00 am) so I had an hour to waste...I realized the mistake after getting dressed and drinking coffee.

There was also a possum under my boat, which you don't want to encounter in the pre-dawn darkness.

Nevertheless, Lee, Casper, and I headed south on 94...everything was good until we got to Kilkenny, the middle of nowhere. I drove cautiously, as always (I haven't ever had a wreck or hit a deer - and I grew up in the Alabama hills) and everything was normal. Then she ran into my car. It was that quick - my co-pilot, Casper, could only ride out the storm. After the collision, I pulled in the yard of an abandoned house, which was probably haunted, to assess the damage. There is little that can be done at 4:15 am, 20 miles from a cell signal albeit, so we did what any self-respecting sportsman would do...we tied up the fender, checked the gauges, looked for leaks, and went on to Gull Rock. The Airbags didn't deploy, everything was alright, except for my fender. We were all OK, which is good, you can replace car parts, not car passengers.

Auburn won Saturday night, after a violent rainstorm, West Virginia, struck lightning quick to put Auburn in a 14-0 hole, but these tigers clawed their way back, forcing 6 turnovers and completing an aerial assault, unlike any seen on The Plain before...Auburn 41-West Virginia 30...

Watch the highlight video here



Oh yeah - On Friday night I lost my credit card, cancelled it, then found at 2:15 am in the morning in the back pocket of the britches I was wearing the night before....

Enjoy the day...

"Conservation" Season

My favorite time of year is once again here... that time is Fall, and that means hunting seasons are starting to come in. There is just something about being in the woods trying to get close enough to a shy old Whitetail, or on the water trying to get a sharp-eyed Mallard to decoy on a cool crisp morning and getting a glimpse of nature coming awake. I am not the only person around that looks forward to this, especially after a yearlong of daydreaming, scouting, and planning.

But you can't talk about hunting without the subject of conservation. Some do not realize how important conservation is to wildlife and to the people that enjoy those species. Without conservation wildlife would have a tough time existing; they would not have laws to protect them, or the spaces need to hold healthy populations. But, conservation does not just effect game animals; it has a positive effect on non-game species as well.

If you are new to the sport, or a seasoned vet, you've probably seen the positive effects of conservation tools, such as regulated hunting. Visit ncwildlife.org for seasons, bag limits, and other regulation that uphold Fair Chase. Enjoy the outdoors safely; wear blaze orange when and where applicable, wear a lifejacket when heading out on the water, and most importantly - treat every gun as if it were loaded and know your target and what's beyond it. And don't go into the bear woods of Tyrrell County with peanut butter and honey buns :)

Today's article was by Jonathan Casper - He's our Target Sports Coordinator and General Programs Instructor...he has National Certification level status in Archery...and he loves the outdoors...

Enjoy the day...

Staff Musings

Lately, I have tried to develop professional development opportunities for my staff (I can't send them to workshops), and came up with this real gem...have them blog about areas of specialty. It is a great chance for them to learn about social media production and to do a little research from time to time. Today's blurb is from Stephanie Spears, our ecology instructor. Environmental Education is a large component of our educational programs here at the Center...We receive field trip groups from schools and churches in the spring and fall...

Today's ecology lesson is on the Green Anole...they are those little green lizards that scamper around your and your neighbor's porch. Their main diet is bugs like butterflies, crickets, flies, and grasshoppers. They can live up to 10 years old!

One really cool thing about the Green Anole is it's ability to change colors like a chameleon. They can go from green to brown, and even dark gray. The reason why they change color is because of stress. Usually when they are brown, they are stressed out. The males are territorial. Yesterday on the back porch of the staffhouse, there were two green anole. One of the green anole had a hold of the other and would not let it go! Chase separated them, because he is heroic.

Another cool thing about the Green Anole is they can regenerate (regrow) their tails. If a predator grabs a hold of the tail, the lizard's tail can break off and allows the green anole to escape it's predator.

Enjoy the day...

In Bama...

I slipped south over the weekend to check in on my folks and the Auburn football team...both are doing very well...Auburn put an ole fashion whuppin' on Mississippi State on saturday.

It's always good to go home, where things are always a little backwards or just a little slower to progress. Down the road from my parents house, I spotted a bicycle with one of those old fashioned spinning blade lawnmowers mounted to the front. This may be ab actual invention that was mass-marketed as the first riding lawnmower, but it looked homemade and hilarious. People have always had their own way of doing things down there. They like to do things their way. Once, a pair of our neighbors swapped Christmas gifts...this was about 15 years ago...nevertheless, the husband bought his wife a microwave (he called it a "mikerwave"). Once he presented it to her she replied "whaddya do 'at fur?"...so he took it away from her, though it out in the yard, and shot it with his .22 caliber rifle. True Story.

Also - most people down there just burn there trash, with leaves and trees that they cut down from around the house.

While there are inherent problems with this, one thing that you can always count on in the south is consistency...they'll always do things their way and they will always deliver the same results, reckless (at times), but effective.

My dad delivered the message Sunday in church. Yeah, he's a lifetime politician, and all politicians preach from time to time, just not in church. But he preached (or prought) and not about politics.

Tomorrow, expect to hear about my meeting in Raleigh that occurred on Tuesday...it's about the North Carolina New Schoold Project...do your homework, read up on it, and be impressed...

Enjoy the day...

The President's School Speech

So, in case you didn't hear the speech, it went something like...

"Do good, stay good, I had it bad, but I did good, so can you."

Pretty boring if you ask me...i don't think that he "brainwashed" America's youth. Video games do that...so does MTV.

About a week ago, I had a kid ask me "do you like baseball?"

"Of course, I do, in fact I played in high school."

That's all I said to him. I asked "what position do you play?" He said, "Ohhhh, I was talking about baseball on X-Box."

I nearly lost my mind. I am only a little older than teenagers...is there that great of a disconnect and distance between my "generation?"

In our office, there is one person in my generation. The rest are all in their 30's and 40's. No big deal. I'm glad we have old people around here...they keep me and Nikki balanced.

I'm 26...a lot of my friends are just a couple of years younger than me. Every friend I have that is more than two years younger than me does the following that I do not:
Uses an iPod
Has a website
Eats hotpockets 2 meals a day
Rarely exercises
Does not like to travel
Does not eat hummus

Conversely, I don't use an iPod, I don't have a website, I detest hotpockets, I exercise, travel, and enjoy a little hummus. My college professors actually taught (lectured) so I couldn't use an iPod, and they graded our work, not our websites (websites are now used for students to post homework papers). How did I miss this boat?. I feel older than I am. I hate iPods.

Whoever invented the internet is probably a smart lady or man. People can use the internet to catchup on the news, talk about how they agree and disagree with viewpoints (like the President's speech), shop for clothes, read other customer reviews, maybe buy clothes (or toys, food, iPods, and other goods). If you don't have a website and you peddle a ware of some type, your basically out of the loop. AND - if you have bad website, your not even considerable! If the images load slow, or information is unavailable, people will find another place that is ready to sell something.

Barry Obama gave a speech to school kids. Dubya gave a speech to kids, too. A lot of the internet blogs mentioned that Barry Obama's speech was very inspiring, one even said that the President "taught kids how to learn." I listened to the speech...I didn't learn to learn, nor did anybody else. That wasn't the goal of the speech. Kids should hear from the most important man in the world that education is important. They should also hear it from their parents, teachers, friends, relatives, and their pets (if it talks). Dubya and Ronnie Reagan gave speeches to kids, too. They just didn't do it using the internet, youtube, and iTunes. Barry Obama is really smart...he went to Harvard, and has a law degree! He got an education. Dubya went to Yale. He got an MBA...all Presidents are smart. If you were offended by the thought of a speech - relax. It was what needed to be done. Every President should do it. Every year. And half of the population will always be upset. If you are not the president, you should talk to kids about the importance of an education, too. All of you.

Enjoy the day...

Looking the Part

Warning: I am not a leading fashion expert, not even a following fashion expert. However, I will disclose my cool weather favorites so that you, too, can look like you belong outside, in the wilderness, this fall and winter. These items are items that I have or want really bad. My fashion choices are born from practicality and personality, and may not be what would be found in a GQ magazine or some other wishful thinking paper publication. Ladies...buy these clothes for your husband or son or dad and they will be glad you did...you may even be glad, too.

There are several staples in every "everyman's" wardrobe. I am not talking about the man that rolls around the house on the weekend...I am talking about the guys that cut the grass, cook the pig, chop the wood, camp, fish, and hunt. These staples have been around since my grandfather and will be around when I am a grandfather...

The Staples:
Flannel shirt - Every dude has one or three, at least, I hope so. this year all the skateboard (skatebored) kids are wearing the buffalo plaid red and black square shirts. These are cool, but why risk looking like a picnic table. I like plaid, but prefer houndstooth...get something in green, or brown, with yellow pinstripes or windowpane plaid...that look is "fresh." I like LL Bean, but Filson make s a great shirt, if you can afford them.

Sweaters - Every old grandpa has to have a sweater to wear over his flannel shirt, in case the weather gets really cold. I am not a grandpa, but I have liked this look for years...it is very practical, and you can take off the top layer if you get warm. All the kids are wearing cardigans this year. Don't make this mistake. Wearing wool means you are tough and practical, not fashionable like the kids...and don't by cashmere, nobody wants to be that soft. Fair Isle sweaters are nice, but I like a rag wool sweater. Wool maybe a little itchy, but it is warm, waterproof, and windproof...and since wool shrinks, they don't have to be laundered. I like sweaters in dark browns, greens, and navy...maybe gray, too. Also - grab one with a shawl collar...that's really old fashioned, but it can be buttoned up like a turtleneck...and then you don't have to wear a stinkin' scarf. For manly-man sweaters - shop McAlister.

Caps - get a trapper's hat, stormy kromer, or jones style hat for classic appeal...and no one else will want to borrow them, either. But, they are warm, waterproof, or just plain old-man awesome. Filson makes great hats.

Pants - none of the above items can be worn without a pair of pants...I like waxed canvas pants, but they aren't appropriate for everywhere. Tough corduroys in something like 8-wale (cords not too thick, not too thin) are perfect to keep the chill and briars out. I have a totally radical pair that have mallards embroidered all over them. Sure, they get a laugh, but I don't have to worry about someone taking them or getting cold...A lot of men like Carhartt brand dungarees, their tough, but they wear like a straight jacket. Wool Pants are great...they can go from outside work to office work pretty easily...you just can't get them in many colors other that drab olive or gray.

Jackets - Everybody has to have one...when it's really rainy or windy nothing beats a North Face jacket...so it's a little frat-tastic, but just get one in solid black...don't get one in red or yellow or any other "LOOK AT ME" colors...Patagonia makes awesome jackets, too. A Barn Coat or Field Coat is also a good choice if you really want to look old. Cabela's has a great selection in the Fall Master Catalog...

Boots - Schnee's, LL Bean, or the Red Wing Classic Chukka...greatest boots ever, forever.

Now - you have everything you need to put together an ensemble, outfit, or costume. If you wear this stuff, you might look like an old man, but you'll still have this stuff when your an old man. When I have to purchase clothes, I like to do every 5 or 6 years. It saves a lot of time, and I don't have to worry about what the fashion is...because since over half the population is made up of "boomers", I know that at least 1/2 of the population will approve of my outfit. It makes perfect sense to me...

Sorry for this one...
Enjoy the day...

Labor Day weekend, College football!

I am a foolish fool...after writing my Friday blog, I laughed at all the folks who would not read the beautiful html prose, therefore not being able to heed my advice...but I didn't heed it either. I went to the beach with the other 100,000 people - an eclectic mix of New Yorkers, Jersey-heads, Hatterasers, and Trianglicals (most of those were just made-up). It was insane...apparently using a turn signal is forbidden, as well as adhering to the speed limit.

College football was pretty great this weekend. Oklahoma got beat by BYU, but they lost their Heisman Trophy Quarterback, Sam Bradford...hope he recovers soon - good players are good for the game.

Alabama beat Virginia Tech, much to my chagrin. NC State took on the chin from South Carolina in a contest that lacked offensive effort. ECU survived a scare from Appalachian State...that would have been interesting...Carolina won, but who really cares. Wake Forest got beat by Baylor, too.

Oh yeah, my Auburn Tigers pulled off a rousing dismemberment of Louisiana Tech...Auburn unveiled a new offense, and with this unveiled weaknesses in the Louisiana Tech defense. Auburn plays Mississippi State next week...my girlfriend and I will be opposing each other, as she is from Mississippi, and pulls for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. She will be dissapointed. Auburn should embarrass them handily.

The weather has been damp, to say the least...my labor day was rained on, and so is my Tuesday.

Enjoy the day...

Labor Day is an Earned Day

Labor Day...it's not a day to go into labor, ladies. It's also a day designed not to do manual labor, but that's what most folks will do - and they don't even know it!

These are the plans of my friends, and most will be laborious... I will rate them on a scale of 1-5 (1 being comatose, 5 being picking up toothpicks in the desert).

Cutting trails for hunting season (3)
Going to the beach with family (4.8)
Fishing (4.7)
Mowing the yard (2.6)
Sunbathing (1.1)
Recreational Boating (2.0)

What's worse, some people will not have the day "off" and will report to work while their friends are "enjoying" themselves. But fear not, those who will work. The friends you have will be equally miserable...have you ever heard someone say "I need a day off to get over the day off"? It is my hope that your vacationing friends will say this...and your reply to them should be "hush your dern mouth."

This is why going to the Outer Banks will not be fun for the family of your friends:
They will not leave on time...and the Alligator River Bridge will be opening every 15 minutes to let the sailboats through. Sailing is not normal, either. Most sailboats have motors, which defeats the purpose of a sail, except that many sailors think that they look regal aboard their vessel. Nevertheless, if your friend's family plans to leave Columbia at 8:00 am, they can arrive in Nag's Head by 11:00 am, hopefully. By this point, all of the public beach access lots will be full of cars. The family will decide to go and eat to kill some time...they will kill plenty of time in the lobby of any of those crazy themed restaurants...just go to Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe...you'll probably have to wait there, too - but it is totally worth it. By this point, the children will need their nap or some type of discipline. You, the worker, can laugh at your friend the vacationer because you should imagine the thought of them threatening their child to "act right" in front of every tourister at the beach...now imagine the children crying even louder...eventually they'll go to the beach, get sunburned, and then have to drive back through terrible traffic and the Alligator River Bridge.

What about your friend that is going fishing? Here's why that will be no fun:
Everybody else will be fishing, too. There are only so many fish to go around...and fish are going to take the day off, too.Your friend will get hot and sweaty, the boat may or may not crank, and the fisherman will have an angry wife to come home to...because he went fishing instead of mowing the lawn.

Now, your friend that is recreational boating may "1 up you"...but:
A boat is essentially a hole in the water that one tosses money into. Something will go awry with the boat, more than likely. If it doesn't, the recreational boater will have to watch out for sailboats and fishing boats. They will be in the way. I do not know a recreational boater that enjoys seeing sailboats tack into their course of travel...but the sailers can't help it, they only kinda know what they are doing. The fisherman will stay out of your friends' way, but they will also fish in only the shaded areas of the body of water...so sunburn for the recreational boater is a strong probability.

What will I do...I will not fish or sail, unless my boat breaks down...I'll be forced to use the wind to steer my boat and I will survive on fish. The "Boating Cycle" is a lot like the water cycle...I will also do somekind of manual labor, only to commemorate the Labor Day holiday.I will watch some college football, and pray that Auburn beats their foe...

enjoy the holiday...

3B = Bulls Bay Birthday

This poem is a little ridiculous, but...

Today on Bulls Bay
We'll have a birthday
It's for Ms. Mittie
A lady most call pretty
Turning a year younger
For the cake, I will hunger
The candles on the cake are a' flamin'
If Lee cuts cake there may be a mamin'

Our visitors she'll greet
A smiling lady is what they'll meet
She'll go get the mail
And phone calls she'll hail
She is our centerpiece
Likes her food without grease
Raised on the farm
Only a snake she'll do harm

A happy birthday is our wish
For you Miss Mittie, not a fish
That made little sense
And I won't ride the fence
For you Miss Mittie
Happy Birthday we wish!

Today Ms. Mittie will celebrate a birthday, but her birthday isn't until the sixth of September. Ms. Mittie has been at the Center since it opened it's doors...in fact, she was around when it was a farm. While her age isn't important, she's turning somewhere between 30 and 80. She's old enough to be a grandmother (she IS a grandmother), looks old enough to be a mother, and sprite enough to be a 20-something...

Enjoy the upcoming birthday Ms. Mittie!