in thoughts...

Absolut-leeU ended on Friday...
I can finally think properly about other things without random thoughts of Absolut jumping in without warning...
So much went on that my thoughts are swimming in my mind, all over the place... will take a while to reorganize some before I write any here... but I'll just write down what I feel first... feelings are more distinct for me now, the thoughts are all jumbled up...

Day Negative One, 1st Dec 2003
During my uncle's wedding dinner got a message from K saying that T, her friend who's coming as a camper, is sick and can't make it for camp. Found out that some campers didn't get their list of things to bring during registration... Darn, means have to last minute send out... and realize I was the only one with campers' contacts, so being stuck at the wedding dinner means no one else can do it until i get home...argh... stupid me...
during the dinner my sis grabbed 2 different glasses of white wine for me... she was in charge of getting the wine for the wedding, so she wanted my opinion about them... Now is the point I clarify that I'm no expert... But she will just ask me what I think about wine that she buys, and that night as usual, she'll ask me to try...
But my throat started feeling funny... actually the weird-throat-sensation probably started since afternoon of trial camp, but just before I slept that night, I had the premonition that my throat was going wrong.
Feeling worried.

Day Zero, 2nd Dec 2003
BINGO. Woke up and my throat was hurting. Downed water like nobody's business. Had to get ready A LOT of stuff last minute... had to go to Concourse to get stuff like balloons, rubber bands, styrofoam cups, whistles etc... had to settle name tags as well so cut all my string to tie during my bus trips... yes, that's how bad it was... really bad time management... had to fully utilize every minute...
Feeling time against me.

After buying all the stuff, which amounted to one BIG bag that was not very heavy, but looked very bulky, I went home.
Feeling very auntie, carrying that big bag and balancing my umbrella.

On the bus ride home I received a message from another camper saying she's sick and can't come for camp. Damn. Had to redo my groupings, cos just happened that both campers who are sick are placed in the same group. I'm so "lucky".
Feeling scared that more campers will just not turn up for camp on day one.

Had to do room allocation. J messaged me to remind me to try to make everyone comfortable and try as much as possible to allow facis to rest well and have a proper bed... So far I could allow every camper a proper bed, but some facis had to squeeze... J asked me to see how and try to get people to bring sleeping bags if needed, can go outside to sleep rather than squeeze...
Feeling frenzied.

Db called to ask something. Told her about problem with room allocation. Had worked at allocation, reallocation, reallocation... Just didn't seem to get somethings satisfactory... She volunteered to help me call all the facis to bring sleeping bags...
Feeling touched. Cos Db obviously has her own stuff she needs to settle, but still she did this for me.

After settling room allocation, still had to cut tags paper and laminating paper and stick the contact list, which also had to be redone cos I changed 2 groupings due to the sick campers... My mom offered to help me stick double-sided tape to the contact lists while I pasted them to the back of the tags...
Feeling loved. My mom RULES.

Day One, 3rd Dec 2003
I woke up thinking: THIS IS IT. TODAY IS THE DAY.
Exactly one year ago was 2nd day of my Absolut Voila camp, which I attended as a camper...
Feeling anticipation.

Throat felt funny, but not sore throat yet... had a bit of phlegm, so popped pills and hope I wouldn't go down during camp... Still haven't done Headbangers for Db's game as I promised... started cutting masking tape like mad... Still haven't packed my bag... rushed to grab my things from everywhere... Rushed to buy bread for camp consumption... 3 BIG bags of bread... had to struggle a bit to get up the bus...If I had felt "auntie" the day before, it was nothing compared to now...

Very glad that JM offered to come over to drive me... at first I thought I could manage... I mean, I thought thru the stuff I was bringing: just my own bag, my sleeping bag, cups, supper food and breakfast bread... din sound like a lot, but it came up to about 6 bags not including my backpack... the bread lah... didn't know bread can be so bulky...
Feeling relieved and peaceful. Being driven in a car by others gives me that feeling. I'm a "driven" person - pun intended.

Reached meeting place, hardly had time to do much before campers arrived... set them to start designing their own tags... din have time to do my own one, so just anyhow write my name... forgot to write my group name before I sealed it with laminating paper... had to quickly peel it out a bit and try to salvage... Db helped me run around finding scissors and puncher so I could wear it... that gal's a life saver... ;)
groups went for lunch... I told my group to go off first cos I had to tie up loose ends... missed the first opportunity to really bond with my group cos had to meet the food person we were getting meals from, then drive in with JM & YZ to settle check in... Some rooms were still being repaired... alamak... of all days they choose this day to do it... had to wait for keys... let everyone go off to beach for games while I waited... when i went down to the beach to join the rest, the skies not looking too good... D told me to decide when to ask camp to run back in case it rains... so I spent most of the afternoon looking at the skies... some facis remarked that they didn't feel the energy from the campers...
Dinner time... cos A couldn't make it for camp, Ic and JM had to help me settle food - go out to get the food and drive back in.. Very thankful for their help... JM really took charge of the food, making sure the permanent facis took the right number of packets etc...actually wanted to sit with my group, but JM and YZ weren't, so I just sat with them...later joined by G, Kv and others... they cracked lame jokes, laughed till i almost died... Sunshine came to visit, gave me a wonderful massage... thanks dear! ;)
Feeling a little relaxed.

Champion's Walk time... for a while stood holding a lightstick to guide people up, but realized my position very redundant, so went to join JM and Db in the car... that JM went to flash car lights at campers as they walked individually up... and he was really amused that some people din even turn to look...
Debrief for facis - suffice to say that it was a little demoralizing.. Talked to SYg and D for a while after everything...
Feeling a little better after talking to the two of them.