Thoughts from Playland

I have officially started my new job. I'm a lifeguard (at least, most of the time...) at Atlantic Playland for the summer. It's been interesting. I think I've actually done more cashiering in the arcade than lifeguarding so far, but that's life... Here's some things I've noticed from my work experience so far:

1. Work in the Arcarde is better on weekends... The batting cages are stock full of cute boys, some of whom will stop to chat with me. I'm up to being asked for 13 dates and/or phone numbers from said boys. I say no. It's actually sort of embarassing. Bumper Car Boy (no idea what his name is... I should ask... Tyler maybe?) has started coming over when the boys stop to chat. I like Bumper Car Boy.
2. Work in the Arcade sucks on sunny days. Everyone else is outside enjoying the sun, and I'm stuck inside! Although, I suppose Bumper Car Boy and the Cafe staff are too...
3. I'm going to be a cool mom who goes on all the rides with her kids.
4. Some fathers will spend $20+ on the little stuffed animal machine to get their kids a teddy bear. OH! AND! Someone finally got the Mrs. Potts out!! I was so excited for them! Mike is still there... I want him....
5. Batting cages are scary, scary things, and I HATE having to go in them to fix them! It's like taking my life in my hand for the sake of baseball - NOT COOL!
6. I like waterslides best... They're outside, mainly young children, and not scary.

I also have my fall job all lined up too! Holly has finally convinced me to join the Picalily team at Pete's Frootique downtown. I'll be getting 16-ish hours/week there. I might keep one shift at the bookstore too, but we'll see... I've got to figure out what my workload is going to be first... and how much sleep I need. :P I may end up quitting the bookstore, which is okay by me.

And finally, I registered for classes yesterday. My schedule's... interesting... Yeah... More on that some other time probably...

Be My Escape

I've given up on giving up slowly/I'm blending in so you won't even know me/Apart from this whole world that shares my fate/This one last bullet that you mention/It's my one last shot at redemption/'Cause I know to live you must give your life away

And I've been housing all this doubt and insecurity/And I've been locked inside that house/All the while You hold the key/And I've been dying to get out/And that might be the death of me/And even though there's no way of knowing where to go/I promise I'm going because...

I gotta get out of here/I'm stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake/I gotta get out of here/And I'm begging You, I'm begging You, I'm begging You to be my escape

I've given up on doing this alone now/Guess I failed and I'm ready to be shown how/You told me the way and now I'm trying to get there/And this life sentence that I'm serving/I admit that I'm every bit deserving/But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair

And I've been housing all this doubt and insecurity/And I've been locked inside that house/All the while You hold the key/And I've been dying to get out/And that might be the death of me/And even though there's no way of knowing where to go/I promise I'm going because...

I gotta get out of here/'Cause I'm afraid that this complacency is something I can't shake/I gotta get out of here/And I'm begging You, I'm begging You, I'm begging You to be my escape

I am a hostage to my own humanity/Self-detained and forced to live in this mess I've made/And all I'm asking is for You to do what You can with me/But I can't ask You to give what you already gave

And I've been housing all this doubt and insecurity/And I've been locked inside that house/All the while You hold the key/And I've been dying to get out/And that might be the death of me/And even though there's no way of knowing where to go/I promise I'm going because...

I gotta get out of here/I'm stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake/I gotta get out of here/And I'm begging You, I'm begging You, I'm begging You to be my escape

I fought You for so long/I should have let You in/Oh, how we regret those things we do/And all I was trying to do was save my own skin/But so were You... so were You...

-Relient K (again... seriously, the cd hasn't left my cd player in my car for a few weeks...)

This has been my theme song lately... I have been stuck inside a rut that I fell into by mistake. I've been unbelievably moody lately! Seriously... I'll be great, great, great and then.... BAM! One little thing will happen to set me off, and I'll be crying and annoyed and cranky and I'm just sick of it!! Granted, sometimes the things that set me off are things that will always annoy me because... well, because they are just things that annoy me.... but I really need to get a grip! I'd been doing better too... really! For the past week (ish..) I've been great... but then yesterday and today... well, not so much... Lots of crashes, I guess... *sigh* God, I'm begging You, I'm begging You, I'm begging You to be my escape!!

*Side note: For a band that maybe hides behind upbeat punk rock beats, Relient K can be really deep... and depressing. Mmhmm is a depressing cd!! I'm serious!! Like almost all of the songs on it are really, really depressing!!! Maybe I should take it out of the car for a bit... That might help... I'll put in.. something happy... Beach Boys.. or Backstreet Boys (haha! rock on!!)... or something else happy that I have! Yes, I think that will help...*

It's Always Better When We're Together

Chick Flicks

I love chick flicks. I do. Most of the time...

Reaction 1:
The movie will my make my romantic little heart beat a little faster, I'll be in a good mood.

Reaction 2:
I get really cynical and annoyed.

Reaction 2 happened tonight... I'm not sure why. Must just be an off day! But sometimes... I don't know... They're so... so... unrealistic! Stuff like that just doesn't happen in real life!

Imitators of God

I was reading Ephesians 5 in my devotions tonight, and I came across this verse:

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 [NLT]

I started thinking... What would the church look like if her members really did live as imitators of God... I think things would be a lot different...

Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that. Ephesians 5 [Msg]

I want to love extravagantly! Be loved extravagantly! What a word! Could you imagine? If we all loved as Christ did, always putting others before ourselves, always giving of ourselves to better other people... Wow... The thought just blows my mind. How different our church would look! Listen to this, too:

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church - a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything He does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. Ephesians 5 [Msg]

Okay, yes it says that's how husbands should love their wives... BUT if that's how Christ loves the church, and we are ALL to be imitators of Christ, that is how we should ALL love EACH OTHER. Loving to bring out the best in each other, loving to evoke one another's beauty. Wow. Ephesians is powerful stuff! I highly recommend it!

Cottage!

Well, here I am writing from the world's most comfortable couch (guaranteed to put you to sleep!) on a VERY slow dial-up internet connection that may give out at any moment. You guessed it! I'm at my cottage! I have orientation at work on Tuesday evening, so I thought I would come out here for a few days before I get into the busy-ness of a summer amusement park job. I haven't been out here much for the past few years cos I've been in Y-town, and I have missed it dearly! I think I spent a total of like 4 nights here last summer... Anyway, it is lovely out here. Peter came out for the afternoon today, and we went for a walk on the beach. It was perfect. I love the beach. I don't care that it's mostly mudflats and that the bits that aren't never really dry out... There's a bit of sand by the creek that stays dry, so that's good enough for me! I love sinking to my knees in mud (which I definitely did today and had to be pulled out! haha) and exploring the caves and just drinking in the salt air and the beauty of God's creation. There's no place like this place... it definitely is my absolute favourite place in the whole world! I don't want to change a thing about it... I know it looks like it's still in the 70's, but it's home.. the one place that's always been a constant in my life despite my family's frequent moving about. It's rich with memories, laughter, and fun. It's the one place I come to and just can't help but be anything but who I am. Oh cottage, I love you!

Nana and I watched The Queen tonight. It was quite good! I was definitely impressed. A bit slow... but if you're at all interested in the royals, it is definitely checking out. I can definitely see why she won an Oscar for her role. Anywho, this couch is putting me to sleep, so I best hop over to my bed!

p.s. Mum, Nana said you wanted to renovate.. NO! WE ARE NOT PAINTING THE PANELLING! But you can do what you want with the ceiling... I suppose it could use another coat of paint.. but THAT'S IT! THE REST STAYS THE SAME!!!!

High of 75

We were talking together/I said "What's up with this weather?"/Don't know whether or not how said I got/Was of my own volition or if I'm just missin' the sun

And tomorrow I know will be rainy at best/And the forecast, I know, is that I'll be depressed/But I'll wait outside hoping that I'll catch sight of the sun

Because on and off the clouds have fought for control over the sky/And lately the weather has been so bi-polar/And consequently so have I

But now I'm sunny with a high of 75/Since You took my heavy heart and made it light/And it's funny how you find you enjoy your life/When you're happy to be alive

And the temperature is freezing/And then after dark, there's a cold front sweeping in over my heart/And we might break up if I don't wake to the sun

Because on and off the clouds have fought for control over the sky/And lately the weather has been so bi-polar/And consequently so have I

But now I'm sunny with a high of 75/Since You took my heavy heart and made it light/And it's funny how you find you enjoy your life/When you're happy to be alive

Sunny with a high of 75/Since you took my heavy heart and made it light/And it's funny how you find you enjoy your life/When you're happy to be alive

-Relient K, "High of 75" from "Mmhmm"

Maybe they have something here... What if we put out weather forecasts for our moods? You know, we could break it down by morning, afternoon, and evening every day, and then put out a 3-day outlook and a 7-day outlook. I think I might have something here!

Tonight's forecast for Amarea: Sunny with a high of 75! ;)

Sense of Direction

Good grief! There is something about the Sackville Sports Stadium that makes me so confused when I leave! I have no idea what it is, but EVERY TIME I leave that place, I go the wrong way! I even sit there trying to figure out what way I'm supposed to go for a few minutes before I attempt to leave, but I still always get it wrong! Granted, my sense of direction is bad to start with... but why can't I ever get this right??

A JOB! FINALLY!

I am pleased to announce that I, Amarea E. Hamilton, am EMPLOYED! Hooray! I had an interview at Atlantic Playland this afternoon to be their Head Lifeguard, and I absolutely fell in love with the people that own it! They are an older couple... late 50's/early 60's, I would say, and they are like easy-going grandparent-ish people! They're soo cute! I love them. They actually remind me a lot of Christine... only Christine doesn't seem like my grandmother... but anyways, I am very excited to be working for them! I'll be getting 40-ish hours a week guarding the waterslides, and it looks like it will be no problem at all to get a Saturday off here and there to head to the cottage or go camping or whatever. It's going to be great! Now, I just need to go shopping for a new bathing suit (somehow, I don't think my Florida bikini is going to be quite appropriate...), some new board shorts, and some deck sandals! Yay!!! I love shopping! Anyways, I'm really, really happy about this, and I've had this big, goofy grin on my face most of the night from thinking about it. Yay!

An Update

It's been awhile since I've written... I feel like I should have a lot to say, but I can't seem to remember any of what I wanted to. Well, I went to Peter's in the Valley this weekend. It was pretty fun. We went four-wheeling, and I was pretty sure I was going to die. We got stuck in a tunnel. The following dialogue took place:

"Well, I haven't done this in awhile!" -Peter, turning to face me as we both look at this tunnel
"Peter! It's too small! We'll get stuck! Don't go in there! Don't --" -Amarea
Four-wheeler lurches forward and gets about half way into tunnel
"We're stuck... The four-wheeler's too big..." -Peter, as he clambers over Amarea
Slight pause...
"I'll pull us out! Can you press the gas?" -Peter
"Okay... Is this the gas...?" -Amarea

haha Fun times... Anyways, we did get the four-wheeler out, thanks to my amazing gas pressing skills, and I seem to be still alive... and none of my visions of us flipping over and getting trapped under the four-wheeler came true. But I was scared! I would say I spent 90% of the ride with my eyes squeezed shut holding on for dear life! lol I also got smooshed by a black lab who seemed to be convinced she was a lap dog this weekend. She was very cute, though, and I didn't mind the hugs at all. lol The trick was to breathe out and hold my breath as she pushed against me. That seemed to keep the lungs going... ;)

In other news, I have a job interview at Hatfield Farm tomorrow to be a trail guide, and I want it real bad! I'm a bit concerned that I won't just cos I'm *slightly* out of practice with horses... but I want it SO bad!

...And I really liked the first half hour of Oceans Eleven... I want to see the rest right some bad!