Yepsen [dot] net [slash] blog

As I sit in my car just south of Chicago Ave on Rush St waiting for my wife to get out if work, I think “Hey! I should blog!” Maybe it’s the plethora of plans and to-do items streaming through my mind, the Wilco blaring from my iPhone and out of my car stereo, or my overwhelming fatigue from the 10 Days of Session 1 at Camp, but I feel inspired to write.

Given all that, expect a handful of grammatical errors. It’s time like this that I wonder how this type of post might differ I I was a frequent blogger with a loyal following, rather than a sporadic writer who is also likely to be his only reader. Despite the very public nature of the Internet on which this blog resides, yepsen.net remains a secluded spot where most ramblings will remain undiscovered.

But does that affect the posts I DO write?

Would I be more forthcoming about my thoughts if I had an audience to whom (“whom” is right, right?) I felt a sense of loyalty? Or would I be more protected and even less giving if I knew every word would be read?

Frankly, I am not sure if there is much more information to hold back. My initial thought was that I would withhold more, but upon writing that I believe the contrary. As of now, I am writing for no one, to no one. Why bother talking when you’re alone in an empty room in the crowded hotel of the Internet?

But there, I suppose, lies the rub. To garner readership I must promote and to promote I must write something to promote.

Let’s try this again… After I pick up my wife who is walking out the door…

You hear so much talk about thinking “outside the box” that the phrase itself has firmly rooted itself backing inside that very box.  The idea of “outside the box thinking” has lead us to focus on what more we need in order to create something new and exciting.  Lately, I have come to completely disagree with this way of thinking.  Can I be more creative with limitless resources, or when I am forced to create more with less?

Of course it sounds great to have limitless resources, it makes things easier.  But ease is where creativity goes to die.  Why dream up an original game when we could just have a basketball court installed?  Why create a new craft when we could just order a prepackaged set from any number of catalogs and websites?  Why imagine when we could just implement?

2010 is the year we create.  This is the year we do what we do best, and we do it even better.  No matter what you do this year, be sure to bring your imagination and creativity, because it is time to re-imagine the way we do things.

Sometimes, in order to get out of the box, we need to take a look at what’s inside.

“Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” – William Ellery Channing

My most recent article for my staff newsletter, Exit 30.

Work Hard & Be Kind

Whether or not you have followed it, I am sure you have heard the news surrounding Conan O’Brien’s sudden departure from the Tonight Show. Though most anyone who watches late night television has an opinion on the matter, I do not wish to discuss the inner-workings of network television. However, while watching Conan O’Brien’s last Tonight Show, I was moved by a particular sentiment he expressed: “If you work hard, and you’re kind, I’m telling you, amazing things will happen.”

If you watch the clip, you will see that Conan also states that “Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get.” This is a universal fact, but it is nonetheless a painful reality for all who experience it. If you ever fell in love in High School, applied for your dream job, or spent any amount of time in a casino, chances are you have felt the pain of disappointment. And it is easy to allow this type of let-down make us cynical.

Those of you who worked at camp last summer probably had those moments—when a camper you had connected with acted out and misbehaved, or when a counselor you were friends with talked about you behind your back. There are plenty of opportunities at camp to feel hurt or let down and become cynical. But for every reason to get frustrated, there are dozens more to be filled with hope and enthusiasm. When something at camp doesn’t go your way, remember the camper who sought you out for a hug during the finale, or the ones who lit up when they learned something new in your program area. Remember the looks on the campers’ faces as they looked up at the stars or down on the campfire, and remember the lasting friendships you formed with your fellow counselors.

It seems that all too often we focus on the negative. But we have the choice. Do we hold on to the frustrations or the celebrations? Do we choose cynicism or optimism? Do we give up, or do we work hard and work to be kind? We know that you know the right answers to those questions. When you are hired at cam,p you are hired to be a role model, and to make the right decisions. It is up to you to do what you know is right, whether you are at camp, in college, or at home. Choose optimism, choose to let the frustrations go and embrace the fun. We’re counting on you.

Admittedly, I believed in the power of Social Media before today; but today I was born-again – I experienced it.

For anyone who might not know me and might be reading this blog for this first time, I am the Program Director and Recruiter for the Chicago Youth Centers – Camp Rosenthal.  Today, this position presented itself with a need for some graphic design beyond my experience-level.  So I took it to the online world via Twitter and Facebook with the simple message:  “Any designers out there who would like to donate ~1hr of time to design 2 banners for a summer camp for inner-city kids?”.

Within SECONDS I was ReTweeted by @TrekLightGear and within minutes I was sent all around the Twitterverse by a number of Tweeps who have no other connection to me than a shared online community.  Shortly thereafter, I had 1 Twitter offer, 2 Facebook offers and 1 more Twitter inquiry.

I have now communicated with 2 people who made offers, supplied info to the inquiry, and let one off the hook who was willing to help but ready to submit to the stronger talents of her offering peers.  I am looking forward to seeing the next steps progress and finding out how powerful the world of Social Media can be.

I realize this is no Mayor Shoveling my Grandfather’s Driveway kind of story, but nonetheless it shows the power inherent with people.  As a nonprofit camp in 2010, budgets are tight and I was concerned that design fees would push us out of the running to design these banners we are using to help recruit campers and counselors (as well as spruce up the dining hall a bit).  But people stepped forward to donate a hand and those without the ability lent a hand in finding one that could.

I look forward to keeping you all up-to-date with how this all pans out.

And let me know if there is anything I can do to help you!

Via Twitter:

@TrekLightGear @SherryinAL @thehunterswife @thinkplum
@outdoorjobs @betsycurtin @getaplumjob @EmilyLozano
@ohiooutside @anglersaccess

(Hope I didn’t miss any)

Via Facebook:

www.danielreid.com www.undergracephoto.com

Welp, here I am at camp again. 3rd weekend in a row, but the last for a while. All signs indicate that this should be a bit “easier” of a weekend’ a more self-sufficient group, allowing my boss and I more time to work out plans for this summer.  There is still much to do. Planning out Staff Training, workout scheduling issues, iron-out some program info. I feel like I have a pretty daunting mountain ahead of me, though I am excited to start climbing. 

I love being out here at camp, though I am definitely excited to get home.  This weekend, my wife is actually off of work – and here am I, 115 miles away.  Being a fan of The Deadliest Catch, I often like to tease her as I get ready to leave that I have to get back out to the Bering Sea, though I’d imagine the odds of me drowning or dying of hypothermia are significantly less at a youth camp in Dowagiac, MI.  Though at times it does feel as though I am gone for months at a time, apart from everyone and everything, but with out the added bonus of a $30k-$60k check waiting for me upon my return to civilization!  On the other side of that, is the aforementioned hypothermia and drowning thing.

It really is pretty cool that I get to do this for a living.  I’ve had some pretty good accomplishments lately, I think.  This past week I had an article I wrote about camp sent out to the 524 other subscribers of the Chicago Wilderness’ Leave No Child Inside eNewsletter.  I have also, over the past few weeks, developed my own eNewsletter for my Camp Staff.  Exit 30 (the exit taken off of I-90 in MI to get to camp) has been well received by the professional staff receiving it, though I haven’t heard a peep from the staff on the recieving end!  Hope they find it useful, though already in issue/week 3 of its existence, I am about to make a few design tweeks to it.

Camp is coming along well, most of our staff is hired, including to young ladies from the U.K. who will be crashing in Katie’s and my extra bedroom for a few days before camp.  Not many wives would allow a couple of 19 year old foreign girls crash in their house, I can imagine!  I will be meeting a couple of my more veteran staff this weekend as well, so I’m pretty excited for that. 

Katie is also working on starting a small business selling veils.  Her first design turned out awesome, so I am really hoping she will see it through.  If I ever was in need of a veil, I’d buy one of her’s. 

All-in-all, I guess things have been going well.  I have decided I want to try and get back into this whole blogging thing again, so hopefully when I get back into town I will post some pics from my weekend out here at camp.  Well, I guess I’ll get back to sitting in my camp-house; maybe call my wife.  Gotta get back to keep on keepin’ on.