Ten on Tuesday (Take Nine)

It's been awhile since I've ventured into one of these, but hey, a girl's got to get back on the horse again sometime. So here we go... Summer-themed!

1. What's the best summer job you ever had?
My favorite was probably working as a high school staffer at a camp out in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I was out there for over a month helping to lead trips to Yellowstone with campers, cook and clean up in the kitchen, and clean the cabins. Between all of those things, I hiked dozens of trails in the Tetons, learned to rock climb, and developed a massive crush on a guy from their Bible College. I also discovered my love of blueberry-pineapple smoothies and cut all my hair off. It was a great summer.

2. What's the worst?
I don't think I've had a worst, necessarily, but it is tough to be stuck inside on a beautiful, sunny day. Those days are meant for being outside, at least for a lunch break!

3. What's your favorite summer activity?
I love summer walks. Walking down the road, walking to get dinner, walking around the zoo, walking through a flea market. I love not feeling freezing or rushing from one place to another because it's cold. Most of my summers have been spent in places far north of the Mason-Dixon line (Wisconsin, Chicago, New Jersey, Wyoming, Colorado), so summer is in the 70s and it's glorious. Though I haven't lived in the deep south yet, so maybe walking in the winter will be my favorite activity while I'm there...

4. What's one summer smell that brings back a summer memory?
The smell of cut grass reminds me of my dad mowing the lawn in the summer. No matter where I am across the country, that summer smell brings back a picture of my dad pushing our elderly lawnmower up the steep hill on the side of the house. It was dedication, that's for sure.

5. What's the best summer dinner of all time?
Anything on the grill. Chicken. Corn on the cob. Kabobs. Mixed veggies. Steak. Burgers. I would eat pretty much anything grilled. Pineapple. Asparagus. With watermelon on the side, of course.

I also love how gluten-free friendly summer is. It's pretty easy to make things gluten-free if you grill them. Peppers with olive oil? Great. Burgers with garlic and mozzarella? Perfect. Baked potatoes? Hard to mess those up!

6. What summer activity don't you like (and why)?
Tubing. I don't know why, but being pulled fast behind a boat makes me want to crawl under a seat with a towel over my head. It's scary. There are no lanes and tons of people drinking and driving boats (my family-of course-does not drink and drive boats, but thousands of tourists who visit the northwoods definitely, definitely do) in erratic fashions. I don't want to lose a leg to a boat motor. Nope. Don't want to do it. It's almost a phobia.

7. When does summer begin where you live?
In New Jersey? April. But they don't turn on the air conditioning until May, making for some very cranky Princeton students.

In Wisconsin? It depends on the year. Sometimes June. Sometimes July. Sometimes only for a day or two before fall begins.

In Tennessee? I'm not sure yet, but probably sooner rather than later... My real question will be when WINTER begins (if at all...).

8. When does it end?
In New Jersey? October.

In Wisconsin? August. Or September, if it's a lucky year.

In Tennessee? Hmm... November? December? Ever?

9. What was the craziest thing you ever did during a summer?
When I was in high school I went bridge jumping with a bunch of friends from the youth group. Not that smart, and not that safe, but loads of fun. Definitely in the years before whatever that brain piece that tells you "Stop! That isn't safe!" kicks in...

Another summer some friends and I traveled up the Black River, jumped off cliffs into the river, and swam in the rapids. Again, not safe, but loads of fun.

This past summer I worked as a chaplain in an ICU unit. It was exhausting, exhilarating, enlightening, and occasionally even entertaining. I mostly loved it and sometimes hated it, but I always loved what I learned and how different things were each day. As for crazy, when any machine in the ICU starts beeping, things get really crazy really quickly...

10. What's one thing you don't like about summer?
Some days I don't like the pressure to be outside. Some days I want to curl up with a book and not feel guilty for not making the most of the sunshine. But only some days.