HOBY: Media staff, daydreaming about naps, being "snap happy", dancing to "It's raining men!", and weeeee!

(Last week I spent Wednesday through Sunday at a leadership seminar called HOBY. It's my third year at HOBY and I still can't figure out how to explain it. It's just simply an amazing place to be...that's all I can say. I tried blogging the experience...it doesn't do it justice. It's from my perspective (well duh) but still... here it goes I guess.)

Day 1 at HOBY: "I'm so exhausted...it's not even funny...well maybe it is."

This morning was confusing. I got up, showered, got ready for the day and on my way out the door I found out I didn't need to be ready for another hour. Grrreat... So yeah. I called my mother and sister on skype. It's what I do. :)

Then I met with the media staff and we got ready for registration. Do you know how awkward it is to go around taking pictures of people you don't know? Very. But it's all good. HOBY people are understanding...and OUTSTANDING! (see what I did there? eh? ehh?)

In the afternoon we were about to start a session when they announced a tornado warning. We were in the "shelter" for about an hour-ish? That's where a mixture of exhaustion and giddiness kicked in. Before I knew it I was laughing uncontrollably...and out loud...which is not normal for me. Yeah, that's right. One of my tasks today was updating the HOBY blog. After blogging about HOBY, I finally went to my room around 2AM...probably fell asleep around 2:30. Life is ok.

Day 2 at HOBY: "Ooh I feel so good and ooh I knew I would and oooh I feel SO GOOD!"

My roommate's alarm/radio went off at 5:50 AM. So I got up 10 minutes earlier than I planned, got in the shower and got ready...yeahhh...nbd.

I'm taking pictures and videos of stuff....yeahh..

Pssst.... Don't tell anyone...but sometimes I find myself daydreaming about naps. Sad but true. I wish I wasn't so tired. 

11:37AM - What?!?? Almost lunchtime? FOOOOOD! (I don't know why exactly, but whenever it's time to eat at HOBY I get superexcited.)

Lunch was great. Now off to the carnival and olympics. 

Yes. I cheered. Finally. Anyway...

After fun in the sun I am currently (11:40 PM) working on the slideshow for Sunday. It's something I like because I actually know what I'm doing. 

By the way, the j-staff is dancing to "It's raining men" to start up the dance. Girls are guys and guys are girls. Yeahh... definitely interesting...in a good way though

Day 3 at HOBY: *yawn* i'm sorry!

I had a late night talk with mah roommate. I would call it awesome! We finally fell asleep around 3-ish... Right now I'm writing this during the education panel. I should be excited for tonight, the dance and all...but i'm not. I so wish I was...

(I had no time to blog after this because of the dance, reflections, and media staff duties. Long story short, I had starbucks frappuccino's to wake up for the dance...which worked magnificently. The dance was the best ever...I can't even describe how epically fun it was. Reflections were as always, just amazing and heartwarming, and my media staff duties (completing the final slideshow for the following morning) took all night long. So I had another coffee before I started that and pulled an all-nighter with my eyes glued to the computer screen. It was all so worth it though because it was pretty good. The media staff rocked it! Just sayin... :) The coffee-drinking with having weeks worth of sleep deprivation was NOT worth it though because I was a lunatic mess on Sunday morning. I got so hyper that at one point I was making sound effects for everything...as in "weee" and "yaay" I'll just stop there. You get it. Then after a few hours of that, I kept falling asleep and jolting awake during the final ending ceremony. Good thing I had my awesome friend there to help keep me awake by coming up with creative, alternative ways to clap. Don't ask.. there was finger pointing,  and "single ladies" dance moves involved. :) I regret feeling so tired all the time. The week prior to this was not the easiest, but I still had a great time I met awesome people and I got to be part of something so special! I love HOBY. True story. That is all for now.)

Yes. That's the "short" version of things...trust me.

-alexthenerdette

A Moo Perspective on awkward conversations featuring MFW...

Soooo...yeahhhhh.....

This is me and my friend Michael (MFW).
We took a break from the HOBY dance to have an
awkward conversation. You can probably
tell from the looks on our faces... :)

How 'bout that weather eh? It's all...partly cloudy and stuff...

Yeahhh.... *glances around nervously*

Mhmm...yep...

word yo,

-alexthenerdette

p.s. Michael your "hoby hug" note makes me smile SO much! Unfortunately, I never got around to having time to write you one so here it goes. I'm glad that in reality we mastered the art of conversation because we have the best conversations ever! Although I should probably apologize if I freaked you out during the time we were in the tornado shelter place when I kept laughing at everything and hitting my hat/head on my knees. I still remember what we were laughing at...you know the guys that were "old" and how they should ask them how old they are...yeahhh... Thanks for helping me with that first blog. It helped me realize that very detailed blog posts are necessary and awesome like letting people know that no spoons were used and stuff like that. On Saturday right before the dance I was freaking out because I was so exhausted and we still had a long night of dancing and reflecting ahead I was planning on wallflowering and sneaking into the movie room for a nap, then we tried out some out-of-this world dance moves (especially the single ladies one) and I was so glad I didn't give into the exhaustion. That was the best dance I've ever been to! You are so awesome and I'm so glad I have gotten to know you! You did a fantastic job in Ops...man were these ambassadors lucky to have you on the Ops staff this year! Thanks for joining me while I was working on the final slideshow in the lounge...sorry you had to stay in there the whole time (and for waking you up!) I appreciated your company, especially when I was "choking/about to spit out my coffee while laughing" and your Ops instincts kicked in and you offered me something to spit it out in. I mean, that was awesome and hilarious in a good way!  I really hope you do drive up to KU and I hope I can drive to K-state. So yeahhh.... :)

-alexthegirlthatgetshighonstarbucksfrappuccinos (mocha flavored by the way...just in case you're feelin the coffee love lol)