Dear Diary . . .

. . . wouldn't it be weird if I did start out every entry that way?  Because, sometimes, that's what it feels like.

Well, according to DailyMile, I haven't gone for a run for FIVE DAYS!  But that's just wrong!  If I went for a run on the 13th and today is the 17th, I've only missed 4 days.  And today won't count if I get a chance to go for a run tonight.  So 3 days in between without running.  So THERE DailyMile!

Bastard.

This weekend has been once heck of an up-and-down, roller-coaster weekend!  Friday after work, I went to help out at my moms restaurant.  Originally the plan for after helping my mom was to take the daughter, her bf and two of her other friends to corn maze of Swank Farms out in Hollister  We'd gone a couple of weeks back and I enjoyed it, what with the treasure hunt and all.  This time, we were to go at night when they do the whole haunted maze thing.  People hiding and scaring ya.  They also have a haunted house.

I was just a taxi . . .

That was cool though.  I was tired and I could take a nap in the car.  When I was out of the restaurant, I called the daughter, but most of her friends wouldn't be able to join us (i.e. the bf couldn't go).  We'd postpone it for Saturday.  Saturday was gonna be BUSY . . .

Saturday involved a catholic retreat.  In this case, it involved kids and sponsors (godparents) involved in Confirmation to go to this retreat and get to know each other.  Now . . . for me, this was a surreal event. 

I grew up in a catholic home.  My family primarily spoke spanish when I was younger and as I grew older, english.  I was born and raised in Salinas on the east side, so I had peers with similar upbringing.  In other words, I grew up in a conservative home.  Which is a rant I can go on as to how I don't understand how hispanic households being conservative are brainwashed into be liberal Democrats!  MORONS!  Sorry.  Like I said, another rant for another time.  So, being from a conservative household with certain catholic expectations, this retreat was a bit of a culture shock for me.

I grew up with the whole idea of church being a somber event.  You learn from it and try to ingrain it in your daily life as best as you can.  Any church related events outside of the actual church, like  catechism, was also a conservative.  Maybe a bit less restrained, but conservative none-the-less.

Saturdays event . . . whoa.  The event leader is a lawyer with a shit-ton of energy wich he then osmotically infuses the into the surrounding teens who are already Monster'ed or Red Bulled out as well.  Oh, and how does he then award said teens break out of their shells?  With $5 Starbucks cards!  He had 40 of them!

Now you may think  I had a negative experience with this event.  I'll admit, I started out with a VERY pessimistic viewpoint of this retreat.  From the wild-eyed look of David (the Leader-Organizer), I thought this was a gonna be a bible-thumpin' Christ-Saves-US kind of happening.  It wasn't.  I mean, it was, but it actually was a good experience.  I've never seen the daughter this involved with any kind of activity.  She was getting to know new people and she has a hard time with that.  I was very proud of her and I am extremely grateful to David.

He shared a very personal experience, of which I will not talk about.  It is not my story to tell.  If his story is true, of which I do have some reservations about, he has gone through hell and come out a survivor.  I can understand his complete dedication to kids and his hope that they understand that they are never alone.

I believe in God.  But my viewpoint on religion is toxic.  I will not share that opinion with the daughter.  I will only support her in any way I can.  We go to church on Sundays and then after, have breakfast somewhere at which we discuss the lesson for the day and how we have incorporated it in our lives in the past or will in the future.  She should not be jaded.  Ever . . .

GD

p.s.
lazy, didn't check . . . run smiley :)