"Dinosaurs are my favorite so I wouldn’t care if one ate me!"

A year ago, I had a conversation with a friend who followed my “Anika the thinker” blog and decided I ought to have one to document the crazy of my days – because my life is full of crazy... and “Peanuts from the Comment Gallery” was born. Well crazy began to be pushed out by busy and the blog has been hopelessly ignored (although, looking back – those were some good posts! I would recommend them if you have some time to kill and you like your time better dead. :P). This is my current attempt to resurrect this dead blog space.

You see, over the last three months I have been working at Michindoh Outdoor Education School. While I miss interacting with my high school and young college aged charges, 5th and 6th graders are often little if not amusing. I have been subsequently documenting some of the ridiculous things I hear in any given day. I wish this were a comprehensive list but there is just no way to keep track. So, enjoy these for now and I will be back again another time for update on OE’s own amused musings.



Camper: Dinosaurs are my favorite so I wouldn’t care if one ate me! It would be the best day of my life!
Me: And your last...
Camper: (looking blissful) But what a way to go!

[at Outdoor Living Skills where students are supposed to be building shelters]
Student: Can we have a hatchet?
Another Instructor: No! This is like survival class! You wouldn’t be able to just up and find a hatchet in the wilderness!
Student: I might! If I can find a hatchet when we’re looking for logs, can we use it?

[on the Low Challenge Course where the entire group must make it across on rope swing]
Student: (completely serious) This activity is definitely applicable. Because if you’re ever in the wilderness and have to cross a ditch and all you have is a rope...then we’ll know how!
Another Instructor: Hey pal, this is the Low Challenge Course...all of these scenarios are made up...

[on low challenge course after being told they need to balance the ‘whale watch’ aka: ‘gravity defying device’ in order to escape the alien capture]
Camper: “We can’t balance it! Gah! Those aliens are so stupid!”

[at lunch after sitting down casually – just barely beginning conversation]
Me: Hey! How’s it going?!
Camper: (out of the blue and as a response) My name is Marcus and I have a third nipple.
Cabin leader: (nodding apologetically) That he does...
2nd Camper: (mystified and excited) If you see it you have to touch it! It’s weird!
Camper (aka Marcus): (completely stoked) Do you want to feel it??
Me: No...

Small girl: (walks in talking to her friend) I. Am. A. beast. A total beast. I am the definition of beast, actually...

[at Outdoor Living Skills discussing why shelters only need to be big enough for one person lying down]
Me: If you are in a survival situation what is the thing you are going to do most inside a shelter?
Boy: (raises his hand, cocks his head, exclaims) Cry...?

[on a Monday as students are unloading the bus, arriving at camp]
Girl: (grasping for the wall of the gym) We are FINALLY here! My gosh!
Girl 2: That bus ride was forever. Probably took us clear across the country. Where are we anyway?
Girl 1: I don’t care if they dropped us off in Hell! I don’t care where we are! As long as we are off that bus, that all I be caring about!

[while teaching tiedye with a wanna-be-hip boy in thigh-tight white pants that were also far too loose around the waist]
Camper: Mr. Smith – can you be pulling up my pants?
Teacher: Can I do what??
Camper: Pull up my pants! They are falling all of the way down and my hands are covered in dye!
Teacher: This is one great example of why we wear belts and pants that fit my young friend...
Camper: So you gonna pull up my pants?
Teacher: Nope!

[before class, waiting for the rest of the boys cabin to show up after two had broken out in a spontaneous fight]
Girls (discussing the boy cabin in their group, why they had been late, and other marvels of the male species): Boys! I just don’t understand them! (turning to two of the boys present) You all got a button or something? Like a reset button? Or like a “go back into the womb and try again” button??

[during Creepy class – insects, tarantulas, pictures of bugs on the walls. Couple bees nest up on the wall, etc...]
Me: So are there any questions about insects
Boy Camper 1: (*has a noticeable lisp and talks fast... raises his hand) What are those on the wall? Is that a beenes (aka: bee’s – nest)?
Boy Camper 2: (*little bit of a punk, but good kid. Teacher says he used to be the bully but is really coming around. Clearly expects a lot out of his classmates all week. Indignant, just loud enough for camper 1 to hear...) What did you say? Did you ask if that was a penis? Why you gotta be like that? That aint look anything like a penis. And that aint appropriate for class! You can’t just go around saying penis! Man! Let’s get back to learnin!
Boy Camper 1: (confused but not all offended) Beesnest, on the wall. (looks at me) Are those real beesneses?
Me: (Eyes still wide, stifling a chuckle) They were...there are no bees in them now...
Girl Behind Boy Camper 2 (catches “argument” but not content) See D, they are too bees nests, just like he said! (and the whole class misses the penis lecture, much to my relief...)