Outdoor Adventure Time!, Tuesday, period 1

[vdistinctive]

A handwavy email had gone out letting the students know to meet on the beach by the lighthouse. Eliot and Parker waited for them a little ways down, away from the boardwalk. Eliot was dressed for the location in a pair of cargo pants, a fishing vest, and a floppy brimmed hat. He was even barefoot, though that was mostly because he hated trying to get sand out of his boots.

Parker was wearing a wetsuit, and had a selection of them on a movable rack with her. Also a large selection of windsurfing boards behind her, and the excited look of someone who was about to do something dangerous. Or, you know. Just looking like Parker.

“Welcome to Outdoor Adventures!” Parker said, looking over the students, grinning at the familiar faces. “And Outdoor Chilling Out, with Eliot.”

Eliot sighed. "Not everyone is an adrenaline junkie. Which is fine. The whole point of this class is to get you all outside and exploring. Whether that's by jumping off things, or by chilling out. Parker's terrible at the low-key stuff, so we're splitting the load a little." He clapped his hands together. "First thing's first, which around here is apparently introductions. Like we said, I'm Eliot, she's Parker. Some of you'll insist on 'Mr. Spencer' and 'Ms. Parker' --" He totally wasn't eying Kathy when he said that, "-- which is up to you, but honestly, it's the summer. Eliot and Parker works just fine."

“So yes, tell us what you want to be called. It doesn’t have to be your real name,” Parker added. “But it’s what I’ll call you for the rest of the term, so don’t pick something you hate. And then we wind-surf!” EEEEEEEEEE.

"Or fish," Eliot said. "Or go lookin' for shells and rocks and things." He jerked his thumb towards a set of fishing poles and tackle set up down the beach a little ways. "Fishing will happen upwind of surfing. You do not want to catch your classmates instead of a fish. Or shark or sea monster or whatever's lurking out here."

Eliot's options would not quite be entirely free of adrenaline, no.

“Pick an option, give us a name, and get started!” Parker paused, and added, “The wet suit is not optional if you’re going in the waves. Our boyfriend totally ended up with pneumonia when he thought he could go swimming in cold water.”

Eliot managed not to twitch visibly at the mention of their 'boyfriend'. That was still a new term for him, okay? "Yeah, you all aren't invulnerable. Or if you are, we don't wanna hear about it, and you have to wear one, anyway. So. Tell us your name and any other random fact you want us to know about you, and then let's have some fun."

“Kathy and Toby are our TA’s.” If you didn’t know that before, guys, now you do! “So if you need extra help or are afraid of Eliot, you can ask them questions.”

Eliot opened his mouth to point out that he wasn't doing the scary stuff, then just gave up. He pointed to one of the students. "You start."

Comments

Sign in

[vdistinctive]

Ready for adventure!

Re: Sign in

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy Li

Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[vdistinctive]

Or watch the waves or pick your nose or whatever. You do you.

eta AND THEN INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, YES WE'RE VERY ORGANIZED, SHUT UP.

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[spin_kick_snap]

"Hi, I'm Kathy Li, one of the TAs Mr. Spen--err, Eliot--mentioned." See? She could be relaxed and casual! "I'm a rising senior and I'm really looking forward to the more adrenaline-fueled side of the outdoor adventures."

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[doesnotkneel]

"I'm Edward Kenway, I'm a rising senior," Edward said, grinning a bit, "And I'm here because Professor Parker is the best teacher this school's seen."

Flattery, yes, but also true!

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

"I'm Mabel Pines," Mabel announced, striking a pose in her finest, most beach-appropriate sweater. (It had a beach ball. Her sweater had a beach ball on it.) "I'm going into my freshman year, and my brother and I once rescued a merman from a swimming pool in Oregon after he escaped from some hungry fishermen who were parked at the local bait shop!"

And then, in a lower undertone and maybe just a little wistfully, she added, "Oh, Mermando, my first love. I hope you're happy now with your beautiful manatee bride..."

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[that_oldsaying]

Alluka was all sparkles today. She was outside! And it was permitted! And she had on a new dress (blue!) and her hair was up in pigtails and she was carting around her glittery bunny with her because her new toy had been sleeping when she'd gotten up.

Today was already winning the best day ever award, even though the lecture had an awful lot of words to it and she zoned out about halfway through because poking at the rocks and sand and watching the lighthouse and the water was a lot more interesting.

She did manage to pay enough attention to introduce herself when it was her turn. "I'm Alluka!" she announced. "And I'm going to be a freshman?" If that came out a bit uncertainly, well, she was still very new to this whole idea. "I like being outside!"

Because she hadn't been allowed for so long!

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[not_a_moonie]

"Hey, I'm Alana," Alana greeted, sounding pretty pleased to be in this class. She wasn't necessarily an adrenaline junkie, but eight weeks of messing around outside? Absolutely, she was here for that. "Another rising senior. I'm here because I like being physically active and this looked like a great way to do it."

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[kenselvren.livejournal.com]

"Jalian," she introduced herself. "I'm in the junior class. I was jealous of not getting to jump from buildings last term!"

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo was super-glad that she hadn't had to go first because she would have done a much more traditional introduction, and given how everyone else had handled it so far, that probably would have been kind of embarrassing.

So she just put on her best smile. "Hello. My name is Ringo Noyamano. Please, call me Ringo. I am looking forward to this class with you all." She finished with a sharp bow at the waist because, well, okay, she couldn't help it.

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[buzzkillcaptain.livejournal.com]

"Hi! I'm Dipper Pines," he said with a wave. "Freshman and I'm here because I'm always up for some sort of adventure."

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[bearmaidenfair]

"Vider," Vider said. She'd be--well, not happy, but tolerant of coaching you on how to say it if you hadn't caught it the first time. "I'm another rising senior, and I liked your last class and could do with some more outdoors experience."

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[wildandbrave]

"I'm Cosette, and I'll be a junior." And then Cosette blinked, because she hadn't realized she'd been here that long already. "I do enjoy the outdoors, and spend quite a bit of time there, but I'd like to find new and interesting ways to do so."

Watch her turn into an adrenaline junkie when she realized such things were possible.

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[elated-or-gassy.livejournal.com]

Anna probably looked a bit out of place, in her spring dress. She still couldn't bring herself to wear modern trousers. She was working on it. At least it was a pretty informal spring dress?

"My name's Anna," she said, once it was her turn. She offered a bit of a curtsy out of force of habit. "I'm a sophomore? No, I was one, I think I'm not any more. Does that change now or later? I suppose it doesn't matter. I love beaches and sunshine and the outdoors. Am I supposed to say anything else?"

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[thegc161kid.livejournal.com]

"I'm Alex Mack," Alex said when it was her turn, "I'll be a sophomore and I'm here because I like spending time outdoors and this class seemed like fun,"

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[justwantedfriends]

"Um, I'm Kira Yukimura, I'm a rising junior, and... I don't know, the description of the class just sounded like fun. I'm trying not too be too academic this summer," she said.

Re: Listen to the lecture/Introduce yourself

[notamascot]

"I'm Kaylin Neya," she said. "ANd I'm looking forward to some of the more interesting" - read exciting or dangerous - "things that we'll be doing here."

Windsurf/fish/beachcomb

[vdistinctive]

Parker will demonstrate windsurfing, and Eliot will be happy to show you how to cast your line if you want to fish. Any other wandering along the beach may be done at will, but if you try to go in the water without a wetsuit, you WILL be lectured.

Re: Windsurf/fish/beachcomb

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

There were cabanas to change into a wetsuit, if you didn't feel like just struggling into one right there on the beach.

Parker's demonstration included some of the basics (http://uswindsurfing.org/introduction-course-6/), how to get back up on the board in the water (http://www.riggeek.com/technique/2011-09-26-1), and how to stop (http://uswindsurfing.org/introduction-course-5/).

"These are all beginner boards! So pick one, and have fun. Yell if you're having problems."

Re: Windsurf/fish/beachcomb

[vdistinctive]

Eliot was half -- more than half, really -- expecting all the students to go with the windsurfing. Which would at least mean he'd have some peace and quiet while he fished.

He was all set up to show the basics of surf fishing and catch and release if anyone did show an interest, though. He was also all set up to share some of his large thermos of coffee if anyone went the fishing route, too.

Re: Windsurf/fish/beachcomb

[rhymeswithtable.livejournal.com]

Ooh, options! The windsurfing did look fun, and Mabel decided to give it a try closer to the end of the class, but she was perfectly happy to pick her way through the sand and pebbles for a while, first. Maybe she'd find a starfish! Or buried treasure! Or a buried treasure chest full of starfish!

Re: Windsurf/fish/beachcomb

[that_oldsaying]

It was probably for the best for everyone that Alluka had no interest (today) in doing windsurfing.

There were important stones to look at and sand to pile into funny looking mounds and, okay, maybe she'd kicked her shoes off so her feet could get wet along the very edge of the water but that wasn't the same as going in the water, right?

Re: Windsurf/fish/beachcomb

[kenselvren.livejournal.com]

Jalian watched carefully, then got into one of the wetsuits - not in a cabana, why bother? - and took a bit of time learning the balance and weight of the board and the pull of the rig.

Talk to the teachers or TAs

[vdistinctive]

When they sign in

Re: Talk to the teachers or TAs

[vdistinctive]

Eliot was kind of wishing he had a beer, for all that it was first thing in the morning. Proper fishing came with beer, dammit.

OOC

[vdistinctive]

RE: OOC

[geniuswithasmartphone]

WE ARE GONNA HAVE A SERIOUS TALK ABOUT TRUST WHEN Y'ALL GET HOME! TRUST! AN' TREATIN' PEOPLE LIKE HUMAN BEIN'S AN' NOT--NOT LIKE CARGO YOU CAN JUST PUSH AN' SHOVE AN' FLING OFFA THINGS THAT ARE HIGH WHENEVER YOU WANT!