October 24th, 2025: Ready to go on my retreat today, I woke up early for work and had 4 small slices of toast, I got dressed as usual and I took the bus down at 7:45am. I got into work a bit early and saw the document due by 10:00am today was finished. I checked my email to find out that Lillehammer was congratulating me for helping automate the document creation, misspelling my name multiple times. For most of the work I didn’t do anything but the website designer guy caught me on
chess.com once and I told him I had nothing to do so he had me design the new ID cards. But I actually got it done quickly. All I had to wait for was the drive full of images, I never got it. Seth M had a persimmon and an apple. I’d never tasted persimmon before so we agreed to cut it into thirds and I had one, Ahwahn had the last slice. The persimmon was simultaneously juicy and dry at the same time, with its texture being comparable to muNorth Pole stem. At 12:31pm I left to get lunch. I went back later and continued to do nothing, walking around the office a few times and saying hi to Kiana. At 2:07pm, the accountant left his wagie cage. Around 3:00pm Seth M realized that I hardly had anything to do and let me leave early. I took up that opportunity and took the bus home to finish packing. I even brought my shovel you have to assemble. I walked over with my suitcase in tow and waited around with Froccigane. Bernarda came a bit later and Luigi was already there writing his speech, he said it wouldn’t mention Jesus sadly. I eventually started writing in my green journal:
•Riding with Frociaggine and Upsilon. •Got in at 4:52pm. •Exited to socialize with the others. •Saw Seraphim wearing cowboy attire, including a tan hat and a belt with a buckle. •Saw Upsilon talking with Luigi. •Packed piano equipment into our car. •Cronstedt greeted us goodbye. •Left at 5:13pm to go on a better route outside of downtown avoiding rush hour. •Frociaggine went to the south side today. •A Wowland school is joining us. •Gabriel will join us. •Frociaggine explained the retreat to us including the lake. •Frociaggine wants to go to Philmont. •Frociaggine wanted to do a thanksgiving campout because it’s a family tradition of his. •Frociaggine recommends SEEK, we get a major discount of $450 vs $1200. •This year it’s in Columbus, Ohio because of how many people are attending. •Described there being hour long waits even when super early to events. •Described mass needing projectors to see, 120 priests and 20 bishops. •Frociaggine’s girlfriend is coming to SEEK. •Frociaggine mentioned the shroud of Turin showing Jesus Christ’s blunt force trauma. •Separate men’s and women’s retreats are next semester. •Talked about the August retreat Frociaggine and I were on but not Upsilon. •The speaker we were taking over was rocking back and forth in the car. •5”39pm: Encountered a truck with a lot of ladders on it, keeping its distance from the car in front of it. •Frociaggine switched Spotify to AC/DC, Are You Ready. •5:50pm: We’re close, passed by Kelly’s. •5:52pm: Livin On A Prayer by Bon Jovi is playing. •5:55pm: In 1066 AD, the Norman conquest of England happened, in 1215 the Magna Carta was signed, I just felt like writing these. •5:56pm: Got off onto the street. •Frociaggine took a drink of his Mountain Dew. •Went past some trees being chopped down for development. •Arrived at the camp at 6:05pm, parked at 6:06pm. •Had to get registered. •Assigned to Markus’ small group. •Assigned to this cabin, put my stuff there. •Went back for dinner, said hi to Sideburn’s cousin and Oriang. •Got 2 slices of pizza for dinner, popcorn, and a drink. •Met up with Markus and the Honduran. •Took a picture of Elijah’s pizza stained schedule. •Tried gaslighting Seraphim to believing he was at the last retreat. •Saw Nash, Drawmija, and Drawmij sitting together. •Bernarda and a bunch of girls had their chairs in a circle talking to each other near the elevated stage. •Talked with Sideburns and his cousin. •6:57pm, saw a stinkbug. •Casta and her husband were there. •Sat in the empty chair between Ava and Markus in their circle, they left soon afterwards. •Nobody tried to talk to me at first. •Bald guy whom I will be calling Elkanah tried to talk to me thankfully. •Sat down between Nephri and Elijah. •Nephri studies speech pathology. •The first event started. •Markus talked about not breathing when excited, causing him to pass out one time when he was 8 while presenting about World War I. •Kaufman sat down next to me. •Elkanah sat next to me and went to my college. •Talked with Sideburn’s friend who also knows Cliffe. •Sat back in the circle, Sideburns’ cousin sat in the center. •Kaufman’s from Whitefish Bay. •Sideburn’s cousin left, I slept on the pillar, Nephri gave me a black and red plaid blanket. •Seraphim prayed I’d wake up, the Honduran talked about his aristocratic Honduran heritage. •Oriang and Morgado saw me. •Said to Casta:
“6 out of 7 times, sleeping all day prevents you from sinning.”
•7:32pm, announcements started. •Group leaders include: Ava, Oriang, Markus, the Honduran, Elijah, Leah.
•The Honduran lived in Brazil during high school. •4 corners activity: Seasons (I chose winter), favorite frozen cusdummy place (I chose Culver’s), and favorite aspect of Catholicism (I chose the 7 sacraments).
•I spoke for the 7 sacraments group, I said Catholicism had all of them while other denominations rejected most of them. I brought up Eastern Orthodox people being annoying online. Called Oriental Orthodox cool but Miaphysite. •Switched to a less smeary blue pen. •We talked about the camp and the spot. •A hangnail I peeled started bleeding. •Probably like 50 people here. •Actually 68 people here. •8:00pm, the priest announced the phone challenge, for every person that gave up their phone for the weekend, $5 more would be added to the lottery. •1st talk was about creation. •oSeraphim came up. •oSeraphim came from Mexico, his daughter is 8 months old. •oSeraphim’s wife and baby came in. •Ava and Markus prayed over oSeraphim. •oSeraphim summarized Genesis chapters 1 and 2. •Jeremiah 1:5 was read:
☛5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.
•”Although God is everywhere, we can not see him.”
•John 1:47 was read:
☛47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.”
•oSeraphim is a senior in college, left his parents and sister back in Mexico in 7th grade. •I’m Jealous of oSeraphim for being able to be a father and a husband so early. •Mentioned the pearl of great price verse, couldn’t help but to think of the book. •The baby kept making noises, Seraphim laughed. •Went out to change the paper towel on my left pinky, Oriang also went out to blow her nose also. •Said: “Yo!” to Oriang. •oSeraphim read the entirety of John, he said he cried by the end. •Saint Lawrence: “Turn me over, I’m done on this side.” •Oriang and Swifte were giggling at oSeraphim’s baby making noises. •Left at 8:30m. •People in my group: Mahdi, Mike H, Sideburns, me, Gabriel, Frociaggine. •We talked in a group. •Apparently the priest asked a bunch of men last year to become priests, I wasn’t asked. •Another person joined later. •Brought up Christian community helping me out a lot. •Got another coconut flavored La Croix. •Markus and Ava announced night prayer, then silence until 7:00am tomorrow. •9:14pm: The priest started speaking. •The returning people from this retreat last year left first. •We would light candles later, grab them now. A bunch of bad jokes were being said while we waited. •Went outside, Gabriel guided us in a trust building exercise conga line. •Mouthed the our Father prayer the entire time. •Opened our eyes then the priest started reciting John 1. •A returner lit my candle. •Walked back with Markus. •Got inside for nightly prayer. •The priest explained toe liturgy of the hours. Told my family, including my parents and my sister Garnet about the no phone thing. So at 9:55pm I texted the WhatsApp groupchat:
>By the way I won’t have access to my phone until Sunday at 2:00pm. And I won’t be able to make it to the funeral next Tuesday, it conflicts with my classes and work at [work].
•Turned in my phone after Nephri. •In my cabin is Markus, Elijah, Sideburns, the Honduran, Seraphim, Nicodemus, A guy named Matt, Urbino, a guy named Nick, and I. •Brushed my teeth alongside Nicodemus. •The Honduran hung up the Vatican flag, getting help from Seraphim to ziptie some things. •Slept in the bunk above Markus. •Markus didn’t turn in his phone. •Went to sleep.
Song of the Day: Come With Me Now - Kongos (2012)
