my summer as a lifeguard.

well... the island isn't as terrible as i thought it would be.  i actually kind of enjoy it. the beach is open sunday through thursday, 1:30 to 5:30 and friday, 1:30 to 4:30.  i am getting very bronze skin (my legs are even tanning!!) and very blonde hair.  my once translucent skin (my stc'ers thought i was an albino) now looks like normal people skin.  and my hair... its now platinum.  its growing very long and beachy.  i'm really excited about cutting it off after the summer.  i realized that i really enjoy having short hair and not dealing with so much of it all the time.  *phew* its so tiring.  =/

 here are some comments i hear regularly on the beach about the swim test:

"curse the swim test!"
"that blonde lifeguard is the grumpiest of them all!" 
"the lifeguards are so idiotic.  they should let people with asthma rest for TWO MINUTES during the swim test!"
"my arms WERE coming up out of the water!"
"you should let people swim under water for their swim test." 
"wait, so how CAN i swim?"
"i'm NOT touching the bottom!" 

and about a million others.

here are some comments i regularly have to say on the beach regarding the swim test:

"the swim test is TWO laps, thats down back, down back.  the first lap MUST be freestyle, or the front crawl.  your arms must come up, out of the water.  the second lap, you can do anything you want EXCEPT, elementary backstroke, (if you do the backstroke, your arms must come up out of the water one at a time so i can see them.) swimming under water, or sidestroke.  you cannot at any time do the doggy paddle, swim under water, stop, stand on the bottom, or grab on the ropes.  if i see you doing any of these things, you fail the swim test."
"your arms MUST come out of the water!"
"you cannot do the elementary backstroke!"
"watch out for the fence!"
"make sure your legs aren't touching the bottom!"

*sigh* what a rewarding job.