Meet the Monks: Summer Fun Edition!!

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to another edition of Meet the Monks!!

This time, in honor of July 4th, the staff is taking a look back on summers past. Even as the current situation is temporarily preventing us all from living the summer life to its full extent, the Monks are tackling the tough issues. Join them as they ponder the pros and cons of sunscreen, and confront hard, hot dog-related truths.

TIFFANY Order Facilitator

Q: Have you ever been severely sunburned? If so, what lessons did you learn?

A: Yes – the entire tip of my nose turned into a thick scab and took weeks to heal. My nose is the first place I apply sun screen now.

Q: Shallow end or deep end of the pool? 

A: I’m pretty short so most of the pool is a deep end for me. I prefer the shallow end to walk around or stand.

Q: Are hot dogs sandwiches? Please explain. 

A: I believe anything becomes a sandwich when placed on a bun.

PENNY Customer Service Agent

Q: “Jaws” or “The Sandlot” – which is the better 4th of July movie?

A: Sandlot for sure!

Q: Which is the better beach activity – sunbathing or surfing?

A: Neither. I really love the mountains! But if I needed to pick i’d say sunbathing while playing a game or walking the beach. I like to keep it moving!

ALEC Customer Service Agent

Q: What’s your favorite summertime song and why?

A: “Walking on Sunshine.” Because, honestly, who doesn’t love the sun and hanging out or driving around when the sun is shining? Also, everybody knows the words, so it makes it even more fun if you’re all signing along!

Q: Agree or disagree: It would be pretty cool to do the thing where you are attached to a speedboat while wearing a parachute and you fly through the air, even if you wipe out at the end.

A: Agree 1000%. I have always wanted to do that and what is the worst thing that can happen to you, falling into water after you’re done? Sign me up! I want to hang out in the air and overlook everybody below me and the water!

Q: Shallow end or deep end of the pool?

A: Deep end of the pool so that you can swim around and go underwater fully not just dunk your head under. If I am at a pool I want to swim around and have fun not just stand there.

JESSICA Order Facilitator 

Q: Agree or disagree: It would be pretty cool to do the thing where you are attached to a speedboat while wearing a parachute and you fly through the air, even if you wipe out at the end.  

A: Totally agree. I have been attached to a speedboat while on a tube, hanging on for dear life, and it was awesome.

Q: What’s your favorite BBQ/picnic food?

A: Hot dogs with tons of miracle whip.

Alexis Customer Service Agent

Q: While you were growing up, what was your family’s favorite summer destination? 

A: I never went on vacation as a kid, but my favorite place to go in the summer was my grandma’s house. She would make chocolate covered frozen bananas and I would play outside with my cousins and sister late into the night. Then we would eat pizza and tell ghost stories or watch scary movies. It was the best.

Q: What’s your favorite summertime song and why?

A: Anything from Ratatat’s album “Classics.” One of my happiest memories from high school is listening to this album while in the pool. I’ve always associated this album with hot sunny summer days, and listen to it at least once every summer. Actually, I’m going to put it on now!

Q: Are hot dogs sandwiches? Please explain.

A: All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. All hot dogs on buns are sandwiches, but not all sandwiches are hot dogs. You can’t change my mind.

ADAM Customer Service Agent

Q: Are hot dogs sandwiches? Please explain.

A: I think hot dogs are their own thing, unless they have mayo. Then they become a disgusting abomination.

Q: Have you ever set off illegal (in PA) fireworks? If so, please tell the story of a time you were nearly maimed.

A: What a convenient question! I do, in fact, have a story of being nearly maimed by fireworks. In high school, a group of friends and I were setting them off in a clearing in the woods (a GREAT idea). One of my little buddies lit a roman candle and propped it on the ground. As we all backed up, the flame seemed to go out. My friend creeped back up to it, looked down the barrel, and quickly realized it was still lit. In his haste to get away he accidentally knocked it over, leaving it pointing right at us. As we all ran away into the woods, the roman candle proceeded to rain balls of flame all around us. I quickly tripped and fell, and hugged the ground as if under enemy fire. Fortunately no one was hurt, but I never lit off fireworks again.