The Camping Virgin: Finding Meaning without Plastic or Cash in 48 Hours

At the beginning of December, 2008, I went camping in New Jersey for a live action role play (LARP) event. I went with my boyfriend and an entire group of friends, all coordinated in warm two-tone matching costumes.

I was a camping virgin. I’ve never been truly camping out in the woods with a tent and a fire, etc., but I was willing to learn. We picked quite a weekend for my first time. With temperatures dropping below 30 degrees (F), my focus was on staying warm.

My boyfriend was in the United States Marine Corps and had trained in artic survival techniques in Europe. Having full trust in him as well as my experienced camping friends, I knew not to worry. In case of emergency, there were also two heated cabins on the campground.

Since we took with us enough food to make it through the weekend as well as enough clothing and a tent for shelter, I quickly found myself completely forgetting about money. I knew how long I would need to be out in the elements, and money was no longer a key to survival here. My wallet was zipped in our tent through most of the game along with my money and cell phone.

At two o’clock AM on Saturday morning, I was barely able to sleep. The other ladies in our camp had left for the heated cabin along with their boyfriends, but I was willing to stick it out in the cold even though it was my first time camping. Through my shivering, I realized that thinking about survival in harsh conditions was surprisingly invigorating.

Huddled under the blankets, I confessed this to my boyfriend. He replied,

“You lasted longer out here than I thought you would.”

I grinned and continued to shiver, realizing that my body was attempting to keep myself warm. I knew I was safe, though cold, and that the difficulties I was experiencing due to the weather were only temporary. Light soon began to illuminate the tent a bit, and I realized that sun meant warmth and light.

I smiled at the approach of the sun, realizing why it was so important to ancient cultures. Moreso, I smiled at the fact that I hadn’t thought about my credit card balance in an entire day, nor did I incur any further debt while I was out camping.

By 6:45 am, the sun was offering just enough light for us to scramble to the cabin, which was necessary because I was still refusing to go to the bathroom outside (we had no toilet paper and I am female, so going indoors for such things was eventually mandatory).

When it finally happened, I was well-rested and clear of thoughts. Money was not on my mind. While posing for some pictures in costume, Rick got down on his knee and proposed to me. No prior experience could have cleared my mind so adequately in preparation for such a momentous occasion. I said yes.

Because this is my second wedding, we do not have assistance in planning or paying for the upcoming nuptials. Usually, this type of thing would cause near-panic for me, but since the camping excursion, I’ve been able to keep worries about money under control so long is there is an eventual solution. I’m able to actually enjoy time with my fiancé as well as the planning events, seeing budget as a challenge, almost like a quest in a video game—one that I will win.

Politics Factzone: The truth about Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il, the leader of the free world, has decided to move on to more fertile grounds, leaving with us just the memories of 8-color rainbows, singing Korean women and couple of nuclear weapons. But who was this man whose next ambition would have been to get the next Nobel Peace prize? Here are just a few facts you should know about. more Top 5 Conspiracy Theories Related to John F. Kennedy's Assassination 26.Aug 2011 Since just after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, conspiracy theories abou...read ISRAEL KEEPING GHADDAFI AFLOAT 10.Mar 2011 ...read Glen Beck Is NOT the Anti-Christ! 10.Mar 2011 Hurtful and fiery rhetoric is now media’s default setting! This slippery and m...read Recipe for A REVOLUTION! (10 easy steps - try not to get burned!) 28.Feb 2011 Rebellion is cooking in the air. People are mad as hell, and not going to take...read THE ASSANGE CASE. CIA INTERFERED WITH SWEDISH LEGAL PROCESSES EXTREME RIGHT POLITICS A DANGER TO EUROPEAN UNITY THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY. OUT OF TOUCH, OUT OF FOCUS, OUT OF CREDIBILITY AND HOPEFULLY, OUT OF THE DOOR Opinion World governments charged with criminal negligence (in response to Megaupload case) EARTH (thecheers.org) - Federal authorities of the universe have charged the governments of all the countries in the world as well as the operators actually in power in these countries with operating a criminal enterprise, the Galaxy warriors announced Today. more The Great OSCARS 2011 – or so it would seem 5.Mar 2011 So, how exciting......a morning off, the Academy Awards. I wish I could say the...read Top 7 Expensive Bordellos. Prostitution: Shakedown, Tier Down, and Priced Out 31.Jan 2011 According to a report of the Washington DC-based US Department of State, The Ph...read The Great Secret and Reason for the JFK Assassination 11.Oct 2010 The great question is why the great secret? On June 4 1963, President Kennedy s...read Don't Do it! The 3 Worst Times to Get Tattoos 4.Oct 2010 As a general rule, tattoos gotten after 2 am are a bad idea. But in a bigger pi...read

Travel Travel Warning 13 September 2010 - DO NOT TRAVEL TO IRAN 13.Sep 2010 TRAVELWISE has been watching the situation in Iran for some months in relation ...read more TRAVELWISE TRAVEL ADVISORY 5th June 2010. DO NOT TRAVEL TO ISRAEL. 5.Jun 2010 Given the recent incident whereby the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, used...read TRAVELWISE. 16 APRIL 2010. EUROPEAN TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES 16.Apr 2010 Travelwise issues the following advice in relation to cancelled flights to, fro...read TRAVELWISE 6 APRIL 2010. AUSTRALIAN AIR TRAVEL. THE BEST WAYS TO TRAVEL BY AIR IN AUSTRALIA. 5.Apr 2010 Regular readers might have seen and read the various advisory and no-fly notice...read TRAVELWISE 2 APRIL 2010. QANTAS. 2.Apr 2010 Some concerns have been raised in relation to some of the maintenance practices...read Sport No Payoff From the Playoffs $16.50 will Get Anyone in the Hall Mr McGwire Stupid Athlete Tricks Technology Think Big! Think the World's Largest International Trade Show Top 9 cool laptop accessories for laptop geeks Twittering: I'm not that interesting Cheers Jesus' Answering Machine Brown Couch or twelve midgets in the town square How To Be Happy Drugged Out Saturday Nights Muslim Decapitation: Bad, or Simply Misunderstood?