The Final Farewell

       Well fellow bloggers, it has been a year filled with learning, new experiences, new interactions, new skills, and 73 blogs. Blogging for class ends at the conclusion of this blog, but I might tune in from time to time. I started my blogs with sports blog after sports blog, after sports blog. Then I started to blog about random things going on and haven’t blogged about sports for a while. So, without further ado, a sports blog to end the school year:

     The NFL draft wrapped up last month and rookie minicamps are in full swing.  The Packers drafted nine players with another nine other rookies being signed as free agents. These 18 players have been working hard in practice and head coach Mike McCarthy claims this is one of his favorite groups he has ever worked with. That being said, I am getting excited for the start of the NFL season.

     One drafted player that I am very curious about is former University of Iowa Corner Back Micah Hyde. I was surprised to see him go to the backers. Although a great player, I wasn’t sure he would be able to be too successful as a cornerback in the NFL.  After some thinking, I came to the conclusion that they might have drafted him with a kick returner in mind.

     The majority of the Packer’s kicks last year were returned by wide receiver Randal Cobb. As the injury prone Packer’s receiver corps took a hit with the injury to Greg Jennings, Cobb stepped up to fill that role. Needless to say, he wasn’t returning very many kicks anymore. With Jennings now off the team, Cobb will be a starting receiver for the Packers. There is no way he will return kicks. This is where Hyde comes in to play. He is a cornerback that most likely won’t be a starting, but he has a good record of returning kicks at Iowa. He was very elusive and could really break for some great returns. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was back deep for the Pack this season as their main kick returner.

     It’s been a long journey bloggers, one I probably wouldn’t wish to repeat. I’ll still blog for fun now and again, but I won’t be having three blogs per week on the button. I look forward to blogging about whatever I want and having no requirements. Although blogging wasn’t something I was extremely fond of, it allowed me to improve my writing and therefore I am better off. (WC 422)

Wasting The Weather Away

There are only a few more weeks left this school year, and man is that exciting! With AP tests just about over, it seems although I have very little homework to do. And if I have homework, I have very little, to no motivation to get it done considering the weather is to die for! As all teachers say, just finish strong and you have the rest of the year to enjoy the weather; I on the other hand, defer that statement.

Right now the temperature is between 65 degrees and 75 degrees on a daily basis when it is around 65 degrees it is the perfect weather for physical activity outside. It might be a little chilly at first but it feels great after a couple minutes of moving around. And when the weather is on the upper end of that range it is a perfect day to just be outside the whole time. It isn’t too hot and not chilly at all. It is a perfect temperature to take the dog for a walk, or get some yard work done. Very rarely do we get into the high 80’s this time of year so it is the PERFECT month to spend outside. The only downside of this whole weather thing, is school. School is holding us back from enjoying this great weather!

Once we get out of May and into June and July, the temperatures begin to soar, 85 degrees, 90 degrees, 100 degrees, you name it, we can get there. During the summer it can become so unbearable! It gets to the point where just walking outside is dreaded because you break a sweat just standing there. There is very rarely a cool breeze, and even in the shade it is about 90 degrees. So pretty much summer weather can be unbearable many times throughout its duration. There are still some very nice days throughout the summer, but those are sporadic, the majority of the days are scorching hot.

If we got out of school at the end of April and started a month earlier that would benefit me more. That way we could get out when the weather gets nice and be able to enjoy it, rather than having to be tied down with school work. July is hot as can be so going to school might not be so bad. I know it is easier for me to study in April than it is now. Right now I want to be outside enjoying this weather. So teachers, no-we don’t have the rest of the summer to enjoy this weather, it becomes too hot. We only have about 20 more days to enjoy it. Consequently school ends in about that many days too… (WC 458)

Crime is Pride

I agree with the assertion made by Teiresias that, “all men make mistakes but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil: The only crime is pride.”  This assertion makes a realization that is so very true but is often over looked. This statement wouldn’t be the same if it didn’t start with, “all men make mistakes.”

Having the quote start with that phrase creates even ground and a closer distance between Teiresias and the reader. It declares that no man is perfect and no man lives life without ever doing something he shouldn’t.  Then the quote sates, “but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong.” This states that even when those guys who seem to be perfect mess up, they catch themselves. They stop in their steps and do not continue the unaccepted act. This leads right into the next part of this quote, “he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil.” In this section it is showing that that so called perfectly good man who just messed up is now going back to make what was known as is unacceptable act an act people will appreciate. Although the initial act cannot be erased, it can be mended. And mending is exactly what the phrase, “repair the evil” means.

The very last phrase of the excerpt is the most difficult to interpret. “The only crime is pride.” That phrase alone could be the whole excerpt. How I viewed it is that having pride in yourself and your actions is what can sometimes get you into trouble. For example, if I go out and do graffiti on the side of a bridge, I might be very proud and prideful in my art work, when in all reality, I committed a crime. Therefore, pride can be crime.

One thing I feel really gives this statement validity is that fact that like I said before, it reaches common ground. It doesn’t just say that all men make mistakes and do nothing about it. It brings out the good side and the bad side. The good side being that a good man goes back and mends his mistake where as a bad or undesirable man would be too proud of himself and his actions to go back and make anything better.In his mind he did nothing wrong. In a good man’s mind, he stops the act, and makes it better. Because the statement touches on both good and bad, I fell it holds a lot of validity. (WC 430)

Fun Had by All

Well I survived the hype and excitement of prom, and I am awake to tell the story. I had a great time, and everyone in my group did as well. There were a lot of people going to different places throughout the afternoon/evening, but we all got it to work out.

The day started at 4pm when we took pictures. At this point in time we had nine out of the eleven people in our group; one of the couples was in Vinton eating dinner because the guy goes to Vinton (who’s prom was on the same night) so they ate with his friends. Next, we went to grand march. At grand march we had seven of the eleven people; another couple was eating dinner with the guy’s friends from Kennedy (whose prom was also on the same night). Next we went to dinner with the same group we went to grand march with. We ate at White Star Ale House down town. The atmosphere, food, and service was fantastic!

After dinner we went to the dance. The dance is the one and only time our whole group (eleven people) was together. We were there for about two hours before we got incredibly hot, and tired, and were ready to go. So we left the dance, and headed to after prom with nine of the eleven people. We originally went to Jefferson’s post prom. They had post prom at the bowling alley. It was soooo boring and stupid that we just got our free pizza and left. Because we had a Kennedy senior in our group, we were able to get our group into Kennedy’s post prom!

At Kennedys post prom was where we all agreed we had the post fun. There was tons of free food, inflatables, and a hypnotist.  The hypnotist was the best part. It was pure comedy. We were all fascinated and couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous some of the hypnotized people were. That lasted about an hour and a half and then we all went to my date’s house for post post prom. Here we played the Wii, ate more food, played other games, and watched a movie. We then, around breakfast time, had waffles, cinnamon rolls, sausage, and fruit. That was the perfect ending to an already great night.

When I got home I took a nap and now I feel fine. There is nothing else I want to do right now than to get outside and enjoy this 70 degree weather! I can’t wait until my prom next year…I hope it is as fun as it was this year. (437)

Change Sucks

Today I got the opportunity to be part of a student panel to interview one of the five principal candidates. Today’s candidate was Mr. Stecker, the Athletic Director here at Kennedy. It was a good experience to get to know him a little better and here what he plans to do him he is chosen as the next principal here at Kennedy High School.

I was very impressed with the way Mr. Stecker handled himself and every question he was asked. Us, the students, asked some very tough questions and he answered them very well. One of the most important questions to me was why does he want to be the principal of Kennedy High School.  He said that he wants to be the principal because he wants to be able to continue the fun traditions of Kennedy and it just feels like it is where he belongs. That was the exact response I was looking for. Many of us are worried about the transition from Dr. W to the new principal, and Mr. Stecker made it seem like her would make the transition the most seamless. This is important to all of us, so I hope he meant what he said.

Having Dr. W leave Kennedy will suck, there is no question there. She has built Kennedy to where it is now, THE number one school in Iowa. Without her, we wouldn’t be where we are. It is hard for students to believe that Kennedy won’t go backwards with a new principal. We just don’t want to accept change and are very very scared for what the future holds. Kennedy without Dr. W is like a river without water…a dry wasteland. She is the life of this school, the voltage behind the battery, and the reason for everyone’s success. Dr. W is Kennedy, and Kennedy is Dr. W

However, after the interview with Mr. Stecker, I believe a transition without drastic changes is possible. Stecker knows what Dr. W did to make Kennedy go; therefore I believe he would be able to continue those traditions, morals, and ways going. He also had some good thoughts on what we could improve here at Kennedy to make sure we don’t take a step back, rather a step or three forward. To me Mr. Stecker should be the next principal here at Kennedy. He provides the best opportunity for Kennedy to continue to succeed and continue to be the #1 school in the state. He might just make us a top 100 school in the nation. (WC 424)

The Stress of Prom

As a junior, I am lucky enough to get the opportunity to go to Prom! Although I won’t be attending Kennedy’s prom, it is still a prom! I will be attending Jefferson’s prom, and all of their festivities. I can’t wait to go, however there is a lot of stress building up because of everything that has to get done and arranged for the night to be fantastic.

To start out, I had to go fins a tux. This was difficult because we couldn’t find a tux that both I liked and that would match her dress. Finally, we found one and could move on. Next I had to make reservations a month ago because there are four proms on the same night here in the Cedar Rapids area. I then have had to call back three times to change that reservation due to indecisive prom goers.  On top of that, I and my date had to find time in our already packed schedules to go get flowers. I’m glad she knew what she wanted because I had no idea what to pick!

The next step is to pick up my tux tomorrow. They said it could take up to three hours since there will be so many people getting their tux at the same time. So I have to find a time that works for both my dad and I, and then go waste my night away. Next, it is all for show. I have to clean out the car, vacuum it, wash the windows, shine the interior, make it smell good, and give it a car wash. That is the part I’m dreading the most because it is pretty messy and dirty!

Finally after all the planning and everything, it is time for pictures. We will then go from the pictures to Grand march, to downtown for dinner then to Prom. I just hope all of those things go smoothly with minor delays. After that is post prom…here’s where it gets tricky. Some of our prom group members go to Kennedy and want to go to Kennedy’s after prom, and others want to go to Jeff’s. So here is the plan. We are going to Jeff’s for an hour and a half and then high-tailing it to Kennedy’s after prom. After the after prom, we are going to someone’s house, all ten of us, to have a post post prom party. This will go until 8 am the following morning. So all in all I will be up for about 26 hours. Other than the extreme tiredness, I’m sure prom will be a fantastic experience for all. (WC 440)

So Much Hate

There is a lot of hate in this world. People have malicious thoughts and don’t have a conscience smart enough or sane enough to tell them to stop.  This was extremely relevant in this past week. Monday, America was under attack. At the Boston marathon two bombs went off, separated by only 12 seconds. These explosions happened around 1:50pm on Monday afternoon. Thousands heard the blast and many were injured. If it weren’t for the heroic acts of American civilians, many many more lives would have been lost.

The explosions killed three people and wounded 170 others. Doctors, nurses, everyone still able rushed to the scene or stopped running the marathon to help aid the wounded. Many people lost limbs, and others lost a lot of blood out of their horrific wounds. However, Americans acted, and we as a notion, got those people to the hospital in a timely manner in an effort to stunt the death toll at three. Stories keep emerging about the people who rushed to the scene to help and the inspirational stories of how different situations unfolded. This is how it should be. We should be hearing news about the wounded and the ones who helped out, rather than the bombers. Of course everyone still wants to know the latest on the bombers, but our main focus should be on the people affected, not the criminals.

Many times people’s motives are never known, and this might be one of those occasions. What could possibly possess someone to set off two bombs at a marathon where thousands are gathered? Who knows? All I know is that it is an absolute act of god that only three lives were taken. A bazaar twist in this story is that the bombers thought they would get away with this! The younger brother who is currently in custody attended classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. He even went to a party Thursday night before images of him and his brother emerged.

Once they were pursued, it was obvious they had no get away plan. They just tried to hide in town, thinking they wouldn’t get found. They didn’t try and get the heck out of dodge. Matter of fact, after the shootout, the younger brother just hid in a boat. How long was he thinking he would be able to stay in there before he would have needed to get nourishment? Well, in all likelihood he probably was planning on dying in that boat, given his condition when he was found. I am just very impressed that the WTPD was able to capture him alive, I thought he would be found dead, for sure. (WC 444)

Game Day Poem

Game Day

 

1.       Its game day.

2.       The tools of my trade are few

3.       shoes, glove, bat, and ball

4.       It is game time.

5.       The smell of fresh popped corn diverts. Wet grass and anticipation

6.       As I hear my name, snatch my glove, take the field

7.       I am alone in my thoughts, the warmth of the sun, flight of the hawk overhead

8.       Easily distracted like a child at zoo

9.       CRACK…. The ball is dancing in the air

10.   The wind tearing through the stadium

11.   I’m searching for a small white object in a sea of blue

12.   Running, eyes searching, arm outstretched

13.   The force of the torpedo against my palm

14.   As I gaze at the white sphere nestled in its bed of brown

15.   He’s OUT….

16.   The game is over.

17.   The game is won.

5. Diction- “The smell of fresh popcorn diverts.” This word is at a different level of formality than the poem is written. I used it to make this more powerful, because the smell of popcorn lingering while trying to play a game is very very distracting.

8. Simile- “Easily distracted like a child at zoo.” I am comparing my distractedness to how a child acts at a zoo by using the word like.

9. Onomatopoeia- “CRACK…” I use this word to portray the sound of the ball hitting the bat

9. Personification- “The ball is dancing.” We all know a ball cannot dance. Therefore I gave the ball the lifelike ability to dance, even though it can’t perform such activity.

13. Symbolism- “The force of the torpedo against my palm.” I use a torpedo to symbolize the baseball in this situation. I do this because a torpedo most accurately describes how a ball comes at you when playing in the outfield.

14. Imagery- “As I gaze at the white sphere nestled in its bed of brown.” This line paints a vivid picture of what has happened.  I look down and there is a ball in my glove, as if it caught me by surprise.

16, 17. Anaphora- “The game is over The game is won.”  I use the same phrase, “the game is” to bring repetition into the fact that I just made the out that won the game for my team.

The Dreaded Overlap

With track coming to a close, baseball is quickly approaching. There is no break in between, matter of fact, the overlap my about two weeks. It isn't desirable, but I'm not going to complain too much because it is a decision I made, and because of that I don't have much room to talk. Having sports overlap like that has both its advantages, as well as its disadvantages.

One advantage is that our baseball coach is pretty understanding. This means that when the rest of the baseball players are doing a conditioning workout, us well conditioned track guys get to do a lighter workout. That is always I nice added bonus. Another advantage is that we show up too baseball practice a bit late so the practice that is three hours long is now only two hours for us! That’s so ideal, and sometimes we take an extra-long time getting from track to baseball, that way our muscles have a chance to relax a bit right before we put them to work once again!

Unfortunately there are many negatives as well. One of those negatives is all of the energy it takes out of me to participate in two sports at once. Usually baseball goes until about nine and when i get home I have absolutely no energy to do homework or anything. So once track is over it will be nice to just have to focus on and worry about baseball instead of both sports. Also, baseball takes up my whole summer. It starts in April and goes until the very very end of July. It makes it so i can only go out of town very scarcely and usually can’t do anything until the weekends. I’ve gotten use to this, but every once in a while it gets old because most people have no big obligations. 

Overall having baseball and track overlap isn't too bad. It is only a couple of weeks and the workouts are never too hard. The only big negative is the amount of time it takes. Come august, however, I am free as a bird! That is when I do most of my fun things in the summer like weekend trips, day trips, and other fun adventures! So what I am trying to say, is that I can’t wait for august after a summer full of baseball. it is nice to have about a month to wind down and relax right before school starts again. (WC 411)

Let College Visits Begin!

I have officially been on my first college visit! On Friday my dad and I went down the the University of Iowa and took part in Hawkeye Visit Day. I wasn't sure what to expect because I have never gone on an official visit, and the only time I am at the University of Iowa is for football games. I, already a Hawkeye fan, am trying to go into this college decisions process with an open mind. Just because I am a die hard Hawkeye fan doesn't mean the University of Iowa is the right college for me. Maybe it is, I will have to visit more schools before I can tell.

The visit was very beneficial for me. It allowed me to see the campus, enjoy lunch, and explore a vast array of majors that I didn't even know existed. I then went to the Tippie School of Business building and listen to a professor speak about what all goes on in that building, as well as what to expect in a business major, and all the places a business degree can take someone. That got me really excited to explore all the things I might be able to do with a business degree, and all of the unique paths I can take.

There were a lot of things I liked about the University of Iowa. Some of those things include, Kinnick Stadium, the Business building, the food, and the B1G Ten feel. Being on a B1G Ten campus thinking that is where I could be living is a really cool feeling. It makes you feel like you are a part of something special and something that not everyone gets the opportunity to take advantage of, and here it is at the tip of my fingers.

On the other hand, there were somethings I didn't like as well. Some of those things include the dorm rooms and residence halls, the size of the student body, and how spread out the campus is. The biggest downside is the size of the campus. To get from the two farthest points it would be like a 45 minute walk. Granted there is a very good bus system that takes me anywhere, but I would still be able to to walk everywhere, because I feel like that is the typical college feel. I want to feel close, and taking a bus to class wouldn't satisfy that feeling. (WC 404)

The Time Can't Come Soon Enough

Today marks a big day in my life. Today, I sent in my Green Bay Packer season ticket waiting list request form. Yes, I sent it in at age 17. Why, you may ask. Well the answer is simple....there are already 88,000 names on the list. This means in about 30 years my time will come and I will finally be a season ticket holder. People think I'm crazy, but in all reality, I am just thinking way in the future and being smart.

Most people decide they want to get season tickets when they retire and have more time. Well, if they are a Packer fan, they are out of luck. Plus, there is a certain sense of excitement that will come each ear I move up a couple thousand spots on the waiting list. With any luck, I will get the tickets when I am about 50 years old. This will be perfect for many reasons. One reason being that by that time I will be (hopefully) financially stable and in a position where I can afford tickets. It would really suck if your name was up to get tickets and you had to pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity because you weren't in a place financially to go forward with them.

My history teacher just got his season tickets this year! He has been on the waiting list for thirty years, and has been through two stadium expansions before he got tickets. He advised me to get on the waiting list now because the waiting list keeps getting bigger and bigger and the rate of names coming off of it is lessening. I'm hoping lots of people don't renew their tickets this year so a couple thousand names get knocked off of the infamous waiting list.

I'm thinking if the Packers have a really bad season lots of people will give up their seats. Although I wouldn't want them to have a bad season, if it means I get tickets sooner, then I am all for it. I am a quite impatient person, so waiting close to 40 years for something is one thing I am not used to or can even fathom right now. Oh well, there is nothing I can do to speed up the process, so I will wait. Each year I will receive my postcard telling me how many spots I move up. One year, many years from now,I will get one informing me that they have accepted my season ticket request form! Oh man I can't wait for that day!! (432)

Quickly Coming to an End

As much as I am not a fan of track, the season as flown by! We only have three more meets left. Last year it seemed like we ran a bazillion meets and it never stopped, this year, that isn’t the case. This year, thanks to the rain, we have had three meets cancelled! That never happened last year. A cancelled meet is probably one of the best things that come out of the season. It lowers my stress level, and allows me to get more sleep. More sleep is something I will always be in favor of.

As I said above, we have had three meets cancelled thus far. That number is expected to rise next week. Just like this week, next week’s forecast appears to have rain almost every day. We have meets on Tuesday and Thursday. I am assuming the Tuesday meet will be on, but the Thursday one will probably get cancelled. Having meets on Thursdays is really rough. Most homework assignments are due on Fridays, and Friday tends to be international testing day. Therefore, having meets on Thursdays doesn’t help me academically one bit. I tend not to get enough studying in, and my grade usually slips just a bit.

For that reason, it is nice to have cancelled meets. It gives me an opportunity to catch up on work and get my grades up again. Along with a boost in grades, I am able to get to sleep a few hours sooner than on a track meet night. This allows me to be more alert during the school day, and therefore more attentive and willing to learn. SO there is another way cancelled track meets result in my grades improving.

On nights with track meets I usually get hope around 10:15. Then I have to shower, eat, and fill my parents in on how I did. Once all three of those things are completed it is usually around 11:15. Then I do my few hours of homework and go to bed around 1am. Just a blink later I am waking up and heading to school at 6am for lifting. Needless to say, Fridays after a meets are a train wreck waiting to happen. Once Friday night comes I have no energy and all I want to do is sleep. That’s why I absolutely love when people have movie nights because that is a convenient way to hang out with people and also catch a few Z’s before the night is over. Luckily, we only have one more Thursday meet to go! Then the season is over. (WC 433)

Summer is Almost Here!

Summer is only two months away!!! That is one sixth of a year, 62 days, eight weeks, however you want to look at it, away! That isn't that far away at all. I cannot wait for summer and all it has to offer. Although i am tied up with baseball most of the summer, it is still the best time of the year. Not nearly as many worries, nice weather, fun outside, water sports, pools, and sundays are no longer dreaded as the last day before we go back to school! Summer is awesome.

This summer I am extremely excited to go on lots of little trips and go on adventures. I love doing new things and being outside. If I could camp multiple times a summer...I would. There just isn't enough time with baseball to go camping at all. When camping you get to experience all of the fun things that take place over the summer. Some of these things include Bon fires, s'mores, hiking, going boating, swimming, sleeping outside, and staying up late talking with friends. I just can't wait for summer.

Another fun part of summer is the Fourth of July. Every time my family get together with family friends and have a big dinner. After that we have our annual baseball game followed by dessert. Then we go watch fireworks and have more food that night. It is always a great time had by all and is always a highlight of summer.

The last big bonus of summer is no homework. The stress and burden all of this homework really takes a toll after 9 months of school. During the summer the stress is minimal and everyone is usually pretty carefree and relaxed. I wish it was like that all the time, but sadly, that isn't the case.

Well folks, only two more months! We can do it. In a month ap tests will be done and school should become a tad bit easier. Having a relatively relaxed last month of school is very helpful. It is really hard to study for finals the day before the last day of school because you know summer is right around the corner. However on the bright side, once we get through finals it is summer! Two months of freedom then we start or senior year. We can do it folks, it is just a matter of getting this year under our belts, and doing it I. A quick fashion. (WC 413)

AP Anxiety

With AP tests in exactly a month from today, there is no such thing as free time. If I am not doing homework and studying, I am running in a track meet. If not a track meet, i am playing baseball, and if not baseball I am fast asleep on the couch because I have no energy left.There is simply not enough time in the day to get everything done.

This past week was absolutely horrible. I had a total of eight tests, a track meet thursday, ap chem test friday, as well as a track meet friday, on top of track practices and other little things to do. Needles to say, the chemistry test did not go well at all. It is hard to be a student athlete when the athlete part takes priority over the student part. Sadly, that is what is happening.

What if people cared as much about doing well in the education realm of things as they did about doing well in sports? If that were the case, there would be a lot more great students in this country. However, coaches often times prevent that from happening. Every coach says, "School is a priority" but then when you say you cant make a practice because you have to make up a test, the are disappointed.

This makes everything extremely hard now that AP tests are almost here. It is so hard to get all the studying in required to do well. I would be curious what would happen to students test scores if sports were non existent for a year. By no means am i suggesting this happens, but I am curious how sports effect our test scores. I know some people say that being involved in things makes a better student because they manage their time better. I disagree because if you aren't involved in anything, you have all the time in the world to whatever you want, and study more!

If education was a priority in a school rather than their sports, I'm sure we would have a much brighter and better educated nation. Sports take us out of school to go compete, why cant school take me out of sports without consequence? Needless to say being a student athlete at the end of the year can get to be very rough. Trying to finish strong is hard enough, and it certainly doesn't help when your time is very limited. (WC 408)

Iowa Basketball on The Rise Despite Loss

Tonight Iowa flopped. The Iowa basketball team has struggled year after year to even put up a fight against most of their opponents. Recently, Iowa has started to give every team a run for their money. This year especially, Iowa has really shown up to play. They have had the best season they have had in many years, and actually sold out Carver Hawkeye Arena multiple times!

This year Iowa played well until the end of the game. They managed to blow 10, 15, even 20 point leads.  They were about one win short of getting invited to the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  So, they were shuffled into the NIT tournament. Not as impressive, but post season play nonetheless. The Hawks showed up, they showed up big.

Iowa had grown as a team, and made the adjustments needed to finish out games. When I say finish out games, I mean blow out teams. Once they got up, that lead kept getting bigger and bigger. They never let up, and as a weary Iowa fan that was great to see. It gave us hope for the rest of the season, but most importantly gave us hope for the future of Iowa Basketball.

As the tournament continued, the team continued to improve, game after game, play after play, hope was being instilled into Hawkeye fans around the world. Then they got to the championship game. This was not pretty. There was a lacking desire to win, and they just looked tired. They lost pretty badly, but that doesn’t overshadow the strides they took this post season. There is still a large amount of excitement for Iowa Basketball next year and everyone cannot wait to see what the team and the organization has in store.

Iowa is currently projected to be ranked in the top 25 next season! I can’t even remember the time Iowa was a top 25 team. I’m pretty sure it was in 2004, they were ranked eight I believe. Next season should be an exciting one! My only hope is that they don’t get overconfident and cocky and end up blowing those expectations. Everyone is expecting a great team with great energy next year. If that isn’t what is produced, there will be some very upset Hawkeye fans next year. They have a great run going; it would be nice to see them go deep into the NCAA tournament next year. I would be satisfied with a sweet 16 finish. That would be quite an accomplishment. (WC 418)

Tropical Heat Wave

We're having a heat wave folks! This week it could reach 58 degrees!!! Last year at this time we were running with our shorts off at track, this year we are still in sweats. This cold weather won't go away. 58 will feel so good compared to the 30s we have been feeling. If only we could have a tropical heat wave and get up to the 70s...then we would be talking!

Running track when it is in the low 40s is less than desirable so a little (or big) warm up would be very very very nice. Then we can start doing things outside and improving. The cold weather has stayed around to long. Now watch, we will get to mid July and have 100 degree weather with no rain in the foreseeable future. That's when we will be wanting the 40s back. It's funny how our Iowa bodies at this time think 60 degrees is awesome but in Florida they would be in wool coats.

Also, a warmup means all of this snow and water in our backyard will disappear so I can let the dog in without having to whips his paws. No matter what the reason, it is time for these cold temperatures to disappear and a warm front can move in and stay. But, that is wishful thinking. We will be lucky if it is 65 degrees by then end of April.(WC 238)

Found Memories From Mexico

As many of you know, I went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico over spring break. That is right up there as one of the best vacations I have ever been on! The weather, people, adventures, activities, food, and atmosphere were all unbelievable. We left Iowa a cold morning where the thermometer in the car read 10 degrees. We touched down in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (after a stop in Dallas) six hours later where that thermometer read 85 degrees! A 75 degree change…I’ll take it!

I want you to picture paradise. Shut your eyes (after this sentence of course) and imagine what paradise feels like and looks like. Now that they are open…that’s where I was! Everything about it was like paradise. The view from our suite was of mountains, palm trees, sand, and the ocean. The sand on the beach was smooth, and the water was a comfortable spot to cool off. We could not get over the fact that we are there, in real life, the definition of paradise.

On this vacation we did an activity a day, as well as a lot of beach time in the sun. Each night we had a fantastic dinner, and then would lay on the beach again at night. The first full day in Mexico we went zip lining. There were 14 different lines and one was 300 meters long suspended 700 feet over a canyon river. I went upside down on that one! That was a fantastic activity for the whole family.  The next day we went on a large speed boat out to deep sea, and went whale watching. All of us were very unoptimistic, and right as we began to doubt we’d see a whale…one jumped out of the ocean right in front of our boat! The third full day everyone but my mom went parasailing off the beach at our resort. That was super relaxing and cool to see the whole city. The last full day there we went into town to do some shopping, site seeing, and then ate some authentic Mexican Topas!

The only set back of the trip was the fact we always had to drink bottled water. Other than that the trip was one to remember. I would go back in a heartbeat. We met so many people with such heartfelt stories that we didn’t want to leave. They might have convinced us to go back next year! One guy in particular named Rueben was awesome. He was our waiter at dinner the second night we were there and we got to talking with him. He works so hard, and is one of the sweetest guys. He always does whatever you ask of him, and is always willing to talk about his culture. We ended up having him as our wait a few more times. The last night we had another exceptional guy, Tomas, as a waiter. He asked us when we were leaving, we replied, “Tomorrow.” He told us to hold on one moment. He walked inside and came out a minute later with Rueben. Rueben had written us a little note and wanted a picture with us before we left. This sealed the deal, and made this vacation, the best ever. (WC 540)

Who Writes Letters Anymore?

In a sense, social media is ruining our communication. Not only because we are drawn in to it, and consumed in the latest tweets, and posts, but we are using social media as a main source of communication. For many people, if they haven’t seen a friend in a long time, they hop on Facebook, see what they have been up too, and send them a quick personal message. A decade ago, that wasn’t a thing. People would write those friends letters and send them in the mail, not over the internet. Sadly, hardly anyone actually uses a pen and paper for communication these days.

The reason many people don’t write letters is because it isn’t fast. It would take at least two days until they got the letter and another two days for a response. It is so much easier just to get on Facebook, twitter, or email, and shoot them a message there. The problem with that is it isn’t exercising our social skills that much. When you write a letter on paper, it takes a lot of thought. If you mess up, or decide you don’t want to say something, you have to start completely over, so why not just use social media?

Whenever someone gets a personal letter in the mail they usually get pretty excited. On Facebook if you get a message, it is just another day. You get Facebook messages way more frequently than letters. Because of this, a Facebook message doesn’t hold the same amount of meaning as a letter. If I were to write a letter it shows I care about that person and what they are doing enough to take the extra time and hand write a letter. By doing that I open myself up for them to see my imperfect spelling, imperfect grammar, imperfect punctuation, and imperfect handwriting. That all adds to the meaning of a letter.

Social media takes that meaning away. It allows us to escape all imperfections and talk to someone with not much thought at all. In twenty seconds you could write a comment, hit post, and it is for all to see. In a letter, it is an intimate conversation between the writer and the reader, not the world. That is how it should be. We all should take some time, and the next time we want to send a message via social media, stop. Sit down, write it out on paper, and send it in the mail. I bet that conversation will be one of the best you have had in a long time. (WC 432)

Speak English, People!

There are two places in the United States where I, a caucasian male, feel like the minority. Those places being Disney World and airports. As I was walking through the Dallas/Ft Worth airport, I realized spanish would be a very good language to pick up.

Here in the airport I am sitting at my gate waiting to board. This Asian flight concierge worker repetitively said the same conglomeration of words over and over and over again. This got extremely annoying and to the point it was comical. Then it came time for our flight to board and the spanish concierge worker kept announcing boarding assignments. It would have been nice if I knew what she was saying, but i had to take my best guess.

To me, if I am in an airport, in america have you, the workers should speak english. In Mexico they should speak spanish, and in Germany, they should speak german. It really bugs me when I am am trying to order food in America and i cant understand a single word the worker is saying. This is America people, speak the native vernacular please.

Im not saying the workers cant speak spanish or any other language at all, but they should first speak the native language, then go into the translations. Just because i am going to Mexico does not mean i am able to speak spanish.

Disney world is a whole different story. There is barely anyone, worker or visiter, that speaks english. Its either spanish, or Chinese, or Vietnamese, or german, but rarely english. I just don't get it one bit! Why does no one speak english on vacations? Maybe if i traveled to like Wisconsin the would speak english, but then a gain, if i go to the Dells, they all speak spanish. There is absolutely nothing wrong with spanish, i just would rather they speak english here in America. (WC 319)

Spring Break Here I Come!

It is hard to believe that spring break is only a day away! I cannot wait for this time off, and time on vacation. This spring break my family and I will be basking in the warm sun of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! I can’t wait to get out of this bipolar weather of Iowa, and into the consistently warm weather down south. This is probably the most excited I have ever been to go on vacation.

                Last year my family went to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon over spring break. That was a super fun vacation, however my spring break didn’t line up with my older sister’s college break, so we both ended up missing half a week, which really sucked when trying to make up work. This year our breaks line up so we won’t have to miss any extra classes. Vegas was usually between 60 and 70 degrees, which is better than Iowa, but still a bit chilly. We won’t have to worry about that this spring break. Shorts and a t shirt will suffice all day long. With highs near 85, we will be racing for the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean.

                My aunt is currently in Puerto Vallarta and is informing us of must sees and must dos. She always talks about how great the food is and how much fun this town is. Each email gets us more and more excited to arrive in Mexico! On the first day we are there we are going zip lining through a rainforest. I guess they say the monkeys will literally swing right in front of you and other rainforest creatures are always around. I think that will be the best part of the trip, except for the food. I’m guessing that will be pretty great as well.

                Another activity we have reservations for is to go parasailing. I will be parasailing over the Pacific Ocean with my sister as my other sister is swimming with the dolphins. I think that will be right up there with zip lining through the rainforest, but on a different level of fun. Both will be exhilarating, but parasailing will have a very scary aspect to it, considering I’m over the freaking ocean!

                I hope all goes well in Mexico and this is the best spring break ever! Nothing can get me more excited than a week off of track, and a week in a foreign country for my first time! Not to mention the weather will be to die for! Leaving this 40 degree weather of Iowa will be so nice and to arrive to an 85 degree sun will be even better. I CAN NOT WAIT!! (WC448)

Dog Sitting, Always an Adventure

My friend and I wear many hats. We repair toilets, put in new floors, repair sinks, mow lawns, remove snow, and the best yet, dog and house sit. Dog sitting is by far the easiest money ever earned. It requires very minimal effort, and it can be a lot of fun!

When we dog sit we usually stay at the people's house. This makes it easier so we don't have to drive over three times a day. Often times, as long as there is food on hand, we charge the lowest rate in town. We find dog sitting more as a fun activity rather than a job, so the money is a nice added bonus.

This weekend we have a dog sitting gig. We are all the way out in Fairfax, so needless to say, we are staying there. Upon arrival of the home, we found a large basket filled with food with a note saying, "Ben and David, here are snacks to get you through the weekend, please eat them all. There is steak, hamburger, chicken, and rolls in the freezer, and pudding, jello, Arnold Palmer, fruit, cheese, and much more in the fridge...eat up!" This was much more food than we could ever eat, the basket was 2 and a half feet long and 2 feet wide, filled with snacks. We had it made, and we were still getting paid! It was as if we were getting paid to eat their food, and let the dog out every couple of hours.

Occasionally, we come across a rather needy dog. Its times like those that we feel we are actually earning the money. One time we had a dog that had 13 accidents in three days, yes 13. That was a lot of work to restore that carpet to its natural color, but we got it done nonetheless. We had to rent a carpet cleaner, so a lot of our earnings were put toward that. That experience made us question whether or not dog sitting was worth it, but we gave it another chance.

The dog we are currently watching is ALMOST the easiest dog we have ever taken care of. The only thing stooping him from being the best is he has to go pee every hour it seems, and they don't have a fence. So we have to take him out. Its not bad, just a tad chilly at 4:30 in the morning.

Overall the dog sitting experiences that we have had have been pretty top self. Easy, fun, and haven't had to take a dog, or cat, to the vet yet. We have a week long dog sitting job coming up in April, so hopefully that goes like the others we have done, and not like the 13 accident experience. We can only hope! (WC 471)

Melting Snow, Mud, and Dogs. What a Lovely Combo

This time of year is when it is horrible to be a dog owner. It consists of crappy weather, sickness, and mud....lots of mud. In my house letting the dog out has become a chore that no one really ever volunteers for. It takes more effort than you think to let your dog outside in-between winter and spring.

FIrst off, after every snowfall we have to shovel a path for the dog to walk and and do his business. Then, when he comes in we have to pull out all of the clumps of snow that have frozen to his fur. Not more than ten minutes later he will want to go out and play again. This is when the dog really starts to smell quite bad.

Next, we have to deal with the melting snow and rain. When the snow melts, the path we shoveled becomes a stream flowing through our backyard. Mix that with a continuous rainfall and now we have an outlet of the cedar river butting up to our back porch. Now when the dog comes in we have to not only get the snow out, but dry off half of his body because he is drenched. Then he decides to go lay on someones bed, so we have to change the sheets because no one wants to sleep on sheets that a wet dog cuddled up with. Ahh what a hassle.

Lastly, we have to deal with what happens when the water soaks in and we are left with a super saturated muddy solution in the back yard. Every time he comes in we have to pick up this wet, muddy, mess and give him a rinse off. He gets so dirty and it just so happens he has white fur by his paws....even more reason to have to clean him up. Getting the mud off of him is impossible to do without getting mud o you. So then you have to go shower and it ends up being a 20 minute ordeal just so the poor dog can relieve himself. (WC 350)

Making Up Snowdays..No Big Deal.

             Some people get so upset about making up snow days. I am not one of those people. People always complain about how now we have to go until June, or now we have to go back on a Monday for the last day of school. I honestly could care less. At the end of the year, two or three days will not make that big of a difference on the length and excitement of our summer break.

                I am always for an unexpected day off. I don’t care if it came two day after Christmas vacation, or five weeks after our last break, I always will take a day off whenever I can. I have to come here every day in the summer anyways for baseball, so I really don’t mind making up a few days.

                Snow days give me an opportunity to make a dent in some homework that is due in a few days, it allows me to get caught up on sleep, and they are very relaxing. On a snow day I never have other things going on because they all get canceled. No track practice, no other events, all the time to myself. The only obligation I have is to clear the driveway, and clear the neighbor’s drive as well. I usually get up early and get that done, then go back to bed for a few hours.

                I view snow days as a stress reliever. If they fall in the middle of a very stressful week, a snow day can make a world of difference on you and even your grade! Like I said before, I don’t care how many we have to make up, I fully enjoy the unexpected days off! They are even better on a Friday or Monday so then we get a three day weekend. We never get three day weekends anymore, so those are the times they are enjoyed to the absolute fullest. Even though we have had four snow days this year, I wouldn’t mind one more at all. (WC 340)

Where Has The Time Gone?

             Not that long ago, we were all little eighth graders excited, yet nervous, about turning to a new chapter in this book called life. We were about to attend high school. This was scary for everyone, and we were all intimidated and worried of what the future held. This is when everything we have done the past nine years of our lives gets put to the test. Our GPA actually matters now; we can’t get by with just going through the motions. Oh, I almost forgot! We actually have to study now….well sometimes.

                For many, high school was a wakeup call. For some of us that really didn’t have to try too hard to get great grades in middle school, now are learning that study habits are a huge part of our success.  For me, this was the toughest transition. Having to put forth more effort than ever to maintain good grades, and meet my expectations for myself. But as the year that really wasn’t as scary as once thought moved on, I learned what it took to achieve our goals.

                Fast forward two years and here I am, starting to narrow my college search down. Time has absolutely flown by. One year from now I will be starting my final trimester as a High Schooler, and looking forward to the next chapter in life. I cannot believe how fast high school has gone. I don’t know which is scarier: coming into high school for your first time, or trying to decide where you want to go to college. I’m going to say trying to decide where you want to go to college is scarier because it ultimately decides what you will be doing for the next 40-50 years down the road. Going into high school we know where we are going, and know what classes are needed to graduate. College is a whole different story. There are literally thousands of different paths I could go.

                A college decision is huge, but choosing your major is just as stressful. Business, Physical Therapy, Athletic Training, and Teaching are just a couple different areas I may choose. I am leaning toward business, which is great! But then I have to decide what part of business. Business administration, business economics, business development, business relations, or insurance agent are all different realms of business I could go into. At this point in life, once one decision is made, there are about 20 others that follow. It is one of the scariest things to have to wrap your mind around.

                It is incredible to think of how fast this high school thing has gone. It seems like just yesterday I was trying to decide what math class I wanted to take freshman year. Now I am deciding which city I wish to pursue my future in. If only the time could speed up just a little, although it has gone so fast, I am more than excited to make these though decisions and get into the “real world.” I know that time will come faster than expected, but I am still super excited to get on with my young life. (WC 525)

               

Super Bowl in Review

Earlier this evening the Super Bowl was played. It is one of the most watched events on television, both for the game, and the commercials. In my opinion the commercials this year were not nearly as good as they should have been, or have been in the past. They rarely made me laugh, and only one or two actually made me say, “Now that was a good commercial.” I was rather disappointed; I’d give the commercials an overall grade of a C-. Aside from the commercials, and power outage, I really enjoyed the Super Bowl.

Yes you read that right…a power outage. Shortly after halftime a little more than three fourths of the stadiums electricity went out. There was a 37 minute delay as we all waited for play to resume. The outage did nothing but help the San Francisco 49ers. The Ravens ran the opening kickoff after half back 109 yards for a touchdown. That gave the Ravens a 28-6 lead, and they showed no signs of letting up. This is when the lights went out. Killing almost all of the momentum Baltimore had. The 49ers came out of the delay and scored 17 to come within five points of the Ravens. The 49ers now had the momentum, and what looked like a potential blowout, has been made into a great game.

In the fourth quarter teams traded six points. Near the end of the quarter the 49ers were down by five inside the red zone. They threw a floater into the end zone…incomplete. It appeared the receiver was held, but there were no flags. All the Ravens had to do was get a first down and run out the clock. They failed to do so and were forced to punt. On the snap the punter ran around in the end zone killing ten seconds then stepped out to give the 49ers a safety. The Ravens now had to kick the ball away, up by three with two seconds left. The 49ers failed to run it back and so the AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens and older brother John Harbaugh will be bringing the Lombardi Trophy home to Baltimore. (WC 360)

Always an Interesting Experience.

What do you guys do when your parents tell you that you as well as your family are going to take an all day trip to learn about your family heritage? I’m guessing you would do just about the same thing I did which consisted of simply being completely reluctant to going and not budging when they say “we’re leaving!” As teenagers we can think of many different ways to spend our day than learning about our family heritage, I mean c’mon, a whole day? Are they trying to kill me?

This day started out in the Amana colonies, where by grandparents live, and my dad grew up. We first walked into a building where we were told we would eat breakfast. This building looked kind of like one of those cellars you see in old movies. It smelled like old people, and was filled with the as well! I was not about to take one bite of whatever they were about to serve me. We were all crammed into what is called a communal kitchen, and sat on hard benches. It was heated by a 200 year old wood stove (no joke) and the old ladies were cooking on a 200 year old stove top.

My dad told us to go into this with an open mind, but after being in this shack, it was very hard to do so. The ladies brought out some drinks, then some breakfast potatoes, then some homemade bread, churned butter, and handmade jelly. After that came fresh farm picked eggs, and bacon. I was literally eating my words. This was one of the best breakfasts I have ever eaten!

However, after that, we really had learned what we figured was enough we needed to know, and were hoping to go home. Nope, not the case, we then went to the Arts Guild. BOOOORRRRIINNNG. While going through it we were given the opportunity to play with the little gizmos and gadget kids played with in the 1800’s. It wasn’t so bad. Then we went through a museum which was actually kind of interesting, and then we ended the day at the Amana Bakery where we got bread, cookies, and pie. It was all very delicious.

After being very skeptical, and reluctant to go, I was glad I did. What we fail to realize, is sometimes the olden times come with some great things…especially food! So next time, if ever, your parent want to take you on a historical trip, I encourage you to go. If you go in with an open mind, you might come out with an arm full of delicious treats and interesting information. (WC443)

Super Bowl Special for Two Brothers

Let the chaos begin. With less than a week until the Super Bowl, this week, in the sports world, is known as Super Bowl Week. With interview after interview, followed by press conferences and pictures, the hype surrounding the Super Bowl is absolutely astonishing. I remember two years ago when the Packers were in the Super Bowl I was glued to the TV every day after school, and then that coming weekend no one could pull me away.

This year there is a bit of a unique situation regarding the Super Bowl…the two coaches are brothers. Jim and John Harbaugh are brothers. John, the oldest, is coach of the Baltimore Ravens, and Jim, the youngest, is coach of the San Francisco 49ers. It has happened where two brothers play each other, those being Eli and Peyton Manning. But for two brothers to coach two different teams in the NFL and then play in the Super Bowl, that is very unlikely. But low and behold, it is happening.

Usually if the Packers aren’t in the Super Bowl, I just kind of flip a coin to decide who to cheer for, but this year is different. This year I am pulling heavily for the Baltimore Ravens. Usually I cheer for the NFC team, but I’m switching it up this year. I am pulling for the Ravens for a couple of reasons, the main one being Mr. Ray Lewis.

Ray Lewis is, without question, a phenomenal football player. However, he is also, for what I have seen, a great guy. He reaches out into the community, does is best to help children of poverty, and always cares about others. He also has a way with words. Whenever he speaks, he inspires both his team, and anyone willing to listen. He is truly a remarkable man. He can put a room of grown men into tears with one sentence. That sentence being, “I am retiring at the end of the season.” When Lewis made that announcement many of the players fell apart. That just goes to show what a great role model and team mate Ray Lewis is.

With Ray Lewis retiring after the Super Bowl, it would be a great ending if he left with a win. He deserves it, and I know he will use it to better the community.  Other than Lewis’ story line, I am more of a fan of the Baltimore Harbaugh (John) than the San Francisco Harbaugh (Jim). It is for those two reasons, and the fact that the 49ers knocked the Packers out of the playoffs that I am cheering for the Ravens. (WC436)

Cold Showers Suck

I'm sick and tired of taking freezing cold showers every morning after lifting. At 7:20 every morning lifting class gets over and I want to shower. For the past 2 weeks the showers have been freezing...literally. It has been warmer outside than inside of those showers. As hard as it might be, I still toughen up and shower off.

If for sports we are required to lift, I think it should be expected that warm showers await us afterwards. In order to be able to get clean, it consisted of turning the shower on, going in for a second, getting out, applying soap, then going right back in quick to rinse off. It isn't fun, it isn't nice at all, but I have to shower!

As we have taken about 15 cold showers, we were looking for a better way to shower. We have told janitors, administration, and brought it up a lot, but nothing has gotten done. So, In response we went to the west gym showers which are for freshman basketball. Although not nice, they are warm, so we started using them. Well on the other day the basketball team took forever at practice and came in while we were showering. The freshman starting telling us to "get the hell out." Us juniors and seniors had none of it. We haven't gone to this school for 3+ years to get kicked out of the showers.

As we were leaving, we realized that only two of the freshmen (out of the 30 complaining) showered. That is some complete crap. You come in and yell at upperclassmen and then don't even shower. That's rude, unnecessary, and absolutely disgusting. The coach then told us, "It's too bad you ladies can't shower in cold showers, but I best never see you in there again." So the 10 of us left and were baffled he really told us that. I guarantee you that coach wouldn't shower in what we have showered in for the past two weeks.

Next week, the showers better be fixed, if not, I and the many others will be some very unhappy students. I feel really bad for the swimmers and basketball players (excluding freshmen) that have to take a freezing shower after practice, that is just awful. Meanwhile I hope more of the freshmen basketball players take personal hygiene into their own hands and shower offer practice. (WC 402)

Rarely Chosen...Unfortunately

Name the first five Chief Executive Officers (CEO’s) of large corporations that pop into your head. I bet at least four of them were men; it is very likely all of them were men. Believe it or not 95.8% of fortune 500 CEO’s are men. Why is this? Why are only about 4% of fortune 500corporations CEO’s women? There are a large array of reasons, one being image.

When at the helm of a large corporation, businesses want someone of power, one who looks bold, and someone who is confident. Quite frankly, people don’t associate those attributes with women. Many people believe that the woman is the main care giver for the children. As Nancy Pelosi stated in Miss Representation, “When women take a job of high status, they are asked who will take care of the kids. No one asks men that.” That reason alone may drive some corporations away from hiring a Women CEO.

According to money.cnn.com, one woman while interviewing for a job had to sign an agreement that she wouldn’t get pregnant for at least two years. It is things that little and that stupid that keep women out of high positions. Sometimes companies don’t want a female’s beauty to distract from the purpose. However realistically, in a highly professional setting, people are there to do business, not lust over a company’s female CEO.

Another reason companies don’t hire female CEO’s is because women are “weak.” When a woman cries on nation TV, it is seen as a weakness and everyone jumps on it. But when a man cries, it seems to show that they are sensible, and there for more liked. In all reality that’s not the case. In many situations, women would be the better option. They are often times more efficient, more organized, and can carry with them great communication skills. All that is overlooked and companies go straight to the 6’ 3’’ man with a bit of gray hair and strong in stature.

Once this gender role of men being of high importance started, it gets harder and harder for women to squeeze their way in. Corporations are trying to “keep up with the Jones’s” and often times, they believe that starts with a strong leader. Name a strong leader. I bet it was a man. Men are seen more as “strong leaders” than women and therefore corporations lean more toward hiring male CEO’s. (WC 407)

Long Weekends are Fantastic

Having a Monday off of school is just about the best thing ever. Usually Sunday nights consist of homework and dreading the next day, but when you have a Monday off, it consist of hanging out with friends and sleeping in. Pretty much, three day weekends are one of the best things schooling has to offer.

Today on my day off I'm cleaning my room, getting ahead on homework, going to lunch with friends, then going to a movie. It will be great (minus the cleaning and homework). I also enjoy being home alone. It's quiet, and I can wake up naturally, not by voices or music. Whenever I can just wake up when when my body wakes me up, I know it will be a great day. But one of the best things about a three day weekend is the short week that will follow.

On Tuesday it seems likes Monday, which granted isn't a great feeling, but then you realize it is Tuesday! Then come Thursday you feel like it's Wednesday, in reality, Friday is tomorrow! And then before you know it, the weekend has come even faster than expected. When breaks aren't anywhere close, a good three day weekend is sometimes what it takes to reload and recharge.

Often times, over long weekends I am able to be a lot more productive. I have no idea why, but I just get motivated to get stuff done over long weekends. I think my mom appreciates them too because she always comes home and the house is usually pretty clean after the day. I guess when I'm at home with nothing to do, I resort to doing dishes by hand. Sometimes I do the dishes because by hands are cold. I know it sounds stupid, but when doing the dishes you need hot water. When your hands are in hot water for a long period of time, they warm up. So it is a win win situation. Dishes/kitchen are now clean and my hands are now warm.

Since we have a half day every other Wednesday, it is vary rare that we have a Monday off. That is why every time we do it is such a big deal! I think out next long weekend is at the end of February, matter of fact, it is a four day weekend. I'm sure it will be fantastic! (WC 399)

Beautiful: Outside and In

Often times I believe many females are self-conscious about their bodies. Whether it is to look good for a boy, or just be classy, girls/women are often times get caught up in their outer beauty. What some fail to realize is that it’s not all about what’s on the outside that matters, it’s the inner beauty that really counts.

With today’s media and portrayal of women, it is a conceived notion that in order to be liked, you have to be drop dead gorgeous.  It seems like everywhere in advertising you see women, some clothed, and some barely at all. It is what gets the attention nowadays. What ladies will look past sometimes, is the fact that to be liked you don’t need to look perfect, or anywhere close to perfect; just be yourself. According to merriam-webster.com the term “beautiful” means to be generally pleasing. To some, sights might be pleasing, but to others, what is pleasing is on the inside.

Inner beauty is a thing ladies! To be liked you don’t have to have that perfectly toned and shaped body. If you are a genuine, sweet, caring person, you will be liked by the right people. Those Hollywood and media “fakes” are in it for the money, publicity, and guys. And the majority of guys that pursue those women in skimpy little bikinis, with “perfect” bodies seductively washing a car, are not the guys you want to be with in my opinion. All they are after is sex. I’m sure you would much rather have guys that care about you, rather than your body and looks. Those guys are the ones who look past the outside right into your inner beauty.  

Many ladies are unsatisfied with their body. But the truth is the majority of people who will recognize you think you are cute, beautiful, gorgeous, and/or stunning. Nobody judges your body as harshly as some women judge themselves. Even on those “bad days” someone out there still thinks you are beautiful both outside and in. There is absolutely no need to go to drastic measures to make you look perfect. Because your “perfect” is impossible to get to, but I guarantee someone else already thinks you look perfect. Don’t become theses stats, just be yourself. (WC 377)

Yay, Track

Track starts in about three weeks and boy am I ever excited. Nothing makes me happier than continuously running around a track until I’m about to keel over and vomit. It is fantastic. I love the meets where I am there until 11pm and then get home and have to do homework and other things. I love running in snow, rain, and other “not fun” things like that. Track is just wonderful.

Last year was my first year doing track…ever. It was fun to begin with, but quickly I realized how much I disliked running. My very first meet I was assigned to run a 4x400m relay. This would be fun, except for the fact that we have yet to run a 400m in practice! I had no idea how to pace myself or anything. So, I went with what seemed like my best option-run like a bat out of hell. It was a great idea until I reached the 300m mark and my legs could barely move. I was like a walking tree trunk, and was struggling to inch across the finish line. I ended up finishing at 60 seconds flat. Not good, but decent for my first 400 meter ever.

As the season progressed I dreaded running more and more and more. I got my 400 time down to a point where I was running in every meet. Just what I wanted to do. The whole season consists of running, turning left, and running some more. My first though was, “Well at least your can’t be credited with an error, like in baseball.” That notion was soon shot down when it got to handoffs. The handoff itself might be worse than running the actual race! Trying to have a clean, flawless handoff, and still run fast, comes with a great deal of failure at times. You don’t want to be the one to mess up the handoff, and lose points for your team.

As the track season came to a close, running a 400 still wasn’t my cup of team, but it wasn’t as bad. I wish I was fast enough to be a 100m or 200m guy; it’s the last 100m of the 400 that really kicks your butt. So now that I have secured the reputation of “a decent 400 runner” I have to go out for track again, bust my butt, try and get better, and win some metals. Track is the only sport (with the exception of swimming and cross country) where you get done with your task, and want to die/puke. If a baseball player felt like complete crap after every game, or every at bat, no one would play baseball. Yet, despite the feeling of death, people still go out for the great sport of track and field. (WC 466)

Many Options, Many Decisions.

It is hard to believe that one year from now I will be halfway through my senior year. Registering for next year has begun, and many people are overwhelmed with all of the options. Do I want to get to 400 credits, or get done with school at 11am? Do I want to take AP or regular? Do I want to take any courses at Kirkwood? Do I want to take any fun classes, or just get done what I have too? So many questions and all need to be answered in a matter of days.

                For me, I am in range of getting to 400 credits, but I also only need to take 3 classes to be able to graduate. As much as I just want to take those classes and get out, I know I want to what is best for my future. Therefore I will be taking many AP courses, and having a pretty close to full schedule. Not only will it look good, but it will help me decide what I want to go into. I have taken AP Language, but I plan on taking AP Literature in hopes of being more prepared for college.

                Next year I plan on Kirkwood courses such as a business course or a Physical Therapy course to help me decide what path I want to go down. Then when I get to the college I choose, I will be confident in my decision. Both Business and Physical Therapy appeal to me in multiple ways, but I have to balance the negatives. Some of those include years of schooling, salary, job security, and course work load in school.  Hopefully by taking a Kirkwood dual credit course, I can help narrow my path.

                Some people get really stressed out about the whole registration progress, and with good reason. The courses we take our senior year show a good deal of who we are both as a student and as a person in general. It tells colleges how hard we will work for the reward of a good grade, as well as if we are capable of taking college level courses. We may take one course (AP Biology for example) knowing that is the field you want to study. Then after completing the course realize you it isn’t for you. It is good to take many courses and help narrow the very large array of paths.

                With only a few days until we submit our requests, we decide whether or not we want to work hard our senior year or not. I chose to work hard rather than just scrape by. I believe it will not only better prepare me for the future, but allow me to fully enjoy and live out my senior year of high school. (WC 466)

Sudden End.

Well the Packers season came to an abrupt stop on saturday when they lost to the San Francisco 49ers 31-45. The Packers started out fast with an interception by Sam Shields to start the game. After that, the 49ers offense answered with a touchdown. Up until the third quarter, it was a back and forth game.

The Packers looked okay, but the 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernik tore up the Packers defense. The Green Bay defense was on the field the whole game it seemed. They would either create a turn over and score, turn the ball over, or just not stop them on 3rd down. Nonetheless, the Packer defense was very tired wen the fourth quarter rolled around.

In the fourth quarter the 49ers went up by a touchdown, then two, then three. One came off of a muffed punt, another off of an interception, and another by a Kaepernik run. Green Bays defense was giving up. When Green Bays offense came out they would do work for a bit, but not long enough to give the defense enough rest. It was simply a game of time of possession, and the Packers came up 20 minutes to short.

As irritating, frustrating, and upsetting the game was for me, I got over it rather quickly. The Pack won the Super Bowl two years ago, and could wait a few years until their next appearance. From hear on out I am cheering for Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens.

Next year will be a new year for the Packers. Lots of big name guys such as Greg Jennings and Donald Driver most likely wont be on the team next year. Although it will be tough to see them go, the Packers have plenty of talent in the receiving corps. WIth Randal Cobb, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson all having great seasons, the future is still very bright for the team. The biggest change the team needs to fix is the offensive and defense line. Both have struggled this season, and both need to get healthier, stronger, faster, and better. (WC 346)

Lockdown

Today we had a lockdown drill. I was probably in the worst room to be in during a lockdown. I was in Mr. Benedict’s room. One entire side is windows, and there is not enough room to hide people out of sight of the intruder. I scoped out my spot earlier, and when the drill began, went under a teacher desk, put my backpack on a chair and pull it in front of me, so I was hidden.

After the drill I started thinking, “where would I like to be in the school if we ever had to go on lockdown.” I decided that Ms. Bush’s Chemistry room would be perfect. There are about 7 different counters in the room that we could hide behind. While behind the counter we could pull out glass beakers, steel rods, Bunsen burners, and other miscellaneous equipment.  While doing that, Ms. Bush could be mixing up some solution that would burn the intruder’s eyes if he somehow entered the room. I say somehow because in order to get in there he/she would have to get through 2 huge metal doors that close of the chemistry section, then get through the room door, then enter. Very unlikely.

Not to mention that if we heard the intruder trying to get into the room we could just go to the back, and go out the back door into a stairwell that is only open to the two chemistry rooms and out the back of the school. That is if we can run really fast. If we decide going into the stairwell, or hiding behind counters aren’t good options, we could all huddle in the chemistry closet/storage room. In their there are two doors that only open with a key, a bunch of chemicals, hotplates, and other things we could use in our defense. We have already brought this up to the teacher, and we have our plan set.

I would feel a whole lot safer in her room than any other part of the school. Any other class room only has one way out, and we would all be SOL if someone got into it. Let alone Mr. Benedicts room. So pretty much what im saying is if someone is going to break in, do it during 4^th hour. I would feel very confident that I would be safe and secure in the Chemistry room. (WC 397)