9/27-10/1 - TEXAS

I have had the opportunity to recently visit San Antonio, Texas to view my brother’s graduation from basic training. When I first stepped off the plane, it was almost as if I had been slapped in the face. The heat was almost too much to bear, and I am from Georgia!! It was not only the heat that affected you either. The humidity is what made the heat index rise. I think the hottest it got while we were there was 104 degrees, with the heat index soaring above 110 degrees. Forget the weather though. The driving was insane. Drivers in San Antonio remind me of drivers in Time Square on New Year’s Eve!! They kept cutting us off and slamming on their brakes when they were in front of us. I think what bugged me the most was the simple fact that nobody there seemed to know how to use their turning signals. The bridges and overpasses were also crazy. No matter where we turned, it seemed like there was always someone there to cut us off. Driving in San Antonio kind of reminded me of driving in California. It might not have been so bad if people in Texas actually drove in the speed limit and used there turning signals when driving. I didn’t mind being in Texas for four days but I will never live there.

9/20-9/24 Past

There are many stories that I could tell about my past where I have learned something, but two of them stick out the most. When I was little, my parents always told me not to throw things in the house. I pretended to hear them, but I was ten years old and I knew everything! Well, one day when I was home with my grandma, I decided to play catch with my recorder in my room. When I threw it up in the air, one of the pieces flew off the end and went right through the window! One thing I learned from that incident is that my dad does not really like coming home to a broken window!! I also learned that I should probably listen to my parents when they tell me not to do something because when they do, it usually means that something bad is going to happen if I don’t. Another story that I learned from comes from last year. Last year was when my grandma died. I always thought that I spent a lot of time with her, but after she died, I realized I was wrong. I took for granted the weekends that I used to spend with her. It wasn’t until she died that I wished I had more time. A key lesson I learned from that is to never take time for granted, because once it is gone, you can never get it back. Now I live for the moment and spend as much time as possible with family and friends.

9/20-9/24 Present

I think the biggest thing that I love about my life is where I am. I love the fact that I made it to the 12 grade without failing any classes. I am so thankful that I have my family also. They are the reason I am still in the position that I am in. If it had not been for them, I would still be in Georgia and probably not doing so well in school. They are also my motivation when it comes to sports as well. They come to all of my games and are proud even if I lose. Also, I love all of my friends because they stuck with me even when I was the new kid on the block from Georgia. Another thing that I love about my life right now is where I am going tomorrow. I am going to Texas to watch my brother graduate from Basic Training in the Air Force. He has been away from home for over eight weeks and I finally get to go and see him. I am really excited. One other thing I love about life in general is that I actually have the ability to do the things I do. I might be the only one, and I do not know why, but I do not take the everyday freedoms I have for granted. I know that there are people who fought and died to preserve this sacred freedom and I respect that. I also realize that there are people who cannot enjoy the same freedom, and I really do pity them.

9/20-9/24 Future

When I get out of High school, I leave for Basic Training for the Air Force. I know this because I joined there DEP (Delayed Entry Program) over the summer. I thought it would be a good idea because now I can go through my senior year of high school and not have to worry about what I am going to do when I get out. I think if I have a job and I am able to support my family and I and not have to worry, I would have gotten what I want out of life. I plan on achieving this goal by taking it one step at a time. If I take it a step at a time then I can focus on accomplishing one thing at a time also and I think that would make my life easier. When I get done with Basic Training, my MOS (specialty) will be in tactical aircraft maintenance. The specialty training for this MOS is going to be six months. I will be in the AF for six years and then I can transfer out into a civilian job at an airport.

Blog#3 9-17

One day my friend decided that he wanted to move. We all liked the idea so he began to look for houses on the internet. He found one on matchmaker and decided to go check it out. He left one morningand was supposed to come back within the week. He never did. After three years, me and my other friend decided to go and look for him! When we got to the house that he found on the internet, we found it to be deserted. We went inside and found a note from the owners on the table, though. All it said was to go and look at the back porch. My friend went and checked it out but did not come back. I went out back to look for him. I stepped outside and all of the sudden, I started to fall. While falling, I thought to myself that maybe one day somebody will finally build a porch.

Blog#2 9-17

My mom invited my boss over for dinner last night and it didn't end well. When he came over, we all sat down and started talking. We were actually enjoying each other's company and pretty soon we smelled something burning in the kitchen!! My mom had forgotten all about the dinner that was in the oven! She had to remake everything and my boss was getting impatient. He proposed that we should just order a pizza or something but my mom insisted on cooking the meal. She said that she already had it started again and did not want to take it all out again. While she was in the kitchen, I had to chill with my boss as he steadily grew more and more impatient. All of the sudden he began to freak out and I didn't know what to do. I just sat there as he began to feast on my mom's Chinese made china!! When I went to work the next week, I found out that he died from lead poisoning.

9/13-9/17 # 1

One thing that I like about this painting is the simplicity of it. I like that there is nothing complicated about it. I think the meaning behind this painting is to show us that even if we can't see it, things can still be fragile and ready to break. When the cup is solid, we tend to forget that that the egg is still there and can be broken very easily. It isn't until the cup begins to fade that we are brought back to reality and we realize what we forgot.I also like the fact that the whole thing is on a checkerboard. I do not know why but it seems to add a sort of elegance to the whole painting.