Synapse to synapse

I completed my American School U.S. History course! Sure, it took 3 months to complete 1 course, but hey, I was motivationally challenged this semester. What really stinks is I cannot return to SCC until I graduate from high school (Seminole's dual enrollment program has different rules.) So much for dual enrollment! Well, I got to do Geometry, American Lit., Civics, and 2 Foreign Language credits to graduate. I had taken ASL 1 as a language in Brevard. But now I can't get back into SCC to take ASL 2 because I have not graduated. So, I have to pick a new language and go back to the start. Curse you Seminole County laws! Muahaha. Ok, my frustration is vented.

I. hate. shopping. for. clothes. Seriously, it is torture. Well, I went today. Needed more shorts and shirts.

I have a new story posted on the Gaidens blog. Please read it.

My music interest range is very wide. I can be listening to Death Cab or Iron and Wine one minute and then switch over to Linkin Park or Maroon 5 the next. The Shins and then Switchfoot. Coldplay then Weezer. So I guess I'd have to say I like just about anything (accept rap, heavy metal, opera, light rock, and on, and on, and on...)

I am going to buy an iPod. I knew I wanted a portable mp3 player, so I was looking at a bunch (outside of Apple.) But there are so many that are 100 bucks and have only 512 mb, or are 299 bucks and have 20 gb or so but are poor quality. So, I decided on an iPod. Yeah, I sort of put Apple last because it is a trend these days and I wanted to check the quality of others first (I am my parents child.) Well, in the end, I found that a 299 dollar iPod Video 30gb was a better deal with more features than others. I have never owned an iPod, so does anyone have any tips on how to buy it, where to buy it, what a good skin or case is to get, and how to take care of it best?

A nail gun is haunting me

This past weekend we headed down to South Florida for roofing. We left Saturday at 4 am. We did two roofs that day and another on Sunday. The same crew worked together both days, which was nice. I was amazed when we finished Sunday that we had completed 3 roofs. Hard work, but rewarding. When we started, all the stuff I had learned from roofing last year flowed back, which was nice. Nail guns are fun. Driving home Sunday night I tried closing my eyes to nap but I kept on seeing myself shooting a nail gun. I burst out laughing for some reason. Yeah, I think I was tired. Haha. Hospitality was wonderful, like always, at the sisters home we stayed at. I kept on thinking to myself, "What other people can enter each others homes as complete strangers and feel comfortable and loved?" John 13:35 is so, so true.

Everyone on the roof worked so hard and was skilled, too. That's definately why the roofs were completed so quickly: everyone worked hard and well, and still had fun. My mom took some photos; here are a few.

Mary belongs to the words of a song
I try to be strong for her, try not to be wrong for her
But she will not wait for me, anymore, anymore
Why did I say all those things before? I was sure

(she is the one), but I have a purpose
(she is the one), and I have to fight this
(she is the one), a villian I can't knock down

I see your face with every punch I take
and every bone I break, it's all for you
And my worst pains are words I cannot say
Still I will always fight on for you

Mary's alive in the bright New York sky
The city lights shine for her, above them I cry for her
Everything's small on the ground below, down below
What if I fall, then where would I go, would she know?

(she is the one), all that I wanted
(she is the one), and I will be haunted
(she is the one), this gift is my curse for now

I see your face with every punch I take
and every bone I break, it's all for you
And my worst pains are words I cannot say
Still I will always fight on for you

I see your face with every punch I take
and every bone I break, it's all for you
And my worst pains are words I cannot say
Still I will always fight on for you,
fight on for you,
fight on for you

"Sometimes we don't do the things we want to do so that others won't know we want to do them." - I.W.

Vail, Colorado

Oh, are you refinishing your car, sir?

Awww, good day in service! There was a great 7 am group. Spring Break began today so there were some youth out early, too, which was nice. We surprisingly found alot of people. Just at the two Publix's we stayed for almost a half-hour at each and people were coming at 2 at a time and 4 at a time. It was awesome. They were flooding out, literally, there was a flood in the parking lot...Okay, that's just stupid. Anyways, yeah it was fun. A few people who were supposed to be there at 7 did not show up. They can expect a kick in the shin later. That's right, I'm talking to YOU! Ooh, and lots out at 9. Maybe around 20 or more. Ah, the memorial season will be great. I love it when lots of people are out in service. You see them all over and you can meet up with them and change around, etc. Kel, David, Dante, and I unfortunately ended up in the same car group at 12...

My whole family is leaving for Colorado on Saturday morning. By family, that means everyone but me. Since, ya know, I was uh, adopted. Yes, I am going. I can't wait! My uncle let us use his timeshare or something in Vail so we are going to snowboard and ski and hang out and see family, etc. Basically, just have fun and do whatever we want. Ah, I can't wait to feel the cold mountain air! If anyone wants anything from out there let me know. If not I may just get you a gift anyway if I am feeling nice :-) So, what are your plans for next week? If you are not going away, what are you gonna do on your week off from school?

Only three of you will actually understand my post title.

Well, I am going to end this post. Here's another question for some more purpose to this post: What are your favorite T.V. shows? Okay, so hmm, what to do? Watchtower is at 7... What should I do 'til then? Hmm... I am a bit tired so I may just lay my head down and take a nap. See you soon!

First words coming home a few days ago...

"Hello? Oh crap, who left the milk out?"

Hmm...

In a comment, write something about yourself that is unique or that most people don't know. A hobby, a like, a dislike, anything.

Sunday Night

The life of a homeschooler...

Here are some pictures from the February 16 homeschoolers thingamabobber. I'm playing ice hockey again tonight so I am going to try and get some good action shots this time!

Call me Jamin.


Eric juggling.


Julia learning to juggle.


The creature from Waukesha!


Avril


Eric jumping over Jamin.


No comment.


Julia


Eric the wannabe Spider-Man.


Jamin tossing the mutant blob.

She Was a Picture

Kedrin didn't call his dreams "dreams," they were in no way comprised of imagination. They weren't flashes of images or in any way abstract. Every night it was like a high definition video streaming before his eyes. It felt so real to him. It was real. How could he forget the night he found his wife on the kitchen floor, on the cool tile, her heart not beating, her sweet, assertive voice not greeting him home, her aura completely black? The same thing happened every night, he closed his eyes, only to have them opened again as he found his wife on the tile. He always woke up before the water from the sink faucet trickled the blood off his fingers and down the drain.

His neighbors hadn't spoken to him in months. They had never even heard him mourn, they'd never seen any expression on his face since that night. His boss had fired him months ago, he never showed up for work, yet still, every morning he showered, made breakfast, went to his car and took off. No one knew where he went, and sadly no one seemed to care. He returned every evening at 5:30, went inside to the kitchen, washed his hands, had dinner, and went to bed. The same thing every day. He hadn't applied for a new job, he just drove, drove all day. He was close to bankruptcy, and the day before he received an eviction notice. Still, nothing was changed in his routine. His neighbors thought he was paranoid. But did he have a reason to be?
____________________________
Kedrin backed out of his driveway swiftly. The wheels creaked as he did so; he forgot to pop off the emergency break. The car jerked forward as he set the gears into drive and took off. He careened around the cars parked in the street. He always sat erect and confident in the worn seat of the small sedan. "Shoot!" he said calmly as he braked to a stop after the light turned yellow. Kedrin never swore, or pressed on the accelerator to beat a yellow light. He checked the meters on the dash: gas was full. At the green light he took off, leaving his neighborhood behind. His palms sweated. Crossing the intersection terrified him. Every car that passed him in the opposite lane seemed to move in slow motion. To him they were more than cars. The steering wheel wavered as cars passed, a little to the left, a little to the right. He saw every face that passed by, every man, every woman, every child in their carseat, every family. He always saw faces when he drove, and it seemed to be the only thing he noticed apart from the stop signs and traffic lights. His hands slipped slowly to the left towards an oncoming car, but his head screamed and he steadied the car in the lane. A warmness engulfed his face, and a few drops of sweat touched his eyeball, stinging him. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! All he saw were faces passing by. Ahead an eighteen-wheeler traveled toward him. "Where's a face?" His brain screamed that question. His eyes focused towards the drivers side of the cabin. The glass was black. "A black aura?" his brain troubled. No face could be seen, no life, no movement, just an object running to him at 50 miles per hour. Nothing within him screamed. He watched his hands as they drifted to the left with the steering wheel. Confusion grasped his face as this happened. "What's worse?" There was no slow motion as the truck approached, just the sight of his car entering the other lane followed by the sound of the truck blaring its horn. Was he paranoid? If so, did he have a reason to be? He lifted his eyes from gazing at his hands and looked at the black glass of the truck cabin. Right before he closed his eyes he felt as if the last few seconds had slowed down. But there was no time for confusion to set in. Staring at the back of his eyelids, he watched the colors dancing, shifting, morphing, jumping, and changing. It was like a black aura with hundreds of colors speckled throughout. A still image of his wife flashed among the colors. She was the picture he saw as his body was violently hurled forward.

What could be worse than losing the one you love?

Saturday Night Hockey

The Zamboni cleaning the ice before the game.



















Ready to go!



















Matt, our game announcer, donning his Spartan jersey.



















Delbridge is ready to go!



















Warming up.



















Goalie warming up and checking his territory.



















At the start of the 2nd, we are up one!



















Resting after 1st period action.



















Charles coming in for a break after the 1st period.



















The new duckling is on the ice.



















At the start of the final period, we are up 4 goals!



















We got a crowd! Fans!



















Matt delivering play-by-play commentary!



















Final score: 8-18!

My Drawings!

Check out this cool animation!

First you have to turn your speakers up loud so you can hear the sound. Whoever made it messed up the audio. Just blast your speakers so you can hear it. It may take 30 seconds or so for it to load so just watch the screen so you don't miss it. Enjoy!

Click here.

Something you are not.

You know what kind of people annoy me? Those who will say things to make you feel a little lower than them, finding fault or something unique or weird in your words or actions to try and crack a joke about it. Also, when people try to be something they are not, normal, easy going, or "cool" If that's how they are that is awesome! But, it's when it is an act that I get annoyed. I've seen people like that whose friendship with another dwindled into nothing it seems. You give and get nothing back, or give and slowly lose getting something back. It's kind of sad to see that. I have always told my sisters, "If you ever see me trying to be something I'm not, trying to be all 'cool' or whatever, hit me on the head with a rock!" And I meant every word. So maybe I'll hit some other people on the head with a rock, even though they didn't ask for it. You can only try to help someone help themselves for so long.

"My mother always talked to me a lot about the sky. She liked to watch the clouds in the day, and the stars at night... especially the stars. We would play a game sometimes, a game called, 'What's Beyond the Sky?' We would imagine darkness or a blinding light or something else that we didn't know how to name. But, of course, that was just a game. There's nothing beyond the sky. The sky just is, and it goes on and on, and we play all of our games beneath it." -A.K.

General Greene Road

Kafilcafish Pictures Presents!

Kafilcafish Pictures (Daniel Greene and Eric Hoanshelt) Presents an experimental short film, Skedaddle Dude. Check it out and leave feedback for Eric and I! You may even have a credit in the movie. Why? You'll have to wait and see!

Skedaddle Dude Movie - Kafilcafish 2006

Backup download link: click here.

Gymnastics in the street!

Ok, so after Watchtower study on Friday we went outside to watch Alice do a flip. Then we all ended up outside and were doing handstands and flips in the street and the yard for the next hour. It was so much fun! Here are some pictures...

Ben coming in for landing after a flip.

Kevin thinking, "What are they doing?"

Handstands.

Aaron flying by David.