Goober-Redneck Graduation

I knew when I arrived last night that this year's graduation would hold much of the same--long speeches from class leaders offering advice to their fellow classmates, a what-would-seem-to-last-40-days diploma ceremony, so on so on, and of course, a plethora of rednecks in the audience. That is a given.

The speeches were actually better than usual. A couple of them were a little rough, but their were two that I particularly enjoyed. Then came the diploma distribution...and, with it of course, the screaming, hooting 'rednecks.' Two specific examples stand out above the rest: the screaming of "yea sexy mama" as Gina Collins accepted her diploma, and the blowing of an air horn (yes an airhorn, as in the kind one might blow at a sporting event or on a boat if the fog is rather thick) as this group's person accepted his/her diploma. Had somebody shouted "Get-er-done" and/or rang a cowbell, the redneck celebration would have been complete.

This sort of thing is not unique to the graduating class of 2005, and I doubt it's unique only to Hampshire High School. Maybe I'm just a snob, but I just don't see graduation as the proper time to shout "sexy mama" or to blow an air horn...maybe that's just me?

At any rate, congratulations Graduates. If your next few months are anything like mine were, you will spend the first few saying how much you miss high school, but fear not, because that quickly passes and moves on to the celebration of the fact that you are no longer in high school. I have come to realize that I miss my friends from high school, but I definitely don't miss high school in and of itself.

I'll try to be more frequent with my updates..busy with work and I apologize profusely.

Back on Track

Firstly, let me apologize for my posting, or lack-there-of, as of late. Finals came and required much attention, then moving out, helping my grandmother move, unpacking her stuff, unpacking my stuff and on top of it all my computer had a little bug which required extraction. Fear not, though, for I believe all is now well and with a little luck my regular posting (including Friday-Mixups) will be back on schedule.

Secondly, let me say that I am greatly relieved that the year is up. I loved my first year, but I was (still am) extremely tired and really need(ed) a break. It was mucho enjoyable to have a couple (three) days to myself with no agenda--no running for exams, eating on a schedule, working, nothing. Just me and home. I used those three days to do a variety of activities. I began weeding the flower beds and cleaning out the pond. My pond is coming along nicely, though it's not quite finished, and the Azalea bushes outside of my bedroom window look awesome this year:

A close up of my Azalea bushes.

I was also able to enjoy the Hampshire Band's Spring Concert and visit some old 'friends' at HHS. I think it's interesting to go back to the high school. The reaction of former teachers is so interesting and each teacher has his/her own unique reaction. Some teachers, like Miss Broderick, treat you the same as always, speaking to you like an intelligent adult. Other teachers, who had treated you like the student you were, now treat you like an adult, talking to you like an old friend as they hold back on NOTHING, giving you every last drop of their opinion or of the current gossip that is dominating the everyday conversation. Other teachers still treat you like a little kid or a current HHS student. Regardless of the treatment, it's still quite interesting to experience all of this.

One of my teachers and I had a long talk about everything that is going on at HHS and in the county. She and I decided that, for the most part, the young teachers who are in the schools today are to blame for the problem, because they treat teaching like a JOB, which, as we know, it is not. It has to be more than a job--that has always been my thought, and I hope that I hold on to that belief as I complete my degree and go on to be an educator. Talking about the problems of the local education system is sad, sometimes, because I think it's human nature NOT to want to hear bad about something you've been a part of for so long. It is also scary to think that in just a few years I could be in the midst of all these problems. At the same time, though, it is interesting to hear how many of the veteran teachers in the system look to us--people of my age who are currently working on their degree--as the solution to all of the problems. I really don't know that we will be able to live up to the expectations of many of our former educators, but I for one hope that I can. Some of these so called 'old' teachers are some of the best people I have ever had the opportunity to know.

I am rambling now.

I think we'll call it a night. Back to a normal schedule ASAP. Hope all is going well for Hampshire-Shepherdians (as Casey M. calls us) and for all the rest of the students who are out or are about to be out of school.

Friday Wind-Up

Wow. End of the week. Finally. I think I do more of these 'end of the week' picture/anything-goes-posts than I do anything else. Oh well.

I'm glad it's Friday. The first half of my finals is OVER, and the rest is alllll down hill from here, so that is very good.

The first two were quite rough: American Lit and Western Civ from French Revolution to Today. The finals were both completely essay finals (in class, of course) and they were monsters, but I feel comfortable about them both.

Just a couple of more and then I'm finished. Wonderful.

The room is packed--sort of strange, but nice nonetheless. I'm sure in a week or so I'll be itching to come back, but I'll just have to suck it up and wait until August 15.

You know, I don't feel like writing. I know I have said absolutely nothing worth hearing, but I just don't feel like writing. So...

goodbye.

Condi Puts Kim Jong-Il in a Headlock

I love Condolezza Rice. She is a monster-beast who doesn't take crap from anyone.

Today she told North Korea to shut the hell up or she would personally fly to the capital city and put Kim Jong Il in a headlock until he says 'uncle' and promises to behave. She's the friggin' man.

Condi is a Beast (From Washingtontimes.com)

A few excerpts from the WashintonTimes.com article:

"I don't think anyone is confused about the ability of the United
States to deter -- both on behalf of itself and on behalf of its allies -- North
Korean nuclear ambitions or gains on the peninsula," Miss Rice said during an
appearance at the State Department

"And, of course, the United States maintains significant -- and
I want to underline significant -- deterrent capability of all kinds in the
Asia-Pacific region," she added. "So I don't think there should be any doubt
about our ability to deter whatever the North Koreans are up to."

The warning came as the United Nations opened a nonproliferation
conference at which the Bush administration called for international pressure on
North Korea and Iran to give up their nuclear ambitions.
"They need to make a strategic decision to abandon their
nuclear weapons programs," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

Global tensions over nuclear proliferation escalated during the weekend
when North Korea fired a short-range missile into the East Sea/Sea of Japan, and
Iran warned that it might resume enrichment of uranium after the failure of
talks with European nations.

If Condi were turned loose on all these bad folks we wouldn't have any more problems, ever. She'd get the job done. I think she should be nominated for the Secretary General of the UN because she's a monster beast.

Copy-Cat

Just call me a copy-cat, because I guess that's what I am.

I need to rant. Yes. I know. That's what I always do--rant about politics, about war, about dumb liberals, about the media and about stupid people. But today I just need to rant because I need to. I need to rant about everything. Everyone. All at once.

To do this, I'm going to thief--yes, thief--Casey's idea: I'm going to share my list of things I am tired of, hate and/or want to see changed. They will, doubtlessly, fall into a variety of categories. Here you go:

1. I am tired of fueding lovers. That's the only way to describe it--fueding lovers. I am tired of people my age who say, at one moment, "I love you," when, in reality, they have no idea what love is. They fight and pick about stupid things instead of over looking them. They say things just to hurt the other person. Then, that other person takes the 'hurter' back into her arms and says its ok. Then the cycle repeats. I am tired of this. I want this to stop. People like this are why young people are scoffed at when they say their in love.
2. I am tired of lazy people. I am tired of hearing about how home work was put of yet again, studying was put of yet again, this was put of yet again and now this person is under enormous stress. It's sad. If you can't finish your work when you wait until the last minute, then don't wait: Do it NOW.
3. I'm tired of people who are inappreciative. I don't like people who poke fun at, make fun of, put down or write off something that they have which, though they may not see it, has high value. We need to all, and that we includes me at times, remember that God gives us everything--and we should be thankful for everything. EVERYTHING.
4. I'm tired of drunkards. Shepherd University is plagued with drunkards--especially on Wednesday nights. Ross made a comment on his blog about how the drinking age should be lowered because it would decrease the abuse of alcohol which occurs. Ross, I agree 100% that the drinking age should be 18, but I don't think for one minute that it will help stop stupidity. Stupidity is a problem with deeply embedded roots which no law modifying will help stop.
5. I'm tired of cartoons. I realize that cartoons are not something to be make you made, but they make me mad. I don't understand how somebody in the 18-20 age range can be so consumed by hours upon hours, and I mean that literally, of cartoons. Family Guy, Simpsons, King of the Hill, Spongebob, Looney Tunes, Jimmy Neutron: I am tired of you all and if I was given the chance, I would arm myself with an eraser and commit cartoon genocide. I'd take one of those fat pink erasers and go to town and I wouldn't stop until every shred of your little drawn body was eradicated. Goodbye cartoons. Goodbye.
6. I'm tired of people who make themselves out to be victims. It's disgusting. I hate it.
7. I'm tired of 'Gay-Pride.' I'm tired of ugly lesbians--all lesbians--making out outside the dining hall window. I'm tired of 'ALLIED' stickers, 'Help Fight Hate' buttons, 'Support gay, lesbian, bi-sexual etc.etc.' stickers. I'm tired of girly-men skipping down the hall way with other men. It's a sin. It's evil. It's wrong. It's immoral. It's gross. I am tired of it.
8. I'm tired of people who do not see their own self worth. I'm tired of them having no confidence in their abilities, intelligence, talent, looks, etc. etc. I'm tired of them putting themselves down. I'm tired of them not believing in themselves, despite all anyone tells them about how wonderful they are.
9. I'm tired of people who think the world owes them something when they have done nothing, and I do mean nothing, to deserve anything from the rest of the world. They are the people who are always stressed, though they have nothing to stress about. They're always swamped, though they do nothing that requires hard work. They want pity, though they do not deserve it.
10. Just to make an even '10,' I'm tired of the NHL lockout. This is stupid. Guys, get this crap fixed and get some puck going for next year. This MUST end NOW. I HAVE to have hockey next year or I think I might just explode. I miss watching it, feeling it, loving it. It is hard to love something you have seen nothing positive about for a year and a half. I neeeeeed some NY Rangers' hockey in my heart, and I need it now.

Just so that I am not completely negative, I'll share a few things--though probably not as many--that I am happy with and want to continue.

1. I am quite happy with my own personal relationship. Courtney and I rarely fight--actually, the last fight we had was over a year ago. We rarely argue. We get along well. She is kind and cares about me more than, I think, anybody else. I try to do the same for her. She makes me laugh and smile all the time. She takes good care of me, and I try to do the same for her. She has been in Florida for the past week, and that has made me remember just how much I love her and has made me appreciate the time I have with her even more.
2. I am happy with my friends, for the most part. I have always said I'm blessed with the best friends ever. I'm sure others feel this way outside of the 'HHS' group, but I just feel like I graduated with, or attended high school with, some of the best young people on the face of the earth. While there are a few who were outside of the class of '04, I think the majority of us graduated together. I appreciate and love you all.
3. I am happy with my freshman year at Shepherd. My grades are good. My classes have been enjoyable. My memories are plentiful. I'm lucky to be here and I love Shepherdstown--even with all of its liberal, leftist commie weirdos.
4. I'm happy with my life as a whole. Sometimes I get annoyed or aggravated, but on a whole, my life is really good.
5. I'm happy with the weather lately. I know that is a weird one, but I am. It's been just perfect--in the mid '60's--for the past few days. Wonderful.
6. I am happy that the new Star Wars movie is out in less than 20 days. How wonderful.

I told you I would struggle to come up with many.

I know that this post has been boring, but I do not care. This is a forum for my thoughts, not yours.

Finals start this week, so posting may be even less than usual. Sorry about that, too.

For any college/high school student who reads this--good luck to you all on finals. May God bless you and help you through them ;)