Look At All These Medels...
Olympic Medal winners at NBC Olympics.com!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Wow....
Well, it is kind of hard to believe, but yes, this is my last “official” blog. It has been quite the year and lots of lessons have been learned, and hopefully they will be continuously applied throughout the rest of our lives. I never really thought I would hear myself saying this, but I really am going to miss all of you, saying that over seventy five percent of you will be going to Layton High school. It is sad to believe that most of us will not be talking anymore after this year simply because we will not see each other again. Towards the end I have been really busy with getting ready for Olympiad and all, and you know, as I have thought about every person in this “class” I have thought of something that I could say to every one of you, and unfortunately those comments will never be said, and those conversations will never be held. I know that the reason most of you probably stopped reading my blog is simply because I am always so reminiscent, and I sound like some old geezer, but, well, I do not know what I really could say.
But as we leave this year lets all think about what we are actually leaving behind, that is exactly right, a legacy, it was three years in the making and now, the main part of it is complete, but now we move on to complete the other part, and that other part is what we make of the life that we started in this school, so we must remember that we must keep working to complete this legacy that we started. We will watch the seventh and eighth graders do the same that we have been doing. And once again, without noticing, I have started to ramble again. But really guys, we always need to try to be better as we will always have that younger generation watching us to see what they should do next. Se need to continue on and try our hardest to get better and try not to get tired with anything that we try to do.
Well on a bit lighter note… How but something funny
Police Humor
So, you thought that cops had no sense of humor… the following were taken off of actual police car videos around the country.
· “Relax. The handcuffs are tight because they’re new. They’ll stretch out after you wear
them awhile.”
· “Take your hands off the car, or I’ll make your birth certificate a worthless document.”
· “If you run, you’ll only go to jail tired.”
· “Can you run faster than 1,200 feet per second? In case you didn’t know, that is the
average speed of a 9mm bullet fired from my gun.”
· “So, you don’t know how fast you were going. I guess that means I can write anything I
want on the ticket, huh?”
· “Yes Sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don’t think it will help. I am the shift
supervisor?”
· “Warning! You want a warning? O.K., I’m warning you not to do that again or I’ll give you
another ticket.”
· “The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was
Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?”
· “Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven.”
· “In God we trust. All others we run through the NCIC.”
· “Just how big were those two beers?”
· “No, Sir, we don’t have quotas anymore. We used to have quotas, but now we’re allowed
to write as many tickets as we want.”
· “I’m glad to hear the chief of Police is a good personal friend of yours. At least you know
someone who can post your bail.”
· “You didn’t think we gave pretty women tickets? You’re right. We don’t. Sign here”
Well remember if any of you any need anything I am always here, and feel free to give me a call. And I will miss all of you.
But as we leave this year lets all think about what we are actually leaving behind, that is exactly right, a legacy, it was three years in the making and now, the main part of it is complete, but now we move on to complete the other part, and that other part is what we make of the life that we started in this school, so we must remember that we must keep working to complete this legacy that we started. We will watch the seventh and eighth graders do the same that we have been doing. And once again, without noticing, I have started to ramble again. But really guys, we always need to try to be better as we will always have that younger generation watching us to see what they should do next. Se need to continue on and try our hardest to get better and try not to get tired with anything that we try to do.
Well on a bit lighter note… How but something funny
Police Humor
So, you thought that cops had no sense of humor… the following were taken off of actual police car videos around the country.
· “Relax. The handcuffs are tight because they’re new. They’ll stretch out after you wear
them awhile.”
· “Take your hands off the car, or I’ll make your birth certificate a worthless document.”
· “If you run, you’ll only go to jail tired.”
· “Can you run faster than 1,200 feet per second? In case you didn’t know, that is the
average speed of a 9mm bullet fired from my gun.”
· “So, you don’t know how fast you were going. I guess that means I can write anything I
want on the ticket, huh?”
· “Yes Sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don’t think it will help. I am the shift
supervisor?”
· “Warning! You want a warning? O.K., I’m warning you not to do that again or I’ll give you
another ticket.”
· “The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was
Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?”
· “Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven.”
· “In God we trust. All others we run through the NCIC.”
· “Just how big were those two beers?”
· “No, Sir, we don’t have quotas anymore. We used to have quotas, but now we’re allowed
to write as many tickets as we want.”
· “I’m glad to hear the chief of Police is a good personal friend of yours. At least you know
someone who can post your bail.”
· “You didn’t think we gave pretty women tickets? You’re right. We don’t. Sign here”
Well remember if any of you any need anything I am always here, and feel free to give me a call. And I will miss all of you.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Honors English: Almost There
Dear Matt,
As you more than know, this is the start of the last full week of school, in just under two weeks you will cease to be a ninth grader and become a tenth grader at Davis High School. Throughout the Honors English course you always seemed to try your hardest in all that you did, and from the sounds of things, you never really enjoyed English as a subject, that is until now. Over the course of the year, in my regular English class, and over the internet in this online course, I have seen a greater appreciation for what you have, and what you know. You worked hard to complete this course, but there are a few things on which you could have improved on throughout the year.
Mainly with your blogs more than you discussion board posts, I have noticed that sometimes you seem to rushed to sit down and write a really good blog, instead sometimes they seemed a little too rushed to e enjoyable. This really only seemed to become a problem during the fourth term, when your blogs started to come in a day or two late, and were thrown together almost too rapidly. Other than this, your experience in the Honors English program has seemed to be a very good one, and I see no problem in awarding you full credit. Congratulations.
Sincerely,
(This is where Mr. Thompson would have signed…)
So this being the next to last blog that will be posted as an official “for credit” writing. I guess there are a few things that should be said, but really I don’t know any of them to say. I mean, for all of us this has been a profitable year, and for those of us who stuck it out and are here at the end of the year still active in all of our posts and what-not will stand out from those who did not even make it through the first term of this class. Not only has this class made us all better at what we do as students, but it has taught us all a different form of work, not necessarily anything hard, but it gave us the ability to follow through with what we said we would do, and to make us better people by making us all people of our words.(Literally as we write so many blogs……)
But I think that we can all owe a great deal of it to Mr. Thompson as he was the one who was the one who made all of this possible for all of us, without him, none of us would be sitting at our computers at 10:00 every Sunday night… But I think that we all owe a great deal of respect and gratitude to Mr. Thompson as he was up nights a lot more than we were just to get things ready for us to be able to take this class and follow through, so a big round of applause for Mr. Thompson!!!
As you more than know, this is the start of the last full week of school, in just under two weeks you will cease to be a ninth grader and become a tenth grader at Davis High School. Throughout the Honors English course you always seemed to try your hardest in all that you did, and from the sounds of things, you never really enjoyed English as a subject, that is until now. Over the course of the year, in my regular English class, and over the internet in this online course, I have seen a greater appreciation for what you have, and what you know. You worked hard to complete this course, but there are a few things on which you could have improved on throughout the year.
Mainly with your blogs more than you discussion board posts, I have noticed that sometimes you seem to rushed to sit down and write a really good blog, instead sometimes they seemed a little too rushed to e enjoyable. This really only seemed to become a problem during the fourth term, when your blogs started to come in a day or two late, and were thrown together almost too rapidly. Other than this, your experience in the Honors English program has seemed to be a very good one, and I see no problem in awarding you full credit. Congratulations.
Sincerely,
(This is where Mr. Thompson would have signed…)
So this being the next to last blog that will be posted as an official “for credit” writing. I guess there are a few things that should be said, but really I don’t know any of them to say. I mean, for all of us this has been a profitable year, and for those of us who stuck it out and are here at the end of the year still active in all of our posts and what-not will stand out from those who did not even make it through the first term of this class. Not only has this class made us all better at what we do as students, but it has taught us all a different form of work, not necessarily anything hard, but it gave us the ability to follow through with what we said we would do, and to make us better people by making us all people of our words.(Literally as we write so many blogs……)
But I think that we can all owe a great deal of it to Mr. Thompson as he was the one who was the one who made all of this possible for all of us, without him, none of us would be sitting at our computers at 10:00 every Sunday night… But I think that we all owe a great deal of respect and gratitude to Mr. Thompson as he was up nights a lot more than we were just to get things ready for us to be able to take this class and follow through, so a big round of applause for Mr. Thompson!!!
Miscellaneous #2
Well the war of the End-of-Levels has returned for its annual visit once again, just as it does every year. I have actually done really quite a lot better than I thought that I would, but I think the hardest one yet, is that darn Math test. Just a quick clarification- it is the Intermediate Algebra Honors test that I am talking about. (Wow, what a name...) I don’t know what you others thought about it who took it, but for me it was the hardest out of all the tests. I am more of a science nerd that I am a math nerd, as you may have guessed. But I tend to do a lot better in Science than I do Math, although Trig is actually Okay… But any ways I guess that by the time the Math test rolled around I was really starting to get sick and tired of taking tests, and what do you know, I have another one in math tomorrow. Now many of you may have already seen this, but this is a poem that my sister found on taking tests:
Test Prayer
Now I sit me down to study,I pray the Lord I won't go nutty.If I should fail to learn this junk, I pray the Lord I will not flunk.But if I do, don't pitty me at all,Just lay my bones down in the study hall.Tell my teacher I did my best.Then pile my books upon my chest.And when I lay me down to rest,I pray I'll pass tomorrow's test.If I should die before I wake,That's one less test I'll have to take.-Author Unknown-
Well it may not be quite as bad as what is depicted in this poem, we probably all feel like this at times, especially around those big ones. But I guess if we study and study hard we don’t really have anything to worry about but then there always is that little unknown fact that we always fear in a test, but then again, what makes a test, is always that little unknown factor I guess.
Tests don’t always present themselves in the written form that we always dread, they can present themselves in other ways through out our lives, like going through scouting, or lifeguarding, some may never know what any of these are like, but still we will all face them at sometime or another in our life, for most of us those tests will be in the next few years of our lives, like colleges, work, roommates, or other things that might appear to us as mid early year crisis’ to us at the time that they happen to us.
I guess what I really was trying to get at during this blog, as I have for so many other blogs, we all will face trials throughout our lives, and the kind of people we end up being depends on the choices we make as we face these trials.
Test Prayer
Now I sit me down to study,I pray the Lord I won't go nutty.If I should fail to learn this junk, I pray the Lord I will not flunk.But if I do, don't pitty me at all,Just lay my bones down in the study hall.Tell my teacher I did my best.Then pile my books upon my chest.And when I lay me down to rest,I pray I'll pass tomorrow's test.If I should die before I wake,That's one less test I'll have to take.-Author Unknown-
Well it may not be quite as bad as what is depicted in this poem, we probably all feel like this at times, especially around those big ones. But I guess if we study and study hard we don’t really have anything to worry about but then there always is that little unknown fact that we always fear in a test, but then again, what makes a test, is always that little unknown factor I guess.
Tests don’t always present themselves in the written form that we always dread, they can present themselves in other ways through out our lives, like going through scouting, or lifeguarding, some may never know what any of these are like, but still we will all face them at sometime or another in our life, for most of us those tests will be in the next few years of our lives, like colleges, work, roommates, or other things that might appear to us as mid early year crisis’ to us at the time that they happen to us.
I guess what I really was trying to get at during this blog, as I have for so many other blogs, we all will face trials throughout our lives, and the kind of people we end up being depends on the choices we make as we face these trials.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Miscellaneous
Well hitting on what I said in my last blog- Music- well I guess that I am really trying to hit on media in general- there is really not much out there that you can go watch and totally just leave your chair and go into some place that is not even close to reality, someplace that you can just go to and leave everything behind, and think of some other place that you almost wish to be a part of. Someplace that you can be something that does not seem like any other place in the world today, maybe it was the world 200 years ago, back in the old west, when the only thing that you really had to worry about was whether or not your horse had been stolen while you were in the Hotel or if when you walk out into the street someone’s going to shoot you in the back (at least if you are John Wayne..) But any ways, how many things have seen that just take you right out of your seat?
Still on the media note- How many of you have seen Iron man? I think that movie was one that came really close to just taking me over into some other world that I wish I belonged to, well, I guess it did actually. Wouldn’t that kind of technology be fun to be a part of making? I mean, that little arc reactor thingy, that would be totally awesome! I kind of wish that I had the brain to do something like that, but unfortunately, there are only a small hand-full of people that are able to do that. I am so excited to know that there is a second one coming out though! Does anybody have any guesses what it is going to be about this time?
Here’s one of my discussion board responses…
Something that really hit me was, well, I guess the fact that both characters learned that they weren't the only people in the world that were facing challenges, and if all of the world's troubles were piled into a giant pile and divided equally among everybody, they would rather have their own back that they started with. I think that sometimes we all have a hard time remembering that we aren't the only thing that is important in this life- we have to think of others and help them- it is the only way we will be able to cope with our problems in the end, and it is the only way we can learn. By standing strong and facing our own "stack" of problems we can set an example for others and keep fighting the ever growing possibility of being "run over" by the world.
And another…
Well I do agree with the article in most if not all of its statements- but I don't really see any of these things really "creeping" into my life. I don't really text that much as I don't have a phone, and when I do it just seems habit to right EVERYTHING out, that's right I mean EVERYTHING including punctuation, it takes longer, but, well, you know me. I never have really have personally caught onto emoticons as I would rather just say what I mean than have to make other people try to figure out what I am talking about (or what I just said) when I have already moved on in the conversation. Now computers are an interesting thing in our day and age- and I have to admit that they make writing something like this, or especially an essay, much easier. Although I have noticed that my ideas seem to come out better onto paper than they do onto a computer screen.
Still on the media note- How many of you have seen Iron man? I think that movie was one that came really close to just taking me over into some other world that I wish I belonged to, well, I guess it did actually. Wouldn’t that kind of technology be fun to be a part of making? I mean, that little arc reactor thingy, that would be totally awesome! I kind of wish that I had the brain to do something like that, but unfortunately, there are only a small hand-full of people that are able to do that. I am so excited to know that there is a second one coming out though! Does anybody have any guesses what it is going to be about this time?
Here’s one of my discussion board responses…
Something that really hit me was, well, I guess the fact that both characters learned that they weren't the only people in the world that were facing challenges, and if all of the world's troubles were piled into a giant pile and divided equally among everybody, they would rather have their own back that they started with. I think that sometimes we all have a hard time remembering that we aren't the only thing that is important in this life- we have to think of others and help them- it is the only way we will be able to cope with our problems in the end, and it is the only way we can learn. By standing strong and facing our own "stack" of problems we can set an example for others and keep fighting the ever growing possibility of being "run over" by the world.
And another…
Well I do agree with the article in most if not all of its statements- but I don't really see any of these things really "creeping" into my life. I don't really text that much as I don't have a phone, and when I do it just seems habit to right EVERYTHING out, that's right I mean EVERYTHING including punctuation, it takes longer, but, well, you know me. I never have really have personally caught onto emoticons as I would rather just say what I mean than have to make other people try to figure out what I am talking about (or what I just said) when I have already moved on in the conversation. Now computers are an interesting thing in our day and age- and I have to admit that they make writing something like this, or especially an essay, much easier. Although I have noticed that my ideas seem to come out better onto paper than they do onto a computer screen.
It is Coming Again
Well, it is coming on faster than I think any of us thought it ever would- that is right- the end of the year- I am not sure what I was really thinking when I started this year but whatever it was- I guess it was wrong, this year has come and gone so fast. Today I am writing this blog on a piece of paper to be typed into my computer at another time- as I am on the road. (I am actually typing it right now…) It is sort of funny as on the way to Brigham City there are cones ALL OVER THE PLACE! Yup you guessed it, nice, big, ORANGE cones. It is almost like they can reproduce or something. My sister’s philosophy is that they place them so far all over the place- that maybe she should get some and start putting them randomly in someone’s yard- you know- up over the roof… but any ways, I guess that I am almost getting kind of sentimental with the end of the year and all- you look out the window that I am and you see this beautiful landscape- and it almost makes you sad to know that day by day (even right now as you are reading this) this landscape is getting destroyed- that for our children things will not be there like they were for us, that somewhere along the line somebody did not want to take care of it anymore, some idiot came along and ruined it, or some dumb politician decided to put a road through some place he could not fully appreciate. Oh well, I guess that I am kind of the only one in this generation that really likes to think like that anymore. But you know, I guess we all are one of a kind. This year has been a great learning experience for me. Just the fact that people change as we all grow up has really hit me hard this year I guess. I can not believe how much we all have changed over the three years that we have known each other in this group. I have grown probably about 5 inches just in the time I have been at Fairfield Junior.
Well I guess that I am kind of burned out on that subject, so I think that I will move onto another that I guess, well, I think that I have probably already hit on, but you know I guess that it is one that I am pretty good at talking about. As I am listening to some music right now- I will go back to where I have been. It is rare that we see music that is actually clean through and through- and the only music that I have really found that I actually enjoy- and that is country. It always has been my favorite genre. But I guess that everybody has their only favorite, mine is just a little bit more odd than others….
Well I guess that I am kind of burned out on that subject, so I think that I will move onto another that I guess, well, I think that I have probably already hit on, but you know I guess that it is one that I am pretty good at talking about. As I am listening to some music right now- I will go back to where I have been. It is rare that we see music that is actually clean through and through- and the only music that I have really found that I actually enjoy- and that is country. It always has been my favorite genre. But I guess that everybody has their only favorite, mine is just a little bit more odd than others….
Monday, April 28, 2008
Dandelion Wine "Synopsis"
To Mr. Bradbury
Author of Dandelion Wine
Dear Mr. Bradbury,
I have recently read your book titled “Dandelion Wine”. I loved the way I could connect to the book, being a teenager of 14. I think that the feeling shared about family, and about summer are extremely common in young adults. Though this book was written sometime ago I could see the similarities between society in our current time and in this book’s society.
Yet another way I could connect to this book is in the way that the character Douglas Spaulding felt the sentimental “twinges” that he did. I too feel these “twinges” every time that something of the past goes away and something more convenient for modern society takes its place. During the reading of this book it made me realize how many different things occur at the same time. Even though they occur throughout different parts of the town and with different people I could see it the way that they all had a common point.
I like in which the way this society isn’t afraid to express themselves. I could tell that all the people in the town seemed pretty closely knit and intertwined. Many times during the book people would bring items or matters to the attention of others that I found most interesting, saying that in our modern society we are no longer able to do so. Doesn’t it almost make you wish that you could still do those things that the children did as kids, or the adults participated in; in the modern day society?
A major difference I noticed in contrasting then from now was sports. Now days it is extremely uncommon to see a kid that is not involved in sports or has no plan to. Most kids now are in something like football or soccer. It seems to me that in the older society represented in the book that was not a common thing to see kids missing days during the week to go to swimming practice or football practice or some other organized activity. Though this didn’t keep the children from staying fit, for it seemed to me that they enjoyed very much to go play and hang out with friends. And this normally included playing tag or some other physical activity.
I personally enjoyed this book, and would definitely count it on my favorites list. This book really helped me to realize that even though society has really changed noticeably there are many common factors that still exist. All through out the book I kind of just wished that I could go back and just live in the care free world that some of the characters had even if it were just for a day go back and see what it would be like to live as a care free child in the early 1900’s. I also kind of wished that I would have just as many wonderful people in my life as they commonly did back then.
Author of Dandelion Wine
Dear Mr. Bradbury,
I have recently read your book titled “Dandelion Wine”. I loved the way I could connect to the book, being a teenager of 14. I think that the feeling shared about family, and about summer are extremely common in young adults. Though this book was written sometime ago I could see the similarities between society in our current time and in this book’s society.
Yet another way I could connect to this book is in the way that the character Douglas Spaulding felt the sentimental “twinges” that he did. I too feel these “twinges” every time that something of the past goes away and something more convenient for modern society takes its place. During the reading of this book it made me realize how many different things occur at the same time. Even though they occur throughout different parts of the town and with different people I could see it the way that they all had a common point.
I like in which the way this society isn’t afraid to express themselves. I could tell that all the people in the town seemed pretty closely knit and intertwined. Many times during the book people would bring items or matters to the attention of others that I found most interesting, saying that in our modern society we are no longer able to do so. Doesn’t it almost make you wish that you could still do those things that the children did as kids, or the adults participated in; in the modern day society?
A major difference I noticed in contrasting then from now was sports. Now days it is extremely uncommon to see a kid that is not involved in sports or has no plan to. Most kids now are in something like football or soccer. It seems to me that in the older society represented in the book that was not a common thing to see kids missing days during the week to go to swimming practice or football practice or some other organized activity. Though this didn’t keep the children from staying fit, for it seemed to me that they enjoyed very much to go play and hang out with friends. And this normally included playing tag or some other physical activity.
I personally enjoyed this book, and would definitely count it on my favorites list. This book really helped me to realize that even though society has really changed noticeably there are many common factors that still exist. All through out the book I kind of just wished that I could go back and just live in the care free world that some of the characters had even if it were just for a day go back and see what it would be like to live as a care free child in the early 1900’s. I also kind of wished that I would have just as many wonderful people in my life as they commonly did back then.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
State Science Olympiad
Well I know that a lot of you don’t really care about Science Olympiad, and some of you may be even bitter towards it, but that doesn’t mean it still does not mean a lot to me. This essay is simply the one that I turned into Mrs. Brinkerhoff for my term project. All it really states is what the title says, what happened at state for me, and how I prepared to do my best.
State Science Olympiad
State Science Olympiad is much the same as it has always been. One of the major things that set this year apart from that of others was mainly the coaching. When normally we have trained with four coaches, this year we trained with one. We only had one teacher acting as coach this year with all of the other coaching done by volunteers to put it in simpler terms. Many of us thought that this would lead to our downfall, along with the seemingly less amount of students trying out. But we managed once again to prove that Fairfield Junior is still strong and is still the Utah Science Olympiad Juggernaut.
This year I competed in three events: Scrambler, Simple Machines, and Rocks & Minerals. I placed gold in all three of my events, receiving an almost perfect score in Simple Machines as well. In Scrambler our distance to shoot for was exactly 12 meters. We managed to pull this distance off within 4.7 seconds- look at that- 12 meters! We didn’t get quite as close to the wall as we had hoped for but in training for nationals we hope to solve that problem. But our overall score was good enough to pull off gold.
In Simple Machines, we didn’t have quite the coaching situation that we would have hoped for. (Last year in Nationals this same partnership pulled off 10th place) But we made do with an extremely willing parent volunteer, she tried to keep us in shape to do our best. Right before state Mr. Erickson got out all of the Simple Machines from district and let us run through and try to get it all right, (We bombed district quite badly) and this seemed to help us enough to get every single question right on the state test. (Thus, pulling off gold once again in yet another event)
In Rocks and Minerals we have always been known at Fairfield Junior High to have the best possible coach you could get. This was still true this year, but unfortunately she would no coach us! So we had three amazing coaches that had previously been trained by her and had ranked nationally in the event. They did a wonderful job coaching us, and now have joined us in training for nationals with Mrs. Nelson. (And once again we got gold)
So overall I had a really good experience at the State competition doing well in all of my events, and being there for all of my team-mates.
State Science Olympiad
State Science Olympiad is much the same as it has always been. One of the major things that set this year apart from that of others was mainly the coaching. When normally we have trained with four coaches, this year we trained with one. We only had one teacher acting as coach this year with all of the other coaching done by volunteers to put it in simpler terms. Many of us thought that this would lead to our downfall, along with the seemingly less amount of students trying out. But we managed once again to prove that Fairfield Junior is still strong and is still the Utah Science Olympiad Juggernaut.
This year I competed in three events: Scrambler, Simple Machines, and Rocks & Minerals. I placed gold in all three of my events, receiving an almost perfect score in Simple Machines as well. In Scrambler our distance to shoot for was exactly 12 meters. We managed to pull this distance off within 4.7 seconds- look at that- 12 meters! We didn’t get quite as close to the wall as we had hoped for but in training for nationals we hope to solve that problem. But our overall score was good enough to pull off gold.
In Simple Machines, we didn’t have quite the coaching situation that we would have hoped for. (Last year in Nationals this same partnership pulled off 10th place) But we made do with an extremely willing parent volunteer, she tried to keep us in shape to do our best. Right before state Mr. Erickson got out all of the Simple Machines from district and let us run through and try to get it all right, (We bombed district quite badly) and this seemed to help us enough to get every single question right on the state test. (Thus, pulling off gold once again in yet another event)
In Rocks and Minerals we have always been known at Fairfield Junior High to have the best possible coach you could get. This was still true this year, but unfortunately she would no coach us! So we had three amazing coaches that had previously been trained by her and had ranked nationally in the event. They did a wonderful job coaching us, and now have joined us in training for nationals with Mrs. Nelson. (And once again we got gold)
So overall I had a really good experience at the State competition doing well in all of my events, and being there for all of my team-mates.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Why we should Read
Why should we Read?
No! Please! Not another one! Reading to us may at times seem to be a kind of burden that we all feel that we are forced to bear at times. But really, if you look at it, none of us would be able to live without that capability. We read every day of our lives, most of the time without even realizing we are doing so. We also read for enjoyment, most of us find that hard to believe, but yes, we all enjoy reading a good book now and then. And of course, reading, even with all of the new technology in the world today, is still one of the best ways to learn.
Everyday we use reading in our lives, and most of the time, without even realizing it. It seems that almost every teenager in this country has a cell phone and they seem to not be able to live without texting. If we could not read, how could we: 1. Send a text in the first place, and 2. How are you going to read a reply from one of your friends? What about reading signs as we travel around the city? How are you going to know where to go if you can’t read the sign in the first place? So as you can see, already reading plays a big part in our lives. But the importance of reading doesn’t necessarily stop there.
After a long day of going to school and being totally stressed out by you teachers and your parents one of the best ways to relax is to read a book. Reality can sometimes be really hard to live with, but we have no choice. When we read, we can enter a totally different world that you can lose yourself in. You don’t have to worry about any of your own problems, like when your essay is due in English, or if dinner will be ready at five, but instead you can worry about things like if Jane is going to be murdered in the next chapter, or if Dave really saves the world from nuclear destruction. To us, those sort of problems are always less bearing and don’t really seem to “press” as much.
At school one of the most used talents we have is to read. In every class we have to read at some point, whether it is reading prompts in your music in Band, a recipe in Foods, or reading a Shakespearian novel in English, we always seem to be reading. Many times we have to research papers in which we are told we must use book references. And of course, we always ask, why? One of the most probable reasons would have to be that reading something out of a book kind of “sticks” in your mind better than something you read off of the internet. When we are on the computer there are always things to distract us, like getting finished so that we can play games, or checking our e- mail. But when we read, all of those distractions are gone, we can focus on what is in front of us, and we can go to a nice quiet place and just concentrate. And, when we use a book you have to work harder to get what you want, it isn’t any longer “a click away”.
So whether it is checking your text messages, or you e-mail, or if you are just kind of relaxing after a hard stressed out day, or going through what might cause that stress, reading always plays a part in you life. It is something that we should always try to keep a part of our life, and never forget, that without reading, there would be nothing.
No! Please! Not another one! Reading to us may at times seem to be a kind of burden that we all feel that we are forced to bear at times. But really, if you look at it, none of us would be able to live without that capability. We read every day of our lives, most of the time without even realizing we are doing so. We also read for enjoyment, most of us find that hard to believe, but yes, we all enjoy reading a good book now and then. And of course, reading, even with all of the new technology in the world today, is still one of the best ways to learn.
Everyday we use reading in our lives, and most of the time, without even realizing it. It seems that almost every teenager in this country has a cell phone and they seem to not be able to live without texting. If we could not read, how could we: 1. Send a text in the first place, and 2. How are you going to read a reply from one of your friends? What about reading signs as we travel around the city? How are you going to know where to go if you can’t read the sign in the first place? So as you can see, already reading plays a big part in our lives. But the importance of reading doesn’t necessarily stop there.
After a long day of going to school and being totally stressed out by you teachers and your parents one of the best ways to relax is to read a book. Reality can sometimes be really hard to live with, but we have no choice. When we read, we can enter a totally different world that you can lose yourself in. You don’t have to worry about any of your own problems, like when your essay is due in English, or if dinner will be ready at five, but instead you can worry about things like if Jane is going to be murdered in the next chapter, or if Dave really saves the world from nuclear destruction. To us, those sort of problems are always less bearing and don’t really seem to “press” as much.
At school one of the most used talents we have is to read. In every class we have to read at some point, whether it is reading prompts in your music in Band, a recipe in Foods, or reading a Shakespearian novel in English, we always seem to be reading. Many times we have to research papers in which we are told we must use book references. And of course, we always ask, why? One of the most probable reasons would have to be that reading something out of a book kind of “sticks” in your mind better than something you read off of the internet. When we are on the computer there are always things to distract us, like getting finished so that we can play games, or checking our e- mail. But when we read, all of those distractions are gone, we can focus on what is in front of us, and we can go to a nice quiet place and just concentrate. And, when we use a book you have to work harder to get what you want, it isn’t any longer “a click away”.
So whether it is checking your text messages, or you e-mail, or if you are just kind of relaxing after a hard stressed out day, or going through what might cause that stress, reading always plays a part in you life. It is something that we should always try to keep a part of our life, and never forget, that without reading, there would be nothing.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
T.V.... Is it really what it seems?
Matt Munns
Period 4
March 30, 2008
Period 4
March 30, 2008
T.V. in Our Lives
Oh my gosh! Where’s the remote? Turn it off! We all have had a situation like this before in our life, when we find out the program we are watching is not exactly what we should, or want to be watching. T.V. has been blamed for many things in this world, obesity, raised violence, but it really only presents half of the problem. All those problems that it does create probably fall under the category of bad programming.
It has happened to all of us, at one time or another; we have all seen something that we never want to see on T.V. So what do most people do about it? Thy normally just chose to leave it on and watch it until it is over. You could maybe say that the more people watch programs that aren’t necessarily clean in language, action, or dress; it starts to desensitize them to it. The first time they watch the show they may not really like it, but soon it becomes their favorite, they have become hooked, just like a drug. And once again some of us ask, “Are they going to let themselves do this?” and from the looks of things in the world now, they are.
Programs on T.V. today are seemingly rarely clean, or worth watching. Unfortunately programs in our day and age don’t seem to ever follow a plot, or a story line. This makes them seemingly dumb or stupid to watch because they don’t really want or need to go any where, because all they need is for you to watch. Television stations now would rather put something bad on T.V. than good because guess what we are supposedly more likely to watch? That’s right, the bad program. So you may ask “What exactly is a bad program?” Look at it like this; does it have bad language used excessively? Does it promote drugs? Is it in someway explicit? Or does it just promote sex, violence and other actions that seem to be O.K. for T.V. to program? If it has any of these characteristics, it should be considered unclean, especially the latter. In a way this leads to another problem the one the T.V. may be best known for.
T.V. is quite often blamed for physical characteristics in our world, mainly known as obesity. T.V. does promote people just sitting around doing nothing, but watching their screen, also known as in-activeness, and when people start to become inactive, they start to gain weight. It starts slowly at first, and they may not realize it, but soon their weight is just, well, out of control! This is what T.V. gets blamed for, and in a way it should, because it does promote this in-activeness, and it does have programs that do the same; but all it has really done is nullify our decision making skills enough that we soon become happier to be extremely large, than to get healthy, and active.
So look at it, what does your favorite program represent? How clean is it? This is something that we all should ask ourselves before we ever watch anything. But we normally don’t. So is it necessarily the T.V.’s fault? Is it the T.V.’s fault for giving us so much bad programming? Is it the T.V.’s fault for giving this country such a high obesity rate? That is only the tip of the iceberg, in the end it is all up to us. Whether or not we watch the bad shows, whether or not we decide to become extremely overweight, and eventually obese. In the end, it is all up to us to make the decision, so what do you chose?
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Science Olympiad Mania!!!!
Well as most of you know the State Science Olympiad competition was Saturday, and as most of you know, we did really well, and will be going to the National competition once again which will be held back in Washington D.C. this year. Now most of you will hear this on many of the other blogs, but yes, this is our 13th year in a row winning state. Out of 25 events we competed in 20, and out of those 20 events that we competed in 11 medals were gold, two were silver, four were bronze, we placed fifth in two events, and sixth in one. So, overall it was enough to ensure us another first place victory. With the events of yesterday, I still don’t have a whole bunch to really talk about.
So at the Olympiad competition yesterday I competed in Scrambler, which is a small vehicle that is designed to go as fast as possible between 8 and 12 meters, and carry an egg, now you may think, so what? So what if it has to carry and egg? Here is the catch, there is a table at the end of the track, and you can’t hit that wall. If you break your egg, you’re done. So how does this little car get all of its energy? At the start line you put a .75 meter cube that holds a 2 kg mass, (It just so happens that ours is solid lead with a large spring attached to the front) this 2 kg mass comes down and hits this car which makes it speed down the track. Just to give you a small idea about this mass though, it comes in at about 4 times more massive (4 times heavier) than this little car. If you were to take the spring off of the mass and drop it from the .75 meters, and it hit the bone on the front of your leg, it could seriously bruise it, or break it, so imagine how hard this car is getting nailed when you initiate the run. (I competed on this event with Derek Mickinley, and we won the gold medal)
One of my other events was Rocks and Minerals, on which I competed with Nicole Ly. On this event we just pretty much identified different rock and mineral specimens and told facts and stats on these different samples. Nicole and I manage to pull off a Gold Medal in this event.
And now my one other event was Simple Machines. I competed on this event with Brian Adair. I know that a lot of you can remember going through Greenaway’s class doing a lot with physics and Simple Machines. You may think, “Well I didn’t enjoy doing it, and it wasn’t that hard…” Let me tell you, Simple Machines with Science Olympiad is just, well, crazy, some of the simple machines they have are absolutely amazing, and horribly tough, sometimes they make you think the machine through without even seeing it, it just is a description on a piece of paper. Brian and I won gold in this event as well.
So at the Olympiad competition yesterday I competed in Scrambler, which is a small vehicle that is designed to go as fast as possible between 8 and 12 meters, and carry an egg, now you may think, so what? So what if it has to carry and egg? Here is the catch, there is a table at the end of the track, and you can’t hit that wall. If you break your egg, you’re done. So how does this little car get all of its energy? At the start line you put a .75 meter cube that holds a 2 kg mass, (It just so happens that ours is solid lead with a large spring attached to the front) this 2 kg mass comes down and hits this car which makes it speed down the track. Just to give you a small idea about this mass though, it comes in at about 4 times more massive (4 times heavier) than this little car. If you were to take the spring off of the mass and drop it from the .75 meters, and it hit the bone on the front of your leg, it could seriously bruise it, or break it, so imagine how hard this car is getting nailed when you initiate the run. (I competed on this event with Derek Mickinley, and we won the gold medal)
One of my other events was Rocks and Minerals, on which I competed with Nicole Ly. On this event we just pretty much identified different rock and mineral specimens and told facts and stats on these different samples. Nicole and I manage to pull off a Gold Medal in this event.
And now my one other event was Simple Machines. I competed on this event with Brian Adair. I know that a lot of you can remember going through Greenaway’s class doing a lot with physics and Simple Machines. You may think, “Well I didn’t enjoy doing it, and it wasn’t that hard…” Let me tell you, Simple Machines with Science Olympiad is just, well, crazy, some of the simple machines they have are absolutely amazing, and horribly tough, sometimes they make you think the machine through without even seeing it, it just is a description on a piece of paper. Brian and I won gold in this event as well.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Almost... There.....
Well, I find it almost hard to believe that we are almost done with our ninth grade year. It seems that this year is just moving along really fast, except for third term of course, but other than that it has been really quick. By now most all of us have gotten signed up for all of our classes for our next year of paid torture at high school. Some of us will be become Darts, and others will become Lancers, but in the end, we all came from one place, and that makes all Falcons in the end.
Well, I decided to put something kind of fun on here today mostly for lack of anything else to do. So here you go…
Well, I decided to put something kind of fun on here today mostly for lack of anything else to do. So here you go…
Police Humor
So, you thought that cops had no sense of humor… the following were taken off of actual police car videos around the country.
· “Relax. The handcuffs are tight because they’re new. They’ll stretch out after you wear them awhile.”
· “Take your hands off the car, or I’ll make your birth certificate a worthless document.”
· “If you run, you’ll only go to jail tired.”
· “Can you run faster than 1,200 feet per second? In case you didn’t know, that is the average speed of a 9mm bullet fired from my gun.”
· “So, you don’t know how fast you were going. I guess that means I can write anything I want on the ticket, huh?”
· “Yes, Sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don’t think it will help. I am the shift supervisor?”
· “Warning! You want a warning? O.K., I’m warning you not to do that again or I’ll give you another ticket.”
· “The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?”
· “Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven.”
· “In God we trust. All others we run through the NCIC.”
· “Just how big were those two bears?”
· “No, Sir, we don’t have quotas anymore. We used to have quotas, but now we’re allowed to write as many tickets as we want.”
· “I’m glad to hear the chief of Police is a good personal friend of yours. At least you know someone who can post your bail.”
· “You didn’t think we gave pretty women tickets? You’re right. We don’t. Sign here.”
So hopefully none of us will ever get any of these lines used on us, but you never know…. All of these lines were used on people who maybe just weren’t quite ready to enter the real world just yet, in just a few years; we will be in the real world without anybody there to protect us. Well that is pretty much all that I can really think of doing on this blog today… So just remember to keep you chin up this week and batter everything that gets thrown your way.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities: Literary Analysis
The novel that I read was “A Tale of Two Cities,” this novel was set in the French Revolution time period. It tells of the many hardships that were encountered by one family trying to stay together. The theme that I decided to address is about how the noble act of one man can keep a family together. This first passage tells of how a father is torn from his family once again after just being saved.
As he said the word, a blow was struck upon the door.
"Oh father, father. What can this be! Hide Charles. Save him!"
"My child," said the Doctor, rising, and laying his hand upon her shoulder, "I have saved him. What weakness is this, my dear! Let me go to the door."
He took the lamp in his hand, crossed the two intervening outer rooms, and opened it. A rude clattering of feet over the floor, and four rough men in red caps, armed with sabres and pistols, entered the room.
"The Citizen Evrémonde, called Darnay," said the first.
"Who seeks him?" answered Darnay.
"I seek him. We seek him. I know you, Evrémonde; I saw you before the Tribunal to-day. You are again the prisoner of the Republic."
The four surrounded him, where he stood with his wife and child clinging to him.
"Tell me how and why am I again a prisoner?"
"It is enough that you return straight to the Conciergerie, and will know to-morrow. You are summoned for to-morrow." (Pg. 296- 297)
This passage is developed further by this next one, which tells of our noble man acquiring a promise to see the accused before he is to die from a guard.
“Sydney Carton and the spy returned from the dark room. "Adieu, Mr. Barsad," said the former; "our arrangement thus made, you have nothing to fear from me.')
He sat down in a chair on the hearth, over against Mr. Lorry. When they were alone, Mr. Lorry asked him what he had done?
"Not much. If it should go ill with the prisoner, I have ensured access to him, once."
Mr. Lorry's countenance fell.
"It is all I could do," said Carton. "To propose too much, would be to put this man's head under the axe, and, as he himself said, nothing worse could happen to him if he were denounced. It was obviously the weakness of the position. There is no help for it."
"But access to him," said Mr. Lorry, "if it should go ill before the Tribunal, will not save him."
"I never said it would."
Mr. Lorry's eyes gradually sought the fire; his sympathy with his darling, and the heavy disappointment of his second arrest, gradually weakened them; he was an old man now, overborne with anxiety of late, and his tears fell.” (Pg. 312-313)
In the beginning of the previous passage two men walk out of the room, and one leaves. The plan of the others is then uncovered, and our noble man, Mr. Sydney Carton, is revealed. We discover that he is willing to give is life for that of the husband of the girl he loved. Our theme is finally resolved in this final passage.
“Footsteps in the stone passage outside the door. He stopped.
The key was put in the lock, and turned. Before the door was opened, or as it opened, a man said in a low voice, in English: "He has never seen me here; I have kept out of his way. Go you in alone; I wait near. Lose no time!"
The door was quickly opened and closed, and there stood before him face to face, quiet, intent upon him, with the light of a smile on his features, and a cautionary finger on his lip, Sydney Carton.
There was something so bright and remarkable in his look, that, for the first moment, the prisoner misdoubted him to be an apparition of his own imagining. But, he spoke, and it was his voice; he took the prisoner's hand, and it was his real grasp.
"Of all the people upon earth, you least expected to see me?" be said.
"I could not believe it to be you. I can scarcely believe it now. You are not" -- the apprehension came suddenly into his mind -- "a prisoner?"
"No. I am accidentally possessed of a power over one of the keepers here, and in virtue of it I stand before you. I come from her -- your wife, dear Darnay."
The prisoner wrung his hand.
"I bring you a request from her."
"What is it?"
"A most earnest, pressing, and emphatic entreaty, addressed to you in the most pathetic tones of the voice so dear to you, that you well remember."
The prisoner turned his face partly aside.
"You have no time to ask me why I bring it, or what it means; I have no time to tell you. You must comply with it -- take off those boots you wear, and draw on these of mine."
There was a chair against the wall of the cell, behind the prisoner. Carton, pressing forward, had already, with the speed of lightning, got him down into it, and stood over him, barefoot.
"Draw on these boots of mine. Put your hands to them; put your will to them. Quick!"
"Carton, there is no escaping from this place; it never can be done. You will only die with me. It is madness."
"It would be madness if I asked you to escape; but do I? When I ask you to pass out at that door, tell me it is madness and remain here. Change that cravat for this of mine, that coat for this of mine. While you do it, let me take this ribbon from your hair, and shake out your hair like this of mine!"
With wonderful quickness, and with a strength both of will and action, that appeared quite supernatural, he forced all these changes upon him. The prisoner was like a young child in his hands.
"Carton! Dear Carton! It is madness. It cannot be accomplished, it never can be done, it has been attempted, and has always failed. I implore you not to add your death to the bitterness of mine." (Pg. 353-355)
Our noble man arrives in the cell of the accused, and proceeds to start his plan despite the pleas of the accused.
She goes next before him -- is gone; the knitting-women count Twenty-Two.
"I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
The murmuring of many voices, the upturning of many faces, the pressing on of many footsteps in the outskirts of the crowd, so that it swells forward in a mass, like one great heave of water, all flashes away. Twenty-Three. (378-379)
And with that the noble man has done his last deed and not only finishes his theme but also the story.
These last few passages have been almost melancholy, but sure. They explain that one man could care enough to give his life for that of another- to keep the others family together. This really hit me, to realize, that even though they are few, there are people that care enough of others during times of need, to do whatever it takes to help them. Over all I really enjoyed this novel, and once I reached the conclusion of this theme it really wrapped up the book for me.
The novel that I read was “A Tale of Two Cities,” this novel was set in the French Revolution time period. It tells of the many hardships that were encountered by one family trying to stay together. The theme that I decided to address is about how the noble act of one man can keep a family together. This first passage tells of how a father is torn from his family once again after just being saved.
As he said the word, a blow was struck upon the door.
"Oh father, father. What can this be! Hide Charles. Save him!"
"My child," said the Doctor, rising, and laying his hand upon her shoulder, "I have saved him. What weakness is this, my dear! Let me go to the door."
He took the lamp in his hand, crossed the two intervening outer rooms, and opened it. A rude clattering of feet over the floor, and four rough men in red caps, armed with sabres and pistols, entered the room.
"The Citizen Evrémonde, called Darnay," said the first.
"Who seeks him?" answered Darnay.
"I seek him. We seek him. I know you, Evrémonde; I saw you before the Tribunal to-day. You are again the prisoner of the Republic."
The four surrounded him, where he stood with his wife and child clinging to him.
"Tell me how and why am I again a prisoner?"
"It is enough that you return straight to the Conciergerie, and will know to-morrow. You are summoned for to-morrow." (Pg. 296- 297)
This passage is developed further by this next one, which tells of our noble man acquiring a promise to see the accused before he is to die from a guard.
“Sydney Carton and the spy returned from the dark room. "Adieu, Mr. Barsad," said the former; "our arrangement thus made, you have nothing to fear from me.')
He sat down in a chair on the hearth, over against Mr. Lorry. When they were alone, Mr. Lorry asked him what he had done?
"Not much. If it should go ill with the prisoner, I have ensured access to him, once."
Mr. Lorry's countenance fell.
"It is all I could do," said Carton. "To propose too much, would be to put this man's head under the axe, and, as he himself said, nothing worse could happen to him if he were denounced. It was obviously the weakness of the position. There is no help for it."
"But access to him," said Mr. Lorry, "if it should go ill before the Tribunal, will not save him."
"I never said it would."
Mr. Lorry's eyes gradually sought the fire; his sympathy with his darling, and the heavy disappointment of his second arrest, gradually weakened them; he was an old man now, overborne with anxiety of late, and his tears fell.” (Pg. 312-313)
In the beginning of the previous passage two men walk out of the room, and one leaves. The plan of the others is then uncovered, and our noble man, Mr. Sydney Carton, is revealed. We discover that he is willing to give is life for that of the husband of the girl he loved. Our theme is finally resolved in this final passage.
“Footsteps in the stone passage outside the door. He stopped.
The key was put in the lock, and turned. Before the door was opened, or as it opened, a man said in a low voice, in English: "He has never seen me here; I have kept out of his way. Go you in alone; I wait near. Lose no time!"
The door was quickly opened and closed, and there stood before him face to face, quiet, intent upon him, with the light of a smile on his features, and a cautionary finger on his lip, Sydney Carton.
There was something so bright and remarkable in his look, that, for the first moment, the prisoner misdoubted him to be an apparition of his own imagining. But, he spoke, and it was his voice; he took the prisoner's hand, and it was his real grasp.
"Of all the people upon earth, you least expected to see me?" be said.
"I could not believe it to be you. I can scarcely believe it now. You are not" -- the apprehension came suddenly into his mind -- "a prisoner?"
"No. I am accidentally possessed of a power over one of the keepers here, and in virtue of it I stand before you. I come from her -- your wife, dear Darnay."
The prisoner wrung his hand.
"I bring you a request from her."
"What is it?"
"A most earnest, pressing, and emphatic entreaty, addressed to you in the most pathetic tones of the voice so dear to you, that you well remember."
The prisoner turned his face partly aside.
"You have no time to ask me why I bring it, or what it means; I have no time to tell you. You must comply with it -- take off those boots you wear, and draw on these of mine."
There was a chair against the wall of the cell, behind the prisoner. Carton, pressing forward, had already, with the speed of lightning, got him down into it, and stood over him, barefoot.
"Draw on these boots of mine. Put your hands to them; put your will to them. Quick!"
"Carton, there is no escaping from this place; it never can be done. You will only die with me. It is madness."
"It would be madness if I asked you to escape; but do I? When I ask you to pass out at that door, tell me it is madness and remain here. Change that cravat for this of mine, that coat for this of mine. While you do it, let me take this ribbon from your hair, and shake out your hair like this of mine!"
With wonderful quickness, and with a strength both of will and action, that appeared quite supernatural, he forced all these changes upon him. The prisoner was like a young child in his hands.
"Carton! Dear Carton! It is madness. It cannot be accomplished, it never can be done, it has been attempted, and has always failed. I implore you not to add your death to the bitterness of mine." (Pg. 353-355)
Our noble man arrives in the cell of the accused, and proceeds to start his plan despite the pleas of the accused.
She goes next before him -- is gone; the knitting-women count Twenty-Two.
"I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
The murmuring of many voices, the upturning of many faces, the pressing on of many footsteps in the outskirts of the crowd, so that it swells forward in a mass, like one great heave of water, all flashes away. Twenty-Three. (378-379)
And with that the noble man has done his last deed and not only finishes his theme but also the story.
These last few passages have been almost melancholy, but sure. They explain that one man could care enough to give his life for that of another- to keep the others family together. This really hit me, to realize, that even though they are few, there are people that care enough of others during times of need, to do whatever it takes to help them. Over all I really enjoyed this novel, and once I reached the conclusion of this theme it really wrapped up the book for me.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Many More Projects
Oh my gosh, not another one! Recently we have all been turning in term projects for our science classes; I decided to do a slide presentation on Natural Gas and Petroleum products. I found out many things that I found quite interesting while doing this. I never quite realized how many things are done with these products, and how much they affect our lives.
One part in this term project included having to make a list of 100 items made by petroleum products, but the list just keeps going!. So for about three or four slides a list of things such as keyboards, earphones, iPods, etc… goes on and on. Yet, on other slides, there had to be explanations of how oil shale is mined.
Now oil shale is an interesting rock, at Science Olympiad our coaches brought some samples, and I can remember Nicole saying “how horrible it smelled,” when you scratched two pieces together. While I seemed to think that it smelled rather “interesting, but not quite as bad as it seemed.” Oil shale holds its petroleum in little balloons, and then the petroleum is then extracted from these pores after it is mined.
Just remember that just because we can list items such as videos, speakers, and soccer balls, might just be the reason that oil prices have gone up so much. As always, we may think nothing of this, but just remember the over- use of oil is the reason prices have gone up.
But now off of the note of oil, can you believe that this year is almost three quarters of the way over? It seemed like time dragged through the almost three years that we have been at Fairfield Junior High. But now that you look back on it, it doesn’t seem like we have been there that long. I think that it might be tougher than we all think to leave the school were we have all done so much growing, and learning, and spent so much of our lives for the past three years. But, I guess that life will move on, just as it always does.
And now, on yet another different note, have any of you seen the Layton High School musical this year? It was an amazing play yet again, the name of it was, “Will Rogers Follies” it told the story of an amazing man in American history that most of us don’t even know, and rarely gets recognized. He was known for many radio shows, and being in so many different, well, follies. He stated out as a man who did amazing rope tricks, but in later life he was most known for reporting on the American government, in a very comical way. If you guys get a chance look him up, he played a role bigger than most of us would think.
One part in this term project included having to make a list of 100 items made by petroleum products, but the list just keeps going!. So for about three or four slides a list of things such as keyboards, earphones, iPods, etc… goes on and on. Yet, on other slides, there had to be explanations of how oil shale is mined.
Now oil shale is an interesting rock, at Science Olympiad our coaches brought some samples, and I can remember Nicole saying “how horrible it smelled,” when you scratched two pieces together. While I seemed to think that it smelled rather “interesting, but not quite as bad as it seemed.” Oil shale holds its petroleum in little balloons, and then the petroleum is then extracted from these pores after it is mined.
Just remember that just because we can list items such as videos, speakers, and soccer balls, might just be the reason that oil prices have gone up so much. As always, we may think nothing of this, but just remember the over- use of oil is the reason prices have gone up.
But now off of the note of oil, can you believe that this year is almost three quarters of the way over? It seemed like time dragged through the almost three years that we have been at Fairfield Junior High. But now that you look back on it, it doesn’t seem like we have been there that long. I think that it might be tougher than we all think to leave the school were we have all done so much growing, and learning, and spent so much of our lives for the past three years. But, I guess that life will move on, just as it always does.
And now, on yet another different note, have any of you seen the Layton High School musical this year? It was an amazing play yet again, the name of it was, “Will Rogers Follies” it told the story of an amazing man in American history that most of us don’t even know, and rarely gets recognized. He was known for many radio shows, and being in so many different, well, follies. He stated out as a man who did amazing rope tricks, but in later life he was most known for reporting on the American government, in a very comical way. If you guys get a chance look him up, he played a role bigger than most of us would think.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Just Stay Positive.
Well I don’t know about anybody else, but I am glad that this week is just about completely over. I mean, at least, it has been a long one for me. Although next week is not exactly looking up for any of us in band either, seriously, 3 performances! That to me seems like quite a few to try and pack into one week, although with Jazz Band starting up we should start to get some comic relief…. (Those of you in Jazz Band last year know what I’m talking about, you others, you will soon find out…) But anyways I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to blog about this week because for obvious reasons you are all getting tired of Patriotism and Swimming. Because it seems that no one has even looked at my blog for the past month.
So what I decided to blog about today is going to be a little mixture of things I decided to talk about Science Olympiad to start with, and some of you will be able to relate to this. Science Olympiad hasn’t really been as fun this year and I’m not sure if it’s because of the fact that all of our ninth grade friends are gone, or simply because we have all done it enough that we are all starting to get a little too picky or just getting to serious, but for me the funest year was probably our seventh grade year. It seems that if there is going to be a year that Fairfield doesn’t go to Nationals it will probably be this year. Although I guess that if we stay positive anything can really happen. It’s not really a lack of skill on the team it is more the lack of coaching. With only one real coach (Mr. Erickson) it seems that it is really hectic trying to break in new coaches, which, 50% of the time, seem to be parents that just want to help.
So I guess what I really am trying to say today is that through it all, everything that has been happening, good or bad, we need to stay positive. Because if we stay positive, and keep that “air” about us that just says “I can do everything, no matter how hard it is, or how impossible it seems,” with this kind of attitude we can accomplish just about whatever we want to.
So now I kind of have a challenge for all of you who actually maybe read my blog, (including you Mr. Thompson) think of some of the media in our lives, you know, like music, movies, magazines, books, and whatnots. Now think about which ones encourage us to keep a positive outlook on life and help us get through our lives, now, for me, the easiest to think of is some of the music in our lives, there are some Van Halen songs that give us pretty positive messages… So as you think about these add a comment to this blog that gives your outlook on this and maybe some positive media you found.
So what I decided to blog about today is going to be a little mixture of things I decided to talk about Science Olympiad to start with, and some of you will be able to relate to this. Science Olympiad hasn’t really been as fun this year and I’m not sure if it’s because of the fact that all of our ninth grade friends are gone, or simply because we have all done it enough that we are all starting to get a little too picky or just getting to serious, but for me the funest year was probably our seventh grade year. It seems that if there is going to be a year that Fairfield doesn’t go to Nationals it will probably be this year. Although I guess that if we stay positive anything can really happen. It’s not really a lack of skill on the team it is more the lack of coaching. With only one real coach (Mr. Erickson) it seems that it is really hectic trying to break in new coaches, which, 50% of the time, seem to be parents that just want to help.
So I guess what I really am trying to say today is that through it all, everything that has been happening, good or bad, we need to stay positive. Because if we stay positive, and keep that “air” about us that just says “I can do everything, no matter how hard it is, or how impossible it seems,” with this kind of attitude we can accomplish just about whatever we want to.
So now I kind of have a challenge for all of you who actually maybe read my blog, (including you Mr. Thompson) think of some of the media in our lives, you know, like music, movies, magazines, books, and whatnots. Now think about which ones encourage us to keep a positive outlook on life and help us get through our lives, now, for me, the easiest to think of is some of the music in our lives, there are some Van Halen songs that give us pretty positive messages… So as you think about these add a comment to this blog that gives your outlook on this and maybe some positive media you found.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Ah... The ever famous swimming meet...
Well I warned you guys at the beginning of the year that you would hear quite a lot about swimming, and here my words are going to come true. This last Friday and Saturday I participated in the UV Rays Heart Attack Invitational. This meet is a meet that happens once a year at roughly the same time. It takes place clear down in Provo at the Provo High School Swimming Pool. It normally tends to be a slightly large meet, bringing in about 100 swimmers. (I think) This meet, unlike ones I have been swimming recently, is a U.S.S. meet- meaning United States Swimming. This is a national organization that I swim for, for the majority of the year.
But anyways, this meet being a U.S.S. sanctioned swimming meet brings in swimmers that are much, much younger but that doesn’t mean that it is any less competitive. But anyways- I didn’t do too badly at the meet but just the same I kind of bombed it. Oh well, but here is kind of a fun poem that I found that really seems to apply.
A competitive sport Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle Cool water Dual meets Effort counts Fun times with friends Go go go High powered attitude I love swimming Jogging a mile before practice Kick all the way Learn to swim fast Morning, noon, and night Nothing can stop you now Off the block when they say go Plop into the pool Quitting.... I don't think so Rest after the race Swim at your all Try your best U can do it Very cool Wet wet wet X-ellent You are doing great Zig zag through the pool
One thing that you might have really notice in this poem is that it talks a lot about not giving up, and just pushing through the pain. In a way I think that swimming is as much of a competitive sport as well as a mental sport. But then again that is the way with many sports, such as snowboarding, tennis, skiing, and many more. (Let me know if I missed your sport and it made you feel bad… I’ll add you in!) With all these sports it takes practice just telling yourself that you CAN do it, and you can do it without giving up. Here is another one that kind of ties into the last.
ExertionThe signal is made, a harsh, jarring sound.Instinctively the athletes alight from the ground.Lunging from their positions, they begin their descent,understanding quickly what 'exertion' always meant.In their seperate lanes they sprint with all their might,persevering harder as the end comes in sight.They near the finish, their energy nearly spent.They understand quickly what 'exertion' always meant.One flies toward the touchpad, the others in their wake.The crowd becomes frantic as they realize what's at stake.On reaching their goals the swimmers focus their intentunderstanding quickly what 'exertion' always meant.
-Anonymous
This poem not only applies to swimming but also to all the other sports as well. So next time you’re training or just playing around, think what your sport really means to you.
But anyways, this meet being a U.S.S. sanctioned swimming meet brings in swimmers that are much, much younger but that doesn’t mean that it is any less competitive. But anyways- I didn’t do too badly at the meet but just the same I kind of bombed it. Oh well, but here is kind of a fun poem that I found that really seems to apply.
A competitive sport Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle Cool water Dual meets Effort counts Fun times with friends Go go go High powered attitude I love swimming Jogging a mile before practice Kick all the way Learn to swim fast Morning, noon, and night Nothing can stop you now Off the block when they say go Plop into the pool Quitting.... I don't think so Rest after the race Swim at your all Try your best U can do it Very cool Wet wet wet X-ellent You are doing great Zig zag through the pool
One thing that you might have really notice in this poem is that it talks a lot about not giving up, and just pushing through the pain. In a way I think that swimming is as much of a competitive sport as well as a mental sport. But then again that is the way with many sports, such as snowboarding, tennis, skiing, and many more. (Let me know if I missed your sport and it made you feel bad… I’ll add you in!) With all these sports it takes practice just telling yourself that you CAN do it, and you can do it without giving up. Here is another one that kind of ties into the last.
ExertionThe signal is made, a harsh, jarring sound.Instinctively the athletes alight from the ground.Lunging from their positions, they begin their descent,understanding quickly what 'exertion' always meant.In their seperate lanes they sprint with all their might,persevering harder as the end comes in sight.They near the finish, their energy nearly spent.They understand quickly what 'exertion' always meant.One flies toward the touchpad, the others in their wake.The crowd becomes frantic as they realize what's at stake.On reaching their goals the swimmers focus their intentunderstanding quickly what 'exertion' always meant.
-Anonymous
This poem not only applies to swimming but also to all the other sports as well. So next time you’re training or just playing around, think what your sport really means to you.
Monday, February 18, 2008
I bet you can't guess...
Well I am sure that you all could have guessed it, but, it has returned, Patriotism. I have already done two other blogs on this subject but I feel like I can keep going, so, I have another little thing for you, well actually a couple.
Mike’s Flag
You have probably seen the bumper sticker somewhere along the road. It depicts an American flag, accompanied by the words “These Colors Don’t Run.” I’m always glad to see this, because it reminds me of an incident from my confinement in North Vietnam at the Hoa Lo P.O.W. camp, or the Hanoi Hilton, as it became known. Then a major in the U.S. Air Force, I had been captured and imprisoned from 1967 to 1973.
Our treatment had been frequently brutal. After three years, however, the beatings and tortures became less frequent. During the last year, we were allowed outside most days for a couple of minutes to bathe. We showered by drawing water from a concrete tank with a home made bucket.
One day as we all stood by the tank, stripped of our clothes; a young naval pilot named Mike Campbell found the remnants of a handkerchief in a gutter that ran under the prison wall. Mike managed to sneak the grimy rag into our cell and began fashioning it into a flag. Over time we all loaned him a little scrap, and he spent days cleaning the material. We helped by scrounging and stealing bits and pieces of anything he could use.
At night, under his mosquito net, Mike worked on the flag. He made red and blue from the ground-up roof tiles and tiny amounts of ink. And painted the colors onto the cloth with watery rice glue, using thread from one blanket and a home-made bamboo needle, he sewed on stars.
Early in the morning a few days later-when the guards were not alert- he whispered loudly from the back of our cell, “Hey gang, look here.” He proudly held up his tattered piece of cloth, waving it as if it were in a breeze.
If you used your imagination, you could tell it was supposed to be an American flag. When he raised that smudgy fabric, we automatically stood straight and saluted, our chests puffing out, and more than a few eyes had tears.
About once a week the guards would strip us, run us outside and go through our clothing. During one of these shakedowns, they found Mike’s flag. We all knew what would happen.
That night they came for him. Night interrogations were always the worst. They opened the cell door and pulled Mike out. We could hear the beginning of the torture before they even had him in the torture cell. They beat him most of the night. About daylight they pushed what was left of him back through the cell door. He was badly broken, even his voice was gone.
Within two weeks, despite the danger, Mike scrounged another peace of cloth and began another flag. The Stars and Stripes, our national symbol, was worth the sacrifice to him.
Now, whenever I see the flag, I think of Mike and the morning he first waved that tattered emblem of a nation. It was then, thousands of miles from home in a lonely prison cell, that he showed us what it is to be truly free.
So have you noticed how the flag keeps popping up in the subject of Patriotism? This story just goes to prove, that when you honor the flag, you’re not only honoring our country, you’re honoring the people who have served it.
Mike’s Flag
You have probably seen the bumper sticker somewhere along the road. It depicts an American flag, accompanied by the words “These Colors Don’t Run.” I’m always glad to see this, because it reminds me of an incident from my confinement in North Vietnam at the Hoa Lo P.O.W. camp, or the Hanoi Hilton, as it became known. Then a major in the U.S. Air Force, I had been captured and imprisoned from 1967 to 1973.
Our treatment had been frequently brutal. After three years, however, the beatings and tortures became less frequent. During the last year, we were allowed outside most days for a couple of minutes to bathe. We showered by drawing water from a concrete tank with a home made bucket.
One day as we all stood by the tank, stripped of our clothes; a young naval pilot named Mike Campbell found the remnants of a handkerchief in a gutter that ran under the prison wall. Mike managed to sneak the grimy rag into our cell and began fashioning it into a flag. Over time we all loaned him a little scrap, and he spent days cleaning the material. We helped by scrounging and stealing bits and pieces of anything he could use.
At night, under his mosquito net, Mike worked on the flag. He made red and blue from the ground-up roof tiles and tiny amounts of ink. And painted the colors onto the cloth with watery rice glue, using thread from one blanket and a home-made bamboo needle, he sewed on stars.
Early in the morning a few days later-when the guards were not alert- he whispered loudly from the back of our cell, “Hey gang, look here.” He proudly held up his tattered piece of cloth, waving it as if it were in a breeze.
If you used your imagination, you could tell it was supposed to be an American flag. When he raised that smudgy fabric, we automatically stood straight and saluted, our chests puffing out, and more than a few eyes had tears.
About once a week the guards would strip us, run us outside and go through our clothing. During one of these shakedowns, they found Mike’s flag. We all knew what would happen.
That night they came for him. Night interrogations were always the worst. They opened the cell door and pulled Mike out. We could hear the beginning of the torture before they even had him in the torture cell. They beat him most of the night. About daylight they pushed what was left of him back through the cell door. He was badly broken, even his voice was gone.
Within two weeks, despite the danger, Mike scrounged another peace of cloth and began another flag. The Stars and Stripes, our national symbol, was worth the sacrifice to him.
Now, whenever I see the flag, I think of Mike and the morning he first waved that tattered emblem of a nation. It was then, thousands of miles from home in a lonely prison cell, that he showed us what it is to be truly free.
So have you noticed how the flag keeps popping up in the subject of Patriotism? This story just goes to prove, that when you honor the flag, you’re not only honoring our country, you’re honoring the people who have served it.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Return To... Patriotism!!
Well I don’t know how many of you read the post that was titled “Finally Done with My Eagle!”, or something along those lines… But anywise it really wasn’t that much about my eagle but more about our country and some cool stories or facts about it. I decided to continue on about my passion for this country and I have some more things that I have found and typed up all nice and pretty for you guys. This one just might be my favorite poems of all time.
Ragged Old Flag
I walked through a County Court House Square,
On a park bench an old man was sittin there,
I said, “Your Old Court House is kind of run down”,
He said, “Naw, it will do for our little town.”
I said “the old flag pole is leaned a little bit and that’s
A ragged old flag ya got hangin on it.”
He said “Have a seat” and I sat down
“Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said “I think it is”. He said “I don’t like to brag
But we’re kind of proud of that ragged old flag”
You see we got a hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware,
And it got powder burns the night that Francis Scott Key
Sat watchin it, writtin, “Say Can You See”.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans with Packingham
And Jackson tuggin at its seams
And it almost fell at the Alamo
Besides the Texas flag but she waved through.
She got cut with a sword at Chanslorsville and
She got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Pooterguard and Bragg
And the South wind blew hard on that ragged flag.
On Flanders Field in World war I
She got a big hole from a bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two.
She was in Korea and Viet NAM
She went where she was sent by Uncle Sam.
She waved from the ships upon the briny foam
How they’ve about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land here she’s been abused
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied and refused.
And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land
And she’s getting thread bear and she’s wearin thin.
But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in.
Cause she’s been through the fire before and I
Believe she can take a whole lot more.
So we raise her up every morning
And take her down every night.
We don’t let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
On second thought, I do like to brag
Cause I’m mighty proud of the ragged old flag
So I guess what I am trying to say to every body is always respect the flag guys. You may think that it is just a piece of cloth standing for a group of states. But always remember what it stands for, and who it stands for.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Block Schedule!
This is just an essay on why I think that Junior High Schools should have block schedules. What do you think?
Ding! Ding! Ding! What? Class can’t be over, we haven’t finished yet! Many teachers complain about running out of time for class. There are also teachers who complain that they could fit more of the curriculum into their classes that would benefit the students. Some students claim that they could accomplish more in a class period such as clothing or shop. But at the same time many students complain that 50 minutes is too long for class and they need to be shortened. But if you look at it Junior High schools need to have eight classes, four classes per day in a block schedule.
Many teachers complain about not having enough time to finish all that they had planned. If we were to have A and B days our class period would be longer, possibly over an hour. Mrs. Money at Fairfield Junior High School agrees saying, “With only four changes between classes only 20 minutes is used by students being in the hall, the rest can be incorporated into classroom instruction. Also, with an hour and a half to teach concepts can be thoroughly covered and practiced during class with the teacher’s support.” This could also benefit the students as well in classes other than core. Having classes over an hour long would make classes such as shop, or clothing easier as we would get to work on projects longer, that way you wouldn’t have to rush. But just having more time wouldn’t be the only benefit from the block schedule.
If we had a block schedule we could have one more class per semester. Having eight classes per semester instead of seven would make it easier for students to graduate from high school. Or at the same time it could please the school board to a great extent. If we had more classes our graduation requirements could be slightly raised giving us a better education. This would enable students to achieve a better education, and be better prepared for the real world. But this change could even possibly open more things for students.
If we had two more classes per semester we could possibly take a wider variety of classes. We could possibly take more classes such as auto- mechanics, or ceramics, which are less common in Junior High Schools. This might spark something with some students that don’t do well in classes that the Junior high already has available, this might help to raise the students overall GPA. All in all there is a lot of evidence supporting this, although only some is listed here.
I hope that this has helped to support that Junior High Schools need to have eight classes per semester in a Block Schedule. This would benefit the teachers in educating us students. It would also help students to graduate from High School faster. It would also keep kids more interested in school if they could take more classes. So what would you do, don’t you think that overall the consequences would all be positive?
The Joys of The Block Schedule
Ding! Ding! Ding! What? Class can’t be over, we haven’t finished yet! Many teachers complain about running out of time for class. There are also teachers who complain that they could fit more of the curriculum into their classes that would benefit the students. Some students claim that they could accomplish more in a class period such as clothing or shop. But at the same time many students complain that 50 minutes is too long for class and they need to be shortened. But if you look at it Junior High schools need to have eight classes, four classes per day in a block schedule.
Many teachers complain about not having enough time to finish all that they had planned. If we were to have A and B days our class period would be longer, possibly over an hour. Mrs. Money at Fairfield Junior High School agrees saying, “With only four changes between classes only 20 minutes is used by students being in the hall, the rest can be incorporated into classroom instruction. Also, with an hour and a half to teach concepts can be thoroughly covered and practiced during class with the teacher’s support.” This could also benefit the students as well in classes other than core. Having classes over an hour long would make classes such as shop, or clothing easier as we would get to work on projects longer, that way you wouldn’t have to rush. But just having more time wouldn’t be the only benefit from the block schedule.
If we had a block schedule we could have one more class per semester. Having eight classes per semester instead of seven would make it easier for students to graduate from high school. Or at the same time it could please the school board to a great extent. If we had more classes our graduation requirements could be slightly raised giving us a better education. This would enable students to achieve a better education, and be better prepared for the real world. But this change could even possibly open more things for students.
If we had two more classes per semester we could possibly take a wider variety of classes. We could possibly take more classes such as auto- mechanics, or ceramics, which are less common in Junior High Schools. This might spark something with some students that don’t do well in classes that the Junior high already has available, this might help to raise the students overall GPA. All in all there is a lot of evidence supporting this, although only some is listed here.
I hope that this has helped to support that Junior High Schools need to have eight classes per semester in a Block Schedule. This would benefit the teachers in educating us students. It would also help students to graduate from High School faster. It would also keep kids more interested in school if they could take more classes. So what would you do, don’t you think that overall the consequences would all be positive?
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Finally My Eagle Is Complete!
Well as you can tell by the title I am talking about my Eagle Scout. Yup, that is right my Court of Honor was tonight. For me it kind of represents almost another building block finally set in place in the building of my overall life. I know that some of you are a little less interested in patriotic items concerning this country and its history, but I am, and I am sure that there are more out there just like me.
So to start out I would kind of like to mention some stuff about the Flag, that is right, the Flag of The United States of America. Most of you don’t know this, but technically it is disrespectful to walk between two flags ( like the United States Flag and the Utah Flag) this kind of explains why.
So to start out I would kind of like to mention some stuff about the Flag, that is right, the Flag of The United States of America. Most of you don’t know this, but technically it is disrespectful to walk between two flags ( like the United States Flag and the Utah Flag) this kind of explains why.
Between these flags that proudly fly
Let no man dare to stand.
For here our fallen comrades lie,
A symbol, yes, but mark it well.
Here let us ever humbly pause
In memory of the lads who fell
In fighting for our sacred cause,
Some lie beneath a foreign sod
In graves caressed by winds and tide,
In spots unknown to all but God.
And so, this place is hallowed ground.
And it shall be forever blest
As tho it were a grassy mound
Beneath which gallant heroes rest.
Be ever watchful, Legionnaire,
Of those two flags which signify
That we should guard this spot with care
Where our departed comrades lie
And, If an Man Should Dare to Tread
This Spot Where Lie Our Gallant Brave,
He Desecrates Those Noble Dead
As Tho He Walked upon Their
Grave
Now I thought that that was kind of interesting, but I personally had never heard it before.
Now on yet a different note, we have a song that you have all heard. Some of you sing it when you squish a bug and yet others might not know quite what it is. This song is called “Taps”. Most of you will recognize it if you have seen a military funeral, it is played in honor of a soldier when he dies. But this song dates clear back to the civil war- and here is where it is thought to have come from.
Origin of Taps
We have all heard the haunting song, “Taps.” It’s the song that gives us the lump in our throats and usually creates tears in our eyes. But, do you know the story behind the song?
Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison’s Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.
The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out, without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted. The Captain asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral. The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him one musician. He asked the bugler to play series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth’s uniform. This wish was granted. The haunting melody we now know as “Taps”, used at military funerals, was born.
Day is done, Gone the sun,
From the Lakes, From the Hills, From the sky.
All is well, safely rest. God is nigh.
Fading light, dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar, drawing nigh, Falls the night.
Thanks and praise, for our days,
Neath the sun, neath the stars, neath the sky,
As we go, This we know, god is nigh.
So everybody, remember respect comes in different ways. But when it comes to our country- you can hardly give enough.
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