CBH Concert In Lancaster

Last night was the Comic Book Heroes Concert in Lancaster at The American Music Theater. They opened for Foghat and Steppenwolf. There were 1,600 people there, a full house. George and I got to tag along and see both the Comic Book Heroes' and Foghat's sound checks before the gig. It was probably the closest I'll ever be to a hit band. Anyways, the concert was awesome. Afterwards, Sam, Ned, Steve, and Collin signed autographs on their new EP that just came out. It has three songs on it, two original and a version of Ray Charles's "Hit the Road Jack." The, after the show, George and I got to go up to the dressing room. There, we jusy hung out and talked until it was time to leave. So, today we have company over for the day. Some of my mom's friends, I think. Toomorrow is church where I am a reader. So, I'll talk to you guys later.

PSSA's

School - We are now taking the PSSA's in school. They are the State standerdized tests, and I hate them. They're so long! We have our silent movie in Music class today. I am Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. English test today. I'm scared because I have an 89% in the class and if I get a B I have to take the final. Sam invited me to go with him to the American Music Theater when the Comic book Heroes are openning for Foghat. It's going to be crzy. Might go to the movies with Emily, Catherine, and maybe Mike on Sunday. Baseball practice was freezing yesterday - 35 degrees. All we did was batting practice. It was actually pretty fun, though. Well, I got to go get ready for school. Talk to you later.

Friday

School - Well, I had a crazy hard math test today. It took more than the entire period to finish. We had to prove the Pythagorean Theorem as one of the problems. Anyways, I made the Baseball Team! We got our Uniforms and everything else you can imagine today after school. I am officially number 18 for the game jersey (Johnny Damon-favorite player) and number 36 for my practice jersey. I was surprised that some people made the team. The Varsity team is going to be pretty godd, though. I have to study for my phrases test on Wednesday. PSSA's on Tuesday and Thursday. Nothing tomorrow, I hope. Just sleeping in. Probably see if Mike can come over or something. Sunday is church. I'm going into thinking mode again, so I might have to post something more philosophical soon.

Baseball

Sorry I haven'y posted in a while. I have a lot to talk about. I have a little problem with my English grade. If a get a B this quarter, I have to take the final. I have an 89% at the moment. I have to get an A on my phrases test to get an A this quarter. In other news, baseball tryouts started! Monday was around 76 degrees and we were burning up. Tuesday was around 50 degrees and some of thought we'd outsmart the weather from Monday and wear short-sleeves (yeah, that included me). It wasn't too bad because we were generating so much heat. Today, we were supposed to have an intersquad scrimage, but it is so windy out that they switched it so that today is indoors for pitchers and catchers only. Tomorrow is the last day of tryouts. Friday morning, a sign is posted with the names of the people who made the team. Then, we pick up our uniforms and hats and get ready for nonstop practice, Monday - Friday, 3:15 - 5:15. Good stuff. Scouts tonight. I had my board of review for Life (the rank right before Eagle) last night and passed. Six to eight months until Eagle! I still have one merit badge to do. If gone to work with my dad a couple of times. It's really interesting watching what my dad does. He is a Radiologist for those of you who do not know. Well I got to run, so I'll talk to you later.

Love and the Human Race

School - Got my History Test back today. 100%! But school is not what this post is going to be about.

I just watched "Remember The Titans" (for like the 18th time). Racism was supposedly settled after desegregation. Well, look at today's society. The are still plenty of people who stereo type persons of a different ethnicity. They see them in the streets and think "better walk on the other side." In Remember the Titans, black and white teenagers set aside their differences and were friends on and off the field. If they can do it we can, too, as a global community. The Declaration of Independence states that " All men are created equal." If this is what our country was founded on in 1776, why did it take until 1865 for the abolition of slavery, and until 1920 for womens' votes, and 1954 for desegregation of schools in America? Leviticus 18:19 states love your neighbor as yourself. Well, that's what we should do. Which leads me into my next topic of discussion.

Love. The hardest emotion for a human being to understand. According to dictionary.com love is A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness. I used to believe that to love someone, you had to be, or want to be, in a relationship with them (excluding family and relatives). I have learned a lot in the past year, but one thing that stands out is the you don't have to be a boyfriend or a girlfriend to love someone. Love can sometimes be seen be asking yourself this question: "Would I do anything for this person?" If the answer is yes, then that is love. But, that is not the only way of seeing love, not by a long shot. You have to find your own way. I love my friends, my family, and other acquaintances in my life. They are not my girlfriend or lover of any sort. But I love them all the same. Why, because they mean something to me. The make my life more bearable, more liveable. I love them because they have helped to shape my very being. Without them, I would not be who I am today. I would do anything for them. C. S. Lewis once said: "We love to know that we are not alone." The people who we care about in our lives are witnesses to what we accomplish here on this Earth. Love is the repayment for this act of goodwill. That is why we love.

Tuesday

School - Got my health project back - a 96%. I'm really glad because I thought that I was going to get a B on it. So, in History, we had a review game and, for the third straight time, my team lost. I made all of my practice shots and missed all of my regular shots. It made me so frustrated, lol. We have to test tomorrow, which I have to study for tonight. I also haave to read the Miracle Worker and answer some study guide questions. Baseball starts on Monday. Can't wait for try-outs, though it will probably be very cold. I'm still looking forward to them anyways. Friday, we have no school! It's gonna be crazy. Saturday, I have Jimmy C.'s Eagle Project where we will be painting the library walls with waterproof paint. Saturday is also the First-Aid ralley that I don't want to go to. Mike probably coming over, too. Sunday is church. That's pretty much it. Check out my Myspace, if you get a chance. Thanks.

Scout Sunday

Today was a really cool day. It started off with Scout Sunday at Bausman Church. I was a reader and my reading was Genesis 8:9-17. The whole service went very well. After Scout Sunday, I just kind of relaxed at home until it was time to go to dinner. We went over to a family friend's house where we had an extremely good Indian Dinner (the husband is Indian). It was amazing. There was everything you could ever imagine. We got home around 9:00 PM. Then, I talked to Emily a little bit on the phone and went to bed. She told me that there is a new person in our Youth Group. I'm going to have to wait until next week to meet her. Too bad. This week is a four day week for me at school. WE have off Friday. I'm thinking about accompanying my dad to work again for the day. Saturday is Kevin's Eagle project again from 10:00-12:00. Sunday is the Cub Scout Klondike Derby that I just volenteered to help out from 1:00-4:00. So, it's going to be a VERY long week. Can't wait for the end.

Symphony

Today was a very relaxed day. This morning I had a Patrol Leader's Council meeting to discuss the upcoming schedule for the troop. That went very well. Then, my dad and I traveled down to Lancaster to look and road bikes. It was really interesting learning about all of the different models. After we got back, I rode the stationary bike for 30 minutes averaging 16.4-16.5 miles per hour. Mike, came over and we stayed on the computer working on Myspace and what not. Dinner was my own version of Maceroni and Cheese (which tasted terrible) and I didn't eat most of it. So, I'm still pretty hungry. At around 7:10 PM, dad and I went over to the Reading Symphony Orchestra to hear Mahler's 6th Symphony. It was pretty good but a little hard to follow. Tomorrow is scout Sunday so I can only go to Rite-13 until around 9:45 AM. Then, Scout Sunday Church Service. Homework next. Then, another grand week of school. That's my schedule.

Friday

School - Took the music test today on American Music. It had material from the 1800's up to Rock and Rap and the music of today. It was really easy, too, so I'm happy. Got my weekly grade sheet for History - 92.9%. I'm cool with that. Didn't get my Huck Finn test today, though. Mr. C said that he would give back ALL graded work on Monday. That also includes my 5 paragraph essay on racial prejudice in Huck Finn. We started The Miracle Worker in English class. It's pretty good. It doesn't feel like a Friday because we had off yesterday. It felt like a Monday. This weekend is gonna be kind of slow. I have nothing going tomorrow and only church on Sunday. Can't go skiing due to the rain we just had. Too, bad. Looking forward to my mountain biking trip over spring break. It's gonna be crazy. Nothing like Spain or Italy like some people I know, but it means a lot to me. My dad is getting a new road bike and said that I can ride it whenever I want to. It is really light, too. Can't wait to demo it! Well, I'll talk to you all later.

Mike's House

School - NONE! Yeah I have no idea why they cancelled school becuse of rain, lol. I'm not complaining, though. I'm over at Mike's house right now and he might be getting a really sweet camera called the Fuji Film Z1 Silver. It is super fast and looks really cool. Saturday, is rest and Sunday is possible Scout Sunday or regular Church. Not really sure yet. Have to work on my Health poster today because it is due tomorrow. So, I'll post later tonight.