The Diminutive Republic

Hello again, internet

2007-10-29T00:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back to the world of blogging, after realizing that I had been gone for over a year. I know nobody knew I was gone, but I still feel the need to apologize, if to nobody else, then at least to myself. So, I'm sorry.

A lot of things have changed, but even more have stayed just the same.

Gary finally popped the question back in November, and we are going to be getting married in December of this year. Scarily enough, the wedding is exactly two months away. I'm happy, and terribly excited.

We bought a house, and have acquired a new kitten. We have both gotten new jobs, at a new restaurant in town, and everything is going according to our ever-changing plan.

I can no longer call myself a musician, having abandoned my dear trumpet. My trumpet and I have been through so much together, for it has gained me much experience in the world, via musicality and popularity. The french horn is gone as well. Alas, I despair.

But my reasoning for the loss of music is quite simple. I had other things to do, of which were more beneficial. Sleep, precious sleep was my main desire, and the only way to attain such said utopia was to give up something I needed a little less: band. It took 10+ hours out of each week, hours that I now spend working, for homework, or for my slumbering needs.

Friendship is hard to come by, and easier to lose. I've lost a best friend to the world, and almost lost another to the final end. One has abandoned me to myself, and two more have seemingly forgotten of my existence. I still love them all, but, regrettedly, they no longer need me.

So, I must forge this same pathway that I have been on for all too long. I don't have the means to begin anew, and I don't know if I would want to. Where I am going will be a happy place, but lonely without the friendship that I once shared with so many loving people.

But I'll have Gary, and we'll be okay.

Not else needs to be said, other than that I miss my dad. He was my rock, and without his support, the foundation of my life crumbles away.

Dad, I miss you each day.

Love always,
Amanda

Early morning band = no sunlight

2006-10-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Even though colllege band has been really fun so far, I would have to say that there is one aspect of it that is MUCH worse than high school band.

In high school, early morning band practice was law, and everyone was forced against their will to attend. In college, I would almost KILL to be able to attend just ONE early morning practice, as opposed to two stinkin' (literally) hours in the scorching afternoon heat.

I have been sunburnt since August 18th, which was the first day of band camp this year. I would almost swear that I have peeled at LEAST nine layers of dead skin off of my "Rudolph" nose.

Sunburns stink.

Tag-teaming, anyone?

2006-09-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

I am seriously considering the option of doing the one thing that I always promised myself that I would not do: Drop out of college.

This consideration has absolutely nothing to do with the difficulty of college - in fact, it has been incredibly easy and stress-free so far. I've made a few friends, and everything is going great. So why do I want to drop out?

The answer is simple. My childhood dream was never to be an accountant. I ALWAYS wanted to be a truck driver like my aunt. She was always so free, and she got to see so much of the world....it's incredible what a truck driver gets to experience on a daily basis.

Soooo...Gary (who also wants to be a truck driver) and I are considering dropping out of school to become truck drivers. Will we find the guts to go against everyone who will be sure to tell us that we are crazy...our family, friends, and whatnot?

If we did decide to go through with this, then we would do it as a married couple, happily tag-teaming across the country.

It's so romantic, and so inspiring of an idea that we might actually go through with it.

I sure hope so.

I've joined the world

2006-09-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well everyone (which I guess is just me), I would like to inform you that I have just created a facebook account. It's just in the beginning stages, so bare with me.

Yeah.

Sudden realization

2006-09-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

I want to get married.

I am ready to get married.

I want to be free from my current family, and become as one with someone who loves me for who I am, and not who he wishes me to be.

Forget the added expenses, stress, and negative remarks from family. Love is more important, and I want to be free to express my love as far away from my mother as possible. She does not understand my love, and she will not try to love him as I always will.

I want to get married, and soon.

A mature crowd?

2006-08-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

I just witnessed something that I never dreamed would happen.

I was walking to my dorm room from my car, when I saw an ice cream truck driving around campus. It was playing "Do You Ears Hang Low", a cute little ditty that is not quite proper for the college crowd.

The truck was just driving around...looking for the little kid in all of us. It was too bad that my pockets were empty at the time, because I sure could have used a good snack.

Tootles.

What the heck did I just write?

2006-08-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

Pungent No More

America has become a land of endless opportunities; anyone can soar through the clouds, if only they are prepared to take the risks necessary to fly. Being prepared for life is one of the greatest necessities of success. This basic knowledge is instilled in the gray matter of young Americans even before they learn how to sing the alphabet. Children are taught to come to school prepared, with everything that they will possibly need for the work to come. Unfortunately, some teenagers tend to forget the conventions that they have been taught as their maturity level rises. These repulsive people neglect their school work, their family, and even their household responsibilities. Above all else, they overlook the one most important factor of personal hygiene: deodorant.

The wearing of deodorant is so essential that school age citizens of the United States should be prohibited from entering public education facilities if they fail to first apply a generous amount of deodorant to themselves. Deodorant application is so imperative that it can create a profound effect on the American society, and quite possibly even the world.

The life of any high school misfit can be greatly improved by simply taking the time to apply deodorant at the beginning of each morning. People would be more willing to socialize with the person because their smell is no longer too revolting to handle.

Before the application of deodorant, the distribution of people within a classroom would be quite lopsided, because there would be no person willing to be at a close proximity to the foul smelling individual. Once people have started to communicate with the ex-misfit, the feng shui of any one room would dramatically improve, because people would begin to migrate towards the new and improved individual. Good feng shui would make any classroom more efficient, which would in turn help to increase the Grade Point Average of each student.

As the individual slowly evolved into a socialite, their vocabulary would also improve because they would have more people to talk to and from which to learn. They would be surrounded by people from all parts of the nation, so a new knowledge of cultures formerly unbeknownst to them would be discovered. This would create a new sense of identity within the individual. They would gain self-confidence, and a new enjoyment for life.

If it were required by law for every student to wear deodorant, then the world would be much less pungent. Foul smells can be very distracting in the classroom, so the quality of note taking can be horribly compromised by an unclear thought process. If the room smelled powder fresh due to the application of deodorant, then students would have better notes to study with, and better grades would be sure to follow.

Excellent grades in high school often lead to scholarships, which would help each well-groomed student in America have a better opportunity to attend a college or university. Once into one of these institutions, then the window of opportunity will open up to anything imaginable. Who knows? Maybe the future President of the United States would never have had that opportunity if he had not been taught to apply deodorant.

There are also health benefits that can be associated with the application of deodorant. For example, deodorant acts as a moisturizer to the underarm, so the constant motion of the arm does no major damage, such as chafing or swelling.

Along with deodorant’s wonderful moisturizing qualities, it also has the ability to keep stress levels low, especially among teenagers. If a student is wearing deodorant, they do not have to worry about raising their hand in class, or even about doing the movements to “YMCA” while at the school dance.

Obviously, America would be a higher quality living environment if it were to become a national law that students must apply deodorant before attending public education facilities. The people of the United States would improve greatly as individuals, but even more importantly as a nation. The application of deodorant is the first step towards absolute greatness.

WI = bad

2006-08-28T17:42:00.000-07:00

Tell me something.

How do you get withdrawn from a class for absolutely NO STINKIN reason?

I don't know either, but yet it has just happened to me.

I have attended every session of my College Comp I class, have never been tardy, and I have paid all of my tuition for the semester. There are no grades in the gradebook yet, so its absolutely impossible for me to be failing.

So tell me - why is it that this wonderful university has suddenly decided that I am no longer WORTHY to be in a REQUIRED class?

The blackboard website no longer lists my English class under my enrolled courses, and my online class schedule has a WI marked. PLUS, I SHOULD have 16 credit hours, but somehow the number has MAGICALLY morphed into a 15.

In other words, this is nothing but a box of banana crackers :S

I'm a big kid now (ya gotta love that song)

2006-08-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Well, college has finally started.

I'll have to admit that at first I was kinda scared of failing miserbly at being on my own. I think I'm doing okay so far...I mean... I haven't died yet, and I've made it on time to all of my 8:00 classes (and all of the other ones also).

Unfortunately, it gets kind of lonely living on campus. I didn't want to mess with the troubles of having a roommate, so I opted to get a private room. Even though I absolutely LOVE the fact that I have my own personal space, it still seems like I should have at least SOMEONE to talk to after my boyfriend and other people I know leave the campus.

I'm really introverted, so it is often hard for me to make new friends. I'm as quiet as a paperclip, so people don't often approach me or even notice me. They might see me out of the corner of their eye or something, but they rarely acknowledge that I'm in the same room.

But then again, that makes life MUCH less complicated. I never have to worry about broken promises, drama, or even if people think my breath smells bad (haha).

I applied for a few jobs today, and I have an interview set up with a local restauraunt tomorrow. I really hope I get the job, because I'm tired of being broke. They lady I talked to seemed nice, and she seemed to be interested in me, so that must be a good sign...at least I hope so.

I guess that's it for now.

Yeaaah buddy!

2006-06-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello world. Long time no post.

Well, it's been a few weeks since graduation. I've taken a vacation from posting, but now I figure it's about time to return to my dear blog.

Graduation was cool, but not because of the actual ceremony. I found that you can get pretty rich when you get out of high school. All-in-all, I made over 1200 bucks in cash and Wal*Mart gift cards. That will really come in handy when it comes time to pay out for college.

Not much has happened around here. My mom and I went to Branson for a few days to visit my grandparents, and I bought an entire case of chocolate hearts at the Russel Stover candy outlet for like five bucks. That was kinda cool.

Oh yeah. I turned 18 recently. I bought my first lottery ticket, and I even won. It was only two bucks, but yet it made me feel pretty happy.

Big woop.

Until later....

woot

2006-05-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

I am about to graduate...and I am happy.

That is all.

Oh yeah...just one more thing.

Bomb threats at school are stupid.

That is all (again).

My to do list

2006-05-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I am finally ready.

I only have a few more tasks to accomplish before I get to graduate:

1) Finish watching Fahrenhype 9/11
2) Write a comparison/contrast/review essay over Fahrenheit 9/11 vs. Fahrenhype 9/11
3) Complete chapter 18 review questions for Physics
4) Take chapter 18 test for Physics
5) Read chapter 19 for Physics
6) Complete chapter 19 review questions for Physics
7) Take chapter 19 test for Physics
8) Pay my overdue library book fee
9) Turn in my Titan card money from last year
10) Turn in my Titan card money from this year
11) Talk to Mrs. Phillips about possibly going to Florida as a sponsor in two years
12) Finally use my free seminar pass

This seems like a long list, but the only part that I am worried about completing is the fact that I have to finish reading two chapters in Physics...within a 5 block time span. Can I do it? I have no idea, but yet I must try.

Urg.

The countdown to graduation has begun.

Thirsty

2006-04-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

I could really use a Pepsi right about now.

Even a coke would do....

Gurg.

I don't know if I am mad or sad. I think that my current mood is simply depressed, with a side of uncertainty.

That's not good.

I could really use a Pepsi right about now.

Notice

2006-04-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

Notice:

I currently do not like my life.

I am happy, but yet those around me mistake my happiness for rudeness.

I currently do not like my life.

Thank you, and good night.

State band

2006-04-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

Well, yesterday brass choir went to state. We got a II. Yay.

One final thought...

2006-04-19T23:13:00.000-07:00

The band trip to Branson is tomorrow.

It's gonna be fun.

It's gonna rain.

Like every other year.

Woot.

Letter to the Editor

2006-04-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Fletcher,

Do you ever actually check our blogs anymore? Is it REALLY necessary for me to randomly post meaningless junk on this site, just so that you will know I exist, and that I actually do my homework? Does the moon (which just happens to be made out of cheese)stink? Why have I decided to stay up all night? Why? Why? Why?

Thank you for your time. Or, at least...I think.

Signed,
Bored in the Boonies

In conclusion

2006-04-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

My rage is officially over.

It has lasted for several months, and most of you (if anyone still reads this) have probably forgotten why I was mad in the first place.

But yet, as I think of the progress that has been made since the life altering event, I realize that my madness has dwindled down to next to nothing.

I have forgiven, but not forgotten.

Thank you.

[Normally I would say goodnight, but that is not the case tonight. I will be up all night in preparation for leaving my house at 5 am. It is just easier to not go to bed at all...]

Good morning.

VERY IMPORTANT announcement!

2006-04-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

It's official!

Today is the 516th day that Gary and I have been a couple!

OOT WOOT!

Yay.

Just a random thought...

2006-04-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

I was listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd's "That Smell" today. So, of course, that song was stuck in my head for about 742.3 hours. During this period of bliss, something kind of random occured to my head.

Smell is a really weird word.

I probably realized this because "That Smell" says the word smell exactly 25 times before the end of the song.

Yeah.

The Big Apple (day five)

2006-03-31T07:23:00.000-08:00

Well, it was finally the big day. Twas the day of our return to earth.

We woke up with a knowledge that anything else on our 'to do' list must be accomplished by noon, which was the time that our shuttle would arrive at the hotel to bring us to the airport.

Mom and I started out on a stroll around the park, just to get a last look at the place. We found this guy who gave tours of Central Park via a rickshaw ride. (For those who don't know, a rickshaw is a sort of bicycle attacked to a two-passenger cart...). So, we decided to take the tour.

For like fifty bucks, we got a ride across half of the park. We saw the Balto statue, several famous fountains (like the one the cast of Friends played in), a lot of famous status, Strawberry Fields (the John Lenin tribute), and several celebrity houses. Oh yeah...we saw the hotel from Home Alone 2 and the Ghostbusters tower...etc etc.

We walked to a mall, in which I bought and ate my first Godiva chocolate bar. Then we went to Central Park to buy a few hot dogs, in order to get the ENTIRE New York experience. Next, it was back to the hotel to finish packing and wait for the shuttle.

As we were sitting in the lobby, a lady came up to the doorman and said, "Hey, you're that guy from survivor, aren't ya?!"

He said yes, and then got his autograph and took several pictures of themselves with the celebrity.

It was really cool, because we had NO stinkin idea that the guy who had been opening the DOOR for us the ENTIRE trip was a big celebrity. As we were leaving, we took several snapshots of the front of the hotel, in order to get him in a photos to bring back home. It was funny.

Ummm...we get to the airport...our flight is cancelled...we spend an extra several hours in New York....waiting...and waiting...and waiting....

We end up on a flight to Atlanta that didn't even leave the Big Apple until like 5:3o. So, we get to Georgia, and then almost missed our flight, because we had 10 minutes to get all the way across the airport and board our next plane. Luckily, the crew for our second flight didn't show up on time, so we were able to catch the flight back to Springfield.

We get to Springfield at 11 pm and then embark on our adventure towards home...we get there...we go to bed...we sleep.

THE END....

woot.

The Big Apple (day four)

2006-03-21T21:35:00.000-08:00

Today was our last whole day of touristy opportunities in the great Big Apple. Mom and I decide to visit several historical places that can be found within the city. I figured I might as well mix some education in with my fun…seeing as how I had nothing better to do.

We began the day on Staten Island, where we made the journey to some park of which the name has escaped my memory. I think it was something like Battery Park. There were several monuments there….but I really never stopped to look at them. It’s kind of off topic…but I saw a really big bird wandering through the park. I would swear that it was a turkey, but I have no idea why a turkey would have been there. Mom took my picture with it…just because it was odd.

We went into this building to buy ferry tickets to Liberty Island. There were a few park rangers there, and they had three squirrels running around them like crazy. The squirrels would crawl up their legs, and then just sit on the shoulders of the rangers. It was so amazing. One of the furry critters came right up to me and put its front paws on my foot. I guess that it was looking for food or something. Mom took plenty of pictures of these little guys.

In order to get inside the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty [everything from there up is blocked off], you must first go through two security checkpoints. These consists of about 1.5 hours standing in line total. You have to go through two metal detectors, two x-ray machines, and a ‘puffer’. I had never seen a puffer before…but it is basically this big machine that you walk into. It blows giant air puffs at your entire body. It can detect harmful chemicals…like explosives and junk. I know, because I asked the security guy.

The museum at Liberty Island was pretty cool. I took a picture standing right next to an exact replica of the statue’s face. The museum basically just described how the statue was built and stuff. As far as the actual statue goes, it really wasn’t that amazing to me. Big copper thing. Really tall. I’ve seen better.

I’m not dissing the statue, because I know that it represents so many wonderful things about America. It is truly an inspirational American artifact, but the plain and simple truth is that it is quite boring. You climb stairs, and then look out at the skyline. You can see New York and New Jersey skyscrapers. That’s really about it.

We ate lunch at an outside patio. There were all types of various sea birds there that I could never think to identify. They basically attacked any spare crumb of food that they could see. These birds were so brave that they would actually LAND ON the table at which you were sitting, and then STARE at you…just WAITING for you to die, so that they could eat your lunch, and then have your carcass for dessert.

At one point about halfway through the meal, Mom got up to make a phone call. She called me over to help her, so I left our lunch on the table. I turned around less than three seconds later, and my ENTIRE meal had literally flown away. The stupid birds were covering out table, and my food was gone. I shooed them away immediately, and soon found that the only remnants were a handful of my mom’s fries. I was very sad.

After we left Liberty Island, we took the ferry to Ellis Island. I had never heard anything about the place, other than its name, until today. Ellis Island is where all of the immigrants went whenever they first arrived in New York. It was just a honkin’ big building filled with hundreds upon hundreds of pictures of immigrants and things concerning their lives at the island. All of the pictures had captions beside them, and there were a few good quotes written on plaques on the walls.

That’s really about all that was there. I’m sure that this would have been way more interesting to me if I had learned some more background of the place before I visited it. I just couldn’t get into the groove of reading caption after caption after caption. I guess I’m just not a very good history buff.

Our next stop was Ground Zero. The memorial is still in the construction phase, so there was not much for us to do there. A fence surrounded the place, and there were a few signs describing what had happened there as a temporary display for tourists to look at. Through the chain fence, you could see the area that the Twin Towers used to be located. It looked like a disaster zone, even though there was no wreckage left. Apparently, a memorial museum is supposed to open this spring, but it was not open yet for the public to see.

We then decided to head for the Empire State Building. It cost $16 per person to go to the top, so we decided to just go into the ground floor, simply so we could claim that we had ‘been’ there. I considered buying a toy gorilla, but then thought better of it. We took several pictures, and then left. All I can say about the building is that it is tall. Really, really tall.

Ummmm…then it was to Grand Central Station. We saw Michael Jordan’s restaurant, which was kinda cool. It was too expensive to eat there, so we just ate a really big pretzel from the fast food places. We shopped in a few of the stores…and I even bought a book. I haven’t decided if it is for me or Gary yet. LOL. I think that I’ll give it to him, but then state that he has to share it with me. I don’t know if that is considered being an Indian giver or not, but I don’t care.

By then, it was time to head back to the hotel. I worked on packing for the trip home tomorrow, and then took a shower.

Well, it’s time for the end of yet another well-documented day in the life of me.

The Big Apple (day three)

2006-03-20T17:51:00.000-08:00

Well, we got up in the morning with a simple mission. We had two hours to spare before Jason had to be back at the hotel for his shuttle to the airport. We had decided to take our very first subway ride. The destination? Chinatown.

After asking various people which train to get on, we swiped our tickets and hopped aboard. We rapidly discovered that we were traveling in the opposite direction of which we wanted to go. So, we tried a few more times...and a few more...and a few more. An hour had went by, so we spent a few more train rides trying to get back to the hotel. At last, we arrived there just in time for Jason to check out and get on the road.

Sooooo, Mom and I decided to try our venture back to Chinatown. We finally figured out how to use the all-important subway map, so we got to our destination within like 15 minutes. I will have to say that this road was not exactly what I had expected it to be. There were rows upon rows of stores, all of which had the same types of product [purses, watches, jewelry, perfume, porno [yes...I said it], and t-shirts). It was kind of funny, because the people would just come right up to face and say random brand names as fast as they possibly can, in order to spark your interest. If you pointed out an item that you were interested in, then the automatic response would be $10. If you should your head no, then the price would go down to like $5 or $8. It was hilarious.

I ended up buying a few shirts and some various gifts for Gary and his whole family. That's all I'll say on this subject, because their presents are surprises...hehe. Of course, I got an "I [heart] N Y" shirt, just because everybody needs one of those.

After our Chinatown escapade, we went to the aquarium. It was pretty cool, but the animals weren't as lively as they were at the Central Park Zoo. I fell in love with a sea lion, because it did not leave my side for like 5 minutes. I mean, it was staring RIGHT into my eyes, and it looked SOOOO CUTE!

They also had an entire building dedicated no nothing but stinging creatures of the sea. Mostly jellies, of course, but also eels and stuff. It was kinda cool, because they had backlights and scary music going on in there to help set the mood. Yeah...

We ate at McDonalds because we needed some cheap, familiar food. Big Mac combo meals were $5.99...I don't know what they cost in town, so I have no idea if that was more expensive than usual. OH YEAH...the golden arches in NYC serve soup! Sorry. That just kind of entered my mind...

Ummmm...yeah. And then it was too dark to do any more sight-seeing, so we returned to the hotel, which is of course where I am.

I hope Gary calls, or sends me a message, or something.

I am lonely.

:(

The Big Apple (day two)

2006-03-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

At like 7 AM on Sunday, my family took a walk around the hotel, to see the sights and get acquainted with the businesses within a 20-minute-walk radius from our hotel. Our first "official" tourist attraction visited at New York?

Central Park.

Now, there are signs EVERYWHERE in this park stating that all dogs must be leashed, and that you must pick up 'after' your dogs. Simple to understand, ain't it? Well, I would have to say that there were at least 100 dogs in this park, no kidding. I only saw one dog in the entire park that had a leash on. Seriously....ALL of the dogs were running around, playing, sniffing, greeting the tourists, and just generally having a good time. It was really awesome, because they were all friendly...yeah. It made me happy.

I saw a sheltie that reminded me of Troy, and it made me think of my bubba. I really think that he would LOVE Central Park, because there was just so much happiness there.

We went to the duck pond, and there was this dude feeding the birds there. You could tell that the birds knew and trusted him, because they all flew straight towards him the second that he was within their sight. He told us that he feeds the birds every Saturday and Sunday...Apparently it is a tradition that his mother started.

Anywayz, Mom was taking a picture of me and Jason by the pond and he asked if he could take a picture of the entire family for us. He said he was a photographer. My initial response was the thought that he would take our EXPENSIVE camera and run. Fast. But, he seemed nice so we gave him the camera.

He turned out to be a nice guy. He took the pictures, and then made suggestions of other places that would be good backdrops for other great pictures.

We went to the Central Park Zoo...and amazingly enough, we were the FIRST people in line at the beginning of the day. It was kinda cool to be the first person to enter the zoo...hehe. It was a small zoo, but they animals were of high quality funniness. My favorite part was the penguins...there were at least 100 of these suckers, and they were absolutely hilarious. They would swim RIGHT up to the side of the aquarium, and then just sit there bobbing up and down, staring at you.

The worst part of the zoo was the fact that it was SOOOO cold. The tropical area was awesome though, because it was a building with a miniature rain forest within. It was hot, and it felt good.

We watched the sea lions get fed, and that was really cool. You all have seem shows like this on television, so I won't go into much detail. But still, it was awesome.

We had breakfast at some random cafe near the hotel. It was $36 for french toast, one egg, and one waffle. Plus hot chocolate, skim milk, and a bottle of apple juice. If you ask me, that is absolutely ridiculous.

Back at the hotel, we got changed for the play and then headed out. It was a ten minute walk to "Ring of Fire", which is the play that Lari is in. We watched the show, which was AWESOMENESS by the way. After that, we had a backstage tour with Lari, followed by dinner at the world famous Ruby Foo's. This place was really fancy, and we had no reservations.

It was packed, but we got in within a minute of entering the door. How? Of course! We told them that we were with a Broadway star. Of course, this was ENTIRELY true. How cool is that? Someone that I have known for 12 years is now on Broadway, knows me by name, and even sends me Christmas cards. WOOT! We instantly became VIPs at a very fancy schmancy restaurant.

The food was a mixture of Japanese-Chinese-Taiwaneese-anyother'eese' you can think of. It was expensive, but it tasted all right. I'm not a fan of this type of food, so I can't say that I would ever go back again...but oh well.

After leaving Lari behind, we walked to the Hershey factory. It was packed, and the food was waaaay too expensive. We continued our trek through Times Square, going through various shops and stores. I bought a t-shirt for myself, and searched for items to buy for Gary and his family. I found a shirt for him, but it was like $25. Sorry babe, but I didn't buy it. I plan to continue my search for gifts tomorrow...

Before returning to the hotel for the night, we stopped at the Carnegie Deli for cheesecake. Yes, I spent $8.75 for a piece of strawberry covered cheesecake. I meant to order cherry, but it tasted good anyway. I mean, it tasted extraordinary. This is the best cheesecake that I have ever tasted....I guess that this is why the cheesecake of New York is so popular.

We walked back to the hotel, and now here I sit. So, my plans for the rest of the night are to hopefully get a hold of my boyfriend, take a shower, and then hit the sack.

I don't have a sack to hit, so I guess I'll just have to punch my suitcase. Can you tell I'm tired? Like duh.

The Big Apple (day one)

2006-03-19T04:07:00.000-08:00

I awoke at 5:55 AM this morning. At this time, I finished a few last minute details concerning my suitcase contents. (In other words, I put my toothbrush, contact solution, pajamas, etc. into my suitcase). Along with the last additions to my suitcase, I also had to make sure that the dogs and cats had enough food and water to get them through the duration of our trip. After the car was loaded, we departed our driveway at approximately 7:14 AM.

My carry-on luggage got searched when we were checking in at the airport. It was no big deal....they just randomly selected my laptop bag to be invaded. Yeah. Invaded is a good word for that.

We made it through our first flight with no complications. Oddly enough, for the first time ever, I got kind of scared on the plane. I just had a feeling that something was going to go wrong, and that I would never see Gary again. I dunno...it was probably just the fact that I had a lot of stuff on my mind.

Yeah, it scared me (the plane ride, that is). Gary and I had parted in not-so-friendly terms last night, so I was really concerned about our relationship. I really wanted to call him, but that's just not an easy thing to do with like 100 people surrounding you, listening in on a phone conversation. So, I decided to wait until we landed in Cincinnati, so that I could type him a quick email at the airport while waiting for our next flight.

We got to Cincinnati. We were supposed to switch plans in an hour, so we snarfed down some chicken sandwiches and returned to the terminal to await our departure. We waited. And waited. And waited some more. Finally, we figured out that our second flight to Newark was cancelled. Whoopie!!!!! Apparently, there were "high winds" that would have made landing difficult. Sooooooo, we were stuck spending an extra four hours and some odd number of minutes at the airport.
I realized that I had packed my laptop's power cord in my checked luggage, so I couldn't use my laptop. I couldn't email Gary until
we got to the hotel. It was a big bummer.

Mom and I went shopping while Jason watched our coats (slept). It was during our walk that we discovered something very odd. All of the stores had souvenirs from the state of Kentucky, but none from Ohio. NOTHING said Ohio on it. Seeing as how we were in Cincinnati, we found this to be quite intriguing. Finally, I got the nerve to ask a saleslady what state we were in. Oddly enough, we were in Kentucky. I never knew that there WAS a Cincinnatti in Kentucky. Yeah. You learn something new every day.

The good part about our flight being cancelled? We got meal vouchers. Mom, Jason, and I made $21 in meal vouchers just because of our "inconvenience." So, we went to the TCBY store and got ice cream, and then to the cookie shop. We spent like $18 just in snacks. It was great.

OK, next topic.

The plane came, we got to Newark. Yay.

Our shuttle ride to (undisclosed location....I don't want no boogie man knocking at my door) was quite odd. I would almost swear that our driver was speaking German half of the time he was trying to communicate with us. Let's just say it was a VERY
VERY HARD accent to translate. His last name was Yuulikiv, as his nametag stated. I don't know where that is from...

We got to the hotel. After a few complications getting checking in, we found out that Jason would have his own separate room. This made me happy. I realized that I was very very very tired. So, I opened my suitcase and discovered that it had been searched by the airline as well. I guess that I just have suspicious looking luggage or something. Oh well.

I talked to Gary.

I went to sleep.

End of day one.

2006-03-08T19:31:00.000-08:00

I would like to direct everyone's attention to the new site listed underneath the "go here" thingymajiggerbobbermawhig.

It is called

Dialectizer

Go there, or just click the link that I just provided...it's purty nifty.

2006-03-08T19:05:00.000-08:00

And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for the main event!

Or, at least the event that will take the main amount of my time from here until May 16th, 2006.

Yes, you've guessed it! My senior portfolio! How did you EVER know?!?

I just started writing chapters for this stinker today, and I've spent about a five hours on my laptop typing away. So far, I have 9/20 of these things done. I think that now I have a pretty good head start...so maybe I won't be so stressed out about this thing later on...or maybe I will. Who knows?

Anyways, these are the chapters that I have done so far:
1) "Who Am I?" (Amanda)
5) "I Discover Poetry" (about a poem I wrote in 9th grade)
8) "My First Boyfriend/Girlfriend" (I chose the boyfriend side of this chapter title...Stephen)
9) "I Wish I Could See _______ Again" (a girl named Kamber)
10) "Junior High" (uhh...yeah...junior highish stuff)
11) "Let's Go to the Movies" (my media memoir from earlier this year)
13) "Let's Take a Vacation" (the cruise I took freshman year)
17) "My President's Paper" (Chester Alan Arthur)
18) "My Senior Research Paper" (The Benefits of Companion Animals)

I think that the next one to tackle will be Chapter 12, "I'm Really in Love This Time, Mom" .....hehe....that one is gonna be G-O-O-D!

Well, yeah. I am tired of typing now, so I'm gonna take a shower, rub some ointment on the rash on my wrist (like you REALLY wanted to know that), and then possibly come back and type some more.

Until next time, I'll be gone. Duh.

A message from the other side...

2006-03-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

OH KLAHOMAN RUNNER DUDE!!!!

Somebody actually read this!

Whoaness!

Whoever you are, mr blind prophet dude....I wish to thank you for proving to me that someone else on earth is alive (and literate)!

YAY!

Q & A session with myself

2006-02-22T21:56:00.000-08:00

Well, here I am.
Where am I?

I'm in a stinkin' big hotel room in Wichita.
Why am I in a stinkin' big hotel room in Wichita?

I'm here for the Tri-M convention.
Why am I here for the Tri-M convention?

I don't know.
Why do I not know?

Because I am very confused right now.
Why am I very confused right now?

Because this was supposed to be the best trip ever, but yet it is not.
Why is this not the best trip ever?

Our room assignments got messed up, and a group of 3 people (me, Brooke, and Heather) got a suite.
Why is this a bad thing?

Because everybody else desired to switch to our room, because we were the lucky ones with a suite.
Why is this a bad thing?

We had been hoping to have the room to ourselves, 3 best friends with one last trip together.
Why did this not turn out as I had planned?

I don't know.
So what can I do?

I'll ask the 8-ball.
Am I going insane?

[No.]

Really?

[Yes.]

Dude, I so totally thought I was going insane.
It is impossible to go someplace that you already are.

Well, I guess that makes sense.
Good. Go to bed.

Ok. Goodnight.
Sleep tight.

Yes'm.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Blog topics...blah blah blah...

2006-02-07T12:31:00.000-08:00

Golden Globes

"Brokeback Mountain" did very well at the Golden Globes. This film won three of the awards...even though the contents of the movie can be quite controversial. Obviously, the common theme of love is enough to make any movie good.

"Walk the Line" also did very well. Winning three honors, "Walk the Line" also won the honor of being the best musical or comedy, which is quite an accomplishment.

I particularly liked the ending of the article, in which it stated that having a woman president in America is inevitable. This makes me think that America is finally learning that the gender roles of Americans has truly changed from the concepts of just a hundred years ago.

Execution
Clarence Ray Allen,76, became the 2nd oldest man to executed since 1976. He had been convicted of arranging the deaths of 4 people, so he had served 23 years in prison.

His lawyers claimed that he was being cruelly and unusually punished by being sentenced to death. He was mostly death and blind, so he had obviously suffered a great deal while in prison.

Right before he was executed, he announced that it was a good day to die, and declared his love for those who actually cared about him.

Personally, I don't believe that he deserved to die...then again...I don't believe in capital punishment.

Drought
Several regions of the country are going through one of the worst droughts in decades. The crops are failing, and ponds have been drying up. The rainfall has been about 20 inches less than average, which is doing considerable damage to the farmers in the dry regions of the drought.

Wildfires are ravaging the lands, and even the homes of average people are cracking, due to the lack of moisture in the air.

Many farmers are being forced to sell off entire herds of cattle because they cannot afford to take care of them. Luckily, the cattle are fetching good prices.

Overall, the midwest is in a heap of trouble. We need a lot of rain, as soon as possible.

KU loses again (haha)
Thomas Gardner set a personal high of 40 points. This lead to Missouri beating Kansas 89 to 86. The lead changed teams several times, and there were a lot of close calls.

This game was the first time since 1991 that neither team playing was ranked.

That's about all. (hehe).

Senior project idea...?

2006-02-03T08:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I have officially made a minor decision about my upcoming SENIOR PROJECT. I plan to visit nursing homes, or another sort of assisted living establishment. While there, I'm going to bring a group of people armed with cute, cuddly, furry animals.

Why?

I'm thinking that we just MIGHT be able to do these elderly some good. I hope to have their blood pressure taken before and after each visit...cholesterol and stress levels might be taken as well. Pets are said to have good health benefits, so I want to help the elderly the only way that I know how. I'll track the progress (if there is any) and record all of the data (bp levels and such) and then turn all the research into a big bar graph or something.

I dunno.

I know the plan sounds stupid, and it probably is.

Oh well. I'll modify my ideas later. For the moment, it's time to do some research on the benefits of animal therapy.

*woot*

Initiative and Leadership

2006-01-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

Today I was at work filling the salad bar. I ran out of bacon bits, so I had to open a new package of bacon, put it on a container, and then label it. (The label contains the contents, date opened, and the expiration date.)

Normally this wouldn't have been a big deal, because I do this type of thing every day. It really was a big deal today though. For the first time in my life, I got to write the date 1/2/06. Now, why is that such an amazing thing? It' s because once again I am being forced to realize that my life is fast approaching a major obstacle that I know I am not ready to face. Graduation. I graduate this year, and it scares me.

I have filled out three college applications so far. All of them have been for MSSU. I have sent none of them in. I just can't put them in the mailbox, because I am SO SCARED of failing...not just a test, or even a final. I am scared of failing LIFE.

I really need to get into gear, apply for college, and try to get some scholarships under my belt. I know that I have good enough grades to get at least a few, but I don't think that I could get any that are based on leadership...because I simply don't have that "leadership" quality that so many others possess.

The peron who happens to teach my government class would know about my lack of leadership skills because he once coached me in volleyball. He watched me sit on the bench all season, when I should have taken the initiative to prove myself, both in the fact that I actually could have been a decent player, and in the fact that I could have prevented a lot of the personal disputes on our team.

I need two things.

Initiative to do the things I must.
Leadership to get the things I need.

I need them ASAP.

Exhausted

2005-12-27T20:58:00.000-08:00

I'm telling ya, I must be the weirdest person on earth.

It is generally noted that whenever someone is very tired, the take a break, so that they can recharge their body and become more capable of accomplishing their various tasks.

I have recently realized that (as many have already deemed to be true) I am weird.

Whenever I go on a vacation, I usually end up being even more tired that I was before the vacation started. During this wonderful "holiday vacation" or whatever it is called, I have become increasingly more exhausted as the days go by. I went to bed at like 11:30 last night, and then got up at nine AM to run an errand. After returning home an hour later, I sunk back into bed and didn't get up until 3 PM, at which I did chores and then took a nap until 4, when I went to work.

Something is wrong with me....I shouldn't be this tired...should I?

I'll have to sleep on this idea, for my body is telling me that I am STILL stinkin tired.

I'm done with this vacation. I want to come back to school, where my brain will actually be of use to me.

Stuck in my head :)

2005-12-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

"Signs"
The 5 Man Electrical Band

And the sign said "Long-haired freaky people need not apply"
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said "You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do"
So I took off my hat, I said "Imagine that. Huh! Me workin' for you!"
Whoa-oh-oh

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

And the sign said anybody caught trespassin' would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house, "Hey! What gives you
the
right?"
"To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in"
"If God was here he'd tell you to your face, Man, you're some kinda sinner"

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Now, hey you, mister, can't you read?
You've got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't even watch, no you can't eat
You ain't supposed to be here
The sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside
Ugh!

------ lead guitar ------

And the sign said, "Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray"
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all, I didn't have a
penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, "Thank you, Lord, for thinkin' 'bout me. I'm alive and doin' fine."
Wooo!

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Sign
Sign, sign

Yurp

2005-12-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

Mommy, why do you hate me?

You make me very sad.

The Saddam Hussein Trial

2005-12-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

BBC News
NPR Trial
NPR Timeline
CTV
MSNBC
CNN
CBC
Map Report

The above sites were all used to complete the following assignment.

I chose to describe the happenings of the Saddam Hussein trial by using a timeline.

10/19/05

-The trial begins.
-Saddam claimed that he was still the president of Iraq.
-Saddam questions whether or not the court is legitimate.
-Saddam and his seven co-defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of ordering the killing of 148 Shias (Shiite Muslims) from the village of Dujail in 1982.
-Three hours pass, until the adjourned until the 28th of November. This is because many witnesses had not shown up to the trial.

10/20/05

-A defense attorney for one of Saddam's co-defendants is kidnapped and killed.

10/22/05

-Lawyers for Saddam Hussein and seven codefendants reject an offer of protection from Iraq's Interior Ministry.
-It is wondered how security will affect the court proceedings.

11/8/05

-Another defense attorney for a co-defendant is killed, this time in an ambush.

11/27/05

-An international monitor voices concern about the legality and fairness of the proceedings.

11/28/05

-The trial heard its first witness testimony, from a former Iraqi intelligence officer who investigated the 1982 assassination attempt which triggered the alleged massacre in Dujail.
-Saddam Hussein complained that his foreign guards had taken his pen away, rendering him unable to sign court papers.
-Saddam referred to police guards at the trial as "conquerors and occupiers."
-At least four defence lawyers failed to turn up .
-The trial was adjourned until 5 December so the defence team could replace three lawyers.

12/4/05

-Saddam Hussein's newest defense lawyer is former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark.
-Clark's supporters say he's fighting for justice.

12/5/05

-The first witness to appear in person at the trial gave evidence.
-Saddam and his half brother interrupted the witness.
-Saddam told the court he wasn’t afraid of execution.
-The trial was suspended for more than an hour because of a walkout by defence lawyers protesting the refusal of the chief judge to let them challenge the legitimacy of the process in open court.
-Ahmed Hassan Mohammed gave a moving account of torture at the hands of the Iraqi security services.
-Two witnesses from the Shiite town of Dujail testify.

12/6/05

-The trial heard evidence from three witnesses from the town of Dujail.
-The witnesses were allowed to retain their anonymity and gave evidence behind a curtain.
-The judge declared that the trial would continue on Wednesday.
-Saddam says that he is exhausted, and tells the judge to go to *h-e-double-hockey-sticks*.
-Hussein announces that he will not return to the “unjust” court.

12/7/05

-As threatened, Saddam does not show up to court today.
-Hours passed as it was debated on how to go on without him.
-Eventually, trial was resumed.
-Two more witnesses testified.
-The trial was adjourned until December 21st.

And now, to answer the questions...

a. What former US Attorney General is now a member of Hussein's defense team?
-Ramsey Clark
b. Why did the defense team most recently walk out?
-The chief judge did not allow the defense team to challenge the legitimacy of the process in open court.
c. What is Hussein being tried for in THIS particular trial (there will be others.)?
-He is being tried on the charges of ordering the killing of 148 Shias (Shiite Muslims) from the village of Dujail in 1982. There will be 12 trials in all.
d. Who is planning to attack the location of Hussein's trial, and why are they doing so?
-A Sunni Arab insurgent group planned to fire rockets at the court building during Monday‘s court session. It was a group called the 1920 Revolution Brigades. As of now, no more details have been released.

District Band Schmand

2005-12-03T20:53:00.000-08:00

Well, today was the long awaited (but not very much anticipated) District Band day. We played. We went home. It was not worth the trip. Then again, since this was my third year to go, I really didn't expect to have a great time. I knew it would be boring, so I had no right to think that it could have possibly been an entertaining day.

The band did okay, but we played beginning band pieces that I have LITERALLY played in sixth grade. It was positively not high school band material.

The choir did great, and I especially enjoyed the last song that they sang, because it was a swing style. Too bad I can't swing dance.

The low part of the day would have to have been listening to the orchestra's portion of the concert. Usually, I love orchestras, but this was a definate exception. They played not one, but TWO versions of Happy Birthday, and a repetitive version of Yankee Doodle. Along with these INCREDIBLY dull, redundant, elementary stinkin DITTIES, I distinctly heard them play the "shave and a haircut, six pence" song about forty gazillion times.

I feel sorry for the poor musicians who had to play those dumb songs all day.

I'm glad to be home.

woot

2005-11-25T22:46:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas.

I mean, I love EVERY part of Christmas

The spiritual "meaning" of Christmas
Family gatherings
The food....
The Christmas tree
The sweet aromas that fill your house
Christmas lights
Decorations
Caroling
Anything else I haven't mentioned

But then...I can't forget one thing that sticks out in the mind of every spoiled-rotten child who celebrates Christmas....the gifts.

I, along with the rest of the world, don't mind if I receive a gift or two earlier than expected. Today (technically yesterday, seeing as how it is now after midnight), I received the second best Christmas present that I have ever been given. (The first best being my dog, Troy).

My grandparents, on my mother's side, bought me a laptop! Technically, it also counts for a graduation present..but who really cares what occasion it counts for?!?

I am happy :)

*woot*

*woot*

*woot*

When depressed, one must eat. A lot.

2005-11-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

It seems that in every class at high school, there is one person who really sticks out above all the rest. This one person is the one who will spontaneously do anything to grab the attention of everyone in the room. If this person is ever absent, the class is much duller, and it is obvious that the person is being missed, even if they were a tad obnoxious.

**********

I cried yesterday in 2nd block.

I felt like a total baby, until I looked up, and saw that everyone else's eyes were glistening with tears. It really stunk, because we all knew why we all were crying.

Our class clown, the one who made the block go by so much faster, is gone forever. We all loved him, and now he lives on only in our memories.

2nd block was very different yesterday, because we kept the Kleenexes nearby. We made cookies, and drowned our emotions face first into the only other thing we all had in common...eating. We spent the day trading memories of him, and trying to laugh at the things he had always done that made him the person that we loved.

Having that said, I have only one more thing to say:

We all miss you, Jason. I truly hope that you are in a better place....

COMPARING U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS Part III.

2005-11-20T00:23:00.000-08:00

Here is part III, in which I compare the writing styles of the United States, and various foreign countries.

After evaluating the articles written by American sources, I noticed that a trend was occuring. Even though the sources all stated that the US had indeed used white phosphorous, they all tried to defend the American forces.

The Epoch Times defended America by saying that it was hard for our troops to distinguish between civilians and enemy combatants, because the enemy fighters use guerilla warfare. Plus, it is not even entirely sure that white phosphorous can be classified as a chemical weapon.

The Washington Post made it very clear that white phosphorous was not intentionally used against the civilians of Iraq.

Reuters stated that if it happened to be that civilians had been killed due to the exposure of white phosphorous, then it was purely accidental. The women and children were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I found that the articles written from foreign sources were much more condescending of the actions of American soldiers.

For example, an article from Aljazeera made it appear that the US had lied about using WP against the people of Iraq. When reading this article, it was very evident to me that the author was angry, because the US had denied using phosphorous against civilians, but yet the burnt
bodies of many women and children were found.

The writer of the Indian article made it very clear that the US had used white phosphorous against the citizens of Fallujah. This was basically all that it talked about.

In England, the author of the article criticized America for using chemical warfare, which is exactly one of the reasons that we entered this war in the first place. We entered the war to prevent chemical weapons from being used, but yet we use them ourselves. Something here is not right.

All in all, I found that I can never trust any one article that I read, especially if the source is biased in any one direction. It is obvious that great care needs to be taken when reading a news source, because the truth can be stretched and bent in many ways.

From now on, I think that I'll attempt to find unbiased opinions as often as possible, because that is where the truth often lives.

COMPARING U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS Part II.

2005-11-19T23:55:00.000-08:00

These are summaries all of my articles from the U.S.

Reuters

Even though the U.S. military denied using incendiary white phosphorous against the civilians of Iraq, they confirmed that MK 77 bombs had been dropped in March and April of 2003. MK 77 is very similar to napalm.
An Italian documentary showed what appeared to be the burnt bodies of Iraqi civilians. The bodies had been burnt clear to the bone. Apparently, their bodies had been burnt due to the impact a white phosphorous bomb.

American Marines in Baghdad state that white phosphorous is a conventional weapon. It is denied that Willy Pete has ever been used against civilians.

The Geneva Convention has banned the use of incendiary weapons since 1980. The US never signed this protocol, as stated by a UN official.

Washington Post

Officials from the Pentagon denied the accusation that white phosphorous had ever been used against civilians during the battle in Fallujah, which occurred last November. However, they did state that white phosphorous had been used as a weapon against insurgent strongholds.

It has been decided that it would have been a better idea for the US troops to use a different sort of smoke bomb from screening missions in Fallujah. The Willy Pete should have been used for more lethal missions, which is what it is best used for.

Many claim that the US is using outlawed weapons, but this is not true. White phosphorous, and other weapons that the US have been using, are indeed legal.

Epoch Times

Last week, an Italian TV station showed a documentary stating that the US had used white phosphorous, a chemical weapon, against civilians of Fallujah. The documentary showed two interviews with US marines about the effects of white phosphorous. The interviews went alongside graphic images of white phosphorous in action.

Often, enemy combatants will dress as civilians, so it is hard for US troops to recognize the enemy. They do their best to make sure that civilians aren’t harmed. It is unknown if any civilians have actually been harmed by white phosphorous.

It is estimated that there were over 10,000 civilians were present in Fallujah last year. If this estimate is true, then the use of white phosphorous would have been a violation of international law.

The Italian documentary shows the several bodies, all of which are bullet-hole free. Their skin is melted. You can tell which ones were civilians because combatants wear bulletproof vests, which are still visible. If any of these people had breathed in white phosphorous, then their lungs and throat would have been blistered, and death would have followed due to suffocation.

COMPARING U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS. Part I.

2005-11-19T23:32:00.000-08:00

These are summaries of all of my articles from foreign countries.

Aljazeera

The Pentagon admitted that American troops used white phosphorous in the battle of Fallujah, which took place in November of last year. The Pentagon then denied ever using the phosphorous against the citizens of Iraq.
Lieutenant Colonel Barry Venable stated that while the flammable material had been used to mark targets, it was never used against the civilians. He then directed the reports towards an article in a military magazine, which gave various testimonies about the effectiveness of using white phosphorous against the insurgents.
An Italian station aired a report that Americans had used the “Willy Pete’, or white phosphorous, against civilians. Apparently, white phosphorous will burn the skin of anyone within 150 meters of impact.
White phosphorous is a wax-like substance that smells a bit like garlic. Frequently, it causes second to third degree bones. It is possible for these burns to go all the way down to the bone.

India

On Tuesday, an Italian television news station reported that the United States used white phosphorous shells ``in a massive and indiscriminate way against civilians” in November of last year. This was said to have taken place in Fallujah.

According to the report, white phosphorous can burn clear down to the bone. The United States claims that the white phosphorous was used to illuminate enemy fighters, but the Italian station claims that it was instead used against civilians.

Jeff Englehart, a marine, was quoted as saying that he had viewed the charred bodies of women and children around the scenes of the white phosphorous impact.

In November of 2004, the US government denied that any outlawed chemical weapons had been used as an offensive tool.

“The US used chemical weapons in Iraq - and then lied about it” is the title of this article.

The fact that the Italian station aired a documentary of the US using white phosphorous is not enough to prove anything. This is not enough evidence against the US. Unfortunately for America, there are other ways to prove this claim to be true.

There is an article in a magazine published by the US army that gives a statement by a member of the 2nd infantry. This quote gives proof that white phosphorous was definitely used against the insurgents of Fallujah.

Even though white phosphorous is not listed as a chemical weapon, it can easily become considered to be a weapon. WP can be used for military purposes, such as providing a smoke screen or illuminating a dark area. WP becomes a chemical weapon as soon as it is used against a person. If it comes in contact with anyone, it will burn until there is none left. This can leave the person with severe burns or eye damage. White phosphorous can be deadly.

The US has had similar problems considering the use of napalm. Napalm has been used in several missions, as well as a very similar substance called mark 77.

It is pointed out that a main reason for going into the war was because Saddam Hussein possessed biological and chemical weapons and that he might one day use them against another nation. Also, he had been using these weapons against his own people. So, why does nobody do anything about the fact that coalition forces are using these same weapons against the insurgents?

I particularly liked the last paragraph, which stated, “Saddam, facing a possible death sentence, is accused of mass murder, torture, false imprisonment and the use of chemical weapons. He is certainly guilty on all counts. So, it now seems, are those who overthrew him.”

Is this all a joke?

2005-11-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

Today, we were doing a poll in my Nutrition/Wellness class.

The poll was : "Who finds Jason to be annoying?"

Obviously, this was a very rude thing to ask, especially with Jason sitting right there trying to defend himself.

I, along with a small handful of guys in the class responded that no, he wasn't annoying. Almost every girl in the room flat out stated that they found him to be extremely annoying.

All of this was done in jest, and there was absolutely no real meaning towards this discussion. I never would have even thought about it again...

Unfortunately, I was forced to think of this incident again.

A few minutes ago, I received a phone call from a friend. She said that Jason had been shot tonight, and that he was dead...the shooter is not yet known.

Even though I didn't know Jason really well, this really shocked me. I mean, I just talked to him a few hours ago...and everything was FINE. It just shows once again how fragile life can be...

I guess you could say that I'm really confused right now. I'm starting to think that my school and town are just plain bad luck. Every year, something tragic happens. Many of my friends have lost their parents (and/or) houses in natural disasters. Even more have died of diseases. Car wrecks, gunshots, and drugs have ravaged this town to no end. I could just be blind...but I seriously don't think that any other towns around us have been struck so many years in a row by so many deaths and illnesses.

It is here that I must ask....where will it all end?

I Am A Rock

2005-11-18T20:35:00.000-08:00

I heard this song on the radio tonight, and I just couldn't help but notice how it relates to my current position in life. I mean, feel free to ignore the part about love, because my love will never die.

My friends, I will never hate you, and I will never even get entirely mad at you....but yet, I still get angry every once in a thousand years. I know that you guys will read this, so know that I've gotten over it. I'm still not happy about it...but yet....it'll be ok.

I Am A Rock (2:51)
P. Simon, 1965
Released on Sounds of Silence

A winter's day
In a deep and dark December
I am alone
Gazing from my window
To the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow

I am a rock
I am an island

I've built walls
A fortress deep and mighty
That none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship
Friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain

I am a rock
I am an island

Don't talk of love
Well I've heard the word before
It's sleeping in my memory
I won't disturb the slumber
Of feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried

I am a rock
I am an island

I have my books
And my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor
Hiding in my room
Safe within my womb
I touch no one and no one touches me

I am a rock
I am an island

And a rock feels no pain
And an island never cries

My sad little Kleenex box...

2005-11-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

On my computer desk, there is a Kleenex box.

I'm sure that nobody really cares that this Kleenex box exists, but yet I believe that this poor, abandoned Kleenex box has some sort of story that it would like to share with the world.

You see, my aunt Virgie (yes, that's her REAL name) made a cover for this Kleenex box. I can't tell what it was made out of, but it is hideously ugly. The fabric is yarn, and it shows a picture of some flowers, that don't even truly look like flowers. There is a small blue clock glued to the front of the box. This grotesque Kleenex box even shares a message with the world. It says, "Take time to smell the flowers" in bright red lettering.

Now, you might be wondering why this Kleenex box caught my attention tonight, and why it deserved the great honor of having its own blog entry. The answer is simple....the batteries in the clock have been dead for over a year, and I have been too lazy to change the batteries, so that it can display its proud message to the world, or at least to the inhabitants of my house.

Even the most hated things in the world deserve some respect, some love, and some attention. Tonight, I will get off my bum, find a screwdriver, and replace the batteries that have died long ago.

And the moral of my pathetic, but true story is...???

It may just be me, but I believe that the batteries of this clock are not the only thing that I need to be fixing in my life.

Oh Klahoma, I hate it when stories have morals to them.......

That stupid chant!

2005-11-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

Announcements, announcements, annooouncements!
A terrible death to die, a terrible death to die,
A terrible death to be talked to death,
A terrible death to die!
Announcements, announcements, annooouncements!

Sorry, but I got that chant stuck in my head from my previous post. Most likely, I'm going to regret saying all of that later. But that is then, and this is now.

FYI, any attack against my boyfriend I will consider to be a personal attack against me.

If you've been offended, I'm sorry, but that's just too bad. I'll say my apologies later, if and when the appropriate time comes.

Until next time.

ANNOUNCEMENT!

2005-11-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

And now, with a sudden burst of bravery, frustration, and anger, I will state a few key factors in my life.

I am aware that several of my friends have declared war on each other. This war seems to be based on the fact that my (female) friends are not entirely thrilled about the fact that I am IN LOVE (and always will be in love) with my boyfriend.

They have declared that he is a total jerk, and that I am completely blind to not see this. My boyfriend is mad at them because they say that he doesn't really "love" me, and that he emotionally abuses me.

At least, this is the basis of the hatred that surrounds me.

Considering the above stated sentences, I am going to now give a few quick facts that will help all involved to understand my feelings towards this ongoing battle.

I love Gary.
I will always love and support Gary.
Gary loves me.
Gary will always love and support me.
I am going to marry Gary.

I love my friends.
I will always love and support my friends.

Gary does NOT emotionally abuse me.
Sometimes I exaggerate my emotions, so that things seem worse than they really are.
I'm a big girl, and I know how to take care of myself.
Who I chose to be with is my decision, and nobody can change my mind.
I know what I am doing.

Unfortunately, it seems that there is no peaceful solution to this broil. So, I am going to officially declare that I will stand by Gary's side through everything, because it is he that I will stand beside for as long as I live.

If my friends so choose to never see me again because they hate my other half, then so be it.

Topic over. Discussion is closed.

Blugh.

2005-11-07T21:14:00.000-08:00

I am tired.

Goodnight.

From my big bro

2005-11-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

Ever since I can remember (which is a LONG time), my brother and I have been mortal enemies. We can't stand to be around each other, and we have absolutely nothing in common.

Weirdly enough, I just received an email for him. This is odd for two reasons:

1) I haven't spoken to him since August, I think.
2) He hasn't spoken to me since August, I think.

For some reason, he decided to send me an incredibly NICE email. He just talked about college junk, and my senior year...and he even tried to convince me to come visit him. This leaves me wondering...how lonely IS he?

Oh well. I guess that this is just one of life's many mysteries.

An interesting day...

2005-11-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

Today the tryouts for district band were held. I had originally planned on trying out on both the trumpet and french horn. Instead, I changed my mind and decided to cancel playing my french horn, because I was too lazy to practice the required material on two instruments. To make a long story short, I only tried out for district band on trumpet.

I didn't make district band with my trumpet.

I DID make district band on french horn.

Now, when I first found this out, I was quite confused. Apparently, only one person tried out for french horn, and they needed a few more players. So, since I had been in district band with my french horn for two years already, they asked my band teacher, [insert name of band teacher here] if I would play the horn. She told them yes.

Therefore, I made it in district band for an instrument that I didn't even try out for. How odd is that?

To make the story even stranger, the bus was in a minor traffic incident on the way home. We got into a fender bender, so we had to wait on the cops to show up and do whatever it is that they do for that type of stuff. To top it all off, [insert name of band teacher here] left the lights turned on in the band van, so the van died. We were like an hour and a half late getting home, which isn't a good thing for someone who is grounded, like me.

Yeah, it was a very boring, yet interesting day.

My letter to this pothole of a world...

2005-11-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

Dear World,

It amazes me how rapidly the life of just one person can jeopardize the happiness of many. For example, just last night a stolen car was torched and abandoned right outside my front yard, not even a block away. Due to the recklessness of some jerk, there is someone not far away who is without transportation. That is banana crackers, if you ask me.

Then again, this entry isn't meant to describe the happenings of the world. For just this one entry, I have decided to wallow in self pity, and beg for forgiveness, in all that I have done.

Anyone who reads this most likely knows me, and knows me well enough to know that I try my hardest to simply be loved by as many people as I can. I work hard to have as few enemies as possible, and I think that it has been working for quite some time. Recently though, my life has sunk into a sinkhole that goes down lower than the lowest low.

First off, I had a major fight with the one person I know who gives my life any meaning. For this, I can only apologize wholeheartedly and beg for forgiveness for the rest of my life.

So, here, for all the world to see, I say:

Forgive me, for all that was said and done. I know that I made several mistakes, but I am willing to try to make it up to you, if you will only let me. Forgive me, for I know that I have wronged you, and my only wish is that we can be happy once again.

This is not the only problem in my life, though. Less than half an hour after the major fight, I had an incredibly one-sided conversation (yelling match) with my mother. This would never have happened if I had been in a good mood, but I was almost in tears from the events that had happened prior to my arrival at my place of dwelling. (Notice how this says "place of dwelling" instead of "home". There is no love in my mind when I think of the hole in which I live.)

Anyways, during this conversation, I was told that "something" was wrong with me and that I would soon be forced to talk to a counselor, if I did not change my ways (HUH?! WHAT ON EARTH HAVE I BEEN DOING THAT IS SO HORRIBLE? I don't drink, I don't do drugs, I don't steal, I don't lie, I'm not pregnant, I have excellent grades, I do my homework, I do my chores, I work for my money, I don't have to ask to borrow money, and I don't even CUSS! What is so bad about me????!) If you can figure this one out, feel free to share.

As a lot of people know, whenever I get into a fight, I yell a lot, and then walk away in frustration, simply because I cannot comprehend the fact that walking away is a BAD idea in the event of most arguments (as I had learned earlier in the day).
So, halfway through the argument with my mom, I stormed to my room, slammed the door, locked the door, and cried myself to sleep for the very first time in my life.

When all was said and done, I had been grounded, banned from phone usage, and banned from the internet (all of which are for a month's time). Oops, I'm on the internet. Oh well, I don't really CARE anymore. Mom's gone to church (which I'm grounded from going to CHURCH too...does that even make SENSE?) so I'm venting in the only way that I know how.

Yeah, my life is pretty messed up right now, and it's all my fault.

World, please forgive me. I am tremendously sorry.

With love and sorrow,
Amanda

Filling the vacated seat

2005-11-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

When Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement from the Supreme Court in July, it left President Bush with a difficult decision to make. He had to nominate someone else to take her position in the vacant Supreme Court seat.

President Bush then nominated Harriet Miers to take O'Connor's place. Even though she has never been a judge before, he still claimed that she was the best person that he could find for the job.

Some democrats were worried that the conservative views of Miers would create a majority of right-thinking people within the court.

On the other hand, some republicans were afraid that Miers isn't republican enough.

Eventually, Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination. Apparently, Bush reluctantly accepted her withdrawal.

So, President Bush then nominated Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. Judge Alito has a very impressive background and an even more impressive reputation. Samuel is dedicated to serving the public.

Based on what I know about Judge Alito, I would say that he has an excellent chance of being accepted.

I guess we'll all have to sit back and wait until we find out what will happen.

BBC News

Supreme Court Watch

Totally clueless

2005-11-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

It seems to me that people have banned together to make a totally off-basis conclusion about my blogging skills. I keep having people ask me how to edit their own blogs to make them look cooler.

Guys, seriously. I have no earthly idea what I am doing. If I want to change something around on my blog, I spend like 9.87342 hours using a trial-and-error method until I get it right. I have absolutely no skills on the internet. My blog doesn't look that great, so don't expect me to know how to do anything.

If you want help, I can TRY to assist you, but don't expect me to know what I'm doing. My advice would be to ask somebody with "Shipley" for a last name.

Hehe. Ok, I think I'm done now.

I'm sorry if that seemed a tad rude, but I keep getting asked soooooo many questions!

Forgive me, for I am horrible.

Hard work pays off

2005-10-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

After four years of hard work and dedication, I have finally been rewarded for all of my sleepless nights, headaches, and other symptoms of being an overachiever in high school.

I was rewarded with....a dictionary. Yes, a dictionary. Believe me, I never thought that my American Heritage College Dictionary Fourth Edition (sponsored by the Kansas Honors Program) would ever really be put to use.

Just for the...fun...of it, I decided to flip through it, and I happened to discover the definition of something that an unmentionable teacher (who happens to teach a class about the government of the State that I live in) wanted to know. He (or she...) was wondering of how to define the following word.

free speech: n. The right to express any opinion in public without censorship or restraint by the government.

If you ask me (which you won't), I believe that this supports the idea that public opinions do not necessarily have to be expressed by using voice alone. In other words, people have the RIGHT to burn flags, simply because they are not actually infringing upon the rights of another. Feel free to tell me if I'm wrong, but this is the way that I see it.

I personally don't support flag-burning, but I still don't see it as unconstitutional.

Yeah. I'm done now.

Dandelions Pt. 2

2005-10-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

In case any of you were wondering, I was entirely serious about the dandelion thing. I really do want dandelions sent to my funeral.

Thank you for understanding.

Dandelions

2005-10-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

Currently, I am hacking up my lungs.

If tomorrow, or at some other point in the near future, you learn of my death, I want to make it known that I died from the act of my lungs exiting my body through the painful thrust that is involved in the act of coughing due to a sickness.

Let it be known that I am not planning to end my life in any way, shape, or form. I simply have a fear of my lung leaving it's happy home within my body.

If I DO die of the lack of a lung, please, do not send me flowers. I am officially requesting to have dandelions sent to my funeral. Yes, I want you to send weeds to my funeral. They are cheap, abundant, and amazingly pretty. I love dandelions, so the least you could do when I die would be to send me a bouquet of weeds. This is all that I ask.

My completely obvious statement of the day

2005-10-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

Due to some very recent happenings in my life (which are as recent as 4th block today), I have decided to make my first official completely obvious statement of the day.

"Life isn't fair."

explanation: Someone is mad at me for something that someone ELSE did.

That lifelong question...

2005-10-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Well, that time of my life that I have always dreaded has finally come upon me.

It is time for me to decide what I want to be when I grow up. This is all too sudden for me, because the last thing I remember concerning this issue happened when I was a wee five years old. I was sitting on my daddy's lap, and he told me that I could be ANYTHING that I wanted to be. (Which, at the time, wasn't very realistic, because I wanted to be a princess.) Now, I'm seventeen, a senior in high school, and it is officially time for me to grow up.

Dr. Snyder has given her students the assignment to write a college application essay, and I have no earthly idea what to write. Honestly. I have no idea where I want to go to college, what I want to study, or even what I'm going to eat for lunch tomorrow. I'm just not into making decisions...ya know?

I'm not saying that I haven't had enough TIME to decide all of these major variables in my life, it's just that I haven't made up my mind yet. I mean, I would absolutely LOVE to become a dolphin trainer, or marine biologist of some sort, but that's just NOT an option when I live in the middle of nowheresville. I'm incredibly happy here, and I don't think that I would ever want to move, so it just doesn't make sense for me to pursue that career.

So, whatever I write on this college application essay is most likely going to be absolutely dull, because I have no motivation whatsoever. I'll get an F on the essay, flunk english, and then have to take another year of high school. Then again, that could be a good thing, because it would enable me to have more time to decide where I will be going with the rest of my life.

MAYBE, I'll start slacking off in Gov't too, because that's my only other required class....

(wink wink)

{Don't worry, Mr. Fletcher, I'm just kiddin....}

I seriously need some inspiration here. And FAST!!!

Where our country is headed...

2005-10-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is a post that I found on one of the political blogs that I have been following for Mr. Fletcher. I'm not saying that I entirely agree with this, but I think it should be said that he has quite a few good points. Check out the link, see what you think, and then feel free to express your own opinions.

Ya'll should see this...

In the case of...

2005-10-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

If you ask me, it should be the government's responsibility to protect the people that reside within the boundaries of the law underneath the government's control.

In otherwords, the government should protect the people.

Soooooo...I believe that the role of the US/UN should be very major during the pandemic of a lifethreatening illness, such as the avian influenza (bird flu). The government should provide information to the people to help protect them from the harm that major illnesses can cause. Also, we should be properly instructed on how to prevent and control the diseases that can theaten the general population.

Yeah, I guesss that's all that I have to say.

Bird Flu

2005-10-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

The following links to the WHO website. It answers several frequently asked questions about the bird flu.

WHO Website

This link provides information as to how the flu is being dealt with in Turkey.

BBC News

This one shows the history of the bird flu through a timeline.

From nature.com

This site was created by the government of Singapore to provide basic information about the flu.

In Singapore...

And lastly, information from Austrailia...

And in Austrailia...

"Shriek...balloons!!!"

2005-10-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

So here I sit, working on my blog. My little cousin is running around the living room, shrieking wildly.

Why, you ask? (Even if you WEREN'T going to ask, I'll tell ya anyway...)

He saw the desktop of my computer, which currently displays a picture of the hot air balloon regatta...

Seeing as how this kid is like...two? one and a half? He got quite excited when he saw a picture of a vocabulary word he actually knew. So, he decided to let everyone within yelling distance know that he knows the word balloon.

He's just running around, pointing at the screen, and SHRIEKING "Balloon! balloon! balloooooon!" Continuously. I love him, but he is seriously starting to drive me INSANE...oh well.

Yeah, it's kind of annoying...

I'll stop complaining now :)

The best movie of ALL time....

2005-10-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

My favorite movie would HAVE to be Heavyweights. Why, I really don't know. I just have always appreciated the concept of overweight, nerdy, and under-confident people coming together to defeat those who find themselves to be better than the general population.

Second to Heavyweights, I would have to say that the movie Hysterical is, well, hysterical! It was cheaply made, includes some awful jokes, and is all around terrible, but yet, I LOVE THIS MOVIE!

Star Wars rules. There is just no other way to describe the love that I have for this series.

Star Trek is weird.

Napoleon Dynamite is stupid.

End of story.