Wake Me Up

Indy trip through Food

2011-06-08T00:25:00.009-04:00

Thursday Dinner:

California Pizza Kitchen @ LAX: Thai Chicken

Friday Breakfast:

Sleep.

Friday Lunch:

Five Guys Burgers and Fries: Bacon Burger w/fries cooked in peanut oil & some peanuts on the side.

Friday Dinner:

Milano Inn: Lasagna & Ravioli

Saturday Breakfast:

Wedding Breakfast @ the Hilton Indianapolis in room 707:

Saturday Lunch:

Ummm...no time. Wedding Pics @ Indiana Statehouse.

Saturday Dinner:

Wedding Reception at Skyline Club: Salmon with steamed vegetables & bread rolls.

Top floor of the One America Building:

Sunday Breakfast:

Goal was to go to Calvin Fletcher's; however, it was closed. Runner up that morning? Starbucks.

Sunday Lunch:

Weber Grill Restaurant: Wisconsin Kettleburger with coleslaw

Sunday Dinner:

Nothing Fancy: Arby's @ MSP airport: Regular Roast Beef w/ curly fries

Images

2011-05-27T02:02:00.004-04:00

What do all these images have in common? They are all Christian music artists. I guess I was just thinking about how much the church focuses on the image of a person. In many churches if people don't fit into "the mold" they are frowned upon. We've formed our own opinions and judgments about what is acceptable and what is unacceptable when it comes to our appearance. Is there a difference for worship leaders? Do we make exceptions? Are our preconceived notions of acceptability misguided by tradition & religion? I'd have to say I've listened to a lot of music from the above artists and prefer it over many contemporary Christian artists. I'm not making a case for a specific appearance here but rather are we missing something when we judge others on appearance?

Green Egg Grill

2011-05-24T02:20:00.001-04:00

Just purchased the Big Green Egg. Can't wait to try it out! Check it out here

First Fire

2009-11-25T21:15:00.000-05:00

First fire in my house. Sending this via a phone blog. Nice.

Where has Mario Been?

2009-11-25T01:42:00.002-05:00

Blog,

You have been sorely neglected. You must accept my apology. No one has seen you I'm sure for quite an extended period of time. Not only has no one visited you, but you have had nothing to share. Well, I can't make any promises right now but I would like to see if that can be remedied. It will be somewhat challenging since the author finds himself enormously busy; especially during this Holiday season.

Life is in full swing right now. Currently, in the middle of a second year of teaching. Fourth-graders can be quite demanding and I find that I am constantly learning how to work with them, relate to them, connect with them on personal levels, and teach them all at the same time. In addition to this, I have taken on the responsibility of being team leader for my grade-level. This is another challenge all to itself. Learning how to serve your fellow peers in something you know they have much more experience in always presents hurdles. I am grateful however for our instructional coach who is continually offering her time, knowledge, and resources. The cherry on top this year has been a technology grant I applied for last year and I was awarded. I've been able to get some new tech toys in the classroom which is stretching the way we learn. I'm having fun playing around with these tools.

Outside of the work arena, I've stayed plugged in at church and continue to work with the youth. We are in the middle of putting a Christmas program together. We've also launched some Secret Santa's which is bringing out some creative juices.

I'm ready for Thanksgiving and spending some quality time with family. Kind of wish it wasn't a "get together with the whole family event." I don't think I'd mind something a little more low key. Anyway, not happening this year.

27

2008-06-10T12:29:00.002-04:00

I have had all these great things to post but no time to post them. Before I get to one of these great things though just thought I'd mention that I completed 26 years of life last week. To celebrate the occasion I had some friends and family over. We roasted hot dogs while sitting around a fire and played some croquet. It was a fun time.

What made the week even better though is that I was offered a 4th grade teaching position for next year. As of right now, I will be teaching at Mission View Elementary alongside my brother who is at the first grade level there. Pretty sweet birthday gift.

Sub Update

2008-04-14T00:34:00.002-04:00

Hey, I've been offered the long-term 5th grade sub position....so from now till June 18th I will be teaching 5th grade math and science at John Newberry elementary. Sweet.

Approval

2008-04-11T12:41:00.002-04:00

I have been approved. Two days ago I received an email from Washington state's OSPI stating that my Residency Teacher application had been approved.

"Congratulations. Your application has been approved. You should allow 8 weeks for OSPI to process and mail your certificate."

5th Grade Sub

2008-04-09T13:01:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow I have an interview for a long-term, half-day fifth grade sub position (teaching math and science). I'll let you know how it goes.

Marshmellow Roasting

2008-04-07T01:58:00.002-04:00

There is nothing quite like sitting around a fire on a cool evening, talking with family and friends, and roasting marshmellows and hot dogs. The best part: having smoke from the fire impregnated in all your clothes.

Engine Replacement

2008-02-08T12:59:00.002-05:00

Back in the Fall when I returned to my studies I had decided to take my Nissan out to Virginia. If I had known though what would have taken place before heading out I would have reconsidered my plans. Two days into my journey I was traveling through Wyoming. Unfortunately for me, it was the last day my car has run since then. Presently, I have been attempting to replace the engine in my car. Below is a picture of the new engine. For approximately the last two months my dad and I have made some slow progress on this engine replacement. I hope to find the necessary time within the next couple of months to complete this job. Also, it will probably be the last time I try an engine replacement. It's not fun not having your own car.

Snowshoeing

2008-01-24T15:59:00.001-05:00

Back in December I went on a short snowshoeing excursion with my brother and his father-in-law Greg. Not knowing where we would end up we found ourselves enjoying a "Plain" view.

Me, in the car, on the way up.

Greg, with a great background.

Armando, stopping for a breather.

Armando again, looking pretty fly.

Us, at the top with some view.

What we came to see: just a Plain view.

Eating at the 59 Diner

Number 1

2008-01-22T00:33:00.001-05:00

First post of 2008 and first one since Thanksgiving. That's sure a good span of time. I'm with Tim: my blog needs a little more attention. I've been back home for about a month and it has been great. It's nice to come back and see some snow. However, it hasn't snowed for a while now. This week we are looking at getting into some nice, cold winter weather. Right now it's about 6 F outside.

I'm slowly getting back into the groove of things here at home. I'm still waiting for my degree to clear and other paperwork issues so that I can begin substitute teaching. In the meantime, I'm flipping noodles at the Wok About Grill. I'm afraid that a permanent teaching position will have to wait until the following academic year since no positions are open right now. I'll work at getting some photos posted but it's all running a little slow right now.

Sleepless

2007-11-22T00:44:00.000-05:00

I guess it takes a sleepless night to get me to post again. And then who knows if anyone still visits my blog. It's been awhile since my last post. Not much has changed since then though, except that I only have 3 weeks of student teaching left, however, I'm not sure what to write about.

So I guess, if anyone does check this out from time to time and you would like to know something about what's been happening in my life or you want me to attempt a discussion on some interesting subject feel free to leave a comment about that. I'll see what I can do.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Internet Down

2007-10-06T15:29:00.000-04:00

Technology is superbly wonderful to have and be able to use but when it doesn't work it's the complete opposite. For about a week now my home internet connection has been inaccessible. Apparently it is an issue with the router--which I find hard to believe. In the meantime, I've been forced to using the internet where I work (which isn't so great because the school system has half the sites blocked) or at Regent (a fine alternative but I don't always feel like driving here to use it). Regardless, that is what must be until the issue is resolved.

In other news I have completed my sixth week of student teaching; only ten more to go! This weekend I need to finish planning for this upcoming week, organize my final assignments for my technology course, and start compiling my teacher portfolio. The half-way point to my student teaching is drawing closer; which I am completely stoked about.

Final Note:
Our 3rd grade classroom is looking at getting some guppies. We tried starting out with 5 late last week but they died overnight. Monday, we'll try again and hopefully the results will be more positive.

Truth

2007-09-22T11:40:00.000-04:00

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. -- John 18:37-38

the truth project

Whirlwind

2007-09-19T22:09:00.001-04:00

Week 4 of student teaching is on the downhill slope and it has been a busy one, yet I imagine the next three will be good and busy as well. Tomorrow I get observed. My supervisor will be coming in to evaluate me on my mid-term. Honestly, I think the sooner it's over the better. I will be teaching a lesson on matter. More specifically, what happens when you combine two kinds of matter and how do you classify that matter. My lesson will involve making some oobleck. Check out the video if you are unfamiliar with this crazy substance:

How about an Oobleck Pool:

Will it Blend?

2007-09-12T17:14:00.000-04:00

A new site I came across as I was browsing another site. Such a difficult video to watch if you're into the latest cell phone technology.

Semana Dos

2007-09-05T17:46:00.000-04:00

Where to begin...This week the students arrived to school and the past two days have been the initiation phases: stepping into 3rd grade. I have spent much of my time observing and getting to know the students as well getting to know Ms. Hughes's teaching style. She's a good teacher, one I believe I'll enjoy working with, but time will tell. I wrote a letter the other day which will be sent home to the parents of the students so they (the parents) know who's going to be feeding them their daily educational nutrition for the next few weeks.

I have to say that it looks like we have an exceptional class of students; which may not make teaching any easier but it may help when it comes to classroom management.

Alanton

2007-08-31T18:22:00.000-04:00

If you want to know a little more about the school I'm student teaching at you can check out their school site by clicking here.

Today, the third grade teachers went out for lunch at Atlas Grill and Bar. I had a Chesapeake Flounder BLT sandwich. Other than this my co-op and I discussed my schedule, went over some lesson plan stuff, and made some finishing touches in the classroom. To end the day we had our first general staff meeting to go over some logistical details before the first day of school this coming Tuesday.

Oh, I should say as well, that last night we had an open house. I was able to meet quite a few of the students and their parents. We are going to have a very diverse and unique third grade classroom. Many of the students are gifted and there are a handful of ELL (english language learners) students. One is from Singapore, another from Spain, one may be Greek, one has been living in Italy (mom is Finnish), and I think there are a couple of Chinese students as well. All of this makes me a little nervous.

Well, I'm going to try and enjoy the weekend.

Share-Point

2007-08-29T20:05:00.000-04:00

At school today, I had my first introduction to Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server. For the teaching profession I found it to be quite remarkable. I would imagine the same for other business or organizations that are seeking to communicate, collaborate and so forth digitally. For example, in my brief moments seeing the program work the principal can have the school calendar on there and make any adjustments at anytime should changes arise. Upcoming events/activities are listed right there for a teacher to see. In addition, the school has it set-up that you can send a document to a copy machine (pretty much as many as you want with x number of copies) and then at your leisure go to the copy machine, access the documents you have stored on there and make your copies. So instead of wasting printer ink, which is more expensive, you can use copier ink. Another feature which was cool but in which you would need everyone on board, were what you might call grade-level links (websites). Within these links that grade level can send messages to one another, upload documents to share, discuss, strategize, and so forth.

I know there were many other features included within this server software, but I was impressed with the digital collaboration and communication it provides for teachers.

Day One

2007-08-28T19:32:00.000-04:00

I awoke this morning extremely tired but with the realization that I had to get up because my first day of student teaching had arrived. In all reality you could say it was my second day. Monday was my true first day but I was forced to miss it since my '89 ford escort was not cooperating....so, after renting a car for a couple of days in order to give myself some time in determining the issue with my escort I was set to go.

As I said, I found myself struggling to get out of bed wanting to squeeze every last minute of sleep in as I possibly could. Yet the time came and I jumped up, got ready, and went out the door. I raced down 264, directions in hand, and thought to myself, "I have no idea what to expect today."

With no trouble, other than battling some early morning traffic, I made it safely to my destination, Alanton Elementary School. After having parked my car I made my way to the main entrance of the school. I reached to open the door and realized that it was locked. Fortunately, it wasn't the only door. There were at least three others and I eventually found the unlocked door. I entered the school and saw not a soul around. But alas, I knew there had to be other people in the building. Why else would the one door be unlocked and other cars in the parking lot, right?

In no time at all I found someone who was able to direct me to the room of Ms. Hughes, my cooperating teacher. Upon reaching the room, I found Ms. Hughes already busy getting her cluttered room ready for the new school year. She took a pause from her work, introduced herself to me, and my first day as a student teacher had officially and formally began.

The remainder of the day consisted of me helping Ms. Hughes continue organizing and prepping her room. Some of the tasks which I helped her with included hanging some curtains, putting up some words (continents and oceans) on the wall, creating some folder activities, and helping create a simple bulletin board to welcome the students for their arrival.

In a nutshell, with gaps in-between and all-around, that was day one.

Trying Times

2007-08-26T12:40:00.000-04:00

Student teaching has arrived. One could say this is it: after this stage of the learning process I will be a certified elementary school teacher; no more classified. For roughly the next sixteen weeks I will use this blog to jot down thoughts, happenings, and peculiar circumstances or situations which may arise throughout the course of my student teaching and life in general. I invite you, reader, to join the journey and come along for the ride.

Recently, I have been in some trying times. Approximately a week and a half ago I set out by car to drive across this great nation, America, in order to begin my student teaching here in Virginia Beach. My plans were to arrive in the area no later than last Sunday; however, plans changed. About 1,000 miles into my journey my car's radiator blew. A few days later when that problem was fixed it was diagnosed that my head gasket or head or both needed replaced. So which was it? Both. My head (not mine the car's) was warped beyond the point of being re-surfaced which left me with no other option than to leave my car at its present location and come by bus the remainder of the journey. Therefore, after being stuck almost a week, essentially in the middle of nowhere, and traveling 3 days by bus I finally arrived in the early hours of Saturday morning to Virginia Beach.

Results of my late arrival included missing my orientation meeting for student teaching which took place last Monday, and any planning time I could have used got thrown out the window. I now find myself trying to get up to pace with my technology course and gearing up for my first placement at Alanton Elementary School which begins tomorrow. Not to mention, the car I have here in Virginia Beach is giving me a little trouble right now as well.

Amidst the storm that I'm whirling around in I'm hoping the best, and that a season of increase will soon follow.

Here are a few photos from my journey which were taken from my cell:

Yellowstone

A few shots of the Mammoth Hot Springs

A couple of Buffalo on the road

Home of the St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Arch

Update

2007-06-09T19:01:00.000-04:00

Being back home is great. From the photos you can see there are some great outdoor activities. Aside from this I've been taking advantage of the great weather and we've been grilling/barbecuing like crazy.

Apart from this I've been working at a Mongolian restaurant called the Wok About Grill. We make some sweet food and I get to cook it for customers. And then of course I've been working with our church's youth and helped out in worship a couple of weeks. Needless to say, it has been a busy time, and it's difficult to fit in everything one would like to do.

Tonight is my youngest sister's HS graduation. At last we will all be graduates of Cascade High from Leavenworth, WA.

Well, granted, this is only a very brief synopsis of what life has been like, so my apologies and until next time.

Let the Hiking Begin

2007-06-09T18:15:00.000-04:00

Since being back home I've longed to do some hiking. Thus far, I've been able to do three hikes to: Stuart Lake, Colchuck Lake, and Nada Lake/Snow Lakes.

At the top of Stuart Lake.

Colchuck Lake

Nada Lake

My brother posing at Nada Lake

Crossing between upper and lower Snow Lakes

Shot of the upper Snow Lakes

View of Nada Lake on our way down from the Snow Lakes.

Fishing at Wapato Lake

2007-06-09T17:44:00.000-04:00

On my second day back home from Virginia, my dad, a friend, and myself went and did some fishing at Wapato Lake.

My dad with one of the four fish we caught this day.

My dad and his friend Efrain simply enjoying the atmosphere.

Me, displaying the four fish we caught.

New Thang

2007-04-23T12:36:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's been awhile since my last post. So, exactly where does one pick up after that while has passed? Well, by this Thursday I will be completely done with my semester. How do I feel? Great. A week after being done I'll be heading home to Washington. It will be a joyous occasion. What does this summer present? I'll have no classes to worry about (at least none I know of), I'll work as much as humanly possible....then again maybe not-- but it would be great to make some good dough, and I'll be home. Actually, I'm looking into climbing Mt. Rainier. The biggest road block right now is the date: I don't know when the expedition would take place, but if the date is good then I'll be getting prepared to make that journey.

For all those friendships which have been forged over this past year, those people will certainly be missed. But I'm not gone yet so let's enjoy the time that remains. Cheers!

Good Friday & Easter Eve

2007-04-07T10:36:00.000-04:00

"I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great savior." -- John Newton in the movie Amazing Grace.

It seems like God has been speaking something to me. Considering the last post I made, and now this, there is something apparent which He is communicating. It was reinforced through the Good Friday service I went to last night and then through the words of William Wilberforce in his book "A Practical View of Christianity."

There is a part in it where he is touching on the corruption of human nature and states in one of these chapters:

"Far different is the humiliating language of Christianity. From it we learn that man is an apostate creature, fallen from his high original, degraded in his nature, and depraved in his faculties; indisposed to good, and disposed to evil; prone to vice, it is natural and easy to him; disinclined to virtue, it is difficult and laborious; that he is tainted with sin, not slightly and superficially, but radically and to the very core. These are truths, which, however mortifying to our pride, one would think none would be hardly enough to attempt to convert. I know not any thing which brings them home so forcibly to my own feelings, as the consideration of what still remains to us of primitive dignity, when contrasted with our present state of moral degradation."

Let us not forget our fallenness and desparate need of a savior. Because on our own we accomplish nothing. However, on the flip side of things, let us not forget that He sacrificed Himself so that we could have eternal life. Therefore, we must receive this gift of his love, for to reject it would be to reject the sacrifice.

Enough said for now...so I woke up this morning to help some friends move and to my surprise I looked out the window and saw these white flakes falling from the sky. That was near 7 am. It's now close to 11 and it keeps falling. Unfortunately, it's not sticking but who would have thought snow on Easter Eve in Virginia Beach?

What is Man?

2007-04-02T00:07:00.000-04:00

While these passages from the bible may appear to some as negative or depressing, interestingly I find them to speak truth and they are rather refreshing. God is great, and I feel extremely humbled right now: which is where I should be.

“What is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
That You should visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?"

“What is man, that he could be pure?
And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?"

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor."

"LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow."

V.B and D.C.

2007-03-11T17:26:00.000-04:00

While my parents were in town we got to do a little sight seeing. It was some frigidly cold weather, particularly while up in D.C. We even got a good snowfall the second day in D.C. Enjoy the pictures (P.S. If you click on the pictures and open them in a new window you can see them in full size. Thought that might help.)

"New" Cape Henry Lighthouse (new meaning the newer of the two). This lighthouse was built somewhere around 1890.

Old (original) Cape Henry Lighthouse. This lighthouse was built in 1791. It was one of the initial acts of the first session of the 1st Congress in 1789.

My parents and I walking on the beach

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetary

The rear view of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

View of Washington D.C. from the JFK gravesite

Iwo Jima Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

WWII Memorial looking toward Lincoln Memorial

Korean War Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Capitol Building

Ceiling of dome (Rotunda) in Capitol Building

Library of Congress (Thomas Jefferson Building)

Inside main floor of Library of Congress

Mom & Pop

2007-03-02T23:02:00.000-05:00

My folks are coming to visit! Yeah, so my parents get into town tomorrow evening. It's my Spring break. I just finished up two more classes which leaves me with only two more before I student teach. It looks like Tuesday and Wednesday we are going to venture up to the D.C. area and check it out. It will be all of our first time there. But hey, I'm just excited I get a week off from classes and homework and that my parents are in town. What more could you ask for? I guess, maybe the rest of my family and some friends to go along with the crew.

On another note, I'm currently reading the last book in C.S. Lewis' space trilogy "That Hideous Strength." It's been an interesting beginning. Another book I recently read is "Till we have Faces" also by Lewis. Quite a different read than what I was expecting. I think I'm going to have to re-read this one at some point in time.

Peace.

Be the Frog

2007-02-22T22:32:00.000-05:00

When those discouraging, difficult, and/or challenging times in life come, remember, you must be the frog.

P.S. Don't give up.

Amazing Grace

2007-02-18T22:40:00.000-05:00

This Friday the movie "Amazing Grace" is released in theatres. If you haven't heard of it or know what it's about I highly recommend it (I had the privilege of seeing an advance screening of it). It is the story of William Wilberforce, an exactly true story of how he fought to abolish slavery in England during the late 1700's/early 1800's. If you don't know the name Wilberforce, for that reason alone I recommend that you watch the movie.

Anti-Christ

2007-02-18T22:35:00.000-05:00

Don't know if you all have heard of this guy who's first made the claim to be Jesus Christ but now the claim that he's the anti-christ. If not, it certainly seems like he is getting a lot of publicity. There are some videos you can check out or click here to read what Wikipedia has to say about the man.

Home Sickness

2007-02-17T23:10:00.000-05:00

Today, as I was driving home after my basketball game (which to mention, we had no game because the other team didn't show), I had this agonizing feeling of homesickness. This was not a new feeling or new realization, but a simple confirmation that where I'm going to school is not my home. I would not and, unless something supernatural took place, could not remain here in Virginia Beach. I miss my home: the great outdoors of Washington, the pear orchards I've grown up in, the small-town feel that's become a part of my system....I strongly dislike the east coast traffic I've encountered, there are no beautiful mountains around me, hiking? what's that?, but most importantly I miss the people of Washington. That's not to say I don't like the friends I've made here in Virginia, but...I'm homesick! As far as I know there's only one cure for homesickness: Go home. Looks like I'll have to wait approximately 3 more months before I get cured.

Perelandra

2007-02-03T13:15:00.000-05:00

"...He tried to persuade himself that he, Ransom, could not possibly be Maleldil's representative as the Un-man was the representative of Hell. The suggestion was, he argued, itself diabolical-a temptation to fatuous pride, to megalomania. He was horrified when the darkness simply flung back this argument in his face, almost impatiently. And then-he wondered how it had escaped him till now-he was forced to perceive that his own coming to Perelandra was at least as much of a marvel as the Enemy's. That miracle on the right side, which he had demanded, had in fact occurred. He himself was the miracle.

'Oh, but this is nonsense,' said the voluble self. He, Ransom, with his ridiculous piebald body and his ten times defeated arguments-what sort of a miracle was that? His mind darted hopefully down a side-alley that seemed to promise escape. Very well then. He had been brought here miraculously. He was in God's hands. As long as he did his-and he had done his best-God would see to the final issue. He had not succeeded. But he had done his best. No one could do more. 'Tis not in mortals to command success.' He must not be worried about the final assault. Maleldil would see to that. And Maleldil would bring him safe back to earth after his very real, though unsuccessful, efforts. Probably Maleldil's real intention was that he should publish to the human race the truths he had learned on the planet Venus. As for the fate of Venus, that could not really rest upon his shoulders. It was in God's hands. One must be content to leave it there. One must have Faith....

It snapped like a violin string. Not one rag of all this evasion was left. Relentlessly, unmistakably, the Darkness pressed down upon him the knowledge that this picture of the situation was utterly false. His journey to Perelandra was not a moral exercise, nor a sham fight. If the issue lay in Maleldil's hands, Ransom and the Lady were those hands. The fate of a world really depended on how they behaved in the next few hours. The thing was irreducibly, nakedly real. They could, if they chose, decline to save the innocence of this new race, and if they declined its innocence would not be saved. It rested with no other creature in all time or all space. This he saw clearly, though as yet he had no inkling of what he could do."

Books

2007-02-01T23:40:00.000-05:00

I like books. Books are good. They are fun to read; well... some are not always fun, but they engage and expand the mind. Recently, I have read some rather good books. They are as follows:

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
No Compromise by Melody Green (the Story of Keith Green)
Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis (in progress)

Well, I think I'm going to read a little and go to sleep.

Unbelievable...

2007-02-01T23:30:00.000-05:00

Recently, a high school student made a documentary on race in America. Don't know if any of you have seen or heard about it. If not, check out this video on Komo-TV.

Grandma's House

2007-01-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

This is a quick video of my Grandma's House down in Mexico. I made this for my brother and his wife, they haven't seen it, but now they can along with anyone else that chooses to.

Here Here

2007-01-28T23:38:00.000-05:00

The Spring semester is here and my classes are underway. I am currently taking two classes (and they are almost halfway over--amazing!) which are Curriculum Design & Assessment Techniques and Classroom Management & Instructional Strategies (Some pretty long names if you ask me).

In my classroom management class we are learning about the Love & Logic approach of discipline. It is very interesting and I think I like it. An interesting fact one of the authors states is: "Change takes time. We must be prepared to accept that a person's change could take about one month for every year the perception has been in place." To put this into context, previously the author had discussed how our interpretation of an experience (our perception) is what affects our behavior and not the experience itself.

On another note, intramural basketball season is just around the corner (next Saturday to be exact) ...not to mention the Super Bowl too (on Sunday of course).

That's the nitty gritty for now.

Mexican Pride

2007-01-10T10:55:00.000-05:00

So, I have this Mexican pride. I guess it's natural when you are half-Mexican. This pride is an interesting thing because when I think about why I have this pride I come to the conclusion that it is because being Mexican separates me or distinguishes me from a typical American--because not everyone you meet in America has Mexican roots. But, on the other hand, most Americans do have some other ethnic origin. America is a country that has nearly any blend of a person you can think of. English, French, Dutch, Chinese, Irish, Australian, whatever the case may be. But I still have this pride nonetheless. Maybe another reason is due to the fact that the largest minority in the states are hispanic.

On another note, living with this Mexican pride includes all the good and bad of Mexico--just like being American. For example, it's great going to Mexico and being immersed in the culture: eating the food; living in brick, mulit-colored houses; spending time with my family; walking to the plaza and buying chips, candy, or ice cream; or just hanging out and relaxing in the slower-paced lifestyle. On the flip side, there is the poor plumbing that you find throughout Mexico, the dishonest government workers that can be bought off for "x" amount of dollars, the disregard of laws in the country (For example, hunting has its rules and regulations in Mexico, although they may not be as strict as in the states. However, while I was down there my uncle, dad, and myself went and did some night deer-hunting--certainly breaking the law in one way or another, but since the laws are not enforced we did as we pleased), and scores of other things.

Where am I going with all this? I'm not sure. I guess to say that, I don't like all the bad that gives Mexico a bad name but then that is reality. Likewise, I don't like all the bad that gives America a bad name...but then that is reality as well. American and Mexican: that is who I am.

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-16T15:20:00.000-05:00

Wishing all you blogger readers a Very Merry Christmas. I leave for Mexico tomorrow where I will hook up with most of my immediate family (Mando and Lisa can't make it). If you think of it pray for our travels. I'll be flying along with my sister Ivory, but my dad and everyone else will be driving.

The Move

2006-12-09T00:53:00.000-05:00

The Move is a revolutionary event in the lives of three people, who will be relocating from their present location down by the oceanfront in Virginia Beach, to a more centralized location in the Virginia Beach area. From the new location, access to and from Regent University will be more economical. The event will take place this Saturday, the 9th of December, beginning at 10 a.m. All interested in lending a hand should highly consider making it out to provide support. Any contributions are welcome. Be ready for a furniture-lifting, box-carrying heck of a good time.

Refreshments and pizza will be available at the end of the event. Questions can be submitted on the comments section of this post.

Get your Doritos....on the Beach

2006-12-01T23:12:00.000-05:00

Pretty funny story. Check it out if you get a chance.

Addicted to Mediocrity

2006-12-01T22:57:00.000-05:00

Flying back to Virginia I had to wait in the Seattle airport for something like five hours. This gave me the opportunity to read a book I had begun a while back titled Addicted to Mediocrity by Franky (not Francis) Schaeffer. He discusses Christianity and the arts in this book. I wanted to post a few quotes he makes in the book and recommend it.

"Creativity, human worth, the arts, cultural endeavor, the media, communication, enjoyment of beauty and creativity in others, enjoyment of our own creativity, enjoyment of God's creativity--all of these need no justification."

"There is no Christian world, no secular world; these are just words. There is only one world--the world God made."

"Most of the time, it is a question of how we spend what we have, not a question of spending more or less."

"Often ugliness costs more than the simplicity of beauty."

I liked this one: "Don't let the church eat you alive. Stay home and have a family, as well."

"To not be aware or appreciative on some level of art in its broadest scope is to border on mulish stupidity. The sheer diversity of what is available that is excellent makes even more pathetic those who turn to mediocrity."

Some Thanksgiving Pics

2006-12-01T22:38:00.000-05:00

Mando, Dad, Minji

Cousin Alita and ACE: Austin Cameron E.

My cousin and his t-shirt: Got your tickets...To the gun show?

Mom and Mando

Ivory: DBR

Grandma and Ivory

Dad, Mom, Me, Minji, Dahlia

Podunk University

2006-11-15T22:55:00.000-05:00

According to their site they are the oldest university in America. You should check out Podunk University.

Good ol' Dryden

2006-11-14T21:12:00.000-05:00

This weekend I am embarking on a journey that will take me from Virginia Beach, Virginia to the small town of Dryden, Washington: the place that I call home. Here I will embrace the cold, frigid air and enjoy the beauty of the Cascade Mountains. Likewise, I will spend precious and valuable time with family and friends; knowing that my next trip home won't be until the following year. It is here as well, where I will spend the day of Thanksgiving.

....But my journey will not end here. Come the 28th of November, I must return to the area of Hampton Roads and finish the task that is set before me: my classes.

Until then, I look forward to my time in Dryden, Washington and the surrounding areas of the Pacific Northwest!

Accomplishment

2006-11-10T09:44:00.000-05:00

About three weeks ago, at the disappointing end of our flag football season, a friend (Josh) and I thought it would be a good idea to get together a few times a week and do some running. Three weeks later that is what we have been doing. What began as some short runs to get our bodies into some kind of running condition greatly increased this passed Wednesday when we had the ambitious idea of running a 10k (6.2 miles); so we did. (Previously the longest distance we had run was a 5k) Personally, this was a satisfying accomplishment. I don't recall ever having run such a distance.

Next week we're thinking of going for a 20k....well, not really.

Deliverance

2006-10-26T23:47:00.000-04:00

I've been reading the Normal Christian Life and came across this powerful illustration that Mr. Nee provides on the subject of death to the flesh. Following as a short excerpt:

"At the time when the Epistle to the Romans was written a murderer was punished in a peculiar and terrible manner. The dead body ofthe one murdered was tied to the living body of the murderer, head to head, hand to hand, foot to foot, and the living one was bound to the dead one till death. The murderer could go where he pleased, but wherever he went he had to drag the corpse of that murdered man with him. Could punishment be more appalling? Yet this is the illustration Paul now uses. It is as though he were bound to a dead body--his own "body of death"--and unable to get free. Wherever he goes he is hampered by this terrible burden. At last he can bear it no longer and cries: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me...?" And then, in a flash of illumination, his cry of despair changes to a song of praise. He has found the answer to his question. "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 7:25).

A New Day

2006-10-18T20:20:00.000-04:00

Well, it will be quite difficult to make it to the Chili-Bowl without having made the play-offs first: Team Underdog is out. A sad ending but in some ways it's just the beginning. A great group of guys and girl were able to come together, play football, build some relationship, and have fun. We'll need to organize an end of the season party to celebrate; not our loss but our gain.

On another note, classes wrap up this week and new ones begin next week. A fresh start is on the horizon. Time to gear up for the second leg of the academic year and the great Feast of Giving Thanks....Yeah, its still over a month away but I'm looking forward to it.

The Denali Jacket

2006-10-15T22:57:00.000-04:00

This fleece jacket by the North Face is something I would like to purchase. But I really don't have the funds for such an acquisition. One day I hope to be able to buy it. In the meantime, if someone out there feels led to make a generous gift I would be extremely grateful. :)

In the Slumps

2006-10-14T18:33:00.000-04:00

You ever have one of those days when everything seems to work against you? Where you work hard to accomplish something and then in the end it gets taken away from you? That is what our football game felt like today. Devastation, Disappointment, and Frustration. A game that should have been ours but for some odd reason or another we could never get over the edge. There was something there not allowing us to win. Surely you may be saying, "Well, the opponent." But it seemed like more than that and I don't have the words to express it. Simply put, we fought to win but "win" eluded us. One final, regular-season game awaits us this coming Wednesday. It is a must win if we want to have any chance at the play-offs.

23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication,
To my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Vindicate me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness;
And let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the LORD be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long. -- Psalm 35

Team Underdog Pics

2006-10-12T19:23:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of our team: (Left to Right) James, Josh, Myself, Jerrod, Megan, Jon, Christian, Jason, and Jonathan (not pictured: Darvin).

You can go to the following site, and check out the other teams in the tournament as well as some game pictures. Below are a sample few.

Me catching a pass thrown by Megan at the end of our first game (vs. Grounds Beef) for a touchdown.

Trying to stop the other team from scoring in our second game (vs. Jewett); at least I think that is what was happening.

Jon and I doing some scouting.

Team Underdog

2006-10-09T21:18:00.000-04:00

We are the intramural flag football team known as the "Underdogs." This past Saturday--although the weather forecasted did not look very positive--we played our first game and had perfect weather. Excited to play our first game, our 9 players that were able to be there came out running and entered with a bang winning 26-6. Personally, I did well scoring 2 touchdowns (one on the pass from our lone female player and the other on another pass), and snagging 2 interceptions; that was fun! It was a good game to see what we really had with all our players.

However, today we played our second game. We knew going into it that it would be much tougher since we were going up against one of the law teams (Law teams have the reputation of being quite good). Battling their height as best we could we could not stop them and lost 20-0. Physically, they were a much tougher team with bigger players, double players (they had at least 14 guys compared to our 9) and as previously mentioned: taller players. To say the least they had the advantage. Bummed at our loss, we are re-gathering strength and preparing ourselves for our Saturday game against the Noun Clowns. Our chances should be good but we will take nothing for granted.

The Chili-Bowl is still attainable but we need some wins these next two games if we want a sure entry into the play-offs.

"And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth." --Hosea 6:3 (ASB)

October ...

2006-10-06T00:42:00.000-04:00

Welcome month of October. I have two weeks left in my first set of classes for the semester and I am excited that they are almost complete; however, I am a little uncertain about my grades. Oh, I'll certainly pass but I would like to keep it in the A-range. Tonight, I just completed (let me re-phrase that), began and completed a personal philosophy paper on education.

Tomorrow, I have flag football practice, and then weather permitting, we will have our first game on Saturday. I am excited. It should be lots of fun. Dependent on how we perform we could make it to the Chili-Bowl at the end of the month. That's not too likely but I won't rule it out yet.

"I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." --Philippians 3:13-14

Facing the Giants

2006-09-22T10:25:00.000-04:00

This movie might be worth checking out if you get the chance. It comes out in theatres next weekend (29th) but is a limited showing. Check the site for where it's playing near you.

P.S. you can click on the title of the post to go to the link

Acoustic Medley

2006-09-19T10:31:00.000-04:00

Sunday night I went to a Warren Barfield/Shane & Shane concert.

....Oh yeah, I also have a part-time job. I process mail for Regent University.

Savor the Spanish Flavor

2006-09-19T10:23:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday I went to this bible study, but rather than it being your typical bible study it was in Espanol. There were close to 10 0f us there and all of us from different parts of the Latin world: one guy and his mom from the Dominican Republic, another from Guatemala, another from Spain, a guy born in the states but he apparently has a Syrian background, and then a lady from Brownsville, Texas, and another lady from the states who knows several languages. And then me, born in the states but from Zacatecas, Mexico. We even worshipped in Spanish.

Fixin' Claudia

2006-09-11T20:20:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday, Claudia, my '89 Ford Escort would not start when I went to start her. I had to find someone to jump me so I could make it to class on time. My roomies weren't around so I wasn't sure who I would ask. With no time left to lose, I finally asked one of my neighbors if they could give my car a jump; she willingly helped me out and I arrived to class 10 minutes late. After class, my car did not want to start once again. Fortunately, one of my classmates lives in close proximity of me and she helped me out by giving me a jump, so I could get my car back to my place and figure out where to go from there.

I'm sure it's clear to some of you that my car either had a bad battery or a bad alternator. Well, Saturday I was able to get my battery checked and it came out positive: good battery. On the other hand, my alternator I was not able to get checked until today. I took it to this auto shop nearby and they came to the conclusion that my alternator was no good. I inquired how much it would cost if they replaced the alternator. Well, they told me they charge $76 an hour for labor and that the alternator would cost me $150 (before taxes) which = at least $230. I was like no way. Instead I called up this auto part store and found out they had an alternator for $88 and if I replaced it that would cost me $0.00 for labor. My grand total this way would be $88. I chose to do the latter and my car is now up and running once more. My checkbook is feelin' good.

Freedom

2006-09-11T11:08:00.000-04:00

With a fire burning inside these
live bones
And the truth held forth in this
right hand
The mouth of unsealed lips begins
to groan
Proclaiming the power of Freedom
into this land!

Is "Chance" Freedom?

2006-09-11T10:55:00.000-04:00

I found this interesting. We often say that there is no such thing as chance. Below is a paragraph from James Sire's book the Universe Next Door:

"But what is chance? Either chance is the inexorable proclivity (inclination or predisposition toward something) of reality to happen as it does, appearing to be chance because we do not know the reason for what happens (making chance another name for our ignorance of the forces of determinism), or it is absolutely irrational. In the first case, chance is just unknown determinism and not freedom at all. In the second case, chance is not an explanation but the absence of an explanation. An event occurs. No cause can be assigned. It is a chance event. Not only might such an event have not happened, it could never have been expected to happen. So while chance produces the appearance of freedom, it actually introduces absurdity. Chance is causeless, purposeless, directionless."

Our Greatest Fear

2006-09-04T11:53:00.000-04:00

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,but that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.There is nothing enlightened about shrinkingso that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.It is not just in some; it is in everyone.And, as we let our own light shine,we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear,our presence automatically liberates others.

- Nelson Mandela (1994 Inaugural Speech)

Water Fleas

2006-09-04T10:04:00.000-04:00

I don't know if you are familiar with water fleas but if you ever encounter them I highly doubt that you will forget the experience. This past Friday, after tropical storm Ernesto tore through the area, one of my roommates had the excellent idea of hitting the beach and catching some post-storm waves. Since it sounded like fun and we didn't have much else to do we gleefully agreed. We arrived at the beach and the water looked good: lots of waves coming in. We entered the salt-infested waters and it felt good. After a few minutes of wrestling waves though, my shorts seemed to come alive with some bothersome burning sensation; I didn't pay much attention to it, I just figured it was probably some sand stuck in my shorts. Right about when I was thinking this, the older of my roommates asked me a question: So do you feel any water fleas? I was thinking water fleas??? what's that? I would find out later that they are these little crusteaceans in the water that attack you; well, I don't know if that's their only purpose but that's what they did to me. Anyway, we only spent a little more time in the water cause these fleas were beginning to be a pain. We jumped in the car, rushed back to the house, and jumped in the shower to wash these little creatures off.

Upon closer examination of these water fleas, they had the resemblance of baby crabs. That explained a lot. Next time you enter the oceanic waters beware of the water fleas.

"Train"ing It X-Country

2006-08-31T15:23:00.000-04:00

After 3 complete days of traveling, hitting 13 states, plus the capital of the nation I finally made it to my destination: Virginia Beach, VA. It is here where I will continue my studies and draw one step closer to becoming a certified teacher. Currently I am in a house with two other guys, one is significantly older than myself but works for Regent and the other is just slightly younger than I am and is in the Psychology program. Today is my first day of class for the semester and once again I am in the minority. There really need to be some more guys going into this teaching thing, I feel somewhat exposed.

Anyway, back to my traveling adventures. If you have not figured it out yet, I came by train to VB and that was quite the adventure. Not all I had dreamed it would be since you can't really stop and look at places that capture the eye, but a great experience since you get to see a lot of the country (although, you can get tired of seeing a lot of empty, open space in Montana and North Dakota).

I journaled a lot of what I did but I'll just give you the highlights like meeting people from different places. One guy, who had been fishing up in Alaska and was on his way home to New Hampshire, I made a good connection with. Apparently he had worked with some Turkish guys and they got him reading the Qaran. What is interesting though is he grew up in a Christian home but rejected the church because of its irrelevance. Through our discussions though, he made the comment that he would like to find a church to plug into, so I'm praying for that. Apart from meeting this New Hampshire guy I also ran into a catholic lady, with a master's of divinity from Omaha, Nebraska who decided to take a train trip for the weekend (She flew from Omaha to Seattle where she caught the train to head back to Omaha), a lady from Glasgow, Montana who had been visiting her son and daughter in Seattle, a metalsmith from Texas who wanted to escape Texas heat so he came up to the West coast to do some fishing and hang out with family, a couple of outdoor trekers from Wisconsin taking a backpacking trip on Mt. Glacier, a college student from Lynchburg Virginia heading home for a 5-day visit, a recent college grad heading into Washington D.C. politics, a hispanic family from Richmond, VA returning home after being in Wisconsin, and to top it all off a Rockford, Illinois MC alumnist from somewhere in Minnesota who was heading down to Florida to do a second year of MC's.

That gives you a taste of who I met. I also spent a lot of time sitting on the train. Next time I'll have to look into purchasing a sleeper car. After three nights of sleeping in a "reclining chair" it really begins to take a toll on the body.

Well, I need to get back to some work. My sincerest apologies to those of you who would like to see pictures. I tried posting them but it's just not working for some reason. If you got any ideas as to what the problem might be fill me in.

Miss you all.

Way too Long

2006-08-29T17:05:00.000-04:00

Time has kept ticking away and my blog has gone un-updated. This post will not be substantial but hopefully in these next couple of days I can put some sweet stuff up. I am here merely to tell you that I do plan on creating a new post, maybe even getting back into this blogging lifestyle. One comment worthy of mentioning: I am back in Virginia Beach, the story of my journey here will have to wait.

Late Night Rambling

2006-07-19T02:45:00.000-04:00

I got online right now becausue I wanted to accomplish some homework but my online classroom is temporarily disabled for some reason. Because of this incidence I decided to make another post rather than read my fifth geography chapter of the day (that can be stressful on the eyes). Currently I am sitting at my home in Dryden on the couch listening to some music in the background, but that's not what I wanted to post.

Kind of in continuation with my last post, it has been really cool being home for the summer. I have been busy doing a combination of activities some of which have included working at a Mongolian restaurant in Wenatchee, taking online classes from Regent, and doing various activities at church (leading worship and I even was asked to preach a couple weeks ago). Some pretty dang exciting church news recently for us is that, we as a body will be joining (waiting on some confirmation letter) Kingdom Ministries International! I am excited for this change, and open to what God wants to do during this time. Unfortunately I still have some schooling to do so I will once again be traveling to the east coast for another year. Right now I really wish I was done so I could stay home, but I am excited for my trip back because rather than flying I will be traveling by train. I purchased an Amtrak ticket. Being in Virginia has proved to be challenging, perhaps one of the biggest reasons is not having any familiar people around me. Even though I'm still in America, it's still a long way from "home." On the bright side, now that my feet are wet, I can go back knowing that I have some connections.

My studies have been going well, only there are a lack of male students in my program. What's the deal with that? Currently I have taken a Ministry Communication skills class that my brother titled "Sermonology 101," and I am in the middle of a Character Education course, and World Geography course. The sermonolgy class dealt with discussing the issue of how to effectively communicate the gospel to a postmodern culture and other basic principles and concepts that are involved when you are communicating the word of God. It was an interesting class since many of the students in the class came from different denominational backgrounds, which brought up different perspectives and ideas; some of which I did not agree with, but a good stretching experience.

Well, I could keep writing but I will conclude with this quote by Blaise Pascal:

"Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it."

Hail, Kiss, and Fish

2006-07-17T16:44:00.000-04:00

So my pictures aren't loading for some reason. If I get another chance I'll give it a second try, otherwise I'm sorry you'll have to read just the text.

It has been quite some time since I posted a post with something substantial, so my goal today is to do that and recap some of what has been happening in my life these last few weeks by sharing with you 3 events that recently took place.

To begin I will go back to the fourth of July--actually the day after the fourth. It all began as a typical summer day but by early afternoon some clouds had begun to roll in, darkening the sunny summer sky. Without surprise, it was only a matter of time before the rain began to pour and moisten the hot ground only it was not your typical eastern Washington rainstorm (because they are usually pretty mild). It began with a good, heavy downpour of rain, and then I noticed some small, pea-size like, pellets of ice. By this time I was pretty excited because hail is pretty cool to see come down as long as its not destroying the summer crops. This hail was small enough, so pretty harmless. Grudgingly though, I had to pull myself away from watching the rainstorm because I had to work later that night. After a few short minutes I was heading to work in the middle of this refreshing rainstorm. No sooner had I begun driving, than did I notice a lot more hail was mixed in with the rain. Pretty soon it was not rain mixed with some hail but it was some hail with a little rain. By the time I got to the highway in Dryden, it was a full out hail, and what had been small pea-like pellets of ice was now something more like large marbles of ice. Almost every car on the highway was pulled off on the side of the road waiting out the unexpected hailstorm. I, on the other hand chose to continue driving and hopefully drive out of this mess. With low visibility and slow speeds I was finally able to get out of the storm but only after hundreds of balls of ice had come crashing down on my car. Fortunately I made it to work safely and no external damage was visible on my car, but there was a huge loss of crops in the Dryden area. Unfortunately, I was not able to get any pictures of this rain/hail storm but my sister did snag some hail after the storm and so here's a picture of those stones.

The weekend following this hailstorm I embarked on a trip to the West side of the state with my brother, his wife, and a friend of theirs, Erin, to go to Sean and Rona's wedding. For those that were there you know that we also had some extreme weather, although rather than being your stereotypical weather of the West (wet) side, we had some hot, burning weather. Many of us there did get a little extra sun exposure, since it was an outdoor wedding but fortunately for me I was able to run into Andrew Bradford who had some SPF 8 sunscreen (not quite the SPF 30) but 8 was better than nothing. I'm glad I had it too because after the wedding was over many people had some raccoon faces. The wedding was a swell time though, being able to hang out with everyone. And the one picture I took of this trip? Well, it was the kiss.

Ok, so one more story and then I'll be done. The week after the extreme weather week (I believe that makes it last week), a friend and I (David Garcia), after thoroughly discussing our options decided to go fishing at Wapato Lake near the Manson area. Early Wednesday morning we got up, each from our respective homes, and met in the K-Mart parking lot of Wenatchee. From here we headed to Wapato Lake with a gas and coffee stop on the way. As we were arriving to Wapato Lake, we could see some rain clouds squeezing through the mountains and heading our way. And yep, shortly after we started feeling some rain. Not really dressed for the weather, since we were expecting a sunny day we drove up to another lake, called lake Antilon and just kind of wasted some time hoping that the rain would hold back. It was at Lake Antilon that we prayed for the weather and for our fishing trip. Probably within the half hour we were back at Wapato Lake and another half hour later we were in a boat, out in the lake fishing. Once again I did not have my camera with me so I was not able to take any pictures (David did have a 35mm, so we took a couple with that at day's end). But, once I was home, and after I had cleaned my portion of the fish that we caught I took a picture.

Total we caught 15 fish. 2 beautiful rainbow trout, 7 yellow perch, and 6 blue gill. It turned out to be a great day of fishing. And the rain held off long enough--by the time we left it began to rain again.

World Cup

2006-07-05T12:05:00.000-04:00

If any of you out there have been following the World Cup you know that the U.S. did terrible and Mexico was ousted in the quarterfinals by scoring an auto-goal against Argentina. Presently, Italy beat Germany 2-0 in the semi-finals yesterday and today Portugal plays France in the other semi. I'm going for Portugal. By the way it was pretty cool how Italy scored its two goals in the last two minutes of overtime; it was an intense match. Unfortunately I won't be able to watch today's match.

We had like some of the loudest thunder last night here in the E-burg. It was loud!

230th Anniversary

2006-07-05T03:02:00.000-04:00

Below are some excerpts of a few different speeches our President made concerning the independence of our nation.

On July 4, 1776, our Nation's Founders declared "That these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be free and Independent States." This declaration marked a great milestone in the history of human freedom.

"Since that first 4th of July, some 43 million Americans have defended our freedom in times of war. These brave men and women crossed oceans and continents to defeat murderous ideologies and to secure the peace for generations that followed. We live in liberty because of the courage they displayed -- from Bunker Hill to Baghdad, from Concord to Kabul -- on this Independence Day we honor their achievements and we thank them for their service in freedom's cause."

I've come to thank you for your valor, and to thank you for your patriotism. I've come to share with you, and with the American people, how your dedication and your sacrifice are helping us win the war on terror. (Applause.) You are serving our country at a time when our country needs you. And because of your courage, every day is Independence Day in America. (Applause.)

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 4, 2006, as Independence Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe with all due ceremony our Independence Day as a time to honor our Founders and their legacy of freedom and remember with thankfulness the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

You can visit the following sites for the full stories:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/independenceday/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/07/20060704.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060626-6.html

Clean Teeth

2006-06-20T19:39:00.000-04:00

Today I got my teeth cleaned. It is something I look forward to--you know that picking away at your teeth to get all the tartar and plaque build-up removed and then the blood and water squirting up and the noise of the suction thingermajigger sucking away all the liquid build-up (plus the gum soreness afterward) There is nothing like it. Well, ok, so its not that pleasant but you get that great feeling of satisfaction that you finally cleaned your teeth and your teeth have that smooth feel after being polished with bubble gum flavored polish. Mmmm. That was my excitement for the day. Oh, but I just got invited to go miniature golfing. That's a little more like it!

Still Alive

2006-06-10T19:38:00.000-04:00

For those of you who do check my blog occasionally. I am still alive here just find it a little more difficult to post something on here when all I have is dial-up. This has been a busy weekend with lots of people graduatin. Yesterday my cousin Mo-Fro graduated from high school, today Lisa (my sister-in-law) graduated with her master's and later tonight my sister Ivory graduates from High School. Talk about having lots of cake. I'm all caked out. Don't want to have no mo cake. We had a great barbecue today though here in the Burg at Mando's apartment (some hamburgesas, hot dogs, carne asada, potato salad, potato chips, watermelon). It was a great party. Right now my brother is playing with his Napolean Dynamite doll: "I told you I spent it with my uncle in Alaska hunting wolverines." "I see your drinking 1%. Is that cause you think you're fat?" "Sweet." "Leave me alone, gosh!" "Pedro, just listen to your heart, that's what I do." Anybody going to go watch Nacho Libre?

Later

A Little Computer Fun

2006-06-01T13:40:00.000-04:00

These were pictures from my brother's bachelor party and I had some fun with them on my computer and took the liberty to alter the background.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

2006-05-22T14:19:00.000-04:00

It is good to be home and finally be settled in some. What is interesting after coming home though after being away for quite some time is all the changes that take place when you are gone. And not that this has to be something negative, simply something different.

U.S.M.A. at West Point 2

2006-05-08T00:50:00.000-04:00

Short Chapel Video (you should listen to the little boy at the end)

The man who started it all: Mr. Thayer

The Cadet Honor Code instituted by Douglas MacArthur

Front shot of Washington hall (the mess hall), with statue of

General Washington on horseback in front of the hall

General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Front of Cadet Chapel

Inside Shot of Cadet Chapel
This is the castle which was used in the movie the Wizard of Oz. It is located on the opposite side of the Hudson River.

U.S.M.A. at West Point 1

2006-05-08T00:24:00.000-04:00

West Point Barracks
I didn't drive faster than my angels but I did run into a little car trouble once I arrived at West Point....Claudia was this close to being left behind, but a transmission fluid flush and filter change fixed the problem and I was able to drive her back to Virginia. This situation was a little disappointing since I had to miss an Army lacrosse game, but I did get to see the sky jumping team do some drops--sweet stuff.

Peter and I at the Cadet Chapel with West Point Campus in the background

Part of Barracks with Cadet Chapel behind

This chain symbolizes why there is West Point. During I believe the Revolutionary War, a chain was extended across the Hudson River, which is located behind where this photo was taken, to slow down and destroy British ships which were coming down the river.

One of the bigger cannons on campus

Cannons and Mortars from the Mexican War

The Superintendent's House--The guy in charge of it all

The Day of Final

2006-05-04T12:33:00.000-04:00

Today is a great day because it is the last day I will have to do any work for my Spring semester classes. Monday approaches, which means the day of my departure home draws near. Over this weekend I have planned a road trip. That's right. I will be heading to the grand state of New York, while traveling through a handful of other states to reach my destination of West Point Academy where I will be visiting a friend, Mr. Peter Blickhahn. We will hang out, chill, catch up on time that has passed and.....I don't know what else. Please pray that I have a safe drive up and back; my car has never ventured that far under my command. I will be taking off tomorrow and returning Sunday. I am ready and excited.

Here Goes!

2006-04-30T16:48:00.000-04:00

I actually wrote these awhile ago (months ago--I don't know how long ago but possibly up to a year ago). Anyway, I guess I don't usually share these things but I'm willing to take a risk and see what you all think. The second one, I actually tweaked and changed quite a bit, but the first one I just kind of left alone after I wrote it.

Sacred Romance

The longing of a heart
Built up with fear, for far too long
Hears a call from deep within

The voice of freedom is its name
Intimacy is its aim…

Locked in the deepest chambers of the heart
Are found
The truest feelings of a soul
Who shout to break the mold

“When can I speak, my heart,
And know I will be heard?
When can I fall in love,
And know I won’t be hurt?”

…The longing of a heart
To know its truest love
Hears the call of the Most Beloved

“Come to Me my love, come to Me
Drink deep of Me, drink until your full”

-Selah-

Friend of God

Bound by more than earthly ties
Chosen by abundant grace
Friend of God is my name

To sit in His great wisdom
And speak of glorious things
To discuss my heart’s desire
To burn with passionate fire
Trust that’s greater one can’t find
Or compare His love divine
His goodness is forever
He is faithful till the end
Bound by more than spoken words
Our hearts are intertwined

Captured by eternal love
Rescued from my deepest sin
A friend of God am I

Immigration Boycott

2006-04-27T17:33:00.000-04:00

May 1, 2006 looks to be a big day for immigrants as many will be taking it to the streets and demanding amnesty ( the act of an authority (as a government) by which pardon is granted to a large group of individuals). Another site, besides the Reuters one, that you can check out to find out more on this issue is the Immigrant Solidarity Network. Time Magazine has an article on this issue as well.

Gas Prices

2006-04-26T14:19:00.000-04:00

Click here, enter your zip code, and find where the cheapest gas is around you (or the most expensive).

Ganando la Batalla....

2006-04-21T08:37:00.000-04:00

....Por la Mente de los Hombres or in english: Winning the Battle for the Minds of Men. So, I just started reading this book and I've had it since the year 2001. It's one of those books I've meant to read and I simply haven't--no good excuses. Perhaps one reason, was a little intimidation since I bought the book in Spanish and my Spanish reading skills are not as honed down as they are in English; and that's not to say I have the best English reading ability. As I was sitting in my room the other day though, I saw the book on my shelf, and was like, hmmm, I need to read that. That is one of my goals right now then, and I've only read the preface.

Mad Juggling

2006-04-19T20:48:00.000-04:00

Click here to see some cool juggling skills.

A Poem I Wrote...

2006-04-16T19:59:00.000-04:00

The following is a poem I wrote for a class I have. It is known as a five-senses poem. Let me know what you think.

Words of Life

Feel the power of My words
Taste them on your tongue
Smell the healing balm they bring
See the hurt undone
Listen to your heart and know
I speak! to heal your soul

Dragon King Saga

2006-04-14T00:22:00.000-04:00

Last night I finished reading this great book. It is about a young man growing and finding his purpose in life. He deals with darkness, goodness, wrestles with his heart and mission in life. But it is a story much bigger than himself as well. It is a story filled with noble deeds, courageous men, and a kingdom. But then these words only scratch the surface of the story.

Here is but a crumb of the story:

"Another burst of brilliant light struck the sky and the surging Ningaal paused to look up from their bloody work to view with alarm this new marvel.

Suddenly all anyone could see was the form of a knight on a white steed bolting out of the east. In his upraised arm he carried a sword that blazed and flashed with living light.

All the earth seemed to fall silent before the approach of this unknown knight. The thunder of his charger's hooves could be heard pounding over the plain as he flew as on eagle's wings into battle."

*Interestingly, the sci-fi channel just did a mini-series called Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King which has a similar plot as this story but from what I saw of it I like the book much better.

5 years ago...

2006-04-14T00:17:00.000-04:00

The day 20 young men and women promised to each other to live a radical lifestyle.

Help With Quiz

2006-04-09T15:21:00.000-04:00

To help you with the question of the previous post, this President made the following quotes as well:

"If we see that Germany is winning, we should help Russia and if Russia is winning we ought to help Germany and that way let them kill as many as possible, although I don't want to see Hitler victorious under any circumstances."

"We tell ourselves we have emerged from this war the most powerful nation in this world--the most powerful nation, perhaps , in all history. That is true, but not in the sense some of us believe it to be true."

One Question Quiz

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

What eventual U.S. President said the following quote:

"Some day we'll awake, have a reformation of the heart, teach our kids honor and kill a few sex psychologists, put boys in high schools with men teachers (not cissies), close all the girls' finishing schools, shoot all the efficiency experts and become a nation of God's people once more."

No, it wasn't President Clinton, geez...

How Are You?

2006-04-05T11:36:00.000-04:00

At this precise moment, other than typing this message, I am sitting in my room, listening to some music, checking out blogs, and eating a bowl of fruit (apples and oranges sprinkled with some honey)--great stuff. What are you doing?

Rescue

2006-04-03T14:55:00.000-04:00

So I thought this was alright. It's one of my favorite scenes from the Lord of the Rings- "Let this be the hour in which we draw swords together." What someone did is add a David Crowder song called Rescue over the scene.

Side Note

2006-03-31T09:39:00.000-05:00

If you have not noticed, I inserted a feature which will randomly give you a unique quote every time you view my page. I do not endorse or believe all of these quotes, rather I inserted it so your mind can be challenged and so you can read what other people have spoken out of their beliefs or perspectives on life. If you would like to see where these quotes come from you may visit the site Timeless Quotes.

Enjoy.

Good News

2006-03-29T14:22:00.000-05:00

I will be coming home for the summer. I have purchased my ticket and will be flying home on the 8th of May and I will stay through until sometime in late August. That is like 3.5 months at home.

I am stoked.

Mario Olives

2006-03-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

I have my own brand of olives. They are even Spanish.

Life

2006-03-27T13:39:00.000-05:00

So, I have started a new session of classes here at Regent and it is keeping me very busy. Aside from this, Orion was let go like a month ago (before I went home for my brother's wedding). He eventually did completely transform--as far as I could tell anyway. Our intramural basketball team ended the season with 3 wins and 4 losses. We were able to be in the tournament but lost our first game--it was very disappointing, not to mention it came in the same week as Gonzaga and Washington getting ousted from the NCAA tournament. Triple whammy!

Yeah, so that is what is up.

Around the Fire Pit

2006-03-15T23:20:00.000-05:00

My brother is married, I remain a bachelor and here are some photos of some of us before the big day.

Sean- "Fire-maker"

Armando - "The Groom"

4 Fellas

Hmm...staring at embers

"Jerb-Meister," Tim "Dawg" Davis, "The Groom"

Can't Forget Pepsi - "the (lazy) bear"

Home Sweet Dryden & Other Thoughts

2006-03-05T23:47:00.000-05:00

There is nothing like being home. I have been home for a week now, but my blog has been very neglected. I consider that ok when viewed in light of the fact that I have been spending time with my family and working to make some much needed money and preparing for my brother's wedding--which will be taking place in less than a week; that is crazy! Well, I will only be here a little over a week...for the time being I'll share some thoughts I was having recently.

The other day, actually yesterday, I was thinking, what makes us react the way we do? For example, some of us when really upset will express it verbally while there are those of us who will let our emotions build up inside. Is this something we are born with, something that is shaped through the sum of our experiences, or where we were born in relation to our siblings (first child, middle child, etc.), or a combination of all. Does this weigh more heavily on just the way we are when we were born (nature) or more on external factors (nurture)?

2006-02-22T20:42:00.000-05:00

Car & Beetle

2006-02-20T13:08:00.000-05:00

So it snowed for the second day in a row here in Virginia Beach. . . Very unpredictable weather. You can somewhat see some evidence of this snowfall in the picture below. That is my new ride. It is a 1989 Ford Escort. Any name suggestions for this car? Not that I have ever given my previous cars a name. Below that picture you will also see Orion the Beetle. Yes, he can no longer be referred to as a mealworm. He has, from what I can see, come out of the pupae stage although he is still transforming because he does not act quite like a normal beetle. He spends his time still lying on his back (I flipped him over on his feet). So much for nine months.

2006-02-19T10:51:00.000-05:00

A-Team

2006-02-11T21:08:00.000-05:00

So there is this intramural basketball team known as the A-Team. I happen to be a member of this intramural basketball team. The A-Team played a game today and did not play an a-game. No, we got creamed, slaughtered, cut up into little pieces and sent off to the food processing plant.

The opponent was a well-oiled machine. They were shooting three's, shooting two's, getting lay-ups, pressing, getting steals, points off turnovers and many, many points on the scoreboard compared to very few from the A-team.
Oh yeah, it was ugly. But we had fun; at least I did. The score you ask? You don't want to know, but if you ask I may tell you.

So why did the A-Team perform so poorly when compared with the opponent? The answer is very simple. The opponent is well-oiled because they have put in the time to be in shape, they have practiced together, and they played in the intramural league last year.
The A-Team on the other hand consists of some guys who have come from different places and banded together to become a team who have never played together, practiced very little, and honestly are not in shape.

Is it surprising that we lost? Not really. Oh, but was it ugly.

*No offense to my team. I like my teammates. We just played ugly.

Update on Orion the Mealworm

2006-02-06T19:49:00.000-05:00

After 12 days of having Orion, there have been some significant changes. For a few days there I thought he was dying because there was very little movement coming from the guy and his legs appeared to be useless. This morning I checked on him and wala, he had stripped off his outer skin (you can see it in the first picture above--the small brown thing in the right of the dish) and now he is white and still does not move. Well, if you watch him closely he may make some slight movements.

In reality though, I was hoping this change would occur because about a week ago I did a little bit of research on mealworms and found out that they are only a mealworm (the larvae stage) a shortime before they turn into the pupae stage (which is what he is in right now). Apparently this pupae stage can last up to nine months! Incredible huh? Once this stage is complete Orion will be a darkling beetle.

On another note, he remains to be a simple pet to have. For one I don't have to worry about feeding him. He doesn't eat right now, he still does not make any noises, and I have yet to detect any pet odor.