Meet the Family.

Family, what can one say about family. When most people think of the word family, they think of people related to them. They think of sister, brothers, parents, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. However, what does this word really mean anymore? How do we perceive the meaning of the word ‘family’ these days? For many, we think of friends who have been there for us through thick and thin; we think of others who have been our peers and mentors through rigorous trainings and hard tests; we think of group or gang members; we think of people we need to protect and hold close to us. However, for myself, the meaning of family has completely started vanishing, if it hasn’t already.

When I think of family, I think of people who care more about themselves than the likelihood of anyone else. I think of people who would rather lie to your face than spend time with you. I think of people who wouldn’t want to spend more than a couple hours with you unless they need it. You see, all my life I’ve been living away from my extended family (grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins). I never got to go see them once a year like many people do and they never really came to see us. When it comes to them, I tend to get a little steamed and annoyed. I’d honestly not even talk to my family, but ignore them as if they aren’t even there.

If I did, I wouldn’t have to worry about them missing birthdays or weddings. I wouldn’t have to worry about all the drama about Christmas and Thanksgiving. I wouldn’t have to think about all the “family gatherings” I’ve missed over the years, and all the pictures they send to try and “make us feel better.” I don’t think a family should be like that.

In my mind, a family should be made up of people who care for you, of people who would risk something to help you, and you’d do the same for them in return. A true family member would be there for you to talk to, for support and encouragement when you need it. They’d be able to tell you that you’re being stupid, or that what you’re doing could really make a difference. They’d be there for you no matter what. Mess with my family, and I’ll kick you in your throat. Just saying.

So, to my extended “family”: You’re related to me only by blood, but it’s through loving words and caring thoughts and expressions that you’ll really be my true family. Initiatives need to be taken. Right now, I could care less whether you came to my wedding or remembered to send me a birthday card, or even remembered my graduation.

So, I guess here’s something to ponder: What does family mean to you, and who are your true family?

My family is made up of the people I see every day. The people I smile to when I get into school, or when I get home. The people who listen to me bitch and moan about a hard day, or something that’s gone wrong that I need help to fix. They people who know how to make me laugh and know all the things that can cheer me up, like a certain song I love or just by making me watch a hilarious youtube video. So, here’s to you, ma famille. I love you guys. Everyone on this page is a part of my family, and I love you all to death and back again. :]

So its been awhile

So its been awhile since I posted here.

With the summer coming to an end I've realized that its time to start getting ready for the next chapter of my life. Sophomore year of college!!!

This summer has been really nice, got to be home with the family, see some friends and just relax.

I am really looking forward to band camp next week. I get to join the hardest working band in show business: Southern Pride!! I cannot wait to be back there to be playing music and having a blast with all of my friends.

Being able to perform on the field again will be great.


Well my mind is running dry which is usual for me. Until next time.



PRIDE!!

Chris H.

Cake or Death? ..I'll have the Chicken.

So, summer should be about fun and games, should it not? When you're young, it should be a time to relax, kick back and enjoy the sun on the beach or by the pool; least that's how I thought of it. However, that's not how I'm spending my summer "vacation." Nope, I'm not even getting a vacation this year. Well, maybe two weeks off at the beginning of August.

However, all you high schoolers and middle schoolers and such out there, hush up about your school year. Let's just say, Calculus during the summer probably wasn't the greatest idea I've ever had. Not only don't I get a summer break because of calculus, I'm also stuck doing work for other people. I don't mind helping when you need me to, because that's just who I am. However, when you're telling me to do something that you could do yourself.. well, that's where I draw the line.

I hate when people text me and they ask you if they can borrow your notes because they were too lazy to write their own. Or when they can't figure something out, so they just give up and come to you asking if they can just copy the work you put a lot of time and effort into. Seriously people, grow up and do your own damn things. I have my own crap to take care of, and I will not be responsible for yours, too. When you're in class and playing on the computer rather than listening to the teacher and copying what (s)he's saying, don't you dare think that I'll be there ready to hand you a xerox copy of mine. Or when we're doing class work and you'd rather go talk to some one, don't think I'm going to magically put your name on the paper. Nope, you should have been there to help me with it.

Why do you think it's okay to phone some one and TELL (not ask) them to do something that you could take five minutes to do yourself. Because you think you're the only one who's busy. Well, think again. I have five million things I need to do, too, but you don't see me trying to pass them off to some other person, telling them what they need to do so that way I can meet all my daily goals. Be responsible and act your age, damn it.

I'm sure everyone has been in this boat. The one where we seem to be everyone's lackey. Where we seem to be the "go-to" people when everyone needs something solved, but they don't want to solve it themselves. Honestly, it irks me when people do that! I feel used and under appreciated when it happens. Well, I'll tell you one thing, I'm not scared to tell you no, or to tell you to do it yourself. I'm not a force to be reckoned with.

That's all for tonight, I think I'll go cuddle with my kitty and get some sleep. :]
Good night, all you pirates and ninjas out there.

The Navy DEP and it's doings....

SO, as I have read through the newest posts I feel it is time to post a new one of my own.

As any of our readers and all of my friends now know, I am in delayed entry for the Navy. I want to say now that the whole DEP process is tedious and STUPID. I can't do hardly anything because if I do I might mess up my eligibility. Not to mention that I've been ready to leave since I swore in in January. Now that being said, it IS important to note that I will be at an advantage when I do go because I've memorized a few things that new recruits are required to learn during boot camp anyway. However, I still disagree with making us wait to leave.

My other big issue with this whole thing is that I have to be in shape BEFORE I leave for boot camp. What kind of crap is that? I'm pretty sure that the purpose of boot camp was to provide physical training for it's members. Am I suddenly wrong about that? I don't think so. Since there is a physical training program once you get there too. Or so I've been led to believe.

I will go ahead and admit, I have been getting in a lot better shape because of this whole thing. And because I have nothing but time on my hands I've been studying my stuff to help me get an edge in boot camp, but this whole waiting thing is terribly over-rated.

OK now that I have ranted some, I return the floor to whoever feels like posting next.

"I dare do all that become a man, who dares more is none." - Macbeth

Jacob "Soprano" D'Amico
Future Sailor, United States Navy

Wednesday July 21 (Just Sayin)

"Give me a high five, low five, I don't care, just give me a Five"

Quite frankly, I have some SAT words (so to speak) for the CollgeBoard and their hunky dory acorn.

When did the amount of a man started being chalked up to a number?
I started rolling around this theory in my mind when I began timing my mile times. How fast an athlete runs. How much does the blonde chick weigh. All these numbers that everyone says are "what your worth".

I came up with this.

It started in the begining. The very begining. How many months did you spent in the womb? Easy, 9. Right? That's the first perfect number, nine short months. And it only grew from there. How much you weighed when you were born. How long did it take for you to start crying. All these important numbers that supposebly make you a perfect baby. Or even better stated, as numbers that defined your existance.
From there it was how high could you count and could you say all twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Could you write all the letters of your name. All these important numbers and life-determining facts that float around those elementary years.
And so it continued, when you had to do 30 sit ups and 30 push ups to pass gym class. When you had to learn how to manipulate more numbers, longer numbers even, to pass math class. More and more numbers for the misfits in middle school.
For everyone, numbers are such an "important" aspect of life. In high school, its what number you get on an AP exam. When you turn twenty-one, its how many drinks you can stomach.

It goes on and on.

Numbers.

But...

What if we stopped counting. What if numbers were no longer important. What if the 1 (out of 5) that I made on my AP exam no longer mattered. Most important though...

what if numbers didn't define man.

Not on Monday?

I meant to post this on Monday.... actually, two Mondays in a row.... but I haven't. Being in California, I tend to push things around in my mind, so it's just one of those things to be sitting here and realize that it's now Tuesday. And I thought about not typing again until NEXT Monday, but this has been on the mind.


First, I wanna direct you to this link:
http://lanier3000.blogspot.com/

That is my personal blog, where I've been writing a bit more. It's not an even schedule, but I wanna get on one. Mondays are key for me at the moment, but I may switch it to Tuesdays once I get back into school. If anyone wants to go check it out, click the link above.

Now, for the main point.

I created this "group blog" with a group of friends I'm rather close to. And, well, as you can read, the notion of people posting kinda fell down by the wayside. People may forget, people may just not want to, I really don't know. But I guess the feeling is that I don't wanna feel like I have to remind anyone all the time to post something if what I get is basically "I don't know what to type about." The common notion is that when I open this -- except for this one -- I never know what I'm going to say. And as I start, things come to my mind, and well, it transpires onto paper.

I didn't post anything for two weeks, because I wanted to see if someone else would. And I believe, only one entry's been posted. And to me, it's a sign that, well, I'm the only one interested. Now, I know people don't share the same interest with me all the time. I know that. I'm not saying it's absolutely necessary. I just thought it would be something fun and interesting to do over the summer.

There's a lot of reasons behind my mindset too..... Jacob's getting ready to go into the Navy, and well, I know once Boot Camp starts he'll be at a lack of time really to post. Deanna's planning a wedding, and given her schedule for the next few months, it's gonna be hectic. Chris, Michell, and I are in school for basically 10 months, and with them being in Music Education, it takes a lot of time. Jenissa's got school too, and understandably with Band, it takes a lot of time.

Maybe I just came up with the idea at the wrong time in life, I dunno. There's a multitude of reasons that someone could come up with. I guess it can be looked as me not wanting to create a ruckus over something, being my reason to just pull the plug and shut it down.

So that's probably what I'm going to do. Unless my mind changes, or at least another person or two wants to post along with me, this short-lived group blog may just fall by the wayside, I don't know.

It was cool while it lasted though, and I got really excited about it. It added a new purpose to serve while in California.

One a day keeps the doctors away.

- Alfred

The round ball from the pitch.....

Hey everyone,

Okay so it has been awhile since I last posted here, sorry for that delay.

But anyways, the last month for me has been all about the World Cup, and no not the Quidditch World Cup, but the Soccer (Football for the Europeans) World Cup. It was in South Africa this year.

From June 11^th it has been nonstop games for me. From group plays to the infamous Round of 16. To the Quarterfinals to the Semis. To the Finals!

From the beginning I was cheering for the Stars and Stripes, USA. And I have to say, they actually did really good. With all of the BS that happened to them against Slovenia. And then the redemption of winning against Algeria, it was an amazing ride. When they were in the Round of 16 they came out on top ahead of England. Which was completely unexpected.

Now that the Quarterfinals and now the Semis are ending, the Finals are next weekend, and will be quite a show.

Today’s game was an unbelievable the Dutch versus Uruguay. The Netherlands came out on top 2-3, and tomorrow will be the Spanish versus the Germans. Its going to be a good game.

Until the next time,

Chris H.

The Newbie

So, I'm Jenissa.
The baby of all of this. But dont let that fool you. I can keep up with the best of them. I think alot about the way life is "suppose" to play out. What things you should and shouldn't do. I grew up across America, and finally it has brought me down south to settle into my ways. However, I'll always have my "too-fast accent" and northern ideals. So the deliema today is...

at what point is the perfect little future we all build for ourselves more important then the little spontanous memories that we could create. Even if those possible memories interfer with, say a place of work, your education, any sort of thing that you create simply to question yourself if it will fall apart.

You may be wondering what has prompted this. You might even have no desire to know. But, at the end of the day, how much are you willing to risk?