July 7th, Tuesday. Day two.

Today was quite challenging, at staff devos we found out that Katy was sick and they needed someone to step up and fill her spot. My body is hurting pretty bad because of some injuries sustained Monday. My fingers hurt pretty bad on my left hand from slamming them in the door, and my ankles are starting to kill from all the running around campus.

We had a live LCD that wasn’t a drill and that was annoying, but the kid was found so it doesn’t matter. that’s all that counts. What else…I read a lot in Colossians and have pretty good notes that I will transfer later. My 2 special campers, Andrew and Aleks (Alex) seem to enjoy disappearing to the cabin or walking away from the group without my knowledge. Its hard to keep tabs on them because they ain’t dumb and they watch me.

During quiet time Don played some amazing guitar for us that he learned from listening to it. Don is a very talented musician. We played paintball against Spidey’s cabin and their number advantage and having Jordan on their team with a tricked out gun didn’t help us any, we took out 6 or more (they had 9 players) each game and they took out our six (we only had six). It was fun also we had the archery people (all four of us) make a target and we shot the snot out of it. The kids had a great time making and destroying it! It was fun for me and Ben too I guess. Well, times up, need to go to devos and maybe I ’ll type later.

Good Day.

Today was just one of those days...you know, the ones that everything just seem to go...right?

First off I got to play guitar today, I haven't done that in a while. That was fun. And I did a bunch of sanding on our door, which we also put wood finish on too. The weather was wonderful, it didn't rain at all, and I kept thinking it was going too. I wanted to go to the cafe today but couldn't as you will see in a bit. And secondly we got our phones upgraded. I have needed an upgrade (actually just a working phone) since before Thanksgiving. The battery was drained and never worked, I couldn't make a single call without having the phone beep "low battery" as soon as the other person would pick up their end. We finally left our house at 7:00PM to head to Batavia...I could not get my dad off Facebook...he is such a FB addict...So we (me and dad) ended up going to the Verizon store in Batavia...but they had no good deals (something for free). That was a problem cause my dad does not like spending money if he can get something of equal or greater...or lesser value...for free.

Since the Verizon store was a miss I told Dad that we should check out the Verizon kiosk in BJ's, where we got the good deal last time. HIT! They were running a special for 3 Motorola Moto UV204's for free with the purchase of ANY phone. We also had a $50 credit to apply toward a phone. Well, I wanted to maximize our purchase and noticed this pretty cool looking phone for $49.95 (after $50 mail-in rebate)...SCORE! $50 credit applied to phone with an immediate price of $99.95-$50.00 mail-in rebate=FREE! I told Dad, and used my persuasiveness (I told him that we might as well spend all the credit we are given cause they won't carry it over.) to convince him that we should get the Krave and give it to me. The Krave has a touch screen like a PDA, but a flip cover like a standard flip phone to protect it...and the flip is clear and actually the touch screen is made to opperate through the cover, which is pretty cool. I also found out I need to be VERY careful since if I was to just buy the phone...it would cost $360!

So yeah, we bought the phone, I love the phone, and I'm still trying to work out the texting issue (so I can txt with the phone)...but we are making some progress.

I BOUGHT A NEW GUITAR!

So I had my classes and all that, but none of that compares to what I got... bought... today. Its a guitar! I love it so much. It is a Yamaha APX 500. It has a internal pickup and built-in tuner. The neck of the guitar is closer to that of an electric guitar in width (which I like) and it has a thin body (which I also like). I like the fact that I can play it without having to be amped, but also like the sound of the amped guitar. The guitar runs about $400, $459.95 at Roxy's where I bought it, but they had the special you can buy the guitar and get the hard case, with is smaller to fit the guitar (go figure) for $399 plus tax. So it ended up being around $440. I love the finish on the guitar, it is kind of like a fire burst, so it still has some style to it...the finger prints arn't too bad...just closer to the edges they show up.

I could write about the rest of my day, like art class and weight lifting...but this was pretty much the best thing that happened...I did go to hockey and got to see some amazing people, and that was fun, but I really like playing that guitar.

Still sick but slowly healing...

I had classes today, the first classes in history, psychology, and English since break. My cold is still pretty bad, I am on like 3 diff meds. every day. Some form of either night quill or day quill, some "Zycam" stuff (doesn't do anything), tussen, and ibuprofen, plus a menagerie of cough drops or analgesic throat spray so stop from coughing up a lung. Its pretty annoying. I think it might be because I don't get as much sleep as I have been getting, or SHOULD be getting, but I'm working on that.

I forgot how much I hate my psychology class, and the obnoxious over emphasis on evolution and evolutionary psychology, which is basic psychology...same diff I guess. Ugh! Make me sick. Wait, I already am...nevermind!

I went to my grandparents' house for dinner, like we do every Tuesday, it was fun...I took my guitar and my lil' cousin (who isn't all that little) played around with it and playing some fun riffs from stuff like: "Stairway to Heaven," "Smoke on the Water," "Sweet Child O' Mine," and "Strutter." It was a lot of fun; I love playing guitar. We stayed pretty late again tonight, around 9:00, Midge started to get cranky so we had to leave. We watched more military channel...some show called "Top Sniper" it was pretty cool, basically was a training and proving course for elite snipers.

Question.

Normally I do not post in the middle of the day...but I am, only because I wanted some feedback and maybe catch some other people who might happen upon my blog...anywaz. this is my question precluded my a little background, simple enough(I hope.) I am looking to purchase an electric/acoustic guitar; I am NOT spending more that $450 on it...I know this limits what I can get...but I am limited in funds. I would like something that holds some likeliness to playing an electric guitar, but still loud enough to play un-amped.

I would like a cut-away so that I can use the upper 12-22 frets, and would like a minimum of 22 frets. I am not picky as who makes the guitar, as reliable name is a plus. I am passed the stage of beginner and am serious in wanting a good, lasting guitar. I like it in black, only because I like black acoustic guitars...they look cool, other than the fingerprints. I am not to sure what else, but feedback is defenatly wanted on this. As I am looking to buy one sometime next week.

Just ask "Please"

I had another boringly fun day today. (That seems redundant, "day today"...idk...it is I guess.) apart from that it wasn't too bad. I woke up at 9:00 after staying up late last night. I could not go to sleep so I ended up praying a lot. The last time I remember seeing on my phone was 2:30 something, like 2:34? I watched my little sister, Midge, from a lil' before 10:00 when my mom took Jeff down to work then went to the local school here to look at enrolling my little sister into nursery school. So during this time I went upstairs and played a little Merc 2 for an hour, and Midge told me instead of throwing the people out of the tanks...my little sister told me, "You don't need to grab him, you just ask PLEASE." She is such a saint-ess...not really.

I went to Awana after spending the day cleaning up my room some more. I picked up all the clothes and put the clean ones away. I don't know how I ever ended up with such a messy room...I always used to keep it clean...but I was always in it...now I am never in it and it keeps getting messy. Anywaz, at Awana I listened to my two guys. Unfortunately they did not have anything for me to sign tonight...and we never finished anything.

I got home and my brother who is married called. I talked to him for a good half hour or so about his modifications that he is making to his guitars. He is the one who got me into making my own. I had some good times talking with a couple of my very good friends tonight...and late into this morning. (As it is currently 12:30a.m. as I write/type this.) But after the neutral day I had today (referring to Wednesday) this morning (Thursday) I have had a good lesson. Talking about relationships, and who is first in them...is it the other person...or is it God?

Tired yet?

I am exhausted...I woke up this morning at 8:30...I slept in. It was a pretty tiring day. My dad got a big sander this morning and we worked on that for an hour before I had to go to college for my art class. My teacher was not feeling well, so she ended the class at 3:30 instead of 4:30. It was good since none of us were really feeling that well.

After class was over I headed to Wal-mart to look at cameras. I am looking to purchase one...but I also am looking to buy an electric/acoustic guitar...so I don't know...I don't want to buy both...since I can't really afford it...and I hate spending money...my one character flaw.

When I got home, my dad was finishing up sanding the large areas of the floor while I used "The Mouse" sander to do the edging. We got all the bumps and ripples out of the finish, and vacuumed up all the dust and pieces of stain that broke off of the edges.

I left at 5:45 to help my pastor move the stuff out of his office at the church and then went over to his house to help move stuff out of there. After filling the truck up I left to go back to the church where we ended up playing hockey until 10:00.

To end this I wanted to type something that I learned today, but I can't think of anything...kinda sad actually. As I sit here, I think of what I COULD have done. I could have been a better witness for Christ. I know I could have told the people I love, that I love them. I could have been nicer to everybody. But I didn't. But there is still life, and where there is life, there is still yet hope.

Freedom from the smell...for today.

Today was just another fun day in my extremely boring life. I titled the post what I did only because we did not finish the floors today...which means I can move about the house freely for once. AND IT DOESN'T STINK! I hate that smell.

I went to bed...early...around 2:00 this morning, but I forgot my pillow at my grandparents' house so I deflated a beach ball that I happened to have in the office and put it in a fleece and used that as a pillow. It hurt my neck pretty bad, but it sufficed for one night.

I got up for college at 6:00 and left the house with 16 oz. of day old coffee and a bottle of diet Pepsi Max to fuel me through my day. It was pretty rough, but I made it. My classes were very boring and nothing really interesting happened...they kinda just...existed. Very boring.

I came home and then took my mom over to my grandparents' house and then left to go to my friend's house where the three of us planned worship service for Sunday. I got to her house only to find out that the other girl's brother did not come home yet. So we drove over to her house, picked her up and returned to start planning. We practiced guitar and went over some different variations of songs trying to find the songs that were easy to play, but in a good vocal range; great fun over all...ohhhh...wait...I'm Baptist...I can't have fun. Never mind. We finished up and I drove over to pick Jeff from work before heading back to my grandparents' where I ate dinner before getting dropped off at home when she was going to quilting tonight.

Switching places...

Transition mania...

Today was just another CRAZY day in my simple life. I did not go to bed until 1:30-ish...I was staying at my grandparents last night. I didn't fall asleep till after 2 I think...it was hard to tell cause there was no clock in the room and my cellphone was dead cause my charger was that my house. I woke up at 7:15...not the time I WANTED to wake up...but that is how my body clock works. So I spent the day there, well, until 10:30 when I took Jeff to work. I then worked on the floors, with my dad again...this makes the 4th time...tomorrow I guess we are renting a sander to polish off the rough spots.

I went back to my grandparents' house and took my guitar with me to pass the time. I looked up some songs on ultimate-guitar.com (only cause e-chord.com didn't have what I was looking for). I looked up "What Life would be Like" by Big Daddy Weave. I have played it at least 100 times this afternoon...AT LEAST. every time I touched a guitar, I played it...over and over and over again.

I went to church tonight...like most Wednesdays, to listen to "my" kids...we didn't accomplish much in the book...just one section...but slowly he is working though it. Tonight was my church's assossiate pastor's last youth group. So according to baptist distinctive #11: "You must have food at all gatherings." and according to Baptist distinctive #12 we called it a gathering, "There shall be under no circumstanses the word 'party' to be atributed to any social event being attended by church members, they shall be therefore called 'gatherings'."

The past 2 days...

The Last 2 days have been pretty hectic for me, going to school, coming home, leaving again. But still pretty amazing. Anywaz...I'll start from the beginning-ish.

Friday, 7:30 a.m. start:
My alarm went off on this, until then wonderful day. I woke up and started about my typical Friday routine: devos, breakfast, art project that would be due later that same day...wait, WHAT? I totally forgot about my art project that I needed to get done. Great, I have 5 hours to do it! Except that it is about texture...so you have to do charcoal rubbings, which are VERY messy. I ended up taking up all that time doing that project only to NOT turning it in...I was kinda upset. But that just means I get another week to work on it...and 2 other art projects...and all my other school work...

Saturday:
I ended up not going to bed until early Saturday morning (don't remember what time), I usually don't get tired until about 12:30-ish anywaz...so no surpise there. But I woke up at 7:00 which was annoying cause i could have slept another hour or so. Most of the day (from 9:30 till 5:00) I helped my dad and brother sand the hardwood floors of our house. It was a lot of work...and we were using big power sanders. At 5:00 I started getting ready to go to a concert. "The Bridge" was playing and I could not wait to go see them. The concert was awesome...it really was. They are a great bunch of guys who love the Lord, and want to please Him with their music. I saw my friend's ("His Daughter's") dad there, he is a pastor and very cool guy, he has known Gary Murphee, the guitarist from the band, as I found out, since 1991. Pretty awesome. I got home kinda late...again...and ended up talking her till 12:30-ish...let me correct that...she talked to ME until that time, about going to the Resolve Tour. If you want more on that read her blog...I follow it so the link is easy to find.

Understand this from an EVOLUTIONARY standpoint...WHAT?!?!?

The title of this entry is what my psychology teacher kept saying...Give me a break! She says she supports science on evolution, but to calmly explain...THERE IS NO SUPPORT IN SCIENCE FOR EVOLUTION!!!! THAT'S WHY IT IS A THEORY!!!! I'm ok now. I did have fun in that class though, though I HATE it dearly...I did get to share my faith as well as stand up for Divine creation...God brought back a lot of stuff I didn't remember from Ken Ham's books, which was VERY helpful (Thank YOU, God!).

That was my high point of the day really, after school I went to Walmart and got some stuff for my mom, I also got some outrageously taxed and priced pop...we are talking a shelf price of 78 cents...that is ridiculous...it used to only cost 65 cents. I bought that so I wouldn't have to keep buying pop from school at $1.50 for a 20 oz., that my friends is a rip off!

I still can not connect to the college server from my house for some strange reason unbeknown to me. Really starting to make my angry...don't worry; I don't throw things...I hit stuff with a baseball bat...like garbage cans, and computers, and other stuff...(its from the movie Fireproof...good movie, watch it!)

After working on my paper again tonight, I picked up my guitar for the first time in 3 days. It really is a great feeling to strum some stuff out and listen to the music. I actually still have the guitar on my lap and in between typing and talking on the phone I pick it up and strum some more.

Another day...

Today was an interesting day, after not going to sleep until 4:30 this morning for no apparent reason; I woke up at 9:30. I stayed in my pajama pants until late this afternoon, not really accomplishing too much.

I ate breakfast pretty late, I facebooked for 40 minutes after getting up. I couldn't get the pics from our WOL trip off Katy's camera for some reason, the computer wouldn't read the SD card. I ended up taking the SD card, plugging it into my computer upstairs loading them on a flash drive, then bringing them downstairs to upload on facebook. It was very irritating because it ended up taking close to 30 min to get the pics to the computer...then uploading them 60 pics at a time! GOSH! But it was worth it, there was close to 180 pics.

I ended up watching my lil sister today, while my parents went to Lowes...it was good for about 45 min until she woke up...ugh...talk about angry lil sisters. Finally my brother Jeff came home from work and took over watching her; that gave me a break to go play some Guitar Hero: On Tour, and finish my career as an expert bassist.

My mom and lil sister went to some party with old people and my gramma, and I made hamburgers. After dinner I looked up some songs from ultimate-guitar.com and played guitar till like 6:50-ish.

I went over to Cafe Shiloh in Geneseo, but none of my friends were going. I hung out with Roy and Kristi, playing some guitar and learning tons. (He's a really good and Godly guitarist.) He left early, around 8:30, and i left about 9-ish after buying a piece of cheasecake for my bro. I've been there 5 or 6 times and never bought anything till today. I though t was going to get pulled over again, but the cop pulled the guy infront of me over...I was VERY thankful! I have been pulled over numerous times, but never convicted of anything. (Mostly it is checking for drunks, or wondering why i didn't have my lights on. Stuff like that.)

I got home without a hitch, other than the police thing, and talked to a couple people over the internet before desiding I should blog before going to bed.