Reading: Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb (pgs. 243-302)

In the final section of Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb, the author sums up the entire story extremely well.  In chapter twenty one, the author describes moving ahead for both families.  The families used their experiences to deepen their faiths.  The Cerak family continued to rejoice in their daughter's life.  On the other hand, the Van Ryns continued to rejoice in the fact their daughter was with the Lord in heaven.  Both families told their friends and family in detail about the experience.  They used the experience to further the case for God.  Ultimately, the experience made them stronger disciples in sharing the faith.  They had strange circumstances, but overcame them well to return to their normal, productive lives. 

In the epilogue, the author details where the families are now.  They still maintain somewhat consistent contact with each other.  Both families preach the message of God using their personal stories to strengthen their case.  Whitney is very successful in her endeavors thus far and continues to excel in the world.  Both families have completely moved passed the identity swap and are better friends from the experience.

After reading the final section of Tabb's book, I fully understand the two family's friendship.  There are certain events and or struggles that can truly connect two people.  Even if the event is a tragedy, having another person with you through the struggle increases your bond with them tremendously.  Both families dealt with the identity swap.  Therefore, they understood both ends of the spectrum with their daughters.  I always look back to difficult times with people are truly admire.  When they help me through these times, I feel our friendship grows immensely.  Overall, I enjoyed this story.  I also agree with many of the author's views.  I look forward to continuing my reading with other books close to the level of enjoyment of this one.

True Motown Soul Music! (my favorite genre of music)

Reading: Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb (pgs. 205-242)

In the next section of Mistaken Identitiy, by Mark Tabb, I realized that both families did indeed receive closure for their daughter's identity swap.  In chapter eighteen, Tabb focuses on the aftermath of the identity swap.  Specifically, he details how the Van Ryns reacted to the mistake.  They were reasonably upset.  Many people came to comfort them in their time of need.  At first, the Van Ryns simply wanted to be alone in mourning their daughter's death.  However, the support from their friends and other family members continued to add up.  The support and God's provisions helped to bring true closure for the Van Ryns on Laura's death.  They began to accept the death, and rejoice in Laura's new, perfect life in heaven. 

In chapter nineteen, the story shifts back to the Cerak family.  They still have to focus on adjusting to the new circumstances of the identity swap.  They are filled with joy as their daughter returns home.  Their optimistic attitude rarely wavers in Whitney's final stages to recover.  They surprisingly do not take a long period of time to overcome the aftermath and confusion of the swap.  Overall, they are simply ecstatic to have their daughter home.  Therefore, they feel they do not need to complain about their own circumstances. 

In chapter twenty, the author details several posts from a Cerak family blog.  The blog details Whitney's recovery.  The blog describes how enjoyable it was to spend time with Whitney.  The family once thought they had lost their daughter, but they were extremely pleased that she was indeed alive.  Her life was a gift to them, and they rejoice in it.

After reading this section of Tabb's book, I feel I can relate to the recovery stand point of the families.  Tragedies do not cause sorrow only for the short term normally.  If there is an event big enough, it may take a long time for a person or group to recover from the trauma.  For example, war veterans can experience post-trauma due to their horrors on the battlefield.  Even if an event is completely over, the emotional wounds can take time to heal.  I have experienced this trauma with simple events that may be embarrassing.  I am embarrassed both in the moment, as well as later when I reflect on the embarrassing situation.  I have truly enjoyed this book thus far, and I really look forward to reading the final section of the story.

Reading: Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb (pgs. 153-204)

In the next section of Tabb's book, Mistaken Identity, the identities of the two girls begin to surface.  In chapter fourteen, Tabb describes more of the Van Ryn family's experiences with Laura in therapy.  She begins to do normal actions such as speaking about colors and people.  She also begins to move more normally with her own body.  Overall she is gaining her life back, and the Van Ryn's appear very optimistic and elated with her progress. 

In chapter fifteen, the mistaken identities of the two girls are finally revealed.  Laura is revealed to be Whitney Cerak.  At first, the Van Ryns do not have any strong evidence to see that the girl is not their daughter.  However, they begin to realize through investigation that there is a possibility that the identities of the girls was swapped.  Ultimately, they come to a final verdict that the girl is indeed Whitney, not Laura. 

In chapter sixteen, the Van Ryns describe telling their entire family about Laura's apparent death.  They realized Laura was the dead child rather than Whitney in the car crash.  The occasion was somber, but they knew their daughter was in heaven with the Lord.

In chapter seventeen, the author describes the reactions of the Ceraks when they find out their child is alive.  They are told that Whitney is alive.  At first, they deny the message.  Through both persuasion and evidence, they begin to realize that the child who survived to the car crash was indeed Whitney.  They feel shocked when they realize the news is true, yet they still are very happy when they bring Whitney home.  To the family, it feels like they gained something extremely value that they thought they had lost.

After reading this section of Tabb's book, I unfortunately know that I cannot imagine the feelings of both families in the story.  The Van Ryns must have felt great sorrow when they came to the realization that their daughter was the one who died in the crash.  On the flip side, the Ceraks must have felt pleasantly surprised when they realized their child was alive.  Honestly, the Ceraks must have felt a surreal experience.  I believe people may only experience a surreal experience a couple times a lifetime.  I feel like I have experienced one of these before, yet I think I could have an even more powerful experience in the future.  I look forward to reading the conclusion of this story.

Miame Heat Tie the Series

The Miami Heat game two of the Eastern Conference finals in the NBA verses the Chicago Bulls.  The series is now tied at 1 game a piece.  I believe this win was huge for the Heat.  They now control home court advantage over the Bulls.  In addition, they proved that they can win on their opponent's court.  In addition, I believe the Heat have a more talented roster.  They have two superstars and quality role players surrounding them.  If they play to their full potential, I do not believe any team in the NBA can stop them.  They truly may be looking at a championship season.

New Gym Coming Soon at my Church!

My church is currently under construction.  We are expanding the entire church, including the sanctuary, classrooms, and a new gym!  As you may guess, I am most looking forward to the addition of the new gym.  I have never experienced having a gym at my church, and I believe the new opportunities with the gym will be fantastic.  My church's youth group will also be able to make great use of the new facility.  The gym will bring variety to my youth group.  In addition, the gym may be able to draw people in the surrounding area to our church.  The gym can be a great tool for our outreach ministries.  Overall, the new gym at my church should be incredible, and I definitely look forward to the new addition!

My Transitions in my Basketball Game?

I have played basketball since I was about eight years old.  Although I have never truly played basketball hard-core, I have always been competitive with the sport.  I have noticed that I really changed the way I play the game in the last year or two.  Previously, I was more of a shooter and less physical on the court.  Lately, I have really evolved into more of a physical player in the post.  I like to use my body to create easy shots, rather than taking a more difficult jump shot.  I play much more aggressive now than I played previously.  Overall, I enjoy my new style more than my old one.   As a result, I love the game of basketball even more now.

End of Year.......... Reflections?

As this school year nears a closing, I realize that I have made many different strides in my life.  I have not only learned plenty of information in school, but I also feel I have matured out of the classroom in life in general as well.  I feel very fortunate to have made gains socially.  I believe I have not only more friendships, but also deeper friendships with many people.  Ultimately, I know I have much more to learn, but I feel my life is certainly going in the right direction.  I look forward to continuing the friendships I have now, while hopefully making new friends along the way.  I want to make the most of my life, and I feel, with God's help, I can achieve my goals.

Reading: Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb (pgs. 101-152)

I found a great deal of drama in the next section of my reading of Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb.  In chapter ten, Tabb describes more steps in Laura's recovery from the automobile accident.  She made many breakthrough advances in her recover.  For example, she began to gain more movement in her body.  However, the recovery stage included short comings and struggles along the way.  She had issues at time if the doctor pushed her too hard in the recovery stage.  Every step in the recovery had to be carefully monitored.  Despite the struggles, Laura seemed to be on a clear path to a full recovery from her accident.

In chapter eleven, Tabb details the Cerak's funeral procession for Whitney.  They describe the ceremony as surprisingly positive.  They reflect on all of the good God worked with in Whitney's life.  They detail being assured that Whitney is in the best possible place, in heaven with God.  The Cereks seem to show an unshakable faith and confidence in Whitney's life accomplishments.  They truly seem to be moving past the sorrow of Whitney's death.  The Cereks knew Whitney's life on earth was over, but her life in heaven was just beginning.

In chapter twelve, Tabb describes more of the conclusion of Laura's treatment.  She finally is able to speak.  She repeats the word, "Hi," often in her final stage of recovery.  She is able to speak to her family.  The Van Ryns are ecstatic that Laura is into the clear with her recovery.  She seems to be able to be a completely normal person now after the accident.  The long road to recovery appears to be ending soon.  The family details at the end of the chapter how happy they are that Laura returning to her home.

In chapter thirteen, the author describes some final closure for the Cerak family.  They visit Taylor and talk to a minister about Whitney's life.  The minister seems to agree with the family on many aspects of Whitney's life.  Overall, the Cerak's feel even more at ease after visiting Taylor.  They finally feel that they have complete closure on Whitney's death.  They know in their hearts that they can move on and know that Whitney is indeed with the Lord.

After reading this section of Tabb's book, I felt great pity for both families.  The reason I felt sorry for the families is because I know the rest of the story as it was revealed in the introduction.  The two girls had their identities swapped.  Therefore, all of the emotions seem to be false emotions coming from the two families.  They truly believe that the doctors are correct in the identities.  As a result, I feel sorrow for them because they will be thrown for an emotional loop when they find out the true identities of the girls.  I always do not like being fooled, especially if the joke pulls on my emotional strings.  Any false situation that tugs on my emotions would probably be my least favorite situations.  I look forward to finding more relate able situations in the next sections of this book.

My Poems for the Anthology

 The theme I have selected is the overall Idea of God and the varying viewpoints on God
My poem list thus far:
1. "What is God," by Jay Wright
2. "Prayer," by Francisco X. Alarcon
3. "Philosophies," by Dorothea Lasky
4. "Macular Hole," by Catherine Wagner
5. "His Sovereignty," by Kalonymos Ben Moses of Lucca
6. "God on the Treadmill," by Benjamin S. Grossberg

My Video Poem:
"For We Are Thy People," by Anonymous

A New Focus

Now that my track season has officially ended, I have decided to focus on other areas of my life.  I want to work harder in school than I have been working lately.  I have not dedicated myself as I need to be dedicated to get the grades I want in school.  In addition, I want to refocus on building up my physical strength.  I am going to go to the YMCA several days a week to lift weights.  In addition, I can also play basketball for fun at the YMCA.  I will also be searching for a job.  Overall, I look forward to the new opportunities I will have now that track season is over.  I am disappointed the season was as short as it was, but I know I can make the most of my new free time.  I will pray to God to help me use my time wisely.  I truly want to be as productive as possible.

Reading: Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb (pgs. 73-100)

In the next section of Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabbs, I learned about more interesting facts and ways of dealing with crisis.  In chapter seven, the Van Ryn family is described once again.  Laura's mother, begins to post about Laura on a blog of her own.  She thoroughly describes Laura's road to recover from her coma.  She details Laura's first steps in recovery.  In addition, friends and family comment on the blog and offer their support to the family.  Many people show their love for Laura and the family though their encouraging words.

In chapter eight, an important step with Laura's recovery is described.  Laura is finally stable enough to handle extensive surgery.  She needs the surgery to be able to gain back control of her limbs from the car crash.  Fortunately, the surgery goes well and Laura indeed seems to be on her road to a full recovery from the accident.

In chapter nine, Whitney's birthday after her death is described.  Whitney's family uses the day as a milestone of her death.  They mourn as expected.  However, they also remember the positives from Whitney's death.  These positives mostly revolve around Whitney being at peace in heaven.  Whitney did not die in vain.  She was a tremendous person as her family describes.  She touched countless people as evident by the support the family received after Whitney's death.  The family is saddenned by the reality of Whitney's death, but they look forward to the day in heaven when they will reunite with their daughter.

After reading this section of Tabb's book, I understand the both family's reliance on God through their adversity.  I have learned that I am always closest to God in my struggles.  When I hit rock bottom in my emotions, I seem to have to rely on God more for comfort.  In many ways, I enjoy this reliance on God.  I hate having bad days and bad weeks, but if I draw closer to God, I always feel fulfilled.  Overall, I want to be the best Christian I can be.  When I rely on God more, I am helping myself achieve this goal.  I look forward to reading more stories of turmoil in the future in Tabb's book.

Reading: Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb (pgs. 35-72)

In the next section of Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabbs, I learned about the true paranoia of finding out about a dead loved one.  In chapter four, the Cerak family is described as they receive word that Whitney, has died in a car crash.  The family is in complete disbelief at first.  Slowly, the family begins to accept the painful reality.  Unfortunately, the family has to prepare mentally in accepting her death.  They make plans for a funeral service as well.  All in all, the death seems unreal to the family.  However, they trust God's plan.

In chapter five, Tabbs details the very long wait the Van Ryn family experienced as they awaited their daughter's exit from her coma.  They spent much of the time in prayer for their daughter.  They also had constant questions over their daughter's chance of survival.  They also questioned if their daughter could still live out a normal life after the crash.  In some ways, not all of their questions were answered.  However, they continued to trust God's will in all of the matter.

In chapter six, Tabbs describes comfort in the midst of pain for the Cerak family.  They received their comfort from outside sources.  People who knew their daughter Whitney called in to offer their support in the family's time of need.  There were many people that informed the Ceraks of their daughter's impact on their lives.  These stories helped the Ceraks during a turbulent time for the family.  They still were sorrowful due to their daughter's death, but they received comfort in God's will and also his message of peace through the outside influences.

After reading this section of Tabb's book, I find truths when Tabbs describes the importance of outside support.  Although family is most important when getting over the loss of a loved one, the outside sources of friends help significantly.  Friends can really attach themselves to each other like a true family.  As a result, if one of their friends dies, they will mourn for them as one of their own.  I find it amazing when I see how supportive people can be in a time of sorrow.  When a person dies, their family is supported more than ever.  In many ways, death can unveil true compliments towards a family.  I have enjoyed this book thus far and will look forward to the rest of the story as it unfolds.

Reading: Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb (pgs. 1-34)

I have now started reading a new book called Mistaken Identity, by Mark Tabb.  This book features two girls and their families.  The two girls were involved in a fatal car crash in which both were severely hurt.  Two of the girls have their identities switched.  One of them, Laura Van Ryn, is believed to be in a coma, while the other girl, Whitney Cerak, is declared dead.  The story is about how their mistaken identities affect their families and test the faith of all to people involved with the identity crisis.  In chapter one, Tabb details the time in which the coroner of Taylor University, the school the two girls attended, called Cerak's home to inform them of the mistaken identity.  Whitney's mother, as expected, could not believe her ears.  The entire Cerak family was in complete disbelief.  At the end of the chapter, the family finds that Whitney is indeed alive.

In chapter two, the story shifts over to the Van Ryn family.  Tabb describes their reaction to first hearing about Laura being severely injured in the automobile accident.  However, her identity was mistake at the time.  Tabb describes the reaction at Taylor University when the students learned about the horrible accident.  Both families were in obvious despair.  However, both families clung to God as their comfort and hope.  Both families prayed over their children.  Whitney was believed to be dead, but she was prayed for along with Laura, who was believed to be alive.

In chapter three, the Van Ryn family is featured once again.  Tabb describes the Van Ryn family's reaction when they arrive at the hospital to find their daughter in a coma.  They prayed tirelessly over their daughter's survival.  The biggest key to their strength was their unity in the hospital room with Laura.  They had a strong bond with each other which increased the strength of their prayers.  At the end of the chapter, the family learns that their daughter is going to live, but she needs extensive care and rehab to return back to a more normal state.

After reading this section of Tabb's book, I cannot imagine the pain and shock either family would go through learning about a fatal car crash involving their family member.  I always feel more sorrow for the young kids around college age whom die from unexpected reasons such as car crashes.  People at this age have their entire hopes and dreams in front of them.  Seeing people die whom are going to enter their prime age soon is one of the most difficult pills to swallow in life.  These girls had strong relations with countless people.  I hope their families learned to truly lean on God throughout the struggle.  This book looks promising thus far, and I look forward to reading more sections in the future.

Motown, My Favorite Type of Music

I do not believe I have always been a huge fan of music.  However, I have really expanded my interest in music over the past couple of years.  I enjoy nearly all genres of music.  I like to listen to a wide variety of music.  Specifically, I enjoy hit songs of different decades the most out of all other songs.  If I had to pick my favorite type of music though, I would choose all of the songs from Motown.  I love the soul the artists put into these songs.  These songs give me a serene feeling that I simply do not receive from other types of music.  Although Motown is rather old, I believe it will always be my favorite brand of music as long as I live.

Miami Heat? The Dream Season Even Still?

LeBron James shocked the nation when he made the decision to sign with the Miami Heat before the start of the 2010-11 NBA season.  He left his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, to join a superpower team with fellow superstars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.  Early on, some experts picked the Heat to win the NBA championship without any major trouble.  However, the regular season clearly indicated that the Heat were not in a class of their own.  In the playoffs though, the Heat look like the superstar team all the experts imagined them to be in the first place.  They are in the second round of the tournament in the playoffs.  They are currently up two games to nothing on the Boston Celtics, another dubbed contender for the championship by the experts.  Surprisingly, James, despite only a moderately impressive regular season, could really make his decision seem like the right one if he manages to win the NBA championship with the Miami Heat.

Track Season..... Disappointing, but Plenty of Hope is still on the Horizon

My 2011 Homestead track season ended officially today after our meet against New Haven and Norwell.  I unfortunately am not on varsity for throwing so I will not be competing at sectionals in the postseason.  Looking back on my season, I feel that I left much to be accomplished.  I only set one personal record in discus, and zero new distances in shot put.  In a perfect world, a track athlete would hope to only show improvements as the year goes on.  However, due to some other factors such as soreness from workouts, I showed plenty of inconsistency throughout the season.  However, I still know there is a positive outlook on the season.  I may not have had outstanding performances in meets, but I still feel like I improved in certain areas of throwing.  I also know now what I need to improve for next season.  I know I can get better.  Overall, I may not have seen the results I dreamed of this season, but I look forward to being able to have more chances to work on track for next year.

Quality Time Redefined

After reading the New York Times article, "Quality Time Redefined," I feel that the family described in the article closely resembles myself.  I often feel consumed with the technology around me.  I tend to concentrate on music and screens rather than the people physically around me.  However, my parents do not seem consumed with technology.  I believe the generation gap has kept them less interested with the truly advanced technology of today's world.  My brothers, on the other hand, may be more consumed with technology than myself.  They seem to be more into computers and new I-pods or I-phones than I am.  I think that technology can definitely be an issue.  However I work to prevent technology from taking priority over face to face communication.  I enjoyed the article, and I ultimately feel the growing technology in modern society must be regulated to promote a healthy home life.

Poetry Tournament

I was very pleased to win the poetry tournament for our etymology class.  I felt everyone did a great job in presenting their poems.  I feel fortunate to be the winner of the tournament.  In addition, I found that I actually enjoy reciting poetry.  I enjoy putting some emotion into the reading because I can leave a positive impression on other people.  I enjoy stating my emotions through speaking because I feel that I can release emotions that I may not be able to release otherwise.  Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the poetry competition experience and I truly felt that everyone in the class did an excellent job.

Reading: More Than Just The Catch, by David Tyree (pgs. 195-228)

In the last section of More Than Just The Catch, by David Tyree, I learned more factual information rather than philosophical insight.  In chapter sixteen, Tyree describes a workout routine both spiritually and physically.  He includes the times to do each workout and number of repetition of each exercise.  Interestingly, Tyree makes references to faith in God in all of his exercise routines.  He includes areas of focus for each workout spiritually.  He also includes a diet to help achieve better physical fitness.

In chapter seventeen, Tyree details several significant dreams he has had in his life.  He describes several different dreams and how they tied back to God and to reality.  Many of the dreams he describes happened in reality closely to how they happened in the dream.  He shares insight on how the dreams were messages from God informing him on the events to come in his life.

In chapter eighteen, Tyree gives a full reflection on his life and ties it directly to God.  He states that his life is a testimony to God's love and power.  He was an underdog, but God helped to elevate him to highest level of sports.  He was given all of his opportunity through God.  Tyree tells the reader to have an open mind when approaching God.  God will present his opportunities, and it is a person's job to be ready for these opportunities.

In the conclusion, Tyree leaves the reader with a prayer for their destiny.  He details his own life while asking God to bless all of the readers of his book.  Tyree gives blessing to all his readers through his book.
After reading the last section of Tyree's book, I feel more power to live out my faith.  Tyree provides many examples of opportunities to focus on God throughout your daily routine.  I now know that I can focus on God and serve him even in the smallest things in life.  I do not have to limit myself to Sunday worship, I can focus on God in all aspects and times of my life.  I realize that a full relationship with God throughout my entire life is the true fulfillment of my faith.  I truly enjoyed reading Tyree's book, and I look forward to reading more books in the future.

Reading: More Than Just The Catch, by David Tyree (pgs. 157-195)

In the next section of More Than Just The Catch, by David Tyree, Tyree describes how to put faith into action.  In chapter thirteen, Tyree informs the reader about a cycle of success.  Tyree details how people must put all of their goals into perspective.  He tells the reader not to have goals simply for their own gain.  Instead, have goals to serve God.  Tyree details how a person will be defined successful by God.  Tyree basically states that if a person puts God first and keeps everything in correct, humble perspective, the person will be happy and also please God. 

In chapter fourteen, Tyree describes the ingredients of greatness.  He describes all of the different definitions for greatness.  Tyree then describes the meaning of of being great in God's eyes.  Tyree gives all of his perspective on being great in serving God.  He provides the reader with guidelines on life to keep God in the correct perspective.  At the end of the chapter, Tyree describes his own hall of greatness.  He describes several people whom he is very close to that positively impacted his life as greatness in action. 

In chapter fifteen, Tyree describes physical and spiritual discipline.  Tyree clearly notes the difference between physical discipline, and spiritual discipline.  He provides the reader with examples of spiritual discipline.  Habits such as prayer are detailed by Tyree.  Tyree tells the reader to keep disciplined with their faith.  This message means that people must not only have good habits, but continue to improve those habits as their faith deepens.

After reading this section of Tyree's book, I feel that I have gained a greater insight on my own personal faith.  Tyree describes the true steps to putting Christianity in action.  God does not want us to be passive about our faith.  God wants us to share our faith with others while having a passion to continue to grow in our faith.  However, our actions are our biggest tool to sharing the gospel.  Acting as God wants us to act spreads God's love better than simply telling someone about your beliefs.  Although telling a person about your specific faith may be appropriate for a situation, actions still speak louder than words in most situations.  I have learned that I must ask God to help me be the best disciple possible.  I cannot do it alone, and I need to ask for God's help.  I have enjoyed Tyree's book thus far and look forward to learning more about him in the rest of his book.

Reading: More Than Just The Catch, by David Tyree (pgs. 125-156)

In the next section of More Than Just The Catch, by David Tyree, Tyree reveals more stories of courage and high morals.  In chapter twelve, Tyree details many players and associates with ties to the NFL.  He tells the story of each of them.  Specifically he details their courage of sharing their faith and putting their faith into action in the NFL and other areas of the world.  Many of them donate regularly.  However, the people Tyree describes also provide a strong Christian influence on the rest of the world.  They live their lives closely to how God would want them to live.  They make their faith very apparent in all aspects of their lives.  Tyree includes many of their philosophies and quotes when he describes each man.  He tells their stories.  Some of them had many struggles as Tyree did, but others are simply great Christians influencing the NFL.  Tyree details how important it is to have fellow Christians supporting other Christians and working towards a common goal in adding to the body of Christ.

After reading this section of Tyree's book, I strengthened my belief that fellow people of the same beliefs makes a person stronger.  Tyree describes many Christians associated to the NFL that deserve credit for their influence on the league.  He also describes them to stress the importance of having fellow Christians in your walk in life.  All the people Tyree described had different backgrounds and different means of sharing their faith.  However, each person had a common goal: to share the love of Christ.  I realize that there are many different ways I can share my personal faith.  However, when I keep my focus on the important values in my life, I realize the actually means to show my faith are details.  When I live my life being who I am and taking all the opportunities in life that are possible and meaningful, I tend to better achieve my goals of being a Christian influence.  I look forward to reading more interesting views of Tyree in the rest of his book.

Favorite Blog in Class: Brown Sugar's Blog

My favorite blog by a fellow classmate in my class would have to be Brown Sugar's blog.  Personally, I enjoy the personal posts and style added to the blog.  Brown Sugar has many posts about soccer.  I do not think I saw any other blogs with posts pertaining to soccer.  He also has many pictures and videos in addition to the standard text posts.  I also think his posts over his personal reading are well thought out and interesting.  He relates the blog to his own life often.  Ultimately, I believe Brown Sugar's personal touch to his blog puts him among the best blogs in my class.

Pondering, by Loran Saggu

Loran Saggu's vivid colors and austere pose in his self-portrait, "Pondering," depicts a pensive, arcane thinking in his own mind.  His colors of orange and yellow relate to his calm, yet passionate mood in his portrait.  In addition, his striking pose of a pondering state alludes to a hermetic analysis occurring in his mind as depicted in the portrait.  Saggu's serene eyes add to the overall sedate tone of the portrait.  Saggu's warm colors and relaxed expressions in his self-portrait portrays a paramount deep thinking state.

The Wedding Bells Toll...

I found out only a few weeks ago that my oldest brother, Keith, is getting married soon.  I am actually very excited for him.  I would be supportive no matter who he would be marrying I am sure, but I know his fiancee is a wonderful woman.  In addition, I will be a groomsman for the wedding.  The interesting part about the wedding is that Keith is the oldest in my family, and Jen, his fiancee, is the youngest in her family.  As a result, Jen has nephews that are my age.  In other words, Jen is their aunt, but Jen will be my sister-in-law even though I am the same age as some of her nephews.  Sometimes, it's funny how things work out within a family.  Regardless, I look forward to the wedding and I am very happy for my brother.

Reading: More Than Just the Catch by David Tyree (pgs. 105-124)

In the next section of More Than Just the Catch, by David Tyree, I was entertained by Tyree's miracle of a football season.  In chapter ten, Tyree details the New York Giants, his NFL team, and their journey to the Super Bowl in 2007.  They were doubted the entire year, and they barely made the playoffs with a 10-6 record and a number six seed.  However, their team had stronger unity than ever before, and they possessed mental toughness to win as an underdog.  In the playoffs, the Giants won games at Tampa Bay, and then at Dallas to make the NFC championship.  In the NFC championship, they needed overtime to finally beat the Green Bay Packers and punch their ticked to Super Bowl forty-two.

In chapter eleven, Tyree details the events of the Super Bowl, how he prepared for them, and how he reacted to them when they actually happened.  He prepared for the Super Bowl with a prayer with his spiritual mom, Kimberly.  The New York Giants were major underdogs to the undefeated, 18-0 New England Patriots.  The Giants played well the entire game but found themselves down 14-10 late in the game.  On the winning drive, Tyree caught one of the most amazing catches in NFL history to keep the drive alive.  The Giants scored a touchdown on the drive and went on to win the game 17-14.  Tyree details how amazing and unreal the moment of the Super Bowl victory was for him.  He was able to use his famed platform to give glory to God for everything God did in his life and continues to do for him.  Tyree details how magnificent the one play he made in the Super Bowl represented his entire life of struggle with constant hope.  He thanks God for the fame and platform he used to glorify God's name.  At the end of the chapter, Tyree gives all glory to God emphatically, and notes the amazing events that occurred in his life to lead him to be the man he is today.

I felt rather emotional after reading this section of reading in Tyree's book.  Tyree's situation truly seems unreal.  I remember watching the Super Bowl and witnessing possibly the greatest play in NFL history!  The Giants were possibly the greatest underdog story ever!  I honestly believe God may have had a hand in the Super Bowl that year.  The Giants brought so much good emotion to so many people.  For Tyree, he was able to witness for God with his new found fame.  I work to use God's name in my interpretation of my success in life.  I will give glory to God when I need to be a witness (which is often).  I always want to remain level headed about any success I encounter in life while remembering God brings all of the positive things into my life.  I hope that I can find more entertaining and incredible stories through reading more in Tyree's book.

Reading: More Than Just the Catch by David Tyree (pgs. 77-104)

I became aware of several interesting situations as I read my next section of More Than Just the Catch, by David Tyree.  In chapter eight, Tyree describes his transition to living a life for God.  He describes being possessed by the devil for a period of time.  He was acting so unnatural and evil, that all of the people close to him became concerned.  Eventually, David broke the devil's possession of his body when he called out to God.  David's wife Leilah, describes the devil possessing David as an attempt to pull him away from God.  David had recently accepted Christ and started to live a life for God.  This new life may have caused the devil to try to pull him away.  David describes afterword about his NFL career under the radar.  He was never a standout player, but David believes he was exactly how popular God wanted him to be in the league.  God has purpose in all things, and David's quieter NFL career was all part of God's plan to show case him later in his life.  Last, David describes a revived home life he experienced as a father and husband.  After dedicating his life to God, he began to seek his guidance in all things, thus, he was led to a healthier, closer-knit, life at home.

In chapter nine, Tyree describes the passing of his mother.  His mother was always a huge part of his life, and seeing her go was not easy.  However, Tyree's mother accepted Christ near the end of her life.  Tyree rest assured that his mother was indeed in heaven and she even wrote a poem confessing her faith in Christ.  Tyree's mother's death was difficult for their whole family, but they recollecting well on the good times spent with her at her funeral service.  Her dog, Mickey, was left with Tyree's spiritual mother, Kimberly.  Tyree describes at the end of the chapter how he knows that his mother is in heaven smiling at Kimberly and her dog Mickey praying together every morning.

After reading this section of Tyree's book, I feel that God can truly penetrate any person's life.  Tyree was in a mess of all sorts.  Certainly, it did not appear that Tyree would ever turn around his rather immoral lifestyle.  However, it only took one moment to turn around his entire life.  He finally realized he needed to commit himself to living God's way, not his own.  I believe that people can turn their lives around quicker than they may think.  A situation can seem to murky to be cleared, but there is always hope.  Some struggles seem to large to defeat, but if you are patient with yourself and God, you can defeat these struggles.  I have always felt that I must tell people that they can truly overcome any obstacle in life with the help of God.  Often times, it is another person that can turn your life around.  I always want to work to be a strong part of other people's lives so that they have me if they need me in any situation.  I feel more fortified in my beliefs through reading this book, and I look forward to unveiling more truths in the story.

Homestead Coffee House

I was pleased with my experience I had at the Homestead Coffee House this past Friday evening.  I thought all of the artwork was excellent, if not beyond excellent in my opinion.  I truly believe there are artists at Homestead that may have a future career as an artist of some kind.  I was not aware of the immense talent we have at our school.  All of the musical acts were also very entertaining.  Everyone at the Coffee House had great talent.  My favorite act of the evening would probably be the band, Leaving Rockwell.  They were the only band, and in my opinion, they were the most entertaining musical act.  Overall, I thought the people organizing the event did a tremendous job and I am now sold on the talent in the arts at Homestead.

Reading: More Than Just the Catch by David Tyree (pgs. 25-76)

In the next section of reading More Than Just the Catch, by David Tyree, I found more examples of hard work used to get out of bad situations.  In chapter two, Tyree describes the positive influence his older sister, Tara, had on his life.  She was the first to accept Christ into her life, and she helped advise Tyree on what is wrong and right in life.  Tyree describes how athletics were his ticket to making it to college.  He knew he needed to go to college to be more, and his only way to getting there was his athletic ability.  He worked harder than everyone else even at a young age, propelling him to be the football player he wanted to be in the future.

In chapter three, Tyree explains how peer pressure had a huge impact on his life.  Eventually, Tyree's reputation in school as a kid landed him in the wrong social group.  His friends made poor decisions and often disobeyed authorities.  Tyree was influenced negatively by his friends and often found himself in trouble.  He writes about some of their mistakes, including driving a car when all of his friends and him had never driven before in their lives.  Tyree writes about the hard times with his friends, but he also tells that things would get better from his point of being in with the wrong crowd in school.

In chapter four, Tyree explains more peer pressure he faced, specifically pressure in high school.  He made some poor decisions while in relationships with girls in high school.  He invested too much attention to some girls, and he focused on being a "player" in high school.  However, he still managed to fair very well in football and maintain his grades.  He was able to achieve the football scholarship he always dreamed of as a young child.  His mother was ecstatic, and Tyree describes the excitement both of them shared on their visits to colleges.

In chapter five,  Tyree describes his life at his college, Syracuse University.  Specifically, he details the crazy parties and beautiful women at the school.  Eventually, he met a woman he could not get off of his mind, Leilah.  Soon, the two started seeing each other regularly.  Unfortunately, the two had sex, which complicated things in the relationship.  Leilah writes about the strong ties the two had to each other in their relationship at the end of the chapter.

In chapter six, Tyree describes more difficulties in his relationship with Leilah.  The two continued to party regularly, and eventually, Leilah became pregnant.  David was actually drunk the day Leilah went into labor.  Despite their child, the two broke up and Leilah stayed home with their son.  However, David's family all liked Leilah, and all of them held on to the hope that David would return to marry Leilah.

In chapter seven, describes the drastic change that took place in his life early in his NFL career.  He was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Giants, and he found success early in the league as a special teams player.  However, he struggled mightily with alcohol and marijuana addictions.  He was arrested for marijuana possession later.  In addition, Leilah was pregnant with their second child basically at the time David paid bail to get out of jail.  At this moment that Leilah told David the important news, David decided he needed to make huge changes in his life.  He cut out the drug addictions, including alcohol, and began to turn his life around as he turned to God for guidance.  He committed himself to Leilah in marriage and also committed himself to his children.  He describes that only his faith in God allowed him to have the ability to truly turn his life around.

After reading this section of Tyree's book, I feel as though Tyree's story is almost unreal.  He was able to find success on the field always, but all of the truly important things in his life were in jeopardy.  He had trouble with many dangerous addictions and seemed selfish many times in college and early in his NFL career.  I think it is amazing how Tyree and many people can hit rock bottom, and then truly change their lives.  I have noticed that even in my struggles, I can hit bottom and then begin to turn my life around.  When my sins become full blown and as obvious as ever, I can truly distinguish what I need to do to improve myself as a person.  In retrospect, I am closest to God many times when I am struggling the most keeping his commandments.  I know choosing immoral and ungodly things in this world is completely wrong, but God uses these times in my life to draw me closer to him.  I am sure I will uncover more truths in this book as I continue to read about Tyree's story.

The Constant Tug of Wars in Life

In my life, I constantly experience temptations.  There are many struggles in my life that are unfortunately not one time deals.  The difficulty I have is trying to maintain some of these struggles.  Sometimes it seems as though I can improve one area of my life while another struggle seems to surface at the same time.  I know there are many ways to relieve stress, and many of these are negative.  There are positive ways to relieve tension, but often these methods may be more inconvenient to us as people.  I believe stress and how people deal with stress is a huge issue for myself and most likely, many of my fellow classmates.  Personally, I rest assured that God is in control and he will help me through all of my struggles.   Even when it may seem as though I am making no progress as a person, I know God will continue to fortify and never waste the struggles I face in my life.

Reading: More Than Just the Catch by David Tyree (pgs. 1-24)

The next book I have decided to read is More Than Just the Catch, by David Tyree.  David Tyree was a special teams standout in the NFL and made possibly the greatest play in Super Bowl history.  His book is about his story of courage, hope, and achieving the unthinkable.  In the prologue, Tyree describes his sudden rise to fame in the NFL.  Despite his success as a special teams player for the New York Giants, he did not become a household name until he made an incredible catch in the Super Bowl.  He describes how God put him on the big stage to display his incredible story for all people.  He was able to use the stage as his tool to share God's message to all football fans.  God used the Super Bowl to elevate Tyree's fame, continue his story of achieving the impossible, and help Tyree share his faith. 

In chapter one, Tyree describes his extremely difficult childhood and family life.  Even before he was born, Tyree's parents were fighting.  Their tensions eventually became too much and the two divorced each other.  Tyree had two sisters, Jessica and Tara.  Specifically, he was very close to his sister Jessica.  There were several times in which he clung to Jessica for support through their many adverse times at home during their childhoods.  Specifically, Tyree mentions a time in which the two kids were sent to Jamaica with their mother's "friends."  Her "friends" turned out to be maniacs and they severely beat David while David and Jessica's mother was away in the United States preparing to move to Jamaica permanently.  The times seemed like a horror film to David and his sister, but the two became even closer through this scary experience.  Eventually, they were saved by their mother and grandfather.  Tyree describes at the end of the chapter that despite the dysfunctional qualities within his family, they were still a close-knit group.  His family laid a foundation for him to take with him for the rest of his life.

After reading this first section of Tyree's book, I could not help but feel compassion for Tyree's home life.  I personally do not know how it would be to have divorced parents.  Certainly, I cannot relate to his nightmare scenario he experienced in Jamaica as well.  However, I believe Tyree would agree in my analysis that the experiences, although horrific, were vital to his growth as a person.  He was made stronger through his close relationships with his few family members.  I always know there are many things that I wish were not existing in my life.  I also know there were past experiences I had with my family and other people that I would never want to repeat.  However, I would not trade my family for any family in the world.  Even if my family causes some rifts and unwanted drama, I believe these tensions can actually give me perspective and prepare me as a person in maturity.  I have been exposed to some more serious and detrimental factors of this world simply through my family, specifically my three older brothers.  Despite my disapproval for some of their decisions, I know that I am made stronger and God has given me purpose in having my brothers as members of my family.  I look forward to reading more in Tyree's story, More Than Just the Catch.

Pacers In the Playoffs?

The Indiana Pacers have not made an appearance in the NBA playoffs in quite some time now.  This year, they are back and they made their debut today against the number one seed in the eastern conference, the Chicago Bulls.  As heavy underdogs, the Pacers played very well the entire game except for the last five minutes or so when they blew their lead.  They ended up losing even though they led all but about two minutes of the game.  As a Pacers fan, I was extremely disappointed.  However, I was happy to see the Pacers fight hard and I look forward to seeing what they can do in other games versus the Bulls in this series.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 281-301)

I found some magical moments in my next section of reading in Dungy's book, Quiet Strength.  In chapter twenty, Dungy describes a very magical game he experienced during the 2006 season with the Indianapolis Colts.  They were playing the New England Patriots in the AFC championship with a chance to go to the Super Bowl on the line.  The Patriots were favored by many due to their recent success in the playoffs and specifically success against the Colts.  Dungy gave the team great motivation with his retelling of the story, David and Goliath from the Bible.  The Colts fought hard all game, especially in the second half.  The Patriots seemed to be in total control at one point with a 21-3 lead over the Colts.  However, the Colts never gave up and ended the game on top.  Dungy's team had a never say die attitude that led them to winning over the Patriots and also shaking a monkey off their back with a trip to the Super Bowl. 

Dungy was happy to find that he would be playing his good friend, Lovie Smith, and the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl.  One of the coaches, Dungy or Smith, would become the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl.  As for the game itself, the Colts, despite a rough start, dominated the entire game.  The Colts won the game and sent Dungy into the record books as a coach.  Dungy describes the surreal feeling of winning the game.  He never envisioned how exactly his dream would feel in reality.  At the end of the chapter, Dungy states that despite all the monumental moments in his life, he will always look back on the small, seemingly unimportant, yet vital trials he faced in his life to lead him to be the man he is today.

In the epilogue, Dungy describes one of life's true purposes in his opinion.  He describes his personal experiences with helping other people.  He explains that touching other people is an extremely important facet of life.  He tells the reader to try and touch as many people as possible, because it is God's purpose for us as people of this earth.

After reading the conclusion of Quiet Strenght, I felt very nostalgic.  I felt this way because I remember how special the 2006 NFL season was for me personally.  During this season, I truly became a dedicated Colts fan.  I sparked a strong liking for football in general as well.  The football season gave me positive emotions that I truly feel I needed at the time.  I gained joy from watching the Colts and eventually resting in the fact they won the Super Bowl.  I can also relate to Dungy when he describes the true purpose of touching the lives of others.  I know I am founded in Christ, I associate myself with Christ as one of God's children and I believe I must share the message of Christ with others.  However, this fact does not mean I am going to slam Jesus into another person's life.  I have great respect for all people and I certainly would not insult or ever look down upon someone with a different faith.  I believe my actions will always be my strongest tool to sharing my faith.  In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed Dungy's book for the truths he wrote about and I look forward to reading more books of the same level of literacy.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 241-280)

In the next section of Dungy's book, Quiet Strength, I found more truths from his book through his difficult experiences as he describes in his book.  In chapter eighteen, Dungy describes an unforgettable season he had coaching the Indianapolis Colts in 2005.  The team started out hot and ran their record to 13-0 before finishing 14-2.  The team had a dominating presence on the field as they beat opponents easily and set several records in their season as a team.  Sadly, Dungy experienced the death of his son, Jamie, during the same season.  He was shocked to hear the result of his son taking his own life.  Everyone in Dungy's family along with their friends were devastated.  Dungy describes the funeral ceremony in great detail with a large crowd around him.  Many people were there who were positively impacted by Jamie in their lives.  Dungy described all of the positive aspects of Jamie at the service.  He also gave advice to all the parents at the service to treasure the moments with their children and love them always.  Although the 2005 football season ended in an early playoff exit, Dungy will always remember all of the accomplishments and struggles during the season that made him a stronger individual.

In chapter nineteen, Dungy details the Colts magical 2006 regular season.  They won a lot of games, but by closer margins than their season the previous year.  In addition, they struggled mightily during the final stretch of the regular season.  Dungy knew their new philosophies would payoff though.  They managed to win the final game of the season and snag a number three seed for the playoffs.  The Colts won their first two games in the playoffs with a rejuvenated defense.  In addition, they had the the luxury of playing the New England Patriots, their nemesis, at home for the AFC championship.  Dungy describes at the end of the chapter how it was fitting to play the Patriots, their rivals, to have a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

 After reading this section of Dungy's book, I cannot help but feel for Dungy after learning about the death of his son.  I believe any death of a child would be difficult, but a child committing suicide has to be more disturbing.  However, I admire Dungy's attitude and outlook on the situation.  He knew his child was in heaven due to his faith and he did not dwell on the fact he took his own life.  Dungy was extremely optimistic on what he actually gained in the sadness.  I want to have the same attitude as Dungy in this somber portion of life.  Despite the terrible emotions that come along with hardship, I must rest assured that God has a purpose in all things.  He will use struggles to build me and mold me.  In addition, I will one day reunite with my father God in heaven.  I look forward to reading the conclusion of Quiet Strength.

Spring Break Reflections

I had an eventful and enjoyable spring break this year.  Despite the fact I did not travel for vacation, I was able to relax yet have a productive break.  Specifically, I was able to go to four colleges close by for visits.  I was and still am interested in these small Christian schools.  I visited Taylor and Indiana Wesleyan on Monday, Anderson on Wednesday, and Huntington on Friday of spring break.  I enjoyed parts to all of these colleges, but I also feel like I narrowed down my choices for a college in the future.  I had gone on several college visits before, therefore, I was experienced and I was able to gather more and better information from each school.  In addition, I was able to hang out with many of my friends during break.  I was fortunate enough to see almost all of my close friends over break.  Every night of spring break, I had some sort of activity I was doing with friends or family.  More specifically, I spent one night at an engagement party for my oldest brother.  I enjoyed spending time with his fiancee's nephews.  I always like being productive and in my opinion, I was productive both in the the work I accomplished and also the time I spent with other people.  Overall, I believe I had a fantastic break even if it was not perfect.

Tuesday Response

Jamie Isaia's antique and colossal home alludes to an elegant and colorful mind of the home's owner.  The various antique and extravagant technology is evident in the home.  There are somber, yet beautiful color schemes throughout the house.  These colors and equipment correlates to the owner's lover for all things of a past day.  The quaint books in his home also infers that he is a profound and educated man.  He seems to be more into polished works rather than flashy items.  His animals, such as an alligator head and his dog alludes to his gentler side towards other creatures.  His bathroom is quite beautiful with elegant shades of light blue shimmering on the walls.  He may be referring to his interest in the bathroom as a sacred and somewhat mysterious place.  Overall, Isaia's simple, yet meaningful decorations in his home display his obvious interest in old-fashioned, comfortable decor and setting within a house.  

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 215-240)

In the next section of Quiet Strength, by Tony Dungy, Dungy describes some exciting moments in his career as a head coach.  In chapter eighteen, Dungy describes one of the greatest comeback games in history.  His Indianapolis Colts were playing his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Monday Night Football.  They were down by a huge margin in the game.  Amazingly, they started to come back in the second half of the game.  The team kept believing and persevering in the game.  Eventually, the Colts forced overtime and won the game in the end in one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history.  The victory was especially sweet for Dungy as it came on his birthday and also against his former team. 

In chapter seventeen, Dungy describes a few excellent seasons by the Colts.  The Colts had several years of winning many games and making the playoffs.  However, they would always be stopped a few steps short, notably by their nemesis, the New England Patriots.  They seemed to choke in the playoffs as portrayed by the media.  Nevertheless, Dungy took both the positives and the disappointments with him as he continued to work to find a true championship caliber football team.

After reading this section of reading, I relate closest to Dungy as a Colts fan myself.  I lived through some of the painful playoff losses that Dungy describes in his book.  The Colts had many excellent seasons, but they simply could not break through to the championship game until later.  I always know that it is tough to do so well in a sport during the regular portion of the season and come up short when it really matters.  Specifically, I had trouble with this problem in wrestling.  I won many matches during the regular season.  However, during the tournaments, I lost many close matches that I knew I was easily capable of winning.  Overall, I agree with Dungy's disappointments as I have had my fair share of despairs in my life as well.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 183-214)

In the next section of Quiet Strength, by Tony Dungy, I could not help but feel sorry for Dungy's situation.  In chapter fourteen, Dungy describes the long, drawn out process of him being fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  He knew about rumors that he had a chance to be fired soon, but many close advisers told him the rumors were completely false.  However, Dungy's tenure as the Buccaneers head coach eventually came to an end as he was fired.  He still felt optimistic about his opportunity to serve as a head coach.  Dungy realized that despite the firing, the Buccaneers saw him as a head coach in the NFL.  He took all of his experiences with him as he searched for another coaching position.

In chapter fifteen, Dungy describes an unexpected turn of events.  Dungy, although fired, remained working on several projects in the community in which he lived.  He focused more attention on his family and in some ways, his spiritual life.  However, he eventually received word that the Indianapolis Colts were interested in him as a head coach.  In fact, Colts owner, Jim Irsay, said that Dungy was the only man for the job.  Dungy accepted the job and began to work towards building a championship team.  One specific component to his team was Peyton Manning.  Manning was added to the Colts to lead their team to a championship in the future.  Dungy describes his preparations for the team for the rest of the chapter as the Colts prepare to win a championship soon.

After reading this section of reading, I specifically enjoy Dungy's quick change of fortune.  He goes from being a fired coach, to quickly becoming a coach of a team that desperately wants him.  Not only was he hired by the Colts, but their owner knew that Dungy was the only man for the job.  I believe whenever a leader, coach, or other influence in a sport or profession has extreme confidence in a person, that person's confidence is powerful.  Dungy, backed by the management of the Colts, gained assurance that he was the one for the Colts.  He was not simply a fill in coach.  He was destined to lead to the team and be the perfect man for the job.  Whenever coaches have had this kind of confidence in me, I have responded with positive performances.  Truly, when a coach believes in me, I begin to believe in myself more.   I have learned from Dungy's life that encouraging people are true keys to any person's success in a sport. 

Track Season of Fluctuations

Track season has officially begun.  Our team has now completed two meets.  Personally, I am somewhat pleased with my performance so far in the season.  I have been in some fortunate situations in my opinion in track meets.  However, I know I can improve greatly in both shot put and discus.  I want to continue to work at improving every day, while I focus on the positives.  Even though there are some extremely disappointing meets, I know that a poor performance in a meet does not mean that I have no hope.  Performances in meets can be extremely fluky one way or another.  I know I have the ability to achieve my goals.  I will continue to give the sport my best and leave the results up to God.  I ultimately want to enjoy the sport while giving it everything I can and letting God handle the results.

Looking into the Future, New York Times

In the New York Times article, "High School Seniors Predict Their Future," several high school students make plans for possible future careers.  Personally, I relate closest to the student who wants to be a school counselor.  He wants to be a counselor because of the encouraging people in his life.  Personally, I believe I have strong people skills that would suit me well for a job such as a school counselor.  I also believe the kid that wants to be a marijuana baker is the most interesting.  He seems serious about his intents to do this job, which is a rare job indeed.  I believe the kid that is undecided is the most deluded because he is only interested in money at the moment.

Personally, in ten years, I can easily see myself as a high school teacher.  I believe I have the complete skill set to fair well in the job.  I enjoy helping people and relating to others.  I hope that I can achieve my goals in life.  I will want to use my personal skills as a people person in my future career.  I hope that I can fully use these goals in a position such as a teacher or counselor.  I am not concerned with the money portion of a job.  I am solely interested in whether or not I see myself enjoying my career for all of my time spent on the job.  I hope to find a more definite plan later in life but I also can relate myself to a few of the kids from this New York Times article.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 151-182)

Despite some somber moments, Dungy provides a strong, positive message in the next section of his book, Quiet Strength.  In chapter twelve, Dungy describes a positive, yet disappointing experience with his team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  His team continued to make steps toward a championship, as described by Dungy.  Eventually, they make it to the NFC championship game.  However, they lost the game and ended the season with another disappointment.  Dungy specifically notes the firing of an assistant coach of his named Mike.  Dungy voiced his disaproval for the decision and later regretted speaking up.  Dungy altogether wanted to continue to make strides with the Buccaneers, and he knew complaining would not get him to his envisioned destination.

In chapter thirteen, Dungy describes his installation of a new defense for the Buccaneers.  The cover two defense helped to improve the Buccaneers even more as a football team.  Their defense, already strong, improved with the new scheme.  This change helped propel the team to even more success in the NFL.  In addition, Dungy describes his family's relationship with some special people.  Specifically, an underprivileged  child named Jordan helped to shape his life as well as the life of his wife Lauren.  Through his understanding, the Dungys learned more about themselves and an attitude they should use.  Tony Dungy and his family gained a positive perspective from Jordan and continued to use it throughout their lives.

After reading this section, I agree specifically with Dungy's experiences with disappointment.  Despite improvements, Dungy could still not meet his goals for his team.  I have learned that even if I am doing all of the right things, there are still struggles.  The fact that you are doing your best and eliminating bad decisions and habits will prove to be valuable.  However, life can seem even more difficult for a person when they are trying to be the best they can be.  I hope that I continue to have a positive perspective like Dungy's as I continue my walk in life.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 127-150)

After completing my next section of Quiet Strength, by Tony Dungy, I have found more insights on life that I believe I will be using in the future.  In chapter ten, Dungy describes his preparations to prepare his Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be a better team.  Through progress in the draft and other signings, the Buccaneers continued to make progress as Dungy describes.  Dungy says that his team helped to build not only a better team on the field, but a better group off the field as well.  He states that he was glad he was put into a position to pick up certain players because they were tough decisions that helped his team become a championship caliber team. 

In chapter eleven, Dungy undergoes improvements with both his team and his personal spiritual life.  Dungy's main point is that other people in his life helped to improve his own situation.  His football team began to buy in and become a great team.  Despite the improvements, the Buccaneers were still not ready to win a championship.  Dungy began to make new changes and work on certain areas to make this dream a reality.  Dungy's disappointments as a coach of the Buccaneers came solely when his team did not meet their potential.  He realized that some teams had more potential than others.  He wanted each team to meet their goals and best possible results given the talent on the team.  At the end of the chapter, Dungy perhaps foreshadows to becoming a coach of another team as he describes his ability to lead a team to a championship.

After reading this section of reading, I agree strongly with Dungy's point on meeting potential.  Personally, I do not view myself as an elite athlete.  I have never been truly superb at any particular sport.  However, my passion and love for sports help me to meet my personal potential.  Although my potential may be less than some, I know I can always meet the goals I have set for myself and even surpass them.  When I focus on my individual improvement rather than looking at how others are doing, I find myself much happier.  Dungy knew what his teams were capable of and he worked to realize each team's true potential.  Dungy's focus is strong and correct, I will continue to use his wisdom in my life in the future.

BUTLER!!!!!!!!

Two Final Four appearances in two straight years for this small, mid-major school!

Bracket......... Busted

Well I made the common mistake of picking too many high seeds in my bracket for this year's NCAA basketball tournament.  All of my final four picks were number one seeded teams.  As a result of the crazy tournament, I missed all of those picks.  My bracket looked great after the first round, but quickly, starting with the second round games, my bracket turned sour.  I believe many other Americans can feel my pain as this year had an extremely unpredictable tournament.  Probably three-quarters of people whom filled out brackets have a mostly busted bracket now.  I will not be winning any bracket challenges this year, but I still look forward to an intriguing final four set up to end the tournament.

CRAZIEST TOURNAMENT EVER!!!!!!!!

The 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament has certainly been one to remember.  Upsets were not only common, at times, it seemed as if you knew the lower seeded team was going to win the game.  People always are talking about the magic of march madness, and clearly anyone watching this year's tournament will know why now.  Butler, VCU, Kentucky, and Connecticut have now advanced to the final four.  There are no number one or number two seeded teams in the final four.  In fact, Butler is an eight seed and VCU is an eleven seed!  Needless to say, I believe we are in for some fantastic basketball to cap off an incredible tournament.

Favorite Poem of the Quarter

Although I enjoyed many poems during the quarter, one poem stood out to me above all of the rest.  Specifically, I thought that Mary Elizabeth Frye's "Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep" was the best poem of the quarter.  The poem specifically spoke to me as I read the poem.  People who go to their graves may be dead in the physical form, but they live on in memory, as stated in the poem.  People are never dead in the hearts and minds of the people who knew them well.  Without the memory of people who have passed, the world would be a much sadder place.  We need the memories of people in order to have a greater awareness and knowledge of the world around us.  I enjoyed Frye's poem the most this quarter, and I look forward to more interesting poems in the future.

Reflections from my Early Reading.........

I believe my early reading has been rather enjoyable as a whole.  Specifically, I enjoyed Coming Back Stronger, the most out of the books I read.  In contrast, Juiced, by Jose Canseco was less enjoyable for me.  Both books provided different perspectives on morals.  Both books were based on sports as well.  I thought that Brees's book was more open and welcoming to opinions than Canseco's.  Both authors had clear viewpoints, but Canseco seemed to be more set in his opinions.  He also attempted to persuade the reader into using something that should not be used according to law.  I found more insight that I can actually use in the book by Brees.  Canseco's book gave me a distinct perspective, but I disagree with some of his opinions and most of his values.  Overall, I believe I had a successful quarter of reading and I look forward to reading more unique, enjoyable books.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 95-126)

Tony Dungy describes even more strategies of life in the next section of his book, Quiet Strength.  In chapter eight, Dungy describes his massive transitions from being an assistant coach to being a head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  He describes his initial changes in Tampa Bay as a head coach, including his changing of the entire coaching staff.  He even added one of his best friends, Herman Edwards, to become an assistant coach for him.  He worked hard on establishing better rules and disciplines for players as well as working to improve the image and facilities of the Buccaneers. 

In chapter nine, Dungy describes his major philosophies and styles he brought to the Buccaneers as a coach.  He implemented a new set of rules and discipline for his players.  He also worked very hard with assistants to build a championship caliber team through the NFL draft and other means.  Dungy seemed to apply more and more styles upon the team by the day.  He was well respected for his high level of manner on the field.  Dungy always was a humble guy, and his leadership and growth as a Christian never stopped.  Dungy built a stronger team, and worked harder every day to continue to prepare his players for a chance to shine on a bigger stage.  Dungy also describes his early season successes to be limited as a coach.  His team started off on a terrible streak.  However, they fought through the season and finished with an improved, 6-10 record.  Despite limited success, Dungy showed others that he had the Buccaneers clearly going in the right direction.

After reading this section of reading, I easily agree with Dungy's style.  Dungy seems like the type that does not talk much, but always is working.  I have always enjoyed a more humble, quiet working style.  I believe Dungy knew he had abilities and works in progress that would continue to improve his team.  He knew he was capable of being a great coach, but he focused solely on his work other than talking to the public about how smart he was as a coach.  I always have found that I fair best in a sport when I do little or no bragging leading up to the event.  Whenever I tell people I am going to be great, or set unrealistic expectations, I always seem to walk away disappointed.  I enjoy working in solitude as I continue to increase my strength.  I train myself in a more quiet manner in order to maintain a level head.  I know that I would have a tendency to become cocky, annoying, and arrogant if I started thinking highly of myself.  I know that God hates pride as he states in the Bible.  I realize that how difficult it may be, I must focus every day on maintaining a level head and humbleness when I view myself and the world around me.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 67-94)

I found some key insights from Tony Dungy, the author of Quiet Strength, in the next section of my reading in his book.  In chapter six, Dungy describes his promotion from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Dungy also describes the incredible experience he shared with his wife as they had their first few children.  Dungy, despite all of the positives surrounding the Pittsburgh organization, eventually heard his calling from God in a different direction.  The move was difficult for both Tony and his wife, Lauren.  After surveying through several options, Dungy eventually decided to take a defensive backs coaching position for the Kansas City Chiefs.  In Kansas City, he reconnected with a good friend of his and fellow coach, Herm Edwards.  Dungy endured extremely long hours studying with fellow coaches while in Kansas City.  His experiences with the Chiefs certainly had their ups and downs, but he overall grew as a person and coach while in Kansas City.  Dungy took his next coaching job with the Minnesota Vikings.  The head coach for the Vikings, Dennis Green, had a sizable impact on Dungy.  Green emphasized hard work all of the time, yet he always allowed people to be treated as true people.  He gave coaches time to be with their families.  He always had a strong unity policy with the team.  Dungy learned a great deal from Green, and took many of his philosophies with him when he became a head coach later in his career. 

In chapter seven, Dungy continues to detail his experiences in Minnesota, specifically his spiritual growth.  He became good friends with a chaplain in Minnesota, named Tom.  Tom helped instill Dungy with core beliefs and moral to not only strengthen him as a christian, but also as a football coach and high character leader.  Through more experiences with both Tom and Dennis Green, Dungy grew expansively in knowledge and Green prepared him every day for his time as a head coach.  Dungy describes several opportunities he had to be a head coach that simply fell short for him.  He was almost hired by many organizations.  Shockingly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed great interest in Dungy as a future head coach.  Through poor interviews and looming coach candidates, Dungy believed he had no shot at the job.  However, he was eventually signed to a head coaching contract by the Buccaneers.  Dungy and his wife were ecstatic, and he looked forward to a bright future with a team to call his own. 

After reading this section of Quiet Strength, I cannot help but agree with most of Dungy's lessons.  He states in his book that he learned and absorbed an incredible amount of information from the teachings of others.  Obviously, a person cannot become great from their own efforts.  They must have a strong supporting cast.  I always know I have a strong base in my family and friends for support.  No matter what I decide to pursue in life, I know I will have leaders to look up to for guidance.  Specifically, I remember leaders in my middle school, all of them being teachers and coaches.  They not only instilled toughness in me, but they showed a true interest in my abilities and potential.  In response, I have always had a greater confidence due to some of these encounters with teachers in my life.  I, as with Dungy, will always look for experienced people for guidance in any area of life I decide to pursue.

NCAA March Madness

According to the New York Times article, "In N.C.A.A. Tournament, Overachievers Often Disappoint," there seem to be few trends that can be counted upon when filling out your tournament brackets.  Overall, there are always overachieving teams that under perform in the tournament and underachieving teams that over perform in the tournament.  There have been plenty of teams to make deep runs in the tournament that had little expectations going into the tourney.  Personally, I always try to analyze statistics when filling out my bracket.  However, I have seen that statistics are often not effective when predicting winners in the tourney.  All signs could be pointing towards a team to win a game, but they could still lose.  The facts are true in statistics as well.  If a team has a ninety percent chance of winning, they also have a ten percent chance to lose the game.  Although some trends and rankings on teams by various sources seem to be reliable, trends are always shifted around and broken every year in the tourney.  Overall, I look forward to what should be an exciting, although incredibly unpredictable NCAA tournament.

Comparing Nuper and April in Spell Bound

After viewing spell bound, it was clear to me that two of the competitors, April and Nuper, compared and contrasted greatly throughout the movie.  April appeared to be much more pessimistic and negative when describing her prospects in the spelling bee.  She set her expectations very low for the competition and exceeded them by a large margin.  Nuper on the other hand, seemed to be more interested in the task at hand.  Both girls had an extreme passion for spelling, but Nuper appeared to embrace this passion more than April.  Overall, Nuper seemed to be more open to showing her feelings than the more pessimistic April.

The Season Comes to an End...

After only one playoff game, my intramural basketball team is now done for the season.  We battled through a bit of adversity, but in the end, we seemed to be out of sync and over matched.  Our opponents played well while we struggled.  In addition, I did not have all of my players to play in the game.  As a season as a whole, I still enjoy the week one highlight win for our team.  I still enjoyed playing on my team and having fun with my good friends.  Although there were some lopsided losses, I truly only evaluate my own performance to call myself to changes that have to be made.  I know that if I keep on working my hardest and pursuing the goals in my life, God will provide for me.  God does not always appear to be working in my favor, but he always is there with a purpose for every situation.  I look back on this basketball season as both a positive, constructive, and enjoyable experience.

Here Comes the Rematch........

As the intramural playoffs now roll onto the single elimination tournament, my team is facing a familiar foe.  We play the team that we most recently played the final game of the regular season!  Personally, I had mixed feelings when I heard that my team would be playing this team whom I am familiar with overall.  I had my worst game of the season against them.  In addition, the fact that I know their players well adds some more pressure to me that I do not want at all.  However, I enjoy playing against friends, and I look forward to my chance to bounce back.  Overall, I am going to try to play with passion yet still keeping the game into perspective.  The basketball game is for fun, and if I work my hardest, I should have no regrets.  I will put forth my best effort and leave the results up to God.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 21-66)

In the next section of my reading of Quiet Strength, by Tony Dungy, I found more ways in which Dungy and I are similar.  In chapter three, Dungy describes his high school experience as a player on both the football and basketball teams.  He was successful as a quarterback in football as well as a varsity player for the basketball team.  He was very successful in both sports, although he decided that he would quit the football team before his senior year due to a problem he believed to be concerning racism.  The football team did not vote for a black friend of his that he believed to be deserving of a captain spot on the team.  Dungy initially decided to quit, with his friends following closely behind him on the team.  However, upon being persuaded by a mentor of his, Dungy decided to return to the team for his senior season.  As for his college career, Dungy decided that he would play both basketball and football for Minnesota University.  Dungy describes his ups and downs while playing football for Minnesota.  He did not play basketball for a long period of time for the school, as he found that balancing the two sports was too difficult.  At the end of the chapter, Dungy describes the difficult reality he faced when he was not drafted to be a quarterback in the NFL. 

In chapter four, Dungy details his path to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  However, Dungy was forced to play defensive back, a position he had never played in his career.  He describes the Pittsburgh Steeler's atmosphere to be top notch and full of excellent leaders.  The organization was full of high class people.  Despite switching positions, Dungy found success playing defensive back for the Steelers. 

In chapter five, Dungy describes the remainder of his NFL career, including his trade to the San Francisco 49ers late in his career.  Shortly after his career as an NFL player ended, Dungy accepted an invitation to be an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  In addition, Dungy describes his initial encounters with his soon to be wife at this particular point in his life.  Initially. Dungy was reluctant to meet this woman because Dr. Guest, a preacher, referred him to her.  However, he quickly found out that this woman, Lauren Harris, would be the woman he would marry.  Dungy spends the rest of the chapter describing a developing relationship with his wife and their eventual wedding day.

After reading this section of Quiet Strength, I can relate to Dungy in a couple different ways.  When Dungy describes giving up football due to a disagreement with the coaching staff, I feel I can relate well to his situation.  At the time, he was more concerned about basketball.  He believed giving up football was not a big deal as he had other things going for him.  In my life, I have realized that I must not waste the talents and resources I have been blessed with in my life.  If I have a talent in a particular area, I should not give it up simply because it is hard work and I have other passions I would like to pursue in life.  I must always leave as many doors open as possible in life.  As a result, I can have the most options when I decide to specifically pursue a part of my life more in depth.  Dungy, I believe, realizes this truth when he decides to return to football.  Despite his success in basketball, he realized he could contribute well in football and see where that would lead him.  I believe all people can learn from Dungy's lesson to give everything you have to all phases of your life in order to continue to improve yourself as an individual.

2.28 Diction Exercise

a) sweetness, natural, fresh, melody, intensity, marriage, harm, innocent, baffled, tender

b) Elevation- intermediate and neutral
Sound- blithe and pristine

c) The sympathetic, blithe diction Jack Gilbert utilizes to describe a playful youth in his poem, "Once Upon a Time," exhorts a pristine, impeccable demeanour the young child possessed during his golden years.

Reading: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (pgs. 1-20)

The third book that I will be reading and discussing is Tony Dungy's memoir, Quiet Strength.  Tony Dungy is a devout Christian whom played for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the seventies and served as the head coach for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts.  Dungy's book is basically his life's story of football, perseverance, and faith. 

In chapter one, Dungy foreshadows content later in his book by describing his departure from Tampa Bay after he was fired as the head coach for the Buccaneers.  He describes the situation as confusing, yet he always relied on God for guidance and support.  He knew God had a plan at the time, but he did not know where God's plan would lead. 

In chapter two, Dungy describes his background with his family.  He has several siblings and he had two extremely loving parents.  He describes his mother as a teacher, both as an occupation and as a real life mentor.  She was very athletic and most likely contributed to Tony's athleticism.  Tony's father was different than his mother in certain ways, such as the sports he was involved in, but he was similar to his wife in the morals that they shared.  Dungy's parents provided him and his brother and sisters with a strong base of faith and core values.  Dungy describes differences he had with his siblings, as he was involved in different activities than the his brother and sisters.  He played sports constantly, and his family and time period allowed him to play in far away places with people much older than him.  Dungy truly belives that his parents gave him eternal value in the faith they gave him and the values they showed him day after day. 

After reading this section of Dungy's book, I truly feel in line with Dungy's beliefs and opinions.  He believes that his parents provided him the values he needed for his entire life.  I agree with his statement.  Dungy's parents seem to be the ideal parents in my opinion.  I know that no parents are perfect, but Dungy's parents seemed to have all of the important things in life down perfectly.  They not only loved their kids, but also challenged them and comforted them with the teachings set forth in the Bible.  I personally look at my parents and believe I am truly blessed.  My parents know how many times I may mess up a situation, but they always have the core beliefs and values with them when they instruct me.  I have learned countless values from my parents.  I also believe it is not an every person situation that a child will use the morals from their parents and pass them down to their own children.  Personally, I believe I will pass down many of the important morals my parents taught me to my future children if God's future for me includes children of my own.

2.23 Diction Exercise

(a) Cruddy, bash, take-backs, shut-up, bubbles, concentrate, swear, not, weird

(b) elevation- colloquial and ribald
connotation- veracious and scrupulous
sound- bitter and caterwauling
concreteness- corporeal and precise

(c) The colloquial diction and caterwauling sound of Lynda Barry's, "Cruddy," allude to a sarcastic giddiness.

Reading: Juiced, by Jose Canseco (pgs. 229-284)

Although I still strongly disagree with his steroid usage, I found even more areas of Jose Canseco's life to be unrelated to steroid use after reading my next section of his book, Juiced. In chapter twenty one, Canseco describes several managers and players in the MLB whom he believes he has inside information regarding their images. Specifically, Canseco seems to value honesty as the most important trait in a manager. He sends out his respects to several players in the league as well mostly based on their work ethic. Contrary to the media's portrayal, Canseco had different views on several managers and players that many people would not expect.

In chapter twenty two, Canseco describes a return to his home country of Cuba. He detailed the experience as very enjoyable as he was able to bring joy to several people's lives in Cuba. Despite the changes in his home country, people gave Canseco respect that he did not seem to receive from people in his profession.

In chapter twenty three, Canseco describes perhaps the lowest point in his entire life. To make a long story short, Canseco was questionably charged with several accounts of abuse and eventually landed in prison. He describes the experience in jail as the worst in his entire life. Perhaps the worst effect the prison time had on Canseco would be his change in personality. Canseco writes that his personality shifted from easy going and nice to stern and overly serious.

In chapter twenty four, Canseco addresses more concerns the public has with steroids. He claims that steroids do not force psychological changes and or health issues as scientists have never proved any reasons to associate with the drug. Canseco details several players and describes their ties to steroids. Steroids were always used to increase the player's game, and Canseco never saw them as a risk if the drugs were used properly. Canseco believes there is always another reason behind a short life to a steroid user.

In chapter twenty five, Canseco describes the real reason he believed to be behind owner's discipline on steroid use. Canseco states that he was always an entertainer and one of the best athletes and baseball players in the world. Eventually, owners had to pay their players more and more money due to their increased production due to steroid use. The owners wanted more money back, so they decided to crack down on steroid use to decrease player's production. To crack down on steroid use, the owners sent a message to the entire MLB by kicking Jose Canseco, dubbed the godfather of steroids, out of the league. Canseco states that he believes the owners are selfish and do not care about the good of the game. Canseco ends the chapter by stating his beliefs that steroids will be in the game of baseball forever.

In the epilogue, Canseco tries to advocate steroid use to the reader. He describes benefits of steroids including sustaining life. He relates his personal health and life to encourage steroid use. He also aknowledges the fact that the analysts will always use biased to discourage steroid use. Overall, he tries to use his honest opinion to persuade the reader to use steroids.

After reading the next section of Juiced, I have learned that Canseco's book touches on several subjects unrelated to steroids. I believe that Canseco was put in difficult circumstances, such as his jail sentence, for reasons beyond his steroid use. I would never recommend steroid use, but I also believe that using the drug the way Jose used it would not cause the psychological, family, and personal life problems Canseco faced. I do not necessarily feel great pity for Canseco, but I do feel he faced some unfair circumstances. Other people could have been in Canseco's exact situations and had different, better results than him. I have always learned that I must never give a person a blatant reason to dislike me. Canseco's steroid use may have been one of these reasons. The public treated him unfairly, but he possibly could have relieved at least some of the criticism if he never used steroids. Of course, Canseco would disagree, and I look forward to hearing his opinion on my final section of reading in his book. In the epilogue, I found Canseco to be too abrasive. He directly advocated steroid use to his readers. Personally, as I have stated before, I will never use steroids. I believe Canseco is rather arrogant, perhaps not as much as the media portrayed him to be, but very opinionated. I would expect nothing less from Canseco to advocate steroid use as he used steroids and continues to use them today as far as I know. However, I personally wish his perspective was less biased in his book. In final analysis, I enjoyed reading about Canseco's perspective on steroids in his book, Juiced, even though I strongly disagree with his opinions.

Better Dunk than Griffin's Winner??? (By a High Schooler too!)

Can a Video Game Determine Your Vocal Abilities?

I have always loved to sing to my favorite songs for as long as I can remember.  I do not necessarily sing because I think I am skilled, but I enjoy singing to almost any song.  However, I do try to improve on my singing, even if it is a failed effort to do so.  I have a video game that is a few years old now called Rock Band for XBox 360 (They have a second and third version of the game out now).  This video game has a microphone that players can use to sing to the rock songs.  I have many favorite songs on this game and I always have fun singing along with them.  The game determines your pitch and trys to match it to the song to see if you are on key.  There are several difficulties ranging from easy to expert.  The best part about the vocal portion of the game is the fact that it does not matter what octave you sing in as long as you are singing with the right pitch.  At the end of each song, the game will grade your performance by giving you a percent (100% being the highest).  My real question is whether or not receiving an excellent grade on expert difficulty (say 95% or better) can determine if a person is at least a relatively skilled vocalist.  Being a fan of the game and music in general, I always like getting high scores, especially on my favorite songs.  Personally, I believe the vocal portion of the game is built to decipher whether a person is in pitch or not.  As a result, if a person can score well on a high difficulty, they most likely have a good ear for pitch in music.  However, this fact does not necessarily mean that the person should pursue career in singing.  There are many other intangibles and factors in singing and performing that the game cannot grade.  Overall, I will always enjoy musical games, but I will not rely heavily to determine my vocal skills.