wiki 5 20/20 - Did you like that Pastor Schwab chose NOT to discuss their skit... but just let it speak for itself? Some folks did and others didn't.

wiki 5 - public speaking

On Monday Pastor Schwab from Zion Lutheran Church led chapel.  He did chapel differently than most becuase he didn't have the altar, podeum, powerpoint or anything.  This made it a little more interesting because no one knew what he was going to do and anything would have been new.  No offense to him but in the past when he had led chapel it has been a little boring because he just has one of those voices that can put you to sleep, but this time he let our fellow students, Bethany Lyons, Rachel Krauss, and Cory Boucher, lead the message in a skit.  I think they all did a pretty good job.  I know they are all involved in Drama so they used those skills in trying to not put their backs to everyone, which is hard in our gym.  They were all reading off of scrips but they still did a good job looking up and putting inflection in it so it wasn't just them reading a paper.   

wiki 4  - 20/20  - this is the second very nice wiki on this pastor that I've read. He must be really impressive.

wiki 4 - public speaking

This past sunday Pastor Auringer did the sermon at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wentzville.  He is my favorite pastor because he always has really good sermons.  He always makes sure that they are interesting but still keep his focus. This past sunday he talked about proclaiming our faith and standing up for what we believe.  Being a football fan, he talked about Kurt Warner's apperence on the view and how when he was being interviewed, Warner made sure at the end to give God credit for all the things hes done.  Pastor then told us that of course that part of the interview wasn't shown on tv. I like the way Pastor Auringer does his sermons because he focuses on the word and made sure everything pointed back to christ but he uses examples that we can relate to in our everyday lives.  Besides having gooding content in his sermon, he also is loud enough so that everyone can hear him and he doesn't hide behind a podeum or stand just by the altar.  He moves around so that he can be seen by everyone, but not too much that it gets distracting.  I have also noticed that he uses notes for his sermons but he holds them so they aren't distracting and is sure to leave one of his hands free so he can gesture.  Overall I think he is a good public speaker and makes church enjoyable.  

wiki 3 - 10/23  - 0/20 - no posting

wiki 2 - 10/16  - 20/20 great job

wiki 2 - public speaking

On Thursday, the football team presented chapel and Mr. Kuhlman presented the message.  He also did a good job relating to his audience becuase he talk about talents which we all have and used his of being able to speak spanish as an example.  He also had some of the senior football players give example.  This not only gave us more examples from our peers but also gave the audience a visual, which was useful for the audience because it made it easier to stay focused and understand the message.  Kuhlman also did a good job of actually speaking and presenting his message.  He got out in front of the podium and moved around a little bit so that he was seen and heard by everyone in the gym, but also didn't distract us by moving too much.  He did, however, have a few "uh" and "umm" in his speech but not too many.  Overall he didn't a really good job and his message left an impact. 

wiki 1 - 20/20- good entry!

10.9.09 - wiki 1 - public speaking

This past monday the pastor from Our Savior Lutheran spoke at chapel.  He did a good job of relating to his audience because he talked about his high school days and told stories that we, as high school students, could relate too.  He also did a pretty good job with eye contact and moved around a little and didn't hide behind the podium the entire time like some of our speakers do.  He did have some things he could have worked on though.  He had a soft, monotone voice with little inflection which not only made it hard to hear but also it was hard not to get a little bored because of his voice.  He made up a little for this because he had a good message though.  He also tended to play with his pockets when he was walking around and he would lean on the podium quite a bit when he was near it.  Overall he did a good job with his message and did a very good job relating to his audience, but there were just some things that he could work on with his presentation.  

One Thursday Morning

            It was Thursday morning.  We had been talking for a while and always had that little thing for each other but it never went anywhere, but today was the day that could change.  We were going to hang out!  It's not like we hadn't before, but this was different.  It wasn't just the normal seeing each at school or at a football game.  It was just him and me. Now don't get me wrong I wanted something to perhaps develop from this.  Really, what girl wouldn't?  He was my long-lasting crush.  The one I went back to when nothing else worked, but I was going into this as a just a friend night.  I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment, so if I go in as friends and come out that way all is good and if something more happens well then all the better. 

            Now I don't know if this just happens to me, but doesn't it always seem like the days when we're really trying to look good our hair doesn't work right (assuming it ever does), our clothes no longer seem to fit the same, and then of course you could be zit free for months but when something important comes along it's like they sent an army.  Luckily, for me we had been friends for a long time, so he has seen me at my best and worst, so this appearance doesn't have to perfect, but it could help, so like any girl I spent the entire day trying to fix everything and looking my best. 

            It was finally getting to be that time to leave and the hair ended up in a cute pony, instead of down like planned, many outfits had been put on and taken off, but I finally decided to play it safe with the jeans and a nice but comfortable cami.

            I get to his house and he comes out in sweats and a t-shirt.  Now I'm just thinking why did I even go through all the trouble, but I get out of the car anyways and go inside.  I get the typical welcoming tour and talk to his family, which I love because they are so nice and could practically be my second set of parents.  I get the standard questions like, "How's school going," and "How's your family doing" and all that stuff while we watch TV until he decides that we should go golfing.  This not only means alone time, but also embarrassment because I have never golfed in my life, but of course, I said yes anyways.  I am always up for a little challenge and plus it could be fun.   

            When we got to the course, he was smart enough to not make me experience 18 holes the first time, so we just went to the driving range.  Now being the runner I am, I see a golf course as a good place to do a little 5k, but apparently, it's for "better" things.  These better things being golf which like I said before I had no experience, so he had to teach me everything.  He did all those cute little things you thought only happened in movies like standing behind me, his chest against my back, holding my arms, and his hands on mine showing me how to hold the club, saying "Now just hold it like this, pull back, and swing."  It was like the perfect moment with each new ball. 

            By the end, I had successfully embarrassed myself as predicted, but he made me feel better, by saying, "You were better than I expected" and "At least you made contact."

Though those aren't exactly compliments it was cute and our date-ish like night was extremely fun.  I say date-ish because I'm not completely sure if it was a date or not.  I mean it seemed like a date right?  Do you put your arms around a friend like that? I don’t think so, but who knows what was going through his mind.  I could have been just another friend to golf with, I will never know.  I do know however, the next time I went golfing with my boyfriend, it was absolutely, one hundred percent a date. 

Week 5, Entry 2

wiki 5 -Great entries this week!

I like Langstan Hughes story One Friday Morning because it was more than just another story about prejudice and how African Americans were mistreated.   It also taught a lesson that everyone can learn from no matter what race you are.  This story shows that bad things happen to everyone and they suck and won't be fair but how you deal with them makes a difference.  I was upset when Nancy Lee didn't get that scholarship, especially since she thought she had it. They told her she did and then they just took it away.  Most people would have complained and said how unfair it was but she didn't. She just used it as an opportunity to learn and it gave her more determination to work to make it right in the future.  There's a good lesson to be learned from that and I  hope I can do the same.

Week 5, Entry 1

Would YOU want to live in a family that kept "secrets" from one another the way the Hawley family did?

I think we all say we want to be in familys that don't keep secrets from each other, but in reality that never really happens.  Yeah you can't have too many secrets or hide everything from each other or else the relationship won't work, but i think sometimes secrets are a good thing.  Sometimes people can't handle the truth or they can but knowing the truth wouldn't do any good. In "From Mother... With Love" I would have done the same thing as Minta.  Even though her dad was under the wrong impression that her mother never knew it was coming, it was the best thing for him and let him find peace.  If he would have known the truth it wouldn't have changed the fact that she died or what happened, it would have just made it harder for him to move on.  This is just one of those situations where the truth isn't the best thing. 

Week 4, Entry 2

Vonnegut's DP  made me think about what it would be like to be in a situation like Joe.  To be somewhere where you didn't fit in at all and you had no idea why.  It's hard enough not fitting in, but when you don't know why that makes it so much worse because you have no idea what to do.  Then on top of that to finally find people that look like you and you think that you can maybe fit in a little bit, but they don't even understand you.  I think the soliders handled the situation well, because they knew that they needed to get him back to the orphange but they didn't have to do it the way they did and be so nice.  They did what they had to do but also gave something for Joe to bring back... chocolate, and hope that someday he will find his home and where he belongs.

Week 4, Entry 1

Many "experts" claim  that EDUCATION is the secret recipe for success.... then how do we explain people who get college degrees but still live in their parents' basement? Or people who have advanced degrees and FAIL in life? What are the other factors that must be present for success? (Also how do you explain a guy like Bill Gates who dropped out of college to "tinker" with computers???) 

Education is the secret recipe for success but only if it's applied.  You could be the smartest person in the world but if you don't know how to use your knowledge and apply it, it won't get you anywhere.  It's all about finding a balance and also realizing that education isn't the only recipe for success.  Just like any recipe there are different ways of making it and different substitions that you can use.  It just all depends on the person and what works for them.  Some people spend years in school and it works for them and they are successful and others may only get through high school or maybe not even that and they are successful.  You just have to find the perfect recipe for you.  

Week 3, entry 2

Great job on wiki 3! THe first post was a tad short... but good ideas!

I'm not completly sure on the details of my short story yet, but I'm thinking about beginning it with the first day of school. I want my main character to be someone who is kinda from a small town but now going into this brand new big school and feeling the pressures of not only a new school, but one that is completely different from the small town, I know everyone feel. 

Week 3, Entry 1

How did it make you feel when at the end you had rooted for an "anti-hero" (Stendahl, the murderer) to succeed? How was Bradbury able to make you want to see him succeed?

As I was reading the story I was rooting for Stendahl but at the same time I felt a little guily.  As he would put up each brick and tell him he should have read the stories before he burned them I was rooting for him and then i would finish a line and think wait he's killing a guy thats not good. Why am I happy about this? Bradbury did a good job of making you want to be on Stendahl's side especially if you have read Poe's stories before because you knew what was coming up and almost laughed because Garrett was clueless.

Week 2, Entry 2

Good work on wiki 2! Especially your response to "Sixteen!" Very insightful!

What is the main reason people have so much difficulty simply being HONEST or at least up front in dating situations? On a Deeper lever, is there more to say about what's happening in the this story besides the futility of a girl's crush on an obviously unattainable guy? Why do girls DO this to themselves?

     I think in many cases people are afraid to be honest because they can't handle the truth themselves or they worry about what the truth will bring.  This is not only the case in relationships but in every part of life.  People sometimes don't tell the truth because they don't want to hurt people's feelings, they don't want others to go through the consequences of the truth, or they don't want to face the consequences themselves.  The truth can be a hard thing to swallow sometimes and thats what makes it so hard.

     Any girl can tell you that we have done exactly what this girl did at least once in our lives.  We have all met a guy, had a good time,  pretty much fell head over heels for him, and then faced disappointment when it didn't work out.  We have had it happen to ourselves, seen it happen to our friends, know all the signs, but we still fall for it every time and we always ask ourselves why? We don't plan for it to happen and a lot of the time deep down we already know its coming but there is always some hope that keeps us going.  It's kinda like why do people play the lottery when they know that most likely, no matter how many tickets they buy, they will never win. It's because there's always that hope that maybe one time, just once they will, and thats all it takes.  GIrls are they same way in this situation, deep down we know that it probably won't happen, we know they probably won't really call, but we still have that hope that maybe, just maybe, this time will be different.

Week 2, Entry 1

Your thoughts? Is it right or wrong for Mike to do what he does to (for?) his grandma?

     I think what Mike did was the right thing, even though he did lie to his grandma.  His grandma was in her own little world... she saw birds that weren't even there! Even if Mike did tell her the truth, which he tried a few times, I don't think it would have really made a difference.  Even though he was technically lying to her by letting her believe that he was his grandfather I think it was the best thing because she needed to know that she was forgiven and that made her feel better.  This was probably the best thing for the grandma, Mike though not so much because he wasn't ready to handle the truth.

Good work on wk. 1 -  except you put the log in the wrong spot. Type it in HERE next week okay?

Week one -

week 1, entry 2

Does defending someone to someone else only "matter" or "count" if the person you defend appreciates it or knows you did it?

Defending someone still "matters: even if the person doesn't know about it. When you stand up for someone or defend them it's still good whether they know you did it or not, as long as your doing it for the right reasons. In Updike's story though it doesn't matter because Sammy doesn't even know the girls and they were going against the store policy, so he didn't need to defend them or quit his job. When you defend someone you should do it for the right reasons, not just because they are attractive. If it would have been anyone besides those girls Sammy probably wouldn't have quit his job.

week 1,entry 1

Now the really fun question: Should Grannies go about giving little kids sticks and sending them out to "battle" other kids??? (personally, I am a granny... so I am very curious as to your advice on this!) :-)

I think that in this situation the granny did the right thing. She did give him a stick and gave him permission to "battle" the other kids if it came to that, but she knew that most likely he wouldn't have to. By giving him the stick she built up the boys confidence so he would be brave enough to cross the street, face the Valentine Gang, and give Mister Bixby back his hat. She also sent him out again when she knew the boys would probably be gone, because every good grandmother knows that little boys have to go in for dinner eventually.