Sanda Babie

Dear Mr Santa,

This year for Christmas I want cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels, Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings because these are a few of my favorite things.

but what i really really want this year for christmas is for vicki and michael to be nice to me for once in their lives. and maybe for alec to be a little nicer too.

pictures

so right now im sitting at home waiting for picasa to upload. hope it works. stupid photoshop starter edition is being dumb at the moment and wont open, which figures because that where i stored all of my pictures from before. Unfortunately my computer crashed this summer, and the backup cds we made didnt have all of the pictures on them, so the photoshop starter was the only thing that still had them. Ive tried to locate the files but i have no clue where they are. maybe theyll show up someday. or maybe photoshop will stop being dumb and magically work. until then my computer will look like half of my sophmore year never existed.

warm and fuzzy

As a child i was lucky enough to have Christmases that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. First we would always go to the early Christmas service around 4 or 5 so we would be able to eat supper later. My brothers and I would never be able to sit still during the service though because we were so excited for the night ahead. After church my dad would always make chili and clam chowder and my grandma, grandpa, and sister would come over. We would also have kolaches and cinnamon rolls that were my Grandma Helens recipe that dad would always make on Christmas. After scarfing down as much soup as we possibly could we would all migrate over to the living room and sort the gifts. It was always my job to make sure that everyone got a perfectly stacked pile next to where they were supposed to sit. We would then proceed with opening presents from youngest to oldest. I love our Christmases because of all of our family traditions. Without them Christmas just wouldn't be the same.

new york times

Computer industry excutives have recently been trying to create a way to help out third world countries. After plenty of prototypes and long hours, they have come up with new technology that they believe will help. Its a $100 laptop. They plan to donate these laptops to Argentina, Brazil, Lybia, Nigeria, and Thailand to underpriviledged children. They believe that if they just let the kids explore on the computers that they will learn how to learn. Others argue that more time has been spent on making the technology instead of improving the kids' learning environment.

The kids will also be able to access the internet in places that have never had it before because the computers will use Wi Fi or cellular data networks or even by connecting to nieghboring computers. If power outlets are also not available they will be able to use a back up power by using foot pedals or a hand pulling device. These computers use much less power than our laptops, which makes them so much cheaper and easier to recharge. While these computers are nothing to deify, they are a good first step to helping out the less fortunate and to improve human civilization.

thanksgiving

I have a feeling that while Im stuffing my face with turkey this thanksgiving, i am going to be thankful for my grandmother. Every year our entire family (about 30 people) gather in her basement and set up our thanksgiving dinner. Grandma usually makes the turkey and stuffing and rolls which is quite a task with all of the hungry boys.
I am also very thankful for my parents. Without them there is no way that i would be able to be involved in all the activities that im in today. They have helped coach me through years of tennis lessons, even though sometimes i was not the most coachable. They have also always been there to take me to all of my sporting events over the years and have sacrificed so much time and money for my happiness. Whether they realize it or not, their support has influenced me to be who i am today.

style

so today i am going to in to cost cutters and i am going to get my hair cut. Ive brought about 8 pictures to school today to try to decide what i am going to go with. Everyone who has taken a look at these have all wanted something different. Im pretty sure that im more confused now on what i want to do than i was at the beginning of the day. some of my more crazy friends have this terrible idea that i should get a bob style haircut. Cute in theory, but not on my head. I had a tragic experience with a bob cut in 6th grade and i will nver go back. im pretty sure that im just going to do eeny meany miney mo as im sitting in the hair salon today to make my final decision. Im considering just shaving my head and pulling a Britney Spears, minus the crazy part. Im also thinking that a blue and green mohak may look attractive. Who knows. I guess everyone will know tomorrow what i chose.

Hope

So I have a wonderful story about hope. A couple of years ago my cat that i had lived with for my entire life died. Although she was a mean and bitter old cat, i still missed her and longed for another cat. After about a month of having an empty house, and hours of begging, my mother took me to the humane society to buy a new little kitten.



I fell in love at first sight with an adorable white calico. She had black and tan spots and was the smallest kitten there. We took her home that day and spent time playing and petting her. She wasn't the most active of cats, and she spent most of her time sleeping and laying around. The cat still needed her shots, so a couple of days later i sent her away to the vet, expecting to get her back. Unfortunately that didn't quite work out. The vet called our house later that day telling us that we had a very sick little kitty. They said that they would keep her overnight and do everything they could to save her. That just wasnt enough. A day later we recieved another phone call saying that my new cat had died. I hadnt even had her for a week. I was furious at the humane society sold me a faulty cat, and that the vet had taken my cat away from me and killed it.



A couple of weeks later, I worked up enough courage to get another cat. Obviously I did not return to the humane society because I didnt want to bring home another half dead cat. Instead we went to Earl May to take a look at the kittens they had there. When we first got there i fell in love with a gray and white cat. Unfortunately i wanted a girl cat, and this one was a boy. I then changed my mind and took the only female calico. She wasnt too bad for a second choice. We took her home and introduced her to my family. Besides my dad and my dog, everyone loved her.

The next day my mother went out to run some "errands." Apparently her idea of running errands was getting another kitten from Earl May. When she came home she had an orange tabby cat in her arms. I was a little disappointed because if she was going to get another cat, i thought that she should have gotten the gray one. Since it technically wasnt my cat, i wasnt able to convince my mother to take him back and get the other.

The new dilemma was coming up with names for our new cats. I had been looking at names for ages and I knew exactly what i wanted to call mine. I went with the name Hope because of the incident with the Humane Society kitten. I was hoping that this cat wouldn't keel over on me.

Hope's name didnt really help her out. A couple weeks after we took her home, she began to have seizures and a fever. I was extremely uspet that we had to take her to the vet that had killed my first cat. For 2 weeks we had to monitor her and give her medication. One day after a seizure my mother told me that if this cat had one more, we would have to put her to sleep. Miraculously she began to get better from there on out.

Today we still have both cats and they are alive and well. We have reason to believe that Hope's brain was a little fried from her fevers because since then she has been terrible at keeping her balance like a normal cat. Although she may be a bit clumsy i am thankful that we have her today.

i believe

I believe that music has enough influence to change your mood. If you listen to enjoyable music, you will find that you have a better mood than when the song first began. At sporting events, there is a reason that they have high intensity music playing. By just listening to music your heartrate can increase and stress levels can decrease. Some music, such as classical, can be soothing and can help someone fall asleep.
I know that when i am in a good mood i tend to listen to upbeat and loud music. If im feeling uspet or tired you re more likely to find me listening to slower songs. When i cant fall asleep i usually listen to instrumentals.
Hearing has more influence on us than we realize. Listening to music is just one of the many things that we enjoy due to our wonderful ears.

scary saturday

so for the past week i have tried to decide what i should be for halloween. No, I am not going to be one of those creepers that goes trick or treating. I am going to a party where it is mandatory to have a costume. I have been debating between what i should be forever, and i finally decided on a santa claus outfit. I was stupid enough to believe that if i was to buy a sewing pattern for it that i would be able to easily make it and save a couple of bucks. I was very very wrong. After buying the pattern and the fabric i had spent a whoping 40 bucks. That was about double of what i wanted to spend in the first place. Next i had to cut out the entire design, but we did not own a pair of left handed scissors, so that was nearly impossible. About an hour into cutting i had had enough and had my father cut out the rest. Next i had to attempt sewing. I have never sewn before in my life, so this was quite the experience. after tangling the thread about a billgillion times and ruining countless pieces of fabic i had made the bodice. Unfortunately i have also managed to break the sewing machine, so chances are my mother will finish the rest. Thank god for mothers.

a learning experience

so this year I decided to take up a little class called the Rustler. What I did not realize was that this class would teach me a lot more than simply being a better writer.
Over the past quarter I have learned that the answers arent always going to magically pop out at you. Sometimes you just need to dig a little deeper by thinking from all angles, or talking to your interviewee an extra ten minutes to get the real story. I have also discovered that you cannot procratinate until last minute becuase if you slack off then the entire staff suffers, which ultimately means that the paper suffers.
One of the main goals as a journalist is to capture the readers attention and inform them about things that matter to them. If you don't have a good lead to begin with, then chances are that no one will bother to read the rest of your article. If you want people to listen to what you have to say, its mandatory to grab their attention.
All in all I think that this class has allowed me to grow into a better journalist. Its a foreshadowing of future careers, scenarios, and real world situations. Youve either gotta sink or swim.

state

so yesterday instead of spending another crazy day in school, i attended the boys state tennis meet at Tranquility in Omaha. The day started out a bit chilly, but turned into another lovely day to play. In the first round the Fremont tennis team basically dominated their competition, all of them moving on to the second round. Unfortunately that didn't go as well as the first. Everyone except the 2 doubs team was knocked out in the quest for the state title. During the third and final match of the day the 2 doubs team fell to Creighton Prep. All in all it was a very exciting day and I can't wait to see it again next year.

Top Diez

Heres some ideas for a top ten list:

1. Top ten jams to cruise around town to

2. Top ten colleges to check out

3. Top ten Youtube videos to watch when your bored

Top Ten reasons why being a journalist rocks:

1. YOU get to decide what people read in the paper

2. you get to talk to everyone

3. photography=way fun

4. become a pro typist

5. dig up the dirt

6. journalist pass that'll get you anywhere

7. get your name in print

8. influence on the readers

9. sweet blisters from writing so much

10. Get the chance to listen to people's stories

So Last Night...

I had this crazy dream that involved cops, deer, paintball guns, and a broken collar bone. It all started at some random dance club in Omaha. My friends decided to pick me up and go snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains. Miracuously I was able to snowboard like I had been doing it for years, but unfortunately one of my friends was not so lucky. He ramped off of a picnic table that appeared from nowhere and crashed into a giant pine tree. When he stood up we could see that there was something wrong since his bone was sticking out of his shoulder and his arm hung limply at his side.

The transitition to how we arrived in the middle of a forest back in Fremont is a little foggy, but the next thing I remember is running with a paintball gun hunting a deer. I had lost my friends but I had an odd feeling that if i were to find the deer I would be able to find them too. Suddenly a cop car appeared out of no where on the gravel road and it turned on its siren and started to follow me. The tables had turned and instead of being the hunter I became the hunted. In the back of the cop car my two friends were laying lifelessly with slits in their throats.

Somehow I was able to outrun the cop car and I ended up at the side of cliff overlooking a rocky lake. I still had the paintball gun in my hands so i began shooting, hoping that someone would hear me. Suddenly the deer that I had been so eagerly searching for came charging at me. I remember leaping off the cliff and having my face be inches away from the rocks when I jolted awake in my own bed.

Presidental Election

Over the past year, presidential nominees have been competing for the spot as the next US president. Recently the candidates have been narrowed down to Obama and McCain. It seems like all the presidents have accomplished so far is bashing on one another instead of focusing on the important issues.

McCain released a commercial comparing Obama to celebrities such as Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. The ad was completely uncalled for and was a low blow that lowered my respect for McCain.

McCain is not the only one ive been disappionted by during the campaining. Shortly after Palin spoke at the Republican convention, Obama made a remark that toward a comment that Palin had said. He referred to Palin as a pig with lipstick. This is extremely uncalled for and is unnecessary to say because putting down your running mates will not help in winning the election. Later on Obama apoligized for the comment, which makes me feel a little bit better about him, but the comment should not have been said in the first place.

To win the election, the candidates need to focus on what is best for America, not what will make them look better while putting others down. They need to stop acting like a bunch of teenage girls and start acting like national leaders.

play dough

The other day in class, it was just another one of those days, when its hard to keep your eyes open and focus on the lecture. After about five minutes i began to rummage through my purse, when I found play dough. For the rest of the block a few of my classmates and I began to roll, shape and mold the green play dough. Not only for the rest of the class did I stay entertained, but I was able to listen better too. I think one reason I was able to get more out of the class was becaouse I was no longer sitting completely motionless which was able to maek me much more alert. I have heard of some teachers explaining that having something to next time I have trouble paying attention in class, I'm going to whip out my play dough!