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Posted 2 years ago

Planet Fitness.

DAY 49: February 18, 2010

Honestly, it only takes me 30 min. to get in and out of there feeling like I’ve had a good solid workout.

Today, I get home around 5:15 expecting my dad to show up around 5:30-6, so I just assumed I wouldn’t be able to go workout. At around 5:45, he calls and tells me he hasn’t left yet, but that he’ll be here in about 25 minutes. 6:30 pulls around and he calls and tells me he’s just now leaving. Dang. I spent 15 minutes RUSHING to get my things packed when I got home so that I’d be ready when he picked me up. It’s now 6:55, almost 2 hours since I’ve gotten home, and he probably won’t be here for another 10…I definitely could have hit the gym for an HOUR had he told me he was gonna be late. Awesome.

Can’t complain though. I get to see my Aunt and Uncle tonight.They just got back from Haiti, and I really want to hear the stories.

I know it’s been something like 20 days since I’ve updated my “365,” but I’ve been CRAZY busy lately, with All-County, Solo & Ensemble (got a superior on Blue Bells of Scotland), and everything else really. I’ll get back on this though. Pictures and all. 3 months. 3 months until I’m out of here and on my own.

I CANNOT WAIT.

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Posted 2 years ago

[Insert Photo of Swollen Upper Lip Here]

DAY 35: Thursday, February 4, 2010

The day was fine up until about 6 PM. This week is our second round of “All-County”: Jazz Band week. I normally don’t mind All-County anything — it’s nice to play some new music, play with some new musicians, and be conducted/directed by different professors and who-not. Well, tonight was our first rehearsal for All-County Jazz Band (from 6-9), and the director of the band that I’m playing in is Chris Sharp. He’s pretty “well-known,” for lack of a better word, among the jazz bands at our school… Honestly, none of us really like the music that he composes. Correction: all of us HATE his music. (Okay, I’m exaggerating a little bit, but still…) Anyway, tonight was our first rehearsal with him, and we were kind of excited to see what music he would bring, but at the same time crossing our fingers that they wouldn’t all be his own music.

EVERY SINGLE PIECE was either composed or arranged by Chris Sharp.

It was dreadful — not necessarily that it was his music, but the fact that HE was conducting us on music that HE created. Which also means that he’s gonna want it played EXACTLY how he imagined it when he wrote it. That’s exactly what happened tonight, and what will happen tomorrow. My lips are KILLING me. We were supposed to just “play through” our music tonight, but we ended up going through Chris Sharp boot camp on only 4 of the pieces (3 of which we’ve already played, either in MIDDLE SCHOOL or a couple of years ago). I’m going to have nightmares tonight. 8 hours of rehearsal. Can’t wait…until the day is over.

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Posted 2 years ago
DAY 34: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 Ever heard of a doppelgänger? Definition: a ghostly double of a living person that haunts its living counterpart. According to MyHeritage.com, my celeb. doppelgänger is Andy Roddick. This guy is a beast, and he’s my favorite tennis player (AND he’s got the record for fastest serve), so I’m cool with it. The other “ghostly doubles” that the application matched me to were Adam Sandler and Michael Buble — two guys I coincidentally share my birthday with. Today wasn’t bad; in fact, I love short days. Recital was split up: dancers and music majors went to the expo hall to watch the Air Force Reserve Band play, and all other majors went on stage to watch a preview of Metamophosis. Tonight I went to the gym. Hadn’t been there in probably four days. That always feels good. But that was about the extent of it. Now, I gotta go work on Calc. Tomorrow will be my first “Teal day” in over a week because of band stuff and the fact that I skipped last Wednesday. Ha.

DAY 34: Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Ever heard of a doppelgänger? Definition: a ghostly double of a living person that haunts its living counterpart. According to MyHeritage.com, my celeb. doppelgänger is Andy Roddick. This guy is a beast, and he’s my favorite tennis player (AND he’s got the record for fastest serve), so I’m cool with it. The other “ghostly doubles” that the application matched me to were Adam Sandler and Michael Buble — two guys I coincidentally share my birthday with.

Today wasn’t bad; in fact, I love short days. Recital was split up: dancers and music majors went to the expo hall to watch the Air Force Reserve Band play, and all other majors went on stage to watch a preview of Metamophosis. Tonight I went to the gym. Hadn’t been there in probably four days. That always feels good. But that was about the extent of it. Now, I gotta go work on Calc. Tomorrow will be my first “Teal day” in over a week because of band stuff and the fact that I skipped last Wednesday. Ha.

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Posted 2 years ago
DAY 33: Tuesday, January 2, 2010 UNF Jazz Fest: It’s something our Jazz Bands (Middle, Lab, and Jazz) attend every year. University of North Florida (Jacksonville) is a big school on Jazz, and they’ve got an awesome music program, so it’s cool to go and show off to the professors that some of our students might be working with in a couple of years. I won’t be one of those students, but I gotta brag a little…Mark Dickman, the Professor of Low Brass at the school came up to me after our band played and said “John? Hi. I’d like you to apply for our school.” He also went up to Gina and Barbara, but they’ve got a couple more years. Regardless of the the fact that I’m not going into music in college, that made me happy. The day wasn’t as tedious as I thought it’d be. We ended up just walking around campus, chillin’ out, making fun of the swinging fire-balls dude (because he hit himself in the face; but what he was doing was actually kind of cool), flirting with angry French chicks at Starbucks…Ya know, the usual. The drive back was only 2 hours long! I think our driver was either A) Dominican or B) Puerto Rican. Honestly, I wasn’t sure it was possible to make it from Jacksonville to Kissimmee in under 3 hours until tonight. Anyway, I’m home early, and can’t be more happy about it. This picture marked the last of my “back-flip-off-the-bench-near-the-buses” tradition. Goodbye UNF Jazz Fest(s). =’( Zoom

DAY 33: Tuesday, January 2, 2010

UNF Jazz Fest: It’s something our Jazz Bands (Middle, Lab, and Jazz) attend every year. University of North Florida (Jacksonville) is a big school on Jazz, and they’ve got an awesome music program, so it’s cool to go and show off to the professors that some of our students might be working with in a couple of years. I won’t be one of those students, but I gotta brag a little…Mark Dickman, the Professor of Low Brass at the school came up to me after our band played and said “John? Hi. I’d like you to apply for our school.” He also went up to Gina and Barbara, but they’ve got a couple more years. Regardless of the the fact that I’m not going into music in college, that made me happy.

The day wasn’t as tedious as I thought it’d be. We ended up just walking around campus, chillin’ out, making fun of the swinging fire-balls dude (because he hit himself in the face; but what he was doing was actually kind of cool), flirting with angry French chicks at Starbucks…Ya know, the usual. The drive back was only 2 hours long! I think our driver was either A) Dominican or B) Puerto Rican. Honestly, I wasn’t sure it was possible to make it from Jacksonville to Kissimmee in under 3 hours until tonight. Anyway, I’m home early, and can’t be more happy about it.

This picture marked the last of my “back-flip-off-the-bench-near-the-buses” tradition. Goodbye UNF Jazz Fest(s). =’(

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Posted 2 years ago
DAY 32: Monday, February 1, 2010 It’s the first day of February and probably one of the better Mondays this school year. Although I didn’t study, I scored an 87 on my AP Art History quiz that I was pretty sure I got a big fat “D” on (at the most), which was a great start to the day and week. I didn’t do much after that: 3rd period was all about getting the set ready for Metamorphoses (and it looks amazing — the tech department is doing a great job); 4th period was a 2-hour discussion about A Modest Proposal, which is a hilarious piece of literature, but not funny enough to talk about it for that long. After a nice long nap on the bus, I get home and then on tumblr to find this. I find my portrait on a tumblr that’s got hundreds of pictures of half-naked male models (at least, that what they look like). I’m the DailyCuteBoy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’m flattered. And I already “went red” once tonight, so a little embarrassment worked it’s way in there, too. Haha. I’m pretty sure who submitted my pic, but I don’t want to embarrass them either. ;) All I wanna say is “thanks” and leave it at that. So…thanks. =] Tomorrow is UNF Jazz Fest, so I’ll be gone aaaalllll day. And I gotta go, because Jack Bauer Power Hour is on and I’m missing it! Zoom

DAY 32: Monday, February 1, 2010

It’s the first day of February and probably one of the better Mondays this school year. Although I didn’t study, I scored an 87 on my AP Art History quiz that I was pretty sure I got a big fat “D” on (at the most), which was a great start to the day and week. I didn’t do much after that: 3rd period was all about getting the set ready for Metamorphoses (and it looks amazing — the tech department is doing a great job); 4th period was a 2-hour discussion about A Modest Proposal, which is a hilarious piece of literature, but not funny enough to talk about it for that long. After a nice long nap on the bus, I get home and then on tumblr to find this. I find my portrait on a tumblr that’s got hundreds of pictures of half-naked male models (at least, that what they look like). I’m the DailyCuteBoy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’m flattered. And I already “went red” once tonight, so a little embarrassment worked it’s way in there, too. Haha. I’m pretty sure who submitted my pic, but I don’t want to embarrass them either. ;) All I wanna say is “thanks” and leave it at that. So…thanks. =]

Tomorrow is UNF Jazz Fest, so I’ll be gone aaaalllll day. And I gotta go, because Jack Bauer Power Hour is on and I’m missing it!

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Posted 2 years ago
DAY 27: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s not, but every once in a while it’s extremely important that I take a day off. I stayed home today and was so much more productive than I’d ever be at school. I finished an essay for AP Lit (a response to Jonathon Swift’s A Modest Proposal), finished the As I Lay Dying Data Sheet for Lit, did some chores at home, and even studied Micro-Econ in my new Baron’s book. What a relaxing, yet productive, day. And scruff still growin’. Tonight I went to the gym while mom made spaghetti w/meatballs (minus the spaghetti — she used angel hair in place of it), and we ended the night with the State of the Union Address. I can’t really comment on it, because I feel like I don’t follow politics close enough. I will say, however, that I enjoyed watching the Judiciary sit there with their stoic and unwavering glowers, doing nothing. No signs of acceptance, no signs of acknowledgment. It was hysterical. The entire chamber would burst out cheering, shouting, applauding, booing, etc., and the Supreme Court……nothing. They sit there, emotionless, each with their hands by their sides, deep brows crowding their eyes, and ginormous frowns pulling their jaws straight toward the ground. Best entertainment. Period. Tomorrow, I WILL be at school and ready to learn something new! All-County after school. Zoom

DAY 27: Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s not, but every once in a while it’s extremely important that I take a day off. I stayed home today and was so much more productive than I’d ever be at school. I finished an essay for AP Lit (a response to Jonathon Swift’s A Modest Proposal), finished the As I Lay Dying Data Sheet for Lit, did some chores at home, and even studied Micro-Econ in my new Baron’s book. What a relaxing, yet productive, day. And scruff still growin’.

Tonight I went to the gym while mom made spaghetti w/meatballs (minus the spaghetti — she used angel hair in place of it), and we ended the night with the State of the Union Address. I can’t really comment on it, because I feel like I don’t follow politics close enough. I will say, however, that I enjoyed watching the Judiciary sit there with their stoic and unwavering glowers, doing nothing. No signs of acceptance, no signs of acknowledgment. It was hysterical. The entire chamber would burst out cheering, shouting, applauding, booing, etc., and the Supreme Court……nothing. They sit there, emotionless, each with their hands by their sides, deep brows crowding their eyes, and ginormous frowns pulling their jaws straight toward the ground. Best entertainment. Period.

Tomorrow, I WILL be at school and ready to learn something new! All-County after school.

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Posted 2 years ago
DAY 26: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 It was our first day into the second semester. It’s been an awesome one and a great way to start the new half. My first grade in PIV was a 97 that I scored on the “From Gothic to Renaissance” slide quiz, thanks to Mariana Silva. Today was also the first day of All-County Concert Band rehearsals…although I wasn’t looking forward to the 3 hours of practicing and repeating the same four [middle school-level] songs, I ended up having a good time, and the music wasn’t all that bad. After rehearsal, Skye convinced me to go to the gym with her, and I’m glad she did because I feel so relaxed, yet ready to conquer the world at the same time. I’m posting this pic to ask you all for advice and opinions — is the scruff too scruffy? Too cWusty? Shave or no shave? I would love to be able to grow it out, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to prove my manliness with this patchiness on my face. Ha. Though the week is most definitely going to be stressful, my goal is to stay positive and spread some love around. WWJD, all the way. Much love, my friends, and God bless. Zoom

DAY 26: Tuesday, January 26, 2010

It was our first day into the second semester. It’s been an awesome one and a great way to start the new half. My first grade in PIV was a 97 that I scored on the “From Gothic to Renaissance” slide quiz, thanks to Mariana Silva. Today was also the first day of All-County Concert Band rehearsals…although I wasn’t looking forward to the 3 hours of practicing and repeating the same four [middle school-level] songs, I ended up having a good time, and the music wasn’t all that bad. After rehearsal, Skye convinced me to go to the gym with her, and I’m glad she did because I feel so relaxed, yet ready to conquer the world at the same time.

I’m posting this pic to ask you all for advice and opinions — is the scruff too scruffy? Too cWusty? Shave or no shave? I would love to be able to grow it out, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to prove my manliness with this patchiness on my face. Ha.

Though the week is most definitely going to be stressful, my goal is to stay positive and spread some love around. WWJD, all the way.

Much love, my friends, and God bless.

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Posted 2 years ago
DAY 25: January 25, 2010 Commitment isn’t my strongest trait, but I try. My computer broke down this weekend, so I’ve missed a couple days. I’ll update in summary… On Saturday, I went to therapy; fun, as always. My dad picked me up afterward, my brother and I went to lunch with him and my uncle, his twin brother (and a retired Chief and ex-Navy Seal — I’ve gotta brag a little). I hadn’t seen him in about three years, so my brother and I had a blast hanging out and talking with him. He wasn’t here to visit, though; he was on his way to, and is now in, Haiti. He and a team of guys that work with Helimissions — a missionary program that uses helicopters to help out, bring medical supplies, w/e — are going down there to distribute the medical supplies, baby formula, water bottles, etc. that are piling up at airports and going nowhere. I think it’s awesome they’re doing that. AWESOME. I’m going up [to Oregon] to see him before I graduate, no doubt about it. Yesterday, I went to church, said goodbye to my uncle, and read As I Lay Dying for the rest of the day. Nothing too eventful. Today was interesting. After attempting to read As I Lay Dying, I took a trip the gym. Unexpectedly, on the way to there, I got a phone call from, guess who! Mr. Hughes. I’ve had a “0” for my exam grade in Calculus all weekend, and didn’t know what was up. He told me he couldn’t find my test anywhere in his room. “CRAP.” Can you guess where it was? Dora told me: “Mochila! Mochila!” Except this time, the “backpack song” wasn’t nearly as uplifting. I felt like such an idiot. I drove over to school and dropped off my test, angry at myself, and used the emotion as fuel for exercising. Ha. It worked. Tonight, Glorianne invited a few people over for dinner and a movie. FAME. I’m gonna own that movie. This is me w/ my Sprite, wannabe-scruffy face and my haircut (this will substitute as my “AFTER” shot). The movie was projected on a wall, which was awesome. Afterward, we goofed off, messed around with our shadows on the wall, and had a mini-pillow fight. Great weekend. Great night. Zoom

DAY 25: January 25, 2010

Commitment isn’t my strongest trait, but I try.

My computer broke down this weekend, so I’ve missed a couple days. I’ll update in summary…

On Saturday, I went to therapy; fun, as always. My dad picked me up afterward, my brother and I went to lunch with him and my uncle, his twin brother (and a retired Chief and ex-Navy Seal — I’ve gotta brag a little). I hadn’t seen him in about three years, so my brother and I had a blast hanging out and talking with him. He wasn’t here to visit, though; he was on his way to, and is now in, Haiti. He and a team of guys that work with Helimissions — a missionary program that uses helicopters to help out, bring medical supplies, w/e — are going down there to distribute the medical supplies, baby formula, water bottles, etc. that are piling up at airports and going nowhere. I think it’s awesome they’re doing that. AWESOME. I’m going up [to Oregon] to see him before I graduate, no doubt about it.

Yesterday, I went to church, said goodbye to my uncle, and read As I Lay Dying for the rest of the day. Nothing too eventful.

Today was interesting. After attempting to read As I Lay Dying, I took a trip the gym. Unexpectedly, on the way to there, I got a phone call from, guess who! Mr. Hughes. I’ve had a “0” for my exam grade in Calculus all weekend, and didn’t know what was up. He told me he couldn’t find my test anywhere in his room. “CRAP.” Can you guess where it was? Dora told me: “Mochila! Mochila!” Except this time, the “backpack song” wasn’t nearly as uplifting. I felt like such an idiot. I drove over to school and dropped off my test, angry at myself, and used the emotion as fuel for exercising. Ha. It worked.

Tonight, Glorianne invited a few people over for dinner and a movie. FAME. I’m gonna own that movie. This is me w/ my Sprite, wannabe-scruffy face and my haircut (this will substitute as my “AFTER” shot). The movie was projected on a wall, which was awesome. Afterward, we goofed off, messed around with our shadows on the wall, and had a mini-pillow fight. Great weekend. Great night.


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Notes
Posted 2 years ago
DAY 22: Friday, January 22, 2010 I’ve never been so serious in saying “Thank God It’s Friday.” This has been the longest school week ever (regardless of the fact that we had Monday off). Mid-terms were brutal. Calculus was the last test of the week, and as always, they saved the best — er, most difficult — for last. I’m pretty sure I BOMBED it. Oh well. At this point, all I can say is that I’m happy it’s over. Speaking of tests — I experienced a miracle. I have a “B” in AP Government. I don’t know how it happened, but it did. That is definitely miracle material. Tonight I went to the gym (it’s become an addiction), and then spent the rest of the night veggin’ out in front of the T.V. and computer; I watched the “Hope for Haiti” telethon. I think it’s awesome that so many people are getting involved. Part of me just wants to fly over there…I also caught up on the two hours of “24” that I missed on Monday. Awesome. Period. Tomorrow I have therapy……can’t wait. Also, I’m planning on getting a haircut, so this picture is my “before.” Goin’ to “Big City Barbers”: a purely Puerto Rican barber shop. Best haircut ever. No joke. Zoom

DAY 22: Friday, January 22, 2010

I’ve never been so serious in saying “Thank God It’s Friday.” This has been the longest school week ever (regardless of the fact that we had Monday off). Mid-terms were brutal. Calculus was the last test of the week, and as always, they saved the best — er, most difficult — for last. I’m pretty sure I BOMBED it. Oh well. At this point, all I can say is that I’m happy it’s over.

Speaking of tests — I experienced a miracle. I have a “B” in AP Government. I don’t know how it happened, but it did. That is definitely miracle material.

Tonight I went to the gym (it’s become an addiction), and then spent the rest of the night veggin’ out in front of the T.V. and computer; I watched the “Hope for Haiti” telethon. I think it’s awesome that so many people are getting involved. Part of me just wants to fly over there…I also caught up on the two hours of “24” that I missed on Monday. Awesome. Period.

Tomorrow I have therapy……can’t wait. Also, I’m planning on getting a haircut, so this picture is my “before.” Goin’ to “Big City Barbers”: a purely Puerto Rican barber shop. Best haircut ever. No joke.

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DAY 21: Thursday, January 21, 2010 I’m gonna make this quick. It’s eleven 58 and I have more Calc to study for. Tomorrow’s the test, and it’s a make it or break it kind of thing. All I’ve been doing tonight (other than eating and going to the gym) is studying. Thank God for friends that are smart enough to find videos about the unit circle and optimization and “tater” and “dee eff uv ecks” and all that jazz. Anyway, the day was great — nothin’ else to report. Zoom

DAY 21: Thursday, January 21, 2010

I’m gonna make this quick. It’s eleven 58 and I have more Calc to study for. Tomorrow’s the test, and it’s a make it or break it kind of thing. All I’ve been doing tonight (other than eating and going to the gym) is studying. Thank God for friends that are smart enough to find videos about the unit circle and optimization and “tater” and “dee eff uv ecks” and all that jazz. Anyway, the day was great — nothin’ else to report.