Little of interest transpired today. Purchased my new digital camera online today, the canon s200, and it should be here tomorrow or Saturday. I also made it to school again today. Instead of going to my last class we had the Weber County gang specialist come and talk to us. He showed us some film of kids getting "jumped" into gangs, the new initiates first act of violence for the gang, and even one kid getting "jumped out" of his gang (which means his own gang members beat him to death.) It was all pretty graffic, but pretty eye opening at the same time. It's interesting what people's need to belong to something will force them to do. I also watched "American History X" tonight after I downloaded it. It also is pretty graphic and violent, but with a pretty strong message. I would classify it too, as a "see it once film," but only because, like "Schindler's List" I don't think I could stomach it again and I got the message.
I finally managed to force myself to go to school, it seems like it gets harder to do every week. I guess it won't get better until it gets worse. With all the homework and preperation for tests I am not looking forward to the next couple of weeks. I finished that book finally, and 700 pages and 3 days later I can finally think about something else... I must re-emphasize that reading is a very unhealthy habit that is disruptive to everyday life and I don't recommend it to anyone. I was accosted between classes by a kid today, telling me I needed to come to attend the "support the troops" rally. I told him that although I supported the armed forces I wouldn't be attending his rally because I didn't want to be associated with being pro-war, in addition to the fact that I had a class at that time. He proceeded to tell me how he thought it was hypocritical to support the soldiers and be against the war, (like I had asked to get in this discussion on my way to class) I told him I felt the same way about people who say they are pro-life and pro-war. I left, and many curses and insults followed me from our friend, I love well thought out arguments.(On an interesting note as I passed the same kid on my way to my next class, I overheard him tell someone that he was doing the rally to get on TV and they should do it to get on TV too.... now that's true patriotism.) I downloaded and watched "Gangs of New York" while doing my homework this evening. It was an okay movie if you like death, senseless-destruction, vengeance, and semi-nude barmaids. It falls into my category of "see it once movies" and was hence immediately erased from my computer rather than be copied to CD. The end, however, where a multi-sided battle is entered by at least four different forces intrigued me and got me wondering how much of this destruction in the 1860's was actual and how much was real. I guess I'll let you know when I find out.
I didn't go to school today, as a result of an unhealthy addiction I have to reading. If I start a book it is one of the most difficult things in the world for me to put down unless I am finished. I recently read the ten books that make up the Wheel of Time series in a couple of months. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series that is somewhat of a minor miracle since they average about 800 pages a book. After discussing the war and its effects on soldiers who have returned home with my Grandma she suggested that I read Up Country, a novel by Nelson Demille. So far it has been okay, but from the foreshadowing etc. I imagine it becoming a lot more exciting the more I read, which is the one factor that keeps me most attached to a book.
All the boys came home from their respective schools and we got together and hung out. Our weekly basketball game got rained out on Saturday and we occupied our time playing video games and eating, choosing the most counter productive activity to basketball. We played some trivial pursuit, in which Kyle and I dominated. Kyle's mom made me banana bars, by far the highlight of my weekend. Sad life eh? A close second would have to be Sam's white trash beard and mullet wig he has been wearing, or Jared's self induced male pattern baldness. I will try to get a picture of those two. I also started working out with a goal to get down to 200 lbs by the end of the summer. I am up to 238 lbs from the 210 I was in November... gotta love the winter.
Today I met my Grandma and had lunch with her to celebrate her birthday. We went to Red Robin in Layton. It was really good to spend some time with her. We ate rather quickly, but stayed and talked for a long time after. I picked her up at 2 and I was with her until 5:30 when I left to watch the Jazz game and play Halo with some of my friends.
Well I am trying my hand at creating a web-log (blog) of my own. After seeing the changes Sloan has made to his page and viewing that www.hunkabutta.com I decided that it looks like more fun that creating an informational site about Korea. I will keep up what I have done so far on my "About Korea" page and finish the sections I have yet to complete, but I think that is as far as I am going to take that. Today was my Grandma's birthday I called her and we decided to go to lunch together tomorrow. We don't see each other very often so I am pretty excited about the whole thing. Anyway continue to bear with me while I make this thing operational.
