And The Winner Is...

As you know, I wrote a post titled, "Today, or the Present?" After writing it, I thought about what you, the readers thought. So, I introduced the first ever The Blog poll. You had the choice to choose which one you liked the most. "Today" or "The Present." Well, the results are in and the clear winner by a landslide is....

(Drum roll here)

The answer is...

The one you chose...

Uh, wait, what was I supposed to write?

I just had it,

Oh! The PRESENT!!!!!

Three out of five people recommend it.

So that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. That's all she wrote. The fat lady has sung. Elvis has left the building. Adios amigos. That's all folks!

MD

It's Only Been a Month, But Whose Counting?

To the two people who still read this thing, sorry I haven't posted in a while. I appears that I have been rather busy ever since the Courage Journals were no longer required. Go figure! But, I have been pestered to write again, (mr. herbert) so here I am. At the end of the Journals, I had enough weird things in my head to constantly post for three months. A month of inactivity has left all the ideas to dust. So if my posts sound weird, lame, stupid, or any combination of those, you will know you are definitely reading the same blog.

To fill you all in on what has been happening in my life, here is a list.

-Homework.
-Sleep
-Drama play (which was awesome by the way...)
-Trip to California
-More Sleep
-A fiction writing contest that I entered. (Maybe I'll post the story. It's sad though...)
-And other stuff me stuff that keeps me buzy
-and remembering to write these posts, then forgetting all about them and eat ice cream

And, I now have to go and finish the monologue that I have to write for drama that is due tommarrow. It is not very good at the moment. In fact it stinks.

Oh well. Maybe next month.

Still counting,

MD

The Great and Powerful... 15!!!!!

This is it folks. Number 15. Last of the courage journals. End of the line. Out of tape. A big fat stop sign. We've had some laughs, some tears, and some looks of confusion when I didn't make sense. (Mainly because I'm off my rocker.) It's been real, it's been fun, and it's been real fun. Though only about six people read this blog I will be sad because you probably will never read The Blog again, and it will fade into obscurity. Face it, you only read this stuff I jot down because you are already online writing your blogs for your courage journals.

So keep reading! If you don't write comments, I won't know if you are reading. Then I will stop writing. And that would be a tragedy. So if I still get some comments beyond this post, then I will most likely keep writing. Maybe just not as much.

For the last and final Courage Journal, I voted. Though I am not old enough to vote, CSCS had a mock-vote. I, of course, voted for my own write in. Mr. Douglas Tharp. (Who else did you think I was going to vote for? Obama? McCain?

I am still sad. The fate of The Blog is on shaky grounds. I hope you keep reading because this is a lot of fun to write. But you love this. You love reading these. (Even though I tend to get wordy sometimes.)

Happy with my 15 posts of fame

MD

Sniff...

I had no idea that number 15 was coming up so soon. With the end of the 15th Courage Journal, that might be the end of the blog. I was thinking what would happen to The Blog once the courage journals no longer had to be written. I came up with this. It depends on you, the reader. Half of the posts I write are entertainment pieces for you. Interesting things that make you think and let you see into my head a little. But, most of you are classmates that only read The Blog because you are already online doing your own courage journal (hopefully.) After Number 15, will you still read this?

But this is bringing me down.

So I will move on to more interesting things.

I think that some candies should consider a rename. If a jawbreaker breaks your jaw, could you still sue them? If it doesn't break, should you sue them for that? Can a Life Saver really save your life? If it was named after the life rings on boats, then could it be used as a floatation device? Things to think about.

Yesterday, I changed the sub-title of The Blog to "Testing common knowledge." Just an FYI.

Today I finally bought the Back to the Future Trilogy! WOOOOOO! If you haven't watched the movies, watch 'em! Now.

Gosh, still depresed.

I gave my super-awesome mega fantastic made up as I went along speech today in English. WOOooooo... It was nerve racking. And it was scary because I didn't really have a speech written. Just an outline. AND I was 20 seconds over the max. time limit. This is my courage.

Unsure of The Blog's future,

MD

Survey says...

Ever watch Family Feud? Interesting game show really. Two families answer trivia questions to win money. But, are they really feuding? When I think of feuding, I think of two farmers fighting over a chicken that crossed the property line through a hole in the fence. Though these families are competing for cash and the Family Feud Home Edition Board Game, they really aren't feuding? Right?

Rival schools can be scary. Rival plays? Scarier. Well, maybe not. But, today, I tried to see if I could hang a poster for Cheaper by the Dozen, (the play I'm in. Come and see it!) at my church, and I was quickly shot down. The church is also having a play on the exact same dates as Cheaper. Go figure. But no worries. I'm still pulling strings to hang that poster! That seems like courage to me.

Walking away with a complementary prize,

MD

The day before the second

Merry November 1st everyone!

Today, unfortunately, I was unable to come up with anything interesting to write about before I got on to my Courage Journal. Sorry. But, if I wrote one every day, eventually I would run out. So you will just have to wait for tomorrow. Hopefully. Possibly. Maybe.

Again, sorry.

I showed courage in a lot of small and insignificant ways. I wrote today's The Blog post. Even though I didn't want to though... I set up a new mouse for my computer. (Hey, I could have been electrocuted!) I don't know if any of this will count, but I tried.

Electric free,

MD

Us: Then, and Now

I can't believe the nerve of the Israelites. God went through all the trouble of freeing them from the tyranny of Egypt, and this is the thanks He gets?? He even led them into the Promised Land and helped them to defeat the nations that were there, and they still turned away from God? I would have been on my hands and knees thanking the Lord for all that He had blessed me with.

Even though, when you think about it, that's us too. We are all sinners and we often fall away from God. But, instead of judges being sent out to redeem us, Jesus was already sent for our sins. God loves us enough to send his only son to die for us. Did we deserve it? No, we didn't. Did God love us enough to give it to us? Yes, He did. We need to realize that God has blessed us all, and won't ever love us less. He wipes our slates clean so we can have a relationship with Him now. That's courage.

Today my courage was more obvious, but still not anything special. Today is Halloween, and kids normally go trick-or-treating. Well, what I didn't know, is that people did that in the mall now. Man, was it PACKED. You could hardley move! I'm just glad I made it out with all my fingers. I think that it was courageous by braving the masses of people. It's like Christmas shopping on December 24.

Still with all his fingers,

MD

Phoney Joes!

Have you seen those shows on TV that makeover your house on a budget? The ones that will give you a designer looking room for a cheap price? I think those shows are lying to us all! When they show you the final price, it is ALWAYS around five dollars under the budget max. ALWAYS. If the budget was $1000, they would spend $998. Budget: $500, actual price: $499. They are probably way over the limit, but that wouldn't make good TV now would it? So they choose to lie about it instead, giving us false hope that we too can make a good makeover under-budget. It steams me up.

Thursday's courage was to clean my locker. Now, you might be asking yourself, "Self, why is cleaning your locker considered courage?" Well, if you had seen my locker, you would know. The bottom is fine, but the shelf at the top, ugh. Once, I left a pen up there, and I still haven't seen that pen. The shelf is empty now too! How does one even explain that!?

Missing a pen,

MD

Everybody know what time it is?

Moodle time! Ugh. I dislike moodle. You do very little, and it is a pain to do the assignments sometimes. Moodle is to let us have school when we can't get to the school. But, I think we should use up our snow days first before we resort to moodle. Maybe I could start a petition...

I like this whole blog thing. I can go on mindless rants, and I feel better. For you, if you don't like my topics, or you get bored, then you can skip past it. Think of it like Tivo, but more entertaining and it's online.

Courageous thing number 9! Moodle. I dislike it, but I go on with it and do my assignments. So, since most of you reading also are doing moodle today, I hope you have courage and face your assignments head on. "Do or do not, there is no try."

Wish I could fast-forward,

MD

Bon del Fuego

I went to the bonfire tonight, (because I had to, for I am on Senate,) and it was awesome! Though I was keeping a small fire alive, it was still cool and I love the chance to hang out with friends. But, why is it called a bonfire? Did it start with someone lighting a pile of bon bons on fire? Hmmm...

Today, my courage was shown when I put my life on the line to keep a fire alive. There. Nothing long about today, for I am tired.

Also, something that I said sounded really smart and is a good lesson for all you out in cyber-space. "Just because you can do something, doesn't mean that you should." I think that is a good lesson, because there is so much sin out there, that you can't let it take a hold of you. You need to trust in God and fall into His arms.

Just a little crispy,

MD

Today, or is it the Present?

Deciding to do a more, philisophical blog, I am going to contemplate Today vs. the Present. First, the Present has the better name. Who doesn't like presents??

Points for the Present.

Today, is a very tricky one, for it changes each day. Gives it a very mysterious feel to it. Everyone like mysteries.

Points for Today.

But, Present covers a larger span of time then Today does. Today covers one day at a time. The Present covers the current time, regardless of the time.

Points for both, since it all really depends on the time you wish to cover in you statement. So I just answered the entire debate in one sentance, and just wasted the main part of today's entry.
But it was fun to read right?

For the first time, I am letting you, the reader, decide. Which is correct, Today, or the Present? Vote now at http://elpresidentesblogs.blogspot.com

Today, I encouraged someone to reach their optimal performance. Stepping out of your comfert zone is courage right? If it isn't, I will be quite upset, and someone will be reciveing a very strongly worded letter. No one would want that, now would they?

Points for me,

MD

I would like to buy a hamburger...

I was just watching the Pink Panther on TBS tonight. (The one with Steve Martin.) I had forgotten how funny it is. Well, I think it is. My favorite line has to be

"I would like to buy a hamburger."

"Ei woold lke toa bue a hekbmsurger."

While trying to learn english, Steve Martin's character cannot even manage the simple phrase, I would like to buy a hamburger. It might be confusing, so just go out and watch the movie. It's good!

On to the Sunday Courage Journal! My courage is really small and barely courageous, but it still counts. I am a very picky eater. I don't like to try new things. But today, I went to a buffet and tried a whole lot of new things. Not the most courageous thing, but, hey, you take what you get.

Buying my hamburger,

MD

Ponderific!

I realize that my past blogs have not always been cheerful. Some have been downright depressing. Dang, these things even get me down. And I wrote them! So, to brighten everyone up, I have come up (and found online,) some thoughts for you to ponder. NOTE: These are here for entertainment purposes only! I do not want a quadrillion messages on how some of these are wrong, or you have an answer for them. These are rhetorical.

- Why is there an experation date on SOUR cream?
- If 7-11 is open 24/7, 365 days a week, why are there locks on the doors?
- Since bread is square, why is sandwich meat round?
- Why do you have to "put your two cents in"...but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to? Taxes?
- What is the speed of dark?
- If "con" is the opposite of "pro," then what is the opposite of progress?
- How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
- Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?
- Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
- If a cow laughed, would milk come out her nose?
- If knees were backwards, what would chairs look like?
- Why are they called buildings, when they're already finished? Shouldn't they be called builts?
- Why are they called apartments, when they're all stuck together?
- How come abbreviated is such a long word?
- Why do we say something 'is out of whack'? What's a whack?
- Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?
- Why are there 5 syllables in the word "monosylabic"?
- What WAS the best thing before sliced bread?
- If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?

I have more, pages more in fact, but this blog is already getting really long.

All week, I have been sick. It is awful. It's the type of sickness where you feel bad all over. Yeah, it's the pits. But, on the upside, it leads me into today's Courage Journal. I wanted to stay in bed all day all week. But I had the courage to get out of bed and face school. (Which, face it, you just really don't want to go to.) I think it is courage, but when I am sick, my brain stops functioning. So I will leave this one to you.

If you get to the end of your blog what do you do?

MD

Plan Q

If you are already confused, don't worry. Let me explain. I like to stand up for the little things in life. For instance, the letter "Q." Think about it. There isn't a whole lot of letters with the letter Q in them. Quiet, Quick, Queen, Quack, Quark, (my favorite word by the way...) Just thought I would alert you to the letter Q and how it is often overlooked.

Today in bible we watched a documentary about a kid named Cameron Duncan. He was gifted with a passion to make these crazy good films. By 14, he had already made awesome movies. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with cancer. This could have crippled him, had he let it get to him, but he did not let it phase him, and continued to make movies. This time, the movies focused on his cancer, and how it affects people. They are really moving movies that almost made me cry. (Just been one of those weeks...) I highly recommend googling "Cameron Duncan" and watching his movies.

My Courage Journal is a two parter. First, I stood up for someone today, (sorry, no details) for my first part. Secondly, just because something bad happens to you, doesn't mean you have to let it get you down. Take Cameron Duncan. He had cancer, and still didn't let that get in the way of his passion. It takes more courage to do that then I think I will ever have.

Standing up for Q,

MD

Donut Ladies

I feel bad for the donut ladies. You know who I'm talking about. the ones who stand behind the counter all day and sit through all the indecision. "I want two chocolates, and a sprinkle supreme. Wait, I want one glazed and a chocolate. NO! WAIT! Three chocolates and a peanut butter donut." You see my point. That has been on my mind all day, so I thought I would complain to the two people who actually read this thing.


Anyway, on to my Courage Journal. Peer Pressure. We all know it, and chances are, we all have encountered it. Maybe an odd way to look at courage, but ignoring the pressure is very courageous. It links back to standing up for yourself, like I wrote about in my first Courage Journal. You can't always conform to the worlds view, or ideas. They are not always Godly. You need to follow God's will. He knows what is best for you. You just need to listen.

By the way, I have a thought for you. What is another word for thesaurus?

Sticking with my donut,

MD

Oh pooh, its number Two!

Number two of the fifteen Courage journals. Still unsure of what to look for. I guess I'm waiting for someone to come and hit me over the head with an explanation. But, I'll still try.

Today I saw what is happening in Haiti. The things in that country just make you want to cry. Children are left out on garbage piles, just to be eaten by pigs. Voodoo is very common, and children are sacrificed just so the parents can make some money. It is just awful. Please pray for the people of Haiti.

Moving back to the subject of my journal, I know that I should probably wait until this day is over to do the journal, but I'm sitting in computer class with nothing to do. So, I shall rack my brain for something courageous (if I spelled it right,) now.

For today's courage, I will go with, standing up for myself. My numerous teachers can attest that I often stand up for what I believe in, even to the point of arguing. Sometimes. I do realize that I am human and I am wrong. Sometimes. So to all people that might have been hurt or offended by my constant arguing... my apologies.

Once again, I have gotten off topic.

Sitting in computer class,

MD

Entry number the first

Hola everyone! This is the first of fifteen Courage Journals for Mr. Tharp. (Amazing teacher by the way...) I hope this turns out ok. Being new to blogging, I have no idea if this will work or not.

I went half way through the day not knowing what to look for that counts as "Courage." I pondered many minutes on this subject. Then, I realized that I have courage everyday. Being able to walk out of my house, with the ability to shout out my faith, that is courage. Many people don't appreciate Christianity. The fact that we can have any faith is amazing. Some countries don't allow religions at all! I feel so lucky right now.

But I have gotten off topic.

'Till next time,

MD