One of my siblings rendition's of the pic - 'tis s'posta say "Get off the Counter" ~Cafe Cubini 2k1 (plus edit)

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Chillin. Christie, Shan, an Han ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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I think Shannyn took this one... ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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>>>THE WHALE<<< dyinggggg ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Ryan, Sam, Steve, and John plotting against the Prez... ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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>>>The Whale<<< Tail ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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John... umm... making out with a hott babe(-e+y) ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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How many David's does it take to wind up a light cord? ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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...The Whale... eating Ross??!?!?!?!? Save him, Matt!!! ~Cafe Cubini 2k1 plus, teardown

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...The Whale...~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Can't quite make out people... I see Jacob Fisher (left), I believe Esther Magill (bottom), and Shannon E. ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Again, Joshy doing important stuff, as Anne an Ryan look on with intense wonder and awe. ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Andrew! ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Kev, John, an Josh. Posers! ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Raye and Caroline - cooks. Yummy! ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Matt. classy pose, eh? ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Matt. ~Cafe Cubini 2k1 (Kevin's still sleeping)

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Rory and Ashley... dishwashers... different, eh? Also, no wonder Rory always worked at restaraunts! ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Scott Pederson (remember when the Pedersons usta come to our yg??).~Cafe Cubini 2k1 Oh, and Kevin sleeping in the background..

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Josh Mc and Tomoko figuring out... important difficult-to-understand things ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Elizabeth Magill... clowning around, and others... ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Hannah. ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Another neighbor, Margaret Grady ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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More sisters and friends in the nursury! Cafe C. 2k1

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My sister, Tamara, and our neighbor, Kathryn (I think) Gardy, and some others

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Steve Magill posing... and I think that's part of John's face right there... :)

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My Parents and our neighbors, the Gradys in front of "The Whale!" ~Cafe C. 2k1

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Mrs. Cavanaugh and... I'm actually not sure who this is... one of the then new baby's... Maybe Cameron Elder? I think that's right! ~Cafe Cubini 2k1

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Silly truck - trying to play chicken with Mr. Filson! ECHO 2k1, II

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Mt. Edwards - it's first year... this looks soooo much different now! ~ECHO 2k1, II

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Dr Price playing his geetar (and yes, I do actually know how to spell guitar) and singing "I'm my own Grandpaw" (undubitubly).

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The beginning of the bridge which I helped to build. I am... the one top left - with white hat, grey shirt, and blackish shorts! :) the guy behind me is... actually I'm not sure who he is.... maybe Luke Snyder (remember him guys? He was an intern, and a pretty cool one at that. He was from Evansville. Also, he could bench 430. Also, he was actually one of our family's good friends from E-ville (heh, say it out loud - evil!) nephews! :)

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Sunset on the beach. A beautiful picture. Thanks to Josh Bright. Oh - all of these pictures are actually taken by him! So, thank him for them - http://www.suninyoureyes.blogspot.com

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Here's the females of ECHO 2k1, II. Clockwise starting at approximately 12o'clock, we have... Angie Filson, Katie Long, Carrie Filson, Laura Platt, Hayley Hosford, Elizabeth Faris (the wife of the formerly mentioned James, also, one of our amazingly stupendous cooks - the other was Mrs. Filson, who apparently chose not to be in the picture!), now... where was I... Oh yes - Laurie Filson, Esther Faris, Anna Roberts, and, finally... oh wait. that's it! :)

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One of my first experiences with lizards at ECHO. ECHO 2001, Trip II.

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Here's the guys on ECHO 2001, Trip II - R-L: James Faris (one of our fearless leaders), Jeremiah Bloki, Andrew Spencer, Joshua Sturm, Aaron Dink, Myself, Mr. Filson (our other [mostly] fearless leader). Craig Calkins, Jacob Fisher, and Josh Bright. Good times. :)

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The Russians are coming!!!! ;) Josh, Craig, and Jeremiah prepare some of my bottle rockets on the beach!

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Jumping on trampolines at the Joseph's home on our way home from ECHO 2k1 Trip II

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Everyone gathered for a group picture during ECHO 2k1 Trip II

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Puddle Soccer during ECHO 2k1 Trip II

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the beach

a previous picture of the post

I've Been Thinking About Putting Titles on My Posts...

...It seems like the 'cool' thing to do. And, I think 'twill enhance both my shiskabloggin' (as the shiskablogger) and your shiskabloggin' (as the shishkabloggee). So, if there are no objections, I will be using titles in my blogs! Or I'll at least BOLD a little sentence at the beginning of my posts, from now on... :) Welp, ya'll had better speak forth now (If any objections you have), or forever hold your peace!

Trying on my post to speak in sentences reversed will I this day be doing. To do so fun can be if try you do. Encourage you would I to sometime try to this do. Wierd this seems..... Tho fun 'tis. Keep doing this should I? Decide now I can't do. Experience the fun must I do. Stop I must. Do this I cannot. Stop soon I shall.

Okay - welp, that was fun! Okay, now on to other matters... I think I will post an epitaph I wrote a few days ago:

Missed Opportunities

By Allen Blackwood

The time when I was redesigning the GTR

When she came up to my desk

She asked me a question

"How are you always so happy?"

I gave her a quick answer...

The time when I rode the bus to work as a young man

I was happy about my new job in car design

When he sat beside me

I felt I should share with him

But I pushed it away, 'I don't think I can....'

The time when I ate at one of the church's banquets

When the teenager sat across from me

I knew his parents were having struggles with him

And I wanted to really talk to him

But we just talked about surface things; that’s it...

Now, I wish I had shared deeper things to those in need

As I go now to see my God

I wish I had brought more to know the Lord

I lived most of my life for Christ

But I wish I had taken more opportunities...


Have Fun - I've gotta hit the sack!

"J.R."


Song for this post:
Believe, by Yellowcard

Verse for this post:
James 1:19-20 - So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Quote for this post:
"Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers."
-Socrates (Thanks to Coolquiz)

Hey guys (and gals)!
Wow - Im updating! It has been a while! Sorry for that. Just to let you know, I did try to update last week, and 'twas a pretty good update, too, but it got deleted! Well.... my life's been pretty busy lately, altho, if I'd simply organize and use my time more wisely and not simply waste so much time doing nothing or next to nothing, I'd have so much more time for this, and other, more important things. If any of you'd like, you could pray for me on that. I really need to use time wisely, especially for the future, as I'm sure I'll be much more busy than I am now. Also, when I do do things, I need to give them my all, 'cuz I usually don't.

What else, what else... Well, I had an oisome (you hafta say it out - I like using it, because I don't much like using awesome, because, really, only God is truly awesome [can I get an Amen? :)]) day today. We had a golf walk fund raiser thingie, which since many of ya don't know - 'tis an event in which we send out letters asking for donations to people for our walking (or golfing at) a golf course one day. 'Tis a really fun time actually - you can just hang out with your friends and talk to people, eat, etc. There are people at our school who it, but I really don't see why - I really have enjoyed it the past couple of years. Altho, the sending out of brochures is not all that much fun, filling out 25+ brochures to people, a lot of whom I didn't know (see, every kid is s'posta send out 25 of them, so we sent out 150 this year and last, not including my dad's 50 (I think 'twas 50) that he sent out in order to golf. 'Tis a good way to get donations, I think, but I think 'tis getting a bit old - we've done it foe the past 3 years, and I think we're changing next year.

Anywho, so today, after our first 3 classes (of which English was really good, btw), we drove (or rode) over to Hickory Stick Golf course, where pretty much our entire school walked, ran, piggybacked, etc around 9 holes of golf (which was about 2miles or so). We ate a pretty good meal of hamburgers and hot dogs and brauts and chips, and then most everyone ('cept the elementary kids) huddled in our cars in order to keep warm until the event began. I was with a few different people, but I ended up being in Ashley's car w/Hope, Cassandra, Christy, and Ashley. 'Twas really pretty cold outside, and, as I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt (having given my sweatshirt away already), I appreciated the warmth that the vehicular device provided - and besides that, 'twas fun talking and such in there!

After a few minutes, we all gathered on a hill over looking some of the path, and watched a living golf 'banner' enacted by our beloved sophmores for us all to see (there were different people who acted and dressed thier part - i. e. John Lederman was the ball, my bro was the hole, Beouy was the club, etc), had some instructions and a prayer, and then began the walk. during the walk, we did various things such as pictures, bible triva (I won a blow-pop!), bubble blowing, and just walking. I had the Wonderful oppurtunity to carry my good (altho somewhat heavy) friend Aaron Short on my shoulders for probubly about 20 minutes or so. :) Great experience, lemme tell ya, altho my shoulders and back were a bit sore afterwards, along with Aaron's... well, Aaron was kinda sore as well. THANKS to Mr. Short (the elder) for the very excellent 'popping' (what other word could I use??) of my back when we finished.

Good times. When we got back, many left soon afterwards, while others drank free beverages and/or played on the playscapes (or with the sumowresting suits) provided by... ooh - I can't remember the name of the place! I should know - I had the oppurtunity to work for them for a day... something to do with Fun. Oh well. So, I jumped on the moonwalk, sumo wrestled, among other things, and we got out of there at around 3:30. Then, I took a nap, ate, did chores and etc, and I'm now doing this!

One thing I neglected to mention - the houses at Hickory Stick around the course were really cool (I would use gorgeous, but I don't know if that's how you spell it!) - Aaron and I were talking about them for a few minutes as we passed them by. One other thing - I also wore Whitney Brown(Whimar)'s jacket thingie (I don't know what they're really called...) - the long jacket-type things that s oft are clothed in - doya know what I'm talking about? Well, anywho - 'tisn't quite part of a man's wardrobe (so people were kinda making fun of me), but I was pretty chilled out there, and Whimar (pronounced Whimmer, in case you were wondering) had it extra, and insisted that I wear it, so I gave into her wishes for a while and wore it.
Well, that was my day. 'Twas a pretty good day, if I do say so myself. :) I had a great time, thanks mostly to the oisome friends I have. I love my school. The people, the teachers, the other staff - they all are really cool. I love my class especially.

Hmm... I also got the ECHO trip confirmation letter and list last nite!!!! I was so psyched!!! I was already feeling real good after the prayer meeting we had at Aaron's humble abode - we (Zachary and I) always have a great time at those. Devon, John Emmett, Hope, Casey, Kristina, and Christy were those present, along w/me and Z. We had a good time discussing things we'd learned, our favorite Bible characters, the Sr. camping trip, among other things, and a good time in prayer, and then in more chit chat afterwards. Then I go home ad check my email, among other things, and I see the ECHO conformation letter! For those of you who haven't Yet been, 'tis an oisome experience. I HIGHLY recommend going, if you are high school or college age. And, if you Have been, but not yet had the experience of being w/me there, you're definitely missing out! I go pretty crazy down at Ft. Myers! Heh - but, whoever you go with, you have a great time, renewing, deepening, and making new friendships, while you are working to further God's Kingdom all over the world. There are always some real good Bible QT's and sharing from the Bible, listening to your leaders, etc. 'Tis so good. I hope to go 2, even 3 times next year, because I just enjoy it and gain so much from the experience.

Well, enough about ECHO. Enough about other stuff too. 'Tis time to 'hit the sack' as the phrase goes. 'Tis been a good time writing once again! Sorry again for my neglecting it for so long. Also, thanks, David, for the prompting to take up blogging once again! I've missed it.

Thank you, thank you very much folks. 'Tis been great. Have a spectacularly wonderful, phantasmagorically good God blessed day today! I appreciate your patience, and I hope you have a good time reading once again!

~ Al'n ~

Song for this post:
The Reason, by Hoobastank

Verse for this post:
Proverbs 12:1 - "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who s correction is stupid."

Quote for this post:
"Ya know when you have to write for school... you write your thoughts in a set order... your ideas have to flow smoothly from one point to the next. With a blog you can write as discursively as you wish. You don't really have to think about what you are writing you just write whatever is on your brain at that moment. Its kinda fun."
~Christy Helweg~