Right or Wrong?

Winter's almost here. According to the last three years of my life, I should have a tight knot in the pit of my stomach. I should be dusting off the headgear and buying new mat shoes. I should be laughing on the outside, cringing on the inside at the rumors of how Coach is going to be a lot more intense this year.

But this year it's different.

I've decided not to do wrestling this time around. And now I'm not sure if that decision was right or wrong. I keep going back and forth on weather I was a genius or an idiot.

I do feel happy. I'm happy I don't have to wake up at 4:30am on Saturdays and travel via freezing cold bus to some remote Nevada town. I'm happy I don't have to worry about whether or not Trinity (Badass) Perkins will be in my weight class. I'm happy I don't have the pressure of having to win matches in front of the rest of the team and all the parents hanging over my head. I'm happy I get my Christmas break to myself and I don't have 2-a-day grueling practices during which I sprint up and down the water tower hill and do push up after push up. I'm happy I can eat whatever I want and not have to worry about jogging it off under ten pounds of clothes the next afternoon. I'm happy I can hang out with friends after school and keep a job.

But at the same time, I find myself doing something I thought I never would. I'm already missing wrestling season. I'm going to miss the companionship you build with the team when you all survive the first week of hellish practice. I'm going to miss dumb jokes like the Boga Lobster or The Toto. I'm going to miss the exhilaration you get when you catch someone on their back and hold them their with all your strength. Call me a jock, but I'm going to miss the feeling of sweat pouring off your body as you throw someone down on the mat. I'm going to miss the shockingly sharp contrast of exiting a wrestling gym - cooking hot from all the action and the fans, and screaming loud from the coaches and the officials - and walking out into the crisp, calm Northern Nevada winter's day. But most of all, I'm going to miss that incredible feeling you get when you can feel your opponent weakening and weakening as the seconds tick off the clock late into the third period, until you plow them over and go in for the pin.

But then again, Knarr won't be coaching this year and all the seniors from last year are obviously gone, which means that the season would be dramatically different from what I remember. And I really need a job this winter to save up for this summer's shenanigans. And (this is the first time I've ever admitted this,) but i really do hate the singlet we have to wear for competition. But maybe that's just because I don't have a six-pack.


Later,

Daniel


P.S. On a totally unrelated subject, I was listening to the song "Love Song" by Third Day on a mix CD a friend burned me a while ago. After it was done, the CD just kept going on in silence. I wasn't really paying attention, so I didn't care. Then suddenly I heard an unfamiliar song. And I remembered - the reason "Love Song" had been put on the CD in the first place was for this hidden track. So I listened. And listened. Over and over I played it, the song captivating me anew each time.

Take my heart and help me feel

Take my faith and make it real

Take my eyes and help me see

All the love surrounding me

Don't let me go

Hold me close to where you are

Don't let me go

Take my heart,

Take all of me

Take my loss and take my gain

Take my trials and take my pain

Take my life and let it be

All that you would have for me

"It's quite beautiful, really."

So Much Awesome.

Well, I've got two little tidbits for all my avid readers out there...

The first: Across The Universe is the most awesome movie I've seen. Ever. I mean, let's face it - the Beatles are sweet no matter how you slice it, and so a musical devoted to their songs is inherently amazing. But on top of that, the unexpected humor, developed characters, setting, and plot line are phenomenal. I found myself laughing hysterically as well as looking on soberly during several occasions, and despite the awkward sex/boob scenes, it's still a movie to be seen. (I've seen it twice so far!)

Secondly, I've encountered a crazy situation as of late. There is an older man (probably about 45 or so) who lives somewhere back behind the Calvary Baptist Church, off Flowery Lane. I've seen him walking along Highway 50 or hitchhiking from that corner several times. I first talked with him when I gave him a ride last winter from Slotworld in Carson City to the Calvary Baptist Church here in Dayton. We talked about college and such, and he mentioned that he was good friends with a professor down at UNLV who was involved with the architecture program. "No way? I'm looking at taking that program!" (Because at the time, I was.)

I didn't really see a lot of him over the spring, but when summer came I began to spy him along the highway. Occasionally, if I had room or he was hitchhiking, I would give him a ride - always to the 7-11 across from Dairy Queen, so he could catch the bus to the community college, where he works. We would talk about politics or urban sprawl in Dayton, (obviously topics of his choosing.) One time, he brought up the topic of how Clark County is currently looking to use our water up here because they're so dry down there. Which is weird because at Boys' State, my little group of legislators hacked down a bill regarding the use of water from Northern Nevada by Southern Nevada.

Now here's the kicker: Today I gave him another ride, only this time he said he was headed to Reno. He said that he was taking a day to goof around in Reno, and later he was going to see Across The Universe. "No way? Some friends and I are heading in there later tonight to see that movie!" (Because Hans, John, Mike and I had arranged to see it at the Summit Theater at 7.) He mentioned that some friends of his in Colorado had recently seen it and told him how good it was, so he'd decided to check it out. That's crazy, because right after I posted my last blog from our hotel in Colorado, Mom and I went and saw it at the local theater. The guy and I then got into a talk about The Beatles, and he knew a lot! Not just about their discography or biography, but about their style or music and the dynamics in their band (stuff like how Ringo is an underestimated drummer because McCartney plays such strong bass riffs that so little percussion is needed.) I dropped him off by the on ramp off of Highway 50 and bid him farewell.

Seven hours later, Hans, Mike, John and I sat down to watch the movie. It was sweet (see "tidbit number one" if you've forgotten.) Afterwards, when we get up to leave, there's only one guy left in the theater with us, sitting at the end of our row. You guessed it - it was him. I asked him how he liked it. He said it was good, "The soundtrack to my life."

So, uhhhhhh. Coincidence? UNLV architecture, Reno trip, water issues, Across The Universe, friends in Colorado, passion for The Beatles, same theater (and row and show time, for that matter.) I just think it's almost a little spooky. And thought provoking.


Later,

Daniel

The Sweet Smell of "I Can't Wait."

Huzzah!

I'm currently in Denver, Colorado at our hotel. Mom and I have spent the last two days exploring around both Colorado Christian University and Denver. Both are pretty much amazing.

CCU - I'm super psyched about it. At first I wasn't too thrilled because the campus is a LOT smaller than I thought it would be. There's basically the apartments for freshman (pretty much dorms, but cooler,) the apartments for upperclassmen, the Events Center, the soccer field, the School of Theology, the Student Union, the library, the cafeteria, the bookstore, and the "big building," with most of the classrooms in it. All the buildings are single storied... kinda. They all have basements, but they're not huge buildings like at UNR or anything. It's enrollment is only about 1500, and you can walk around campus in under 20 minutes. I recognized too many parallels to Dayton to be immediately thrilled.

But then I took the tour and realized that this is college! I met tons of sweet people doing tons of sweet stuff, and explored most all of the buildings. The community here is really tight. Everyone knows everyone else, if not by name then at least by reputation. The student-to-staff ratio is 20:1, meaning small classes meaning more attention from professors. But I didn't want to make my decision based on these things... I wanted a person to talk to about it all... someone who'd be real with me.

Luckily, I stayed with a student ambassador, Greg, and his roomies Aaron, Phil and Clifton. They were all ridiculously cool, and I got my first ever taste of the "It's 1:30am and I'm hungry... who wants to come to Sonic with me?" effect. It was sweet. We even drove up to the top of Lookout Mountain and... well... looked out over Denver. Beautiful. It was like the earth had decided to mirror the stars. Thousands upon thousands of twinkling, pulsing, steady lights of white, orange, red, green and blue.

So pretty much, I'm as sure as is possible that I'm going to go to CCU come August.

And then there's Denver! We spent most of today driving around doing craziness. We tried to go to the zoo (That's right, I'll be living in a city with a zoo,) but we found out that it was free admission day, so it was more of a people zoo than anything. So we instead went to the 16th Street Mall (That's right, I'll be living in a city with a mall that takes up an entire street for miles,) then we contemplated going to the aquarium (Yep. And there'll be movie theaters and bowling alleys and ice skating and skiing and hiking and rafting and rock climbing and homeless ministries and bi-weekly chapels on campus and kittens and jet planes and highways and sneakers and music!!!!) As you can tell, I'm pretty much super excited.

Now all I have to do is pass some AP tests and graduate. How hard could that be?


Later,

Daniel

Brilliant!

It's been cold in good 'ol Dayton recently. I mean like go-outside-and-start-your-car-15-minutes-early cold.

And wet. Oh, rain - always with the sense of humor... "I'm not gunna come hang out all summer, but as soon as things get cold, I'll go crazy!"

Buy I digress.*

What I really want to write about (or blog about, depending on how you wanna look at it,) is my in genius discovery today. Now, this isn't anything like the "you can send yourself a message on Myspace" discovery or anything. (Nor is it quite up with the "Milk-N-Cereal" idea, but it's pretty cool nonetheless.) I was a-walking out in the cold, windy rain earlier today when I was struck with a sudden notion - "I want to cover my head!" So I pull up my hood, and was instantly rewarded with the wind ceasing to tap dance on the back of my neck, and the rain being prevented from assaulting my head.

And it came to me: hoods are like portable forts.

Think about it! You're outside, it's cold, and you want to be inside. Unfortunately, there's no inside to go to. So what can you do? Put up your hood, you silly sleepy head! Then you have this little shelter around your noggin' that keeps the warm in and the cold out. And it even comes with a handy viewing-screen that allows you to see what's all going on! Genius!

So next time you find yourself wanting to be indoors, just reach back and go inside your fort!**


-Daniel

*Every time I say that, I feel really prestigious... like I should be sitting in an armchair in front of a fire, wearing a robe and smoking a pipe. Anyone else?
**Of course, what good is a fort without a name? So far I've got "No Girls Allowed" (a classic,) "The Dome Gnome," and "Big Red." All superlative fort names, If I don't say so myself.

The First Decree:

Hear ye! Hear ye! His Kingship demands that you listen!

So there I was, minding my own business, meandering through the halls of Dayton High with Campaign playing on my iPod. When suddenly, out of the shadows* comes Amber with a piece of paper. She strolls up with a business-like air and stops in front of me. Perplexed, I hit -PAUSE- and raise my eyebrows as she starts to speak.

"Finally - I've been looking all over for you!"

"Oh. What's up?"

"You've been nominated for Homecoming King."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. So do you want to run or not?"

"Uhhhh. Well.... uhhhh..."**

So I began thinking:

Homecoming King? Me?! That's kinda cool. Kind weird, but kinda cool. Okay, Daniel, think through this - you don't have time to throw together a Stomp for a skit, and you won't even be here for the crowning because of the cross country meet in Lowry. But of course you'd win. I mean, with your heart wrenching good looks and witty intellect,*** who wouldn't vote for you? And then after you win, you can begin your long-awaited reign! You'll be called "King Daniel," and you can rename Dayton to Stankerville, just like you always wanted, and you can hook lemonade up to the drinking fountains and make Band a required class.

Ooh! And don't forget to make your throne out of math books! And require everyone to speak with a fake accent, and have fake mustaches for sale at lunch time! And lastly, decree that the school year shall end on November 13th, that way you can graduate as soon as you're 18. Perfect! Not just say "yes."

"No, I don't think I will."

"Oh, okay. Thanks anyway. I'll go ask Hans if he wants to run. Bye!"

Are you kidding me?! Did I mention a throne out of math books? Psh, whatever man. See if I help you out again.

Aw, fruit! Oh well, 'Daniel the Squire' is a pretty cool title, too.

-PLAY-




*Or the leadership room.
**Sometimes my verbal skills astound even me.
***Or lack thereof.