| Alive still, I think |
[02 Oct 2005|01:38am] |
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music |
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They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love - Jars of Clay |
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Hey-oh!
I'm still alive, although I never post on live journal. I figured I'd make a quick post in case the only way you might have contact with me is through said medium. Life is busy but great, and I'm lovin' life. Everything at the U of I pretty much rocks. I'm doing marching illini again in the esteemed company of such mahometans as alex paul, michael manfredo, alex paul, matt peden, eric tolar, sarah harris, michael lindley, and emily fawver. Peden and I are leading a bible study for members of the band now too, so that's pretty sweet. I'm still living at Koin, getting ready to initiate the new initiates in a couple of weeks. A couple of interesting facts that you may not know: 1.) I have an awesome girlfriend whom you may or may not know, who lives at our sister house (Stratford), is from Bloomington, and happens to be caleb walder's cousin (crazy mahomet connections huh? yeah so she's a lot cooler than me but still hangs out with me sometimes...which pretty much rocks. 2.) I'm going to be living in Chile fall semester next year, and taking classes at universidad bio bio in concepcion right on the pacific coast. I still don't know what i'm doing with my life, but that's what college is for i suppose, i'm probably leaning more toward ministry of some sort than i was previously, but i'll still be an engineer as well, sounds weird but so am i. 3.) i figured i needed a third point and couldn't think of anything to say except that i bought some sweet cds today: new jars: redemption songs (hymns redone)...a collision, by david crowder band (creative stuff), and abandon, by jason morant (with several former among thorns band members playing with him and playing a few old songs....also, an artist to check out is Sufjan Stevens...he rocks and he has an album about illinois with tracks talking about different places in illinois...the michigan album is better musically sadly...but still a great artist with some really great ideas musically and intuitively.
so quick post really meant rant, but that seemed to work best because what comes to mind is what's important to you...and in saying that... it's pretty sweet to read stuff like the following when i feel like i'm just a tiny speck in the midst of everything in life, and even though I still am, it's alright somehow, because
our God is a "God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." -Romans 4:17b
peace out and God bless,
-thomas
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| random post |
[29 Jan 2005|09:59am] |
hey, how is everyone? good. i figured i'd make a random post about how swell the second semester is going. classes are looking upward, i'm working with a junior high youth group, and enjoying living here at koin more than ever. if you're reading this and haven't talked to me in a long time go ahead and shoot me an email if you'd like...and if you're around mahomet give my cell a call because we're haveing a b-day get together at my house at 7 pm this saturday evening...two days before my birthday on the 31st....hoorah i'll officially be able to go into the bars...oh wait you mean that's not the drinking age? anyways...just because i'm making this random post doesn't mean i have any intentions of posting regularly...especially if my schedule gets much busier...but no worries, i'll be around
oh and by the way.....GO ILLINI GO ILLINI GO! NUMBER ONE BABY! THE CHAMP IS HERE!
peace out
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[30 Sep 2004|12:11am] |
Why is this necessary at my University...and why is it that no one will even bother themselves enough to comply?
The email I recieved:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Safety is an important issue for the University community. Each member of the
campus community--students, faculty, and staff--should take an active role in
preventing and reporting incidents that jeopardize safety on and around campus.
Please review this information carefully.
In compliance with federal law, the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign provides its Campus Safety Report and Alcohol and Other
Drugs policy and resource guide to help you manage your health and safety. The
Campus Safety Report includes an overview of the University's security resources,
policies, and procedures, as well as crime statistics. The Alcohol and Other Drugs
policy and resource guide defines prohibited behavior and outlines consequences
for violations. Also described are educational and counseling resources. These
documents may be found at <http://www.uiuc.edu/safety>.
I hope that you will read these documents carefully and use the information to help
foster a safer environment for you and for others within our community. A hard copy
of these documents may be obtained by contacting the Office of Publications &
Marketing, 807 S. Wright St., Suite 520, Champaign, IL 61820, (217) 333-9200.
This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
yay for my campus...at least the college of engineers aren't the partying individuals....
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| info + plug |
[08 Sep 2004|11:35am] |
yay for college, I finally am starting to understand my calc class...but I enjoy all my other classes, great profs and TAs for the most part. marching in my first game with the MI was awesome...as was our victory over famu (52-13!!!....bowl trip anyone?)...the band held their own against famu's famous marching 100, (remember them from the movie drumline? =P)
insert plug:
come to kairos!!!!4 live bands including slingshot 57 will be playing behind koin (by the corner 4th and Daniel) in our parking lot this friday the 10th starting at 8pm...kairos concert admission is $3...tell all your friends!!!!!
friday night fun for anyone in the Champbana area!!!!!!
more entertaining than doing homework, better than getting wasted!!!!!
end plug
hoorah for life
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| MI |
[04 Sep 2004|09:31am] |
last night I got to rehearse with the other "best band in the land"...the florida a&m university band...they rock...a lot. they're a totally different style though, where we are musical they are LOUD and we do drill and patterns when we march wheras they just dance like crazy. However, it's a lot of fun being on the same field as another great band, and I'm psyched about my first game day, I get to play for Illini Walk, Street Fest, Parade, Pregame, Halftime/3 in 1, Joint Halftime piece, Post game song, post game concert.....my chops are gonna be so shot but it's gonna be a lot of fun and a lot of adrenaline....peace out all
if you're still reading this you are a band nerd like me :)
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| first day |
[19 Aug 2004|07:45am] |
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well, i just spent my first night at koin, all the guys here are awesome...i had a good time yesterday at MI, the band sounds amazing just warming up! the memorization tests went alright i suppose, and all the folks in my section are pretty cool. well I'm going to have a busy next few days w/ MI camp, so I'm off...my new address is Koinonia house close to the corner of 4th and Daniel right next to stratford house which is right next to university baptist church (the church is right on the corner) peace out
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| first post in a month |
[16 Aug 2004|11:14pm] |
wow, life is insane...i feel like i'm floating through a dream as i'm in this stage of transition in life...could it be the last time i see this certain person?...how about that one?...will this person be engaged/married/have kids the next time i talk to them?
so many wierd feelings all crammed into a small matter of days...as I prepare to move in on the scene that will be my place of growth for at least 4 years. well, I'm overwhelmed by all of this...so I'm going to practice MI...maybe it will just click finally...and then a nice qt before bed....i need a really nice qt right now to straighten myself out...wow, crazy times
current music - MI music / worship music / throbbing in my head
current mood - no words or emoticons could express how I feel
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| computer down time |
[24 Jul 2004|06:29pm] |
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I am slowly weaning myself off of the amount of time I spend on the computer because I feel it has not been entirely healthy...I plan to pick up the trombone/guitar/read books/be outside more often and I don't want to be a computer recluse at college...so yeah...i uninstalled a lot of games and programs from my computer...i quit organized dod (finally many of you will say)...and uninstalled gunbound and many other little games like that...i'm not disappearing entirely because i still do productive stuff on the computer...but i just wanted to let you know that if all goes well I won't always be there every time i have an away message up as i have in the past
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| Where's my money CollegePro!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? |
[23 Jul 2004|07:06pm] |
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Well my first day of work was Wednesday June 30th....and I still have recieved no check...SUPPOSEDLY i will recieve my check next friday...which will be for 173 hours assuming i work another 40 hours next week as has been the usual...that would total to $1,211 in one paycheck (minus taxes) ..lol...that's more money than is in my entire savings account that i have had for years!
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| oops |
[18 Jul 2004|03:35pm] |
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well canoeing yesterday was a lot of fun and whatnot...boy scouts rock the house and all. it appears to be that in my haste of getting everything ready for canoeing i forgot to put up an away message...so about fifty bojillion tried to talk to me...if you are one of them then sorry that i was afk!
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| Coworkers |
[15 Jul 2004|10:17pm] |
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music |
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Newsboys - The Fad of the Land |
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My coworkers are so incredible...I got a call from one of my job site managers today who had his car towed...so i go over to his apartment to give him a ride to the tow place and he's in the middle of smoking a bong...lol you learn something new everyday...i didn't know how to operate the little plug thing where you put the pot until today...aparently you inhale and then pull out the smoking pipe looking thing from the bottom...
then, i found out that my other job site manager wouldn't be coming in because he was at a class he had to go to for his DUI...yeah....he got caught driving with a .19....more than twice the legal limit of .08...so yeah...the guys are great, seriously i enjoy talking with them and they're really nice...if they cleaned up their act a little bit i would hang out with them more...
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[09 Jul 2004|08:20pm] |
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mood |
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who knows |
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music |
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U2 - Summer Rain |
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so i get home from work...happy that i got off an hour early...and there's this incessant beeping noise when i get into the house...i walk into the back room and it's the carbon monoxide detector....at first i think to myself....how do i turn it off...then i think "wait...i've been gone all day...what if i left something on or a line somewhere burst and there's really something wrong...." so i open a bunch of windows and turn on some fans...then i read the thing that's still beeping to see if it beeps when the battery needs replaced or something like that...no such luck...then i try to pry the thing open out of frustration, it makes a dying noise and stops...then i'm like "oh shoot, i broke it".....so i tried to call my mom's cell in Kentucky and ask if she can think of anything in the house to check but then i don't get ahold of her...which is prbly for the best because she would be freaking out. then i check the phone book for cornbelt fire department..cause i had heard from someone once that they have a carbon monoxide sensor thingy.....i call their NON EMERGENCY NUMBER and talk to a guy all casual like and ask him if he thinks maybe the ozone gas from lightning from the storm set it off or if the battery was dying...and he's like "well we'll send someone out to check it.....
5 minutes later i find out that "someone" equates to a giant red fire truck with a team of 6 men all suited up in gear pulling up in front of my house and jumping out....two of them going in w/ helmets on and sensor sensing...then one of them takes my name and information while another asks questions...they pry apart the thing....the guys with the sensor say they got a zero reading for the whole house...and i feel like a moron for calling them over what looks like probably a dying battery pack....but that's why i called the NON EMERGENCY NUMBER...so i wouldn't get a task force operation...oh well....i'm safe and can sleep at night without worrying about dying...
so today was my last day of work...i can go in tomorrow if i really feel like it for a few hours but i prbly won't...it was funny, i was leaving work and a woman that looked a lot like ms z was driving by in a van and i just stared at her in disbelief until i finally realised that it can't be her....she looks at me all funny trying to figure out why i'm staring at her...lol...i miss ms z *tear of nostalgia* as i listen to U2
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| Today at work |
[07 Jul 2004|10:36pm] |
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mood |
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 grateful |
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music |
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Silence |
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Hehe, God has been teaching me some amazing lessons through my job. Today, while i was painting the side of one of the condos...an older man came out with a little wire thing and set it up into a cage about 10 feet from where i was working, he then quoted "They say insanity is hereditary....*insert awkward silence/pause*...that's because your kids give it to ya!" ... he then brought out a gerbil and explained how he had inherited it from his daughter who randomly became allergic to it....now me being my shallow self had unknowingly prejudged this man....he brought out a lawn chair and sat down to talk with me as i painted...he asked if i was going to school here...i said yes at u of i...he said "studying what" i told him general engineering....and his eyes lit up...now the last dozen people i had told this to at the job had been impressed at my being "smart" or something like that....i was expecting the same from this (how foolishly prideful i realize i am more and more each day"....his eyes lit up however because he is a civil engineer...who graduated from the u of i a long time ago...he was also in the navy and army...he worked in the space program for a while....he knows english, german, and italian i know for sure...maybe even others....he's taken 54 semesters of collegiate level math of all sorts of types and also has a degree in accounting...he corrected my grammar at one point in the conversation...taught me a way to remember how to not say what i said wrong...using algebra since he knew i was math mind oriented...and it worked...he then proceed to explain the fundamental elements and tenses of the english language and others...successfully explaining everything from the 8 types of pronouns to the subjunctive tense...he laughed at the gerbil eating grass and told me stories about large rodents in Ghana Africa that people hunt there because they eat grass...and how kids stand on the roads and sell them since they're always in season since grass is scarce...the then proceeded to explain the latin root of the word rodent...and how it means "to gnaw"...to put it plain and simple....this elderly man taught me in one hour what some people...including myself...have had a hard time learning in a life time....he mentioned something about how a certain type of greek verb was only used 76 times in the new testament during his grammar lesson that he gave me...and explained how this sort of "intermediary tense" stopped then...and now we only have verbs where you commit or recieve the action...versus this old tense that meant more of to participate in the doing...or assist.....
I believe that this discussion was God planned to make me realize that I have no reason to be prideful...that there are so few things I know now...and so many things to learn and experience...it gave me a new respect for people, and has taught me (for now at least) to not judge people and to allow myself to get to know them and appreciate the amazing person God has created them to be...smart or not, young or old, and i could go on forever...but thank you for making it this far if you are reading this...goodnight
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| hooray i have a job |
[29 Jun 2004|12:45pm] |
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mood |
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 bouncy-because it was there |
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music |
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Audio Adrenaline - Pierced |
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yay! i have a job with college pro...which is perfect because:
1.) it's outside (painting homes/condos/etc)
2.) it's only for the summer since it's college students who do it
3.) i don't have to work when it's raining, and if it doesn't rain i only work mon-thurs...i have fridays and weekends off weather permitting
4.) the guy who hired me is really cool
5.) i get paid at least $7 an hour...more in some cases depending upon the job
6.) did i mention that it was outside?
oh yeah, and i work from 9 am to 7:30 pm mon-thurs if weather is allowing...so it's pretty much evenings and weekends that i'm available now my friends...and i may not be staying up quite as late...but it's alright...peace out for now...i'm off to town to get some steel toed boots...silly OSHA requirements...
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| funness |
[28 Jun 2004|12:45am] |
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mood |
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 contemplative |
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music |
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Revised Entrance #3 - Marching Illini Trombone 3 part (in my head) |
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so yeah, i've been having a fun summer...tons of different things going on with different groups of people, lots of good times and memories after my senior year...but i keep dreading the approaching months where i won't be around the same group of people...it's not that i'm not excited about going off to college, but just that my group of friends that i have right now are so awesome that i'm regretful to leave that part of my life...but anyways... i know that that is what it must come to, so i'm trying to get excited for this new college phase of my life...at illinois, with koin, the marching illini, cru perhaps, most likely a new church, and new group of both friends and acquaintances...i'm excited to keep in touch with a lot of the gang that will be at the u of i...but am worried i won't have time...time is always the issue...there needs to be some neverending summer with no worries, and lots of friends and fun...on wait that's what heaven is...but anyways, it's all good, i met the trombone section of the marching illini yesterday (or half of it) i must say they were an interesting group...some of them are really awesome...a couple of others are a little too much into the booze cruizen...but it's alright....they're nice even when they're smashed...one guy had 152 ounces of alcohol of a few different varieties...malted liquor and beer most of it though...and he was just like wandering around the apartment being goofy...but whatever...that's college i suppose...and the aspect of it, which will be very different from koin...is going to be just one more thing for me to experience! i'm a nostalgic guy of course...but i'm also excited about the cool new people i will have a chance to meet, especially after a good experience at summer cru, trombone sectional-Bone Cold Crazy, and other random things where i've met new people
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| summer cru |
[22 Jun 2004|11:29pm] |
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mood |
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 rejuvenated |
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music |
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Third Day - You Are So Good to Me |
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so, it was totally a God thing that mad men didn't meet at 7 because i had the chance to call scott carson up and go into koin with him for summer cru (campus crusade). this was undoubtably the best thing i have done this summer (or at least seems like it as fulfilled as i am right now) the message presented was incredible...it was a character study on mary magdelene....it was awesome. anyways, after that and a few worship songs many of the people there (prbly 25 out of 40 or something) went to these girls' apartments and we hung out and just talked...the incredible bond that can almost instantaneously exist between brothers and sisters in Christ is just amazing, and i had some really fulfilling conversations and just had a great time getting to know some people who I will be seeing next year at college...many of the guys and girls I met were graduate students there over the summer, but they didn't care that i was an incoming freshman...i was just another brother in their eyes and we were quick to talk about things that we were familiar with or had in common...i had actually met one of the guys at Taylor two years ago when i visited there...his senior year...now he's a grad student here...imagine that!!! what an experience i was blessed with tonight
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| no best buy for now |
[18 Jun 2004|03:48pm] |
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mood |
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 complacent |
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music |
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Switchfoot - On Fire |
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the guy who interviewed me was really cool and it seemed like he wanted to hire me, but once i showed him my school schedule for fall semester with marching illini and everything i wasn't available for enough "shifts" and they hire from the summer into the fall...so no summer best buy job. however, the guy was really nice and it seemed like he wanted me to work there so he said to try again in november for seasonal...who knows i might even be able to continue to work through the spring with mi almost over by then and all..
well for now it's laying sod (which i'm extremely appreciative of)...and searching for another job i suppose
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| best buy? |
[18 Jun 2004|12:35am] |
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mood |
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excited |
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music |
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Fanmail - Hero |
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I'm kinda nervous about my interview tomorrow/today at best buy...i really want the job, but i'm nervous that i won't be able to work enough hours come the school year...well we'll just see what God has in store i suppose! So now i'm really less nervous and kind of excited to see what happens!
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| so many things |
[13 Jun 2004|05:43pm] |
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mood |
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 groggy |
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music |
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Audio Adrenaline - Underdog |
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ok, haven't updated in a while, so here's what's up...a brief recap of my last week
i am an official student at the university of illinois now...registered the 8th and 9th and have 14 hours of classes for next semester (including marching illini which will be fun i hope)
my advisor (Manssour Moeinzadeh) is a really nice guy, he's the head engineering advisor, he's a GE professor and head GE advisor of course as well, and with all that he still took the time to correspond w/ me via email and meet with me individually before i registered right before he had to go run and make a presentation for the engineering students registering in the next day's program...i'm really looking forward to college and using facilities such as the impe building this summer
ok, then i took one day off to chill some (that was thrusday)
then i went out to camp drake on friday to a venture program...there were 4 venture crews from the area out there (for those of you who don't know, venturing is an arm of the Boy Scouts of America except it is a co-ed program for ages 16-21 so they do high adventure/more fun stuff) my dad, a couple of guys from my crew and i ran the firearms range on saturday and i had fun ventilating (more like desintegrating) some pop bottles filled with water with a 44 Magnum (the most powerful handgun in the world acording to dirty harry)...i'm definately thinking that we need to get some more females in our venture crew, because a crew from champaign (composed of 3 really cool girls) was a lot of fun to hang out with and do stuff with over the weekend...adding a cool style to the whole camping experience...i don't know how active i'll remain in venturing once i head off to college, but it's been a blast
btw i just got back and i meant to go to kelly's softball game today at 2 but i went to church when i got home at 10:30...then fell asleep at 1ish and just got up around 5 a while ago...so yeah...i have a pudding pack reserved for you miss chipmunk!
anyways, i'm still kinda drowsy from my extended nap, and have a few things to do...so if you made it this far through my ramblings...congrats!...leave a message about doing something and i'll get back to you!
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