My favorites: Rap

In no particular order...

-Ludacris & Mary J. Blige: Runaway Love
-Mary J. Blige: Be Without You
-Nelly Furtado: Say it Right
-Akon: Don't Matter

My favorites: Country

In no particular order...

*New!*

-Collin Raye: I Can Still Feel You
-Big & Rich: Lost in the Moment
-Martina McBride: How I Feel
-Sarah Buxton: That Kinda Day
-Collin Raye: Little Rock
-David Ball: Private Malone
-Emerson Drive: What If?
-Lonestar: Not a Day Goes By
-Rascal Flatts: Stand
-Brooks & Dunn: Hillbilly Deluxe
-Josh Gracin: I Wanna Live
-Rascal Flatts: While You Loved Me
-Tim McGraw: My Old Friend
-Dierks Bentley: Long Trip Alone
- Josh Gracin: Stay with Me
-Emerson Drive: Still Got Yesterday
-Lonestar: Mountains
-Tim McGraw: Stars Go Blue
-Rascal Flatts: Not Just Me
-Emerson Drive: Moments
-Phil Vassar: Good ol' Days
-Pat Green: Dixie Lullaby
-Emerson Drive: Take it from Me
-Darryl Worley: Just Got Back from a War
-Eric Church: Guys Like Me
-Jack Ingraham: Wherever You Are
-Jason Aldean: Hicktown
-Emerson Drive: Fall Into Me
-Mongomery Gentry: Lucky Man
-Steve Holy: Come On, Rain
-Collin Raye: One Boy, One Girl
-Montgomery Gentry: If You Ever Stop Loving Me

becoming a teen & my life

As I was wandering through the house this evening, I was searching for a way to escape some of the noise and confusion around me. It occurred to me that maybe I should read a book! But only an all-new, never-before-read book would do for me tonight. At that point, I decided that I might write my own little “book” of sorts…detailing a little about my life and some of the things I’ve learned over the past decade-and-a-half…besides the basics like reading, walking and talking. I should divide it into three parts: Ages one through five, five through 10, and 10 through my current age.

My earliest years were some of my most enjoyable. I was learning, growing and making mistakes at an amazing rate. Even at such a young age, I quickly learned that disobedience was met with spankings, stubbornness was met with equal and opposite resistance, and that tricycles are (or can be) dangerous vehicles…but thankfully, that was the only lesson that required a trip to the emergency room, which is another story. I played in the mud, befriended neighborhood kids, developed a penchant for mischief of all sorts, and exposed my skin to so much sun that the freckles on my cheeks are still visible to this day. I also learned that sometimes Dad coming home from work spelled trouble for me and my devious schemes. Those days, while not idyllic, were probably as close to ideal as I’ll ever see. They were good days.

When I turned five, I discovered the joys of reading, and the reward of hard work. Actually, at that age, I was certain that all work was worthless (a belief I have since abandoned). Anyway, at this age, I still enjoyed playing outside. Our next-door neighbor kids were our friends, and they influenced our early years fairly significantly. We created many good memories in our backyard. Unfortunately, at this stage I also learned just how fast a rumor can spread—and how it can hurt. I also learned the amazing power of words, and began to learn how carefully one must choose said words (no pun intended). To say that I learned either concept fully would be a lie.

When I was eleven, life became much more interesting. All the things I learned! It was around this time that my dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, which can be (and was, in his situation) a life-threatening condition. He was led by God to a doctor in California who specialized in treating his specific cancer without chemotherapy, so he and mom went west for his treatment. We stayed with a family of ours during the full month of my dad’s hospitalization. To my distaste, I must admit that I was at this point a very selfish little wart, thinking only of myself and focusing on how things ought to please me more fully. I learned a lot about people during that time, though—lessons I have carried with me for the rest of my life thus far…lessons that weren’t always fun, but that were important and necessary. I met some amazing friends—some of the best I have—while we were staying with our friends. I learned what a crush is, much to my chagrin and embarrassment. I also learned to love music—all sorts of music! In retrospect, though, I wish I had been more cautious with my standards for music, but some things can’t be undone. I think if you ask my parents, they might tell you that music wrecked me. But all they have is circumstantial evidence (I’m tellin’ ya, man!). I honestly don’t believe that they’re using post hoc ergo propter hoc, that is, Latin for the logical fallacy “after this, therefore because of this.” Becoming a teen is enough to turn anybody into someone new…or different, at least.

My cat Davi


















Don't forget what's important!!! Read the tiny print on the bottom of this sign.

I'm working on a list of my best songs ever . (Not that I've written........I don't e-publish those!)

It isn't complete.

I don't even have a number one.

I have stuff from country, rock, techno, pop, and Christian.

I have not the faintest idea how to organize it!

But I'll be working on it.

MORE SNOW!!!!

This makes four feet total we've gotten this year (roughly)! And we're out in the plains. Woohoo! Winter Park, here I come! This has got to be a great skiing & snowboarding year. I wish we could go so much. I don't like the cold, but if the cold comes with something neat like skiing, it's well worth it.

On other fronts, we've got two speech and debate tournaments coming up really soon. I'm so excited! My duo is going to be a blast. I'm not really looking forward to impromptu, but I'll bet I can pull it off. As for debate, we're set! Sometimes at club, I find myself really not wanting to debate. But then when we're in the round, I ask myself, "What were you thinking?? This is great!" Debate is awesome.

Public speaking is awesome too. I just don't like all the funny looks we get when we say that a) we're homeschooled and b) we're competing in speech and debate. People look at us sideways...kind of like, "Ahhh...they really need socialization, don't they?" Argh! What is their problem??? We're not socially inept morons with negative IQs! We're talking to them, aren't we? Of course, that may be not be a sign of intelligence....

But I digress. I'm glad to be updating. I'll close on this note:

Carry me
I'm just a dead man
Lying on the carpet
Can't find a heart beat
Make me breathe
I want to be a new man
Tired of the old one
Out with the old plan
-Jars of Clay, Dead Man (Carry Me)

Wow! That's small.



This is what my cat tends to do when he relaxes.

Due explanation!

My mom wonders why I sometimes draw pictures of guys. When she asked, I really didn't have a good response, because I hadn't really thought about it. But I have now, and this is the conclusion I've reached.

It’s very difficult to draw the human features, as many of my past pictures will testify to. I choose to draw guys not because I’m obsessed with them, but rather because when you draw guys, you get much more “up-front” features with more distinction and clarity. Girls have softer features and their expressions are more difficult to capture. I believe that in order to become a capable artist, you must be able to draw both masculine and feminine traits. I'm starting with guys because, simply put, they're easier. Not a lot easier, mind you-it's always a challenge to complete someone's features and expressions with success. But if there's an easier way to do something, I'm going to try it before I move on to the more challenging side.

Not obsession, but polishing.

This strange format is just an experiment! This whole template is WIP. Please be patient. :)

Support the country you live in or live in the country you support.

Everybody’s looking for something-something to fill in the hole. We think a lot but don’t talk much about it, till things get out of control.

While perhaps not the best source of quotations, classic rock group Van Halen deftly addressed the issue of fulfillment in this song. People throughout the years have attempted to fulfill themselves with other people, things or pastimes. Today, a new group is gaining the stage in regards to this question. They are the New Atheists-though admittedly, their ideas are now new-and the world watches in anticipation to see if they will finally be able to answer the ultimate question, “What do I want?”

Before we study these atheists with unbridled interest, let’s take a look behind the scenes. There, without all the glamour, is another answer, and it differs dramatically from the vagueness of atheism. Composed of clear-cut rules, the religion we call Christianity is governed by underlying virtues and principles. Some consider it to be narrow-minded, as if one single Person could truly fulfill this great, cavernous hole inside each of us.

So atheism attempts to fill its followers with reason, logic and order. In a recent article on atheism, leading atheist Daniel Dennett explains that in this future world without God humans will be universally involved in a “religion of reason”. In the same article, another atheistic author speaks highly of using poetry, introspection and meditation to take the place of the primitive religion we call Christianity. Truly, this is a great, peaceful world that artists like John Lennon have always envisioned. It is an ambitious world, but according to atheists, it is attainable—but only once all traces of religion are abolished.

Certainly, today’s world is not as beautiful as it might be. People are insecure, lost, lonely, hurt and confused. Every day, people’s hearts are broken. A perfectly unbiased reader of these prominent atheists’ works might find their vision of universal peace and prosperity appealing. After all, what could be more alluring than this veritable utopia?

But the atheists, for all their magnificent plans, have neglected a rather significant issue—that of fulfillment. Nowhere within their sparkling claims do they state that humans will be fulfilled. Certainly, they strongly imply that people will be happy, but real happiness is difficult to obtain without true fulfillment. The problem today is not how we can be perfectly happy and comfortable in this life, but rather, how can our lives have true meaning and real fulfillment? Atheism doesn’t address the issue of fulfillment at all-either for the bright future, or for the bitter present. Nor do the proponents of atheism give any excuse for not being able to do so. But Christianity does offer answers. Deuteronomy 4:29 speaks of finding the one true God when we seek Him with all of our hearts. This God is attainable. We are loved completely by the Creator of the universe! That kind of love must be returned, at least to the best of our abilities. And as thousands of Christians from all over the world will attest, the pursuit of God-and only the pursuit of God-will fulfill without exception. These people have tried different things to fill themselves-human love, personal ambition, and various pastimes. But nothing has filled them so completely as the love of God and their desire to share that love.

Though I am being raised in a Christian family, I have measured the relative benefits of atheism against the benefits of Christianity. In doing so, I encountered many logical fallacies in the entire philosophy behind atheism. I hope that the unaddressed issue of fulfillment will be clear to every searching person who considers the “religion” of atheism.

So I would leave you with this question. If life is as atheists say and there is no higher power, why does the love of God consume, fill and enrich the lives of his followers? Atheism offers no answer to this query, and that is where atheism falls far short of answering life’s biggest questions.