What Makes Me Unique- -warren strickland

I know that al0t of people do not like to be pointed out as unique, they would rather be somebody else but I beg differ. I am different than most people and most of the stuff you would'nt normally think I'd do.I like to tie flys, I love to hunt and fish,to collect knives, draw, I like to catch animals, cast-net,climb,explore,look for rocks, and just go outdoors,maybe a few video games like other kids.

Falling Apples...?

"Millions say the apple fell, but Newton was the one to ask why." -- Bernard M. Baruch



The apple fell. That's quite a blatant statement. It's a proven fact. It can easily be taken at face vale for all it's worth. But so what? Everything can fall, anything can go towards the ground and stay there. But why does it do that? Why doesn't it float? The main point here istn' to discuss the ymechanics of how or even why the palle falls and lands on the ground; the question, in fact is what was the driving force behind the reason of Newton's asking of that question. What made him ask why instead of accepting it at face value like everyone else? The answer, in my opinion, is thus: he didn't take what was in front of him. He became curious, and wanted to learn more, like many of us should. We shouldn't take things at face value. We should ask more questions, so we can learn. How do we know if what we're being "fed" is the truth or not? If we don't find out things for ourselves, how will we ever know anything?

What are the characteristics of a hero? There are countless definitions of heroes in our world, but most people's ideas about the characteristics of a hero are fairly consistent. When envisioning the ideal hero, the average person might picture a selfless individual who shows bravery in the face of defeat and is willing to beat overwhelming odds. Most people think of movie stars or professional athletes as heroes but most of these people are not good role models.
Heroes are brave, determined, loyal, and are willing to risk their lives for another person. They go above and beyond what's expected of them, and beyond their duty in order to help those in need.
Courtney

25 Odd Ways to Use a Toothbrush

25 Different Ways to Use a Toothbrush

1. Scrub Base Boards
2. Clean Toenails
3. Clean Fingernails
4. Brush Your dogs teeth
5. Bleech Your teeth
6. Clean your rings
7.Clean a chalkboard
8. Brush your eyebrows
9. Polish Furniture
10. Clean tile
11. Clean dishes
12. Clean keyboard
13. Brush your teeth
14. Clean vents
15. Groom a beard
16. Clean your brush
17. Clean your can opener
18. Clean your plants and flowers
19. Paint a picture
20. Clean your computer screen
21. Pick boogers from your nose
22. Scratch your back
23. Brush your hair
24.Pick your boyfirend's nose :) haha
25. Clean earwax out of your ears (YUCK)

I Admire

I admire Mrs. Joyce Bush. She has patience with everyone. If you ever need a smile just go to the 11:00 Sunday morning service at First Baptist Church, and she will be there to give it to you. We are so lucky and blessed to have her and Dr. Bush leading our church family. They are two individuals who have made a huge impact on my family, church, and community. Mrs. Joyce's sweet, soft voice and gentle hugs give you a sense of relief. Her love for Christ shines everywhere she goes. You know for sure she gives God everything she has. Most days I mistake her for an angel. Everyone loves Mrs. Joyce and admires her. Each day I wish I could have at least a fourth of her grace and spirit. Mrs. Joyce makes church special for me , and only her presence being there can make a ginormous difference. I hope one day people will be as fond of me as they are of Mrs. Joyce.

My most embarrassing moment

One day, when I was in the 4th grade, our class went on a field trip. The place we went was like a place where you learn about different animals and trees and stuff like that. Well we had been there for a while and listened to a couple people talk and then we ate lunch. After lunch, we were going on like a scavenger hunt/hike in the woods, and the leaders told us that if we needed to use the bathroom, to go before because we weren't going back for a while. Well at the time I didn't have to use the bathroom. So we walked down to a trail where we each had partners and one of us was blindfolded and the other lead the person around the trail, to touch trees and plants. Once we got down there, I had to use the bathroom REALLY BAD and I kept on asking to go but they kept telling me to hold it until the end of the trail. I finally got to the end of the trail and they told me and my friend we could walk back up there really quick and go and come straight back down. Well at this point, I am running up to the main building because I cannot hold it anymore. Then right before I made it there, I peed all over myself. I was really, really embarrassed but luckily nobody saw it but my friend. So I went inside, my pants were completely soaked, and I called my mom to bring me new clothes to wear. Even though my friend was the only person who saw this, it still embarrassed the crap out of me.

-Shea-

A day as my favorite animal!

I love lizards, so I think a day as a lizard would be cool. They don't have to do anything. All day they run up and down the sides of building, on grass and under objects laying around. Some lizards have the ability to change colors when they are surrounded by other colors, such as brown and green. Lizards will never get fat because they only eat insects, so therefore won't ever have to worry about going to gym. They are always the same tone color so they don't have to spend $30 a month on tanning. The only thing I wouldn't like is running around on all fours. Instead of having just tired feet, you would also have sore hands as well. Another down side would be that you would have people like me trying to catch you all the time. Lizards, though, can lose their tail to get away and grow a new one back within a few days so that would be pretty cool.

~Hunter Martin

Paige's Sad Death

I do not want a funeral. I want a party! I feel like life is so short not to celebrate, so why shouldn't you celebrate your walk out the door as well? To start I want to be cremated, open casket is sad and quite awkward. Also rather than take up space in the ground and pollute the earth I would like to give back to it by being nutritious ash. Also I have hated every funeral I've been to, not because it's sad, but because there is nothing to talk about without sparking tears. At my funeral I would like to be remembered and my life celebrated. I want people to giggle at my memory, in a nice way of course. So in conclusion I want to be burned so noone has to look at my cold, pale face and so I can help some beautiful flowers grow. I want people to have a good time and laugh and say, "I remember this one time when Paige did a split in the lunchroom after slipping on bread, HA-HA-HA!" I want bright colors, loud music, drinks and food. I want everyone to celebrate my death like my birthday. Then, once it's over I want my ashes spread in a forest so I can enjoy the world the rest of my afterlife. That's how I want to go, in one big party!

Warren's pick of home

This is one of the places I would live in Australia. One of the reason's I find Australia so fascinating is it's wildlife. Did you know that about 90 percent of Australia's wildlife is found no where else. Another reason I would like to live there is the variety of climates and beautiful scenery. Most of Australia is a vast, uninhabited land. So little people in the country, Australia is a ancient land, where it still feels like your in the dinosaur ages. It's a interesting country to learn about, like it's history, it was founded on agriculture and exploration. I'm not saying I would live here, I'm just making a suggestion.

Conquering the Mountain

"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." -- Sir Edmund Hillary

Once again, I've found another true quote, and this one gave me something for my brain to chew on. If you think about it, when you go up against something extremely difficult, no matter how small or large the problem is, you're not really overcoming your own problem at all. You have the capability to do anything you set your mind to, but you have to overcome your own obstacles within yourself to jump over your "hurdle" (that is, your problem) and keep on going, never stopping or slowing down. And once we get though our problem or get over that mountain, we overcome our weaknesses, our second doubts, and our own self-inflicted hindrances that say, "I can't do it" or "this problem is too big for me to handle alone." After we get through those obstacles, nonetheless, we realize our true strengths, and even strengths that we didn't know we had. We climbed over that mountain and made it through, and it's all thanks to ourselves-- not our problem. The problem or "mountain", in my opinion, is merely a tool that helped us realize our own strengths and weaknesses. We're capable of anything-- we just have to work hard to get ourselves through it.

- - Samantha Torbert

List 25 uses for a toothbrush. Toothbrushes can be used for a lot of different things other than just cleaning you teeth. Some of these uses are: 1. Scrub shower corners, tile and the bottom of your shower sliding door. 2.Have a keyboard? Use the toothbrush to clean between the keys.
3. Clean out your lemon or garlic press with a toothbrush. 4. Brush your combs clean with an old toothbrush. 5.Clean your finger nails after gardening. 6. Clean and oil tools and car parts. 7. . In the kitchen use a toothbrush for hard to reach places where regular tile wipes and scrubs can’t get too. 8. If you’re an artist use your old toothbrush to paint or for other art projects you may have. 9. Clean vents, blinds and window screens with an old toothbrush. 10. To clean cheese graters 10. Clean out electric razors with an old toothbrush. 11. clean artificial flowers and plants or even your live plants like ivy’s. 12. To shine your jewelry 13. Spot clean laundry with an eco-friendly cleaner and then scrub with an old toothbrush. 14. To clean the small spaces in your car that can’t be cleaned well with a regular wipe. 16.Use old toothbrushes to stake up small, but heavy plants. 17. To scrub around the blades of your manual or electric can opener. 18. To clean your waffle iron. 19.Clean your kids fingernails and toe nails. 20.Clean dog poop off your shoe.
21.Make a toothbrush bracelet. 22. to comb your eyebrows straight. 23. clean between the threads of the jar and its top. 24. recycle it 25. brush your toilet
Courtney

Philosophy on Life

I believe that life is what you make it. Many people say that life sucks but in most cases, its probably their own fault. I feel bad for kids who think their lives suck because their parents shelter them way to much or they have far bigger problems like child abuse or even sexual abuse by parents or step-parents. But for other kids who don't fit in because they don't make the effort or are disliked becaue of their attitudes towards life and other people, its their own fault that they are not liked. In order to be friendly and have friends, you have to treat others the way you would want to be treated. You may make it through high school being the popular jerk or the bully, but what about when you graduate? You will be nothing in life and it will be a struggle to get through it being someone who is disliked and you could go on living a miserable life.

~Hunter Martin

Funeral

When I die I want to have a worship like service instead of a funeral. I want it to be a celebration, instead on a sad depressing time. I always talk a lot and have a very cheerful personality, so I want others to share that with everyone who has been in my life. At my funeral I want their to be big, bright, colorful flowers everywhere, and praise music to be playing throughout the whole service. Everyone will die one day, so celebrating their life is the most important thing to do. My funeral should be held at First Baptist church and so should my visitation, just like my father's was. I do not want everyone to wear black, instead wear bright spring colors, because those are what make me happy. Hopefully my funeral will be someday far from now, but when I do have it, I want it to be very special.

Gangster Alien

"It's show and tell day today, mom," I mentioned to my mom," What in the world am I going to take?"
"I think you should go out back and get that obnoxious alien I found this morning when I let the dogs out." my mother said.
"A what?" I replied excitedly.
I went out back and there it was, a real live alien in my yard. I pick up the little thing and off to school I went, carrying this slimy thing in between my fragile arms. Words could not even begin to describe this alien I collected from home. It was about one foot tall and was wearing a Lakers basketball jersey and gangster jeans with "homie" written all over it. At first glance, i realized he was wearing a chrome spinner belt and chrome chains hung low from his neck. He spoke to me in a slang voice and his hands were decked out with diamond rings. I thought to myself, "Is this normal? No, this can't be. This is not real at all." Not many people wake up one morning to find a gangster alien in their backyard. I asked this alien what his name was and he said that his name was Bob. "I am from the hood in Jupiter dawg, and I landed in your messy back yard. You should really consider picking up your dog poo, it's all crumbled in my Afro." Bob said.

Give Learning a Chance

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." --Michelangelo Buonarroti

To me, this should be introduced to high school students. This quote is saying that our greatest fear isn't trying to reach the stars and to go for an extraordinary job; it's people aiming for too low of jobs, and only aiming for the tree branches. They aren't wiling to give school and/or life any kind of effort. Most kids want the easy way out, and do as little as possible to achieve that goal. They just skim by on the bare minimum. If kids would realize how important a good college/high school education is for their future, then I'm sure that we would have a lot less high school dropouts, and ten times more students wanting to succeed at a good-paying job of their choice. Sure the stars may seem out of your reach, and you think that you will never get to where you want to be because you think you're not smart enough... but in actuality, if you work hard enough and have a true desire for something, then you will stop at nothing to achieve your goals in life. No obstacle, no hindrance, no small little thing will delay you. You will want to learn all you can, and mediocrity is not an option for you. Aim for what's high above you, and the ground will never seem the same to you again.

-- Samantha Torbert

What Do I Want to Be When I Grow Up

I always wanted to a Zoologist, artist, professional hunter and fisherman. Since I was little, I was always fascinated by animals, just how cool they were, and how important they are to humanity. My love for animals has shaped me for who I am. A Zoologist, which are scientist who study animals, has always what wanted to be. I love going out in the woods catching frogs, and when I was eight years old, I caught lizards at my grandparents house. Ever since I watched the Crocodile Hunter, I have been fascinated by animals. I can draw animals pretty good and I have always enjoyed hunting and fishing since I was two years old, it runs in my blood.

~My Life~

As I look back on the years and remembering all the memories that have been made, I do have to say, I wouldn't change it any other way! I remember when I first started kindergarten and now look, I am a senior in high school. From getting potty trained to earning my licence, it has been a joyful ride. My life can definitely be describe as the Batman rollercoster at Six Flags. It has had its ups and downs but in the end the ride was worth while! I am now a prospering woman, legal adult, and about to take on the biggest opportunity of all, being on my own. I want to introduce to you my life and the woman I have become today!

October 25, 1991 was a day of remembrance for my whole family. Every birthday mamma would always remind me of that day. "I remember like it was yesterday, your sister and I was snuggled softly in the hospital bed with you while your daddy distributed pictures left and right", she said. My whole family overflowed the room and honestly, I do think I got nauseated from being passed from one pair of arms to another. My sister, of course, was my caretaker. She was four and as you all know most four year olds always want to take on the position as being mom. I think she thought I was a baby doll!

Eighteen years have flown by! If it wasn't for my past, then I would not be the woman I am today. I have gone through many tough times but yet my family has always been there when I needed a shoulder to cry on. Now as I am finishing up my senior year I want to thank the ones who have been there for me throughout my life. My mama and daddy have been my main survivors and have helped me grow up. My sisters and brother have done everything to keep me on the right track. These are the people who have helped me make treasured relationships and unforgettable moments!


*Anna Eubanks*

My Ideal Job

When I look into my life in years to come I want to have a purpose. I want to be remembered for going out of my way to help others. Most people's ideal job would be an all-star athlete, an actress, or a singer. But my ideal job is to be a nurse. Nurses are always ready to lend a hand and help others in any way possible they can. Whether it's a cold, skinned knee, or a terrible car accident nurses are always on stand by ready to do whatever task or life saving skill is needed. Ever since I was asked in kindergarten the common question;What do you want to be when you grow up? My response has always been a nurse. I'm so fortunate to live on this earth and be a healthy human being. I've prayed so hard about it and I feel like it is my calling and duty to do whatever it takes to help the less fortunate in this world. I can't even imagine the feeling I would have to help save some one's life. One day I hope to find out how wonderful it is to be a nurse.

Shelby Williams

What would you do with a million dollars? List 5 things you would buy. If I had a million dollars an had to buy five things I would buy a mansion or a nice house , a new car, a big flat screen tv, a private jet, and a swimming pool. I would put most of the money in the bank for safe keeping and use the rest to help my parents. A million dollars wouldn't be enough to change my life so I would like to invest most of it to make more money. Sadly, these days, a million dollars isn't really that much, so it wouldn't go as far as I'd like.

Courtney

"History of Hairstyles"

When I was little, my hair was naturally curly, but when I turned about 8, my hair lost most of its naturally bouncy curl and just turned into waves. Then, when I got a perm, which was a bad idea, it look bad, so I just waited and waited for it to fade out. Once the ugly wringlets faded out, my natural curls began to appear again. In the 8th grade, I started highlighting my hair blonde. I kept it this way until the summer before 10th grade when I decided to go back to my naturally dark color. It was the night before the first day of school and my hair grabbed the dark highlights too fast, making my hair black. Then, when we turned it back brown, we used a brown copper tone, another bad idea, and it brought out the natural red tint in my hair. This took FOREVER to get rid of but finally we did over a series of weeks. I started dating my boyfriend in the middle of my 10th grade year. This is when I decided to go back blonde because my boyfriend saw pictures of my hair when it was blonde and he liked it. So I went back blonde the day after I got my braces off, and I haven't changed color ever since.

Hunter Martin

Things about parents that drive you crazy!

Have you ever heard that song by Will Smith, "Parents Just Don't Understand"? Well sometimes, they really don't. I mean I love my mom to death, but she thinks she knows everything that I'm going through and she really just does not have a clue. Sometimes I just want to be left alone but, of course, my mom has to ask a million questions: What's wrong? What happened? Where were you? Who were you with? I just want to scream when she does that! Every time something is wrong, she acts like she knows what happened and I'm just like "um...NO, mom you have no idea." Seriously, she was born at a different day and time period things aren't like they used to be. Don't get me wrong, my mom does help me alot and she might know what I'm going through, but I know she isn't going to understand what I'm talking about. And if I don't tell her what's "going on in my life," she gets all emotional and starts crying, saying "well I'm sorry that I love you and want to help you." Then I feel bad and I just get more aggravated and upset. Then there is the times where she gets mad at me about something and yells at me one minute then the next minute she is completely nice and acts like nothing happened. I mean really either your mad or not mad, make up your mind! Sometimes she really just drives me crazy!

-Shea-

My Hometown

I've never really thought much about having a "hometown." I was born in Vicenza, Italy, but only lived in this beautiful place until I was 10 months old. My family and I then moved to Columbus, Georgia. I don't remember much about living here other than a few memories of daycare and Dippin-Dots at the mall. I also fondly remember the layout of our tiny home. Other than that the rest is foggy. At four we jumped a few states over to Louisiana. Again these memories are quite unclear, save St. Patrick's Day in Pre-School and seeing my aunt and cousins for the first time! Three short years later we moved north to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Oh the stories I could tell of this place! I will always have a visual picture of Main Street in my mind and the snow up to your knees. Up until sixth grade I lived and learned here. I have so many great memories and friends back there. Only five years ago did my family and I move here to Hurtsboro, Alabama, yet it still seems like yesterday that I lived in the Keystone State. Now I am back in the south once more, equaling my time north and south. So there-in-lies the question, where is my hometown? Is it south? The place I live now and will finish my memorable high school days? North? The area so many fond memories remain? Or how about Italy? My birthplace not remembered or seen but still loved? Well, as for me, I would say no where. I love to travel and I wish to see the world one day. I don't want to be from just one place, I wish to be of the world! My hometown is north, south, east, west and every place in between!

My Heroes

In a recent interview I was asked who my childhood hero was. I sat silent staring into the interviewers blank eyes. I racked my brain for the person that was "My hero." My parents? No, sure they were smart, sure they were inspiring, sure they were the people who raised me; but they were not my heroes. Gandhi was next to enter my mind. One of the greatest men of all time in my opinion. He lead people to independence, taught people lessons of patience and showed people change. Despite how inspiring he is to me though, he was not the hero I was searching for. A few more people popped up; family, friends, leaders and even some comic book heroes; but to no avail could I find that "One." Finally, after what seemed like a long pause, it hit me! Everyone I had thought of had something in common. These people had inspired me and taught me and made me want to be a better person! I quickly blurted out "Everyone!" then with a calm smile I explained my theory. There was no certain someone who had totally inspired me. I had pulled a quality, that I now had as a part of myself, from each and every single person I had met. I had many heroes, who over the many years had made me well, me. I lost the interview but I was very happy. Now, thinking back, I see that everyone is a hero to everyone else. We all learn different things from one another; whether they be to better ourselves or just know what we don't wish to be like, we learn from each other. I am a hero and so are you! This I believe.

*Live Your Life to the Fullest*

I live by one philosophy and it is to live life to the fullest. Life is like a rainbow, you need both the sun and the rain to make the colors appear. Three principles to living your life!


Principle 1: Live life to the fullest because the things you don't do, you will more than likely regret it! Last year at EDAY in Auburn, my group got to go to the aircraft room. We were given the opportunity to put our head in the nighty-two mph air dome. At first, I had to think, "This is a once in a lifetime thing and I will probably never get to do it again." I took the chance and it was awesome. I still tell everyone about it today!




Principle 2: Live life to the fullest because the best things in life are memories. My high school years are probably the best! "You better enjoy your high school years because it only comes once!" I have heard this line more than I have blinked. The memoires I have made throughout high school will follow me forever. It's not just the good ones or the bad ones, its all the memories. As my class come to the end of my high school year I will look back in the yearbook and remember that these are the days of my life!




Principle 3: Live life to the fullest because you never know when your time might come. Life is a gift and is full of color just like a rainbow. My rainbow has no pot of gold at the end, but a wonderful story of the memories and actions I have captured throughout my lifetime. I take my life one day at a time and at least five feet from the edge everyday. I never know when my time might come, so I make the best of my life everyday!



Love life, cherish life, and give life, for you never know what might bring to your doorstep.

Anna Eubanks

If You Don't Have a Smile, I'll Give You One of Mine.

I believe the world would be a better place if everyone would wear a smile. Here are a few reasons why.
Reason 1: Everyone should wear a smile because you never know whose day you will make easier. You never know what kind of day the people you walk pass have had. That person could've just lost a love one, lost their job, be in bankruptcy, or have no home. A smile can make a huge difference in how they feel. When you are given a warm smile, you feel like you are cared about. I know when I am given a smile, I have a much better day.
Reason 2: Everyone should wear a smile because it makes you feel pretty. A wide grin can boost your confidence. No matter if you are a boy or girl, everyone needs a little something to make them feel beautiful. A smile can really tell other people about you. When you smile you can see yourself from the inside out.
Reason 3: Everyone should wear a smile because they are contagious. Seldomly do we give a smile and it's not returned. Giving a smile makes you feel wonderful. I love to make people laugh and smile a lot! It makes them feel better, and I know it makes me feel alot better. When you walk past someone, smile and see what kind of response you get.
Some days we don't feel like smiling, but it is important to because who knows how it could influence someone else. If you see someone who is sad, turn their frown upside down!

"From Corner Stores to Skyscrapers"

If you live in a small town, the big cities around you may seem like somewhere you don't want to go and experience. But take it from me, a person who has lived in a town with the population of about 14,000 people, its well worth the experience and not what it seems. Here are four reasons why I believe everyone should spend some time in a big city.

First of all, I believe everyone should spend some time in a big city because if you don't, you will regret it. You hear people tell how rugged and unpleasant "big city" 'folks are, but all of this may not be true. Many people in big cities are tourists from small, unknown towns, just like you. Yes some of the people you meet there may not be nice but you find people like that everywhere you go, in cities big or small. On my trip to New York City, the "big apple", we went expecting the worst and expecting everyone to be rude and lack good ole southern hospitality, but in reality they were not much different from us. Yeah, some people wouldn't hold the door open as we walked in behind them or smile back when we glanced a smile at them but they were not as horrid as they were made out to be.

Secondly, I believe everyone should spend some time in a big city because it will give you a new outlook on life and allow you to see that everyone doesn't live, or even travel the way you do. The streets may be crowded with taxi's and the sidewalks, covered with venders selling hot dogs and newspapers, but its a whole new experience, especially if your from a town that has not one taxi. On my trip to New York all we did was walk or travel by taxi, which was very unusual to us. What was even more unusual to us were the taxi drivers who escorted us around, the majority of them Muslims, and any other denomination than Americans.


Thirdly, I believe everyone should spend some time in a big city because if your from a small town like Eufaula, you will be absolutely amazed at all the stores a big city has to offer. Many very large cities, like New York City, have stores the south has never even thought of having such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and the Fao Schwarz Toy store, which is so packed you can barely get in, as well as many expensive resteraunts and even a McDonald's. But unlike our McDonalds, the one in New York has a doughnut shop in it and is surrounded by flat screen tv's and also has WiFi for your laptops. I think everyone should get to experience the fine clothing and resteraunt stores.


Lastly, I believe everyone should spend some time in a big city because thats where the majority of the movie stars of today live. I would love to visit Hollywood or Beverly Hills because I would like to happen to run into a movie star walking down the street running from the paparazzi, or see them driving in their new lamborghini down Sunset Boulevard. If you move to a big city, there are far more job opportunities than you can find in a small town. The only downside to moving from a small town to a big city would be that rent and housing is a lot more expensive in bigger cities so if you plan to move you better save up, at least until you find a job in the big city because jobs there pay way more.

Love the small city life you live in but eventually, you need to branch out, and go explore new, bigger things.
"But Ive seen it all in a small town
Had myself a ball in a small town
Married an l.a. doll and brought her to this small town
Now shes small town just like me"
Small town by John Mellencamp

"Everyone Deserves Happiness"

Our world population is 6.8 billion and out of the billions of different cultures, religions, and race everybody deserves to be with somebody. I believe nobody should be alone and everybody deserves happiness. Here are three reasons why I believe this.



Reason 1: Nobody should be alone because God put everybody on this earth for a reason, and the person you were meant to be with is somewhere out there. You shouldn't go out and look for the person who you think you are suppose to be with, because if it's fate it will just happen. God has a plan for everybody and what happens, happens, there is really nothing you can do about it so live your life and wait for that special somebody to come live it with you.



Reason 2: Nobody should be alone; even if you like the same sex. Everybody thinks it is such a bad thing for gay people to get married, but hey if that's who they love and want to be with then they deserve happiness just as much as you do. Gay marriage is illegal in certain states and, to me, I think the people that make these rules are trying to ruin other people's happiness because they are not happy themselves. Everybody is going to love who they want to love and for people to try to stop that is cruel and heartless. People just need to realize that this world is full of different people who want different things and everybody deserves to be happy.



Reason 3: Nobody should be alone because going through relationships in your life is the thing that makes you stronger and you find who you really are. Some people think it's a bad thing to go through relationships because you get your heart broken, but relationships are fun. You can have some of the best memories to look back on through different relationships; some may be bad and some may be good. If you go through life scared and afraid to take chances with people, you might miss some of best opportunities and even miss the one you were meant to be with. " 'Love is a Battlefield,' " and your going to have to go through a lot of heart aches and pain but it's worth it when you find Mr. or Mrs. right.



Life without love is like fries without ketchup, its plain and horrible. Everybody deserves to be happy with somebody, no matter what the circumstance is. Nobody should be alone in this huge world we live in.

"A Lost Life"

"A Lost Life"

Before I opened the door to the hosptial room number 205, I took a deep breath, realizing everything is about to change. I had gotten a phone call from my older brother, Dave, informing me that my mother, who had been suffering from lung cancer, was on her last leg. I was twelve hours away from Dallas, Texas, where my mother was checked in at Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, but i caught the first flight back, hopefully in time to say my goodbyes to the woman who meant most to me in my life.

My mother looked so fragile in her cold, metal hospital bed and the pastel picture hanging on the wall looked as if it were painted only with dark colors of black and grey. My two sisters, Jan and Sarah, had almost used up the whole box of Kleenex tissues that sat beside the bed. Trying to distract myself, I reached to grab the empty box and throw it in the trash can on the floor. As I was doing so, she gently grabbed my arm to get my attention. Faintly, I could hear her trying to whisper something while she was gasping for air. This all together broke my heart and it was all I could do to take a deep breath and lean in to see what she wanted to tell me. My mother and I were always really close because I had suffered from anxiety and she was always there to comfort me when I had an attack. When I leaned in to listen to her faint, shaking voice, she whispered the words "I love you" and shortly after that, almost before I could tell her that I loved her too, she took her last breath.

As my sisters and my brother cried, suprisingly my tears stopped because in that moment, I found comfort from the words my mother had said and that I had the chance to tell her how I felt before she passed. I also found comfort knowing that she would be in heaven now with my dad, the love of her life, who had died exactly two years ago from that day.

"New Life"

"New Life"

The usually cold, scary feeling of a hospital room was not so as I walked into the room to comfort my young, beautiful wife, who was head over heels in love with. I arrived at the hospital just before 8:00 p.m to be there to celebrate the arrival of our new, handsome baby boy, who was only 7lbs, who was still slightly purple, and who was quietly sleeping in my wifes arms, Aiden. The sleek, shiny metal of the hospital bed railing didn't seem so scary anymore as I looked to see my wife holding our baby. I didn't even notice how hard and uncomfortable the hospital room chairs were or even stop to watch the ending of my favorite movie which was playing on the television set above my fragile wifes hospital bed. The pastel colored painting of grassy fields and many cows hanging on the hospital wall had nothing on the view outside the window. The skies were beautiful pastel pinks and baby blue colors, the hazy white clouds covering it partially, and the mountains, blue in the distance, never looked so vividly colorful and clear. On that day early in the month of July, I could not explain the joy and happiness that overcame me when I looked to see my wife, who had made it through the painful delivery before I could arrive, holding our new baby boy. As I glanced at his face, still a little blue from delivery, I could imagine myself one day teaching him how to hunt deer or go fishing like me and my dad did when I was a little one. My wife cried with tears of joy, wiping her eyes with the Kleenex tissues that sat on the stand beside her bed. She was trying so hard to ring the empty plastic trash can with the dirty tissue which made me laugh as I was tryng to hold back my own tears.

A Life Lost

As I walked in to the frigid, ugly hospital room, it took all I had to keep back the tears of hurt when I saw the love of my life lying in a cold, uncomfortable, metal-framed hospital bed. While my husband was peacefully sleeping, I tried to keep my mind off of what I knew was about to happen. I started cleaning up his room and noticed that he didn't eat the bowl of fruit on the night stand beside his bed, and he had only taken a few sips from his glass of water. I knew he was not going to be around for very much longer, so I sat in the hardback chair in the room and held his hand close to my heart. The small clock radio on the night stand was on and it started to play "I'll Never Love This Way Again" by Dionne Warwick, the song that my husband and I had our first dance to. As I sat there with him, listening to our song, I burst into tears because it hit me that the man who stood by my side all my life and who loved me undconditionally, who was the father of my children and who made me smile when I was down, was going to be gone forever. I grabbed the box of Kleenex and noticed the painting on the wall of cows standing in a grassy field behind the melancholy blue sky. I walked over to open the window, and as I opened it a cool breeze came through and I saw the sun setting behing the blue mountains. I looked out and saw a young couple, that looked very much in love and it reminded me of my husband and I 30 years ago. I heard my husband rolling around, so I went to make sure he was ok. As he looked me in the eyes, all I could do was cry. He held my hand and told me he loved me as he then took his last breath.

Nothing but Silence

As I walked into my beloved husband's hospital room my eyes filled with solitary tears. They fell to the floor as I walked up to his metal-framed hospital bed to touch him for the last time. The room was just as blank and gloomy as my thoughts. It held depressed atmosphere that tumbled around my dying husband's body. I looked into his crippled eyes and my heart melted just like it did the day we got married. My tears started to soar down my face and I grabbed a few Kleenexes to wipe them away. My legs were trembling and my heart was breaking, so I sat down in the cushioned hardback chair to recap my sorrowful thoughts. I caught a glimpse of Wheel-A-Fortune on the television, that was supported in the air over the bed. As I was sitting, I thought about the exquisite pastel painting of cows and the happy surroundings that touched the picture. It did nothing but bring tears to my blood shot eyes. I was proud of my seventy-six year old husband though. He was a firefighter for fourty-five years and saved many people. We had three beautiful children that completed our life. Now my husband of fifty years was dying of old age and I will soon be left alone. The feeling of losing a loved one is painful. I gathered up the tissues and throught them away in the empty garbage can. I took a drink of water from the water glass and ate an apple from the untouched bowl of fruit sitting on the night stand. My heart was heavy and my appearance was doleful. I walked over to my husband and looked him in the eyes. My heart swelled up with tears when he told me that he loved me, and then he was gone.

Things That Matter :)

As i walked into the glowing room of happiness, my eyes were captured by the scene of my beloved wife swaddling our new bundle of joy. The clock read seven -thirty as I walked over to the bronze metal-framed hospital bed to catch a glimpse of our new baby girl. It was almost like the sea had parted when we made eye contact. Her eyes glowing into mine made my heart swell up with love. I sat on the stained oak rocking chair as my wife and I chatted about the bright future we were about to face. By the bedside I noticed a bright colored filled bowl of fruit that left my taste buds watering, an empty baby bottle, a water glass and a plastic pitcher. My eyes were focused on the tv, but I could not concentrate for all the excitment. I gathered up the tissues and placed them into the empty trash can. Soon after, I took duty of our new addition as my wife slept. I looked around the sun glazed room and noticed the pastel painting of cows standing in a grassy field, with the sun and mountains in the background. This painting gave me an enduring feeling and reminded me of home; hopefully, someday I could give this to my wife and our new daughter. The room my new little family was in, was one of a kind. It was where a new memory was made, a beautiful baby girl was born, and a happy family was starting their life together.

A Precious Moment

Closing my hand around the door handle, I excitedly open the door. As my eyes search the room, I see the love of my life, my beautiful wife, laying on her metal-framed hospital bed. With a glowing smile on her face and her eyes shining, I walk over to her, trying my hardest to control myself, trying my hardest to keep calm, trying my hardest not to run towards her like a maniac. I take my seat in the hard back chair that was provided for me, and fully understood what they meant when they said it was "a hard-back chair". But it was okay, because I was with the woman who bore my first child, the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, the woman who was my love at first sight. I looked into her soft eyes that were now misted with tears of joy, and I reached over on the nightstand that consisted of a glass of water, a water pitcher, some fruit that she had eaten for dinner earlier at about 7, and a small alarm clock that now read 7:30 p.m., to grab her some Kleenex to wipe away her tears. Once she was through, I tossed the tissues away in a small trashcan that was nearby her bed. We embraced, ignoring the television conversation going on in the background, ignoring everything else that was going on around us, ignoring the doctor that had just walked in to check on my wife. I never fully realized how much she really meant to me until I was completely away from her for a long period of time. Like they say, you never know what you've got til it's gone. She looked away from me for a moment to look out of the large window that was off to the left of the hospital bed. The sun was slowly beginning to set, with streaks of red, orange, pink, and purple making a collage of colors in the sky. The trees swayed in harmony to the rhythm of the breeze that was blowing outside, causing perfect weather. The blue mountains, in all of their majestic beauty, were quite a sight to see if you were a tourist or even if you've seen this before. After she is through gazing out of the window, she looks over towards the pastel painting of cows, standing around in a grassy field, with the sun and mountains in the background. I think she enjoyed looking at the pastel because it reminded her of our home, where we have lived for a little while now. But whatever the reason she enjoyed looking at the pastel, it could never compare to how much joy was created in me when I got to see her and our child for the first time, it could never compare to the happiness that we would have forever on end, and it could never compare to the precious moments that we would make and remember with our child for the rest of our lives.

Babies are a link between angels and man.

I couldn't wait to see my wife's beautiful face as I neared the hospital room. My heart pounded as I grabbed the cold silver door knob to open the door. I was overwhelmed to see and hold my tiny new born baby boy. My wife was lying in the metal-framed hospital bed when I first took step a through the door. Her smile brightened the room, while she held, Tucker, our baby boy. I was so nervous to get close to him that I knocked over the small trash can sitting on the floor. Hospital rooms were usually so gloomy, but on this day the room was filled with beautiful colors and held a sense of warmth. I slowly took Tucker from my wife's arms and sat in the hardback chair. Usually, the chair would have been uncomfortable, but the feeling of being a proud new Father made everything just right. I was shocked to see the televison over the bed turned off. At home the tv stayed on every second. My legs were a little uneasy as I stood to grab my wife a glass of water on the night stand with the baby in my arms. Tucker let out a little cry as I leaned over. My heart dropped. I was not sure if I had done something wrong. My wife just smiled and told me I was doing just fine with him. She took a sip of the water and dozzed off for a little nap. It was just Tucker and me now. We stood in front of the picture on the white hospital wall. The cows in the grassy field and the gorgeous site of the sun and mountains in the distance. What a beautiful world this baby just arrived into. I wished that Tucker knew how lucky I feel to be his Father. He grabbed my finger with his tiny hand, like he knew what I was thinking. A tear ran down my cheek, and I took a kleenex from the box on the hard, cold counter. I was so nervous, but at the same time so happy to start my new family. This breezy July evening will be one I will never forget.

New Life

Walking into the warm, but cool and comfortable hospital room, I couldn't keep a smile off my face. It felt like a dream; my beautiful wife asleep in a metal-framed hospital bed, and our gorgeous, sweet new baby girl, Miley, peacefully sleeping in a bassinette by her. The box of Kleenex that was once full was almost gone, from all the crying when our baby girl was born. As I sat in the hardback chair in the room, I looked out the window with the sun setting behind the blue mountains in the distance, and I noticed the painting of pastel of cows standing in the grassy field. The t.v. on an apparatus was on from my wife watching tv, but it was silent because I turned down the volume so that Miley wouldn't be woke up. The night stand beside the hospital bed with a half full glass of water on it, a half eaten bowl of fruit, and a clock radio was full of flowers and gifts from all our family and friends. As I sat thinking about everything that had just happened,even though I was happy and excited I was pretty scared about it too. All I could think about was what if I'm a bad dad and my daughter won't love me? Every thought possible was running through my head and I couldn't help but think about these things, but looking at my beautiful wife and baby girl, brought me back to reality and peace.

Small Town USA

Eufaula, Alabama is a very small town. Everybody knows everybody, and nobody has secrets here. When I came here, I was pretty young and I loved living here; but as I started getting older, I realized that this town is not any fun for teenagers. When you're in high school, of course you're going to want to go out and do stuff on the weekends because after a long week of school you're ready to go do something besides sitting and learning. All the little kids talk about how much fun their weekends are, but for us there is nothing to do, so we don't really talk about our fun weekends.

The first house I lived in when I moved here was in CCA (Country Club of Alabama). I will never forget that house; from the awesome swimming pool in the back, to the bathroom that connected my room to my sister Chelsea's room and the two of us staying up all night gossiping. Our backyard was a golf course and we used to love running through the sprinklers with the wind in our hair, and our grassy feet touching the big sand pile beside our house. When my friends came over, we would all ride on the golf cart all night; we got into some trouble, but we had fun doing it. We all used to go to the bowling alley or skating rink on Friday nights, and sometimes we wouldn't even bowl or skate, just flirt with the guys. I loved every minute in that house and in that neighborhood.

This town is very beautiful and historic and I absolutely love when the Pilgrimage or Indian Summer is going on. I love walking downtown and seeing all the beautiful, old houses and statues of all these heroes that are famous in this town and in history that have been there for years and years. During Indian Summer, people sing and dance, there are a lot of things you can buy like paintings, purses, or jewelry. The smell of hotdogs and hamburgers cooking makes my mouth water, and all the yummy deserts they have are amazing.

Yes, this town is beautiful and historic and when I was younger I used to love looking at everything, but now I'm in high school and I want to have fun. Every teenager in this town knows that there is nothing to do on the weekends and no where to go. So, we pretty much either ride dirt roads, have a house party (which is rare), or go hang out on a dirt road for fun. When you do the same thing every weekend, it gets pretty old and boring. That's why I think Eufaula is a great town for older people to live, and for parents to raise their kids, but for teenagers, well we are just out of luck!

Passing Times, Changing People

Time can really change a person, and it can also change a small town. Growing up in a little place called Cuthbert, Georgia, where humidity has dominion and there's not a lot to, i have personally seen my hometown change throughout the years.

When i was a kid, you would have seen a place called Big B's, which was a drugstore. My mama used to take me there in her 1988 black Firebird to get me medicine if i ever got sick. If you kept on driving through town and went around the "square" (which is actually a circle), you would see Maddox's, a clothing store, and a theater you could go to on Friday and Saturday nights. Riding through downtown Cuthbert, you could see a big sign with a fox on it, which marked the spot for Fox's Pizza place, and they were known for their extremely greasy pizza (which kind of makes me sick to my stomach, now that i think about it...). Something else you would see is Movie Gallery, and that place was always bustling with people everyday. But sadly, none of these places can be seen anymore... they exist only in my memories.

Cuthbert has many new places now, but there are also places that hasn't changed. Some of the places that are new now is Girly Girl's and the French Market, which are boutique places and are very appealing to the eye when you walk inside. You see lots of little trinkets, and lots of different styles of purses that you can get monogrammed if you choose to do so. If you wanted to get something to eat now, you could go the Dawg House. It's the best place to get hotdogs and milkshakes, and you can get some of their sweet tea. It's extremely sweet, and to some people, it just keeps you coming back for more. My dad sends me there all the time to get our whole family some sweet tea, we like it so much. But not only is the food and drinks good, but the inside has quite a bit of charm on its own. The central idea of the whole restaurant is the football team, the Georgia Bulldogs. As soon as you walk inside, your eyes automatically see all of the photographs of UGA, the bulldog, and many others of Sanford Stadium.

One of the restaurants I probably remember most is Carter's Chicken. I'm not very fond of it at all because I'm not a huge fan of friend chicken. But to me, it stands out in my memories because I remember back a few years ago, Carter's was pretty much just a counter attached to a building, and you ordered your food from outside of the counter. If you ordered Carter's during the summertime, your wait could get rather hot... but now, it's in a bigger and better building with air conditioner, and has a big orange sign. If you miss it, then maybe you need to invest in some glasses, because it's pretty hard to NOT see it.

So my hometown of Cuthbert has changed a lot, and as for me, I don't really mind at all. Change is good. This place is my roots; it's where i learned to ride a bike, drive a car, and it's also where I played in my first band, which eventually broke up. But no matter how much it changes, it's still the little place I know and embrace as my home. And nothing will ever change that. Time passes, people move, like a river's flow, it never ends...

small but fun

I come from the small town of Eufaula, Al. You have to look hard to see the little speck on the map. It's in the middle of a major highway that stretches from Southeast Alabama to Midwest Georgia. The major plus to our town is the lake it surrounds. Our lake, some say, put Eufaula on the map. It's known as the ''Big Bass Capital of the World''.



Life here is all about what you make it. You don't have the thrills of movie theaters or malls or a lot of good restaurants. We have our share of fast food and hometown joints.Many people don't care for a small town atmosphere, because everyone knows everyone else and well, here there is a good chance they are related to the person you are talking about. But above all we have each other as family and friends. By this statement, i am talking about those people who are always there for you. Here your family is more than family or friends are more than friends, we are both to each other. We are family and friends to each other.



Knowing everyone highs and its lows. News gets around fast and everyone is watching to see if you make a mistake. But hey, what else do they have to do? The positive is knowing your neighbors helps with getting one out of trouble, just as easy as it gets one into it.



Our town usually has the smell of a dirty diaper from the paper mill up the road or dead fish from the lake down the street. Many places i our town are still racialy segregated to a point. There are just certain places where differt races hang out or streets that only certain ones go on. Most boys in our town share the love of women, parties, the outdoors, and muddy dirt roads.

In a small town, we have to make our own fun. Being a guy, I guess, for some reason that most memories were of breaking things(the law) and getting in trouble or hurt. I have memories of shooting at peoples cars with with pellet guns or wrecking stuff. Many people though don't remember the good fun like fishing, skiing, tubing, or boarding on the lake. Or going to eat with friends at restaurants.

Life in a hometown is what you make it. How will you live your life?

Lumpkin

Lumpkin is a very small town with a population of about 1,300 people. Lumpkin is not
the best place to grow up because there is not much to do there for teenagers. The two public schools, Stewart County Elementary and Stewart County High School, are not that good. The best thing to do in Lumpkin is to go eat at Michelle's and hang 0ut with friends there. Michelle's is a fast food restaurant and it also is a motel. Michelle's has good country buffet style cooking. The best day to go to Michelle's is on friday when they have a seafood buffet.


The biggest tourist attraction in Lumpkin is Westville. Westville is an outdoor history museum which depicts an 1850 west Georgia village. Westville has over thirty authentically furnished, genuine antebellum buildings and "townspeople" in period dress demonstrate woodworking, baking, pottery turning, blacksmithing, and other skills from the mid-1800s. I remember going to Westville with my brother and cousins just so they could get lemonade and gingerbread there.

The other tourist attractions are Providence Canyon, Florence Marina, and the Bedingfield Inn. Providence Canyon is a 1,003 acre state park in Stewart County. Providence Canyon is sometimes called Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon". It is considered to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. The view over the rim of Providence Canyon is incredible and breath taking. The colorful wildflowers, as well as the pink, orange, red and purple hues of the soft canyon soil, make a beautiful natural painting at this unique park. Florence Marina State Park is a quiet park that offers the perfect setting for those that love water sports. The park also attratcts many birdwatchers hoping to see herons, egrets, and possibly bald eagles. The Bedingfield Inn was built in 1836 as a family residence as well as a stopping place for stagecoaches and other travelers. This became the first small-town community preservation project in Georgia. It has been carefully restored and furnished with period antiques.


Lumpkin does not have many stores or other places for entertainment. Lumpkin has only one drugstore, Lumpkin Drugs. Not many people would choose to move to Lumpkin because of its location and lack of resources. You have to drive thirty miles just to go to a grocery store.
Lumpkin is a good town to grow up in if you can han handle driving a few miles to go to work, school or shopping. Though most teenagers wouldn't agree, Lumpkin would be a great place to grow up because of its small town southern feel.

Home is Where the Heart Is <3

From the beautiful monuments in the middle of the town, to the crazy beach traffic on 431, Eufaula is where I call home. In a small town, everyone knows your name since you were able to talk. You can name every place to eat and shop in under a minute, without pausing to take a breath. When I sit down and think about all my years in Eufaula, I can't imagine growing up anywhere else.

Over the past seventeen years of my life in Eufaula, there are just some things that never seem to get old. Walking into Willy T's atleast 3 times a week to get grilled chicken. Every Sunday morning, my family arrives at 8:30 at the "big white church", First Baptist, to listen to Dr. Bush's short, but sweet sermons. On Christmas Eve nights we gather back at the brightly lit sanctuary to sing Christmas carols. When summer rolls around on a humid 4th of July night, everyone goes to Lakepoint to see the beautiful display of fireworks. Some things only get better after repeating them again and again.

There are places and things here in Eufaula that I cherish the memories of everyday. The old gymnastic building, where I either shed tears because I had fallen or smiled when I learned a new trick; the many boyfriends that have brought me home and sat in my driveway for almost a hour talking; my great-grandmother, Maw Maw, who made a blanket for my sister and she gave it to me- to this day I still can't let go of it; the fountain in downtown Eufaula that I love seeing soap in; sitting in front of the historical homes, waving at all the "pilgrims" during the Pilgrimage each April. I was so over joyed in 8th grade when I convinced my mom to let me go to Lakeside. The close friends I have made, the ball games we've cheered at, and the unbelievable crazy and fun things we have done together. Each memory in this small school, in this small town I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.Through it all, I will never be able to look back and say I have no wonderful memories in this town.

This town holds so many precious and unforgettable memories. I remember seeing my dad's warm, beautiful smile and hearing the words "I love you" for the last time as he dropped me off on a hot August day of 5th grade at Bluff City Elementary. The next week everyone in Eufaula came to morn his loss with us. All the time me and him shared is unforgettable. My dad was an inspirtation and a true role model for a lot of people. I know that he watches over me everyday and the whole town of Eufaula. I can't wait for the day that I will see him again.

Time has flown by. From my first day at preschool at First Baptist church in 1996, to Lakeside graduation soon to come on May 28, 2010, what wonderful memories this small town has allowed me to make. I regret nothing in my past for it has made me the person I am today, including this town. When I pack my bags next summer to move to Troy, Alabama I will be extremely happy, but at the same time sad to leave all I have ever known behind. I don't plan to live in Eufaula, but who knows what the future brings. As this town changes and I change in years to come, my memories here will always stay the same. I will be able to look back and smile at the beautiful little town in Southeast Alabama, with a population on 14,500, and say that is where I call home.