Selected Entries: January, 2004

In January of 2004 I was fifteen years old and, though I did not know it, embarking on a year that would profoundly change my life.

As Christmas Break ended and classes resumed I began to learn about my birth-mother's ancestry, demonstrated the germ of what would become a deep interest in politics, continued to obsess over grades, and documented a week of epic snow.

I also hinted for the first time that we might be moving to Deep South State, and, accordingly, contemplated with fear all the mysteries of the future.


January 1, 2004

Another year has passed. It seems like just yesterday that I was standing in this very house ringing in 2003 and wondering what the year would bring. It’s incredibly difficult to imagine that twelve months have passed since then. 2004 seems unimaginable to me. I wonder if I’ll be here again to welcome 2005? I hope not.


January 3, 2004

The Bush Administration continues to press its fascist legislation onto Congress. Bush, who campaigned on a pledge to support states’ rights, is now the subject of a headline that reads, “Bush, allies, continue anti-states’ rights push.”

I wish that everyone could’ve seen that headline in September of 2000. Well, now it’s 2004, so we have a chance to boot the lying double-crosser out of office.

Surprisingly, Howard Dean seems to be the most viable candidate for the Democratic nomination.

It’s now nearly noon, and so the U.S. unmanned spacecraft “Spirit” should have by now landed on Mars. Hopefully it didn’t crash. I have some homework to do. My United States History teacher gave us some.


January 4, 2004

Well, tomorrow we go back to school. Although it’s been more than two weeks since I set foot in BTHS, I’m still not too eager to go back.

Personally, I could do with another two weeks of winter vacation. These last sixteen days of no school and no worries have been pretty darn fun. If it were up to me, we’d get off December 15th and not come back until January 15th. [I was clearly anticipating university attitudes on this subject.]


January 14, 2004

Today I began considering trying to get a scholarship from the Sons of the American Revolution. My great-great-great-great-great grandfather was Revolutionary Ancestor, an aide-de-camp to General Washington, who would become our nation’s first president.

It was this ancestor's suggestion to cross the Delaware River. This gives me such a feeling of pride; without my family it is quite possible that there would be no United States of America.

My grandmother was delighted that I was interested in this and referred me to some things to read. I did read some, and I learned that my ancestors on Anne's side were complexly intertwined with the Revolution. Knowing this makes me happy. That’s so cool! Someone in my family got to hang out with George Washington!


January 16, 2004

We spent second period in the computer lab due to testing. The juniors and seniors in that class can be surprisingly nice. A junior boy told me all about the different parties he goes to. We both spoke extensively about our parents, parties, different styles (aka, my hair), sexual relations, and a multitude of different things.

Teenagers are uncannily open with one another. I can’t believe how many people I’ve known or know who’ve had sex! Lacrosse Boy even tried marijuana once, and First Twin's mother caught him, but didn’t tell his mother. I’ve never had sex or done drugs…but, secretly, deep down…there’s a part of me that’s excited by wild, dangerous parties. I wouldn’t ever actually do anything, though; there’s too much at risk.

I found out today that I made Select Choir (so did another boy I know) and that I’m ranked in the top 25% of my class. I’m so excited! I start work tomorrow.


January 20, 2004

The president’s State of the Union Address is this evening. I plan to be watching (and, from what I hear, I’ll be one of sixty million to do so. It’s absolutely frigid outside, 19F I’d wager. In a shocker, Kerry won the Iowa Caucus! I wonder how he’ll do in New Hampshire? Hopefully well.


January 22, 2004

Today was the last day of the semester, and, for me, the last day to attend three of my classes. Now, only United States History and Chorus II remain left as constants.

As far as the final exams/midterms go, I got an A in Business Law, an A in Biology, an A in U.S. History, and not an A in Geometry. I’m not exactly sure what grade I’ll be receiving in Geometry, but it can’t be too good; I’d be downright shocked if I pulled a C on my final.

I came dangerously close to a nine-week average of 89% for Business Law, but today I turned in a load of work that raised my grade from an 89% to a 90% and it raised my final grade from a 90% to a 91%. I got a C on my U.S. History midterm, but that really wasn’t entirely my fault.


January 24, 2004

It’s snowing like crazy outside! It’s been doing so since a few hours ago, or, in other words, late last night. The weather forecasters called for only a small bit of snow today, but I suppose they were wrong. Their track record hasn’t been all that impressive of late anyway. The last major snow storm that we were supposed to get left us with a whopping 2” of snow.

It really is pretty outside, though; what I would call “snoe.” Well, now, I’m going to pray. I find it incredible that I can speak directly with the Creator and Master of the Universe.

Later

The snow continued much longer than expected. Its lightest flurries had not entirely disappeared until sometime, I’d guess, in the early afternoon.

Powell was assigned to shovel the driveway, and I the walk, but he did such a poor job that I went back over his sporadic, uninspired work. I think that I did it quite nicely. As a matter of fact, Mom was later so furious with him for it that she paid me ten dollars and bought me a Starbucks frappuccino.

Well, I thought that we got some snow today! Tomorrow evening and into Monday morning Beautiful County is expecting more than eight inches of accumulation, followed by, at approximately 7:00a.m. on Monday, a nice coating of sleet. And all of this means…no school on Monday! I’m treating tomorrow just like a Saturday!


January 25, 2004

Mom is making her delicious chicken noodle soup today. It’s perfect for winter days like this, though I wouldn’t fancy it during the summer. Well then, I guess we won’t be having it too often if we move. Oh, that’s right, I haven’t told you yet. We could possibly be moving to Deep South State within the next few months.

Mom was promoted last week and now she’s been recommended for a job there. If she gets the position it is highly likely that we'd be moving before my sixteenth birthday, which is only in April! We won’t know for a little bit whether or not she’s been accepted to fulfill the position, but I must say it looks very good for her. We were originally supposed to move to New England State, but we kind of did an about face, I guess.

I’m naturally excited that we might be moving; I mean, what a change! Dad said our house there will be much bigger, with a hot tub and a pool built in standard. He’s also discussed the idea of hiring a Spanish nanny. At first I thought that this sounded unrealistic, but given how much Mom and Dad will be working when we first move, it’s actually highly feasible.

I can’t believe that this is all even happening! Things have changed so much since my childhood! In my view, I have the perfect life, anything I could ever want and more. I mean, I do well in school, I have many friends, and I come home every day to a beautiful home and a wonderful family. I have a job, but I’m sheltered and supported. If I were to live like this forever, I really don’t think I’d mind. I only wish that this great existence hadn’t started so late (high school), because soon it will all be over.

In two years I’ll be a senior! I swear, there are some days when I wish with all my heart that I could have this life but reverse my age to that of a seventh-grader. I mean, I’m still sheltered now; it’s just that that period is coming to a close. And I’m sure that in January of 2006 I’ll be looking back two years and wishing I could be a tenth-grader again. I thank the Lord for the time that remains.


January 26, 2004

Well, as expected, no school today. I heard it on my alarm radio this morning. And Mom and Dad expect that we won’t have school tomorrow either. It’s supposed to be raining sleet and an inch of ice this evening. Added, my best friend Lacrosse Boy says that we’re supposed to get more snow as well. I hadn’t heard that one.

Just because we had off of school today doesn’t mean that we were spared any work, though. Oh, no. Powell and I trooped out into the balmy 18F weather to shovel the foot of snow that had accumulated in our driveway overnight. By the time that we had finished (and, given the conditions and our haste to be done, it wasn’t a very good job) all that I could feel of my feet was an icy, cringe-inducing unpleasantness.

I won’t say that it was painful (at least not too painful), because it wasn’t. It was just a very uncomfortable sensation. You know the feeling that you get when you hear someone scratching their nails against a chalkboard? If you could feel that in your feet, that’s what it was like.

As soon as I was inside I fled to the bathroom, where I took a nice, hot shower. Because my feet and hands were so cold when I got in, the water, which felt normal to the rest of my body, seemed scalding to them. That type of hot, though, the sort of comparative hot that seems hot only because you’re so freezing, doesn’t really hurt. You feel like you’re showering in boiling water and that it should be very painful, but it’s not.

I hope that we’ll have off of school again tomorrow! After all, we are supposed to get an inch of ice! However, I’m just not completely sure it’ll happen. Once again, I hope. I’ll have to get a good look at the weather this evening.


January 27, 2004

There was no school today either. I must say, this is awesome. And, we’re supposed to get four to eight inches of additional snow (and ice) later today. All of this is something I’ll miss desperately if we move to Deep South State, where it’s normally 70F in January. Oh, boy. I sure can’t wait for that!...not. I will really miss winter.


January 28, 2004

We had off of school again today, but it is almost certain that we’ll be in school tomorrow.


January 29, 2004

Today was wonderful. Excluding Algebra II, I love my classes, and the change is nice. Survey of American Literature and Composition (or Survey and Comp., as it is called) is a wonderful class. The teacher, Fat English Teacher, is absolutely crazy, but in a good way. He’s very hyper, and especially for such a large, middle-aged man. He makes strange noises and is very quirky.

By the way, we had a two-hour delay today.

My Algebra II teacher is a freakishly tiny woman; Thomas is about 4’5” and she can’t be too much taller than that. She comes to below my chest cavity, and I have to look nearly straight down when talking to her. Her size is misleading, though; Short Math Teacher is a tough little midget.