Calling Sis. Lynn

I have a question for you literate individuals, particularly Sis. Lynn...

Is it more correct to say "I don't know if Roy will be going."
or "I don't know that Roy will be going."

The Superior Informer

Here's a little essay I wrote back in the day of high school that we book freaks might enjoy...


"You decode the message. You interpret it. You evaluate it."

These three actions make reading more profitable than any other media outlet, namely television and videos. Keeping these ideas in mind, I am going to explain why reading is superior for academic education, cultural education, and development of character.

POINT #1: Academic education. Now, we all know that, before being published, a book must be proofread many times to make it grammatically error-free. This will enable the reader to be saturated by good grammar and syntax, influencing his own speech and writing.
Reading good books also develops the vocabulary. Take the widely known book by Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Having recently read this story, I can easily recall the uncommon vocabulary scattered throughout. For example, Tom was "the envy of every boy he met because the gap in his upper row of teeth enabled him to expectorate in a new and admirable way."
Expectorate, meaning "to spit," is a word I expect most of you are not familiar with. Many classics use such language. Meeting new words on the page and having to extract their meanings from context will widen your vocabulary, which is essential to good communication skills.

POINT #2: Cultural education. Reading allows you to meet great minds of the past. By readng their literature, you are exposed to their very thoughts, and, therefore are much more likely to understand their beliefs and viewpoints. As Rene Descartes wisely said, " The delicacy of fiction enlivens the mind; that famous deeds of history ennoble it and, if read with understanding, aid in maturing one’s judgment; that the reading of all the great books is like conversing with the best people of earlier times."

POINT #3: Development of character. Reading forces the artistic ability of one’s imagination. When you read, you must draw your own pictures. The mind is repeatedly working to make the words come alive and be real to the reader, whereas, the TV or video has it all there for you: the picture, sound, and shape; there is little to no interaction between the producer and the consumer. Video gives you no choice but to accept what it has presented; you are the passive recipient. However, words once again force you to come up with your own conclusions; you are an active participant. Think about it.: Reading involves your eyes and brain for decoding the message, the imagination and brain for interpreting it, and critical thinking skills for evaluating it.
I believe these three points demonstrate why reading is superior to all other forms of media output. For development of your academic education, your cultural education, and your character as a human, choose reading!

Sacred Harp Session

The last audio clip posted during 1:50 pm, is a song we sang here at the Greens. The song is Stratfield.

The singers were as follows:

Tenor: Andrew, Roy
Alto: Aunt Rachel, Kathryn
Soprano: Molly, Eleanor, Logan
Bass: Uncle Robert

GO SACRED HARP!

National Treasure

I watched it last night over here with the Greens for the first time. I liked it. A lot. The good thing about it was that it didnt have any bad parts in it, so even little-ish kids could see it. And there isnt really any violence, just a litle shooting of guns, and some guy falls off a cliff and dies. That is about it. It is mostly just a lot of action a little suspense. yeah. good movie. bubye.

A Tune by Me.

The following recording is a tune I wrote, which I will likely find words for out of the Gadsby's hymnal, but I may put it to the song "Oh, once I had a glorious view." let me know what you think. I shall soon begin putting the harmony together.

Roller Coster City. . . Not

Back I am from our senior trip. We graduates and our pops went to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri on Monday and came back yesterday mid morning.

SDC (Silver Dollar City) is not the same kind of entertainment park as Six Flags. There only about 3 roller costers whereas SF is all about roller costers. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. It really depends on the kind of peolpe that are going and what kind of entertainment they are looking for. There is always a "show" going in one of their many stages spread out over the land - usually a bluegrass band, which I liked very much. But there are also crafts that you can watch like glass blowing, wood carving, blacksmithing, pottery person, etc. The glass blowing was fascinating.

So for Lunch I had succotash. It was superdy-duperdy good. It also cost 6 buckeroos, but it was worth it. I think.

We stayed in this almost apartment. It had an indoor pool. no not in the apartment, outside. yes, an indoor pool that was outside. figure that one out.

well, I am sure all that brightened your day. I have some stuff to do before I go to jasper for Derrick's graduation, like eat lunch, eat mid-afternoon snack, pack, read, water mum's flowers, eat mid-mid-afternoon snack. so until, I type again, or until Christ comes back, whichever comes fisrt, preferably the latter,

I bid thee adieu.

ps. you know, I don't think I saw one silver dollar in that whole place.

I MADE IT!!!

Because it is 1.30 am, I am going to postpone my writings concerning this night until a later time. But I shall provide you with my graduation speech, as promised, in its entirety...


As I have arrived to this point in my journey, experiencing and taking note of the successes and defeats of life, I have concluded that there are three basic necessities to a happy life – friends, family, and God.
Aristotle said, "Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods." Although I have not had the disposition of possessing no friends, I can imagine what a lonely life that would lead. Thanks be to God I have a great abundance of friends – so many, I doubt if I could name them all in a sitting. I have built life-long friendships with two of the finest young men around.
With such a scenario as our small school building and the little enrollment, we have had no choice but to be with each other often, and this consistency has helped us develop kinships bonded with the love of Christ. From being humiliated by Greek exams - compliments of Bro. Zack - to finally tasting victory against our long time basketball rival, Westminster, one of the highlights of my high school career – compliments of Coach Noah - Seth and Ryan have been by my side through it all. Seth and Ryan, you are two of the richest gifts God has given me and I pray we will be able to serve each other and, together, God, for many years to come. Shakespeare said it well when he wrote, "I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul rememb’ring my good friends."
Some of my best friends come from the second requirement to a happy life - the family. The first institution God ordained, the family is the pillar for all society. We can see in our country’s backyard that as goes the family, so goes the nation. Ronald Reagan wisely stated, "All great change begins at the dinner table." One of the few times during the week that all my family is together, is at the table, and then is when we are informed about each other, and the family grows. As a man once suggested, "The family that eats together, keeps together," and how true this is.
I can never be thankful enough for the family I have been born into. Mama and Daddy have taken to heart what God commanded and have made great effort to bring me up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With God’s aid, Mama and Daddy, I am determined to use my life in God’s service, not only that your efforts, for which I am thankful, be not in vain, but that God will be glorified. I see how my family is a pillar for my life: to encourage me when I am down - pick me up when I fall - lead me back when I go astray - and back me up when I succeed.
The third and most important necessity to making a happy life is he who made it - God - the giver and taker of life. I’ve grown up hearing the truth that a soul can have true happiness and satisfaction only in God. To know God is up there watching over me, and to know he is patient, longsuffering, and forgiving to me, a sinner, gives me great consolation. Truly, God is the chief key to leading a happy life.
It is by His grace alone that I am privileged to live happily because of my friends, my family, and my God.

God is Good

As you can see, it is 5.02 pm on the evening of friday, May 20, 2005. That means I am going to graduate from my high school studies before the sun disappears. I am hungry, and just now beginning to feel that little sickly, twisted feeling that you get in your stomuch when you are nervous. I am about review my speech, and for all you softies out there, I don't think I am going to cry.

I need to eat a little something for it will be a good while before I have another opportunity to feast. God has been good to me, and I would beg you, those who read this before 7.00 tonight, to shoot a prayer to God for Him to bless us this evening. Thank you all who have thought and prayed for me, during this important period in my journey to the Pearly Gates.

GETTIN' MAD!!!

I finally figured out how to act mad in play practice yesterday.

GET MAD!

And what do you know? it worked! I am supposed to be this guy who is being mocked and then I say something back in anger. Well, my part just hasn't been quite as real/effective/loud/ as I wanted it to be. So yesterday, while I was being mocked, I allowed anger to rise up in me, and feel like I was actually mad, (I almost faked myself out) and I was much louder, and the people who were listening immediately were aroused, which is exactly the effect I was looking for.

So for all you noobie actors, GET MAD!

Irony?

Something occured this morning that hit me as funny, and I would like to share it...

I was preceeding to put honey on my toast at the table when Harris, who was sitting across the table from me, shall we say "misplaced" some crumbs and maybe a dot of jelley on the tablecloth which covers out wooden table. Daddy saw it and cleaned it up with a wet rag, afterwards fetching a place mat and putting it under Harris's plate.

Daddy's actions were obviously put into place by the dirtying of the tablecloth, and yet, the tablecloth's purpose is to cover table and keep food from getting on the wood. The food being misplaced on the cloth completely fufilled the purpose of the cloth, and I, therefore, see no reason to be agitated by the soiling of the cloth.

Need A Healthy Laugh?

My Aunty Rachel emailed me this link... it produces a good laugh if you are like me. And if you aren't like me, you will still probably at least chuckle. go ahead - select the link!

http://www.softlab.ece.ntua.gr/~sivann/pub/swf/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf

Here I Come Graduation!

I just finished my speech for graduation and it is almost exactly 4 minutes long.

It took me a long time to get going; I started over twice andrew wrote 2+ pages of material before I came up with something I was satisfied with. But those 2 pages weren't really a waste, they helped me think of something that I was satisfied with. I finished it last night (for the most part) on the way home from the graduation of Ripley Christian School, where Fred Hogan, a guy who played on our basketbll team, graduated. On the way home, the car I was driving had some engine problems and we had to stop and wait for Daddy to come pick us up. I resumed writing at that time, and then on the way home I finished up. I am very relieved to have that behind me, because I didnt want to have to write a last minute speech that just contains a lot of "I would like to thank..." I find those rather repetitive and unpreferable. Now I must postpone my posting, for I have prepare to go mow a yard.

Dum Dum du Dum

Mums and I are finally getting to addressing, stamping, and assemblying my graduation invitations. I very long, tedious process. Thank God I have to do this only once!

(Sis. you-know-who-you-are, thank you very much for the virtual M&Ms, I am enjoying them way too much, and I am sharing!)

Announcing Dr. and Mrs. Jefferson Harris

A fabulous weekend indeed! Since Thursday,"quick's the word and sharp's the action" in Memphis, Tennessee, for Joanna Guess and Jefferson Harris were to be married come noon on Saturday. The Wedding Rehearsal was ... touching *sniff sniff* ... The guess-Machiavello clan put on their skit about Dr. Jeff R. Son. It was quite hilarious. And then there were some sweet testimonies by Rebekah and Ashley and another guy who was from Georgia, I think. And the food was absolutly marvelous.

I also found an oppurtunity to offer my handkerchief to one young lady who was shedding a few tears. That was something a have always wanted to do. But I will warn those who might be in the same position as me - offer it, only if you are prepared to not get it back, for that is the point. Well, I didnt get mine back, so that part worked, but it wasnt becasue she kept it. We shall just say, it was misplaced. (if anyone comes across a white handkerchirf with a red "B" engraved in the middle, it is likely mine.)

So on to the wedding. Saturday was a swell day to have a wedding, for there happened to be a lot of people at the church building where the wedding was to take place. fancy that!

The choir (of which I was part) sounded excellent, thanks to the leading soul of Tim Cannon, and God, who provided us with the voice boxes. At some point in the ceremony, Dr. Jefferson pulled a slick one on everone and sang a song to Joanna. He has a perty good voice if you ask me. I think it was called "I will be here"... precious. just precious *sniff*

So the wedding ended. and then the fun began. and thats about sums it up.