In a few short days my commitment to St. Benedict's Prep and the Newark Abbey will be complete. Graduation is on Sunday, I have a final faculty meeting on Monday (I'm debating skipping out on it but I'd be nice to be able to say a final goodbye and get some closure) and then grades are due Tuesday. Then Tues. afternoon I fly back to Minnesota to get on with the rest of my life.
I think it's way too soon to discuss what I learned and what I'll take away from my year of service. I think as I continue to think back on my time here throughout the years the experience will deepen. I don't think I'm a different person but I do know that I've been abundantly blessed to have grown up in my small town of Le Sueur in the Minnesota River valley away from gun fire, sirens, and gangs. I never worried about getting in with the wrong crowd, about not finishing high school, or where my next meal was coming from. I thought that because of all I've accomplished in school and my life in general that I was some hot shot who had hit a home run in life. It turns out because of my wonderful family and by sheer luck that I was born to them that I started my life already standing on third base. Sure, I worked hard (sometimes), got things done, took my education seriously but failure was never really lurking in the background. I got such a huge head start in life that I never really had the darkness of failure lurking in the background. I feel that as I grow up the worst I can be in mediocre. And because of that I am seriously blessed.
This has been such a great year. It was very challenging, fun, rewarding, hectic at times, boring at other times and it has been a year of spiritual growth, financial loss, new friendships were forged while others from back home have faded. It's going to be hard trying to pick up where I left off in MN. But because of this year of being a volunteer, I like the hard.
01 June 2011
14 May 2011
Making a list and never checking it again
Already in my short blogging career I've made 2 lists: Things I'd like to see and do out here on the East Coast, and Books I'd like to have read before I die. I'm not sure what it is about lists but I've never really made them before and now that I have (on a few occasions) given them a try I've found that it's rewarding in a sense to see things crossed off of a list. To a certain extent I find comfort in seeing "things to do" dwindle. I get a feeling of productivity, accomplishment, more importantly it's an opportunity to pat myself on the back and say Good Job.
On the other hand there is a sense of foreboding when you have this ambitious list lurking in the back of your head (see books to read). I don't like that feeling. The lists I have aren't really too scary in the grand scheme of things but there is a feeling that even as I rest, there is something I could be doing that's more productive. I think that is where lists become a problem because no matter what we are doing there is probably a million things that we could be doing that would be of greater benefit. Whenever a list of tasks is completed another one starts. It never ends. There is always something to do. I recently saw this little pearl of wisdom and it went something along the lines of, "I'm a human being, not a human doing." We need to have plenty of time to just be. I'm going to try and include that in my list of tasks to be completed. Just Be. Be the best you, you can be Be You. Whether these lists of mine will ever get completely crossed off I don't know. If I were a betting man (and in most cases I certainly am) I'd say the smart money is on me not getting them done. But who cares? It's my list. Just because I typed it up and put it online for the whole world to see doesn't mean I have to finish it to become a better me.
Side note: That blog took a strange turn, that isn't the direction I wanted to go with that but I sort of got on a role. I could change it but I think I'll just let it be.
On the other hand there is a sense of foreboding when you have this ambitious list lurking in the back of your head (see books to read). I don't like that feeling. The lists I have aren't really too scary in the grand scheme of things but there is a feeling that even as I rest, there is something I could be doing that's more productive. I think that is where lists become a problem because no matter what we are doing there is probably a million things that we could be doing that would be of greater benefit. Whenever a list of tasks is completed another one starts. It never ends. There is always something to do. I recently saw this little pearl of wisdom and it went something along the lines of, "I'm a human being, not a human doing." We need to have plenty of time to just be. I'm going to try and include that in my list of tasks to be completed. Just Be.
Side note: That blog took a strange turn, that isn't the direction I wanted to go with that but I sort of got on a role. I could change it but I think I'll just let it be.
22 April 2011
Books to Read
First off let me say that I have no idea why I am still awake. It's 3:35. It might be because the scary movie I just watched (Exorcism of Emily Rose) shocked my senses to a point of total alertness. But besides that there is no other explanation.. I've been working on this list for a long time but up until very recently I've decided to put it to paper (so to speak). A couple of these books I was forced to read in school but either stopped reading after I had all the questions answered or did a very poor job of grasping the material so I put them back on the List. The list is in no particular order, Although I think I'll start with The Invisible Man because I have that in my possession.
So with out further adieu:
So with out further adieu:
Hemingway – For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Sun Also Rises, The Old Man and the Sea, A Farewell to Arms
Irving – The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon
C.S. Lewis – Chronicles of Narnia
Joseph Heller -
John Steinbeck - The Grapes of Wrath
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
Ralph Ellison - Invisible Man
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
Ralph Ellison - Invisible Man
Ken Kesey - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Richard Ford - The Sportswriter
Richard Ford - The Sportswriter
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Philip K. Dick -
Philip K. Dick -
James Agee - A Death in the Family
Saul Bellow -
Saul Bellow -
James Joyce – Ulysses, The Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Finnigan’s Wake
Dickens – Great Expectations
Dostoyevsky – Crime and Punishent
Swift – Gulliver’s Travels
Twain – Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Tolstoy – War and Peace
Martin Luther King Jr. - Why We can’t Wait
So there ya have it folks. Feel free to add on to the list but bear in mind I'll have my hands full, especially when I get to Joyce. But I figure I have till I'm dead to finish these so who really knows how far I'll get.
11 April 2011
Spring Semester
It has been some time since I last wrote to you all (4) but I'm pretty bored and I let Kevin borrow my external hard drive that houses all my music and movies so I guess it's just you and me tonight. Since March 1 I have been doing a bit of double duty as a civics teacher and a gym teacher. Basically they wanted another set of eyes to take some kids outside and let them play some baseball everyday. I decided that wiffle ball (tennis ball) would work out great because of the varying skill levels among my students and their propensity (I'm not even sure if I'm using that word right) to forget their gloves at home. This way all can play and hopefully learn something about the game, or at the very least enjoy being outside in the sun.
Civics class is wrapping up nicely I think, our last class is Monday the 18th with a final on the 20th. I'm pretty stoked to be done with that subject. I enjoyed my class but the nature of civics isn't exactly for me. I should have been more open to creating my own course in the very beginning. If I had to do it all over again (and believe me, I would) I would make my course focus more on the Constitution and American government instead of one's Civic duty.. There is something about the freedom's of society and this sense of Civic duty that just doesn't seem to click for me. If people don't want to vote or help out their community they certainly don't have to. there are enough good people in the world willing to put the work in to make this place we call home livable. So I have a hard time honestly fielding questions about civic duties some times and I can't lie to the kids, for one they'll see right through me and two, I have a terrible poker face, pa pa pa poker face. But it's important for the future adults of this world to be able to know the situation and make an informed decision. Whatever that decision may be is up to them. Vote don't vote, I don't really care because some one is going to vote for somebody, that's how it works. So fear not everyone, we will always have a politician to blame for our problems.
Looking ahead, St. Benedict's has a gem of a system we like to call project phase. It's like a may term basically, it's 5 weeks long and students have one class a day that meets from 3 - 5 hours. They work towards a project (get it). I know what class I'm teaching but I'm not sure what the project will be at the time of this publication. The syllabus has yet to be written. I'm teaming up with the baseball coach, Mr. Ross and we are teaching a course on Baseball to some 7th and 8th graders. Hopefully the weather will cooperate with us and allow us to go outside and actually demonstrate and practice some fundamentals but there is also a reading component and probably a research paper at the back end of this class to I'm sure. In the works is going to an Amateur Baseball game (the Newark Bears) so the kids can learn how to keep score, a lost art among today's young ball players I've found.
Side note: I am basically the bench coach for the Varsity team here and I've recently decided that these older kids are a lost cause and can't be trusted with keeping the book for the games. So I will be taking care of that from now on as well as my regular bench coach responsibilities. For those of you who are unsure what those are, It's not a whole lot. I basically make sure that the guys on the bench, relief pitchers and non starters are staying focused on the game and are ready to play at a moments notice.
I'm going to wrap this up and you may be wondering why I chose not to include updates on the team's young season and there is a reason for that. We have several games left and I'm hoping there will be good news to report eventually. Once we find our rhythm, you'll be like the 37th person to know.
Regards,
Mike
Civics class is wrapping up nicely I think, our last class is Monday the 18th with a final on the 20th. I'm pretty stoked to be done with that subject. I enjoyed my class but the nature of civics isn't exactly for me. I should have been more open to creating my own course in the very beginning. If I had to do it all over again (and believe me, I would) I would make my course focus more on the Constitution and American government instead of one's Civic duty.. There is something about the freedom's of society and this sense of Civic duty that just doesn't seem to click for me. If people don't want to vote or help out their community they certainly don't have to. there are enough good people in the world willing to put the work in to make this place we call home livable. So I have a hard time honestly fielding questions about civic duties some times and I can't lie to the kids, for one they'll see right through me and two, I have a terrible poker face, pa pa pa poker face. But it's important for the future adults of this world to be able to know the situation and make an informed decision. Whatever that decision may be is up to them. Vote don't vote, I don't really care because some one is going to vote for somebody, that's how it works. So fear not everyone, we will always have a politician to blame for our problems.
Looking ahead, St. Benedict's has a gem of a system we like to call project phase. It's like a may term basically, it's 5 weeks long and students have one class a day that meets from 3 - 5 hours. They work towards a project (get it). I know what class I'm teaching but I'm not sure what the project will be at the time of this publication. The syllabus has yet to be written. I'm teaming up with the baseball coach, Mr. Ross and we are teaching a course on Baseball to some 7th and 8th graders. Hopefully the weather will cooperate with us and allow us to go outside and actually demonstrate and practice some fundamentals but there is also a reading component and probably a research paper at the back end of this class to I'm sure. In the works is going to an Amateur Baseball game (the Newark Bears) so the kids can learn how to keep score, a lost art among today's young ball players I've found.
Side note: I am basically the bench coach for the Varsity team here and I've recently decided that these older kids are a lost cause and can't be trusted with keeping the book for the games. So I will be taking care of that from now on as well as my regular bench coach responsibilities. For those of you who are unsure what those are, It's not a whole lot. I basically make sure that the guys on the bench, relief pitchers and non starters are staying focused on the game and are ready to play at a moments notice.
I'm going to wrap this up and you may be wondering why I chose not to include updates on the team's young season and there is a reason for that. We have several games left and I'm hoping there will be good news to report eventually. Once we find our rhythm, you'll be like the 37th person to know.
Regards,
Mike
15 February 2011
Rough Day
Today has been a rough day. I got a phone call from my best friend this afternoon regarding his mother's bout with Cancer. She has been battling for the better part of a year and up until now it appeared she was on the right track. I should step back for a moment. I have learned that not many people are still as close to their earliest friends in life as we are, my childhood has been split pretty evenly between my house and his house down the block meaning that his mother is essentially my second mother. So the news that her Cancer is spreading into her liver and lungs is even tougher to hear...
I don't want to make this into one of those divine intervention stories but it may turn into that regardless (so be ready just in case) but I was sitting in my room after baseball practice feeling pretty tore up about the whole ordeal when I heard the bells ringing at the Abbey indicating that 5:00 mass was about to start. It's not unusual that I decided to go but today I actually had a lot of praying to do so I put some decent clothes on and went. Fr. Edwin (Any 2010 Johnnies know him as the guest speaker at our graduation) was the celebrant and today's reading was the story of Noah's Ark. I usually stay attentive to the reading just long enough to hear which one it is and then drift back into my own thoughts because A: sometimes it's hard to pay attention during mass and B: I know the stories pretty well. Anyway, my thoughts roamed during the gospel mostly to times spent with my best friend when his mom would make us snacks, take us to the park, that kind of stuff. But when it was time for Fr. Ed to give his homily I straightened up and gave him full attention. He is the kind of guy that when he talks, it's because he has something important to say. He doesn't dance around issues he gets to the point and drives it home. Today was no different.
In his sermon he put a new spin on the Ark story by relating it to the Abbey in Newark, I never realized that that is what the city is named for (New Ark) but suddenly it clicked. Fr. Ed talked about how Noah was given clear instructions on how big the ark was to be, what kind of wood to use, how many levels to make it, what kinds of animals to bring, even where to put the door. But Fr. Ed brought something new to the table that had never occurred to me. God gave no instruction how Noah was supposed to move that ark. He never mentioned to make an oar or to bring a sail. he just said to build this boat and God told him everything but how to steer that thing. That'd be a pretty big detail for me if I was Noah. But Noah trusted that God would guide him and his family through the raging waters of the great flood. The whole world was coming down around the ark, yet it was built to last and it somehow managed to make it through the storm of a lifetime unscathed.
Now I imagine my friend is in the middle of a pretty huge storm right now while I'm more worried about how I can be there for him while I'm still 1,000 miles away in NJ. I've never felt more helpless because all I can do is pray. I feel a bit like I'm in the middle of my own flood right now and all I can do is hope and pray that I'll be able to make it through the troubled waters in order to be the best friend I can be.
It's weird that scriptures written thousands of years ago can seem to say exactly what we are feeling today. I suppose they were written that way and hope this doesn't sound like one of those "God's voice called out to me" stories because God calls out to each of us everyday. That's nothing new. It's just that today I actually listened because today I needed to hear that He (that's not meant to be sexist I'm just old fashioned) is still there.
So essentially the point of my whole story is that it's been a rough day. If you didn't get that by the title don't worry because I'm making it clear now. It's a good thing it isn't raining..
Take care everyone,
p.s. If you need me I'll be out trying to build a boat.
I don't want to make this into one of those divine intervention stories but it may turn into that regardless (so be ready just in case) but I was sitting in my room after baseball practice feeling pretty tore up about the whole ordeal when I heard the bells ringing at the Abbey indicating that 5:00 mass was about to start. It's not unusual that I decided to go but today I actually had a lot of praying to do so I put some decent clothes on and went. Fr. Edwin (Any 2010 Johnnies know him as the guest speaker at our graduation) was the celebrant and today's reading was the story of Noah's Ark. I usually stay attentive to the reading just long enough to hear which one it is and then drift back into my own thoughts because A: sometimes it's hard to pay attention during mass and B: I know the stories pretty well. Anyway, my thoughts roamed during the gospel mostly to times spent with my best friend when his mom would make us snacks, take us to the park, that kind of stuff. But when it was time for Fr. Ed to give his homily I straightened up and gave him full attention. He is the kind of guy that when he talks, it's because he has something important to say. He doesn't dance around issues he gets to the point and drives it home. Today was no different.
In his sermon he put a new spin on the Ark story by relating it to the Abbey in Newark, I never realized that that is what the city is named for (New Ark) but suddenly it clicked. Fr. Ed talked about how Noah was given clear instructions on how big the ark was to be, what kind of wood to use, how many levels to make it, what kinds of animals to bring, even where to put the door. But Fr. Ed brought something new to the table that had never occurred to me. God gave no instruction how Noah was supposed to move that ark. He never mentioned to make an oar or to bring a sail. he just said to build this boat and God told him everything but how to steer that thing. That'd be a pretty big detail for me if I was Noah. But Noah trusted that God would guide him and his family through the raging waters of the great flood. The whole world was coming down around the ark, yet it was built to last and it somehow managed to make it through the storm of a lifetime unscathed.
Now I imagine my friend is in the middle of a pretty huge storm right now while I'm more worried about how I can be there for him while I'm still 1,000 miles away in NJ. I've never felt more helpless because all I can do is pray. I feel a bit like I'm in the middle of my own flood right now and all I can do is hope and pray that I'll be able to make it through the troubled waters in order to be the best friend I can be.
It's weird that scriptures written thousands of years ago can seem to say exactly what we are feeling today. I suppose they were written that way and hope this doesn't sound like one of those "God's voice called out to me" stories because God calls out to each of us everyday. That's nothing new. It's just that today I actually listened because today I needed to hear that He (that's not meant to be sexist I'm just old fashioned) is still there.
So essentially the point of my whole story is that it's been a rough day. If you didn't get that by the title don't worry because I'm making it clear now. It's a good thing it isn't raining..
Take care everyone,
p.s. If you need me I'll be out trying to build a boat.
30 January 2011
Dear friends, it's been a long time...
I noticed that my friend Alyssa finally updated her blog so I guess that means I should try my best to keep up.
It's a new semester here at Benedict's (well not so much anymore) and I have a new group of guys taking Civics class. My class this year is about 6 guys less than in the fall and you wouldn't believe what a difference that can make for a young teacher. It's kind of nice. Also my guys this semester are a bit older and more responsive to my methods, or lack thereof. They are mostly Juniors as opposed to the Sophomores I was dealt in the fall. So it's a cool change of pace. There are different questions and lessons that are meant to cover the rights of a person accused of a crime always seem to end up with me trying to explain the O.J. Simpson case... I haven't covered the difference between Civil court and Criminal court officially yet but I feel like when I get there they should have it down already.
I really like covering the Bill of Rights and the Constitution for some reason. It's surprisingly simple and easy to read for a government document that has somehow only been changed 27 times since 1787. I'd say that's pretty impressive and we should give a hardy pat on the back to the framers who did such a wonderful job. I had a screening of a very underrated film known as "Double Jeopardy" a few weeks ago. It has Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones so you know it's worth a look. And both times I showed it (each semester) the kids were hesitant because it's older and no teenager knows who those two people are anymore but they always settle into the flick once they find out the premise. The husband of Judd stages his own death and sets it up so it looks like she did it, she's convicted and then apparently can get out of jail on parole, find him and kill him. Well besides some obvious flaws in the writing it perks the kids interest in how if you know the law it was designed to work for us rather than against us.
I didn't have the heart to go over everything wrong in the film, she can't legally kill the guy again because she didn't kill him the first time. Double jeopardy say you can't be put on trial for the same offense twice. well she was convicted in Washington State and [Spoiler alert] she ends up killing him in a different state. So therefor it would be a brand new trail and a different act, and a different offense. I could go on. The movie wasn't Oscar worthy but it get's the point across and I like it and more importantly the kids ended up liking it. So maybe it wasn't a waste of 2 whole class days.. It probably was though.
Other than that, all is well here. I'm excited for Baseball season. I'm really looking forward to helping the tea out this year and I may even spend some time working on some baseball skills with junior high kids during their gym time. Baseball is only a varsity sport so this could be a great way to keep 7th and 8th graders interested and engaged to Baseball. Basically it might be my job to lay the foundation for the future of the baseball team. The future of the program is depending on me.. I better work on my fungo skills.
That's all for now. Try and stay warm!
It's a new semester here at Benedict's (well not so much anymore) and I have a new group of guys taking Civics class. My class this year is about 6 guys less than in the fall and you wouldn't believe what a difference that can make for a young teacher. It's kind of nice. Also my guys this semester are a bit older and more responsive to my methods, or lack thereof. They are mostly Juniors as opposed to the Sophomores I was dealt in the fall. So it's a cool change of pace. There are different questions and lessons that are meant to cover the rights of a person accused of a crime always seem to end up with me trying to explain the O.J. Simpson case... I haven't covered the difference between Civil court and Criminal court officially yet but I feel like when I get there they should have it down already.
I really like covering the Bill of Rights and the Constitution for some reason. It's surprisingly simple and easy to read for a government document that has somehow only been changed 27 times since 1787. I'd say that's pretty impressive and we should give a hardy pat on the back to the framers who did such a wonderful job. I had a screening of a very underrated film known as "Double Jeopardy" a few weeks ago. It has Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones so you know it's worth a look. And both times I showed it (each semester) the kids were hesitant because it's older and no teenager knows who those two people are anymore but they always settle into the flick once they find out the premise. The husband of Judd stages his own death and sets it up so it looks like she did it, she's convicted and then apparently can get out of jail on parole, find him and kill him. Well besides some obvious flaws in the writing it perks the kids interest in how if you know the law it was designed to work for us rather than against us.
I didn't have the heart to go over everything wrong in the film, she can't legally kill the guy again because she didn't kill him the first time. Double jeopardy say you can't be put on trial for the same offense twice. well she was convicted in Washington State and [Spoiler alert] she ends up killing him in a different state. So therefor it would be a brand new trail and a different act, and a different offense. I could go on. The movie wasn't Oscar worthy but it get's the point across and I like it and more importantly the kids ended up liking it. So maybe it wasn't a waste of 2 whole class days.. It probably was though.
Other than that, all is well here. I'm excited for Baseball season. I'm really looking forward to helping the tea out this year and I may even spend some time working on some baseball skills with junior high kids during their gym time. Baseball is only a varsity sport so this could be a great way to keep 7th and 8th graders interested and engaged to Baseball. Basically it might be my job to lay the foundation for the future of the baseball team. The future of the program is depending on me.. I better work on my fungo skills.
That's all for now. Try and stay warm!
02 December 2010
Checklist
There is indeed a checklist of things to do while I'm out here in Jersey and since it's almost new years I think it's time for a midterm report and maybe even give myself a grade at the end.
Remember that some of these ideas for the checklist are brand new so they haven't been checked off yet but a lot of them are written in my actual journal that I wrote during my first week here. That's the last time I picked up too.
Also these are more touristy things and do not reflect the spiritual growth that is taking place daily. If you wish I can write about that another time.
In no particular order..
Figure out how to teach (> ) -that's half a check
Figure out the wrong way to teach (X)
Learn to fist pump (X)
Visit the Shore (X)
Figure out how to navigate Newark (X)
Manhattan (X)
the rest of NYC (X)
Hoboken ( )
Jersey City (X)
Go to a game at Yankee Stadium (X)
The new Meadowlands Stadium (X)
See a Devils Game(X)
Visit Madison Square Garden ( )
Take a walk in Central Park (X)
Go to the Statue of Liberty ( )
Empire State ( )
Basically do the highlighted tour of NYC ( ) *I think I'm holding out for visitors to come with me..
Pick a fight with a Yankee Fan (X) *he was 14, no fists were thrown.
See a Guido (X)
Get offered to buy drugs on a street corner (X) *technically it wasn't the corner but whatever.
Learn how to Dougie ( ) *I'm currently working on this one!
Figure out how Tyler Perry's movies have grossed 400 million dollars ( )
Figure out NYC Subways (X)
Volunteer to help coach Baseball at St. Benedict's (X)
Make Scotch my official Drink of choice ( ) *my taste buds might be too immature to appreciate this yet.
Take a few weekend trips to Philly, D.C., Boston (X) Philly - Check
Read Books for enjoyment (X) *accomplished several times over (see books to read blog for updates)
Improve my pool playing (X)
And also get nicknamed Minnesota Fats because of my pool prowess ( ) skipping this out of respect for Fats
Become better at living simply (X) I think I'm getting good at this...
Not grow to hate High Schoolers (X) digging the kids here as long as I don't have to be the responsible one
Make friends with no affiliation with the school or Monastery ( )
Gloat and brag after a Minnesota team beats any NYC team ( ) *haven't had a chance yet.. C'mon 'Sota I'm getting killed over here!
Update! I now have 21 out of 32 done. that's just over half but since this grade is curved to the Max I'm giving myself a B as of May 14th.
If any one has any thoughts on things I should add to me list I would love to hear them!
Remember that some of these ideas for the checklist are brand new so they haven't been checked off yet but a lot of them are written in my actual journal that I wrote during my first week here. That's the last time I picked up too.
Also these are more touristy things and do not reflect the spiritual growth that is taking place daily. If you wish I can write about that another time.
In no particular order..
Figure out how to teach (> ) -that's half a check
Figure out the wrong way to teach (X)
Learn to fist pump (X)
Visit the Shore (X)
Figure out how to navigate Newark (X)
Manhattan (X)
the rest of NYC (X)
Hoboken ( )
Jersey City (X)
Go to a game at Yankee Stadium (X)
The new Meadowlands Stadium (X)
See a Devils Game(X)
Visit Madison Square Garden ( )
Take a walk in Central Park (X)
Go to the Statue of Liberty ( )
Empire State ( )
Basically do the highlighted tour of NYC ( ) *I think I'm holding out for visitors to come with me..
Pick a fight with a Yankee Fan (X) *he was 14, no fists were thrown.
See a Guido (X)
Get offered to buy drugs on a street corner (X) *technically it wasn't the corner but whatever.
Learn how to Dougie ( ) *I'm currently working on this one!
Figure out how Tyler Perry's movies have grossed 400 million dollars ( )
Figure out NYC Subways (X)
Volunteer to help coach Baseball at St. Benedict's (X)
Make Scotch my official Drink of choice ( ) *my taste buds might be too immature to appreciate this yet.
Take a few weekend trips to Philly, D.C., Boston (X) Philly - Check
Read Books for enjoyment (X) *accomplished several times over (see books to read blog for updates)
Improve my pool playing (X)
Become better at living simply (X) I think I'm getting good at this...
Not grow to hate High Schoolers (X) digging the kids here as long as I don't have to be the responsible one
Make friends with no affiliation with the school or Monastery ( )
Gloat and brag after a Minnesota team beats any NYC team ( ) *haven't had a chance yet.. C'mon 'Sota I'm getting killed over here!
Update! I now have 21 out of 32 done. that's just over half but since this grade is curved to the Max I'm giving myself a B as of May 14th.
If any one has any thoughts on things I should add to me list I would love to hear them!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)