Chu Know

Tonight, my friends and I went to see the movie Juno. It was about this odd 16 year old girl who got pregnant. It was a quite small film that I haven't heard anything about so I was quite reluctant to go with movies like I Am Legend and Sweeny Todd still on my "To-Do List". In all actuality I was quite glad that we saw it because it was very good. It was not too mushy and not too stupid. It had a great balance overall, and was quite funny.

Overall, I would highly recommend it, everyone can appreciate it, totally not just a chick flick. Go out and see it.

Juno: PG-13
Playing now in select theaters

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

Christmas 2007

This Christmas was a huge success. Sunday we kicked it off with The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. It was a whole bunch of dancing and Christmas singing, sounds lame, trust me, I know. Ever since my mom told me that I was going, I was extremely reluctant. So Mary ended up coming with us and it turned out to be pretty good. The Rockettes(for those of you as clueless as I was) are a bunch of girls who dance, but they do all the exact same moves, at the exact same time. It was actually incredible to watch them, and they did this "fall" that was un-freaking-believable. So overall, I was surprisingly impressed and entertained.

We started off the giving part of Christmas with another Mielke-Gardner-Sandison Christmas Eve, which is always a blast. Our family is always a blast to hang out with and there are many laughs. We always do a Secret Santa gift exchange and my Uncle Dan had me and I got a new pair of snowboard gloves, very nice! Throughout the night, a funny skit was performed, some drunken carols were attempted, and a good attempt at some volleyball. It was another great Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning was spectacular. The only speed bump was my sister finding it necessary to wake up at God-forsaken 7:00 in the morning. Why? Who knows. This Christmas could basically be summed up in two words,
1. Snowboarding
2. Sweatshirt
You may find yourself asking, "Derek, why would this be the definition of a successful Christmas?" Whoa whoa whoa! I'm getting there. Hold your horses, or reindeer. This year, my gifts almost entirely revolved around snowboarding and sweatshirts. I got snowboarding: gloves(previously stated), goggles, helmet, and a new outfit. It was sweet, who wants to go snowboarding this week? Because I am so ready. Now the sweatshirt: My brother got a new iPod from my Mom because his broke a while ago. So my mother found that her spending so much on Austin required her to spend as much on me(not complaining). When she was asking what I wanted for Christmas, I said,

"I really want a new snowboard jacket, and I guess I don't have many sweatshirts."

So whenever she would go into a store she would be thinking that she still needs to buy me things so she got me sweatshirt after sweatshirt. In all, I got 4 sweatshirts! I wanted sweatshirts but Mom, C'mon! Totally kidding, she said it would not hurt her feelings at all for me to return any of them, but I really like them so I don't think I am returning any of them. Other fun/good/noteworthy things I got were:

Remote Control Helicopter
Wallet
Visa Giftcard
Jeans
Shirts

In addition to the great morning I had, that afternoon I went to my aunt and uncle's house for dinner and some more gifts. We had this delicious dinner that my aunt slaved over all afternoon, I felt bad because I wasn't hungry but it was honestly so good. Then I opened a new pair of board shorts from my Aunt and Uncle, and the amazing game of Apples To Apples. It was a good conclusion to an amazing day.

But Wait! Theres More!

How could there be more, you ask? My Aunt pulls out this box for me and Austin to share, very typical. She is saying how she thinks we might enjoy it and not to worry about it if we don't. So I am thinking it is some dumb video game for the systems that I Never play anymore. I open it, it is the DVD series of Planet Earth!!! For those of you out-of-the-know, this is one of the most astounding TV series to ever hit Planet Earth(groaner foul, I know[If you don't know what that is, Boo You!{Just kidding, thanks for reading this}]) <-How you like that use of brackets? But back to Planet Earth, it is amazing, and maybe one of the top gifts of the day.

Tomorrow Mary and I are going out to breakfast and we are exchanging gifts. I hope hers isn't big because mine is not much but I think she will like it.

I'm excited.
Merry Christmas

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la Bye-Bye.

A Year In Review

I read this on someone else's blog and I decided to steal it because with the year coming to a close it is quite intresting. Enjoy:

1) What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Played fugitive, spent the night with friends at the cabin alone, traveled alone, stayed home from family vacation.

2) Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make one, maybe if I do the "No Soda" again it will help acne?

3) Did anyone close to you give birth? Cousins

4) Did anyone close to you die? Not recently

5) What countries did you visit? Mexico and Canada

6) What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? A decision on a school, remote idea of what I want to do with my life.

7) What date(s) from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? ASB camp: Unbelievable

8) What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting into a few colleges.

9) Did you suffer illness or injury? just colds.

10) What was the best thing you bought? I didn't buy it, but camera.

11) Whose behavior merited celebration? I don't really know.

12) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? No one really appalled me, but I was bummed by some.

13) Where did most of your money go? Food and other useless crap.

14) What did you get really, really, really excited about? ASB camp, christmas break, graduating.

15) What song will always remind you of 2007? "Paper Wings"

16) Compared to this time last year, are you: Wiser? Yes. Healthier? nope. Richer? negative

17) What do you wish you'd done more of? travel, sleep, study/homework

18) What do you wish you'd done less of? complain

19) How did you spend Christmas? I will be spending it the same as always, with the fam, and in no way is that bad.

20) Did you fall in love in 2007? nope

21) What was your favorite TV program? Heroes, House

22) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? don't think so, some bother me more but don't hate them

23) What was the best book you read? Harry Potter 7(by faaaaaaaaarrrrrrrr)

24) What was your greatest musical discovery? Amber Pacific

25) What did you want and get? camera, great schedule, girlfriend

26) What did you want and not get? good grades

27) What was your favorite film of this year? Bourne ultimatum, knocked up, superbad, oh man, it goes on forever

28) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Turned 18! Tailgate with friends, football game, welcome back dance, afterparty at mi casa. then bbq next day.

29) Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most? Jaime Lynn Spears. haha that was mean, but funny.

30) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Same as 2006.

31) What kept you sane? All my friends.

32) Who did you miss? No one sticks out.

33) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. My friends are the best group of people I could ever come across and I will miss them all terribly next year.

34) What did you gain this year? A love of my school and some new friends.

35) What did you lose this year? Desire for swimming, respect for my coach.

36) Who was the best new person you met? Thats tough. I don't know.

37) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: [Is this the life that you lead, or the life thats led for you?] Will you take the road, thats been laid out before you?
[]= Senior Quote

So Excited

For the past 6 or so years of my life, I have not thoroughly enjoyed a Christmas Break(or Winter Recess if you are offended[a.k.a. stupid]). The reason for this, plain and simple, swim. You see, from forever ago and up until this year, the short course swim season has gone from September to March. Because of this hellish long season, it made Christmas time the high point of training. Most teams have challenges just to get kids to come to practice. For example, last year my coach promised us something if we came to all practices because we had 10 practices a week for 3 weeks straight(I didn't make it because I went to Whistler for a week :]). But as you can see Christmas Break usually sucks. But this year its all different. The season was switched from ending in March to ending in December. So tonight, I decided that tonight would be my last practice til 2008!

Woot Woot!

I am so excited to make this the most amazing break ever!

Sorry for this pathetic blog.

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

Missing It Already

This weekend I had my last Short Course swim meet before I graduate. If you don't know what that means don't really worry about it, it just got me thinking. I have been telling myself that hopefully before June and after CIF, I will quit swimming. But the thing is, the more I think about this, the more I come to realize how much I freaking love the sport. I just read this on my friends myspace:


Swimmers don't swim because its fun.
Ask any of us, most of us hate it, but we couldn't imagine our lives with out it.
Its part of us, its something we live for.
We live for the 3 hr practices, the team parties, the cheers, the long bus rides, the invitational, the countless swim caps, chlorine, the jokes, the friendships, the laughs, the love, the coaches you hate but appreciate later, and the sport itself.
We live for the way it feels when you beat the person next to you by a tenth of a second because we now how much it matters and you know those 2 extra laps you did in practice were worth it.
We live for the way you jump every time you hear a buzzer, or the way you scream whenever you hear the gun on the 500 even though you hear it every time.
We live for the workouts, the gear, and the goals we set at the beginning of the season.
We live for the way you celebrate when you get to do a set dolphin dives and funny butterfly or "bay watches".
We live for the way you become a family with your team, and no one understands what happens within that pool or the closet but you and your teammates.
We live for the countless songs you sing in your head when you're swimming those laps.
We live for the people who scream at you while your swimming even though all you hear is BLAH BLAH BLAH.
We live for the competition, we live for the friends, we live for the practice, we live for the pain.
We live for the race, the sprint, the distance, we live for the team, its a part of us because we are swimmers.


I read it, and I can relate to pretty much every statement that it makes. The one thing I know I will not miss is those long 1 1/2 hour long freestyle sets. But other than that, I have loved all of the experiences the sport has given to me. The more I seem to complain about it, the more I realize how much I will miss it when it is gone, and I am not so certain if that will be when I planned on it anymore.


Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

Damn Skin!

I should be working on my extra long government packet right now but I am choosing to write to you instead. Today was such a bummer. This morning I left school at 9:30 to go to the dermatologist to see if she could give me a steroid to get my acne to go down quickly before Christmas, awesome right? Wrong.

So I get to the office at precisely 10:00, man I am punctual, and I wait in the lobby for about five minutes. Then I get into the doctor office, or little room, whatever you want to call it, and this lady starts reading my chart(I am certain she doesn't even know what she was looking at, she seemed a little loopy). Then, she scribbles down some mumbo-jumbo and says, "The doctor will be with you shortly."

So I sit patiently and she walks in, we have a little chat because I haven't been there for a while, thankfully. After our quick talk, she just gives me this look like, "I know exactly why you are here." I completely replied the look. So I tell her that I have been using some topical medicine and it is not going down very easily. And before I tell you her response, I need to give you a quick background story:

My family's skin sucks, like it sucks, you don't understand. I think about every single person on my Mom's side has been on Acutane. For those of you oblivious, Acutane is a freaking powerful acne medicine. It dries you out as much as the Sahara Desert, in no way am I kidding, Chap-Stick becomes your best friend. Back to the story, so I have struggled with bad acne since about halfway through Sophomore year. I tried Clearisil, Proactiv, everything, and nothing helped, so at the end of sophomore year I started Acutane. I started it thinking I'd be good by Christmas '06, ohhh no! That is when it really started to get bad. I would go into the doctor every month with no improvement. Every couple visits she would up my dosage, and eventually I was taking 80 mg a day(average is probably 40 mg). Most people are on this hell-drug for at most 6 months(I think that is how long Austin was on it for), and I was on it for almost a year and a half. From May of sophomore year to August going into senior year, it was like going to hell and back. But it was worth it because I had clear skin and I was done. Back to my doc-visit:

I ask her what she thinks I should try. And she replies(very reluctantly, mind you),
"I..... think, uh..., the best bet would be to get you back on Acutane."

What?!?!

After what I went through for the past year and a half, you want me to try it again? She asked me if I would like to try some antibiotics, but she sounded like she had about zero faith in it, especially how stubborn my skin was to the Acutane.

So all in all, I am reluctantly back on Acutane, and for the record, I am not happy about it what-so-ever. Hopefully tomorrow is better, it should be:
Late start
ASB
X-Mas shopping con Mary
Christmas Party at swim
Comedy Sportz

Can't wait.

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

Sup Kar!?!

Okay, so last night my dad was throwing his annual "Christmas Work/Lets See How Many Gifts I Can Buy For My Employee Party(my dad likes to buy gifts). To explain, he buys all his employees gifts, then he buys their spouse a gift, then he buys their kid(s) gifts. Yes it is quite a sight, not to mention it is catered by Tutto Fresco, yum!

So, along with all the employees that he buys gifts for, he finds the time to spoil his own children(for those of you not paying attention, that includes me). So Austin and I open our gifts up, and we find a navigation system for each of our cars. It is so sweet. In addition to your new found jealousy, you might be wondering what this has to do with, "Sup Kar!?!", as previously stated in the title of this blog. Well if you cool your jets turbo, I will get to that.

So as Austin, Mary, Callie, and I are playing with them figuring out how to do everything, we notice you can not only change the sex of the little person talking to you, but you can change the nationality!!! What?! I know, right. So I go through about ten of them and finally settle on Australian-American-Karen. It is amazing, if I am driving with that on, every so often, over the blasting music in my car, comes Karen, the heart warming Aussie that is helping me around town.

So get excited, next time you ride with me, you just might get to meet her. I might change it to Lee(the male form of Karen), the only reason I have not done so, is just because I can always say, "Sup Kar?" and ask her to tell me what to do.

Wow, I have said a whole lot of nothing, but thanks for listening to me anyways.

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la Bye-Bye.

College Update

I was accepted to San Jose State University!!
Go Spartans!

If I don't get into San Diego, I'm probably going to go there. I am so happy right now.

Accepted:
CSU Chico
San Jose State

Not So Much:
Zero

M.I.A.:
San Diego State
CSU San Marcos
Arizona State
Sacramento State
Sonoma State
University of British Colombia

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

Scariest Night Of My Life

In my young 18 years I have experienced many things, but nothing had prepared me for what happened and could have happened Friday night.

Let me set the mood.

4:00 pm:
The afternoon started out great, Austin, Christine, Kevin, Fareed, Callie, Mary, Graham, Brett, Mel, and I went to Arroyo Vista to play in the mud because it was raining. It turned out to be one of the most fun afternoons I've had in a long time. After we were all good and muddy, we went over and jumped in the pool, let me tell you, that pool will never be the same again.

6:00 pm:
After that we proceeded over to the Coto de Caza jacuzzi to have a nice soak, and decide what we want to do for the rest of the night.

6:15 pm:
The Coto Swim Team coach comes over and kicks us out because we are not 21, since when do you have to be 21 to sit in a freaking jacuzzi?! Lame.

6:30 pm:
Not all is lost, we head back to Mel's(she has a jacuzzi[where we spend most our nights, nowadays]). But we have to wait for it to fill up and heat. So we make a T-Bell run, yum.

7:30 pm:
Finally, get in the jacuzzi and enjoy a nice, un-bothered soak.

8:30 pm:
Inevitably, we end up watching Mr. Brooks because we are uncreative and can't think of anything better to do. It was a good movie but that is not the point.

10 pm:
The movie ends and we are all exhausted. This is so lame! We are all 17-18 years old, we should not be ready for bed at 10:00 on a Friday night. Well since all of us are so lame we go home and I get in bed.

Now that you see how lame my night was, here it goes.

I'm laying in bed, doing the whole MySpace routine before bed, and all of a sudden I get a phone call from Aubrey Stuki and I decide not to answer it. Only because I am so tired, not for a lack of love for the woman. Then, she left a voicemail, and for some reason my phone makes this little noise that I have never heard before so out of curiosity I listen to it, only because of that little jingle.

As I am listening, I expect to hear Aubrey's bubbly voice, and all I hear is sheer terror.

"Derek, I don't want to scare you, but Ng was just in a car accident, and she is being rushed to Mission Hospital." (That is by far, the Spark Notes version of the message.)

So I rush over to Austin, get him out of bed, and then we go pick up Butch and wait for Aubrey and then go down to the hospital. All I could think of the drive down there, was the last time I hugged her, what we did together that day, and how we were both in the midst of applying to UBC together. And the thing in the back of my mind was that fateful night nearly two years ago(2 years this Friday) that Rianna Woolsey died.

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard that, it feels like it was yesterday.

I couldn't imagine never seeing my Ng again. So were all sitting in the waiting room with Connor, Chase, Amanda, Daniel, and Sammi, and about an hour goes by, and then her mom comes in.

"She is going to be fine, she is getting stitches in her face right now, and she has a broken collar bone."

What a freaking relief. That night could have gone so much worse and I am so thankful it didn't. Ng is currently still up at Mission but should be home tomorrow sometime, so just keep her in your prayers, because it has been a hard past couple of months for her(got her cast off only a couple of weeks ago), and now she is going to be in a sling for a while.

Don't ever do that to me again Ng, or any of you for that matter.

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

College Application Update #3

So, drum roll please.......

Got accepted to Chico today!!
Woot woot Wildcats!

It is definitely not my #1 choice but I really liked it. Also, I started out as an Arroyo Vista Wildcat(AV throw it up!), so I guess that would be cool to finish off with that too. The major part of this, is that I don't have to go to Saddleback, not that that would be horrible. It is just a relief having a choice.

Accepted:
CSU Chico

Not So Much:
Zero

M.I.A.:
San Diego State
CSU San Marcos
Arizona State
Sacramento State
San Jose State
Sonoma State
University of British Colombia

So far, 1 for 1. Haha.

I'm going to be honest and say that I probably will not be too keen on announcing any rejects, but I will let you know on the good news, and as those come I will reluctantly update the "Not So Much" column.

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

'Tis The Season

So yesterday Austin and Tesoro ASB put on one of the most effective blood drive ever. Okay, maybe not really, but it was still very, very successful. So after lunch ends, Mary and I walk around the campus to pick up a bunch of the fliers for the blood drive that we don't need anymore. As we are walking around, we notice the heap of trash that lies around our school. Being the great people that we are, we decide to help out and pick a bunch of it up.

As we are picking it up, we are quickly realizing how pathetic many teenagers are. Why can't you take 30 seconds out of your day to throw your trash away? The most embarrassing one was, there was a trashcan nearly touching one of the messiest tables. Oh my gosh! You don't even have to get up! What is wrong with kids today? Take some pride in your school, it is no one else's job to pick up your crap! Grow up a little.

Now if you are wondering what the heck this has to do with the title, your questions will be answered shortly.

As we enter the cafeteria to go back into the blood drive, we walk past one of the janitors cleaning up the trash. We walk up and talk to him:

D&M (Derek & Mary): "We just want to apologize for all the trash you have to pick up after the stupid kids at school. We tried to pick a bunch of it to help you out, so thank-you."
NJ (Nice Janitor): "Well thank-you."
D&M: "Ya it is so pathetic and we didn't realize how bad it was."
NJ: "Ya its not really my job to do.... well, I guess it is part of it."
D&M: "NO!!! Its not! It is not your responsibility to pick up after us, you are not our baby-sitter. The students should take the 30 seconds out of their day to walk over the trash can. So thank-you again."
NJ: "Your welcome, and thank-you."

He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. Mary and I ended up really getting in the Christmas spirit later that day. We went Christmas sweater shopping, and realized that we should do something nice for the janitors because they do such a thank-less job. So just if you think about it, pick up some extra trash, and maybe say a nice "thank-you" to a janitor if you see one walking by, because I mean, c'mon, 'Tis the season, right?

Merry Christmas.

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

I Want To So Bad

I really really, really, want to go to Africa.

Random?
I think not, and let me explain.

Tonight Austin, Mary, and I are all sitting around and Mary is getting ready to leave, so I ask Austin if he is going to A.B.S.(area bible study[not working out]). We end up going. So I pull onto the neighborhood where the bible study is, I see every one's cars leaving. What the heck? So I give AJ a call, and they are all headed to the church for some AIDS thing, no idea what he is talking about. So Austin and I roll in, and see everyone standing next to this huge tent that has never been there before. So it ends up, my church is hosting this National AIDS sort of convention. This big tent we showed up at, was an AMAZING experience. It takes you on a sort of trail (picture a haunted house, minus the scary, popping out-ness of it) of a small African child that is affected in his/her own way by HIV/AIDS. It is mind blowing. At the end of it, it has a spot for you to write out a prayer or comment for victims, and there is a whole wall COVERED with little notes. There is also a little chapel setup that has dozens of pictures of people affected by this horrible disease. I want to go back again.

Please come with me.
It runs through this Saturday.

Let me know.

Thanks for caring,
Hasta la bye-bye.

College Application Update #2

No news yet on previous applications, but I have some more to report:

Finished:
Sacramento State
Cal State San Marcos
Arizona State University

Nearly Finished:
Ohio State University
[1 essay left, only 250 words though]

University of Colorado at Boulder
[2 optional essays left, probably will do both]

Wish Me Luck!

Thanks for caring,
goodnight.

I am in <3

I FREAKING love Christmas time. I love everything about it. Last night Callie, Mary, Austin, and I, made Christmas cookies and Callie and Mary were eating soup. We bought hot chocolate but it was left un-made. All we were missing was the Christmas jingles. I don't care what anyone thinks, I love listening to Christmas music all season long. It makes me so happy. I just finished helping my mom put up some decorations as well.

Oh my gosh, like I said,

I am in <3

Things To Do During Senior Year

This is a list of things I want to do before June 18, 2008 (Graduation).

1. Go Skydiving
2. Have a Tacky Christmas Sweater Party
3. Plan a killer Senior trip
4. Go on every ride at Disneyland
5. Go snowboarding at least 5 times
6. Make C.I.F.
7. Take a road trip
8. Make a sweet YouTube video
9. Go to an awesome concert
10. Spend a day/night in San Diego
11. Go to Whistler
12. Be a good friend
13. Think of the best way to ask a girl to Prom
14. Hit up Wild Rivers
15. Get air guitar approved

There is a ton more that I want to get done, I just can't think of it at the moment.
But I will keep you updated on the progress of these.

Cheer Me Up

I can't tell you the last time I've been as mad/upset/frustrated as I am at this very second. My team is going to Oklahoma in three weeks for a swim meet. My coach is being a total jerk. Hear me out:

In the beginning of the season, I was not going to practice very much, at all. I understand that he only wants people to go that are in good shape and going to a lot of practices to set an example. So in the begginning of the season, it was homecoming time, so stress in ASB was at an all time high, so I was super busy 24/7 trying to get ready for it. So my coach is saying that I can't go because my attendence this season has been so poor. But, for about the past month to month-and-a-half, I have not really missed, at all, except for 2 days that I went up north to look at colleges. Last weekend, I had a meet, and went 3 best times. In my opinion, I am in okay to pretty good shape. He was also saying, why would I want to make my family pay that and miss that many days of school. Where is it his place to decide what my family wants to pay or not pay, and I only have 3 academic classes!

Earmuffs everyone:



This is "Grade-A" BULLSHIT!

Everyone on my team agrees and wants me to go. It is my freakin senior year, and last travel trip. I don't see why he has to be such a jerk about this. My mom doesn't like him, and everytime she has talked crap on him, I have stuck up for him, now I feel I am regretting doing that.

Someone talk to my coach and open his eyes to have a little compassion.
While you're at it, cheer me up.

College Application Update #1

Last night I sent in my first 5 college applications to the following:

CSU Chico
Sonoma Sate University
San Diego Sate University
San Jose State University
University of British Columbia

As of right now my number one is San Diego.
I will for sure keep you updated.
Keep your fingers crossed.

Thanks and,
hasta la bye-bye.

Can You Say BUMMER?

So sitting in math today, Mary and I decide we want to watch everyone's favorite Christmas movie ever, Elf!!!! Definitely one of my top 5 favorites of all time. So we decide since I have it we'll come over and make hot chocolate and it will be awesome.

We get to my house and I'm running around trying to find the DVD case because we recently got rid of the contraption that held it. So I texted my sister to see if she knew where it was. While I was waiting for her to reply, I called my next door neighbor to see if I could borrow theirs, they don't have one apparently. I get a text and she says it is in a drawer in her room. Score! I go up and search through it and no Elf!

WTF?!?!

So Amanda texts me and asks if I found it, and I say,
"Yes, but we wanted to watch Elf. Where is that?"
"Oh, we lost that a while ago."

UGH!! Why doesn't anyone tell me these things? Now I am going to have to go out and buy a new one, because everyone knows that you can't go through a holiday season without watching Elf at least a couple of times.

I mean, C'MON!

League Championship Tonight!
Go Tesoro!
Kill The Diablos!
Woot-Woot!

Me Gusta.

Just to start, I really don't know why I make a lot of my titles Spanish, I just kind of like it. With that established, this whole entry is dedicated to things I like, enjoy, or any other catchy adjective you can think of. You may find this enlightening/interesting/funny/none of the above. Anyways, here it goes:

I like driving with the windows down.

I like coming home to my lover, Shasta.

I like when you are driving down the street and you can see mountains/sunset in your rear view.

I like when a teacher collects the homework when I do it, as well as when they don't collect it when I don't do it.

I like this girl.

I like when people at my school decide to have spirit.

I like sitting on the beach alone listening to music.

I like driving down PCH with my sunglasses on listening to Bob Marley.

I like riding in someone's car and a song comes on on their iPod that you didn't know anyone else liked.

I like spending time with the family.

I like spontaneous trips with my friends, especially when its somewhere/something I've never done before.

I like the fact that my friends decide to sometimes dress up for no special reason.

I like that most of my friends don't find it necessary to drink.

I like the amazing relationships I've made and rekindled this past year or so.

I like when you are having a blah day and you walk into class and there is a sub.

I like some country music.

I like to take naps in the afternoon after a long morning.

I like that my parents don't force me to do things.

I like when people take interest in what you are up to and how you are doing.

I like taking interest in what people are up to and how they are doing.

I like to take pictures.

I like going out to breakfast after a rough practice.

I like Christmas.

I like the whole holiday season, actually.

I like to laugh at my friends and myself.

I like my life.

One Of Those Days

Don't you hate it when you just have one of those days, where you could have been completely(to anyone in math: I spelt completely right :] haha) unconscience and it would have made no difference. Today seemed to be one of those. It wasn't necesarily bad at all, it just didn't seem to live up to anything; maybe because it was the monday back after an unsuspecting 4-day weekend.

Anyways, I was on my way to the football game that was rescheduled, when I noticed I had a voicemail from mom. "Oh Crap. Now what?" Derek, Call me. Now! Double-crap. So I call, expecting nothing good, thinking maybe she is in one of those moods, complaining about my room being dirty. I call and she utterly rips my head off because I slept through zero period today. Therefore, forcing me to come home and skip the football game. Ugh!

Day: From Bad to Worse

I come home and just sit at dinner with my mom and dad, not uttering a Single word to my mom. I was fuming. Can't she just understand that from swimming 24/7, to ASB, to school, all the while trying to maintain some sort of sanity as well as a life, I have to try to find the energy to get up everyday at atleast 6:00 a.m.?!?!

Operation: Impossible.
I know, right?

Hope tomorrow is better.

Este Fin De Semana Es En Fuego!

So last night, as I was getting ready to walk out the door to Comedy Sportz, my house gets a phone call. All CUSD schools will be closed tomorrow do to extremely poor air quality. Awesome, right? I know. So my brother and I drive to school as giddy as can be. We run up to our friends in line and shout that we don't have school and we are laughing and screaming. It was awesome. Then we watched Tesoro kick Mission Viejo's @$$ in Comedy Sports. While sitting in the theater prior, during, and after the match, we had SO much energy. It was such a blast. Then we went to Kevin's to watch the fire(where we took a hike up the hill of death) and make cookie dough and smoothies. Awesome. This morning a bunch of people came over and we made home-made waffles and had a Jerry Springer/Maury marathon. Then at 3:30 this afternoon we found out we don't have school tomorrow! How awesome is that? So this has become a miraculous 4-day weekend. Not to be left out, next week we have friday off, and then Thursday is Senior Ditch Day! Woot-Woot!

These fires are turning out to benefit quite nicely. In NO way does this mean I am glad they happened though. Still praying for everyone involved.

Utter Domination

To those of you who think Tesoro is a complete disaster, think again. Go take a gander at your local newspaper, and check who is in first place in South Coast League. Yeah Baby!!!!

Yes that is right, we DOMINATED the cougars last night. And with the Mission-San Clemente game ending in a tie, that puts us at the top of the leader board at 2-0. So to you Cougars out there: Stop living in last year, whoop-de-doo, you beat us. But in all honesty, who didn't beat us last year, we were 1-9. So get over it, it's a new year. And to the rest of you South Coast Leaugers: Watch out, were coming for the title! Go Tesoro Football!!!!!

Titan Spirit!

I realize about 2 days ago I blogged about dressing up, but today was amazing. I thought maybe a few people would wear glasses today, but there were so many people dressed as nerds! It was awesome! Today was seriously one of the funniest days and one of my proudest moments as a Titan(sounds lame, I'm aware thank you). It was so funny seeing all the people make complete fools of themselves and really not care at all. We need more spirit days like we had today. In regards to Tesoro's spirit level, I have been so pleased recently:

About a week ago, my brother, my mom, my dad, and I went to this college counselor and she was asking us a bunch of questions about what type of college we'd like to go to. I said, "I would just like to go to a school with a lot of spirit, because our school has zilch and it is quite dissapointing." Today COMPLETELY proved me wrong, well not completely but was very contradictory. Not only was there so many people dressed up but I also got a text half way through our half-time run throughs from Kate: "I'm going to have a party before the football game tomorrow. We are going to have Celinda's (oh my gosh, I think I just peed a little, so good) catered and we are going to try and get as many people to make togas as possible. Come whenever after 4, and invite your friends. For those of you who don't know, there are a select group called Team Titan Toga, they always wear togas to the football games(no idea where it came from :] ), but it is so cool to see that people are starting to get excited and finally having spirit for Tesoro.

I'm so proud :') <-tears of joy.

Verge of Tears

Although I am about 36 hours after the fact, I am seriously so mad right now. My friend Chelsey and I decided we were going to get a huge group of people to go see Paramore on November 11th. I was so stoked becaue they are awesome and what not. But not only was it Paramore, but they were playing with The Starting Line and The Almost! Could you ask for a better group of band? I think not. So Chelsey told me that tickets went on sale on Saturday, so just to find out how many people wanted to go and she would but all the tickets. I told her seven, it was going to be Me, Austin, Megan, Kevin, Mary, Callie, and Amanda. And whoever else she brought or ended up joining. Awesome time, right? I know. Well I get a text Sunday night, while I'm walking into Knott's Scary Farm :] from Chelsey expecting how much I owe her for the tickets and the text reads as follows:

We can't go. They sold out.

What?!?!?! The tickets went on sale yesterday! It was unbelievable, c'mon people. I couldn't believe it. Then she calls me and asks me how much I am willing to spend? I say, "Just how much are they?" She replies, "70." Oh my gosh. Not happening. I am so bummed.

Dress Up

I have to admit that in T-minus 23 days, it will be the time for one of my favorite holidays. Halloween! Although it is no doubt top five material, I have to admit, it doesn't compare to Christmas(only because Christmas is basically a whole season to itself). After an amazing weekend, the highlight being Dress Up Broom-ball for one of my best friends 18th birthday, I can hardly wait for October 31st. Decide who was the best dressed, here are some noteworthy photographs from this weekend:

From Left to Right:

Alex: Baby

Megan: Little Red Riding Hood

Mary: Barbara Walters

Callie: Bob the Builder

Me and Ng be Ballas.

Katie: Boxer

Patrick: Love Shack

Kevin: Lewd Behavior

Melanie: Lesbian










Now drumroll please............










I have to give it to Melanie! I have to admit that Kevin had an awesome costume and he clearly won for originality, but Mel totally pulled off the Lesbo-Look. She pulled off the mullet a little too well, and she had running shoes on to go with it. It was amazing. Hahaha. With Halloween just over 3 weeks away, what should I be people? Girl, Pregnant Nun, and Balla, been there done that. Any good ideas?

Homecoming 2007

So Homecoming is right around the corner, and guess who was nominated for King. Awww Yeah! As cheesy as this sounds, I'm so honored to be nominated, just knowing that people around me picked me as well as nine other awesome guys. I am personally friends with six of them and couldn't be more excited to be standing with them.

One of the funniest things about the nominations this year is that there were three freakin sets of twins nominated! In Senior class alone!!! Crazy. It was me and Austin(makes everything even more awesome), Kelly and Jessica Rugg, and Tom and Casey Vail. How insane is that? Some people that I am so stoked that got nominated are:

Kevin Anderson
Austin Gardner
Patrick Compton
Tom Vail
Megan Atkins
Aubrey Stuki
Christine Butcher
Kristy Nielsen

If any of these people won the crown, I would be completely ecstatic, because they are all awesome people and some of my great friends. Now for the drama:

8 out of the 20 Seniors that were nominated are on ASB. Now all we hear is "blah blah blah, you guys rigged it" "ASB rigged it". We did not rig it! Get over it! First of all, the biggest rule was that you were not allowed to count votes for your own grade. So, no seniors boosted their points, so what do you say to that. And secondly, did you ever think that maybe we were nominated because people recognize us and thats why we are on ASB in the first place(no intention to brag)?!?! But seriously people, can't you just congratulate us and move on with your life? So to all nominees, ASB or not, I personally congratulate you and wish you luck, you're all awesome.

Funny Little Story

Last night after another awesome football game, we lost obviously, Austin, Lindsey, Katherine, Alyssa, Callie, Mary and I go to the gas station to get gas and food. Right before this for whatever reason Kevin and Fareed bailed on us. So we are standing there and I get a call from Kevin.

K: "Hey what are you guys doing?"
D: "We're just trying to figure out what we want to do."
K: "Okay, well I'll meet you guys there, will you call me if you leave?"
D: "Yeah sure."

So we walk outside and we decide to go to mine and Austin's house, what a shock. As I'm pulling my phone out of my pocket, Austin tells me to call Kevin, and I'm all "Okay Mom!". And as soon as I say that I got a text from Amanda. So I reply to the text and put my phone away and Mary and I decide to trade cars to drive to my house and we pull out. As I step out of the car at my house, my phone vibrates, I look at it:

Calling:
Kevin Anderson

K: "Where the heck are you guys?!?!?!"
D: "Sorry! We just pulled up to my house."

Hahaha it was really funny, maybe you had to be there?
I don't know.
Have a great day.

Lame-O's

Why is it that some people must bring everyone around them down? There is a certain class that I am in that all the girls around me do is complain about how crappy everything at school is. It is unbelievable at how much they find to complain about. For example:

Homecoming is coming up and for those of you who don't know, our theme is Stereotype This; and Brittany and I really wanted to make the Senior class Nerds, because we thought it would be tons of fun. So all of ASB is having fun planning everything and I get to Ceramics and all I hear all period is, "Why are Seniors Nerds?", "That is sooo lame", "Oh my gosh, that is so stupid!". Why do they do this when they clearly know I am on ASB and helped make this decision and when they easily could have run for ASB and changed that decision.

Another example:

Friday night we had our first home game, and after that we had our Welcome Back Dance, Titanitus(spirit wear). Obviously it is not ideal to have a dance after a game because it is late already, but what were we supposed to do. The dance ended up going well except for the fact of only one breathalyzer and the fact that it ended up being only about an hour and a half. My friends and I all had a great time but I can truly only speak for myself. So today, I walk into second period and am sitting there and all of a sudden:

"How was the dance?"
"Well, it was good, it was just too short."
"Oh my gosh! That is why I didn't go. Plus, I heard it wasn't any fun."

WHY?!?!?! Why can't people just be grateful for the things they have and not so pessimistic about every minute thing. People should not complain, especially when they had every opportunity to be in charge of things like this? It drives me crazy.

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow for those of you who don't know is mine and Austin's 18th Birthday! It is a very surreal idea, to think that I am going to be an adult. Wow, here's a scary though: I'm going to be Liable for my own actions, scary huh? I never really thought this day would come, and now that it's here I am completely stoked yet a little scared at the same time. So here is how the b-day is going to go:

1. Morning Practice, criminal huh?





2. School con mis amigos! (basically no academic classes, haha)





3. ASB





4. Decorate for dance





5. Come home for, an hour?





6. TAILGATE for the Football game!





7. Titanits Dance.





8. After Fiesta a mi casa.

Talk about one heck of a birthday. I have to say I am simply stoked and can't wait to see what Brittany, Callie, and Mary are up to.

Cigarettes...

...and Lotto Tickets Here I Come!

P.S. Do not worry, I will be doing no such activity with the cigarettes, just for fun.

A.B.C.D.E.

I've always noticed those close group of friends that had a little name for their clique, for lack of a better word. I am not sure whether I envied them or what it was, but now I know why they would always be found together. Ever since Austin, Brittany, Callie and I originated ABCD it has been nothing but fun times. Some of us had had some down time but it's but fun none the less. With Mary coming back from her freaking epic journey to NY, we had to figure out to incorperate her. We were going to make Sissy-Pants (I won't name any names) an honerary "E" so we could make Mary "F"(her last name being Ford). And then, we find out Mary's middle name is ELIZABETH! haha well and that is where A.B.C.D.E. originated and it has been an astounding past couple of months. I am looking forward to some awesome BBQ's, run-ins with the fuzz, trips, and other crazy things we can come up with this Senior Year! Be sure to stick around and see what happens.
Austin
Brittany
Bre
Casey
Callie
Derek
Mary Elizabeth