It was a tough week of school but it's finally over. I think once this semester is done, I'm going to treat myself to something nice. My first paycheck will be coming soon. It's not really a lot, but it's something. I've been saving my money up for an electric guitar. I calculated with the guitar (which is a cheap brand), and amp and accessories, it'll run me about $250. Then all of a sudden on eBay, a jersey of Todd Fuller in which he used during his days at Utah pops up, but it's already at $49.99 (with some fool already bidding on it. Who else has the nerve to bid on a Todd Fuller jersey?). Well I'm leaning towards passing on the jersey (which I'd just frame and hang on my wall), and saving up towards the electric guitar which I'd buy sometime after Christmas. My brother is going to move out soon after the wedding, so I'll turn his downstairs room into a music room/game room/bachelor's pad with lava lamps and strobe lights for all the ladies to enjoy.

You ever go to a fancy restaurant and see something with a delicious decription, but realize you can't even come close to saying the name of the dish? So instead of pointing at the menu when the waiter comes or embarassing yourself by stubbling over the name, you just order the Chicken Fingers. How many sales do you think have been lost by this problem? (which I have named "Menuphobia")

You ever walk around on the streets and see a cute little kid dance around her mama while singing a song, and you say to yourself, "Awww, how cute." And then you look at the mom and she's hecka pissed off and ignoring the kid. And you say to yourself, "What a bad parent." Then you spend the weekend with distant relatives who have kids and they keep singing the same song and beg for your attention while you're trying to enjoy the ballgame or go to sleep. And then you suddenly realize you've turned into that "bad parent" you saw in the streets, and finally say to yourself, "Now I understand."

I'd like to stay on the topic of kids in general. If you didn't hear, there was an incident at church today after the "Bar-Be-Que" (if you're reading this and don't go to CBC, you should keep reading because there's some sort of universal theme). Anyway, according to what I heard from Bernard, one of the punk middle schoolers who we'll call "Miguel" tried to start something with another middle schooler from church and took a shot at him. Bernard and Martin broke up the scuffle. "Miguel"s dad came to pick up "Miguel", but Martin wanted to talk to the dad, who apparently doesn't speak much English. Martin steps in front of their car as they drive away and nearly hits him. They stop the car and the dad and "Miguel" get out, yelling at Martin and Bernard. "Miguel" is trying to act all tough, and Bernard lets the kid take a free shot at him if he wants, but like the punk kid he is, he doesn't take the shot. The dad and kid leave, and Bernard tells him not to come back to church.

Afterwards, there was a discussion about whether "Miguel''s friend, "Julio", should be invited back to church as well because he's been very disruptive. He's been coming for the past four years, and even though he seems to be headed in the right direction, some are not happy with his actions in church and the friends he brings with him. So now he's going to be given one last chance, only this time Martin sat down with him and explained to him that he's this close to being kicked out.

So here's my point: Where did America's youth go wrong? Or maybe more specifically, where did all these fobs come from? (and don't tell me from HK). I mean, I walk up and down the church and if I didn't know better, I'd think I was in a prison for juvenials. You see kids wearing caps cocked to the right with no bend in the brim and a New Era sticker slapped on, all on top of a bandana which compliments the fake studs on their ears (when I see this, I immidately duck for cover because I expect gunshots to fire at any moment). I mean, what's up with these kids with these caps? They're no Felipe Alou, know what I'm saying Quintal? Only Felipe can pull off the no-bend cap and NOBODY will say anything. These kids are maybe only 6 or 7 years younger than me, but it's like a new generation of fobs...I mean gangsters...I mean kids has been raised. It's scary to think that kids will be growing up in this kind of world. Where have all the good kids gone?

One of the things in my Poli Sci class we've been discussing is religion, surprisingly. And the idea of whether we have free will or are predestined came up. For some reason, I thought no doubt that we have free will, and that God is watching us in our walk everydaily. But then I realized predestination meant God already has mapped out our lives, and that we're just living what he's already planned for us. I'm not sure which one to believe in yet. I'd like to think that we have free will, but doesn't it make sense to think that God is omnipotent and has predestined us already? Shucks, I'm just more confused now.