Uh, gee, where have I been?

Well, I nearly forgot about this blog here, but no need to fret, I'm back!

Unfortunately, our Mr. Publix has passed away, and will no longer be mentioned on this blog.

On a lighter note, I've joined a band with my friends, and we've played two shows total, and we're hoping to get a lot more and to start raising money for better equipment. Our cymbals are so bad, I've named the high-hat "fail" and the crash "cripple." It's bad.

I'm writing a book with a friend of mine, and we're almost finished, so that's exciting.

Oh, and I have a very different kind of opportunity to learn Portuguese! I love languages, and I hope to learn as many different ones as I can, starting with the Romance languages.

Well, it's summer time, and it's hot down here in Florida. Very, very hot. Anyway, it's pretty late, and I'll come back here tomorrow to write something... cool. Catch y'all later!

home schooling! :)

Yeah, so I'm doing that. My mom is teaching me and my friend Josh. I've looked at all the pro's and con's and it's definitely worth it!
The cool part is, I have 7 school days left until I just don't show up at school. After, we don't start classes until after December! It's gonna be great!
My opinion (if anyone cares), public education has so many cons that if someone has the opportunity to home school you, take advantage of that, and learn at home. You can research things for yourself, you can learn at your own pace, mull over things again and again until you finally understand a concept, you can really learn. I can't seem to do that in public schools. If people can learn in public school, if their mind works that way, awesome. Stay in public school. However, if your mind doesn't work in that way, and you have the opportunity for home schooling, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
It's good for you... :)
I'll get more sleep too.

I meant to post sooner...

...but a lot was going on.
Let's start on Friday, the fourteenth, my eyes felt like lead weights all the way through school as we took our diagnostic tests. We keep taking useless tests like that.
After school, it was unofficial "poker night" at Mr. Darrel, "Big D's" house. I call it Josh's house, because normally, although I really love and enjoy the presence of the whole Easley family, I'm normally there to see Josh. Tons of people showed up. Brant Hansen, Shawn Bashor, my dad, Chris Miller, Dr. G, Paul Adams (just started showing up at our house for worship) and one of my dad's co-workers. Those who had sons (Brant, Chris Dr. G, Big D) brought them, and their sons just happen to be my friends. Justin, another friend of mine, also showed up. Unfortunately, those younger than eighteen (Joel G., Josh E., Justin L., Justice H., Peter M., and me) didn't seem welcome to play a game of poker with the "elders," so we played our own game of poker... and got... bored. We went outside and played tons of games. Eventually, we concocted a plan for everyone to sleep at Josh's house. It worked. All six of us hung out that night. Consequently, I wasn't at home to post.
Saturday...
We woke up spread in all corners of Josh's house on either couches, air matresses, blanket cots or beds. My dad came in later and invited us to go snorkeling. We declined in favor of airsoft wars (recentlty banned by the Maplecrest H.O.A.) We played our match B.B. (Before Ban) and hung out at my house playing video games later. After a while everyone seemed to vanish back to their houses, and later Peter and the rest of the Miller family would come for dinner. They stayed late. Once again, I didn't post. I didn't mind either.
Sunday... I don't normally post because of group and such runs late, and I would much rather hang out with them than be on the computer.
Monday...
Once again without good sleep, and still taking a few diagnostic tests, I made it through shcool making the best of it all. I went to get my haircut after school... an interesting part of my day. My mom and I arrived at the haircuttery, and were greeted warmly by the face at the front counter. Not too much later, I was called to the chair to get it over with. The lady there was very enthusiastic, either about people or hair, at first I couldn't tell. She commanded I get a shampoo, and I sat at the sink. My mom came up and asked if I told the lady cutting my hair what I wanted. Before I could answer, the lady, whose name I got to know, "Ilana", asked a question I never expected to hear... I'll never forget this... While looking at my mom, she asked "Oh, is this your boyfriend?"
I froze, my mom tried her best not to react strangely. "No, this is my son. I'm married."
Ilana covered her mistake well "Oh, you look so young, it's possible."
Later I found out that she was saved. Strong in her faith in Jesus. I also learned that she was the mother of a certain girl quite popular due to a certain event, and certain technology recording that event, and posted all over YouTube until they banned the video because it was too violent. No, her daughter was not the bruiser. She was the "bruisie." ?
She has a locker right next to mine. I was encouraged to talk to her. It's not easy when she's always talking to other people. I'm not one to interrupt people's conversations. Tuesday, regular, and today, not much happened. Some of Josh and Big D's friends from Louisiana came down. They're still here. It's pretty cool, they can cook really well!
Yeah, so my week had its hinderances to my posting on this blog, but it was all worth waiting to post all of it in one post.
GOOOOO JOE!

Something I should've seen coming

I sat with the most ridiculous look I've ever had on my face in French class. I was laughing somewhat hysterically with the rest of the class as we watched a blue cartoon character rap in French about how his friends liked to go to the park and have picnics.
Justin and I walked out of the class, mocking the most hilariously entertaining thing we had ever viewed in school. Still laughing, and adding our own jokes on, my arm was suddenly disturbed from it's peaceful rest at my side by a firm tap. I looked behind me to see someone I hadn't spoken to in about seven months. She smiled at me and said, "Hi, Josh!"
I smiled back, and confusedly said, "Uhh, what was that you called me?"
"Oh, uhh, Josh. I'm maiking up names now. Heh." She didn't attempt a correct guess at my name.
"Well," I began to say almost jokingly, "I'm Jonathan, I'm sure Josh is in this building somewhere, though."
She somehow managed to point him out in the crowded hallway as he passed, and said, "Oh, there's Josh!" She half-smiled.
"Are you okay?" I said.
"Oh, I got like two hours of sleep and all. I'm really tired."
I wondered how she managed only two hours of sleep when this was the school's late-start day. She was either awake until 8:00 or had only slept from 10:00 pm to 12:00 am. I didn't pry in that issue.
I noticed something different about her. Something that used to be in her light blue-green eyes was missing. By talking to her, it seemed this change was not for the better. She began talking about things I could hardly decode. None of it made sense. Now, I knew she had been one to talk quickly, but I had never heard her ramble nonsense while trying to make sense. I let her finish whatever rant she was on with a smile on my face, trying to share the almost-fake smile on her own as she went on. When she had finished, I said "Soo... where have you been lately?"
She hardly gave a moment of thought before she said "Well, not at your house, huh?"
I was pretty confused at this last statement, but replied like I wasn't. "Well, I can see that."
She began to ramble again, and ended her run-on sentence with a coherent combination of words saying, "What did you do this summer?"
I told her about my trip to Peru. She acted surprised, but told me after that she already knew that because she had seen pictures from somewhere. She asked why we were there, and I told her what we did. She started rambling again, this time about going to Peru for missions, not for missions, not going to Peru for not missions, going to Peru but not for not missions... and you think you're confused by what I typed? Before we parted in the hallways, I said that I'd see her later. I thought about how her ramblings lacked passion. How she didn't seem only two-hours-of-sleep-tired, and how she had left her good friend's (my sister's) side last shcool year in persuit of a "more successful social life."
This wasn't the girl I used to know. I used to know a passionate, considerate, smart girl. Something was wrong. This didn't make sense to me at all. I think she's done something really bad, and is trying to hide it by avoiding a true, flowing conversation, but all her rambling just makes it more obvious. I won't share her name, but just know she needs prayer... and a case of reverse irony. I hated to see her like that. I think she might have come to me for help. I need to talk to her again.

And once again...

...A beautiful sleep interrupted.

Ohh, it was truly the best sleep I'd had in a while. With my alarm finally set for 6:15, I was reassured that it would wake me up no later, and no EARLIER than was necessary. I... was wrong. Let me tell this story from my sister, Jessica's perspective. It might make more sense...



She woke up at around 5:45. Reluctantly getting ready for her second day of her second week of her fourth and final year of highschool. As she was just finishing her daily preparations, she heard the phone ringing, which in her house, happens 24/7. She picked up the reciever, pressed the button at the top labled "talk" and pressed the phone to her ear. On the other end, her mom spoke to her about a rare asrtonomical event... a lunar eclipse. They were both excited about it, and Jessica was told to wake up Josh (who was staying there that night) and Jonathan (that's meee!!!). She hastened to the door of Jonathan's room, and forced the door open with a twist of the knob and a thrust combined into one motion.
"Wake up," she said sticking her head in the door, "it's a lunar eclipse outside!!"
Josh barely stirred on the couch he slept on across the room from Jonathan's bed, the couch covered in a thin sheet, and a genuine llama wool blanket from Peru. He was awake enough to utter "What?!" thinking the hour was 2:00 A.M. He got up anyway, and went with Jessica to look. Jessica looked at Jonathan, not stirring in his bed. Sleeping like a log, she thought.

The truth was that Jonathan was not asleep. He was rudely awakened by one who was excited about astronomical events over a good rest. I know what you're thinking... "OOOH, poor Jonathan has to wake up fifteen minutes earlier than normal. Poor poor him... wahhh!!" Sarcastic people, well, just think about this. You may wake up an hour or two before I do, you may work all night. However, whatever your hours are, I'd like you to consider... whenever you rest, wouldn't you like an extra fifteen minutes to continue resting before you wake up? Just fifteen minutes? Come on people, it's a great amount of time... to... *yawn*... rest...
You're probably also thinking "OH, he missed out on a lunar eclipse because he wanted fifteen more minutes of sleep? No way!!" Well, let me ask you something... why did you miss the eclipse?

Well, today in school, I was bored...

... and incredibly tired, but holding to my self-made promise to make the best of every situation, the only way I could make the best of boredom was to find some way to entertain myself. I decided, before my first class, that I would be more observant in my classes. I was, and I discovered some things...
1st period, the first thing I observed was my teacher, and the strange way he carried himself. Back straight, which is good posture. But then, it occured to me that the front of his head was making an effort to be even with his back heel. Not only that, but he held his arms abnormally tightly to his side, for reasons I can't really decipher. Go figure... good teacher though.
I noticed 2nd hour... nothing new. That's the class I'm most alert in, so if there was something strange, I would've noticed... but I didn't.
3rd hour, I observed something that I didn't need to be at all alert to know about. Mr. (Coach) Jackson (mentioned in previous posts) would hold strong to his word as a kid's cell phone rang.
The boy had exited the room with a borrowed hallpass, telling Mr. Jackson that he had to use the restroom. He re-entered with his cell-phone making every possible noise known to humans (and some known to platipi... platypuses... platypus... you guys gotta help me out on the plural of platypus.) The phone restlessly made the noises in a formerly silent classroom, and Mr. Jackson did neither look up, or say a word. Until... the phone... stopped. He immediatley looked up as his calm tone of voice betrayed his expression of acute anger, and said,
"Bring it here."
The boy looked up, and replied "I'ts my mom calling."
"I don't care if it's Jesus calling," he said "bring it here."
The boy came to the front of the room, and handed the teacher his phone.
"You lied to me didn't you?" asked Mr. Jackson, staring the accused down. He was only speaking of when the boy said he was going to use the restroom.
The boy mumbled an inaudible rebuttle, but it was lost even further when Mr. Jackson interrupted
"I asked you a yes or no question. It's as simple as that, tell me yes or no."
The boy thought more about the consequences of talking like a smart-alec, and said "Yes."
Mr. Jackson took the cell phone from the boy and said, "Get back to your seat."
In my fourth-hour class, I looked at one strange thing, my World History teacher. A greuling combination of bad posture, and high-heels made her walk resemble that of a chicken's. I'll never be able to un-notice that. By the time I had noticed it though, my boredom was over, and there were friends in my other classes so I didn't have to observe every little detail in my next classes... though it's not a terrible habit, some things are better left unnoticed... and I get to relax some when I'm not trying to look at so many details.
Anyway, that's the strangely interesting... sort of...
And that's life, and all that comes with it.

Sesame Street Trauma

Once again, the hour of 6:00 A.M. ... I was peacefully sleeping, having found a perfect spot on the bed, hoping to enjoy it for the next fifteen minutes I had to sleep. Then, my vague dreams were interrupted by a noise I couldn't make out. Then, it came again. Such a deep, irritating, ominous noise... clearer... clearer... the noise was stripping the sleep from me... clearer... what was it? I could make it out now... the horrible sound! It spoke again...
"I feel GREAT!!!! I feel GREAT!!!! Ifeel GREAT!!!! I feel GREAT!!!!"
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was Ernie. Stuffed in a basket outside my room. Sleeping blinds on exclaiming his joy of today. It was 6:15... Dog on!!!
"I feel GREAT!!!!"
We have to get rid of tha- "I feel GREAT!!!!"
That mons- "I feel GREAT!!!!"
That monster in our house. EEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's life, and the lack of sleep that comes with it...