B= Banana Bread

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread/

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed- The warm summer mornings spent with my mother and the pancakes she would make. Blueberry, chocolate, and sometimes even banana.

• 1/3 cup melted butter- The smell of sweet melted butter. Spread upon my french toast that was just readily made by my grandmother. The weeks that we would spend over at their home over the summer, by the pool reading magazines and swimming. It was endless fun. 

• 1 cup sugar- Reminds me of the lack of acrid. Everything was peaceful and filling and sweet like candy. The summers were bright and calm and relaxed. It s what every kid looks forward to...no wonder whyh I have already started counting down the days til summer. 

• 1 egg, beaten- The hard-boiled eggs we would make every year around the time of easter. So man y colors put upon the egg.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla- Summer afternoons spent at corner ice cream or the cone zone. The whole immediate family just eating our favorite flavors of ice cream and enjoys every bite. 

• 1 teaspoon baking soda- The healthful moment when I decided to not drink soda anymore, which was about 2 years ago. Not a drop, and I remember when my cousin used to flaunt that she has seen the deleterious effects of soda and stopped drinking it a long time ago.

• Pinch of salt- I remember how happy I would get tasting the salt on my yummy french fries at the softball fields, Keenholts, where I would play. 

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour- Represents the soft smiles that would shine as the sun radiated upon each of my siblings and my faces. Giving us each a small tint of red. We had known summer had begun and school was out and the next two months and all the days that were entitled with them were all left to us and required no work, just fun and relaxation. 

Famous Poem Starters

But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep
It has been my duty to serve to great lands of Sparta. Since I was just a young boy, not a day older than 7 I'd say. I was fighting and training to become the ultimate killing machine. Learning the phalanx, how to use the weapons, how to defend my self, and survive in the wild. I had to leave my family, a wife and a young son, to fight against the Persians. The nasty Persians, deciding to attack our neighboring states in Greece, specifically Athens. Athens was to our enemy, with there democracy and lack of military power, but we had to join forces to defeat the Mutual enemy. The walk was long and rough but we are warriors, we either win the battle or die trying with honor. A messenger came, before I was set to leave Sparta and fight, and told us of Xerxes evil plans to attack. Not many supplies were brought for the travel, and starvation and thirst began to become a problem. We took small detour and lost our way multiple times making it difficult to reach our destination in the estimated time. I was hurting myself but remembered what I was taught, "Never be a coward! Keep going!" my mentor would always yell. As I looked and saw my moaning counterparts I encouraged them and warned them of the consequences if we do not fight our hardest. When we reached the tight space between to huge rocks I was ready and anxious to go in. I knew that this is where it's all going to happen! This is where Sparta in an  alliance with Athens would both defeat the Persians! Walking into the battle grounds I was a bit cocky, all of us were, especially after the lingering hunger had vanished after we finished the meal we had saved for before battle. I was caught off guard then by the hundreds of thousands of Persians, all lined up and approaching...fast! As a warrior I was ashamed at the fear that had taken over my body, but also relieved by the adrenaline taking its course. We remained still in the phalanx, waiting for the Persians to try and penetrate our defenses. They did. Few soldiers that survived the persian attack against the phalanx creeped up behind their troops and attack the disorganized bunch. It was a mess. Too many Persians to count. What were we doing? Fighting for those...Athenians. We've hated them all along, why help now? And just then I looked to my immediate left. And saw nothing but the bright radiant sunlight bouncing off of the blade. And I tasted nothing but metal, cold silver, and the sweet taste of blood...my blood. They had slashed me, the Persians, and within a few minutes a was just a lost soldier honorably forgotten on the battle field. Walking into the battleground, I didn't know then that the battle was a suicide mission...for all. 

Nursery Rhymes ARE Relevant to Life

Eencey Weencey spider
Climed up the water spout;
Down came the rain
And washed poor Eencey out;
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain;
And the Eencey Weencey spider
Climbed up the spout again.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pfa/dreamhouse/nursery/rhymes/eencey.html

This poem relates to my  life today and how I try my best to never give up, stay determined, and stick with things instead of leave them. The spider fell- which could be seen as a failure- and in my eyes I imagine the spider was determined to reach the top.

Turn your Inkblot into a Butterfly

With nothing but ignorant bliss

feasting for pleasure 

cares blown away 

by gentle slow winds

paths leading us astray

chaotic turns with no direction

no sense of time or place

just withering away 

till the day

it disappears

But then 

change

A growth becoming

off the little bit of pleasure feasted upon

wisdom has been sacrificed once

but is now restored

the control and power

systematic and stationary

rational and ready

aware and thriving

It is complete

compatible and unique

this unprecedented creature

comes out to share

the ways of beauty

change, wisdom, sacrifice

this creature moves with the wind

not against it 

this creature has become something unique

beautiful, contemporary, perfect

Mark McGuire

Bio: http://blog.timesunion.com/mcguire/about-mcguire/
Article: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Will-hockey-be-tail-that-wags-Union-brand-3460264.php

McGuire is a writer for the Times Union and has been writing for awhile, "After more than four years as a sports columnist, Mark McGuire has moved on back to the news side to write about cultural issues. " He enjoys sports, "Even though he sat in the press box or at courtside, McGuire remained a fan at heart", I can assume that I why he was a sport journalist for more than four years. Not from the region, " the transplanted Long Islander", who "came here 21 years ago, expecting to stay a couple dozen months" has found himself in a bit of a sticky situation. "Two houses, two kids and one wife later, [McGuire] thinks the Capital Region is one of the best places anywhere to live and raise a family." So he now resides in the upstate capitol region. In the article "Will Hockey Be a Tail that Wags Union Brand?", by McGuire, is about the "tiny Union College, the one the national media consistently tags with (N.Y.) after its name to locate the school and differentiate it from the seven other institutions of higher learning with "Union" in its name, earned its first berth in the Frozen Four — Division I hockey's equivalent of the Final Four." McGuire wrote about the sprt hockey because it interests him and he has an opinion on the topic. Before making his assumption he gives fact from past occurrences at other colleges, "Siena after the Loudonville college made three straight NCAA men's basketball tournaments from 2008-10. Applications more than doubled compared to five years earlier, and donations to the athletics fund rose more than $200,000, to $469,000." Then he follows the facts with his general statement, The link between the basketball team's success and the increased interest and generosity seems clear."  Then McGuire discusses the advantage of having a hockey program, "the advantage of having the hockey program when a student is contemplating Union or a much larger school. There is also the additional edge for a student who would like to root for a big-time program but also play collegiately themselves, something a broader range of athletes are able to do on the Division III level." Overall McGuire is a wonderful wrtiter for both the news and sports headlines and the Union College was lucky to have a hockey program that placed highly in their division. 

NYT Tuesday

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/on-this-day/april-4/
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0404.html#article

April Fourth

A man was fatally shot by a gunman who ran away and escaped, on this day
who preached nonviolence and racial brotherhood
following the tragedy; fires, looting, shootings, assualts. We were led astray

was shot while he leaned over a second. A second
a second by a white man who was 50 to 100 yards away in a flophouse
late model white Mustang, the killer's getaway car. He ran. A coward I reckon

Tragedy. Winning civil right leader died. Why?
A high-powered rifle. Found on South Main Street.
men were questioned but...Why did this man have to die?

High school...

FUN! There is so much to do in high school. Clubs, musicals, sports, classes, etc. There is so much to learn and so much room to grow. I like high school! I feel it is a breeze personally and I am so excited for college in two years, to take everything to the next level and begin my life. I have done so much in high school and working myself til there is nothing left but drowsy eyes and great grades. I have worked so hard and I want everything to pay off and I want to be successful and the best I can be. In high school I have tried to be the bets I can be and make the best out of everything. Every activity, every relationship, every learning experience. I have learned so much in just my first two years in high school, and I'm very excited for the years to come. High school to me is FUN and an important experience and adventure in my everyday life.